Dan Wright – Winemaker Unsworth unsworthvineyards.com
Bailey Williamson – Winemaker Blue Grouse bluegrouse.ca
Dan Wright
Jim Moody
Lorin Inglis-tdm Enrico
Bailey Williamson
Tony Stewart – CEO Quails Gate Estate Winery (West Kelowna)
The news came as a wonderful surprise to many.
Quails gate Winery
Two beloved BC wine families have come together, with an eye and considerable heart on the future.
The Stewart Family at Quails Gate (N. Okanagan) has leased 30 acres of Black Sage Road vineyards from Julie and Lanny Martiniuk at Stoneboat. (South Okanagan)
Tony Stewart
After replanting and pollination, just think of the wonderful wines that will appear on our shelves in about 4-5 years..
I love the fact that two iconic BC wine families have enough trust and respect to make this partnership work.
Tony Stewart explains the details. Truly hope there’s more of these kinds of stories.
While I had Tony’s attention, I asked about new releases from Quails Gate.
Fairview Cellars – Danielle and Dermott Hutton New Co-owners (Golden Mile)
Bill Eggert and the Hutton Family
Fairview Cellars was the home and consuming passion of Bill Eggert.
Bill Eggert
A legendary winemaker who at one point in his life, was teaching winemaking at the valley college. Fair to say, he kept some of his secrets to himself.
Several years ago Bill let it be known that he was looking for new owners so he could move on to the next chapter of his life..
It took considerable time but he found them in Danielle and Dermott Hutton.
Danielle became the GM and Dermott learned how to get along with a tractor and farm vineyards.
Now the vineyard has changed hands. Good hands.
Bill simply would not sell his beloved vineyards to just anyone.
We’ll talk to Bill Eggert down the road but right now it’s the Hutton Show.
They’ll explain how it all came together and then walk me through the new releases.
Sending love to the great tasting room manager – Mindy Ward.
Like all other events in our day-to-day lives, there was no Top Drop during the pandemic.
However, Top Drop wine fans are a very loyal bunch and I never thought for a minute that there might never be another Top Drop.
Why the loyalty?
“The one wine tasting of the year you shouldn’t miss”
Western Living Magazine
Kurtis Kolt and his partners have dedicated themselves to finding and inviting wineries that display a sense of place and craft.
Kurtis Kolt
A great many are organic and all farm sustainably. Some are large but many are small and finding them is like finding a prize.
The participants are so thoroughly vetted, that it makes the invited list feel like an all-star game.
The two-day event took place May 10 & 11 in the very comfortable surroundings at The Roundhouse in Yaletown. 40 international wineries pouring!
As usual, I couldn’t get to everyone in the room. But I did stalk and talk to :
Bella Wines – Jay Drysdale (Naramata Bench) A stellar sparkling wine house focused on single-vineyard expressions. Especially Gamay.
Creek & Gully Cider – Annelise Simonsen and Alyssa Hubert (Naramata Bench) A family farm, 65 acres of Organic Apples. They use apples deemed “undesirable”
Ciders are proudly unfined, unfiltered, and ambiently fermented in the bottle and can. We also talk about saving Okanagan orchards.
Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards – Gordon Fitzpatrick. (Summerland) Focused on traditional method sparkling wine. From 40 acres of vines separated into 12 smaller blocks.
Hedges Family Estate – Christophe Hedges (Red Mountain. Washington) Farmers first, winemakers second, the Hedges Family were pioneers of the modern Washington Wine Industry. Christophe leads the next generation.
Lightning Rock Winery – Jordan Kubek Winemaker (Summerland) Creating electric, juicy wines. Jordan and Tyler desire to express each vineyard in the glass.
Martin’s Lane Winery – Shane Munn Winemaker (East Kelowna) Pinot and Riesling only. Vineyards are farmed and certified organic. Gravity-fed winery. Outstanding wines and winery.
Okanagan Crush Pad – Darryl Brooker New CEO and Matt Dumayne. Winemaker. (Summerland) What a success story is Okanagan Crush Pad. Creating their own wines Haywire, Narrative, and Free Form. Concrete tanks, native yeasts, and no messing with the wines.
Orofino – John and Virginia Weber. Winemaker & Co-owners (Similkameen Valley) Minimal intervention in the solar-powered, strawbale winery. Premium wines that John described as “gulp able”. From beautiful Rieslings to knockout Syrah plus Outstanding vineyards in a spectacular valley. It all adds up to Orofino!
Terravista Vineyards – Nadine Allander Winemaker (Naramata Bench) Producers of small-lot specialty white wines including Spanish varietals: Albarino and Verdejo plus French beauties Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier. A tribute to the vineyards and those who planted them.
