Tasting Room Radio

Vintage 2018 : Senka Tennant, Howard Soon, Grant Stanley & Bailey Williamson   THE SHOW   First – a couple of quotes “These wines will go down as classics” David Paterson Winemaker & General Manager, Tantalus Vineyards “Overall I’m excited for the wines to come – bright acid, full flavour development without some of the surprising potential alcohols we’ve had in recent years.” Chris Turyk Sommelier, General Manager Unsworth Vineyards Overall the 2018 vintage is one of freshness and elegance with slightly cooler temperatures in most regions making wines of vibrant acidity, lower alcohol and intense fruit character. High quality was ensured by the trademark long, sunny Okanagan fall with warm days to ripen the fruit balanced with cool nights to maintain the characteristic crisp BC acidity. (Media Preview) It was a very specific gathering in Victoria organized by Laura Kittmer of the BC Wine Institute. Have a look at the Vintage 2018 in BC from a winemaking viewpoint. The discussion included all 9 regions of BC. We took our seats at the Victoria Marriott, opened our notebooks and the winemaking panel took over the room. The Winemakers on the panel and on the show Bailey Williamson -Blue Grouse   In the heart of Vancouver Island Blue Grouse Estate Winery is a family-owned Cowichan Valley gem. The estate-grown wines are made by winemaker Bailey Williamson from transitional organic vineyards, and a second label, Quill, combines Island fruit with Okanagan fruit. Varietal wines include Ortega, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, and there is also a traditional method sparkling wine, “Paula” named after winery owners Paul and Cristina Brunner’s daughter. The wines are bright, crisp, and well-balanced, showcasing where they are grown. Bailey talks about his vineyards, the BG philosophy and these wines.. 2018 Rose(Gamay) 2018 Pinot Gris www.bluegrouse.ca Howard Soon – Vanessa Vineyard Vanessa Vineyard is located in one of the finest wine regions in Canada and is dedicated to producing wine that is true to the heritage of its terroir. Situated on the hillside overlooking the Similkameen Valley, Vanessa Vineyard grows its grapes on 75 acres of sloping, well drained rocky terrain. The vines grow in rows of rock, stressing the plants while absorbing the day heat and imparting that warmth during the cooler nights, contributing to the grapes’ unique character. Howard talks about …um…everything. That’s what we love about him. 2018 Rose (Syrah and Merlot) 2018 Viognier www.vanessavineyard.com Grant Stanley – Spearhead Winery Spearhead Winery is located near the top of Spiers Road on the bench lands of South East Kelowna. The focus is on premium quality wine which they produce from grapes grown on their estate vineyard and from selected Okanagan Valley vineyards. On our estate vineyard we grow Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling. About 80% of 15 acres of vines is comprised of Pinot Noir including four different Dijon clones, 2 California heritage clones and Pommard. They also draw from a number of other vineyards in the Okanagan including Golden Retreat in Summerland and Coyote Vineyard in W...

Meet the Makers – In Victoria!! The Show: It’s the Fifth annual Meet the Makers In Victoria – presented by Sara Park at Costal Craft Beverages. Sara has worked all over BC, and in 2003 she and her husband made a decision to relocate to Vancouver Island from the Okanagan. They’ve never looked back. “I have a real passion for working with local, BC, Craft Producers, and helping them grow their businesses. We have some of the most talented Winemakers, Distillers, Craft Brewers & Cider makers in North America – right here! I’ve met and work with incredibly knowledgeable and passionate people in this business. I feel very lucky to do what I do, and work on the west coast.” coastalcraftbeverages.com <http://coastalcraftbeverages.com/> Penelope Roche – Co-Owner and Co-Winemaker Roche Wines Dylan and Penelope Roche are very much the future of Okanagan Wines. They bring smarts, skill and character to everything they do.   Pénélope counts six generations of viticulture and winemaking at Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, the small family estate whose elegant wines rival the Crus Classés of Bordeaux. From oenology and viticulture studies in Bordeaux to winemaking in Spain, New Zealand and Australia, Pénélope brings to the Okanagan a profound and holistic understanding of the grapevine’s relationship with its environment, from a winemaker’s perspective. Pénélope is also a winegrowing consultant, and teaches viticulture at Okanagan College. “We consider ourselves as ‘vignerons’ in the truest meaning of the word, committed to crafting our wines from start to finish. Our priority is hands-on organic farming, with traditional French ‘savoir-faire’, to make exceptional wines which express unique Okanagan terroirs.” Dylan and PenelopeRoche https://www.rterroir.ca <https://www.rterroir.ca/> Kristen Needham – Founder Sea Cider Farm and Cider House “I am a sixth generation farmer, having inherited the family orchard in 1986. At the time, I wanted nothing to do with farming. “That changed in 2002 when Sea Cider was conceived. I replanted the family orchard in traditional English bittersweets and bitter sharps, planted a second orchard on my mother’s farm, then bought a third orchard where our cider house now stands. I went back to school, but this time it was cider school. In between cider courses, I made cider, planted apple trees and built a Ciderhouse. Finally, in 2007, after five years of preparation, I sold cider to my first customer. Nowadays I spend much of my time working on future plans for Sea Cider. We have grown a lot, learned a lot and made more than a few mistakes. Through it all, our aim has always been to build a family-owned, community-minded business rooted in farming.” We think that cider is for celebrating, and cider is WORTH celebrating. These words still ring true today.   You can find Kristen and Sea Cider right in the middle of BC Cider Week. Sunday at the Pipe Shop foot of Lonsdale North Vancouver, 30 plus cideries will be pouring.

