Winemaker Michael Clark.
Clos du Soleil has always played the long game. Set against the raw, dramatic landscape of British Columbia’s Similkameen Valley (officially within the broader Okanagan appellation), this boutique winery has quietly earned a reputation for elegance, consistency, and integrity.
After sitting down with winemaker Michael Clark, it’s clear that “quiet” may no longer be the right word. This is a winery that’s earned its place among BC’s best, not just for its wines, but for how it’s navigated crisis with grace.
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We’ve stayed in all kinds of accommodations in wine country: cozy vineyard cabins, refurbished wine barns, even luxury estates hidden among the vines.
The Flying Cloud Airstream.
But none have felt as immersive or as uniquely intertwined with the land as this. Okanagan Crush Pad’s Garnet Valley Ranch offers an off-the-grid escape unlike any other in Summerland, a serene corner of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.
Here, our wine country getaway came in the form of a 2022 Airstream Flying Cloud, glamping-style, parked amid organic vines and rolling hills. It’s peaceful, private, and feels like a true oasis—a rare chance to disconnect from the daily grind and reconnect with the land.
But Garnet Valley Ranch is so much more than a picturesque glamping site.
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It’s been five and a half years since our last visit to Bodega Catena Zapata.
Marina Castillo (centre).
A trip that, in hindsight, marked the calm before a global storm. Just months after we wandered the high-altitude vineyards of Mendoza, the world came to a halt. That visit lingered in our memories not just for the extraordinary wines, but for the way Catena Zapata straddled the line between history and innovation.
Last week, we had the chance to reconnect with the Catena team, this time from the comfort of CinCin Ristorante in Vancouver. The occasion? A four-course dinner paired with some of Catena Zapata’s finest current releases, hosted by the irrepressible Marina Castillo, Export Manager for Canada and New York.
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Scent takes centre stage with aromatic white wines.
Ever swirled a glass of wine and been hit with the intoxicating scent of jasmine, ripe peach, or lychee? That’s the magic of aromatic white wines, a style defined not just by flavour, but by fragrance. The term ‘aromatic wine’ is thrown around a fair amount, is seen as a descriptor on wine lists and is a style that is increasingly being embraced. But what does it really mean?
One can be forgiven for asking “aren’t all wines aromatic?”. True, all wines do have aromas, but aromatic whites are those where the predominant feature is their aroma.
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At Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy.
Wine, a libation that has delighted connoisseurs for centuries, is often associated with elegance, luxury, and prestige. While most wines are accessible and reasonably priced, a select few have ascended to a level of opulence that places them among the most expensive in the world. These prized bottles command astronomical prices, often fetching tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Here are some of the most expensive wines in the world and the reasons behind their exorbitant costs.
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RMS sparkling wine.
When you think of sparkling wine, your mind likely drifts to the rolling hills of Champagne or perhaps the crisp fizz of northern Italy. Oregon? It’s probably not the first place that pops into your head. But spend a little time among the misty vineyards of the Willamette Valley, and you’ll discover a quiet revolution in the glass.
Here, where cool mornings meet volcanic soils and Pinot Noir reigns supreme, a new generation of winemakers is crafting sparkling wines that don’t just whisper elegance—they sing with it. I’ve tasted bubbles from around the world, but Oregon’s are among the few that have made me pause, smile, and reach for a second glass.
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Sommelier Kathryn Woods.
Wine, at its heart, is about stories. Vines twisted through generations. Bottles shared across tables. And people—passionate, curious, sometimes covered in lees—who shape it. Few embody this spirit more vibrantly than Kathryn Woods, Wine Director at Whistler’s Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar.
But if you’re picturing a sommelier as a stiff, suit-clad guardian of dusty Burgundy, Woods is here to refresh your mental palate. “I wear my heart on my sleeve,” she says with a laugh. “Gone are the days of the stuffy, scary old Maitre’D. Personality is what separates a great sommelier from a good one.” It’s this candid, joyful energy that defines Woods’ approach—not just to wine, but to the evolving role of the sommelier itself.
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Chris with winemaker Andrew Etsell.
If you’ve ever driven through the rolling farmland of Mt. Lehman in Abbotsford, British Columbia, you know there’s something special about this pocket of the Fraser Valley.
Quietly tucked into a hillside, surrounded by forest with Mt. Baker rising in the distance, Singletree Winery feels like one of those places where everything just fits—the land, the people, the wine. It’s clear from the moment you arrive that this is a family affair; and at the heart of it all is the Etsell family, who were farming here long before vines were in the ground.
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