Ursa Major Winery – Rajen Toor Owner/Principal. (South Okanagan. Black Sage Bench) Organically farmed vineyards on prime land. Working with many varietals but especially Bordeaux grapes to see if they can showcase a different side of the grape. Much buzz about this winery.
Owen Knowlton – Stable House Award-winning Wine Director. Pouring Wines of Bordeaux
Kurtis Kolt – Co-Founder of Top Drop Vancouver and Wine Educator
On May 10th and 11th, Top Drop Vancouver returns, with a continued focus on sustainably-farmed, handcrafted wines offering a distinct sense of place, without heavy-handed winemaking trickery to get in the way.
Top Drop is now in its seventh year.
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Over two days, Top Drop offers Vancouver’s wine professionals and enthusiasts unique events and opportunities. As Top Drop’s flagship experience, The Main Event is a walk-around, grazing-style tasting where attendees can enjoy sips and stories from the principals of 40 participating international wineries.
The Main Event will take place from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 10 and 11, at Yaletown’s Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre (181 Roundhouse Mews). A full list of event participants follows, and can be found at TopDrop.ca. Tickets are $125 until they’re sold out, and available online at TopDrop.ca.
Event proceeds go to the BC Hospitality foundation, an organization providing financial support to individuals from the hospitality industry facing a major medical crisis.
Top Drop’s annual grand tasting features dozens of international, terroir-focused wineries and the people behind the wines.
Kurtis will be talking about the wines that are starred ***
Aldegheri, Valpolicella, Italy
w/ Jane Glees, Export Director
Anselmi, Soave, Veneto, Italy
w/ Lisa Anselmi, Family Proprietor
***Ashes & Diamonds, Napa Valley, California, USA
w/ Kashy Khaledi, Proprietor + Owner
Averill Creek Vineyard, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
w/ Brent Rowland, Winemaker
***Azienda Agricola Bruna Grimaldi , Piedmont, Italy
w/ Martina Fiorino, Family Proprietor + Sales Manager
***Bella Wines, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Jay Drysdale, Owner + Winemaker
***Benjamin Bridge, Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada
w/ Jean-Benoit Deslauriers, Winemaker
***Chiorri Perugia, Umbria, Italy
w/ Francesco Strangis, Proprietor + Winemaker
***Creek & Gully Cider, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Annelise Simonsen, Proprietor + Director
Elk Cove, Gaston, Oregon, USA
w/ Cam Christie, Director Of Distribution & Sales
***Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Gordon Fitzpatrick, President
***Free Form by Okanagan Crush Pad, Okanagan Valley, Canada
w/ Matt Dumayne, Chief Winemaker
***Gekkeikan, Folsom, California, USA
w/ Koichi Murakami, VP of Sales & Marketing
***Hedges Family Estate, Red Mountain, Washington, USA
w/ Christophe Hedges, General Manager
***Lightning Rock Winery, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Jordan Kubek, Winegrower
***Long Shadows, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA
w/ Dane Narbaitz, Director of Sales & Marketing
***Marchesi Di Barolo, Piedmont, Italy
w/ Valentina Abbona, Family Member + Ambassador
***Martin’s Lane Winery, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Shane Munn, Winemaker
Medici Ermete, Reggio Emilia, Italy
w/ Ermes Scardova, Export Director
Mirafiore, Piedmont, Italy
w/ Chiara Destefanis, Export Area Manager
Susana Balbo Wines, Mendoza, Argentina
w/ German Pungitore, General Manager
***Synchromesh Wines, Okanagan Falls, BC, Canada
w/ Alan Dickinson, Proprietor + Winemaker + Farmer
Just know, they’re making everything in small batch productions. As soon as you taste these delicious wines, this piece of information becomes important. They will go quickly. Think about joining their wine club.
We welcome Joel and Linda because dreams DO come true.
Stillhead Distillery Inc. opened its doors in October of 2017, founded by the Colebank family, husband and wife team Erica and Brennan, along with parents Christal and Ron.
Brennan Colebank graduated from UNBC with a Bachelor of Computer Science degree..
After working almost 15 years in the tech industry, Brennan left his job to pursue his dream career blending the two things he loved most; chemistry and whisky!
Four years later, the Stillhead team has grown from a family of 4 to a team of 9, with each year showing more potential and room to grow.
stillhead distilling
Stillhead’s vision is to reflect the essence of island living in their brand and all of their spirits. By adding distinct Vancouver Island ingredients to their products, they’ve provided a way to showcase and express the spirit of this wonderful area they call home, in every bottle.
I tasted my way through 6 small sample bottles of Stillhead
Several “old” releases…
Rye Whisky – Small Cask Finish. Nose. rye bread and malt Palate. Allspice, toast, coconut and leather.
N/V The Fizzy One (a pre-release). A beautiful blend of 62% Kerner and 38% Pinot Gris. “it’s for Wine Club Members but for you a tease and a treat” Hey! Join the club.
2021 Dolcetto – Wild mix of ripe cherry, plums, rose on the nose plus spice and dark chocolate. Winemaker Keira Le Franc speaks Italian through wine and I understand what she’s saying.
Considering the entire process this wine goes through, partially dried skins then more merlot added – for 8 months, it is totally worth your time and dough to find it and enjoy Winemaker/Owner Paul Gardner’s craft.
First pour of BC Wines In Vancouver – OK Falls/Skaha Lake (Part One)
THE SHOW
It was quite a gathering.
For the first time in over two years BC wines were being poured in Vancouver to a roomful of media, trade, and later in the day wine fans. 13 wineries from The Heart of Wine Country – OK Falls and Skaha Lake Winery Association.
The setting was the wonderful Terminal City Club on West Hastings.
People reconnected. They shook hands, hugged, and laughed.
I set up my recorder and microphone off in a corner, arranged some guest chairs, and sought out Dana Lee Harris.
She and her work partner Karen Madsen had extended an invitation to interview all the principals pouring their wines in the room.
When a tasting like this opens the front doors, a guy like me needs a “wrangler”. Someone with the smarts and leadership to find the next interview guest and walk them over to me, with an eye on the clock. That invaluable person was Dana Harris. (Dana Lee Consulting) Barney Bentall once called an event like that – a goat rodeo. Everyone talking, tasting, and enjoying a room filled with wine choices.
There was just enough time to talk to all 13 wineries and get back to the Harbour Air Terminal by the Convention Centre for the last flight to Maple Bay. What a day! The wines were handsome and memorable. So were the guests.
The Heart of Wine Country Part One will feature
Rob Hammersley – Black Market Wine Co (co-founder)
2020 Pinot Blanc Barrel Aged
Evan Saunders – Blasted Church Vineyards (winemaker)
2018 Small Blessings Cabernet Sauvignon (100%)
Evan Saunders
Mario Rodi – Bonamici Cellars and President of OKF/Skaha Winery Assn. (co-founder)
So that it doesn’t go unnoticed in a busy week, I’ve invited back to TRR Leslie D’Andrea co-founder of Noble Ridge to go over the final details and a reminder of who’s pouring.
FYI – On the day, I’ll be interviewing principals from all 13 wineries for several feature specials in
April. Considering the past two years of pandemic, this feels like a celebration. Come celebrate!!
Details and tickets at the website above.
Budget Bottles 2022 (under $17) Daenna van Mulligen/The Wine Diva
Daenna Van Mulligen
The Wine Diva doesn’t just specialize in Wine Lists, Daenna creates a master class in wine tasting!
All year long she tastes hundreds of bottles of wine and makes copious notes about each release.
Every wine on every list has tasting notes and inside info on the wine.
She has either visited many of the wineries/regions or knows the owners/winemakers.
Then come to the lists.
Top 50 over $20
Best Bubbles
Top 100 under $20
Here’s my favorite – Budget Bottles 2022 (under $17.00)
All tested and found to be delivering wines well beyond the pricing.
As always – if you go to www.winediva.ca – you can follow along on your phone or iPad or computer.
We can’t talk about them all but here’s a large list of what Daenna talked about. (We kept her original list numbers included to help you find them)
Your new favorite wine is in here..at just the right price. (Thank you Daenna)
Longshot Pinot Grigio, California $14.99
Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards ‘Runabout White’, Okanagan Valley, BC N/A
Jose Maria da Fonseca ‘Periquita’, Portugal $10.99
Oops ‘Bodacious Blonde’ Chardonnay, Central Valley Chile $15.99
Monte del Fra Bardolino DOC, Custoza, Verona Italy $16.99
Oops ‘Voluptuous Beauty’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Valley Chile $15.99
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery ‘Private Reserve’ Cabernet~Merlot, Okanagan Valley BC $14.99
Harper’s Trail ‘Field Blend White’, British Columbia N/A
Intrigue Wines ‘I Do’ Sparkling, Okanagan Valley BC $20.00
El Petit Bonhomme, Jumilla Spain $15.99
El Petit Bonhomme Blanco, Rueda Spain $15.99
Mayhem Wines Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley N/A
Hester Creek Pinot Blanc, Okanagan Valley BC $16.00
Scattered Earth Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa $14.99
Hester Creek Pinot Gris~Viognier, Okanagan Valley BC $17.00
Corcelettes Estate Winery ‘Sante’, British Columbia N/A
Chateau Dereszla Furmint, Tokaji, Hungary $16.99
Chateau Haut Bascla, Bordeaux, France $15.00
Parras Wines ‘Ruelas Reserva’, Lisboa, Portugal N/A
Okanagan Crush Pad. Christine Coletta & Darryl Brooker/ Modest Wines releases with Jeff Hundertmark
THE SHOW
A press release arrived this week:
Seasoned veteran Darryl Brooker returns to the industry he is passionate about to lead dynamic growth plans set in motion by Okanagan Crush Pad founders Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie who view the appointment of Darryl Brooker as an important piece of their succession planning.
