This week, we speak with Christine Coletta & Ellen Walker-Mathews, Board Members of BC VQA Wine Info Centre in Penticton, which represents 150 wineries, lists 900 wines and many wine-related gifts. Ian Stilborn, Executive Chef Ward’s Wine Country Kitchen at the District Wine Village, Oliver, BC, explains how they work with the wineries and are a full-service restaurant on-site. Angela Lyons, VP of Sales & Marketing, 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. Finally, JP Potters, Western Canada Director of Client Care, Irongate Auctions, talks about the new world of online wine auctions in Canada and how easy the process is to manage.

This week, we focus on a "World of Sparkling wines” for the Holidays, and to begin, we speak with Arianna Carafoli, International Export Director for Bottega, a world leader in prosecco wines. Penticton-based Geoffrey Moss, Master of Wine and Judge at the National Wine Awards of Canada and Anthony recall some of the top medal winners in the Sparkling Wine Category at the 2024 National Wine Awards of Canada. Mary McDermott, Winemaker Township 7 Vineyards & Winery, discusses her sparkling wine program and vineyards in the Fraser Valley and the Okanagan. We are also joined by Benoît Gauthier, Chief Operating Officer & Director of Winemaking and Viticulture at Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery, to hear about the terroir and sparkling wines of Okanagan Falls.

This week from Florence, Italy, we speak with Filippo Bartolotta, an Italian Wine Journalist and educator, who joins us in conversation about the rise of Italian white wines. Lisa Anselmi, 3rd Generation Family Member, Anselmi Wines, Veneto, Italy, talks about the burgeoning Soave region, the Garganega grape and her family's bold move to work outside the rules of the Soave DOC. Thomas Bachelder, Co-Owner/Winemaker of Bachelder Wines, Niagara Peninsula, discusses his lifelong love for chardonnay and pinot noir and his efforts to continue to push the Wines of Canada onto the world map. Finally, Mele Sosa, Brand Ambassador of Bodega Garzón, Uruguay, shows us how Garzón is making history, introducing Uruguayan wines to the international wine community.

This week, we speak with DJ Kearney, Global Wine Expert and the Director of Wines at Terminal City Club, our trusted expert for finding top-value wine buys. Export Manager Rodrigo Lencastre shared the history of Ramos Pintos, established in 1880 in the Douro Valley, Portugal, and discussed its impressive variety of port wine styles. Sue Hodder, Senior Winemaker at Wynns Coonawarra in South Australia, joined us to discuss the famous Wynns wines. Additionally, Chris Hoffmeister, CEO of Select Wines Canada, provided a broad perspective on the global wine scene and offered some fun, value-priced suggestions for the holiday season.

This week we speak with Patrick Gaylor, Executive Chef Mission Hill Family Estate on all the fun holiday atmosphere to experience in West Kelowna. Ingrid Jarrett President & CEO BC Hotel Association updates on what’s happening this holiday season with hotels across the Province. Caren McSherry Owner Gourmet Warehouse, joins us with idea after idea for your holiday shopping. And Chris Robinson Director of Food and Beverage Fairmont Hotel Vancouver + guest TBC talk about all the fun to explore in downtown Vancouver.

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.