Mikaela Desmarais

Welcome to the place with classes we know you won't skip: Wine School! 

What's Our Wine School all About?

If you've ever been to our Langley location, chances are you've seen the bright "Wine School" sign by the Tasting Bar. Opened in 2018, this popular addition to our store offers the latest in wine education, from classes on pairing wine with food to classes on specific varietals, like Malbec or Champagne.

Classes are led by our incredible WSET-certified staff,  Vintage Room Expert, Quinot Mathee, or special guests, which include some of the most renowned experts and wineries in the industry. For instance, last month, Authentic Wines and Spirits hosted a class where students got to taste seven amazing wines by Masi including the 2011 Vaio Armaron!

An inside look at our wine school at our Langley, BC location!

Our wine school is extremely popular because it lets students learn about wine in a friendly and relaxed environment. It's also a great place to meet other wine enthusiasts who share a passion for wine.

Here are some of our most popular classes from previous months:

Students get to learn the best food pairings with various wine varietals. Delicious!

Wine and Food 101

This class is one of our most popular and for good reason. The perfect pairing of food and wine can turn any dinner you host into a magical culinary experience. With proper pairings, the flavours in both the food you're eating and the wine your drinking are enhanced, leaving you with an amazing taste sensation.

Organic Wines

What is a "natural wine" and what is the process behind it? In these classes, our WSET certified instructors walk you through the different organic practices of winemaking, and how they affect the environment. In previous classes, we've offered a taste of bio-dynamic and even zero-intervention wines—which are truly amazing. Gaining popularity, this class is full of interesting information about organic wine farming and the broader scope of organic production—and, of course, has delicious organic wines to taste.

Place settings for one of our classes.

Featured Varietals
We feature many classes dedicated to a specific varietal or region. Whether it's a class dedicated to Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir, the wines of Argentina, BC or beyond, you can discover the world of wine led by experts who truly know their wine.

Meet Your Wine-Maker
If you've ever wondered what it takes to run a vineyard, the process behind making wine, or what goes on at your favourite winery, this class is for you. We feature world-renowned experts from wineries, vineyards, and agencies to come and chat about their products. These classes offer an in-depth look into viniculture from the perspectives of industry leaders!

Private Tastings and Classes

At our school, we are proud to offer private tastings and classes for groups of all education levels. These classes offer expert knowledge on a variety of hand-picked wines for your group. Attendees get to work with our Langley event coordinator to plan out a fun and educational evening for everyone involved.

To book a private tasting or to purchase tickets to any of our monthly events, call 604-546-1201, or check out our events page.

And for those looking for WSET Certification, come to our South Surrey location!

Everything Wine Inc. is proud to be the only wine retailer in Western Canada to offer wine courses.
We teach both WSET level 1 and 2 at our Surrey location. Learn more about WSET education.

 

Our Everything Wine expert suggestions feature some of the best fine wine recommendations available. Carefully curated, these wines are hand-selected by our Vintage Room Experts, talented and passionate individuals who spend their days travelling the globe, tasting, and suggesting wines that really stand out!

From birthdays and anniversaries to family gatherings and holidays, there are always important occasions that require an extra-special bottle of wine or bubbly. But with so many options out there, how do you find the right choice?

Asking a wine expert is a great start, which is why we sat down with Langley Vintage Room Expert, Quinot Mathee, to get his best wine recommendations for the summer. Quinot is a certified Canadian Wine Scholar, Cape Wine Ambassador and has his WSET 3 and CMS 1 designation, meaning that he really knows his fine wines.

With his expertise, he came up with some outstanding picks for the summer, including a rich and chocolatey Australian red to pair with BBQ fare, and a rare and creamy French Champaign from Reims.

Check out his selections below!

Quinot’s Summer Red Recommendation for the BBQ

Q: What’s a great fine wine recommendation for the summer?

A: In the summer, people often ask me for a great red that pairs with barbeque fare, the name I have been recommending the most is Lehmann | Hesketh MK02 Red Blend. This is one of my favourite summertime picks for many reasons. It is very limited, only 2580 bottles are produced annually. It also offers delicious flavours of chocolate and mint, making it ideal to pair with foods such as lamb. It’s very food-friendly and a great wine for summer.

Q: Any other interesting facts about this bottle?

A: It is crafted with longevity in mind. In particular, its acidity and structural elements were made to last for at least 20 years, making it a great addition to any cellar collection, or a great gift for a red wine lover.

Quinot’s Summer Red Wine Recommendation for Seafood Lovers

Q: What is a fantastic red you’d recommend for seafood lovers?

