There are certain grapes synonymous with certain countries and often for good reason. As a grape Riesling can do well in different, generally cooler, parts of the world but it’s as rippling, powerful, fragile, muscular and breath-taking to behold as a wild horse when you get the best examples from Germany.

Dönnhoff 2010 Riesling 9.5% alc. Nahe, Germany Under $40.00

For decades now the wines of Helmut Dönnhoff have exemplified a pinnacle in German wine making and his name is as significant to the world of wine as that of Angelo Gaja or Giuseppe Quintarelli. So for the consumer the benefit is two-fold: they can enjoy the wines of a master but without the Gaja price-tag.

Increasingly his son Cornelius is taking hold of the wine maker reins and if the 2010’s are anything to go by the future is in equally talented hands.

2010 was a problematic vintage across Germany with plenty of rain around harvest and yields down by as much as 45% for some producers. Yet even those challenges will not entirely disable the best houses from making very good wine as Dönnhoff has proved.

This entry level Riesling has fruit from a variety of Dönnhoff properties but the overall effect suggests it was won from mature vines capable of substantial depth.

The nose is redolent of white flowers and peach with flavours of sea salt, gooseberry, lemon drop and apricot adding the transport away from your worries and leaving an umami zing. There’s good texture here providing a bit of chew and moderate weight in the mid-palate with a balancing acidity through to a long finish.

If you need to have it with food, it’s perfect with a salad of baby greens, avocado, supreme of grapefruit and partially seared tuna loin in a light soy-citrus dressing.

For those who long ago fell for this under-appreciated grape, they know that German Riesling is a lover of whom they never tire and a companion that they will always respect.

It’s patio season! There is no better time of the year than Yaletown patio season. And one local Yaletown restaurant is hurrying to get ready for this active season. Chinois, located at 1035 Mainland Street is busy putting the finishing touches on what will soon be one very popular Spring and Summer time patio.

It’s a winning combination that just got stronger with the addition of a patio.

Owner Peter Girges and Executive Chef Ryan Mah have put together a winning strategy of fantastic food in an upscale yet fun environment. Make sure to check out the circulular table for large parties.

The official celebration for the opening of the Roundhouse Turntable Plaza is scheduled for Sunday May 20th. The newly designed Turntable Plaza is a new outdoor performance space that can hold 500-750 people, for everything from plays, concerts, farmers market, jazz festivals and more.

It will allow existing Community Centre programming to be improved, by “spilling” out to the plaza.

The opening ceremony marks the 125th anniversary of the arrival of Engine 374 into Vancouver, and the 15th anniversary of the Roundhouse.

Enjoy aerial dance performances, a brass band, public art project, kids’ activities, cake, a historical video screening, and even climb aboard Engine 374.

Sunday May 20
Noon – 4pm
1pm Official Ceremony
Davie Street at Pacific Boulevard

Spring Tasting at the Hamilton Street Grill (May 28 / 29) – Book Now!

In keeping with our popular and fun format, try a sampling of three new wines and have three savoury, wine-inspired food tasters while learning from a wine expert as they take you through a sit down yet casual style tasting.

Guests are seated at both individual tables and at shared tables

This month HSG is pouring three selections of 8th Generation wines alongside Hamilton Street Grill’s Executive Chef Neil Wyles wine inspired appetizers. Neil makes excellent choices when pairing his appetizers with the wines and the tasting format is casual, informative and fun!

Monday, May 28th and/or Tuesday May 29th
Start time 5:30 pm

Tickets $25 per person

Seating always sells out quickly
Reserve by credit card at: 604-331-1511 or hamiltonstreetgrill@telus.net

Hamilton Street Grill
1009 Hamilton Street
Yaletown

Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30
Dinner daily from 5pm

It’s baaaack!!!! Vancouver Craft Beer Week is the one of, if not the best, event of the year. And we wait patiently for its’ return each year. This year the guys at VCBW have upped the ante and have set up an event that lasts 9 days, features over 60 breweries from over 60 locations. Vancouver are you ready?

Friday May 18th is the Opening event and judging by the lineup, it is going to be off the hook.

