Wonderful response to last week’s Naramata pour in Vancouver Part One.

If the feedback is any indication, they are going to have a banner year.

Now comes Part Two

Our last two guests from the Naramata Bench Vancouver Spring Wines pour are

Matt Mikulic –   President and Winemaker – Three Sisters Winery

Matthew and his wife Rebecca both have three sisters…thus the name of the winery and wines.

Matthew, Rebecca and family

No huffing and puffing about vineyards and clones – just really well-grown and balanced,  approachable wines.

That’s part of the reason why they are so popular.  Their wines are as nice as they are!

3sisterswinery.ca

Hayley Fisher – Kettle Valley Wines

The oldest single-owner winery on Naramata Bench in their 35th year. Legendary wines.

kettlevalley.com

naramatabench.com

Kettle Valley Vineyards

VJ Gandhi – Kascadia Wine Merchants.

Kascadia Wine Merchants is the first wine club and online shop in the U.S. to offer wines from Canada, the United States, and Mexico—a curated celebration of North American terroir, culture, and connection.

VJ Gandhi

Founded by VJ Gandhi less than 10 years ago. A passionate wine merchant and proud Asian-Canadian entrepreneur, Kascadia was born from a desire to share the wines that shaped her sense of place and belonging. After moving to California in 2014, VJ saw the need for something different in the U.S. wine space—something slower, more intentional. Something that invites people to gather, unplug, and taste what truly matters.

This is, I believe, the fourth time we’ve talked to VJ.

She lives outside of San Francisco and passionately offers and sells Canadian wines to US customers.

This time, we talk to her about the recent American tariffs on Canadian Wines, what her customer base is commenting on and “the plan” going forward.

This is a compelling conversation.

VJ lives in the USA, is importing wines from Canada and Mexico and is going full elbows up!!

Check out the BC wines she’s chosen to support. Impressive!

www.kascadiawinemerchants.com

“We’ll take honest over polished.

Kascadia’s  portfolio has continued to expand with wines from:

BC

Ontario

Quebec

Nova Scotia

California

Washington

Oregon

Guadalupe Valley, Mexico

BC Wines available include:

Meyer Family

Poplar Grove

Q&A Red and White

Spearhead

Painted Rock

Clos Du Soleil

Winemakers Cut

Congratulations to VJ.

kascadiawinemerchants.com

Unsworth

Clos du Soleil

Hillside

Hester Creek

Wine BC

Blue Grouse

Fall Releases.

Sunday Sept 13 Naramata Bench welcomes back one of their most popular gatherings The Tailgate Party.     

Meanwhile… Across Okanagan Lake,  Summerland, Peachland and Bottleneck Drive are open for business. Some wineries  are rebuilding lost structures or planning replants of vines BUT they are open and you are welcomed.

The Summerland region battled a terrible summer fire and most of the wineries, homes and restaurants came through with varying degrees of damage. The farming community is highly respected for their resilience.  They came through this year.

We are repeating this 2024 Tasting Room Radio episode because we want you to know that its business as usual in Summerland, Garnet Valley and Bottleneck Drive and these wineries and communities are still open.

If you can’t get there, just know that if you go to any of their websites, you can order wines directly to your front door.

www.summerland.ca

www.solverowines.ca

www.okanagancrushpad.com

www.okanagancrushpad.com

www.dirtylaundry.ca

www.pamplemoussejus.ca

www.winebc.com

New wineries in Garnet Valley, Solvero & Garnet Valley Ranch.  Plus two from Bottleneck Drive,  Dirty Laundry and Pamplemousse Jus.

As much as I like to follow the wines that we all share, I’m equally driven by the people who make them. The battles they wage against weather and man!

Best of all, are the stories they tell. Every wine has a story.

Those are the people and stories I want to share with you on Tasting Room Radio.

Christine Coletta – Co-founder of Okanagan Crush Pad/Haywire etc and now Garnet Valley Ranch Wines

Alison Moyes – GM and Winemaker at Solvero Wines in Garnet Valley.

Discover Garnet Valley Ranch., a quick 7 minute drive from the town of Summerland!  The 320-acre ranch is a working farm that is surrounded by natural habitat, organic vineyards, fields of ground crops and a lavender farm.

