Audio

September 26th, 2020-Tasting & Talking with Michael Clark/Clos du Soleil & John Skinner/Painted Rock

September 25, 2020 Audio FIle, Tasting Room Radio 00:52:43

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THE SHOW

For all you wine fans looking to step up the quality of your weekly wines and then cellaring the same,  this week’s Tasting Room has two of the best wineries and wine leaders in one show.

 

Michael Clark – Clos Du Soleil

 

Michael Clark is the GM and Chief Winemaker at Clos du Soleil in the Similkameen Valley.

“we’re borrowing an aesthetic derived from Bordeaux – the art of blending – stamped with the flavors and aromas of Similkameen soil. “

Michael Clark Clos du Soleil

Clos du Soleil takes great pride in creating delicate wines, featuring beautifully ripe fruit and an amazing minerality. The “soil” in the Similkameen Valley is hard and unforgiving. However, if you can get the right vines to exist in that soil..the results are highly rewarding. For them and especially for you.

Michael is proud to taste and talk about these three wines, any one of which has the flavor and texture components to become your next go-to wine.

 

 

Chardonnay 2019

Pale Yellow. Scents of apple, lemon, and floral notes. On the palate lemon, pineapple, and a classic Similkameen minerality. No new oak but 8 months in barrels. Gently filtered just prior to bottling. $22.90.  A beauty!

Tasting Room -Clos du Soliel

Semillon 2019

Pale yellow. Aromas of pear, yellow apple, and lemon.

The palate is soft. A wonderful texture of ripe apple, peat, apricot, vanilla, and herbs.  Mostly fermented in stainless steel tanks but also some time in French oak puncheon.  Prior to bottling,  the barrel and tank components were blended and lightly filtered. $21.90.  More evidence that Semillon has a place in BC Wine.

 

Estate Reserve Red 2016

 

33% Cab/32% Merlot/20% Cab Franc/12% Petit Verdot/3% Malbec

Aromas of spice, cedar box, ripe black fruit, forest floor.

The palate combines black currant, licorice, and graphite. Tannins lead to a beautiful texture and mouthfeel.

This is just a beautifully structured joy.

Next time you have wine friends over and they’re going on about Bordeaux this and Napa that ..sneak this wine into the tasting and watch the smiles when you tell them who made it and where it’s from. $54.90

Fyi – The Signature 2016 won Gold at the Decanter Awards. Congratulations to the winemaking team.

www.closdusoleil.ca

 

 

 

Jon Adrian. Architectural, winery, and lifestyle photographer.

John Skinner – Proprietor of Painted Rock

Painted Rock Estate Winery was founded with a family legacy in mind by John and Trish Skinner in 2004. Named InterVin International Winery of the Year for 2018/2019, the winery produces primarily Bordeaux red varieties, along with a Chardonnay, Rosé, and Syrah.

 

The star of the winery is Red Icon – a true Bordeaux blend.  2017  has been nominated for Wine of the Year at the Decanter Awards.  Results in January! That’s a game breaker for any BC wine.

It’s been quite a year for John, his family, and his staff. Surrounded by wildfires, they were protected by the First Responder firefighters this summer. On the ground and especially in the air. The smoke from the fires spared the vineyards plus the smoke was blown south.

John got a great mention in the recent  NY Times article on BC Wines.

If anyone is going to lead BC wine into a World profile it very likely will be John Skinner and his peers.

Here’s what we tasted with Painted Rock.

Jon Adrian.  Adrian Photographers

Painted Rock  2016 Estate Grown Merlot

Clones 181 and 347. Hand-harvested, the wine was aged 18 months in French Oak. 30% was new.

Beautifully structured. There’s nothing flabby about this Merlot.

Is this the key to their award-winning blends?  Don’t bet against this Merlot.  Spectacular. The $34.99

 

Painted Rock 2016 Estate Grown Syrah.

 

Clones 99 and 100.

18 months in 30% New Oak.(80% French. 20% American)

And the other 70% was French Oak.

White and Black pepper abounds. Sage and lavender, all in one bottle.

If you can give this Syrah another couple of years in bottle, the reward should be outstanding.

