Heads UP/VanWineFest/BC Cider Week/Wine & Oyama Sausage/1000 stories
Making plans for the run-up to Holidays or for early 2019?
We have three stories for you. A primer of the next VanWineFest, also advance notice on the 3rd BC Cider festival and a check in on the amazing December to be had at the wildly popular Oyama Sausage at Granville Market. Joanne Sasvari editor of Vitis will pair wines with Oyama’s legendary offerings.
And we finish with Bob Blue, maker of a Bourbon aged Zin called 1000 stories. Ready?
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The SHOW
Harry Hertscheg – (Executive Director of 41st Vancouver International Wine Festival)
Vancouver International Wine Festival has been described as “the largest wine festival in the Americas” with 25,000+ admissions. It is Canada’s premier wine show and widely considered to be one of the best wine events in the world. At age 41, it is also among the oldest. Its slogan is “The Wine World is Here”. For the past six years, VIWF has been voted the #1 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event in Canada by New York’s BizBash.
Harry Hertscheg
41st annual (founded 1979)
8 days, Feb 23-Mar 3 (Bacchanalia Gala, Feb 23)
25,000+ admissions
16 countries
160 wineries; including 53 from featured region California
54 events (20 are California events)
1,500 wines projected, including an estimated:
42,000 bottles poured and/or purchased.
Harry Hertscheg is the perfect guy to guest here as he loves his WineFest numbers plus he’s been on TRR many times and we seem to have developed a “shorthand” in getting through all the information the festival contains.
Most importantly, California is the featured wine region this year. After all the fires, droughts then floods they could use all the love we have to offer.
Remember, one of the ways we can help them recover from the disasters is to buy their wines and send our support. California is the single most popular wine region in BC. Now is when they need us most.
But first, you have to have a ticket to get in. Harry has some ideas for you.
Shawn Pisio – (Organizer/Co-Founder of BC Cider Week)
When he’s not organizing BC Cider Week, Shawn and his team run TXOTX – (pronounced Choech) which is Basque for “to drink cider from a barrel”
One of my highlights of 2018 waas attending, tasting and doing interviews at The Pipe Shop, foot of onsdale in North Vancouver.
It’s one of the few shipbuilding rooms still standing.
30 plus cider makers all pouring their very best. So many stories and tales.
Cider has just exploded in popularity. One of the people responsible is Shawn Pisio (and Rich Massey) who has a passion for cider than knows no bounds.
So, just like the VanWineFest, the BC Cider Week is fast approaching from April 26th to May 5. The last day, May 5th, is the third gathering of cider makers at The Pipe Shop but Shawn also has info on two cider events in Kelowna and two on Vancouver Island at Tod Creek and Sea Cider.
300 Vancouver early bird tickets sold out in 45 minutes. BUT there’s more coming in January.
Shawn is here to tell you all about it.
Christmas in Oyama
Jerome Dudicourt (Manager of Oyama Sausage. Granville Market)
jerome dudicourt – oyama
Joanne Sasvari (Editor of Vitis and Vancouver Eats cookbook)
For many of us, Christmas really doesn’t start until we stand in line at the Oyama Sausage Counter at Granville Market.
Most line-ups are a pain but at Oyama you need the wait time to check out every square inch of food displayed in the coolers..glorious cheeses, amazing sausages, pate to-die-for, smoked wild Boar, Porcini Mushroom pate, Toulouse Sausages, sweet ham, game everywhere. The signage is fun and informative.
Our first guest is Jerome Dudicourt, the manager & trained chef who speaks of his store like it’s priceless, which it is.
And then Joanne Sasvari the editor of Vitis comes into the picture with her wine choices to go with Jerome’s December specials.
From Vancouver Island to the Okanagan Valley, B.C. wine is rapidly gaining global attention for its quality, diversity and innovation.
Vitis aims to capture the excitement by telling the stories of wineries and the passionate people that own and operate them, as well as offering accessible insights into the finer points of wine and current trends.
Keep a notepad handy..there’s something here for everyone.
FYI –
Many meat and cheese lovers from across the Lower Mainland make an annual pilgrimage to the Granville Island shop before celebrating the holidays with family and friends. Here are some of the highlights of the coming month.
Swedish Ham Tasting – Friday, Nov, 30th and Saturday, Dec. 1st
For two days only, Oyama will offer complimentary samples of its legendary Swedish Hams. The hams are perfect for holiday tables and often sell out, but customers can reserve theirs in advance to avoid disappointment.
Game Weekend – Thursday, Dec. 6th to Sunday, Dec. 9th
On this weekend the shop will offer dozens of handmade game specialties – everything from Lapin Maison Terrine to Goose Prosciutto to Wild Boar Prosciutto. The unique flavours and textures make show stopping charcuterie boards for festive entertaining, as well as providing easy and convenient lunches and snacks during the busy holiday season.
Christmas and New Year’s 2018
Oyama will again make a range of special creations for the holidays, including Pate en Croute, Sec Ardennes, and Wild Boar Galantine. The shop’s full list of offerings may be found at www.oyamasausage.ca from December 1st onward.
Starting December 15th, the shop will open its Fast Lane service, allowing customers who placed their entire order in advance to bypass the regular counter.
Bob Blue – Founding Winemaker at Bonterra and 1000 Stories
Iconic winemaker Bob Blue on the phone from Mendocino. Bob is showcasing his most recent project – 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel-aged Zinfandel
A graduate from UC-Davis, Bob is considered a pioneer in the organic wine arena and is the founding winemaker for Bonterra, America’s #1 Organic wine. Bob was mentored by Paul Dolan and Dennis Martin and traveled to Bordeaux, Burgundy, Australia and the Rhone to broaden his sense of style. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Drinks Business Green Awards in 2014, recognizing him for his 25-year commitment to the highest standards of organic viticulture.
Bonterra
1000 stories opens with vanilla and cherries, hints of barnyard. A sweet attack followed quickly by pepper, cooking spices, vanilla? AND Twizzler. (Liquorice)
By the time you taste that first mouthful you are engaged. Welcome to BC Bob!! http://www.1000storieswines.com/
The second half of the interview is all about Organic wines..their growth and rise in popularity.
Because Bob has been an industry leader in organic wines for almost 30 years he’s the guy to talk to about how organic wines won all of us over.
Winery of the Year in 2014 from Wine Enthusiast.
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STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:
The Forks food and wine program in Winnipeg
Holiday Wines and Gifts.
