BC Food and Wine Radio

This week, we speak with Ross Derrick, owner of Derrick's Steakhouse that has taken over the old Raudz location in downtown Kelowna, and the reviews, including his wine list, are favourable. Taylor Whelan Senior Winemaker Mission Hill Family Estate joins us on the 23rd release of Oculus, one of Canada’s iconic red wine labels. Lee Man, Chair of Judging, 15th Annual Chinese Wine Awards, joins us to discuss the trends and the winners. At the same time, Eduardo Montresor, a family member of Montresor Winery in the Veneto, tells us about the special harvest techniques used in the making of Amarone.

This week, Canadian Michelle Bouffard, Sommelier, Author and Founder of Tasting Climate Change, joins us to discuss the challenges ahead for all of us in the wine community as we deal with climate change. Alessia Travaglini, 5th Generation Family Member and Export Manager joins us to discuss Gattinara wines, her winery’s highly distinctive square bottles, and how not all Nebbiolo from Piedmont is Barolo. Jane Ferrari, famed storyteller, takes us inside the legendary Australian wines of Jim Barry. From Down Under, we go to the top of Italy to speak with Thomas Cuni about Damilano and Tua Rita, two revered wineries in Piedmont and Tuscany.

This week, Mark Davidson, Head of Education, Americas, for Wines of Australia, gives us a bird's-eye view of everything exciting happening in the world of Australian wine. Ermes Scardova, Export Manager, Medici Ermete, takes us inside Lambrusco's fascinating world from the famous Emilia-Romagna region. We also catch up with Robert Stelmachuk, Wine Director Mott 32 in Vancouver, who shares some of his favourite holiday wines. Then we check in with Stacy Hornemann, winemaker at Blue Grouse Estate Winery in the Cowichan Valley, who has moved north from the Jackson Family wine team in Sonoma County to explore and expand the pinot noir and chardonnay footprint on Vancouver Island.

This week, we speak with Harry Hertscheg, Executive Director of the Vancouver International Wine Festival, as tickets for the 2025 Festival go on sale November 13. The theme region is the West Coast U.S., with 50 wineries from California, Oregon, and Washington State in attendance. Justin Seidenfeld, Sr. Vice President of Winemaking & Winegrowing, Rodney Strong Vineyards in Sonoma County, California, joins us to discuss some of his top-tier reds and the differences between Sonoma and Napa Valley cabernet. From California, we head to the Loire Valley in France to talk with Isabelle Moreau, the Export Manager at Château de Sancerre. We discuss her iconic Sauvignon Blanc and the growing interest in Pinot Noir from Sancerre. And speaking of Sauvignon Blanc, then it's off to New Zealand with Villa Maria’s Rod Hallam to talk about the reign of Sauvignon Blanc and the rise of Kiwi wines in the international wine world.

This week, we invited Dr. Laura Catena, Managing Director, Bodega Catena Zapata Argentina, to discuss the hot topic of wine and health, with some thoughts on navigating to the truth and the science behind all the studies discussed by advocates for and against alcohol. Then we head to California to catch up with Shawn Brynildson, Winemaker Black Stallion Estate Winery. Inside the original horse riding area along the Silverado Trail in California’s Napa Valley, Black Stallion once housed prize horses; today, it is home to prize-winning vines. Joining us in our Vancouver studio is the legendary Master of Wine and winemaker Olivier Humbrecht of Domaine Zind Humbrecht in Alsace. Olivier talks bio-dynamics and viticulture, and his only outside consulting gig in the world at Phantom Creek Estates. Finally, we head to the north tip of the Village of Naramata to chat with Elizabeth Markulin, Sommelier at Eliza Wine Bar, at the 112-year-old heritage Naramata Inn.

This week, we will travel to the Penedès region just north of Barcelona, Spain, to chat with Miguel Torres, a 5th-generation family member, winemaker, and general manager at Familia Torres. We discussed his iconic Spanish label Sangre de Toro, or “Blood of the Bull,” red wine among many subjects. Sebastien Labbe, Winemaker Vinã Santa Rita Chile, joins us to talk about one of Chile’s oldest and most iconic wineries from the heart of the Maipo Valley. Closer to home, we speak with Chef Alessa Valdez and the Director of Winemaker, Mark Beringer, from the new must-stop in the South Okanagan: Phantom Creek Estates winery. From Oliver to the Naramata Bench, a 40-minute drive north, we meet up with co-owner Rebecca and winemaker Matthew Mikulic of Three Sisters Winery on the Naramata Bench to get the story behind the Sister Series wines.

This week, we explore the world of wine, beginning with a master class on Champagne with Alice Paillard, CEO and Proprietor at Champagne Bruno-Paillard. Martin Kaiser, Deputy Director of Viticulture/Enology, Dona Paula (Mendoza, Argentina) talks about growing grapes at high altitudes and the rise of Argentine wine among global retailers. Then it’s off to Spain to speak with winegrowing luminary Telmo Rodríguez, charting Rioja’s future by looking at its past. Finally, we head closer to home to Kaledon, B.C., and the vineyards above Skaha Lake for a chat with winemaker Rob Hammersley at Black Market Wine Co.

This week, it’s our Thanksgiving in Italy special featuring Sandro Bottega, Owner and Managing Director of Bottega Winery, Veneto, Italy. We had a wide-ranging chat about Prosecco and his role in propelling the sparkling wine onto the modern sparkling wine stage. Marco Martini, Director/General Manager, MGM Mondo del Vino, joins us with stories and wines from Sicily to Emilia Romagna. Then we’re off to Tuscany and Brunello di Montalcino with winemaker Arber Shabani of Ridolfi in Montalcino. We complete our special Thanksgiving in Italy show in the Lugana region on Lake Garda with Christian Ridolfi, winemaker for Veneto legend Bolla Wines and Santi.

This week, we head to Oliver, B.C., and the Black Sage Bench to speak with Severine Pinte, Winemaker & Viticulturist, Managing Partner for Le Vieux Pin and LaStella wineries. We discuss new projects, new plantings, and a few red wine picks for the fall. Moving south to Osoyoos, we catch up with Mike Dowell, Co-Owner and Winemaker of Liber Estates, a small family-run winery specializing in Pinot noir and Chardonnay. From there, we talk Turkey and Thanksgiving with Westin Bayshore Vancouver Executive Chef Steve Rutherford. We wrap up the show in Okanagan Falls with Benoît Gauthier, Director of Vineyard and winemaking at Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery, to talk terroir and sparkling wines suitable for your Thanksgiving celebrations.

This week, we speak with winemaker Stacy Hornemann, who has newly arrived from Sonoma, California, to take the reins at Blue Grouse Estate Winery. Hornemann discusses her first impressions of the Cowichan Valley and her excitement for its future; Export Manager Rodrigo Lencastre tells the story behind Ramos Pintos, established in 1880 in the Douro Valley, Portugal, and its many impressive port wine styles; General Manager David McBean invites us to his Watermark Beach Resort and 15 Park Bistro in Osoyoos, offering a new seasonal menu, exceptional wine and beer making dinners and more; Angela Lyons, VP of Sales & Marketing for Bacas Family Wines, which includes Quails' Gate Estate Winery, joins us in-studio to debut two new sparkling wines and a range of Cascadia import labels destined to fill the gap left after the extensive vine damage suffered over the last two winters.