Tea and Wine

Okay! I know the two do not go together but my husband is or thinks he is a great wine Connoisseur and heard that the Vancouver islands produce some of the best wines in the country. What are some of the locals favorites?

I on the other hand love the tea houses and love to shop to bring teas home. Where is a good place to shop in Victoria for that fabulous tea?

There is only one place to shop for tea in Victoria (well there are others but) go to Murchies on Government Street. Also if you go to Butchart Gardens, their 100th anniversary blend tea is fabulous. Now onto wine - my favorite Island winery is Zanatta's.

Okay! I know the two do not go together but my husband is or thinks he is a great wine Connoisseur and heard that the Vancouver islands produce some of the best wines in the country. What are some of the locals favorites?

I on the other hand love the tea houses and love to shop to bring teas home. Where is a good place to shop in Victoria for that fabulous tea?

Vancouver Island has a very very young wine growing community, these are not good wines at all. I have had a few and some have been *ok* but certainly not for the price they charge, at $17.00 and up you can get a lovely consistant wine out of Okanagon or California, Australia, back east, while the wines here are really really hit and miss. I had a few from the Blue Grouse one was lovely at $19.00 the other at $23.00 was acidy and so rough...we ended up using it as cooking wine.

My husband collects wines and while I love that he does, I am NOT the wine snob he is, but I have to agree that Vancouver Island Wineries need at least another couple of decades before they will be producing consistent good wines let alone some of the best wines in the country.

We are leaving to vist good friends in Napa Valley this Friday and are bringing down a few bottles of white wine from Okanagon but wouldn't even want to bring down any reds from that area as my husband thinks Okanagon area needs a few more years before they will be producing reds to compare against wineries in Napa. I think one doesn't have to be quite so rigid...:rolleyes:

Good tea spots we do have :)

Silk Roads on Government right by Chinatown has some incredible teas as does the tea store right beside Starbucks on Fort and Blanchard. Murchies is good but expensive.

Thanks for the helpful information. I think I will have the hubby hit the micro brews while I shop for teas in Victoria.

Thanks for the helpful information. I think I will have the hubby hit the micro brews while I shop for teas in Victoria.

LOL Good idea :)

Get him to check out Spinnkers and Swans :)

There is only one place to shop for tea in Victoria (well there are others but) go to Murchies on Government Street. Also if you go to Butchart Gardens, their 100th anniversary blend tea is fabulous.

Thanks for the suggestion. I am a tea-a-holic. I buy tea everywhere we go. I'll look for the 100th anniversary blend when we are in Victoria next month.

Thanks for the helpful information. I think I will have the hubby hit the micro brews while I shop for teas in Victoria.

While Vancouver Island has a very young wine industry, they do have the best beer industry in the province. (Greater) Victoria is home to a number of great microbreweries, and their products are available in most local establishments. Make the effort to ask for a local brew, and you'll be well rewarded (Philips and Vancouver Island breweries are especially good). Along with that they have a number of well established brew pubs, including Spinnikers, Swans and Hugo's that are worth a visit.

If BC wine is what you're looking for, you'll need to visit the Okanagan valley, 4 hours east of Vancouver, specifically the section from Penticton, through Oliver and down to Osoyoos.

I have been shopping at Silk Road for my teas for quite a while now. I usually drink green tea and love the Gen Mai Chai. If you can't remember the name, ask for the "green tea with popcorn" and they'll know what you mean. It's got bits of popcorn and brown rice and it makes a wonderful, nutty flavoured green tea.