Meet Shawn Soole of Little Jumbo With Town Hall

By Leeann Froese It’s Saturday – that means it’s time to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall

This week we introduce you to Shawn Soole, owner of Little Jumbo in Victoria, BC.

Little Jumbo is celebrating its one year anniversary this month, so we thought this is a perfect time to ask you to say hello and congratulate Shawn for his successful first year of restaurant ownership.

Shawn boasts more than a decade of experience working in the hospitality industry; he was voted one of Australia’s best bartenders and was included in the “International Bartender of the Year: Top 10” in 2012. After helping establish Clive's Classic Lounge as Victoria's cocktail central, Shawn went out on his own and opened Little Jumbo in 2013.

If you live in or visit Victoria, check out Little Jumbo. You can also read Shawn's co-authored book, Cocktail Culture, for some great cocktail recipes and insight on Victoria's cocktail scene.

Please help us congratulate Shawn by saying hello with a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter.

Meet Lionel Trudel With Town Hall

By Leeann Froese It’s Saturday – that means it’s time to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall

This week we introduce you to Lionel Trudel of Trudel Photo.

Lionel is a big city photographer who escaped the big city.

He now lives on an acreage in the rural Southern Okanagan with his family and he can be found shooting all things advertising for clients everywhere.

Check out Trudel Photo, and  please help us say hello with a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebookor Twitter.

Meet Kayla Bordignon of Uncork BC With Town Hall

By Leeann Froese It's Saturday - that means it's time to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall

This week we introduce you to Kayla Bordignon, founder and editor of Uncork BC

Kayla first fell in love with BC wine after a tour of Oliver’s wineries in 2008.

She has grown to love tasting and touring at BC wineries, and has been to more than 80 already. She’s very passionate about BC wine and shares some of her experiences with you on her site.

Check out Uncork BC, and  please help us say hello with a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter.

Find the 30 Best Patios in Metro Vancouver

by Leeann Froese It's no secret that our team can get to hanging around with travel and adventure blogger Marc Smith #withTownHall. Recently, we helped Marc research a few locations for his latest blog series: #30BestPatios.

With the terrific summer weather we have been having in Metro Vancouver, reviews of patios are very helpful, and the nice thing about this blog series is that not everything is in downtown Vancouver, providing options for those of us who live and work in other neighbourhoods.

We were so inspired by Marc Smith’s #30dayadventures #30bestpatios series that we decided to create a map. We've compiled all the patios he has reviewed and indicated what area they are in, so that you could know where to go for the rest of the summer, and many summers to follow.

Check it...

Oh and we are even so kind as to give you a downloadable PDF version.

Who's on the list? We've gathered all 30 of Marc's posts. Click the links below to see what Marc experienced at each patio and why it made his list.

1. Adesso Bistro, West End

2. Bambudda, Gastown

3.  Black & Blue, Downtown

4.  Bridges, Granville Island

5.  Cactus Club, English Bay

6.  Chill Winston, Gastown

7.  Dockside Restaurant, Granville Island

8.  Joe Fortes, Downtown

9.  The Keg, Yaletown

10. Lift Bar and Grill, Coal Harbour

11. Local, Kitsilano

12. Mill Bistro, Coal Harbour

13. Reflections at Hotel Georgia, Downtown

14. Romers Bugers, South Vancouver

15. Tap & Barrel, False Creek

16. The Wine Bar, Yaletown

17. University Golf Club, UBC

18. Vancouver Art Gallery Café, Downtown

19. Beach House, West Vancouver

20. Beatniks, Fort Langley

21. Blue Canoe, Richmond

22. Flying Beaver, Richmond

23. Harold’s Bistro, Richmond

24. Hart House, Burnaby

25. Little District. North Vancouver

26. Longtail Kitchen, New Westminster

27. Pier 7, North Vancouver

28. Riverway Clubhouse, Burnaby

29. Steamship Grill, Victoria

30. Wild Rice, New Westminster

See www.30dayadventures.ca to learn about more of Marc's adventures

Now get out there and enjoy!

Fight Global Warming (or just have fun) on World Jump Day

  by Leeann Froese

Directly quoted from Days of the Year where we seek inspiration for much of our fun, comes today's #SundayFunday idea to celebrate: World Jump Day.

