Tasting Room Radio

April 18th, 2010- RHYS PENDER’S DRINK LOCAL SERIES & UNCORKED  IN PARKSVILLE

April 17, 2020 Audio FIle, Tasting Room Radio 01:05:10

hello

RHYS PENDER’S DRINK LOCAL SERIES & UNCORKED  IN PARKSVILLE

  

THE SHOW

 April is BC Wine Month!

Rhys Pender, Master of Wine, Wine Plus Education  and co-founder of Little Farm Winery in the Similkameen Valley decided to celebrate the wines of BC by starting an on line video series called Rhys Pender MW-Drink Local. Found at IGTV at Instagram. One feature a day for the whole month.

Rhys Pender Little Farm

Basically he sets up a camera in his kitchen and talks to wine fans  about “everything”

Sperling Foch, Haywire Rose, Figaro, Little Farm Riesling, aging of BC wines, Niche Pinot Noir, wine regions and sub GI’s, Fort Berens, Tantalus Chardonnay, all The Benches, the price of BC wine, Culmina Rose, Joie Gamay,  and he also finds time to pick up his Ukulele and sing a song..one called drinking and cooking.

I asked Rhys for permission to take the audio from his videos and make a special out of it.

And that’s what starts this week’s TRR.

These are the first dozen shows but Rhys is still doing a show every day..which means there’s more than a dozen more  to go.

He usually gets around to posting them after dinner..around 7PM

Instagram IGTV Drink Local –  Rhys Pender MW

The Ukulele moments  are  the highlight of the year and my Life.

https://www.instagram.com/rhyspendermw/?hl=en

 

Swirl and UnTapped.  Uncorked in Parksville

Parksville sea walk

It’s the annual  gathering of wine, cider makers, craft beer brewers and distillery artisans on Vancouver Island.

This year it was craft beer etc at Beach Club Resort and the Wineries at Tigh-na-Mara.

Obviously these interviews were done before the entire World shut down and stayed home.

Because you can tell by the noise exactly when they opened the doors.

Very popular events these.

Love Shack Libations

Pouring  guests this week are:

 Terence Fitzgerald – COO and partner in Sheringham Distilling and his new venture Lumette Distilled non-alcoholic spirits.    Shirley, BC

www.enjoylumette.com

Dave Paul – Co-Owner. Brew master of Love Shack Libations Qualicum, BC

www.loveshacklibations.com

Michael Abbott – Raisin Rancher & Vineyard Manager Blue Grouse Estate Winery and Vineyard  Cowichan Valley

www.bluegrouse.ca

Lorin Inglis – Manager of Enrico Winery  Mill Bay, BC

www.enricowinery.com

Mark and Linda Holford – Owners of Rocky Creek Winery Cowichan Valley

www.rockycreekwinery.ca

Jack Eubank  – Co-Founder of Cliffside Brewing  Nanaimo.

www.cliffsidebrewco.ca

Chef Eric Edwards – Executive Chef Tigh-na-Mara   Seaside Resort. Parksville

www.tigh-na-mara.com

Dave Woodward – Mt Arrowsmith Brewing Parksville

arrowsmithbrewing.com

 

https://www.parksville.ca/

https://tigh-na-mara.com/

https://www.beachclubbc.com/

https://www.tourismvi.ca/

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

 

Tasting with a Mescal Master in Oaxaca Mexico (Next)

Ann Sperling – Sperling Vineyards

Davin De Kergommeaux – The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distillers

BC Spring Releases

How to support  Artisans and Culinary Teams.

April 11th, 2020 – HONOURING WINE EVENTS THAT DISAPPEARED THIS YEAR:

April 11, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 01:03:16

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HONOURING WINE EVENTS THAT DISAPPEARED THIS YEAR:

 

 Hello all:

We started April by showcasing the wine events that would have happened in early 2020 except for the fact that the Earth was fighting a pandemic.

First was event was  –

 Locals Only.  Vancouver Islands  best showcase of  distillers, winemakers, brewers and cider makers.