A: During the summer, grilled salmon is always fantastic to add to the menu and it requires a special wine to pair with it. I would recommend the Pennon Hill Montalto Pinot Noir. The wine offers notes of red currant, sour cherry, wild raspberry, and spice. It also has really earthy forest floor qualities.

Q: What is something special about this wine?

A: We don’t see many Pinot Noirs from this region of Australia (Mornington Peninsula) in BC, making it a rarer pick. In fact, there were only 2700 cases of this wine produced. All of these grapes were hand harvested from this cool-climate region and this really gives the flavour a uniqueness.

Quinot’s Summer Champagne Recommendation

Q: What is a great Champagne you would recommend for the summer?

A: In the summer, it is nice to have something cool and bubbly to compliment the weather, and the Champagne Castelnau from Reims, France offers fantastic value, flavour, and refreshment. This bubbly offers aromas of green apple, biscuit and floral and mineral notes. It also has a creamy texture. It pairs great with scallops or ceviche!

Q: Any other special facts about this Champagne?

A: It comes from a smaller Champagne house and is spectacularly crafted—each bottle is aged for six years on the lees.

Interested in Quinot’s picks? Come visit him at our Langley location or purchase them online here:

Castelnau Brut Reserve Champagne 750 mL
Lehmann Hesketh MK. 02 Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz.
Montalto Vineyard Pennon Hill Pinot Noir 750 m

Get to know our other Vintage Room Expert, Si Man Lee! Read our interview with him here!


 

To celebrate the milestone of Canada's 151st birthday, we're sharing 151 facts about Canadian wine!

1)      There are over 274 licensed grape wineries in Canada.

2)      Canada’s wine regions are comprised of 30,000 acres.

3)     In Nanaimo, you can enjoy a glass of wine whilst cheering on your neighbours in the annual bathtub races.

4)      There are 1,700 grape growers in Canada.

5)      The Canadian wine industry contributes $6.8 billion to the Canadian economy.

6)       The wine industry contributes $1.2 billion in tourism.

7)      The wine industry contributes 31,000 jobs in total.

8)      Macaroni and cheese is the most purchased grocery item in Canada and pairs great with a variety of wines including Riesling, Grenache, or Lambrusco.

9)      Canadians drink more than 1 billion glasses of Canadian wine every year.

10)   Canadians drink 220 million bottles of wine every year.

11)  Golf champ, Mike Weir, owns a winery in Ontario.

12)   Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Newfoundland generally make more fruit-based wines.

13)   Because of our cold climate, Canada is the largest Icewine producer in the world.

14)   The cold provinces of Canada are not just a bonus for producing fantastic ice wine, it is also essential as over ½ the world’s population of polar bears live in Canada.

15)   Canadian wine consumption is growing faster than beer and spirits.

16)   There are over 700 wineries in Canada.

17)   Dan Aykroyd owns a vineyard in Niagra, Ontario.

18)   B.C.’s wine industry employs about 12,000 people, and has an economic impact of $2.8 billion annually on our province’s economy.

19)   The most prominent varieties of grapes grown for red wines in BC are Merlot, Pinot noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.

20)   The most prominent varieties of grapes grown for white wines are Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer.

21)   Growing regions for grape growing in BC include The Kootenay, Thompson River, and Lillooet.

22)   Winemaking began in approximately 1920 in BC in the District of Saanich at Growers Wine Company.

23)   There is increasing scientific evidence that moderate regular wine drinking can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and gum disease.

24)   Okanagan is BC’s premier growing region.

25)   The first vineyard in BC was planted in 1860’s near Kelowna but it wasn’t until the 1930’s that the first winery was established in the Valley.

26)   Settlers came to the Okanagan due to the gold rush and began to plant orchards which flourished for many years.

27)   Canada’s oldest continuous winery is Barnes Wines (1873-1980).

28)   The most recognized areas for producing wines are Niagara Peninsula in Southern Ontario and the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia.

29)   One ton of grapes make about 60 cases of wine or 720 bottles.

30)   One bottle of wine contains 2.8 pounds of grapes.

31)   Nova Scotia has ideal acidic soil for white and sparkling wines.

32)   Almost 900,000 liters of wine is made annually in BC and Ontario.

33) Ryan Reynolds normally enjoys a glass of wine at the end of a days work. If we were buying him a bottle, it would have to be the Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon.

34)   The most popular grape varietal in Quebec is Baco Noir and Adalmiina.

35)   Red wine accounts for 60% of wine consumed in Canada. That's a lot of stained teeth!

36)   There are five designated wine-growing areas in British Columbia: Okanagan Valley, Similkameen Valley, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Islands and the Gulf Islands.

