Category Archives: BC

Pinot Gris + Riesling, Alluvium, Fort Berens Estate Winery, Lillooet, BC VQA, 12.5% abv., 2023, C$20

Posted on September 21, 2025 by winellama

I’m always on the lookout for a wine I can enjoy by myself or with company that I don’t have to think too hard about. But, it has to have been made ethically and sustainably, and it’s a bonus if … Continue reading →

Posted in BC, British Columbia, OTHER, Pinot Gris, Riesling, WHITE, Winery Review | Tagged alluvium, BC wine, Canadian wine, fort berens, lillooet, microclimate wine, pinot gris, riesling, Seth Jex, travel, travel and wine, white wine, wine, wine-tasting, winery | 1 Comment

9 Late Llama Wine Posts

Posted on November 12, 2024 by winellama

Back in 2013 when I started this blog (has it been that long?), I did so because I needed to get faster and better at recording WSET tasting notes in anticipation of Diploma exams. My theory at the time was … Continue reading →

Posted in BC, Burgundy, France, Italy, OTHER, RED, Red, SPIRITS, WHITE | Tagged apricot liqueur, avagnin, barolo, BC, Canada, chenin blanc, Cotes du Jura, Domain Jean Marc Roulot, Domaine fabien trosset, domaine huet, Elio Grasso, france, Gaiole in Chianti, Gewurztraminer, Italy, l'abricot du Roulot, Laura Aschero Wines, Le Mont, Les Pieds sur Terre, Liguria, loire valley, mondeuse arbin, nebbiolo, Okanagan Valley, Pigato, red wine, Ricasolii, Riseling, Sangiovese, Tantalus Winery, travel, Tuscany, Ursa Major Winery, Valentin Morel, Vin de Savoie, Vin du Jura, vouvray, white wine, wine, wine-tasting | Leave a comment

Pinot Noir, Dehart Vineyard, Martin’s Lane Winery, Okanagan Valley VQA, British Columbia, 2015, 14% abv., C$100

Posted on April 6, 2022 by winellama

From the heavily lauded Martin’s Lane Winery located in Kelowna, BC, this Pinot Noir is absolutely world class. Its translucent garnet tone offers a deep nose of mulberry, cherry, deeply ripened strawberry, freshly turned soil, and mushroom. The palate has … Continue reading →

Posted in BC, Pinot Noir, RED | Tagged BC, Canada, Canadian wine, Dehart Vineyard, Martin's Lane, Okanagan Valley, pinot noir, red wine | Leave a comment

Bunker Red, Rathjen Cellars, Saanich, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, 12.1% abv., C$22++

Posted on December 22, 2020 by winellama

We’re nine months into this pandemic and I’ve been writing a little less than usual, but drinking a lot more. What about you? Yeh, that’s what I thought. However, I have made a concerted effort to support local wineries and … Continue reading →

Posted in BC, British Columbia, Gamay, Marechal Foch, OTHER, Pinot Noir, RED | Tagged BC, BC wine, Bunker Red, Canadian wine, drink local, Gamay Noir, go local, indigenous yeast, low intervention, Marechal Foch, Mike Rathjen, pinot noir, Rathjen Cellars, red wine, Saanich, Vancouver Island | 4 Comments

Ring in the New Decade with Canadian Bubbles from Unsworth Vineyards

Posted on December 28, 2019 by winellama

Hindsight being 2020, you’re going to want to try these bubbles for ringing in the new decade. To save you the trouble, and the hindsight, here’s the low down. Unsworth Vineyards is located on Canada’s West Coast just north of … Continue reading →

Posted in amiel, auxerrois, BC, British Columbia, OTHER, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, sauvignette | Tagged amiel, auxerrois, bubbles, Canada, Canadian wine, Chris Turyk, Dan Wright, local, Maartyn Hoogeveen, Mark Niven, Mark Wachtin, New Year's toasts, pinot gris, pinot noir, rosé, Rose wine, sauvignette, Storied Wines & Spirits, Unsworth, Vancouver Island, zero dosage | 2 Comments

Amelia (Syrah – Viognier), Daydreamer Wines, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, BC, 13.5% abv., 2017, C$35

Posted on November 17, 2019 by winellama

This plush 90% Syrah, 10% Viognier is a treat! Master of Wine Marcus Ansems has produced a delicious Naramata Bench version of this northern Rhône classic. In the traditional homeland of Syrah, many winemakers co-ferment the grape with 5-10% Viognier … Continue reading →

Posted in BC, British Columbia, RED, Shiraz / Syrah, Viognier | Tagged 13.5% abv, 2017, Amelia, BC, Canada, Canadian wine, Daydreamer Wines, Marcus Ansems, MW, Naramata, Naramata Bench, naramata bench sub GI, red wine | Leave a comment

Gewurztraminer-Pinot Gris, Granite, Bartier Brothers, Oliver, BC, 2017, 11.3% abv., C$26

Posted on November 3, 2019 by winellama

I’d been planning a trip to Bartier Brothers in Oliver, BC for a while. I drink so much of their Sémillon, I should own shares in the winery. A visit was definitely in order. No sooner did we step on … Continue reading →

Posted in BC, British Columbia, Gewurztraminer, Orange, Pinot Gris, WHITE, Winery Review | Tagged Bartier Brothers, BC, Canadian wine, Gewurztraminer / Pinot Gris, Granite, Michael Bartier, okanagan, Oliver, orange wine, white wine | Leave a comment

Pinot Gris, Reserve, Hillside Winery, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley VQA, BC, Canada, 2017, 13.7% abv.

Posted on August 9, 2019 by winellama

I had wanted to visit Hillside Winery for a while – not only is their Reserve Pinot Gris one of my absolute favourite wines of all time, but their celebrated restaurant is award winning. We popped in for a visit … Continue reading →

Posted in BC, British Columbia, OTHER, Pinot Gris, WHITE | Tagged BC, Canada, Hillside Winery, Hillside Winery Bistro, Kathy Malone, Naramata Bench, naramata bench sub GI, okanagan valley vqa, pinot gris, Reserve, Shelann Sleegers, white wine | 3 Comments

Seaside Gin, Sheringham Distillery, Sooke, BC, Canada, 43% abv, C$46

Posted on May 25, 2019 by winellama

It’s not often that I write about spirits on Winellama. In fact, when I took the WSET Diploma, I balked at having to take a course on spirits. In the end, it was the course I learned the most from … Continue reading →

Posted in BC, gin, OTHER, SPIRITS | Tagged BC, Canada, contemporary gin, gin, Seaside Gin, Sheringham Distillery, Sooke, spirits, world gin awards, world winner | Leave a comment

Pinot Noir, Haywire, Secrest Mountain Vineyard, Okanagan Valley VQA, BC, 2015, 13.5% abv.

Posted on February 18, 2017 by winellama

Another delicious wine from Haywire. Why are they so consistently good? Less is literally more – quality fruit, careful harvesting, and minimal intervention during the winemaking process allows the wine to speak for itself. Translucent ruby with aromas of black … Continue reading →

Posted in BC, Pinot Noir, RED, red wine | Tagged 2015, BC, british columbia, Haywire, okanagan valley vqa, pinot noir, red wine, Secrest Mountain Vineyard | Leave a comment