This week on the podcast, Harry Hertscheg, Executive Director of the Vancouver International Wine Festival, joins us to share details about the upcoming festivities in March 2026. Tickets for the public tasting events are now available. This year's featured region is France. Jen Oishi, Winemaker at Gray Monk Winery, discusses the Gray Monk 2022 Odyssey Rosé Brut and the German Christmas Market happening at Gray Monk on Saturday, November 29, and Sunday, November 30. We then head to Summerland to catch up with Mason Spink, Winemaker at Dirty Laundry, who offers some holiday wine gifting ideas. Finally, we travel to Sicily to speak with Frank Cornelissen, estate owner, about his winery, the surrounding natural landscape—including olive orchards—and the vineyards in the northern valley of the active volcano Etna, in eastern Sicily.

This week's podcast spotlights Óscar Salas, winemaker at Viña Santa Rita—a winery established in 1880 by Don Domingo Fernández Concha, who introduced top-tier French grape varieties to Maipo Valley's fertile soils. Salas presents a new label featuring the Alto Maipo Cabernet Sauvignon. Joining him is Jean-Marc Enixon, Director of Winemaking at Phantom Creek Estates, who will recommend wines for the holiday season, including the 2022 Small Lot Evernden Riesling and Phantom Creek's 2022 Estate Cabernet Franc. The show also offers plenty of festive ideas for experiencing downtown Vancouver, with insights from Darcy Hagan, Director of Weddings and Luxury Events at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, and Nicholas Hall, Food and Beverage Director. Lastly, Erni Loosen, owner of Germany's renowned Dr. Loosen winery in the Moselle Valley, shares his deep knowledge and lifelong passion for Riesling—a tradition the Loosen family has nurtured in the Mosel region for more than 200 years.

On this week's podcast, we catch up with Stacy Hornemann, Winemaker at Blue Grouse Estate, who brings a couple of signature Vancouver Island wines to the show, including the 2024 Ortega, Stacy's take on an Island classic, plus we taste the 2023 Pinot Noir. Then, it's off to the South Okanagan to reconnect with Michael Kullman, Winemaker and General Manager at Osoyoos Larose, to discuss the Le Grand Vin 2022 and the Petales 2022, as well as a general update on the vines. Also in the Osoyoos area, we speak with Cassandra Hood, Owner and Estate Manager of Over the Fence Winery, about their family-run operation and some holiday wine ideas. Finally, we catch up with Julien Revillon, a Beaujolais-born winemaker and owner of Dominique Piron in Morgon, France. The noted Piron family have been winegrowers in the commune of Morgon for 14 generations.

On this week's show, we catch up with Mike Dowell, Vintner/Owner, Liber Estates who joins us with a recovery report on all three of the Liber vineyards in Similkameen, Osoyoos-US Border, and on Highway 97. Then to Verona where we speak with Alessandro Pasqua, Family Member, President, Pasqua, USA, as Pasqua marks its 100th year making wine in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Bernard Retornaz, Executive Advisor, Louis Latour offers deep appreciation for Burgundy’s winemaking heritage as it continues to shape the success of Louis Latour, fostering a legacy in the world of fine wine. In July 2025, Bernard retired as president and now serves as an executive advisor to the board and Louis Latour brand ambassador. Plus we recall a conversation with Teresita Ovalle, Senior Head Winemaker, Viña Santa Rita and their wines planted on the stony slopes of a vineyard in Alto Jahuel, in the heart of Alto Maipo, about 40 minutes south, of Santiago, Chile

This week we travel to southwest France to interview Marie Pinceloup, Export Manager for the renowned Alain Brumont. She discusses Madiran's tradition of excellence and Alain Brumont's enduring legacy as the visionary responsible for elevating Madiran to international prominence, transforming Château Montus into a benchmark for Tannat-based wines. Charlotte Rawa, Senior Brand Ambassador for Penfolds Wines in the Americas, provides an in-depth perspective on the Coonawarra Cabernet revival and highlights how Penfolds Bin 169 exemplifies the elegance and strength of Coonawarra's terra rossa soils. Ana Maria Cumsille, Chief Winemaker at Viña Carmen, presents a distinguished Sémillon that has established the winery among Chile's most innovative producers. Additionally, DJ Kearney, Global Wine Expert, and Wine Director at the Terminal City Club, Vancouver, shares her recommendations for sparkling wines, including a curated list of the top five BC sparklers not to miss during the holiday season.

