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Alberto Antonini/Pedro Parra/Jane Ferrari/Brigitte Raye

THE SHOW

Alberto Antonini –  Poggiotondo.  Tuscany, Italy

Pedro Parra – Pedro Parra y Familia  Itata Valley, Chile

 One of the top 5 wine consultants in the World, Alberto watches over many vineyards. They can be found in   Italy, the U.S., Argentina, Canada, Chile, Uruguay, Armenia and Australia.

Alberto also consults for Okanagan Crush Pad, Haywire, Freeform, and Narrative in Summerland.

Okanagan Crush Pad is a state-of-the-art 40,000 case winery, 320-acres of vineyard and farmland, with a focus on creating natural wines exclusively from organic grapes. With home vineyards Switchback and Garnet Valley Ranch now organic certified Haywire is  changing the game in the Okanagan.. Winemaking is in the capable hands of New Zealand native Matt Dumayne who works closely with Alberto Antonini. The entire team is committed to farming wines that are lively and elegant and let the natural beauty of the Okanagan Valley shine through.

Alberto and Pedro Parra were pouring their wines in Vancouver recently in partnership with  Wine + Spirits the newest beverage alcohol sales agency in British Columbia.

Pedro Parra & Alberto Antonini at OCP (Van Sun)

Owned by Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie, who also own Okanagan Crush Pad winery in Summerland, the new agency will sell the Haywire and Narrative labels, and debuts with wineries from other countries:  Alberto’s Poggiotondo (Tuscany, Italy), and Pedro Parra y Familia, (Bio Bio, Chile). Coolshanagh  from Naramata  will also be a part of the HQ Wine + Spirits portfolio.

Have a listen to Alberto Antonini.  Few on this planet know wine making better than him.

His partner Pedro Parra is a soil whisperer. With his skills, he can tell the land owner exactly what they should be growing in the earth beneath their feet.

Pedro Parra doing his thing

Pedro poured his delicious Family wines.  Both Alberto’s and Pedro’s wines are now  available in BC.

As expected, the wines are SPECTACULAR.  Best of all they are all Natural Wines.

http://www.poggiotondowines.com/

https://thesourceimports.com/producers/pedro-parra-y-familia/

http://hq-wine.com/ 

Jane Ferrari –  The voice of Yalumba (Barossa, Australia)
Jane is one of the World’s great storytellers and Yalumba is one great
story. Yalumba is Australia’s oldest family owned winery.

Jane Ferrari Yalumba

Right off the top, Jane tells the gripping story of how the family and staff
saved the winery many years ago.

The very best part of this story is that Yalumba make sensational wines –
for the world.

Canada has been a Yalumba fan for years. The other story to watch for is
when its founder Samuel Smith left Dorset England  in 1847 and found himself
in Victoria, BC.  He  fell in love with the location but felt he had to move
on to find a land for his vines.

In 2010, Wine Enthusiast named Yalumba ‘New World Winery of the Year.’ 

Yalumba

“The world of wine is a big family and I like it for many reasons.

“It’s hellishly competitive in a commercial sense, but the Antinoris, Dujacs,
Faiveleys, of the world and the Pol Rogers, Browns, Tyrells, Felton Roads, –
they are all inspirations.”  Robert Hill Smith – Yalumba –  Fifth Generation
Owner

Brigitte Raye  –  co/owner Orto Artisan Pasta

Brigitte Raye

If the name  Brigitte Raye doesn’t immediately connect with your memory bank please let me make an deposit.

For me it starts at La Regelade in West Vancouver.  A Wonderful French Bistro. With Brigitte front of house and Husband Alain in kitchen.

After a shut down and a divorce the parents work with their sons in various bistros.

In the latest installment, Alain takes a break. Son Kevin has been cooking at Langara Fishing Lodge in Haida Gwaii; and son Steve opens Orto Artisan Pasta in North Vancouver with mom Brigitte charming everyone who walks through the door.

Orto means garden in Italian. After all the French cooking, why Italy?  Well, partly because Brigitte married an Italian.  That helps.

It’s an old building just off Marine Drive in North Vancouver.

It used to be called Ethical Kitchen.

My old turf where I grew up.

Everything Wine is half a block away. Its well worth the search.

What a find.