"Sunday July 20 is World Jump Day

Many ideas are floated to help combat global warming, and World Jump Day is one of them. The aim of the day is to shift the orbit of Earth, to extend daylight hours and to create a more standardized climate throughout the world.

The concept was promoted by German artist, Torsten Lauschmann, and the first World Jump Day was slotted for July 20, 2006. He claimed that 600 million people in the Western Hemisphere were going to jump at the same time. This proposal was actually a satirical art installation, but it reminded people about the effects of global warming.

Earth weighs 100 trillion trillion pounds, and the average weight of a human is 137 pounds, which multiplied by 600 million equals 8,220 million pounds. Working out the pound-force of that figure involves a complicated formula, but rest assured that 600 million people jumping simultaneously (if anyone could organize the event) would make no difference to Earth’s orbit.

But, hey, it’s fun. Jump!"

Meet Sujinder Juneja With Town Hall

By Leeann Froese If you have been following what we do, you know that every Saturday we like to feature a personality #withTown Hall.

This week, as we round the corner to our 2nd year of business, we decided it's time to take #withTownHall here to the source.

This week #withTownHall we are celebrating our own. Our Sujinder Juneja is not only our communication director, he is a true lover of wine.

We could go on, but the case in point that we want to highlight is that he just passed his French Wine Scholar exam

The French Wine Scholar Program covers French wine law, grape varieties, viticulture, winemaking and all of the French wine regions. Developed and administrated by the French Wine Society with the support of the French Ministry of Agriculture, this specialization program  is designed for advanced students of wine, whether professionals or serious wine hobbyists.

Way to go Sujinder - #gogetit!

We will be asking Sujinder not only to share his good story ideas, but also for his French wine recommendations to be sure!

Everyone - please help us congratulate Sujinder with a comment below - or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter.

A Taste of British Columbia #withTownHall

by Leeann Froese Added: thank you to the handful of bloggers who joined us to taste the wines below in a room hosted by Soléna Estate - we know how rare a chance it is for you to taste BC wines and we appreciate them allowing us to tag along! A special shout out to the inimitable April Yap-Hennig of Sacred Drop who coordinated all!

If you enjoyed, please spread the word!

Winery: Mt. Boucherie Family Estate Winery

Social: Twitter / Facebook @mtboucheriewine Located: West Kelowna The Wine: Mt Boucherie Family Reserve Gamay Noir 2012 Price: CDN$15.50 | Alcohol: 13.9% What you might taste: Structured on the palate with elements of red currant, black raspberries, a hint of ground black pepper and savoury, underpinned with higher acidity and soft tannins.

Need to know facts: this winery just quietly goes about its business making incredible wines which reflect the owners’ soft personality. All of their wines are 100% family owned and grown and they hold the province’s largest acreage of family-owned vineyards – more than 300 acres. They sell their grapes to many others in BC since the 1970s, and keep a small and interesting assortment for themselves and their wine program. Mtboucheriewinery.com

Winery: Okanagan Crush Pad, home of Haywire Social: Twitter / Facebook @haywirewine | @okcrushpad | Instagram @okcrushpad Located: Summerland The Wine: Haywire Switchback Pinot Gris 2012 Price: CDN$23 | Alcohol: 13% What you might taste: The wine has a crisp acidity, juicy apricot flavours and a chalky, limestone taste along with a flinty finish which is the hallmark of clone 52. It is all bundled up with a silver label to denote that it is one of the vineyard-designated wines they are most proud of this season.

Need to know facts: Okanagan Crush Pad, home of Haywire, is the first in Canada to extensively use concrete tanks, and wines that are fermented and aged in concrete carry the Raised in Concrete™ designation. See what differences you think the use of concrete makes? The Summerland winery is located on the 10-acre Switchback Vineyard site overlooking Lake Okanagan. In addition to their own flagship wines, Haywire and Bartier Scholefield, Okanagan Crush Pad makes custom-crush wines for people who are seeking to start their own winery. okanagancrushpad.com

Winery: SpierHead Winery Social: Twitter @spierheadwinery | Facebook spierhead | Instagram Spierheadwinery Located: Kelowna The Wine: SpierHead Pinot Noir 2012 Price: CDN$22.00 | Alcohol: 12.4% What you might taste: medium-bodied wine consistent with its cool climate origins. Light tannins and lots of fresh red berry.

