The below was created as a guest post for Cory Cartwright’s series: 32 Days of Natural Wine. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, make your way over to his site and start reading!

The Original All Blacks wreaking havoc on the rugby world in 1905.
I was originally slated in for tomorrow, but who really [...]

There was plenty of pizza, video games and fine wine last night. Here are some of the bottles we drank with abridged notes.

Jacques Puffeney ‘07 ‘Les Bérangères” Trousseau - Arbois, Jura
The Puffeney Trousseau wasn’t showing nearly as well as the last bottle of 2006 I had. Still quite lovely - very light with strawberry fruit, [...]

My sabbatical in California is beginning to wrap up. I need to gorge myself on affordable wine while I’m here and bring as much home as I can bear to ease the come-down. Here are a few from the last week:

#1. Jacques Puffeney 04 ‘Vieille Vignes’ Arbois AOC $30(?)
This is a blend of Pinot Noir, [...]

There is something fascinating about drinking wine made by a skilled vigneron who has since passed away. Knowing that a wine made with someone’s vision and passion is in diminishing supply and at some point will never be tasted again adds an element to the experience. Didier Dagueneau and Denis Mortet are two who come [...]

Menu Pineau. What can be said that hasn’t already been?
I’ve sat quietly on the sidelines reading others praise Thierry Puzelat’s Clos du Tue Boeuf 08 ‘Brin de Chèvre’ (particularly Guilhaume), from the Loire’s Touraine region. Made with natural methods from a grape which maybe ten other producers in the world cultivate, Menu Pineau. For more [...]

My good pal Jeff Curry came by Salt yesterday with Fabian Olaiz, the Export Manager of Prado Rey wines from Ribera del Duero, Spain.  He had a satchel full of fun, from zippy whites to rich, deep reds and it was a great opportunity to revisit a couple things I’d tried before and dive into [...]

[ts-VIE-gellt]
Zweigelt in British Columbia? We might be on to something here. Actually, the Zuppiger family behind Arrowleaf Cellars have been on to something since 1999 when they planted 2 acres of the Austrian red grape. The winter hardy varietal was created by Dr. Fritz Zweigelt in 1922 by crossing Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent. Kurtis and [...]

I’m disappointed with the amount of wine I’ve been drinking lately. Interesting and thought provoking wine anyways. In an attempt to amend this, I spent a good chunk of time pacing the isles of Marquis yesterday, chatting about some cool and locally unobtainable producers with a French employee named Marie. She seemed defeated by BC’s [...]

I recently had the chance to try this little number, “Bordello” from Summerland’s Dirty Laundry Vineyard.
Known  primarily for a trilogy of Gewürztraminers from different plots of their vineyard, Dirty Laundry has some of the region’s oldest vinifera vines.  The winery came out of the gates strong with some great aromatic whites about half a decade [...]

Domaine de Terrebrune ‘08 Bandol Rosé
Why do most people completely dismiss pink wine three seasons a year? I’m always floored to get a disgusted look from a restaurant guest after suggesting a rosé outside the months of summer. Sorry to challenge your wine colour paradigm.
I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a rosé this [...]

I had a bottle of Domaine Huet Brut 2002 Vouvray Pétillant, and although still a touch too ill to fully appreciate it, I was able to recognize that it was damn good. This is lightly sparkling Chenin Blanc from France’s Loire Valley made in the traditional method. The colour is a beautiful golden yellow and [...]