It's the first day of spring, so we're all looking forward to longer, more colourful days and the promise of warmer evenings. Bring it on Mother Nature!

Little Straw will be part of the action next Saturday at the Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club in Coquitlam. Tickets are still available online. "Now in its 10th year, BC Uncorked is a unique BC-focused food and wine festival. The event showcases wines from over 45 top-rated BC wineries, matched with intriguing foods provided by 8-10 of the best local restaurants and caterers."

Brilliantly sunny days, like the one we had on Monday, are a welcome respite from the dreary, cloudy days that plague our valley much of the winter. Now, if we could just get the temperature to rise above -5, pruning in the vineyard would be almost pleasant.

Here's a sneak preview of our wine and chocolate pairing for this weekend's Sip With Your Sweetheart event: our 2016 Pinot Rosé and Chef Trevor's mini chocolate lava cakes topped with an icewine reduction. If you're keen on bubbles, you can also sample our new sparkler, a Rosé Frizzante.

This year you can indulge yourself over two days as you "Sip with your Sweetheart" along the Westside Wine Trail. Member wineries will be offering wines paired with complimentary chocolate creations from noon to 4 pm on both February 10th and 11th. How about a seductive Pinot Rosé with chocolate lava cake at Little Straw?

On January 11th at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver, you can enjoy a BC wine and culinary experience while supporting the BC Children's Hospital Foundation. Our agent Raymond Wong will be pouring our 2016 La Petite Paille Chenin Blanc and the 2014 Pinot Noir at the 2018 edition of Taste BC. Get your tickets soon before this popular event sells out.