Tasting Room Radio

The BC Cider Festival Year 2.  The Cider makers pour at The Pipe Shop.    THE SHOW   Its Official..I’m a Certified Cider Head. Happily, I don’t appear to be alone. Lots of us are discovering that the sweet icky cider our parents consumed has disappeared. It’s been replaced by a growing army of cider makers..from around the World and best of all – right here in BC. I had some catching up to do having missed the first BC Cider Festival. I was delighted to find out that all of the participating ciders would be pouring at The Pipe Shop, foot of Lonsdale in North Vancouver.   (The very shop that my Father,  HD “Pat” Mulligan worked in as WW2 was beginning) I had a hunch that when they opened the main doors at 1:30 it was going to get crazy..and it did. So, I started early as the tables were being set up and talked to as many Cideries as I could. You can hear the room get louder and louder as first the staff worked the room, then the cider trade people tasted and finally when the  general public came in..I couldn’t even get near the tables and my work was done. This was such a great  learning experience for me. My hope is that it’s the same for you. There are so many great stories here. Ciders made from blends of apples, heritage apples planted and forgotten about over the years and apples discovered, grown and harvested in Vancouver’s East End. Backyard apples made into first class Ciders. I hope you  find your new  favourite cider in the next hour.  Cheers!! Big thanks to Txotx Imports and Massey Wines.   Guests on this week’s  Cider festival Special include : Txotx Imports  –  Sean Pisio    (Organizer) BC Tree Fruits –  Nadine Harrison (asst. winemaker) Kelowna Kate Pedersen – Left field Cider  (Logan Lake) Naramata Cider Co – Miranda Halliday (co-owner)  Naramata Ward’s Cider – Mike Anderson  (cidermaker)  Kelowna Raven’s Moon – Quinn Ehrler     (owner and cellar rat)  Courtney Nomad Cider – Brad Klammer    (Co-owner)  Summerland Salt Spring Wild Cider   –   Mike Lachelt & Greda Lattey  (co-owners / cidermakers)  Salt Spring Howling Moon Cider – Nik & Kate Durisek (owners / cidermakers) Oliver Twisted Hills Cider – Kaylan Madeira (owner/cidermaker)  Cawston Cedar Cider – Gabriel Jefferies (co-owner)  Hazelmere Sea Cider – Kristen Needham  (founder / cidermaker)  Saanichton Windfall Cider – Jeff Nairn (co-founder)  East Vancouver

  THE SHOW How much do I like the Top Drop wine series? Well, I really only needed half a dozen interviews to make a one-hour special. However, Kurtis Kolt and Jeff Curry always bring together some of the very best winemakers and owners in the World.  How they manage that, year after year, is amazing. Of course, I ended up doing almost twice as many as I needed but when you see the guest list below I think it’s clear why I got carried away. The wineries are in all cases organic, sustainable, terroir driven, just pure fruit and the work of time. No additives, no tricks. Honest wines and winemakers. Today’s guests are: David Amadia – President of Ridge Vineyards  (Sonoma) Since 1885 one of California’s leading wineries.  Paul tells a great story about how  Ridge came to be poured at The Judgement of Paris and what they’re pouring at Top Drop. www.ridgewine.com Beth Novak Milliken – President of Spottswoode  (Napa) “Spottswoode Vineyard is one of Napa’s most well-known landmarks, and its winemaking team, owner Beth Novak, and assistants Rosemary Cakebread and Jennifer Williams, represents a trifecta of talented young women. When the history of Napa’s great vineyards is written, the 40-acre Spottswoode Vineyard, tucked behind the quaint town of St. Helena, will be counted among the finest grand cru vineyards of the region.” Robert Parker www.spottswoode.com Emil Mehdin – Marketing Director Stina Wines. (Dalmatia, Croatia) Croatia has been making wines for some 2500 years. If you listen to the pride on Emil’s voice I think you may understand how they became one of the World’s true wine countries. www.stina-vino.hr/en

