WITH TOWN HALL
STORIES, NEWS, AND BEST PRACTICES
The team at Blasted Church Vineyards, an independent winery in the heart of the Okanagan Valley, announces the promotion of Tanya Martin to director of operations.
Martin, who has been with the winery since 2007 and served as general manager since 2008, brings a wealth of experience, dedication, and leadership to her expanded role.
The Summerland Waterfront Resort Hotel is delighted to announce a public celebration of its exclusive guest perk: specially labeled house wines created in partnership with renowned winemaker Matt Dumayne of Haywire Winery. This exciting reveal marks a decade of collaboration between the hotel and the winery, bringing a new look to the private label wines—a white, red, and rosé—designed to elevate the guest experience.
SpearHead Winery has earned the prestigious ‘Winery of the Year’ title at the 2024 WineAlign National Wine Awards where more than 1800 wines from 230 Canadian wineries were judged. Alongside this top honour, SpearHead also won the title of Best Performing Small Winery (for the second time in three years), collecting 12 medals in the competition.
To kick off the summer event season, wineries and cideries along Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive are offering concurrent dinner events on June 21 and 22. From poutine & bubbles, a dim sum dining experience, or an Argentinian BBQ dinner – these Bottleneck Drive members are offering unique experiences and collaborations with one another that will spice up your Friday or Saturday evening (or both)!
The team at Haywire Winery is thrilled to unveil its Certified Local program as a token of gratitude to the incredible residents who have steadfastly supported the Okanagan wine industry over the decades. The year-round visits and purchases from locals have played a pivotal role in transforming this region into a globally respected wine producer.
Valley Commons soft launches starting Saturday, September 4 before the grand opening on September 8
[Oliver, BC] After months of planning and much hard work, September 8 is a big day for husband-wife duo Kyla Richey and Rudy Verhoeff. It’s the day they open the doors to - Valley Commons in the south Okanagan’s District Wine Village (DWV). The winery will also do a 'soft launch' at DWV starting on Saturday, September 4 for long-weekend visitors. Those at DVW this weekend will be the first to taste the wines and shop the merch.
Starting next week, Valley Commons will be open Wednesday through Monday (closed Tuesdays) 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“We are so excited to welcome guests and introduce them to our beautiful wines,” says Richey. “Our tagline at Valley Commons is ‘Where we gather’ because we strongly believe that friendships and family ties are strengthened, and community is created when people gather to enjoy a glass of wine together.”
Kyla Richey and Rudy Verhoeff, owners of Valley Commons Winery. Photo credit: Shari Saysomack
Guest Experience
In addition to the tasting room, Valley Commons’ beautiful new 1,500-sq-foot facility houses the winery’s production area with its fermentation tanks. Guests may even catch a glimpse of winemaker Bill Adams working his harvest magic, as he transforms Okanagan and Fraser Valley grapes into beautiful wines.
The winery offers two different experiences for guests – a quick and casual visit to the stand-up tasting bar with a flight of four ‘petit pour’ wines for $10, or a more leisurely seated experience for $15 and five wine samples to savour. All the wines will be available for sale by the glass and the bottle. In addition to the stand-up tasting bar, the facility offers two tables with two seats each inside the tasting room and an additional 14 seats on the outside patio overlooking the central plaza.
The Wines
Visitors to Valley Commons will be able to enjoy its 2020 vintages created for the winery by Mark Simpson of BC Wine Studio. Starting with the 2021 vintage, wines will be made by Valley Commons staff winemaker Bill Adams and supported by consulting winemaker Pascal Madevon.
The current portfolio of 2020 vintages includes:
Garden Society, a premium red blend ($40/ btl, $14/glass)
Cabernet Franc ($35/btl, $12/glass)
Rosé ($30/btl, $10/glass)
Pinot Gris ($28/btl, $9/glass)
Harvest Table White, a blend ($25/btl, $9/glass)
Valley Commons Winery 2020 Vintages. Photo credit: Ian Lanterman
Richey and Verhoeff want the tasting room to be a unique experience; not only for the sampling of their wines but also a way for individuals to be inspired by, and connect to, the natural beauty that surrounds them. The couple envision it as a place for people to gather and reconnect.