Orto shares space with Vadim Mugerman’s Bad Dog Bread. A very good bakery. Exceptional really.  Bad Dog Bread  offers breakfast until 11am.  Next door, the former Ethical Kitchen operator makes kombucha.

You can get the bread and Kombucha all while dining at Orto as well.

The pasta is everything you could want.

There’s a very popular share dish of Burrata & Prosciutto with Bad Dog Bread. Fresh and delish!

What a great room.

As Brigitte explains, all the plates are from thrift stores… only adds to the cool.

Looking for a great personal space to just hang and love the food.,  here it is.

Orto Artisan Pasta

1600 MacKay  North Vancouver.

http://ortoartisanpasta.com/

and we finish Tasting Room Radio featuring  a chat with Pedro Parra.

Find his wines. They are sensational!

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

The Spring wines of Okanagan Crush Pad

Blastedchurch/bonamicci/crescenthill/liquidity/meyerfamily/nighthawk/nobleridge/pentage/play/ Skaha/stagshollow/synchromesh/wildgoose

Naramata Bench Wineries pour in Victoria

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Severine Pinte  Winemaker at La Stella/le Vieux Pin

Ross Wise – New Winemaker at Black Hills

Plus Pouring in Parksville

THE SHOW

It’s the annual Untapped and Uncorked Craft Beer and Wine Festival in Parksville, Vancouver Island.

The featured winemakers are the charming Severine Pintewho was pouring La Stella for a winemakers dinner at Beach Club Resort and for his first ever interview Ross Wise, the brand new winemaker at Black Hills.  Home of Note Bene.

Before we get to those prime feature interviews..let’s head to the “untapped” part of the weekend.

Dave Paul – Head Brewer/Owner Love Shack Libations

We start with the craft beer makers at Tigh-Na-Mara and a guy I’ve been waiting a whole year to reconnect with.  When I interviewed Dave Paul from his Love Shack Libations, just up island from Qualicum Beach, he was about to pour his first beer at his first event EVER.  Like an opening night.

Love Shack is a very popular small brewery that the locals all love and tourists are starting to discover. Dave makes a new beer every month..so depending on when you walk in,  your choices may be different from month to month.

Dave was pouring his latest brew, with the zeal of a mad scientist. It’s called Juicy Juice – Northeast style hazy IPA.   Love Beer. Love Shack.

www.loveshacklibations.com

Dave Woodward –  Head Brewer Mount Arrowsmith Brewing

 A local Dave headed to the UK to start his brewing education.  His career took him through the UK, 5 years at Whistler Brewing,  then Tofino Brewing and  Axe & Barrel Victoria.

Dave Woodward Mt Arrowsmith

Mount Arrowsmith brings him full circle.  Back to where it all began.

All that craftwork resulted in Mount Arrowsmith winning Best Amber Ale in the World, at the 2018 World Beer Awards.

 https://arrowsmithbrewing.com/

Kev Ward – Wolf Brewing Nanaimo

wolf brewing

Kev Ward, a  Liverpool lad,   has been brew master  for about 6  years. First thing he did was change all the recipes. Wolf Brewing still uses old-school techniques in its brewing. Check out the line up.

Golden Honey Ale, Porter, Scotch Ale, Black and Tan, IPA!

He says “hey” to all his buds back in Liverpool listening on The Net!

 http://www.wolfbrewingcompany.com/

 Clay Potter –   Brew Master Moon Under Water

Clay Potter

Clay’s brewing career started at  University of Victoria for Biology & Chemistry and Heriot Watt University in Scotland for the Brewing & Distilling Master’s Program. He was lucky enough to work with and be mentored byPaul Hoyne.

With his family, he took over the Moon Under Water Brewery in 2012.

In 2014, Moon Brewery introduced two new programs: a sour series featuring the beloved Copper Kettle Sour, and line of limited-release barrel-aged beers, such as The Crow’s Nest. These highly-sought after beers are small-batched and aged for 18 month

In December 2017, Clay opened a distillery within the brewery. The Moon Distillery has recently launched their first wave of products, featuring Citrus Gin, Orange Vodka and Espresso Vodka, all made with local malts, fruits and botanicals.

http://ww.moonunderwater.ca/about.php

 Ross Wise – Winemaker  Black Hills

Ross Wise Black Hills

Eric Edwards – Executive Chef    Cedars @ Tigh-Na-Mara

Black Hills is the home of one of Canada’s greatest wines Note Bene. A huge Bordeaux blend and a spectacular portfolio. It includes one of my three favourite BC wines, their Carmenere!   The sale of the winery to Peller sent the Canadian wine industry sideways. The new winemaker has to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Senka Tennant and Graham Pierce.  Ross has the chops to more than do the job.

