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THE SHOW

Kathy Malone – Winemaker Hillside Winery

If you haven’t already heard, April is BC Wine Month.

Its also the month that we thank the four sponsors of Tasting Room Radio.

When we started TRR the Summer of 2007, we made a pledge about the segment sponsors.

If I’m going to talk about their winery or restaurant for a year, let’s please make sure we really like them and admire what they create.

Kathy Malone – the winemaker at Hillside Estate on the Naramata Bench has been part of our show for many years now.  When we moved to Naramata in 2007, I realized if I was to launch a wine show, I’d better find a mentor who had all the answers to my many questions.

That teacher and friend was right down the road from me. Winemaker Kathy Malone.

(I would also like to thank Ian Sutherland and Valeria Tait for  their friendship and support.)

Kathy has just returned from a Winter vacation in Europe, that ended in Paris. No vineyards for this traveler. Instead, it was days and days of museums, art galleries, historic churches and opera houses. Impressive.

Kathy and I hooked up on Zoom and she walked and talked me through her latest releases.

Including 

2023 Below the Road Rose – Unbelievable Rose. Kathy explains the glacial history behind the name and the wild blend driving the savoury notes of this winner.

Merlot, Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc and Viognier all came together from a field blend. A world class rose, currently available only to wine club members.

Yes, its the perfect reason to join.

Kathy and I talked about their Hillside Rose but it may be sold out soon, an absolutely delicious 2020 Cab Franc. 18 months in French oak. 23% new!

And the 2018 Mosaic. A classic blend of Bordeaux grapes – Cab Franc, Merlot, Cab Sauvignon,  Malbec and Petit Verdot. All grown on the Naramata Bench.

Kathy talked about one of her favorite wines. The 2018 Dickinson Vineyard Merlot and how that varietal is sometimes taken for granted these days.

We’ll be back to talk to Kathy about her Crafted in BC wines.  Created using Yakima and Columbia Valley grapes. A new chef’s white is here.

Speaking of The Chef,  Bistro Chef Evan Robertson opens the doors Wednesday April 30! We’ll be back to talk to chef as well.

Oh..one more thing.

Kathy mentions the Naramata Bench event, bringing it all back home. A Spring tasting for locals Saturday April 26  from 11am to 5PM.

Details at discovernaramata.com (events calendar)

www.hillsidewinery.ca

www.naramatabench.com

Paul Sawler – Chair of Wine Growers of BC/Wine BC & VP Sales & Marketing Dirty Laundry Wines

Paul Sawler

We’re so pleased to introduce our latest sponsor,  Wine Growers of BC and Wine BC. (Thank you Wine BC)

Paul Sawler is Chair of the Board and part of the leadership team at Summerland’s Dirty Laundry Winery.

Wine BC represents the BC wine community.  It’s a big job in any growing year. However this year is historical.

People will reference this year for many years to come.

Two vine killer winters, sales conflicts with Alberta, out of province wines being crafted in BC, trade barriers possibly dropping across Canada and ugly tariffs from the USA.

Paul takes us through the headlines..

April is BC Wine Month. How can consumers  support BC Wine?

How the Crafted in BC wines are proceeding? Where to find them and what to expect?

( I think they’ll be a smash hit)

Thoughts on the tourism season ahead. Why Canadians hopefully are planning a visit to BC wine country?

What about those dropping trade barriers and what does it mean? Will BC wines be available across Canada?

In the time we had left Paul takes us through some of the releases coming from Dirty Laundry.

Winemaker Mason Spink spent a great deal of the year down in Washington State choosing vineyards, growing, harvesting the crops, crushing within hours of harvest and getting the juice overnight to The Okanagan.

They’re releasing their whites now and the reds 2 years from now.

Watch for the 

2024 Hush White (Yakima)

2024 Pinot Gris (Yakima)

2024 Sauvignon Blanc (Yakima)

2024 Unoaked Chardonnay (Yakima)

It’s an amazing year. Right in front of us.

BC wines are changing. Just how much we don’t know yet but we’ll follow this story from week to week and find out!

HAPPY EASTER ALL!

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Crafted in BC wines from 

Orofino

Noble Ridge

Clos Du Soleil

Bartier Brothers.