If you can’t wait..it’s a really fine pour right now. $39.99

 

Painted Rock 2017 Estate Grown Red Icon

 

38% Merlot/21% Cab Franc/20% Petit Verdot/11 Cab/8Malbec/2% Syrah.

 

I ask John if the Merlot drives this bus.  He says it’s actually the 2% Syrah.

Notes of ripe black fruit, cassis, and whole nutmeg.

The palate reveals more black fruit, chocolate, and blueberry.

The tongue lingers on the smooth full texture and clean acidity.

It will get better and better with each vintage and each year in bottle.

Just like the owner, a true Icon. $59.99

www.paintedrock.ca

 

Jon Adrian. Architectural, winery, and lifestyle photographer. Kelowna Photographer / Okanagan Photographer / Painted Rock Winery / Waterfront Restaurant

 

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Zoom tasting at Yalumba

Maenam – The book

Noble Ridge

Sandra Oldfield – Back Again!!

Vanessa

Year 8 – The Four F’s in Kettle Valley

(Food. Fishing. Friends. Fluids)

Mayhem and Meyer – All in the Family

Fonseca Zoomathon from Portugal

Dining at Row 14 in Cawston

Sam Roberts – Music and Wine

 

 

 

EP 125 | Bang! The Bert Berns Story

September 24, 2020 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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Don’t know Bert Berns?

Maybe you’ve heard some of the songs he wrote and gave the World.

Twist and Shout.  Piece of my Heart. Here comes the Night. Hang on Sloopy. Brown Eyed Girl. Under the Boardwalk. Cry To me.

He produced Solomon Burke. The Drifters. Ben E King. Wilson Pickett, LaVern Baker,  Isley Bros, and  Van Morrison.

Bert was the first American Producer to record British bands in London.

One was Them, featuring Van Morrison.  Led Zeppelin recorded Baby Come on Home for their first album. Was released later in a box set.

He started his own label BANG. It featured artists like McCoys, Strangeloves, Neil Diamond. Van Morrison recorded his first solo album with Bang Records. It featured Brown Eyed Girl, the great TB Sheets, and the first-ever version of Madame George.  Van has said “Bert Berns was a genius”

Berns was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He died in 1967 of childhood rheumatic fever at age 38.  A lot of songs died with him.

This is an interview I did with his son Brett who was one of the directors and producers of Bang!  The Bert Berns Story, a documentary on his father’s life.

The film is narrated by Miami Steve van Zant from the E Street Band. It’s an inspired choice as Steve is known for playing a mob gangster, which is exactly what Bert  Berns was known for. Hanging around mafia guys when he wasn’t working.

Enjoy the story.  I believe you can find this documentary on Netflix.

September 19th, 2020 – Third Annual BC Cider fest!

September 18, 2020 Podcast, Tasting Room Radio 00:57:35

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THE THIRD ANNUAL BC CIDER FEST… BIGGER AND BETTER!

 

 

This week long craft cider celebration saw many cider events, tastings and
festivities throughout British Columbia with tasting events from Kelowna to
Vancouver Island, including tap takeovers, cider pairing meals, and much
more throughout the week.

The highlight for me and many others is the final event. The gathering of up
to 40 Cideries at The Pipe Shop foot of Lonsdale in North Vancouver.

It’s one of the buildings my father Pat worked in during WW2.

The first interview had to be with Shawn Pisio, who co-founded the B.C.
Cider Festival three years ago.

Glenn Ennis, Lynn Colliar and the Geo Team

Just how popular is this event? It sells out within minutes.

Cider is going through the very same revolution that craft beers did 10
years ago.

The opportunity to grow more cider apples in B.C. is unlimited, but BC is
already home to many excellent craft cideries.

One of the cideries we interviewed was Twin Island Cider on Pender Island.
They were voted most popular Cidery at this event.

Finally, for those of you who still think that ciders are not for you
because they’re too sweet or something…FORGET ABOUT IT..

It’s a whole new world out in the orchard.

Enjoy!!!!

