Every year is a growing year for the wine farmers and winemakers.
And because farmers are dealing with the whims of the planet..all bets are off until the harvest is in.
Heat, frost, hail, insects, wind, smoke, leaf infestation, drought, floods etc all either assist the vineyards or shut the whole growing process down.
Most farmers and winemakers I interview are a happy bunch, after you get past the premature grey hair and dark humour.
It’s a hard road they’re walking but some of our favourite wines become the end result.
That’s why the annual Wine Growers of BC Vintage Preview is so important.
The 2021 growing season featured Heat Domes and Smoke Taint. Laura Kittmer and her Wine BC team gathered winemakers from all regions of BC to exchange growing problems and solutions.
Laura Kittmer WineBC
There were some surprises along the way. One of them is how similar the hurdles are, whether its Cowichan or Golden Mile.
So, the next time you’re shopping for BC wine and the year on the label is 2021 – think about the winemakers below and their journey through that year.
Interview guests are bolded:
Chris Tolley, Winemaker, Moon Curser Vineyards (Osoyoos) www.mooncurser.com
Van Wine Fest Part Two (plus 2 very special guests)
THE SHOW
Walking into the Vancouver Wine Festival at the Convention Centre, as an interviewer, is like working the field at an All-Star Game.
Familiar wine star faces and voices are everywhere.
I think I did a dozen interviews and these are the last three. However, I needed one more, So I decided to re-run one of my all time favourite interviews.
Proudly Sponsored by Harbour Air
From our coverage of the 2019 VanWineFest on Tasting Room Radio we present California wine royalty.
Gena Gallo and her winemaking husband Jean Charles Boisset.
Not just talking about their wines but about surviving cancer, raising their twin daughters and their love of Vancouver and the wine fest.
Gina Gallo, Vice President, Winemaking – Estate Wines. E. & J. Gallowww.gallo.com
Gina Gallo, JC Boisset, TDM
Gina Gallo developed a deep respect for the land early on. After studying winemaking at the University of California at Davis, Gallo became an apprentice winemaker at E. & J. Gallo Winery, under the careful guidance of her grandfather Julio. Today, as the winemaker behind the Gallo Signature Series, she carves out specific blocks on Gallo’s most sought-after vineyards to hand-craft limited batches of wine.
Jean-Charles Boisset was born into the world of wine in Vougeot, Burgundy, France. Under his leadership, the Boisset Collection operates 24 wineries in California, France, and Canada. Decanter magazine has included him on its “Power List” of the 50 most important people in the wine world each year of its publication since 2007.
His many honours include Meininger’s International Wine Entrepreneur of the Year, “Innovator of the Year” from Wine Enthusiast Magazine and the first-ever French-American Partnership Award from the French America Foundation.
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
Sara Park and Cam Duke, the co-founders of Coastal Craft Beverages in Victoria always throw a great pour.
As in previous years, they head for the 8th-floor skyline suites at the top of Parkside Hotel in downtown Victoria.
They work exclusively with producers who are independent and family-owned. Artisans who focus on sustainability and care for the Planet and its people.
“I have a real passion for working with local, BC, Craft Producers and helping them grow their businesses. We have some of the most talented Winemakers, Distillers, Craft Brewers & Cidermakers in North America – right here! I’ve met and worked with incredibly knowledgeable and passionate people in this business. I feel very lucky to do what I do, and work on the west coast.” Sara Park.
“Working with like-minded, passionate people who take such incredible pride in their workmanship and crafts is a privilege to be a part of. I’m excited to continue growing these relationships and contribute to each of their success stories.” Cameron Duke
Jacqueline Downey Photography
Meet the Makers
Provincial Spirits –Jesse BannisterFounder, Owner
Jesse Bannister-Provincial Spirits
Winemaker’s Cut –Michal Mosny,Winemaker and Owner
Mike Mosny – Wine Makers Cut
Sheringham Distillery and Lumette –Jason MacIsaac, Master Distiller, and Owner
Sheringham Distillery and Lumette –Jason MacIsaac, Master Distiller, and Owner
Junction Cider –Cody Brown (Owner),
Junction Cider –Cody Brown (Owner),
Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards –Gordon Fitzpatrick,Owner/VP
Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards –Gordon Fitzpatrick, Owner/VP
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)
