A sneak peek at 2025.
There’s a particular energy that comes with being handed a glimpse of the future, especially in a wine region that has spent the last few years navigating anything but predictable conditions. At the Wines of BC 2025 Vintage Reveal, that sense of anticipation was palpable, but so too was something else: relief.
Held at Vancouver’s Terminal City Club, the exclusive gathering brought together a small circle of media and wine professionals for an early look at what’s already being described as a pivotal vintage for British Columbia.
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Dr. Xavier Estivill was our first stop on what would be a single, tightly packed day in Priorat. In hindsight, there was no better place to begin.
Dr. Xavier Estivill.
We met him in one of his vineyards above Cornudella de Montsant, where he quickly set the tone, walking us through the site’s soils, elevation, and exposure in a way that brought immediate clarity to the landscape. It was a perspective that stayed with us, shaping how we understood everything that followed.
That introduction unfolded into a deeper discussion of the region’s history and geology, delivered with a precision that reflects his scientific background. It continued later at his winery, Celler Gritelles, where tasting through his wines gave concrete form to what he had outlined in the vineyard.
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We recently made our first visit to Priorat. Seeing it firsthand, there’s no gradual introduction to its scale.
Old vines flanked by terraced vineyards.
Towering terraced hillsides rise into view, etched with ancient vines, the full scale registering all at once.
Jagged ridgelines, stacked terraces, and sun-drenched slate soils define the landscape, where gnarled old vines cling improbably to slopes so steep they still require the steady footing of mules.
Set inland from the Mediterranean, Priorat is surrounded by mountains that form a natural amphitheatre of vineyards. Its dynamic topography is marked by vineyards carved into rock, punctuated by olive groves and hazelnut trees.
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On a crisp winter afternoon, the brick-and-beam warmth of Vancouver Urban Winery and Belgard Kitchen set the stage for a Canadian first: an educational seminar and trade tasting devoted entirely to the Australian state of Victoria.
Mark Davidson with Allison.
Trade buyers, sommeliers, and media gathered not simply to taste, but to recalibrate their understanding of Australian wine through a more precise lens.
Victoria is a state of surprising scale and nuance: 21 distinct wine regions and more than 650 wineries dispersed across maritime peninsulas, elevated mountain ranges, inland lakes and historic fortified enclaves. Yet for many Canadian buyers, the narrative of Australian wine remains partial, too often defined by volume and sunshine rather than site and subtlety. Presented by Wine Victoria and led by seasoned educator Mark Davidson, this seminar offered a thoughtful corrective.
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2022 Haywire Lunar Red.
There are wines that simply mark a moment, and then there are wines that mean something. Haywire Winery’s Lunar Red has always belonged firmly in the latter camp with an annual release that intertwines wine, culture, and community in a way few Canadian bottlings manage to achieve. With the arrival of the 2022 Lunar Red, Haywire once again ushers in Lunar New Year with intention and respect.
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For a long time, I didn’t quite get Champagne.
A glass of Taittinger.
I certainly understood its place in the wine world: the long history, the meticulous production, the reverence. But every time I found myself at a party where a bottle was opened, I couldn’t understand why people were willing to shell out several hundred dollars for something that never quite lived up to the fuss. The bubbles were fine, the wine was pleasant, but it rarely left a mark.
What I didn’t realize then was that what I’d been drinking often wasn’t Champagne at all. More often than not, it was sparkling wine passed off in the same broad category—a prosecco here, a cava there—festive, fizzy, and fun, but not the same thing. I knew enough about wine to know Champagne had pedigree, but not enough to know I hadn’t really met the real deal yet.
That changed one day on the California coast.
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