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For more than a decade, wine makers and wine lovers have been converging at Mount Washington Alpine Resort for the annual Alpine Wine Festival. The event has become increasingly popular, packing full the elegantly rustic Raven Lodge, and it’s quickly become one of my must-dos over the summer months.

Last weekend I grabbed one of my way-back girlfriends and headed up the mountain in the courtesy shuttle. We were soon greeted by cheery faces, an outdoor BBQ and beautifully etched wine glasses ready for filling.

The tempting cheese and fruit platters didn’t hurt either. Pairing cheese with wine is a fundamental of “Wine Drinking 101″, and it didn’t take either of us very long to dig into the brie and smoked gouda.

99 times out of 100, I’ll pick red wine over white, so I tend to split my preferred wines into two categories: (1) wine I buy when I’m cooking and want to make an impression; and (2) easy-drinking wine that I can uncork to facilitate a relaxing evening on the couch. I found no shortage of either here.

Events like the Alpine Wine Festival provide for an array of tastings and, hopefully, will open up one’s palate to new varietals. While I’ll almost always pick a pinot noir over any other offering, prior to last year’s event, I drew the line at shiraz. I’ve since learned that shiraz and syrah are, in fact, the same kind of wine (dependent on which region around the globe each hails from) and have even found one or two that I really enjoy.

With countless bottles to sip and sample from, I was bound to find some hits and misses. Some wines of note that I particularly fancied included: The Show – an Argentinian malbec; the 2006 pinot noir from Nichol Vineyard – straight from BC’s Naramata Bench; a gamay noir from Hillside Estate – also from Naramata; Ex-Nihilo‘s merlot from the Okanagan Valley; and Strut – a refreshing and summery rosé (with legs!) from the Niagara Peninsula.

The showstopper of the evening for yours truly was undoubtedly Averill Creek‘s Prevost, named for one of the Cowichan Valley’s mountains and ripe with carefully crafted flavour that just about knocked my strappy sandals off.

Perhaps one of the best aspects of the Alpine Wine Festival – apart from the obvious – is the opportunity to interact with the proprietors and learn about where what you’re sipping comes from. Wine making is a thorough and often fascinating practice that dates back thousands of years, and no two vintners’ secrets are alike.

The Alpine Wine Festival is held each summer at Mount Washington Alpine Resort and will be entering its 13th year in 2011. While there’s a 51-week wait until next year’s fest, the mountain’s got a lot of great activities and events to tide you over until then. You can check them out online or follow along on Twitter to stay up-to-date and be the first to know when the snow starts falling.

Disclosure: Though I was not paid or asked to write about the Alpine Wine Festival, I received admission for myself and my friend at no charge.

How many times have you walked into a wine shop or liquor store, intent on purchasing a tantalizing bottle of wine, only to find yourself perplexed or overwhelmed? With so many varietals, vineyards and exotic production locales around the globe, knowing where to start and what to choose can often be a daunting endeavour.

For the twelfth year in a row, Mt. Washington Alpine Resort is hoping to put an end to your confusion with the Alpine Wine Festival on Friday, August 6. Held in the Raven Lodge and boasting breathtaking panoramic views of Vancouver Island’s mountainous spine, the festival welcomes vineyards from across the Island, the country and even from overseas. Festival attendees each receive a commemorative wine glass and are encouraged to sip and sample everything their heart desires.

Accompanied by tasty food samplings, the festival will keep swinging with live entertainment courtesy of acclaimed jazz pianist and composer, Karel Roessingh. You’ll also have the opportunity to support the Vancouver Island Mountain Sport Society with a silent auction featuring some truly fabulous items up for grabs.