Ben Bryant Hosts Mission Hill Winemakers Dinner – at Deane House Calgary THE SHOW Ben Bryant Chief Winemaker Mission Hill Ben Bryant, an Australian winemaker with an exceptional resumé, has joined Mission Hill Family Estates as chief winemaker. Joining the Mission Hill Family Estate <https://www.missionhillwinery.com/> last summer, Ben Bryant is looking to make his mark on the Okanagan wine scene. After growing up and gaining a masterful wine knowledge in New South Wales, Australia, Bryant refined his skills working throughout Asia before returning home to Australia where he served as chief winemaker for Jacob <http://www.jacobscreek.com/> ‘s Creek, St. Hugo <https://www.sthugo.com/> , and Wyndham Estate <https://www.georgewyndham.com/> . On his LinkedIn profile, Ben writes: “Pernod Ricard Winemakers is the global brand owner and distributor of premium wines from multiple countries of origin, including Jacob’s Creek, Wyndham Estate and St Hugo (Australia), Brancott Estate and Stoneleigh (New Zealand), Campo Viejo (Spain) and Graffigna (Argentina).” Ben succeeds another Australian, Darryl Brooker, now Mission Hill’s President , who in turn succeeded John Simes who retired in 2014 after running Mission Hill’s cellar since 1992. “I found Ben through contacts in Australia,” Darryl says. “It took me a year to convince him to come.” He succeeded after flying Ben and his wife to the Okanagan. Here, Ben was swept away by the Okanagan’s beauty, the winemaking opportunities and the passion of Mission Hill’s owner, Anthony von Mandl. “To me, it is endless opportunity that is untapped,” Ben says in an interview. “There is a fair element of personal challenge to come and put the place on the map. It is about the wine. You never find a region where you have two regions in one. You have the classic Bordeaux varieties in the south and then you have the Burgundian varieties in the north.” As well, the Bryant’s “have a young family and we want to expose them to international places. They lived in Asia with us. Canada is a country that is very similar to Australia in terms of societal values.” The 2018 vintage in the Okanagan got him off on the right foot. “Super impressed,” Ben says. “It was such a mild growing season that everything was able to ripen naturally. The Cabernet Sauvignon is an example: there is no green, there is no herbaceousness. There is a leafiness. Everything has amazingly fresh acid structure. There is a brightness and a purity to the fruit. It is the perfect vintage to start.” Mission Hill has landed a chief winemaker who, through the winery and its vineyards, will change winemaking in The Okanagan. Sal Howell – Owner Deane House and River Café Calgary Wonderful host and a true culinary visionary. Sal Howell is a successful restaurateur who has helped shape the culinary landscape in Western Canada.

THE SHOW   Jack : If they want to drink Merlot, we’re drinking Merlot. Miles Raymond : No, if anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any f#*king Merlot!   Somewhere on this website  is the famous Merlot scene from the film  Sideways, spoken with outrage and indignation by the sublime Paul Giamatti as Miles Raymond, failed writer and wine snob. The film came out in 2004 and the sales of Merlot dropped like a stone. In some markets it has  never really recovered. (Director and Writer Alexander Payne starts the show)   I had this nagging question hanging over me for a while now. Is BC Merlot being taken for granted? Has it lost its luster and ranking to the wine fan? The most planted grape in BC is Merlot  but, except for Vancouver Sun wine writer Tony Gismondi, I’m not seeing a lot articles or headlines on BC Merlot.     In the next hour you’ll hear from many of BC’s Best Merlot winemakers. Many of the questions are the same… Is Merlot being taken for granted? What was the effect of Sideways? What makes BC Merlot outstanding? When did you fall in love with this grape? Have we all changed our wine tastes? Many of the questions were the same ..but the answers were  all wildly different. Our 12   Merlot guests include: Alexander Payne – Screenwriter and Director of Sideways https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0668247/ Rhys Pender – Master of Wine   http://www.wineplus.ca/ Mary McDermott – Winemaker at Township 7  https://www.township7.com/ Mike Raffan – GM at Township 7   https://www.township7.com/ Phil McGahan – Winemaker at Checkmate Wines. (Winner: 2017  Judgement of BC) https://www.checkmatewinery.com/ Jeff Harder –  Co-Owner Ex Nihilo  https://exnihilovineyards.com/ Peter Lindenlaub –  Wagner Family Wines (Napa)  http://www.wagnerfamilyofwine.com/ Kane Morgan –  Co-Owner Rust Wine https://www.rustwine.com/ Joseph Luckhurst –  Managing Partner  Road 13  http://road13vineyards.com/ Larry Gerelus – Co-Owner  Stags Hollow  (OK Falls) https://stagshollowwinery.com/ Rob Summers – Senior Winemaker at Hester Creek  http://hestercreek.com/ Michael Bartier –  Co-owner  and Winemaker at Bartier Bros  http://www.bartierbros.com/   STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON Vintage 2019 – featuring Senka Tennant Terra Vista Grant Stanley Spearhead Howard Soon Vanessa Bailey Williamson Blue Grouse Meet the Makers – Victoria Kristen Needham – Sea Cider Jenny Garlini – Blue Grouse Stags Hollow – Keira Le Franc Roche Wine – Penelope Roche Fitzpatrick Family Wines – Gordon Fitzpatrick Ricco Bambino – Sebastien Hotte Sheringham Distillery – Jason MacIsaac A visit to Blue Grouse Ben Bryant- Chief winemaker Mission Hill Colin Linden – Singer and sipper          

