Travel + Wine News: Stories Not to Miss – May 4
- At May 04, 2012
- By Valerie Quintanilla
- In Colorado, travel news, travel tips
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Vancouver, B.C. - English Bay
Picture It!
I had the pleasure of journeying to Vancouver, B.C. last week for biz, so I parlayed in a bit o’ pleasure by staying for the weekend. What a gorgeous place! The wino in me felt compelled to sip the local wines and I was NOT disappointed. The whites are just yummy. Very light and crisp. I found myself drawn to Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc. In my wine adventures I’ve found that the Great Northwest belts out some fab Pinot Blancs with the light, crisp acidity similar to Marlborough Sav Blancs.
Lodging: Yes, Conrad (Hilton) and I are on a break. I highly recommend checking out The Opus if you cross the border. Fab little boutique hotel in the wonderful downtown area of Yaletown – they also have a location in Montreal. Love a place that welcomes me with a flute of sparkling!
Food: Amazing food in Vancouver. Amazing. Check out The Flying Pig (some of the best mussels I’ve eaten!) Also, check out The Cactus Club on the English Bay. Great food, AMAZING view. Do it – you won’t be disappointed with this tourist locale. True story.
Travel Report
Ten New Tricks for Saving on Summer Airfare
May 1, 2012 – Cheap flights – Yes, please! My fave travel resource is at it again. Smarter Travel compiled a list of 10 tricks to save money on summer travel. Did ya know that Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET is gonna hook you up with the best domestic fares? Read the article to learn why (think: airfare wars!). And, yes, if you plan/book early (four to six weeks out) you are most likely to land some suh-weet deals – and don’t forget that most sales require a 21-day advance purchase. Be cognizant of the international airports servicing major carriers (Dublin, Vienna, Madrid, London, etc.) to zero in on cheaper flights. Check out the other tips!
April. 17, 2012 – Ha, I think we all know how I feel about O’Hare; O’Hare is to me what Newman was to Seinfeld. And, yet O’hare only hits #6 – how is that even possible? La Guardia took the top spot, with LAX right behind. Bringing up the rear are ALT and Dallas-Fort Worth. What was the criterion, you ask? Well, Yahoo Travel’s first ever survey was based on the following seven items: flight delays, design, amenities, food & drink, check-in & security, service, and transportation & location. Yep, my vote for #1 is still O’Hare. Ya can’t sway me. Not even a smidge.
Ten unusual honeymoon hotspots
April 23, 2012 – You know it, honeymoon season is upon us. All my betrothed pals, here are some exotic ideas! A’ight, it’s time to stop with the default Hawaii destination, people. There is a great big world out there! Lonely Planet has some ideas you may not have considered (or even knew exist!). Check ‘er out! Ever considered an Alaskan cruise? How’s about gorilla-infused Uganda? Oh, there’s always the lakeside farm coupled with a lovely vineyard in Vermont. And, maybe consider the land made (in)famous by Brad and Angelina: Namibia (I’m still Team Aniston – not that you asked). Cheers!
Wine Report
Local wine conference reaches peak in Colorado
May 2, 2012 – Wine and a Twitter Taste-Off – really, what more do you need in life? Last weekend my home town played host to the 4th annual Drink Local Wine Conference – yeppers, it was in Denver, Colo.! I was bummed to miss the event since I was out of town. But, from this Washington Post report, it sounds like it was smashing success! The conference was born from a local wine trend sweeping the country. Prior years locales include Texas, Virginia, and Missouri (not gonna lie, I’ve never tasted wines from any of these states – are they any good? anyone? anyone?). The wines focused heavily on Colorado grapes, which trend toward Bordeaux varietals (think syrah, cab franc, and Bordeaux blends). A couple noted wines to check out include Infinite Monkey Theorem (I have a penchant for their Riesling myself) and one I’m amped to try, Ruby Trust Cellar’s The Smuggler. Hat tips also went out to Guy Drew (I’ve loved their Cab for years!), Canyon Wind (another double yum from me!), and the lovely Creekside Cellars in Evergreen, Colo. (a short car ride from Denver!).
May 1, 2012 – Scrumptious – that’s my word for BC whites – just sumptuous! Last weekend while Denver was playing host to the Drink Local Wine event, I was test driving Canadian wines – when in Rome! I was taken with the crisp fruity acidity of the whites. So, I had to do a bit more digging on the area. Turns out, it’s a relatively new wine region. The area started bearing fruit some five years ago and now the region’s first bottles are hitting the shelves! The venture begin in 2005 after an economic development study cited the region as ripe for viticulture to help diversify the local economy. Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Merlot make up some of the top varietals coming out of the region. Drink up!
That’s what I’ve got for you this week! Got any good news or articles we should know about? Please leave us a comment!
Happy travels!