hello

THE SHOW

Last week we featured The Cowichan Wineries August Festival .

This week  we reconnect with the wineries of the Naramata Bench. 15  interviews with winemakers and principals.

Like many others in the BC wine community, The Naramata Bench was also hit with heartbreaking losses of their prime vineyards due to another  Winter deep freeze.

Even as they pour the wines this year, we’re still talking about the growing season last year and how each and all with survive.

The pouring & presenting of   wine releases is an annual traditional event.  Talking about failed bud breaks, the loss of complete vineyards and what to do next is not an annual tradition. 

Many changes are coming to BC Wines and how they’re  farmed.

What to plant?  Where to plant? How to survive the crisis?

New Varietals, new Blends and new owners/makers/farmers.

As tough as the next couple of years may be,  none of that showed itself at the early 2024  pour at Vancouver Community College on West Pender.

The Bench is a very tight community. Even though they are all hyper-competitive, when it comes to showcasing their individual wines.  However,   The Naramations pull together as a team when crisis arrives.

Impressive,  to say the least.    naramatabench.com

Here are the fifteen guests – talking 2024 Wines and Vineyard Survival!!

• Colin Ross – President of Bench Wineries (Tightrope)
• Tyson Archer –  (co-founder) Fox and Archer
• Emma Roberts – (GM) Howling Bluff
• Bob Ferguson – (co-founder/winemaker)  Kettle Valley

Kathy Malone – Hillside Winery

• Kathy Malone – (Winemaker) Hillside Winery and Bistro

Marcus

(Marcus Ansems/Daydreamer)

• Marcus Ansems – (Winemaker Co-owner) Daydreamer Wines
• Richard Da Silva – (Owner-Winemaker)  Da Silva Vineyards and Winery
• Lyndsay O’Rourke (co-founder/winemaker) Tightrope Winery

Dylan Roche-Roche Wines

• Dylan Roche – (co-founder/co-winemaker) Roche Wines
• Graham Pierce – (winemaker) Ruby Blue

Rebecca Mikulic

• Rebecca Mikulic  – Three Sisters Winery

Robert Van Westen

• Robert Van Westen – (co-founder/winemaker)  Van Westen Vineyards
• Lauren Bunckle – (Asst Winemaker) Elephant Island Winery
• Wilbert Borren – (co-owner/winemaker) Four Shadows Vineyard and Winery
• Will Hardman – (co-founder/winemaker) Deep Roots Winery

• naramatabench.com
• foxandarcherwines.com
• howlingbluff.ca
• kettlevalleywinery.com
• hillsidewinery.ca
• daydreamerwines.ca
• dasilvavineyards.com
• tightropewinery.ca
• rterroir.ca
• rubyblueswinery.ca
• 3sisterswinery.com
• Vanwesternvineyards.com
• elephantislandwine.com
• fourshadowsvineyard.com
• deeprootswinery.com

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

 Anthony Gismondi – the 2024 Nationals

Burrowing Owl Cookbook

Meyer Family 

The Hatch/Black Swift

Fort Berens 

The Sipster 3

John Kubek – Lightning Rock on wine wars etc

Jim Moody – Zanatta

Wine witch on Fire – Natalie MacLean

hello

There’s a buzz going on about the Wineries of the Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island.

It started when Unsworth Winery was purchased by key members of the Jackson Family (Kendall Jackson, Napa).  Then  months later it was revealed that the same family members had purchased Blue Grouse, just down the road.

So…

A California wine family with intimate knowledge of farming, planting, harvesting and selling wines had researched wine regions all over the World and Canada,  had twice decided that “the” place to take a stand against wine growing in climate change was the Cowichan Valley.

Those are decisions that start people talking In and out of the wine business.

The Cowichan was abuzz with talk over coffee in the morning and a glass at the end of the day.

It makes this group interview with a number of Cowichan winemakers all that more interesting.

We’re talking about the 2024 Cowichan Wine Festival, which runs Aug 1 – 31.

Each winery has events and different wine pours.

All are celebrating being in the Cowichan.

ALL are pouring.

The entire month of August all of the Cowichan Wineries will be open and pouring their very best.Each will have their own events, food components and August Wine Passports.

Please go to  www.cowichanwineries.com

Tap on August Wine Passports

The guests this year are :

Dylan Sheldon – owner of his own micro-winery in Santa Rosa, California has become the winemaker at Cowichan’s newest winery Cobble Hill.

Driven by regenerative farming and serious winemaking Dylan talks about his new plantings, including Albarino, Verdelho, Gruner, Sauvignon Blanc, Zweigelt etc

Cobble Hill Winery

Stacey Hornemann – The new winemaker at Blue Grouse. Coming directly from Sonoma, California. Stacey too has planting and replanting plans. We also talk Dutch Ovens

Julie Powell – Co-owner of the delightful Alderlea Vineyards, just North of Duncan. Pinot Noir leaders.