Road 13 wins Canadian Winery of the year and Top Drop 2018 Part One     The SHOW The phone rang at Road 13 this week. It was Anthony Gismondi from Wine Align looking for Joseph Luckhurst, managing partner and son of founders Mick and Pam Luckhurst. Joe was delighted to find out that after moving up in the Top Ten wineries of Canada year-after-year..they finally nailed the big prize. Canadian Winery of the Year. There were  1,850 entries from 257 different wineries from seven provinces however if you look at the total wins they had ..the prize was truly well earned.   Platinum  – Road 13 Vineyards 2016 Roussanne Gold – Road 13 Vineyards 2017 Chip off the Old Block Chenin Blanc Gold – Road 13 Vineyards 2016 Syrah Gold – Road 13 Vineyards 2013 5th Element Gold – Road 13 Vineyards 2014 Jackpot Petit Verdot Gold – Blind Creek Collective 2015 Consensus Gold – Blind Creek Collective 2016 Cabernet Franc Gold – Blind Creek Collective 2016 Petit Verdot Gold – Blind Creek Collective 2017 Viognier Silver –  Road 13 Vineyards 2016 GSM Silver –  Blind Creek Collective 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Bronze – Road 13 Vineyards 2016 Seventy-Four K Bronze – Road 13 Vineyards 2016 Jackpot Syrah Bronze – Road 13 Vineyards 2016 Cabernet Merlot Bronze – Blind Creek Collective 2016 Chardonnay   We’ll visit Road 13 shortly and to a  sit down interview with Joseph.   Congratulations to the complete team behind the winery. To growers, hospitality, cellar and tank crews, crush rats, administration and marketing. Best of all Road 13 is one of our sponsors.     www.road13vineyards.com   It’s The Main Event.  Top Drop Vancouver:  Terroir and Craft.

  NEW RELEASES FROM THE NARAMATA BENCH:    THE SHOW   Summer 2018   Real warmth in the day. Sunrise at 6am. AND new releases from BC’s wineries.  Perhaps, the very best time of the year. We spent almost 5 glorious years on the Naramata Bench. It was everything we had hoped it would be. A mix of farms, food, wineries and really fine people. Now, when they make their annual New Wine Release trip into Vancouver and Victoria  it feels like old home week. I have the wonderful job of sitting down and getting re-acquainted with familiar faces and new wines. For you wine fans  joining us, it’s a chance to perhaps,  find your wine of the year or at the very least your Spring/Summer.   Our guests this week include: Val Tait  – Winemaker and GM at Bench 1775  www.bench1775.com Senka Tennant – Co-Owner &  Winemaker at TerraVista www.terravistavineyards.com Dominic McCosker – Winemaker at La Frenz www.lafrenzwinery.com Riley Hollenbach – Winemaker at Red Rooster www.lafrenzwinery.com Kathy Malone – Winemaker at Hillside www.hillsidewinery.ca Matt Mikulic – Winemaker at Three Sisters  www.3sisterswinery.com/Wines Bob Ferguson – Co-Owner & Winemaker at Kettle Valley  www.kettlevalleywinery.com/ Del Halliday – co-owner and winemaker at Elephant Island www.elephantislandwine.com Gavin Miller – co-owner and winemaker at Upper Bench  www.upperbench.ca Lindsay O’Rourke – Co-owner and Winemaker at Tightrope  www.tightropewinery.ca   www.naramatabench.com/our-wineries http://www.winesofcanada.com/naramata.html STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:   The Canadian Winery of the Year starts next week’s show Plus its Kurtis Kolt’s Top Drop 2018  Guests include: Paul Leary President Ridge Wines David Patterson – GM/Winemaker Tantalus Justin Fairweather – Partner Alpha Box and Dice Jane Ferrari – Winemaker/Storyteller Yalumba Jay Drysdale – co-owner/winemaker  Bella DJ Kearney – New District.ca Simon Black – Winemaker Montalto Virginie Taupenot – Taupenot Merme   www.tastingroomradio.com