In addition to overseeing the senior management team, Brooker’s key focus will be facility expansions and to build out the founders’ vision for Garnet Valley Ranch, a 320-acre organic vineyard and farm.
The players
Christine Coletta: Co-founder of Okanagan Crush Pad.
A visionary leader not only in the Okanagan but the entire BC wine industry,
Christine Coletta
Christine and her husband Steve started a custom crush pad which included their own labels
Haywire, Narrative, The Bub, etc.
Their wine releases are now so successful, the labels are key to the future of OCP.
Darryl Brooker: New CEO of OCP
Darryl Brooker
Darryl Brooker is a graduate of UC Davis. Plus management& science education in Australia
Brooker also served in various capacities from vice president of winemaking to general manager and then president of Mission Hill from 2015 to March 2021. Darryl was also vice president of winemaking and operations at CedarCreek Estate Winery and senior winemaker at Andrew Peller Limited.
It’s great to have him back. With a little staining and wine spitting, he’ll be as good as new.
Enjoy the conversation. Lots of give and take. Opinions abound.
Audio here. Zoom video on our You Tube Channel. (terrydavidmulligan) Its funny at times.
Christine brought with her three really fine Spring releases:
2019 Haywire Gamay Rose. High elevation Gamay acidity. Seacrest Vineyards in Oliver.
80% concrete 20% stainless steel. Fermented dry..pressed to concrete.
On lees for 6 months – 13.5 % – $24.90.
Cellared an extra year this Rose has found its form. Not to be gulped…take your time. It’s well worth waiting for.
If you see it – buy it. Taste the future of BC wine.
2019 Free Form – VinGris. (unfiltered Pinot Noir) 12.6 %. Garnett Valley Ranch. Grown in Limestone and granite Texture, herbal notes. Whole bunch pressed. Compelling in the mouth. Causes you to really think about this wine. I think the word for this wine is “engaged”
Sipping is to believe. The label is made from stone paper. $29.00
If you can’t find it, there may be some at Cactus Club.
2020 Narrative 2 Pinots. 13%
From the North Okanagan, Pinot Gris. From the South, Pinot Blanc.
Bone dry. Rich Texture. From concrete eggs. Delightfully delicious
Seafood, pasta, chicken, soft cheese. Or by itself. $22.90
Jeff Hundertmark – Sommelier and Chief Winemaker Mt Boucherie, Rust Wine Co, Modest Wines.
Jeff Hundertmark
Jeff came to the Okanagan from Niagara several years ago. (That’s where we first met)
Back East Jeff was a well-known sommelier and restaurateur who was convinced to add winemaking to his knowledge.
He worked his way through various wine jobs from cellar rat to winemaker.
The more he tasted the wines of BC the more he knew he had to give the West a shot.
And here he is, once again working his way through cellars in the Okanagan.
However, he has found a home at Mt Boucherie. And Rust Wine Co and Modest Wines.
The family owners hold some 300 acres of prime land all over the valley. During bountiful years, the cellars are overrun with juice. Frankly, it’s a great problem to have.
However, Jeff is bringing with him today Spring releases from Modest Wines.
The idea of experimentation, risk-taking and paying homage to classic wine regions of the World came from the Modest Butcher Restaurant at the winery.
They wanted a fresh take on wines to pour with their distinctive menu.
Have a look:
2021 The Elder Vicar. Lazy River Vineyard. South Cawston. Similkameen Valley
A Noble blend of Riesling. Gew. Muscat. Pinot Gris (apples. peaches. apricots) $24.99
A number of you will go crazy for this blend. I think it’s you people over there..in the corner.
