Thanksgiving is nothing if not a tradition-stuffed celebration -- turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie. So, why not go to nontraditional sources for some ideas on wines to serve with the feast? Our forebears prepared for the holiday by adding logs to
I'm not sure anyone can replicate the great pinot noir of Burgundy but its average pinot is under assault worldwide. As growers in as disparate regions as Carneros, California, Marlborough, New Zealand and closer to home in the Okanagan begin to hone
When the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival starts its big 25th anniversary celebration next March, the spotlight will be on Chile, the 2003 theme country. Next Tuesday, the Festival will announce the long list of Chilean wine producers
North America's first aboriginal-owned and operated winery officially opened for business this past weekend, and it's a worthy addition to any wine buff's south Okanagan touring map. Its name is Nk'Mip (pronounced "inkameep") Cellars, a joint venture
It used to be that no one made pinot noir better than the French or, more specifically, the vignerons of Burgundy. While in some cases that statement remains true today it must be used for specific wines, hailing from specific sites, made by specific
There's never enough well-made, inexpensive red wine available as far as I'm concerned, and with the government's impending move toward privatization, via the five and dime "beer and wine" retail store model, you can say goodbye to any interesting wines
The longest running opening of a Canadian winery finally comes to an end next month when Mission Hill Family Estate officially opens its doors with a black-tie, gala dinner and ceremony. The renovations and expansions at Mission Hill are breathtaking
Italian winemaker Sandro Boscaini is a Veneto legend, and the modern-day father of Valpolicella. Energy, excitement, passion and courage are just a few terms that describe the dynamo behind Masi wines. Boscaini is perhaps best known for changing the
Creating bilingual puns can be fun, and one wonders whether that was what a group of Chilean business types were up to in 1993 when when they came up with the name "Viña Cono Sur" for a line of mostly inexpensive varietals. The Oxford dictionary defines
At the southern end of the Rhone River, to its west just before it flows into the Mediterranean, lies a large wine-producing region called the Costières de Nîmes. It's one of a handful of appellations spearheading resurgent consumer interest in good-value
Down on his luck and near broke, Australian prospector Samuel Smith struck gold at Bendigo, Victoria, with his 17th and final mineshaft yielding £300 worth of gold. The year was 1851. The horticulturalist immediately turned wine grower, and
There's no substitute for serious winemaking, which is why in little over a decade a middle-of-the-pack Sonoma producer has jumped into the upper echelon of Northern California wineries. Geyser Peak began the journey back in 1989 when Australian and
"Red Hot and New" is the catch phrase for an innovative BCLDB buying program featuring quality wine under $10 and it's paying big dividends for consumers and government coffers. The brainchild of long-time government wine buyer David Scholefield, "Red
Big is seldom better in the wine business, but there are exceptions. Some months ago I sang the praises of Chilean wine giant Concha y Toro, which despite its massive size continues to deliver high quality over a wide price range. Today, a
It used to be that after a long day of sunbathing, water skiing and generally doing nothing in the desert heat of the Okanagan Valley, vacationers would head back to their cabin to toss a few hot dogs on the barbecue and drink beer. Today if they are
The farm-to-table movement that brings seasonal, local ingredients to the tables of British Columbia restaurants raises the call for a similar switch to local wine -- but which grape can we claim as our own? Which variety shouts B.C. and which is likely
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