Monthly Archives: April 2007

Dusty, Earthy, and Delicious: An Evening of South Africa Reds

Posted on April 30, 2007 by

April 25th marked a night of tasting premium South African reds with our local chapter of the South World Wine Society. As usual, it was a gregarious group with a diverse range of opinions and no hesitation sharing them. Here’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Chenin Blanc, pinotage, South African Wines, WSET | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Chip Off the Old Barrel

Posted on April 28, 2007 by

I’ve been doing a lot of reading about barrels lately – varying amounts of toast, using radar to plot flavor profiles, and technical specs from various cooperages. Okay, so it’s part of my WSET training, but it also reinforces some … Continue reading →

Posted in barrels, oak | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Developing Terroir: BC Wines Come of Age

Posted on April 25, 2007 by

Big, bold, and daring or crisp, delicate, and sophisticated. Whatever your preference in wines, BC’s burgeoning wine industry now boasts some of the finest. “BC is clearly developing its own, unique persona,” says Tim Ellison, co-founder of the BC Wine … Continue reading →

Posted in BC Wine Institute, BC Wines, BCWAS | Leave a comment

Semillon: Plain Jane or Belle of the Ball

Posted on April 23, 2007 by

Tonight’s wine tasting gives new meaning to the word “contrast.” On the table are two wines from Down Under: a Parri Estate and a Noble One Botrytis Semillon from De Bortoli. Both wines are 2004 vintages, both are 100% Semillon, … Continue reading →

Posted in Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, WSET | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Tale of Two Margauxs

Posted on April 20, 2007 by

The other day I was at a supplier’s shop to pick out some materials for a movie I have coming up. To my surprise, Corrine, the young lady who meticulously keeps track of the accounts, asked how my wine classes … Continue reading →

Posted in Chateaux Margot 1953, Wings of Courage | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Calling All Centenarians: The Wine Century Club

Posted on April 19, 2007 by

If you’ve been sipping Assyrtiko, Ehrenfelser, Xarel-lo, or Zweigelt lately, chances are you’re eligible for membership in the Wine Century Club. Now more than two years old, this obviously fun-loving group of wine enthusiasts was founded by Deborah and Steve … Continue reading →

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Wolf Blass Changes Your Outlook on Picnics

Posted on April 16, 2007 by

Listen up all you folks who think the move from cork to Stelven is horrific. Here’s a new one to ponder. How about plastic wine bottles? Yup, that’s plastic – just like a bottle of 7-Up or Pepsi. So call … Continue reading →

Posted in australian wines, Chardonnay, food and wine pairing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wine Quote of the Day April 13, 2007

Posted on April 14, 2007 by

Okay, so we have no idea who Hannu is – other than that we believe he’s Finnish – but this was fun. If you can’t put the bottle in a safe place under your chair, you are either in too … Continue reading →

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Perfect Pairings: Amarone Intentions

Posted on April 11, 2007 by

I’ve been feeling under a bit pressure over the last few days. An astonishing number of people have been inquiring how our lady did with the Amarone pairing – the pairing being herself with the wine. So far, I’ve resisted … Continue reading →

Posted in Amarone, Masi Amarone, wine and romance, wine tasting | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jet Li’s Dream Wine Accessory?

Posted on April 10, 2007 by

You should have known better. The house party wasn’t exactly a wine lover’s haven, but you brought a bottle of your favourite Sancerre just because you felt like sipping something that didn’t remind you of either purple-tinged vinegar or pancake … Continue reading →

Posted in corkscrew, wine accessory | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Canadian Taxation Woes

Posted on April 8, 2007 by

There’s a move afoot to tax wines made from 100% Canadian grapes, and the Canadian Vintners Association (CVA) isn’t impressed – neither are we. The European Union (EU), the world’s largest producer and exporter of wine, accounts for 50% of … Continue reading →

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Celebrating British Columbia’s Wine Industry

Posted on April 6, 2007 by

If you’re a regular reader of our blog, you probably already know both Frank and I are big time fans of the BC Wine Appreciation Society (BCWAS). Now more than 140 members strong, BCWAS brings together a diverse, vibrantly eclectic … Continue reading →

Posted in BC Wine Institute, BCWAS, VQA, west coast wines | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Celebrating British Columbia’s Wine Industry

Posted on April 5, 2007 by

If you’re a regular reader of our blog, you probably already know both Frank and I are big time fans of the BC Wine Appreciation Society (BCWAS). Now more than 140 members strong, BCWAS brings together a diverse, vibrantly eclectic … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The World’s Most Useless Wine Accessory?

Posted on April 4, 2007 by

And now for something completely different. I think I have discovered the world’s most useless, utterly pointless wine accessory – the Champagne Parachute. Here’s the premise. When you fire the cork out of a bottle of sparkling wine, the parachute … Continue reading →

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To Screw or Not to Screw: A Matter of Geography?

Posted on April 3, 2007 by

Controversy continues to rage about closures – and this year’s Playhouse WineFestival was no exception. Cork is king says the old world, stelven is stellar says the new. Speaking at “The Iberian Criterion” seminar, Cristiano van Zeller, owner of Douro’s … Continue reading →

Posted in corks, screw caps, Stelvin | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment