TRR Nov 9 2024 Poplar Grove Merlot Celebration and two Whiskies – Sons of Vancouver & Rupert’s from Eau Claire

November 9, 2024

hello

THE SHOW

Welcome to Tasting Room Radio.

In the 17 years we’ve been creating and broadcasting TRR most of the stories and interviews have been about wine & food.

Slowly but surely, we’ve added tales of cider, no/low wines, and the wild and wonderful world of whisky.

So here’s the mix this week -an exceptional Poplar Grove Merlot and two whisky houses. Sons of Vancouver and Eau Claire.

We lead with a special release of Poplar Grove Merlot (2014) and the release of 2020 Merlot. Recorded On Merlot Day.

Chris Holler – VP/GM/Farmer Poplar Grove – Naramata Bench

Along with Hillside, Poplar Grove is one of the originals on The Bench. Prime vineyards and strong leadership.

Now under the direction of the next generation of The Hollers Family ...our guest is Chris Holler

Chris and I go over the quick history of Poplar Grove, especially its relationship to Merlot (thank you, Ian Sutherland)

Chris Holler and Family

Chris takes us through two Merlot releases..

Poplar Grove Merlot 2020 – Gone are the plum and vanilla notes from 2019. The 2020 has dark ripe fruit, cherry, blackberry, currant and white pepper.

Engaged acidity and tannins to dream about. $34.70 (at winery)

The star of the releases is the Merlot from the Poplar Grove Library Collection 2014. It takes its place in the rest of the “collection” –

The Cabernet Franc and the flagship blend The Legacy.

Poplar Grove is the first winery to launch a formal library program, where they hold back a considerable amount of age-worthy wines each year and release them for sale a decade later. Very distinctive bottles and labels are constructed as metal medallions.

The 2014 growing year was the second hottest on record.

Originally it was ruby red, with eucalyptus and sage on the nose.

10 years later is brick red in colour, with notes of dried berry, ripe plum, the palate welcomes raspberry, big cherry and forest floor.

88% Merlot, 5% Cab, 5% Cab Franc, 2% Malbec $82.52 at Winery.

www.poplargrove.ca

James Lester -SOV

Sons Of Vancouver Realms of Rye

James Lester – Partner and co-founder of Sons of Vancouver

James returns to Tasting Room with another simply outstanding whisky.

The Realms of RYE.

All tasting notes and flavours in each whisky have been amplified through the fermentation, maturation and blending process only.

The label has the mystery of a great short story. The bottle has 100% Canadian Rye matured in ex-bourbon and a new oak cask.

Lots of ripe fruit, java, fresh-picked mint and Quebec maple syrup.

The palate completes engages the senses. Everything you want in a craft whisky is right here.

If they enter this gem in the Canadian Whisky Awards in January in Victoria..they could very well win their second Whisky of the Year award.

Changing the expectations of craft whisky in Canada, one bottle at a time.

Thank you James….

www.sonsofvancouver.ca

Caitlin Quinn – Distiller/Blender Eau Claire Distillery

Caitlin Quinn – Distiller/Blender Eau Claire Distillery – Turner Valley, Alberta

Just like James, Caitlin has been with us several times before.

You’ll be reminded when she starts to speak in her thick Edinburgh accent.

When she starts talking about her whisky, Caitlin gets excited and her words spill over each other. But you get the sense that she loves what she does. It shows in the whisky.

Caitlin brings with her Rupert’s Exceptional Canadian Whisky – Awarded Best Canadian Whisky at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

dark brown sugar, and vanilla on the finish. Notes of candied ginger. Overall, engaging and smooth.

This delightful whisky will also be considered for Canada Whisky of the Year in January at the Canadian Awards.

Thank you to all at Eau Claire Distilling. Well Done

Thank you Caitlin

Www.eauclairedistillery.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Howling Bluff

Ucluelet fishing and Pluvio dining

More Hatch Wines

Fort Berens

Artema Releases

Latest from Hester Creek

November 2nd, 2024 – Wine releases from the Naramata Bench

November 3, 2024 0:54:37

hello

THE SHOW

This week we reconnect with the wineries of the Naramata Bench.

