Brian Mc.
Wine Judge
Member Since 2018
What is your most memorable wine or wine and food experience?
There are so many memorable wine and food experiences. A recent one was in Royal Tunbridge Wells, UK. My daughter is friends with Erin, Manager and Sommelier of Maison du Vin et Bistro there, who designed this spectacular meal with paired wines. The wines from France, Portugal, Australia and Spain perfectly highlighted the flavours of the sophisticated course selections. We were all in our happy place.
What wines have you always wanted to try but haven’t? What is your favorite vineyard? Region?
There are so many great wines world-wide. If I win the lottery, my first choice of wine would be Romanée-Conti Grand Cru. I would, however, like to go back and try the Herault wines (mentioned below) to see how they stand up to my judge’s palate now. I suspect they will all do very well. In the meantime, as a winemaker, I am a big fan of BC and Washington grapes.
What event or experience started your journey in wine?
As a young man I lived in the French department (Herault) that produced the most if not the best wine in France at that time. The trips to our favourite wineries for the red (Pic Saint Loup), the white (Picpoul de Pinet) and the rose (vin des Sables) were a real eye-opener for this 1970s Alberta boy. Back home it was Donini, Blue Nun, Mateus and beer at the time. I was very impressed with the wines but also with the French culture of the table and wine’s place in it. I’m very happy to have discovered Vinovan Winemakers where I have learned at last how to make medal winning wines.