Richey comments, “We want it to be a place to come as you are and be welcomed as family. It will be a place that combines the sophistication of metropolitan tastes with the agricultural cornucopia of the Valleys. We invite people to visit Valley Commons to recharge their spirit and discover new, exciting wines.”
To stay up to date with the latest news from Valley Commons, to subscribe to their newsletter and to order the winery’s first vintages visit www.valleycommons.ca and be sure to follow along on social at @valleycommons.
Valley Commons Winery 2020 Rosé. Photo credit: Ian Lanterman
[Oliver, BC] The Verhoeff Group of Companies announces the purchase of Stoneboat Vineyards located on the Black Sage Bench in Oliver, BC. The business continues to be family-owned, changing hands from Julie and Lanny Martiniuk to the Verhoeff family.
Led by husband-wife duo Kyla Richey and Rudy Verhoeff, the new owners keep the Stoneboat Vineyards name and are eager to build upon the legacy of the Martiniuks, while winery employees stay on with new ownership, including winemaker William (Bill) Adams, and general manager Levi Gogolinski. Industry veteran Pascal Madevon joins the team as consulting winemaker to work with Bill in the cellar.
“Our family is thrilled to make its entrance into the BC wine industry by taking over from the Martiniuks, a family that has established their name as a top-quality grape grower and producer on the Black Sage Bench,” says Rudy Verhoeff, owner of Stoneboat Vineyards. “Our intention is to continue their outstanding work and expand the brand’s presence in the Okanagan and beyond.”
The Verhoeff family, based in Fort Langley in the Fraser Valley, has experience with businesses in the event and hospitality sectors including Red Door Events and Trading Post Brewing, and soon in the District Wine Village with Trading Post and a new winery Valley Commons.
The team will apply its vast experience in foodservice, events, and hospitality to the BC wine industry. Kyla and Rudy complete years of traveling to compete on Team Canada’s women and men’s volleyball teams respectively and are welcoming the change to one of Canada’s biggest-growing industries.
“We are so excited to enter the wine business at such an exciting time of growth and change,” says Kyla Richey. “All of our neighbours have been so welcoming, and we can’t wait to receive visitors from outside the valley soon.”
New Stoneboat owners Rudy Verhoeff, Kyla Richey, Paul & Cobi Verhoeff toasting with Tim Martiniuk, centre. Photo credit Shari Saysomsack
About Stoneboat Vineyards
Stoneboat Vineyards is a family-owned and operated winery located in Oliver, BC founded in1979 by the Martiniuk family. Known for its award-winning wines and Black Sage Bench location, the portfolio of wines is guided by consulting winemaker Pascal Madevon and crafted by winemaker Bill Adams, These include: Pinot Noir, Pinotage, Pinot Gris, Rosé, sparkling wine, red and white blends, and Icewine.
The winery team strives for balance in its approach. Through thoughtful farming, Stoneboat engages in a variety of conscientious and non-invasive practices to maintain healthy vineyards. Balancing these grape growing elements provides wines with a character that cannot be duplicated anywhere else.
Visitors to the winery are welcomed by general manager Levi Gogolinski and the Tasting Room Team to enjoy a taste of South Okanagan terroir and drink in the picturesque vistas. Stoneboat Pinot Club members receive a curated selection of wines in club shipments, first access to limited small lot wines and library releases, and Pinot Club benefits when visiting the winery.
Schedule a tasting, catch the latest news, and learn more at www.stoneboatvineyards.com
Photo credit Shari Saysomsack
*Download photos and more here.
[Oliver, BC] Oliver Twist Estate Winery is now Nostalgia Wines Inc. The ownership remains solely under Gina Fernandes Harfman. When Harfman purchased Oliver Twist Estate Winery in 2012, she kept the namesake Oliver Twist and created her own Nostalgia series to put her stamp on the business. With 2021 being the 15th anniversary of the winery, the time was right to finalize the change.
“Nostalgia Wines is more authentic and better connects to what we represent here,” Harfman notes.
