BC VQA Wine Information Centre

Happy Champagne Day! We may not sell Champagne from France but we certainly sell the best sparkling wines BC has to offer made in the traditional champagne method, secondary fermentation taking place in the bottle. Many of our sparkling producers age their bubbles sur lie (on the lees) for further flavour development and textural depth and many also adhere to the timeline standards set out by CIVC laws even though B.C. is not governed by them but it clearly indicates the level of superior quality found in B.C. sparkling wines. Come on down and we will show you the best of B.C. bubbles Cheers! #champagneday #champagnemethod #bubbles #sparkling #bubbly #bcwine #winebcdotcom #winebc #drinkbc #supportlocal #lovelocal #okanagan #wine #winelovers @bcwineinfo @katthegrape

Even though we can't see our colleagues in person, we're still excited about Fortify Conference 2020!

If you're venturing out, come on in! Probably a good day to stock up on red wine for some early winter warm soups and stews! #bcwine #bcvqa #lovelocalpenticton

Lest we forget.

Did you see the news? The Okanagan Wine Festivals fall winners were revealed yesterday, and we've got some of them in the shop! Come see us this weekend, we're open 9am to 5pm, and pick up a bottle or two before they're gone. Full list: https://www.thewinefestivals.com/awards/results/7/1/

We had a great #bcwine tasting with Marichel Vineyard + Winery recently, Marichel Vineyard was conceived as part of nature, and continues to live within and respect its surroundings. It’s this unique natural environment that provides the singular character of its Rhone style wines, we are pleased to bring them into the shop soon! #siplocal #shoplocal

Happy International Merlot Day from all the friendly staff down here at the BC Wine Information Center. Come on down and see us for a #merlotday #bcwine recommendation, we're open till 5pm.

We were hard at work today ... come in and customize a gift basket! Talk to us about shipping and local delivery ... the holidays are coming...

With the holiday season coming, we want to take a moment to remind you that we're happy to have you safely visit and shop in person, but you can also shop online, call us to place an order, plus ask for curbside pickup! We have many gift ideas coming in, stay tuned ... Shop online: https://bcwineinfocentre.com/

It’s busy harvest season when the grapes are picked and delivered to crush pads for processing. How do you know when grapes are ready? It’s a decision between winemaker and vineyard manager depending on the style of wine desired. Usually grapes are tested using a refractometer and 3 things are measured: Brix is the scale of measuring concentration of grape sugars. PH measures hydrogen power using logarithms its the negative of the log to base 10 of the hydrogen ion concentrat...ion. For example on a scale of 1-14, 7 is neutral like water. 0 is acidic like battery acid. 14 is alkaline like caustic soda. Most wines PH are between 2.9-4. Low values of PH indicate higher concentrations of acidity like the tart sour taste of lemon juice. Wines with 3.2-3.5 PH have refreshing acidity, are more resistant to harmful bacteria, age better and have clearer brighter colour. PH values higher than this suffer from tasting flat, look dull, and are more prone to bacterial invasion. TA is total acidity or titratable acidity and is the measure of both fixed acids and volatile acids present in the grape juice. Total acidity of ripe grape juice or must should ideally be 7-10 g/l range expressed as tartaric acid. Some acid is lost during wine making as a result of MLF and cold stabilization so starting with a higher acidity is desired. Along with alcoholic strength and residual sugar, total acidity is one of the most common measurements in wine analysis. Must weight is an important measure of grape ripeness indicated by the concentration of dissolved compounds in grape juice. 90% of dissolved solids are fermentable sugars the rest are acids, ions and other solutes. A typical dry wine is made from grapes measuring between 20-24 Brix. Brix count of 23.5 means a potential alcohol of 13%. Style of finished wine will determine desired Brix and therefore picking dates. Hope this explains the importance of Brix, TA and PH during harvest season! #drinkbc #bcwine #winebcdotcom #okanagan #harvest2020 @bcwineinfo @katthegrape See more

Yes! Come in and get some #bccider this weekend, great idea from our friends at Summerland's Bottleneck Drive!

We are open today and Saturday from 9am to 6pm, and as of Sunday we are on our fall/winter hours of 9am to 5pm daily. Come and get your turkey dinner drinks, table decor, and more!

Thanksgiving long weekend is quickly approaching so be sure to stop in and fill up your cart with turkey wines. Are you a tried and true turkey wine lover keeping all the roast and trimmings and guests happy with Riesling and Gewurztraminer wines? Or do you step outside of tradition and the proverbial box and throw caution to the wind by trying something completely different? We have over 1,000 wines and many interesting reds to choose fromWe also have many many bubbles and roses which go well with everything... please visit us for a recommendation! #drinkbc #bcwine #okanagan #winebcdotcom #thanksgiving #wine #lovelocal #supportlocal

New Fall and Winter hours go into effect this Sunday October 11th We will be open 9-5pm daily until Spring #bcwine #winebcdotcom #okanagan #wine #drinkbc #lovelocal

New in the house we are pleased to offer just released Frind Sparkling Brut made in the traditional methode champenois using Chardonnay and Riesling grapes. Fine persistent bubbles and creamy mousse lead to bright citrus aromas, white stone fruit flavours, fresh acidity and a satisfying finish just in time for Thanksgiving #drinkbc #supportlocal #okanagan #bcwine #winebcdotcom #lovelocal #wine @frindwinery @katthegrape

If you love Riesling we have what you want. So many different styles to choose from from bone dry to sweet but they all have searing acidity that provides the refreshing balance with the beautiful apple lime fruit. Riesling is a German variety that is heralded as the most noble grape in the world. These photos were taken today at Katherine McEachnie's Riesling Vineyard on the #NaramataBench and as you can see the grapes look healthy and delicious but they will not be picked until the end of October, so they have another four weeks of hang time to where the grape sugars ripen to match the acidity level. Come on down and see our fine supply of BC’s best Rieslings. We have an entire Riesling section in our cooler ready to go, and with Thanksgiving around the corner, stock up on one of the best turkey wines.

The beautiful and elegant 2017 Pinot Noir from CARSON has come through the door...These Pinot Noir grapes are located in a two acre block on Naramata Road, Naramata Bench. A very Autumnal Pinot Noir to get cozy up to on a cool evening and pairs wonderful with family and friends. #Naramatabench #lovelocalpenticton

Fantastic staff tasting today with Winemaker Tyler Felt from Heaven's Gate Estate Winery. Delicious Viognier, Gamay Noir and Igneous we see some staff picks in our future! #drinkbc #okanagan #bcwinedotcom #winebcdotcom #lovelocal