37)   75 % of Canada's wine is grown and produced in Ontario.

38)   Ontario is the world’s largest producer of Icewine in the world.

39)   To make ice wine grapes are left on the vine well into the cold months. The cold temperatures allotted to regions in BC and Ontario prevent the grapes from rotting.

40)   Wines are grown in many areas on Quebec from south of Montreal to as far north as Quebec City.

41)   Nova Scotia holds approximately 720 acres of vineyards.

42)   There are multiple wineries on the Gulf Islands – including Salt Spring, Hornby, and Quadra Island.

43)   When people think of Ontario wine, they usually associate it with Niagra Penisula, so it may come as a surprise that the province’s first vineyard was in Cooksville !

44)   The Niagra Peninsula can be broken up into 10 sub-appellations, each with distinct environment characteristics that contribute to producing a variety of different wines.

45)   Wayne Gretzky owns two wineries in Canada – Okanagan and Ontario.

46)   Canadians consume about 30% of all wines produced in Canada.

47)   The best wine to have while listening to Justin Bieber is Cupcake Prosecco.

48)   Wines have been produced on Canadian soil for more than 150 years.

49)   Because Canada is the second largest country in the world and because wine is shaped by the geography of a place in which it is produced, Canada has a huge advantage in the wine industry.

50) Canadian bacon is loved all over the world! Enjoy it with a Chenin Blanc!

51)   Because of Canada’s geography and different environmental conditions, Canada can produce nearly every kind of wine.

52)   The warm and dry climate of the Okanagan contributes to producing full-bodied reds such as Merlot and cabernets.

53)   No grape is off-limits in Canada.

54)   BC has the only certified desert in all of Canada - this also happens to be the most prominent BC wine region.

55)   The perfect temperature to produce Icewine is -8 C. In Ontario, many ice wineries will harvest the grapes at -10 C to create a sweeter flavour.

56)   Canada can produce the same grapes that are in Italy.

57)   Drake songs go well with a vibrant red like the Settle Cascine Barolo.

58)   Icewine from Canada is extremely popular in Southeast Asian countries as it is considered a luxury product.

59)   In order for wines to be considered Ice Wines under Canadian law and international agreement, the grapes must be harvested and naturally frozen on the vine.

60)   The first vineyards in Quebec did not open until the mid-1980’s.

61)   Many of the wines that are produced in Quebec are only available at the vineyard.

62)   Exports of Canadian wine have grown from $41.2 million in 2012 to $80.2 million in 2016.

63)   Quebec is the leading wine drinking province.

64)   Millennials are the second biggest generation of wine drinkers in Canada.

65)   Millennials tend to gravitate more towards Canadian wines.

66)   Baby boomers are the largest generation of wine drinkers in Canada.

67)   The average Canadian drinks 20 bottles of wine per year.

68)   Canadians drink more wine than Americans annually.

69)   A third of the wine consumed in Canada is produced by domestic wineries.

70)   Almost ½ the wine consumed in BC is Canadian.

71)   The Thompson Okanagan area hosts over 120 wineries.

72)   97% of grape growing in Ontario is used for wine.

73)   Grape production enhances the environmental beauty of the province and preserves Canada’s rich agricultural heritage.

74)   The first planting of grape vines in Ontario dates back to 1811.

75)   The first winery license in Ontario was granted in 1974 to Inniskillin.

76)   Kelowna receives 2,000 hours of sun annually –ideal growing conditions for grapes.

77)  Tragically Hip released a wine in 2014 in collaboration with Stoney Ridge – The Fully Completely Grand Reserve Red!

78)   Canadians have vast differences in wine taste as over ½ the population were born in other countries.

79)   Grapes in BC get watered regularly as there are on average 330 days of rain per year.

80)   Canadians like to finish sentences in “eh”. It’s even a word in the Oxford dictionary. For example, “Could you pass the wine, eh?”

81)   Basketball was created in Canada – the wine that pairs best with basketball is a merlot as it is just as timeless as the Canadian sport.

82)   Canada produces about 2.8 billion litres of wine every year. That nearly is enough to fill Lake Manitoba twice.

83)   Wines first purpose in Canada was as a water purifier.

84)   Poutine is a national food staple of Canada and pairs best with a pinot noir.

85)   Newfoundland did not become a province until 1949 – in 1993 the first winery, Rodrigues Winery and Distillery, was opened.

86)   The Calgary Stampede serves over 200,0000 pancakes per year. The best wine to pair with pancakes is a Muscat.

87)   Canada produces more wine than maple syrup annually.