The 9th annual Okanagan Falls Spring Releases  in Vancouver (a dozen  winery interviews and lots of new releases)  The SHOW  For 9 years the wineries of Okanagan Falls have gathered up their new Spring releases and headed for the West Coast. This year we find them at The Terminal City Club on Hastings. A grand heritage building. Funds raised go to BC Hospitality Foundation. From the northern tip of Skaha Lake to the hills above Vaseux Lake the Okanagan Falls wine region in the South Okanagan was blessed with the land that the  ice age left behind. When  the huge glacier came through and formed the valley, it managed to created  pools and hollows. Each one today has become its own growing terroir. A combination of silt and rock. Each vineyard can have a completely different expression of wine. Best of all, the days are hot and bright and the nights are cool. Possibly the best growing combination that nature can provide. In 2018, the B.C. Wine Authority gave Okanagan Falls their own sub-region designation. Oliver’s Golden Mile was the first local region to get appellation status. Similkameen,  Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland, Summerland, Naramata, Penticton, Oliver and Osoyoos — are expected to be recognized within the next few years.  The process is, in a word,  glacial! Our guests this week: Leslie D’Andrea – Vice Chair of OFWA   (OFWA.ca) Blasted Church – John Bayley Vineyard Manager (blastedchurch.com) Crescent Hill – Tysha  Pope – Family member (crescenthillwinery.com) Liquidity –  Ruth Hanbury President (Liquiditywines.com) Wild Goose – Leslie Matheson  marketing manager (winegoosewinery.com) Pentage – Julie Rennie  co-owner  (Pentage.com) Bonamicci – Mario Rodi  owner/partner (bonamiccicellars.com) Noble Ridge – Jim D’Andrea Owner/Chair  (nobleridge.com) Stag’s Hollow – Linda Pruegger  Owner (stagshollowwinery.com) BC Hospitality Foundation – Dana Lee Harris Exec Director (bchospitalityfoundation.com) Synchromesh – Alan Dickinson   Founder (synchromeshwines.ca) Meyer Family – Chris Carson  winemaker/viticulturist (MFVwines.com) Nighthawk – Christy Bibby  co-owner  (nighthawkvineyards.com)   www.OFWA.ca   STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON: Ben Bryant – Chief Winemaker at Mission Hill Sal Howell – Deane House Galasa Aden – CDC  Deane House Colin Linden – Wine Choices in Nashville

Alberto Antonini/Pedro Parra/Jane Ferrari/Brigitte Raye    THE SHOW Alberto Antonini –  Poggiotondo.  Tuscany, Italy Pedro Parra – Pedro Parra y Familia  Itata Valley, Chile  One of the top 5 wine consultants in the World, Alberto watches over many vineyards. They can be found in   Italy, the U.S., Argentina, Canada, Chile, Uruguay, Armenia and Australia. Alberto also consults for Okanagan Crush Pad, Haywire, Freeform, and Narrative in Summerland. Okanagan Crush Pad is a state-of-the-art 40,000 case winery, 320-acres of vineyard and farmland, with a focus on creating natural wines exclusively from organic grapes. With home vineyards Switchback and Garnet Valley Ranch now organic certified Haywire is  changing the game in the Okanagan.. Winemaking is in the capable hands of New Zealand native Matt Dumayne who works closely with Alberto Antonini. The entire team is committed to farming wines that are lively and elegant and let the natural beauty of the Okanagan Valley shine through. Alberto and Pedro Parra were pouring their wines in Vancouver recently in partnership with  Wine + Spirits the newest beverage alcohol sales agency in British Columbia.   Owned by Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie, who also own Okanagan Crush Pad winery in Summerland, the new agency will sell the Haywire and Narrative labels, and debuts with wineries from other countries:  Alberto’s Poggiotondo (Tuscany, Italy), and Pedro Parra y Familia, (Bio Bio, Chile). Coolshanagh  from Naramata  will also be a part of the HQ Wine + Spirits portfolio. Have a listen to Alberto Antonini.  Few on this planet know wine making better than him. His partner Pedro Parra is a soil whisperer. With his skills, he can tell the land owner exactly what they should be growing in the earth beneath their feet. Pedro poured his delicious Family wines.  Both Alberto’s and Pedro’s wines are now  available in BC. As expected, the wines are SPECTACULAR.  Best of all they are all Natural Wines. http://www.poggiotondowines.com/ https://thesourceimports.com/producers/pedro-parra-y-familia/ http://hq-wine.com/  Jane Ferrari –  The voice of Yalumba (Barossa, Australia) Jane is one of the World’s great storytellers and Yalumba is one great story. Yalumba is Australia’s oldest family owned winery. Right off the top,

