A very happy and healthy 2026 to all followers of this educational wine & food Blog. Hope the New Year ahead will have some wonderful memorable experiences for all of you. Reflecting back on last year your scribe was fortunate to enjoy many outstanding wines most worthy of a near perfect score or at least in the high nineties. Most of them were spotlighted on your IWFS Blog. Thought it might be fun to pick out an unranked Top Ten for you with some other contenders thrown in as well. You can obtain more detailed information on all these wine listed by using the Search engine on blog.iwfs.org. Here goes:

SPARKLING; This has to go to the unique classic old vines Champagne of still youthful 2012 BOLLINGER VIEILLES VIGNES FRANCAISES BLANC DE NOIRS. Close runner-up was the fantastic vintage 2008 ROEDERER CRISTAL.

CHABLIS: A tie between two structured LES CLOS GRAND CRU from the outstanding vintage of 2014 by DOMAINE CHRISTIAN MOREAU & DOMAINE WILLIAM FEVRE. Also an excellent 2008 VAULORENT PREMIER CRU DOMAINE WILLIAM FEVRE.

WHITE BURGUNDY: Amazing balanced 2014 MEURSAULT PERRIERES BOUCHARD PERE still improving plus their presently perfect drinking 2010. Medal to the lovely 2014 CHASSAGNE MONTRACHET LES CAILLERETS CAROLINE MOREY.

DESSERT: Remarkable at age 50 the 1976 HUGEL GEWURZTRAMINER SELECTION DE GRAINS NOBLES (Selection FUT 20 par Jean Hugel) and the rich 1990 CHATEAU D’YQUEM SAUTERNES.

PORT: Many mature VINTAGE PORTS from 1970, 1966, and 1963 plus old delicious diverse TAYLOR TAWNY but very special fifty-five year old 1970 QUINTA DO NOVAL NACIONAL.

RED BURGUNDY: Gold to DOMAINE MEO-CAMUZET for sublime 2003 RICHEBOURG GRAND CRU and Silver to their elegant 2005 VOSNE-ROMANEE AUX BRULEES.

RHONE: The tasty smooth blackberries of 1990 HERMITAGE LA CHAPELLE DOMAINE PAUL JABOULET brings back fond memories of their legendary 1978 and 1961. Some classic CHAVE.

CANADA: World-class wines led by so many wineries, but a standing ovation for 2020 OCULUS MISSION HILL FAMILY ESTATE, CHECKMATE CHARDONNAY, and MARTIN’S LANE RIESLING & PINOT NOIR.

WHITE BORDEAUX: Many excellent entries led by ripe 2015 CHATEAU SMITH HAUT LAFITTE BLANC, dependable 2011 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER BLANC, and classy LA CLARTE DE HAUT-BRION.

RED BORDEAUX: Fortunate to try a plethora of Bordeaux Château verticals and vintage horizontals during 2025. Difficult to pick a winner among so many worthy candidates. Perhaps at the top of a long list are 1989 PICHON BARON, 2000 LYNCH BAGES (matched 2000 Petrus), 1986 LEOVILLE BARTON, AND PICHON LALANDE & LEOVILLE LAS CASES (BOTH IN 1996 AND 1990), classic 1986 MOUTON, and young impressive 2022 MARGAUX. Lots close by with 1970 PALMER, 1986 & 1982 GRUAUD LAROSE, 2000 DUCRU BEAUCAILLOU, 2000 SMITH HAUT LAFITTE, 1982 GRUAUD LAROSE, 1986 & 1982 TALBOT … What was your most memorable wine consumed in 2025?

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Thanks again for your thought-provoking questions during 2025 for the Ask Sid Wednesday feature on IWFS. Your Top Ten analytics showed a really diverse selection of interesting wine and food topics. Everything from current wine vintage updates to more esoteric grape variety names. Your scribe liked the postings on USA wine tariffs and Crafted in British Columbia 2024 wines, which didn’t show quite as popular. Please put on your thinking cap in 2026 for what you want to enquire about concerning wine & food, and I look forward to trying to assist. A fun challenge for me this year. A very Happy New Year to all of you kind followers on the blog.iwfs.org.

1. How is the 2025 Bordeaux vintage looking?

2. What’s up at Laughing Stock?

3. Has the 2025 Grape Harvest started?

4. Another grape similar to Blaufrankisch?

5. Best new BC 2024 wine label?

6. What is Pugnitello?

7. With global warming what is happening with grape growing in Scandinavia?

8. Would you kindly recommend an interesting Rosé for me to drink this Summer?

9. Which wine did golfer Rory McIlroy drink to celebrate his 2025 Masters win?

10. What are your thoughts Sid for this Summer on the best BBQ wines?

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Another year has quickly passed with each Monday providing a dependable posting by your scribe on our IWFS Blog. Delighted to learn that a spotlight on the excellent red wine Oculus 2020 from the Okanagan in British Columbia was the analytic #1 winner. Not sure the reason is really being the most popular. It may be the interest shown of Vancouver local followers or merely globally the most curiously unknown wine. Nevertheless, it is still encouraging for our local wine industry where your widely followed Top Ten was full of detailed tastings on best Bordeaux (#2, 4, 5, 8, and 9) and best Burgundy (#6, 7, and 10). Only the Quinta do Noval Vintage Port vertical at #3 broke the chain. Surprised some of my favs from Bordeaux on Gruaud Larose, Leoville Barton, and 2010 & 2005 classic vintages plus Burgundy features on Chassagne-Montrachet Paulee & Seeking Better Value White Burgundy didn’t make it. Even more surprisingly was that an educational food feature on the delicious Muhammara and travel recommendations for restaurants in Montreal & San Francisco couldn’t break through. Hope you have enjoyed the Blog in 2025 and will check back using the valuable search engine for wine & food topics of interest to you. These 2025 stats provide information to think about for 2026. Happy New Year!

