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World of Wine News- Willamette Valley Vineyards Wins #1 Best Tasting Room in the Nation in USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for Third Consecutive Year
- LACARAF Sets a New Standard for Wine Enjoyment Through Unprecedent Temperature Precision
- An Evening at Longwood, Featuring 1906, Benefits the James Beard Foundation
- The Charming Taste of Europe Highlights Wine Tourism Through the Terroirs of Bordeaux and Abruzzo
Author Archives: winellama
Some Top BC Wineries to Visit: Tasting in the Similkameen and Okanagan Valleys
We have some lovely friends who have moved recently to the West Coast. They’re trying to get to know British Columbia – so we decided to take them to some of the best spots. That’s how we spent a week … Continue reading
Posted in BC, British Columbia, Cabernet Franc, cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon / Blends, Chardonnay, Gamay, Marechal Foch, OTHER, Pinot Noir, RED, red wine, ROSE, Rousanne, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Washington State, WHITE
Tagged BC wines, Canadian Wines, chardonnay, Clos du Soleil Winery, Echo Bay Winery, fume blanc, Kelsey Rufiange, Lake Skaha, Little Farm Winery, OK falls, Okanagan Valley, Oliver, Orofino WInery, Osooyos, Pinot Noir, red wine, Similkameen Winery, travel, travel to BC wine country, wine, wine-tasting
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Bratislava’s National Wine Salon Experience
In April 2026, we visited Bratislava, Slovakia – smack dab in the centre of Europe, a brief riverboat trip down the Danube from Vienna, and located directly on what used to be a heavily militarized segment of the Iron Curtain … Continue reading
Posted in cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon / Blends, Dunaj, OTHER, RED, red wine, Rudava, Slovakia, WHITE
Tagged Apponyi Palace, Bratislava, cab sav, Cintavy and Pisarcik winery, Devin wine, Dunaj, Matysak winery, National Salon of wine, Pinta wine, Radava, Slovakia, Slovakian Museum of Viticulture, slovakian wine, things to do in Old Town Bratislava, travel, Velkeer Winery
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Top Wine Picks: Notes from Recent Tastings
What a terrible problem to have – too many wines, shrinking drinking windows, and not enough time made to write about them or catalogue the tasting notes clogging up my phone. Here is a synopsis of some of the better … Continue reading
Posted in Burgundy, Chardonnay, France, Furmint, Hungary, Oregon, OTHER, Pinot Noir, RED, Tokaji, WHITE
Tagged Burgundy, champagne, france, French wine, hungarian wine, hungary travel, Oregon wine, Pinot Noir, pinot noire, the eyrie vineyards, tokaji aszu, wine, wine-tasting
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Why Tracking Your Wine Journey Matters – Viura, Viña Gravonia, White Crianza, López de Heredia, Rioja DOC, Spain, 2004, 12.5% abv.
This is EXACTLY why I keep track of the wines I enjoy. I opened a bottle of this wine 11 years ago in 2015 – and then again in February 2026. Now I can compare the two – and congratulate … Continue reading
Posted in Spain, Viura / White Rioja, WHITE
Tagged 2004, art, books, Lopez de Heredia, photography, Rioja DOC, spain, travel, vina gravonia, viura, White Crianza, white wine
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Pinot Noir, Clone Collection Dijon 777, CODE Wines, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley VQA, British Columbia, Canada, 13% abv., 2022
I had wanted to visit CODE Wines for some time. They’re relatively new to the Okanagan, BC wine scene, but they landed in it with accolades and awards, and I’d heard nothing but wonderful reports of them and the quality … Continue reading
Posted in British Columbia, Chardonnay, OTHER, Pinot Noir, RED, red wine, Shiraz / Syrah, WHITE
Tagged BC wine, Canadian wine, chardonnay, Code Wines, hands on winery, Harlee and Shay Code, Ok Falls wine, okanagan valley vqa, Pinot Noir, small winery, syrah, travel, wine, wine-tasting, winery
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Chenin Blanc, Le Haut-Lieu, Demi-Sec, Domaine Huet, Vouvray, Loire Valley, France, 2015, 13% abv, US$50
When we visited the Loire, and went to Vouvray and Domaine Huet in June 2014, I fell in love quite seriously with these wines. Then, when I did my Court of Master Sommelier, level one exam in August 2014, I … Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, France, Loire, OTHER, WHITE
Tagged biodynamic wine, demeter certified, domaine huet, france, French wine, loire valley, vouvray, white wine
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A Toast to Memories – Pinot Blanc (Weisser Burgunder), “Kalkgestein”, Weingut Friedrich Becker, Deutscher Qualitatswein trocken, Pfalz, Germany, 13% abv., 2023 and Merlot, Château Fombrauge, Bernard Magrez, Saint Emilion AC, Bordeaux, Grand Cru, France, 15% abv., 2009, C$55
My mom would have turned 84 this May, so to remember her, we joined with one of my sisters, her husband and a niece to enjoy dinner at one of Mom’s favourite restaurants, toast her and laugh over some great … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Franc, cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon / Blends, France, Germany, Merlot, OTHER, Pinot Blanc, RED, Red, red wine, WHITE
Tagged Bernard Magrez, Bordeaux, Chateau Fombrauge, france, French wine, german wine, Grand Cru, kalkgestein, limestone, merlot, Pfalz, Pinot Blanc, red wine, Saint Emilion, Weingut Friedrich Becker, weiss burgunder, weisser burgunder, white wine
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Tempranillo, López de Heredia – Viña Tondonia Rioja Reserva, Rioja DOCa, Spain, 13% abv., 2008, C$100
My heart dropped. I had opened the López de Heredia – Viña Tondonia Rioja Reserva 2008 for a dinner with some German guests and was hoping it may still be in a drinking window. It wasn’t even close. The 2008 … Continue reading
Posted in Graciano, Grenache / Garnacha, Mazuelo, OTHER, RED, red wine, Spain, Tempranillo
Tagged dead wine, drinking windows, Lopez de Heredia, redwine, rioja, Rioja DOCa, spain, spanish wine, tracking software for wine, wine apps
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Discover Farm-to-Table Dining in Bratislava’s Old Town at Pod Kamennym Stromom
In Bratislava’s old town, a farm-to-table restaurant offers authentic Slovakian cuisine in a 13th-century cellar. Marek, the welcoming host, serves daily-changing dishes like zander and exceptional pirogis, complemented by excellent local wines. Guests enjoy genuine hospitality and culinary tales amidst an ambiance free of tourist traps, promising an unforgettable experience. Continue reading
Posted in Devin, Dunaj, RED, Slovakia, WHITE
Tagged Bratislava, cherry brandy, devin grape, europe, farm to table, hruskovica, pear brandy, perogies, pirogi, Pod Kamennym Strom, red wine, Simonovic winery, Slovakia, slovakian spirits, slovakian wine, travel, visnovica, white wine, wine, wine-tasting
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