Severine Pinte  Winemaker at La Stella/le Vieux Pin Ross Wise – New Winemaker at Black Hills Plus Pouring in Parksville    THE SHOW It’s the annual Untapped and Uncorked Craft Beer and Wine Festival in Parksville, Vancouver Island. The featured winemakers are the charming Severine Pintewho was pouring La Stella for a winemakers dinner at Beach Club Resort and for his first ever interview Ross Wise, the brand new winemaker at Black Hills.  Home of Note Bene. Before we get to those prime feature interviews..let’s head to the “untapped” part of the weekend.                 Dave Paul – Head Brewer/Owner Love Shack Libations We start with the craft beer makers at Tigh-Na-Mara and a guy I’ve been waiting a whole year to reconnect with.  When I interviewed Dave Paul from his Love Shack Libations, just up island from Qualicum Beach, he was about to pour his first beer at his first event EVER.  Like an opening night. Love Shack is a very popular small brewery that the locals all love and tourists are starting to discover. Dave makes a new beer every month..so depending on when you walk in,  your choices may be different from month to month. Dave was pouring his latest brew, with the zeal of a mad scientist. It’s called Juicy Juice – Northeast style hazy IPA.   Love Beer. Love Shack. www.loveshacklibations.com Dave Woodward –  Head Brewer Mount Arrowsmith Brewing  A local Dave headed to the UK to start his brewing education.  His career took him through the UK, 5 years at Whistler Brewing,  then Tofino Brewing and  Axe & Barrel Victoria. Mount Arrowsmith brings him full circle.  Back to where it all began. All that craftwork resulted in Mount Arrowsmith winning Best Amber Ale in the World, at the 2018 World Beer Awards.  https://arrowsmithbrewing.com/ Kev Ward – Wolf Brewing Nanaimo Kev Ward, a  Liverpool lad,   has been brew master  for about 6  years. First thing he did was change all the recipes. Wolf Brewing still uses old-school techniques in its brewing. Check out the line up. Golden Honey Ale, Porter, Scotch Ale, Black and Tan, IPA! He says “hey” to all his buds back in Liverpool listening on The Net!  http://www.wolfbrewingcompany.com/  Clay Potter –   Brew Master Moon Under Water Clay’s brewing career started at  University of Victoria for Biology & Chemistry and Heriot Watt University in Scotland for the Brewing & Distilling Master’s Program. He was lucky enough to work with and be mentored byPaul Hoyne. With his family, he took over the Moon Under Water Brewery in 2012. In 2014, Moon Brewery introduced two new programs: a sour series featuring the beloved Copper Kettle Sour, and line of limited-release barrel-aged beers, such as The Crow’s Nest. These highly-sought after beers are small-batched and aged for 18 month In December 2017, Clay opened a distillery within the brewery. The Moon Distillery has recently launched their first wave of products, featuring Citrus Gin, Orange Vodka and Espresso Vodka, all made with local malts, fruits and botanicals. http://ww.moonunderwater.ca/about.php  Ross Wise – Winemaker  Black Hills Eric Edwards – Executive Chef    Cedars @ Tigh-Na-Mara Black Hills is the home of one of Canada’s greatest wines Note Bene. A huge Bordeaux blend and a spectacular portfolio. It includes one of my three favourite BC wines, their Carmenere!   The sale of the winery to Peller sent the Canadian wine industry sideways. The new winemaker has to follow in the footsteps of the ...

Severine Pinte  Winemaker at La Stella/le Vieux Pin Ross Wise – New Winemaker at Black Hills Plus Pouring in Parksville    THE SHOW It’s the annual Untapped and Uncorked Craft Beer and Wine Festival in Parksville, Vancouver Island. The featured winemakers are the charming Severine Pintewho was pouring La Stella for a winemakers dinner at Beach Club Resort and for his first ever interview Ross Wise, the brand new winemaker at Black Hills.  Home of Note Bene. Before we get to those prime feature interviews..let’s head to the “untapped” part of the weekend.                 Dave Paul – Head Brewer/Owner Love Shack Libations We start with the craft beer makers at Tigh-Na-Mara and a guy I’ve been waiting a whole year to reconnect with.  When I interviewed Dave Paul from his Love Shack Libations, just up island from Qualicum Beach, he was about to pour his first beer at his first event EVER.  Like an opening night. Love Shack is a very popular small brewery that the locals all love and tourists are starting to discover. Dave makes a new beer every month..so depending on when you walk in,  your choices may be different from month to month. Dave was pouring his latest brew, with the zeal of a mad scientist. It’s called Juicy Juice – Northeast style hazy IPA.   Love Beer. Love Shack. www.loveshacklibations.com Dave Woodward –  Head Brewer Mount Arrowsmith Brewing  A local Dave headed to the UK to start his brewing education.  His career took him through the UK, 5 years at Whistler Brewing,  then Tofino Brewing and  Axe & Barrel Victoria. Mount Arrowsmith brings him full circle.  Back to where it all began. All that craftwork resulted in Mount Arrowsmith winning Best Amber Ale in the World, at the 2018 World Beer Awards.  https://arrowsmithbrewing.com/ Kev Ward – Wolf Brewing Nanaimo Kev Ward, a  Liverpool lad,   has been brew master  for about 6  years. First thing he did was change all the recipes. Wolf Brewing still uses old-school techniques in its brewing. Check out the line up. Golden Honey Ale, Porter, Scotch Ale, Black and Tan, IPA! He says “hey” to all his buds back in Liverpool listening on The Net!  http://www.wolfbrewingcompany.com/  Clay Potter –   Brew Master Moon Under Water Clay’s brewing career started at  University of Victoria for Biology & Chemistry and Heriot Watt University in Scotland for the Brewing & Distilling Master’s Program. He was lucky enough to work with and be mentored byPaul Hoyne. With his family, he took over the Moon Under Water Brewery in 2012. In 2014, Moon Brewery introduced two new programs: a sour series featuring the beloved Copper Kettle Sour, and line of limited-release barrel-aged beers, such as The Crow’s Nest. These highly-sought after beers are small-batched and aged for 18 month In December 2017, Clay opened a distillery within the brewery. The Moon Distillery has recently launched their first wave of products, featuring Citrus Gin, Orange Vodka and Espresso Vodka, all made with local malts, fruits and botanicals. http://ww.moonunderwater.ca/about.php  Ross Wise – Winemaker  Black Hills Eric Edwards – Executive Chef    Cedars @ Tigh-Na-Mara Black Hills is the home of one of Canada’s greatest wines Note Bene. A huge Bordeaux blend and a spectacular portfolio. It includes one of my three favourite BC wines, their Carmenere!   The sale of the winery to Peller sent the Canadian wine industry sideways. The new winemaker has to follow in the footsteps of the ...