1. IMPRESSIVE 2020 OCULUS RED WINE FROM THE OKANAGAN VALLEY BY MISSION HILL FAMILY ESTATE

2. 2000 RED BORDEAUX AGING WELL & DRINKING BRILLIANTLY AT 25 YEARS!

3. QUINTA DO NOVAL VINTAGE PORT VERTICAL FROM 1997 TO 1963

4. TOP RED BORDEAUX FROM VINTAGES 1986, 1983, 1982, 1979, AND 1975 ARE MELLOW WITH MATURITY

5. CHATEAU PICHON BARON LIVING UP TO CLASSIFIED SECOND GROWTH STATUS

6. MEURSAULT PERRIÈRES BOUCHARD PÈRE VINTAGES SHOW EXCELLENT HIGH QUALITY

7. CHABLIS LES CLOS VERTICAL SHOWS THE MAGICAL TERROIR UNIQUENESS!

8. INTENSE 2022 RED BORDEAUX VINTAGE SURPRISES WITH VERSATILITY

9. ANOTHER CHÂTEAU PICHON BARON PAUILLAC VERTICAL CONFIRMS TOP QUALITY AGEABILITY

10. VOSNE-ROMANEE AUX BRULEES DOMAINE MEO-CAMUZET VERTICAL SHOWS A QUALITY TERROIR OF REFINED INTENSITY

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Question: Do you celebrate Christmas Eve tonight with any food tradition?

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Lots of festive holiday events this month. Hope you are enjoying some wonderful ones with your family and friends wherever you live. In Vancouver one of the year end best functions is the Christmas Dinner organized by Milena & Jim Robertson for our International Wine & Food Society Branch.

On December 15 of this year was another classy success held at the Terminal City Club for a dinner prepared by Executive Chef Dan Creyke and his brigade. Also we were fortunate to have the marvellous knowledgeable DJ Kearney their Wine Director comment in detail on the matching wines.

Both enjoyable and educational for all of us. The excellent menu with matching wines is posted with this write-up. A few brief insights on the wines served:

NV CHAMPAGNE BRUT BRUNO GOBILLARD A grower Champagne in Pierry around Epernay from well maintained old vines showing creamy well balanced styling.

2019 CHABLIS DESSUS LA CARRIÈRE GILBERT PICQ & SES FILS Top producer from a special Chablis AC Cuvee of older vines in the lower yielding 2019 vintage that reminds me of 2015. Found this with fresher salinity a few years ago but now seems rich, rounder and much softer. Lots of density but mature bottles here so best to drink now before 2020 or 2022 vintages. Matches well with the Beet Salad course.

2021 CHÂTEAU CARBONNIEUX BLANC Underrated Bordeaux blend of 65 Sauvignon Blanc & 35 Semillon produced in oak barrels (25% new) showing spicy floral citrus with refreshing structure. Pairs lovely with the Sturgeon dish. No rush and will develop with further aging showing more of the Semillon.

2009 CHÂTEAU GLORIA A wonderful great value unclassified St. Julien harvested (around 60/70 Cab Sauv) September 24-October 8 from the excellent 2009 ripe vintage that was aged in 40% new oak for 14 months. Great memories of founder-owner legendary Henri Martin (who died in 1991) visiting Vancouver in 1977 to establish our local branch of La Commanderie de Bordeaux. Estate has expanded greatly from an original small 6 hectares in 1942 to about 50 now by acquiring classified St. Julien plots. The current proprietor is his daughter Francoise & son-in-law Jean-Louis Triaud and their third generation children This 2009 shows amazing open pure St. Julien terroir in a juicy generous sweeter integrated tannins style. So delicious right now at the beginning of a long life on this delightful plateau. Wine of the Night!

2012 ZINFANDEL LUST MICHAEL-DAVID VINEYARDS A full Lodi California Zinfandel produced from choice small lots plus a little Petite Sirah blended in with 70% in American oak for 18 months & 30% in French oak for 10 months. Nice to have some bottle age on this dry ripe vintage that makes a big peppery spice powerful statement at 15.5 abv that works with the flavourful cheeses.

1988 GRAHAM PORTO VINTAGE MALVEDOS In undeclared years Graham bottles their Vintage Port as single quinta Malvedos. This one comes highly regarded as the first Portuguese wine that made the Top 100 Wines of the World by Wine Spectator. Smooth plummy with spicy fig notes is lighter than regular declared year Graham Vintage and drinking forwardly now – even paired nicely with an appropriate chocolate dessert.

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