Looking Ahead: 2014

When looking ahead and contemplating an entire year of possibilities, it's fun to let your mind wonder through random thoughts and see what sticks as potentially legitimate prognostications. Here we go...

1. BC's Provincial Government will relax its tight-as-a-diamond-making-ass-hole grip on its populous' ability to consume alcohol. After years of talk, we're on the cusp of seeing real change. Perhaps, baby steps towards modernity in reality, but real change that will make BC's growing number of wine and spirits loving drinkers happy. Beyond the already announced tidbits like allowing wine tastings at Farmer's Markets, I foresee real momentum behind the policy shift and hope to see satellite tasting rooms in down town Vancouver in 2014. No better way to show-off the fabulous home-grown wines made in the Province today.
2. Sweet red wines is my least favourite wine trend of the past 2-3 years and one that I hope will finally start to die-off in 2014 as the newby wine drinkers that the unctuous, very-berry blends helped to create begin to mature into full-grown winos and realize that 'subtlety' and 'nuanced' aren't just high-scoring words in Scrabble.
3. A Spanish invasion is on its way to BC. All wine-lovers crave a great valued wine in the $20-$30 range that drinks like a $40-$50 wine. No country in the world seems to do this better than Spain, whose many fine-wine producing regions offer incredible value for money in that price-point (and above). One need not look far to find examples like the Bodegas Breca which sells for under $25 in BC and recently scored 94pts from Robert Parker. Be sure that BC's best wine shops are all paying close attention to the fabulous import possibilities from Spain and expect to see more wines like the Breca on their shelves this year.

Articles in the works...

Fairview Cellar's 2009 Cabernets: A Retrospective
We look at the excellent 2009 vintage through the lens of a single varietal in the hands of a single producer from BC's famed Golden Mile Bench.

2014 World Cup of Wine
The World Cup of Wine returns in 2014 to celebrate the World Cup of Soccer in Brazil with wine-producing nations competing head-to-head in themed battles.

Sonoma County Pinots
Nothing like delving into a fine line-up of the terroir-transmitting Pinot Noir to learn what makes the variety work so well in Sonoma County.