November 30th, 2024 The State of BC Wine -With Winemakers, Owners, Wine Growers and Master of Wine Opinions

November 30, 2024 0:36:37

hello

We’re nearing the end of a volatile year in BC Wine.

It featured wildfires, floods, COVID, road closures, price, tax and wage increases and two cold snaps over two Winters.

Vineyards were damaged or destroyed by the freeze. Wineries and growers were facing a 2025 with little or no wines to cellar and sell. The Wine Industry and Government leadership came up with a plan to allow BC Wineries to harvest next year’s fruit this year in Washington, Oregon, California, Ontario and The Cowichan Valley.

As long as the label states “Crafted in BC” and the process is transparent.

Will BC wine fans buy their favourite labels if the fruit comes from another region?

If they like the new juice, will they still embrace their original BC wines?

What gets replanted, and what new varietals will we see growing in the new BC?

So much to consider.

Which is why we’ve invited four of the most connected leaders from the BC wine industry to share opinions, suggestions and creative ideas over the course of an hour.

They are:

Cristine Coletta: Co-Owner Okanagan Crush Pad. For 9 years, executive director of the BC Wine Institute!

Specialist in marketing and branding wine. www.okanagancrushpad.com

Christine-Coletta-OCP

DJ Kearney – Wine Director The Terminal City Club. Wine Educator at large. @djwines www.tcclub.com

DJ Kearney

Rhys Pender – Master of Wine. Co-owner of Little Farm Wine. Similkameen Valley www.wineplus.ca

Rhys Pender

Lauren Skinner Buksevics– Director of Sales and Marketing Painted Rock. Okanagan Falls. Member of the Wine Growers of BC Board. @paintedrocklaur @paintedrockwine www.paintedrock.ca

Lauren Skinner

www.winebc.com

www.totabc.org

November 23rd, 2024- 2 Wine Stories –From Garnet Valley, Solvero & Garnet Valley Ranch.

November 23, 2024 0:57:36

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New wineries in Garnet Valley, Solvero & Garnet Valley Ranch Plus Two from Bottleneck Drive, Dirty Laundry and Pamplemousse Jus.

As much as I like to follow the wines we all share, I’m equally driven by the people who make them. The battles they wage against weather and mankind!

Best of all are the stories they tell. Every wine has a story.

Those are the people and stories I want to share with you on Tasting Room Radio.

Christine Coletta – Co-founder of Okanagan Crush Pad/Haywire etc and now Garnet Valley Ranch Wines

Alison Moyes – GM and Winemaker at Solvero Wines in Garnet Valley.

Discover Garnet Valley Ranch, a quick 7 minute drive from the town of Summerland! The 320-acre ranch is a working farm that is surrounded by natural habitat, organic vineyards, fields of ground crops and a lavender farm. A small pond attracts more than 70 species of birds and wildlife. With no immediate neighbours, the site is tranquil and relaxing. There are places to hike and horseback riding options, or go off grid, listen to nature, and read a book while you sip wine.

Christine talks about the wines being planted, grown, harvested and released.

Christine Coletta is one of the veteran leaders in the BC wine industry. We’ll also be talking about the future of BC wine.

Her only “next door” neighbor in Garnet Valley is Alison Moyes and the team at Solvero Wines.

“It was just a dense forested mountainside, very steep slopes, very challenging terrain to farm. But over the course of two years, a 16-acre vineyard was planted in 2016. Then we started building the winery in 2020 to be able to produce the wines. And then finally, we’ve just finished this beautiful new tasting room and we’re ready to launch this year.” Alison Moyes (Global TV)

This destination, is one of the highest vineyards in BC, almost 600 metres. Its perfect for growing their signature releases of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

By hiring Alison Moyes, they’ve found the final piece of the puzzle.

She learned her winemaking craft through years at Stoneboat, Osoyoos Larose and Liquidity.

Enjoy the conversation between acknowledged winery leaders and neighbours. Both creating new wines in a new destination. We get to taste and compare the same varietals from both locations.

www.solverowines.ca

www.okanagancrushpad.com

Then a short trip down the road to Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive.