Here come The Somms (4 of the best including Matt Landry  Sommelier of the Year)  THE SHOW  som·me·lier /ˌsəməlˈyā/ noun * a wine steward. A sommelier, or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, normally working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. The role in fine dining today is much more specialized and informed than that of a wine waiter. https://www.eater.com/drinks/2015/6/3/8723085/10-ways-to-spot-a-really-good-sommelier OK..now that we have the slightly snotty posting out of the way..let’s meet our handpicked Somms. Kurtis Kolt – It was KK’s wine column at the end of January  in the Georgia Straight that set this thing in motion. He was saluting the annual Sommelier competition at Rogers Arena.  On this show  Kurtis takes us through this year’s  tough competition. It not just what you know but how you handle the obstacles the judges throw at you. And what judges.. Cactus Club Café service director Sebastien Le Goff, B.C. Liquor Stores category manager and Master of Wine  Barbara Philip, and Joey Restaurant group sommelier Jason Yamasaki. They really do try to throw you off. For example they asked the winner Matt Landry to serve a magnum of champagne to 14 glasses and keep answering questions at the same time. Kurtis reveals the unseen side of being a Somm. The career appears glamorous but it’s a lot of mental and physical work. You REALLY want to have to do this. Kurtis also takes us through the background of two other Sommeliers he’s recommended for the show . Kurtis Kolt is an educator, wine judge,  consultant and a lapsed Sommelier. @KurtisKolt http://www.kurtiskolt.com/  https://www.straight.com/food/1194466/stable-house-bistros-matthew-landry-can-finally-call-himself-bcs-best-sommelier    Matt Landry  Stable House Bistro    GM. Wine/Beverage Director. Sommelier of the Year Three strikes you’re out! This was Matt’s third attempt at winning this prestigious competition. He takes us through why he felt he didn’t win the two previous times and what he thought he did this year to win the whole thing. He grew up in Niagara wine country and started as a server which lead to an opportunity to take over a wine list. He had no idea what he was doing but took the job anyway. Smart. He’s taken and passed  Italian and French wine classes. Thinking about Spain now. Because Stable House Bistro encourages a sharing menu..Matt has to be on his toes as to what he can pair with on those tables. Matt says that because the fine dining and wine of West is right round the corner he decided to take Stable House almost all Italian wines. Matt also mentions that in spite of the awards he has earned his greatest achievement may be “getting my Mother to stop drinking Two Oceans”  http://thestablehouse.ca/ Kristi Linneboe from L’Abattoir and Kelcie Jones from Chambar.  Kristi Lenneboe    Sommelier at  L’Abattoir   “My biggest turn-off in this industry is ego. It is impossible to know everything about wine, so why get all caught up in who knows more or who drank what? To be honest, the more I learn about wine, the more I realize how much more there is to know about wine. The study of wine is the study of the world – it is social, historical, political and environmental. Every day I learn something new about topography, geology, geography, climate change, sustainability, and so much more.

Here come The Somms (4 of the best including Matt Landry  Sommelier of the Year)  THE SHOW  som·me·lier /ˌsəməlˈyā/ noun * a wine steward. A sommelier, or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, normally working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. The role in fine dining today is much more specialized and informed than that of a wine waiter. https://www.eater.com/drinks/2015/6/3/8723085/10-ways-to-spot-a-really-good-sommelier OK..now that we have the slightly snotty posting out of the way..let’s meet our handpicked Somms. Kurtis Kolt – It was KK’s wine column at the end of January  in the Georgia Straight that set this thing in motion. He was saluting the annual Sommelier competition at Rogers Arena.  On this show  Kurtis takes us through this year’s  tough competition. It not just what you know but how you handle the obstacles the judges throw at you. And what judges.. Cactus Club Café service director Sebastien Le Goff, B.C. Liquor Stores category manager and Master of Wine  Barbara Philip, and Joey Restaurant group sommelier Jason Yamasaki. They really do try to throw you off. For example they asked the winner Matt Landry to serve a magnum of champagne to 14 glasses and keep answering questions at the same time. Kurtis reveals the unseen side of being a Somm. The career appears glamorous but it’s a lot of mental and physical work. You REALLY want to have to do this. Kurtis also takes us through the background of two other Sommeliers he’s recommended for the show . Kurtis Kolt is an educator, wine judge,  consultant and a lapsed Sommelier. @KurtisKolt http://www.kurtiskolt.com/  https://www.straight.com/food/1194466/stable-house-bistros-matthew-landry-can-finally-call-himself-bcs-best-sommelier    Matt Landry  Stable House Bistro    GM. Wine/Beverage Director. Sommelier of the Year Three strikes you’re out! This was Matt’s third attempt at winning this prestigious competition. He takes us through why he felt he didn’t win the two previous times and what he thought he did this year to win the whole thing. He grew up in Niagara wine country and started as a server which lead to an opportunity to take over a wine list. He had no idea what he was doing but took the job anyway. Smart. He’s taken and passed  Italian and French wine classes. Thinking about Spain now. Because Stable House Bistro encourages a sharing menu..Matt has to be on his toes as to what he can pair with on those tables. Matt says that because the fine dining and wine of West is right round the corner he decided to take Stable House almost all Italian wines. Matt also mentions that in spite of the awards he has earned his greatest achievement may be “getting my Mother to stop drinking Two Oceans”  http://thestablehouse.ca/ Kristi Linneboe from L’Abattoir and Kelcie Jones from Chambar.  Kristi Lenneboe    Sommelier at  L’Abattoir   “My biggest turn-off in this industry is ego. It is impossible to know everything about wine, so why get all caught up in who knows more or who drank what? To be honest, the more I learn about wine, the more I realize how much more there is to know about wine. The study of wine is the study of the world – it is social, historical, political and environmental. Every day I learn something new about topography, geology, geography, climate change, sustainability, and so much more.

