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EP 335 | Critics Round Table – Critics Choice Awards 2025

January 25, 2025 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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The fires outside Los Angeles had brought tragedy and carnage.
Everything stopped for the firefighters, medical teams,  first responders, support teams, and those directly affected by the wildfires.
It’s awards season in LA.  The 2025 Critics Choice Film and TV Awards were to take place in January just as the fires were raging.  Those fires and the conditions that swept them through homes and communities have subsided enough that the Critics Choice Awards are now taking place on Friday, Feb 7th.  4-7 Pacific/7-10 East On E Channel
It’s also found on FuboTV DirectTV and SlingTV. 
Firefighters and first responders will be honoured at the beginning of the broadcast.

Our guests on this critic’s roundtable are
Hillary Atkin – The Atkin Report  Los Angeles
Shawn Edwards – Fox 4 Kansas City
Reginald Ponder – The Reel Critic  Chicago

EP 334 | The Changes in 2025 BC Wine Rhys Pender Master of Wine /Kathy Malone Winemaker (Hillside)

January 20, 2025 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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Rhys Pender – Master of Wine/Little Farm Winery  (Similkameen)
Kathy Malone – Winemaker at Hillside Estate  (Naramata Bench)
There are so many elements in play during the 2025 BC wine-growing season. AND it’s just started.
Two cold snaps that damaged or killed many vines and vineyards over the past two Winters.
It caused many growers to consider planting more winter-proof varietals and adjusting vineyard locations.
Then came news that an agreement had been reached between Wine Growers of BC and the BC provincial government.
While the new plantings were taking hold, in order to help farming families survive, for one year BC wineries could source their grapes from out of the province. Many headed for Washington. Some to Oregon, California, Ontario, the Frazer Valley and Vancouver Island.  The last two BC wine regions were not hit by the cold.
Some wineries flatly refused to use non-BC fruit.

Rhys Pender

Soon, we’ll all start to see labels that say something like  “Washington grapes crafted in BC“!
Have fun tasting the blends and varietals that we’ve never seen or tasted here before.
You’re supporting BC farmers and wineries at the same time.

On Tasting Room Radio and this Podcast, we’ll be doing a series of specials on how various wineries and growers have committed to survive and thrive.  Who knows what their new direction may be.
There’s no denying it – BC Wines will be changing but there will be wines!!!
Enjoy the conversation between myself and Master of Wine Rhys Pender and Winemaker at Hillside Estate on the Naramata Bench Kathy Malone.  
 

TRR Jan 11 2025 – This is Wine School & BC Wines Direct to Alberta

January 11, 2025 Tasting Room Radio 0:46:48

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This is Wine School –  Kelcie Jones and Jenna Brisco wine educators
And
BIG NEWS:   BC Wineries can now sell directly to Alberta consumers.  
The Guest is Paul Sawler. Board Chair Wine Growers of BC.   Plus sales & marketing for Dirty Laundry.

THE SHOW 

 
This is Wine School 
Smaller, funny and essential wine school in Chinatown with outstanding educators.
This is Wine School

The guests are

Kelcie Jones –  The Best Sommelier in BC 2023
As a perennial student of wine, Kelcie holds the WSET Diploma, 3IC Italian wine certificate, and is a Stage 2 student with the Institute of Masters of Wine. She teaches WSET courses to novices and industry professionals alike and leads BC Wine Ambassador courses locally. For the past half-decade, Kelcie was Wine Director for Chambar Restaurant in Vancouver, where she managed a team of sommeliers and led them to several Platinum Awards at the Vancouver International Wine Festival.
Following that, she opened Elephant on Powell as GM and wine director, which was featured in the Michelin guide and Air Canada’s En Route in its first year. Outside of wine, Kelcie holds a Master’s in English Literature from the University of Toronto
Jenna Brisco – Partner and Educator
Jenna has a diverse background in the wine industry, spanning hospitality and business consulting. She earned her WSET Diploma in 2018 and now teaches the programme in Vancouver. She also completed the WSET Educator Training Programme in 2019. Jenna is the Project Director for Top Drop Canada, a terroir-focused wine festival, and serves as an international wine judge. A student in the Master of Wine programme, she became a VinItaly Italian Wine Ambassador in 2018.
Her sommelier experience includes work at Vancouver’s Hawksworth and Elisa, as well as London’s Medlar and Lorne. For over 10 years she was the General Manager of Café Medina in Vancouver. In 2016, Vancouver Magazine named her a top front-of-house ‘All-Star’ for her work there.
Jenna is currently the Technical Director for the Best Sommelier of British Columbia and has helped curate the Best Sommelier of Canada competition. Best of all, she is a new Mom. Congratulations.
I was fascinated by This is Wine School. From the title alone.
 
But I had also worked with Kelcie at Van Wine Fest and judged with Jenna at Lt Governer’s Awards.  It felt like a good fit. So much so that I’ve asked if they would co-host with me at this years Van Wine Fest.
Along with their third partner Maude Renaud- Brisson, who’s currently in Spain.
Kelcie and Jenna explain the courses and how it all came together. We also talk BC wine in general including  the state of BC wine heading into 2025.