New Zealand-born Ross Wise joined Phantom Creek Winery  in September, 2016, as the fulltime winemaker. A 2005 enology graduate of Australia’s Charles Sturt University, he started his career as a vineyard supervisor at Felton Road Winery in Central Otago, and moved on to the cellar at the Grove Mill Winery in Marlborough before coming to Canada in 2006.

 He became an assistant winemaker at Flat Rock Cellars in Ontario, becoming the winemaker there in 2009

 In 2012, he launched his own consulting firm, making wines with several Ontario wineries, including Rosewood Estates, Keinte-He Winery, The Organized Crime Winery, Icellars Estate Winery and The Good Earth Winery. The opportunity to make ultra-premium wines in the Okanagan drew him to Phantom Creek, and now, to Black Hills.

 In addition to all that, he is well into his studies to become a Master of Wine.

(from John Schreiner)

This is the first verbal interview Ross has done.  He was great!

On the other hand,  Chef Eric Edwards at Tigh-na-Mara loves a microphone.

He’s outgoing and loves to swap verbs.

Chef paired his food with Black Hills wines. You can hear the delight in his voice.

It helps that he’s a very good chef..with a command of his ever expanding kitchen.

http://www.blackhillswinery.com/Current-Vintages

http://www.blackhillswinery.com/

https://tigh-na-mara.com/dine/cedars-restaurant-lounge

Severine Pinte   Winemaker at La Stella & Le Vieux Pin

 Severine makes both La Stella and Le Vieux Pin but on the night she was pouring La Stella exclusively!

a native of Montpellier..

Severine Pinte came to Le Vieux Pin in 2010 with 14 harvests of international winemaking experience under her belt along with 8 years of vineyard management. Severine is a graduate of the illustrious ENSAM (Ecole National Superior Agronomic of Montpellier)

Severine Pinte La Stella

She apprenticed at the Cave de Tecou in the AOC Gaillac before coming for the first time to British Columbia to work for Domaine de Chaberton as an assistant winemaker.

In 1999 she returned to France and worked a year in Bordeaux under the direction of Andre Lurton in Pessac-Leognan then returned to the Languedoc. For nine years Severine was head winemaker and viticultural council for ‘Le Vignoble des 2 terres’ in the Terrasse du Larzac terroir.

In the winter of 2003, she took leave for harvest at Frankland Estate winery in Western Australia and enjoyed learning a different take on her beloved Syrah and Viognier. Curiosity and the pursuit of new challenges brought Severine to the Okanagan and she brought with her an astute understanding of wine and terroir. Her favorite quote is from Jean Hugel: “100% of the quality of a true wine is already in the grapes, not in the cellars where you can only lose quality.”

For her, The Okanagan, with its unique terroir and cool climate, has always been intriguing. As such she is the perfect candidate to craft world class Syrah and Viognier in the South Okanagan.

https://levieuxpin.ca/

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Brigitte Raye   –  Orto in North Vancouver

The wineries of Okanagan Falls –The Interviews

Alberto Antonini – his Poggiotondo Wines

Pedro Parra – Pours his wines.

Top Drop 2019

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Here come The Somms

(4 of the best including Matt Landry  Sommelier of the Year)

 THE SHOW

 som·me·lier

/ˌsəməlˈyā/

noun

1. a wine steward.

A sommelier, or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, normally working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. The role in fine dining today is much more specialized and informed than that of a wine waiter.

https://www.eater.com/drinks/2015/6/3/8723085/10-ways-to-spot-a-really-good-sommelier

OK..now that we have the slightly snotty posting out of the way..let’s meet our handpicked Somms.

Kurtis Kolt – It was KK’s wine column at the end of January  in the Georgia Straight that set this thing in motion.

He was saluting the annual Sommelier competition at Rogers Arena.  On this show  Kurtis takes us through this year’s  tough competition.

It not just what you know but how you handle the obstacles the judges throw at you.

And what judges..

