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

Steven Spurrier made a stop in British Columbia earlier this week, and in addition to visiting the wine regions, he also led The Judgement of BC. Inspired by the famous Judgment of Paris in 1976, the blind tasting consisted of 12 Chardonnay wines and 12 Syrahs (six were from BC and six were international benchmarks). Check out the results!

Canadian wine laws are complicated, and it can be easy to break the law without even knowing you’re doing so. This was the case of Gerald Comeau in New Brunswick in 2012. Through Comeau’s case, CBC news takes a look at the complex Canadian liquor structure, and how the judge’s verdict could have an impact on the system.

Kudos to Kacaba Vineyards, who are the first Ontario winery to install two electric vehicle chargers for their guests! Managing their carbon footprint is a priority, and they aim to promote green travel and tourism in the region.

Myself and Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson of My Wine Canada are in Toronto until next Tuesday to judge the WineAlign International Wine Awards of Canada. Results to come out in the next month!

What happens if you leave beer and wine in a car during a hot summer day? Can they stand the heat? Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson of My Wine Canada creates an experiment to find out!

Aligoté deserves a little more respect than just a simple ingredient in a Kir. Bill Zacharkiw from La Gazette gives some love to the grape.

YUL EAT Festival is just around the corner. If you’re in Montreal on the long weekend check it out! It takes place in the beautiful setting of the Old Port of Montreal. Great line-up for foodie and wine lovers alike!

For a second year in a row, Top Drop takes places in Vancouver on September 10 & 11. There is a great line-up of wine events to check out. Tickets are on sale now!

 

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.