With the name change also comes modernized packaging that better reflects the wine quality, displayed on Nostalgia Wines’ three wine tiers: Nostalgia, Pin-Up, and the Family Collection.
The team at Oliver Twist Winery has been a bit mischievous... they are now Nostalgia Wines Inc.
The team at Oliver Twist Winery has been a bit mischievous... they are now Nostalgia Wines Inc.
THE HISTORY BEHIND NOSTALGIA WINES INC.
Harfman is proud of her South Okanagan farming legacy. Terroir is in her blood: Harfman is the fourth generation from her paternal side, and the third generation from her maternal side, to sink her hands into South Okanagan soil. Her maternal grandfather, Joe Fernandes, left Madeira in the early 1950s to establish orchards and a fruit stand in Osoyoos. Her father, Ken, has 6 hectares (15 acres) of vineyard in Osoyoos which he runs with the help of Harf- man’s brother, Jeremy.
This connection to wine started Harfman down the winemaking road, starting with the winemaking course at Okanagan College. She gained experience as the assistant winemaker at Cassini Cellars for 2010 crush. For 2011 crush, she joined the previous owners and winemaking consultant, Christine Leroux, at Oliver Twist. From the very first vintage, Leroux has guided the wines at Oliver Twist, and she remains an important member of the Nostalgia winemaking team today.
In Harfman’s woman-owned and managed winery, she carries on her prede- cessors’ vision and traditions. She has chosen the name Nostalgia because for her, wine is about creating memories and making connections. She hopes that people will experience her wines, and in doing so, forge new memories.
“Nostalgia is something relatable to everyone,” she notes. “As everyone has memories.”
Nostalgia Wines Inc.'s owner and winemaker, Gina Fernandes Harfman
THE WINES & THE WINERY
Open year-round on the Black Sage Bench in Oliver, BC, Nostalgia Wines offers a range of small production wines from its Nostalgia, Pin-Up, and Family Collection tiers: from dry to off-dry whites and rosés, medium to full-bodied reds, as well as sparkling and dessert wines (including a fortified Port-style). Wines are released in quantities from 24 - 675 cases only and are worth seeking out each release (all wines can be purchased at the winery or online at NostalgiaWines.ca).
Harfman ensures the grape quality is high, sourcing most of the grapes from the estate’s Home Vineyard: Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Viognier, Kerner, Merlot and Syrah. She also sources from her family’s farm, and from treasured, long-term grower partners. Her attention to detail continues throughout the entire winemaking process.
Visitors to Nostalgia Wines are welcomed with heart, personality, nostalgia, and great wine. After taking in the memora- bilia collection inside the wine shop and watching the winemaking in progress through the tasting room windows, the sense of history and love at this family-run winery is unmistakable. Situated right in the heart of South Okanagan wine country, guests take in the views of the rugged desert hills, vineyards, and orchards, while sipping and soaking up the surroundings.
Nostalgia Wines 2018 Merlot, 2018 Meritage and 2020 Rosé
The Nostalgia and Family Collection wines demonstrate the serious side of Harfman’s winemaking style. Guests are impressed by the entire lineup and are charmed by the fun and seductive Pin-Up Series, which allows Harfman to express her fun side. The retro-cool paintings on the Pin-Up bottles are by artist Ralph Burch.
Nostalgia is the comfort and happiness triggered by sensory experiences. Once visitors discover this boutique, family-run winery, and enjoy a glass of wine from one of the estate’s scenic patios, they will want to take home a taste and make more memories of their own.
To keep those memories alive and satisfy you at home when you are feeling “Nostalgic,” membership in the Recollec- tions Wine Club is your best bet. This flexible membership allows you to choose your own selection and order on de- mand any time of year, in person or online, with special Club pricing. Harfman makes exclusive wines for Club members only, such as small lots of Malbec and Petit Verdot.
Watch for the new Nostalgia and Family Collec- tion labels and the refreshed Pin-Up Series to hit the winery’s shelves this month, or order online at NostalgiaWines.ca.