Confirmed wineries include:

• Coastal Black Estate Winery
• Muse Winery
• Averill Creek Winery
• Blue Moon Estate Winery
• Carbrea Vineyards
• Hillside Estate Winery
• Desert Hills Estate Winery
• Fosters Wine Estates (featuring Wolf Blass and Beringer Stone Cellars)
• PMA Wines and Spirits (featuring Two Oceans and Flat Roof Manor)
• Merridale Cider
• Sea Cider Farm and Cider House

Tickets for the event can be purchased online for $30 and attendees must be legal drinking age (19+). A courtesy shuttle is available for those attending. For more information on this and the wine pairing dinner the following night, please visit Mt. Washington Alpine Resort’s website. I hope to see you all there!

Anyone that knows me knows how much I love wine and am an admitted “wine snob”. I’ll never pass up a glass of rich pinot noir, will sometimes settle on a merlot and wouldn’t be caught dead sipping a shiraz. With warm summer evenings on the horizon, I’m anticipating more than my share of glasses of chilled chardonnay as the sun sets.

For centuries, wine-making was synonymous with European tradition emerging from the likes of Italy and France, among others. In recent decades, countries such as Chile, Argentina and Australia have been showcasing their vino craft in the global market. On this continent, California’s Napa Valley has also made a name for itself among giants.

Photo: dklimke on Flickr

While the Okanagan region of British Columbia is becoming more widely recognized as terrific turf for vineyards, I’m proud that Vancouver Island (and the surrounding Gulf Islands) has been slowly carving a wine-production niche all its own. High quality, family-run vineyards have been emerging throughout the Saanich region of the south Island and slowly spreading north.

Rain, sun, fertile soil and the moist rainforest environment have added up to a unique and diverse climate. The conditions on Vancouver Island are ideal for more than just one or two kinds of wine – including a variety of organic bottle. Wines from the Island are luscious in their bold flavours. Berry fruits, orchard apples, vanilla notes and earthy tones seductively dance to tease the tongue. Those seeking a little bit of local flavour can expect to find everything from Gewürztraminer to pinot gris, from merlot to pinot noir and everything in between. The options truly are limitless.

What makes Vancouver Island wines truly a special treat is the craft and care gone into each and every bottle. While internationally-known vineyards often come from multiple generation of vintners, the Island’s wine producers have a fresh take on a timeless tradition. While the technique of pigeage (grape-stomping) is rarely employed, a wine-making heritage is developing within an entirely new culture. I have no doubt that we will be seeing Vancouver Island wines for many, many generations to come.

Photo: jandazzatron on Flickr

On a final note, there are few things that go with wine as well as cheese. Lucky for us, staying within the 100-mile diet is also simple in this regard. Aside from the countless dairy farms dotting the Island, it is also home to Little Qualicum Cheeseworks in Qualicum Beach and Natural Pastures in the Comox Valley (their brie is to die for). Next time you’re enjoying an entertaining night in, pick up something local and savour the Island’s flavours!

For a nearly-complete directory of Vancouver Island wineries and vineyards, please visit Wines of Canada. From there, you can also link to the locations on the Gulf Islands. The majority of the Island’s vineyards are open to the public for tours and tastings, so consider that option as a brief summer getaway.

Personally speaking, I recommend grabbing a bottle from either Carbrea Vineyard on Hornby Island or the Comox Valley’s Beaufort Vineyard & Estate Winery. The pinot noir from Saturna Island Family Estate Winery is also a fantastic sipping wine for nights on the couch (and a bargain at less than $20 per bottle).

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I’m sitting in a sea of boxes and waiting for Wednesday’s move. It’s kind of weird to be sitting here doing nothing because the last four or five days have been seriously non-stop and nothing that I had planned on.

Friday night was the Juno Cup hockey game, pitting Canucks alumni against the rock stars. Lucky us got to pile onto the Gibson Guitars bus to be chauffeured to the event.

This bus is seriously insane… fully stocked with loads of junk food, autographed guitars, rock posters, leather seating, a baby grand and a wickedly sharp heater in the bathroom that I ended up sitting on, resulting in a heinous purple and blue bruise on my right butt cheek.

I put a serious dent into the jar of goldfish crackers.

I expected the arena at UBC to be packed out, but in truth, it wasn’t much of a game. The alumni were really just standing around and letting the musicians think they were playing. After the first period, we went back to the bus to eat more goldfish, drink more rye and watch Wedding Crashers until the game was over.

Thigh guitar.

Saturday night hotel dance party. Before the Gibson Guitars Juno party, we gyrated to Beyoncé and Britney.

I think Brad was okay with it all.

Gibson Guitars Juno party, Richard’s on Richards.

BNL!

Mr. Twilight was at the party but wasn’t “doing pictures,” so no luck. Raymi and I went up to him to chat it up instead, but he had way too much attitude for someone that will probably be starring in American Pie 11 someday. I did manage to snap a creeper shot, so I’ll post that once Fil watermarks it for me.

Sometimes there’s nothing left to do but dance. So we did, and we did it a lot and we did it sweaty.

I have become obsessed with this song/video (it’s truly amazing) so I decided I’d completely rip her off and dress just like her. Tank knotted in the back.

Finally something mellow today. Us three ladies hit the hot tub, pool and sauna and kicked ourselves for not doing it days ago. I would’ve fallen asleep in the sauna if I could’ve.

And this is Elizabeth and Nick’s dog, Mitzie. She loves the taste of my nostrils.

Thanks for amazingly endless good times all weekend, Raymi, Fil and Brad. Vancouver’s gonna miss you but I’ll miss you more.

It’s Fat Friday but I don’t know why. I mean, I know why I’m calling it Fat Friday, but I don’t know where the fat comes from. I could hardly squeeze into my jeans this morning. It was probably the chicken karaage.

Last night was Wednesday Part 2 plus more.

J’adore.

There was a lot of love going around. I think Raymi and Fil kinda like each other.

It’s Juno time and some band was playing on Granville Street. I don’t know who they were but it sounded like they were trying to play “Jai Ho.”

Rebecca got a new bag.

Bowling is fun so we did that. The guy who worked there told us to beware of the angry Irish man at the bowling alley, but I never saw him.

Three pairs.

Four pairs.

Forty toes.

Don’t you wish you knew?

I’m a tiny bit sad because we didn’t end up swimming in the pool or bobbing in the hot tub. But there’s always time, darlings… there’s always time. Plus, I’ll look radder (more rad?) in my bikini on Fat Friday than I would have yesterday.

After a tough, teary week of work for Jen and a potential “Mexicoma” lurking in my future, Jenny and I decided that a day dedicated solely to making ourselves feel good was absolutely key. Kicking off the day with peppermint mochas and cranberry bliss bars from Starbucks was non-negotiable.

Mission No. 1: SPCA‘s Toy Drive for the Animals at the Vancouver shelter. Particularly at Christmas, every charity under the sun is in exceptional need of help. While all charities are worthwhile and important, it should be known that the SPCA receives zero funding from any level of government, including municipal. Local shelters are 100% reliant on the generosity of you and me. Jenny and I Skytrain’d it out to Superstore in an attempt to stretch our dollars.

We walked away with four boxes of milk bones, dog toys, cat toys, cat treats, bunny food, rodent food, hamster food, gerbil fluff and a few other items that our shelter desperately needs.

After leaving our donation with administration, I took Jenny to the kennel area for a quick tour. There, I met and fell in love with Buddy. His family moved and couldn’t take him with them, and it was apparent by his instant liking to me that he craved attention and affection.

We also met Max, a black lab who got the boot when baby no. 1 came along. Pardon my self-righteous rant, but when you have a dog, he or she is family and that’s not up for debate. When the going gets tough, the tough don’t get rid of their dog. Dogs are a lifelong commitment, and one that should not be taken lightly.

Of course we couldn’t leave without having our photo taken with Santa. He was a pervy Santa. “So have you girls been good this year or naughty?” After trying endlessly to convince us to sit on his lap, he threw in a “Wow…I can’t decide which of you girls smells better” for good measure.

We ran into John and Rebecca at the Broadway Skytrain station.

Following our SPCA adventure, we may have found ourselves at Holt Renfrew. Also, we may have taken advantage of their 40% off designer sale. That said, we may have walked away with some new Marc Jacobs goods. And a sale like that calls for celebratory manicures.

I opted for OPI’s “Siberian Nights.”

Jenny said “You Make Me Vroom.” I think she was talking to Mick Dundee.

Pretty nails!

The end to a fabulous day calls for delicious pinot noir. My red wine of choice? Firesteed from Oregon. Yum.

Oh and we also had Indian food. It was pretty much the worst frickin’ butter chicken I’ve had in my life. I hope to rectify that disappointment next weekend.

That’s it for now, folks. And now, back to Crocodile Dundee 2.

P.S. I just received an e-mail from the SPCA’s Vancouver shelter and found out that over $10,000 in cash and item donations was received this afternoon. I want to send out a huge thank you to all who helped out and contributed to this worthwhile cause. Buddy and all his friends are grateful!

Tonight was the Best of 604 awards reception gala at The Cellar in Vancouver. Rebecca did a phenomenal job in pulling together such a stellar event with fantastic sponsors and the expertise assistance of her husband John. I know I can speak on behalf of many in saying that the night was fun-filled and exciting. I’m not normally one to partake in the social media scene’s events, but this was most certainly an enjoyable evening.

I tagged along with Jenny, Amy and Lindsay for the night and we managed to get into some gin and tonic-induced shenanigans. Rather than just tell you what the night was like, allow me to show you.

The girls came over after work for some pre-gala chardonnay.

Our bartender was like Jeremy Sisto meets Javier Bardem. That’d be hot if he wasn’t a BARTENDER!

Once all was said and done and the awards were handed out (check Miss604‘s website tomorrow for a complete list of winners), the four of us packed it in and headed up Granville Street to the arcade for some, ahem, adult entertainment at the price of 25 cents per minute. It was a first for Lindsay and Jenny.

Our bellies empty, we decided we needed chicken wings. En route, some random stopped Lindsay, handed her a Red Bull from the flat of them he was carrying and told her it was “just because you’re beautiful.” And she is.

We got side-tracked on the way to Wings by Dare To Wear. It’s trouble!

We finally made it to Wings. $3.99 paralyzers. Phewf.

The girls got naughty on Davie Street on the way home. Paralyzers, beer and hard liquor will do that to you. So glad I have to work in the morning.

One of the perks of working at a law firm is all the free stuff given to me at Christmastime from other firms, transcription companies, courier companies and the like. Today was the day the gifts started rolling in. Who am I to turn down such generosity?

The first gift was a pair of luxe (faux) fur-lined down booties from Restoration Hardware. Suffice to say I’ll be putting these toasty babies on my tootsies immediately following this evening’s hot bath.

Gift number two will come in handy after work on Thursday. Amy and Lindsay will be stopping by for some pre-drinks and prettying up prior to the Best of 604 awards reception. A little chardonnay will come in handy before our venture to the Cellar. (Psst…if you haven’t voted in the 15 categories yet, do it now.)

Okay, this was by no means free – far from it, in fact. But sometimes when life decides to shit all over you, buying something pretty makes everything seem okay for a little while. Best of 604 Awards? Prepare to meet the best of Diane von Furstenberg.

I can’t stop looking at this. Every time I’ve toggled to that page this morning while sitting at my desk, I’ve died a little on the inside.

I hate you, Internet Explorer. Everytime I blog with you, you squish my pictures and make me look schmucky. I should basically just always use my laptop, me thinks. (Translation: click each picture to see it in my Flickr stream, not looking schmucky.) Safari FTW.

Okay, so Lady Phae wanted to treat yours truly to a divine dinner at my absolute favourite spot. The first time I went to Boneta was on my birthday last year and I have been back a handful of times since.

