With an ever growing shift into nutritional awareness, today’s society is becoming ever more wary of anything that has a high caloric value. What does that mean then for the future of the most traditional and oldest of alcoholic beverage choices? What does it mean for the future of beer? The best way to answer this is to delve further into the health issues surrounding this beverage that is so hard to say no to. Continue Reading

Number three in the market for white wine is the Riesling, a versatile, palate pleasing varietal that can create a wide range of styles, from dry, semi-sweet, sweet or sparkling. Originally from Germany the distinct green apple notes, floral aromas and tastes of apricot, peach and pear of the best Riesling cannot be compared to any other white wine. Continue Reading

The Piedmont region is home to Italy’s best produced wine; the Barolo wine, which has been enduringly deemed, “The King of Wines.” Rich and complex, the wines made from this region are fast sought after once they are released. This specific area is the only place in Italy where the Nebbiolo grape can grow to its full potential. The soils are rich in clay and provide slopes suitable for the best Barolo production. Continue Reading

North America has a distinctive spirit to call its own. If you have ever looked closely at a selection of rye whiskies you may notice that the distilleries are only found in Canada and the United States. Continue Reading

The Okanagan Valley is home to some of Canada’s top wineries. Each winery is surrounded by picturesque views of the Okanagan Lake and the climate provides ideal conditions for growing quality grapes. The Okanagan Valley covers a great deal of land and even extends past the boarders of Canada, so it is broken down into four sub-regions, Vernon, Penticton, Kelowna and Oliver. Continue Reading

It's hard to imagine that a wine producing country initially started by planting grape vines to ward of scurvy for sailors traveling the spice route, but South African red wines are now paving the way towards excellence. Once wine producers realized the potential that South Africa had in creating decent wine, they were riddled with numerous setbacks and could not even let their wine be seen on the market until years later. Continue Reading

Flamenco dancers and bull fighters offer special glimpses into Spain’s rich history. They are also one of the most thought of icons when it comes to the county of Spain. What most people are not aware of is that Spain’s winemaking is as richly rooted as their culture. Through many years they have established, nurtured and fought for the vineyards they use today. Now Spain is the third largest wine making country in the world. Continue Reading

Summer is here at last and what wouldn’t be more perfect than to let your palate indulge in the complex, refreshing tastes of honeyed peaches, tropical fruit and citrus - the varied pleasures provided by white wine varieties. White wine grape varieties can often be sadly overlooked but the unique and varied flavors that can be offered from this grape are endless. Continue Reading

Every year, Ratebeer, one of the world's largest beer websites, awards its 'Best Brewery in the World Award' and mayhem surrounds the winner as the beer universe clamours to try its products. Having observed this phenomena over the years, I wonder if it is rarity that propels all this hooey. Continue Reading

I blame the surroundings, and please don't tell my wife, but I fell in love with a Belgian blonde. It happened so innocently in a picturesque café on the scenic canals of Brugge - a place romantics call the Venice of the north. She was backlit by the Belgian sun and her bronze body was covered with the tightest of Belgian lace clinging to the sides of a perfect hourglass-shaped chalice. Her scent was enchanting, but it was her hidden alcohol content that left me as dizzy as a schoolboy in love. Continue Reading