Pin-Up Series Rockabilly Red, 2020 Pink Cadillac and 2020 Boogie Woogie White
ABOUT NOSTALGIA WINES INC.
Nostalgia Wines Inc. is a winery located on the Black Sage Bench in Oliver, BC. It is owned by Gina Fernandes Harfman who is a fourth-gener- ation farmer in the Okanagan. Harfman is the winemaker behind the terroir focused, small lot wines produced on the property.
Nostalgia Wines carries three tiers of wine: Family Collection, Nostalgia Series and the mischievous Pin-Up Series which showcase labels that depict 1960s-inspired artwork.
To learn more about Nostalgia Wines Inc. or shop the wines, visit www.NostalgiaWines.ca
After teasing followers on social media with the sneak peeks of the label under development, the wait is over.
Okanagan Crush Pad announces its 9th Wine Campus project, this time, a collaboration with Matthew Landry.
[Kelowna, BC] The team at Summerhill Pyramid Winery announces its new brand vision.
READ THE NEW BRAND VISION ONLINE
To arrive at this new vision, the winery management team and the family members took a deep look at their purpose, and along the journey the winery achieved certified B Corp status earlier in 2019, the first Canadian winery to do so.
The team arrived at seven guiding principles to inform the way they make wine, their business practices, and the way they interact with the world. The winery is rolling out a new logo and later a new package, but the way forward is also about how they present themselves as a whole.
Ezra Cipes took over as CEO of Summerhill Pyramid Winery in 2012, and over the past seven years he has worked hard with his family to corral and determine the way forward for the pioneering BC winery. His father, and Summerhill founder Stephen Cipes, revolutionized organic wine production in BC, as one of the first BC wineries, and is being recognized for his leadership at the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame in October.
Today, the team shares their newly written vison document, inviting their team, customers, and community to embrace it, and live out the practices and values that has always made Summerhill special and loved.
*
Ezra Cipes, CEO shares the following public statement:
“Summerhill has always been a purpose-based organization founded on and driven by spiritual precepts. The purpose has always been to live as one with nature, to bring forth beautiful products of nature, and to foster community, connection, meaning, and a worldview of oneness and wholeness.
This vision has been held by my dad, Summerhill’s founder and proprietor Stephen Cipes, since he moved my family to beautiful British Columbia in 1986. It has made Summerhill a singular winery and has been responsible for the incredible success we have enjoyed.
This vision has always been implicit, but never quite stated so boldly. Now we are introducing a newly written Vision of Gratitude and Abundance for People and Planet so that we can fully invest ourselves in what has always made Summerhill so unique and special.
The intent of this vision statement is not only to guide us as a company, but also to share our values publicly, so that we are transparent about our values, can be held accountable to them, and can invite everyone to see the world as we see it and to join us in this vision of gratitude and abundance for people and planet.
Along with the new vision is a new logo, which communicates reverence for the soil and for the sacred order of creation as symbolized by the pyramid.
There will be more changes coming soon that stem from this newly articulated vision. Stay tuned!”
---- Ezra Cipes, CEO, Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Suggested Social Caption
@SummerhillWine took a deep dive into their business purpose and is inviting the world to learn more about their seven guiding principles. Read more https://bit.ly/2poajnS
Photos here: Dropbox
Summerhill Pyramid Winery's seven guiding principles: Gratitude, People, Planet, Pioneership,
Abundance, Passion and Love
About Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Kelowna’s Summerhill Pyramid Winery welcomes thousands of visitors onto its farm from all over the world. The founding vision to bottle among the very finest wines in the world has been achieved, with trophies from the highest levels of competition in France, England, and around the world to show for it. But the greatest legacy is the change that the team strives to nourish daily. The winery’s greatest goal is an ongoing one of service to humanity, engendering a culture of gratitude for people and planet with every heavenly sip of its organic wine. Learn more at summerhill.bc.ca
16576 Fosbery Rd Summerland, BC
Every Thursday
from July 4 to August 29 – From 7-9 PM attend Live at Crush Pad and listen to a variety of live music performances while you drink locally-made wine at Summerland’s Okanagan Crush Pad. Tickets are just $25 per person. Gates open at 6:30 PM.
