hello

THE SHOW

Jack : If they want to drink Merlot, we’re drinking Merlot.

Miles Raymond : No, if anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any f#*king Merlot!

Sideways

Somewhere on this website  is the famous Merlot scene from the film  Sideways, spoken with outrage and indignation by the sublime Paul Giamatti as Miles Raymond, failed writer and wine snob.

The film came out in 2004 and the sales of Merlot dropped like a stone. In some markets it has  never really recovered.

(Director and Writer Alexander Payne starts the show)

Alexander Payne – Director of Sideways

I had this nagging question hanging over me for a while now.

Is BC Merlot being taken for granted? Has it lost its luster and ranking to the wine fan?

The most planted grape in BC is Merlot  but, except for Vancouver Sun wine writer Tony Gismondi, I’m not seeing a lot articles or headlines on BC Merlot.

In the next hour you’ll hear from many of BC’s Best Merlot winemakers. Many of the questions are the same…

Is Merlot being taken for granted?

What was the effect of Sideways?

What makes BC Merlot outstanding?

When did you fall in love with this grape?

Have we all changed our wine tastes?

Many of the questions were the same ..but the answers were  all wildly different.

Our 12   Merlot guests include:

Alexander Payne – Screenwriter and Director of Sideways https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0668247/

Rhys Pender – Master of Wine   http://www.wineplus.ca/

Mary McDermott – Winemaker at Township 7  https://www.township7.com/

Mike Raffan – GM at Township 7   https://www.township7.com/

Phil McGahan – Winemaker at Checkmate Wines. (Winner: 2017  Judgement of BC) https://www.checkmatewinery.com/

Jeff Harder –  Co-Owner Ex Nihilo  https://exnihilovineyards.com/

Peter Lindenlaub –  Wagner Family Wines (Napa)  http://www.wagnerfamilyofwine.com/

Kane Morgan –  Co-Owner Rust Wine https://www.rustwine.com/

Joseph Luckhurst –  Managing Partner  Road 13  http://road13vineyards.com/

Larry Gerelus – Co-Owner  Stags Hollow  (OK Falls) https://stagshollowwinery.com/

Rob Summers – Senior Winemaker at Hester Creek  http://hestercreek.com/

Michael Bartier –  Co-owner  and Winemaker at Bartier Bros  http://www.bartierbros.com/

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Vintage 2019 – featuring

Senka Tennant Terra Vista

Grant Stanley Spearhead

Howard Soon Vanessa

Bailey Williamson Blue Grouse

Meet the Makers – Victoria

Kristen Needham – Sea Cider

Jenny Garlini – Blue Grouse

Stags Hollow – Keira Le Franc

Roche Wine – Penelope Roche

Fitzpatrick Family Wines – Gordon Fitzpatrick

Ricco Bambino – Sebastien Hotte

Sheringham Distillery – Jason MacIsaac

A visit to Blue Grouse

Ben Bryant- Chief winemaker Mission Hill

Colin Linden – Singer and sipper

hello

Alberto Antonini/Pedro Parra/Jane Ferrari/Brigitte Raye

THE SHOW

Alberto Antonini –  Poggiotondo.  Tuscany, Italy

Pedro Parra – Pedro Parra y Familia  Itata Valley, Chile

 One of the top 5 wine consultants in the World, Alberto watches over many vineyards. They can be found in   Italy, the U.S., Argentina, Canada, Chile, Uruguay, Armenia and Australia.

Alberto also consults for Okanagan Crush Pad, Haywire, Freeform, and Narrative in Summerland.

Okanagan Crush Pad is a state-of-the-art 40,000 case winery, 320-acres of vineyard and farmland, with a focus on creating natural wines exclusively from organic grapes. With home vineyards Switchback and Garnet Valley Ranch now organic certified Haywire is  changing the game in the Okanagan.. Winemaking is in the capable hands of New Zealand native Matt Dumayne who works closely with Alberto Antonini. The entire team is committed to farming wines that are lively and elegant and let the natural beauty of the Okanagan Valley shine through.

Alberto and Pedro Parra were pouring their wines in Vancouver recently in partnership with  Wine + Spirits the newest beverage alcohol sales agency in British Columbia.

Pedro Parra & Alberto Antonini at OCP (Van Sun)

Owned by Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie, who also own Okanagan Crush Pad winery in Summerland, the new agency will sell the Haywire and Narrative labels, and debuts with wineries from other countries:  Alberto’s Poggiotondo (Tuscany, Italy), and Pedro Parra y Familia, (Bio Bio, Chile). Coolshanagh  from Naramata  will also be a part of the HQ Wine + Spirits portfolio.

Have a listen to Alberto Antonini.  Few on this planet know wine making better than him.

His partner Pedro Parra is a soil whisperer. With his skills, he can tell the land owner exactly what they should be growing in the earth beneath their feet.

Pedro Parra doing his thing

Pedro poured his delicious Family wines.  Both Alberto’s and Pedro’s wines are now  available in BC.