Our guests are:

Shawn Pisio – Txotx/ Co-Founder

Russ Johnson – Owner/Cidermaker Truck 59 Kelowna

Sydney Bottomley – Asst Cider Maker Broken Ladder Kelowna

Nick Farrer – Founder The Bricker Cider Co Sechelt

Mike Lachelt – Co-owner/Cidermaker Salt Spring Wild SS Island

Mathew Vasilev Co-Owner Twin Island Cider Pender Island

David Schneider – Persephone Brewing Gibson’s BC

Kathleen van der Ree – Northyards Cider – Squamish

Mike Petkau – Nomad Handcrafted Cider – Summerland

Glenn Ennis – Owner Geo Cider Co – Squamish

Lynn Colliar – Geo Cider Squamish

Jeff Nairn – Co-Founder Windfall East Van

 

http://bcciderfest.ca/

Photos by Linda C

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Zoom tasting at Yalumba

Maenam – The book

Noble Ridge

Painted Rock

Sandra Oldfield – Back Again!!

Vanessa

Year 8 – The Four F’s in Kettle Valley

(Food. Fishing. Friends. Fluids)

Mayhem and Meyer – All in the Family

Clos du Soleil

Fonseca Zoomathon from Portugal

 

 

EP 124 | Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes

September 18, 2020 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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Based in LA, the Philly band Dawes will release their 7th album Friday October 2.   Good Luck with Whatever is  their first on Rounder Records.

 

(It’s a great fit ,  their lawyer is now  president of the label)

Taylor Goldsmith is an original member of the band, the primary songwriter and lead singer.

This is no one-man-band.

Dawes  is a true band. Great players front to back and top to bottom.

We’ll talk about

. the loss of Justin Townes Earle

. the loss of Justin Townes Earle

.Ingmar Bergman and Bob Dylan

.Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

.artists from the 60-70-80’s trying to stay creative.

.being labeled with having “the Laurel Canyon Sound”

.the stories behind 3 tracks.

                                St Augustine at Night

                                Who do you think you’re talking to

                                Still feel like a kid

Taylor Goldsmith – Dawes!

September 12th, 2020 – Pinot Clonal Heaven at  CedarCreek and Block Party Part Two  

September 11, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 01:07:07

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Pinot Clonal Heaven at  CedarCreek and Block Party Part Two

 THE SHOW

It was an offer I simply couldn’t refuse.

“would I be interested in tasting CedarCreek’s recent  releases – 3 separate Pinot Noirs,

fermented and bottled separately ”

 

2018 Clone 115 – See Paired Recipe

2018 Clone 667- See paired Recipe

2018 Clone 777- See Paired Recipe

 

I couldn’t say “yes” fast enough.

 

 

Their idea was to showcase each of the clones and along the way discover how unique each is from the other.

They also had a 2018 Block 5 Chardonnay for openers. See Paired Recipes

All four wines would be presented by winemaker Taylor Whelan and paired with special recipes created by Chef Neil Taylor from the sensational Home Block Restaurant at CedarCreek.

Taylor Whelan

AND they would agree to gather for a Zoom interview.

CedarCreek now have six clones of Pinot Noir planted at the Home Block, with several more to be added in the next few years.

In order to better understand the terroir and what each clone can bring to wine, they fermented these wines separately and bottled them separately. They selected fruit from silty loam soils for all three clones, fermented them all naturally, and used similar oak coopers and ages.

Each bottling is only four barrels (90-100 cases) and showcases how each of these clones best expresses the terroir of CedarCreek within the confines of its clonal heritage.

 Just a heads up, there weren’t too many cases made so contact CedarCreek soon if you’d like to purchase the Clonal Three Pack.

This was such fun.

The chef nailed the pairings and the wines were outstanding.

Of course they were, this is CedarCreek after all.

executive chef neil taylor

 

 

@cedarcreekwine

www.cedarcreek.bc.ca

 

 

 

 

 

 

Block Party (Part Two) – Sarah and Murray Bancroft-  Birch Block Wines. Kaleden, BC

Sarah and Murray Bancroft

 

As we explained in early June, this is a series.

(Like Schitt’s Creek without the laugh track.)

What you do hear is the sound of helicopters fighting a wildfire across from their home in Kaleden. They start flying at first light.

I wanted to follow a small winery from the start of the year to the conclusion.

Hoping to showcase what goes into our wines, how they get made, and the hazards that must be overcome.