Live at Crush Pad features renowned artists including Trailerhawk, The Fugitives, Rob ‘n Walker, Tiger Moon and many many more!
Okanagan Crush Pad’s wine brands (Narrative, Free Form & Haywire) will be available for purchase. Guests can also buy food from on-site food trucks.
View the upcoming musical acts and purchase your tickets online HERE.
Find more information and RSVP to Live at Crush Pad on Facebook.
by Sujinder Juneja #TownHallOnTour
#FLXWine vs #BCWine
We have been lucky enough to attend the 8th annual Wine Bloggers Conference, a gathering of bloggers (naturally), industry professionals and wine lovers. This year, the event was held in Corning, New York with a focus on the great wines, producers and the people of the Finger Lakes AVA.
A diverse, progressive and passionate industry, the Finger Lakes wine region shares many similarities with that of British Columbia, where we are happy to call home. Here are a few of our observations on the connections between the two regions, for your reading pleasure:
Cool Climate Viticulture
The Finger Lakes and British Columbia are both described as ‘cool climate’ wine regions and on average, share a similar amount of degree growing days. However the Finger Lakes region experiences a highly variable climate, with cold winters, cool to warm summers and a short growing season. While there is diversity of climate within the five main BC wine regions (Okanagan Valley, Similkameen Valley, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands), the climate is less extreme overall and degree days are higher on average.
Planting Grapes To Site
The most established wine regions in the world plant grape varietals that are best suited to that particular site or climate. The most planted grapes in the Finger Lakes are Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc along with a selection of lesser known Vitis vinifera (Blaufränkisch, Saperavi, Sereksiya Charni), native Vitis labrusca (Catawba, Niagara) and French-American hybrids (Traminette, Vidal, Seyval Blanc, Valvin Muscat) that suit the climate and produce balanced and delicious wines. By contrast, the top white grape varietals in BC are Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon for the reds. Other crosses and hybrids such as Ortega, Marechal Foch and select Blattner Hybrids are also planted to produce successful wines. The Finger Lakes and BC wine industries began with native and hybrid varietals with the belief that they would better suit the climate, but consumer preferences in the Fingers Lakes and British Columbia are favouring the more popular vinifera varietals.
What’s Wrong With Hybrids Anyway?
Nothing. If a hybrid grape is grown on a site which allows it to mature to full ripeness, and in the hands of a talented winemaker, they can produce wines that are both balanced and delicious. It’s worth noting that hybrids sell for significantly less by the ton, compared to vinifera varietals, which can affect a winery’s bottom line. Add to that the fact that hybrids are generally less well-known and often hard to pronounce, and therefore market to consumers. One of the most vocal debates during Friday’s Introduction to Finger Lakes Wine Country panel discussion swirled around the contentious use of crosses and hybrids in the region. Consider this: if a hybrid varietal, developed specifically for a particular climate, can produce tasty wines, should they not be celebrated, granting uniqueness to the wine region as a whole? Not all winemakers are convinced. But if you ask someone like Art Hunt at Hunt Country Vineyards, he’ll tell you that his varietally-labelled Seyval Blanc and Valvin Muscat are among their most popular wines. “Millennials want to try new things,” he says. “You can taste 100 Rieslings from the Finger Lakes, but wine drinkers want experience something unique.”
Judy Wiltberger at Keuka Spring Vineyards is proud to show off her Vignoles, a French-American hybrid that sells out every year. In her experience, the key is to market regionally, get people into the tasting room where people can try the wines in person. 70-75% of her sales are through her cellar door and challenging her guests with distinct varietals is a way to excite their palates with something new.
A Sense of Community
Unlike other more competitive regions in the global wine world, the Finger Lakes and British Columbia both enjoy a strong sense of community and partnership. I know firsthand that winery owners and winemakers in BC regularly collaborate and share information and ideas that make the region stronger as a whole. The same is absolutely true for the wineries of the Finger Lakes. If you had the chance, for example, to taste the Tierce Riesling, made by Fox Run, Anthony Road and Red Newt, you’ll know that the wine – and the wine region – is greater than the sum of its parts.