Like many others in the BC wine community, The Naramata Bench was also hit with heartbreaking losses of their prime vineyards due to a killer Winter deep freeze.

Even as they pour the wines this year, we’re still talking about the growing season last year and how each and all with survive.

The pouring and presenting of Spring wine releases is an annual traditional event. Talking about failed bud breaks, the loss of complete vineyards and the big question – what to do next?

Many changes coming to BC Wine farming.

What to plant? Where to plant? How to survive the crisis?

New Varietals, new Blends and new owners/makers/farmers.

As tough as the next couple of years may be, none of that showed itself in the first of the year pour at Vancouver Community College on West Pender.

The Bench is a very tight community. Even though they are all hyper-competitive, when it comes to showcasing their individual wines The Naramations pull together as a team. Impressive, to say the least.

One thing to keep in mind – there a many wines available from BC wineries. Some pull from past vintages and many have wines stockpiled.

Here are the guests for Part One – talking Spring Wines and Vineyard Survival!!

Colin Ross – President of Bench Wineries (Tightrope)
Tyson Archer – (co-founder) Fox and Archer
Emma Roberts – (GM) Howling Bluff
Bob Ferguson – (co-founder/winemaker) Kettle Valley

Kathy Malone – Hillside Winery

Kathy Malone – (Winemaker) Hillside Winery and Bistro

Marcus

(Marcus Ansems/Daydreamer)

Marcus Ansems – (Winemaker Co-owner) Daydreamer Wines
Richard Da Silva – (Owner-Winemaker) Da Silva Vineyards and Winery
Lyndsay O’Rourke (co-founder/winemaker) Tightrope Winery

Dylan Roche-Roche Wines

Dylan Roche – (co-founder/co-winemaker) Roche Wines
Graham Pierce – (winemaker) Ruby Blue

Rebecca Mikulic

Rebecca Mikulic – Three Sisters Winery

Robert Van Westen

Robert Van Westen – (co-founder/winemaker) Van Westen Vineyards
Lauren Bunckle – (Asst Winemaker) Elephant Island Winery
Wilbert Borren – (co-owner/winemaker) Four Shadows Vineyard and Winery
Will Hardman – (co-founder/winemaker) Deep Roots Winery

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Ucluelet and Pluvio Food Experience

Sons of Vancouver Realms Rye

More Hatch wines

Fort Berens

Howling Bluff

Artema Releases

Poplar Grove – a Merlot Moment

October 26th, 2024

October 26, 2024 0:35:37

hello

THE SHOW

The annual Victoria Wine Festival just happened.

I walked into a Trade Tasting looking for familiar faces and winemakers to interview.

It turned out to be an almost all locals show. For me anyway.

Chris Turyk from Unsworth was telling wine stories to an ever expanding group. Lots of interest in what’s happening at their Cowichan Estate. It would take a whole show to fill you in.

Dan Wright Chris Turyk

That’s down the road. Right now they’re building a whole new facility, watching over their new plantings of Pinot, Chardonnay and Gamay. Chris takes us through his current pours.

Mike Nierychlo. Co-owner/Winemaker at Emandare Vineyard. Just North of Duncan.

Mike-Nierychlo-Emandare and TDM

Mike has news for wine fans everywhere. He’s always promoting Emandare – and why not – but he has outspoken views on BC wines and events that affect them all.

It should come as no surprise that their wines just get better and better. I’ll let Mike explain.

www.emandarevineyard.com

Mark Wachtin and Mich Pambrun from Storied Wine Cider Spirits brought all the wines they represent. A true table full. Such as Anthony Buchanan, Bella,Lock and Worth,Nagging Doubt, Ones+, Roche, 1Mill Road, Sea Star, Unsworth, Salt Spring Wild etc.

And wonderful surprise. 6 years after first meeting him at another wine gathering , I’m talking once again to Michal Mosny owner and winemaker at Winemaker’s Cut in Oliver.

