BC Food and Wine Radio

This week we're broadcasting from Painted Rock Estate Winery on the Skaha Bench. Listen for simple and honest updates on that bench and the Naramata Bench from our seasoned winegrower guests, and, most importantly, their solutions on how to move forward. We begin with John Skinner, co-owner of Painted Rock, who brings a 2017 Chardonnay and a 2011 Icon, both showing off the ageing potential of the region's wines; Tony Holler, co-owner of Poplar Grove Estate Winery reveals their first vintage of Pinot Noir and brings their latest rosé; Richard Da Silva, co-owner of Da Silva Vineyards and Winery, showcases their new 3-litre boxes of their popular Vinho Tinto and Vinho Branco, and discusses just how much people love the alternative packaging for portability and ease of use.

This week we are broadcasting from under the beautiful Pro Terra et Natura sculpture at Phantom Creek Estates, speaking with General Manager and Winemaker Mark Beringer; in a special appearance, consulting winemaker Olivier Humbrecht talks with Anthony about organic and biodynamic growing, his winemaking techniques and which grapes he and Mark Beringer are betting on for the Okanagan; Chef Alessa Valdez shares her excitement around the new season and her new menu and Tess Patterson, Phantom's Wine Club Manager lists the special access members have to exclusive spaces within the winery and most importantly, their library of wines.

We're broadcasting from the shores of Osoyoos Lake again this week, at the Watermark Beach Hotel; General Manager David McBean shoots the breeze with Anthony on their patio and sets the scene for what guests can expect this summer; Levi Gogolinkski the Director of Marketing for Montelvino, highlights the unique attributes of their Uppercase Winery in Okanagan Falls and the newer High Note Estate Winery on the Naramata Bench; Meyer Family Vineyard winemaker Chris Carson shares two of their popular chardonnays as he and Anthony discuss how the variety is flourishing in BC; Michael Kullman, GM and winemaker for Osoyoos Larose, shares an older vintage from their estate on the westside of valley; and we hear from Greg Borduzak, an Agri-Commercial Banking Advisor for Valley First Credit Union and John Olson, a Senior Director for Farm Credit Canada, on the challenges facing the BC wine industry.

We're on location at the Watermark Beach Resort in sunny Osoyoos this week, so get ready for friendly banter from their lakeside patio. David McBean, GM for the Watermark updates us on the resort and their fine dining restaurant, 15 Park Bistro, as they get ready for the high season; Mark Hopley, winemaker for Hester Creek Estate Winery reveals a new wine and gives us an overview of what's happening on the estate from Terrafina restaurant to their luxury suites and upcoming events; Mike Dowell, Co-owner and winemaker for Liber Estates, drops in from his winery in Osoyoos to talk about his wine, including their popular canned wine and organic cider; Mireille Sauvé GM & Winemaker for Lakeboat Vineyard & Winery joins us from Kaleden, inviting everyone for a big Mother's Day celebration weekend, and we sample some of their wines; Cassandra Hood and Dakota Hood, co-owners of Over the Fence Winery in Osoyoos, and the winery manager and winemaker respectively, offer details of their grand reopening celebration on the May long weekend, and they share a couple of their wines, grown a stone's throw from the US border.

This week, if you are interested in starting a cellar or scaling up, Warren Porter, President of Irongate Auctions, which began as a wine storage company, has some great advice, wherever you're starting from; Chef Steve Rutherford and Mitchell Kerr, the Director of Restaurant & Bars for the Westin Bayshore Vancouver, list the upcoming events and offerings in the Coal Harbour hotel; Giacomo Sisti, Export Area Manager for Umani Rochi, gives us the highlights of the lesser-known wine region Marche on the east coast of Italy and Filippo Bartolotta, Italian wine writer and educator has a conversation with Anthony about the rise of Italian white wines.

Ermes Scardova, Export Manager and Renaissance Man for Medici Ermete talks about the remarkable Emilia-Romagna region and the popularity of Lambrusco; Dan Carkner, Executive Chef for The Modest Butcher Kitchen + Market joins Anthony to talk about BC turkey; Eduardo Montresor, Family Member, Montresor Winery and a great storyteller, doesn't shy away from the salacious details of his family's winery history, and David McBean, General Manager for Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos gives us a tour of his property from the different accommodations, their amenities and what you can enjoy locally.