Jordan Kubeck – owner/winemaker Pamplemousse Jus natural winery (Bottleneck Drive)

Okanagan Crush Pad Announces Changes to the Winemaking Team - My VanCity

Jordan Kubeck winemaker/owner at Pamplemousse Jus

One of BC’s most admired new wineries is Pamplemousse. Not only making highly creative natural wines, they are also creating “natural” converts with every season.

Jordan has been making wine in BC since 2010. After working at Cellar Tek, Okanagan Crush Pad and Lightning Rock, Jordan was excited to launch her own project along with her husband Tyler Knight and business partner James Langford-Smith in 2021.

Pamplemousse Jus is natural wine! Neutral vessels, basket press, manual labor and wild ferments create these wines. The wines are made in a garage turned winery with basic winemaking equipment and a whole lot of happy hearts. The Pamplemousse Jus team works hard, experimenting with unusual blends and winemaking styles to bring you the freshest, yummiest wines possible.

Mason Spink Winemaker at Dirty Laundry (Bottleneck Drive)

Mason Spink

When the recent Top 50 BC wines were announced, at the very top of the list – the wine of the year was

Dirty Laundry’s 2022 Cellar Series Gamay.

Wine of the year' is Dirty Laundry Cellar Series Gamay

“this wine stood out among all entries for it’s exceptional quality and distinctive character, earning the highest honor in the competition.” Okanagan Wine Festivals.

dirty laundry

Mason Spink winemaker at Dirty Laundry Vineyards

After study at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont. by 2009, he was making wine and, in 2013, he left See Ya Later Ranch to join Dirty Laundry. Since Mason Spink took over as winemaker in 2013, Summerland’s Dirty Laundry Vineyard has doubled production. He likes to make serious, interesting wines but they don’t have to be pretentious. Over his time at Dirty Laundry he has been evolving the house style and winning awards. Including #1 at the new Top 50 in BC hosted by the Okanagan Wine Festivals

The vineyards were originally planted in the 1970s and are now some of the Okanagan Valley’s oldest vinifera vines.

Mason takes us through some of their recent releases and their plans for replanting vines lost in the latest winter freeze.

The other voice you hear belongs to Leeann Froese, the owner of Town Hall Brands. An outstanding wine advisor and marketing firm.

www.dirtylaundry.ca

www.pamplemoussejus.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Meyer Family

The Hatch

Township 7

Fort Berens

Hillside

Black Swift

Howling Bluff

Artema

Hester Creek

2025 Van Wine Fest

The State of BC Wine

November 16th, 2024- Life on the Edge… Ucluelet BC

November 16, 2024 0:50:17

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Dining at Pluvio – Top Chef with Lisa Ahier and Two great locals you should know about.

Life on The Edge in Ucluelet

THE SHOW

It started with the wild idea of fishing in Ucluelet, in early September when the crowds had gone home.

I had in my pocket a card from James Costello, the masterful guide and fishing expert for the Tofino/Ucluelet area.

His boat and company are called Maximum Coastal Adventures. www.maxcoast.ca

James knows the waters and everything that’s swimming in them.

His buddy is Mike Marriott from Eagle Marine, Columbia Fuels and Long Beach Charters. He also has a great rental house (up and down) Right across from The Marina. Much appreciated At 5am

www.longbeachcharters.com

I wanted to know if they would share the real Ucluelet. Not the one on posters and banners.

We start the show with Warren Barr and Lily Verney-Downey who conceived and created Pluvio Restaurant and Rooms. One of Canada’s best dining experiences, found only in downtown Ucluelet.

Chef Warren Barr & Lily Verbey-Downey of Pluvio restaurant + rooms in Ucluelet

Warren Barr and Lily Verney-Downey

Needless to say, Pluvio has been a success right from the start:

Chef Warren Barr and the team prepare creative and inspired Canadian cuisine, focusing on seasonal and wild ingredients foraged from the Ucluelet forests and coastline, with a few sneaky international treats! You are as likely to find spruce and wild rose as you are truffle and caviar on our menu.

