November 6th 2013

November 5, 2013 00:53:54

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It seemed too good to be true. An offer to not only visit Barolo during harvest but also attend the Truffle Festival in Alba as the guest of Batasiolo. Begun in 1882, Batasiolo started with just 7 acres. They have become a winery that makes 10% of all Barolos. Our host: Fiorenzo Dogliani. A family so ingrained in the Piedmont wine region that they have a town named after them. Join us – Barolo and Truffles? It IS a dream come true!

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THE SHOW

For centuries Dogliani has been a name synonymous with the distinctive wines of Piedmont. Both as a picturesque town that has long been famous for wines produced from Dolcetto – Dolcetto di Dogliani – and today as the family surname of one of Piedmont’s most famous producers of Barolo. Fiorenzo Dogliani, CEO of the Dogliani family’s Beni di Batasiolo winery, runs the family enterprise, Batasiolo SPA. In addition to the winery, Batasiolo SPA has embraced a wine-country destination lifestyle with its newly built, 38-room luxury hotel and spa, Il Boscareto which was opened in Serralunga d’Alba in 2009.

: Il Boscareto Hotel and Spa

The Dogliani family’s winegrowing history spans four generations in Italy’s Piedmont region and traces its origin to just seven and a half acres of Nebbiolo vines in Barolo. With the launch of Beni di Batasiolo in 1978, the company’s vineyard holdings now total 345 acres from nine vineyard sites and four growing regions: Barolo, La Morra, Monforte D’Alba and Serralunga D’Alba.

Fiorenzo Dogliani

As CEO, Fiorenzo directs the company from the Beni di Batasiolo winery located in La Morra Cuneo. In the late 1950s, Fiorenzo is credited with reaching beyond the borders of Piedmont to market the family’s wines to restaurateurs in nearby Milan. It was this bold first move that established a presence for the company’s wines on the domestic market and foreshadowed Fiorenzo’s future role as an evangelist for the Piedmont region on the world market. Fiorenzo was among the first Piedmontese winegrowers to travel extensively to promote his wines Fiorenzo’s early efforts helped raise visibility for the company’s long-lived Barolo and Barbaresco wines and establish a reputation for quality, one that is rigorously pursued at Batasiolo. By 1979 he was traveling to New York and Toronto introducing the trade and consumers alike to joys of Nebbiolo, an effort that helped speed the evolution of American palates at the time towards the appreciation of dry, sophisticated wines.

Richardo March

Canada is the number four market in the World for Batasiolo. In order to talk to Fiorenzo and also travel the Piedmont district we needed a translator, wine expert and driver and we found him in Richardo March. Director of US and Canada sales for Batasiolo.

www.batasiolo.com http://www.boissetfamilyestates.com http://www.barolodibarolo.com/inglese/ http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/liguria-piedmont-and-valle-daosta/piedmont

Kimberly and Ziggy in Alba

Also along for the trip and guesting on the special were: Our host and organizer of the trip … Kimberly Charles – Charles Communications & Associates in San Francisco. http://www.charlescomm.com/ Ziggy Eschliman, known to most simply as The Wine Gal. Her radio shows are broadcast throughout wine country and are available on the internet. As a leading American speaker, consultant, and wine writer. Ziggy is a driving force behind a national movement toward making wine hip, fun and accessible. http://www.ziggythewinegal.com

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The World Wine Guys MIKE DeSIMONE and JEFF JENSSEN, also known as the World Wine Guys, are wine, spirits, food, and travel writers, educators, and hosts. They are award winning journalists as well as best selling and award winning authors. Mike and Jeff are the Entertaining and Lifestyle Editors at Wine Enthusiast Magazine and are regular travel and wine contributors for The Huffington Post. DeSimone and Jenssen are the authors of the best-selling Wines Of The Southern Hemisphere. Mike and Jeff are members of the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association, The Society of Wine Educators, and The James Beard Foundation. http://worldwineguys.com/

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The Truffle Master The famous ‘Tartufo d’Alba‘ is a marvelous gift of nature and a symbol of the rich cuisine of Piemonte. The truffle was known in antiquity, not just for its inherent culinary qualities but also as an aphrodisiac! Scientists discovered that truffles contain a volatile alcohol with a strong musk flavor, a chemical brother of testosterone. No doubt this is something the ancients knew all along. The secret to enjoying the truffle is to avoid using it with other strong flavors. It is perhaps best served as an antipasti, buttered on whole meal toast or over pasta as shards with butter and parmigiano reggiano cheese. In a country where food equates with love as one of life’s great pleasures, ‘tartufi’ are literally worth their weight in gold. The delicate white truffle variety, only served raw, grows in Northern Italy and Umbria. Piedmonte is the heart of white truffle country, where the famous Alba festival provides a magnificent backdrop of Romanesque ruins, Gothic spires and Baroque bell towers every October. Thank you Batasiolo. Thank you Kimberly and thank you Italy!!

