Harry Hertscheg

March 14th, 2020- The 42nd VanWineFest: A look back!

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VANWINEFEST  – A Look Back

The SHOW

The 42nd Vancouver International Wine Festival has come and gone. I’m told it was a huge success.

It was the first festival I had missed in 12 years of TRR.

Thing is,  I was in Oaxaca Mexico visiting family and getting closer to the story of Mescal.

Several weeks from now we’ll bring you the conversation we had with one of Mexico’s  very best Female Mescal Masters

Sosima Olivera…

Instead of doing 30-40 interviews at VanWineFest,  I ended up doing just one. But what a one.

Sosima and Terry in Oaxaca

This week’s edition of Tasting Room Radio looks back at some of the highlights and serious talking points from the 42nd VanWineFest.

 

 

Our Guests are:

 Christine Coletta – Okanagan Crush Pad.

Christine-Coletta

real Key Wine Influencer. Maker of Freeform. Haywire. Narrative. The Bub.

What started as a Crush Pad has become a true farming leader in the Okanagan.

She was founding executive director of the BC Wine Institute, creator of the VQA and co-founder of Wines of Canada.

Christine’s most  recent honour was being named One of Wine’s Most Inspiring People for 2020 by Wine Industry Advisor.

Rather than ask CC about what she tasted at VanWineFest, I thought it best to get an overview of where we are as a wine region and where we’re headed.

One place we’re headed is Europe. Christine and friends  have been pouring in Europe for years now and they’re starting to notice.

Enjoy!!

www.okanagancrushpad.com

Harry Hertscheg – Executive Director Vancouver Wine Festival.

Harry-Hertscheg

It’s Harry’s show.  He spends his entire year leading a great creative team.

If anyone can give us a wrap up of the entire festival is Harry.

If you find yourself looking at sold out signs when you got to get tickets every year..Harry has the key to making sure that doesn’t happen again.

www.vanwinefest.ca

Michelle Bouffard   Sommelier. Educator. Journalist. Founder of Tasting Climate Change

Michelle Bouffard

One of the very busiest and committed participants at VanWineFest was Michelle.

She hosted panels and discussions on Climate Change and Wine.

Packaging, transport, extremes in temperature, water usage, tips for consumers  to buy wine with a lower carbon footprint.

This conversation was so engaging, the complete interview will be a podcast on Mulligan Stew Podcasts in several weeks. Details at  www.mulliganstew.ca

Michelle also has recommendations on Canadian and French wines she tasted.

https://www.tastingclimatechange.com/en/

Bernard Duseigneur – Domaine Duseigneur . Family member  and Manager.

Bernard Duseigneur

Domaine Duseigneur was founded by Jean Duseigneur in 1967.

In those formative years, Domaine Duseigneur was in rough condition and needed extensive work in the cellar and more importantly, in their vineyards. In 1992, his son Frederic along with his brother Bernard took over managing their Southern Rhone property.

 

They changed their vineyard management techniques starting with the 2004 vintage and became certified biodynamique three years later. They are also a member of Biodyvin, the International Bio-dynamic Vine growing Syndicate. in 2007, they brought in Philippe Cambie to consult on the vineyards and wine making.

They now manage 13 estates in the Languedoc/Roussillon Regions .

I wanted to present Bernard with several of his famous quotes about wine and perhaps see if he’d changed his mind.

Please enjoy the fine French winemaking manager of Domaine Duseigneur  Bernard Duseigneur

https://www.domaineduseigneur.com/?lang=en

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Ned Bell – back in Naramata

OK Falls wineries  pour in Vancouver

Locals Only – artisans from Van Island to Vancouver.

Swirl and Untapped in Parksville

Chef Lee Cooper – L’Abattoir

Sosima Olivera – Fanekantsini Mescal Cooperative

February 9th, 2019 -The debut of Aquilini Red Mountain Wines

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The debut of Aquilini Red Mountain Wines.

THE SHOW

We start with Harry Hertscheg  Executive Director of the 41st Vancouver International Wine Festival.

Harry Hertscheg

Harry brings the first of two updates on this years event. (Feb 23- March 3)

https://vanwinefest.ca/

Barry Olivier – President/Brands Aquilini Wines

Barry Olivier – Aquilini

Backbreaking days laying bricks and hauling mortar up rickety scaffolds; young Luigi Aquilini knew he had to find a better means of supporting his family. In 1957, Luigi left his hometown of Brescia, Italy and travelled to North America seeking a new life.

Through strong relationships, saving his wages, and a legendary work ethic, the bricklayer struggled up the ladder – wooden and corporate – doing whatever it took to provide for his wife and three young sons. As his children came of age Luigi brought Francesco, Roberto, and Paolo into his now-thriving construction company.

For three decades they grew the business as a family; diversifying from building skyscrapers, to farming blueberries, to purchasing NHL Hockey Team, the Vancouver Canucks in 2006.

