Start the new year right with VQA
As B.C.-made wine continues to improve, many vino drinkers are moving away from old world or American wine to those with the VQA stamp.
B.C. VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) wine, which is judged by a panel for quality and bottled in B.C., is the second largest category in provincial sales, only outdone by non-VQA Canadian wine.
This means British Columbians are choosing VQA wine over imported wines, a stark contrast to just a couple decades ago.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the increasing number of B.C. wines on the market, so here is a list of some of the best from Village VQA Wines in Edgemont Village under $20.
Red
SpierHead pinot noir, $17.90
Crafted to express the characteristics of the varietal, this wine has black cherry and strawberry flavours.
Nk’Mip Cellars merlot, $19.99
Nk’Mip (pronounced in-ka-meep) is North America’s first aboriginal-owned and operated winery. This wine weaves flavours of plum, cassis and fresh tobacco with subtle clove and cocoa.
Church and State merlot, $19.99
This full-bodied merlot is packed with earth, plum and sweet black cherry flavour with a pronounced chocolate aroma.
White
Van Westen Vineyards vino grigio, $18.91
This hand-picked pinot gris is refreshing with aromas of melon, pear, passion fruit and orange sherbet with a palate of grapefruit, blood orange and pear.
Stag’s Hollow Con-Fusion, $17.99
This blend of gewürztaminer, semillon, muscat and a few other grapes has aromas of lychee and melon with flavours of ripe melon, grapefruit and pear.
Cellar Hand free run white, $15.90
Free run refers to the juice that runs freely out of the press before pressure is applied and is said to make the highest quality of wine. This blend has pronounced aromas of citrus, honey and pear with flavours of pineapple, melon, lemon and a hint of mineral and floral notes.
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.