Free Spirit is Victoria’s biggest Non-Alc Wine, Cider, Beer and Cocktail tasting !
It’s curated and organized by noted wine specialist Kurtis Kolt. Yup, the same guy who is getting ready to open the doors of one of the very best small wine events in Vancouver and Calgary, Top Drop 2026.
Kurtis explains that he has all the wines he needs to stay in touch with the wineries but he’s also interested in not having to sip for a living and Free Spirit appeals to his future life style.
A little over a year ago Kurtis organized Free Spirit in Vancouver. Twice in one year. He attracted 30 participants to pour at the first one and 60 brands for the second gathering – in the same year. That’s called growth.
Kurtis says over 50 brands were pouring in Victoria.
Countries and regions include :
California, Denmark, Italy, Great Britain, France, Australia, Sweden, Dubai, Germany and many from BC and all across Canada.
It’s impossible to talk to everyone. Once the doors open they are “fully engaged” with the many fans.
We start with Kurtis Kolt.
He’s part sommelier, part educator and all promoter.
If you need background on the changing world of No/Low, Kurtis Kolt is your guy.
Bobby Faurot – co-founder and sommelier Somm Zero (okanagan). Bobby and his partners are in the distribution business and because all three founders are also sommeliers, you know they’re delivering the goods.
Bobby Faurot
Bobby poured a delicious DIVIN ‘Vigneron’ Sparkling Chenin Blanc de Blancs.
Louise Fedyk-Massey Wines and Terry David MulliganLouise Fedyk – Massey Wines (Vancouver) Key team member for one of the most driven wine distributors. Lots of brands to talk about with Louise.
Louise Fedyk-Massey Wines and Terry David Mulligan
Cassandra Anderton – Sea Cider (Saanichton) One of the best wine/free spirit storytellers. Sea Cider are very successful with both regular ciders and Non.
Which means you’ll see some of them in corner stores. Always makes my heart jump.
Free Spirit is Victoria’s biggest Non-Alc Wine, Cider, Beer and Cocktail tasting !
It’s curated and organized by noted wine specialist Kurtis Kolt. Yup, the same guy who is getting ready to open the doors of one of the very best small wine events in Vancouver and Calgary, Top Drop 2026.
Kurtis Kolt
Kurtis explains that he has all the wines he needs to stay in touch with the wineries but he’s also interested in not having to sip for a living and Free Spirit appeals to his future life style.
A little over a year ago Kurtis organized Free Spirit in Vancouver. Twice in one year. He attracted 30 participants to pour at the first one and 60 brands for the second gathering – in the same year. That’s called growth.
Kurtis says over 50 brands were pouring in Victoria.
Terry and Kurtis
Countries and regions include :
California, Denmark, Italy, Great Britain, France, Australia, Sweden, Dubai, Germany and many from BC and all across Canada.
It’s impossible to talk to everyone. Once the doors open they are “fully engaged” with the many fans.
We start with Kurtis Kolt.
He’s part sommelier, part educator and all promoter.
If you need background on the changing world of No/Low, Kurtis Kolt is your guy.
Bobby Faurot – co-founder and sommelier Somm Zero (okanagan). Bobby and his partners are in the distribution business and because all three founders are also sommeliers, you know they’re delivering the goods.
Bobby Faurot
Bobby poured a delicious DIVIN ‘Vigneron’ Sparkling Chenin Blanc de Blancs.
Cassandra Anderton – Sea Cider (Saanichton) One of the best wine/free spirit storytellers. Sea Cider are very successful with both regular ciders and Non.
Cassandra Anderton
Which means you’ll see some of them in corner stores. Always makes my heart jump.
We’re featuring Wine Educator and Event Creator Kurtis Kolt.
Top Drop 2025, his sensational small wine fest, runs next week in Vancouver and Calgary.
Wine Educator, judge and Event Co-Ordinator Kurtis Kolt.
His thoughts on 2025 Washington Grown/Crafted in BC Wines
His impressive Top Drop Events this coming week in Vancouver and Calgary.
Kurtis Kolt is a Vancouver-based wine & hospitality consultant who writes about wine, presents seminars, hosts events, judges competitions, works with restaurants on their wine programs, and so on.
