Audio

EP 110 | Dawn Pemberton

June 6, 2020 Mulligan Stew Podcast

hello

 

It’s like the storyline out of a bestselling book.

In the middle of a political battle for the life of a nation and a virus that takes the lives of 1000’s of its citizens,  a  black man dies at the hands of a police offer while his squad looks on.

The truth is caught on a phone camera and shown to The World.

Days later..citizens all over America and The World are walking, shouting and rioting in protest and a slogan from 2013 reappears,  Black Lives Matter and THIS TIME

It appears the message is actually getting through.

Dawn Pemberton is a wonderful singer, songwriter, and educator who shows up on albums all the time plus her own release  “Sayin’ Something”

She leads The Roots and Wings choir..tours with The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer, sits in with the Good Noise Choir, and tries to lead by example.

Her father was born in St Kitts.  Her Mother in Barbados.

They moved to Canada and restarted their lives. Dawn has lived in Canada all her life and still has to deal with racism.

Who better to share her feelings on Black Lives Matter and the movement on the streets than Dawn Pemberton.

My thanks to The Shouting Hour last Sunday who showed the way.

June 6th, 2020- Winemaking Couples  –   Birch Block and 2House  

June 5, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 01:02:00

hello

Winemaking Couples  –   Birch Block and 2House

 

THE SHOW

 Block Party with Sarah and Murray Bancroft  (a series)

This whole show is about new school and old school winemaking.

Ian Sutherland and Valeria Tait have been a couple for years in the Okanagan but now have decided to make wine together. Finally.  After all those years. That’s the second half of TRR.

We start with one of the newest, coolest couples to ever become winemakers and farmers.

Just a couple of years ago Sarah and Murray Bancroft were living the life in Paris.

 

Murray is a trained chef but works in food and menu design/styling.

Sarah is an editor and is skilled at crafting digital sites and campaigns.

Now they’re farmers in Kaleden, just south of Penticton. Their winery is called Birch Block

www.birchblockvineyard.com

What we have in common is a love for a documentary called The Biggest Little Farm

“The Biggest Little Farm is about a young couple who decide to leave their old lives behind and buy a farm. The movie especially points out how hard it is to keep a farm running and all of the hardships, sadness and anger they face, but also the happy, beautiful moments and the relationships they build.”

https://www.biggestlittlefarmmovie.com/

I like these two and their story so much, we’re going to do a series of interviews..chronicling their growing season and the up and downs of being a new school winemaking team.

Sarah says the series is called Block Party.

Birch Block has released a Rose and a small lot chardonnay. The future sounds like Pinot Noir is in the plans. They have a guest house with French linen, Moroccan plates and Spanish hats.

If the wines are as stylish as these two..you’ll want to get your hands on some.

Valeria Tait and Ian Sutherland – Old School

When Meg and I first moved to the Naramata Bench in 2007, the very first winemaking locals we became friends with were Ian Sutherland and Val Tait.

Ian had founded Poplar Grove. A small vineyard with huge potential. Ian was a really good winemaker and always fun to be around.

Val was a viticulturist. Basically hired to design vineyards and consult in the planting and growing.  Painted Rock, Poplar Grove, Bench 1775.

Years went by.

Ian sold Poplar Grove and headed for Panama. Valeria became GM and winemaker at Bench 1775 and joined Ian in the off season. They built a beautiful home in Panama.

Now. FINALLY. They have decided to make wines together but not the same wine.

For example, they’ll both make a Cab Franc but one will be Ian’s take and the other Val’s.

Love that.

The wines will be called 2House..with a second label called Charisma.

They have a Tempranillo coming. Plus Bubble and  Semillon/Sauvignon.

Val has agreed to become the winemaker at Gold Hill, the label that the farming Gill family has built. Her partner is those wines is the not yet 30 year old Navi Gill. Definitely new school.

Navi joins us in the last  segment.