OK Falls Welcomes The Wine World   THE SHOW   Every Spring the wine regions of BC show up on the West Coast. This week it’s Okanagan Falls.  The wineries of the region share Skaha Lake – just south of Penticton. Just a head’s UP – They throw a great Summer event called Party in the Park  July 6th in Kenyon Park (on the beach) Starts at 5PM.  What a night!!     Winemakers and Principals pouring and taking us through the wines include: Evan Saunders – Winemaker at Blasted Church https://blastedchurch.com Christie Mavety – Family Member/Owner  www.bluemountainwinery.com Gerry Thygesen – Owner –Winemaker  Skaha/Krase Legz  https://www.krazelegz.com Alison Moyes – Winemaker  Liquidity Wines https://www.liquiditywines.com Janice Stevens-Meyer  – Co-Owner Meyer Family Vineyards https://www.mfvwines.com Daniel Bibby – Co-Owner Nighthawk Vineyards  https://www.nighthawkvineyards.com Jim & Leslie D ‘Andrea – Owners Noble Ridge Vineyard and Winery www.nobleridge.com Lauren Skinner – Family member Painted Rock Estate Winery www.paintedrock.ca Julie Rennie – Co-Owner Pentage Winery https://pentage.com Larry Gerelus – Co-Owner Stag’s Hollow Winery https://stagshollowwinery.com Alan Dickinson – Owner/Winemaker Synchromesh Wines www.synchromeshwines.ca Roland Kruger – Owner/General Manager  Wild Goose Vineyard https://wildgoosewinery.com Back row * Evan Saunders, wine maker, Blasted Church * Jim D’Andrea, Proprietor, Noble Ridge * Ian MacDonald, Proprietor, Liquidity 2 back row * Larry Gerelus, Proprietor, Stag’s Hollow * Linda Pruegger, Proprietor, Stag’s Hollow * Roland Kruger, Proprietor,  Wild Goose * Janice Stevens, Proprietor, Meyer Family Vineyards * Julie Rennie, Proprietor, Pentage 3 back row * Dan Schell – Agent (Nobel Ridge) * Michael Garrett, Agent (Pentage) * Alison Moyes,  winemaker Liquidity * Barb Mills, Agent (Liquidity) * Leslie D;Andrea, Proprietor,  Noble Ridge * Lauren Skinner, Director of Sales, Painted Rock Front row * Tysha Pope, Crescent Hill Winery * Carson Pope, Crescent Hill Winery * Terry David Mulligan * Daniel Bibby, Proprietor, Nighthawk Vineyards * Christie Mavety, Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars   https://www.ofwa.ca

Hour Two of 2018 VanWineFest   THE SHOW   Last week’s show focused of Spain and Portugal. This week its friends and neighbours. BC, Washington, California, Nova Scotia and a final Spanish Winemaking Star Alvaro Palacios. Loved doing this hour.  Winemaking friends from all over sharing thoughts and opinions.   We talk about the Alberta Wine Ban and its effect. I felt it was important that I ask the question “What are you pouring here today and why?” Co-hosts were Sandra Oldfield and Daenna van Mulligen (The Wine Diva). They did a great job! www.WineDiva.ca  /  https://sandraoldfield.com Guests include:   DJ Kearney – Wine Director www.NewDistrict.ca Christine Coletta – Co-Owner of Okanagan Crush Pad (Haywire)   https://okanagancrushpad.com Galen Barnhardt – Winemaker at Monte Creek. Kamloops https://www.montecreekranchwinery.com/ Chris Turyk – Brand Ambassador Unsworth. Cowichan Valley https://www.unsworthvineyards.com Bruce Ewert – Co-Owner/Winemaker L’Acadie Vineyards. Nova Scotia www.lacadievineyards.ca Howard Soon – Head Winemaker Vanessa Vineyards www.vanessavineyard.com John Skinner – Owner Painted Rock www.paintedrock.ca Nikki Callaway – Winemaker Quails Gate https://www.quailsgate.com Kurtis Kolt – The Bottle / Georgia Straight. Top Drop Vancouver. www.kurtiskolt.com Calla Bischoff – Sileni Estates NZ https://www.sileni.co.nz Jim Robertson – Stoneleigh  NZ  www.stoneleigh.com Alvaro Palacios – Spanish wine legend  www.rarewineco.com/producer/alvaro-palacios Ray Signorello –  Owner Signorello Estates. Napa  https://signorelloestate.com Randy Ullom  – Chief Winemaker – Kendall-Jackson.  Sonoma www.kj.com Eugene Mylnczyk.  Master of Wine . Charles Smith Wines. Washington https://www.charlessmithwines.com STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON We’re heading for Okanagan Falls..or rather they’re heading to Vancouver. Pouring their new releases for 2018 are winemakers and owners from Blasted Church Noble Ridge Liquidity Stags Hollow Wild Goose Meyer Family