Dirty Laundry

Winemaker’s Cut

The Opera

Le Vieux Pin

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Jason Parkes & Robbie Hundertmark – 12 Spring wines from Jason Parkes Customs/The Hatch (West Kelowna)

THE STORY

We welcome back – a dynamic duo.

Jason Parkes is the founder of The Hatch in West Kelowna.  Labels include The Hatch, Black Swift Vineyards, Crown and Thieves. Each of those labels has a rapidly growing list of sub-labels. There’s the spectacular rooftop dining at Angel Share. and The Broken Hearts Club,

The Hatching Post (West Kelowna’s BBQ Saloon)

The total portfolio is wider than the lake.  Think Santa’s elves only bigger,  smarter and much nicer.

Robbie Hundertmark is the  recipient of the 2025 Ultimate BC Wine Ambassador Award.

Jason and Robbie

The award recognizes an individual who is passionate about sharing the love of BC Wine with their guests. They are seen as a hospitality superstar.  Robbie inspires and educates with his smarts, dry humor and humanity.

Robbie has been in the wine industry since 2012.  Fully certified Sommelier as of 2019.

Joining The gang at The Hatch is like running away and joining the Circus..

For Example – have a look at the wines they are releasing this Spring.  8 BC grown and crafted/4 Washington grown & BC crafted

(Prices quoted are pre-tax)

’21 Royal Scamp  (BC)  What a blend.

• Traditional Method, 60/40 Chard & Pinot Noir, 24 months bottle aging, Brut
• $55.99

’22 Crown Chard (BC)  You can taste the love that went into this wine

• Crown’s oak aged chard
• 24 months, 500L second fill French and American Barrels, weekly batonnage, full MLF
• $39.99

’18 Scoundrels Punch NEW for you (BC)  The finish is long and beautiful. Bravo

• Blend of CF (46%), CS(38%), Merlot (12%), Syrah (4%)
• Vineyards from mostly Oliver and Osoyoos
• 70 months in barrel because we straight up lost the barrels for a bit.
• $29.99

’23 Mums the Word pink NEW LABEL (BC)   The Gamay wins the day.  The label is a keeper.

• Rosé frizzante made from Estate Gamay Noir and Pinot Noir
• The wine that we had to relabel.
• $27.99

’24 Hobo Sauv Blanc NEW (Wash)

• Amazing fruit from WA!
• Super tropical, the first SB for the hobo series
• $24.99

’24 Flipping the Bird NEW  (Wash)

• amazing fruit from WA!
• 100% Cabernet Franc
• $24.99

’24 Bury the Hatchet white NEW  (Wash)

• Washington Fruit
• 47% Chard, 29% SB, 24% Riesling
• $23.99

2024 Bury the Hatchet (Washington Grown – BC Crafted))

’22 Clash of the Tannins NEW  (BC)  A serious mouthful.

• Big Big Red
• 50% CF, 50% Malbec, 100% Hans Vineyard
• $52.99

’22 Franc Says Relax NEW (BC)  glamorous and complex

• 37% Desert Valley, 36% Hans Estate, 27% Jagger Rock, Southern Okanagan/Similkameen Fruit
• 24 months, Majority American minority French, 36% new, 72% neutral
• $47.99

’20 Peanut Pond Merlot (Pouring so so nice) (BC)  Beauty

• 100% Merlot from Peanut Pond Vineyard in Oliver
• 40 months in French Oak
• $41.99

’20 Hans Estate Syrah (a pride and joy for BSV) (BC)   WOW

• 100% Hans Estate Syrah
• 37 Months 100% New Oak
• $59.99

’24 frenzy Pinot Gris NEW (Wash)  Welcome to BC

• Washington Fruit
• $21.99

www.thehatchwines.com

www.jasonparkescustoms.com

NB: On the back label of each Washington grown wine it says

“JPC thanks our friends in Washington for supporting us during these unpredictable times” 

Washington Vineyards  involved-

Royal Slope AVA

Aviator Vineyard

Frenchman’s Hills

Two Gun Vineyard

Ancient Lakes – Columbia Valley

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

SPRING  Releases from Washington/Oregon/BC

Orofino

Bartier Bros

Le Vieux Pin

Dirty Laundry

Hillside

Winemakers Cut

Best Coast Distillers

Wine Growers BC

Spearhead

Cowichan Spring Wines

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FREE SPIRIT VICTORIA –   non-alc.  zero-proof, alcohol free. A story of our times.

