Author: pxlv_adm

Reading Time: 3 minutes And where to look for value bottles, Rosés, and innovative alternatives under $30 Looking for a BC Pinot Noir under $20? We hate to break it to you — those days are gone. Pinot Noir is one of the most challenging (and costly) grapes to grow in the Okanagan, and rising…

Tonight’s white wine review is the latest vintage of a perennially lovely Assyrtiko from Greece. It arrived at the LCBO last month as part of the feature on BBQ Wines in the July 19, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection. It is produced by the historic and significant winery and monastery – Mega Spileo Estate.…

Culinary Innovations & “Guilty Pleasures” Wine Pairing The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) 2025 Fair promises to be a vibrant celebration of entertainment, food, and community, running for 15 action-packed days starting August 16. With over 3,000 performers, the PNE positions itself as “the best part of summer” and an opportunity for visitors to experience 115…

This wine was on sale at the LCBO so grabbed it … Pale salmon in color with a mild nose. on the mid palate the wine is quite tart, almost bitter, with hints of cranberry, and some effervescence on the mouth. On the medium length finish the bitter and tart notes hang around. If I…

Photo: Paul Gardner and Julie Rennie At Penticton’s Pentâge Winery, Paul Gardner and Julie Rennie grow 19 varietals in the 15 acres of their two vineyards on a bench overlooking Skaha Lake. It enables them to offer quite interesting blends alongside distinctive single varietal wines. Over the years, the winery, which opened in 2003, has…

By Rick VanSickle We’re sitting at a table under a giant canopy, birds are chirping and the view looking out to the gently sloped, perfectly manicured Mason Vineyard is breath-taking. We’re smack dab in the middle of this summer’s punishing heat dome, yet a cooling breeze is cascading down the escarpment making it quite comfortable…

Reading Time: 4 minutes Summer in the Okanagan just got a little more effervescent. Time Family of Wines has officially opened the Evolve Sparkling House on the Naramata Bench near Penticton—an inviting space dedicated to sparkling wine. Visitors can taste five carefully crafted BC sparklers, each made to capture life’s celebratory moments. Evolve Rosé Brut…

How elevation shapes flavour, style, and identity in two distinct wine regions As a wine educator who’s tasted and taught with bottles from across the globe, I can confidently say that altitude plays a more important role in wine than many realize. Whether leading a tasting in Toronto or El Salvador, one of my favourite…

Photo: Hester Creek winemaker Mark Hopley (courtesy of Hester Creek) Hester Creek has nicknamed the Okanagan’s 2022 vintage as Epic 22, underlining the splendid quality of one of the best growing seasons ever in the valley. Most wineries and most commentators agree with that ranking. 2022 “will go down in history as one of the…

Wednesday, August 6th: A tasting at home with Jill Troyer, author of the upcoming biography of Paul Bosc Sr., founder of Château des Charmes, The Winemaker’s Gamble (to be published by Mosaic Press). Palatine Hills Skin Fermented Orange Viognier 2024 (Niagara Lakeshore) Lemon colour; earth, lightly floral, peach pit bouquet; medium-bodied, dry, orange peel flavour…