Italy’s next big story…
Most wine lovers can rattle off the big names of Italy: Chianti, Barolo, Brunello. But ask them about Abruzzo, and the room gets quieter. But that’s starting to change, and not by accident.
Behind the rising global awareness of this mountainous-meets-maritime region is the Vini d’Abruzzo Consortium, a collective effort that’s helping shine a much-needed spotlight on wines that have long been part of daily life in central Italy but are only now getting their due on the world stage.
After attending a media tasting and luncheon hosted by the Vini d’Abruzzo Consortium, it felt like the right moment to take a closer look at what the Consortium is, who it represents, and why Abruzzo might just be Italy’s next big wine story.
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In a valley known for its sweeping lake vistas, Red Barn winery offers a different kind of magic.
Jagged Rock.
Sitting in the shadow of Jagged Rock, a dramatic outcrop that shapes both the vineyard’s microclimate and its identity, Red Barn is a study in contrast: polished wines born of a rugged site, housed in a modernist space that still pays homage to its farming roots.
Red Barn might fly under the radar at first glance, but it’s readily redefining what small-batch winemaking in British Columbia can be.
With a tasting room designed by the iconic Tom Kundig and a fearless young winemaker at the helm, Red Barn offers one of the Okanagan’s most intimate and engaging wine experiences. One that begins in the vineyard and ends in your glass, just steps away.
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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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