Wine category: ROSÉ

Lot 185-Cafe and Wine Bar

When you’re a #winelover like me, the arrival of a new place to enjoy your favourite libation is a reason to celebrate. Lot 185 offers a cafe to start your day and a wine bar to wind down after work. It’s two levels on the west side of the Vancouver Convention Center beside Jack Poole Plaza. If you’ve been to the Vancouver International Wine Festival you’ll recognize the 2nd level as the former coat check location. It’s a bright and airy space that will offer patio seating next summer. For now you can enjoy breakfast sandwiches or pastries from the in-house bakery. Later in the day the 2nd level Wine Bar will offer a great place to drop in for a glass or two accompanied by interesting small bites. Check out my social media feeds for plenty of pictures. Pizza, duck confit sliders and and freshly shucked Kusshi oysters are just some of the choices. The wine list includes Burrowing Owl Pinot Noir, Quails’ Gate Dry Riesling and Culmina R&D Rose to name a few. You’ll also find wines from France, Spain, Italy and New Zealand so something for every palate. I’m told they hope to work with smaller B.C. wineries in the future. For example I’d welcome seeing Lock & Worth, Blue Grouse and Rust wines to help grow our exposure to newer and smaller wineries in our province. For now though I’m happy to see our city’s wine culture grow with Lot 185 Cafe and Wine Bar.

Location: Vancouver Convention Center with access from Jack Poole Plaza

Dirty Laundry Hush Rose 2017 B.C.

To the long list of top flight Rose produced here at home you have to include Dirty Laundry Hush. It shouldn’t be a surprise that this beauty is their top selling wine. For me this was love from first sip. A crisp, dry style that’s becoming the rule rather than the exception in B.C. Flavours of strawberries and a hint of watermelon with a balanced acidity that’s note perfect. It’s a blend of Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Merlot so there’s good structure in this pink. A fresh, food friendly Rose that will have you adding Dirty Laundry to your #drinkpink list.

Price: $17.49 (plus tax)
Available: Everything Wine in North Vancouver, South Vancouver, South Surrey and Langley
Price: $17.99 (plus tax)
Available: B.C. Liquor stores
Price: $19.99 (plus tax)
Available: Swirl Wines in Yaletown and Village VQA Wines in Kitsilano

Drink Pink!

There’s no place in Vancouver with a more impressive wine list than the dynamic duo of Provence Marinaside/The Wine Bar. Imagine having your pick of 240 different wines by the glass? You read right…two hundred and forty! The latest additions are more than forty Rose offerings to make your spring and summer special.
You can #drinkpink from the home of Rose, France along with B.C., Sicily, California, Germany and to my great surprise..England. No matter which pink pleases your palate there’s a Rose that’s a great fit.
Don’t feel overwhelmed because the gracious and informed Sommeliers lead by Wine Director Joshua Carlson can guide you through the choices. I’ve made The Wine Bar my second wine home because of the exceptional choices available at every price point. It was no surprise to me that the Vancouver International Wine Festival awarded Carlson and the Provence/Wine Bar team Gold for their wine program.
Did I mention the food? The judges at VanMag named Provence the best restaurant in Yaletown. So in addition to the dozens of red, white, bubbles and now Rose Wines on offer you can enjoy some of the best seafood in the city.
Make sure you check out their exclusive offerings too so you can boldly go where no Rose has gone before. This is where quality cuisine meets excellent wines. Need I say more? Drink pink!

Provence Marinaside and The Wine Bar overlook Yaletown Marina

Haywire Gamay Noir Rose 2017 B.C.

There’s as many styles of Rose emerging from B.C. as there are wineries. This Gamay Rose from Haywire is among the very best. When I first tasted the wine at the BCVQA spring release I sought out winemaker Matt Dumayne to offer congratulations. He’s crafted a beautiful Rose for those of us who favour the French style. It’s in NO way an attempt to copy Provence because this wine is true to B.C. As the name suggests it’s made entirely from Gamay grapes and that influences both the nose and palate. Plenty of red fruit in the glass with savoury herbs and a bracing acidity that’s just so right. A dry, medium body wine that carries its full flavour through to the finish. On its own this is a perfect patio sipper but pair it with charcuterie and invite wine friends over because this Rose deserves to be shared.