Pluvio is pictured in Ucluelet, B.C. (Pluvio/Facebook)

One of Best restaurants in Canada!

We are honoured to have been selected as Canada’s 33rd Best Restaurant for 2023, and ‘Best Destination Restaurant’ and 37th Best Restaurant for 2022 by ‘Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants’, Canada’s ‘Best Fine Dining Restaurant‘ for 2022 by the Trip Advisor Community, and ‘4th Best New Restaurant in Canada’ in 2019 by Air Canada’s enRoute magazine at the ‘Canada’s Best New Restaurant’ awards.

Check out the menu and one of a kind wine list www.pluvio.ca

Lisa Ahier is known far and wide as the owner and chef at Sobo in Tofino.

Lisa Ahier

Sobo is the kind of dining and room you like so much, you send all your best friends there.

Its the centre of the town. Locals meet there for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Lisa has moved on from Sobo and is now making notes for her third book and has become the darling of this years Top Chef competition.

Five shows in and she’s still there, the oldest competitor since they started years ago.

We have lots to talk about – lean in, its a hoot.

https://www.instagram.com/lisaahier/

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

2025 Van Wine Fest

The Hatch

Howling Bluff

Artema

TRR Nov 9 2024 Poplar Grove Merlot Celebration and two Whiskies – Sons of Vancouver & Rupert’s from Eau Claire

November 9, 2024

hello

THE SHOW

Welcome to Tasting Room Radio.

In the 17 years we’ve been creating and broadcasting TRR most of the stories and interviews have been about wine & food.

Slowly but surely, we’ve added tales of cider, no/low wines, and the wild and wonderful world of whisky.

So here’s the mix this week -an exceptional Poplar Grove Merlot and two whisky houses. Sons of Vancouver and Eau Claire.

We lead with a special release of Poplar Grove Merlot (2014) and the release of 2020 Merlot. Recorded On Merlot Day.

Chris Holler – VP/GM/Farmer Poplar Grove – Naramata Bench

Along with Hillside, Poplar Grove is one of the originals on The Bench. Prime vineyards and strong leadership.

Now under the direction of the next generation of The Hollers Family ...our guest is Chris Holler

Chris and I go over the quick history of Poplar Grove, especially its relationship to Merlot (thank you, Ian Sutherland)

Chris Holler and Family

Chris takes us through two Merlot releases..

Poplar Grove Merlot 2020 – Gone are the plum and vanilla notes from 2019. The 2020 has dark ripe fruit, cherry, blackberry, currant and white pepper.

Engaged acidity and tannins to dream about. $34.70 (at winery)

The star of the releases is the Merlot from the Poplar Grove Library Collection 2014. It takes its place in the rest of the “collection” –

The Cabernet Franc and the flagship blend The Legacy.

Poplar Grove is the first winery to launch a formal library program, where they hold back a considerable amount of age-worthy wines each year and release them for sale a decade later. Very distinctive bottles and labels are constructed as metal medallions.

The 2014 growing year was the second hottest on record.

Originally it was ruby red, with eucalyptus and sage on the nose.

10 years later is brick red in colour, with notes of dried berry, ripe plum, the palate welcomes raspberry, big cherry and forest floor.

88% Merlot, 5% Cab, 5% Cab Franc, 2% Malbec $82.52 at Winery.

www.poplargrove.ca

James Lester -SOV

Sons Of Vancouver Realms of Rye

James Lester – Partner and co-founder of Sons of Vancouver

James returns to Tasting Room with another simply outstanding whisky.

The Realms of RYE.

All tasting notes and flavours in each whisky have been amplified through the fermentation, maturation and blending process only.

The label has the mystery of a great short story. The bottle has 100% Canadian Rye matured in ex-bourbon and a new oak cask.

Lots of ripe fruit, java, fresh-picked mint and Quebec maple syrup.

