Tag Archives: Cabernet Sauvignon

Painted Rock Estate Winery

Posted on September 23, 2012 by

Painted Rock Estate Winery 400 Smythe Drive Penticton BC, Canada, V2A 8W6 The Wines 2011 Chardonnay $26.70 This Chardonnay is a great food wine. The oak does not overwhelm on this wine because of its nice restrained use. I wish … Continue reading →

Posted in barrels, BC Wine Institute, BC Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, canadian wines, Chardonnay, food and wine pairing, oak, Painted Rock Estate Winery | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ponderings on Points, Amarones, and Arias

Posted on November 22, 2010 by

  I am taking a few day off from work, so tonight I feel justified in picking something special to celebrate a clean desk and being home. A bottle of Amarone is definitely appropriate. The bottle I decide on is … Continue reading →

Posted in Amarone, italian wines, Maria Callas, Parker Points, Sophia Loren | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bordeaux at House Wines

Posted on November 4, 2010 by

  The other night, I attended a tasting hosted by the ladies of House Wines – Michaela Morris and Michelle Bouffard. If you’re a Wine and Spirit Education Trust or an International Sommelier Guild student, this is an inexpensive way … Continue reading →

Posted in Bordeaux, Grenache, House Wines, WSET | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Litte Bit About Grenache

Posted on November 3, 2010 by

You gave to feel sorry for poor Grenache. It has an identity problem and very rarely gets any billing.This grape is a little wild and some times you don’t even know when you are drinking it. Grenache Noir, as it … Continue reading →

Posted in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Garnacha, Grenache, rhone wines, wine tasting, WSET | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

House Wine Tastings

Posted on October 30, 2010 by

HOUSE WINE TASTINGS The other night, I attended  one of the tastings hosted by the ladies of House Wines. Their event was a great value with 12 wines on offer for forty dollars. If you are a Wine and Spirit … Continue reading →

Posted in Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, french wine, Malbecs, Mission Hill | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Chianti Challenge: Three Decades of Frescobaldi

Posted on April 1, 2008 by

Anyone who’s read Blanc de Noir for long knows we’re both huge fans of Italian wines. There’s just something about the diversity, quality, and sheer fun factor of Italian wines – whether it’s a casual summer patio sipper or a … Continue reading →

Posted in BC Wines, BCWAS, Chianti, Frescobaldi, italian wines, Playhouse Wine Festival | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Romance with 2002 Zinfandels

Posted on February 25, 2008 by

Okay, it was actually a few days before Valentine’s. But clearly our uncharacteristically small group of Vancouver American Wine Society members who had gathered to compare a horizontal flight of ten 2002 Zinfandels were jumping into the spirit of romance. … Continue reading →

Posted in lovers, South American wine, valentines, zinfandel | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Christmas at the BC Wine Appreciation Society

Posted on December 24, 2007 by

The mood was festive, as it always is, at the BCWAS Christmas party and tasting. Plenty of sparkles and bling were in evidence as our usual gang of suspects gathered to check out a selection of Christmas offerings from around … Continue reading →

Posted in BC Wines, Black Hills Winery, Morning Bay Vineyard, Nota Bene | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Taste of Argentina: Two Wines from Patagonia

Posted on December 10, 2007 by

This was originally going to be one of those quick and dirty reviews. Two Argentinean wines, a snack provided by Chef Tim (that would be Tim Ellison, one of our favourite local sommeliers and co-founder of the BC Wine Appreciation … Continue reading →

Posted in argentina wines, bodega del fin del mundo, chimichurri, south world wines | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Cruising West Coast Wine Country Sideways

Posted on June 10, 2007 by

I am tired, grouchy, and as one of my crew said, “man, you need a holiday so bad.” Okay, so his grammar’s not the greatest, but when my entire crew – and Susan as well – seem to be conspiring … Continue reading →

Posted in -washington wine, oregon wine, pinot noir, sideways, west coast wines | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Love and Wine: A Thirst for Romance?

Posted on June 5, 2007 by

The classic fairy tale of discovering a message in a bottle just took a new turn – a pretty weird one. Here’s the premise. You’re lonely and looking for romance. Grab yourself a bottle of Soif de Coeur wine – … Continue reading →

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BC Wines are Blooming

Posted on May 8, 2007 by

Good news for BC wine drinkers – according to the latest BC Wine Institute crop survey, the 2006 grape harvest is up 40% over the short crop year of 2005 and 22% over 2004 which is deemed to be a … Continue reading →

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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

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 →

Posted in Wine Century Club, wine tasting | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment