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#varieties-styles
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Why Bierzo, Spain matters now: Old vines and the rise of site
Long overshadowed by Rioja and Ribera del Duero, Bierzo is stepping into focus with wines that speak more clearly than ever of place Set in northwest Spain, in the province of León along the border with Galicia, Bierzo sits at a natural crossroads—between Atlantic freshness and inland warmth, between Castilla y León and Galicia. The region forms a basin encircled by mountains, with the Sil River running through its centre and vineyards rising along its slopes. That shape tempers the climate while creating a patchwork of exposures, elevations, and soils: clay in the valley, slate and quartz as you climb. It’s a region of altitude, but also of rugged terrain—small plots, steep slopes, old bush vines, and everywhere, the sense that the land is still very much in charge. Read Also: Rethinking Brunello: A more complete picture of Montalcino For generations, Bierzo was farmed for subsistence. Parcels planted as field blends—red and white varieties together, harvested together. Many of those
by Alana Lapierre5 viewslearnold-worldopinions-analysisplacesregionsvarieties-styles - news
Single-vineyard wines: terroir truth or marketing hype?
As producers across the Okanagan Valley and Niagara Peninsula zero in on their most distinctive vineyard sites, single-vineyard wines are reshaping how Canadian wine expresses place—and why it matters The names of vineyards are appearing more frequently on Canadian wine labels. Is this just marketing hype or is there something special, or even superior about these single-vineyard wines? By definition, a single-vineyard wine is one produced exclusively from grapes grown in a specific vineyard site. It follows that the designation emphasizes characteristics of that vineyard’s terroir (soil composition, microclimate, altitude, sun exposure, and vineyard management practices among others). It also suggests a distinctiveness and individuality expressed in the resulting wine. Read Also: Explore Ontario’s Twenty Mile Bench sub-appellation This concept is not new. In the Old World (if we can still call it that), single-vineyard wines have been produced and marketed for a long time. Where it al
by Lidija Biro5 viewslearnbritish-columbiaontarioopinions-analysisplacesvarieties-styles - news
Top Rated: A chardonnay that confirms CheckMate’s winning streak
Awarded VineRoutes’ 2025 Most Outstanding White Wine of the Year, CheckMate’s 2022 ‘Fool’s Mate’ Chardonnay highlights the winery’s remarkable consistency—marking its second top honour in three years and reinforcing its place among Canada’s benchmark producers There’s something especially satisfying about a wine that lives up to every expectation you’ve built around it. The 2022 ‘Fool’s Mate’ Chardonnay from CheckMate Artisanal Winery (located within the Okanagan’s Golden Mile Bench sub-GI) does exactly that—having earned VineRoutes’ Most Outstanding White Wine of the Year in our 2025 editorial team blind tasting and impressing just as much on repeat visits. It’s the kind of chardonnay that doesn’t need to demand attention; it naturally commands it, with a sense of balance, clarity, and quiet confidence that stays with you long after the glass is empty. Read Also: Top Rated: A red blend from British Columbia’s most unconventional valley This is not unfamiliar territory for CheckMate. I
by Carmelo Giardina4 viewsnews-viewsbritish-columbiacollectingopinions-analysisvarieties-stylesbc-wines