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

The 2nd edition of the YUL-EAT Festival is just around the corner. Held on the long weekend in September, the Festival puts on a great food event in the Old Port of Montreal. This is a fantastic chance to attend multiple food events, including a pasta class with Stefano Faita, a pastry course with Patrice Demers, and a sashimi class with Hakim Chajar. Tickets are on sale now.

Starting on September 5th, the Fête des Vendanges de Magog is a great way to discover Quebec produce. You’ll get a chance to taste local ciders, visit producers from local wineries, and taste a spread of fresh local ingredients. Not to be missed!

From July 31st (that's today!) to August 9th, The Harmony Arts Festival in Vancouver is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Taking place in a bucolic setting on the shore off of West Vancouver, the festival celebrates local artisans and musicians. Make sure to stop at the Park Royal Beachside Patio. You can enjoy some freshly prepared food by The Dirty Apron Cooking School & Delicatessen and sip on a glass of wine while watching free concerts. Sounds idyllic!

Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson, another contributor here on My Wine Canada, and I had the honour and pleasure of judging at the WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada. The results of NWAC 15 were released on Wednesday. Check it out!

Making the most of the summer and having lots of picnics? Check out Kurtis Kolt’s article in the Georgia Straight. He gives a few tips on how to choose the appropriate wine and suggests sharing a few favourites.

At Par Ici l’été, a tv show on Radio-Canada, Olympic medalist Joannie Rochette joined me for my wine segment. In honor of her victory at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, we talked about BC wine and I asked her to give medals to the wines that we mentioned on the show - which one did she choose? Check it out! Be warned - the segment is 40 minutes.

The fantastic Vancouver wine event, Top Drop, will be back again this year. Details about the tastings and dinners will be released on August 4th. Don’t want to miss out? Join their mailing list to find out all of the details.

 

Michelle Bouffard is a wine educator and journalist who splits her time between Montréal & Vancouver. She co-owns the Vancouver-based company ‘house wine’ and is the president of the BC Chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers. She Tweets @michellebwine and Instagrams @michellebouffard.