Then Okanagan Falls &  Skaha Lake Wine Assn  pour in Vancouver. They were shut down. So we went back to 2019 and talked to the very same wineries. When people could shake hands and stand next to one another.

This week its Top Drop Vancouver/Victoria.

Top Drop is simply one of the best small wine festivals anywhere.

They ask of applicants to be sustainable, honour the fruit, don’t mess with the winemaking and be true to the land.

Unsworth Cowichan Valley

 

 

It’s become an astounding collection of “must taste” wineries.

We go back to years 4 and 5 to relive the interviews.

To salute BC Wine Month, we have collected only interviews with BC wineries.

Naramata beauty

 

Our guests are:

https://topdrop.ca/

 

 

 

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

 

Mescal Master in Oaxaca

swirl and untapped in Parksville

Unsworth. The Hatch. Orofino. Row Fourteen Restaurant at Klipper’s.

Road 13 Winery

Ned Bell –  back on The Bench

catching up with Ann Sperling

 

 

 

 

April 4th, 2020-The 9th annual Okanagan Falls Spring Releases

April 2, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 01:06:50

hello

The 9th annual Okanagan Falls Spring Releases  in Vancouver

(Over a dozen  winery interviews and lots of new releases)

 The SHOW

For 9 Years the Okanagan Falls Winery Assn has gathered in Vancouver to pour their Spring Releases

NOT THIS YEAR  – Because of the Pandemic,  2020 has become  a dark period in our World

We wanted to support our friends in the wine world so this is a repeat of last years pour with two new Wineries’s added Black Market and Echo Bay.

The group is now called The Okanagan Falls/Skaha Lake Winery Association. THE HEART OF WINE COUNTRY.

Last year we found them at The Terminal City Club on Hastings. A grand heritage building. Funds raised go to BC Hospitality Foundation.

The whole Group

From the northern tip of Skaha Lake to the hills above Vaseux Lake the Okanagan Falls wine region in the South Okanagan was blessed with the land that the  ice age left behind.

When  the huge glacier came through and formed the valley, it managed to created  pools and hollows. Each one today has become its own growing terroir. A combination of silt and rock. Each vineyard can have a completely different expression of wine.

Best of all, the days are hot and bright and the nights are cool. Possibly the best growing combination that nature can provide.

In 2018, the B.C. Wine Authority gave Okanagan Falls their own sub-region designation.  Followed by The Skaha Bench.

 

We welcome back –

Leslie D’Andrea – Owner of Noble Ridge & Chair of Assn (theheartofwinecountry.ca)

Blasted Church – John Bayley Vineyard Manager (blastedchurch.com)

Crescent Hill – Tysha  Pope – Family member (crescenthillwinery.com)

Liquidity –  Ruth Hanbury President (Liquiditywines.com)

Wild Goose – Leslie Matheson  marketing manager (winegoosewinery.com)

Pentage – Julie Rennie  co-owner  (Pentage.com)

Bonamici Cellars – Mario Rodi  owner/partner (bonamiccicellars.com)

Noble Ridge – Jim D’Andrea Owner/Chair  (nobleridge.com)

Stag’s Hollow – Linda Pruegger  Owner (stagshollowwinery.com)

BC Hospitality Foundation – Dana Lee Harris Exec Director

(bchospitalityfoundation.com)

Meyer Family – Chris Carson  winemaker/viticulturist (MFVwines.com)

Nighthawk – Christy Bibby  co-owner  (nighthawkvineyards.com)

Black Market  – Rob Hammersley   Owner (blackmarketwine.ca)

Echo Bay – Kelsey Rufiange. Winemaker. (echobayvineyard.ca)

WWW.THEHEARTOFWINECOUNTRY.CA

 

 

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Mescal Master in Oaxaca

swirl and untapped in Parksville

TopDrop Vancouver & Victoria

Unsworth. The Hatch. Orofino. Row Fourteen Restaurant at Klipper’s.

