This week's podcast acknowledges International Women’s Day on March 9 as we celebrate women in wine, starting with one of the biggest names in Champagne, Alice Paillard, CEO and Proprietor of Champagne Bruno Paillard. Alice is widely regarded as one of the most thoughtful and articulate voices of her generation in Champagne. She is also a founding member of La Transmission – Femmes en Champagne, which supports visibility, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing for women in the region. DJ Kearney is the Director of Wine at the Terminal City Club. She is a Vancouver-based wine education specialist and consultant, overseeing the club's wine and spirits program and leading member tastings and educational events. DJ is a highly respected wine judge, educator, and speaker with decades of experience in teaching, consulting, and shaping wine programs across British Columbia and Canada. We also speak with Arianna Carafoli, the International Export Director for Bottega, the globally recognized Italian producer best known for its Prosecco and sparkling wines. She manages Bottega's international markets and regularly represents the Veneto-based house at major wine festivals and industry events worldwide, where she is known for her engaging, clear presentations on Prosecco and Italian sparkling wine. Finally, our own Anthony Gismondi takes you on a personal tour of the International Tasting Room at the 47th VIWF, searching for interesting people to meet and taste with.

This week's podcast spotlights Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, former Wall Street Journal columnists and founders of Open That Bottle Night, who join us to discuss why all of us tend to hold onto wines we own that we should have opened years ago and what to do about it. From Penticton, British Columbia, Master of Wine Geoffrey Moss, principal of Lithica Wine Marketing, offers an update on the releases of the 2024 and now 2025 replacement wines and what we can expect from local producers. David McBean, general manager of the Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos, returns for a spring update on what they are preparing to offer visitors at the Watermark and 15 Park Bistro this year. Finally, we are joined by the star storyteller Jane Ferrari, of Jane Ferrari Consulting Pty Ltd (Jim Barry Wines), for a masterclass on the famed Barossa Valley region, located in South Australia, a short drive from Adelaide.

This week's podcast explores the renowned Chianti Classico region of Tuscany, Italy, with a particular focus on the village of San Felice, known for its scenic vineyards. The episode includes insights from Leonardo Bellaccini, Head Winemaker and Technical Director at San Felice Estates, who discusses two notable wines you can buy: the San Felice Vermentino IGT Toscana 2024 and Il Grigio da San Felice Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2021. Then, our journey takes us Down Under to Phil McGahan, Chief Executive Officer & Chief Winemaker at King Valley Wines, to discuss some of the best wines made outside Italy using Italian grape varieties. Next, we catch up with Okanagan wine personality Graham Nordin, now Vice President of Business Development and Sales at Latitude Wines in California. Finally, Chris Hoffmeister, Chief Executive Officer of Select Wines, joins us to talk about the optimism and opportunities that are literally growing on the vine in 2026.

This week's podcast spotlights Peter Gago, Chief Winemaker, Penfolds, who joins us for a Master Class on the Australian Wine Icon, Grange, from its humble beginning in the early 1950s to the world class vintages that continue today. Lee F. Mann, food writer, discusses the upcoming Lunar New Year, "Year of the ‘Fire’ Horse," and various ways to celebrate in Vancouver and across the province. Robert Stelmachuk, wine director at Mott 32 in Vancouver, shares fun ideas for Valentine's wines, including sparkling wine suggestions and some affordable options for white and rosé wines. Additionally, Jeff Hundertmark, winemaker at Mt. Boucherie, talks about the impressive rebound of a generous and high-quality 2025 vintage.

On this week’s podcast, join us as we travel to Verona to speak with Alessandro Pasqua, family member and president of Pasqua, USA, as the family celebrates its 100th year of making wine in the Veneto region of northern Italy. Bernard Retornaz, executive advisor at Louis Latour, expresses his deep appreciation for Burgundy’s winemaking heritage, which continues to shape the success of Louis Latour and build a legacy in the world of fine wine. In July 2025, Bernard retired as president and now acts as an executive advisor to the board and Louis Latour’s brand ambassador. Then, we head to the South Okanagan to reconnect with Michael Kullman, winemaker and general manager of Osoyoos Larose, to discuss the Le Grand Vin 2022 and Petales 2022. We also catch up with Dan Wright, winemaker at Unsworth Vineyards, and Chris Turyk, sales and marketing director at Unsworth Vineyards in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, to talk about their exciting new facility, explore the unique characteristics of the terroir, and learn how Unsworth practices regenerative and sustainable farming in Cowichan.

