Tasting Room Radio

  It’s the 11th Annual Spot Prawn festival at False Creek Fishermen’s Wharf 1505 West 1st Ave Kits Click here to listen!   It’s one of Vancouver’s most popular events of the Year..The Spot Prawn Fest. Vancouver’s best chefs show up for cooking demos – everyone with a ticket gets a plate with prawns and other goodies..plus Terra Breads. AND there’s R&B Brewing and Evolve Cellars pouring as well. Presented by Chefs Table Society of BC In 2006, it was Organic Ocean’s Steve Johansen, along with Chef Clark, Ocean Wise, and other members of the Chefs’ Table Society that helped create a groundswell of support for the local spot prawn fishery. Prior to that, almost all spot prawns caught off the coast of B.C. were shipped directly to Asia where they are revered for their sweetness and delicate texture. With local promotion of the spot prawn season, this group of sustainability champions helped generate a wave and launch the annual Spot Prawn Festival. The majority of spot prawns are now enjoyed in B.C. and the rest of Canada, making this local, ocean-friendly seafood choice a delicious seasonal ingredient, and helping to reduce the pressure placed on other unsustainable prawn fisheries. SATURDAYS GUESTS INCLUDE Chef Ned Bell Ocean Wise Executive Chef Chef Rob Clark Co-Founder and The Fish Counter Chef Weimar Gomez Yew @ Four Seasons Chef Dino Renaerts Bon Vivant Group Christa-Lee McWatters Bond Evolve Cellars Leslie Fenn – Owner of R&B Brewing Steve Richards – Exec Director Pacific Prawn Fishermen’s Association Chef Robert Belcham – Campagnolo DJ Kearney – New District.ca and Wine Educator STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON Feature length interview with Chef Jeremiah Tower Legendary ground-breaking Chef. Subject of a new Documentary Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent Produced by Anthony Bourdain. Cider Special. John Schreiner – His new book BC Icon

  Its Top Drop Vancouver 2017.  Kurtis Kolt presents his 4th annual gathering of small, hands on wineries who are passionate about their craft. “The Most Awesome Wine Event of the Year” – Vancouver Magazine And the bad boys of smoke,  Park and George from Memphis Blues BBQ bring the do’s and don’ts  of BBQ Season. THE SHOW    Top Drop 2017  Kurtis Kolt Embarking on its fourth year, Top Drop Vancouver was a two day trade and consumer event being held at the Roundhouse in Yaletown and various Vancouver restaurants  bringing together a collection of small, hands on wineries, craft breweries, cideries and food purveyors who are passionate about their craft.  Their  focus is terroir-influenced, handcrafted wines, and the people behind them.   This is what Top Drop “believes”   – They believe in the importance in farming one’s own fruit and/or being constantly engaged with grape-growers to ensure sustainability and a high   standard of viticultural practices. -They  believe in wines that reflect their vintage, and wines that aren’t suffocated by vinicultural trickery. -They believe in winemaking decisions that are made by a winemaker, and not by a board of directors or marketing team. – They believe in those who take chances. -They believe these kinds of wines, honest wines of integrity, need a time and place to have their story told. – They also believe craft beer, cider, along with authentic and sustainable produce, dairy, meat and seafood are part of the same                conversation, which is why they’re proud to showcase some of our best in those areas.   We stopped at four seminars:   Stranger Things –  (Wildebeest)  Wineries that have stuck their necks out to share something unique with the World. Some of the strangest wines of Top Drop 2017.   Herdade do Esporão – Alentejo, Portugal  (Pedro Vieira) Vina Falerina – Elqui Valley Chile   (Paulo Flessati.  Winery Family) Fattoria Colmone Della Marca  Marche Italy  (Giovanni Meschine. Owner) Masseria Li Veli – Puglia, Italy  (Giuseppe Gullo, Manager)   All About Bubble – (Chambar) Okanagan Crush Pad –  Summerland  ( Christine Coletta co-owner)   Organics and Biodynamics (L’Abbitoir) (The Brothers Pender) Tawse Winery – Niagara Escarpment  ( Paul Pender, Winemaker) Little Farm Winery – Similkameen Valley, BC  ( Rhys Pender MW, Co-Owner/Winegrower)   Of Grape and Site (Cin Cin) What did the winemaker see in the site, the blend, or the clone that compelled them to make at least two different expressions of the same grape?  Shane Taylor – Sommelier of the Year (Cin Cin) Synchromesh Wines – Okanagan Falls, BC.  ( Alan Dickinson, Owner/Winemaker/Farmer) Bachelder – Burgundy/Oregon/Ontario  (Thomas Bachelder, Winemaker) Cambria Estate Vineyard and Winery – Santa Maria Valley,