Road 13 Winery

Ned Bell –  back on The Bench

catching up with Ann Sperling

 

 

 

 

March 28th, 2020-Locals Only 3.0

March 28, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 00:58:09

hello

LOCALS ONLY – 13 Artisans from Vancouver Island and The Gulf Islands.

 

We live in CRAZY times. 

The COVID19 Virus has shut all wine events down, including The Locals Only gathering which was hoping to take place March 23.

 In order to support these wineries in this demanding time, over the next couple of weeks we’ll be replaying last year’s coverage of Top Drop, Locals Only and OK Falls Spring pour in Vancouver.

We also ask you to consider ordering wines, cider &  spirits from the businesses  below and also please consider supporting your local markets, food trucks  and restaurants.  Tough times my friends. Lets help each other out.

 13 guests for The Annual “Locals Only 3.0″The Artisans of Vancouver Island & The Gulf Islands.

 

THE SHOW

 

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It was an afternoon exploring the diversity & creativity of our coastal producers.

Through the interviews below we get to meet the farmers, fermenters and distillers that define our cool climate coastal appellation.

 

Event photos by @socialtyvr

 

This is Locals Only 3.0 

No fancy marketing campaigns or graphic trickery.  Just an opportunity to taste clean honest products from the producers who are defining our cool climate coastal appellation. 

  • Speak with the producers who were natural before it was fashionable
  • Learn more about distilling while speaking with a Master
  • Meet and taste with the people who planted the vines and then made the wine


Locals Only is about keeping it real, real honest and really local.

 

Organic estate farming , clean winemaking , neutral barrels & vessels, amphora, orange wines, concrete, spontaneous ferments, dry farming + way more. Discover the next destination you just have to check out.

Off Shore craft makers.

 

Guests include:

 Massey Wines –  Louise Fedyk.  Co-Organizer of event  http://www.masseywines.com/

 Mike Rathjen – Rathjen Cellars  https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgo92Vuntu8/

Mike Nierychlo –  Emandare Vineyards  http://www.emandarevineyard.com/    

Dave Brimacombe – Wayward Distillery (Unruly Gin/Vodka) https://www.instagram.com/p/BgpPVn3Hw0U/

Jason MacIsaac – Sheringham Distillery  https://www.sheringhamdistillery.com/

Andy Johnson  – Averill Creek  https://www.averillcreek.ca/

Loretta Zanatta – Zanatta Vineyards https://zanatta.ca/

Chris Turyk – Unsworth  https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgr0mocH0rh/

Bailey Williamson – Blue Grouse https://www.bluegrouse.ca/Home

Dan Dragert – Kutatas Vineyards ( Koo Tah Tass) You’re on your own. Well worth The Search.

Brenda Hetman-Layne – 40 Knots  https://www.instagram.com/p/BgkFfRknXdL/   

Marilyn Venturi –   Venturi-Schulze Vineyards  https://www.instagram.com/p/BgraOj7nK_o/

Julia Powell – Alderlea Vineyards  https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgtz5m0HCrX/

 


@averillcreek
@unsworthvineyards
@alderleavineyards
@vswine
@bluegrousewines

 

 

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STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Okanagan Falls Spring pour 2019

Top Drop 2019

Mescal Master – Oaxaca

Swirl and untapped in Parksville

Ann Sperling – Spring tastes

Where the Hell is Ned Bell?

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 21st, 2020 – Impact of COVID19 on the Food and Wine Industry

March 21, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 01:03:57

hello

Impact of COVID19 on the Food and Wine Industry

Welcome. We hope this finds  you  all well and safe.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed all of our lives.

Imagine what effect its had on the food and wine businesses we know and love.

I reached out to as many owners and winemakers as I could find in a single day in the hope that their answers could become your answers.

The basic questions were:

How are you doing and how is your business handling this crisis?

How can we, the consumer help sustain your business?

Suggestions?  Ideas? Are you open and if so, under what restrictions?

