Usher in 2026 with These Four Fun Recommendations from Vessel Liquor

The Goods from Vessel Liquor

Victoria, BC | Since opening doors in December 2015, Vessel has become Victoria’s hub for all things wine, beer, spirits, cider, and the conversation and culture surrounding them. Our locally-owned, independent company was built around supporting authentic products and producers, from our BC backyard and from around the globe.

Awarded Best Liquor Store in Victoria (seven times!), Vessel remains even more committed to serving the community. In 2022 we greatly expanded the footprint of our store, allowing for hundreds more listings. And in 2023, we expanded provincially, with an extensive new website and online store, allowing customers from across BC to shop Vessel from home.

Whether you’re celebrating DRYuary, our (our favourite) TRYuary, we have fun new picks in store to welcome 2026:

MADE IN BC

Kutatás Patricia Bay Pinot Noir 2022, Saanich Peninsula, Vancouver Island, BC. ($49.99)

From Saanich Peninsula’s Patricia Bay, and its Island clay soils comes this dry-farmed dark fruited Pinot, with sultry plum, wild raspberries, and pink peppercorn, lashed with ample marine salinity and hugged with savoury, fine tannins. Kutatás (Koo-Tah-Tash) is a Hungarian term for research, inquiry, exploration, or quest, precisely what winemaker partners Mira Tusz and Daniel Dragert focus on from the Wine Islands. Find it online.

DRYUARY

Dominion Cider Co x Pamplemousse Jus Meadows, Okanagan Valley, BC. ($24.99)

This graceful non-alc cider (0.5% ABV) is a Okanagan collab between Dominian Cider Co, and Pamplemousse Jus. Organic apple and Pinot Gris must was infused with hand foraged sumac, sage, juniper, and rosehip, capturing their shared orchard landscape and reflecting the wild scrub of the Valley. A locavore delight to sip all day long. Find it online.

TRYUARY

Domaine des Tourelles Vielles Vignes Merweh & Obeidi 2022, Lebanon. ($39.99)

Frenchman François-Eugène Brun fell in love with the Bekaa Valley during a visit, and set up Lebannon’s first winery there in 1868. This is an equal split of local grapes Merweh and Obeidi, 50-100 year old vines, growing at 1100 – 1400m, all dry farmed, organically. Tart and crisp, with bitter melon, crunchy Asian pear, white grapefruit sailing along a sleek, narrow palate. There’s a taut salinity underpinning this lighter white through a crushed stone finish. Give these old vines some time to open up in the glass, and don’t serve too chilled. Find it online.

A BOTANICAL REFRESH

Amabuki Shuzo Co. Tete Japan Botanicals 2015, Saga, Japan. ($59.99)

Founded in 1688, Amabuki Shuzo has been producing sake for 300 years, harvesting rice from the fertile Saga Plain. This is a unique shochu-based liqueur flavored with 9 botanicals (ume plum, lemon peel, plum blossom, ginger, green tea, lily leaf, cinnamon, sansho pepper, dried bonito). This is lovely as an aperitif, as a cocktail base, or (our pick for a low-alc drink) on the rocks with ice and tonic or soda. Find it online.