A no messing around guide to the coolest things to eat, drink and do in Vancouver and beyond. Community. Not clickbait.

11 BC Wines to Sip and Savour This Holiday Season

Our holiday feasts might be different than usual this year, but we think some delicious local wine should help with that...

11 BC Wines to Sip and Savour This Holiday Season

This year’s holiday dinners are probably going to look a lot different than they have in past years. It’s a hard reality to swallow, but some delicious BC wine should help with that!

To help us make decisions, we asked eleven of our favourite local wineries to each pour us a pick to enjoy within our bubbles this holiday season…

Poplar Grove Winery
425 Middle Bench Road North, Penticton

2015 Poplar Grove Legacy
36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 19% Malbec, 14% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot

“Rich intensity begins with deep garnet hues in the glass. Bold aromas of cassis and black cherry arrive rst with a strong and sultry backbone of dark chocolate. Our Legacy’s prominent and considerably big mouthfeel is a culmination of plums, vanilla, and blackberries. With time this wine gains both subtlety and complexity as tannins soften and flavours develop.”

Blue Grouse Estate Winery and Vineyard
2182 Lakeside Road, Duncan

2018 Blue Grouse Quill Red
Merlot 75%, Cabernet Franc 11.5%, Marechal Foch 13.5%

“This robust red wine exhibits aromas of caramel, black cherry, and licorice with rich cocoa and cloves on the finish.”


CedarCreek Estate Winery
5445 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna

2018 CedarCreek Estate Meritage
40% Malbec, 40% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon & 8% Cabernet Franc

“We love this wine around this time of year; dark fruits, rich and round, and a great food pairing wine…or just on its own by the fire.”


CheckMate Artisanal Winery
4799 Wild Rose St, Oliver, BC

2016 Queen Taken Chardonnay
100% Chardonnay

“This wine has essences of citrus peel and white peach, pear and wet stone, combined with delicate floral notes. The palate has generous fruit flavours of peach, nectarine and apricot, layered mid-palate richness and focused acidity, providing a long, textured, mineral finish.”


Coolshanagh Vineyard
RR1, S16, C47 Naramata, BC

2016 Coolshanagh Chardonnay
100% Chardonnay

“This elegant wine exhibits aromas of straw, green apple and lychee with a rich and layered texture. Ideal to pair with wild salmon and creamy pasta dishes.”


Corcelettes Estate Winery
2582 Upper Bench Rd, Keremeos, BC

MERLOT 2018
100% Merlot

“Nose: Black forest cake, baking spice. Palate: Stewed black + blue fruits, fig, sweet tobacco. Finish: Lively, rich + long. Overall: A fresh and full palate, gorgeous tannins, this wine is a lovely and purist expression of Similkameen terroir that finishes with chalky minerality.”


Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards
697 Highway 97 South, Peachland

2016 Fitz Brut
66% Chardonnay, 26% Pinot Noir, 6% Pinot Blanc, 2% Meunier

“This time of year we always have a bottle of sparkling on hand. Made in the traditional method this bubble has a subtle bouquet of apple and pear with brioche notes. Dry and textural with bright acidity.”


JoieFarm
2825 Naramata Rd

A Noble Blend 2019
Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Auxerrois, Muscat

“This aromatic wine exhibits an intense nose of guava, nutmeg, and clove. This spiciness continues on to the palate and opens up with unctuous flavours of lychee, coriander and guava carrying through to a grapefruit-fresh finish. Overall, the flavours and texture of this wine are focused and intense.”


Mission Hill Family Estate
1730 Mission Hill Road, West Kelowna

2018 Reserve Meritage
45% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Malbec

“Fresh blackberry, brambleberry, dark cherry and hints of vanilla with a refined and structured finish.”

Painted Rock Estate Winery
400 Smythe Drive, Penticton

Painted Rock Red Icon 2017
38% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 20% Petit Verdot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 2% Syrah

“Nominated as a Decanter “Wine of the Year”, Red Icon is Painted Rock Estate Winery’s flagship wine. It invites you in with rich aromas of cassis, black cherry, bramble fruit and nutmeg. Elegantly balanced with smooth tannins and bright acidity, the palate offers more dark fruit, blueberry and chocolate notes.”


Tantalus Vineyards
1670 DeHart Road, Kelowna

2018 Chardonnay
100% Chardonnay

“Reds tend to be the star of the show as we transition into winter, but we love turning to a rich and complex white for its versatility from sipper to dinner companion. A bright golden colour, this wine exhibits classic Chardonnay notes of hazelnut, crème brûlée, lemon curd moving through to spicy notes of clove and rye. The lemon curd carries through to the palate juxtaposed with juicy, white grapefruit and white peach cobbler. Beautifully well-balanced with nice weight up front and bright, mineral-driven acidity that carries the lengthy finish.”

14 Vancouver Breweries with Above Average Food Programs

Here are a bunch of local breweries with food offerings beyond the obligatory, that will do way more than simply soak up the suds. Because excellent beer deserves an equally satisfying accompaniment to do it justice!

Thirteen BC Ciders to Sip This Summer

Once again, we've turned to the members of our awesome, apple-devoted BC community of cider-makers and -lovers, to find out what they consider the season's winning combo of cider and snack to pair it with.

Jay Drysdale and Wendy Rose of Bella Wines Announce the Sale of Their Iconic Winery

When Jay Drysdale of Bella Wines called to let us know that he and his partner Wendy were selling, we selfishly wanted to know it was going into capable hands—someone who would respect and carry on the incredible work that they had poured into for well over a decade. Here is what we uncovered...

Get Properly Prepped for the Tequila & Agave Festival with Experts Eli Diamond and Alex Staniloff

Before this weekend's Tequila and Agave Festival at the Italian Cultural Centre, we check in with two tequila experts to find out what we should consider when tasting our way through the festival booths and bottles.