Dubbed “The One Wine Tasting of the Year You Shouldn’t Miss,” by Western Living magazine, Top Drop Vancouver and Top Drop Calgary‘s Main Events return with continued focus on sustainably-farmed, handcrafted wines offering a distinct sense of place, without heavy-handed winemaking trickery to get in the way.
His latest project is Free Spirit!, a celebration of the world of non-alc wine, beer, and spirits!
Kurtis joins us on Tasting Room Radio to also talk about the Grown in Washington – Crafted in BC 2025 Wines, now being seen on BC shelves.
Angus An/Kurtis Kolt. Creative pairings at New Fat Mao/Fort Berens Releases
THE SHOW
Fat Mao—meaning “prosperous cat” in Cantonese—is a casual open-kitchen concept by Chef Angus An, dishing up Thai-style noodle soups plus southeast Asian sides and drinks.
Flavourful made-from-scratch broths and locally sourced noodles are accompanied by smaller dishes of B.C. seafood, house-made tofu, and seasonal vegetable salads. Chef Angus recommends customizing your noodles with your choice of spicy sauces, oils, and tangy vinegars to personalize your own fun, comforting, and interactive meal.
“Fat Mao is an ode to the small storefronts handed down through several family generations that specialize in making one single dish over and over,” explains An. “I want our guests to pull up a stool and enjoy a bowl of their favourite noodle soup with a good novel for years to come.”
While the small and focused downtown menu features many fan favourites from the original Fat Mao, it will also offer a handful of tempting dishes from ceviche to rotating flavours of shaved ice that are exclusive to the new location.
Debut highlights include braised brisket noodles served with Asian celery and fried garlic; Nam Ngaio—a Northern-style tender pork-rib noodle dish with pork-blood cake, red cotton tree flowers, and fermented soybean; Albacore tuna ceviche with aromatic herb dressing and crispy taro; and Thai-tea shaved ice for a sweet finish, served with grass jelly and condensed milk with Thai iced-tea panna cotta.
(Fat Mao Noodles – Downtown Vancouver)
Angus An – Chef. Author. Restaurant founder.
The list of award-winning restaurants created and launched by Angus and his wife Kate is truly impressive.
Gastropod (Top 200 in the World – Zagat) Rebranded to Maenam (best Thai 8 years running- Top 25 in Canada & 2016 VanMag Restaurant of the Year)
Now, Angus and Kate have created Longtail Kitchen/Fat Mao/Freebird Chickenshack/Sen Pad Thai/Popina Canteen and Fat Mao Noodles.
AngusAn KurtisKolt
Kurtis Kolt – Has enjoyed consulting on the wine program at Maenam in Vancouver along with leaping into random adventures with chef/proprietor Angus An through various pursuits, from James Beard House dinners to pop-up Sherry bars. Now Angus has opened a second Fat Mao location in downtown Vancouver and he’s fully on board.
It’s a tricky food and wine room in that customers are in and out quickly. There’s simply not time to choose, open and pour wines so Kurtis gathered together fine wines in cans and MagBags. This is like the food and wine version of a high-wire circus act. Every dish is an orchestra of flavors and textures. The challenge for Kurtis is – which of the many flavors and spices do you want to pair your wines with?
As for the wines…
Sharply priced wines ($6-$21) are available at Fat Mao Downtown in a wide variety of serving sizes: by-the-glass in three, six, or nine ounces; and by the can in 250 mL (5 oz) single-servings, 375mL (12+ oz) ‘half bottles’, and 473 mL (16 oz) equal to a couple of glasses. Notable wines featured on the current list include selections from British Columbia’s JoieFarm, Orofino, Birch Block, and Averill Creek, plus contemporary Californian gems like Ferdinand Albariño and Matthiasson’s Barbera-driven ‘Tendu’ Rosé.
Loved this conversation – It Rocked, just like Fat Mao.
Rolf De Bruin Co-Founder & Co-Owner Fort Berens Estate Winery (Lillooet)
#3 Best Small Winery in Canada
Heleen and Rolf / Fort Berens
It’s a routine I’ve been engaging in for many years now. Checking in with Fort Berens Estate Winery in Lillooet.