88)   Every bottle of wine made in Canada contributes $31 to the domestic economy versus approximately 65 cents for an imported foreign wine.

89)   According to the All Canadian Wine Championships (ACWC) in 2016 BC held the spot for best red wine in Canada of the year.

90)   80% of Canadians drink alcohol.

91)   The average woman in Canada has 10 drinks a week.

92)   The average man in Canada has 15 drinks per week.

93)   58% of Canadians prefer to drink wine at home.

94)   Canadians have many oddly dispiriting names for vineyards such as The Dirty Laundry Vineyard, Laughing Stock Vineyards, and Foreign Affair Winery.

95)   Cool climates such as Canada’s produce grapes that are naturally higher in a chemical compound resveratrol. Resveratrol is the anti-oxidant in grape skins that protects the fruit against fungus attacks, and when consumed in wine, appears to reduce fat and cholesterol in human blood which contribute to heart disease.

96)   There are more donut shops per capita than any other country in the world! Pair your donut with a brut champagne or dry Riesling.

97)   Stanley Park in Vancouver is bigger than Central Park and perfect for picnics. For your picnic, try the Chaos and Harmony Sauvignon Blanc!

98)   According to the federal government, Santa Claus is a Canadian citizen.

99)   New Brunswick produces 1/3 of the worlds French fries. French fries pair best with champagne. Seriously!

100) Vineyards in Canada occupy more than 26,000 acres of land in Canada.

101) Canada is a major player in the international wine scene due to rising exports and growth of vineyards.

102) Some places in Canada aren’t as ideal for grape growing, such as Calgary where the temperatures can go from -19 degrees to 22 degrees in just an hour!

103) Grape growing is abundant in Canada as we have a great irrigation system that holds 7% of the world’s fresh water.

104)  Whilst vineyard hopping in the Okanagan, you may run into the Ogopogo, AKA the famous mythical monster that supposedly lives in Lake Okanagan.

105) You may be surprised to find out that Hawaiian pizza was actually invented by an Ontarian man. The best wine pairing for Hawaiian pizza is a Riesling or Zinfandel.

106) BC does not only produce an abundant number of grapes, it is also one of the world’s top 3 producers of blueberries.

107) In Ontario, there are 900,000 litres of ice wine produced annually.

108) Canada is the worlds most educated country. Our favourite wine to buy for professors is the Palacio del Camino Real Tinto Joven.

109)  Pamela Anderson has a wine called Contempt – the wine was created in collaboration with The Hatch Winery.

110) Canada has the largest coastline in the world and access to incredible seafood. Pair your ocean delights with chardonnay!

111) There is even a winery on Prince Edward Island – the Rossignol Estate Winery which is completely sheltered by greenhouses.

112) Fruit wines in Canada are made from 100% Ontarian produce.

113) We all know that wine and cheese go hand in hand. It’s fitting that Canada produces over 350,000 tons of cheese per year. Our favourite – Exotica Sauvignon Blanc and goat cheese.

114) Canada has won the most gold medals at the Winter Olympics and has many gold medal wines.

115) Each wine region in Canada has its own unique mesoclimate, soil ecology and topography.

116) There are now ten wineries in Nova Scotia.

117) Johann Schiller is known as the father of Canadian Wine as he established Canada’s first ever commercial winery.

118) Six provinces make grape-based wines: British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

119) Niagara can produce many of the same wines as Bordeaux as they are at the same latitude.

120) Women are generally better wine tasters, as women on average have a better sense of smell than men, which is why there are so many Canadian women wine authorities.

121) We are lucky to live in a cooler climate, as wines that are produced in cool climates are very food-friendly.

122) One of the most Canadian desserts you can eat is a beaver tail paired with an Ice Wine. Try it with the See Ya Later Ranch Vidal Ice Wine!

123) Ontario Grape and Wine industry alone generates 4.4 billion to the economy.

124) British Columbia Grape and Wine Industry generates 2.8 billion to the economy.

125) The Canadian Vintners Association is considered the “voice” of the Canadian wine industry representing more than 90% of annual wine production.

126) One region in Quebec, Brome-Missisquoi, represents 60% of Quebec’s wine production.

127) Lake Erie is Canada’s southernmost spot for wineries (there are 10 wineries in this area).

128) Over 180 wineries from 16 countries come and participate in the Vancouver International Wine Festival every year.

129) Cheddar cheese is the most popular cheese in Canada and pairs great with a Cab Sauv!

130) 800 gallons of wine are made from one acre of grape vines.

131) There are over 10,000 grape varietals in the world, and Canada hosts up to 60 different grape varietals!

