Believe it or not, there are times when I wake up in the middle of the night thinking, “Oh, I really need to write about…” Or a similar thought will strike when I’m in the midst of vacuuming or doing the dishes. This week, here’s a gathering of the things I’ve been meaning to share for weeks now—a mixed case of wine miscellany.

I’m still consistently impressed with the wines coming from Pender Island’s Sea Star Estate Farms and Vineyards. What I look for from a West Coast island winery is something bright, breezy, and delicious; Sea Star has never failed to deliver. For a good example of what they do, find yourself a bottle of Sea Star 2014 Siegerrebe ($19.90 winery-direct, $20 and up at private liquor stores). A flinty and aromatic charmer, it brings to mind a dry Gewürztraminer with all of that litchi fruit and rose petal, but it’s a little lighter on its feet, with lemon zest and nice stoniness; it’s built for shellfish and liberal top-ups. I most recently spotted it at Legacy Liquor Store (1633 Manitoba Street) in the Olympic Village.

Congratulations and a hearty pat on the back to Summerland’s Haywire winery for acquiring an organic designation for its Switchback vineyard. The Pinot Gris grown on-site enjoys the company of chickens, sheep, and ducks, and an absence of pesticides and other harsh chemicals. The Haywire 2013 Switchback Pinot Gris ($24.90, Haywire Winery) bounds out of the glass with guava, nectarine, and pear, with a solid dose of minerality weaving through its lengthy finish. It’s great to see more and more local wineries head in this direction.

While congratulations are being doled out, I’d also like to extend some to Marcus Ansems, the winemaker and co-owner of Naramata’s Daydreamer Wines, for attaining his Master of Wine certification. The highest academic achievement in the wine industry, becoming an MW involves years of research, examinations, gruelling tastings, and an extensive research paper at the end. There are only 340 people certified on the planet, and I’ve seen more than a handful of those attempt to throw in the towel after years of exhausting work. Ansems, an Australian-born expat, makes some of the best Syrah in B.C. and has been filling his trophy shelf of late to prove it. His research paper, “The Effects of Late Season (Autumn/Fall) Frost on Okanagan Valley Syrah (Shiraz) Grape and Table Wine Composition, Utilising Chemical and Descriptive Analysis”, besides easily rolling off the tongue (he’s an Aussie, I’m sure he can handle the jab), will be released to industry and the public in the near future. I think it’s fair to assume it’ll be required reading for all local Syrah producers, as Syrah is one of our most critically acclaimed grape varieties, yet it certainly suffers under cold temperatures. Ansems joins fellow Australian expat Rhys Pender—who consults, teaches, writes, and runs the Similkameen Valley’s Little Farm Winery with his wife, Alishan Driediger—and Barbara Philip, the B.C. Liquor Stores European portfolio manager, as a B.C.–based Master of Wine.

Cool autumn wine alert! I just got my hands on a bottle of Bodegas Triton 2013 Tridente Tempranillo (Castilla y Leon, Spain; $23.49, B.C. Liquor Stores), and I’m totally digging its dark and brooding tone. If you’re going to judge a book by its cover, I don’t quite know how a label with a shirtless dude harbouring a bow and arrow and what appear to be a blue pheasant and giant prawn will grab you, but what’s in the bottle will. As evening darkness comes earlier and the nightly murder of crows flies toward Burnaby, that’s the exact time you should be pulling the cork on this bottle of old-vines goodness. As you swirl your glass, you’ll note aromas of blackberries and dried herbs, and a hint of campfire. The first sip brings black plum, blueberry compote, cloves, and espresso, and the more you taste, the more you’ll get out of it. Further sips offer beef brisket, anise, bresaola, and more. It all sounds like something quite heavy, and it’s not a light wine—don’t get me wrong—but three cheers for balanced acidity and tannin, keeping all of the flavours elevated and balanced. In saying that, it is 15.5 percent alcohol, so there’s certainly some oomph behind it.

Finally, this edition of the Bottle marks one year that I’ve been writing for the Georgia Straight. I wouldn’t want the anniversary to pass by without thanking readers for following this column, including those who have commented online or chatted about it on Twitter or Facebook. I’m here to share my passion and enthusiasm with you, so please always feel free to get in touch via Twitter @KurtisKolt. Cheers!