A Window to the World
The Finger Lakes and British Columbia wineries both face the double-edged sword that most of their wine is consumed in their local areas. The challenge offered by the locavore movement in North America means that major cities such as New York and Vancouver consume most of the wine produced in each respective region. Add to that the high tourism rate that each region enjoys means that most wine is sold via the cellar door, limiting the chance for export and global distribution. What this means is that fewer consumers internationally have the chance to taste the wines and understand what the region is all about. At this point, allocation to outside markets becomes a critical path to increasing the prestige and recognition of the regions as a whole.
With Open Arms
At the end of the day and at the end of this conference, the greatest impression left on us about the Finger Lakes wasn’t the wine. It was the people. It wasn’t just the wineries and winemakers that opened their arms to welcome us, but also the restaurants, shops, hotels and the community at large. From our first day in Keuka Lake, throughout the expertly-organized pre-conference excursion and to the last day of the conference itself, there was an excitement and overall warmth that was impossible to ignore, and wonderful to be a part of. When the wine bloggers visited Penticton, British Columbia for #WBC13 it was a similar experience as well. Community, a sense of place, and the celebration of diversity were as much a part of the 2013 Wine Bloggers Conference as they are in 2015.
See you in 2016 in Lodi, California.
By Leeann Froese We are looking forward to sending two members of our team (myself and Sujinder Juneja) to the Wine Bloggers Conference in Finger Lakes, New York this August. This will be my 4th consecutive conference, and Sujinder's third.
Being named Wine Enthusiast's wine region of the year in 2014 made me very curious about what this region has to offer, because as world wine regions go the Finger Lakes Region is still relatively unknown.
This is not meant as a slight towards the region because I feel like our own home wine region here in British Columbia is also off the radar, and this is something we have in common. That same Wine Enthusiast article also named Canada / British Columbia / Okanagan as one of the gems to discover in the world. What will New York have to offer? In my minds eye it's not as hot as it is here in the west, and I have never traveled into this particular area south of Ontario so it will be new territory for me
Adam Strum, publisher and editor of Wine Enthusiast, writes "The New York wine industry has made a remarkable comeback in the past 30 years in terms of the quality of wines, number of wineries, and economic impact."
The Finger Lakes Wine Country boasts over 100 wineries centered around the region’s four main lakes: Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka and Canandaigua.
British Columbia has more than 200 wineries, but like Finger Lakes, the Okanagan wine region is centered around Okanagan, Skaha, Vaseaux, Tuc el Nuit, and Osoyoos Lakes.
In both cases, these bodies of water offer a moderating effect to the landscape and allows for premium grape growing. Is this where the similarities end?
I am sure that both regions offer people who love what they do, and I look forward to learning what kind of tourism infrastructure and hospitality the Finger Lakes region offers. What other compare and contrast points will we find? I am feeling confident the wines will not be the same!
More on the Wine Bloggers Conference and the Finger Lakes region to come!
By Leeann Froese Picking up from last week's Wine Wednesday, today I finish a recap of what we did in 2014.
I repeat how grateful we are for the support we receive from our clients, colleagues and the trade. You all bring the awesome, and I can't wait to see what 2015 unfolds for us all.
Here we pick up the last half of the year...
August
Road Trip #withTownHall
As our team grew throughout 2014 two new people with no previous wine experience joined us (Laurisha Bardal and Amy Chen) so a tour & learn was in order. We visited Okanagan Valley clients SpierHead winery, Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Mt. Boucherie Family Estate Winery, Okanagan Crush Pad and Serendipity winery.
Each winery client welcomed our team with open arms and in addition to learning a lot, we had a lovely time!
September
BBQ OFF the Bypass
Our client, the amazing Angie Quaale, hosted the 9th annual BBQ On The Bypass (it became OFF the bypass after Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store moved to a new location). The free public event offered music, unique displays, tasty vendors and delicious BBQ samples.
15 teams gathered and the winner was House of Q, who then went on to win for the World’s Best Ribs from the World Food Championships in Las Vegas!
