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The 36^th annual California Wine Fair hits town. We work the room.
Hy’s Vancouver showcase their Table Side Dining..a true throwback.
Charles Baker and Stratus  Wines from Niagara..

 THE SHOW

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 36th annual California Wine Fair

Charlie Cline
 
 
For 36 years the Wine Institute of California has toured one of their best ever markets…Canada!!
They pour their very best for all those Cali wine fans.
We talk to Charlie Cline..He says he’s the better looking brother of the Cline Boys. They call Sonoma home. They also make Jacuzzi Family Wines, right across the street.
Clinecellars.com – jacuzziwines.com
 
John Wetzel  Alexander Valley Vineyards – Family owner  

John is the Sales Manager and Family owner of this iconic winery.
We talk about how they’re handling the water shortage in the Valley.
And, of course, what he’s pouring.
www.avvwine.com
 
 The Silver Fox Returns / Keith Nichols Owner-Winemaker
Can’t miss that head of silver hair, nor should you miss his really fine wines from Paso Robles.
 
Keith Nichols
Rick Slomka /  Canadian Director WICali
 Team Leader on the day.  The Canadian face and voice of Wines of California
Ray Signorello / Signorello Estate – Owner
 The perfect guy to close the show.  Lives in West Vancouver and on the Golden Mile  in Napa.
Produces a wide variety of top end whites and reds plus hugely popular entry level reds called Edge, Fuse and Trim.
signorelloestate.com 

 
www.discovercaliforniawine.com
 
 
 
 

Table Side Dining – rediscovered at Hy’s Encore in Vancouver.

bananas-foster
They just don’t make them like Hy’s anymore.  I’m talking table side dining.
They’re featuring a menu that features selections which are prepared and showcased right at your table.
Their famous Caesar salad, Spinach Salad, Chateaubriand and Steak Diane..followed by Bananas Foster.
Talk about a throwback..this is to be celebrated..encouraged and shared.
Makes you realize what’s been lost in today’s servers and service.
A hands on food experience.
Guests include Neil Aisenstat ..President and son of Hy.
Brett Kawaguchi Wine and Bar Director who supplies pairings
And Senior Server Tim Butt.
www.hyssteakhouse.com

Charles Baker Wines – Stratus Wines

He’s responsible for the outstanding wines at Stratus in Niagara and his own label cb Wines.
Stratus is widely respected for their Riesling made from various vineyards in and around the Niagara Escarpment.
Surprises come with their Chardonnay, Stratus white, a strong Cab Franc and their popular Stratus.
His own Charles Baker Riesling is memorable.  Great flavours and finish.

www.stratuswines.com
www.charlesbaker.ca
Both vineyards have committed to placing their wines all across Canada.  It’s a big task.
Well worth your time..watch for them!!
 
 

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STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

 A one hour special NEXT Week on the Spring tour of the Naramata Bench Wineries.
 We find them pouring  in Victoria and Vancouver.

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An exclusive interview with Russell Crowe who stars in and  directs his first feature film  The Water Diviner, opening this weekend !
Mike Bernardo goes full Beastie Boy with his Mike B Reisling!
Okanagan Falls pours in Vancouver..looking for profile and making new friends! We talk to 6 wineries.
And the return of The Napa Wine making Gunslinger Cameron Hughes.

