This week, we’re on location at the Vancouver Convention Centre, broadcasting from the floor of the 46th Annual Vancouver International Wine Festival. We’ll be speaking with numerous local and international wine personalities all week. Today, our guests include Stacy Hornemann Winemaker at Blue Grouse Estate Winery in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. We’ll speak Sake with Mark Zheng Garratt, Sales Manager for Gekkeikan Sake. It’s off to the Silverado Trail in Napa Valley to taste with Shawn Brynildson, Winemaker of Black Stallion Estate Winery. Then we speak with Tony Holler, Co-Owner of Poplar Grove Winery on the Naramata bench in the Central Okanagan Valley.

This week, we’re on location at the Vancouver Convention Centre, broadcasting from the floor of the 46th Annual Vancouver International Wine Festival. We’ll be speaking with numerous local and international wine personalities. Today, our guests include: Wayne Donaldson, a winemaker at Josh Cellars in Calistoga, California. Chris Benziger, VP/Brand Ambassador Benziger Family Winery, in Sonoma County; Olivia Wright, an up and coming winemaker working at Rodney Strong Vineyards in Sonoma County; and Todd Graff, GM & Winemaker of Frank Family Vineyards Napa Valley.

This week, we have one of the show’s long-time friends, Photographer George Rose, from Santa Barbara, California. George talks to us about the many reasons for visiting the Santa Ynez Valley and the Greater Santa Barbara area. Nick Bevan, President at Jackson Wine Estates International, talks about their significant investments at Unsworth Vineyards in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. Tim Pawsey, Food and Wine Writer, aka Hired Belly, joins us with his insider’s guide to restaurants and bars you can visit between sessions at the upcoming Vancouver International Wine Festival. Plus, David McBean, GM at Watermark Beach Resort, our home away from home in the South Okanagan, updates us on the resort’s plans for the 2025 season and the reasons to book now.

B.C. Food And Wine Radio: Feb 12, 2025 by BC Food and Wine Radio

This week, it’s a world of wines as we take you to Napa Valley California, the Okanagan Valley, BC, Coonawarra, South Australia and Montreal. With the Vancouver International Wine Festival coming up in just over two weeks and featuring wines of California and the western USA, we’re joined by Ray Signorello, Proprietor of Signorello Estate in Napa Valley, California, and chair of the Gala Auction. Ray speaks to the rebirth of his winery after the 2017 Atlas wildfire and his latest Napa releases. Taylor Whelan, Senior Winemaker, Mission Hill Family Estate, updates us on the 23rd release of the Iconic red wine Oculus from the 2020 vintage. Mark Davidson, Head of Education, Americas, Wines of Australia, is here for a master class on all things related to Australian Wines, and Canadian Michelle Bouffard, Sommelier, Author and Founder of Tasting Climate Change, joins the conversation with Anthony about the shift underway and the leadership initiatives being adopted to ensure a healthier wine community worldwide.

BC Food and Wine goes Down Under this week with the help of two celebrated Australian Women who have been global ambassadors for Australian Wine and powerful role models for women working in wine for decades. Sue Hodder, Wynns Coonawarra Winemaker, was awarded the Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine Winemaker of the Year award in 2010, and she also took home the 2017 Australian Women in Wine Awards Woman of Inspiration. Hodder was also recently inducted into the prestigious James Halliday Hall of Fame, cementing her status as a wine industry icon and a true legend of Coonawarra wine. Jane Ferrari was named the South Australia Legend of the Vine recognizing her outstanding contribution to the industry. Her career spans many years and is punctuated by her great ability and passion for communicating and storytelling about wine. Ferrari is a past WCA Wine Communicator of the Year (2012) winner and was inducted as a Baron of the Barossa in 2013, with a career in winemaking and communication, including 25 years at Yalumba Wines, as well as time spent at Wolf Blass Wines and Rockford Wines.

This week, we catch up with Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein for a mini Master Class on California Cabernet Sauvignon. Justin Seidenfeld, Winemaker, Rodney Strong Vineyards, Sonoma County, California, discusses the fall harvest and their top-tier Alexander Valley Reds. Shawn Brynildson, Winemaker at Black Stallion Estate Winery in Napa Valley, talks to us about the storied Silverado Trail and the top wines coming out of this region. Plus Harry Hertscheg, Executive Director of Vancouver International Wine Festival, joins us to talk about special event tickets on sale and a general invitation to experience the 46th annual Vancouver International Wine Festival Feb. 24-March 2, 2025.

This week we speak with Severine Pinte, Winemaker, Viticulturist, and Managing Partner for Le Vieux Pin and LaStella wineries on the state of the vines in the South Okanagan and her special partnership undertaken in Washington State. Grant Stanley, winemaker at Spearhead Winery joins us to talk about the impressive Pinot Noir coming out of the east Kelowna winery, which was a big winner at this year's National Wine Awards of Canada. Also, Stacy Hornemann, Winemaker, Blue Grouse Estate, newly arrived from Sonoma, California, takes over the reins at Blue Grouse Estate Winery and discusses her first impressions of the Cowichan Valley. Plus, we chat with Michael Bartier, Bartier Bros., and Eric Monnin, Chief Winemaker, Boutinot, two uniquely talented winemakers, discuss the twist of fate that brought the two together to create a standout BC wine known simply as Project B

This week, we speak with Federica Boffa, Owner of Pio Cesare. Federica talks with us about building two new facilities within the historic centre of Alba. Robin Shay, representing Poggio al Tesoro, located on the west coast of Tuscany in the beautiful coastal wine region of Bolgheri, joins us to talk savoury sangiovese. We’re pleased to speak with Dominga Cotarella, CEO of Famiglia Cotarella, Italy, about a school Dominga co-founded, dedicated to fine hospitality with a keen focus on wine. Then we connect with Alessia Travaglini, Family Member(5th generation), Export Manager Travaglini wines, joining us from the Commune of Gattinara in Piedmont, Italy, home to distinctive square bottles, proving that not all Nebbiolo is Barolo.

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.