The Local Cellar

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The Local Cellar

The Local Cellar offers Wine Consultation and Private Event Tastings. I come to you and teach you what you want to know in a friendly and fun atmosphere.

The Local Cellar offers services in Wine Consultation for home or business and Private Event Tastings. Wine Consultation for home consists of building a cellar from scratch or filling in gaps from already existing cellars. There is access to sourcing and buying product directly through the agent or via a secondary business. Creating an online inventory of the wines with cellar potential drinking w

indows, notes, and reviews etc are possible. The process can be as in depth as the client chooses. Consultation for business is quite similar, with the addition of creating or adjusting hospitality menus. Staff training is also an option. Private Event Tastings are catered around what the client is after, whether it be a friends gathering, a special occasion (birthday, bachelorette etc), a dinner party with pairings, or a blind tasting event etc. Glassware rental is available. Tasting cards for guests are also included. If you or someone you know may be interested in any wine or spirit services, please contact me for further information. Thank you!

20/05/2025

Definitely cresting the hill with its golden yellow appearance, but still showing life with a splattering of acidity. What a surprise indeed. Forgot about this little and totally affordable gem I had stashed away. Glad I found it in time. It paired quite nicely with the sablefish dinner. From Blaye in Bordeaux. Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blend.

20/04/2025

Happy Easter 🪺

I really hope my child knows the wine is for me?!

One of the most prestigious Rioja houses there is.
The Bodega was formed in 1890 as a partnership of 5 quality-conscious growers keen to exploit the export potential for well-made, ‘modern’ Rioja. At this time, French vineyards were ravaged by phylloxera, and connoisseurs were having to look elsewhere for supplies of fine wine. Rioja, with its excellent climate and soils, had already attracted attention, and experiments with Bordeaux-style vinification and barrique-aging were proving very successful.

The 2015 Gran Reserva 904 Tinto offers great aromatic complexity, with notes of wild strawberry, red cherry, plum, blackberry and cranberry combined with aromas of to***co, brioche, ground coffee, caramel, cedar and cinnamon blossom. The alcohol and acidity are elegantly balanced on the palate and its polished, gentle tannins and freshness provide a smooth and refined mouthfeel. Fine, delicate and very long aftertaste, that will continue to be rounded with time in the bottle, making this new Gran Reserva 904 a wine with great cellaring potential.

#2015 #1890

02/04/2025

Recently, life has been good to me .. at last it feels. I’ve been cleared of my injuries and have been back in action at the gym for the past 4 weeks including some skiing in between.

I took this shot yesterday morning, a happy pic, no filter, no make up, just pure natural goodness. The sun was out which made me happy.

You know, no one ever tells you about the 40s. They’re like the dreaded f-ing 4’s for a child and parent. A gradual then drastic shift in hormones, weight gain; which seems like over night, chronic injuries or just pain in general, skin … ugh the bloody skin. The list now seems endless. And to combat this, another endless list of nutrition, exercise, and care. I’ve been blessed with a high metabolism my whole life until my 40s. It’s still there but it just prefers to high in the shadows like an idiot. Exercise and nutrition is different also…don’t over do it with the cardio make sure to strength train ..carbs before, protein after .. All the things that were done before but now in a different manner. And, don’t forget the supplements … god forbid! You’ve got the Mag, Bs, Cs and Ds, to say the least. Don’t forget the 3s and 6s and Aswaghanda and Rhodeola because fk, anti-stress and sleep is everything to literally keep you from breaking.

How I can go on and on about it, but I’m tired now, so I’m going to stop complaining. Just one question though. Why doesn’t anyone prepare you for the g.d. 40s??!

05/03/2025

I posted a story about two years ago where I was digging around up in the Bordeaux loft at work and my stone popped right out of the claws of my ring. Luckily, it fell in amongst a few open crates and I found it, but if it were to have fallen all the way down in the lower warehouse it was highly unlikely I wouldn’t have.
Well, finally it’s back at last with its other buddy where it belongs.

25/02/2025

Take a dose on me 🍷

I don’t often write posts about myself but I felt I was due for one.

First, I want to say, ‘Thank You’ to all my friends and family who have either reached out, I’ve spoken to or have helped me during these past couple of weeks and months. I’m hoping I don’t have any more ‘s&*t stick’ posts for a while.

The self portrait isn’t new, but I like that I was happy at the time it was take. So, it’s the one I decided to use.

Read the full story in the comments section.

17/06/2024

I’m not done yet…Haro, La Rioja Spain - what a cute town!! It is small and quaint, but also houses some of the oldest wine bodegas (warehouses) in the province. We arrived by train into the Haro Station direct from San Sebastián; instead of reverting back to Bilbao then south by train or bus from there. I like to time save where possible during the travelling portion when vacationing. There is only 2 taxi drivers in the town and I had set up thru WhatsApp on the train for Jose to pick us up from the station and bring us to our airbnb in the town centre. Our place was comfortable on the 3rd floor on a small street (all the streets are tight and small), and it had large windows that opened up and looked directly at the main town square. We arrived at 530pm and there were really only a few places open for a pre-dinner bevy because as you should know, many of the small towns really do do siestas like they say from 4pm till 7pm. So if you’re hungry, you’ll be s.o.l until then; however, you could always go to the mercado for some snacks. By 8pm all the tapa bars and restaurants had opened up, two hands worth. It is so great to see the community come out and feast. There were so many ‘older’ couples out enjoying their time together, conversing with friends over wine and food. One of our favourite restaurants on the whole trip was here. It was a tapa bar called, Bar Harmony that specializes in grilled tapas - super delicious! Another must visit town for the books! 🍷. rioja

03/06/2024

Herdade do Esporão 1267 - I can’t say how happy I was to experience this winery and the people who are passionate to be a part of it. If you don’t know this wine, I suggest right now to go out and find it (I will be ordering some in promptly when I return). The Reserve line of white are most compatible to; dare a I say, French Chardonnay. It is delicious! Herdade do Esporão is one of the oldest wine tourism locations in Portugal.The Herdade do Esporão’s commitment to the preservation of biodiversity and sustainable development can be seen first hand. The winery is completely fully sustainable with no use of any chemical in the fining or filtering nor in the viticulture process. And, majority of everything is grown on site for its world renowned Michelin star restaurant. And, I can agree, it is pretty amazing!

13/03/2024

A dynamic masterclass by .

It was so interesting to see how a wine, Campofiorin, at $25, can develop so well over so many years. Being able to try the same wine 4x over from 1999, 2007, 2012, and 2020 side by side makes for a good education lesson, especially when the development is so consistent year after year.

Masi is known for their wines made in a 'appassimento' style. Appassimento is the technique of drying freshly harvested grapes to concentrate their flavours and sugars before fermentation. A painstaking historical method lies behind Amarone, Masi’s raison d’être, where grapes spend up to 120 days spread out on shallow bamboo trays, slowly drying in the winery, or the vineyards.

The Masi story begins in 1772, when the Boscaini family carried out their first harvest in the prestigious vineyards in “Vajo dei Masi”, a valley in the heart of the Valpolicella Classica region. In 1964, Campofiorin was the first in a new category of wines, reinventing the technique of double fermentation and continually updating it.

The 2020 vintage will be hitting shelves soon with a new look and slight change to its component. But still, the same style will show.

04/03/2024

After a busy wine week, , it was so nice to have a night in with a delicious Italian meal that went ever so nicely with the theme country at the festival - Italy.

Thank you, , for the relaxing and much needed restful evening.

I had one day back in the store when i returned, and I was eager to order some of my favorite wines I tried that I can't wait to share with you.

Stay tuned for updates when they arrive!

31/01/2024

A very well executioned tasting put on by .

Thank you for inviting me to sit on this educational seminar. What a great way to enjoy 3 major wines made so differently from one another.

Catena Alta Zapata 2020
Nicola Catena planted his first Malbec vineyard in Mendoza in 1902. His grandson, Nicolás Catena, is known as the man who revolutionized Argentine wine and introduced high altitude Malbec to the world. The Historic Catena Zapata vineyards are planted with the Catena family’s proprietary selection of malbec plants: the Catena Cuttings.

Catena Alta is an assemblage of historic rows within the Catena family Estate vineyards.

The nose is elegant and complex with ripe red and black berry fruits, notes of violets and lavender and a touch of leather, spice and vanilla flavors. The palate is full and rich with soft and sweet tannins and a silky, smooth structure. Multiple layers of rich cassis, black currant and blackberries are interwoven with hints of licorice and black pepper.

Nicasia Zapata Vineyard 2020
Located in the far southerly growing region of Altamira in La Consulta, the Nicasia vineyard is the only planting of the special Catena Selection of Malbec cuttings in this traditional area for Malbec.

Ripe black-and-red currant, raspberries and an elegant touch of french oak. Very complex and expressive palate, with a creamy violet flavor with ripe blueberries, cassis, vanilla and spice cake.

Catena Zapata Argentino 2020
Ten centuries of life, death and rebirth.
The epic tale of the noble Malbec grape is like no other, and the label for Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino pays tribute to the variety’s history in France and its rise in Argentina.

The nose offers cassis, blueberries and violets, along with a strong suggestion of soil It combines density and sweetness on the one hand, saline flavors of mocha, dark berries, spice, and minerals; a palate-staining finish dominated by sweet black and blue fruits.

19/01/2024

A fresh, fruity representation of Gevrey with bright cherries and subtle musky game notes. The wine is sleek and delicately juicy on the palate. It carries a lovely length along the finish.

31/12/2023

Another special wine of 2023.

This one is Chenonceaux 2020.

It is a real treat to have such a tasteful and eloquently made sauvignon blanc from Touraine in the Loire Valley. At a fraction of the price as its neighbour's down the valley, it does a darn good job at showing its true colors.

Beautiful aromatics of exotic fruit, passion fruit, citrus lemon, white flower, and mineral. It is complex and elegant all in one. There is a min 12 months again on the lees to give it ripeness and weight.

Much different than its 2021 vintage, this one is sure to make you smile.

The Davault family is six generations on at Domaine de la Chaise, and it's 57 hectares of hillsides at Saint Georges sur Cher. The style is fresh and ripe, almost New World, until you taste the balance and intensity of this sauvignon that brings you back to the Loire.

One of the seven European vineyards, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, the vineyards unfold as far as the eye can see. Only fifty winegrowers passionately produce top of the range wines, the development of which requires precise and binding technical specifications, and marketing authorization subject to rigorous qualitative validation.

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250-661-2088

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http://www.thelocalcellar.com/

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Our Story

Hi there!

My name is Marissa Major and I have decided to share my passion of wine and spirits through my new company, The Local Cellar with services in Wine Consultation and Private Event Tastings.

I am certified with merit in Advanced Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) from the U.K., as well as hold various other certifications; some of which are the French Wine Scholar and the Italian Wine Specialist. This knowledge has enabled me to work as a Senior Product Consultant with the flagship BC Liquor Store on Vancouver Island for many years.

I am determined and eager to share my interests and expertise with whomever chooses to follow my journey.