Cactus Club Café service director Sebastien Le Goff, B.C. Liquor Stores category manager and Master of Wine  Barbara Philip, and Joey Restaurant group sommelier Jason Yamasaki.

They really do try to throw you off. For example they asked the winner Matt Landry to serve a magnum of champagne to 14 glasses and keep answering questions at the same time.

Kurtis Kolt & Matt Landry at Stable House

Kurtis reveals the unseen side of being a Somm. The career appears glamorous but it’s a lot of mental and physical work. You REALLY want to have to do this.

Kurtis also takes us through the background of two other Sommeliers he’s recommended for the show .

Kurtis Kolt is an educator, wine judge,  consultant and a lapsed Sommelier.

@KurtisKolt

http://www.kurtiskolt.com/

 https://www.straight.com/food/1194466/stable-house-bistros-matthew-landry-can-finally-call-himself-bcs-best-sommelier

Matt Landry  Stable House Bistro    GM. Wine/Beverage Director. Sommelier of the Year

Three strikes you’re out!

This was Matt’s third attempt at winning this prestigious competition.

Matt Landry and TDM

He takes us through why he felt he didn’t win the two previous times and what he thought he did this year to win the whole thing.

He grew up in Niagara wine country and started as a server which lead to an opportunity to take over a wine list. He had no idea what he was doing but took the job anyway.

Smart.

He’s taken and passed  Italian and French wine classes. Thinking about Spain now.

Because Stable House Bistro encourages a sharing menu..Matt has to be on his toes as to what he can pair with on those tables.

Matt says that because the fine dining and wine of West is right round the corner he decided to take Stable House almost all Italian wines.

Matt also mentions that in spite of the awards he has earned his greatest achievement may be “getting my Mother to stop drinking Two Oceans”

 http://thestablehouse.ca/

Kristi Linneboe from L’Abattoir and Kelcie Jones from Chambar.

Kristie and Kelcie

 Kristi Lenneboe    Sommelier at  L’Abattoir

  “My biggest turn-off in this industry is ego. It is impossible to know everything about wine, so why get all caught up in who knows more or who drank what? To be honest, the more I learn about wine, the more I realize how much more there is to know about wine. The study of wine is the study of the world – it is social, historical, political and environmental.

Every day I learn something new about topography, geology, geography, climate change, sustainability, and so much more. Wine is alive. It is constantly changing. You can drink a wine from the exact same plot of land year after year and you will never drink the same wine twice. Wine laws, governmental regulations and land ownership are constantly changing, (just as the Earth is constantly evolving), which is why it is important to be constantly immersed in research and information.

Kristi Linneboe – L’Abattoir

I think the best part about learning is sharing it with others. I love when people taste a wine, fall in love with it and become inspired and excited to ask questions about what it is and where it came from. Wine is all about the story: who made it, what makes it different from other wines, why it tastes the way it does, and why it is the right wine for that moment.. I love it when an organic conversation about viticulture arises over dinner instead of out of a textbook… Giving people knowledge creates an opportunity to connect people together”

Excerpt from Good Food Revolution.  Author Jamie Drummond

https://www.goodfoodrevolution.com/young-blood-sommelier-kristi-linneboe

https://www.labattoir.ca/

Kelcie Jones – Sommelier at Chambar

 Kristi and Kelcie are great friends.

There’s a friendly competitive edge to their conversation about wines, food pairings and what they’re tasting lately.

Kelcie Jones – Chambar

Kelcie is the Wine Director at Chambar and as such is expected to know her wines inside and out and then be able to pass on her knowledge to Chambers’ passionate clientele.

When people talk about a buzz in a restaurant, at Chambar that starts at the front door. People are genuinely excited to be in the rooms and part of the experience.

https://www.chambar.com

One last interview for you.

We did 35 interviews at VanWineFest and this one got left out because of timing.

May I please welcome back  Roland Kruger – General Manager at Wild Goose Vineyards  (Okanagan Falls)

And Garron Elmes – Winemaker and President of Lake Breeze . (Naramata Bench)

https://wildgoosewinery.com/

https://lakebreeze.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Uncorked and Untapped in Parksville
Black Hills pours new releases.
La Stella leans Italian!
Okanagan Falls Wineries pour new releases in Vancouver
Brigitte Raye   Orto Artisan Pasta (bad dog bread) North Vancouver

Tom Seaver – Singular pitcher and  winemaker