132) European wines are named after geographic regions. Canadian wines are named after different grape varietals.

133) There are 295 bottles of wine in one wine barrel.

134) British Columbia and Ontario account for 98% of Canada’s premier wine.

135) There are 15,000 acres of wine grape vineyards in Ontario.

136) The VQA is the Vintners Quality Assurance - is a regulatory and appellation system which guarantees the high quality and authenticity of origin for Canadian wines.

137)  Nova Scotia’s Gaspereau Valley bears an uncanny affinity to the Champagne region in France.

138) Vin Villa was the first Canadian Winery.

139) The first vineyard in the Okanagan was the Oblate Mission in Kelowna.

140) Canada exports wine to countries and regions all over the world such as China, Taiwan, Korea, France and many more.

141) A classic BC wine pairing in grilled sockeye salmon with pinot noir.

142) Jason Priestley co-owns Black Hill Estate Winery in Oliver BC.

143) The world’s first 100% indigenous owned winery was opened in 2012 in Kelowna.

144) Canada has more geographic diversity than most other wine-producing countries.

145) A classic Canadian dessert is the Nanaimo Bar! Enjoy a piece (or two) with a glass (or two) of Ice Wine!

146) The most popular grape varietal in Nova Scotia is L’Acadie Blanc and Castel.

147) Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined. For weekends at the cabin try the Pikorua Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.

148) George Street in Newfoundland has more bars and pubs per square feet than on any street in North America. Lot's of places to grab that end-of-day glass of wine!

149) A unique fast food favourite that you can only find in east coast McDonalds is the McLobster  - try it with a Sauvignon Blanc!

150) Studies have found that Canadians are the second-happiest people in the world! Probably because we have great wine!

151) The top international markets for B.C. wine in 2016 were China (54 percent), Taiwan (23 percent) and the US (11 percent).

As you can see from these facts, the Canadian wine industry is not only great, but it is a growing staple of Canadian culture! Happy Canada Day, and thanks for celebrating with us!

 

Sources:

Wines of Canada

Canadian Vintners Association

Agriculture and Agri-food Canada

Natalie Maclean

CBC

British Columbia Wine

Orchard and Vine

Building History

Go-Wine

Villa del Monte

Taste of Terroir

L'acadie Vineyards

Doctor's Review

Wine BC

About Wine

Wine Country Ontario

Canadian Wine Encyclopedia

VQA Ontario

Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery

Macleans

CBC

Canadian Geographic

Wine Folly

Canadian Millennials

Ottawa Citizen

Huffington Post

City of Kelowna

Sunshine Coast BC

Lifebuzz

O Canada Entertainment

Hike, Bike and Travel

Rodrigues Winery

Calgary Stampede

Healthy Canadians

National Post

Macleans

Jewel 88

1 Constant

Buzzfeed

Tourism Kelowna

CTV News

Environment Canada

Agricultural Classroom

Tourism PEI

Globe and Mail

Mike Weir Winery

The Star

Women's Health

Eastern Township

Understanding Wine Names by Region

VQA Ontario

Benjamin Bridge

Lake View Wine Co

The Hip Wine

Black Hills Estate

Indigenous World Winery

The Hatch Wines

 

If you have ever stepped into an Everything Wine store, you may have noticed our beautiful Vintages Room. This area is home to hundreds of amazing bottles worthy of any wine cellar, special gift, or personal treat for any evening. There are a few things in our beautiful wine dens that you won’t find anywhere else, including hundreds of prized and unique bottles, and our equally as unique Vintages Room Experts. Their passion for wine is unmatched, and each has years of training, experience, and dedication to the craft of wine tasting under their belts.

Get to know these helpful and knowledgeable experts in store, and through our blog, with the first in our series of spotlights. Our first Vintage Room Expert Spotlight begins with the very talented Si Man Lee:



Name: Si Man Lee

Place of Birth: Burnaby, BC

Tell us a bit about yourself:
I was born and raised in the Lower Mainland, parking cars in the backyard during the PNE (a good East Van kid of the ‘80s).  I’m off mixed Chinese and Caucasian descent and my name is pronounced 'Simon' not 'See Man' or 'See.' I’ve got 2 young kids who think all wine smells like stinky grapes and a wife that’s beginning to get into it.  I’m trained as a journalist and lived for a brief time working for a music magazine in New Orleans.

How and why did you get into wine?
I was in my mid 20’s and had heaps of student loans and had got a job in a fine dining restaurant. Seeing how much the waiters made, I figured it looked like a pretty good way to make a pretty awesome income early on, and ended up in the restaurant business for almost 20 years. Wine knowledge seemed to be the ticket to getting better jobs in better restaurants and so I did several years of education and the rest, as they say, is history.