  1,450 Wines. 16 Countries. 173 Wineries. 51 Events. 8 days. 25,000 wine fans. It’s Hour One of our coverage of the 40th VanWineFest at Vancouver Convention Centre. Spain and Portugal are the feature regions and they have sent their very best owners, winemakers, and wines. Many wines tasted for the first time in Canada. With the invaluable co-hosting help of The Wine Diva Daenna van Mulligen and Sandra Oldfield. This Saturday’s guests include The leader of Portugal’s “Duoro Boys” The charming Cristiano van Zeller. Miguel Torres (founded 1870) Gloria Collell (winemaker Segura Viudas) Joan Cusine (prop. Paras Balta/Gratavinum.) Orig vines planted by Romans Plus The Stars from Campo Viejo, Bodegas Atteca, Bodegas Alvear, Alvara Palacios. Is he The New Spain? And then we dive into Port. From Portugal David Guimaraens head winemaker at Taylor Fladgate, Rupert Symington of Symington Family Estates (Dow, Warre, W&J Graham) And Jorge Ramos from Fonseca We start with special guests: Cristiano van Zeller (Quina Vale D. Maria) www.quintavaledonamaria.com  Leader of Portugal’s “Duoro Boys” Miguel Torres (since 1870)  www.torres.es/en/home Gloria Collell (winemaker Segura Viudas) https://www.seguraviudasusa.com/ Joan Cusine ( Paras Balta/Gratavinum.) Orig vines planted by Romans. https://paresbalta.com/ – www.gratavinum.com/ Fredrico Lleonart  Campo Viejo https://www.campoviejo.com/ Miguel Gil   Bodegas Ateca  http://gilfamily.es/en/ Fernando Alvear  http://www.alvear.es/index.php/en/ David Guimaraens  Taylor Fladgate https://www.taylor.pt/ Rupert Symington – Symington Family Estates https://www.symington.com/ Jorge Ramos – Fonseca Port Wine  www.fonseca.pt/ Paul Wagner – Featured Speaker  www.balzac.com/    – http://www.rickandpaulwine.com/ We kick the whole show off with these very special friends:  Harry Hertscheg Exec Director of VanWineFest  www.vanwinefest.ca DJ Kearney.

  12th  BC Shellfish Festival in  Courtney/Comox and Memories of Bourdain. THE SHOW   Year in &  Year out  The BC Shellfish Festival is one of the very best gatherings of Chefs in Western Canada. They come to compete, to showcase, to  meet their suppliers & their customers. Best of all, the chefs come to hang with each other and take a break from the daily grind. First and foremost the festival celebrates sustainability.  In oceans, lakes, rivers and farms. The chefs who guest today not only bring their culinary talents to work every day, they also let their diners know that where your fish comes from is as important as where your water &  wine comes from. This is a wildly successful festival that takes place in and around Courtney-Comox on Vancouver Island. The Comox Valley produces more than 50% of BC Shellfish and the most oysters in Canada. If you’re a chef..this is your Yankee Stadium. The last segment of Tasting Room Radio will be all about remembering the late Anthony Bourdain. With comments from his friends Tojo, Pino Posteraro, Ned Bell, Quang Dang and Nathan Fong. Also comments  from Sabrine Dhaliwal, Matthias Fong and Sal Howell Check out this fantastic Guest List: Chef Hidekazu Tojo – Tojo’s  Restaurant   tojos.com/Splash.html Chef Ned Bell – Ocean Wise, Vancouver  seafood.ocean.org Chef Pino Posteraro – Cioppinos  https://www.cioppinosyaletown.com Chef Nathan Fong – Fong on Food https://www.fongonfood.com Melissa Craig – Barefoot Bistro, Whistler  bearfootbistro.com Quang Dang – Araxi Bistro, Whistler  https://www.araxi.com Lisa Ahier – Sobo  Tofino www.sobo.ca Sal Howell – Founder-Owner  River Cafe/Deane House  Calgary www.river-cafe.com Chef Matthias Fong – River Cafe, Calgary  www.river-cafe.com Rebecca MacKenzie – President Culinary Tourism & Host of Terroir Symposium https://ontarioculinary.com

