Happy New Year!

2021 is behind us, thank goodness. It had some very difficult times and yet some very good memories were created all so! We were forced to stay indoors and close to home for most of the year.

Been home gave me a great deal of time to concentrate on three main project,

The Best Wineries to Visit in 2022

The Wineries to Watch for in 2022

The Best Wines of 2021

The task get more difficult every year. There are more wineries. The wineries keep improving! The wines just get better and better! Narrowing  them down   is very challenging.

We were of course restrict to limited travel. Or selections from provinces out side of British Columbia required a great deal of research and assistance from friends across the country. I listened, I read I did the research. Are the results perfect, No! It is simply one man's insight to Canada's amazing wine industry. Even now I can think of wineries who I should have added. 

As for the Best Wines of 2021 I can only talk about the wines we drank. I never rely on on a tasting session at a winery or wine event to make my selections. The minimum requirement is a full glass  enjoyed in  a relaxed setting. The majority of the wines are selected  with more than two opinions.

You are welcome to send me your thoughts winebob49@gmail.com

I hope you have a safe, healthy and prosperous 2022 and of course drink many many good Canadian wines!

 Best Wineries to Visit in 2022

We have to take this opportunity to brag about the website winesofcanada.com. It represents a great deal of hard work and dedication. So far in 2021 the most popular page has been The Best Wineries to visit in 2021. It was a little unexpected as the number one page since it was first posted in 2015 has been The Wineries to Watch .

The new page release today has taking four month of research to complete and it most likely will not please everyone. With well over 1000 meaderies, Cider Houses and Wineries in Canada someone who deserves to be on the page will be left out. Some wineries were omitted because they did not respond to information request.

This year (2022) the list of wineries to visit is bigger than ever! In less than two hours of been uploaded it has received over one hundred hits from 7 different countries.

The wines of Canada website started in 1992. It has been a good thirty years. We have tasted some very good wines over the years. 

In recent years the cider industry has taken off. We tip our hat to those producers and also to the meaderies. 

As the year draws to a close we wish everyone a safe, healthy and Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays everyone!

The Best Wineries to Visit in 2022

 

 Home Cooking !

Barbara and I just returned home from a four day stint  of pet sitting in Tsawwassen. The best and most enjoyable part, was the two invites to our friends home for dinner.  Thankfully our friends always enjoy a glass or two of fine Canadian wine.

On our first night in Tsawwassen we were invited to join June and Peter on a Thursday evening. Thursday is important because that is Peter's night to prepare diner. On this Thursday Peter was preparing his special Baked Beans. If Peter was to can these beans he would put Libby's beans out of business. They are that good! 

The wine, for red, was Ink Red Rebel. A nice red blend offering black and red fruit flavours. I, myself chose the Ink Pinot Grigio. The Pinot Grigio was refreshing, light, with nice fruit flavours.

It was a pretty amazing meal. Thank you June and Peter.

The following evening once again we met up with June and Peter this time at the home of Jane and Ken. We started mid afternoon playing Ramoli. My five amazing friends are all red drinker. Where as I prefer to enjoy a fine white wine. 

Once seated at the card table Ken present me with a glass of white wine. Upon my first sniff of the wine I had a pretty good idea of what the wine was. My first sip confirmed my assumption. A Bacchus from Chaberton Estate Winery. Bacchus is one of my favourite wines.

Once Barbara and I had defeated (lol) everyone at Ramoli it was time for diner. A Beef Bourguignon to die for. It was amazing. The wine a Cabernet Franc 2019 from Church & State Winery. The perfect wine for a perfect diner.

Barbara and I consider ourselves to be so very lucky to have such very good friends. Friends who enjoy the fruits of Canada's wine industry as much as we do and are excellent chefs too!

 Rosé 

wines, often referred to as blush wines or written rosé , are wines typically made with red grapes but that have a much lighter color than red wine due to the way the wine is made

Rosé versus Blush 

Many people use the two terms interchangeably, but there actually is a slight difference. Any wine called a rosé is made from juice left in contact with the skins for an hour or so. Rosés are never a blend of red and white wine, while blush wines may be made using either method. Therefore, all rosé wines are blushes, but not all blushes are rosés. 

Rosé is a term describing the French technique for making wines ranging in color from grayish pink to very dark pink. In recent years, the trend has been to use the term rosé instead of blush. While the results may be similar, wines labeled as blush wines tend to be more mass-market wines made in large lots as opposed to the carefully crafted small batches of rosé. 

