The Friday Files: News & Notes from Canada’s Wine Scene

In case you missed it, MWC writer Michelle Bouffard and I have been in Niagara judging at the 2015 National Wine Awards of Canada. We’ve been tasting in the ballpark of 80-90 wines per day. For a bit more on how wine competitions like this one work, here’s a blog post I did on Monday. To see more of what we’ve been up to here in Niagara, check out the #NWAC15 hashtag on Twitter or Instagram.

In Vitamin Daily, Michelle Bouffard picks the perfect Canada Day wines to toast our country's birth. Sip on Elephant Island Orchard's 2014 Cassis Fortified Wine, Unsworth Vineyards' 2014 Rosé, Orofino's 2013 Hendsbee Vineyard Riesling, 13th Street Winery's 2011 Pinot Noir, and Le Vieux Pin's 2013 Syrah Cuvée Violette and you'll have a very Happy Canada Day!

NWAC head judge Anthony Gismondi wrote a bit more about the competition in the Vancouver Sun, and also touched on topics such as the formation of the B.C. wine appellation group as well as just how far ahead the 2015 vintage is in the Okanagan Valley. Check it out here.

Oh, and U.K. wine scribe Jamie Goode is in town to judge at the competition as well, and has been doing some touring around Niagara wine country. He’s already chronicled some of his time here over at his website, including his stop at MWC partner Creekside Estate Winery. Check out his Instagram to see what else he’s been up to while in Niagara.

And while I’m sure he’ll have plenty to report soon, it just so happens he recently had some nice words about Similkameen Valley winery (and MWC partner winery) Orofino Vineyards.

Moving back to Niagara, the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (I4C) takes place July 17-19, and is an incredible opportunity to taste racier, balanced Chardonnays from around the world while chatting with winemakers (and eating some pretty killer food at gorgeous Ontario wineries). Info about all the I4C events is here.

MWC writer Kurtis Kolt may be down in California right now, but in his latest piece for The Georgia Straight, he talks Riesling and Gamay – two Canadian specialties. My Wine Canada has plenty of wines made from both grapes available for your tasting pleasure.

Via Vice’s Munchies website, here’s another piece on wine marketing and prices, but this one gets into specifics on how our consumer preconceptions alter our brain functions.