Sarah and Murray Bancroft were a natural choice. They are just so damn cool, any wine they made would be likewise.

We’re following their ups and downs in the growing year 2020. Nobody factored in the possibility of a Worldwide Pandemic and raging fires in the Okanagan. And critters, varmints and predators. The whole food chain of nature. Not to mention the kindness of neighbours, the farming community around them and the wines they’re creating.

If you have always dreamed of reinventing yourself into a grower, farmer, winemaker or owner..have a listen to what Sarah and Murray are going through.  It’s a Block Party.

Oh and one more thing. IF you have expertise in harvest crafts please contact Birch Block Vineyards. They’re looking for people with your skills.

www.birchblockvineyard.com

https://www.instagram.com/birch.block.vineyard/

 

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

 

Zoom tasting at Yalumba

Maenam – The book

Noble Ridge

Painted Rock

Sandra Oldfield – Back Again!!

Vanessa

Year 8 – The Four F’s in Kettle Valley

(Food. Fishing. Friends. Fluids)

Mayhem and Meyer – All in the Family

Clos du Soleil

Fonseca Zoomathon from Portugal

 

 

 

 

 

EP 123 | Matt Quinn of Mt Joy

September 11, 2020 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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Hello All:

Like all great songwriters, Matt Quinn from LA band Mt Joy started all of his formal music training – in his bedroom in Philly

Even though Matt always had a desire to write and create music, he eventually started law classes.

He was deep into  tort law class when he saw that his first release Astrovan had 60,000 plays in one day on Spotify.

So much for the law career.

The second Mt Joy album is called Rearrange Us

Matt  describes the release  as a “breakup album” with an ending that speaks to personal growth and progress in the face of sorrow and is filled with hits!

These guys are really good.

Next Week – Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes.

September 5th, 2020 – Zooming with Jason and Naomi Priestley!

September 6, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 00:44:46

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Zooming with Jason and Naomi Priestley at Home

  

THE SHOW

 

Jason Priestley. Naomi Priestley  –  North Hollywood, Ca.

The Priestleys

 I’ve been very happy to call them friends for a long time.

Jason Priestley and I would see each other at auditions for TV and film roles in Vancouver.

Then he headed for LA and the rest you know.

Jason and TDM

Along with Producer Chad Oakes., we created and co hosted Hollywood and Vines TV. 3 years of shows from vineyards and kitchens in Italy, USA (California, Washington and Arizona), Mexico  and across Canada.

He met Naomi while acting in London. Jay didn’t know it yet but he was “done, like dinner”.

Naydog is a force… We had lots to get caught up on.  The kids, the USA and it’s pandemic and political crisis.

Plus three wines. The Rose they were drinking and my two – both with stories attached. Winemakers Cut and “The Mulligan” from Behrens and Hitchcock.

Nay asks about returning to The Guadalupe Valley outside of Ensenada Mexico. It was just waking up to the possibilities of winemaking there when we visited over 10 years ago. Now it’s just exploded.

We talk about the status of his current series Private Eyes, thoughts on shooting film and tv down  the road and how their  family, their  neighbours and fellow Californians are handling 2020.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its casual but a lot of fun. It gets serious a couple of times because it’s a serious time we’re all living in.  Cheers.  Enjoy!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Priestley

 

 

Mark Wachtin and Mich Pambrun   (Storied Wines and Spirits)

These two interviews were left over from our coverage of Swirl and Untapped in Parksville earlier this year.

Parksvilles gorgeous beaches!

I really like these guys and their outstanding  portfolio. They represent…

 

(Vancouver Island)

Rathjen, Unsworth, Wayward Distillation

 

 (Okanagan)

Anthony Buchanan

Bella

Lock and Worth

Desert Hills

Kitsch

Nagging Doubt

Nichol Vineyard

Synchromesh

Ursa Major

Skaha Vineyards

Scenic Road Cidery

Tall Tale

 

 

That is an impressive list of clients.

You can tell these guys know their wines and winemakers.

Mark Wachtin

Mark Wachtin

Founder – Storied Wines & Spirits

It’s all about the people—conversations, stories and histories. Vancouver Island raised (free range) with a lifetime in hospitality, Mark’s drawn to smaller, family-run operations, sustainable farming and handcrafted production methods.