 This will be the first of several specials  I hope to do over the next couple of weeks.

 I would like to thank the guests below for stepping forward to offer insight, suggestions and support!

One thought stood out from this collective thinking.  They are talking to the food and wine fan yes BUT they’re also strongly talking to the businesses involved.

If you have a restaurant or winery please have a listen to these guests..perhaps some of their ideas will start to become a new direction for you.

 Please check out the links at the bottom of the page –

 Today’s guests are:

 Chef Robert Belcham – President of the Chef’s Table Society of BC  (Vancouver)

Exec Chef Mark Filatow – Waterfront Wines and Wine Bar (Kelowna)

Sandra Oldfield – Founder Elysian Projects  (South Okanagan)

Sandra Oldfield

Miles Prodan – President and CEO of BC Wine Institute (Kelowna)

John Skinner – Founder of Painted Rock Winery and member of Okanagan Wine Imitative (OK Falls)

John Skinner

James Iranzad – Partner in Gooseneck Hospitality (Wildebeest, Bufala, Lucky Taco, Bells & Whistles) (Vancouver)

Tim Meeks – Food and Wine Fan and  Senior Nurse   (Seattle)

Tim Meeks

Jean-Benoit Deslauriers – Head Winemaker Benjamin Bridge – (Gaspereau Valley Nova Scotia)

Michael Bartier – Founder/Winemaker Bartier Brothers Wines (South Okanagan)

Michael Bartier

 

https://breakingbreadnow.com/

https://winebc.com/

https://chefstablesociety.com/

https://bchospitalityfoundation.com/

https://waterfrontrestaurant.ca/

https://elysianprojects.com/

https://www.bartierbros.com/

http://www.gooseneck.ca/

https://www.paintedrock.ca/

https://www.benjaminbridge.com/

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Virus Crisis – Part Two

Revisiting projects that have been cancelled because of Virus.

OK Falls pours in Vancouver

Locals Only in Vancouver

Top Drop – Victoria

Also

Swirl and untapped in Parksville

Mexico’s  Senior Mescal Master Sosima Olivera

Stay well

March 14th, 2020- The 42nd VanWineFest: A look back!

March 13, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 01:04:14

hello

 

VANWINEFEST  – A Look Back

The SHOW

The 42nd Vancouver International Wine Festival has come and gone. I’m told it was a huge success.

It was the first festival I had missed in 12 years of TRR.

Thing is,  I was in Oaxaca Mexico visiting family and getting closer to the story of Mescal.

Several weeks from now we’ll bring you the conversation we had with one of Mexico’s  very best Female Mescal Masters

Sosima Olivera…

Instead of doing 30-40 interviews at VanWineFest,  I ended up doing just one. But what a one.

Sosima and Terry in Oaxaca

This week’s edition of Tasting Room Radio looks back at some of the highlights and serious talking points from the 42nd VanWineFest.

 

 

Our Guests are:

 Christine Coletta – Okanagan Crush Pad.

Christine-Coletta

A real Key Wine Influencer. Maker of Freeform. Haywire. Narrative. The Bub.

What started as a Crush Pad has become a true farming leader in the Okanagan.

She was founding executive director of the BC Wine Institute, creator of the VQA and co-founder of Wines of Canada.

Christine’s most  recent honour was being named One of Wine’s Most Inspiring People for 2020 by Wine Industry Advisor.

Rather than ask CC about what she tasted at VanWineFest, I thought it best to get an overview of where we are as a wine region and where we’re headed.

One place we’re headed is Europe. Christine and friends  have been pouring in Europe for years now and they’re starting to notice.

Enjoy!!

www.okanagancrushpad.com

Harry Hertscheg – Executive Director Vancouver Wine Festival.

Harry-Hertscheg

It’s Harry’s show.  He spends his entire year leading a great creative team.

If anyone can give us a wrap up of the entire festival is Harry.