As I drove through the Lillooet area one year on a trout fishing trip, I could hear Harry McWatters distinctive voice in my ears…
”keep an eye out on that rangeland, could be a fine place for vineyards” Harry was right.
For 12 years now Rolf De Bruin and his wonderful wife Heleen have been leading a hard-working vineyard and wine-making team out on Highway 99 between Whistler and Cache Creek/Kamloops. High Country. Cold in the Winter. Usually the hottest place in Canada in the Summer. They have winemaking essentials. Lots of land, heat, and water.
Rolf has been planting additional vineyards and we’re now starting to see more Reserve Estate wines in Spring and Fall. One day, all the wines will come from the estate. That’s the plan, Stan.
Right in the middle of the pandemic, they managed to find, hire and transport a new winemaker/viticulturist Alex Nel. All the way from South Africa.
Alex Nel Winemaker
Keep in mind that the 2021 growing season included “the heat dome”. In Lillooet, they dealt with the highest temperature ever recorded in June, then came the wildfires. The vineyards managed to avoid the fires but they essentially shut down to survive The Sun and rebounded when the heat normalized.
When the town of Lytton was ravaged by wild fires, Fort Berens created a Pinot Gris release from one of the vineyards that the fires didn’t damage.
100% of the monies raised went to support industry partners through Lytton Strong When a silent auction and corporate sponsorship dollars were added, a total of $164,000 had been raised.
They immediately started rebuilding the Lytton outdoor pool, where the community always gathered. (did I mention it’s the hottest place in Canada?) Good people!! Congratulations all.
Here are the latest releases from Fort Berens
Meritage 2020(available now)
Cabernet Franc 2020 (available now)
Pinot Noir 2021 (available now )
Riesling Reserve 2021 (will be released in March 2023)
On May 10th and 11th, Top Drop Vancouver returns, with a continued focus on sustainably-farmed, handcrafted wines offering a distinct sense of place, without heavy-handed winemaking trickery to get in the way.
Top Drop is now in its seventh year.
.
Over two days, Top Drop offers Vancouver’s wine professionals and enthusiasts unique events and opportunities. As Top Drop’s flagship experience, The Main Event is a walk-around, grazing-style tasting where attendees can enjoy sips and stories from the principals of 40 participating international wineries.
The Main Event will take place from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 10 and 11, at Yaletown’s Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre (181 Roundhouse Mews). A full list of event participants follows, and can be found at TopDrop.ca. Tickets are $125 until they’re sold out, and available online at TopDrop.ca.
Event proceeds go to the BC Hospitality foundation, an organization providing financial support to individuals from the hospitality industry facing a major medical crisis.
Top Drop’s annual grand tasting features dozens of international, terroir-focused wineries and the people behind the wines.
Kurtis will be talking about the wines that are starred ***
Aldegheri, Valpolicella, Italy
w/ Jane Glees, Export Director
Anselmi, Soave, Veneto, Italy
w/ Lisa Anselmi, Family Proprietor
***Ashes & Diamonds, Napa Valley, California, USA
w/ Kashy Khaledi, Proprietor + Owner
Averill Creek Vineyard, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
w/ Brent Rowland, Winemaker
***Azienda Agricola Bruna Grimaldi , Piedmont, Italy
w/ Martina Fiorino, Family Proprietor + Sales Manager
***Bella Wines, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Jay Drysdale, Owner + Winemaker
***Benjamin Bridge, Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada
w/ Jean-Benoit Deslauriers, Winemaker
***Chiorri Perugia, Umbria, Italy
w/ Francesco Strangis, Proprietor + Winemaker
***Creek & Gully Cider, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Annelise Simonsen, Proprietor + Director
Elk Cove, Gaston, Oregon, USA
w/ Cam Christie, Director Of Distribution & Sales
***Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Gordon Fitzpatrick, President
***Free Form by Okanagan Crush Pad, Okanagan Valley, Canada
w/ Matt Dumayne, Chief Winemaker
***Gekkeikan, Folsom, California, USA
w/ Koichi Murakami, VP of Sales & Marketing
***Hedges Family Estate, Red Mountain, Washington, USA
w/ Christophe Hedges, General Manager
***Lightning Rock Winery, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Jordan Kubek, Winegrower
***Long Shadows, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA
w/ Dane Narbaitz, Director of Sales & Marketing
***Marchesi Di Barolo, Piedmont, Italy
w/ Valentina Abbona, Family Member + Ambassador
***Martin’s Lane Winery, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Shane Munn, Winemaker
Medici Ermete, Reggio Emilia, Italy
w/ Ermes Scardova, Export Director
Mirafiore, Piedmont, Italy
w/ Chiara Destefanis, Export Area Manager
Susana Balbo Wines, Mendoza, Argentina
w/ German Pungitore, General Manager
***Synchromesh Wines, Okanagan Falls, BC, Canada
w/ Alan Dickinson, Proprietor + Winemaker + Farmer
You may have noticed that our Podcast has a subtitle
Music. Film. Food. Wine. Those are the subjects I keep coming back to.
