EP 382 | Harry Hertscheg Executive Director Vancouver Wine Festival March 7-14
hello



The 42nd Vancouver International Wine Festival has come and gone. I’m told it was a huge success.
It was the first festival I had missed in 12 years of TRR.
Thing is, I was in Oaxaca Mexico visiting family and getting closer to the story of Mescal.
Several weeks from now we’ll bring you the conversation we had with one of Mexico’s very best Female Mescal Masters
Sosima Olivera…
Instead of doing 30-40 interviews at VanWineFest, I ended up doing just one. But what a one.

Sosima and Terry in Oaxaca
Our Guests are:
Christine Coletta – Okanagan Crush Pad.

Christine-Coletta
A real Key Wine Influencer. Maker of Freeform. Haywire. Narrative. The Bub.
What started as a Crush Pad has become a true farming leader in the Okanagan.
She was founding executive director of the BC Wine Institute, creator of the VQA and co-founder of Wines of Canada.
Christine’s most recent honour was being named One of Wine’s Most Inspiring People for 2020 by Wine Industry Advisor.
Rather than ask CC about what she tasted at VanWineFest, I thought it best to get an overview of where we are as a wine region and where we’re headed.
One place we’re headed is Europe. Christine and friends have been pouring in Europe for years now and they’re starting to notice.
Enjoy!!
Harry Hertscheg – Executive Director Vancouver Wine Festival.

Harry-Hertscheg
It’s Harry’s show. He spends his entire year leading a great creative team.
If anyone can give us a wrap up of the entire festival is Harry.
If you find yourself looking at sold out signs when you got to get tickets every year..Harry has the key to making sure that doesn’t happen again.
Michelle Bouffard Sommelier. Educator. Journalist. Founder of Tasting Climate Change

Michelle Bouffard
One of the very busiest and committed participants at VanWineFest was Michelle.
She hosted panels and discussions on Climate Change and Wine.
Packaging, transport, extremes in temperature, water usage, tips for consumers to buy wine with a lower carbon footprint.
This conversation was so engaging, the complete interview will be a podcast on Mulligan Stew Podcasts in several weeks. Details at www.mulliganstew.ca
Michelle also has recommendations on Canadian and French wines she tasted.
https://www.tastingclimatechange.com/en/
Bernard Duseigneur – Domaine Duseigneur . Family member and Manager.

Bernard Duseigneur
Domaine Duseigneur was founded by Jean Duseigneur in 1967.
In those formative years, Domaine Duseigneur was in rough condition and needed extensive work in the cellar and more importantly, in their vineyards. In 1992, his son Frederic along with his brother Bernard took over managing their Southern Rhone property.

They changed their vineyard management techniques starting with the 2004 vintage and became certified biodynamique three years later. They are also a member of Biodyvin, the International Bio-dynamic Vine growing Syndicate. in 2007, they brought in Philippe Cambie to consult on the vineyards and wine making.
They now manage 13 estates in the Languedoc/Roussillon Regions .
I wanted to present Bernard with several of his famous quotes about wine and perhaps see if he’d changed his mind.
Please enjoy the fine French winemaking manager of Domaine Duseigneur Bernard Duseigneur
https://www.domaineduseigneur.com/?lang=en
Ned Bell – back in Naramata
OK Falls wineries pour in Vancouver
Locals Only – artisans from Van Island to Vancouver.
Swirl and Untapped in Parksville
Chef Lee Cooper – L’Abattoir
Sosima Olivera – Fanekantsini Mescal Cooperative

We start with Harry Hertscheg Executive Director of the 41st Vancouver International Wine Festival.

Harry Hertscheg
Harry brings the first of two updates on this years event. (Feb 23- March 3)
Barry Olivier – President/Brands Aquilini Wines

Barry Olivier – Aquilini
Backbreaking days laying bricks and hauling mortar up rickety scaffolds; young Luigi Aquilini knew he had to find a better means of supporting his family. In 1957, Luigi left his hometown of Brescia, Italy and travelled to North America seeking a new life.
Through strong relationships, saving his wages, and a legendary work ethic, the bricklayer struggled up the ladder – wooden and corporate – doing whatever it took to provide for his wife and three young sons. As his children came of age Luigi brought Francesco, Roberto, and Paolo into his now-thriving construction company.
For three decades they grew the business as a family; diversifying from building skyscrapers, to farming blueberries, to purchasing NHL Hockey Team, the Vancouver Canucks in 2006.

