Valerie van der Gracht 
“In this series, I will be sharing my take on which Wines pair well with some inspirational recipes” Nothing better than an easy drinking patio wine that also pairs nicely with everything from spicy Thai to down home bbq fare. These are wines to share with friends that you know appreciate your good taste and … Read more
Yesterday I attended a trade event in Victoria titled Vintage 2025 in B.C. – Bounce Back / Rebuild that was hosted by Way West Wines and moderated by Treve Ring. The wineries and their representatives in attendance were: Charlie Baessler, Corcelettes Winery Richard Charnock, JoieFarm Winery Max Legris, Sage Hayward Wines Alison Moyes, Solvero Vineyards … Read more
In Conversation with Prishita Agarwal, Co-Founder of Mosa Technologies and Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Awards nominee. In Canada’s 10th edition of the international awards program, the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Awards named Prishita Agarwal as one of its top finalists in the Bold Woman and Bold Future Award categories. Can you share a bit about your … Read more
Gold Hill Estate Winery is the featured winery on Wine Club Canada this month so it seemed an ideal time to share with you Reflections on Winemaker Val Tait. But just before we get into that, just in case you don’t read right to the end, here is a link to Wine Club Canada if … Read more
Hester Creek Estate Winery Origin Series Inspired by the legendary super Tuscan wines of Italy. Today I am introducing you to two of the special wines from the Hester Creek Estate Winery Origin series. Wines of phenomenal origin and destiny, the Judge and Garland are crafted from the best barrels in the Hester Creek Cellar, … Read more
How long is too long to keep a wine? Based on my search a B.C. Sauvignon Blanc is best enjoyed within one to two years. Under ideal storage, darkness and a consistent low temperature maybe up to three years. So what happens if you accidently forget it’s on the shelf? Well of course you should … Read more
France: Terroir & Trends Our contributor, Kim Mead @agalandaglass gifted me with a ticket to the seminar France: Terroir & Trands held during the Vancouver International Wine Festival. The panelists: Mariélène Auclair, Key Account Manager Montreal, Quebec, Canada Charles Bouthillier, Consultant – Senior Executive – Board Member Pincourt, Quebec, Canada Romain Chevrolat, Œnologue – Responsable … Read more
Beaujolais: Dig into Diversity Beaujolais Brings Depth, Diversity, and Storytelling Power to the Vancouver International Wine Festival At the 2026 Vancouver International Wine Festival I had the opportunity to attend the seminar Beaujolais: Dig into Diversity moderated by Iain Philip. Truth be told I targeted this seminar strictly because of the moderator. Iain Phllip is … Read more
In Conversation with Manpreet Dhaliwal – Head Winemaker Kismet Estate Winery and named to the BCBusiness 30 Under 30 Class of 2026 Canada’s first and only South Asian female head winemaker recognized for leadership shaping Kismet’s next chapter in the South Okanagan Dhaliwal leads winemaking at Kismet, the family-run, BC VQA-certified winery in Oliver, B.C., … Read more
Usually I like to dine twice at any restaurant before I write a review, but often this is not possible. This time it was my second time reviewing Ugly Duckling. The first time I had the honour of reviewing the exclusive L’Abattoir x | Ugly Duckling | Gastown Meets Chinatown last November. Two champions of … Read more