Wine
New to B.C. Wines? Here Are 6 Bottles to Try First
It would be impossible to sum up our incredible wine region with just a few bottles... but we asked wine columnist Neal McLennan to try anyways.
Events
Holy Heck: It’s Top Drop Time Again, Wine Fans
The one-time scrappy upstart has morphed into the best two days of the year for local wine nerds. Mark your calendars for May 11 and 12.
Wine
The Wine List: Put This Unassuming Italian Wine Region On Your Radar
Wines from Alto Adige are beloved by sommeliers. Here are three bottles from an under-the-radar region that should be celebrated.
Events
10 Bottles to Make a Beeline For at This Weekend’s Winefest
A sneak peak at what's being poured so you can get down to business
Wine
The Wine List: If You’re Lambrusco-Curious, Start with These Three Bottles
This low-alc sparkling wine pairs with almost everything. Get on board.
Spirits
Our 73rd Annual Cheatsheet for the Upcoming BCL Spirit Release
What's hot, cold and meh at the annual celebration of all things distilled at BC's Liquor Stores.
Wine
These Are the Wines That Blew Us Away Last Year
When people ask wine columnist Neal McLennan if he's had anything interesting to drink lately, these are the bottles that instantly come to mind.
Wine
The Best (Actually Thoughtful) Bottles of Wine to Gift This Year
There's a right way to give a bottle of wine as a gift, and a wrong way.
Booze News
Tales From The Front Lines: This Liquor Strike Is Absolutely Hammering the Hospitality Industry
We chat with a restaurateur, an importer and a winery owner to see how they're fairing.
Restaurants
Michelin Misses: The Best Restaurants Michelin Forgot In Its 2024 Awards
The Michelin Awards highlight some of the city’s best restaurants—and then totally drop the ball with our other worthy contenders.
Wine
Is This Year’s Bordeaux Release Worth All The Hype? You Bet Your Dark Fruit It Is.
The vintage is being compared to the legendary 1982 bottle and it might not be hyperbole.
Wine
The Wine List: B.C. Subs for Famous International Wines
Forget the California pinot and French Champagne—we've got excellent subs here in our own backyard.
Wine
One of the Greatest Bottles of B.C. Wine I’ve Had… Ever?
The Simes Vineyard Riesling from Martin's Lane is transcendent, and available at the BCL
Wine
Drink These Now: The Best of B.C.’s Island Wines
From Salt Spring, Pender and Vancouver Island, these coastal bottles offer seaside sophistication.
Wine
Wine List: 4 Must-Try Bottles Using Cross-Border Grapes to Reboot Okanagan Wines
After a devastating frost, Okanagan winemakers are turning to surplus Washington and Oregon grapes to refresh their vintages.
Bars and Lounges
Prophecy Gets in On the Bartender Exchange Big Time
They're welcoming Eric van Beek from Handshake, the World's reigning #1 bar
Wine
Forget the Classic Chard: Here Are the Challenge-Yourself Bottles to Bring to Holiday Dinner
Challenge your family a little (but not too much) with these off-the-beaten-path wine picks.
Day Trips
Very Good Day Trip Idea: Wine Touring in Langley
We love the Okanagan and all, but Langley wine country is here at our front door. Here are the best wineries to hit on your next trip to the Fraser Valley.
Spirits
Everything You Need to Know About the 2024 Fall BCL Spirits Release
Yet again, all the intel you need to game the monopoly and snag the best bottles.
Events
The King of Champagnes Is Coming to Vancouver
Krug is teaming up with Published on Main for some bubbly bargains (relatively speaking) next week
Wine
Ask a Wine Expert: 11 Wine Recommendations for 11 Very Specific Wine Problems
From "what wine do I bring on a hike where I'm planning on proposing" to "I only like wine with pretty labels," our wine editor has a bottle for you.
Wine
3 Very Nice Wines to Drink at the Park
Cheers to a civilized new era of public sipping.
Spirits
The Most Comprehensive Guide to the BCL Summer Spirits Release Ever Written
For the 127th year in a row, we give you the straight goods on what's good, bad and ugly at the annual event
Wine
The Wine List: Ready for Riesling
Does B.C. have a signature grape variety?
Events
Drink This Wine: Top Somms’ Top Picks at Top Drop
Plus a special $25 code just for VanMag readers to the year's most bespoke wine event
Restaurants
Reviews: Magari by Oca Continues to Shape Perfect Pasta on the Drive
The much-beloved Oca Pastificio is now Magari by Oca, and the reimagined restaurant is as captivating as its previous incarnation.
Wine
The Best Value B.C. Wines on Shelves Right Now
A thoughtful consumer can find great value in the B.C. section at the wine store. Here are three bottles that prove it.
Wine
The Go Drink Me Campaign: Finding the Loire in the Okanagan
The Okanagan wine region needs our help... and it starts with our choices at the liquor store. Here's a trio of made-in-B.C. subs for your favourite Loire-region bottles.
Restaurants
Back to Hydra: Revisiting the Scene of One of Vanmag’s Most Controversial Reviews
Five years after a very viral visit, our restaurant critic gives Hydra a second look.
Wine
Find an Excuse to Celebrate, Because These Sparkling Wines Are the Best in the Fizz
New job? Anniversary? Tuesday? We're sure you come up with a reason to pop one of these bodacious bottles of bubbs.
Wine
The Wine List: A B.C. Bottle for Every Holiday Wine Drinker on Your List
For the Pinot lovers to those who love bubbles—here's your British Columbian holiday wine list.
Spirits
Our Famous Spirit Release Review Is Here! Pt. 1: Scotchy Scotch
For the 17th (or something) year in a row we do all the heavy spirit lifting for you.
Wine
What the Hell Is Going on at Blasted Church?
The famously cheerful operation has developed an awesome side hustle as the Okanagan's geekiest winery... and it's awesome.
Wine
The Wine List: 3 Okanagan Wines, 3 Unique Harvest Stages
For these three standout BC wine picks, timing is everything.
Wine
The Author of the Greatest Wine Book of the Last Decade Is Coming to Town
Jon Bonné's "The New French Wine" is a towering achievement in wine writing.
Wine
5 Wines To Zero In On at This Weekend’s Bordeaux Release
It's another stellar year, but they don't come cheap—so here's a cheat sheet to get the goods without going bust.
Events
Dip Your Toes in the World of Natural Wine With This Outdoor Festival
Farmhouse Fest Wine Fair offers the very best way to explore the sometimes-daunting world of low-intervention vino.
Wine
Cabernet Franc Rosé Is Definitely a Thing
Just look at the roster of the hotshot producers who are making it.