To say that I am jealous of my wine friend Alena is an understatement. She studies, works and lives in the greatest wine region in Italy, maybe the world! Where is that you ask? Tuscany? One might think so, but no. She calls Musetta home and is busy with her PhD thesis in the vineyards of La Morra, 10 kilometers south east of Alba in the hills of Bricco Rocca. This story introduces Alba, the International White Truffle Festival of Alba, a couple of fine restaurants and E. Molino wines made by one of Italy’s top enologists, Sergio Molino. If you are planning to visit Italy, make sure you ..read more

A Reason for B.C. Riesling! In British Columbia, Riesling calls Lillooet in the north to Similkameen Valley in the south, home. ​​ Fort Berens pioneered vineyards in Lillooet. If you haven't tasted Fort Berens Riesling now is the time! ​Good Riesling is about sublime freshness, sweetness - gently and discreetly present to balance the racy acidity - with beautiful aromas of fresh apple, green apricot, lime juice along and a signature note of “petrol”. Salinity and minerality grace the palate when sipping some of the world’s finest Rieslings. In fact, Mosel Rieslings represent ..read more

Culmination! "To reach the end - or the final result of something" is only part of the meaning behind "culmina". In fact, aiming for the highest achievement is the other layer to this story. While the Culmina Family Estate Winery marked the final hands on wine chapter for the Triggs family, it marked some firsts for BC. The Culmina legacy continues today under the Arterra Wines Canada umbrella. If you want to know more about the interesting naming conventions, BC's first sub-appellation and the family behind it, keep reading. Why not pick up a bottle for some added pleasure to your afternoon ..read more

A Wine LIst from Tasting Valtellina Wines in Sondrio Without a doubt, visiting the vineyards of Valtellina was one of the highlights of 2022! This small, under the radar, quality wine region, located in the alps of northern Lombardy, produces stunning Nebbiolo wines from steep terraced vineyards left by the Romans more than 1500 years ago. The breathtaking views, the pristine mountain air and the fantastic wine and food will inspire you to put a pin in your travel map on the village of Sondrio. If you want to know more, keep reading. If you missed part one, here is the link.   After ..read more

I had the chance to visit Valtellina this fall. This story and these pictures were captured October 2nd & 3rd of 2022, on the last excursion that was part of the Wine Media Conference 2022. The stunning views, breathtaking vistas and fantastic food and wine were second only the our Valtellina hosts. These winemakers and proprietors were humble, generous and hard-working folks who have a big mission and vision - to share the story of Valtellina with wine lovers around the world.   View from Agricola Azienda Albert Marsetti in Valtellina. Photo by Barb Wild Introdu ..read more

But where is Desenzano del Garda? When Zephyr Adventures announced that the Wine Media Conference 2022 would be hosted on the shores of Lake Garda, I was like - yes please! After 2 years of no travel, all I could think about was four glorious weeks in Europe with three of them dedicated to Northern Italy - a place I had never visited. Desenzano del Garda here I come! But where is Desenzano del Garda?  Maps don't do it justice. It's quaint old town is like so many other small towns in Italy - ancient, plundered by the romans and making the best of it's history and terrific location ..read more

​"To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it." -- Kurt Vonnegut Do you have a creative outlet? Do you dream of bringing your inner desires into reality? When I was young, my mom encouraged me to write. Whether a travel journal from a trip to Disneyland or personal diary of daily observations, there was a culture in my family about writing things down. ​ In high school, English and English Literature were the most captivating courses. Words had a way of being interpreted that lead to discussing universal meaning, of love and life. Whil ..read more

When it comes to tasting wine - blind tastings rule! If you love wine and you haven't participated in a blind tasting yet - now is the time! The reason it matters is because ultimately in your wine journey, your goal is to be able to determine whether the wine in the glass is good wine, representative of a place and a variety that is a classic expression. Being a wine nerd includes having the ability to assess wine, a skill that makes all the other wine marketing noise silent. Tasting wines blind removes bias. It's a great way to develop your sensory skills. Plus there's a bonus - its cr ..read more

When & Where was Noir Fest? ​On June 25, 2022, the first annual Noir Fest was hosted at Averill Creek Winery in the heart of Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. With the easing of Covid 19 restrictions, wine events are back. Two years is a long suffering period – from missed tastings to missed social interaction so it’s no wonder the energy and excitement behind Noir Fest 2022 hosted at Averill Creek winery in Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island the last weekend in June. Not only was the event well attended by Pinot Noir producers – internationally, locally and regionally –but consu ..read more

Photo courtesy of Tania Veitch Tourism Photography @tvtourismphotography June 30th is behind us. They say the Supermoon will arrive soon and I'm still searching for wine. That's why British Columbia is such a gift - wine country is not just in the Okanagan Valley - it's on the island, in the Kootenays, the Fraser Valley and along the Thompson to Kamloops and Lillooet. This is my summer of wine and while it is cooler than last year, I'm happy that fire season is below the radar and air quality is good. Covid is still in our midst so please be vigilant.  In Search of Wine May was a wine ..read more