Pio Cesare, Barbaresco 2004

In the "outstanding" category, this is a stunner worthy of 5-7 years in the cellar. It will blow your socks off with its leather, mushroom, earthy, tobacco nose. The palate is a model of balance. Firm but not astringent, powerful yet elegant, with layers of complex flavours unfolding in the glass. Breathtaking wine. Worth every penny - $120

Pol Roger 1999

A fantastic Champagne with 10 years of maturity and a comparative bargain at $82 when you consider many Non vintage champagnes are around $60-$70.

Try it with some smoked salmon and ascend to heaven!

Tantalus Old Vines

When I'm in need of a beautiful crisp Riesling there is only one in BC that hits the mark. Simply stunning. Vines planted in 1976, new winery just built, and people who really know what they're doing. Available only from the winery or the website.

"Cellared In Canada"

The Economist magazine has just exposed what is arguably a consumer fraud. It relates to wine being sold as "Product of Canada" when it's made from cheap imported bulk wine shipped in tankers up here.

The back label on these bottles says "Cellared in Canada" but that is hardly a way of telling people it's not Canadian wine, especially when the brand name is usually of a well known Canadian winery.... could be get juicey!

WSET wine courses

Several of our WSET courses for the fall are already almost full, in Vancouver, Okanagan and Calgary. We kicks off another one tonight with some excellent vino - love the Vincent Girardin Meursault 06 for about $65.

Trefethen Winery in Napa

Just finished a great dinner with Janet Trefthen from Trefethen Family Vineyards, one of the great old wineries of Napa. Beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon in a more Euro style - about $55 at most Liberty Wine Merchants. That's real wine - no more fruitbombs please!

Product of Canada

Why are some Canadian wineries allowed to import cheap wine in bulk from other countries, bottle it in Canada, and then sell it as "Product of Canada"?

This should be againist the law. It misleads consumers and many think it's a consumer fraud.