The palate completes engages the senses. Everything you want in a craft whisky is right here.

If they enter this gem in the Canadian Whisky Awards in January in Victoria..they could very well win their second Whisky of the Year award.

Changing the expectations of craft whisky in Canada, one bottle at a time.

Thank you James….

www.sonsofvancouver.ca

Caitlin Quinn – Distiller/Blender Eau Claire Distillery

Caitlin Quinn – Distiller/Blender Eau Claire Distillery – Turner Valley, Alberta

Just like James, Caitlin has been with us several times before.

You’ll be reminded when she starts to speak in her thick Edinburgh accent.

When she starts talking about her whisky, Caitlin gets excited and her words spill over each other. But you get the sense that she loves what she does. It shows in the whisky.

Caitlin brings with her Rupert’s Exceptional Canadian Whisky – Awarded Best Canadian Whisky at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

dark brown sugar, and vanilla on the finish. Notes of candied ginger. Overall, engaging and smooth.

This delightful whisky will also be considered for Canada Whisky of the Year in January at the Canadian Awards.

Thank you to all at Eau Claire Distilling. Well Done

Thank you Caitlin

Www.eauclairedistillery.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Howling Bluff

Ucluelet fishing and Pluvio dining

More Hatch Wines

Fort Berens

Artema Releases

Latest from Hester Creek

November 2nd, 2024 – Wine releases from the Naramata Bench

November 3, 2024 0:54:37

hello

THE SHOW

This week we reconnect with the wineries of the Naramata Bench.

Like many others in the BC wine community, The Naramata Bench was also hit with heartbreaking losses of their prime vineyards due to a killer Winter deep freeze.

Even as they pour the wines this year, we’re still talking about the growing season last year and how each and all with survive.

The pouring and presenting of Spring wine releases is an annual traditional event. Talking about failed bud breaks, the loss of complete vineyards and the big question – what to do next?

Many changes coming to BC Wine farming.

What to plant? Where to plant? How to survive the crisis?

New Varietals, new Blends and new owners/makers/farmers.

As tough as the next couple of years may be, none of that showed itself in the first of the year pour at Vancouver Community College on West Pender.

The Bench is a very tight community. Even though they are all hyper-competitive, when it comes to showcasing their individual wines The Naramations pull together as a team. Impressive, to say the least.

One thing to keep in mind – there a many wines available from BC wineries. Some pull from past vintages and many have wines stockpiled.

Here are the guests for Part One – talking Spring Wines and Vineyard Survival!!

Colin Ross – President of Bench Wineries (Tightrope)
Tyson Archer – (co-founder) Fox and Archer
Emma Roberts – (GM) Howling Bluff
Bob Ferguson – (co-founder/winemaker) Kettle Valley

Kathy Malone – Hillside Winery

Kathy Malone – (Winemaker) Hillside Winery and Bistro

Marcus

(Marcus Ansems/Daydreamer)

Marcus Ansems – (Winemaker Co-owner) Daydreamer Wines
Richard Da Silva – (Owner-Winemaker) Da Silva Vineyards and Winery
Lyndsay O’Rourke (co-founder/winemaker) Tightrope Winery

Dylan Roche-Roche Wines

Dylan Roche – (co-founder/co-winemaker) Roche Wines
Graham Pierce – (winemaker) Ruby Blue

Rebecca Mikulic

Rebecca Mikulic – Three Sisters Winery

Robert Van Westen

Robert Van Westen – (co-founder/winemaker) Van Westen Vineyards
Lauren Bunckle – (Asst Winemaker) Elephant Island Winery
Wilbert Borren – (co-owner/winemaker) Four Shadows Vineyard and Winery
Will Hardman – (co-founder/winemaker) Deep Roots Winery

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Ucluelet and Pluvio Food Experience

Sons of Vancouver Realms Rye

More Hatch wines

Fort Berens

Howling Bluff

Artema Releases

Poplar Grove – a Merlot Moment

October 26th, 2024

October 26, 2024 0:35:37

hello

THE SHOW

The annual Victoria Wine Festival just happened.

