Sam The Wine Teacher 
Well, I’m not a student of history, but I am willing to bet that there has never been a “Battle of Pinotage”. However, such an event took place just recently at my home. Let me explain. It all started out when I was in my local VQA store and noticed that The View Winery had … Read more
2011 Chardonnay (McLean Creek Vineyard) Meyer Family Okanagan Falls, BC $26.09 Silver Medal Lemon yellow in colour with medium intensity. Toast, butter, apple and citrus on the nose. Well balanced with good mouthfeel. Varietal character on the palate and a medium-long finish. 2010 Chianti Rufina (Sangiovese) Frescobaldi Nipozzano Riserva Italy $24.99 Bronze Medal … Read more
Commercial Drive Brunch Crawl When’s the last time you spent a day strolling along Commercial Drive? From Venables, south to 12th Avenue, there are a plethora of funky shops and eateries. You could spend a month eating your way around the world with restaurants featuring cuisine from Mexico, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Jamaica and Italy to … Read more
2012 Shiraz Serafino McLaren Vale, South Australia $27.99 Silver Medal This highly rated Australian shiraz is certainly a cut about the others. Garnet black in colour with deep intensity. The nose shows aromas of red and black fruit with layered chocolate, spice and earthy notes. Well balanced with firm ripe tannins. Bright fruit and spice … Read more
So sometimes we get a little busy and overlook a post that should have been published awhile ago. This is exactly what happened with Wine Weekend. But because the reviews are still relevant today we thought it would be a shame to not share. Well, it was a busy wine weekend. On Saturday, I was … Read more
2012 Chardonnay Cedar Creek Kelowna, BC $17.95 Silver Medal This chardonnay has a small amount of pinot gris added to it. Lemon yellow in colour with medium-light intensity. The nose shows aromas of tropical fruit, pineapple and a hint of banana. Good structure. Eleven months of sur lees aging give it a creamy mouthfeel. Well … Read more
A friend was in town for a visit and mentioned he wanted to check out the craft beer scene so we checked on line for craft beer Vancouver, made a list and headed off for East Vancouver. Parallel 49 at 1950 Triumph Street was our first stop. We went in, met Angie and selected four … Read more
I caught up with BC wine guru John Schreiner at the Clearbrook library recently where he was speaking on wine as a part of their Fine Food Series. Other lectures in this series focus on Olive Oil and Vinegar, Honey and Coffee. John discussed his latest book, “John Schreiner’s Okanagan Wine Tour Guide” and a … Read more
Wine Recommendation Taste of Thursday Local boy, Chef Paul Moran has contributed the recipe for this week’s Taste of Thursday. Chef Paul, 2013 winner of the first annual Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship award, has traveled the world honing his culinary chops and has racked up an impressive list of awards. With this dish, I think … Read more
Keeping with under $20 wines for cash strapped January. NV Baby Bub Haywire Summerland, BC $13.99 Bronze Medal Tasted 2014 12 This half bottle of pink bubbles is a perfect brunch or luncheon wine made from a blend of pinot noir and chardonnay. It is an inviting pale cherry red in colour with medium-light … Read more