If you find yourself looking at sold out signs when you got to get tickets every year..Harry has the key to making sure that doesn’t happen again.

www.vanwinefest.ca

Michelle Bouffard   Sommelier. Educator. Journalist. Founder of Tasting Climate Change

Michelle Bouffard

One of the very busiest and committed participants at VanWineFest was Michelle.

She hosted panels and discussions on Climate Change and Wine.

Packaging, transport, extremes in temperature, water usage, tips for consumers  to buy wine with a lower carbon footprint.

This conversation was so engaging, the complete interview will be a podcast on Mulligan Stew Podcasts in several weeks. Details at  www.mulliganstew.ca

Michelle also has recommendations on Canadian and French wines she tasted.

https://www.tastingclimatechange.com/en/

Bernard Duseigneur – Domaine Duseigneur . Family member  and Manager.

Bernard Duseigneur

Domaine Duseigneur was founded by Jean Duseigneur in 1967.

In those formative years, Domaine Duseigneur was in rough condition and needed extensive work in the cellar and more importantly, in their vineyards. In 1992, his son Frederic along with his brother Bernard took over managing their Southern Rhone property.

 

They changed their vineyard management techniques starting with the 2004 vintage and became certified biodynamique three years later. They are also a member of Biodyvin, the International Bio-dynamic Vine growing Syndicate. in 2007, they brought in Philippe Cambie to consult on the vineyards and wine making.

They now manage 13 estates in the Languedoc/Roussillon Regions .

I wanted to present Bernard with several of his famous quotes about wine and perhaps see if he’d changed his mind.

Please enjoy the fine French winemaking manager of Domaine Duseigneur  Bernard Duseigneur

https://www.domaineduseigneur.com/?lang=en

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Ned Bell – back in Naramata

OK Falls wineries  pour in Vancouver

Locals Only – artisans from Van Island to Vancouver.

Swirl and Untapped in Parksville

Chef Lee Cooper – L’Abattoir

Sosima Olivera – Fanekantsini Mescal Cooperative

March 7th, 2020 – Third Annual BC Cider fest!

March 6, 2020 Podcast, Tasting Room Radio 00:56:11

hello

THE THIRD ANNUAL BC CIDER FEST… BIGGER AND BETTER!

 

The third annual BC Cider Week.

This week long craft cider celebration saw many cider events, tastings and
festivities throughout British Columbia with tasting events from Kelowna to
Vancouver Island, including tap takeovers, cider pairing meals, and much
more throughout the week.

The highlight for me and many others is the final event. The gathering of up
to 40 Cideries at The Pipe Shop foot of Lonsdale in North Vancouver.

It’s one of the buildings my father Pat worked in during WW2.

The first interview had to be with Shawn Pisio, who co-founded the B.C.
Cider Festival three years ago.

Glenn Ennis, Lynn Colliar and the Geo Team

Just how popular is this event? It sells out within minutes.

Cider is going through the very same revolution that craft beers did 10-15
years ago.

The opportunity to grow more cider apples in B.C. is unlimited, but BC is
already home to many excellent craft cideries.

One of the cideries we interviewed was Twin Island Cider on Pender Island.
They were voted most popular Cidery at this event.

Finally, for those of you who still think that ciders are not for you
because they’re too sweet or something…FORGET ABOUT IT..

It’s a whole new world out in the orchard.

Enjoy!!!!

Our guests are:

Shawn Pisio – Txotx/ Co-Founder

Russ Johnson – Owner/Cidermaker Truck 59 Kelowna

Sydney Bottomley – Asst Cidermaker Broken Ladder Kelowna

Nick Farrer – Founder The Bricker Cider Co Sechelt

Mike Lachelt – Co-owner/Cidermaker Salt Spring Wild SS Island

Mathew Vasilev Co-Owner Twin Island Cider Pender Island

David Schneider – Persephone Brewing Gibson’s BC

Kathleen van der Ree – Northyards Cider – Squamish

Mike Petkau – Nomad Handcrafted Cider – Summerland

Glenn Ennis – Owner Geo Cider Co – Squamish

Lynn Colliar – Geo Cider Squamish

Jeff Nairn – Co-Founder Windfall East Van

 

http://bcciderfest.ca/

Photos by Linda C

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

 

February 29th, 2020- Top Drop 2019- Victoria

February 28, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 01:05:37

hello

TOP DROP / FIRST TIME IN VICTORIA

The press release came in loud and clear.

