NV Brut Reserva Segura Viudas Torrelavit, Spain $16.99 Segura Viudas is well-known for delivering good-quality sparkling Spanish wines (cava), and this modestly priced Reserva proves the point. Straw coloured with medium-light intensity. Baked apple, citrus, brioche, wet stones, and dried tree fruit with undertones of yeasty lees on the nose. Good balance with mouth-filling mousse. … Read more
In addition to the weekly wine review and the various other, usually wine-related, articles I write for My Van City, I am going to include a new one that will appear from time to time. I’m calling it, ‘From the Cellar’. It will be similar to the wine reviews, except that it will feature wines … Read more
2022 Blanc de Blanc Fort Berens Lillooet, BC $39.99 Are you an ‘any day is a good day for bubbles’ person like I am? If so, you’ve got to give this one a try. This traditional method, wine is made from 100% estate grown Chardonnay and was aged ‘sur lie’ for 24 months. Lees aging, … Read more
Fort Berens has just released three new wines alongside three offerings in their Reserve series. While many people are familiar with Fort Berens wines, I’m often surprised by how few have actually visited the winery. Lillooet is steeped in history. As one of the earliest towns in the province, it played an important role as … Read more
In addition to the weekly wine review and the various other, usually wine-related, articles I write for My Van City, I am going to include a new one that will appear from time to time. I’m calling it, ‘From the Cellar’. It will be similar to the wine reviews, except that it will feature wines … Read more
2021 Gewürztraminer Upper Bench Penticton, BC $25.00 Lemon yellow with medium-light intensity. This aromatic nose offers lychee, mango, red apple peel, delicate lime zest, and floral notes. Nicely balanced acidity and sugar. Pleasing fruit on the palate with flavours mirroring the nose, followed by a medium-plus finish. Interestingly, this wine improved significantly with time to … Read more
Fort Berens Estate Winery, nestled in the rugged beauty of Lillooet, British Columbia, continues to elevate its reputation as one of the province’s premier wine producers. Overlooking the scenic Fraser River, this pioneering winery has made its mark with a diverse portfolio of wines—offering nearly two dozen unique bottlings—but it’s their red wines that always … Read more
2024 Chardonnay (Here and There Series) Fort Berens Lillooet, BC $24.99 Pale straw with medium-light intensity. Tropical fruit, peach, pineapple, banana, lemon cream, and honey on the nose. Good balance. The flavours echo the nose, followed by a medium-plus finish. This lightly oaked wine suits a wide range of foods, including a spice-rubbed roasted chicken. … Read more
2024 Unoaked Chardonnay River Stone Oliver, BC $24.90 From their Good Neighbours series. Made with grapes that came from the Columbia River area of Washington State. Lemon yellow with a hint of green and medium-minus intensity. The nose opens with lemon, apple, mandarins, nectarines, almonds, melon, and wet stones. Good balance with medium-plus body. … Read more
2024 Chenin Blanc River Stone Oliver, BC $25.90 A part of River Stone’s Good Neighbours Series. The grapes for this wine came from the Columbia River area of Washington State. Lemon yellow with medium-minus intensity. The nose is pronounced with aromas of honey, floral, lanolin, beeswax, peaches, citrus, and apples. Very good balance with full … Read more