We’ve become friends and now partners. Michal and I joined in partnership with Jason Priestley to create Q&A wine.

We had much to talk about – mostly about Winemaker’s Cut new releases and Michal’s harvest in Yakima Washington.

Www.winemakerscut.ca

https://qa.wine

Zanatta Wines. Jim Moody co-owner and winemaker

Zanatta is Vancouver Island’s first estate winery.

They have been making wines for over 50 years and are very proud of the family legacy.

Jim farms 25 acres of vineyards and it’s all estate fruit.

The best word to describe Zanatta wines is unique.

They use traditional methods to farm and crush their grapes.

Pinot Noir, Ortega, Carmine (a blend of Pinot Noir, Castel and Cab. Also the very popular Damasco, (a blend of Ortega, Muscat, Auxerrois and Madeleine Sylvaner)

Along with Glendora Fantasia Brut, rosé and Taglio Rossi

www.zanatta.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

THE STATE OF B.C. Wines

Fort Berens

Jason Parkes Customs

2025 Van Wine Fest

Sons of Vancouver

Pluvio and Ucluelet

August 19th 2024 2024-Author Luke Whittall and his Sipster’s Pocket Guides Books

October 19, 2024 0:50:02

hello

Look who’s on a Roll – It’s this week’s guest, Author Luke Whittall

Luke and his Sipster’s Pocket Guides Books.

In the third volume in the popular Sipster’s Pocket Guide series, wine expert and educator Luke Whittall presents his latest top 50 British Columbia wines under $50 (including many under $30) and along the way shares his thoughts on wine country and common misconceptions about certain grapes, and offers up tangents on everything from scented candles to middle children to jazz hands.

With food and activity pairings that range from Thai noodles and pool noodles to classic rock and hootenannies, and an index of attitudes that lets you choose a wine based on your mood (come hither, dressed to kill, razzle-dazzle), the Sipster’s guides are equal parts freewheeling and focused.

Divided into chapters on sparkling, white, rosé, red, and dessert wines, the latest volume of Sipster’s will snap you out of a catatonic funk in the liquor store and stick around for a quiet evening paging through a book—perhaps this book and perhaps there’s even a wine for that.

Welcome to Volume 3, where a Viognier can be a lot like a bouncy castle, a red blend that is the icing on top of another layer of icing and also a wine that will upstage Taylor Swift and Kayne and an adventurous evening calls for a certain Trebianno (not the guy from Friends . . . but then again, maybe?).

The Sipster's Pocket Guide to 50 More Must-Try BC Wines: Volume 3

The Sipsters series are written in a language anyone can understand. Words we all use and can remember a day later.

Make no mistake, Luke knows his wines from the vineyards to the bottle. He just makes the journey much easier than it really is.

We also start TRR with a conversation about vineyard damage & recovery, plus the coming discovery of BC Wines made with Washington grapes.

So those damaged vineyards, wineries and wine-farming families can survive the next couple of years.

And heads UP – The Sipster’s Ontario Vol 2 is coming – just in time for Christmas.

Then surely, the Luke Whittall film starring Ryan Reynolds.

Www.sipsterswinepodcast.ca/books

Luke Whittall

Online:

The Sipster’s Wine Podcast – Sipsters Icons on Substack WWW.

Books:

“The Sipster’s Pocket Guide to 50 More Must-Try BC Wines, Volume 3″ 2024 (Touchwood Editions)

“The Sipster’s Pocket Guide to 50 Must-Try Ontario Wines, Volume 1″ 2023 (Touchwood Editions)

“The Sipster’s Pocket Guide to 50 Must-Try BC Wines, Volume 2″ 2023 (Touchwood Editions)

“The Sipster’s Pocket Guide to 50 Must-Try BC Wines, Volume 1″ 2021 (Touchwood Editions)

“The Okanagan Wine Tour Guide” 6th Edition (with John Schreiner) 2020 (Touchwood Editions)

“Valleys of Wine: A Taste of British Columbia’s Wine History” 2019 (Whitecap Books)

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Zanatta

Pluvio & Ucluelet

Sons of Vancouver

Eau Claire Ruperts Exceptional Whisky

Hester Creek

Fort Berens

Victoria Wine Fest

Winemakers Cut

2025 Van Wine Fest

Jason Parkes Customs

The state of BC Wines

Fall Wine Releases

New from Niche

October 12th, 2024- Wine Witch on Fire – The Natalie MacLean Memoir.