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THE SHOW

Mike Bernardo – Sommelier of the Year
 

Somebody has to open for Russell Crowe and we think there’s no one better than Mike Bernardo – Sommelier of the Year and maker of Mike b Riesling.
Mike Bernardo fell in love with wine in 1997, working at the five star hotel, the Balmoral, followed by The Atrium, in Edinburgh, Scotland. After returning to Canada he worked at Dock 503 on Vancouver Island as Manager / Sommelier. In January 2001 Mike joined Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala at Vij’s restaurant in Vancouver, where he worked with them to later open Rangoli, the Vij’s production facility for their line of packaged curries (Vij’s Inspired Indian Cuisine), as well as the Vij’s food truck.
Mike’s is currently Director of Operations and Wine Director for the Vij’s Companies. He has lead the Vij’s wine program to win several awards, including the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator and Gold Prize for best wine list from Vancouver Magazine. Mike was responsible for all the wine pairings in “Vij’s: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine”, which won the 2007 Cuisine Canada’s Gold Award for Cookbook of the year. Mike also collaborated on the wine notes for “Vij’s at Home-Relax, Honey”, which won silver for best Indian Cookbook at the World Gourmand Cookbook Awards in Paris, France. In 2014, Mike won The Vancouver International Wine Festival and the Vancouver Magazine’s Sommelier of the Year awards.
In 2014, Mike opened his own restaurant called Sutra, in conjunction with Vij’s, in Victoria, BC. He now splits his time between Vij’s restaurants in Vancouver and Sutra in Victoria.
The Winner of said award is given the very special opportunity to make his/her own wine in partnership with Okanagan Crush Pad.
Mike decided to make a BC Riesling that would not only handle Vij’s half dozen spices in most dishes but would pair beautifully to make the meals even better.
He named the label Mike B in tribute to his favourite band – The Beastie Boys.
www.vijsrestaurant.ca
 
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Russell Crowe – Actor. Director. Singer/Songwriter and Dad!

 When I read that Russell was directing his first ever film I just knew I had to see if I could find him. Find him I did.
Was I Pushy. You bet. But I knew a little something about the man. He has a very big heart and values friendships.
I had the pleasure of being a cast member of Mystery Alaska when it shot years ago in Canmore Alberta.
Russell took me for a beer and included me in the cast and crew gatherings.

I found him in Chicago surrounded by police sirens and morning coffees.
This film is very special to him. The Water Diviner is part of Australian history…all those soldiers who were sent to invade Turkey at Gallipoli exactly 100 years ago.
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Many many men died on both sides..and that’s the story that Russell tells in The Water Diviner. Lead by the tale of a Farmer  looking for his three sons who reportedly were all killed on the battlefield the same day. The film opens April 24^th in Canada.
We also talk about his new music group in partnership with Allan Doyle and a couple of wine questions..like how come with acres and acres of farm land, he isn’t making wines.
Please join us for this exclusive phone conversation with Russell Crowe.  Enjoy the film.
www.thewaterdiviner.com 
 
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 Okanagan Falls Wineries pour in Vancouver.

Every year BC’s various wine regions come into Vancouver  and pour with pride their new releases.
For the food and wine industry it’s a chance to stay in touch with the Okanagan and Vancouver Island, renewing friendships and checking out the wines.
For years, Okanagan Falls situated between Penticton and Oliver was the place you stopped for ice cream but not wine.
They’re trying to change all that by making better and better wines.
Adding food and restaurants to their wineries.

We get caught up with the owners and winemakers from the following wineries:
Alan Dickinson – Synchromesh [email protected] 
Roland Kruger – Wild Goose  www.wildgoosewinery.com 
Elaine Vickers – Blasted Church www.blastedchurch.com
Lauren Skinner – Painted Rock  www.paintedrock.ca
Christy Mavety – Blue Mountain www.bluemountainwinery.com
Gerry Thygesen – Kraze Legz/Skaha and Acting president of OFWA.  www.krazelegz.com
www.ofwa.ca
 
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Cameron Hughes Wines

Cameron Hughes is an American négociant that makes, imports, and distributes ultra-premium wine under five wine labels; The Lot Series, CAM Collection, Hughes Wellman, Greenlip, and Zin Your Face.  
The company was founded by Cameron Hughes and Jessica Kogan in 2001 for one simple reason – to bring truly exceptional wine to the market at real world prices. They  do this by partnering with the finest growers and wineries in the world and delivering consistently high quality wines and the highest degree of service to their  customers. The result is Cameron Hughes is one the most trusted wine brands in the industry, receiving high praise from wine experts and consumers.
Great reviews can be found at  Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, Wine & Spirits, Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, New York Times, Forbes Magazine, Cellar Tracker and more. In 2012, Cameron Hughes was nominated for “Innovator of the Year” by the Wine Enthusiast.
Safe to say he changed the game in California.
https://chwine.com 

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STORIES WERE WORKING ON

Rge Rd – Edmonton
Alberta chefs brings the goods to Vancouver
California wine tour
NZ on the coast

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Hockey playoffs are starting..so we revisit our Canucks special last year. Jim Benning, Willie Desjardins, Dan Hamhuis, Willie Mitchell and owner Paolo Aquilini.
At the West Coast Fishing Club
And a very special feature on the fascinating Wines of the Jura with DJ Kearney.
What a great line up!   