As expected, the wines are SPECTACULAR.  Best of all they are all Natural Wines.

http://www.poggiotondowines.com/

https://thesourceimports.com/producers/pedro-parra-y-familia/

http://hq-wine.com/ 

Jane Ferrari –  The voice of Yalumba (Barossa, Australia)
Jane is one of the World’s great storytellers and Yalumba is one great
story. Yalumba is Australia’s oldest family owned winery.

Jane Ferrari Yalumba

Right off the top, Jane tells the gripping story of how the family and staff
saved the winery many years ago.

The very best part of this story is that Yalumba make sensational wines –
for the world.

Canada has been a Yalumba fan for years. The other story to watch for is
when its founder Samuel Smith left Dorset England  in 1847 and found himself
in Victoria, BC.  He  fell in love with the location but felt he had to move
on to find a land for his vines.

In 2010, Wine Enthusiast named Yalumba ‘New World Winery of the Year.’ 

Yalumba

“The world of wine is a big family and I like it for many reasons.

“It’s hellishly competitive in a commercial sense, but the Antinoris, Dujacs,
Faiveleys, of the world and the Pol Rogers, Browns, Tyrells, Felton Roads, –
they are all inspirations.”  Robert Hill Smith – Yalumba –  Fifth Generation
Owner

Brigitte Raye  –  co/owner Orto Artisan Pasta

Brigitte Raye

If the name  Brigitte Raye doesn’t immediately connect with your memory bank please let me make an deposit.

For me it starts at La Regelade in West Vancouver.  A Wonderful French Bistro. With Brigitte front of house and Husband Alain in kitchen.

After a shut down and a divorce the parents work with their sons in various bistros.

In the latest installment, Alain takes a break. Son Kevin has been cooking at Langara Fishing Lodge in Haida Gwaii; and son Steve opens Orto Artisan Pasta in North Vancouver with mom Brigitte charming everyone who walks through the door.

Orto means garden in Italian. After all the French cooking, why Italy?  Well, partly because Brigitte married an Italian.  That helps.

It’s an old building just off Marine Drive in North Vancouver.

It used to be called Ethical Kitchen.

My old turf where I grew up.

Everything Wine is half a block away. Its well worth the search.

What a find.

Orto shares space with Vadim Mugerman’s Bad Dog Bread. A very good bakery. Exceptional really.  Bad Dog Bread  offers breakfast until 11am.  Next door, the former Ethical Kitchen operator makes kombucha.

You can get the bread and Kombucha all while dining at Orto as well.

The pasta is everything you could want.

There’s a very popular share dish of Burrata & Prosciutto with Bad Dog Bread. Fresh and delish!

What a great room.

As Brigitte explains, all the plates are from thrift stores… only adds to the cool.

Looking for a great personal space to just hang and love the food.,  here it is.

Orto Artisan Pasta

1600 MacKay  North Vancouver.

http://ortoartisanpasta.com/

and we finish Tasting Room Radio featuring  a chat with Pedro Parra.

Find his wines. They are sensational!

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

The Spring wines of Okanagan Crush Pad

Blastedchurch/bonamicci/crescenthill/liquidity/meyerfamily/nighthawk/nobleridge/pentage/play/ Skaha/stagshollow/synchromesh/wildgoose

Naramata Bench Wineries pour in Victoria

hello

Severine Pinte  Winemaker at La Stella/le Vieux Pin

Ross Wise – New Winemaker at Black Hills

Plus Pouring in Parksville

THE SHOW

It’s the annual Untapped and Uncorked Craft Beer and Wine Festival in Parksville, Vancouver Island.

The featured winemakers are the charming Severine Pintewho was pouring La Stella for a winemakers dinner at Beach Club Resort and for his first ever interview Ross Wise, the brand new winemaker at Black Hills.  Home of Note Bene.

Before we get to those prime feature interviews..let’s head to the “untapped” part of the weekend.

Dave Paul – Head Brewer/Owner Love Shack Libations

We start with the craft beer makers at Tigh-Na-Mara and a guy I’ve been waiting a whole year to reconnect with.  When I interviewed Dave Paul from his Love Shack Libations, just up island from Qualicum Beach, he was about to pour his first beer at his first event EVER.  Like an opening night.

Love Shack is a very popular small brewery that the locals all love and tourists are starting to discover. Dave makes a new beer every month..so depending on when you walk in,  your choices may be different from month to month.

Dave was pouring his latest brew, with the zeal of a mad scientist. It’s called Juicy Juice – Northeast style hazy IPA.   Love Beer. Love Shack.

www.loveshacklibations.com

Dave Woodward –  Head Brewer Mount Arrowsmith Brewing

 A local Dave headed to the UK to start his brewing education.  His career took him through the UK, 5 years at Whistler Brewing,  then Tofino Brewing and  Axe & Barrel Victoria.

Dave Woodward Mt Arrowsmith

Mount Arrowsmith brings him full circle.  Back to where it all began.