What's your favourite wine region or country?
I’m a huge sucker for Spanish wines, particularly bolder expressions from places like Jumilla, Torro, or Priorat. There’s such great value there and the wines a lot of the time can age as well as some premium Italian or French counterparts.

What wine region or country would you like to visit next?
Spain again! I’d love nothing more than to fly into Barcelona, rent a car and make my way through the arid Spanish landscape, weaving from Priorat to Rioja to Valencia and end up in Jerez.

What's the one bottle that blew your mind?
2006 Ovid.  For those who don’t know, it’s a bit of a California cult wine and doesn’t make it to BC in very large quantities. I was fortunate enough to attend a Napa Valley Master Class hosted by some very important wine people a couple of years ago and they had brought it up from the winery’s library. Never has a wine to me tasted so powerful, elegant and focused all in the same breath. The best part was that most of the people in attendance had to leave for work but as it was my day off and there were heaps left over, I got to have a full glass afterwards.

Name a wine you wish more people drank?
Sherry. It’s such a diverse wine and pairs so well with so many types of food. It’s also got flavours that are unique to it which makes it stand out even further amongst other wines. Sadly, I think many people associate sherry with Grandma’s drink of choice when she’s not drinking earl grey or something cheap to cook with.

Name your expertise:
Because I sell so much of it, I’d have to say Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon but pretty much the United States as a whole.  As a former sommelier, I’m also quite astute when it comes to food and wine pairings and love when people can explain a dish in full detail which then allows me to come up with a perfect wine pairing.

Tell us about a wine misconception you’d like to clear up:
I feel like a lot of people seem to think that when it comes to premium wines, that it’s all a big sham and it’s paying for labels and marketing. Although in some rare cases that can be true, a lot of times when it comes to more expensive bottles, there are so many factors that go into it.  For example, if the grapes were harvested by hand or machine, was the wine aged in oak barrels, how low the yields are in the vineyards, are all factors that affect the final price. Then, of course, there’s shipping costs, import taxes, duty etc., which as a retailer, I can not control.

Smartphone apps help us solve some of life’s most difficult challenges; where to find a good restaurant, how to do the perfect squat or lunge, or even where to find a date—but what about apps that show us how to find that perfect bottle of wine? The good news is there are lots of them, and we've compiled a list that will help you do everything from finding the perfect bottle of red to finding the best reviews from top-rated connoisseurs.

Test out these apps at any one of our 5 locations across BC, and talk to any of our friendly staff members for extra insight into any of your delicious finds. We're sure you'll end up with a bottle that will suit your budget and wow your taste buds.

App #1 Vivino

This helpful app is not only free and available for iPhones and Androids, but also gives you a plethora of information on any bottle. Simply scan the wine label with your smartphone camera and the app will give you tons of wine information, such as where the wine is from, how much it costs, similar bottles and brief tasting notes.
 

 

App #2 Wine Enthusiast


Once you've scanned the label and found great info on your bottle, why not see what others have to say about it? Wine Enthusiast is a free app available for iPhone and Android and features ratings from wine connoisseurs, tasting notes and detailed insight into every bottle. Use this app to get all the information you need to be confident in your wine purchase.
 

 

App # 3 Pocket Wine Pairing


Alright, so now you've found your bottle, learned about its crisp or earthy tasting notes, and have read what others have said about it. Now it's time to find out what types of food will pair perfectly with your chosen bottle. Pocket Wine Pairing is free and available for iPhones and assists with finding the perfect fare to go with your bottle of wine, whether it's fine, ripe cheese for a dry white, or a deep, rich red for a juicy steak.

Have a favourite wine app of your own? We want to hear about it. Let us know what apps you use in the comments below!

One of the best things about wine is pairing it with even better food.  Although there are many versatile wines out there, one wine does not necessarily suit every dish, and when you find the wine that compliments your food, you are left with a taste sensation, amplifying the flavors in both the wine your're sipping and the food you're eating - it's a beautiful thing. Do your taste buds a favour (or should we say, a flavour...) and try out these rules for food and wine pairing!



Rule #1: Intensely Flavoured Foods 
Match intensity with intensity – Bold wines with bold foods, delicate wines with delicate foods. For example, a lighter wine, like Espiral Vinho Verde, with a light green salad or a full-bodied red, like Mathilde Chapoutier Languedoc Red Blend, with mouth-watering steak.  Wine can be easily overwhelmed by the food flavours, and we certainly don’t want that to happen!

