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Brad Royale –  Sommelier and Micro-Negotiant. ( Kitten Swish, Tomato Wheels, latest crushing list)

 THE SHOW

 “Like the first bottles released in 2012, all are limited-production, with quirky names and labels derived from photos taken by Royale. There’s Call Me, a 2016 Zinfandel from the renowned Stuhlmuller vineyard in Sonoma, California; the label features a rotary phone.

… and Below the Surface, a 2013 Tempranillo from Rioja, Spain, which features a photo of entwined bodies and is a tribute to the unsung heroes behind every bottle: the growers, printers, graphic designers, shippers, importers. “It’s about all that effort that we forget about when we just grab a bottle off the shelf,” Royale says. “This is a tip of the hat toward what goes into making a great bottle of wine.”

Shelley Boettcher  •  Swerve/Calgary Herald

(Cab Franc-Here and Gone)

Brad Royale is Head Sommelier for the Concorde Calgary restaurant group with venues ranging from pinball bars, to bbq smokehouses to very fine dinning at  Model Milk,  Bridgette Bar,  to the restaurant  of the year, Major Tom.  Just this week he was part of the team that opened a new restaurant Barbarella.

Brad Royale

Kitten Swish

Brad started ‘Swish in 2012 as a micro-negotiant company.  He works with small quantities of wine from estate producers They make the wine,  Brad makes a blend from their stock,  the team bottles it at the winery under the Kitten Swish label. Brad has wine imported into BC and Alberta.

The most recent was Piquette with Rhys Pender MW from Little Farm but he has bottled wines from Hungary (with John Szabo MS), USA, Spain, Germany, France, and British Columbia ( hopes to make a wine from the island next year).  And has a hand in designing the label artwork.  www.kittenswish.com

Little-Farm-Kitten-Swish-Piquette

Tomato Wheels

A brand new project with a partner based in Vancouver, Moirae Choquette.   She heard the Kitten Swish story on a podcast and reached out to  Brad to help her design her own label.  She wanted Lambrusco!  (Don’t we all)  Brad helped her find a fourth-generation vineyard in Emilia Romagna, Italy and the wine began it’s journey.

A brand new order of that Lambrusco is landing right now in Alberta. www.tomatowheels.com

 (Little Farm/Kitten Swish  Piquette)

Kitten-Swish

Brad talks about his current  “been crushing”  list

 – Belargus Anju Blanc (bought the Jo Pithon estate and making hard  Chenin)

– Marchesseau Bourguiel (been crushing Loire Valley a lot in general lately…wicked value)

– Domaine Wachau Gruner Veltliner Kellerberg (available in BC to, sick stuff)

– Aubert Chardonnay (recent visit to Vegas my mission was to taste as much as possible…it’s good to have goals)

We cover a lot of ground over the course of this TRR – some of these wines will be harder to find or access from outside Alberta BUT they are well worth the seeking!!

Unlike anything else, you’ll see and taste in your local store.  Promise.

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

The Launch of Q&A wines.

Holiday Wine Gifts

Wine Diva List Time

Hester Creek

The Five Bottle Bar

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Meet the Makers

Culmina & Laughing Stock

THE SHOW

It was just another Friday morning when the happy invitation came in from the delightful  Lindsay Kelm.

Come celebrate the harvest season with Culmina Family Estate and Laughing Stock Vineyards.

Join Winemakers Jean-Marc Enixon and Sandy Leier for an elegant afternoon sampling their latest releases and chatting about the 2022 harvest. We also have a couple of special sneak peeks in store, including the unreleased 2020 vintage of Laughing Stock’s signature Portfolio, and 2017 vintage of Culmina’s flagship Bordeaux blend, Hypothesis

Sandy Leier–Winemaker Laughing Stock (Naramata)

Here’s what I knew. I hadn’t spoken to Sandy Leier for years. At the time she was working with the legend Howard Soon at Sandhill and Calona. In 2018, after 15 years as a great team,  she took over from the departing  Howard.  Then a series of projects with Andrew Peller, Gray Monk and Gretzky Wines. Then, this year, a major move to Senior Winemaker at Laughing Stock on the Naramata Bench.  It’s the home of seriously great wines including a Syrah that makes hearts flutter and their red blend Portfolio.  Sandy brings six wines to taste and discover.

(List below)

(tdm and Sandy Leier)

Jean-Marc Enixon – Culmina Winemaker – (Oliver)

(tdm and Jean-Marc)

Jean-Marc Enixon’s wine career took flight in Toulouse, France. JM gained international experience in Sonoma County, China, then  back to France at Chateau Puy Guilhem in  Saillans as senior winemaking director.

At the suggestion of his wife saying something to the effect of   “how about making some new world wine”

Jean-Marc joined the Culmina Team  as Vineyard Manager and Winemaker in 2016.  Today he pours 7 wines.

