THE SHOW
Our last segments of 2024 VanWineFest with DJ Kearney and a reconnect with Sandra Oldfield
The Vancouver International Wine Festival (#45) has come and gone but the interviews live on….for at least this week.
I’m joined by my third & final co-host, the one and only DJ Kearney. Educator, mentor, leader, wine judge, black belt, speaker and wine director at Terminal City Club.
Deej is also the best friend a person could ever have. We all feel lucky to know her.
As I did with Kelcie Jones and Michaela Morris, I asked DJ to choose who she’d like to interview and spotlight.
Immediately she belted out….. “Justin Hall – first Indigenous winemaker in the World”.
So winemaker Justin Hall joins us from Nk’ Mip in Osoyoos.
And Stavros Kriaris Global Ambassador of Alpha Estate in Greece.
“I’ve been there and loved the winery and wines”
Justin Hall Nk’ Mip
Then I had the gall to ask “who do we close with Deej?”
DJ liberally yelled “Lets invite next years feature theme region California“
Bonterra Organic Mendocino (Gabriela Marble Export manager)
Robert Mondavi Napa (Kurtis Ogasawara, Director of Winemaking)
Signorello Estate Napa Valley Golden Mile (Ray Signorello – Owner. North Shore guy)
Ray Signorello
Sandra Oldfield – Elysian Projects / Tourism Leader
Sandra Oldfield (Elysian Projects)
Many of you know Sandra from her over 20 years at Tinhorn Creek. Winemaker, co-owner, helped to establish BC’s first sub-appellation – The Golden Mile Bench. In 2017 Sandra and husband Kenn started Elysian Projects, a beverage/tourism consulting company. Sandra named one of Canada’s Top 100 Powerful Women of 2016. She co-founded the Fortify Conference and is in the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame.
Sandra embeds herself into the dialogue of today’s BC Wine Industry , she’s natural leader.
We met in Victoria, just before a 3 day tourism conference kicked off. There was much to talk about at the conference. In addition, there were a number of issues Sandra and I had to talk about for the podcast. The on going BC/Alberta wine clash. What can tourism do to help the wine industry through this very tough year? The loss of considerable vineyards to cold snaps and who speaks for the small farmer?
Sandra finished the interview with a story about several boxes that arrived at her house. Sent from Alberta to BC.
The question is/was “what’s in the boxes and why should we care?”
We welcome back Sandra Oldfield.
STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON
New Spring Release Feature Wines
Tightrope – Naramata
Hillside Winery – Naramata
Winemakers Cut (South Okanagan)
Orofino – Similkameen
Bartier Brothers
Painted Rock