As British Columbian weather can't decide if it's still winter, spring or this month, our show this week is decidedly sunny as we release some of the interviews recorded during the Vancouver International Wine Festival including Thomas Cuni for Italy's highly regarded Damilano and Tua Rita wineries; Robert Stelmachuk, Wine Director for Mott 32 Vancouver and Anthony discuss which wines match well with the restaurant's fine Chinese cuisine; Pierangelo Tommasi, Executive Director and Family member of Tommasi Family Estates talks about their expansion beyond Amarone; and Kimberly Hundertmark General Manager for the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society, joins us on the phone to share the many highlights of their upcoming Spring Festival.

We are on the road again this week, this time broadcasting from the Oak Bay Beach Hotel on Vancouver Island, and overlooking the Salish Sea. Learn more about the historic property, its fine dining and comfort food offerings, the stunning setting that can be enjoyed around the property including from its mineral pools on the ocean, plus we hear about, upcoming events, hospitality trends and Victoria gastronomy highlights to help you plan your next travel getaway to our capital city.

If you're looking to plan a wine and food trip to the Cowichan Valley this year, be sure to catch this show. We're broadcasting on location at Enrico Winery gathering the latest on tasting experiences, music events, festivals and the latest wine releases, and more as the wineries move from winter hours to full bore starting in May. Our guests include Lorin Inglis, Simon Spencer and Patrick Haywood from Enrico Winery; Chris Turyk and Felix Egerer from Unsworth Vineyards and Michael Abbott from Blue Grouse Estate Winery.

Happy Easter Everyone! We've got a great show to listen to whether you're preparing Easter meals or driving to your long weekend destinations. We begin with Mark Beringer, GM & Director of Winemaking for Phantom Creek Estates on the Black Sage Bench, just south of Oliver; Mirco Biliorsi, the Export Director for Altesino has lots to say about the Montalcino stand-out; Kerri Wyse-McNolty reflects on Burrowing Owl Estate Winery winning the Canadian wine industry’s Award of Distinction; and Jamaal Christian, Restaurant Manager for The Hooded Merganser in Penticton tells us what you can enjoy at the restaurant this spring and summer.

This week we feature Sandro Bottega, co-owner of Bottega in the Prosecco region of Italy, is the embodiment of "La Dolce Vita"; Mason Spink, winemaker for Dirty Laundry Vineyards in Summerland, updates us on their vineyards, upcoming events and two new releases; Jak Meyer, Owner of Meyer Family Vineyards in Okanagan Falls, has a different story than many producers in the Okanagan Valley, injecting some sunshine into the grey forecast; David McBean, the GM for Watermark Beach Hotel reminds us that there's lots to do in the South Okanagan in the spring.

Week three of our interviews recorded on the BC Food & Wine Stage at the Vancouver International Wine Festival, begins with Vito Parente for Tenuta Arceno located in Tuscany; we jump back to British Columbia to speak with Richard Kanazawa, the winemaker for Bench 1775, perched above Okanagan lake just north of Penticton; then we catch up with Grant Stanley, the winemaker for SpearHead Winery in East Kelowna; and Arnaud Thierry, the winemaker for Church & State Winery just south of Oliver in the Middle Bench rounds out the show.

Hear the energy from the floor of the International Tasting Room at the 2024 Vancouver International Wine Festival where 149 wineries from 12 countries were pouring their wines. In week two of shows, we're British Columbia-themed starting with Vigneron Richard Da Silva to talk about Da Silva Vineyards located above the central Okanagan town of Penticton and at the southern end of the Naramata Bench; then we head down to just above the US border on the western slopes, to talk with Michael Kullman, COO of Osoyoos Larose; Jean-Marc Enixon, winemaker joins us to talk about Culmina Family Estate, located on the Golden Mile Bench, just south of Oliver, and finally, on the eastern side of Osoyoos Lake, Justin Hall, Head Winemaker, talks to us about Nk'Mip Cellars.

