Once again, I have for you a sprinkling of highlights from a trade tasting I attended this past Sunday in Vancouver.

Garagiste North is a wine festival for small producers – between all wineries represented, there are no more than 2,000 cases made.  Very cool.  The term ‘garagiste’ stems from French winemakers who didn’t want to be constricted by all of the rules and rigamarole of their AOC system and started making wine in their garage.

This was my first Garagiste North tasting – held at the W.I.S.E. Hall ( love ) this tasting had a very cool vibe.  As I mentioned last week, I do not hit all the tables and given the hour and a half we had to taste – I planned my attack.

Three highlights:

Roche Wines, located in Penticton, B.C., stunned me with their completely fantastic Pinot Gris.  It wasn’t just me who fell in love – they had a line up at the table.  I also loved their Rosé.  Should you see these wines – buy them!

Niche Wine Company is based in West Kelowna.  Not only was I impressed with their entire flight – I like how they play with Pinot Noir.  The difference between their Pinot Noir Blanc and their Rosé is 48 hours – an excellent study in how complexity develops so quickly.  I was very taken with their 2014 Gewürtztraminer  – everything I want in a glass of Gew.  And, the 2014 Small Batch White blend in the perfect summer sipper.

Forbidden Fruit Winery made my tastebuds sparkle with a stunning Plum Moscato.  I tend to run the other way when someone says Moscato but I am a huge fan of this winery so I eagerly accepted a taste.  I urge you to stop by this winery when you are driving through Cawston, B.C.  Their organic tree fruit wines are incredible.

I really did wish I had more time at the event.  The idea of bringing smaller producers down to Vancouver makes so much sense.  As consumers, we have a lot of excellent wine to choose from so these smaller, targeted tastings help illuminate some outstanding B.C. wines.

Enjoy!

XO
C