Instagram: @2housewine

https://www.goldhillwinery.com/

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

 

 

NEXT

The Hatch

Unsworth

Row 14 at Klippers Organics

Orofino

Road 13

May 30th, 2020- David Farran Pres.  Eau Claire Distillery, Turner Valley & A Revisit to Tofino Food and Wine

May 30, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 01:06:35

hello

 

David Farran Pres.  Eau Claire Distillery, Turner Valley & A Revisit to Tofino Food and Wine

  

THE SHOW

 For years, a huge percentage of the grains that were grown by farmers in Alberta were shipped to The UK to make Scotch. 80% of all that Scotch was made with Alberta Barley.

The distillers who did make spirits in Alberta , made  whisky in bulk.

Then David Farran  left his management position at Big Rock Brewing and began the dream of starting Alberta’s  first ever craft distillery. Eau Claire was born in Turner Valley South of Calgary.

David Farran

David partnered with brewer and distiller Larry Kerwin in 2014 to launch the first micro distillery in Alberta,  Eau Claire Distillery.

The spirit maker?  Caitlin Quinn, Glaswegian and very talented.

Eau Claire can be found in beautiful Turner Valley..on Sunset Blvd.  Yup.  The old movie theatre and dance hall building built in 1929.

eau claire single malt

I love the fact that they harvest with Percheron horse teams, trained by The Amish. The only people still harvesting by horse.

Does it make for better spirits?  You tell me.

Parlour Gin. Ploughman’s Rye, Cherry Gin, Saskatoon Honey Gin, Dill Pickle Vodka,  Three Point Vodka and Alberta’s first single malt whisky.

Prickly Pear equinOx and many more.

They open their Tasting Room first week in June.

Local farmers. Local grains.

“from farm to glass”

www.eauclairedistillery.ca

 

Remembering The Tofino Food and Wine Festival  (2019)

The Tofino Food and Wine fest was always one of the outstanding events on the calendar.

The Gardens

Sure there were lots of other food and wine gatherings,  in ballrooms, basements and  convention centres. None of them could match holding a wine festival in a beautiful community garden and a RAINFOREST.

Welcome to Tofino

It was organized by Kira Rogers and a wonderful team of volunteers.

We covered the event as part of our Tofino food and craft special.

The Music

Months later a press release arrived from Kira cancelling future events.

“For the past 16 years, our experience in working with the British Columbia LCRB has been positive, constructive, helpful and supportive. In 2019, our 17th year producing this well-loved event, our experience was the opposite: obstructive, hostile, intimidating and rude. We felt like an opponent.”  

Way to go LCRB.

 While we wait for the possible return of this wonderful gathering, I thought I’d offer the interviews we did last year.

Kira Rogers – organizer

Sara Triggs – Culmina Sales and Marketing Manager  Culmina.ca

Rob Hammersley – Owner Black Market Wines  BlackMarketwine.ca

Chris Smith – Island rep for Way West Wines  waywestwines.com

David Gouge – Owner Sea Star Wines. Pender Island  seastarvineyards.ca

Paul Gardner –  Co-Owner Pentage    pentage.com

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Block Party at The Birth Block Vineyard – a series.

Unsworth

Orofino

Row 14 at Klippers

The Hatch

Road 13

Valeria Tait and Ian Sutherland – 2Houses

BC Wine Lovers Cookbook

Ned Bell

EP 109 | Susana Trilling-Chef. Educator. Oaxaca, Mexico

May 29, 2020 Mulligan Stew Podcast

hello

Susana Trilling is a chef, teacher, caterer, author, TV hostess, food consultant, and director of Seasons of My Heart Cooking School and Sazon de Mi Corazon S.A. de C.V., producing gourmet Mexican products.  She’s from Philly.

She owned 2 NYC restaurants, a restaurant in Fremantle, Western Australia, and has lived in Oaxaca since 1988, where her two sons were born and raised on her ranch outside of the city.