A Four Stop Stroll through Saanich : The SHOW Saanich is that gorgeous stretch of farmland on the drive from the BC Ferry Docks in Schwartz Bay, Vancouver Island  into Victoria. The idea for the show was suggested by Corey Wood, transplanted Albertan. (Corey is the tech/creative director for TRR and MulliganStew the  show and podcast) He kept reminding me that he was surrounded by growers,  farmers, and artisans who should be recognized. DeVine wines and spirits, Church and State Winery, the brand new Deep Cove Winery in North Saanich and the award-winning Sea Cider. DeVine Wines and Spirits Ken Winchester  ( DeVine Wines and Spirits) Devine was created by John and Cathy Windsor in 2007 out of a 25-acre piece of land located in Saanichton on the Saanich Peninsula land. Originally a grape farm supplying organic grapes to local wineries, the decision was soon made to open an onsite winery and experiment with various types of grape varietals to see which ones would thrive. Early grape varieties included: Pinot Gris and Noir, along with the Austrian white grape Gruner Veltliner. The winery has since diversified to include other varietals over the years. The first vintage was produced in 2009, and today, the farm produces over 2000 cases of wine Distiller Ken Winchester has been experimenting with turning grapes into a base spirit for gin and other spirits over the last couple of years. His philosophy is focused on being a local winery and distillery, using Vancouver Island ingredients first and wherever possible. The winery’s grapes are now all grown locally making De Vine’s gins among the few using island grown ingredients for their base spirit. . Ken Winchester has been a winemaker and distiller for more than 20 years. Ken studied winemaking at the University of California, then planted Winchester Vineyards in Paso Robles, California. Back in Canada, Ken produced award-winning Pinot Noirs, consulted for other Island wineries, was the first winemaker at Church and State and even came up with the name and taught viticulture at UBC. He studied distilling at Michigan State and apprenticed at Bruichladdich Distillery in Scotland. In 2007 Ken launched Winchester Spirits, the first distillery on Vancouver Island, and created the iconic Victoria Gin. Ken has consulted for deVine since its first plantings, and became its Winemaker & Distiller. deVine produces terroir-driven, organic spirits including Gins, Whisky, fruit Brandies, and Rum. The great thing about the distillery is it doesn’...