A small pond attracts more than 70 species of birds and wildlife. With no immediate neighbours, the site is tranquil and relaxing. There are places to hike and horseback riding options, or go off grid, listen to nature, and read a book while you sip wine.

Christine talks about the wines being planted, grown, harvested and released.

Christine Coletta is one of the veteran leaders in the BC wine industry. We’ll also be talking about the future of BC wine.

Her only “next door”  neighbor in Garnet Valley  is Alison Moyes and the team at Solvero Wines.

“It was just a dense forested mountainside, very steep slopes, very challenging terrain to farm. But over the course of two years, a 16-acre vineyard was planted in 2016.

Then we started building the winery in 2020 to be able to produce the wines. And then finally, we’ve just finished this beautiful new tasting room and  we’re ready to launch this year.”

Alison Moyes (Global TV)

 This destination, is one of the highest vineyards in BC,  almost 600 meters. Its perfect for growing their signature  releases  of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

By hiring Alison Moyes, they’ve found the final piece of the puzzle.

She learned her  winemaking craft through years at Stoneboat, Osoyoos Larose and Liquidity.

Enjoy the conversation between winery neighbours. Both creating new wines in a new  destination. We get to taste and compare the same varietals from both locations.

Then a short trip down the road to Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive.

www.solverowines.ca

www.okanagancrushpad.com

Jordan Kubeck – owner/winemaker Pamplemousse Jus natural winery  (Bottleneck Drive)

Jordan Kubeck winemaker/owner at Pamplemousse Jus

One of BC’s most admired new wineries is Pamplemousse. Not only making highly creative natural wines, they are  also creating “natural” converts with every season.

Jordan has been making wine in BC since 2010. After working at Cellar Tek, Okanagan Crush Pad and Lightning Rock, Jordan was excited to launch her own project along with her husband Tyler Knight and business partner James Langford-Smith in 2021.

Pamplemousse Jus is natural wine! Neutral vessels, basket press, manual labor and wild ferments create these wines. The wines are made in a garage turned winery with basic winemaking equipment and a whole lot of happy hearts.

The Pamplemousse Jus team works hard, experimenting with unusual blends and winemaking styles to bring you the freshest, yummiest wines possible.

Mason Spink  Winemaker at Dirty Laundry (Bottleneck Drive)

Mason Spink

When the recent Top 50 BC wines were announced, at the very top of the list – the wine of the year was

Dirty Laundry’s 2022 Cellar Series Gamay.

“this wine stood out among all entries for it’s exceptional quality and distinctive character, earning the highest honor in the competition.” Okanagan Wine Festivals.

Mason Spink winemaker at Dirty Laundry Vineyards

After study at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont. by 2009, he was making wine and, in 2013, he left See Ya Later Ranch to join Dirty Laundry. Since Mason Spink took over as winemaker in 2013, Summerland’s Dirty Laundry Vineyard has doubled production.

He likes to make serious, interesting wines but they don’t have to be pretentious. Over his time at Dirty Laundry he has been evolving the house style and winning awards. Including #1 at the new Top 50 in BC hosted by the Okanagan Wine Festivals

The vineyards were originally planted in the 1970s and are now some of the Okanagan Valley’s oldest vinifera vines.

Mason takes us through some of their recent releases and their plans for replanting vines lost in the latest winter freeze.

The other voice you hear belongs to Leeann Froese, the owner of Town Hall Brands. An outstanding  wine advisor and marketing firm.

www.townhallbrands.com

www.dirtylaundry.ca

www.pamplemoussejus.ca

Swirl BC 2026

Fall Releases

Unsworth Wines

Clos du Soleil

Hester Creek

Wine BC

Hillside

Best Coast Distilling.

Winemakers Cut

Hello all:

Christine Coletta

Leeanne Froese

Friday,   brilliant Gulf Islands string specialist Harry Manx released his 22nd  album, Falling Upwards.  The song titles give hints at what Harry’s been creating. Songs about  Healing – Step Softly Traditional Gospel – God’s gonna cut you down (with Kevin Breit) Love with a groove – Find Your Love Blues and Bhangra -Pork Pie Turban (with...

The post EP 402 | Harry Manx-New album ‘Falling Upwards’ appeared first on Mulligan Stew.

It’s fire season in BC. In the very heart of the prime tourist months, Summerland and surrounding areas have been ablaze. Almost 12,000 people, locals and tourists, have been evacuated from Summerland. On Friday, the main highway through Summerland reopened with limited hours. (7 am to 7 PM) The Bald Range wildfire continues to grow...