Stories we are working on:

The Lake Sonoma Story
Dominque Demarville – The Cellar Master at Veuve Clicquot
Martha Wainwright – singer/songwriter/wine fan
Richard Parsons – Ill Palazonne
Thierry Threlfall – sommelier of the Year pours his new wine TNT
Carlo Mondavi returns to Vancouver
2012 World Winemaker of the Year Jorge Riccitelli of Bodega Norton
2013 Cornucopia Wine festival – Whistler

October 30th 2013

October 30, 2013 00:54:01

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Steve Meyer..The Chief Winemaker at Wyndham Estate Wines in Australia..pours George Wyndham Founders Reserve Shiraz at Fable in Vancouver
And Chef Trevor Bird from Fable Kitchen creates four different courses to go with that big down under red.
Rene Schlatter co-owner and President of MerryVale and Starmount wines talks Napa.
Laure Viasserman from the Rhone Valley Wine Council takes us on a tour of Rhone Valley Wines.
And while I was in Italy..The Wine Diva was in Chile – again!! We compare notes.

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THE SHOW

Daenna van Mulligen..The Wine Diva headed for Chile last week. At the very same time I headed for Barolo in Italy.

Daenna Van Mulligen

(Next week..its a one hour special on the wines of Barolo and Truffle Festival time)
As soon as I got back, I phoned Daenna and we traded road stories.
Daenna had been there 5 years ago.
This time she went to South America as the guest of Santa Rita.
Expect an update on the wines of the very popular Santa Rita and her observations of Chilean wine country.
www.winediva.ca
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Steve Meyer is the Chief Winemaker at Wyndham Estate Wines in Australia .

Steve Meyer

‘His love affair with the wine industry comes from the core essence of wine making. For Steve to “have a look at the fruit in the vineyard and get an idea of its potential” is as paramount as when it eventually comes into the winery to process it.
Steve has shaped his career around the overriding philosophy that winemakers shouldn’t over do it with too many winemaking tricks. His mantra is “making products more regional”; something he suggests is the next big thing in the wine industry. “Consumers want to know where the wine comes from, we should be able to show off distinctly where a wine comes from as an aspect of distinctly what we are trying to do”.
The opportunity now for Steve at Wyndham Estate is to make fully-fledged regional Shiraz in full flavoured styles.
The featured wine is the George Wyndham Founder’s Reserve Shiraz 2010 Vintage. www.wyndhamestate.com
Steve poured his wine at the fabulous Fable Kitchen on Fourth Ave in Kitsilano.
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Chef Trevor Bird was committed to pair four different courses with one wine. Wyndham Founders Reserve Shiraz.

Trevor Bird

Fable Kitchen was opened in the spring of 2012 by Chef Trevor Bird (of reality show Top Chef Canada fame), and has become one of Vancouver’s “it” restaurants, showcasing the best of local farm to table cuisine. Chef Bird chose to plan the entire evening with this 2010 Shiraz as the only wine, thus showcasing the wine’s excellent versatility with food pairings from appetizers to desserts.

The evening started with canapés—wonderful blue cheese and bacon filled dates along with shooters of parsnip and apple soup. Trevor chose to highlight the herbaceous notes in the wine with the first course of rabbit legs and squash angolotti. For the second course, Braised Beef Stiletto, the Shiraz was used to braise the meat and create the au jus, making this a perfect pairing. The evening drew to a close with a sublime Dark Chocolate Terrine and Olive Oil Ice Cream www.fablekitchen.ca
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Rene Schlatter – Co-owner and President of Merryvale and Starmont wines since 2008.

Rene Schlatter Family

The first winery built in Napa Valley following the repeal of Prohibition, Merryvale is located in the heart of America’s premier wine region.
In this celebrated home, sustainable winemaking thrives in the care of the Schlatter family.
The winery continues to capture the elegance and charm of its historic beginnings, with their historic Cask Room where they host private events, seasonal wine club events and winemaker dinners, and unique Wine Experiences for visitors. The winery also features a state-of-the-art winemaking cellar that showcases the latest equipment to craft boutique wines.

Merryvale Cask Room

Merryvale has earned international acclaim for wines of outstanding quality.
Their 2008 Profile was awarded 96 Points by Robert Parker.

www.merryvale.com
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and finally we finish with a trip to the Rhone Valley without ever leaving The Tasting Room.

Laure Viassermann is with the Rhone Valley Wine Council and as such has a wonderful perspective on what makes Rhone wines so very special.
This interview and guest are for all those people (like myself) who have a desire to know more about Rhone wines and why they seem to have a delicious hold on us.
As I learn more about all things Rhone, perhaps you can as well.

Rhone Valley Wines

“The vineyards of the Rhone Valley are a world apart, a shifting landscape which winds and unwinds around a fluid axis: the Rhone, king of rivers, carrying silt and a sense of history. The Rhone is the linking factor, holding together these contrasting landscapes. From Vienne to Nîmes and Avignon, and on to the borders of the Luberon, on both banks of the river, there is a wealth of places to explore”. Christophe Tassan, “Flânerie dans le Vignoble de la Vallée du Rhône
The Rhone Valley is France’s second largest
80% of the production is Red
Northern Rhone is the birthplace of Syrah
Tavel is the only 100% dry Rose Appellation from France.
Southern Rhone Reds pair well with Stews, soups, roasts, salmon, spicy food, pork belly and game
Northern Rhone Reds pair best with tomato based pasta dishes, grilled foods, grilled beef, chicken, veggies, lamb, ribs, steak and tuna.
Rhone rose pair with charcuterie, pate, cheeses, BBQ and smoked salmon. Roses are perfect for Asian food.
The whites are made from Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc go well with cheese, white fish and sushi.

www.vins-rhone.com

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STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

A one hour special next week on our trip to Piedmont Italy. The Northern home of Italy’s wine region.
Barolo, La Morra, Asti and Alba. Our host is the legendary Barolo winery Batasiolo.
We tour, we talk, we drink (OMG) and we eat from sun up to sunset.
Everything you may have wanted to know about Barolo will be asked and answered.
Details coming on Tastingroomradio.com

October 16th, 2013

October 14, 2013 00:53:59

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All Righty then!!
It’s the 9th annual Iron Chef Okanagan. A culinary smack down between Chef Ned Bell and Chef Paul Rogalski of Rouge in Calgary.
Special guests on the night include Poplar Grove, Summerhill, Twisted Tomato, Intersection, Naramata heritage Inn and Jay Blackford..Our host and co-owner of Cabana Grille in Kelowna.
The Wine Diva has a new Best of BC wine list.
And Merridale Cider on Vancouver Island takes the next big step!!!