THE SHOW 

For the first time under one roof in Victoria , importers will be joined by local BC makers from Vancouver Island, Vancouver, the Okanagan etc.,  to showcase the best alcohol-free wine, beer, spirits, and packaged cocktails available.

Organized by Kurtis Kolt.

Kurtis Kolt is a Vancouver-based wine consultant who writes about wine, presents seminars, hosts events, judges wine competitions, works with restaurants on their wine programs etc. His various certifications and credits include London’s Wine & Spirit Education Trust, the Court of Master Sommeliers & the Winemaking Program at UC Davis.

In  2010, when  Kurtis received the ‘Sommelier of the Year’ award from both the 2010 Vancouver International Wine Festival and Vancouver magazine, he opted to diversify his focus on wine through different arenas.

In recent years, Kurtis  co-founded and runs ‘Top Drop’ in both Vancouver and Calgary, a terroir-focused trade & consumer wine festival Western Living magazine called, “The one wine tasting of the year you shouldn’t miss.”

Guests we could slow down long enough to talk to were:

Kurtis Kolt – See above

Kurtis Kolt

Mark Wachtin -storied wines and spirits. Pouring Ones+

Andrea Demers –   Softer Drink Store in Victoria. More than 100 different drinks.   pouring Zamalek and Fin Soda.

Ceri Barlow –  NuBeverage. Pouring Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Co.

Janet Helou – from Glimmer.  pouring Glimmer (BC)

Paul Watkin – from Seacove pouring Medbubble (Spain)

Paul Jordan–   Mondiale.    pouring from Clear Sips (Ontario)  Cognato (S. Africa) OddBird (Italy/France) NOA (Quebec) Cipriani (Italy)

Cameron Duke –  Coastal Craft   pouring from  Soft Crush –  Noughty (UK) Colibi (Italy)  Undone (Germany)

www.kurtiskolt.com

www.storiedwinesandspirits.com

www.softerdrink.ca

www.nubeverage.ca

www.seacove.com

www.drinkglimmerwine.com

www.mondialebev.com

www.coastalcraftbeverages.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

The Hatch – The whole Dang Thang

New Spring releases

Out of BC Wines

Wine Growers BC

Winemakers Cut

Hillside Estate

Best Coast Distillers

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Hester Creek – The 2024 Columbia Valley Collection

Guests:  The Marks.

Mark Sheridan – President

Mark Hopley – Winemaker

It was only a matter of time before we all started to see the “out-of-province” wines of 2024.

Due to 2 cold snaps, especially the Winter of early 24, BC, Wineries were given permission to source their much-needed fruit from out of province.

Most headed to Washington and Oregon. Some from California, some from Ontario and several from the Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island.

As we approach the beginning of April, we’ll all start to see new labels and new wording on those labels. Advising that the wine in the bottle was “Grown in Washington. Crafted in BC”

The agreement between BC Wineries and the BC Government was – transparency!

Make your source statement on the front of the bottle. Not hidden on the back.

Hester Creek went in full tilt.  The label on their four new releases makes a statement.

2024 Columbia Valley Collection.  The back of the label has a map and information on where the grapes were grown. Vineyards are identified when possible.

Located just south of the border, the proximity of the Columbia Valley to Hester Creek on the Golden Mile allowed Mark Sheridan to regularly meet with his growing community. He got to choose the varietals best suited to the collection, which vineyards they were grown in and supervise the growth for every stage of the growing season. The grapes were hand harvested, transported the same day as picking,  in temperature-controlled trucks to the Hester Creek Crush Pad.

The Columbia Valley Collection is:

2024 Pinot Gris. Soils are very similar to Hester Creek. Ripe apricot, peach, honey,  fennel, and that’s just the nose. Crisp and clean in the mouth, herbs, peach and minerality delight. Pairs well with a smile and engaged conversation. $19.99 plus tax

2024 Sauvignon Blanc.  again, very similar soil to the South Okanagan, perhaps slightly higher heat units. Grown, harvested and again sent by temp-controlled truck to Hester Creek. The same day as they were picked.

Berry, lemon and grapefruit of the nose.  Ripe tropic fruit, citrus and herbs on the palate.