The 41st VanWineFest Part Two (Wine Royalty & The Canadians)   THE SHOW   It’s part two of this year’s VanWineFest. Last week we profiled “The Californians”. Except for the first two interviews here,   the rest of this Tasting Room is with The Canadians.   Our Guests are:  Gina Gallo – Gallo Family Wines Jean Charles Boisset –  Boisset Collection.  Raymond Wines.  Separately they are iconic/driven personalities. Together as husband and wife  they are one of the best known  families in the Wine World. Gina is a member of the Gallo family, pioneers of wine-making in California. Jean-Charles is a French vintner and owner of Boisset Collection, which operates two dozen wineries in California, France and Canada.  Has created a wine with John Legend called LVE. Gina and Jean-Charles! Met. Married. Created Twins. Ran their Empires. All the while Gina Battled and Beat Back Cancer. Honoured to welcome them both. https://www.gallofamily.com https://www.boissetcollection.com/ Chris Wyse –   President. Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Chris is the oldest son of founders Jim and Midge Wyse. Today, with its dramatic vantage point in the middle of the vineyard, Burrowing Owl Estate Winery is a winemaking facility that combines state-of-the-art technologies with proven, classic winemaking traditions. A gravity-flow system handles ripe grapes delicately, preserving their rich fruit character. https://www.burrowingowlwine.ca Barry Olivier – President/Brands  Aquilini Red Mountain Wines Aquilini Wines   headed to the Vancouver Wine Festival to introduce themselves to Canada for the very first time. They were  pouring Aquilini Horse Heaven Hills Syrah Rose 2017 Aquilini Red Mountain’s Grand Vin is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon The Second Wine, Aquilini Red Mountain Family Blend,. The Family Blend is constructed of varying levels of Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot and occasionally Petit Verdot. (If you follow Barry and Aquilini, you’ll see the birth of a  wine icon.  This is a story that will be fun to watch unfold) https://aquiliniredmountain.com   John Skinner       Proprietor/ Painted Rock Matt Dumayne  Winemaker/Okanagan Crush Pad John Skinner is a leader in and out of the vineyards. “It is now 13 years since the planting of Painted Rock’s estate and the property is living up to its potential in every regard. Winning 2014/2015 InterVin International “Winery of the Year” and recent generous reviews in Jancis Robinson’s newsletter validate the progress made by the team and steel its resolve. At Painted Rock there is a firm belief that by aiming highly and working cooperatively, British Columbia wines can compete with the finest in the world.”   Painted Rock Website http://www.paintedrock.ca/ Matt Dumayne is the winemaking leader at Haywire, Free Form and Narrative. All at Okanagan Crush Pad. As well as making articulate wines from its organically-certified home Switchback Vineyard, Okanagan Crush Pad is designed as a hub for local winemakers. Heritage techniques, modern knowledge and the spirit of collaboration fuse to form a vanguard for the Okanagan’s next generation of winemaking. Okanagan Crush Pad’s labels include the single vineyard Haywire collection, Narrative series and Campus wines. http://okanagancrushpad.com/   Chris Jentsch – Owner/Farmer CC Jentsch Cellars Valeria Tait –  GM and Winemaker  Bench 1775,     Wines from Bench 1775 are produced with the unique expression of fruit grown in the Okanagan Valle...

The 41st VanWineFest Part Two (Wine Royalty & The Canadians)   THE SHOW   It’s part two of this year’s VanWineFest. Last week we profiled “The Californians”. Except for the first two interviews here,   the rest of this Tasting Room is with The Canadians.   Our Guests are:  Gina Gallo – Gallo Family Wines Jean Charles Boisset –  Boisset Collection.  Raymond Wines.  Separately they are iconic/driven personalities. Together as husband and wife  they are one of the best known  families in the Wine World. Gina is a member of the Gallo family, pioneers of wine-making in California. Jean-Charles is a French vintner and owner of Boisset Collection, which operates two dozen wineries in California, France and Canada.  Has created a wine with John Legend called LVE. Gina and Jean-Charles! Met. Married. Created Twins. Ran their Empires. All the while Gina Battled and Beat Back Cancer. Honoured to welcome them both. https://www.gallofamily.com https://www.boissetcollection.com/ Chris Wyse –   President. Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Chris is the oldest son of founders Jim and Midge Wyse. Today, with its dramatic vantage point in the middle of the vineyard, Burrowing Owl Estate Winery is a winemaking facility that combines state-of-the-art technologies with proven, classic winemaking traditions. A gravity-flow system handles ripe grapes delicately, preserving their rich fruit character. https://www.burrowingowlwine.ca Barry Olivier – President/Brands  Aquilini Red Mountain Wines Aquilini Wines   headed to the Vancouver Wine Festival to introduce themselves to Canada for the very first time. They were  pouring Aquilini Horse Heaven Hills Syrah Rose 2017 Aquilini Red Mountain’s Grand Vin is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon The Second Wine, Aquilini Red Mountain Family Blend,. The Family Blend is constructed of varying levels of Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot and occasionally Petit Verdot. (If you follow Barry and Aquilini, you’ll see the birth of a  wine icon.  This is a story that will be fun to watch unfold) https://aquiliniredmountain.com   John Skinner       Proprietor/ Painted Rock Matt Dumayne  Winemaker/Okanagan Crush Pad John Skinner is a leader in and out of the vineyards. “It is now 13 years since the planting of Painted Rock’s estate and the property is living up to its potential in every regard. Winning 2014/2015 InterVin International “Winery of the Year” and recent generous reviews in Jancis Robinson’s newsletter validate the progress made by the team and steel its resolve. At Painted Rock there is a firm belief that by aiming highly and working cooperatively, British Columbia wines can compete with the finest in the world.”   Painted Rock Website http://www.paintedrock.ca/ Matt Dumayne is the winemaking leader at Haywire, Free Form and Narrative. All at Okanagan Crush Pad. As well as making articulate wines from its organically-certified home Switchback Vineyard, Okanagan Crush Pad is designed as a hub for local winemakers. Heritage techniques, modern knowledge and the spirit of collaboration fuse to form a vanguard for the Okanagan’s next generation of winemaking. Okanagan Crush Pad’s labels include the single vineyard Haywire collection, Narrative series and Campus wines. http://okanagancrushpad.com/   Chris Jentsch – Owner/Farmer CC Jentsch Cellars Valeria Tait –  GM and Winemaker  Bench 1775,     Wines from Bench 1775 are produced with the unique expression of fruit grown in the Okanagan Valle...

