Vancouver International Wine Festival 2020 / January 13, 2020 by Jenn Chan

It’s that time of year again - the Vancouver International Wine Festival will be here from February 22 - March 1, 2020. This is one of the most anticipated events of the year for me and for good reason. There are over 160 wineries featuring their top grapes and wines. It’s my time to explore new vineyards and flavours!

The 2020 festival runs February 22 to March 1 and welcomes 163 wineries from around the wine world. All participating wineries and their principals gather in the Tasting Room (February 27-29) to showcase their wines. This year, the festival’s theme is Vive la France!, with 42 wineries and their principals from France travelling to Vancouver to share wines from their storied terroirs. They’re joined by 121 wineries from 14 additional countries, plus wines from South Africa available only at a Regional Tasting Station in the Tasting Room. Overall, more than one out of five wineries are new to the 2020 festival.

There are a few options for tickets: Delta Air Lines Tasting Lounge (Fridays & Saturdays), International Festival Tastings (Thursday to Saturday), and for the ultimate experience - The Gold Pass. The Gold Pass allows you to experience everything the festival has to offer with VIP treatment when you become a Gold Pass holder. A terrific value, this pass offers incomparable access to VanWineFest. A $768 value for only $519!

*** Did you know! You can score some free Wine Fest tickets? Find out how HERE !! If you’re wanting to sip on tons of wine and stay overnight in Vancouver, this is the deal for you!

For more information on Vancouver Wine Festival, CLICK HERE.

Hope to see you at the festival!

Wine Tours with Okanagan Wine Country Tour | Kelowna, BC / August 26, 2019 by Jenn Chan

You simply cannot visit the Okanagan without at least visiting a few wineries & vineyards, you just can’t! Instead of driving around ourselves and going to the same five wineries, we decided to go with a Wine Tour company, and why not go with the original - Okanagan Wine Country Tours! The Okanagan Wine Country Tours were the very first tour company established in the Okanagan Valley and really started the ball rolling in wine tours in the region. Whether it is a half / full day tour with a big group of friends or with an intimate group, they are able to accommodate you.

Because we decided to look for a tour last minute, tours with OK Wine Country Tours have all booked up. Luckily the GM of OK Wine Country Tours, Marsha, was able to accommodate us with a private tour. We were so excited.

Upon meeting Marsha, we instantly knew we were going to have a great day ahead of us! She is very knowledgeable and very kind and friendly. She surprised us with a few of her favourite wineries in the area, starting with Sandhill Wines - located in the heart of Downtown Kelowna. We learned so much from our private tasting at Sandhill. Something I didn’t realize, was the fact that they source grapes from different vineyards, including Sandhill Estate, King Family, Phantom Creek, Osprey Ridge, and Hidden Terrace. We even got to sneak in a taste of the Wayne Gretzky Estates No. 99 The Icon 2015 - YUM.

Blind Tasting Experience at Sandhill Wines

SECOND STOP - Arrowleaf Cellars - I swear I squealed a little when Marsha told us this was our second stop. Arrowleaf has always been one of my favourites - with its incredible views and delicious wines. Their beautiful winery is family owned and operated in Lake Country, overlooking Okanagan Lake. The cellar officially opened in 2003, and has since expanded and complete with a tasting room, cafe, and picnic area. I, of course, took home a box of their award-winning Bacchus & Pinot Gris.

THIRD STOP (also a lunch stop) - 50th Parallel Estate Winery - This is a winery I haven’t heard too much about, and definitely haven’t been to, but so so happy we came! We started off with a delicious tasting and I learned their 50th Parallel Estate Blanc de Noir 2017 is quite special, as it only produces 1 strand of bubbles in the glass (which is quite different than most bubbles). Jason of 50th Parallel then came over to welcome us to a table for lunch, BUT WAIT! He had a surprise for us (me). I had my first… FIRST EVER sabering experience. Oh my goodness, I was so nervous but so excited at the same time. I’ve always only seen others do it, and secretly hoping I’d be able to one day saber a bottle myself. Of course, as a first timer, I didn’t get it the first go, BUT I did manage to get it done the second time around. This is definitely not an experience I will soon forget. We also had some great recommendations for food as well, and went with what Jason had suggested - Beef Tartare, Truffle Fries, and the highly recommended Mac & Cheese - we made very good choices. Thank you Jason!

Beef Tartare + Truffle Fries at 50th Parallel Estate

LAST STOP - O'Rourke's Peak Cellars - another winery I haven’t heard too much about, but learned a lot (once again) here. We got a full tour of the vineyards, including a walk around their farm. They grow anywhere from snap peas, to tomatoes, to basil. It’s a true farm to table experience at their restaurant. Did you know that the cluster of grapes in my hands (pictured below) is equal to one glass of wine? Neat, eh? We ended our tour with having a glass of wine in the middle of the vineyard - another experience I have never had before.

We ended our day with Marsha generously dropping us off at our next destination. And on top of that, she offered to drop off our boxes of wines we acquired throughout the day in our rooms back at Hotel Eldorado. She went above and beyond what I could’ve ever expected! Thank you Marsha for an incredible day in the vineyards - setting everything up for us so last minute, and taking us on a private tour with you! You have given us a very memorable and unforgettable experience. We hope to see you again very soon!

Lost Inhibitions by Church & State Wines / November 23, 2016 by Jenn Chan

The Church and State winery is in the Oliver-Osoyoos wine region of the gorgeous Okanagan Valley. In 2015 their 2012 Coyote Bowl Malbec won best Malbec getting 96 out of 100 points beating out 5,000+ other entries! Their 2011 vintage also received many accolades and awards.

Lost Inhibitions screams young, hip, fresh and fun. Phrases like "you're so f@cking classy" "we should do this more often" "shut the front door" in bold colourful writing accompanies their value priced white and red wines. The white is resfreshingly crisp and paired very nicely with a lovely chicken and waffle platter. The red wine is full bodied and smooth and is perfect for a chilly winter night!

Enter our Lost Inhibitions giveaway here

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan