Posted on
Cabernet Franc is thought to have been born in the Basque region of Spain, close to the French border. In France, Cabernet Franc is planted throughout Bordeaux, where it is often blended with Merlot, creating highly sought-after wines, such as Cheval Blanc. During the 17th century, Cardinal Richelieu, who had a great fondness for Cabernet Franc,…
Continue reading Cabernet Franc Day with the Okanagan Crush Pad
Posted on
National White Wine Day is celebrated August 4th, so if you need another excuse to open your favourite bottle of white wine, this is it! With a seemingly endless number of white grape varieties there truly is something for everyone, from Albariño to Zalema. I am celebrating National White Wine Day with a couple of…
Posted on
I am back after a one month hiatus. Despite the break I have been enjoying some great summer wines, including the 2019 Haywire Gamay from the Okanagan Crush Pad, located in Summerland, BC. Gamay Noir is the perfect summer red. It is most notably grown in France where it is called Beaujolais. Gamay is low…
Posted on
This Saturday, June 11th, is National Rosé Day. It is the first of three (yes, I said THREE) Rosé Day celebrations in the calendar year, which can be cause for confusion. Rosé wines are just so darn special that they need to be celebrated three times each year! The first Rosé Day seems to have…
Posted on
May 17th is Pinot Gris Day. This pink skinned grape is thought to be a mutation of Pinot Noir and it is known by more than twenty different names, including Pinot Grigio and Auxerrois Gris. Pinot Gris is also the most planted white grape in British Columbia. I am celebrating Pinot Gris Day with the…
Posted on
Happy Mulled Wine Day! I am excited to be working on several projects with the Okanagan Crush Pad this year, the first of which is National Mulled Wine Day. Mulled Wine Day is celebrated on March 3rd each year. No one seems to quite know why mulled wine is celebrated on this day, but it…
Continue reading Mulled Wine Day With Free Form Cabernet Franc
Posted on
The Okanagan Crush Pad is another winery celebrating ten years. Christine Coletta and her husband, Steve Lornie, opened the Crush Pad in Summerland in 2011. Their holdings now include 380 acres, 100 acres of which are planted to organic vineyards. The Okanagan Crush Pad produces four labels: Haywire, Narrative, Free Form and Bizou + Yukon,…
Posted on
Do you struggle to identify particular tastes and aromas in wine? Blueberry is one aroma and flavor that I have difficulty finding when I am tasting wines. In fact, I have been waiting a long time to find a wine with blueberry notes just so that I would have an excuse to bake my favorite…
Posted on
If you are looking for a Christmas gift for that wine lover on your list…or simply missing travel and visiting wineries, here is the perfect solution. The Okanagan Crush Pad has just released four new wine collections: Big Reds for Winter ($135), Holiday Cheers ($124), Organic Wine Collection ($117) and Pure Whites ($98). Each pack…
Posted on
This spring, the Okanagan Crush Pad released a trio of fun wines under the Bizou + Yukon label. There is the Savvy Gris, the Pinkie Rosé and the Savvy Franc, all that was missing was the bubbles. Now, here they are! 2018 BEE-zoo Bubbles $24.90 After a hard days work, make sure to paws for…