THE SHOW

I was pleased and honoured to be a judge at the annual Gourmet and Grapes/Iron Chef Okanagan at the Cabana Grille in Kelowna.
The chefs have one hour to open a black box and create 2 dishes. The ingredients include a mystery item that makes it just that much tougher.

Chef Ned Bell

Chef Ned Bell has been in all 9 showdowns, losing only once to a 9 year old from Cawston.
Ned is a partner in Cabana Grille but spends most days creating fabulous culinary treats at Yew at Vancouver’s Four Seasons Hotel.
He’s fast, very competent and totally focused on winning once the hour starts.
I once made the mistake of tasting his ingredients that he foolishly placed in front of me during combat.
When he saw me eating his food he came very close to climbing over the counter and slugging me.
Full contact cooking. www.yewseafood.com

Cabana Grille

In May of 2001 Olivier Reynaud and Paul Rogalski combined their tremendous experience to create The Cross House Restaurant, and in April 2003 introduced us to ROUGE – At The Cross House.

Paul Rogalski

Since the formation of their partnership, they have enjoyed outstanding reviews. It’s more than just the critics who are taking notice, though. Calgarians are making ROUGE a part of their Calgary culinary scene.

When Rouge was voted #60 in S. Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants in 2010 the phone started ringing and hasn’t stopped since.
He promises Ned Bell is going to Dance like a monkey!! www.rougecalgary.com
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While the competition was going on there was nothing to judge..so I grabbed my trusty recorder and talked to the following guests.

Ian Sutherland – Poplar Grove. The voice, the face and the soul of Poplar Grove. www.poplargrove.ca
AK Campbell – New chef at Naramata Heritage Inn www.naramatainn.com
Jesse Croy – Fine chef at Summerhill Winery www.summerhill.bc.ca
Bruce Schmidt – owner/winemaker at Intersection in South Okanagan. Solid wines..new winery www.xwine.ca
Carl Maertz – Chef at Twisted Tomato in Kelowna www.twistedtomatokitchen.com
Jay Blackford – co-owner at Cabana Grille and our Host. www.cabanagrille.com

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The Wine Diva is in fact Daenna van Mulligen..wine reviewer and friend of the family.

Who else do we know would taste over 1000 wines in a year AND SPIT THEM ALL OUT!
If you go to www.winediva.ca and look up her new list The Best of BC you can follow along as we try and
Give you the goods on as many as possible.
And this is a good thing because BC Liquor stores will be showcasing these wines for the next month.
Enjoy!!
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Rick Pipes and Janet Docherty are the great people behind Merridale Estate Cidery in Cobble Hill Vancouver Island.
They make Cider, Fortified and Spirits.

Janetand Eick from Merridale

Now comes Hoptimized.
Made from Cowichan Valley Cider Apples and Vancouver Island Hops, it is perfect for beer lovers who might be hesitant to cross-over to cider. Hoptimized has proven to be so popular that they have pre-sold most of it to private liquor stores before they have even bottled it!
Lets get our Merridale on.
http://www.merridalecider.com

Shows we are working on:

Merryvale/Starmont Winery in Napa
Wyndam Estate pours Shiraz at Fable
Laurie Vaissermann – A primer of Rhone Wines
A very special report on Batasiolo Wines and the annual Truffle festival in Barolo Italy.

October 9th 2013

October 8, 2013 00:54:26

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THE SHOW

Nicolette Novak. The Queen of Niagara. What a delight!!

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Nicolette Novak

A lifelong native of Niagara, Ontario, Nicolette is one of the area’s best resources. She always has one ear to the grapevine to uncover what’s new and exciting in the community. Her enthusiasm and passion for what she does has earned her many well deserved accolades as well as many fans among her vast clientele. Time spent with Nicolette is time well spent.
As many people over the years have observed, Nicolette is The Good Earth! Her wit, sense of fun and genuine caring are just some of the ingredients that have made
The Good Earth such a success.
This is her family’s farm. She started the cooking school and then planted the vines..
How many times have you heard chefs and sommeliers say ”combining the grapes and food from the same soil..is the best of both Worlds”
And with Good Earth and Wine she has done just that.
Can’t tell you how much fun this interview was. Hope you like it.
http://www.goodearthfoodandwine.com
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John Clerides is the owner of Marquis Wine Cellar in Vancouver and is a respected voice in the wine community.
He’s opinionated and totally dialed in.

