April 27th, 2019 – Ben Bryant Hosts Mission Hill Winemakers Dinner – at Deane House Calgary
Summary: <br> Ben Bryant Hosts Mission Hill Winemakers Dinner – at Deane House Calgary<br> THE SHOW<br> Ben Bryant Chief Winemaker Mission Hill<br> <br> Ben Bryant, an Australian winemaker with an exceptional resumé, has joined<br><br> Mission Hill Family Estates as chief winemaker.<br> Joining the Mission Hill Family Estate <<a title="Click to open in a new window or tab https://www.missionhillwinery.com/" href="https://www.missionhillwinery.com/">https://www.missionhillwinery.com/</a>><br><br> last summer, Ben Bryant is looking to make his mark on the Okanagan wine<br><br> scene.<br> After growing up and gaining a masterful wine knowledge in New South Wales,<br><br> Australia, Bryant refined his skills working throughout Asia before<br><br> returning home to Australia where he served as chief winemaker for Jacob<br><br> <<a title="Click to open in a new window or tab http://www.jacobscreek.com/" href="http://www.jacobscreek.com/">http://www.jacobscreek.com/</a>> ‘s Creek, St. Hugo <<a title="Click to open in a new window or tab https://www.sthugo.com/" href="https://www.sthugo.com/">https://www.sthugo.com/</a>> ,<br><br> and Wyndham Estate <<a title="Click to open in a new window or tab https://www.georgewyndham.com/" href="https://www.georgewyndham.com/">https://www.georgewyndham.com/</a>> .<br> On his LinkedIn profile, Ben writes: “Pernod Ricard Winemakers is the global<br><br> brand owner and distributor of premium wines from multiple countries of<br><br> origin, including Jacob’s Creek, Wyndham Estate and St Hugo (Australia),<br><br> Brancott Estate and Stoneleigh (New Zealand), Campo Viejo (Spain) and<br><br> Graffigna (Argentina).”<br> Ben succeeds another Australian, Darryl Brooker, now Mission Hill’s<br><br> President , who in turn succeeded John Simes who retired in 2014 after<br><br> running Mission Hill’s cellar since 1992.<br> “I found Ben through contacts in Australia,” Darryl says. “It took me a year<br><br> to convince him to come.” He succeeded after flying Ben and his wife to the<br><br> Okanagan. Here, Ben was swept away by the Okanagan’s beauty, the winemaking<br><br> opportunities and the passion of Mission Hill’s owner, Anthony von Mandl.<br> “To me, it is endless opportunity that is untapped,” Ben says in an<br><br> interview. “There is a fair element of personal challenge to come and put<br><br> the place on the map. It is about the wine. You never find a region where<br><br> you have two regions in one. You have the classic Bordeaux varieties in the<br><br> south and then you have the Burgundian varieties in the north.”<br> As well, the Bryant’s “have a young family and we want to expose them to<br><br> international places. They lived in Asia with us. Canada is a country that<br><br> is very similar to Australia in terms of societal values.”<br> The 2018 vintage in the Okanagan got him off on the right foot. “Super<br><br> impressed,” Ben says. “It was such a mild growing season that everything was<br><br> able to ripen naturally. The Cabernet Sauvignon is an example: there is no<br><br> green, there is no herbaceousness. There is a leafiness. Everything has<br><br> amazingly fresh acid structure. There is a brightness and a purity to the<br><br> fruit. It is the perfect vintage to start.”<br> Mission Hill has landed a chief winemaker who, through the winery and its<br><br> vineyards, will change winemaking in The Okanagan.<br> Sal Howell – Owner Deane House and River Café Calgary<br> Wonderful host and a true culinary visionary.<br> <br> Sal Howell is a successful restaurateur who has helped shape the culinary<br><br> landscape in Western Canada.