On this week's show, we are on-location at Unsworth Vineyards in the Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island. Joining us is Nick Bevan, President of Jackson Wine Estates International. We talk about the new winery & tasting room: how that raises the profile of Cowichan and the belief and investment of a prominent wine family into helping to build a world class wine region. As well we catch up with Dan Wright, Winemaker, Unsworth Vineyards, and Chris Turyk, Sales & Marketing Director to talk about Sparkling wine, along with current releases and a fall release of the 2024 Pinot Blanc. We will also dig deep into the unique characteristics of the terroir, and find out how Unsworth is farming regeneratively and sustainably in the Cowichan Valley.

On this week's show, we catch up with Olivier Humbrecht, Master of Wine, Consulting Winemaker, Phantom Creek Estates, to discuss the white wine program and his views on the Similkameen Valley. Then we speak with Alessandro Lunardi, Director of North America for the famed Montalcino producer Tenuta Luce. Lunardi discusses the Montalcino terroir, as well as Merlot and Sangiovese, and the 30th anniversary of Luce 2022, the winery's flagship wine. Notable wine personality Sue Hodder, Senior Winemaker at Wynns Coonawarra Estate, returns to Vancouver to join us to discuss the seldom-made Michael Shiraz and the latest 2018 iteration in the market, named after the founder, David Wynn's son. Then we cap off the show with a 2025 harvest update from B.C. with wine marketing guru and MW, Geoffrey Moss. Oh, and we also discuss the strike and the devastating effects of the BCGEU shutdown on the hospitality business.

This week, we are on location at the new Evolve Sparkling House on the Naramata Bench in Penticton and are joined by owners Ron and Shelley Mayert. It is a family-owned winery in the heart of British Columbia’s beautiful Okanagan Valley at the entrance to Naramata Bench. Specializing in sparkling wines, the winery is focused on traditional method expressions, along with a couple of wines crafted using the Charmat method - each made with care and a commitment to quality. Also joining us are nearby neighbours Tony Holler, Owner, and Chris Holler, General Manager of Poplar Grove Winery, who share an optimistic outlook on the year so far. Then, we travel to the Black Sage Bench with guest Ryan McKibbon, Head Winemaker at Black Hills Estate Winery. Finally, we cross the lake from Evolve Sparkling House to catch up with Summerland's Ron Kubek, owner of Lightning Rock Winery.

This week's podcast features Raymond Ringeval, Global Commercial Director at Champagne Palmer, who will discuss how Palmer & Co distinguishes itself through the grand terroirs of the Montagne de Reims, where all its vineyards are classified as Premier or Grand Cru. We will also be joined by Sandy Leier, winemaker at Laughing Stock Vineyards on the Naramata Bench, to address her recent achievement as Canada's Best Performing Small Winery of the Year at the 2025 Wine Align National Wine Awards. Additionally, we will visit downtown Vancouver, BC, for insights from the Hotel Van team, including Chris Robinson, Director of Food and Beverage, and Darcy Hagan, Director of Weddings and Luxury Events at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, who will provide updates on upcoming events and staycation opportunities.

On this week's show, we are on location at Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery, tucked into the slopes above Okanagan Lake, offering an upscale yet welcoming wine-tasting experience in West Kelowna. Our guests include Jesse Harnden, GM at Mt. Boucherie, as well as winemaker Jeff Hundertmark, who discusses the wine program and the overall experience you get as a visitor. Also joining us will be Joe Luckhurst, owner and distiller of Luckhurst Farm & Distillery in Kelowna, who stops by with some unique spirits. Grant Stanley is the winemaker and general manager of Spearhead Winery. Stanley will share the latest updates on his Pinot Noir and Chardonnay releases. We wrap up the show with a visit from Allison Moyes, winemaker and general manager of Solvera Wines in Summerland.