October 11, 2024 0:39:09

hello

Wine Witch on Fire – The Natalie MacLean Memoir.

THE SHOW

“Natalie MacLean had it all – an accomplished husband, a high-profile wine writing career and an email signature of “Chief of Wine Happiness.” But her life fell apart when her husband departed, she started to drink too much and a social media mob came after her.

Wine Witch on Fire is the triumphant story of how MacLean pushed back against sexism in the wine industry, found love and drew on her female “witching” powers to turn obstacles into opportunities.”

Francis Dinkelspiel bestselling author of Tangled Vines

The full title of Natalie MacLean’s book is

Wine Witch on Fire

Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation and Drinking Too Much

When I read that Natalie had written a memoir that was both dark, transparent and funny, I knew I had to ask for an interview.

The memoir was surprising in its transparency and elements very familiar to me.

Receiving the wines, studying the info, sipping and at times fully tasting the wines that arrived.

The most interesting wines were always paired with food, as they were intended.

I had page after page of questions written out but in the end, like all great engaging conversations, there was little time to check on notes or questions. Just make sure you’re recording and exchanging any and all opinions and thoughts.

I do hope you like the conversation. The book is even better.

You can get Natalie MacLean’s new memoir Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much in paperback, ebook or audiobook from these retailers.

She hosts the podcast, Unreserved Wine Talk, and offers popular online wine and food pairing classes at www.nataliemaclean.com.

The video version of the interview can be found on the terrydavidmulligan YouTube Channel.

www.nataliemaclean.com

#winewitchonfire

@NatalieMacLean

@natdecants

Happy Thanksgiving all.

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

The Sipster 3 and Ontario 2

Victoria Wine Festival

Winemakers Cut

The State of BC Wine – Fall 2024

Fort Berens

Jason Parkes Customs

2025 Van Wine Festival

New releases from Sons of Vancouver

Jim Moody – Zanatta Wines

Pluvio and Ucluelet

October 5th, 2024- Okanagan Fall Wine Fest!

October 5, 2024 0:22:58

hello

2024 Okanagan Wine Festival October 18^th – October 27^th

The SHOW

Our guest for the hour is Kimberly Hundertmark – GM of Okanagan Wine Fests

Kimberly Hundertmark

The 2024 Okanagan Fall Wine Festival Celebrates the Most Bountiful Time of the Year.

October 18 through 27th we’re all invited to celebrate the bounty of the beautiful Okanagan Valley this October at the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival.

Traditionally a celebration of the grape harvest, this year’s Festival will focus on the storytellers behind the products that we enjoy from our farms and orchards.

This year, many of BC’s winemakers will be crafting their wines with grapes grown elsewhere due to the severe winter damage, but there is still reason to celebrate what is in our glasses and on our plates.

From October 18th through 27th, the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival along with partners throughout the valley, will host a series of events and experiences sure to appeal to the wine and food enthusiast.

Fall Wine

On Saturday, October 19th , explore six of Lake Country’s Scenic Sip Wine Trail wineries as they deliver curated wine and culinary pairings as part of the TASTE Series. Your pass includes a small bite perfectly paired with a BC wine.

CROPPED is back by popular demand. On Friday, October 25th , Valley First presents CROPPED Kelowna. This ever-popular harvest season event returns to downtown Kelowna at Revelry Food and Music Hub. Experience an evening exploring some of your favourite BC wineries and discovering new ones.

Also features culinary bites by Revelry’s very own Chef Kacia and local artisan producers. Your ticket includes a welcome cocktail, two beverage tickets, and live entertainment by the amazing Ben Dunnill.

