July 18th, 2020 Rathjen Cellars. Jim Cuddy Wines. Moon Curser, The Best Small Winery on Canada
Summary: <br> Rathjen Cellars. Jim Cuddy Wines. Moon Curser, The Best Small Winery in Canada<br> <br> THE SHOW<br> In addition to planting their own vineyard in 2016, Mike Rathjen leases five other established vineyards on the Saanich Peninsula, all of which provided grapes to former wineries in the area. Mike is honoured to work with some of the oldest vineyards on Vancouver Island and he’s excited with the quality of wine coming from these vines.<br> <br> Mike Rathjen moved to Vancouver Island in 2011 with a passion for wine, farming and food culture. Over the next five years he honed his winemaking skills in his basement (AKA the ‘Wine Bunker’) while building relationships in the local farming community.<br> Together with his friend and business partner Colin Mann, Mike founded Rathjen Cellars in 2016 with a business model based off leased farmland and a focus on supporting the local food system.<br> Rathjen Cellars source all of their fruit from six vineyards on the Saanich Peninsula and two vineyards in the Cowichan Valley.<br> <br> I’ve always been impressed with the wines I’ve tasted from Mike and I think you will be too! Tasting and talking about their Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir. Yum.<br> <a href="https://rathjencellars.com/">https://rathjencellars.com/</a><br> Jim Cuddy – Cuddy Wines by Tawse<br> Paul Pender – Tawse Winemaker<br> Jim Cuddy does not like Rosé !<br> But he basically likes everything else.<br> As you know, Jim is the co-writer and co-singer with Blue Rodeo, The leader of the Jim Cuddy Band and recipient of The Order of Canada.<br> When he decided to put his name on a wine bottle he was smart enough to partner with one of the very best names in Canadian wine. Tawse Wines.<br> They’ve release a Chardonnay, Cab/Merlot and Sparkling Riesling. No Rosé .<br> We talk about that and other wines. AND we also talk to his winemaker Paul Pender.<br> <br> <a href="https://www.tawsewinery.ca/cuddy-by-tawse/">https://www.tawsewinery.ca/cuddy-by-tawse/</a><br> <a href="http://www.bluerodeo.com/">www.bluerodeo.com</a><br> <a href="http://www.jimcuddy.com/">www.jimcuddy.com</a><br> <a href="https://www.tourismcowichan.com/cowichan-valley-wine-festival/"></a><br> Chris Tolley – Co-Owner/Co-Winemaker Moon Curser Wines.<br> Moon Curser won the 2019 Wine Align Best Small performing Winery in Canada.<br> Moon Curser – Best Small Winery in Canada<br> <br> At the end of the competition, the winery walked away with several medals led by a Platinum for its remarkable ode to the Douro Valley, the <a href="https://www.winealign.com/wines/115780-Moon-Curser-Touriga-Nacional-2017">2017 Touriga Nacional</a>. They followed that up with six gold medals for a <a href="https://www.winealign.com/wines/115779-Moon-Curser-Tannat-2015">2015 Tannat</a>, think Uruguay; <a href="https://www.winealign.com/wines/115773-Moon-Curser-Dolcetto-2018">2018 Dolcetto</a>, that’s Italy; a <a href="https://www.winealign.com/wines/116468-Moon-Curser-Malbec-2017">2017 Malbec</a>, that’s Argentina; a <a href="https://www.winealign.com/wines/115774-Moon-Curser-Tempranillo-2017">2017 Tempranillo</a>, a nod to Spain; a <a href="https://www.winealign.com/wines/115776-Moon-Curser-Petit-Verdot-2017">2017 Petit Verdot</a> a classic from Bordeaux; and one final gold for a <a href="https://www.winealign.com/wines/115778-Moon-Curser-Dead-Of-Night-2017">2017 Dead of Night,</a> a blend of Syrah and Tannat.<br> <br> “Well, you get the picture, this is one very different producer, and in many ways, a poster child for what we always hoped would be the kind of innovative, family estate winery that would grab the title of the Best Performing Small Winery in Canada.<br> All that is left for you to do is try the wine and eventually visit the winery to experience what the Tolleys did when they first got into the business, something new and intriguing and most of all different....