Celebrity Dim Sum
Raising funds for Aids Vancouver was the annual Celebrity Dim Sum. What fun it was to have politicians, media, and other personalities from Vancouver serving up yummy dim sum to an enthusiastic crowd.
Haywire was the official wine sponsor and sneak previewed its next release of the Lunar New Year wines.
Jurgen Gothe Celebration
Our team was proud to help organize the event to celebrate the 70th birthday and achievements of Jurgen Gothe’s lifetime. Many in the industry came together with wine, food, and stories. Our team was thrilled to be part of the planning, event execution and friendship for a memorable afternoon with an unforgettable man and those close to him.
Fall Colours
The British Columbia Wine Institute held its annual fall tasting event Colours. A few of our lovely BC winery clients were in town to showcase their newest releases to an enthusiastic crowd of trade and media.
October
Let's hear it for the Girls!
In time for breast cancer awareness month was the promotion of The Girls wine - a rosé and a red - with 100% sales proceeds of to charity. Note these wines are available year-round and make a wonderful choice for gifting or entertaining, knowing that all proceeds go to a great cause. The red would could be a nice Valentine wine.
November
Meet Monte Creek Ranch
We were pleased to announce that the wines are now available from Canada's next wine region and the newest winery in Kamloops, Monte Creek Ranch. Stay tuned for summer 2015 when this winery opens its doors.
Samanatha Syrah
Each year Vancouver’s sommelier of the year is invited to make 100 cases of wine through Okanagan Crush Pad’s Okanagan Wine Campus program. From this $5,000 is donated annually to the BC Hospitality Foundation to support wine education scholarships. 2013 Sommelier of the year Samantha Rahn of Araxi in Whistler created a delicious Syrah. Our team was proud to do the packaging and the publicity.
We are thankful to the media for the great press for sommelier Samantha Rahn's wine project. This has been the most publicity we have received to date for one of the Okanagan Crush Pad Wine Campus wines. Girls rule!
Previous Wine Campus releases include Kurtis Semillon 2011 (Kurtis Kolt), Owen Cabernet Franc 2011 (Owen Knowlton) and TNT Chardonnay 2012 (Terry Threlfall). In progress and up next is Mike Bernardo (2014).
Skills n Spills
The second Skills N Spills competition benefiting the BC Hospitality Foundation took place. Hospitality trade teams competed for bragging rights and more. Our team's role was media communication and coordinating the amazing media judges.
A New Look for an Older Wine
We were proud to bring to life the new packaging for Cipes Ariel 1998 premier cuvée.
This critically lauded wine now looks as beautiful as it tastes. The artwork and calligraphy were done by Helen Menyes, who also hand painted each of the original Cipes Gabriel 1991 bottles. The layout and design were led by our Andrew von Rosen, and inspiration for the design also came from the winery's winemaker Eric von Krosigk. The artwork depicts the archangel Ariel (lion of god), descending down the cone shaped bottle. On the back, two ethereal lions are nose to nose, creating the impression of angel's wings.
Andrew and I had a bottle of this wine on New Year's Eve (thank you team for the gift!) and it was absolutely delicious. No other way to put it. A truly special BC wine.
December
One Faith Vineyards
Our team announced the newest project in British Columbia wine: One Faith Vineyards, and not without controversy, so with this project we will expand...
In the past I have been lucky enough to do media work in Canada with Penfolds Grange and Mondavi's To Kalon Vineyard, and I was proud to be the publicist to launch Osoyoos Larose. These wine labels are all bold, high end, aspirational projects. Those in the Canadian wine media might recall that when Osoyoos Larose was launched it was met with skepticism before it earned fanfare. Critics said it showed promise but were slow to get 100% behind the project. In the case of One Faith Vineyards I am suggesting the case is the same. However today, the conversation is more rapid, as in 2001 there was no online platforms for social dialogue. And a tempest in a decanter is taking place because Bill Lui dreams for One Faith Vineyards, an expensive wine, to become a first growth wine for Canada.