John Clerides

Thus we find him on a vacation on a ship off the coast of France..conducting wine tours.
I thought he’d be relaxed and laid back right?
Wrong!!
We cover French wines, BC wine laws and the new expanded store he’s about to open.
http://www.marquis-wines.com
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When I left the Naramata bench 2 years ago Stewart Glynes was the chef at Bench Market above Penticton.
Now he’s the chef and Co-owner with his wife Heather . So I thought we’d check back in with the very popular Mr Glynes.
If you’re headed to the Naramata Bench… don’t miss the opportunity to stop and check out where everyone in the wine community hangs out.
http://www.thebenchmarket.com/
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Corey Wood

Corey Wood. Crime fighter and web master.
He and his team have done a remarkable job transforming our website.
I have limited skills in that area so asked Corey to walk me through some of the new points.
This is brisk but helpful for me and hopefully for you.
Corey also has a winery promotion platform called VINPIN.com it’s all about WINE | FOOD | FRIENDS | the perfect pairing! Some see it as the “Pinterest of wine” others a modern way of promoting and aggregating your wineries products , social media and story. Check it out
http://vinpin.com/wineries/promotion

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The Wine Diva – Daenna van Mulligan sits down just long enough to share her latest list from her website.

Daenna Van Mulligen

These are Thanksgiving wines.
Meant for family and friends.
Meant to compliment the food of the harvest and the season.
Follow along by finding the list on her website
www.winediva.ca
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….and finally Denis Cotter at Hastings House Salt Spring Island.

Born in Macroom, Co. Cork, Denis worked in banking for eight years before leaving to follow an ambition to work with food. Already a vegetarian, he trained as a cook in the famous Cranks restaurants in London.
Back in Ireland, after a spell in a wholefood restaurant, Denis’ frustration with the limitations of the vegetarian industry sparked the opening of Cafe Paradiso in 1993, to create an environment where he could evolve a personal style of cooking focussed on the pleasure of food rather than the perceived negativity of vegetarianism.
Among the many awards bestowed on Cafe Paradiso, Denis Cotter was voted ‘Chef of the Year ’ by Food & Wine (Ireland) magazine in 2005.

Denis Cotter

Denis Cotter is also the author of four books. Atrium, an imprint of the Cork University Press, published his first book, ‘The Café Paradiso Cookbook’ in June 1999; and his second, ‘Paradiso Seasons’ in June 2003. The first book was shortlisted for the British Guild of Food Writers Awards. ‘Paradiso Seasons’ won ‘Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the World’ at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Barcelona in 2004, and was shortlisted for the James Beard Awards in New York in 2005.
November 2007 saw the release of Denis’ third book, titled ‘wild garlic, gooseberries & me’ and published by Harper Collins. Giving equal rein to his writing talent and ability to create inspirational recipes, ‘wild garlic…’ was shortlisted for the Andre Simon Awards in 2008.
His latest book, ‘for the love of food’, published by Harper Collins in April 2011, is easily Denis’ most accessible collection of recipes, focussing on home cooking with delicious flavour combinations.
∞
http://www.cafeparadiso.ie/about/denis-cotter
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STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

IRON CHEF OKANAGAN

Chefs ned Bell and Paul Rodalski from Rouge Calgary
Ian Sutherland Poplar Grove
AK Campbell Naramata heritage Inn
Jesse Croy – Chef at Summerhill
Bruce Schmidt – Intersection Wines
Carl Maerz – Twisted Tomato Kelowna
Jay Blackford – Cabana Grille
Merridale Ciderworks –
Wine Diva – Best of BC

October 2nd 2013

October 1, 2013 00:54:00

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It’s the 62 annual Niagara Grape and Wine festival.
Food. Wine. New Friends.
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THE SHOW

Downtown St. Catharines

The Niagara Wine Festival — or Grape and Wine as its been called — is back for its 62 year.
Over the years its kept growing until it now takes over most of wine country..not just downtown St Catharines.
I was invited by Executive Director Kimberley Hundertmark to host a wine panel called East vs West.
I discovered they weren’t talking about BC vs Ontario but regions within Niagara.
As it turns out the panel never took place but I did get to Introduce The Spoons at the Friday night concert (that’s was fun) and then drove around Niagara and stopped into wineries for a taste and chat.
This episode of TRR is all about Niagara and the people who make it special.
What a sensational destination.
The wines just keep getting better and better..some are World Class.
As a BC based wine fan, I wanted to know about several important things.
How’s Niagara doing 2013?
Are they now shipping wine to consumers across Canada?
Now that Ontario wines are welcome in BC, which wines are available?
And How Much do they like the Alberta customer ? (they like Alberta..)

Guests include

Allan Schmidt – President of Vineland / Chair of The Wine Council of Ontario  www.winecouncilofontario.ca www.vineland.com
Charlie Pillitteri – CEO/President Pillitteri Estate Winery  www.pillitteri.com
Curtis Fielding – President of Fielding Wines. Grape grower of the year 2012/13  www.fieldingwines.com
Sportscaster Bob McGown – CEO Stoney Ridge Estate Winery. Partner in Mike Weir Wines www.stoneyridge.com
Rob Power – Winemaker at Creekside Estate Winery. Matt Loney Sales and marketing Creekside www.creeksidewine.com
Gillian Tinsley – Estate Sommelier. Martin Werner – Winemaker at Ravine Vineyard  www.RavineVineyard.com
Deborah Pratt – Winery Public Relations Great Estates Niagara. (Inniskillin Jackson-Triggs. Clos Jordanne) www.greatestestatesniagara.com

: Rob Powers …After Harvest!