The SHOW Without-a-doubt one of the most anticipated wine events of this summer is the 4th Annual BC Pinot Noir Celebration to be held at the beautiful Linden Gardens in Kaleden, just South of Penticton. Saturday August 19th. A one day event from 3-10PM.     They have room fir 350 guests and are expecting 34 BC wineries.         ALL pouring their best Pinot Noir.  With food from Joy Road Catering, Mike Bernardo from Vij’s group, Matt Batey (formerly from Mission Hill now The Nash in Calgary) and Alex Sielmann from Frog City Cafe.  Its a celebration because BC is showing signs of becoming a Pinot destination.  For example they poured 13 Pinot noir year one, 16 in year two, 26 in year three and 34 this year. Guests today include Vikram Vij, JAK Meyer (Meyer Family Vineyards) David Patterson (Tantalus). Kurtis Kolt (Georgia Straight) Mike Bernardo (Vij’s Group) Make your plans and check the link. bcpinotnoir.ca Jane Ferrari- Yalumba When pressed,  Jane describes herself as the Yalumba storyteller and what a story she brings this time. Jane will introduce all of us to The Caley. Its not often I’ll bring you the story of a  $500 bottle of wine but this wine is very special. It`s The Caley. Fred Caley Smith was a man in possession of green thumbs, inquisitive eyes and tired feet. In 1893 he set out on a two-year journey that would take him through Europe, North America, the Middle East and Indian subcontinent in search of new markets for the wines and canned fruits produced at the Barossa estate established by his grandfather and still known today as Yalumba. Fred’s pen was perceptive and prolific, but even more valuable than his journalism are the letters he sent home at a rate of one every couple of days for the entirety of his trip. The letters tell tales of how the wines of colonial Australia were finding their way in the world, of the latest developments in horticultural practice and how a thoughtful and curious young man engaged with a world that couldn’t have been more different from the small Barossa town of Angaston to which they were sent. They were compiled, bound and stashed away in the family archive at Yalumba, where they gathered dust until they were recently called into service to help launch the most ambitious wine Yalumba has produced in its 168-year history. The wine is called The Caley, not just in honour of the adventurous Fred but as a reference to the path Yalumba has travelled to this point and the direction in which it’s headed. Australia’s oldest family-owned winery is many things,...

The Culinary  Legend himself Jeremiah Tower with comments from  Chef Ned Bell and  San Francisco’s  Foodie Chap: Liam MayClem. DJ Kearney with a yuge list of wines to pair with Spot Prawns and Christopher Silva from St Francis Wines on Sonoma. The SHOW   “Jeremiah Tower’s menus were a complete re-evaluation of not just American food and ingredients – but food itself.” ANTHONY BOURDAIN  Producer      Jeremiah Tower – The Last Magnificent  The new Documentary that opened last  weekend –  JEREMIAH TOWER: THE LAST MAGNIFICENT –explores the remarkable life of Jeremiah Tower, one of the most controversial and influential figures in the history of American gastronomy. Jeremiah Tower  Jeremiah Tower began his career at the renowned Chez Panisse in Berkeley in 1972, becoming a pioneering figure in the emerging California cuisine movement.  After leaving Chez Panisse, due in part to a famously contentious relationship with founder Alice Waters, Tower went on to launch his own legendary Stars Restaurant in San Francisco. Stars was an overnight sensation and soon became one of America’s top-grossing U.S. restaurants. After several years, Tower mysteriously walked away from Stars and then disappeared from the scene for nearly two decades, only to resurface in the most unlikely of places: New York City’s fabled but troubled Tavern on the Green. There, he launched a journey of self-discovery familiar to anyone who has ever imagined themselves to be an artist.   Featuring interviews by Mario Batali, Anthony Bourdain, Ruth Reichl and Martha Stewart, this delicious documentary tells the story of the rise and fall of America’s first celebrity chef, whose brash personality and culinary genius has made him a living legend. When you walk into your favourite restaurant and see an open kitchen, farm to table dining, farmers and farms mentioned in the menu that’s just some of the legacy of Jeremiah Tower.  We start the show with two plugged in culinary stars.  First is Ned Bell:  Executive Chef Ocean Wise Canada …and second is a bit of a legend himself Liam Mayclem, The Foodie Chap of KCBS-SF. They both paint a verbal picture of Jeremiah Tower. http://jeremiahtower.film/ http://www.oceanwise.ca/ www.cbssf.com/foodiechap   Facebook: Last Magnificent Twitter: Last Magnificent Instagram: 

