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Three Questions for Wine  Experts – Wine/Trends/Gifts

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THE SHOW

DJ Kearney –  Global Wine Consultant. Sommelier. Educator (New District)

DJ Kearney

-Wines of the Year  (see lists below)

-Trends from 2018 heading into 2019

-Wine Gifts that work for everyone.

It’s fair to say, there are a lot of year end lists going around.

Films, books, foods, albums and of course wine

I thought I’d jump into the season with Three Questions I wanted to ask.

Then I got lucky.

I was able to find Rhys Pender.  Master of Wine  (last week)

And then in quick succession DJ Kearney and Kurtis Kolt. Both top flight
wine consultants and educators.

DJ has been teaching about wine as long as I have known her. She currently
consults for NewDistrict.ca and many others. She organizes the annual
Judgement of BC competition.

If there’s any judging to do, she’s always first call.

Here’s DJ’s recommended Wines of the Year

DJ Kearney’s hit list:

@djwines

BC choices:

Haywire Free Form Sauvignon Blanc 2016 – #10 in Decanter Magazine’s most
exciting wines of 2018  (natural)

Martin’s Lane Fritzi’s Vineyard Riesling 2015 $75.00 winery direct

Ricco Bambino Syrah 2017  – $55.99 NewDistrict.ca – 2018 silver medal winner
at the Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards – 11.7% alcohol which makes this
lean and lithe, classic cool-climate Syrah.

Corcelettes Micro Series Pinot Noir 2016  $36.00 New District

Deep Roots Syrah 2016 $35 winery

Canadian choices:

Benjamin Bridge – any and all sparkling wines!

Tawse Laundry Vineyard Cabernet Franc – New District $44.99

Closson Chase The Brock Chardonnay – BCL  $23.50

Global highlights:

Champagne Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV – $69.99 BCL – everything done by hand
even for the NV!

Emiliana’s Coyam from Chile $29.99 BCL – this is a go-to gift every year.
Biodynamic and delicious.

White Bordeaux:  Clos Floridene 2015 for $39. At BCL – wonderful, gently
oaked Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon for the dinner table or host gift

China – Silver Heights at BCL – check this out – China is making wonderful
wine and I hope we get access to more and more of the good ones

Uruguay – Bodegas Garzon is an amazing project on the coast – Alberto
Antonini is the consulting winemaker and the range is thrilling. Look for
the Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc, Marselan, Tannat!  The astonishing Reserve
Tannat is at the BCL for $24.99, and the Cabernet Franc is available there
too.

@djwines

Kurtis Kolt – Vancouver based Wine Consultant. Wine Column Georgia Straight.
Co-Partner in Top Drop Vancouver. Sommelier.

Kurtis Kolt

Kurtis  is a Vancouver-based freelance wine consultant, writer, and
competition judge. Certified by London’s Wine & Spirit Education Trust and
the Court of Master Sommeliers, his enthusiasm and experience have resulted
in many high-profile opportunities, from contributing to Decanter magazine
and appearing at New York’s James Beard House, to leading wine festival
seminars and beyond.

Twitter: @KurtisKolt
Instagram: @KurtisKolt

www.KurtisKolt.com

Best wines of the year (Canada and Beyond)

Catena White Stones Chardonnay, Argentina –
http://www.bcliquorstores.com/product/333260

A Sunday In August Cabernet Franc, BC –
https://www.asundayinaugust.com/ourwines-1/

Marchesi di Barolo 2013 Barolo, Piedmont, Italy –
<http://www.bcliquorstores.com/product/378729>
http://www.bcliquorstores.com/product/378729

Tiberio Cerasuolo D’Abruzzo – http://www.bcliquorstores.com/product/169885

Trends from 2018

Natural Wine just keeps going!

Bubble!

Pink!

Wine gifts. (what to take/leave/gift)

The new Wine Folly book

Reidel Wine Glasses

Kurtis Kolt // KurtisKolt.com <http://www.kurtiskolt.com/>  // TopDrop.ca
<http://www.topdrop.ca/>

Madeline Puckett  – Wine Folly/The Master Guide (co-founder)

Madeline Puckette is a wine sommelier and visual designer whose electrifying
info graphics and congenial writing has garnered an enthusiastic following
from wine beginner to expert.

Madeline Puckette Wine Folly

Madeline  is the creator and cofounder of winefolly.com, a site dedicated to
learning about wine. Additionally, her work has been applied in
organizations, including The Court of Master Sommeliers and the Guild of
Sommeliers to help wine professionals learn.

This is just a quick chat with Madeline.

I hope to read the book over the Holidays and return here with a feature
interview very soon.

“the best introductory book on wine to come along in years.”