Lorin Inglis – GM of Enrico Wineries.  President of Cowichan Wineries.

www.enricowinery.com

www.alderlea.ca

www.bluegrouse.ca

www.cobblehillwinery.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Meyer Family

The Hatch/Black Swift

Fort Berens

Burrowing Owl Cook Book

The Sipster 3

John Kubek – Lightening Rock on Alberta and BC Government

The Nationals Wine Awards – Anthony Gismondi

Jim Moody – Zanatta

hello

2024 Releases – Tightrope (Naramata) and Bonterra Organic  (Mendocino)

THE SHOW

Lyndsay O’Rourke – Winemaker at Tightrope Winery (Naramata Bench)

(Lyndsay and Graeme O’Rourke)

Tightrope Winery is a small, family-run, sustainable winery on the Naramata Bench.

A true Labour of love for owners Graham (viticulturist) and Lyndsay O’Rourke (winemaker). Their vineyards on the Naramata Bench are farmed sustainably to make hand-crafted wines with artistry and passion. Tightrope wines capture the soul of Naramata – the personality, character, culture and fruit of “the Bench.”

Tightrope is yet another story of a couple who discovered they both had a passion for wine and when given the self-inspired opportunity to become farmers and winemakers, they changed careers and homes to follow their dreams.

To those who seek such things, it should come as no surprise that their wines are completely passionate and speak to your senses.

Top 10 small wineries in Canada – 2019.

Our 2 part interview with co-owner and winemaker Lyndsay O’Rourke will cover their story as owners and winemakers and some of their  2024  Tightrope Releases..

2023 – Pinot Gris – 4 different vineyards. Notes of pear and grapefruit. Beautifully clean and dry. ( Lyndsay has prices in the interview)

2023 – Rose. What a nice surprise to find 96% Pinot Noir and 4% Barbera which adds spice notes to the tasting experience.

2022 – Semillon. Single vineyard Gem.  100% Sem. Lemon zest. Grapefruit and minerality. Clean and crisp.

2023 – Viognier.  Two vineyards were involved.  Ripe citrus notes, ginger. Dry and bright. Aged on lees for 3 months. French and Acacia Barrels. Worth it!!

2022 – Pinot Noir Rubis.  Destemmed not crushed. 3 weeks on skins. Then  French Oak – 30% new for 10 months. Cranberry. Strawberry. Spice. (Cellar for 2-10)

2022 – Pinot Noir Fleet Road. Complex vineyard management pays off. Ripe black fruit, plum. Leather. Some Oak. Impressive. (cellar 2-10 years)

www.tightropewinery.ca

Bonterra Organic Estates – Joseph Brinkley Director of Regenerative Farming/Benjamin Mitarakis Dir. of Trade Development (Mendocino)

This taste and talk took place at Tap and Barrell Bridges on Granville Island. The afternoon was part of the Spring release tasting and very much a talk about organic farming at Bonterra Organic Estates. America’s #1 Organic Winery.

The winery and vineyards over the years have been known as Fetzer Vineyards and had winemakers such as Paul Dolan and Bob Blue.

Vina Concha y Toro took control of Fetzer in 2011 and when they launched Bonterra they were well ahead of anyone else in Organic farming and wines.

It has taken years of education to raise the profile of organic wines. With the consumer and surprisingly with wine sales staff. Not just in Vancouver but everywhere.

Benjamin and Joseph spent several hours walking us through the farming process, the certification of the vineyards and their commitment to The Earth.

(Joseph Brinkley – TDM – Benjamin Mitarakis)

Our  energized  conversation covered most of the questions asked in the room but then we talked about

“the wines”.

We tasted and talked about the following Bonterra  2024 Releases..

2022 – Bonterra Organic Estates Chardonnay. 2 vineyards. One sandstone and the other volcanic rock. On Lees 6 months American Oak – third new. $24

Delightful Mendocino Chard. Light oak notes – nice finish and the price is right.

2021 – Bonterra Organic Estates Cabernet Sauvignon. A nice touch of Petit Syrah adds fine aromas. 40% new French oak. Raised toast levels lift everything.

$25.  Dark ripe berries, lasting finish. Again, the price is right.

Not yet available but hopefully coming our way, we also tasted

2022 – Bonterra Estate Collection  (new) Chardonnay. Granny Smith, citrus, ripe pear. 50/50 oak  French/American. Brilliant nose.  Big hit!

2022 – Bonterra Estate Collection   (new) Cabernet Sauvignon. Butler Ranch Fruit. 100% French Oak.  40% new.

2022 – Bonterra Estate Collection  (new) (new) The Butler Red Blend. Butler Ranch Vineyards. 63% Syrah, 18 P Syrah, 12 Mourvedre,  6 Grenache and 1% Viognier. 14 months in French Oak (12 new).  Direct,  delicious and damn good.