Eight winemakers/owners from The Naramata Bench pour on the Coast and a brief interview with the legendary culinary star Jeremiah Tower (Chez Panisse/Stars)     The SHOW   Some wine fans consider the drive down the Naramata Bench one of the best anywhere. You have wineries on both sides of the road.  Some above and some below the road. At the bottom of the slope is the blue jewel known as  Okanagan Lake.  Crisscrossing the road is what’s left of the old Kettle Valley Rail Line..now a famous bike and walking path.   You’re surrounded by rows and rows of vines, orchards, beautiful wineries, restaurants and Sun for days. Spring truly has arrived when The Naramata Bench wineries po ur their new releases for their many fans on the coast.  Here’s the guest list:   Anthony Buree –  GM Therapy Vineyards  http://therapyvineyards.com/ Kathy Malone –  Winemaker Hillside Winery http://www.hillsideestate.com/ Gavin Miller –  Winemaker Upper Bench Winery (and Creamery) http://www.upperbench.ca/ Valeria Tait – Chief Winemaker Bench 1775  http://www.bench1775.com/ Jeff Martin – Owner/Chief Winemaker  La Frenz Winery  http://www.lafrenzwinery.com/ Will Hardman – Winemaker  Deep Roots Winery  http://www.deeprootswinery.com/ Garron Elmes – Winemaker Lake Breeze (Small Winery of the Year) https://lakebreeze.ca/ Bob Tennant – Co-Owner Terra Vista Winery https://www.terravistavineyards.com/ All the info you need from the artists who craft Naramata Bench Wines. www.naramatabench.com     Jeremiah Tower – The Last Magnificent The new Documentary that opening this weekend –  JEREMIAH TOWER: THE LAST MAGNIFICENT -explores the remarkable life of Jeremiah Tower, one of the most controversial and influential figures in the history of American gastronomy. Tower began his career at the renowned Chez Panisse in Berkeley in 1972, becoming a pioneering figure in the emerging California cuisine movement.  After leaving Chez Panisse, due in part to a famously contentious relationship with founder Alice Waters, Tower went on to launch his own legendary Stars Restaurant in San Francisco. Stars was an overnight sensation and soon became one of America’s top-grossing U.S. restaurants. After several years, Tower mysteriously walked away from Stars and then disappeared from the scene for nearly two decades, only to resurface in the most unlikely of places: New York City’s fabled but troubled Tavern on the Green. There, he launched a journey of self-discovery familiar to anyone who has eve...

Looking for  the best “Patio Wines” AND talking to a dozen  winemakers from Okanagan Falls!   THE SHOW It’s the 5th annual Okanagan Falls  Winery Association Spring Wine Tasting at Earls in Yaletown. One of the best events in the calendar year.  Everybody shows up. Owners, winemakers and principals. They pour all their new offerings and the best of their portfolio.  There was even a table filled with nothing but OK Falls Pinot Noir. At the same time, I was writing my food and wine column for Living Magazine.  The theme in the next issue was looking ahead to Summer. They suggested I recommend Patio Wines. So, one of the  questions I asked was “What’s your best patio wine?”  (fyi – I’m not a big fan of the term patio wine..I happen to think it sells great/complex wines short, as though they were a throwaway!)   Here’s the line up of  wineries and guests .  (in somewhat alphabetical order)  Blasted Church                  Elaine Vickers/Winemaker                      blastedchurch.com Blue Mountain                   Christie Mavety/ family & marketing   www.bluemountainwinery.com Crescent Hill                      Teresa Murray Wiseman/Owner            www.crescenthillwinery.com/ Kraze Legz/Skaha             Gerry  Thygesen/Owner-WM                www.krazelegz.com/ Liquidity Winery/Bistro Ian MacDonald/Owner                            www.liquiditywines.com/   Meyer Family Wines       Janice Stevens-Meyer/Owner                www.mfvwines.com/ Nighthawk Vineyards      Christy Bibby/Co-Owner                          www.nighthawkvineyards.com/ Noble Ridge                        Leslie/Jim D’Andrea / Owners                www.nobleridge.com   Painted Rock                      Lauren Skinner/ Family & marketing   www.paintedrock.ca Pentage                                Julie Rennie – Co-Owner www.facebook.com/Pentage-Winery-179523385395966/ Synchromesh                      Alan Dickinson /Owner-Winemaker    www.synchromeshwines.ca/ Wild Goose                         Roland Kruger                                             www.wildgoosewinery.com/   https://www.ofwa.ca   STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON: *  Naramata Bench Wineries pour  new releases  on The Coast * Therapy * Hillside * La Frenz * Lake Breeze * Deep Roots * Upper Bench * Bench 1775 * Terra Vista * The Cider Clans gather

