Sam The Wine Teacher 
2010 Syrah Desert Hills Oliver, BC $36.90 Garnet red with medium intensity. Red berries and dried herbs on the nose. Good balance. Pleasing fruit on the palate followed by dusty sage on a medium finish. 2016 Garnacha Tintorera / Monastrell Laya Almansa, Spain $14.49 Garnet / black in colour with deep intensity. Ripe, … Read more
2015 Muscat Bordertown Osoyoos, BC $22 Lemon yellow with medium intensity. Your nose is greeted with a cacophony of tropical and floral notes, especially pineapple, melon and peach. Well balanced, full and round in the mouth. Mouth-watering fruit is echoed on the palate. A medium-long finish with ginger-like bitterness lingering. All the rich, ripe … Read more
Got a wine lover on your gift list? How about tickets to a wine festival? I can assure you, they will be greatly appreciated. Check out these links and see which ones appeal to you. The Vancouver International Wine Festival This event, which runs for a whole week, is one of the biggest … Read more
It all began in 2013 when Peter Henricsson dropped by to have dinner with Torsten Allander of Foxtrot Winery in Naramata (Foxtrot is renowned for their Pinot Noir wines). He was very impressed with a particular bottle of Foxtrot Pinot Noir that Torsten served. Peter found out it was made from the grapes in … Read more
If you are a fan of Italian wines, especially those from Northern Italy, like I am, then you likely think of enjoying a glass of Valpolicella Classico with pizza or a tomato sauced pasta, some Valpolicella Ripasso with barbecued chicken or mushroom risotto and of course a rich intense Amarone with roasted meats or … Read more
Can you imagine the surprise when I got an invitation to sample the latest merlot releases from the prestigious CheckMate winery, only to find out the event was being held in a music store? Unusual, yes and certainly a first for me. But it didn’t take long to see how brilliant it was. Tom … Read more
Marta Passio Reserva Brut Cava Rosé 2012 $31.22 Five varietals are used in this sparkling wine including Garnacha, which gives it its colour. Albert Ponnelle Bourgogne Pinot Noir de la Chèvre Noire 2015 $29.49 This is a refreshing and affordable French pinot noir. Narrative White $19.49 This delightful white blend of … Read more
As one who lives out in the burbs, I am delighted with all the events, John Gerum and Caroline Ahrendt of West Coast Experiences, bring to the Tri-Cites area. Their most recent event was the Tri-City International Food and Wine Festival, held at Coquitlam’s Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club. This is a great … Read more
Italy is an ancient wine world with more than 500 DOC’s or specific recognized wine regions and more than 2000 grape varieties. Italy has 700 000 hectares of vineyards (by comparison, BC has about 4 000 ha). Wine Meridian is an online magazine that is devoted to promoting quality Italian wines in North America. … Read more
On a hot and sunny afternoon, I walked into Dunbar’s New District wine shop for a special tasting of Mirabel wines. Twelve years ago, Dawn and Doug Reiner moved from their home in West Vancouver and set out to build their dream home in east Kelowna. At the time the 30-acre property was planted … Read more