As we launch this month's newsletter, our hearts are with British Columbians across the province currently affected by the wildfires. We thank those brave folks fighting the fires and ask if you are lucky enough to be unaffected that you find out what
British Columbia’s Vancouver Island is a geologically complex isle, a little bigger than Sicily, half-tucked into a Pacific Northwest pocket on the west side of North America. Tectonically, it is surrounded by the active boundaries of three tectonic
In June, Quails' Gate Estate Winery in West Kelowna, British Columbia, hosted a blind tasting featuring well-known international chardonnays and three of its top chardonnay labels to be assessed and benchmarked by a wide-ranging panel of Canadian wine
I was thrilled to hear that I would be a judge at the National Wine Awards of Canada alongside the country's top wine professionals. Together we tasted a vast number of Canadian wines (1,930, to be precise). But the initial excitement didn't take long
In May, my partner Joe and I took a road trip across the top of the US. We drove through Washington, Montana, North Dakota, and most of the way across Minnesota. Our end destination was Minneapolis and the American Cheese Society (ACS) Judging and Competition.
Aurelio Montes's business card reads Chief Winemaker Montes Wines but also includes the title "Guardian of the Spirit." It's a tribute to Douglas Murray, a co-founder of Montes Wines in 1987. He came up with the title after emerging unscathed from a severe
One of the things we love about the Okanagan wine industry is the diversity of people coming from around the world with a large amount of work experience. The latest is François Mateo, whose background includes working with the famed Champagne
This week we look at a personal favourite, especially in the summer, when it works so well with fresh, hand-picked tomatoes. Cheese Name: Mozzarella di Bufala Origin: Campania, Italy originally, although other versions are made in Canada as well
In an era of greenwashing, the BC wine industry is doing the real work. Wineries are backing up their efforts in the vineyard with certifications that matter. That includes not just organic certification, but also the Sustainable Winegrowing British Columbia
There are many reasons to celebrate and enjoy a glass of white wine in May. The 5th is International Sauvignon Blanc Day, the 17th is Pinot Grigio Day, and the 25th is Chardonnay Day. Who needs any more reasons than that to raise a glass? White
When someone mentions tango, gaucho, pampas, or asado, it’s easy to think of Argentina. However, when the wine is the subject, malbec is the word that best elicits modern day Argentina. Today malbec accounts for approximately 40 percent of red grape
We caught up with Laura Catena, fourth generation and Managing Director of Bodega Catena Zapata, at the recent Vancouver International Wine Festival, where she was inundated by malbec and Catena Zapata fans as she stood by her booth. It's no wonder
This month's top ten looks at the top rosés the GOW team has recently tasted, highlighting some of the first releases from the promising 2022 vintage. 94/100Gérard Bertrand Clos du Temple Rosé Viognier 2020Cabrières,
The Drouhin label is one of noble heritage. Burgundian Laurent Drouhin was in Vancouver this month to talk about the family wines, a surprising number of which you can buy in BCL stores, which is a pleasant surprise. Laurent lives in New York and
There's more to Jerez than its famous fortified wines, and this month's cheese pick Sherry Cask is an excellent example. This is a new creation of Alimentias, a cheesemaker in southern Spain. It is made from raw sheep's milk collected from neighbouring