We do lots of music and film and some food but the wine pods have been few and far between. That’s going to change.
The stories and interviews that stand out for me are the interviews affecting people everywhere.
This week it’s how we – the food and wine fan – can support our local restaurants and wineries, cideries, breweries, distillers.
The pandemic has caused many restaurants to close or hold on for dear life.
Wineries will disappear over the next year. The same with brewers, cider makers, and distillers.
I really wanted to hear from three voices that deal with this community every day. The question – what can we do. How can we help?
Sandra Oldfield – 20 years a winemaker and X-CEO of Tinhorn Creek Winery. Now head of Elysian Projects, assisting and guiding wineries and restaurants.
Kurtis Kolt – Wine writer, judge, and educator. Many years in the restaurant business in downtown Vancouver.
Rhys Pender – Master of Wine, Winemaker at Little Farm Wines. Educator via WinePlus. A calm voice inside all the noise.
For the very first time Top Drop was coming to Victoria.
Frankly, that’s all I needed to know.
I’ve been happily covering this small wildly successful wine gathering for
Six Years but Top Drop in Victoria is a whole other event. Why? Because Victoria is a great wine town.
TOP DROP is Vancouver based so they needed a Victoria Host. Turns out the
Vessel crew have been watching this independent, craft wine festival seed
and grow in Vancouver, and spread to Calgary in 2018. This was their year to
launch it in Victoria for ONE DAY .
Victoria International Marina
Top Drop is an opportunity to celebrate authenticity in farming, terroir
and wine, with winery principals from around the globe.
Mirroring Top Drop Vancouver and Calgary’s flagship experience, the public
event is a walk around, grazing-style tasting where attendees enjoy sips
and stories from the principals of international and local wineries. There
has never before been a wine tasting of this scope and caliber in Victoria.
For me and TRR, the voice and face of Top Drop has always been Kurtis Kolt.
Wine educator and Wine writer for the Georgia Straight.
Kurtis and TD
Because of the foul weather, Kurtis and his partners were delayed in
Vancouver and could not attend while I was there.
Once again Kurtis Kolt and his partner Jeff Curry and a sensational team
have convinced some of the very best winemakers to pour at Top Drop.
What they have in common is craft and care!
In Kurtis’ column in the Georgia Straight he said this:
“Each year, our process begins the same. Our team casts out a wide net to
British Columbia-based importers and wineries, asking for winery
applications to participate in the event. First and foremost, Top Drop
wineries must fit with our general philosophy: that wines, indeed, express
terroir or offer a sense of place.
Whether we’re talking vines grown in mineral-rich soils or under
cool-climate growing conditions bringing bright acidity or in sun-drenched
regions offering generous, opulent fruit and so on, we want those elements
to be notable in the glass and for them to have arrived there authentically,
rather than via heavy-handed additions in the winery.
Sustainable farming is also key. There is a high priority on those who
employ these methods while farming their own fruit or who work with growers
who fit the mold.”
The 2019 BC Pinot Noir Celebration brings together BC’s top 35 Pinot Noir producers for an unforgettable festival-style tasting experience. The event kicked off with a reception and keynote address by Madeline Puckette, certified sommelier and author of New York Times Bestseller, Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine.