Meet the Makers – Gordon Fitzpatrick creates a stunning new winery plus  Sea Cider. Townsite Brewing. Blue Grouse. Stags Hollow. Sheringham Distillery. THE SHOW  The dynamic Sara Park (Spark in Victoria)  organized Meet the Makers in Victoria. She wisely chose Nourish , a restaurant and café in a 1889 heritage house at 225 Quebec St. Wines in the parlour, brewers and distillers upstairs in the bedrooms.  Fantastic location. Gordon Fitzpatrick / Fitz Wine  (Peachland)   I started in the front room with Gordon Fitzpatrick..Son of Okanagan pioneer/politician  Senator Ross Fitzpatrick, who bought and created Cedar Creek Winery in 1986. Fitzpatrick Family bought Greata Ranch which had been forgotten  for close to 30 years. Perfectly located 10 minutes South of Peachland and the Coquihalla connector. Gordon joins Cedar Creek as president in 1996.  Cedar Creek wins Winery of the Year in Canada in 2002 & 2005. 2014, the family sells Cedar Creek to Anthony von Mandl (Mission Hill) but holds on to Greata Ranch. Rebuilds everything on the property. In 1994 they planted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, both essential for making sparkling wines. Intends to be an 8-10,000 case winery and a major bubble house in Canadian wine with room in the new cellar for 120,000 bottles of Fitz Brut and Fitz Brut Reserve. Traditional method Blanc de Blanc and Brut Rose`.   Gordon proudly pours Big Leap Chardonnay, Pink Mile Rose, Ehrenfelser, Gew and more. The family opened the doors to their new winery Easter weekend and what a destination its going to be…   complete with cellar tours of the sparkling program and a fine new restaurant led by acclaimed Chef, Tony DeLuca. www.fitzwine.com   Mike Pepperdine – Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse  (Saanichton)  BC Cider Week is fast approaching (April 28th) Sea Cider is planning on throwing the big party on the 30th. Even though the cideries are all friends they’re all trying to outdo one another. Sea Cider is leading  the tasting with Wolf in the Woods, infused with hops and grand fir needles.     Cider is on the customer fast track these days..and Sea Cider is running with the leaders. Releases include Birds and the Bees, Wild English, Flagship, Perry, Pippins, Ruby Rose and many more. www.seacider.ca https://www.bcciderweek.com                   Jason MacIsaac – co-owner Sheringham Distillery (Sooke) Small batch. Handmade spirits from  the town of Shirley..on the other side of Sooke.  ( Sheringham was shortened to Shirley so the name would fit on the  postage stamp.  Why not Sherry?) The co-owners are Jason and Alayne MacIsaac. The inspiration for Sheringham Distillery was found in an...

  Flourish Gala at Vancouver Community College with Chefs Angus An and Clement Chan. Plus  winemakers from Tightrope, Elephant Island and Kettle Valley from the Naramata Bench and Garagiste North The Small Producers Wine Festival comes to Vancouver next  Saturday. They guest today!! THE SHOW  Flourish  Gala  in March was the annual fundraiser for the community college. Many of Canada’s chefs have be trained at VCC and this was an opportunity to showcase those students and Alumni. We started with two of Vancouver’s best young chefs.. Chef Angus An – Trained at UBC, then  began his culinary career in NYC, Montreal and London.     Since returning to Vancouver in 2006 he has opened and received highest accolades with Gastropod (one of 200 best restaurants in the World – Zagat), Maenam, Fat Mao, Longtail Kitchen And Freebird Chicken Shack.           www.maenam.ca www.chefangusan.com/bio Chef Clement Chan Clement was born and raised in Vancouver. He attended  culinary school at Vancouver Community College and was recognized early on as a rising star, winning provincial awards, representing Canada in the World Culinary Olympics, named National Chef of the Year and appeared on Food Network shows; Top Chef Canada and Eat St. He has worked at a number of notable restaurants in the city, including local favourites such as Hapa Izakaya, Chambar and Blue Water Cafe. These days you can find him on his award winning Le Tigre food truck or  busy working at his new restaurant Torafuku.   http://torafuku.ca/members/clement-chan-executive-chef/         Pouring wines to pair with the food at the Gala were the wineries of the Naramata Bench    www.naramatabench.com  Three winemakers made the long drive down to the coast to bring the story behind their wines. Miranda Halliday – Elephant Island   Elephant Island began as a family haven, a place of summer picnics, orchard adventures and magical holidays on the Naramata Bench. Today the elephant has grown into a 6,000 case winery driven to craft wines of character. Wines that sing with the unconventional voice of vanguard fruit. Wines that are balanced by a reverence for traditional winemaking practices.