Sujinder Juneja from our team, a French Wine Scholar, assembled this text:
"Let’s first talk about what First Growth actually means. Translated as “Premier Cru” in France, the First Growths were established in 1855 when Napoleon III classified the best wines of Bordeaux for the Exposition Universelle de Paris, based at the time on selling price and overall reputation. The top-ranked wines, named the Grand Crus Classés (Great Classified Growths) were placed in one of five categories from first to fifth, each of which carried a high mark of prestige and suggested a higher quality product.
The fact that these classified growths were now perpetually allowed to charge more per bottle than their close neighbours meant that greater financial resources could be potentially allocated to produce the best possible wine, year after year, even in challenging vintages.
Even inside France, the term First Growth is not a regulated term, but remains a title that lends distinction and perceived quality to the associated wine. Premier Cru is now also used in other appellations in France, including Burgudy, Alsace and Champagne, for example. More often than not, the term merely means the top wine (price and quality) of a particular estate.
Outside of France, the term has been used by other wineries who hope to establish a connection to old world traditions or perhaps build a higher reputation for quality in their home country.
In Canada, there is not yet a legal or binding definition for First Growth but it is the vision and the goal of One Faith Vineyards to produce a First Growth-level wine in the Okanagan Valley, an exceptional wine of unparalleled quality. Everything to do with the wine, from vineyard to winery, from grapes to bottle, must be only the very best.
To be fair, Bill Lui, the proprietor of One Faith Vineyards has never said that his wines are Canada’s First Growth. It is only his goal. His ambition. And only time will tell if that honour is given to One Faith in a formal way. And to be sure, Bill Lui has never once suggested that One Faith Vineyards is above the other great vineyards or wineries of the South Okanagan, but rather that the wine represents the fully-realized potential of excellent quality Bordeaux grape varietals, which have been growing in that site for more than 20 years."
Interestingly, many people talking about this wine and Bill Lui have an opinion when they have not met Bill, (a generous, humble, husband and father), or tasted the wine. Bill has invested his retirement resources to the project. Despite this, whatever does not make the final blend of only 144 cases is used in the 100% charitable The Girls Wine project.
How does the 2012 wine show? People might expect a big, extracted, tannic and masculine wine, as it is made from Bordeaux varietals, but the inaugural release of the wine is a delicate, fruit forward blend that expresses the south Okanagan terroir beautifully. With the meticulous care, attention, hand crafting and detail that go into production and the resulting limited quantity made, the wine retails in a custom made bamboo box of three for $495. At the time of this post the wines had been selling steadily, but a few cases remained.
Wild Sweets
Also in December we were proud to welcome Wild Sweets by DC Duby as a client. I worked with them when I was at Coletta & Associates back in… let's just say it was more than a decade ago. It's fun to reconnect with these two passionate chocolatiers and pastry artists. I encourage you to take a look at their website as their chocolate creations are truly remarkable.
#30 Days of Kindness
Our last project of 2014 was a team one: we took part in #30DaysofKindness
Our team met 30 Day Adventures chief adventurer Marc Smith at the Skytrain station to take part in 30 Days Of Kindness by surprising 20 lucky strangers with the gift of a smile, a positive note and a free ride on Translink. (Just so you know no transit laws were broken in the committing of this act of kindness as we had full approval from Translink.)
This is our 2nd year in a row participating in 30 Days Of Kindness. I am so proud of my hard working and generous-spirited team. Check out our little video and the post with detail on Marc's site
Wrapping Up
Whew!
It was so nice to end the year on a kind note, making people smile, and spreading good will.
Let me know how YOU enjoyed 2014. Did you attend any of these highlighted events? What were the highlights of your year?
2015 already promises some projects and exciting events to emerge so stay posted. Things are already getting busy in the industry with tastings and events.
If you do not already follow us on social media, we'd love for you to join us. Or sign up to receive updates to see what we are getting up to with our clients. You can do this at the top of the website.
We can't wait to share what else our clients are going to be up to, keep all dialogue going, and I hope we see you in person very soon!
Happy New Year - and on behalf of myself, Andrew, Sujinder, Amy, Laurisha, Felicia, Lindsey, Ali and Ritika, let’s all #gogetit!
