Have you ever traveled to a place of such unexpected beauty that it has worked its way into your heart? I have. It was early 2013 when I came to the Okanagan Valley for the first time. I recall standing on the Golden Mile Bench at CheckMate, looking across at Black Sage Bench and down … Read more
After a rather roundabout way of arriving in Oliver we were more than ready to enjoy a wine tasting experience at CheckMate Artisanal Winery‘s wine experience room – Installation a pop-up by Tom Kundig of Seattle based Olson Kundig a 2008 National Design Award in Architecture winner. The setting reflects the uniqueness of all that … Read more
I began this event with an informal session on terroir. We were presented with four wines made from four Naramata Bench winemakers – Val Tait from Bench 1775, Gavin Miller from Upper Bench, Stefan Arnason from Poplar Grove and Elephant Island’s Del Halladay. The task was to match each wine to the description given by … Read more
On “those lazy, hazy days of summer” as we watch the clouds sail across the skies so, too, in the Okanagan Valley you’ll find Black Cloud Pinot Noir on the move. After nine vintages with Township 7 Vineyards and Winery, Okanagan winemaker Bradley Cooper is making a move down the Naramata bench and bringing … Read more
First the place: There are seven zones of wine regions in Tuscany and we were in the North East close to the river. The estate has 50 hectares of vineyards and a very interesting history. On the place of the ruins sat an ancient Roman fort which became the medieval Castle of Vico. In the fifteenth century, … Read more
What a fantastic evening filled with award winning wines and sumptuous food; a sold out event and no wonder! Chef Chris Whittaker paired his delicious local and sustainably farmed dishes with JAK Meyer’s consistently elegant Wines. After a short introduction by both men, the first course and flight of wines were presented and it … Read more