The 41st VanWineFest Part One – The Californians! By the Numbers.. • Over 25,000 wine fans • 16 countries • 160 wineries; including 53 from featured region California • 50 participating restaurants, hotels, caterers • 1,450 wines. • 42,000 bottles poured and/or purchased (2018 stats) • 82,000 wine glasses used (2018 stats) Our Numbers … 32 interviews.. 25 winemakers 7 CEO’s or General Managers. Sleepless nights – 2 Hours budgeted for all interviews – 3 Minutes to missing last Harbour Air flight – 1 THE SHOW 41 years ago the Vancouver International Wine Festival opened their doors to the World’s wineries. Only one showed up. Robert Mondavi brought his California wines to pour that day. Some say California saved the show. And so, here we are 41 years later and California is the feature region at the 41st VanWineFest. What a line up. We couldn’t talk to them all but we did do pretty well. Seventeen Californians and one certain Washington Red Mountain newbie. Have a favourite California wine? Check the list below. See if it’s there or see if it’s there but go looking for a new California pal. FYI – Next Week Gina Gallo. Jean Charles Boisset and 15 Canadian winemakers Jon Bonne – Keynote Speaker. Author of The New Wine Rules Here’s why I immediately liked Jon Bonne. “ Not all pink wine need be Summer water But Whispering Angel should be cast into some Miltonian iteration of Hell” Jon Bonné is one of the most influential American voices on wine. He is the senior contributing editor for PUNCH, and the author of The New California Wine and The New Wine Rules. www.punchdrink.com Bob Blue – Founding Winemaker at Bonterra, 1000 Stories and Elysian Collection. In 2016 the Wine Enthusiast awarded Bonterra as its American Winery of the Year because of its commitment to organic farming and it’s quality of affordable wines. Bonterra is the most popular organic wine in the USA. Fetzer’s bourbon-barrel-aged Zinfandel 1000 Stories debuted in 2014. In the five years since, production has exploded from 5,000 cases to more than 140,000 annually! www.bonterra.com www.fetzer.com Craig McAllister – Winemaker at La Crema A New Zealand native, McAllister earned a bachelor’s degree in viticulture and enology from Lincoln University in Christchurch, New Zealand. His deep passion for winemaking has taken him all over the world, from New Zealand to Australia, Chile and Cyprus. Since moving to California, in addition to his work with La Crema, McAllister has also made wine for Wild Ridge, crafting elegant Pinot Noir from vineyards on the rugged Sonoma Coast. www.lacrema.com Randy Lange – Owner Lange Twins Randy Lange is a fifth-generation winegrower. During the 1870’s his Great-Grandparents, Johann and Maria Lange, settled in Lodi. By 1916 they had the family’s first grape-ranch. It was on this ranch where their dad, Harold, was born in 1920. In 1974 they decided to farm on our own. They finally built Lange Twins winery in 2006. FYI – Lange Lodi vineyard produces spicy old-vine Zinfandel, concentrated Bordeaux-style wines and lively Rhone-style reds and whites—many from organically or sustainably farmed vineyards. www.langetwins.com Ondine Chattan – Chief Winemaker Share a Slash/Cannonball/Cowboys and Angels High Dive and Astrolabe Ondine is a passionate Sonoma County winemaker with experience ranging from cult boutique producers to notable household name brands. Her love of the diversity of Sonoma and California at large fuels her enthusiasm for makin...

