The 41st VanWineFest Part One – The Californians!

By the Numbers..

• Over 25,000 wine fans

• 16 countries

• 160 wineries; including 53 from featured region California

• 50 participating restaurants, hotels, caterers

• 1,450 wines.

• 42,000 bottles poured and/or purchased (2018 stats)

• 82,000 wine glasses used (2018 stats)

Our Numbers …

32 interviews..

25 winemakers

7 CEO’s or General Managers.

Sleepless nights – 2

Hours budgeted for all interviews – 3

Minutes to missing last Harbour Air flight – 1

THE SHOW

41 years ago the Vancouver International Wine Festival opened their doors to the World’s wineries.

Only one showed up. Robert Mondavi brought his California wines to pour that day.

Some say California saved the show.

And so, here we are 41 years later and California is the feature region at the 41st VanWineFest.

What a line up. We couldn’t talk to them all but we did do pretty well.

Seventeen Californians and one certain Washington Red Mountain newbie.

Have a favourite California wine? Check the list below. See if it’s there or see if it’s there but go looking for a new California pal.

FYI – Next Week Gina Gallo. Jean Charles Boisset and 15 Canadian winemakers

Jon Bonne – Keynote Speaker. Author of The New Wine Rules

Here’s why I immediately liked Jon Bonne.

“ Not all pink wine need be Summer water But Whispering Angel should be cast into some Miltonian iteration of Hell”

Jon Bonné is one of the most influential American voices on wine. He is the senior contributing editor for PUNCH, and the author of The New California Wine and The New Wine Rules.

www.punchdrink.com

Bob Blue – Founding Winemaker at Bonterra, 1000 Stories and Elysian Collection.

In 2016 the Wine Enthusiast awarded Bonterra as its American Winery of the Year because of its commitment to organic farming and it’s quality of affordable wines. Bonterra is the most popular organic wine in the USA.

Fetzer’s bourbon-barrel-aged Zinfandel 1000 Stories debuted in 2014. In the five years since, production has exploded from 5,000 cases to more than 140,000 annually!

www.bonterra.com

www.fetzer.com

Craig McAllister – Winemaker at La Crema

A New Zealand native, McAllister earned a bachelor’s degree in viticulture and enology from Lincoln University in Christchurch, New Zealand. His deep passion for winemaking has taken him all over the world, from New Zealand to Australia, Chile and Cyprus. Since moving to California, in addition to his work with La Crema, McAllister has also made wine for Wild Ridge, crafting elegant Pinot Noir from vineyards on the rugged Sonoma Coast.

www.lacrema.com

Randy Lange – Owner Lange Twins

Randy Lange is a fifth-generation winegrower.

During the 1870’s his Great-Grandparents, Johann and Maria Lange, settled in Lodi. By 1916 they had the family’s first grape-ranch. It was on this ranch where their dad, Harold, was born in 1920.

In 1974 they decided to farm on our own. They finally built Lange Twins winery in 2006.

FYI – Lange Lodi vineyard produces spicy old-vine Zinfandel, concentrated Bordeaux-style wines and lively Rhone-style reds and whites—many from organically or sustainably farmed vineyards.

www.langetwins.com

Ondine Chattan –

Chief Winemaker Share a Slash/Cannonball/Cowboys and Angels

High Dive and Astrolabe

Ondine is a passionate Sonoma County winemaker with experience ranging from cult boutique producers to notable household name brands. Her love of the diversity of Sonoma and California at large fuels her enthusiasm for making a range of varietals from Sauvignon Blanc to Cabernet. Started her career at Cline, Beam and Geyser Peak.

www.shareasplash.com

Emma Swain – CEO St Supery