THE WINE GUY
Look, I know orange wine is all the rage these days. And don’t get me wrong, I’m right in there with the fad. White wines made with skin contact (that is, not removing the skins immediately from the juice of crushed white wine grapes) can lead to some delicious aromas and flavours, not to mention ample character.
But way before the term “orange wine” began appearing on fashionable wine lists there was plain old Pinot Gris, and the reality is that when making Pinot Gris, winemakers have long utilized skin contact. The grape takes naturally to making skin-contact wines, the skins lend both an engaging salmon/ blush/amber hue as well as enticing texture and tannin. Well, as luck would have it, given the preponderance of local Pinot Gris, we have a number of skin-contact B.C. PG!
THE SWIRL: BITTER TRUTHS
Hosted by the Stanley Park Ecology Society, the Bitter Truths series of events delves into artisanal alcohol infusions by crafting bitters from ethically-sourced plants native to Stanley Park. The next event takes place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday at Stanley Park Nature House on Lost Lagoon (712 Lost Lagoon Path, Vancouver). Led by Tailored Spirits, participants will learn about the rich tradition of bitters as medicines and flavouring agents while preparing and sampling bitters-based libations. Tickets are $25 for Society members and $28 for Non-members (plus fees), and for complete details head to stanleyparkecology.ca.