The World has lost a singular voice and soul Anthony Bourdain. We’ll start this week’s show by talking to George Sui who, with his Memphis Blues BBQ partner Park Heffelfinger hosted a sublime after hours gathering of Vancouver’s best chefs in the Summer of 2002. Barbara Jo (Barbara Jo’s Books for Cooks) brought Anthony to Memphis Blues..on Broadway. She also invited Rob Feenie, Tojo, David Hawksworth. Vikram Vij and others. They drank, talked , ate and smoked until 2am! George takes us back to that memorable moment.., and for that we thank him. THE SHOW The Wickaninnish Cookbook and  trading shots with Jay Drysdale (Bella) & Matt Sherlock (Lock & Worth)       The Wickaninnish Cookbook – Rustic Elegance on Nature’s Edge Executive chef Warren Barr and Managing Director Charles McDiarmid  ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2018: “On the furthest west coast of Vancouver Island, the Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino, B.C., has been a destination for visitors from around the world since its opening in 1996, the Pointe restaurant a pillar of the town’s flourishing culinary scene. Their first cookbook gathers signature recipes from former and current chefs and focuses on regional techniques and seasonal west coast ingredients.” The Globe & Mail    Since the Wick first opened in 1996, it has become a destination for travelers attracted by its rustic elegance, warm hospitality, and incredible west coast cuisine. This cookbook highlights the distinctive  dishes (and the stories behind them) that have made The Pointe Restaurant a destination dining experience like no other, and captures the spirit of spectacular natural surroundings, west coast life, and scenic ocean-to-table dining. Memorable recipes from the Wick are coupled with signature recipes from current and former chefs–Warren Barr, Rod Butters, Matthias Conradi, Mark Filatow, Justin Laboissiere, Duncan Ly, Andrew Springett, and Matt Wilson–and combine cutting edge techniques with fresh, seasonal ingredients, to create a distinctly contemporary, west coast cookbook. Inside you will find both sophisticated and accessible recipes that speak to the Inn’s longstanding commitment to farm- and ocean-fresh ingredients, and strike a harmonious balance between the bounties of land and sea that surround the Inn. The Wickaninnish Cookbook offers a chance to visit life on nature’s edge, and discover dishes from one of the most prestigious kitchens in Canada.   Guests on Tasting Room Radio are  Charles McDiarmid,  Managing Director  (His family conceived of and built The Wick)

  THE SHOW How much do I like the Top Drop wine series? Well, I really only needed half a dozen interviews to make a one-hour special. However, Kurtis Kolt and Jeff Curry always bring together some of the very best winemakers and owners in the World.  How they manage that, year after year, is amazing. Of course, I ended up doing almost twice as many as I needed but when you see the guest list below I think it’s clear why I got carried away. The wineries are in all cases organic, sustainable, terroir driven, just pure fruit and the work of time. No additives, no tricks. Honest wines and winemakers. Today’s guests are: David Amadia – President of Ridge Vineyards  (Sonoma) Since 1885 one of California’s leading wineries.  Paul tells a great story about how  Ridge came to be poured at The Judgement of Paris and what they’re pouring at Top Drop. www.ridgewine.com Beth Novak Milliken – President of Spottswoode  (Napa) “Spottswoode Vineyard is one of Napa’s most well-known landmarks, and its winemaking team, owner Beth Novak, and assistants Rosemary Cakebread and Jennifer Williams, represents a trifecta of talented young women. When the history of Napa’s great vineyards is written, the 40-acre Spottswoode Vineyard, tucked behind the quaint town of St. Helena, will be counted among the finest grand cru vineyards of the region.” Robert Parker www.spottswoode.com Emil Mehdin – Marketing Director Stina Wines. (Dalmatia, Croatia) Croatia has been making wines for some 2500 years. If you listen to the pride on Emil’s voice I think you may understand how they became one of the World’s true wine countries. www.stina-vino.hr/en Wendy Vallester –  pouring Wines of Spain.   The last time I saw Wendy we were sitting on a sidewalk in Ribera del Duero Spain.  She was living in Spain with her husband, a Spanish wine educator.  They were guiding myself and Jason Priestley through ...