Francesco and Luigi

For these four entrepreneurs, fine wine was a lifelong passion and a natural unity of the pillars on which they’d built their empire: construction, farming, and entertainment

Francesco Aquilini sought out Barry Olivier, a fine wine importer notorious for scouting up-and-coming producers.

Francesco and his brothers had trusted Olivier to build their own cellars for years, and now they recruited him for the ultimate task: create the World’s Next Great Wine.

The opportunity suddenly emerged in November 2013 with the most high-stakes land auction in Washington Wine History.

670 acres of completely unplanted former Government Land on Red Mountain was on the block, and competition was fierce.

Over 40 wineries from across America came to Washington looking for a piece of the Mountain.

Though this was the last virgin acreage on Red Mountain, to acquire and develop that much vineyard all at once was risky.

Luigi and his sons made the call. The Aquilinis outbid the room for the entire 670 acres.

In just 24 hours, the family had become the largest landowner in the AVA.

An overnight turn that left the Pacific Northwest wine community wondering “Who is Aquilini”?

 Philippe Melka joined as Consulting Winemaker. Heralded as one of the most influential wine consultants in the world. Bordeaux-born, Melka apprenticed at Chateau Haut-Brion and Chateau Petrus, then crossed the Atlantic to electrify the Napa Valley, working with icons like Quintessa, Bryant, Fairchild and Hundred Acre.

Philippe Melka – Winemaker

Aquilini Wines are  headed to the Vancouver Wine Festival to introduce themselves to Canada.

They’ll be pouring

Aquilini Horse Heaven Hills Syrah Rose 2017

Aquilini Red Mountain’s Grand Vin is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

The Second Wine, Aquilini Red Mountain Family Blend,. The Family Blend is constructed of varying levels of Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot and occasionally Petit Verdot.

 

Here’s a first taste with Barry Olivier.

 www.aquiliniredmountain.com

 

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

 Vancouver Wine Festival

The Californians

BC showcases at Wine fest

BC Sommeliers speak out

Okanagan Falls wineries pour new releases

Unplugged/Uncorked

 

July 1st, 2017- Vancouver International Wine Festival!

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This is our 8th year of covering the Vancouver International Wine Festival.  For them this is Year 39.

Canada is the featured region and it’s going to be a wonderful family gathering with the pace of a gong show.

If you care about how Canadian wines are doing and where our wine industry is headed..this show and next week will hopefully supply answers and focus.

THE SHOW

 

 

Here is the guest line up for Hour One:

Daenna van Mulligen – The Wine Diva  www.winediva.ca

Rhys Pender – Master of Wine     www.littlefarmwinery.ca

DJ KearneyNewDistrict.ca  Director of Wine

Kurtis Kolt – The Bottle/Georgia Straight  www.kurtiskolt.com

Howard Soon – Sandhill Wines  www.sandhillwines.ca

Ann Sperling – Sperling Vineyards  www.sperlingvineyards.com

Sandra Oldfield – Tinhorn Creek  www.tinhorn.com

Harry Hertscheg    – Executive Director VIWF  vanwinefest.ca

Christa-Lee McWatters Bond – Evolve  www.evolvecellars.com

Harry McWatters – Time Wines  www.encorevineyards.ca

Chris Jentsch – CC Jentsch Wines  www.ccjentschcellars.com

Gustav Allander – Foxtrot  www.foxtrotwine.com/winery

David Scholefield – Haywire https://okanagancrushpad.com/

 

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

 

John Schreiner – Icon. Flagship Wines from BC’s Best Wineries

Four F’s/  Food, Fishing, Friends, Fluids @Skitchine Lodge

Bloom – BC wineries pour new releases in Vancouver

Planeta and Boutinot bring their best to Vancouver.

 

February 18th, 2017-Vancouver International Wine Festival!

hello

This is our 8th year of covering the Vancouver International Wine Festival.  For them this is Year 39.

Canada is the featured region and it’s going to be a wonderful family gathering with the pace of a gong show.

If you care about how Canadian wines are doing and where our wine industry is headed..this show and next week will hopefully supply answers and focus.

THE SHOW

 

 

Here is the guest line up for Hour One:

 

Daenna van Mulligen – The Wine Diva

Rhys Pender – Master of Wine

DJ Kearney – NewDistrict.ca  Director of Wine

Kurtis Kolt – The Bottle/Georgia Straight

 

Howard Soon – Sandhill Wines

Ann Sperling – Sperling Vineyards

Sandra Oldfield – Tinhorn Creek

 

Harry Hertscheg    – Executive Director VIWF

Christa-Lee McWatters Bond – Evolve

Harry McWatters – Time Wines

 

Chris Jentsch – CC Jentsch Wines

Gustav Allander – Foxtrot

David Scholefield – Haywire

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

 

Hour Two of 39th VanWineFest

Includes guests from

Ontario and  Nova Scotia