The post EP 400 | The Summerland Fires – an informed discussion appeared first on Mulligan Stew.

Jeff Guignard

Christine Coletta

Sandra Oldfield

On the Naramata Bench, Little Engine Wines is entering a new era – one built on a long friendship, a shared palate, and fifteen years of parallel careers across four countries.

Andrew Windsor joins as winemaker, succeeding founding winemaker Scott Robinson, who steps into the newly created role of Wine Director. The two met at the University of Adelaide, where both earned graduate degrees in oenology, and they are now reunited at the winery Robinson has shaped since its first vintage in 2014.

Andrew windsor

Windsor brings 25 years of experience spanning Niagara, Marlborough, the Northern Rhône, and British Columbia, most recently as co-owner and winemaker at Maverick Estate Winery.

For collectors, the current Little Engine releases are the final vintages made solely under Scott Robinson’s hand – available now through the winery’s website and tasting room.

It’s a Family Affair

Meyer Family Vineyards / Mayhem Wines.

It’s a Family Affair!!

For the past 5-7 years – just around Harvest – I’ve gone seeking Terry Meyer Stone and her brother JAK Meyer.

Terry owns Mayhem Wines and JAK owns Meyer Family Vineyards.

Both in Okanagan Falls.

JAK, partners and staff are celebrating their fabulous showing at the 2025 Canadian National Wine Awards.

Top 3 Wineries in Canada

Top 2 Small Winery in Canada

Top 3 Wineries in BC

2023 Okanagan Valley Pinot Noir –  Old Main Road

2023 Old Block Pinot Noir –  McLean Creek Vineyard. French Oak – 33 new for 11 months

2022 Micro Cuvee Pinot Noir –  McLean Creek Vineyard Clones 91-115.  50% New French Oak for 11 months

2024 Columbia River Plateau Chardonnay 10% Stainless Steel/ 6 months Neutral French oak

2023 Mclean Creek Chardonnay –  Hand harvested. 95 points John Schreiner

2022 Micro Cuvee Chardonnay –   100% French Oak Barrels 40% New

All beautiful, balanced expressions of the best of us.

Here’s what Terry at Mayhem is talking  about …

2024 Pinot Gris – from the Ancient Lakes Vineyard in Columbia valley, notes of peach and pineapple on the nose, crisp green apple, citrus and lime zest ion the palate

2024 Anarchy Pinot Gris– from the Ancient Lakes Vineyard, fermented in stainless steel and finished in neutral oak puncheons, Fragrant nose of grapefruit, Meyer lemon and pear, with stone fruits and crisp acidity.

2024 Sauvignon Blanc -from Wahluke Slope AVA in WA, fermented in stainless and finished with a percentage in aged barrique.  Aromas of orange blossom, salt and lime and a palate of honeydew melon and honeysuckle.

2024 Anarchy Sauvignon Blanc – Wahluke Slope AVA, WA.  Fermented in stainless and transferred to seasoned barriques, and a portion of season puncheon. Aromas of white peach, green guava and citrus with a palate driven by lemon zest, lime crème and tropical fruit

2024 Rose – 100% Merlot -Wahluke Slope AVA, WA.  Nose of strawberry and cream with a touch of rosemary, while the palate is textured with wild strawberries, raspberries and cranberry

2023 Cabernet Merlot – harvested from three vineyards:  Kaleden, Oliver and Anarchist Mountain. 100% French oak aged for 10 mos, 79 % Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc. On the nose plush berry fruits and cherry, with soft and velvety tannins and a palate that finishes with a splash of sage and spice. A wonderful blend. Perfect for cellaring.

Meyer Pinot Noir Rose – 2024 – Yummy!! Columbia River. Wa.

Mayhem Merlot Rose  – 2024 Wahluke Slope, Wa.

http://www.mfvwines.com/

Http://www.mayhemwines.com 

https://www.winealign.com/awards/2025/08/01/2025-nwac-results/

https://www.winealign.com/articles/2026/07/29/results-from-the-2026-nationals-best-performing-small-winery-of-the-year/

Little Engine Wines

Orofino Wines

Canadian Wine Trade Barriers Falling

Fall Releases.

Moon Curser –  lots of new releases