Text us your wine questions, craziest wine experiences, or if you just have a comment for us. .

This one is a bit controversial in some ways. One of the criticisms I've heard levelled against the industry in the Okanagan is that a lot of us have 'cellar palate'. In my travels across Canada, I have not noticed this topic in conversation as much in Ontario as I have noticed in British Columbia.

Essentially, 'cellar palate' happens when a winery employee 'becomes too acclimatized to their own wines or those of their neighbours'. (See Jancis Robinson's article that I mentioned in the podcast here.) Basically, they start to judge wines from other regions or styles based on their own wines.

I've met plenty of people who only like BC wine and won't try anything else. I did a podcast a long time ago where everyone was supposed to bring a bottle of their favourite wines and one person brought a wine from the winery where they worked, which was against my one and only rule that we never pumped our own wineries' brands (the ones where we all worked) on the podcast.

I've been susceptible to it as well. I totally recall not liking any white wines that I tasted from Washington State in 2010 when I attended the Wine Blogger's Conference in Walla Walla. They all tasted flabby to me - not enough acidity. Of course, even then after only 3 years living in the Okanagan, I was used to the higher acid wines in BC. It took time to appreciate the lower-acid wines from Washington State.

So, enjoy this discussion and tasting that features three wines tasted blind. It's a long episode but worth listening all the way through.

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Text us your wine questions, craziest wine experiences, or if you just have a comment for us. .

A few thoughts at the end of 2025 to welcome in 2026. Happy New Year Sipsters!

Welcome to the Sipsters Podcast!

Thank you for listening to the Sipster's Podcast. Find us online at sipsters.ca.

Support the show

Purchase copies of “The Sipsters Pocket Guides” here!

Support Sipsters by subscribing!

Contact me at sipsterswinepodcast@gmail.com!

Read Sipster's ICONS (Because sometimes more IS more.)

Find me online at sipsters.ca or lukewhittall.com

Thanks again for listening!

Text us your wine questions, craziest wine experiences, or if you just have a comment for us. .

This is a special tribute episode for my brother in wine, Aaron Olfert. It's been ten years since he left this world. This is a flashback to some of his great podcast moments as well as new stories from his best friends.

This podcast took a long time to produce but I hope it is a fitting tribute to a great person and the godfather of all Sipsters.

Welcome to the Sipsters Podcast!

Thank you for listening to the Sipster's Podcast. Find us online at sipsters.ca.

Support the show

Purchase copies of “The Sipsters Pocket Guides” here!

Support Sipsters by subscribing!

Contact me at sipsterswinepodcast@gmail.com!

Read Sipster's ICONS (Because sometimes more IS more.)

Find me online at sipsters.ca or lukewhittall.com

Thanks again for listening!