Cork & Barrel Spirit Merchants

11/05/2024

We have some fabulous options for Christmas entertaining season on sale this month at Cork & Barrel. If you're planning a Christmas celebration, we'd love to help you find some awesome wines to serve your guests. Cheers!

10/29/2024

Get your best Halloween costume on and join us for Halloween in the Courtyard, in conjunction with Oak Bay's Halloween Party, Thursday between 2 and 5 pm. Be there or we'll send the witches after you.

10/26/2024

We have a fabulous smorgasbord of wines for you to try this afternoon. From California we have a crisp Chenin Blanc/Viognier blend from Pine Ridge at a budget-friendly price of $22.99. Also from California, one of the iconic Zinfandels from the Seghesio family, on sale this month at $36.99. And two fun wines from Spain, home of great value wines. The Hecula Monastrell from Castano is $19.49 and a lovely Garnacha from Honoro Vera is a steal at $19.99. Cone on in and choose your entertainment wines for the season. Today between 2 and 6 pm. Cheers!

10/25/2024

We are excited to be celebrating Halloween as part of Oak Bay’s street party. It’s Halloween in the Courtyard. Drop in and ward off the chill with a taste of whiskey.

Trick or Treat in the Village is less than a week away! Participating businesses between Foul Bay Road and Monterey Avenue will display a pumpkin poster in their window. Don't miss any of our locations:

4Cats Oak Bay Art Studio
A La Mode Consignment Victoria
Abby Sprouts
Adventure Clothing
Ajna Yoga Center
Artsee Eyewear
Avenue Barber
Barclay's Fine Jewellers
Bark, Bath & Beyond Pet Boutique
Burt's Barbershop
Carlton House of Oak Bay
Chef on the Run
Cork & Barrel Spirit Merchants
DONDON
Edward Jones
Engel & Völkers Vancouver Island
Eric D. Flanagan, Ltd.
Fairway Markets
HearingLife Canada
Ivy's Bookshop
Lazy Susan's
Marlin Travel
Nicholas Randall/Finn and Izzy
Oak Bay Dental Clinic
Oak Bay Flower Shop Ltd.
Oak Bay Pharmasave
Oaks Restaurant and Grill
Ottavio Italian Bakery & Delicatessen
Pemberton Holmes Oak Bay
Penny Farthing Public House
RBC
RE/MAX Camosun
Rogers' Chocolates
Scotiabank
SeaFirst Insurance
Side Street Studio
Starbucks
Tapas on Oak
The Agency Oak Bay
The Avenue Gallery
Village Butcher
The Whole Beast Artisan Salumeria
Timeless Toys
Turnabout Luxury Resale
Violette Boutique

10/25/2024

JoieFarm Winery is one of the pioneers of the Okanagan Valley's Naramata Bench. Crafting exquisite, original wines from estate-grown grapes as well as grapes from the best custom growers, JoieFarm has developed a reputation for unique wines made in an old world wine style reminiscent of France, and particularly, the Alsace region of France. Their A Noble Blend is one of the best expressions of Alsatian wine style of any winery in British Columbia. We are opening three of their most popular wines this afternoon, including A Noble Blend, Rose and PTG, which is a Pinot Noir/Gamay blend which references France's Passe-Tout-Grains wines made in Burgundy. Come in today between 2 and 6 and taste these well-crafted and well-priced wines. Cheers!

10/19/2024

There was a time, not too long ago, that the word Riesling evoked pictures of terrible, sweet, inexpensive wines from Germany. Well, no longer. Riesling is one of the hot grapes among the sommelier class for its complexity and versatility. From rich, sweet, acidic dessert wines from Germany to deep, complex dry Rieslings from Australia, New Zealand and, yes, the Okanagan Valley, Rieslings are drawing the attention of white wine drinkers who have tired of the ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc.
At the leading edge of Riesling production in BC is Synchromesh Wines. They make several different single-vineyard Rieslings that range from bright and sweet to dry and savory. We have three Synchromesh Rieslings open for tasting this afternoon, as well as a lovely single-vineyard Cabernet Franc. Come in between 2 and 6 and taste the hottest thing in white wines. Cheers!