Some good producers are

Lunessence Winery & Vineyard, BC

Hillside Winery  BC      

Monte Creek Ranch Winery         BC    

Corcelettes Estate Winery            BC         

Dover13 Wines & Spirits Ltd.       ON  

Two Sisters Vineyards    ON        

Byland Estate Winery     ON         

Diamond Estate Wines   ON          

The best wines to match with Rosé are Chicken and Salmon. Another good match would be Duck.

Traditional Portuguese Rose with a touch of sweetness go well with salads.

Zinfandals on the lighter side go with spicy food and maybe even dessert.

For a Sparkling Rosé bring out the lobster.

 

Pork Tenderloin

The tenderloin is the mildest and most tender of the pork loin cuts. Also, it’s a thinner cut and therefore a thinner roast, needing careful cooking to retain the natural juices. It is one of my favourite meals. We cook our in the air fryer. 

The main question is what wine to server with Beef tenderloin. The selection of choices is quite expansive.

I personally like Bacchus with its light crisp flavours. A Bacchus goes well with all pork dishes. 

Petit Milo also is a good choice with flavours of apricot, white peach and green papaya. Due to its small berries and thick skins, it is packed full of flavour to accompany its wonderful texture. Armed with a crisp finish, Petit Milo brings an exotic flair perfect for a wide array of foods. Try it with pork chops!

Many wine and food writers will suggest that how the pork is prepared and cook detwrmines the what wine is best. There is some truth to that. A sample of this would be a pork roast done with Rosemary and garlic, the suggest wine is Sauvignon Blanc.

Gewurztraminer is a good choice for sweet and tangy pork. If you like a nice gravy over your roasted pork try a Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris. Best to use a herbal gravy.

Now if you must have a red wine a Merlot works well with the classic fatter pork roast.

Pork Tenderloin can often be slightly try after baking in the oven.  A light bodied Chardonnay will do the trick, Prefer a red try a Zinfandel or Grenache

Tonight we are going to air roast our pork tenderloin with carrots and small potatoes. Our wine choice an Ortega from Chaberton Estate Winery in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia.

 

The Keg Whistler

For our final night in Whistler and to celebrate our 29th wedding Barbara and I along with friends Ken and Jane decided to dine at the Whistler Keg. It turned out to be a very good choice.

Our experience did not start out so well . Despite the car's guidance system, we had trouble finding the restaurant. After spending fifteen minutes driving around and failing to find the Keg we called the restaurant for help.

The problem being the Keg was located in an area designed for walking not for driving. Rob came on the phone and tried his best to help us navigate our way. Rob you were terrific. He guided us to the general area of the restaurant. I spot withsome hotel employees who were able to point us in the right direction to complete the journey. They did say one disturbing thing"there is no parking"

Ken managed to find a spot near the restaurant but a little far for Barbara whose COPD is a concern in cold weather. Barbara made the walk but was having some trouble as we entered the restaurant. Imagine our dismay when we were informed the restaurant was actually up a long flight of stairs.

We explained our concerns to the hostess and asked if they had an elevator. With a lovely smile the hostess said "yes" I can take you up in the elevator. The elevator was located in the hotel next door. The hostess guided us there. She remained with us all the way.

It was not a short walk and Barb's slowness was responded to by the hostess with a smile and always a kind word. We wish we had gotten her name. Her attitude and kindness were a comfort.

We made it up the elevator and to the door of the Keg where a young lady awaited us. She informed us that Ken and Jane were waiting for and she would guide us to the table. However, she quickly realized  Barbara was tired. She sat us in the nearest table.  She then went off to get Ken and Jane. She also quickly provide Barb with a glass of water. We were all extremely impressed with how the Keg staff handled the matter. We will always remember their concern and kindness.

It also seemed that everyone on the Keg's staff knew it was our anniversary and offered their congratulations. 

Shortly after been seated Rob arrived at the table. Although it was unnecessary he apologized for not providing us with better direction. Rob is the Keg's Culinary manager. He took the time during his busy dining schedule to help and come to the table. Now that's how to run a successful restaurant. Thank you Rob.

Our waitress Christine was a delight. She provided us with an Anniversary complimentary Margitritas. For every request, we made she responded with a smile and a cheerful "yes". Her service was total perfection.

We relaxed and enjoyed a very nice meal. Ken and I had the Prime Rib. Barbara had the Pistachio Crusted Salmon. Jane enjoyed a Blacken Chicken Oscar.

On our way out numerous staff members thank us for coming and said good night. Some even extending anniversary congratulations.

It was a wonderful evening with good food wonderful hospitality. 

Thank you Whister Keg your staff did you proud!