As well as their Signature Events, there will be several special events hosted by individual partners throughout the Okanagan Valley including OC Cultivate at Okanagan College in Penticton.

With Halloween around the corner, check out the Monster Mash 80’s Bash at Sandhill Wines on October 26th .

The very popular TASTE Series takes place in two of my favourite spots

The Scenic Sip Series Saturday Oct 18 in Lake Country with 50^th Parallel/Blind Tiger/Ex Nihilo/Gray Monk/Intrigue/Peak Cellars

The Second TASTE Series is October 28 in Okanagan Falls. Featuring Liquidity/Mayhem/Meyer Family/Nighthawk/Noble Ridge/Stag’s Hollow/Wild Goose

Check the Festivals website for a full listing of upcoming events and tickets. thewinefestivals.com

Follow them on their new Instagram account @okanaganwinefestival or on Facebook @okwinefests

www.thewinefestivals.com

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Next Week – Natalie MacLean – Wine Witch on Fire

Pluvio and Ucluelet

New releases from Sons of North Vancouver

Jim Moody – Zanatta Winery

Victoria Wine Festival

Fort Berens

The Full Sipster – including the new Ontario #2

TRR Sept 28th 2024- Canada’s oldest beer festival celebrates its 30th year— First time at Topaz Park in Victoria, BC.

September 28, 2024 0:46:03

hello

Canada’s oldest beer festival celebrates its 30th year— First time at Topaz Park in Victoria, BC.

THE SHOW

The Great Canadian Beer Festival was launched in 1993 and was the first big beer festival in Canada. The Fest has been held annually since then, except for 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Besides BC brewers also travelling to the West Coast were brewers from Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and The Yukon.

Craig Nichols Rusted Rake Brewery- Nanoose Bay

GCBF gives festival-goers the opportunity to taste beers they can’t find anywhere else in British Columbia.

The event features more than 180 different beverages (beers, ciders and non-alcoholic beers) from more than 60 breweries and cideries from coast to coast. It was a opportunity to talk to these brewers about what makes their beer special and to try some new and classic brews.

As always in the time you have to work the site, there are only so many interviews you can do.

With the support and craft smarts of the Beer Director Joe Wiebe and guidance of Associate Producer Corey Wood we set off to discover a handful of breweries and one great chef.

We start with Joe Wiebe because he knows the history of the event and fills us in on the success of craft brewing in Canada and especially BC.

With the help of Joe Wiebe we were able to locate and engage the following craft brewers…

Joe Weibe

Chris Neufeld Owner/Brewmaster at gluten-free Grey Fox Brewing (Kelowna)

Melanie MacInnes – Owner Locality Brewing (Langley)

Melanie MacInnes

Dave Woodward – Head Brewer/Craig Nichols Co-Owner Rusted Rake (Nanoose Bay, Van Island)

Graham Elliott – Owner BEVA Brewing and Blending (North Vancouver)

Michael Hodgson – Owner/Head Brewer Cow Dog Brew Co. (East Vancouver)

Michael Hodgeson

Chef Brian Tesolin – The Courtney Room (Victoria)

Chef Brian Tesolin

Next year I PROMISE to arrive earlier and stay later and talk to some of those out of towners as well.

This was FUN.

www.greyfoxbrewing.com

www.rrbrewing.ca

www.bevabrewing.ca

www.cowdogbrewcompany.ca

www.thecourtneyroom.com

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Meyer Family Vineyards

The Wine Witch

Sons of North Vancouver

Pluvio and Ucluelet

Jim Moody

Kimberly Hundertmark OK Fall Wine fest

Fort Berens

TRR Sept 21st 2024-Kathy Malone – Hillside Estate Winemaker on events and new releases.

September 20, 2024 0:27:54

hello

THE SHOW

When I kicked off Tasting Room Radio in 2007 on the Naramata Bench, I had just finished shooting Season Three of Hollywood and Vines TV with pal Jason Priestley.

I came away very impressed with the community that surrounded winemaking. The farmers who worked the fields and the seasoned craft that was created in the winery cellars. I felt I wanted to be part of that community but had a lot more to learn.