Kurtis Kolt
To put this gathering in proper perspective, here’s an overview from writer/judge Kurtis Kolt:
My big take-away is how local Pinot Noir reflects its terroir of origin, rather than its producers trying to emulate other iconic Pinot regions around the world, from Burgundy in France to the Russian River Valley in California.
No matter which B.C. region it hailed from, each one had a freshness and purity of fruit, along with juicy acidity—a common trait in B.C. wine. I was quite impressed that compared to other reds—from Bordeaux-inspired blends to Syrah—the B.C. Pinot Noirs were all tasty and approachable, whether we were looking at current, more fruit-forward releases, or bottlings as far back as a 2006 from Averill Creek on Vancouver Island. It had started to exhibit those more savoury, tertiary notes like sarsaparilla and sun-dried tomato, but still had great structure and was buoyant on the palate.
Kurtis, who guests on this special, makes the comment that Pinot Noir is the one wine that can be grown from coast-to-coast in Canada.
All 35 wineries pouring at the event were accepted through a high profile sommelier tasting panel. They were determined to be the best of the best.
Our owner/winemaker guests are:
Jak Meyer – Meyer Family Vineyards/Organizer
Grant Biggs – Kitsch/ Organizer
David Paterson – Tantalus/ Organizer
Jason Parkes – The Hatch
Madeline Puckette – Keynote speech and Wine Folly Author
Kurtis Kolt: Wines of the Year & We Remember Harry McWatters
THE SHOW
Kurtis Kolt – The Dude
Kurtis Kolt
Kurtis is a sommelier, a consultant, educator and the fine wine writer for the Georgia Straight “The Bottle” Column. Along with partner Jeff Curry, Kurtis is also the co-founder of Top Drop, a premier small wine festival with BIG guests.
KK has a really good grasp of the wine World. He studies Local, Regional, National and International wines. Travels the World, walking the vineyards..tasting the cellars.
Thus, Kurtis is the perfect end of the year – start of the year guest.
We’re talking about
The Top 6 best wines of his year. The most memorable ones.
The highlights of his trip to South Africa
The rise of pop-up wine bars in Vancouver
A quick look ahead to 2020 VanWinefest
And a teaser about this year’s Top Drop in Calgary, Vancouver and perhaps Victoria.
When Kurtis Kolt recommends wine it’s a good thing to focus on those wines. It’s time To FOCUS!!
Natte Valleij Cinsault 2017, South Africa, $28-32, Private Wine Stores
Lighting Rock Viognier 2017, B.C., $25, LightningRockWinery.com
Remembering Harry McWatters – Founder. Builder. Legend.
May 23 1945 – July 23 2019
Harry McWatters
The December holidays gave me the opportunity to reflect on 2019 and the past decade.
One face and voice stayed in my head and my heart.
The great Harry McWatters.
Her Highness and a guy named Harry
Harry was a major force in the British Columbia and Canadian wine industry for more than 50 years. In 1980, Harry became the founder of British Columbia’s first estate winery, Sumac Ridge and followed with See Ya Later Ranch. He was a pioneer in establishing the Okanagan Wine Festival Society. In 1990, Harry chaired the new British Columbia Wine Institute. He was the founding Chair of the British Columbia Wine Information Society, founding Chair of VQA of Canada spearheading national wine standards, founding Chair of the British Columbia Hospitality Foundation, and a long term Director on the Canadian Vintners Association. Most recently, he was the President and CEO of ENCORE Vineyards.
A member of the Order of British Columbia, inductee to the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame, two-time Jubilee Medal winner. the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree, and the recipient of the Vancouver Wine Festival Spirited Industry Professional Award. He was the Marketer of the Year for North America..
As impressive as that amazing record is, the lasting legacy of Harry McWatters will be his character.
Ready to help, available for advice, a mentor for 50 years and a wonderful friend and father. His laughter will never leave my soul.
I discovered this interview with Harry just as he was launching his Time label. We met at the wonderful Local Lounge and Grill in Summerland. A room he was familiar with as he helped launch the restaurant.
Harry and I covered a lot of ground but what I really liked about this chat was his honesty and drive.
Here’s to you Harry.
The history of the Okanagan will now be written by your children, your friends and students.