Rule #2: Fatty Foods 
If chicken strips and fries or a succulent poutine are on the menu tonight reach for a wine that has high levels of acidity, such as a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, like Bay and Barnes Block! Choosing this wine will help to cut out the fatty flavours and the wine will seem to offer a lesser intense acidic flavour.

Rule #3: Spicy Foods 
It's the age old dynamic duo... sweet and spicy. If you're someone who enjoys hot sauce on everything, reach for a wine with a sweet flavour. For example, try pairing the delicious Bookends Page Turner White from BC with a spicy Pad Thai! The food and wine will compliment each other as the pairing creates balance from the contrasting tastes and flavours.

Rule #4: Sweetness
Moscato, Viognier and Gewürztraminer are wines that may pack a sweet punch, especially when paired with the right dish. Next time you're reaching for one of these varietals or choosing one on a menu, choose a meal that offers sweetness in the dish as well. For example, pairing an aromatic white, like Carmela Sparkling Muscat, with a salad with candied pecans and apples. This is a great example of a congruent pairing, which creates balance between the flavours by amplifying the shared flavour compounds in the wine and food!

Rule #5: Don't be ruled by these rules!
One rule of thumb: Don't be ruled by these rules. We all have different palates and taste and our personal preference matters!

These rules merely scratch the surface on how to create the ultimate food and wine pairing. Want to know more? Check out our events page and find a wine class nearest you to learn more about various varietals and their food companions!

 

Happy 2018 wine fans! It's a new year of wine exploration and what would that be without pairing some varietals with some fantastic new recipes? Let's face it, after a busy December filled with multiple dinners and parties, the last thing you want is a heavy meal like a burger and fries (for a few days at least). If you're like most people and still feel full from your multiple holiday dinners, fear not - we have three light meal recipes and wine pairings that will help you keep those New Years resolutions while still enjoying that nice glass of vino.

#1 Lean and green!


Although salad is something not everyone wants to reach for when they're hungry, this salad is packed with salmon, capers and cheese - what's not to love? If you have a salty craving, give this recipe a try; with these tasty ingredients, you may even forget its healthy. Our pairing recommendation is the Telegraph Pinot Noir. This medium-bodied pinot is a classic pairing to salmon, and will be a great compliment to the Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups baby arugula


• 4 oz cooked sockeye wild salmon, skin removed


• 1 tsp capers, drained


• 2 tsp red wine vinegar


• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil


• 1 tbsp (.25 oz) shaved parmesan


• salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions:

Take the raw salmon and simply season it with a little salt and pepper and cook it for about 10 minutes, either on the grill, broiled, or in a pan lightly sprayed with oil.

Place arugula on a dish, sprinkle with salt and fresh cracked pepper and top with salmon and capers. Drizzle a little oil and vinegar on top and finish off with fresh shaved Parmesan.

#2 Greek out with this rice bowl


If eating green isn't your idea of dinner (we get it), try this Mediterranean Chicken rice bowl. With so many different flavours and textures you'll get all the satisfaction of eating a hearty meal without all the calories. Try this dish with the Bay and Barnes Sauvignon Blanc! The herbal notes in this light white will be a great match to the savoury Greek salad.

Heading into the holiday season means an abundance of festive parties are in your near future. With the schmoozing and socializing of your work holiday party, a friend's holiday party, your aunt's holiday party, etc. most of us have a busy December ahead. Although these holiday parties are a great way to catch up with your colleagues or the special people in your life, we know what comes with these festivities - drinking. The indulgence of sipping on rum and eggnog or mulled wine is certainly something to look forward to every year, but at the same time, those fun and festive cocktails quickly add up. This year we wanted to bring you four delicious specialty wine cocktails that will please your guests or your host, and won't hurt the waistline... too much - this is the holiday season after all. We may be cutting out some calories, but we're keeping all the flavour and festive flare.