As good as he is, perhaps his greatest accomplishment is welcoming two new children to the family while in the Okanagan.

“they’re taking French and I’m taking English”

 Sandy, Jean-Marc and I  tasted and talked about Laughing Stock Vineyards.

2021 Viognier

2020 Chardonnay

2020 Pinot Noir

2019 Syrah (new release)

2019 Portofino (new release)

2020 Portofino (unreleased)

Culmina Family Estate Winery

2019 Decora

2021 Unicus

2018 Dilemma

2019 Malbec

2018 Cabernet Sauvignon

2016 Hypothesis

2017 Hypothesis (unreleased)

www.laughingstock.ca

www.culmina.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Hester Creek

Sipster’s Pocket Guide

Holiday wine gifts

(for you and maybe someone else)

The launch of Q&A Wine.

Tony Stewart and Winemaker Jaime Dowell  Lake Sonoma & Plume

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Our Guest is JAK Meyer Co-owner of Meyer Family Vineyard.

(just in time for Holiday Cheer weekend in OKFalls/Skaha Lake)

“We’ve been nearly sold out of many of our current vintage Chardonnays for quite some time now, so with much anticipation, we’re pleased to release four single-vineyard Chards from the 2021 vintage.

While 2021 was a low-yielding vintage due to extreme summer temps, our winemaker Chris Carson believes that it could be one of the most flavourful in recent memory. We hope that you find something you love!”  Jak Meyer. MFV

When you contact Meyer Family Vineyards, what catches your eye is a list. Not just any list but a National Wine Awards list of the best Small Wineries of Canada. It goes like this –

Meyer family

Meyer Family Vineyards

#2 Small Winery in Canada 2021 at the National Wine Awards
#10 Small Winery in Canada 2019 at the National Wine Awards
#4 Small Winery in Canada 2018 at the National Wine Awards
#2 Small Winery in Canada 2017 at the National Wine Awards
#3 Small Winery in Canada 2016 at the National Wine Awards

That’s called consistency.  That’s also what they achieve with their chardonnays.  Congratulations to Winemaker Chris Carson and his entire team

Each and every year Meyer Family present award-winning Chardonnays that set standards for all of Canada.

JAK Meyer, the co-founder, and co-owner of Meyer Family Vineyards (with his wife Janice Stevens-Meyer) joins us to walk and talk us through their chardonnay.

TDM with JAK & Janice Meyer

Here’s the second list that caught my eye – Their current Chardonnay Releases.

2021 Okanagan Valley Chardonnay – 400 cases. $23 A blend of various locations and a great place to start your Meyer Chardonnay journey.

2021  Stevens Block Chardonnay – 230 cases. $28 Clones 4/5 from the fantastic Old Main Road Vineyard in Naramata  – Chablis style!  Clean!

2021 Anarchist Chardonnay Dekleva Clone – 175 cases. $35 Grown at 1700 ft. Unknown Original clone. A suitcase wine. Planted 1985. Some new oak.

2021 McLean Creek Chardonnay – 500 cases. $35 Outside their Tasting Room. Planted 1994. 11 months in barrel/22% new.

2021 Old Main Road  Chardonnay – 533 cases. $35 (formerly Tribute Series) Vines planted 26 years ago on Naramata Bench. 22% new Oak. Cellar 7-10 years.

2020 Micro Cuvee Chardonnay – 200 cases. $70 Best fruit. Best barrels. From McLean Creek Vineyards. 100% French Oak/40 New  Unfined. Coarse Filter. Cellar 8-10 yrs.

These delightful wines range from fabulous entry-level, Chablis clean, to lightly oaked and fully oaked classic Chardonnays.  Winners all!

HEADS UP…

This weekend The Wineries of OK Falls and Skaha Lake are celebrating Holiday Cheer!!

All 15 wineries will be welcoming visitors. Here’s what to expect at Meyer Family Vineyards and Mayhem

Meyer Family Vineyards

Our event will be ticketed-only, no drop-ins. Four food and wine pairing stations around the property. Tickets will be $30 and available on our website!

Mayhem Wines

Drop in, no appointment in the new tasting room. $10 tasting fee donated to SOWINS. Or bring an unwrapped toy for a child. The tasting includes ice cream and Fortified Gewurztraminer.

See the complete Holiday Cheer winery list at www.theheartofwinecountry.ca

www.mfvwines.com

www.mayhemwines.com

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Hester Creek

Culmina @Meet the Makers

Laughing Stock @Meet the Makers

Lake Sonoma and Plume

Holiday Wines for gifting and pouring

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Every Chef Needs a Farmer   Every Farmer Needs a Chef!

 The SHOW  

We were invited to the third annual Chef/Farmer gathering.  This week at Church and State Winery in Central Saanich.

It was presented by Buy BC.