Dave McIntyre (Washington Post)

https://winefolly.com/

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STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Wine Folly

Best of BC’s Field Blends

Kutatas – Salt Spring Island

The Wine Diva – Year end wines and Bubble. (Next)

hello

The  Wines of  Bloom and Arterra Wines buy Laughing Stock

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Hello December!!

Jay Wright – President and CEO of Arterra Wines Canada

Another Okanagan Winery has been scooped up by a much larger company.

Arterra Wines Canada announced this week an agreement to acquire Laughing Stock Vineyards on the Naramata Bench.

Arterra have been in the BC wine business for more than 30 years with top end vineyards like Black Sage and Sunrock and wines such as Sumac Ridge, See Ya Later, Jackson-Triggs, Inniskillin Okanagan and Nk’Mip Cellars.

Laughing Stock’s Bordeaux Blend Portfolio is considered one of the best blends in Canada and their Syrah Ain’t too shabby either.

Founders Cynthia and David Enns will continue on at the winery.

Our guest is Jay Wright, the President and CEO of Arterra Wines Canada.

Jay Wright

Bloom VQA Wines in Vancouver (Golden Mile)   

Adrian Cassini – Cassini Cellars

 It’s sometimes  best when you walk into a room where close to 100 wineries are pouring,  to work the room alphabetically. Unless of course you forget to spit.

We start with the winemakers from the C’s (The A’s and B’s didn’t have winemakers available)

Adrian Cassini

The hottest C winery this year is Cassini on the Golden Mile Bench. After winning 7 Gold and 5 Silver they were named winery of the year at Intervin and have had an astonishing year in the awards circuit. A record 2 Lieutenant Governors Awards and 2 more Gold in LA.  Our guest is the visionary owner/winemaker Adrian Cassini.  cassini.ca 

Chris Jentsch from CC Jentsch also on the Golden Mile Bench

Character guy makes character wines.  His winemaker Amber Pratt has taken  on a much tougher job, being the Mom of three children.

Chris has downsized a bit but still he’s a full time working owner and grower. Jentsch continues to win award after award and if you haven’t tasted their Syrah or The Chase, you have a treat waiting for you.

www.ccjentschcellars.com

Gene Covert from Covert Farms

 Beautifully located at  McIntyre Bluff in South Okanagan.

Covert Farms

Gene and his family operate a 4th generation 650 acre organic farm, vineyard, and winery. Their organically-grown wine portfolio includes Roussanne/Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon, Rosé, as well as  proprietary red blends, The Bluff, MDC and the iconic, Amicitia.

Yes,  they work tough hours and even tougher conditions but nobody has more fun doing it that the Covert Clan. It shows in their wines.     covertfarms.ca

Next  Pacific Breeze, Therapy and Spierhead.

 Pacific Breeze – Maurice Hamilton  Founder/Owner  Pacificbreezewinery.com  What started years ago as a home based hobby wine has turned out to be a very successful New Westminster based winery. Named Winery of the Year in 2010.  Pacificbreezewinery.com

Therapy Vineyards – Mike Boyd  New owner  therapyvineyards.com  At the far end of the Naramata Bench.  Very popular destination for wine fans. Come meet the new owner and hear his plans.

therapyvineyards.com

Spierhead Winery – Bill and Marina Knutson  Owners  spierheadwinery.com  Just outside Kelowna.

Spierhead makes fine Pinot Gris, Riesling and Chardonnay but they really specialize in Pinot Noir.

2016 Golden Retreat, Pinot Noir Cuvee, Pinot Noir GFV Saddle Block and standard Pinot Noir.

Rated Top 10 wineries in Canada, BC and best small wineries in Canada.    spierheadwinery.com

David Paterson – Winemaker/GM  Tantalus

Tantalus is situated on the eastern slopes of the Okanagan Valley, overlooking the shores of Lake Okanagan and Kelowna.

Originally known as Pioneer Vineyards, the site was first planted to table grapes in 1927 and today is known as the oldest continuously producing vineyard in British Columbia

David Paterson is a Kiwi and a Canadian, having been born in Vancouver. He received his winemaking degree from Lincoln University NZ & following time spent working in the local NZ industry he travelled the wine world gaining experience at premium wineries in Oregon, France & Australia.

David Paterson

He landed at Tantalus in 2009 and with seven successful vintages under his belt with the winery he took on the role of GM as well in 2016. Prior to joining Tantalus, David was working with celebrated South Australian producer Henschke Cellars. 

As such he got to work the vineyards at the world famous Hill of Grace.  Riesling has always been the leader at Tantalus however, through  David’s guidance Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Blanc de Noir have caught our attention.  www.tantalus.ca 

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STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Hester Creek

Moon Cursor

Bob Blue – Bonterra/1000 Stories (Bourbon Barrel Aged Zin)