Sam The Wine Teacher 
For years, I have seen the name, ‘Vanessa Vineyards’ listed on some wines produced by Sandhill Winery. Winemaker Howard Soon recognized the quality of the fruit coming from this site years ago and opted to make single vineyard wines from these grapes instead of blending them in with grapes from other areas. Two … Read more
I belong to a wine tasting group called the Tasting Ten. Ten people meet ten times a year and taste through a blind flight (all bottles wrapped in paper to conceal their identities) of wines based on a theme.
As sommelier of the year, Shane Taylor is the latest to be invited by Okanagan Crush Pad to make a wine of his choosing.
This post features some wineries I have tried for the first time. 2016 Chardonnay Fort Berens Lillooet, $18.98 Straw coloured with medium-light intensity. Oak slightly dominates the nose (I like this style) followed by tropical fruit, citrus, butter and toast. Good balance with good mouthfeel. The flavours echo the nose. Pleasing flavours linger on the … Read more
2014 Chardonnay Bordertown Osoyoos, BC $26.90 Lemon yellow with medium-light intensity. Like many California chardonnays, this one leads with oak yet isn’t overly oily or drenched in tropical fruit. The nose aromas of butter, toast, vanilla, ripe apple and orange peel. Very good balance. The flavours mirror the nose followed by a medium-plus finish. This … Read more
2016 Pinot Blanc (Lawson) Anthony Buchanan Oliver, BC $19.99 One of, if not the best, Pinot Blanc wines in BC. Pale lemon yellow in colour with medium-light intensity. The nose is layered with aromas of peach, apple, citrus, melon, white flowers and minerality. Well balanced and full bodied. White peach, apple and citrus … Read more
2017 Gamay Rust Winery Oliver, BC $23.00 Initially, I was devastated to find out that Mount Boucherie no longer offered Gamay as it was a favourite of mine. Fortunately, the news was not as bad as it first appeared. The new owners also owned Rust Winery (located on the former Rustico site) and decided to … Read more
Wow. Just wow. Normally, I just write articles about wine, but I am also smart enough to act when other opportunities knock. And opportunity did knock when I got an email from Jennifer Friesen, of Genesis Richmond, inviting me to a Genesis G70 Driving Experience. I drove out to the BC Driving Centre near the … Read more
I always enjoy a drive in the country and when you combine that with great food and wine, it is just about perfect. Golden Ears Cheesecrafters are an award-winning cheese producer in Maple Ridge. Because their cheeses are so highly respected, you’ll find them at better restaurants and hotels throughout Greater Vancouver. Their Long Table … Read more
Two young female entrepreneurs are making a splash in the Vancouver wine world. Amo Vino is a new wine agency that specializes in wines that are outside of the norm. They have searched out wines that speak to their roots, their sense of place. Amo Vino features wines from small BC producers, Greece, Italy, Portugal, … Read more