Sam The Wine Teacher 
2011 Tippy Toe Oaked (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier) Montakarn Oliver, BC $20.00 Bronze Medal Tasted 2014 11 Golden yellow in colour with medium intensity. Butter and ripe tropical fruit on the nose. Good balance with a slightly sweet entry and good mouthfeel. Big tropical fruit and buttery flavours on the palate with a medium finish. … Read more
Do you use the BC Liquor Store’s web site (http://www.bcliquorstores.com) to check for products? Do you use their mobile app? Probably many of you do and if you don’t, they are well worth checking out. But how many have scrolled to the bottom of the page and under “Customer Service” clicked on “Special Events”? Not … Read more
I love it when people are away on holiday and I am asked to fill an empty spot with the Tasting Ten. This is a wine tasting group that was formed over forty years ago. They meet each month from September to June, taking turns presenting a flight. This month was a particularly interesting session. … Read more
Mussels and White Asparagus – Chef Paul Moran Yum! This dish sounds absolutely delicious, doesn’t it? Thanks to Chef Paul Moran, for coming up with this recipe that highlights fresh, local BC ingredients. I’m thinking this needs something relatively light, crisp and refreshing. Sauvignon Blanc is always a good choice for seafood or with vegetables … Read more
There are several types of wine tastings including blind tastings, horizontal tastings and vertical tastings. A vertical tasting is when you taste the same wine from the same winery, but from different, usually sequential, years. In contrast, a horizontal tasting is the same varietal and the same year but from different wineries and a blind … Read more
Matt Dumayne, winemaker at the Okanagan Crush Pad, was in town recently for a winemaker’s dinner at Swirl Wine Store in White Rock. Matt has spent sixteen years as a winemaker and has twenty-eight vintages under his belt including several in his former home in the Central Otago region of New Zealand. Swirl owner Jeff … Read more
2013 Bacchus (Dry Reserve) Chaberton Langley, BC $17.25 Tasted 2014 11 Straw coloured with medium-light intensity. An inviting Muscat like nose showing aromas of peach, mineral, apple and citrus. Good balance, clean and crisp. Stone fruit (peach and nectarine), lemon and elderberry flavours on the palate. A medium finish. This lip smacking social wine will … Read more
2009 Malbec/Cabernet Silkscarf Summerland, BC $29.90 Bronze Medal Tasted 2014 11 Garnet red colour with medium-plus intensity. Cherry, raspberry, spice and chocolate aromas on the nose. Good balance with medium body. Red fruit flavours on the palate with a medium finish. 2010 Syrah Thornhaven Summerland, BC $24.90 Silver Medal Tasted 2014 11 The colour is … Read more
A juicy steak calls out for a big red and Cabernet Sauvignon is the classic match. Cabernets tend to be full bodied and have the tannin structure necessary for the steak’s protein. California Cabernets tend to be fruit forward with a slightly sweet edge and higher alcohol level. The French tend to blend their Cabernet … Read more
2011 Naughty Chardonnay Dirty Laundry Summerland, BC $24.99 Silver Medal Tasted 2014 11 This is Dirty Laundry’s oaked chardonnay. They also make an un-oaked one (Not So Knotty Chardonnay). Straw coloured with medium-light intensity. Aromas of apple, pear, citrus and mineral on the nose. Good balance with medium body. Citrus and mineral on the … Read more