I walked into a Trade Tasting looking for familiar faces and winemakers to interview.

It turned out to be an almost all locals show. For me anyway.

Chris Turyk from Unsworth was telling wine stories to an ever expanding group. Lots of interest in what’s happening at their Cowichan Estate. It would take a whole show to fill you in.

Dan Wright Chris Turyk

That’s down the road. Right now they’re building a whole new facility, watching over their new plantings of Pinot, Chardonnay and Gamay. Chris takes us through his current pours.

Mike Nierychlo. Co-owner/Winemaker at Emandare Vineyard. Just North of Duncan.

Mike-Nierychlo-Emandare and TDM

Mike has news for wine fans everywhere. He’s always promoting Emandare – and why not – but he has outspoken views on BC wines and events that affect them all.

It should come as no surprise that their wines just get better and better. I’ll let Mike explain.

www.emandarevineyard.com

Mark Wachtin and Mich Pambrun from Storied Wine Cider Spirits brought all the wines they represent. A true table full. Such as Anthony Buchanan, Bella,Lock and Worth,Nagging Doubt, Ones+, Roche, 1Mill Road, Sea Star, Unsworth, Salt Spring Wild etc.

And wonderful surprise. 6 years after first meeting him at another wine gathering , I’m talking once again to Michal Mosny owner and winemaker at Winemaker’s Cut in Oliver.

We’ve become friends and now partners. Michal and I joined in partnership with Jason Priestley to create Q&A wine.

We had much to talk about – mostly about Winemaker’s Cut new releases and Michal’s harvest in Yakima Washington.

Www.winemakerscut.ca

https://qa.wine

Zanatta Wines. Jim Moody co-owner and winemaker

Zanatta is Vancouver Island’s first estate winery.

They have been making wines for over 50 years and are very proud of the family legacy.

Jim farms 25 acres of vineyards and it’s all estate fruit.

The best word to describe Zanatta wines is unique.

They use traditional methods to farm and crush their grapes.

Pinot Noir, Ortega, Carmine (a blend of Pinot Noir, Castel and Cab. Also the very popular Damasco, (a blend of Ortega, Muscat, Auxerrois and Madeleine Sylvaner)

Along with Glendora Fantasia Brut, rosé and Taglio Rossi

www.zanatta.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

THE STATE OF B.C. Wines

Fort Berens

Jason Parkes Customs

2025 Van Wine Fest

Sons of Vancouver

Pluvio and Ucluelet

August 19th 2024 2024-Author Luke Whittall and his Sipster’s Pocket Guides Books

October 19, 2024 0:50:02

hello

Look who’s on a Roll – It’s this week’s guest, Author Luke Whittall

Luke and his Sipster’s Pocket Guides Books.

In the third volume in the popular Sipster’s Pocket Guide series, wine expert and educator Luke Whittall presents his latest top 50 British Columbia wines under $50 (including many under $30) and along the way shares his thoughts on wine country and common misconceptions about certain grapes, and offers up tangents on everything from scented candles to middle children to jazz hands.

With food and activity pairings that range from Thai noodles and pool noodles to classic rock and hootenannies, and an index of attitudes that lets you choose a wine based on your mood (come hither, dressed to kill, razzle-dazzle), the Sipster’s guides are equal parts freewheeling and focused.

Divided into chapters on sparkling, white, rosé, red, and dessert wines, the latest volume of Sipster’s will snap you out of a catatonic funk in the liquor store and stick around for a quiet evening paging through a book—perhaps this book and perhaps there’s even a wine for that.

Welcome to Volume 3, where a Viognier can be a lot like a bouncy castle, a red blend that is the icing on top of another layer of icing and also a wine that will upstage Taylor Swift and Kayne and an adventurous evening calls for a certain Trebianno (not the guy from Friends . . . but then again, maybe?).

