B.C. Ale Trail launches spring tasting passport
The B.C. Ale Trail has launched its Spring Vancouver Tasting Passport, encouraging beer lovers to support local small businesses while sampling brews from Vancouver's craft breweries.
You can obtain a tasting passport from any of the 31 participating breweries and other businesses until April 30 and claim a stamp for every beer purchased. After earning six unique stamps, drop off the completed ballot at a participating business and enter to win the grand prize, which is a one-night stay for two people at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver and a VIP tasting with brewmaster Iain Hill at Strange Fellows Brewing, gift cards to breweries, two day passes on the Aquabus False Creek Ferry and a B.C. Ale Trail swag pack. For more information, go to bcaletrail.ca/ vancouverpassport.
Jami Seymore of Portland, Ore. CBS affiliate KOIN 6 reports experiments have begun at Oregon State University to protect grapes from being damaged by wildfire smoke or what has become known as the ashtray effect.
In what they're calling their third round of formulation, they've successfully blocked more than half of the seven smoke compounds. The sprayon coating has been described as groundbreaking because the FDA has approved it as a food ingredient. Seymore reports that “OSU said there's still more testing and research to be done, but if successful, they could see this being cleared for use in three to five years.
B.C. WINE OF THE WEEK Church & State Wines Roussanne 2018-2019, Okanagan Valley 19.99 I 89/100 UPC:
626990363163
I recommend this wine's 2018 and 2019 vintages, since no vintages are listed by B.C. Liquor Stores. I enjoyed both releases, mainly given they sell for $10 less than the original price at the time of their review. Look for an attractive honeysuckle floral, exotic nose. The palate is medium to full weight, with more ripe peach and orange streaked with almonds and pears. The rich and smooth texture, with a lovely lees component, keeps the weight and complexity running through the back of the wine.
The 2019 may be a touch thinner and fresher. This is it if you're looking for something smart and showy to pour alongside lightly spiced and sauced Chinese or Thai dishes.
VALUE WINE OF THE WEEK Meyer Chardonnay 2022, Okanagan Valley $21.83 I 89/100 UPC:
808755007479
The classic Meyer Chardonnay mixes hand-picked fruit from Main Road, Anarchist Mountain, and McLean Creek Road vineyards, and you can still buy this wine online and in private wine shops in what is becoming a tight market for local wine. We love its bright entry, the fresh apple, citrus, and crunchy pear midpalate, with a creamy lees finish flecked with butter and oak, finesse with length. This is a workhorse Chardonnay for those who require a dependable white that tastes like Chardonnay, tastes like Chardonnay made in B.C., and offers considerable value.