Motivated by both the traditional and the new wave of producers, Mark has paired wine and food in world-class hotels, restaurants and eateries. Mark’s commitment is best expressed in his strong relationships with sommeliers, chefs, bartenders, servers and retail product consultants.

Mich Pambrun

Mich Pambrun

North Island Sales & Marketing Representative

Michel Pambrun, former DJ and hospitality pro from Manitoba, is an  Internationally accredited sommelier. Michel celebrates natural, sustainable terroir-driven wines and their environments.

His many distinctions include participation in multiple Gold Medal Plates events curating pairings and perhaps his finest harvest, the raising of  two incredible daughters.

http://www.storiedwinesandspirits.com/

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Zoom tasting at Yalumba

Cedar Creek food and wine pairing

Block Party Two –

Maenam – The book

Noble Ridge

Painted Rock

Sandra Oldfield – Back Again!!

Vanessa

Year 8 – The Four F’s in Kettle Valley

(Food. Fishing. Friends. Fluids)

Mayhem and Meyer – All in the Family

Clos du Soleil

EP 122 | Mike Plume and Tom Seaver

September 4, 2020 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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A rare double Guest Podcast!

We had always planned to showcase Mike Plume and his latest album Lonesome Stretch of Highway.

Mike has two dates coming up  Monday/Tuesday, Sept 7&8 at The Ironwood in Calgary.

We include four tracks from the album. His 10 years in Nashville show up in the songs. Solid work all around.

Then this week one of the greatest clutch pitchers to ever play baseball Tom Seaver died after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

I had interviewed Tom by phone at his vineyard on top of  Diamond Mt. Calistoga at 7am Feb 18 2013.

(He started his days early)

I loved the conversation. A mix of baseball moments/memories and watching over his vineyards every day.

Tom was a storyteller..have a listen, you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Enjoy Mike and please remember Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver.

Thank you

Stay SAFE

EP 121 | Kinnie Starr

August 29, 2020 Mulligan Stew Podcast

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Kinnie Starr just co-wrote the powerful single, THE BEST, with Amanda Rheaume and is looking into the future with hope!

2020 will see the release of her soundtrack for the award-winning Edge of the Knife directed by Gwaai Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown and a follow-up podcast to Play Your Gender, the documentary film Kinnie released in 2016 on gender equity in the music industry. 

September 4-5-6 Kinnie will co-headline with Buffy Ste Marie and Snotty Nose Rez Kids at 2RiversRemix,   a live stream of Contemporary Indigenous Music

Normally it would have taken place in Lytton. BC but nothing is normal about 2020. 

Kinnie and I talk about her thoughts on Nation Indigenous Day, her soundtrack for Edge of the Knife, and the 2RiversRemix event next weekend.

You’re going to want to sit down for this one.

For more information, visit 2riversremix.ca.

 

August 29th, 2020 – HONOURING WINE EVENTS THAT DISAPPEARED THIS YEAR:

August 28, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 00:59:32

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HONOURING WINE EVENTS THAT DISAPPEARED THIS YEAR:

 

 Hello all:

We started April by showcasing the wine events that would have happened in early 2020 except for the fact that the Earth was fighting a pandemic.

First was event was  –

 Locals Only.  Vancouver Islands  best showcase of  distillers, winemakers, brewers and cider makers.

Then Okanagan Falls &  Skaha Lake Wine Assn  pour in Vancouver. They were shut down. So we went back to 2019 and talked to the very same wineries. When people could shake hands and stand next to one another.

This week its Top Drop Vancouver/Victoria.

Top Drop is simply one of the best small wine festivals anywhere.

They ask of applicants to be sustainable, honour the fruit, don’t mess with the winemaking and be true to the land.

Unsworth Cowichan Valley

It’s become an astounding collection of “must taste” wineries.

We go back to years 4 and 5 to relive the interviews.

To salute BC Wine Month, we have collected only interviews with BC wineries.

Naramata beauty

 

Our guests are:

https://topdrop.ca/

 

 

 STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Cedar Creek – The Pinot Bundle

Tasting with Yalumba on Zoom

Birch Block – Volume 2

Vanessa

Four F’s