: Charlie Pillitteri

: Chardonnay

: Mike Weir Wines

: dinner in the vineyard

: Ravine Vineyards

: Bob McCown

: Niagara Falls

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STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Nicolette Novak – The Good Earth Food and Wine Company.
Merridale Cider launches their Spirits Line on Vancouver Island.
Denis Cotter – One of the world’s greatest Vegetarian Chefs comes to Hastings House Salt Spring Island .

September 25th 2013

September 25, 2013 00:53:59

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The Wine Diva visits Painted Rock and hands us 6 wines to watch
Makini Howell. The vegan queen of Seattle
Hester Creek rocks the Golden Mile
Susane Balbo

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The Show

The Wine Diva has two stories this week.

First is about the remarkable destination known as Painted Rock.

Combining award winning wines and a profile that strides across the
landscape with ease.
John Skinner opens his winery and BOOM..he’s holding two Lieutenant Govern
awards.

john Skinner

Talk about making your presence felt.
Finally after two years of planning John has opened his new tasting room and
event center just South of Penticton, overlooking Skaha Lake.
If you can’t get there not to worry.
Daenna van Mulligan – The Wine Diva – will take us through the two wines
they poured at their opening.
Chardonnay and Syrah!
The Daenna has a half a dozen wines she’s been reviewing and we pass those
on to you. Enjoy!

Upper Bench Estate Winery Merlot
Mt. Boucherie Family Estate Summit Reserve Blaufrankish
J.G. Carrion Cristallino “Jaume Serra” Brut Nature Reserva Cava
Bodegas Ateca ‘Garnacha de Fuego
Howling Bluff Sauvignon Blanc~Semillon
TIME Estate Winery White Meritage

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Makini Howell

www.plumbistro.com Plum Bistro,
Seattle’s wildly popular vegan restaurant, is known for its delicious and
innovative vegan recipes using local ingredients. Now there a cookbook to go
with the restaurants. Sure to please both vegans and meat-eaters, Plum:
Gratifying Vegan Dishes features Plum’s flavorful, comforting dishes for
brunch, soups, salads, entrées, desserts, and more. Makini Howell’s book
features 60 recipes, including Pesto Plum Pizza, Good Old-Fashioned French
Toast, Barbecue Oyster-Mushroom Sliders, Fresh Blueberry Shortcake, homemade vegan pasta, and more.

Makini Howell has been passionate about creating a chic dining experience
that appeals to vegans, foodies, and omnivores alike since her days of
living in New York City. In 2005 she moved back home to Seattle with the
goals of redirecting her family’s restaurant business and creating a new
perception of veganism. Makini is focused on using organic and non-GMO
seasonal produce and herbs from family-owned farms in combinations that are
both comforting and unexpected. As an entrepreneur she has developed a
sustainable business model using what the earth provides to supply
wholesome, nourishing food.
Couldn’t wait to ask Makini why many vegans are opinionated and such a pain.
She agreed.
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Hester Creek
Hailing from the Niagara region, it seems natural that Rob Summers figures
large in the Canadian wine industry After acquiring an Honours Degree in
Food Science (BSc, Hons) from the University of Guelph he worked at
Hillebrand Estates, Henry of Pelham, Cave Spring Cellars, and Peller
Estates. While at Peller, Rob directed VQA winemaking for two vintages in
the Okanagan where he saw the vast potential that the south Okanagan Valley
held, and was inspired to relocate his family to Osoyoos He joined the team
at Hester Creek Estate Winery in 2006 and his signature winemaking style has
since gained accolades from his fellow winemakers and seasoned wine experts
alike.

Born and raised in the Barossa Valley in Australia, and after earning a
Bachelor of Agriculture Science at Adelaide University, Mark Sheridan went
on to work for some of Australia’s largest wine producers. Mark was
attracted to BC, as he saw the Okanagan as the world’s next wine frontier,
so in 1999, he moved to Canada to be director of vineyard operations for
Vincor Canada. He was recognized for his talents and called “a rising star
in a young industry”.
Now, as Hester Creek’s general manager, Mark oversees all aspects of the
winery’s business, from viticulture through to the finished wines and then
into the marketplace
While tasting and talking about their new Fall releases we also talked about
wine shipping laws, the growing season and The Okanagan today.
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Susana Balbo

In a country dominated by male winemakers, Susana Balbo stands out not only
for her gender, but for her incredible skill and experience. She has been
making wine since she earned her enology degree in 1981, and she has
probably produced a wider variety of wines than any other winemaker in
Argentina. Susana was the first Argentine winemaker to be hired as a
consultant to make wine outside of Argentina. She has made wine in
Australia, California, Chile, France, Italy, South Africa, and Spain, and
she spends a month each year in a different wine region of the world
studying with local winemakers and growers. After twenty years of producing wines for others, Susana decided it was time
to apply her education and experience to her own wines and put her name right on the bottle.
Susana strives for balance in her wines, with layers of complexity coming from the individually fermented varietals. She wants
people who drink her wines to feel that every sip from the glass is as
exciting as the first.
www.dominiodelplata.com.ar

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STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

The 62 Annual Niagara Food and Wine festival
Bob McGown
Ron Power
Nicolette Novak
Charlie Pilliterri

September 18th, 2013

September 17, 2013 00:54:00

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The Wine Diva has two dozen wines for the Season. Falling in Love with Autumn Wines
We travel to Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island for their wine festival.
Sean Heather – One of the most interesting restaurateurs in Vancouver enters the Hall of Fame.
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THE SHOW

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Daenna Van Mulligen

Daenna van Mulligen returns as The Wine Diva.
Falling in Love With Autumn Wines.
It’s that change of season ..heading fully into Fall. Most of us start looking for more “involved”
Wines..switching from the bright and light of summer to bigger reds and more complex whites.
The Diva brings it…
If you miss info..it’s always listed here and on her website.