BC Wine/Alberta wine fans.  –  Finally, a hug and a handshake.

Our guest is Paul Sawler.  Board Chair  BC Wine Growers & leadership at Dirty Laundry (Summerland)

Dirty Laundry Vineyard

BC wineries can now ship Direct-To-Consumer in Alberta!

Starting this week, BC wineries who register can sell into Alberta; report and make payment to AGLC for the wine products they sell directly to consumers in Alberta.

Paul Sawler

Alberta is a huge market for BC wineries, so it is about time that the AGLC caught up, to allow this mutually beneficial relationship.

Al Hudec and I advocated against Alberta’s blockade of BC wine one year ago. This is great news for BC wineries and growers.  Hello Alberta wine fans!!!
Paul Sawler takes us through the process that achieved this partnership.
It took top level government teams on both sides of the Alberta/BC border get this right.
We thank those involved and Paul and the board at Wine Growers for speaking on our behalf.

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

The Hatch
Van Wine Fest
Fort Berens
Victoria Whisky Festival
Hester Creek

EP 333 | Paul Sawler on BC Wines Now Direct to Alberta

January 11, 2025 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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BC Wine/Alberta wine fans.  –  Finally, a hug and a handshake.

Our guest is Paul Sawler.  Board Chair  BC Wine Growers & leadership at Dirty Laundry (Summerland)

Starting this week, BC wineries that register can sell directly to consumers in Alberta.

Alberta is a huge market for BC wineries, so it is about time that the AGLC caught up, to allow this mutually beneficial relationship.

 This is great news for BC wineries and growers.  Hello Alberta wine fans!!!

Paul Sawler takes us through the process that achieved this partnership.
It took top-level government teams on both sides of the Alberta/BC border get this right.
We thank those involved and Paul and the board at Wine Growers for speaking on our behalf.

EP 332 | The Return of Oscar Lopez

January 4, 2025 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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Welcome to 2025 all.
Our guest is Oscar Lopez. 2 time Juno winner. 10 albums were released. 
Nothing usual about the words above, except that for several years Oscar had disappeared!  From entertainment, media and life itself.
This interview is his way of explaining how he went from winning two Juno awards and walking onto stages with loving audiences to living in his car on the streets of Calgary.
Through tears,  Oscar talks about the dark years he’s been through.
Mental and alcohol battles. Second guessing himself.
With the help of his family members and an overflowing GoFundMe effort, he’s finally found the peace and strength to find a place to call home and return to the stage. Jan 17/18 at La Bodeguita Stereo in Calgary

EP 332 | Hallelujah. Leonard Cohen. A Journey – A song

December 28, 2024 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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It’s not just the life of Leonard Cohen.  It’s the life of his song,  Hallelujah.

When he released it on the album  Various Positions, his label in the USA,  Columbia Records, refused to release it.  It never got played and was almost forgotten…until John Cale recorded it for the tribute album I’m Your Fan and it began a life of its own. The song passed from Bob Dylan to Cale, to Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, kdlang and the  Shrek Soundtrack. Now, it’s legendary.

With Fame comes The Lame. Various singers have crushed the life out of Hallelujah in TV Talent shows. Some crediting the song to Jeff Buckley without knowing that Cohen lived it and wrote it.

Leonard wrote 130-150 verses for the song. Took him many  years. At times made him lose his famous cool.

Hallelujah started as a spiritual journey. With various Leonard rewrites it became a secular,  sexy anthem. Before and after it was released to the World, the song took on a life of its own.

Post Shrek, Hallelujah took Leonard Cohen to audiences all over the World. It’s a heartfelt film that captures the brilliance of Leonard Cohen and the song.

The film was released in 2022.

This is smashing filmmaking and epic storytelling.

The directors are Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine.

Dan Geller said “the real focus is Leonard the man asking the deep questions about the purpose of life, the challenges of life, the holiness of life, and the brokenness of life”

https://www.sonyclassics.com/film/hallelujah/

As we sat down Dan said – It’s only about one song but we managed to fit in 22 Cohen songs.

Available for screening on Netflix, Hulu, Crave, and Apple. MUNI

 

 

 

 

EP 331 | Trans Canada Christmas Vol.1

December 21, 2024 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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It’s our first-ever Trans Canada Christmas – starring the Trans Canada Highwaymen.
Steven Page – BNLadies and Steven Page Trio
Moe Berg – Pursuit of Happiness
Craig Northey – Odds and Steven Page Trio
Chris Murphy – Sloan
They are great friends, each with his band and career.
What they have in common is a sense of the music they grew up with and a welcome sense of humour.
These Christmas sessions began in the ’70s at CBC Vancouver with Producer Susan Englebert: Shari Ulrich, Valdy, Terry Frewer, Roy Forbes, and several guests.
5-6 years of gathering around a series of microphones, playing Christmas songs and telling Christmas stories. Such fun.
Sadly, we lost our friend Susan to cancer and the Christmas show to time itself.
The concept returned at Roundhouse Radio in Vancouver in 2015 and we enjoyed three years of Christmas in the Round with Barney Bentall and his assorted friends.
We’ve played all three years on past Christmas Stews.
Now comes CKUA’s turn to host the same tradition.
Each Highwayman brings a Christmas song and stories of past Christmas tales.
5 songs in total. Craig Northey’s was co-written with Brent Butt of Corner Gas. Steven’s is about cheese logs. Chris’s is about kids coming home and Moe’s is the Christmas Classic Mistletoe and Holly.  They finish with Do they know it’s Christmas.
 