Here’s your wine for the Hali/Salmon season. $19.99 plus tax

2024 Viognier. Sustainably farmed at Goose Gap AVA. Hand harvested and trucked to the Golden Mile the same day they were picked.

As a Viognier fan, on the nose I was welcomed by the ripe fruit, apricot, peach, and light white pepper.

In the mouth it’s stone fruit, fennel and minerality right down the middle. Beautiful.$23.99 plus tax

This is viognier with just a touch more heat during growing season.

2024 Rose Cabernet Franc

Specifically grown in Red Mountain AVA and Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Where the big reds live.

After transportation to Hester Creek, same day as picking, the grapes were destemmed, cold soaked for three days, 21 days of fermentation. Then cross-blended and aged for four months in stainless steel tanks.

On opening, stifling a pleasure giggle, aromas of pink grapefruit, warmed strawberries. The palate showed itself to be a delight with ripe cherries, strawberry of course and a touch of rhubarb.

Here comes Summer. $22.99 plus tax

There are four more Hester Creek Columbia Valley Collection wines to come.

Thank you to the growers, farmers and field teams in Washington State for their very important contribution to these BC wines. The border disappears at times like these.

Congratulations to the winemaking teams at Hester Creek, lead by Mark Hopley.

FYI – The wine shop, Terrafina Bistro  and the Villa are all open.

WWW.HESTERCREEK.COM

Stories we’re working on

New Spring Releases

Out of province wines

Cross provincial border situation

Free Spirits – non-alc, zero-proof or alc free gathering in Victoria

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Co-Hosted with This is Wine School -Part Two of  2025 VanWineFest 

THE SHOW 

This is Wine School are founders, educators and award-winning sommeliers Jenna Brisco, Kelcie Jones and Maude Renaud-Brisson. 

We gathered in a small circle of chairs, surrounded by many 100’s of wine trade attendees constantly on the move at the convention center.

We welcome to the chairs…

The much-celebrated Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein.

Evan Goldstein

The first ever Master Sommelier for a professional sports team – his hometown San Francisco Giants. (Evan touches on that very subject when we talk about attracting new, younger wine fans)

Evan was the keynote speaker at a recent VanWineFest and has developed a long-distance love affair with

Vancouver and many of our wineries in BC.

Once he’s set in motion, there is no way to stop Evan from talking wine. Highly entertaining.

www.fullcirclebevcon.com

www.mastersommeliers.org

Then we talk to David Gates. VP of vineyard operations at Ridge Vineyards at Monte Bello (Santa Cruz Mountains) and Lytton Springs (Sonoma)

And

John Niven. Owner of Baileyana (Edna Valley Central Coast)

Situated in California’s coolest growing region, nearest the Pacific Ocean. In San Luis Obispo County.

Specializing in Chardonnay and Piot Noir.  Lots of both!

www.ridgewine.com

www.baileyana.com

Tony Holler is the owner of Poplar Grove Winery  (Naramata Bench)

Tony Holler

Tony makes things happen. He’s a leader.

For example, when a dozen or so Naramata wineries were looking for out of province fruit to replace vineyards lost in the Winter deep freeze, Tony offered to search and buy for everyone as he felt there was more bargaining power in the collective.  At Van Wine Fest Tony  was pouring the new Poplar Grove Cascadia series.  Says right on the front of the bottle

Washington Grown, Made in BC

Cascadia series includes Pinot Gris & Rose. Out April 2025.   Lots more varietals to come.

www.polargrove.ca

Amber Pratt – winemaker at Moraine Winery (Naramata Bench)

Because Moraine takes pride in using only Naramata grown fruit, I was interested in knowing if Amber was now working with out of province fruit in this special year.

Interesting conversation.  www.morainewinery.com

We finish in a roundtable discussion with Jenna, Kelcie and Maude from This is Wine School.

General observations on the Wine Fest and the changing landscape of BC Wine.

www.thisiswineschool.com

What a year 2025 promises to be.

www.vanwinefest.ca

Many Thanks To

Kellie Cassidy and Ruby Gillett from 

Milk Creative Communications

www.thinkmilk.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Hester Creek – 2024 Columbia Valley Collection

The Hatch

Best Coast Distilling

Hillside Releases

Winemakers Cut – 2024 releases

Wine Growers BC

Pinot Noir Update