The Sipster's Pocket Guide to 50 More Must-Try BC Wines: Volume 3

The Sipsters series are written in a language anyone can understand. Words we all use and can remember a day later.

Make no mistake, Luke knows his wines from the vineyards to the bottle. He just makes the journey much easier than it really is.

We also start TRR with a conversation about vineyard damage & recovery, plus the coming discovery of BC Wines made with Washington grapes.

So those damaged vineyards, wineries and wine-farming families can survive the next couple of years.

And heads UP – The Sipster’s Ontario Vol 2 is coming – just in time for Christmas.

Then surely, the Luke Whittall film starring Ryan Reynolds.

Www.sipsterswinepodcast.ca/books

Luke Whittall

Online:

The Sipster’s Wine Podcast – Sipsters Icons on Substack WWW.

Books:

“The Sipster’s Pocket Guide to 50 More Must-Try BC Wines, Volume 3″ 2024 (Touchwood Editions)

“The Sipster’s Pocket Guide to 50 Must-Try Ontario Wines, Volume 1″ 2023 (Touchwood Editions)

“The Sipster’s Pocket Guide to 50 Must-Try BC Wines, Volume 2″ 2023 (Touchwood Editions)

“The Sipster’s Pocket Guide to 50 Must-Try BC Wines, Volume 1″ 2021 (Touchwood Editions)

“The Okanagan Wine Tour Guide” 6th Edition (with John Schreiner) 2020 (Touchwood Editions)

“Valleys of Wine: A Taste of British Columbia’s Wine History” 2019 (Whitecap Books)

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Zanatta

Pluvio & Ucluelet

Sons of Vancouver

Eau Claire Ruperts Exceptional Whisky

Hester Creek

Fort Berens

Victoria Wine Fest

Winemakers Cut

2025 Van Wine Fest

Jason Parkes Customs

The state of BC Wines

Fall Wine Releases

New from Niche

October 12th, 2024- Wine Witch on Fire – The Natalie MacLean Memoir.

October 11, 2024 0:39:09

hello

Wine Witch on Fire – The Natalie MacLean Memoir.

THE SHOW

“Natalie MacLean had it all – an accomplished husband, a high-profile wine writing career and an email signature of “Chief of Wine Happiness.” But her life fell apart when her husband departed, she started to drink too much and a social media mob came after her.

Wine Witch on Fire is the triumphant story of how MacLean pushed back against sexism in the wine industry, found love and drew on her female “witching” powers to turn obstacles into opportunities.”

Francis Dinkelspiel bestselling author of Tangled Vines

The full title of Natalie MacLean’s book is

Wine Witch on Fire

Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation and Drinking Too Much

When I read that Natalie had written a memoir that was both dark, transparent and funny, I knew I had to ask for an interview.

The memoir was surprising in its transparency and elements very familiar to me.

Receiving the wines, studying the info, sipping and at times fully tasting the wines that arrived.

The most interesting wines were always paired with food, as they were intended.

I had page after page of questions written out but in the end, like all great engaging conversations, there was little time to check on notes or questions. Just make sure you’re recording and exchanging any and all opinions and thoughts.

I do hope you like the conversation. The book is even better.

You can get Natalie MacLean’s new memoir Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much in paperback, ebook or audiobook from these retailers.

She hosts the podcast, Unreserved Wine Talk, and offers popular online wine and food pairing classes at www.nataliemaclean.com.

The video version of the interview can be found on the terrydavidmulligan YouTube Channel.

www.nataliemaclean.com

#winewitchonfire

@NatalieMacLean

@natdecants

Happy Thanksgiving all.

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

The Sipster 3 and Ontario 2

Victoria Wine Festival

Winemakers Cut

The State of BC Wine – Fall 2024

Fort Berens

Jason Parkes Customs

2025 Van Wine Festival

New releases from Sons of Vancouver

Jim Moody – Zanatta Wines

Pluvio and Ucluelet

October 5th, 2024- Okanagan Fall Wine Fest!

