22-rnday. December 11. 1998 - North Shore News

Reading the vine

Deana Lancaster
News Reporter

dea meg @usnews.cam

JOHN Schreiner can
remember when B.C.’s
fledgling wine industry
was just-hatched.

In tact, after discovenng
he had a passion for drinking,
learning about and even nak
ing wine, Schreiner penned
his tirse book an the subject,
The Workd of Canadian Wie.

Init, he wrote about such
popular BoC. cancecnadts ats
Pastel Peach.

“TLorsorthem fant mace
up names che industry had
rolled out in the hate “TOs and
carly SOs to try and convince
Canadians they were
European-style wines.”
remembers the North
Vancouver resident.

“The whites tasted vaguely
like bad German urapes. Phe
red was a little drier.”

In the 20-plus vears since
he first took notice of it,
B.Cos wine making industry
has changed dramatically.

He tasted wines at BUC s
first estate: Wineries after lewis-
lation passed restricting them
to using their own grapes
grown on a minimum of 20
ares,

Tt was exciting stuff —
some of the wines were cut-
ting-edge for B.C, “and even
bad wine tastes better when
you're trying it with the wine-
maker.”

He watched in “88 as B.C.
winemakers pulled out their
cheap generic grapes and
replaced them with vinifera
grapes, the premier wine
grapes, and began to experi-
ment with how different vari-
eties grow jn our climate.

He wrote nwo more books
about B.C. wines: The
Winertes of British Columbia
and The British Columbia
Wine Companion, tinding
time for them around his job

wrong and cdi tor the
Funvierad Poss

“Who would have thought
there was se mitch te say
about the mdusty?”

He did) |. beeatse he did
Wr stop there.

His most recent offering is
Chardoniueay aud Urteuts;
Narrierad Wines af British
Columbia, a gaudy to the
approximately 45 different
vartetal wines being produced
mB

As well as the ongins of
the grapes. a general desertyy

tron of the wanes ad rece
mendations tor food panne,
Schremer has inchided a
vunde to ettigent winery tour
fy, with wineries grouped
into ideal one day tours,

Chardonnay aud Frreiuds is
available at local bookstores
for SI9.Y5,

Or pick up a sgned copy
tomorrow when Schreiner
visits the new Edgemont
Village Wines, 3050
Edgemont Bled, in North
Van, at 3 punt. fora wine tast
ny and discussion.

jon't top up the
gos tank.
Gasoline vapours
will escape when
your gas fonk is too
full and coniribute

JOHN Schreiner fas just
released his new guide
to B.C.'s varietal wines.

Swimmers - "this is the sale for you!
/ $250, 000 worth of
aquatic supplie

MUST BE SOLD!

Bathing Suits,
Goggles & Caps

| 3O% crr:

Journey back to o time when celebrating the holidays was on elegant cffair. Enjoy 0 tantalizing meal as you coll into
the season with o spectacular ride along Howe Sound to Porteau Cove. Then, get ready to dance to the sound of our
big band“Night Train” Whether it’s o Christmas funcheon or New Year's Eve dinner gala, the experience will move you.

NEW YEAR'S SCHEDULE

CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE
Dote: New Year's Eve

Sundoy Luncheons: December 6 & 13
Departs: Noon. Returns: 4:15pm.
Dinners: December 4, 5, 11, 12
Departs: 6:15pm. Returns: 10:15pm.
Feotures an hour of music
at Porteau Cove.

PRICES: Sclon, $90. Dome, $105.

Festivities at Porteau Cove
through midnight.
PRICES: Salon, $180. Dome, $195.
Includes 5 course meal ond
fireworks at Porteau Cove.

q gq v4
cJourney Bae!

le Elegant Dining.

Gift certificates for 1999 trips are available at BC Rail or The Bay and make wonderful gifts.
Book today by calling 984-5500 or 1-800-363-3733. Full payment requited at time of booking.
Tickets refundable up to 7 days before departure, less 25%

argaret Easton
stacks up
support for her
ocal library in
West Vancouver.

Margaret Easton loves to read. So it’s no surprise that she’s a big supporter
of her local library. The West Vancouver Memorial Library, the busiest in the
province, is one of the few in Canada to have its own fund raising Foundation.
An annual croquet tournament is one of the Foundation’s biggest fund raising
efforts. The Foundation charges an entry fee for each team and a fee for on-court
advertising. In addition, the event includes a silent and live auction. This year,
the Foundation expects to have 24 teams participating and to bring in $24,000

Departs: 9:30pm. Returns: 1:45am.

o . No refunds within 7 doys of departure.

Training & Aquatic
Fitness Equipment,
wn ses, Books & CDs

10 P15 % OFF!

‘= SPEEDO Y TYR |
SALE ENDS DEC. 23 |

OPEN MON-FRI. 9AM-SPM
SATURDAY TIAM-SPM

Besides drumming up two referees for the tournament and four co-workers
to enter as a team, Margaret successfully canvassed all of the member companies
of Royal Bank Financial Group to co-sponsor the tournament.

Margaret works for Royal Bank in West Vancouver. She’s just one of many
Royal Bank staff across Canada who take time out to help in their communities.
And we'd just like to take this opportunity to gg,
thank them for doing what they do.

ROYAL BANK
FINANCIAL GROUP

for special programs such as computer labs and children’s reading rooms.
® Registered trade mark of Royal Bank of Canada
. —— — g Imagine (Zz A New Spint of Community