Peter Lehmann ‘Portrait’ Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia
Castiglion Del Bosco Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Tuscany Italy
Allegrini Palazzo della Torre, Veronese, Veneto Italy
Antinori ‘Peppoli’, DOCG Chianti Classico, Tuscany Italy
Montebuena ‘Cuvee KPF’ D.O. Rioja, Spain
Plume Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley California
Brazin Old Vine Zin, Lodi California
Tinhorn Creek Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley BC
Quails’ Gate Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley BC
Howling Bluff ‘Summa Quies” Pinot Noir Reserve, Okanagan Valley BC
Altos Las Hormigas, Malbec Classico, Mendoza Argentina BC:
Delas Cotes-Du-Ventoux, Rhone Valley, France
Bartier~Scholefield ‘BS’ Red Table Wine, Okanagan Valley BC Winery
Campo di Sasso Insoglio del Cinghiale, Bibona Tuscany Italy
Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley BC
Evans & Tate ‘Metricup Road’ Shiraz, Margaret River Australia BC
Belle Glos Pinot Noir ‘Clark & Telephone Vineyard’, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Mer Soleil ‘Gold’ Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands
Kettle Valley Viognier, Okanagan Valley BC Winery
La Vieille Ferme Rouge Cotes~du~Ventoux, Rhone Valley France
Sebastiani Chardonnay, Sonoma County
Penfolds ‘Thomas Hyland’ Shiraz, Adelaide Australia
Whitehaven Pinot Noir, Marlborough New Zealand
Stoneboat Vineyards Pinotage, Okanagan Valley

www.winediva.ca
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Cowichan Valley Wine Festival
We’re off to Vancouver Island and the annual Cowichan Fall Wine Festival.
Just south of Duncan lies the most beautiful farmland and forests. The ocean view helps as well!

A breathtaking drive over the Malahat Highway or a picturesque ferry ride brings you to the southern end of Cowichan Valley and the communities of Shawnigan Lake, Mill Bay, Duncan and Cobble Hill. Sheltered by a ridge of high mountains to the west and warmed by the Strait of Georgia to the east, the valley has long been called by local First Nations people ‘The Warm Land’. Indeed the region boasts the highest average temperature in Canada, which creates ideal growing conditions for almost any crop. Approximately a quarter of Vancouver Island’s cultivated land is found in the valley and it’s a local tradition to sell products fresh off the farm.
Keep an eye out for vineyards with Tasting Room Open signs, where you can sample aromatic wines that are nurtured by rich soil and the climatic combination of warmth and moisture. Local winemakers work with vinifera favourites such as Pinot Gris, Ortega, and Pinot Noir, along with lesser-known varietals carefully matched to the maritime climate.
Keep an eye & ear out for Blattner Wines.
Valentin Blattner is a grape breeder living on the edge of the Jura Mountains in Switzerland. As a young man he had a vision to breed new grape varieties for a changing world, vines that would not require the usual spraying for fungal diseases that most popular grapes need. Of course these new vines needed to produce wines that were both unique yet reminiscent of traditional wine flavours.
Today in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, British Columbia, Ontario and the Canadian Maritime Provinces the dream has been realized. After many years of field trials of the vines and wines, there are finally critically acclaimed wines being released from the Blattner Selections.

My hosts were Linda and Mark Holford of Rocky Creek Wines.

Linda and Mark Holford

They asked me to host a panel at the winery which I gladly accepted.

Guests on the panel included:
Treve Ring Sommelier. Writer. Consultant. Editor. Outspoken and opinionated. Perfect!!
Troy Townsin Author (Wine Feast: Eat. Drink & Discover BC Wine) and Host of Time for Wine on CBC Victoria. Great Overview!
Chris Turyk The new voice and face of Unsworth Vineyards. Doesn’t look like a dirt farmer.

Mark Holford President. Owner of Rocky Creek Winery. And this is his second job!!
Bailey Williamson Winemaker at Blue Grouse. Learned his craft with Michael Bartier at Road 13. Wants to make great bubble.
Tereza Roux Wine Director at Clayoquot Wilderness Resort. Flight Delayed by Fog. Was Missed.
Other guests included:
Tim Turyk and Daniel Gosman Owner and Winemaker at Unsworth Vineyards.

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This episode of Tasting Room Radio concludes with long overdue interview with Sean Heather.

