Category Archives: OTHER

Albariño, Viña Vedra, Val do Salnés, Rias Baixas DO, Spain, 2013, 12.5% abv, C$17++

Posted on June 24, 2016 by winellama

The Val do Salnés region is located in Rias Baixas and hangs way off the edge of northwestern Spain, north of the border with Portugal where the grape is called Alvarinho. Hugging the Atlantic Ocean and cooled by its breezes, … Continue reading →

Posted in Albarino / Alvarinho, OTHER, Spain, WHITE | Tagged Albarino, Rias Baixas DO, spain, Val do Salnes, Vina Vedra, white wine | Leave a comment

Pinot Noir, Free Form, Haywire, Okanagan Valley VQA, BC, 2014, 12.8% abv, C$41

Posted on June 10, 2016 by winellama

If I could drink this all day, every day, I would. Hands down. No question. Unfined, unfiltered, fermented with indigenous yeast, and aged for 8 months on the skins in amphorae. Pressed and then rested for two more months and … Continue reading →

Posted in British Columbia, OTHER, Pinot Noir, RED | Tagged Alberto Antonini, BC, concrete egg, Free Form, Haywire, indigenous yeast, Matt Dumayne, Okanagan Valley, pinot noir, red wine, unfiltered, unfined, VQA | Leave a comment

Zinfandel, Brown Estate, Chiles Valley, Napa Valley, California, 2012, 15.2% abv, US$50

Posted on May 18, 2016 by winellama

Do you know how hard it is to get a bottle of Brown Estate? They sell out pretty much everything they make annually to their wine club and select Napa Valley and San Francisco restaurant wine directors. And no one … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Napa, OTHER, RED, Red, Zinfandel | Tagged BE, Brown Estate, california, Chiles Valley, napa valley, red wine, zinfandel | Leave a comment

Posip, Stina, Dalmatia, Croatia, 2013, 13.5% abv., C$40++

Posted on April 23, 2016 by winellama

Straight from a land where they’ve been making wine for over 2,500 years comes this Croatian treat to Canada’s west coast. Its been a challenge for them, but all British Columbians owe a debt of thanks to North Vancouver’s independent … Continue reading →

Posted in Croatia, OTHER, Posip, WHITE | Tagged 2013, Croatia, Dalmatia, Posip, Stina, white wine | Leave a comment

Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Au Bon Climat, Santa Maria Valley, California, 2014, 13.5% abv, US$25

Posted on April 10, 2016 by winellama

So, there I was, standing in the American wine aisle at Tamura’s in Lahaina, Maui. I know what you’re thinking – “Who goes to Maui to buy wine!?” I hadn’t really intended to, but there I was, trying to … Continue reading →

Posted in California, OTHER, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, WHITE | Tagged 2014, ABC, Au Bon Climat, california, Jim Clendenen, Pinot Blanc, pinot gris, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria Valley, US, white wine | Leave a comment

Lacrima di Morro d’Alba DOC, Superiore, Stefano Mancinelli, Morro d’Alba, Italy, 2013, 13% abv. C$35

Posted on April 8, 2016 by winellama

To say this wine is intriguing would be an understatement. Producer, Stefano Mancinelli is widely acknowledged as one of the best producers of Lacrima di Morro d’Alba wines. Made from the Lacrima grape, I had to search hard for information … Continue reading →

Posted in Italy, Lacrima, OTHER, RED | Tagged Ancona, italia, Italy, Lacrima di Morro d'Alba DOC, Lacrima grape, Morro d'Alba, red wine, Stefano Mancinelli, Superiore | Leave a comment

Ferghettina, Franciacorta DOCG, Milledi, Brut, Lombardy, Italy, 2009, 12.5% abv, C$50++

Posted on March 7, 2016 by winellama

Both sets of ‘rents were over to celebrate our moving back to the hometown. So, out came this sparkling wine from north central Italy for a toast. Made from 100% Chardonnay in the traditional method and aged for 36 months … Continue reading →

Posted in Chardonnay, Italy, OTHER, WHITE | Tagged brut, Ferghettina, Franciacorta, Italy, Lombardy, Milledi, sparkling wine | 2 Comments

Rosé, Clos du Soleil, Similkameen Valley VQA, Okanagan, BC, 2013, 13.1% abv.

Posted on January 27, 2016 by winellama

Many people think you can’t or shouldn’t drink rosé during winter. Says who? Does it make you smile? Does it make you happy? A perennial favourite of mine, the Similkameen Valley’s Clos du Soleil winery makes many of my go to BC … Continue reading →

Posted in British Columbia, Cabernet Sauvignon / Blends, OTHER, ROSE | Tagged Cabernet Sauvignon, Clos du Soleil, okanagan, Rose wine, Similkameen Valley, VQA | Leave a comment

Socrè, Barbaresco, Dolcetto d’Alba DOC, Cuneo, Italia, 2010, 12.5% abv.

Posted on December 29, 2015 by winellama

This wine comes straight from Piemonte in the northwestern corner of Italy from a vineyard tended to by former architect Marco Piacentino and his family. The vineyard lies directly across the road from Angelo Gaja’s famous Sori Tilden vines. Piacentino’s side of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Italy, Nebbiolo, OTHER, RED | Tagged 2010, barbaresco, Cuneo, Dolcetto d'Alba DOC, italia, Italy, marco piacentino, Piedmont, Piemonte, red wine, Socre | Leave a comment

Semillon, The Last Block, Tyrrell’s, Hunter Valley, Australia, 2014, 11.5% abv. C$15++

Posted on December 10, 2015 by winellama

The story with this entry level Semillon is that in 1993, the winemaker actually forgot about a block of it. When they realized they’d missed picking it, they eventually harvested the block and then made a much more accessible, ‘do … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, OTHER, Semillon, WHITE | Tagged 2014, Australia, Hunter Valley, semillon, The last block, Tyrrell's, white wine | Leave a comment