  David Hawksworth and his vision for Nightingale. Looking for a great new wine?  We present the IVSA 2017 new releases.    Chef David Hawksworth realized his culinary vision at his first  restaurant, in the very heart of downtown Vancouver. At Hawksworth Restaurant, which opened in 2011, he has created the ideal setting to deliver compelling contemporary Canadian cuisine; a demonstration of his European-trained technical ability, deep appreciation for local ingredients and an absolute insistence on only the very best quality. Winner of 2012 and 2013 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards Restaurant of the Year and Chef of the Year and for four consecutive years, Best Upscale Dining, as well as enRoute magazine’s top three Best New Restaurants, and Maclean’s magazine Restaurant of the Year; Hawksworth has anchored himself at the helm of the Vancouver – and Canadian – dining scene. A native Vancouverite who spent a decade honing his talents in Europe working in Michelin-starred kitchens such as Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, L’Escargot and The Square, David Hawksworth soon emerged as one of Canada’s leading culinary talents upon his return in summer 2000. In 2008 David became the youngest chef inductee in to the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame. Now he has  opened  his next restaurant..Nightingale, a casual room with seriously great  food and service.  Check out the pizza. It’s in a heritage building on West Hastings. Right around the corner from the iconic Marine Building.  Just announced –  – Find your seat at the Chef’s Table at Nightingale.  Join family, friends or co-workers for a social sharing menu created Georgia Straight Chef of the Year, Phil Scarfone. Bookings are available for groups of up to 18 people with menus starting from $45 per guest. To reserve email events@hawksworthrestaurant.com I talked to David just as the restaurant was opening.   David explains everything. www.hawknightingale.com  BC’s Agents and Reps pour the new wines and spirits    IVSA (The Import Vintners & Spirits Association) work very hard to keep all of us up-to-date on what’s new in the wine and  spirits new releases. I made sure I had fresh batteries in my recorder..found the Delta Ocean Pointe in Victoria and worked the room. Couldn’t talk to everyone..the room as busy with lots of seekers but here’s who I was able to get the microphone in front of.. Lionel King – Partner in Bonvida Importers and Distributors   www.bonvidawines.com Benjamin Phillip – Stile Brands   (Vancouver Island Account Exec) 

It was such a great afternoon..Frank Giustra poured this year’s  version of Dominica Fiore the best Olive Oil in the World, John Skinner founder of Painted Rock pours this year’s  releases  AND  it all took place at Umberto Menghi’s  smashing new restaurant Giardino. Plus Jim Cuddy and Colin Cripps from Blue Rodeo join Moray Tawse to explain how the new wines The Cuddy by Tawse came to be. All three stories are different. The best part is all three are storytellers… THE SHOW  Frank Giustra – Domenica Fiore Olio Reserva Olive Oil John Skinner – Founder of Painted Rock Wines Umberto Menghi –  Owner of Giardino  Movie financer and master mind behind some of the most outstanding mining transactions in Latin America, Frank Giustra, Canadian born banker joined Mexican Billionaire Carlos Slim and President Bill Clinton to fight poverty in the region. Rather than attempt to list all of Franks business credits..May I suggest you just Google his name? Now. About Frank and his Olive Oil.. Frank Giustra always carries several bottles in his luggage whenever he travels.     It has only been five years since Frank bought his first olive tree in Umbria, Italy. At the time, he knew nothing about olive oil and was buying it at Safeway like everyone else. But Domenica Fiore Olio Reserva, named after his mother, has received the highest score of more than 700 entries from 22 countries at the inaugural New York International Olive Oil Competition. Actually he’s won it multiple times. He has always loved food, but now he is obsessed!   Domenica Fiore Olio Reserva Domenica Fiore Olio Reserva extra virgin olive oil ($34.95 for 500 ml) is encased in stainless steel bottles, and vacuum sealed with nitrogen to preserve antioxidants and polyphenols. Each bottle is labeled with a hand-written lot number               Frank asked his friends John Skinner from Painted Rock and Umberto Menghi from Giardino to partner with him to launch this year’s Olio. I wish you could have been there because it was such fun but we did interviews with all three so you could join us. John Skinner  was a stockbroker in Vancouver for more than 25 years, during which time he became an avid wine enthusiast. John and his wife Trish dreamed of having their own vineyard after spending time exploring wineries in the South of France with their family.     In 2004, recognizing that the quality of wines in this region was improving dramatically and driven by both his passion for wine and his desire to create a legacy business for his family, he purchased the land in south Penticton known locally as “The Blackhawk.” Perched high on a bench on the east side of Skaha Lake south of Penticton, backing up against the famed climbing bluffs.