Thus, Tasting Room Radio was started.

I felt that as long I was learning about winemaking the audience could learn as well.

One of the very first people that I turned to was Kathy Malone, the new winemaker at Hillside Estate. Hillside was one of the first three vineyards planted on the Naramata Bench. There’s lots more there now.

Many years later, I’m proud to say Hillside is one of the segment sponsors of TRR and Kathy is still mentoring me.

Kathy is guesting for the whole show.

She’s bringing announcements about an event at Bard and The Banker.

Also launching Friday Night Flights. Encouraging locals to come after work on a Friday and taste “old style” with no seated 45-minute wine class. BUT with tasting fees waived with purchase. A number of Bench wineries have agreed to join. Already signed up are Hillside, Little Engine, Deep Roots, Four Shadows and more.

Kathy also lets us know about a mid-October event at the Naramata Inn.

Part Two of Tasting Room Radio is about the new Hillside Releases.

2023 Muscat Ottonel “The Ottonel”. The new cool name

2023 Gewurztraminer – hottest season on record on 5 vineyard blend

2023 Heritage Pinot Gris – Three vineyards selected for Tokaj oak barrel selection. Its shows.

Hillside Fall Releases

Single Vineyard Series

Currently, our DTC customers are offered the three single vineyard merlots in the same vintage-2018 release. With the next releases, this gets shuffled again, as it is rare that we choose to showcase all in any given year.

2019 Hidden Valley Vineyard Merlot

A thankfully smoke-free year, 2019 was an average year in terms of heat units, but our “above-the-road” Hidden Valley Merlot ripened nicely. At 12.5% alcohol and featuring ripe tannin, it offers a balanced, elegant finish

2022 Occhi Dolci Vineyard Merlot (Okey Duel-Chee)

We’re super excited to send our first release of Occhi Dolci Vineyard Merlot. Planted and grown by Pat Bowen and Carl Bogdanoff, retired scientists from the Summerland Research Station, this vineyard has given us awesome merlot and cab franc for Mosaic and other blends, but we were reluctant to put “Bowen-Bogdanoff” on a wine label. They finally named the vineyard and voilà! Meaning “sweet eyes” Occhi Dolci refers to the gorgeous view from this vineyard perched high over Okanagan Lake, but is also Italian slang for a flirtatious look, or what my sister referred to as her “come-hither look”.

2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

We are continually amazed at the quality and ripeness of this Cabernet Sauvignon, planted as far north as the Naramata Bench. The 2020 vintage is no exception, taking a gold at the National Wine Awards this summer. Even more astonishing is the fact that this block survived over 57 hours of minus-25 Celsius cold this January. Yes, we still have a Howe Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

www.hillsidewinery.ca

www.naramatabench.com

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

New FALL Releases

Zanatta – Cowichan original

Pluvio and Ucluelet

Sons of Vancouver

Fort Berens

Best Coast Distilling

Hester Creek

Winemaker’s Cut Fall Releases

Q&A Winemakers Dinners

September 14th, 2024- Jason Parkes/Robbie Hundertmark- (The Hatch). Ron Kubek- Lightning Rock

September 14, 2024 0:45:27

hello

Jason Parkes/Robbie Hundertmark (The Hatch). Also Ron Kubek. Lightning Rock

THE SHOW

Jason Parkes (Team Leader) The Hatch (West Kelowna)

Robbie Hundertmark (Wing Man) The Hatch

The box arrived from Jason Parkes Customs.

Filled with:

The Dynasty White – Wow

B Secco

Hobo Series Gamay MMXXI

Clarity at the Waters Edge

Clash of the Tannins

Franc Says Relax

Auxerrois that Endserrois

Flipping the bird

Octobubble

Merlot Rider etc

As clever as the designs, artwork and titles are, the most important element of these wines is how well they’re made.

The team leader at The Hatch etc is Jason Parkes with his own Jason Parkes Customs.

Also under the leadership of Crown and Thieves, Black Swift Vineyards and a handful more.

We taste and talk our way through as much of the box as we can.

