California was once again in the spotlight last week at the Vancouver International Wine Festival, one of North America's largest consumer and trade events for the wine industry. But it did so in a vastly different economic environment than when it was event's featured region six years ago. Today, trade issues are on the rise abroad and growth at home has hit a plateau.

The CPTPP is a free trade agreement between New Zealand and 10 other countries in the Pacific region. Canada, Australia, Mexico, Japan, Singapore, Viet Nam, and New Zealand have ratified the trade agreement, with four countries (Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, and Peru) yet to do so. Goods and services exported to CPTPP countries totalled $24.4 billion, and imports totalled $25.2 billion. New Zealand is close to a trade balance with the CPTPP countries as a group.

The fresh, lively cabernet franc has been gaining ground on its popular sibling since 2014.

Developed as part of a research programme, the new 360m2 facility will help farmers and winemakers improve their production techniques and take full advantage of the province's unique soil and growing conditions.

Making a red blend is sort of like dressing for winter - you beat the chill by wearing layers of clothing for insulation, breathability and wind resistance. At the winery, you use different grapes to create a finished product with power, harmony, balance and style. But it's all about getting the amounts right.

Eric Pateman is known as one of the world's top experts on culinary tourism and is recognized as Canada's leading ambassador of Canadian cuisine. In addition to working with countless artisan food companies, farmers, restaurateurs, fisherman, foragers and local purveyors to create culinary narratives, he also is a chef himself with a background in finance.

Vancouver's annual wine lovers' delight, but dishwashers' nightmare, is well underway. The 41st Vancouver International Wine Festival is in full swing around town. It's a great week for wine and food lovers, but not so much for those who have to deal with 82,000 wine glasses by the time the festival wraps up on Sunday. To say nothing of countless plates, cups and cutlery.

Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery is proud to announce the appointment of Jeff Hundertmark as their new Head Winemaker. Having been the Winemaker at sister-winery Rust Wine Co. since January 2018, Jeff will now be overseeing winemaking operations for both properties and is recruiting a Winemaker to oversee day-to-day operations at Rust in Oliver.

The Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction, presented by Blakes, kicked off the 41st Vancouver International Wine Festival on February 23 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver with a spectacular evening of wine and food, topped by a thrilling live auction.

California is the focus wine growing area this year and over 165 wineries from around the world will be in town to chat and let you sample their best.

Vancouver International Wine Festival to highlight California as theme region

A significant new viticulture research project on Vancouver Island is boosting the tiny region's sense of self, but the results could help growers across British Columbia understand how their vines will respond to climate variation. The two-year project focuses on managing the physiological ripeness of Pinot Gris, the most widely planted white wine grape in B.C.

Responses to shifts in consumers preferences for low-and no-alcohol beverages, outside of soft drinks, is evident in the establishment of "dry bars" across the U.S., the U.K. and Ireland, and in expanded bar menus to include artisan spirit-free drinks.

Reduced alcohol winemakers could be looking at a bumper year in 2019. A new report is forecasting demand increases for low to no alcohol wines of almost 18% in the US, 7% in the UK, 4% in Germany and 20% in Spain. But it's the brewers who look set to gain.

"We're breathing a sigh of relief, that's for sure," said general manager and winemaker Val Tait of Bench 1775 Winery in Naramata. "I would have pulled the pin a lot earlier, my cutoff is pretty well the middle of January and I've never had a season where we didn't hit ice wine before the middle of January.

It will also be training employees on how to take "safe actions" during thefts and how to be a credible witness to the crimes. The LCBO statement also says it will be implementing new "industry-leading" technology, although it has not provided further details on what that technology is.

Quini® (www.quiniwine.com), the leader in B2B near real-time wine sensory data and technology solutions, today announced QUINI OMNIBUS™. The accessible consumer wine tasting data and analytics dashboard solution enables large, medium and small wine producers, retailers and distributors, to access, analyze and share deep, rich, localized wine consumer and product insight, quickly and cost effectively.

Icewine is a unique sweet wine made from grapes that have been left to freeze naturally on the vine. The taste is like liquid gold.

The research study is a highly useful tool in the hands of market players that allows them to effectively assess the global Ice Wine market and know where they stand in the industry in terms of revenue or sales growth. It comprehensively evaluates the global Ice Wine market with different perspectives for the purpose of providing a detailed, informative, and accurate analysis of regional growth, competition, market segmentation, and other important aspects.

As most of the Okanagan Valley hides inside from the frigid temperatures, some wait all year for the cold. Winemakers are finally getting the cold temperatures needs to make their ice wine and at Summerhill Pyramid Winery things kicked off Sunday night.