Francesco and Luigi
For these four entrepreneurs, fine wine was a lifelong passion and a natural unity of the pillars on which they’d built their empire: construction, farming, and entertainment
Francesco Aquilini sought out Barry Olivier, a fine wine importer notorious for scouting up-and-coming producers.
Francesco and his brothers had trusted Olivier to build their own cellars for years, and now they recruited him for the ultimate task: create the World’s Next Great Wine.
The opportunity suddenly emerged in November 2013 with the most high-stakes land auction in Washington Wine History.
670 acres of completely unplanted former Government Land on Red Mountain was on the block, and competition was fierce.

Over 40 wineries from across America came to Washington looking for a piece of the Mountain.
Though this was the last virgin acreage on Red Mountain, to acquire and develop that much vineyard all at once was risky.
Luigi and his sons made the call. The Aquilinis outbid the room for the entire 670 acres.
In just 24 hours, the family had become the largest landowner in the AVA.
An overnight turn that left the Pacific Northwest wine community wondering “Who is Aquilini”?
Philippe Melka joined as Consulting Winemaker. Heralded as one of the most influential wine consultants in the world. Bordeaux-born, Melka apprenticed at Chateau Haut-Brion and Chateau Petrus, then crossed the Atlantic to electrify the Napa Valley, working with icons like Quintessa, Bryant, Fairchild and Hundred Acre.

Philippe Melka – Winemaker
Aquilini Wines are headed to the Vancouver Wine Festival to introduce themselves to Canada.
They’ll be pouring
Aquilini Horse Heaven Hills Syrah Rose 2017
Aquilini Red Mountain’s Grand Vin is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
The Second Wine, Aquilini Red Mountain Family Blend,. The Family Blend is constructed of varying levels of Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot and occasionally Petit Verdot.

Here’s a first taste with Barry Olivier.
Vancouver Wine Festival
The Californians
BC showcases at Wine fest
BC Sommeliers speak out
Okanagan Falls wineries pour new releases
Unplugged/Uncorked

This is our 8th year of covering the Vancouver International Wine Festival. For them this is Year 39.
Canada is the featured region and it’s going to be a wonderful family gathering with the pace of a gong show.
If you care about how Canadian wines are doing and where our wine industry is headed..this show and next week will hopefully supply answers and focus.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Daenna van Mulligen – The Wine Diva www.winediva.ca
Rhys Pender – Master of Wine www.littlefarmwinery.ca
DJ Kearney – NewDistrict.ca Director of Wine
Kurtis Kolt – The Bottle/Georgia Straight www.kurtiskolt.com
Howard Soon – Sandhill Wines www.sandhillwines.ca
Ann Sperling – Sperling Vineyards www.sperlingvineyards.com
Sandra Oldfield – Tinhorn Creek www.tinhorn.com
Harry Hertscheg – Executive Director VIWF vanwinefest.ca
Christa-Lee McWatters Bond – Evolve www.evolvecellars.com
Harry McWatters – Time Wines www.encorevineyards.ca
Chris Jentsch – CC Jentsch Wines www.ccjentschcellars.com
Gustav Allander – Foxtrot www.foxtrotwine.com/winery
David Scholefield – Haywire https://okanagancrushpad.com/
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
John Schreiner – Icon. Flagship Wines from BC’s Best Wineries
Four F’s/ Food, Fishing, Friends, Fluids @Skitchine Lodge
Bloom – BC wineries pour new releases in Vancouver
Planeta and Boutinot bring their best to Vancouver.

This is our 8th year of covering the Vancouver International Wine Festival. For them this is Year 39.
Canada is the featured region and it’s going to be a wonderful family gathering with the pace of a gong show.
If you care about how Canadian wines are doing and where our wine industry is headed..this show and next week will hopefully supply answers and focus.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Daenna van Mulligen – The Wine Diva
Rhys Pender – Master of Wine
DJ Kearney – NewDistrict.ca Director of Wine
Kurtis Kolt – The Bottle/Georgia Straight
Howard Soon – Sandhill Wines
Ann Sperling – Sperling Vineyards
Sandra Oldfield – Tinhorn Creek
Harry Hertscheg – Executive Director VIWF
Christa-Lee McWatters Bond – Evolve
Harry McWatters – Time Wines
Chris Jentsch – CC Jentsch Wines
Gustav Allander – Foxtrot
David Scholefield – Haywire
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Hour Two of 39th VanWineFest
Includes guests from
Ontario and Nova Scotia