Alberto Antonini, World Class Winemaker who travels the world consulting with vineyards and winemakers presents the wines of Garzon from Uruguay! James Sichel, 6th generation of his family who’ve been in the wine business in Bordeaux since 1883! …and Alex Prud’Homme. Author of Julia Child /  The French Chef in America. THE SHOW Alberto Antonini  Uruguay!! Hands up. How many of us could find Uruguay on a map with no countries identified on it? Then imagine what the wines coming from Uruguay would be like?   Imagine no longer. Bodega Garzón, dubbed “little Uruguayan Tuscany”, is situated 11 miles from the Atlantic coast, near the glamorous resort area of Punta del Este, amidst rolling hills covered with vineyards and olive groves.   Saveur magazine called its vineyards’ terroir “arguably, the best in Uruguay.” Inaugurated in 2016, Bodega Garzón’s new $85 million winery was designed to meet Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) standards, and is already producing elegant, complex, medal-winning wines.   Bodega Garzon has introduced itself to Canadian wine fans and pouring those wines was none other than Alberto Antonini. He was the consultant who gave himself to the final version of what Uruguayan wines would be like. Many of us know his work locally with Okanagan Crush Pad in Summerland and their Pinot Noir project in the Garnett Valley. Here’s a brief rundown of his background. Alberto Antonini was born in Cerreto Guidi near Florence, Tuscany. His education includes a Doctorate degree in Agricultural Studies from the University of Florence and an enology degree in Bordeaux and at the University of California, Davis. His experience includes involvement as senior wine maker for the wineries of the Antinori and the Frescobaldi families, two of the leading Italian winemaking families as well as several new world wineries, particularly in the U.S. and Argentina where he is a winemaker for E & J Gallo Winery, Altos Las Hormigas, Bodega Melipal, Al Este Bodega y Viñedos and Bodegas Nieto Senetiner. In addition he is involved with Concha y Toro in Chile, and as winemaking consultant at Chakana Wines in Argentina, and at Okanagan Crush Pad in Canada. His credits include Castello di Bossi’s modern Chianti Classicos and Merlot Girolamo, as well as the Poggio al Tesoro wines from the Bolgheri joint venture between the Allegrini family and U.S. importer Leonardo LoCascio. Alberto Antonini blends modern techniques with ancient tradition in the pursuit of premium wine making. He is cited as a key player in helping Argentine Malbec wines gain international appreciation and reputation. “Garzón represents a new wine region, a new winery, and a new concept in agriculture. It has been our goal from early on to introduce state-of-the-art technology to enhance our vineyards and produce premium wines.” Alejandro P.