For the very first time Top Drop was coming to Victoria.

Frankly, that’s all I needed to know.

I’ve been happily covering this small wildly successful wine gathering for
Six Years but Top Drop in Victoria is a whole other event. Why? Because
Victoria is a great wine town.

TOP DROP is Vancouver based so they needed a Victoria Host. Turns out the
Vessel crew have been watching this independent, craft wine festival seed
and grow in Vancouver, and spread to Calgary in 2018. This was their year to
launch it in Victoria for ONE DAY .

Victoria International Marina

Top Drop is an opportunity to celebrate authenticity in farming, terroir
and wine, with winery principals from around the globe.

Mirroring Top Drop Vancouver and Calgary’s flagship experience, the public
event is a walk around, grazing-style tasting where attendees enjoy sips
and stories from the principals of international and local wineries. There
has never before been a wine tasting of this scope and caliber in Victoria.

For me and TRR, the voice and face of Top Drop has always been Kurtis Kolt.
Wine educator and Wine writer for the Georgia Straight.

Kurtis and TD

Because of the foul weather, Kurtis and his partners were delayed in
Vancouver and could not attend while I was there.

Once again Kurtis Kolt and his partner Jeff Curry and a sensational team
have convinced some of the very best winemakers to pour at Top Drop.

What they have in common is craft and care!

In Kurtis’ column in the Georgia Straight he said this:

“Each year, our process begins the same. Our team casts out a wide net to
British Columbia-based importers and wineries, asking for winery
applications to participate in the event. First and foremost, Top Drop
wineries must fit with our general philosophy: that wines, indeed, express
terroir or offer a sense of place.

Whether we’re talking vines grown in mineral-rich soils or under
cool-climate growing conditions bringing bright acidity or in sun-drenched
regions offering generous, opulent fruit and so on, we want those elements
to be notable in the glass and for them to have arrived there authentically,
rather than via heavy-handed additions in the winery.

Sustainable farming is also key. There is a high priority on those who
employ these methods while farming their own fruit or who work with growers
who fit the mold.”

Winemaking Guests in Victoria:

(Check them out – Winners All!!)

Ross Borland Managing Partner/Vessel Liquor Victoria www.vesselliquor.com

Mitch Renaud Asst manager Vessel Liquor Victoria www.vesselliquor.com

Rhys Pender (MW) Little Farm/Similkameen Valley
http://www.littlefarmwinery.ca/

Angus Thomson Urlar/ Gladstone NZ http://www.urlar.co.nz/

Kelsey Rufiange – Echo Bay/OK Falls www.echobayvineyard.ca

Grant Biggs – Kitsch wines/Kelowna www.kitschwines.ca

Tyler Knight = Lightening Rock/Summerland www.lightningrockwinery.com

Larry Gerelus – Stags Hollow/OK Falls www.stagshollowwinery.com

Michael Shindler – A Sunday in August/Similkameen Valley
www.asundayinaugust.com

Dan Wright – Unsworth/Cowichan Valley www.unsworthvineyards.com

https://topdrop.ca/

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Mescal Master in Oaxaca

Orofino. Row Fourteen. Road 13, The Hatch. Unsworth.

Locals Only

Parksville Uncorked and Untapped.

What’s up with Ned Bell

Discovering Sheringham  and Lumette Distilled

 

February 22nd, 2020 -VANWINEFEST  – ALL STAR ARCHIVES

February 22, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 00:54:45

hello

VANWINEFEST  – ALL STAR ARCHIVES

THE SHOW

 We’ve been happily  covering the annual Vancouver International Wine Festival for 12 years.