The entire concept was created by Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food. It’s a great fit because she WAS a farmer when the idea came to her. As Minister, she oversees the  Buy BC program.

It continues to highlight the many unique and engaging products coming from our own backyards. It’s a direct link between consumers and the creators behind each and every label.

(Lana Popham)

Our pal Chef Ned Bell is the chef ambassador for Buy BC.  As long as I’ve known Ned, he’s always been pushing the boundaries between Kitchens and Farmers.  There’s nothing he likes more than uniting and collaborating with other chefs, fishers, farmers, and influencers. The man is a game-changer.

If you’ve ever dined at his Naramata Inn, you’ll know that he’s also one of our very best chefs. His panel was titled – The Future of Food; Sustainable, Indigenous, Farmed, and Wild.

(Ned Bell and TDM)

NOTE:  We couldn’t possibly interview all the Farmers. I think there were over 20 in the room but we will reconnect and do stories on many of them – over the Winter.

Our Special Guests this week are:

 Robert Belcham – Chef’s Table Society. Chef and Owner Popina

Shawn Dirksen – Owner Northstar Organics. His panel was Selling Food to Our City. Small-Scale Diversified Organic Farming.

Jared Qwustenuxun Williams – Indigenous Foods Chef, Writer, and Storyteller

(Jared Qwustenuxun Williams)

Ian Tostenson – President and CEO, BC Restaurant and Food Services Assn

Ian Tostenson and Terry

Michael Verbrugge and Victoria Lake  – Canadian Seafood Processing

Chef Ned Bell – Naramata Inn

Lana Popham – Minister of Agriculture and Food

www.buybc.gov.bc.ca

@EatDrinkBuyBC

#buyBC

#everychefneedsafarmer

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Meyer Family Chardonnay

Hester Creek

Winemakers Cut

What’s Brad Royal up to?

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New wines and Spirits at IVSA Victoria

Proudly Sponsored by Harbour Air

THE SHOW

Got my semi-annual invite from IVSA – The Import Vintners and Spirits Association..one of the largest representative bodies of beverage alcohol import agents in Canada.

The very people who seek out great winemakers and distillers and then represent them to our liquor industry and down the line- you the customer.

Sara Parkes

They’re not really set up for media, but I have always found the room to be filled with new wines and spirits that I know we’ll be talking about later in the year or next year. Best of all , they let me walk around and interview reps, who are mid-pour and telling the story behind the pour.

I can’t talk to everyone.  For one thing, every table is filled with new releases and everyone has questions.. The reps have the answers.

But I do find friends in the room and they point out a table and say something like “check out those guys over there. Thats a rock and roll table:”

And it WAS…

So let’s take a walk around the room..at Delta Ocean Point, Victoria.

CAM DUKE – Representing Vintage West and Coastal Craft..

We talk about 2020 Ridge Three Valleys Zin

Justin Cab 2019  from Paso Robles

Boutinot whites

Bread and Butter Prosecco

Ben Marco  2020 Malbec

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin

And Nemiroff Ukrainian Vodka, with the “can’t miss” distinctive national flag on the bottle.

In November, A portion of the sale of Nemiroff Vodka goes to United Way to support local Ukrainians.

 www.coastalcraft.ca

https://vwwinemarketing.com

Peter Crews – New World Wines

“for those who seek boutique”

 Peter was featuring:

Ancien Wines – Pinot Noir (Carneros)

Domaine Juliette Avril  2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Red

Sheridan Vineyards  2019 Cabernet   (Yakima Valley)

Chateau Clamens  2021 Julie Rose (Fronton, France) WoW

www.newworldwines.ca

Kim Hewitt  – Hewitt Brand Ambassador Services

 Kim had a table full of “everything” but two bottles caught my eye

Papalote Mezcal – ( Papa-low-tay) The Brand Ambassador is Cheech Marin – Cheech and Chong.  Tres Papalote is made in Oaxaca, of course!

Santo  – a collaboration between Sammy Hagar and Guy Fieri.  Three different Tequilas (Blanco, Reposado & Mezquila)

[email protected]

Kyle Murphy – The Drinks List (VI Territory manager)

Celine Clarac – Caves de Rauzan, (France)  6 glasses of Rauzan wine are consumed every second. They have 312 Winegrowers.

Kyle Murphy & Celine Clerac

Celeine poured a 2021 Augey Red. It costs around $13.00 and received a 90 score from Decanter.

Also displaying and pouring  Fleur, Augey White, Rose, Red, Chateau Haut Bascia, Chateau Haut – Mazieres Rouge

She teased a wine coming in the Spring called L’Agassant.  Meaning troublemaker, impertinent, rebellious.

Meant to break the very strict rules of Bordeaux.

www.cavesderauzan.com

www.thedrinkslist.ca

www.ivsa.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Benjamin Bridge – Nova Scotia

Meyer Family Vineyards – The New Chards

Hester Creek