2021 La Graves Robber. 57% Sauvignon Blanc and 43% Semillon. Grown in OK Falls. This has a future.
Ah, my kind of blend. It has weight and texture. Grapefruit on the nose and palate. Spice. Ripe Melon. Herbs.
All are contained in stainless steel. $27.99
2021 Eye of the Partridge. Pinot Noir Rose. I’ll leave the color story to Jeff.
Grown in South Cawston. On skins for somewhere between 2 hours and 5 minutes or 8 hours. 5 minutes and 24 seconds.
Clean. Dry. Minerality. Raspberry. Strawberry. Did i mention Minerality. Herbs! It’s freaking Delicious!! $24.99
2021 Steen Down So Long – Chenin Blanc. Acidity. Fresh. Inspired by the wines of Cape Good Hope. South Africa.
Aged on lees in Acacia Puncheons for 90 days before blending. Just finished the bottle. Go find this wine. $27.99
2020 By Jove. Sangiovese. (with a touch of Merlot & Cab Franc)
Barreled aged 14 months. French, American, and Hungarian Oak.
Well done Ferreira Vineyards. Ripe black fruit. spice. cassis.
Love this wine. Love it. Paired with ribs and BBQ chicken. $29.99
Impressive finish. Seeking more immediately. You should too!
2020 Crimson Crusader – Carmenere from the Black Sage Bench.
Whole clustered. French Neutral Oak. 15% New. 14 months.
There may only be 2-3 Carms in the whole of Canada. This is one of them,.
Love your pepper? Spice ? Full expressive finish? This wine has it all.
New look to Monte Creek & Remembering The Science of Wine
THE SHOW
Galen Barnhardt Winemaker Monte Creek (Kamloops)
Galen Barnhardt
Monte Creek Winery is situated just outside Kamloops on a 1,200-acre property, with 75 acres of grapes planted in the Thompson Valley, plus 40 planted acres in the Similkameen Valley.
With a focus on sustainable and regenerative farming, the wines made at Monte Creek Winery are a celebration of the purpose and place.
📷: @MKuhnPhoto
Monte Creek Winery has been open to the public since June 2015. They practice organic farming methods at every opportunity, an important decision that has everything to do with the livestock they raise and their proximity to the river.
Monte Creek Winery is made up of 75 acres of vines planted at two estates vineyards, Monte Creek and Lion’s Head.
The new-look label series include –
Ancient Waters
The Ancient Waters series refers to the historical geological events that formed the land and prized soils. The first release under this new label is the 2019 Ancient Waters Chardonnay, Platinum at the 2021 WineAlign Awards, Double Gold at the 2021 All Canadian Wine Championships, and 90 Points from the 2021 Decanter World Wine Awards.
Monte Creek AWS_Chardonnay
Other wines to look out for in this series are Riesling, Rosé, and Pinot Noir.
Living Land
The 2020 Living Land Rosé and 2020 Living Land Sparkling Rosé are current examples from this series. The Rosé was awarded a Double Gold at the 2021 All Canadian Wine Championships and the Sparkling Rosé Gold at the 2021 BC Lieutenant Governor’s Awards. The Living Land series also features La Crescent, Chardonnay, Sparkling, Rosé, Piquette, Pinot Noir, Foch, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Merlot.
Monte Creek LLS_PinotNoir_Transparent
Pioneer series
The Pioneer series includes the popular Hands Up White and Hands Up Red blends.
Galen takes us through these new releases and more
2019 Ancient Waters Chardonnay ($24.99)Dec 7 2019)
Go for the oak. Stay for the long finish
2020 Living Land Pinot Noir ($24.99)
Herbs. Pepper. Rich ripe berries.
2020 Living Land Riesling ($21.99)
Lime & Green apple notes. Granny Smith in the mouth
The Science of Wine – From the Archives (Dec 7, 2019)
It was such a great idea.
Mission Hill management asked their family of winemakers
to gather at Science World in Vancouver to discuss and debate The Science of Wine. Followed by a pour, of course!
It’s not near as glamorous as talking about nose or palate but for winemakers, it’s the core of what they do. Usually by themselves in a cold unglamorous room.
Getting the science of wine right can make an OK wine come alive and be a judgment winner.
It was a great night. A sold-out Science World with wine fans dressed to impress. Best of all, the night raised much-needed funds for the building.
Three of the winemakers are still with their wineries.
And we’ve invited them to repeat their thoughts.
Taylor Whelan – Cedar Creek (East Kelowna)
Phil McCann – Checkmate (Oliver)
Shane Munn – Martins Lane (East Kelowna)
Have a listen. I swear it will make your wines taste better.
Really enjoyed the dialogue between Taylor and Phil