Pick up a ticket before this event gets sold out. The event is all inclusive and ticket holders will sample a taste of what’s to come at various stations set up to showcase this year’s signature events like the BierCraft Belgian Showcase (Pouring La Chouffe, Leifman’s Fruitesse, and DeKoninck Amber!), the Battle of the Bartender’s Beer Cocktail Competition (Beer Cocktails for all!), Cicerone vs Sommelier (Wine vs Beer: Cheese and Charcuterie anyone?), and The VCBW Beer Festival (Lighthouse Brewing, Central City Brewing, Driftwood Brewing, and Russell Brewing just to name a few!)

9 Headliner events, 6 Opening Acts, 36 Neighbourhood Gigs, and 12+ week-long specials dedicated to all things craft beer.

Opening night event is at the Roundhouse Community Centre while other events are located at various venues throughout Vancouver!

Food will be provided by Darby’s Public House, BierCraft, and Benton Brothers.

Check out VCBW beer lineup for 2012

Yaletown loft with modern and clean aesthetic hits the market. Centrally located across the recently completed Emery Barnes Park this stunning loft boasts 21 foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. A new bleached ash floor compliments the space well.

Many designers now are trending toward lighter hardwoods. Bye-bye Wenge.

View the video floor plan of this Yaletown loft

To view this modern Yaletown loft schedule an appointment with Paul Albrighton.

Even to the uninitiated it’s no secret that BC’s wine industry is burgeoning; with each successive year seeing new players come to market.

Wine aficionados might therefore be forgiven, in their enthusiasm to try the latest and greatest, for over-looking the quality wines that some of BC’s pioneering wineries continue to deliver.

With vineyards dating back to 1968 and perched majestically on the south Okanagan’s Golden Mile Bench, Hester Creek Estate Winery is justly experiencing a renaissance.

Guest Villa at Hester Creek with a view to the valley

During the early 2000’s Hester Creek faced a few minor challenges around winemaking and label identity and if the publics confidence ebbed during this time, it would soon change with the addition of winemaker Rob Summers. With more than two decades of winemaking experience at such venerable producers as Peller, Henry of Pelham and Cave Spring, Summers is an old hand at understanding cool climate winemaking.

Tasting through the HC portfolio reveals an emphasis on varietal typicity, balance and freshness. A vertical of their benchmark red Cabernet Franc from 2007-2009 demonstrates fascinating vintage variations. Credit to Summers for allowing the vintage to express itself with little interference. In an industry rife with homogeneity in wine irrespective of vintage, vineyard manager Iqbal Gill and Rob Summers have the talent to tease the best out of their vineyards and grapes even in a difficult year.

A glimpse at 3 vintages of Cabernet Franc illustrates the point:

The 2007 has substantial juicy fruit and structure. The whole is simply delicious with intriguing layers of berry fruit, cocoa and a bright acidity.

The 2008 is a significantly more masculine expression with a nose of tea, iron and beef followed by flavours of black currant and bergamot buoyed by a prickly gooseberry acidity.

2009 is the most recent available vintage- the nose is vibrant with tar and medicinal notes followed by flavours of cherry, black pepper and Oxo beef extract. Very savoury.

Hester Creek can be proud of a number of things but they are not to be outdone in this: they have the oldest and perhaps only plantings of Trebbiano (aka Ugni Blanc in France) in North America. These vines were planted in the late 60’s and cropped at 4 tons per acre, they produce only 700 cases of wine a year.

The 2011 has a bit more weight than previous offerings and shows aromas and flavours of melon and under-ripe pear. The palate is soft, round and warm with a creamy lees texture. This is an ideal wine for conversation, salads or scallops in beurre blanc.

Under the direction of General Manager and Barossa Valley native Mark Sheridan, himself a viticulturist, Hester Creek is taking its place among the South Okanagan’s premiere wine destinations.

Terrafina Restaurant: The Patio

The winery boasts Terrafina a Tuscan-inspired restaurant, cooking workshops in their teaching kitchen just off the main tasting room and wine shop and an outdoor amphitheatre offering free live music performances each Saturday over the summer.

If a longer stay is planned, the winery has six well-appointed villas whose patios have spectacular views of the valley and the town of Oliver below.

In the world of wine BC’s industry is very young and in as much as we are able to speak of a tradition here, Hester Creek is old enough and wise enough to be an integral part of that tradition and the future.

The wines of Hester Creek are of course available at Viti Wine & Lager (900 Seymour St.@ Smithe)