Author Archives: winellama
Archery Summit, Vireton Pinot Noir Rosé, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2012, 13.9% abv
A frequent award winner and touted widely as a top Oregon Pinot Noir producer, this winery was one on the list of ‘must visits’ long before we even stepped foot in the Willamette Valley. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, the Wine … Continue reading
Roseena Pinot Noir Rosé, Maysara Winery, Momtazi Vineyard, McMinnville AVA, Oregon, 2011, US$16
Everything at Maysara has an intriguing Persian-American twist to it – from the name of the winery itself (‘House of Wine’) to the names of each of the wines hand-crafted there and the three daughters of founders Moe and Flora … Continue reading
Roderer, Rosé of Pinot Noir, Philo, Anderson Valley, California 11.5%, US$19.00
Here’s a style of wine you won’t find every day. In fact, it’s not even listed on the Roederer website; it was explained to me in March 2013 when we visited the winery that it was a bit of an … Continue reading
White Rose Estate White Rose Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, Oregon 2009, 13.9% abv, US$70
Bucolic and pastoral hazelnut and walnut groves dotted amongst picturesque red barns and vineyards – that’s what the Willamette Valley is made of. Having first tried the Dundee Hills AVA White Rose Estate wines at a Vancouver, BC tasting in … Continue reading
Laughing Stock Pinot Gris, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, BC, 2012, 13.9%, C$22
This is no laughing matter. After attending the Wine Bloggers’ Conference of North America in June, I decided to visit Laughing Stock Winery. Although I’d heard about them for years, I had never actually tried any of their wines. Lo … Continue reading
Vinaceous, Raconteur, Barossa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010, South Australia 14.5% abv, C$21.99
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the greatest show on earth! Okay, while that may be slight hyperbole, for a mere $21.99 this Aussie wine is not only a smoking deal, it’s delicious to boot. The vineyard, Vinaceous … Continue reading
Desert Hills, Gewurztraminer, Okanagan Valley, BC VQA, Canada, 2011, 13.35% abv, C$22.90
It’s summer and I’m looking for one of those not-so-ubiquitous, but commonly nicknamed ‘summer sippers’ to have post-work. The only cold stuff in the fridge is this Gewürztraminer from Desert Hills Estate Winery on the Black Sage Bench in the … Continue reading
Pierre Paillard, Brut, Millesime 2002, Grand Cru, Bouzy, Montagne de Reims, Champagne, France, 12.5%, C$78.99
We took our own bottle to Provence Marinaside to enjoy with friends. Clear and bright, medium gold and with long lasting bubbles we enjoyed this on the restaurant’s patio on a fine Vancouver summer’s eve. On the nose, this wine … Continue reading
Cristom, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Pinot Noir, Jessie Vineyard, 2007, 13.5% abv, half bottle
I’ve been eyeing this half bottle for a while and as it was a salmon evening tonight, opening it just seemed right. We were also celebrating the gold medal win at the Nation’s Cup in England by the Canadian U20 … Continue reading
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