She wrote My Search for the Seventh Mole and Seasons of My Heart; A Culinary Journey through Oaxaca, Mexico to accompany her 13 part PBS series, that ran for 6 years.

 Susana was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oaxacan International Food and Wine Festival in 2002 and in 2012 was presented with the Espiga de Oro Award for her work promoting Oaxacan cuisine internationally. She has been featured at many Food and Wine and Cacao Festivals and been a celebrity chef at CIA San Antonio’s annual Paella Challenge.

 Please enjoy this mid-afternoon chat with Susana Trilling. If you get a chance Google her complete history. It’s fascinating.

http://seasonsofmyheart.com/

EP 108 | Julius Makarewicz-Nude Beverages Founder

May 23, 2020 Mulligan Stew Podcast

hello

It’s 2013.
In Vancouver, 23-year-old Julius Markarewicz is at a trade show featuring entrepreneurs who have “new ideas”. He’s one of many.
His idea is putting vodka and soda TOGETHER in a can so all we have to do is pour it.
Nude Beverages are now approaching 44 Million cans sold.
This is the story we tell today.

May 23rd, 2020- OUR RESTAURANTS ARE OPEN – NOW WHAT?/ NUDE BEVERAGES- THE STORY/FORT BERENS

May 21, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 00:56:51

hello

OUR RESTAURANTS ARE OPEN – NOW WHAT?/ NUDE BEVERAGES- THE STORY/FORT BERENS

THE SHOW

First things first – we hope this finds you safe and well.

I’m sure you heard that BC’s restaurants are being allowed to re-open.  Be forewarned – they won’t look or feel like what you’re used to.

 

(the BC Governments document here)

Here are  the words that keep popping up under General Considerations:

Consider

Modify

Eliminate

Maintain

Provide

Create

Manage

Support

Ensure

Encourage

…and for the restaurants..directions such as

Remove, used multiple times

Provide

Consider

Limit

Encourage

Here’s a link from Scout Magazine that breaks down the original document and gives you the info you need to know.  https://scoutmagazine.ca/2020/05/15/new-table-service-protocols-for-bc-restaurants/

Tasting Room Radio reached out to three leaders in the Food and Beverage industry to get their opinions and reactions.

Andrew Morrison – Editor in Chief  www.ScoutMagazine.Ca

andrew morrison

Scott Ward – President/COO Brown’s Restaurant Group https://brownssocialhouse.com/

Scott Ward

Ian Tostenson – President and CEO of BC Restaurant & Food

ian-tostenson

Services Assn  https://www.bcrfa.com/about-us

We‘ll keep going back to this story  as it unfolds.

Julius Markarewicz  – Founder of Nude Beverages

julius-makarewicz- in the beginning…

 

The press release was one of many that day. It said something like “ Nude Beverages is shipping more product to Ontario because in their debut they:

“SOLD OUT”

Nude is Canada’s original sugar free Vodka Soda Brand.

It all started in 2013 when Julius thought he saw a gap in the adult beverage market. Right then he  started his plan to launch an RTD (ready to drink) beverage.

But first, he had to convince the BC Liquor Board to sell his discovery in their stores.

Nude was sugar, sweetener, gluten and carb free.

48 hours before the window of opportunity was closed, he sat opposite their headquarters in a Starbucks and drank a lifetime of coffee and let the decision makers across the street know  that he was “right there:” if they had a questions.

At the last minute they called and he/they were in.

Nude sold 1Million cans in 2019 with a 30% market share.

It’s been a blur every since.  They have now sold 44 Million cans across Canada and in a growing number of US States.

Nude comes seven flavours now with more to follow.  Besides the original vodka soda, there’s gin soda, iced tea, tequila soda etc.

Nude feels it’s important to give back to the community and are developing relationships with animal rescue groups as part of their company expansion plans with more charities and movements added every month.