Cocktail 1: Grapefruit Basil Martini
2 basil leaves
1 ounce grapefruit juice
1 ounce sugar-free sweetener syrup
1 3/4 ounces gin
One ounce of Riondo Prosecco

Cocktail 4: Pinot Grigio Melon Ball Spritzer
3 ounces of Il Pardino Pinot Grigio 
1 ounce of Sparkling water
Frozen balls of watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melon
Dash of aromatic lemon bitters
Slice of lemon
Sprig of mint

Holi-yay; noun; a warming festive feeling had mostly around the month of December; a feeling one has after the feeling of holiday-panic; verb; feeling suddenly overwhelmed to get all your holiday shopping started and finished in a short period of time. An escalated feeling holiday-panic will occur for holiday-shopping procrastinators.
Although many of us would love to skip over this verb of holiday-panic and straight to the festive feeling of sipping on mulled wine and hanging out under the mistletoe, it is truly a journey to get there. Not only are the pressures of putting on a delicious and festive holiday meal including everyone's dietary restrictions (knowing that someone picks up a new dietary preference every year),  there's also the pressure of participating in holly and jolly events, and on top of all of that, finding the perfect presents to show that you truly care about that special someone, family member, etc. Let's be honest, the malls during the holidays are scary and you have a lot on your plate as it is. Luckily, there are always last minute gifts. If you're racking your brain to find the ultimate present for that wine-loving-someone, you've come to the right place. Here are our top 3 gifts for wine lovers...for when you're on a tight schedule.

 

#1 Everything Wine Gift Baskets
The perfect gift when you just aren't sure what to buy someone, or when you forgot you needed a gift for your holiday party tomorrow. Filled with amazing and delicious festive treats like chocolate truffles, antipasto, biscuits and of course wine, this is definitely a "you should't have" worthy gift. In three different sizes and prices, you'll have the perfect gift for anyone.



#2 Everything Wine Wine Club
For a wine newbie to a wine expert this gift is perfect for anyone wanting to expand their cellar or try some new varietals. The Wine Club is a fantastic gift offering hand-picked expertly chosen wine as well as tasting notes, and exclusive member promotions. Did we mention it will even be delivered to their door? With a present this nice, you may need to get one for yourself too.



#3 No host says no to wine!
We all know that a great dinner guest doesn't come empty-handed. With sales on til the end of December, and our knowledgeable staff ready to find the perfect wine to suit any festive holiday party you'll have the bottle (or two) to WOW even the pickiest of hosts. For more details on all of the wine on sale, check out our sales page!

 

We know what you're thinking, wine and Doritos... it's the pairing you've always been dreaming of but were too scared to admit. Gone are the days where wine is seen as a beverage only to match the food of sophistication and class (although poutine-flavoured chips does sound like a delicacy to us). With the epic football game of the Eagles VS. the Patriots coming this Sunday, we wanted to give you our favourite game-worthy snack and wine combinations! Sit back and let us do the work while you think about what snack to eat first. Stand aside, beer; we have a new perfect combo in town.

Nothing kicks off a Football party quite like the classic appetizer of buffalo wings (or buffalo cauliflower for our veggie-friendly snack fanatics). With a classic appetizer like this, we need a classic pairing of sweet and spicy. Try this with a sweet and ripe Riesling such as our Hogue Riesling -  an exclusive to Everything wine!

Next up, we have a guilty pleasure sure to excite any crowd. How about a true companion to any sporting game - a chili cheese hot dog. This is an iconic dish that pairs perfect with watching football and yelling at the TV. It also pairs perfectly with a the McGuigan Private Bin Shiraz. This full bodied red will be a great match as the ripe fruitiness will cut through the fat and balance out any spiciness from the chili.

What would a party be without everyone's go-to dish... pizza! Nothing makes our mouths water quite like the look of bubbling melted cheese. Although great on its own, it's even better with an Italian partner! Try it with our La Piuma Montepulciano d’Abruzzo - a fruit filled red with flavours of black fruits and Asian spices that will create an enjoyable balance to the acidity of the tomato sauce.

Although pizza is always a reliable dish, nothing crowds a kitchen at a party like the old and faithful appetizer of a seven layer dip! With so many flavours its important to find a versatile wine with recognizable flavour such as the Hidden Crush Cabernet Sauvignon. The high acidity in this full bodied red is perfect to cut through fats such as cream and cheese.

Now, it's time to talk about a true party food staple... nachos! Loaded with cheese and an abundance of toppings, you may think this is a tricky snack to find a pairing with so many flavours. We think an all-star pairing to this dish would be the Baron d'Arignac Red. This french blend is fruit-forward with hints of spice, and pairs beautifully with a variety of cheeses, making it the perfect companion to nachos!

Finally, the pairing we've all been waiting for... what wine pairs perfectly with Doritos? The fine and satisfying crunch, the addictive salty taste with the perfect amount of cheesy goodness truly makes it the ultimate snack food on any occasion. To compliment these irresistible flavours, try pairing it with the Telegraph Station Pinot Noir. This lighter red with bright fruit flavours will be a brilliant side-kick to the salty nacho cheese flavour.

For more of these ultimate flavour pairings, check out these articles:
Business Insider
Vine Pair
Food and Wine