A Gaggle of Vancouver Sommeliers gathers at Unsworth Vineyards in the Cowichan Valley.  Can’t wait to talk to them. Includes Somm of the Year Shane Taylor from CinCin! (check  the outstanding names below) Richard Da Silva from Misconduct/Naramata Bench guests as well and we finish with one of the best wine minds in the music business Colin Linden from Blackie and the Rodeo Kings.   THE SHOW  As soon as I got the invite from Ron Bogdonov GM at Unsworth Vineyards in the Cowichan Valley Vancouver Island I knew it was just too good to pass up. Chris Turyk, son of owner Tim Turyk and a seriously good wine guy who worked  at Hawksworth! Chris invited his Sommelier friends in Vancouver and they all agreed to fly over on three planes to spend the day touring the cellars at Unsworth and then finishing with food and wine pairings  in their wonderful dining room.         Over 30 in total..all with sharp minds and even sharper tongues. I recorded the highlights of the tour to start the show  – so you get to take it in as well. Between the time the lunch ended and the buses left  for the return flight I started asking questions of them – 3 at a time. Below are the really fun results.  We’re talking Unsworth, Cowichan, Trends, 2017 etc.     Peter Van Der Reep – Campagnolo Roma Lisa Haley – L’ Abattoir Kurtis Kolt – The Georgia Straight Bryant Mao – Wine Director Hawksworth/Nightingale Franco Michenzi – Hawksworth Colin Davidson – Nightingale Shane Taylor –   CinCin   Sommelier of the Year David Stansfield – Earls Group Sarah McCauley – Coast Restaurant Chef Marc Perrier – Savio Volpe www.unsworthvineyards.com I’m drawn to people  in the food and wine business who walk their own path. As a result they usually always make distinctive wines,  with character and focus. Richard da Silva of Misconduct Wine Co on the Naramata Bench is one of those kind of people. He makes the suspect and bootleg series of wines. (do you see a theme here) First off, his family have been growers in the valley for years.  That alone puts him well ahead in the race for fruit and harvest standouts. It shows in his wines.  Blends, single growth varietals and seriously good food wines. It helps that his food partner  in The Kitchen is a really good chef, Abul Adame.  Mexican born. French trained. He’s one of the very best anywhere in the valley. Over 30 Tapas with a large variety of options.   Love talking to Richard.  He’s a storyteller..it’s just that some of the stories “he can’t tell”. www.misconductwineco.com …and finally it’s the semi-annual return of Colin Linden...

Its the 9th annual Parksville Uncorked and Untapped. This week we hang with “The Untapped:”. The Brewers & Distillers! Check out the guests below And we find Tim Pawsey, The Hired Belly for a long planned sit down. If it’s Food and Wine you want to  know about,  Tim’s your guy. THE SHOW Wonderful Parksville.  Land of Beaches, Resorts and almost as nice as Nanoose Bay!! We head for  Tigh-Na-Mara Resort and the UnTapped portion of  the 9th annual Parksville Uncorked. Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands are awash in brewers and distillers. (CiderMakers as well, but that’s another show)   Guests include: Leslie Fenn, Howe Sound Brewing and R&B Brewing  howesound.com Alayne MacIsaak, Sheringham Distilling  sheringhamdistillery.com Chef Eric Edwards, Tigh-Na-Mara. tigh-na-mara.com Dave Paul, Owner, Brewmaster Love Shack Libations loveshacklibations.com Mike Pizzarelli  Arbutus Distilling arbutus-distillery.com Dave Woodward, Head Brewer. Mt Arrowsmith Brewing arrowsmithbrewing.com Bryan Stokes, Food and Bev Tigh-Na-Mara. tigh-na-mara.com …and a feature interview with:     Tim Pawsey.  The Hired Belly.  His Highness of Hornby. The Bard of Bordeaux.  A really fine writer, food and wine judge and completely connected to our food and wine.  We talk about his experiences at the just finished VanWineFest and then move on to our guests and their libations. HiredBelly.com   STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON  Alberto Antonini. Presents Garzon wines from Uruguay James Sichel – Theres been a Sichel In Bordeaux Since 1883 Frank Giustra. Dominica Fiore- One of the World’s Best Olive Oils John Skinner. Painted Rock. Pairing with those oils Umberto Menghi. He’s baaaaaack Flourish!!   A fun Food and Wine event at Vancouver Community College With Naramata Bench Wines: Kettle Valley, Elephant Island, Tightrope and  Chefs Angus An & Clement Chan

