It’s the annual gathering of Locals Only..wine, spirit and cider makers from Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
And then one of BC’s best winemakers Michael Bartier/Bartier Bros!!
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THE SHOW
It’s a one-of-a-kind tasting event featuring the makers and proprietors themselves. All from either Vancouver island or The Gulf Islands.
Vancouver is an important market for these artisans and what better way to get our attention than to set up a tasting event at Edible Canada at the Granville market.
Even though the room was jammed with friends and fans..we all got a chance to taste our way through their coastal appellation and discover the diversity of their exciting and dynamic small farms.
Each artisan has a story to tell..
David Gouge from Sea Star about life on Pender Island and how he’s raised his profile in Vancouver’s best restaurants. www.seastarvineyards.ca
Sea Star Vineyards
Jim Moody from Vancouver Island’s oldest commercial winery Zanatta www.zanatta.ca
Zanatta
Alayne MacIsaac – making the very cool Sheringham Spirits with husband Jason just outside of Shirley. (see explains) http://www.sheringhamdistillery.com/
Sheringham Distillery
Paul Troop who is part of coastal winemaking history at Salt Spring Vineyards. Talking Blattners. http://www.saltspringvineyards.com/
Keara White – Assistant Cider Maker at Tod Creek Craft Cider. Small batch. No water. No sugar. www.todcreekcider.com
Brenda Hetman-Craig Owner of 40 knots Winery in Comox www.40knotswinery.com
Comox Valey
Michael Bartier – Bartier Brothers Wines
Bartier Bros
Yes, there are actual Bartier Bros..it’s not a marketing ploy.
They grew up in the Okanagan but Don headed for the oil business in Alberta..but always kept his hand and his land in the mix.
Brother Michael grew up in the Okanagan Valley. After receiving a degree from the University of Victoria and working in wine sales on Vancouver Island for a few years, he and his wife Jodi returned home to the Okanagan. While looking for a “real job”, Michael accepted casual work in a winery cellar. And, since he’s still in the cellar, you could say he hasn’t found a real job yet.
Through on-the-job training, university extension, and distance learning at Washington State University and University of California Davis, Michael worked his way into a winemaking position.
Michael Bartier quickly made a name for himself: first as a maker of white wines, earning two Canadian White Wine of the Year titles within three years, and then as a maker of red wines with several consecutive Lieutenant Governor’s awards for his red wines.
Michael enjoyed stints at Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards, Township 7, Okanagan Crush Pad and Road 13, among others. Currently, he acts as consulting winemaker to what is surely the most coveted client list in North America among consulting winemakers.
Michael’s winemaking philosophy is simple:
- Plant the correct grapes on the correct site.
- Farm these well, thinking of the vineyard as a 200-year project.
- Take the good fruit into the cellar, and make sure the vineyard characters, not the winemaker’s manipulations, make it to the glass.
- Don’t try to copy Napa, or Bordeaux, or Burgundy; make Okanagan wine. These places make beautiful wines, but they’re different from what the Okanagan gives, and they don’t have the privilege of working with Okanagan grapes.
TRR presents a winemaker you want to consider following..Michael Bartier!!
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STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON
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Angus An – is he changing Vancouver’s Food?
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Charles Smith – The Crown Prince of Walla Walla