This week's podcast features insightful contributions from several distinguished professionals in the wine industry. Marie Pinceloup, Export Manager for Alain Brumont, discusses the pioneering achievements of Alain Brumont in positioning Madiran on the world stage and establishing Château Montus as a leading reference for Tannat-based wines. Charlotte Rawa, Senior Brand Ambassador for Penfolds Wines Americas, joins us in the studio to highlight the qualities of Penfolds Bin 169, exemplifying the classic style and regional character that demonstrate Penfolds' enduring commitment to the vineyards of Coonawarra. We also connect with Grant Stanley, Winemaker and General Manager at Spearhead Winery, for an update on the upcoming 2025 Okanagan harvest and developments in East Kelowna, drawing on Grant’s extensive expertise in Pinot Noir. Additionally, Alison Moyes, Winemaker and General Manager of Solvero Wines, provides insights into the 2024 Rosé and the 2022 Pinot Noir from Garnet Valley, Summerland.

This week's podcast features Alessandro Lunardi, Director of North America at Tenuta Luce, discussing the 30th Vintage Celebration and the significance of Luce 2022 as the 30th anniversary of Tenuta Luce’s flagship wine. Sandy Leier, winemaker at Laughing Stock Vineyards, shares insights on their award-winning wines following recognition as Canada's Small Winery of the Year at the Wine Align 2025 Canadian National Wine Awards. Sue Hodder, senior winemaker at Wynns Coonawarra Estate, addresses current challenges posed by climate change. She explains how her team has implemented sustainable viticulture practices, improved soil moisture management, and prioritized vine health. The conversation also explores the renowned Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Shiraz, with a specific focus on the 2018 vintage. Additionally, we revisit a discussion with Ron Kubek, owner of Lightning Rock Winery, as he reflects on his award-winning wines and his efforts to eliminate provincial cross-border barriers in the industry.

This week's podcast features Jeff Guignard, CEO of Wine Growers British Columbia. Jeff officially stepped into the role on April 28, 2025. He is committed to member engagement and collaboration, and will lead advocacy efforts on behalf of the BC wine industry, which contributes $3.75 billion to the province's annual economic growth. We caught up in person with Olivier Humbrecht, MW, Consulting Winemaker at Phantom Creek Estates. Olivier is a distinguished figure in the world of wine, notably for his role as the proprietor and winemaker at Domaine Zind-Humbrecht. We discussed the white wines he is responsible for at Phantom Creek, which are truly a passion project: white wines from the Similkameen Valley, including Small Lot 2022 Riesling and 2022 Pinot Gris. Staying on the Black Sage Bench, we chat with Kaylee Barss, Winemaker at Red Barn Winery at Jagged Rock, about her passion for reimagining traditional Okanagan varieties such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc, while exploring exotic Italian grapes like Nebbiolo and Barbera. Plus, Harry Hertscheg, Executive Director of the Vancouver International Wine Festival, joins us to preview the 2026 Festival in March and the theme region of France.

This week's podcast features some favourite BC Wine discussions from 2025, including Michael Bartier, co-owner, winemaker, and GM of Bartier Bros. Vineyard & Winery, who talked about the bounce-back happening across the South Okanagan for grapes of all varieties. We enjoyed a poolside chat with Daniel Bibby, co-owner of Nighthawk Vineyards, a boutique family farm gate winery overlooking the scenic Green Lake Valley high above Okanagan Falls. We discussed his Nighthawk wines, their luxury tent accommodations, top-tier restaurant, and the impressive new artistic bottle labels. Keira LeFranc, winemaker and director of operations at Stag's Hollow Winery, hosted us on the deck at Stag's Hollow in Okanagan Falls. We talked about being certified sustainable, along with tasting a couple of 2022 wines, including their 2022 Tempranillo and the 2022 Renaissance Merlot. From Kaleden, B.C., Rob Hammersley, winemaker and viticulturist at Black Market Wine Company, also joined us on location to discuss their well-received new 2024 Collusion Series, including the impressive 2024 Rosé.

This week's podcast features Sara d'Amato, Principal Partner, WineAlign wine consultant, educator, sommelier, and wine critic, who discusses rosé and a few other favourites as we try to warm up in the first week of January 2026. Shane Munn, Winemaker and GM at Martins Lane in Kelowna, gives us a Master Class on Pinot Noir. Shane has an in-depth knowledge of the intricacies of the Pinot Noir grape and is always a pleasure to chat with. Taylor Whelan, Senior Winemaker at Mission Hill Family Estate—named the 2025 Wine Align National Wine Awards Winery of the Year—joins us to talk about the many factors involved in achieving the prestigious status of top winery. Plus, Michelle Bouffard, Sommelier, Author, and Founder of Tasting Climate Change, joins the conversation as her big conference, Tasting Climate Change, approaches in Montreal on Jan. 18-20.