October 5, 2024 0:22:58

hello

2024 Okanagan Wine Festival October 18^th – October 27^th

The SHOW

Our guest for the hour is Kimberly Hundertmark – GM of Okanagan Wine Fests

Kimberly Hundertmark

The 2024 Okanagan Fall Wine Festival Celebrates the Most Bountiful Time of the Year.

October 18 through 27th we’re all invited to celebrate the bounty of the beautiful Okanagan Valley this October at the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival.

Traditionally a celebration of the grape harvest, this year’s Festival will focus on the storytellers behind the products that we enjoy from our farms and orchards.

This year, many of BC’s winemakers will be crafting their wines with grapes grown elsewhere due to the severe winter damage, but there is still reason to celebrate what is in our glasses and on our plates.

From October 18th through 27th, the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival along with partners throughout the valley, will host a series of events and experiences sure to appeal to the wine and food enthusiast.

Fall Wine

On Saturday, October 19th , explore six of Lake Country’s Scenic Sip Wine Trail wineries as they deliver curated wine and culinary pairings as part of the TASTE Series. Your pass includes a small bite perfectly paired with a BC wine.

CROPPED is back by popular demand. On Friday, October 25th , Valley First presents CROPPED Kelowna. This ever-popular harvest season event returns to downtown Kelowna at Revelry Food and Music Hub. Experience an evening exploring some of your favourite BC wineries and discovering new ones.

Also features culinary bites by Revelry’s very own Chef Kacia and local artisan producers. Your ticket includes a welcome cocktail, two beverage tickets, and live entertainment by the amazing Ben Dunnill.

As well as their Signature Events, there will be several special events hosted by individual partners throughout the Okanagan Valley including OC Cultivate at Okanagan College in Penticton.

With Halloween around the corner, check out the Monster Mash 80’s Bash at Sandhill Wines on October 26th .

The very popular TASTE Series takes place in two of my favourite spots

The Scenic Sip Series Saturday Oct 18 in Lake Country with 50^th Parallel/Blind Tiger/Ex Nihilo/Gray Monk/Intrigue/Peak Cellars

The Second TASTE Series is October 28 in Okanagan Falls. Featuring Liquidity/Mayhem/Meyer Family/Nighthawk/Noble Ridge/Stag’s Hollow/Wild Goose

Check the Festivals website for a full listing of upcoming events and tickets. thewinefestivals.com

Follow them on their new Instagram account @okanaganwinefestival or on Facebook @okwinefests

www.thewinefestivals.com

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Next Week – Natalie MacLean – Wine Witch on Fire

Pluvio and Ucluelet

New releases from Sons of North Vancouver

Jim Moody – Zanatta Winery

Victoria Wine Festival

Fort Berens

The Full Sipster – including the new Ontario #2

TRR Sept 28th 2024- Canada’s oldest beer festival celebrates its 30th year— First time at Topaz Park in Victoria, BC.

September 28, 2024 0:46:03

hello

Canada’s oldest beer festival celebrates its 30th year— First time at Topaz Park in Victoria, BC.

THE SHOW

The Great Canadian Beer Festival was launched in 1993 and was the first big beer festival in Canada. The Fest has been held annually since then, except for 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Besides BC brewers also travelling to the West Coast were brewers from Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and The Yukon.

Craig Nichols Rusted Rake Brewery- Nanoose Bay

GCBF gives festival-goers the opportunity to taste beers they can’t find anywhere else in British Columbia.

The event features more than 180 different beverages (beers, ciders and non-alcoholic beers) from more than 60 breweries and cideries from coast to coast. It was a opportunity to talk to these brewers about what makes their beer special and to try some new and classic brews.

As always in the time you have to work the site, there are only so many interviews you can do.

With the support and craft smarts of the Beer Director Joe Wiebe and guidance of Associate Producer Corey Wood we set off to discover a handful of breweries and one great chef.

We start with Joe Wiebe because he knows the history of the event and fills us in on the success of craft brewing in Canada and especially BC.

With the help of Joe Wiebe we were able to locate and engage the following craft brewers…