Bonterra Certified: B Corporation/ Regenerative Organic Certified/Climate Neutral Certified/True Zero Waste Certified.

www.bonterra.com

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Meyer Family

Township 7

The Hatch/Black Swift Whites

Fort Berens

Hillside Estate

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Cookbook

Sipster 3

Cowichan Valley Wine Festival

hello

THE SHOW

Happy Canada Day Weekend my friends!

After walks, yard work, the local bike path, family gatherings etc it comes time to reward yourself!

After drinking your body weight in water,  how about a Cider Experience!

There are  many cider choices/regions in this Country. So many,  that each region gathers together for a cider festival at least once a year.

The BC Cider Festival is one of my favourites.

(linda c)

Takes place inside  and outside  The Pipe Shop, very foot of Lonsdale in North Vancouver. Its where they built ships, especially leading up to WW2. My Father, Pat Mulligan worked in The Pipe Shop.

A gathering of ciderists is much like a wine and beer festival but with even more “character” behind the pour. Many of the stories told about cider are family related.

Orchards handed down from generation to generation. The new generation planting different fruit and making blended ciders that defy description!

Cider and

Bourbon

Sherry

Whisky

Wine!!

The interview guests in this second half of our salute to cider include:

Tariq Ahmed – Owner and cidermaker at Revel Cider in Guelph Ont.

Tariq’s family came to Canada from Africa and a younger Tariq told his family after high school he wanted to study farming. The family was not happy about that. “We came to Canada so you didn’t have to do that.”

Tariq Ahmed

However Tariq had discovered an old wine press and started experimenting with pressing fruit,  like he had tasted in Quebec.

In 2014 he started Revel Cider and promptly ran out of money. Immediately after he posted that Revel was going to shut down, friends and fans started donating money and he was back in business.

I think you can tell that his ciders are very unique from some of the titles.

The spot you told me about

You are my sunshine

All Day

Flower Power – “smells like aged honey, lemon zest and orange creamsicles, garnished with chamomile blossoms”

I urge you to check out all their fascinating ciders at www.revelcider.ca

Clinton McDougall – Sunday Cider (Gibsons, Sunshine Coast)

Clinton McDougall (linda c)

Co-founder of Bestie in Chinatown and co-founder of  Sunday Cider – Vancouver’s first craft cider company.

Craft cider made on BC’s sunny Sunshine Coast. Discover and enjoy  an award winning cider in their  big, beautiful picnic area surrounded by West Coast Rainforest. Food trucks on site now through September. Plus locally made ice cream, non-alcoholic options and cider to-go. OPEN all year long.

Sunday Cider! Great on Saturdays.

www.sundaycider.com

Brent Carlson Owner and Cider Maker Homestead Craft Cider  (Agassiz, BC)

Surrounded by West Coast beauty and farms to the horizon,  Agassiz is the home in Homestead.

Brett Carlson Homestead Cider (linda c)

“Homestead Cider began as an idea to keep the family homestead thriving and grew into a way for us to share the place where we grew up with our community. Our cider is crafted with our farm-grown apples and local BC ingredients to create something that is flavourful and easy to drink. We hope you enjoy our cider just as much as we enjoyed making it for you.”

www.homesteadcider.ca

Casandra Anderton – representing Sea Cider Farm and Sea House  Saanich, Vancouver island.

Kristen Needham Jordan is the founder of Sea Cider. A 6^th generation farmer. Even though she inherited the family orchard in 1985, she really wanted nothing to do with farming. Instead she went to boarding school – in Wales. After many years of education and travel around the World Kristen finally conceived Sea Cider.

The cidery became very successful…a huge portfolio found on shelves all across Canada.

Kirsten realized her dream to build a family-owned, community-minded business rooted in farming.

www.seacider.ca

www.goodlifevancouver.com

Quinn Ehrler – Owner Barrel Hugger. Cellar Rat  Raven’s Moon Ciderworx  Courtney/Comox Vancouver Island

Passionate and artistic. Studying culinary arts has him develop a wicked palette. Experienced in fermentation and developing left of center flavors of cider. Loves to experiment with new ideas and flavors and techniques. Hates cleaning the tanks.

Follows in the considerable footsteps of his founding father George.

“Our batches are small. In every bottle of cider you will find the crisp juice of naturally grown heirloom and  heritage apples from our farm and other BC farmers. You will find the traditional art of fermentation combined with a twist of a new age of cider. Always with apples as the base, we blend in other Vancouver Island and BC fruit, infusions and botanicals.”

 www.ravensmooncraftcider.ca

STORIES WE’RE WORKING ON

Garnet Valley Wines – Solvero and Garnet Valley Ranch

Meyer Family Pinot and Chardonnay

Sipster 3

Clos du Soleil

The Hatch

Township 7

Fort Berens

Hillside –  new releases (Chef’s Whites)