The charming and historic West Kootenay town that is Nelson, finally has a wine shop the people can be proud of. BC Wineguys Nelson VQA store boasts a thorough Okanagan selection at winery prices. The shop is owned and managed by Jon Langille, who is best known for opening the All Seasons Café – one of the best small town eateries in the province, always known for its thoughtful wine list and unrivaled patio. Jon has recently sold the Café, yet I’m sure his new venture will be just as successful. Read more from the Nelson Daily News.

The Road 13 Honest John’s Rosé from 2009 seemed like an apt choice given the sun and the fact that their whites make up a sizable chunk of my list of go-to summer wines. The majority of the fruit is Cabernet Franc, grown on the sandy soils of the Black Sage Bench and across the valley from the Road 13 Castle. There is also 16% Syrah from the Golden Mile and 8% Riesling. As you can see, the colour is a vibrant pink. There is a nice stone-fruit freshness with the tart strawberry and raspberry characters on the palate. I find the Riesling aromatics come across a touch too potent off the nose for me, but it doesn’t subtract from the refreshing and deliciousness factors, which all sit quite well at $17.99.

Also, if you happen to be in Nelson sooner than later, the BCLDB store is selling off Alvear Amontillado Sherry for $10.75 instead of the regular listed price of $15.49. I’m not sure why, but I wasn’t asking any questions as I stocked up on a couple bottles.