This was what unofficially started the East Kootenay Wine Festival at the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. With nearly 100 wines to choose from, it was difficult to pick only a handful in order to retain composure.
"Wine is a very personal experience," said Harrison McKay, the resort's marketing manager and a self-proclaimed wine lover and pupil.
"I have a lot to learn," he added.
The educational aspect of wine-tasting was underlying the entire event, as earlier in the day some guests had a chance to learn how to properly taste and appreciate wine.
The key lesson, McKay said, was "really understanding the importance of the nose."
But the tasty education did not stop there. During the evening event, all of the winemakers were more than eager to share the stories of their vineyards, as well as the uniqueness behind the tastes of their representing wines and of course, to pour the glasses.
The Golden Beaver Winery, for instance, got its name thanks to the owners' visit to Calgary four years ago.
Having drank Australian Yellowtail wine while in town for the Stampede, Bruno Kelle recalled being inspired by the winemakers' apt representation of its current home.
"I wanted to have something that represents Canada," he said, adding the "golden" epithet of the name came about because of the vineyards' location in Golden Mile, a terroir where the Golden Beaver gives home to 10 types of grapes.
While the whimsical name and its sweet Viognier 2007 drew some to Golden Beaver, others followed the rumours of a delicious, rich Merlot at the neighbouring table.
"What's unique (about the Merlot)...is that it's by Australian winemakers," said a representative from Therapy Vineyards, adding the wine is grown in the vintners' backyard.
"It's a true Neramatian !" he said, referring to the vineyard-trimmed area.
Among the more traditional grape wines, there was also a fair representation of other fruit wines, the winner of which was Rustic Roots Winery that took home both the first and second prize for best dessert wine.
The sweet Blackberry wine 2008 came in second, while the crisp, five-apple, 100% organic-blend Iced Apple came home a winner.
"We're in the fruit business," said a fourth-generation farm owner excitedly, while encouraging me to savour the fresh taste of the apple wine.
"Breathe it in -- it's like biting into an apple," said a fellow wine taster.
"What I've enjoyed is experiencing all the different notes," said McKay, "my perception's improved."
The rich plethora of B.C. wines offered, representing sparkling, white, red, rose as well as dessert wines, McKay could summon up only one conclusion.
"In the past, I wouldn't have expected the B.C. wines to be that good."