Sean arrived in Vancouver from Ireland with the intention of earning enough money to finance a trip to Berkeley, where he hoped to work with Alice Waters.
He soon realized that the only way to beat the grind of the restaurant business would be to work for himself.
He partnered with his sister Roisin and soon to be wife Erin. Then he opened the Irish Heather in 1997. He worked behind the bar five nights a week, pouring pints for his regulars, while his wife served tables and his sister worked weekends.
Next came Shebeen Whisky House, which opened in 2000, and then the Salty Tongue Café in 2003. After opening Salt to rave reviews in 2006, Sean’s business world grew in leaps and bounds.
Next came Fetch, a coffee kiosk in the old B.C. Electric building at Carrall and Hastings streets, opened in 2009; Judas Goat, a Spanish-style tapas bar next door to Salt, as well as Chinatown coffee shop Everything Café and the Pennsylvania Hotel bakery, all opened in 2010.
There’s also Penn Bakeshop, Bitter and his latest project Rainer Provisions.
He has opened and operated highly successful destinations on some of the toughest streets and alleys on the West Coast.
Plus…he quietly supports local charities including The Portland Hotel Society, The Rainer Hotel and Beauty Night Society.
And That’s why he’s being included into the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame and a very welcome guest on Tasting Room Radio.
http://www.bcrhof.ca/
www.scoutmagazine.ca Gluttony‎
http://www.shophhg.ca/pages/about-us

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STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

The 62nd annual Niagara Wine Festival

September 11th 2013

September 10, 2013 00:54:00

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This week: 14 BC wineries pour their latest releases and the Dean of Canadian Wine Writers John Schreiner ..shares his tasting notes.

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THE SHOW

It’s the annual Colour BC VQA Fall Release Tasting at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Take a BC wine journey through the growing wine regions of British Columbia!
The largest annual tasting of BC VQA wines in Vancouver, this event hosted 75 BC wineries, showcasing more than 300 BC VQA wines.
We are so pleased to present the talented people behind the wines. We hope you have fun as you discover their new fall releases.
There was ONE other question that I asked most of the people below.
ARE YOU CURRENTLY SHIPPING YOUR WINES TO THE REST OF CANADA?
Some very surprising comments came back my way.
For years many of these same wineries were in denial.
Either ducked or wouldn’t answer the question
NOT ANY MORE!!
[divider]
The new BC wines pour their latest in Vancouver.

Michael Bartier Bartier Bros/Okanagan Crush Pad. Perhaps the busiest winemaker in BC
Ian Sutherland Poplar Grove/Monster Vineyards Between Poplar Grove and Monster..enough wine for everyone

Jay Drysdale – Bella Ah bella.. Bella!!! Bella!!!!!!! Love that Bubble
Richard DeSilva – Misconduct Pair his wines with Chef Abul Adame and its Heaven
Randy Picton – Nk Mip The one and only Winemaker Nk Mip has had. Solid and very talented.

Graydon Ratzlaff – Recline Ridge Amazed how good their pours were.
Adrian Cassini – Cassini Cellars Built a beautiful winery south of Oliver. To showcase his award wining wines.
Mike Raffan – Township 7 T7 in two locations. Naramata bench and just outside Vancouver.
Bill Eggert – Fairview Cellars Troublemaker who makes complex, thoughtfull wines.
Ezra Cipes – Summerhill One of the most popular wine destinations anywhere.

James Cambridge – Backyard Vineyards James brings his talents from Le Vieux Pin. It’s all good
Marty Farrell – Clos du Soleil Great circle of friends, working together. Ace in the Hole? Winemaker Ann Sperling
Helene Pannekoek – Fort Berens in Lillooet. One of the new wine regions in BC. Amazing Reisling.
Nirmal and Pinki Gidda – Mt Boucherie They own over 300 acres. Half the room has sought their grapes and its Pinki’s first interview
John Schreiner – Author. The Dean of Canadian Wine Writers. He reveals his tasting notes on several wines.

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STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Sean Heather. First question, which do you have more of Children or Restaurants.
The man behind Irish Heather, Salt tasting Rooms, Judas Goat. Shebeen, Salty Tongue etc.
One of which he sold this week.
The Cowichan Valley Wineries throw a party
Niagara presents its 62 annual Fall Wine Festival
Balbo Argentina

Tasting Room Radio AB Sept 4th 2013

September 3, 2013 00:54:02

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As September begins to take over our lives..certain things start to come into view.
One is harvest.
The second is a run of Wine Festivals, of all shapes and sizes.
Three food and wine festivals are profiled on this week’s TRR.
Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island
The 62^th annual Niagara Food and Wine Festival
The 33^rd Okanagan Fall Wine Festival.
Interviews with all three organizing groups and a feature interview with Winemaker JM Bouchard at Road 13 on the Golden Mile. South Okanagan.

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THE SHOW

We start in the Cowichan Valley with Linda Holford from Rocky Creek Winery.
Linda has invited me to host a discussion at Rocky Creek on Saturday Sept 14^th with three local winemakers from Rocky Creek, Blue Grouse and Unsworth plus wine experts Treve Ring, Tereza Roux from Clayoquot Wilderness Resort and Troy Townsin from CBC Victoria’s Time for Wine.
We’ll focus on two questions
What is The Grape for Vancouver and the Gulf Islands?
Cowichan Valley in the Fall
And for the island wineries..what do you want to be when you grow up??
Linda fills us in on their events Sept 7-15
I also was able to find a panellist, Troy Townsin..just to get a reaction to the questions I’m asking and the general lay of the wine land.
He joins us from Kelowna.
www.wines.cowichan.net
http://www.rockycreekwinery.ca/
Then we’re off to Ontario for the 62^th annual Niagara Wine Festival. Sept 14-29
They too have asked me to host a discussion. This time about East vs West. On Sunday Sept 22^nd
Kimberly Hundermark - Niagara
It’s not about BC vs Ontario, it’s about West Niagara vs Eastern Niagara. It’s shaping up to be quite an event.
It pits competing wineries..competing families and competing regions in a winner take all format.
Joining us on the show are Barry Katzman, co-chair of the festival and president of Mike Weir wines and Stoney Ridge winery and Kimberly Hundermark the Festivals Executive Director.
www.niagarawinefestival.com

and the last wine festival featured is the 33^rd annual Okanagan Fall Wine Festival
Blair Baldwin Festival founder and Ellen Walker Mathews from Thompson Okanagan Tourist Assn take us through the ever expanding schedule of events that shape BC’s premier festival.October 4-14
Then its straight south to the Similkameen Valley to George Hansen Owner/Winemaker at Seven Stones to find out what’s being planned down there.
www.thewinefestivals.com/events

