The Dream Team: Tracy, Brandon, Ally, Al, Chase & Andy.
As the final grapes are pressed and the last barrels tucked away, my harvest internship has officially come to a close. It’s hard to believe how much has been packed into these past 4 weeks — the early mornings, hot days, late nights, and everything in between. Physically, it was one of the toughest experiences I’ve ever gone through.
The long hours during harvest are legendary for a reason. There’s no stopping the process once it starts, and the grapes certainly don’t wait. But as I’ve come to realize, the physical side is only one part of the equation. What truly made this experience special was the people I shared it with.
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Homan Haftbaradaran.
The journey of a winemaker is never easy or straightforward. For Homan Haftbaradaran, the path has been particularly unconventional and not without its share of challenges along the way. But through it all, his boundless passion and resilience have resulted in wines that consistently stand out for offering terrific quality and value.
Homan and his wife Mina founded City Side Winery in 2013. We first met him in 2016, shortly after he opened a commercial space in Vancouver’s Olympic Village district. This venue was more than just a tasting room; it featured his Mystic Pearl wines alongside charcuterie boards, share plates, and live music, creating a unique gathering spot in the city.
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Time is always well spent at Lauren Ashton.
Spring came late this year where we live. If it even came at all. But good luck shone on us when we recently drove down to Woodinville, Washington and the sun did too! Which made for a very pleasant weekend of meeting with winemakers as well as returning to some of our old favourites to just relax and enjoy their wine. With the weather finally turning warm and the sun shining, we could think of no better place to be than sitting outside in the garden adjacent to the Lauren Ashton tasting room and tasting through their newly released wines.
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Our first visit to Fort Beren’s Winery in Lillooet, British Columbia in 2021 was nothing short of a revelation.
A most unique terroir.
Not only was it surprising that this remote location was capable of growing grapes, but in the right hands, those grapes could be turned into high quality wine. When owners Rolf de Bruin and his wife Heleen Pannekoek needed a new winemaker, their search lead them halfway around the world to an even more remote place in South Africa.
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The Yamhill-Carlton Estate Vineyard.
Our first visit with Résonance Wines took place in 2019. It was a fantastic visit and we vowed that we would go back every year. Well, pandemics have a way of changing plans on you. But finally being able to return after 3 years, we were very well-rewarded for our wait. Résonance is going from strength to strength and is asserting itself as making some of the best wines in the Willamette Valley as well as having one of the best tasting rooms to visit.
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