J Wheelock, Brand Ambassador for Masi, offered a new prospective on how Masi, one of Veneto’s iconic producers, creates their wines. We were able to sample tank samples for each of the individual grapes that made up the blend as well as the final product-12 wines in all For reception we had the delicious “Rosa dei
read more...Check out Robbi Potts, 5th generation vigneron, Export Director and the great, great grandson of Frank Potts presenting a tasting here at Vines on May 17, 2016
read more...In celebration of The Bard’s upcoming birthday I felt moved to share a few random thoughts on the wonderful world of whisky in this fair city in the year 2012. The first thing that needs to be shared is the choice of whiskies at this time in Edmonton and Alberta is outstanding compared with any
read more...Much like the ancient astrolabe steered mariners and explorers through uncharted waters, so the palate of Simon Waghorn guides the winemaking at Marlborough’s Astrolabe Winery. We had the distinct pleasure of joining Simon, his wife Jane Forrest, and his general manager Jason Yank, in the cosy confines of their loungeroom for a personal journey through
read more...Our second day in Central Otago, or “Central” in the local vernacular, proved to be just as rewarding as Day One!! On the recommendation of Matt and Andrew from Akarua, we made our way over to Wooing Tree Winery, just on the northern edge of the town of Cromwell. Sandy Anderson led us through a
read more...After enjoying the fruits of the north end of the south island, we struck out for the two-day (we are taking it leisurely, after all) drive down to Central Otago, the hottest new wine area in New Zealand. Our first stop was at Northburn Station, a newer property just north of Cromwell. At their cellar
read more...After our great wine experiences in Blenheim, we thought we’d relax a bit with some beach time in Nelson. However, the gale-force winds made any outdoor activities somewhat less than appealing. So, we just had to substitute cellar doors for surf and sand. On Kevin Judd’s suggestion, we made our way to Neudorf in the
read more...Marlborough This New Zealand wine adventure has been very interesting and great fun but when we hit Blenheim, a pleasant little city in the heart of the Marlborough, the largest and most acclaimed wine region in the country, it got even better. We arrived mid-afternoon and since we had received directions to get to Kevin
read more...Waiheke Island Wineries Our final adventure on the North Island was a day trip to Waiheke Island. I must confess that I knew virtually nothing about this island until recently, and largely dismissed it as just a tourist spot with no serious wines. Boy was I wrong! We elected to ride the train to Auckland
read more...KUMEU As we continued our journey back toward Auckland, we decided to spend a day and night sampling the wines of the Kumeu region. This is the area off the west coast only 45 minutes north of Auckland. It was the first area in New Zealand to be developed as a wine region. Today other
read more...Matakana Wine Trail Well, we changed our plans. Instead of heading back to Auckland and then on to Hawke’s Bay, we opted to stay in the north and check out the dozen or so properties that make up the Matakana Wine Trail. The northern wine makers have just done too fine a job. After a
read more...NORTHLAND WINE TRAIL After heading north to Whangaria and using our friend’s delightful hobby farm as a base, we’ve spent parts of three days exploring then many small wineries that make up the Northland Wine Trail. We managed to visit more than half of the cellar doors and thanks to the wine and food tent
read more...Our great New Zealand wine adventure has had a fine start. Departing Vancouver at 8:00 pm and landing at 6:00 am wasn’t a tough adjustment for our body clocks. We just had to get our heads around the fact that it was Sunday, not Saturday. We only had time for a coffee and a short
read more...I’ve finally returned to the Okanagan after a 10 year absence. Customers and wineries alike have told me that the Okanagan has matured, improved and needs to be rediscovered by as many people as possible, including me. So when the opportunity arose I took it. While the spring and early summer in the Okanagan
read more...With fall arriving from all sides; the weather turning, school about to start, the colour of leaves about to change, I generally find myself also changing my wine habits. We are all creatures of climate. It is amazing how the weather influences our buying and drinking patterns. Those dear rosés that I truly enjoyed during
read more...Imagine warm weather, lazy afternoons, cheese and cured meats on a picnic, etc. All of this just begs for a nice chilled glass of dry rosé. And why not! While Rosé wines have been a staple on almost every table in Europe for centuries, it is now becoming popular the world over. And here in
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