A Walk Through White Burgundy: Vineyards, History, and Change Vines were growing in Burgundy during the Gallo-Roman period, although the surviving evidence does not establish when they first arrived or which grapes were planted. By the early Middle Ages, vineyards had become important to religious communities and secular landowners because wine was required for worship, … Read more
Being a long time fan of Little Engine wines it has been my pleasure to begin to review their current selection of wines. When reviewing wines I tend to take a little extra time which includes pairing the wine with a dish I think will bring out the best characteristics of the varietal. For this … Read more
This week I had the opportunity to visit Blue Grouse in the Cowichan Valley. Such a beautiful area it is a pleasant drive of about an hour from Victoria via the Malahat. The architecture of the estate is what initially takes your breath away. Set in an ideal location with beautiful and welcoming landscaping. You … Read more
Why Does Burgundy Have So Many Communes? Burgundy can be difficult for new wine drinkers because it asks them to understand places before grapes. In many wine regions, the label begins with a grape name, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, or Pinot Noir. In Burgundy, the label often begins with a place: Bourgogne, Chablis, Gevrey-Chambertin, … Read more
This is the first review of the season featuring two Little Engine Wines that match so well with summer. What goes best with sunshine, mountain views and long, slow days? Light, refreshing, delicious wines. You are going to love these wines as much as I do. Just ideal for enjoying on the beach, by the … Read more
Noble Ridge’s 2019 The One Named Best Sparkling Wine at the All Canadian Wine Championships The winery earns Canada’s top sparkling wine honour for a second time, highlighting the exceptional quality of Okanagan Falls as a premier sparkling wine region. Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery is proud to announce that its flagship traditional-method sparkling wine, … Read more
Kim Uncorked: Welcome to my weekly wine recommendation. Hi, I’m Kim, a passionate lover of wine, food, and any experience that brings the two together! In this weekly blog post, I share my thoughts on a wine that I’ve recently purchased from one of our local independent wine merchants. If you’d like to know more … Read more
Wine Production in Fuissé: A History The village of Fuissé sits near the southern end of Burgundy’s limestone belt, where the vineyard land of the Côte d’Or and Côte Chalonnaise gives way, a few kilometers to the south, to the granitic terrain of Beaujolais. It is a small commune in the department of Saône-et-Loire, and … Read more
APVSA Tropical Summer Wine Tour The Association for the Promotion of Wines and Spirits launched its Tropical Summer Wine Tour here in Vancouver this past week at the Sutton Place Hotel. The tour will make stops in 18 cities across North America, from Mexico City to Montreal, with an additional stop in Honolulu. APVSA boasts … Read more
Nestled in Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley, Blue Grouse Estate Winery is one of BC’s oldest wineries and among the pioneers of modern Island winemaking. Viticulturist John Harper planted an experimental vineyard on the property in 1977, trialling more than 150 grape varieties, some of which are still in production today. The Kiltz family purchased the … Read more