Thank you to Arianne, Duke, Jasmine, and Bren for their production skills in bringing this show to air. Amazing work. And to Corey Wood for his skills and friendship in the edit and graphic studio here on Vancouver Island.

EP 330 | Christmas in The Round Revisited (Year 3-2017)

December 13, 2024 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays All

From  1974 to 1979 I was lucky enough to host Great Canadian Goldrush on CBC Radio  National.

Every Christmas we had a Christmas Jam – in the studio. Produced by Susan Englebert. (with assistance from Claire Lawrence)

Except for the mixed drinks, it was nothing fancy but it was an hour of heart-felt stories and songs.

The artists included Roy Forbes and Shari Ulrich.

After a handful of years, we lost our leader. Producer Susan Englebert lost her battle with Cancer.

We dedicate each of these Christmas show in  her memory.

When Goldrush left the air, Christmas Jam disappeared UNTIL Roundhouse Radio in Vancouver came on air, I had a studio to capture this magic.

I talked to Shari, Roy, and Barney Bentall and they all signed on for a reconnect.

We got 3 years of Christmas in the Round recorded and then Roundhouse went dark.

Keeping the tradition alive, this year we present Year 3 of Christmas in the Round  (2017)

and Next Week the tradition continues with The Trans Canada Highwaymen.

 

This Week –

The Lineup includes

Jim Byrnes

Shari Ulrich

Barney Bentall

Bill Henderson (Chilliwack)

Craig Northey   (Odds and Steven Page Trio)

On percussion Geoff Hicks (Colin James, Barney, Cuddy, Byrnes, Northey etc)

Rob Becker (guitar/vocals)

Kirby Barber (guitar/vocals)

Roy Forbes was unavailable in Year 3 BUT I found him hiding in Year One

He brings with him two songs and the slide guitar of Shaun Verreault from Wide Mouth Mason.

And yes..he does tell the story and rolls out his Christmas Classic Mince Meat Tart

EP 329 | Talking B.C. Wine with Liam Mayclem “The Foodie Chap” in SF!

December 8, 2024 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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(Jason Priestley – tdm – Liam Mayclem)

Liam Mayclem and I met doing interviews at  film junkets weekends in LA, NYC, Chicago etc.

Me from Vancouver. He from San Francisco.

We talked about two things -Movies and Wine.

(The shot above was from our  Hollywood and Vines shoot with Liam)

Now,  Liam moves at a speed most humans couldn’t and wouldn’t abide.

He’s become an essential key to San Francisco’s dynamic hospitality, culinary and wine communities.

The Host of Food Chap, CBS radio and TV. His foodie chap podcast etc. and any charity that needs a razor sharp auctioneer or host or both.

Liam has always stayed in touch and always keen to know about the BC wine industry and food scene.

Here’s Liam’s latest podcast interview – with your truly.

 

www.bookliam.com

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Liam Mayclem (@liammayclem)

EP 328 | 2024 The State of BC Wine -With Winemakers, Owners, Wine Growers and Master of Wine Opinions

November 30, 2024 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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We’re nearing the end of a volatile year in BC Wine.
It featured wildfires, floods, COVID, road closures, price, tax and wage increases and two cold snaps over two Winters.
Vineyards were damaged or destroyed by the freeze. Wineries and growers were facing a 2025 with little or no wines to cellar and sell. The Wine Industry and Government leadership came up with a plan to allow BC Wineries to harvest next year’s fruit this year in Washington, Oregon, California, Ontario and The Cowichan Valley.
As long as the label states “Crafted in BC” and the process is transparent.
Will BC wine fans buy their favourite labels if the fruit comes from another region?
If they like the new juice, will they still embrace their original BC wines?
What gets replanted, and what new varietals will we see growing in the new BC?
So much to consider.
Which is why we’ve invited four of the most connected leaders from the BC wine industry to share opinions, suggestions and creative ideas over the course of an hour.
They are:
Cristine Coletta:  Co-Owner Okanagan Crush Pad.  For 9 years,  executive director of the BC Wine Institute!
Specialist in marketing and branding wine.   www.okanagancrushpad.com

Christine-Coletta-OCP

DJ Kearney – Wine Director The Terminal City Club. Wine Educator at large. @djwines  www.tcclub.com

DJ Kearney

Rhys Pender – Master of Wine. Co-owner of Little Farm Wine. Similkameen Valley www.wineplus.ca

Rhys Pender

Lauren Skinner Buksevics– Director of Sales and Marketing Painted Rock. Okanagan Falls.  Member of the Wine Growers of BC Board. @paintedrocklaur  @paintedrockwine www.paintedrock.ca
lauren skinner

Lauren Skinner