They have also committed to the covid relief efforts.

https://nudebeverages.com/covid-relief-fund/

Julius will bring us up to speed with this two part interview.

www.nudebeverages.com

@nudebeverages

Rolf de Bruin  – co-founder of Fort Berens Wines

Rolf-de-Bruin-Fort-Berens-Lillooetnews

With his wife Heleen, they moved from Holland to BC, eventually choosing Lillooet to plant and grow their own dreams, in the form of a vineyard and winery. On a day-to-day basis, Rolf helps lead the Fort Berens team by example and by inspiration. He also manages the sales and marketing for the business. Eleven owners show great teamwork.

Rolf takes us through tasting notes and price points of their new releases

2019 Pinot Gris – 10% barrel age.  Yummy! Apples, lemon, vanilla

2019 Riesling – blend of 3 vineyards. Classic honey- grass notes. Apple, pear ,citrus

2019 Rose – 5 clones all from estate. floral nose & strawberries in the mouth

                      (828-667-777-115-47)

2018 Pinot Noir – from estate, Similkameen & West Kelowna. French Oak. Cherries. berries. Pepper around the edges. (perfect with salmon)

2017 White Gold Chardonnay. Dry Creek Vineyard, Fort Berens Estate.

Aged in French Oak until blending. Texture, acidity, apples and orange. Pasta/chicken

2017  Red Gold– Dry Creek Vineyard.67% Merlot & 33% Cab Franc.(passimento style)

Aromas of blackberries & plums,  sage & liquorice. Flavours of spice, dark fruit, oak.

Great with game, beef, hard cheese and a hammock.

www.fortberens.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON:

Block Party – a series.

Eau Claire Distillery

Noble Ridge

Unsworth. Orofino. Row 14.The Hatch. Road 13

(a virtual road trip)

Lock and Worth

Anthony Buchanan

Mt Boucherie

Bartier Brothers

May 15th, 2020 – The WHISKY SPECIAL, featuring Davin de Kergommeaux, Eau Claire & Shelter Point

May 15, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 00:55:44

hello

The WHISKY SPECIAL, featuring Davin de Kergommeaux, Eau Claire & Shelter Point

THE SHOW

Davin De Kergommeaux – The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries

“There is a movement stirring in Canada’s spirits world”

  “There was a time, in the decades after Prohibition, when Canadian whisky was all the rage in America, when a bottle of Crown Royal sat on the bar cart of any serious imbiber. But by the time the renaissance in whiskey making and drinking began in the early 2000s, the Canadian product had long ago been dismissed as bland and bottom-shelf.”  (NY Times 2018)

 Davin has been featured on Tasting Room Radio a number of times.

He is the voice, face and author who best represents Canadian Whisky.

Check out his bio….

DAVIN DE KERGOMMEAUX is an independent expert who has been writing, talking, and teaching about whisky in all its forms and flavours for two decades. He is the world’s leading authority on Canadian whisky, and has been called “Canada’s unofficial whisky ambassador” as well as being named one of the most influential Canadians in Food and Drink by The Globe and Mail in 2016.

Davin de Kergommeaux

He is a former contributing editor to Whisky Magazine, and has contributed to or co-authored eight other books about whisky, spirits, and cocktails. He now writes full-time, and is regularly featured in many websites and publications, including Whisky Advocate.

De Kergommeaux is the founder and chairperson of the prestigious Canadian Whisky Awards and publishes comprehensive tasting notes on his website, www.canadianwhisky.org.

Penguin Random House has released his landmark book The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries with co-author Blair Phillips.

It begins:

“There is a movement stirring in Canada’s spirits world”

Davin de Kergommeaux is acknowledged as the man leading the movement.

When I first met him I admitted right away that I had no history with his spirits world.  (Lemon gin does not count)

So he became my teacher and I hope  through Tasting Room Radio he became yours as well.

This book is a huge read. There are over 200 distilleries mentioned…  it may take you many months and many sips  to read the whole book but what a journey.