It’s Top Drop Vancouver 2018   (Part One)   The SHOW   It’s The Main Event.  Top Drop Vancouver:  Terroir and Craft. The best small wine festival everrrrrrrr. Once again Kurtis Kolt and his partner Jeff Curry and a sensational team have convinced some of the very best winemakers to pour at The Roundhouse in Vancouver. 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 mould. The other major component is a commitment to partner with producers who rarely visit Vancouver or have never been here before, so we can offer local wine enthusiasts a unique experience. We came up with a roster of 33 international and local producers we’re extremely proud of. The whole reason I do what I do for a living is to share my enthusiasm for awesome wine with those who may be pickin’ up what I’m layin’ down. It’s one thing to write or Tweet or Instagram about something and hope for the best, but all cards on the table: it’s a whole other thing when I can play a part in actually bringing these fantastic people and their wines right to you, and even be in the room when you try them!  Kurtis Kolt!   I went crazy and did enough interviews for Two Shows.. Here’s Part One  Kurtis Kolt – Organizer and wine educator. Wine writer for The Georgia Straight. Paul Leary – President Blackbird Vineyards  (Napa) David Scholefield – Wines of Chile David Patterson – GM and Winemaker at Tantalus (Kelowna) Justin Fairweather – Partner. Alpha Box and Dice (Australia) Jane Ferrari – Winemaker.Ambassador Yalumba (Barossa. Australia) Jay Drysdale –  Owner/Winemaker Bella (Naramata Bench) DJ Kearney – NewDistrict.Ca (Vancouver) Simon Black – Winemaker Montalto (Australia) Virginie Taupenot –  Taupenot-Merme   (France) NEXT WEEK Part Two: St. Innocent Spottswoode Ridge Stina – Croatia Wines of Spain Stories we’re working on: The Wickinninish Cook Book Chateau Wolff – 20 year old vines in Nanaimo BC ShellFish Festival “Walk around the Neighbourhood” in  Saanich Church and State/Sea Cider/deVine/Deep Cove ...

THE SHOW If you check out the guest list below – you’ll know this will be a busy interesting hour. We start with Executive Chef David Hawksworth and his Chef du Cuisine Quinton Bennett. They created a Spring Journey Menu which includes ingredients from all over of and several from Alberta.  We’re talking true local at Hawksworth. The menu features a uniquely illustrated map of the province, which shows the origins of each dish.  The menu also highlights the full flavor potential of our BC. Spring Journey Menu requires full table participation.  This is a shared experience. Here’s the menu…Enjoy!! Dinner Starters: asparagus and ricotta salad prosciutto, grape  22 albacore tuna  radish, burnt nori emulsion    24 pan roasted scallop  popcorn sweetbread, chanterelle, green apple  26 pacific squid   peanut, nashi pear, crispy pork chili vinaigrette  24 spring velouté  pickled potatoes, watercress  21 foie gras parfait  pear, walnut, brioche  27 pork belly  kohlrabi slaw, apple, apricot, chicharrón  25 poached pheasant  rhubarb, garlic herb aioli 25 Mains: chicken breast   ibérico, charred asparagus, buttermilk  42 sablefish  barley, black garlic, king oyster mushroom  51 yarrow meadows duck breast  beets, horseradish, chamomile, split jus  43 pacific halibut  chaga broth, foraged greens  46 alberta beef striploin  shortrib croquette, caramelized onion royale, spinach, red wine jus  57 lobster tail  squash and mushroom agnolotti, black truffle, hazelnut  49 lamb  merguez, lemon yogurt, cauliflower   52 For Two, Sharing: alberta beef ribeye  german butter potato, wild mushroom, bone marrow, green peppercorn, red wine jus  130 Spring Journey Menu peas   curd, elderflower prawn   sea vegetable, wild rose smoked salmon  maple, spruce, horseradish pheasant  allium, almond cream bison   pine, nettle, wildberries, carrot chaga   mushroom, chicory rhubarb   wood sorrel www.