JM Bouchard Road 13
We finish this episode of Tasting Room on The Golden Mile..just south of Oliver, BC.
JM Bouchard has firmly established himself as the winemaker of record at Road 13.
He’s driven, stubborn and dedicated to making the already fine wines of Road 13 even better.
We run through the growing portfolio, the events of the Fall and where he’s taking the wine program in the future.
www.road13vineyards.com
[divider]

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Wine festival specials in
Cowichan Valley
Niagara
Okanagan
The new BC wines pour their latest in Vancouver.

Tasting Room Radio AB August 14th 2013

August 14, 2013 00:43:01

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It’s the annual “Let’s go fishing and drink wine” summer vacation special.

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This year it’s at the beautiful Skitchine Lodge located on the Bonaparte Plateau north of Kamloops. Guests include Chef Mark Filatow, Master of Wine Rhys Pender, Orofino winemaker and co-owner John Weber, my friend Mary Corbett.
Plus from the Skitchine Chef Jens Larson, Mark and Tania Lee.
Also a visit to the first winery in Kamloops – Harpers Trail.
The Wine Diva returns with her memories of a summer visit to the wines regions of France and 2 days in Paris.
THE SHOW
Skitchine Lodge
For the third year in a row I felt the overwhelming need to go fishing and talk food and wine with the right mix of friends.

This year, North of Kamloops to Skitchine Lodge.
Bottom Line – 15 lakes – only ever 14 guests.
Lots of room and lots of lakes – to yourself.

From the Skitchine – Mark and Tania Lee, Managers and hand holders.
They help guests adjust to no cell or data service. Withdrawal is painful.
They answer all the questions we have plus they work with Chef Jens Larson on breakfast and dinner service.
Mark and Tania fill us in on how Skitchine came to be.
How could 15 lakes and miles of forest be protected in pristine condition?
Does each lake have its own character?
What’s the shortest/longest walk between lakes?
Catch and Release?
What flies to fish with?
Who picks the wines for the Lodge cellar?
We sit down on the dock with Chef Jens Larson about where he’s cooked previously (surprising kitchens) and how he gathers all his ingredients because there are no stores for miles. Jens also talks about the five courses he cooked for us.
Mary Corbett and Graeme Dales are good friends and it was they who invited us to Skitchine. Mary guests. (Graeme was fighting a bug in bed.)

Then we head down to the fireplace room on the docks to talk food, wine and fishing with
Chef Mark Filatow – current winner of the Gold Medal Plates competition in BC. He’s the force behind Waterfront Bistro in Kelowna. His menu highlights include Tomahawk Chops done on a open fire.

Rhys Pender is one of a select few Master of Wine in Canada. He and his lovely wife are also owners/winemakers at Little Farm Winery in Cawston in the Similkameen Valley in the South Okanagan. His next door neighbour is our third guest John Weber from Orofino. John’s been on all three trips.
The general rule of thumb for wines consumed was..whattdayagot?
Here’s a photo with all the bottles displayed. It was such fun.

Our thanks go out to Mary, Graeme, Jens, Mark and, of course, Tania.
Those lakes and the resort are not just for fishing..they’re also for Peace of Mind.

Harper’s Trail
We are pleased to introduce you to Harper’s Trail wines, the first wines made from vineyards in Kamloops, BC. They are crushed in Summerland, at Okanagan Crush Pad.

Named for the cattle drive trail of pioneer rancher Thaddeus Harper, and tucked into the city outskirts on the bank of the South Thompson River, Ed and Vicki Collett‘s vineyard sits among rolling hills of sage and grass, home to bighorn sheep, bears, and myriad birds. The backdrop of limestone, hoodoos, and a natural spring in the vineyard contribute to the biodiversity of this rare place.

IF….IF Harper’s Trail can make this location work then the entire bench they’re surrounded by could/should one day become a brand new wine region in BC.
With the help of consultant Michael Bartier and the growing team..the sky’s the limit.
There’s now a new reason to drive through Kamloops.

The Wine Diva

Daenna van Mulligen – The Wine Diva – returns from a long planned return to the wine regions of France and 2 days in Paris, where she once lived.
If you have ever dreamt of travelling through France and its wine regions, this segment would be a great primer. Daenna touches on wineries and regions that impressed. You can tell she liked Paris and the rose’ they poured at every table.
STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON
Roger Mooking – Singer and Chef
JC Bekker – South Arican Winemaker
Tyler Harlton – Hockey player, lawyer, Winemaker, Summerland BC
Chris Burns takes us salmon fishing and salmon cooking.
Lou Passaglia, Wally Buono, Marco Iannuzzi. The BC Lions celebrate 60 years of football with a white/red from Ganton and Larson.