All that craftwork resulted in Mount Arrowsmith winning Best Amber Ale in the World, at the 2018 World Beer Awards.

 https://arrowsmithbrewing.com/

Kev Ward – Wolf Brewing Nanaimo

wolf brewing

Kev Ward, a  Liverpool lad,   has been brew master  for about 6  years. First thing he did was change all the recipes. Wolf Brewing still uses old-school techniques in its brewing. Check out the line up.

Golden Honey Ale, Porter, Scotch Ale, Black and Tan, IPA!

He says “hey” to all his buds back in Liverpool listening on The Net!

 http://www.wolfbrewingcompany.com/

 Clay Potter –   Brew Master Moon Under Water

Clay Potter

Clay’s brewing career started at  University of Victoria for Biology & Chemistry and Heriot Watt University in Scotland for the Brewing & Distilling Master’s Program. He was lucky enough to work with and be mentored byPaul Hoyne.

With his family, he took over the Moon Under Water Brewery in 2012.

In 2014, Moon Brewery introduced two new programs: a sour series featuring the beloved Copper Kettle Sour, and line of limited-release barrel-aged beers, such as The Crow’s Nest. These highly-sought after beers are small-batched and aged for 18 month

In December 2017, Clay opened a distillery within the brewery. The Moon Distillery has recently launched their first wave of products, featuring Citrus Gin, Orange Vodka and Espresso Vodka, all made with local malts, fruits and botanicals.

http://ww.moonunderwater.ca/about.php

 Ross Wise – Winemaker  Black Hills

Ross Wise Black Hills

Eric Edwards – Executive Chef    Cedars @ Tigh-Na-Mara

Black Hills is the home of one of Canada’s greatest wines Note Bene. A huge Bordeaux blend and a spectacular portfolio. It includes one of my three favourite BC wines, their Carmenere!   The sale of the winery to Peller sent the Canadian wine industry sideways. The new winemaker has to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Senka Tennant and Graham Pierce.  Ross has the chops to more than do the job.

New Zealand-born Ross Wise joined Phantom Creek Winery  in September, 2016, as the fulltime winemaker. A 2005 enology graduate of Australia’s Charles Sturt University, he started his career as a vineyard supervisor at Felton Road Winery in Central Otago, and moved on to the cellar at the Grove Mill Winery in Marlborough before coming to Canada in 2006.

 He became an assistant winemaker at Flat Rock Cellars in Ontario, becoming the winemaker there in 2009

 In 2012, he launched his own consulting firm, making wines with several Ontario wineries, including Rosewood Estates, Keinte-He Winery, The Organized Crime Winery, Icellars Estate Winery and The Good Earth Winery. The opportunity to make ultra-premium wines in the Okanagan drew him to Phantom Creek, and now, to Black Hills.

 In addition to all that, he is well into his studies to become a Master of Wine.

(from John Schreiner)

This is the first verbal interview Ross has done.  He was great!

On the other hand,  Chef Eric Edwards at Tigh-na-Mara loves a microphone.

He’s outgoing and loves to swap verbs.

Chef paired his food with Black Hills wines. You can hear the delight in his voice.

It helps that he’s a very good chef..with a command of his ever expanding kitchen.

http://www.blackhillswinery.com/Current-Vintages

http://www.blackhillswinery.com/

https://tigh-na-mara.com/dine/cedars-restaurant-lounge

Severine Pinte   Winemaker at La Stella & Le Vieux Pin

 Severine makes both La Stella and Le Vieux Pin but on the night she was pouring La Stella exclusively!

a native of Montpellier..

Severine Pinte came to Le Vieux Pin in 2010 with 14 harvests of international winemaking experience under her belt along with 8 years of vineyard management. Severine is a graduate of the illustrious ENSAM (Ecole National Superior Agronomic of Montpellier)

Severine Pinte La Stella

She apprenticed at the Cave de Tecou in the AOC Gaillac before coming for the first time to British Columbia to work for Domaine de Chaberton as an assistant winemaker.

In 1999 she returned to France and worked a year in Bordeaux under the direction of Andre Lurton in Pessac-Leognan then returned to the Languedoc. For nine years Severine was head winemaker and viticultural council for ‘Le Vignoble des 2 terres’ in the Terrasse du Larzac terroir.

In the winter of 2003, she took leave for harvest at Frankland Estate winery in Western Australia and enjoyed learning a different take on her beloved Syrah and Viognier. Curiosity and the pursuit of new challenges brought Severine to the Okanagan and she brought with her an astute understanding of wine and terroir. Her favorite quote is from Jean Hugel: “100% of the quality of a true wine is already in the grapes, not in the cellars where you can only lose quality.”

For her, The Okanagan, with its unique terroir and cool climate, has always been intriguing. As such she is the perfect candidate to craft world class Syrah and Viognier in the South Okanagan.

https://levieuxpin.ca/

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Brigitte Raye   –  Orto in North Vancouver

The wineries of Okanagan Falls –The Interviews

Alberto Antonini – his Poggiotondo Wines

Pedro Parra – Pours his wines.

Top Drop 2019