We let the amazing men of Boneta pick wine for us, and so we had some Italian red vino. My friend Toni claims to be Italian red wine but I am not sure he’s as drinkable.

We had cheese. And crustinis. And cheese.

Normally I’m pretty lush-ous when drinking red wine, but for whatever reason I managed to remain pretty sober. The same cannot be said for my hot date. She’s charming.

“Boneta loves you.” It’s written all over their restaurant, literally and figuratively. We were treated like royalty, and at one point, one of the owners actually stabbed at one of the fresh, local strawberries with my fork and fed it to me.

Being that Jack popped my Pimm’s cherry on my birthday at Boneta, I decided Phaedra needed to do the same, so we capped off the evening with a Pimm’s-based cocktail of our own. Needless to say, it was a hit.

Just yesterday, Duane wrote a blog post that touched down on customer service. I agreed with his points in that I feel as though it’s largely a lost art. I am rather adept in the kitchen and know very well how to pick out a good bottle of wine to tote home, so when I go out for dinner, it’s the service and experience I am paying for.

At Boneta, phenomenal food, killer wine and service to knock your stillettos off are all guaranteed, all the time. Why else would my darling and I have gone two times already?

Thanks for a truly stellar date, Phaedra…

When arriving in the Comox Valley on Wednesday evening, I was positively giddy when, upon nearing my family’s home, I saw a brand spankin’ new sign directing folks to a vineyard. I managed to grab the name, and upon doing a quick Google search, I found Beaufort Vineyard & Estate Winery [website]. Being the lover I am of both wine and consumable products made and bought locally, this excited me greatly. Today I managed to stop in during the middle of a sun-soaked afternoon in the Comox Valley.

The grapevines at Beaufort have been growing for close to two years and on May 30, 2008, Beaufort was ready to open its doors to the public. Jeff and Susan Vandermolen turned their passion for wine into reality by bringing the Comox Valley its first-ever winery and vineyard.

I was instantly greeted with a friendly smile and warm handshake from the vineyard’s proprietors, and Jeff was quick to fill me in on the wines being produced and sold through the vineyard. After sampling a few different bottles, I chose the 2007 Ortega – winner of the Northwest Wine Summit 2008 Bronze Medal. I’m not normally one for white wines, and being that I knew how young the grapes were, I was slightly hesitant. However, to my ultimate surprise the wine was fantastic! Light, crisp, slightly fruity with a near-perfect aroma.

The property also features a lush and shaded picnic area with a view of Vancouver Island’s mountains that’s incomparable.

Beaufort is open for viewing and wine tasting on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but make sure you double check the website instead of taking my word for it.

I thanked Jeff and Susan for their hospitality and promised that I’d encourage you all to check out Beaufort next time you’re in the Comox Valley, so check out Beaufort next time you’re in the Comox Valley! It’s a few minutes north of Courtenay on highway 19A, just south of what was Tsolumn School. Click here for directions.

Beaufort wines are currently available at the Coast Hotel Beer and Wine store, as well as several select restaurants in the Comox Valley. One of those restaurants happens to be at the Kingfisher Spa, which was my next stop this afternoon. Being that I’d put the call out but got no response, I went to the one place that I know treats its guests to stellar pedicures.

Today Amanda scrubbed, buffed, soaked, trimmed, softened, moisturized, massaged and polished my tender feet and it felt like heaven. She’s also a super cool girl and comes highly recommended for excellent conversation! And as a bonus, the Kingfisher lets you keep the OPI polish you choose. I walked on the semi-wild side and came home with poppin’ purple on my toenails.

And now it’s time, oh my brothers, to get my booty into bed. Sunday starts soon and I’m getting up early to make a beeline for Victoria to spend a bright and shiny afternoon in the Province’s capital city with my friend Antonio before we hit up Lucky Bar (he’s working for a few hours and I promise you all not to make a repeat of my last trip there) before rooftop cocktails at midnight. More fun, more photos!