Robbie Hundertmark had no idea what he as walking in to. Jason and I have developed a rock and roll wine based shorthand, so Robbie became the calming effect. Enjoy the ride.

Apparently there is another box coming. They’ll be back.

www.jasonparkescustoms.com

@hatchwines

Ron Kubek – Owner and CEO of Lightning Rock Winery (Summerland)

“2023 has been one of the most challenging years we’ve ever faced in BC”

They lost their beloved Syrah and Viognier vineyards. The Syrah is still alive below the soil and will regrow in 3 years. There’s no such news for the very popular viognier vines.
Expect Riesling to take its place.

This interview with Ron is not just about his vineyards and wines, it’s about the business of winemaking and farming.

Ron Kubek knows what works in business these days. When he sees the BC wine business getting a runaround he doesn’t just speak up, he speaks out.

Loudly.

That’s why I was zoom calling him. I had hoped to capture the anger and frustration I was hearing about in wine farming circles.

It concerned the provincial government supporting these farms and wineries by allowing BC wineries, wiped out by 2 freezing winters, to source replacement fruit from the USA. But they only gave them a year and it takes at least 2 to see growth in vineyards.

I’ll let Ron pick up the story line. You won’t have to turn this one up, Ron can and will be heard.

www.lightningrockwinery.com

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

New FALL Releases

Zanatta – Cowichan original

Pluvio and Ucluelet

Sons of Vancouver

Fort Berens

Best Coast Distilling

Hester Creek

Hillside Fall releases

Winemaker’s Cut Fall Releases

Q&A Winemakers Dinners

September 7th, 2024 Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Cookbook with Kerri McNolty Interview

September 7, 2024 0:08:54

hello

Our Guest is Kerri Wyse-McNolty VP Burrowing Owl Vineyards and co-creator of their fine Cookbook.

(with Author and Wine Writer Jennifer Schell Lirag)

THE SHOW

The Question they most often hear in their tasting room is …..”what should I pair with this wine?”

So Kerri Wyse and her team collaborated with award winning cookbook author, wine writer Jennifer Schell Lirag and her team and wrote a cookbook to answer that question.

Unlike most books of this nature, Kerri and Jennifer organized the pages by varietals that they produce at Burrowing Owl.

So you’ll find – page by page – three recipes that pair with each of the award winning wines they create. (Pinot Gris is an example)

You’ll also find suggested music to go with meal prep and dining. I am very impressed and I’ve included some below.

Pinot Gris (Baba Ghanoush/Chicken Marbella/Okanagan Apple Crisp)

Sauvignon Blanc

Chardonnay (La Traviata Giuseppe Verdi)

Viognier (Come away with me – Norah Jones)

Pinot Noir

Malbec (Doo Bop Miles Davis)

Merlot

Cab Franc (Stand in the Joy William Prince)

Rose (Arriba Bruce Becvar)

Syrah (Harvest – Neil Young)

Athene (Dans Ma Main Jean-Michel Blais)

Cab Sauvignon

Meritage (Oscar Peterson plays Count Basie)

Coruja (fortified) (Duke Ellington and John Coltrane)

The recipes were a collaboration between Jennifer and the Wyse Family. Some were inspired by Wyse family favourites. The book also provides Wyse Family history and stories. I also loved the fact that Jennifer and Kerri suggested music that would pair with the meal prep and dinner.

In his foreword, Master of Wine Rhys Pender wrote…

“In this cookbook, I like to think of 30 years captured of Wyse Family meals.

That’s 3 decades of family working, cooking and eating together. – their hard work, tough decisions and deep family conversations as they shared wines, shared recipes and helped pioneer the BC wine industry. That is what it takes to become an iconic winery”

Available now at www.burrowingowlwine.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

New FALL Releases

A catch up with The Hatch

Zanatta – Cowichan original

Pluvio and Ucluelet

Sons of Vancouver

Fort Berens

Ron Kubek – Lightening Rock

Best Coast Distilling

Hester Creek

Hillside new releases

Winemaker’s Cut

Q&A Winemakers Dinners