michelle bouffard

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and the best possible gift you could give is time. The scarf, sweater or piece of jewelry might end up forgotten, but the laughs and stories shared over a few glasses of wine will be in your mom’s memories forever. 13th Street is one of my long-standing favourite wineries in Ontario. This week if you order 6 bottles or more from 13th Street Winery, you get FREE SHIPPING. Why not order a case for mom? Here are three of my top wine picks, and a delicious homemade meal that you can make with each one. It's a fabulous recipe for time spent together. Santé Maman!

...

Diamond Estates Winery is an umbrella company for many different brands including Lakeview Cellars & EastDell Estates. Contracts with 25 different growers allows them to produce lines of wine where each brand has a unique focus. Located on the highly regarded Niagara escarpment, the sites benefit from the lake's influence. Lakeview Cellars was originally founded by Eddy Gurinska and his wife Lorraine in 1991 and then purchased by Diamond Estates Winery in 2005.

Winemakers Scott McGregor and Tom Green craft wine in one of the largest wineries in Ontario. Sustainability is part of Diamond Estates' philosophy. Steps such as using solar panels and insulated tanks have been taken to save energy, and water usage is also carefully controlled.

This month, Diamond Estates Winery is proud to be the featured winery for our lucky wine club members. Check out which wines you'll receive this month and subscribe by April 13...

Prince Edward County is getting attention and wowing the press, and for good reason. The region is full of dynamic producers crafting wines with a standard that represents Canada well. Trail Estate Winery is among them.

A newcomer to the scene, the winery is already boosting an impressive line-up of small batch craft wines. The owners, Anton and Hildegard Sproll, bought the estate in 2011 after dedicating their life to their German bakery for 30 years. Hard work is certainly not foreign to them, so perhaps this is why they are achieving such success in a short amount time, as their first vintage was in 2013. Being well surrounded has also been key...

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).

...

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!

...

We can't believe that Christmas is only hours away!  We're getting caught up in the anticipation of big dinners with all the fixin's, family, and plenty of tasty beverages to see us through it all.  Another year is coming to a close, and we're excited for new developments in 2017.

We wanted to say a very special thank you for your support of our business and Canadian wine.  This year, we saw more Canadians than ever get passionate about the fantastic wines that we make in this country - we saw this passion in the great wine questions you asked us and the wines that you selected - and we remain deeply honoured to be your go-to online wine store.  ...

Hectic is the word on the street right now! You need to leave a Christmas party early because you have a second one to go to on the same night. At the office, the bottles start to pop up at noon while everyone is trying to empty their inbox before the holidays. And what about those gifts you haven’t bought yet? Yes, this frantic time of the year can cause a lot of stress. Do yourself a favour and save a trip to the liquor store. Waiting in the huge line-up will only take time away from something else you could be doing. At My Wine Canada, you can buy online and the bottles will be directly delivered to your door. With picks from East to West, I have the perfect selection to get through the holidays. My gift to you. Merry Merry...

So far this season, Vancouver has been typically and notoriously rainy. There have been a few years recently when winters have been uncharacteristically sunny and dry, but we’ve certainly been honouring tradition as of late.

With the rains come a desire to stay in once the work day’s done, and tuck into something warm and comforting for dinner. While it’s tempting to lean towards a rich pasta or meaty stew to sate such cravings, I’ve been trying to eat a little healthier as of late (knowing that it’s all going out the window as we get into the holiday season). Plus, with the free shipping deal from Lunessence Winery & Vineyards that's on right now, their wines are the perfect match for comfort food...

This past week has been heavy in emotion. The roller coaster of the US election, then the death of music legend Leonard Cohen. Add to that the days that are now getting darker and shorter. Well, we've got something that will brighten your day - free shipping from Benjamin Bridge! There is just something about bubbles that always makes you feel better. 

Lily Bollinger of Bollinger said it so well: “I drink Champagne when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it -- unless I'm thirsty.” But it’s not Champagne that I recommend drinking to lift your spirit. I don’t know about you but I have never been more proud to be Canadian than during this past week. So I propose a toast to our wonderful country with the stunning bubbles from acclaimed sparkling wine producer Benjamin Bridge in Nova Scotia.

Another reason to feel proud. Benjamin Bridge is offering you an unprecedented deal on their premium wines with free shipping this week on 6+ bottles. This is an excellent occasion to stock up for the holidays - take advantage now, because this deal won't be coming around again anytime soon...

This month, the featured winery for all  wine club subscribers is Lunessence from the Okanagan Valley, BC.  Lucky wine clubbers will receive a curated selection of this winery's finest wines. Sign up for the wine club by Nov. 15 and you'll get these gems delivered right to your door a few days later!

Lunessence's story started as recently as 2014. The winery is located in Summerland and, in addition to having their own estate vineyard, the vintner works with other growers and sources fruit from Osoyoos, Oliver and Naramata. Environment is the heart of Lunessence's philosophy which inspired its name. Luna means moon in latin. A reflection on how they believe the planets and their surroundings have an important impact on the vines and the wines. No pesticides or herbicides are used and they farm according to biodynamic principles...