The annual Cuvée Awards happens in Niagara Falls this weekend. Like "the Academy" of Hollywood insiders, the winemakers themselves pick the winners & there's a big party and you can join in.

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The BC electorate made an emotional decision to scrap HST and return PST (that's so great?) Resulting budget shortfalls could be good news for BC winos & RFPs are out... step up private sector!

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The Wine Council of Ontario promotes the province's wine industry and also acts as an advocate to the government on a range of issues. They hired KPMG to study the economic impact of the industry.

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January was Icewine month in Niagara, with the annual festival stretching over most of the month. A high point was a cocktail competition between the restaurants of Niagara on the Lake. Mixologists mixed and judges judged. Surprising winner too: meat was involved. Not Peller chef Jason Parsons' roast pig, though that could've been used...

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Not all in the Euro Zone is doom and gloom – Austrian wine exports hit an all-time high of €117 million (C$150M). The most important Austrian wine is the delightful gruner veltliner.

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After the live fine wine auction, Vintages' ran an E-Bay style online auction at the end of last year and almost all of the lots sold, including a number that generated back and forth bidding.

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The Graffigna multi-pack of Argentine wines represents a great-value holiday party option. Or for four parties, a bottle for each. Crowd pleasing favourites, nicely done, at a good price.

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On the Niagara Escarpment Bench near Vineland, Kacaba is small, but turns out a solid range, including syrah from some of Niagara's oldest plantings. I checked out their new cab franc and chardonnay.

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