hello

Time for an Okanagan Road Trip

Wild Goose. Liquidity. Culmina. Hester Creek. Road 13. Fairview Cellars. Local Lounge and Grill. Brodo

And 8 fascinating  minutes with The Legend Richard Cleave.    

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

[divider]

THE SHOW

We start this journey through the South Okanagan as we should..

with Ellen Walker Mathews from Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association.

TOTA had arranged a food and wine tour of the Okanagan..that allowed for little down time.  OK by me.

This show is  the first of two specials. Next Week..Part Two.

 Ellen Walker Mathews – TOTA.  Our Host.

http://www.totabc.org/

  [divider] Roland Kruger – Wild Goose

Wild Goose

http://wildgoosewinery.com/

 The new tasting room at Wild Goose is now open and in full operation!

The wine shop is loaded with new vintage wines and an assortment http://secured.onlinegambling2014.com of library wines available for purchase.  Special wine shop “only” wines are also available, including the new Muscat release, Morio and Friends!  One of the true “originals” in BC wine..we salute Wild Goose.

[divider]

Chef Rob Walker – The Bistro at Liquidity   www.liquiditywines.com

It was opening day at Liquidity Bistro..and still Chef Rob Walker took time to talk to us.

I was expecting a small 10 table bistro. What we all got was a sensational restaurant..with windows on three sides..and one of the best views in all of the Okanagan.

The culinary side of the Okanagan Experience is finally starting to show signs of catching up to the wines. Liquidity is a prime example.

Liquidity Bistro

[divider]

Culmina

Pascal Madevon Culmina

www.culmina.ca

The  life history of Don Triggs is also one of the main stories  of the Canadian Wine Industry.

After leaving Labatts, he partnered with Alan Jackson..to form Jackson-Triggs..one of the biggest success stories in all of Canadian wine.

Don now leads Culmina as Co-Proprietor & Principal.. He’s supported and strengthened by his wife Elaine and the former winemaker at Osoyoos Larose ..Pascal Madevon and consultant Alain Sutre.  That’s one great team.

Don, Elaine and Pascal join me on Tasting Room Radio.

CULMINA FAMILY ESTATE WINERY – Donald, Elaine and Sarah

[divider]

Chef Roger Gillespie – Hester Creek

www.hestercreek.com

Chef Roger Gillespie – Hester Creek

Roger Gillespie was born and raised in Winnipeg, but has worked throughout Canada in the restaurant business over the past 20 years including stints in Jasper Park, Alberta and Tofino and Whistler in BC. He eventually moved to the valley as food and beverage manager at the Harvest Golf Club in Kelowna. In 2004, he moved to Summerland and worked for Sumac Ridge Estate Winery and See Ya Later Ranch until he opened his own restaurant in Summerland, the Victoria Road Deli & Bistro, in June 2008.

If you’re looking for info on what wine pairs with what food..Roger’s your guy!!

[divider]

Road 13

http://road13vineyards.com/

For 6 years we’ve been interviewing Mick and Pam Luckhurst – The owners of Road 13.

Now comes the NEXT generation – Joe Luckhurst

The younger of the two Luckhurst sons, Joe, has been involved in Road 13 from Vancouver for several years. In 2012 Joe left Vancouver to throw himself into the everyday operations of the family business and early in 2014 he took the helm as General Manager. With a work ethic that is oddly familiar to the rest of the team at Road 13, he seems to have fully embraced Mick’s adage, “owners don’t need days off.”

Joe is an actor!

Perfect for  the wine business.

[divider]

Chef Paul Cicconi  –  Brodo Kitchen  Penticton

http://www.tastebrodo.com/

Paul Cicconi – Brodo Penticton

“Chef Paul” is a graduate of the Vancouver Community College Culinary Arts Program and holds an advanced certificate from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. Before diving in with BRODO, he spent time in the kitchens of The Beach House at Dundarave Pier in West Vancouver, The Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, the Regent at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney, Australia, and most recently was the Executive Chef  at Local Lounge * Grille in Summerland, BC.

What a great chef..

Enters Stone Soup Kitchen competition in Kelowna. Wins it.

Enters Chowder competition in Vancouver. Wins it.

The guy has a gift for tasty simple food.

Wonderful person.

Opened in May 2013, BRODO (Italian for “broth”) features locally-sourced ingredients in a variety of soups, sandwiches and salads, and the menu changes seasonally to reflect what’s fresh from the harvest. Unique to Penticton, the “flight of soups” has been a hit since opening — three soups to tempt taste buds, paired with a salad or sandwich.

BRODO’s service is fresh and fast, true to Chef Paul Cecconi’s motto: simply fresh food.    [divider]  Big Bad Bill Eggert – Fairview Cellars

www.fairviewcellars.ca 

FairviewCellarsWineShop

Fairview Cellars is the culmination of a lifelong quest of Bill Eggert’s to own and operate his own winery.

The 10 acre property located adjacent to the first green of the Fairview Mountain Golf Course was purchased by Bill in 1989.  The vineyard was started in 1993. The high opinionated Mr Eggert also happens to be one of the very best winemakers in Canada.

Half the property was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon.  Cabernet Franc and Merlot were planted in equal parts to fill out the property.  One row of Syrah and one row of Petit Verdot were added later, and Sauvignon Blanc was planted on a lower terraced bench close to the first green in 2007.

If you happen to PLAY the first hole and go out of bounds..DO NOT attempt to retrieve your ball off Bill’s property.  I beg you.

[divider]

Local Lounge and Grill – Summerland

http://www.thelocalgroup.ca/

Local Lounge.Grill Summerland

Love this segment. All friends.

Executive Chef Lee Humphries

Christa-Lee McWatters Bond

Cameron  A R Bond  (the AR stands for Argggg)

Local has it all. A first class chef in Lee Humphries.

Staff that respects the customer.

Two team leaders in Christa-Lee and Cam..AND a location right on the shoreline of Okanagan Lake..with a spectacular view of the Naramata Bench.

Lets go Local.

[divider]

Richard Cleave – The One and Only!   

Harry McWatters & Richard Cleave

In addition to Sandhill Estate Vineyard, Richard Cleave manages his own personal vineyard. Dedicated to producing the grapes needed to make single vineyard wines of the highest quality, Richard painstakingly reduces the yields to intensify the flavour, character and sugar content of the fruit. Not surprisingly, Dick’s Phantom Creek Vineyard was recently named one of the “Top 10 Single Vineyards Around the World” by Wine Access Magazine.

His other wine partner is Harry McWatters.

No contracts here. Just handshakes.

With over 30 years of grape growing experience, Richard Cleave is one of the most respected growers in the Okanagan.

A true pioneer in the BC wine industry, Richard’s goal is to grow the fruit used to make the most acclaimed wine in Canada.

We talk about Black Sage Road, Cellared in Canada BS and truth in labeling. We also talk to Howard Soon from Sandhill.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

[divider]

hello

Looking for that perfect wine for your Holiday plans?  Canada’s youngest  Master of Wine Rhys Pender runs down a great list of wines with a two part interview.

James Nevison brings his latest edition of Had a Glass 2015. The best  selling wine reference book in BC. All under $20.00

And Ellen Walker Mathews gives us all the info on The Winter Wine Events this weekend and next in The Okanagan.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

THE SHOW

Rhys Pender – Master of Wine and co-creator at Little Farm Wines Similkameen (TwoParter)

Rhys Pender

A passionate educator, wine lover, judge, writer, and grape grower/farmer, Rhys has worked in the wine industry since he was a teenager, back in Australia. His interest in food and wine really peaked by travelling through Europe and then a summer spent immersed in food, wine and language in the South of France with his wife, winemaker Alishan Driediger.

After following his wife-to-be back to Canada, Rhys pursued his food and wine passion by completing a Professional Culinary Diploma and working in a top Vancouver restaurant. At the same time he took his first wine course, something that gave him an insatiable appetite for learning about wine. Rhys and Alishan moved to the Okanagan in 1999 to pursue the food and wine culture. Rhys spent time working in the vineyard, the cellar, wine shops and catering events before moving back to Vancouver for a two-year stint to manage a specialty retail wine store. Back in the Okanagan in 2003 Rhys and Alishan started a catering company and Okanagan Grocery Artisan Breads, and Rhys started his Wine Plus+ business doing wine education, consulting, writing and judging. Rhys then took on the the grueling Master of Wine program of study all while running Okanagan Grocery and Wine Plus+ and with two baby daughters and one sleep deprived mother-baker in the house. Yes, they thought he was crazy.

This culminated in Rhys becoming Canada’s youngest Master of Wine (the wine world’s highest level of achievement) in 2010, one of only 300 in the world. Through his studies, Rhys knew every reason why they shouldn’t jump into the vineyard and winemaking dream but couldn’t help doing it anyway. Instead he used his training to design and plant the 4 acre Mulberry Tree Vineyard at the property Rhys and Alishan purchased in Cawston in 2008.

Besides the wines below which you can also find on Wine Align website , Rhys will also touch on his involvement in the BC Wine Appellation Task Group

http://littlefarmwinery.ca/  

http://www.wineplus.ca/    

http://www.winealign.com/

James Nevison – Had a Glass 2016.  Great wines under $20.00

Had a Glass 2015

The Globe and Mail bestseller, and #1 bestselling wine guide in British Columbia celebrates its 10th anniversary!
James Nevison’s annual, unpretentious guide for everyday wine is back, with the top 100 wallet-friendly wines for 2016. In this expertly selected collection, you will find the very best value for your money across white, rosé, red, sparkling and much more. Get the scoop on $10 wines that taste like they’re $20, and $20 bottles that will blow you away! Had a Glass 2016 points wine drinkers in the right direction, towards a good bottle that won’t break the bank. With Had a Glass 2016 in hand, you can navigate the wine aisles with confidence, guaranteed to find great-tasting, and great-value wines.
There’s food pairings, comments from fellow wine experts and basic wine tasting, buying and enjoying suggestions.

Best of all – the book is also under $20.00

James Nevison

JAMES NEVISON is an award-winning writer and educator and the co-founder of HALFAGLASS wine consultancy in Vancouver. His weekly wine column “The Wine Guy” appears every Thursday in The Province, he contributes regularly to TASTE magazine. This is his 7^th year on Tasting Room Radio.

https://twitter.com/hadaglass

 Winter Wine Events

winter-wine-events-

For those of us who think that the only time to visit wine country is when Spring arrives have another think coming.

All of the regions of the Okanagan have opened their doors this weekend and next.

You are invited to Discover the Wonder of Winter in BC Wine Country with Winter Wine Events.

Regions involved are Oliver/Osoyoos, FabFive, Okanagan Falls, Summerland, Similkameen and Kelowna’s WestSide Trail.

Ellen Walker Mathews from Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association does her very best to include all the information you could use.

If you miss anything or want to plan your visit just click on their ad on our website and all the info is there.

There’s a lot going on..starting this Saturday and Sunday and next weekend as well.

ALL the info is just a click away. Check out their ad on this website!!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Wine reviews from dj Kearney. Kurtis Kolt. Rhys Pender

Jose Pedro Gomez & Katrina O’Reilly Ryan/ Chayee Bourras Argentina

Jim Cuddy – stocks his Holiday Train trip

hello

Kendall-Jackson and their labels  make 5 Million cases of wine..Head Winemaker Randy Ullom reveals how he survives the year and what wines to  watch for.

Canada loves KJ.

It’s the Battle of the Sommeliers.  Three of Vancouver’s best Somms match Chilean wines with Chef Ned Bells food. The winner gets to go to Chile.

The  winner of The Judgement of BC Red Competition  CC Jentsch –  On the Golden Mile Bench.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

 THE SHOW

 Kendall-Jackson/Winemaker Randy Ullom

 “I look at all of the vineyards we own, and all of the individual lots of wines that we make, and the thousands of barrels we have sitting in our cellar and sometimes I think, you gotta be kidding me! After I’ve sufficiently recovered from my daily panic attack, I take off my coat, dig in my heels and take it one barrel at a time. It’s a rewarding job that I love.”