One of the legends of Canadian dining..John Bishop joins us for the first two segments.. So much to talk about. Organic. Sustainability. The star chefs who’ve gone through the kitchen. How Vancouver became the dining destination it is today. John Bishop IS dining in Vancouver. Two interviews remaining from our coverage at 2017 VanWineFest.  Tony Holler Owner of Poplar Grove and Chris Tolley  Owner. Winemaker at Moon Cursor And Josh Hammond – Villa Maria Winemaker in Marlborough. THE SHOW   John Bishop grew up loving food  in Newton Powys, Wales.  After starting his culinary career in England John moved to Vancouver in 1973. There were no farmers markets (except for Chinatown) Ingredients always came from somewhere else. France, California, Asia, Italy. John slowly changed all that by connecting with local farmers, foragers and growers.   John began his career in Vancouver with  Umberto Menghi .  Eventually he opened Bishop’s in 1985 on Fourth Ave. Since then, Bishop’s has consistently been one of the city’s top restaurants. Annually the restaurant receives top grades from local as well as all the respected North American guides. FYI – There are four John Bishop books out there..each a great help in your kitchen. Bishop’s, Cooking at My House, Fresh and Simply and  Bishop’s. John is a storyteller,  a chef, an author and one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.  www.bishopsonline.com   Tony Holler – Owner of Poplar Grove and Monster Vineyards (Naramata Bench)   Chris Tolley – Moon Cursor Winery (Osoyoos)  Tasting Room Radio aired around 35 interviews during the 2017 Vancouver International Wine Festival. We proudly present the last two guests. Tony Holler purchased Poplar Grove from Ian Sutherland and immediately set about building a spectacular home winery on Munson Mountain above Penticton.He created Monster vineyards just down the hill and has never been busier. Love catching up with Tony..never at a loss for words or winemaking passion. www.poplargrove.ca  Chris Tolley  Moon Cursor Vineyards   Chris and his wife Beata met at Lincoln University in NZ.  The original name of the winery was  Twisted Tree, which had been the name since 2004. In the dark of winter 2011, they  made the bold move to change our identity to Moon Curser Vineyards – a name that captures many colourful stories of the Osoyoos area, as well as the renegade spirit of their  winemaking.   Chris was a Software Engineer by training. Farmer and winemaker by day.  His  academic year at NZ’s Lincoln University gave him  a soft spot for offbeat varietals with loads of personality. Many of us are attracted by their amazing wines they release. Carmenere, Tannat, Tempranillo, Arneis,  Touriga Naciona and Dolcetto

Last Week’s TRR Hour One was all BC. This week Hour Two  features winemaking guests from Ontario, Nova Scotia and back to BC. Chris Waters (Vines Mag) / Daenna van Mulligen (The Wine Diva) /Keith Tyers  (Closson Chase)/ Bruce Nicholson (Inniskillin Niagara)/Charlie Pillitteri (Pillitteri) Craig McDonald (Trius)/ Bruce Ewert (L’Acadie)/ Jean Benoit Deslauriers (Benjamin Bridge)/  Moira Peters (The Wine Lovers Guide to Atlantic Canada) HansPeter Stutz  (Grande Pre) Ezra Cipes (Summerhill)/Val Tait (Bench 1775)/Randy Picton (Nk Mip)/John Skinner (Painted Rock)/Mark Hicken (Vintage Wine Law) and Randy Ullom (Kendall Jackson)   THE SHOW These were the best two weeks for wine fans in Canada!! Because Canada was the Theme  Region of the 39th Vancouver International Wine Festival.   Hour One was all BC. This week Hour Two  will feature Ontario and Nova Scotia Wine stars and then we come full circle back to BC to finish off with “The Eastsiders” Summerhill, Bench1775 and Nk Mip.. plus a Skinner, a Lawyer and a Yank!! Our guests include:  Ontario Daenna van Mulligen – The Wine Diva once again joins me on air to hold my wine hand and share her insights..she also brought along Chris Waters – Co-Founder and Editor of Vines Magazine. Through their InterVin judging they both have a unique view of Canada’s wines. www.vinesmag.com   www.winediva.ca     Keith Tyers – Winemaker  From Closson Chase in Prince Edward County. Famous for their Chardonnay..now comes Pinot Noir.  One to watch. www.clossonchase.com Bruce Nicholson – Inniskillin  Niagara. Spent many years in the Okanagan at Jackson Triggs. Famous for their Ice Wines.  A Pro!  https://www.inniskillin.com/Niagara Charlie Pillitteri – CEO/President  of Pillitteri Wines.  Charlie told me “ why bother sending Ontario wines to BC. You’re Homers!!  You drink everything BC makes.”  Fabulous troublemaker. https://www.pillitteri.com Craig McDonald – Trius Wines.  Ontario Winemaker of the year 2008 & 2016. A legendary risk taker who paid his dues at Villa Maria, Penfolds, De Bortoli, Sokol Blosser in Oregon.  Great guy. https://www.triuswines.com Nova Scotia  Vines were planted in Nova Scotia in the 1600’s. Making it one of the first wine regions in North America. There are now 70 growers and ALL are close to water..mostly the Bay of Fundy. Welcome to The Annapolis and Gaspereau Valleys. The acid and minerality in the soil makes it perfect for bubble. Our guests: Bruce Ewert – L’Acadie Vineyards. BC Born.