The 41st VanWineFest Part One – The Californians! By the Numbers.. • Over 25,000 wine fans • 16 countries • 160 wineries; including 53 from featured region California • 50 participating restaurants, hotels, caterers • 1,450 wines. • 42,000 bottles poured and/or purchased (2018 stats) • 82,000 wine glasses used (2018 stats) Our Numbers … 32 interviews.. 25 winemakers 7 CEO’s or General Managers. Sleepless nights – 2 Hours budgeted for all interviews – 3 Minutes to missing last Harbour Air flight – 1 THE SHOW 41 years ago the Vancouver International Wine Festival opened their doors to the World’s wineries. Only one showed up. Robert Mondavi brought his California wines to pour that day. Some say California saved the show. And so, here we are 41 years later and California is the feature region at the 41st VanWineFest. What a line up. We couldn’t talk to them all but we did do pretty well. Seventeen Californians and one certain Washington Red Mountain newbie. Have a favourite California wine? Check the list below. See if it’s there or see if it’s there but go looking for a new California pal. FYI – Next Week Gina Gallo. Jean Charles Boisset and 15 Canadian winemakers Jon Bonne – Keynote Speaker. Author of The New Wine Rules Here’s why I immediately liked Jon Bonne. “ Not all pink wine need be Summer water But Whispering Angel should be cast into some Miltonian iteration of Hell” Jon Bonné is one of the most influential American voices on wine. He is the senior contributing editor for PUNCH, and the author of The New California Wine and The New Wine Rules. www.punchdrink.com Bob Blue – Founding Winemaker at Bonterra, 1000 Stories and Elysian Collection. In 2016 the Wine Enthusiast awarded Bonterra as its American Winery of the Year because of its commitment to organic farming and it’s quality of affordable wines. Bonterra is the most popular organic wine in the USA. Fetzer’s bourbon-barrel-aged Zinfandel 1000 Stories debuted in 2014. In the five years since, production has exploded from 5,000 cases to more than 140,000 annually! www.bonterra.com www.fetzer.com Craig McAllister – Winemaker at La Crema A New Zealand native, McAllister earned a bachelor’s degree in viticulture and enology from Lincoln University in Christchurch, New Zealand. His deep passion for winemaking has taken him all over the world, from New Zealand to Australia, Chile and Cyprus. Since moving to California, in addition to his work with La Crema, McAllister has also made wine for Wild Ridge, crafting elegant Pinot Noir from vineyards on the rugged Sonoma Coast. www.lacrema.com Randy Lange – Owner Lange Twins Randy Lange is a fifth-generation winegrower. During the 1870’s his Great-Grandparents, Johann and Maria Lange, settled in Lodi. By 1916 they had the family’s first grape-ranch. It was on this ranch where their dad, Harold, was born in 1920. In 1974 they decided to farm on our own. They finally built Lange Twins winery in 2006. FYI – Lange Lodi vineyard produces spicy old-vine Zinfandel, concentrated Bordeaux-style wines and lively Rhone-style reds and whites—many from organically or sustainably farmed vineyards. www.langetwins.com Ondine Chattan – Chief Winemaker Share a Slash/Cannonball/Cowboys and Angels High Dive and Astrolabe Ondine is a passionate Sonoma County winemaker with experience ranging from cult boutique producers to notable household name brands. Her love of the diversity of Sonoma and California at large fuels her enthusiasm for makin...

41st Van Wine Fest features California Wines – So Do We! THE SHOW Thursday Feb 28 Tasting Room Radio sets up a mobile studio at Vancouver International Wine Festival to record 35 winemaker interviews. It’s the wine version of an All-Star Game. First half: all Californian Second half  Canada, mostly BC. Those interviews will run for the next several weeks. We’re starting by going back to last week’s wine stars. In order to get everyone into the show plus include The Somms and Oscar specials I had to edit their interviews down to a hand full of minutes. Not This Week. Here are the feature interviews with: Joel Peterson – Ravenswood. Chief Winemaker & The Godfather of Zin. Inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame. One of the leaders in preserving the heritage Zin vines of California. Joel is a true California winemaking Icon and a tremendous person. https://www.ravenswoodwinery.com/ #VIWF IS ON Melissa Stackhouse – Meiomi. Head Winemaker The name Meiomi means “coast” and the brand’s winemaker, Melissa Stackhouse works with coastal vineyards to create one of the most popular Pinots in Canada (and of course The USA)   Born and raised in Michigan, Melissa worked for a number of years at a newspaper in Bellingham, so she’s familiar with Vancouver and its food scene. Graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Viticulture and Enology at the University of California Davis and her wine career was started. She worked her way through cellars at La Crema, J Vineyards Winery and Clos de Bois. That’s a lot of harvests. I’m really looking forward to her plans for Meiomi Bubble. https://www.meiomi.com/ Tom Gore – Farmer and Winemaker Tom Gore Vineyards Tom Gore is a second-generation grape farmer from Sonoma County and from the time he learned to walk, he was stomping alongside his dad, getting dirty and taking care of the grapes. For Tom Gore, farming isn’t a profession, it’s a way of life. His family helped develop the vineyards of Northern California into a world-class winemaking region, and Tom’s childhood was spent among the vines.     He has worked every harvest since he was seven years old, and has always known farming grapes would be his life’s work. He also has a wicked sense of humor. He’s funny. His wines are serious. https://www.tomgorevineyards.com/ Mark de Vere Robert Mondavi Wines Who better to speak to the history and legacy of Robert Mondavi than Master of Wine Mark de Vere? Robert Mondavi was one of just a handful of California winemakers who became a household name in the 20th century. He and his wife Margrit were one of the founding families of the wine culture in the Napa Valley. Some would argue, the founding family. One of their original vineyards To Kalon is considered equal to a Grand Cru vineyard. Google Robert Mondavi. It’s a huge story. And even though it’s not yet imported into Canada, try to get your hands on their Cab Franc. WoW! NEXT WEEK – 12 of the very best wine stars from California (Part One) STORIES WE ARE WORKING ON: 41ST Vancouver international wine festival 18 Californians. Winemakers and Owners And 15 Canadians. Winemakers and owners Uncorked and Untapped in Parksville Black Hills pours new releases. La Stella leans Italian! Vancouver Somms Okanagan Falls Wineries pour new releases in Vancouver Brigitte Raye Orto Astisan Pasta (bad dog bread) North Vancouver