Price: $22.99 (plus tax)
Available: Swirl Wines in Yaletown
Price: $25.99 (plus tax)
Available: Kits Wines on 4th Avenue
Price: $26.00 (plus tax)
Available: Marquis Wine Cellars on Davie street
Price: $26.99 (plus tax)
Available: Everything Wine in North Vancouver, South Vancouver, South Surrey and Langley

Joie Farm Rose B.C. 2017

When I’m asked to name my favourite B.C. wineries Joie Farm is always on my list. There’s a confidence and a consistency to their winemaking that has me looking forward to each new vintage. Their Re-Think Rose is a sharp contrast to the style made famous in Provence. Joie Farm looks to the Loire Valley to influence their Rose. It’s 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Gamay so you’ll taste a more fruit forward style. Flavours of strawberries and cherries along with a hint of spice in a medium bodied wine. Rose remains one of the most food friendly wines and I’ve paired Joie Farm with everything from seafood to sticky ribs. It’s also a perfect sipper whether you’re on the patio or at the beach. The perfect companion for a Vancouver summer.

Price: $20.99 (plus tax)
Available: B.C. Liquor stores and Everything Wine in North Vancouver, South Vancouver, South Surrey and Langley
Price: $21.99 (plus tax)
Available: Swirl Wines in Yaletown
Price: $23.99 (plus tax)
Available: Village VQA Wines in Kitsilano

La Vieille Ferme Ventoux Rose France

This is one of the most beautiful rose wines in the glass. A pretty salmon pink that delivers a classic, dry and tasty rose that everyone should keep on hand. The aroma of flowers will make you think spring. The flavour of fresh fruit, a hint of spice along with a good balance of acidity reminds me why rose is my go to food wine. I paired it with wild sockeye salmon burgers and what a match. This is an absolute bargain for the price and I’m going to enjoy it year round. Drink pink!

Price: $12.49 (plus tax)
Available: B.C. Liquor stores

Monster Vineyards Rosie B.C.

The amount of rose wine being produced and purchased in B.C. grows year after year. No surprise really. It’s easy to drink, affordable and pairs with anything and everything. Now Monster Vineyards has added a new twist to their lineup with Rosie. Essentially a sparkling rose. It’s absolutely the perfect wine for your next party or reception. I love the strawberry aroma in the glass. The taste of strawberries carries through with your first sip and there’s also a touch of cranberry. Grab this fizzy pink and let the fun begin!

Price: $19.12 (plus tax)
Available: Swirl Wine store in Yaletown
Price: $23.39 (plus tax)
Available: Marquis Wine Cellars

Tilia Malbec Rosé

You can’t be a wine lover without noting the explosion in rosé on your favorite store shelves. Drink pink seems to be tapping a huge market. The range in style and flavor seems to be finally ending the dated view of rosé as cotton candy sweet. Take this offering from Argentina where Malbec is king. As you’d expect from a wine made from that grape it’s full bodied and loaded with fruit. You’ll taste cherries with a hint of citrus. A bracing acidity makes this wine a great match for a charcuterie year round. Terrific value too.

Price: $13.99 (plus tax)
Available: B.C. Liquor stores

Domaine La Provonquiere France

In my never ending campaign to make rosé the wine of choice twelve months a year I have this little beauty to offer you. Unlike other full bodied rosé I’ve recommended this is lighter bodied but still offers plenty of flavour. Bone dry as you expect from a French rosé and full of fresh fruit. Think strawberries and cherries. Something we all miss once the leaves fall. A refreshing rosé for sipping on its own but it’ll pair with any dish.
Price: $16.00
Available: Marquis Wines on Davie