February is the month of love. Let’s celebrate. After all, we call ourselves ‘winelovers’. Spreading the love of wine is natural. What about those who have found not only wine love but also life love? Meet Sharmian and Stephen Duke. The Duke’s were recently married in wine country and more recently
moved to wine country. Domaine de l'Aigle Pinot Noir 2018Although for the majority of wine drinkers, French pinot noir is virtually synonymous with red Burgundy, such unilateral thinking can deny us from discovering the increasingly good examples of this grape from some of France’s less likely wine-growing zones. Perhaps the most counterintuitive of these for successful production of a cool climate variety, is tucked away in the Mediterranean influenced region of Languedoc-Roussillon. The rationale becomes less obscure when we learn that these particular vineyards are located high in the cooler foothills of the Pyrenean mountain range near the sleepy town of Limoux - Domaine de l'Aigle itself has vines planted up to 500 meters.
![]() Meet Nicole Lougheed. Nicole lives and breathes a fast paced marketing career here in Vancouver. As a result of Covid 19, she spends her time at her home office coping stealthily with wine and friends. Truth be told, this is a seasoned wine gal who shops with a fist and a list. You can count on Nicole to bring a classic bottle of wine to our Thursday evening Zoom sessions with Mark Shipway. When it’s her turn to share, she’ll slip in a comment that maybe she should have cellared this one longer, maybe she should not have opened this one (it needs another 5 years) or she really shouldn’t have touched this bottle from her collection because, well, it was from her collection. In the end, she admits that she deserves it and we all nod in agreement. She really does. It’s rumored that she put the last of her wine collection under lock and thrown away the key so as to prevent any further wine anarchy and to give these remaining bottles a chance to age gracefully. It’s also rumored that she leads the East Van Wine Appreciation Society. Thank you for bringing your positive energy, beautiful bottles and new faces to Good Wine Gal! Don’t change. I'm Good Wine Gal. I blog about "good wine" and how to find it! Why is Pinot Noir the heartbreaker? Why do some love and other hate Pinot Noir? Why do grape growers and winemakers curse Pinot Noir? If you want to know more, read on. Better yet, you might want to drop in to this week’s wine session with Mark Shipway.
![]() I'm Good Wine Gal. I blog about "good wine" and how to find it! Today’s post offers a glimpse into the life a one of our passionate wine lovers, Melanie Ganshorn. Melanie has attended almost every Thursday evening wine session with Mark Shipway that has been offered to date. She usually brings an interesting bottle of wine, has prepared a tasty food pairing and has a story to tell. Her stories inspire us to travel to the Marche, search for bottles of Austrian Chardonnay and even make us laugh with her relatable humor. She’s a local hero in her own right, as a health care professional navigating the pandemic. As January is appreciation month here at Good Wine Gal, we would like to thank Melanie for showing up every week and sharing her wine life with us. Craggy Range ‘Kidnappers Vineyard’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2018Chardonnay is New Zealand’s second most planted white grape and perhaps one that wouldn’t immediately think of in connection with the country but here’s an insider tip: sommeliers and wine professionals everywhere love the value to be found here and the typical Kiwi style of chardonnay, which emphasizes restraint over exuberance, is currently very in vogue.
![]() International Star Chardonnay is a semi-aromatic grape variety and the world’s most famous white wine. With roots in France and planted around the globe, it’s the number one white planted international grape variety. And while many recall the hangover effects of the mistreatment of this varietal (too much oak, too much alcohol, too ripe and a lack of acidity), today there are amazing bottles and producers in the market expressing Chardonnay with crisp freshness, balanced richness and a finesse of oak and complexity. Join us for ABC - Always Bank on Chardonnay. That’s the name of our upcoming Chardonnay wine session on Zoom this coming Thursday January 21 at 7:30 pm (PST) with Mark Shipway. Cabernet Sauvignon recently became the world’s most planted grape of any colour and is still growing! From the old world wisdom of Bordeaux and Bolgheri to the new world styling of California and the Cape, Cabernet Sauvignon has captured the imagination of red winemakers and red wine drinkers wherever they may be. Here is a list of recommended wines from BC Liquor Stores, Marquis Wine Cellars & Swirl Wine Store
Catena Appellation Agrelo Cabernet Sauvignon 2016Cabernet Sauvignon is Argentina’s under-the-radar vinous gem. Overshadowed by both the fame and planted acreage of signature Malbec, this variety literally gets to shine under the bright Mendocinian sun (Mendoza is Argentina’s best region for Cab Sauv).
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AUTHORI'm Good Wine Gal.
I blog about "good wine" and how to find it! Join me on my adventures of finding beautiful wine loving places, people and those special bottles we all get excited about. Archives
December 2024
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