This year the events start Feb 22 with the Bacchanalia Gala and Auction  and ends with the Vintners Brunch March 1.

This one hour special will feature some of the highlight interviews from years past.

In the grand tasting room, we set up a large round table, fill it with a forest of microphones  and invite as many winemakers and principals as possible over the course of one afternoon.  Once you set it in motion, it’s always a fantastic blur.

We’ll go  as far back  as 2010 an feature a conversation  with  Anthony von Mandl introducing us to Marchesi Piero Antinori . Two visionary giants surrounded by rivers of people walking around us.

Special.

We end the hour  with two very special people.

Gina Gallo – Gallo Family

And her husband Jean Charles Boisset..Raymond. Boisset Collection

Gina Gallo, Jean Boisset

Here’s the complete line-up filled with winemakers, owners and friends. Rarely do all these wine educators and experts get together like this.  Enjoy!

Seg 1

Harry Hertscheg – Exec Director VanwineFest

Chris Gaze – founding artistic director  Bard on the beach  2017

Kurtis Kolt – educator. Georgia straight wine column.  2016 (Italy)

DJ Kearney – Wine educator – consultant – judge

DJ-Kearney

Deanna van Mulligen –  wine diva.. writer..judge –

Rhys Pender – Master of wine  -cofounder of Little Farm Similkameen

Anthony von Mandl  owner/founder Mission Hill  2010

Marchesi Piero  Antinori – Antinori  Italy

Segment 2

DJ Kearney  2017

Harry McWatters – Time..McWatters. Evolve.   co-founder of wine in Canada.  2017

Ray Signorello – losing his Napa winery buildings  To fire  2018

Seg 3

Ann Sperling – 2017 (Canada)

Daenna van Mulligen – The Wine Diva

Howard  Soon –  still at Sandhill and about to get Order of Canada

Sandra Oldfield – still at Tinhorn Creek

Jon Bonne – Keynote – new California  wine  2019

Charles Smith – Walla Walla . Before he became CHARLES SMITH   2014

Charles Smith

Seg 4

Gina Gallo – Family member and leader  2019

Her Husband

Jean Charles Boisset   – winemaker & visionary.    Raymond.  Boisset Collection.  Buena Vista  family vineyards  in Burgundy

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Top Drop Victoria

Untapped Parksville

A day with a Mescal Master in Oaxaca.

Locals Only 2020

Cider Festival

OK Falls 2020 releases.

February 8th, 2018 – 15th Victoria Whisky Festival!

February 7, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 01:05:06

hello

15th Victoria Whisky Festival

  

THE SHOW

Each year, every January  the Victoria Whisky Festival attracts distilleries, and the people who love them, from every corner of the globe. Distillers, distillery managers and brand ambassadors from over 50 distilleries travelled  to Victoria from Scotland, Ireland, England, Canada, United States, Japan, Taiwan, India and France. Collectively they presented over 200 whiskies,  showing a broad range of styles, flavour profiles and whisky philosophies.

The tenth annual Canadian Whisky Awards gala  recognized the best whiskies in the country.

Distillers from across Canada were  in attendance seeking the recognition of major awards including Best Single Malt Whisky, Best Blended Whisky, Blender of the Year, Best New Whisky, Whisky of the Year and others.

In 2019, BC Distilleries had their strongest showing yet with major awards going to Vancouver Island’s Shelter Point Distillery for Innovation and de Vine Winery and Distillery for Best Whisky Spirit as well as a number of medals awarded.

Cheers!

Rob Carpenter – (Scotch Malt Whisky Society-Holyrood Distillery UK)

 In Jan 2018 inspectors from the B.C. Liquor Control and Licensing Branch raided Scotch Malt Whisky Society Partner Bars in B.C.,

with 242 bottles of SMWS whisky being seized from Fets Whisky Kitchen. 

