Book excerpt: The eagerly awaited second installment in the offbeat BC wine guide the Vancouver Sun calls “the perfect go-to.” Following on the popularity of Volume 1, which the Vancouver Sun called “the perfect go-to guide,” the second installment of The Sipster’s Pocket Guide brings the same offbeat, lateral thinking and experiential focus to a whole new batch of BC wines. Wine expert and educator Luke Whittall shares his love of and sense of humour about the industry as he presents his top 50 wines under $50 (including many under $30). With food and activity pairings that range from romantic to radical (berry-laced desserts and long-distance relationships, poached salmon and puns, hot dogs and off-grid living), and an index of attitudes that let you choose a wine based on your mood (be it drill sergeant or rancher, pastoral or paisley), the Sipster’s guides are anything but stuffy. Divided into chapters on sparkling, white, rosé, red, and dessert wines, the book finishes up with a beginner’s guide to grape varieties in BC and a primer on the grand cru designation and how it pertains to our province. Sipster’s Volume 2 is the perfect companion for that on-the-fly wine purchase and for those who want to dig a little deeper. Learn about classics like Pinot Grigio, how Chardonnay in BC almost went the way of Merlot post-Sideways, and how to not only find but also pronounce a great Siegerrebe.