Randy Ullom

Hired by Jess Jackson in 1992 as Winemaker for some of our smaller and international vineyards, Randy was handed his most prestigious assignment in 1997 – Winemaster for Kendall-Jackson Winery.

A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Randy became interested in wine during a three-year stay in Chile, while on sabbatical from college in the early 1970s. His stay inspired a cross-country trek through Chile’s vast wine-growing regions. On his return to the United States, he entered Ohio State University to study crop production with a specialty in Viticulture and Enology and received his degree in 1975.

After six years as a vineyard manager and Winemaker in Ohio and upstate New York, Randy moved to California to become associate Winemaker at De Loach Vineyards in Sonoma County. He was promoted to Winemaker and Vice President in 1991. The wines produced during his tenure were consistent gold medal winners at wine competitions.

Dude looks like a Sherriff from Dodge City..Oversees the growing and creating of 5 Million cases of wine from 35 labels. (check their website below)

His job includes  working with wines grown in Sonoma, Chile, Bordeaux, Australia and Italy.

This is a fun interview..with lots of information on their wines.  We love these wines..and why not?  They take such great care in their craft!!

www.kj.com

 Battle of the Sommeliers

 It’s a great line up  in the Vancouver studios of Roundhouse Radio.

Chef Ned Bell from Yew at the Four Seasons.

Three of the best Sommeliers in Vancouver all compete to pair Ned’s food with Chile’s Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Carmenere.

Ned Bell Four Seasons

This is a fabulous round table discussion about the very subject that most wine fans wants to know about..

Pairing food and wine to make a sensational blend.

 Our Sommeliers are:

First Course – Lisa Haley – Boulevard/Sutton Place Hotel / Chardonnay

Second Course –  Steven Lane – Yew at Four Seasons – Pinot Noir

Third Course – Sean Nelson – Vij’s Vancouver –  Carmenere

Everyone who attended was considered a judge.

Looking for three elements – creativity, flavour harmony and complexity.

The Winner was – Sean Nelson, who wins a trip to Chile.  Congrats!!

If you’re looking for food and wine pairing tips..this is your segment.

www.winesofchile.org

 CC Jentsch – Syrah wins The Judgment of BC

Chris-Jentsch CC Jentsch

The spelling of Judgement aside..it truly was a momentous event.

Steven Spurrier..from London’s Decanter magazine and the man who set in motion The Judgment of Paris in 1976.

Steven Spurrier

“The shot heard round the World”

That event became the basis of the film Bottle Shock.Now comes BC’s turn.

12 Chardonnays and 12 Syrah were tasted head-to-head and judged by some of the very best experts available.

6 of those Chards and Syrah were from BC.

The highest ranking BC wine – white or red – was the 2013 Syrah from CC Jentsch Cellars on the Golden Mile south Okanagan.

It beat out syrah from Barossa, France, Santa Barbara, Hunter Valley, Walla Walla.

CC Jentsch

“For me wine is the three ‘P’s’: the place, the people and the product. British Columbia ticks all these boxes with exuberance, elegance and conviction.” noted Steven Spurrier.

Steven-Spurrier-Amber-Jones.

“It was a courageous tasting. The point was about discovery and learning, not about winning or losing. It’s about pushing ourselves in our wine regions” noted DJ Kearney, curator of the event. “The global benchmark wines were of a very high caliber. It was important to be challenged by high quality international wines, and we were. And we will do it again. We must do it again.”

I tracked down co-owner  Chris Jentsch (yench) and his winemaker Amber Jones and we had great fun reliving the event, the results and what it all means for them, the BC wine industry and for us..the consumer.

This just in – the Syrah 13 won a Decanter Gold as well as the North American Regional trophy winner for the Best Red.

Keep a close eye on these guys..pssst..they have a wine club..

www.ccjentschcellars.com

www.winediva.ca

[powerpress

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Half a Glass – Best wines under $20 – 2015

Walking the neighborhood – Gastown/Railtown/Chinatown