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Writing on Canadian Wine by the MWC team Kurtis Kolt (BC), Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson (MB) Jake Skakun (ON), Michelle Bouffard (QB) and various national guest contributors.

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Free Shipping from Black Prince Winery

For a number of years, Niagara has been considered the leading region for wine production in Ontario, but Prince Edward County is getting some buzz. Picturesque with a real feel of community and cooperation between producers, the area has everything to charm wine lovers. Black Prince Winery is one of the oldest wineries in the region. Established in 2000 by John Sambrook and Geoff Webb, the winery is located on a beautiful 50 acre estate with 10 acres dedicated to vineyards. Drinking and eating locally are important to the owners, perhaps this is why they were the first winery to use local county oak barrels to age their wine. In addition to making their wines, they also help start up wineries by providing them a winemaking facility to make their wines. This week My Wine Canada is featuring Black Prince Winery by offering free shipping on six or more bottles (feel free to mix and match).

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Published on March 14, 2017 by Michelle Bouffard
Top Wine Picks: Moon Curser Vineyards

Down in the desert country of Osoyoos, at the very southern end of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, the mercury has been hovering around the zero-degree mark for a while now, but that shouldn’t last much longer. Soon enough, buds will burst on the area’s grapevines, and as vineyards bloom under the sun, those temperatures will climb into the thirties and forties. It’s as we get into vintage when the region’s desert classification becomes a lot more obvious. Not only is it ‘hot enough for ya’ more often than not, but while toddling around the area’s landscape, cacti and rattlesnakes aren’t exactly uncommon sights.

It is here where the Okanagan Valley excels at ripening the grapes for rich red and white wines, while sandy soils with pockets of clay, limestone and granite add distinct minerality and the cool nights allow natural acidity to be preserved.

These conditions make it possible for quite the variety of, er, varieties to be grown, and when it comes to Osoyoos wineries, this writer can’t think of anyone taking advantage of this scenario as much Beata and Chris Tolley, the owners of Moon Curser Vineyards.

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Published on March 7, 2017 by Kurtis Kolt
Top Wine Picks! Traynor Family Vineyard

Mike and Rebecca Traynor, the folks behind Traynor Family Vineyard, purchased the Prince Edward County property in 2008. They turned a cornfield into a vineyard of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, as well as hybrid varieties Frontenac Gris and Marquette. Mike has a history with wine: working in retail shops and completing sommelier and winemaking courses before landing a gig as operations manager at Huff Estates. Later, he became the winemaker and general manager of Oak Heights. The first Traynor Family Vineyard harvest was in 2013.

This week My Wine Canada is featuring Traynor Family Vineyard by offering free shipping on six or more bottles (feel free to mix and match).

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Published on February 21, 2017 by Jake Skakun
Wine Club Feature: Sperling Vineyards

Here in Vancouver, it’s the week of the annual Vancouver International Wine Festival. This year is particularly exciting, because among the 180 participating wineries from 16 countries, there’s a strong Canadian contingent, as our home and native land is this year’s theme country.

Yup, to celebrate our nation’s 150^th birthday, wineries from coast to coast (many of them My Wine Canada partners) are gathering to pour their best and brightest for thousands of attendees.

One of the wineries I’m particularly looking forward to catching up with is Sperling Vineyards from Kelowna in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. Not only are the wines from winemaker Ann Sperling some of the best from the region, but there’s a notable heritage associated with them. This month, Sperling Vineyards is proud to be featured in My Wine Canada's Valentine's Wine Package. Check out this great deal and order by February 15th at midnight!

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Published on February 14, 2017 by Kurtis Kolt
Top Wine Picks for Valentine’s Day

Nothing sets the mood for a romantic evening quite like a glass (or, heck, a bottle) of wine. And whether your special someone prefers whites, reds, rosés or bubblies, My Wine Canada has got you covered for Valentine’s Day — if you act fast.

Here are some top picks for making an impression this Valentine’s Day — order now (like, NOW) and get these treats in time for the big day…

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Published on February 6, 2017 by Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson
Top Wine Picks! Summerhill Pyramid Winery

Summerhill Pyramid Winery is an unforgettable stop on the Okanagan wine trail. If it wasn’t for the giant floating wine bottle tilting toward a giant glass, you might think you were stepping onto the grounds of a spiritual retreat with an especially stunning view of Okanagan Lake. Founder Stephen Cipes’ dedication to the environment carries through to his grape growing and winemaking philosophies, including a biodynamic certification for the winery's Kelowna vineyard. Summerhill’s commitment to producing only organic wine has spurred the winery’s long-term growers into converting to organic farming. Stephen Cipes is also at the helm of an initiative to transition the entire Okanagan Valley to organic farming. As a shipping special for Valentine’s Day, the winery is offering free shipping when you buy 6 or more bottles (you’re free to mix and match). Below are a few of my top wine picks from Summerhill. Continue reading →

Published on January 30, 2017 by Jake Skakun
Pair It Up! Food & Wine Resolutions

If you’re one of those people who starts a detox and renews their gym membership on January 1^st, by now you might be thinking: enough already! I read once that it was better to minimize alcohol consumption to a couple nights a week, instead of cutting it out cold turkey. I am not sure if it’s true but it certainly makes sense! I, personally, have never believed in extremes BUT….. I am on a cleanse too!! This is what I propose: let’s get back to real life in a way that’s slow and smart. Below are 4 healthy dishes that you can enjoy with a delicious glass of wine and have the bottle sent right to your door. It’s all about balance, isn’t it? Santé!

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Published on January 24, 2017 by Michelle Bouffard
Top Wine Picks for the New Year

How are those New Year’s resolutions coming along?

Even though we’re already a couple weeks into January, I’m going to recommend you add one more resolution for the year. Let 2017 be the year when you get out of any wine rut you may find yourself in. If you’re getting tired of having the same old Chardonnay or Merlot week after week, head outside of that comfort zone to try new varieties, or wine from a region that may be new to you. Here, a quintet of off-the-beaten path gems that you can order right here at My Wine Canada, and they’ll be on your doorstep in no time.

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Published on January 17, 2017 by Kurtis Kolt