prospect_blog

It's a wrap - Playhouse Wine Festival a huge success again this year!

We have just finished an incredible week at the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival. It was my first Playhouse Wine Festival and it was a phenomenal experience. There were a record 1600 wines from 183 wineries representing 15 countries at 61 events! With BC selected as the theme region, 58 BC wineries proudly poured their wines and chatted with the thousands of consumers and trade who took part in the week of activities.

Our Winemaker Wade Stark attended many seminars and tastings like 20 things to know for 2010, Our Land, Our Best, Icons of British Columbia and others, speaking about Prospect wines, the vineyards and terrior. Each evening there were huge tasting events within the Vancouver Convention Centre, where guests could chat with Wade and taste many of our wines - including the new Ogopogo's Lair Pinot Grigio 2008 which everyone loved. As we tasted through the wines at each of these events, there was no doubt that Prospect wines are outstanding in both their quality and price. We are already counting down the days until next year's festival...

Wine Blogging Wednesday: North vs South

I love the vastness of the internet, especially when it comes to wine and I stumble across a really cool site - which is what happened recently. The Wine Case is a really cool blog with lots of tips and info about the wine world, which sometimes I find overwhelming. Rémy Charest (the blogger) is hosting this week's "Wine Blogging Wednesday" - in which each week, a community of wine bloggers pick a region, theme, idea revolving around wine and then blog about it. This week's theme really interested me - comparing how more northerly and more southerly vineyards produce different results with the same grapes.

I wish I had more wine knowledge - I mean, I know the basics about wines to pair with my turkey, wine I like to sip on the patio, why I should decant my wines and how great Canadian wines are, but I must admit, I was overwhelmed at the thought of writing an educated blog comparing the appellations. However I think I need to take a risk, trust my palate, do a little online reading, and discover the differences in a varietal across appellations. I have picked out a Prospect Red Willow Shiraz made in the Okanagan Valley appellation and I am going to compare it to a Ravenswood Shiraz from the Sonoma Valley in California. Tonight I'm going to open up the wine, search through some web sites to learn about the appellations and expand my palate and wine education. I can't wait!! I encourage you to pick out two wines from north and south appellations, give them a try and let me know what you learn! 

Movie night!

I am looking forward to the weekend, curling up on the couch and watching some movies. All morning different movie options have been floating through my head and I can't decide what I want to watch! It may be because I'm sitting looking at the vineyards - but I'm leaning towards a movie about wine. I'm thinking the classic "Sideways" or "A Good Year."

I often wonder what people think about these movies. They usually show the romantic side of wine, the beauty of the vineyards and how life seems to slow down and things are more appreciated in wine country or even just over a bottle of wine. There is some sort of magic about Wine Country that captures each person who visits or is lucky enough to live here. There is a scene within "A Good Year" in which Max, a bond trader turned French vineyard owner, strolls through the vineyards in the early morning with the sun cascading down, glinting off of the morning due still resting on the vines. As a viewer, you are drawn into the scene, wishing you were walking with Max because the beauty and simlicity of it all is almost overwhelming. Most days as I drive to work, I take in the beauty of the Okanagan as I watch the vineyards go through the seasons, slowly growing and nurturing its grapes and think how lucky I am to live in this part of the world... you should definitely come and visit if you have never been, or need a little reminder of this gem that lies in British Columbia.

Well, I think that little movie reflection makes my movie decision for me - I'm in need of a movie that sweeps me off to France and reminds me of all of the romance, beauty and simplicity of the world of wine - "A Good Year" it is! If you have any suggestions for other great wine movies - I'd love some suggestions!

Wine Competition Results - Celebration or Skepticism?

  Last week, Prospect Winery was awarded Gold at the Dallas Morning News Wine Competition for The Lost Bars Vidal Icewine 2007. Over the course of the year, Prospect wines are entered into many prestigious wine competitions like International Wine and Spirit Competition and Decanter Wine Awards. We celebrate each result and anxiously look to the mail (or email) for the results of these competitions!

In the past few weeks, in international wine news, there has been much controversy over the reliability of wine judges and the value of medals awarded. The results of a study by Dr. Robert Hodgson published about were released and his conclusions created quite the buzz. He charted lots of results, but failed to draw any firm conclusions - only that results don't necessarily reflect the skills of the judges. However, he definitely created quite the stir in the community.

There are hundreds of responses to his study from around the world - it's interesting to read some web discussions, and definitely makes one question competition results. Prospect will continue to enter several of the wine competitions held across the globe and despite any controversy, it will loudly celebrate its wins and taking pride in the many awards we will hopefully receive over the coming year!