Davin talks about tasting and discovering these fine craft Distilleries

Eau Claire – Turner Valley, Ab

Forty Creek – Grimsby. On

Two Brewers – Whitehorse, Yukon

Shelter Point – Campbell River, BC

Rheault – Hearst,  On

IronWorks – Lunenburg, NS

Black Velvet – Lethbridge, Ab

Dairy – Almonte, On

Crown Royal

And others…

Two distilleries are featured in the last half of this week’s “Room”

 Eau Claire Distillery  –  Turner Valley , Alberta – just south of Calgary.

Caitlin Quinn Eau Claire

They were the first hand crafted whisky in Alberta.  Noted for old school horse farming, a wonderful single malt now in its third batch and their very popular Parlour Gin  . Our guest is Glaswegian  Caitlin Quinn, Master Distiller.

Eau Claire Single Malt

 Shelter Point –  Campbell River, BC

When we first started Tasting Room Radio  years ago  we heard about “this guy on Vancouver Island making whisky”

Shelter Point

That guy turned out to be owner/farmer  Patrick Evans.  He has 155  hectares to work with and a great team that includes Head Distiller Leon Webb and our guest Distillery Manager Jacob Weibe

Shelter Point

 

FYI – when asked by officials,  they quickly turned their spirits into hand sanitizer for all of us to use.  It’s a  safeguard  against the virus. That commitment alone should solidify OUR commitment to tasting their whiskeys, Gin and  Vodka.

www.canadianwhisky.org.

https://eauclairedistillery.ca/

https://shelterpoint.ca/

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Fort Berens

Nude Beverages.  On a big time roll

David Farran – Founder of Eau Claire Distillery

Unsworth/Orfofino/Row 14/The Hatch/Road 13  – The virtual Road Trip

EP 107 | Jeffrey Katzenberg

May 15, 2020 Mulligan Stew Podcast

hello

Mid-April I was lucky enough to be invited to interview Meg Whitman, the CEO of Quibi.

Quibi is new entertainment art form.  A short form mobile video company. Content is  intended for viewing on smart phones.

Nothing longer than 10 minutes.  News, series, films, documentaries. You name it.

Quibi stands for Quick Bites. It also stands for “ambitious”

Meg’s partner and our guest  is Jeffrey Katzenberg,

Former Disney Chair  (Little Mermaid – Lion King)

led Disney animation (Beauty and The Beast -Roger Rabbit)

and DreamWorks (Shrek)

It’s fair to say, this is a tough sell..they’re already planning on expanding to TV capability.

Lots of competition. Many choices. As Jeffrey says in our interview… “this isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. Check back in a year”

 

For your information and convenience, we’ve put both interviews together here.

Here’s Meg Whitman and Jeffrey Katzenberg. The Team behind Quibi

May 9th, 2020 – Zooming with Jason and Naomi Priestley!

May 9, 2020 Tasting Room Radio 00:50:08

hello

Zooming with Jason and Naomi Priestley at Home

  

THE SHOW

 

Jason Priestley. Naomi Priestley  – At Home in 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

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 Berens 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!!

 

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 like these guys and I really like their portfolio. They represent – check this out –

(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:

Fort Berens

Davin de Kergommeaux

(The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries)

Nude Beverages.  On a big time roll

EP 106 | Jason Priestley

May 8, 2020 Mulligan Stew Podcast

hello

Welcome to the pandemic

This week’s podcast is with two very fine friends.

Jason and Naomi Priestley in their house in North Hollywood.

You know Jason from 90210.

Private Eyes. A Roy Orbison video, Hollywood and Vines TV, and a bag full of films and tv series.

He acts, directs, and writes.

He’s also the luckiest guys in the World because he wed Naomi  Lowde-Priestley.

They have two children who act like adults.

Years ago One of them bit me in the nether region.

We’re talking wines, politics, Hollywood and Vines and life in the USA

cheers