The BC Cider Festival Year 2.  The Cider makers pour at The Pipe Shop.    THE SHOW   Its Official..I’m a Certified Cider Head. Happily, I don’t appear to be alone. Lots of us are discovering that the sweet icky cider our parents consumed has disappeared. It’s been replaced by a growing army of cider makers..from around the World and best of all – right here in BC. I had some catching up to do having missed the first BC Cider Festival. I was delighted to find out that all of the participating ciders would be pouring at The Pipe Shop, foot of Lonsdale in North Vancouver.   (The very shop that my Father,  HD “Pat” Mulligan worked in as WW2 was beginning) I had a hunch that when they opened the main doors at 1:30 it was going to get crazy..and it did. So, I started early as the tables were being set up and talked to as many Cideries as I could. You can hear the room get louder and louder as first the staff worked the room, then the cider trade people tasted and finally when the  general public came in..I couldn’t even get near the tables and my work was done. This was such a great  learning experience for me. My hope is that it’s the same for you. There are so many great stories here. Ciders made from blends of apples, heritage apples planted and forgotten about over the years and apples discovered, grown and harvested in Vancouver’s East End. Backyard apples made into first class Ciders. I hope you  find your new  favourite cider in the next hour.  Cheers!! Big thanks to Txotx Imports and Massey Wines.   Guests on this week’s  Cider festival Special include : Txotx Imports  –  Sean Pisio    (Organizer) BC Tree Fruits –  Nadine Harrison (asst. winemaker) Kelowna Kate Pedersen – Left field Cider  (Logan Lake) Naramata Cider Co – Miranda Halliday (co-owner)  Naramata Ward’s Cider – Mike Anderson  (cidermaker)  Kelowna Raven’s Moon – Quinn Ehrler     (owner and cellar rat)  Courtney Nomad Cider – Brad Klammer    (Co-owner)  Summerland Salt Spring Wild Cider   –   Mike Lachelt & Greda Lattey  (co-owners / cidermakers)  Salt Spring Howling Moon Cider – Nik & Kate Durisek (owners / cidermakers) Oliver Twisted Hills Cider – Kaylan Madeira (owner/cidermaker)  Cawston Cedar Cider – Gabriel Jefferies (co-owner)  Hazelmere Sea Cider – Kristen Needham  (founder / cidermaker)  Saanichton Windfall Cider – Jeff Nairn (co-founder)  East Vancouver Dominion Cider – Robin Cairns  (co-founder)  Sum...

Vintage 2017. Deane House Calgary & Savio Volpe (awards, house wine & Nicks)   The SHOW  Vintage 2017.  New  releases.  The invitation was just too good to pass up. Be the first to sample some of the finest wines of the new vintage! Join Treve Ring and a panel of top BC winemakers from across the province to discuss the 2017 vintage, future predictions for BC winemaking, and enjoy the first taste of these outstanding wine.   Many of these wine events are  new release pours. To their credit Wine BC offer the media a really informative seminar and study of the wines,  components  and comments from their winemakers. Those of us invited can taste, study  growing season notes and ask any and all questions.  Then pass important information on to you..the wine fan. The bonus was that Treve Ring hosted the seminar and added her own comments and comments.   GUESTS: Nikki Callaway – Winemaker at Quails Gate West Kelowna. Very likely her last pour as she’s heading to the Naramata Bench. https://www.quailsgate.com   Andy Gebert – Owner/Winemaker at St. Hubertus Estate Winery – East Kelowna. www.st-hubertus.bc.ca Matt Dumayne – Winemaker at Haywire, Narrative and Okanagan Crush Pad. Summerland.  Mark Hopley – Winemaker at Hester Creek Golden Mile Bench  www.hestercreek.com Michael Clark – Winemaker at Clos du Soleil Similkameen Valley  https://www.closdusoleil.ca  Yannick Treffot – representative for Roche Wines Naramata Bench  https://www.facebook.com/rochewines/   www.winebc.com Deane House – Calgary (Sal Howell & Chef Jamie Harling)   Best New Restaurants of 2016: Alberta “If a restaurant conceived by acclaimed restaurateur Sal Howell, with a menu created by chef Jamie Harling, wasn’t anything less than superb, I would have been sorrowfully disappointed. Lucky, there isn’t much to nitpick about when it comes to dining at what is currently one of the most buzz worthy restaurants in Calgary.” December 3, 2016, by Dan Clapson The Globe and Mail   Sal Howell has earned awards and accolades over the years with the iconic River Café on Princes Island in the Bow River. “Canada’s Best 100 2017” Right around the  bend where The Bow meets The Elbow (the confluence as locals like to say) Is Deane House. Moved there many years ago. It’s a series of gorgeously decorated rooms, each with its own distinct character and like River Café is a champion of seasonal, local and sustainable food. Chef Jamie Harling connects daily with local farmers and ranchers and his own on-...