10/18/2024

With Okanagan producers suffering two devastating winter cold blasts that killed buds and vines and left many producers with no wine to sell, the focus is increasingly on Vancouver Island and the wineries of the Cowichan Valley. Central to that area is Unsworth Vineyards whose wines we will be sampling this afternoon. The prestigious Decanter Magazine World Wine Awards recently awarded Unsworth Vineyards' 2021 Pinot Noir with a gold medal and a staggering 95 points. And Unsworth's fame is spreading. Two years ago, the Jackson Family Wine company of California, which owns vineyards all over the world, purchased Unsworth to add to its portfolio of wineries. They were so excited about the purchase, that the next year they bought Blue Grouse Estate Winery in the Cowichan Valley.
So what's all the fuss about? C'mon in this afternoon between 3 and 6 pm and taste the wines from Unsworth and make up your own mind. Cheers!

10/12/2024

What's on your Thanksgiving table? If you're looking for a great wine to pair with that fabulous ham or turkey, we've got your back. We are tasting five fantastic Thanksgiving wines this afternoon from 2 until 6. And, BONUS! they're all on sale! Hope to see you.

10/10/2024

What’s on your Thanksgiving table. Perhaps it should be Amarone!

10/05/2024

What makes Belgian beers so great? A combination of unique beer-making techniques, centuries of experience, and, well, Monks! Yes, Belgian monasteries were the source of all the beer-making knowledge that now permeates Belgian beer-making. Today we are sampling beers from tiny Belgian brewers. They were imported by Lime Tree Imports and they will be here to share the beers and their beer knowledge today between 2 and 6. Cheers!

10/05/2024

Nostalgia Pinot Gris and Merlot available at CnB!

Tucked away in the heart of the Black Sage Bench, Nostalgia Wines was a hidden gem, flying under the radar compared to louder neighbours. That has changed since the winery was named the third-best performing small winery at this year's National Wine Awards of Canada. Story by HJ Cha.
https://gismondionwine.com/blog/nostalgia-in-every-bottle/
Nostalgia Wines

09/27/2024

The craft cider industry has exploded in BC along with wineries, breweries and craft distillers. And one of the first to explore the many faces of cider was the Saanich Peninsula's Sea Cider. We are exploring some of Sea Cider's innovative products this afternoon, with Cherry Lane, Witch's Broom and Rumrunner. Cmon in this afternoon and find your new favourite! Cheers!

09/24/2024

09/21/2024

The cool climate wines of New Zealand have taken the world by storm this century. With bright sunshine and cooling ocean breezes the vineyards of New Zealand naturally produce the zesty acidity that elevates the flavours of the wines and the foods that pair with them. But New Zealand is more than Sauvignon Blanc. Today we are tasting three other outstanding wines from Oyster Bay—Sparkling Rose, Pinot Grigio and Merlot. Today from 2 until 6.

09/20/2024

Island wines have come a long way since Barb and I opened the first ever winery on Pender Island. Today the world’s big wine companies are buying wineries in the Cowichan and Island wines are making their mark on BC’s burgeoning wine scene. This afternoon we will be pouring wines from two of the most successful Island wineries— Unsworth from the Cowichan and Pender’s Sea Star, which is the the new iteration of Morning Bay, the winery we started in 2001. Come in today between 3 and 6 and taste the latest from these two estimable Island wineries. Cheers!

09/16/2024

Top ten wines from the 2024 National Wine Awards. Several available at The Cork!

TOP 10: Best of the National Wine Awards Canada:
Geoffrey Moss MW shares his top-scoring wines from this year's Awards to stock your cellar—before he buys them all https://gismondionwine.com/blog/top-10-best-of-nwac/ WineAlign