We're at the 45th Annual Vancouver International Wine Festival, working the International Tasting Room with 149 wineries from around the globe. We have a stellar lineup of the best and the brightest in the wine world, joining us on the BC Food & Wine Radio Network stage throughout all six Trade and Consumer tasting sessions. Our first of three full shows kicks off with Marco Martini of Mondo del Vino with stories and wines from Sicily to Emilia Romagna; next up, we head to Brunello di Montalcino with winemaker Arber Shabani of Ridolfi in Montalcino before Christian Ridolfi, a winemaker for a Veneto legend Bolla Wines and Santi pours a special dry white wine from the Lugana region on Lake Garda. Finally, Rod Hallam, Villa Maria Wines Export Manager for Canada, joins us to talk New Zealand sauvignon blanc.

This week we're joined by Corrie Krehbiel the new Chief Winemaker for Frind Estate Winery in West Kelowna. She shares her first impressions and how excited she is to explore the vineyards located at the extreme ends of the Okanagan Valley and in between; Ann Sperling, a celebrated winemaker, originally working in British Columbia and now based in Ontario, addresses a topic on many minds with a surplus of grapes on one side of the country and a deficit on the other, by explaining what happens when grapes are shipped across the country and how it affects the wine; Kevin Rossion, GM & Viticulturist for the new Terralux Estate Winery in West Kelowna, fills us in on vineyards, the winery under construction, and more; Shane Taylor, Wine Director for Rogers Arena and Top Table Restaurants, gives us an insider's look at their massive fine wine program, including 45 storage locations all over the arena.

This week, Lee F. Man, "voracious eater", food writer and restaurant judge returns to the show to comment on talented new chefs who are bringing their training in fine French restaurants to Vancouver's Chinese cuisines; Warren Porter, President of Irongate Auctions explains how they have made liquidating cellars, often needed after an unexpected life event, much easier, and teases upcoming auctions; Dan Zepponi, CEO of Cuvaison, calls us from California to talk about pinot noir and chardonnay and their unique biosphere in Los Carneros; Mark Sheridan, President of Hester Creek, looks at recent extreme weather events in British Columbia, from the point of view as a glass half full, find out why.

We're feeling festive in our first February show with the Vancouver International Wine Festival arriving in a few weeks; Executive Director Harry Hertscheg and Anthony discuss tips on tasting like a pro and ticket availability; Gismondi on Wine taster and writer HJ Cha shares her favourite memories of Lunar New Year from a Korean perspective, listing much-loved dishes paired with BC wines; The Watson Restaurant’s Managing Partner, Mike Gayman tells us what’s on offer and how he’s filling a market gap in his own heighbourhood; Proprietor Da Silva Vineyards & Winery Proprietor and multi-generational farmer, Richard Da Silva offers analysis of recent extreme weather events and suggested solutions.

This week, our theme is “Global View of Gastronomy”. We begin with Aurelio Montes Sr, Partner of Montes Wines in Chile.; then we head to Sonoma California where Dan Wildermuth, VP of Global Marketing for Rodney Strong shares his insights into visiting the popular wine region; then back in British Columbia, we speak with Graham Nordin, GM of Iconic Wineries of BC who provides a look at the restaurant scene in Kelowna; and Mike Coghill, Founder of Yellow Dog Brewery, talks about beer and food in Penticton.

Forget Dry January, go big with your wine and your plans for 2024 this month, gaining inspiration from this week’s show theme “Big Reds for a Big New Year”. We begin with Marco Antonio, 4th Generation Owner of De Martino in Chile; Ross Wise MW and Director of Winemaking BC, Peller Estates and Black Hills Estate Winery on the Black Sage Bench; Evan Goldstein Master Sommelier talks about California Cabernet Sauvignon and Gillian Ballance Master Sommelier, tells the story of Stags’ Leap Winery.

We’re on the beach (we hope some of you are too) this week, so we’ve “upcycled” several of our favourite interviews that fit the theme of “Organics, Biodynamic and Carbon Neutral Winegrowing”. Featuring: Dan Wright, Winemaker for Unsworth Vineyards in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island; Severin Pinte, Winemaker, Viticulturist & Managing Partner for LaStella Estate Winery in Osoyoos who also serves as Chair of Sustainable Winegrowers BC; Taylor Whelan, Winemaker for CedarCreek Estate Winery on the South Kelowna Slopes and Matt Dumayne, Winemaker, Garnet Valley Ranch Winery in the new Summerland Valleys Sub-GI in Summerland.