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TASTING NOTES | WINE SEARCH | ARTICLES | VIDEO
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Year in Review
What a year. Our hearts go out to British Columbians flooded from their homes, farms and businesses and those cut off from loved ones. We are inspired by winegrowers persevering and adapting as the once-in-a-lifetime events continue to stack up. In this newsletter, we've created lists to recognize winegrowers' talent and hard work worldwide, and give you the best bets for enjoying what's in your glass. As a holiday resource, Allison Spurrell offers tips for creating the perfect cheese platter. More importantly, we liked the point she makes in her article, which is to keep it simple, so you can spend more time enjoying the company. Happy Holidays Everyone. AG
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CHAMPAGNE ANNUAL 2022
No, the world won’t run out of champagne. But it might feel like it this year. If you want your holiday season to include champagne, it’s worthwhile stocking up early. We’ve sourced and tasted more than 70 champagnes this year for the Champagne Annual and hope you’ll be able to seek out your ideal bottles to toast with this season and throughout 2022.
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SPARKLING WINE GUIDE 2022
The team at GOW has tasted over 150+ sparkling wines outside of Champagne for our annual sparkling wine guide, which includes a look at recent trends.
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PERFECT HOLIDAY WINES
Anthony offers up a stellar list of wines for any budget and occasion, which you can wrap up and gift with the confidence that they will never be regifted.
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WINES FOR COLLECTORS
We present two top ten lists – a list of local wines and a list of international picks – which will easily cellar a decade and improve in a temperature-controlled cellar.
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HOLIDAY CHEESE PLATTERS
Now that the holidays are approaching, and we can once again get together with friends and family, Allison Spurrell shares her favourite ways to build the perfect cheese platter.
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WHAT WE'RE DRINKING
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ANTHONY
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| 91/100 |
| Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut NV |
| Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, California |
| It has been a while since we have seen the Roederer Estate Brut multi-vintage sparkler, but it is simply better than ever. The owners Champagne Louis Roederer know a thing or two about making sparkling wine, and the latest edition is outstanding. The fruit is estate grown and subject to a meticulous vineyard regime. Each year oak aged wine from the estate's reserve cellars is added to the blend, creating a multi-vintage cuvée in the traditional Roederer style. The attack is lively with enticing pear and hazelnut dusted in complex, tasty lees. Long and intense, this is a winner. |
| CLICK HERE FOR AVAILABILITY |
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TREVE
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| 93/100 |
| Champagne Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Brut Rosé de Blancs NV |
| Champagne, France |
| Didier, third generation of the Gimonnet family, oversees the winemaking of their family winery, based in Cuis. This wine, like all of their chardonnay-centric wines, is laser focused. According to Didier, he wants to have a rosé that tastes like a blanc de blancs with colour. "Powerful chardonnay." This certainly succeeds. This bottling sources fruit from Cramant, Oger, and Chouilly, with an addition of 8% Bouzy still pinot noir. My bottle was disgorged in December 2020. Pouring a pale peach hue, this rings with buzzy chalky minerality, carrying cherry, raspberry, cranberry, fine meringue along a streamlined frame, with lingering spices on the chalky finish. Smashable, yet serious, this is my house champagne for a very good reason. |
| CLICK HERE FOR AVAILABILITY |
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DJ
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| 93/100 |
| Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino 2016 |
| Tuscany, Italy |
| What’s immediately captivating about this handsome Brunello is how very ripe, forward and drinkable it is now. The splendid 2016 vintage shows in an extravagant nose of dark berries, dried rose petals, salted licorice and fines herbes. Firm, fulsome and generous fruit coats an already-velvety palate, with black plum and bing cherry flavours. Compact, fine-grained tannins are resolved and lack any astringency; ripe, juicy acids refresh and uplift. Fastidious, self-assured and correct, with admirably subtle oak. As drinkable as CastelGiocondo Brunello is now, it will unwind over the next decade. |
| CLICK HERE FOR AVAILABILITY |
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GEOFFREY
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| 89/100 |
| CedarCreek Estate Riesling 2020 |
| Okanagan Valley, British Columbia |
| This youthful riesling shows pithy grapefruit and lime, white flowers, and a touch of chalk. It’s a linear, racy style that’s all about balance, with a pinch of sweetness (10 g/L) that's perfectly in tune with the zesty acidity. It's the sort of lip-smacking riesling that makes you want to quickly pour a second glass. And it's not just your typical entry-level riesling, either, with real precision and definition to the citrus fruit. Recommended and excellent value. |
| CLICK HERE FOR AVAILABILITY |
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REAL WINE
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WHAT IS REAL WINE?
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| Blue Mountain Gold Label Brut NV |
| Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
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| This latest incarnation of the BC classic is from the 2017 vintage, and predominantly pinot noir and chardonnay, with its hallmark tip of pinot gris, and with 24 months on lees. My bottle was disgorged in August 2020. This showing is particular crisp and bright, with a nearly flinty reductive edge that chisels the orchard fruit. Green apple, crunchy red apple, flake salts, crisp pear lead the palate, one seasoned with nutty / toasty spices, and finishing with a wash of salinity. This used to be a dependable go-to BC fizz. Now, this has stepped up the game to be a serious sparkling. Well done Blue Mountain.
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| CLICK HERE FOR AVAILABILITY |
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COMMUNITY
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WINE TO THE RESCUE
SUPPORT AN IMPORTANT CAUSE
8th Generation has just released a new six-pack, and will donate $50 to the Chilliwack Search and Rescue and Central Fraser Valley Search and Rescue for each pack sold.
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DINE OUT VANCOUVER FESTIVAL
JANUARY 2022
Canada’s largest food and drink event — taking place from January 14th to 31st — celebrates the flavour, innovation, and resilience of Vancouver’s restaurant industry.
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| ↑ LIST YOUR EVENT HERE ↑ |
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HANDSORTED NEWS
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Here’s what we’ve been reading and watching over the last month:
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| WHAT NEW RESEARCH ABOUT WINE HEADACHES MEANS FOR NATURAL WINE |
| DIANA HAWKINS |
| ROBERT MONDAVI JOINS THE NFT CRAZE |
| JESS LANDER |
| THE COURT OF MASTER SOMMELIERS IS EXPELLING SIX MEMBERS. IS IT ENOUGH TO END A CULTURE MANY CALL TOXIC? |
| JULIE HARANS |
| RICHARD GEOFFROY ON SWAPPING DOM PÉRIGNON FOR A SAKE BREWERY |
| JIM CLARKE |
| WINE'S NEW ADVOCATE TAKES THE REINS |
| W. BLAKE GRAY |
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