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 THE SHOW

It’s the 9^th annual CAN Fishing for Kids tournament at the West Coast Fishing Club. Haida Gwaii.
First prize $200,000.   

This is a very personal event as Paolo Aquilini, the owner of the Canucks has an autistic  son  Christian,  who joined us on this trip. (He had the 4^th or 5^th best salmon on the first day).
Interviews last September with the brand new GM Jim Benning, New Coach Willie Desjardins, Canucks and spokesperson Dan Hamhuis, original spokesperson, ex-Canuck and  Florida team member Willie Mitchell.
 
We start with Canucks owner and the driving force behind Canucks Autism Network (CAN)  Paolo Aquilini.
 Paolo could not believe many years ago  that there was no support or recognition for Autism in BC and he  kept pushing the boundaries until the Government & Health Community decided to get on board and do something.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Fishing For Kids West Coast Fishing Club Tournament has  been a driving force behind the growth and development of the Canucks Autism Network (CAN) since 2009. The remarkable funds raised at this premier charity event have enabled them  to introduce new programs, welcome new families, and offer our adapted programs to even more communities throughout British Columbia. since the organization’s inception in 2008 and the Fishing for Kids Tournament continues to propel CAN down this exciting road of growth.
This top-notch fishing tournament has not only supported them  in their  mission to provide high quality programming, it has made our dream of building a CAN training hub an achievable goal.  It is difficult to put into words the significance of the Fishing For Kids Tournament and the incredible impact it has had on so many lives. They strongly believe in the work that they do and are immeasurably grateful to the event participants, organizers, and sponsors for their part in enriching the lives of families affected by autism in BC.
Big Thanks to
Courtney Hatfield
Tom Cochrane,  Ken Greer and road crew
Rosewood Hotel.
David Hawksworth
Doug Olive/Rob Giroux  Ritchie Bros Auctioneers.
Brian Legge/Terry Cowan  WCFC
Chef Shaun Snelling WCFC
Chris Brumwell  Canucks

• westcoastfishingclub.com
• canucksautism.ca
• www.canucks.nhl.com  
• tomcochrane.com    

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Global Wine Expert J Kearney and a Master Class on The wines of the Jura Region.

DJ Kearney
French winemaking doesn’t get much more extreme than this.
The Jura, on the French fringes of the Swiss Alps, is hard country. Winters are cold, spring comes late and while summer days are long, the nights are chilly. Fall is vintage time, a scramble to get the grapes ripe and harvested before rains arrive.

This tiny wine region is 4,400 acres, similar in size to Yountville in Napa Valley. The Jura lies up against the mountains that separate the watersheds of the Rhine, Rhône and Po rivers.
Historically isolated, the Jura has evolved several distinct wine styles that are now being discovered by the rest of the world.
Leading the charge have been fashion-conscious sommeliers, who seem to thrive on springing surprises on unsuspecting diners.
These wines are becoming more widely available in the U.S and Canada  and more consumers can discover them.
 
“We are a little region with a huge range of wines,” says vigneron Pierre Rolet. “We appeal to drinkers who are happy to experiment.”
The ultimate in oxidative wine is vin jaune (yellow wine). It’s made Jura known throughout the wine world for its extreme concentration and range of flavors, from smoky to yeasty, with intense acidity.

A handful of Jura winemakers/growers/owners are just finishing up a short tour of the US and Canada.
With the help of  the wonderful wine teacher..’DJ Kearney .. they’ve poured their very different wines and made lots of new friends along the way.
Here’s an loving overview of these wines, the region and the people from The Deej!!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/wine/10863147/Jura-wine-the-grapes-that-took-Manhattan.html
 
 

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STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON’

Naramata Bench pours on the Coast
Alberta chefs invade Vancouver
California spring pour
NZ heads our way