Rob Carpenter (co-founder of the Canadian branch of the SMWS), together with one of Fets’ owners and a lawyer, presented a tasting of some beautiful single cask Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottlings interspersed with an account of what happened, the legal issues, and the current situation, including the impact on BC whisky, wine, and beer enthusiasts and what can be done going forward.

 Rob is very connected on both sides of the Atlantic and he wants whisky fans to know about #freeourwhisky – a movement to focus on government bureaucracy when it comes to whisky. The man speaks the truth and exposes our liquor bullies.

#free our whisky

 Chris Thompson  (NA Brand Ambassador Forty Creek Whisky)

Forty Creek

Chris Thompson joined the company in 2010 and has been sharing the Forty Creek story ever since, introducing a variety of limited edition whiskies to an enthusiastic North American whisky community.

www.camparigroup.com

 Davin de Kergommeaux   (Author. Whisky Educator.  Head Judge)

Davin de Kergommeaux

Davin de Kergommeaux, Chairman of the judges for the Canadian Whisky Awards and author of Canadian Whisky: The New Portable Expert has been sharing his enthusiasm for Canadian Whisky with the world for two decades . His third book The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries, will be published in spring of 2020.

 www.canadianwhisky.org

 

   Ken Winchester  – (Founder/Master Distiller deVine Spirits-Saanich)

devine spirit ancient grains

Ken Winchester creates award-winning whiskies while keeping watch over the distillery’s vintage German copper pot still, Brünhilde. Demand for their Glen Saanich was so great the distillery held a lottery to determine who would  take one home.

 At deVine, they grow their own grain, malt locally, and mash, ferment, distill and age on their property in Saanich, just outside Victoria.

www.devinevineyards.ca

 Leon Webb  – (The pride of Aviemore. Distiller Shelter Point Campbell River)

Hailing from Aviemore in Scotland, Leon Webb made waves as Victoria Distillers Master Distiller before joining Shelter Point in September of 2017. He is a driving force behind their range of whisky expressions including their newest, a peated expression called Smoke Point.

Shelter Point Single Malt

https://shelterpoint.ca/

 

Beth Havers – (Glenfiddich Canada)

Struan Grant Ralph – (Glenfiddich Global Ambassador)

 Glenfiddich is the most popular Whisky in Canada. Beth and Struan are the perfect pair to talk to. They joined the company on the very same day together.

We run through their pours in Victoria and plans for 2020.

https://www.glenfiddich.com/ca/

Dr Don Livermore  – (Master Blender of Lot 40 and Pike Creek. Hiram Walker)

Dr. Don Livermore has been experimenting in order to reach new heights and push the boundaries of what is possible in Canadian Whisky.  Dr. Don was named Canadian Whisky Blender of the Year at the 2019 Canadian Whisky Awards.

Pike Creek

Having done a lot of work to raise the bar for Canadian Whisky in the past several years through incredible innovation,  at the Festival Dr. Don Livermore dug into his archives and pulled out some of his favourite, and most rare, whiskies of the past few years – some of the best that J.P. Wiser’s, Lot No. 40, Pike Creek and Gooderham & Worts have to offer.

At this year’s awards Don Livermore  took home trophies for

 Connoisseur Whisky of the Year Domestic and Best Blended Whisky

Pike Creek 21 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish

Don also won Blender of the Year –

Hiram Walker & Sons was named Distillery of the Year!

 https://corby.ca/en/hiram-walker/

https://www.jpwiserstour.ca/

http://www.pikecreekwhisky.com/s/

 

Apologies to Patrick Sweeney – National Marketing Director for Beam Suntory Canada. (Canadian Club. Laphroaig.  Jim Beam. Maker’s Mark Yamazaki)

Couldn’t fit your interview in without messing with everyone else. You shall be featured shortly.  Cheers.

www.beamsuntory.com

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

 VanWineFest

Mescal Master in Oaxaca

Uncorked in Parksville

The Hatch/Road 13/Unsworth/Row Fourteen/Orofino