Need to know facts: This tiny relative newcomer of a winery flies under the radar for many, but keeps capturing accolades and awards in every competition entered. The 2010 vintage of this same wine captured an award for the best Pinot Noir in Canada – when the vines were even younger! spierheadwinery.com

Winery: Serendipity Winery Social: Twitter @winespiration | Facebook serendipitywineryBC Located: Naramata The Wine: Serendipity Viognier 2012 Price: CDN$19.90 | Alcohol: 12% What you might taste: Traditional Viognier notes of orange blossom and tangerine greet your nose. Sur lie contact brings out a medium-bodied wine and contributes to notes of toasted coconut. This wine has a hint of blood orange and apricot.

Need to know facts: Serendipity Winery is located in the rolling hills of the picturesque Naramata Bench. Owned by mother-daughter duo, Judy Kingston and Katie O’Kell, a visit to Serendipity is welcomed with a warm smile and a delicious glass of wine. In both 2013 and 2014 Serendipity was the only BC winery invited to showcase wine at the Calgary Stampede, and the winery was named BC Winery of the Year at a New York competition. SerendipityWinery.com

Winery: TIME Estate Winery Social: Twitter / Facebook @timewinery Located: Oliver The Wine: TIME Meritage 2011 (Red) Price: CDN$29.99 | Alcohol: 14.1% What you might taste: Classic aromas envelop the glass with red berries, black cherries and peppery nuances. Fragrant characters of rose petal and sage mingle with the darker fruit elements. This wine is rich and structured, with excellent depth and silky, well-integrated tannins.

The Wine: TIME Meritage 2013 (White) Price: CDN$25.00 Alcohol: 13.6% What you might taste: Classic aromas circle in the glass: honeydew melon, pear and a hint of tangerine. Taste graceful hints of apricot and mango, swirled with ripe gooseberry. This wine is mellowed by barrel aging, resulting in a sturdy vibrant finish with delicate traces of oak.

Need to know facts: TIME Estate Winery co-owner Harry McWatters is a Canadian wine industry pioneer, and a maverick, who performed many ‘firsts” and set the stage for many to follow. TIME is the latest venture for McWatters, who started this project after “retiring” in 2008 when he sold his previously-owned wineries to Constellation. TIME Estate Winery is located in the midst of the two-decade old Sundial Vineyard on the acclaimed Black Sage Bench in the hot, dry desert climate of the South Okanagan. timewinery.com

The Wines of British Columbia are as diverse as the places they are grown and the people who make them. We hope you enjoy this snapshot.

Going Haywire Organically

By Leeann Froese

I recently made a vineyard visit to one of our clients, Okanagan Crush Pad, in Summerland British Columbia, and share some of the updates.

For full disclosure: this is a special place to me personally, in that I have been a part of this company’s team since the vineyard was planted, and I even have a row named after me: Row 38! (If you visit – take a #selfie with ‘my’ row and send it to me!)

The vineyard, called Switchback Vineyard, provides Pinot Gris grapes for Haywire wines. In 2007 winery owners Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie planted the 10 acre vineyard to one clone, all Pinot Gris, with the idea that they were going to value add to their land and sell all of their grapes to one buyer. They were not planning to be winery owners or get into the business of making wine.

What actually happened over the next few years is that they did create their own wine: Haywire. First, virtually, then eventually under their own brick-and-mortar winery Okanagan Crush Pad, which has been constructed adjacent to the Switchback Vineyard.

In the time since becoming grape growers the couple has learned a lot more about how they want to farm their property, and now Switchback Vineyard is on its way to becoming certified organic; yet it did not always start out that way. Under consulting Italian winemaker Alberto Antonini’s guidance, the winery team changed the way they farm and stepped up its game to make better wine. After conventionally farming the vineyard for its first few years, the team switched to organic growing practices, and applied for certification in spring of 2014.

They’ve said goodbye to herbicides. Instead, they’re controlling weeds with tilling, beneficial cover crops and the addition of baby doll sheep to graze in between rows. Also, they have stopped mowing the grass between rows. While this makes the vineyards look “weedy”, it lets ground cover grow and it reduces vigour on the vines.

Ducks & chickens have been added, and they live in the “Okanagan Chicken Pad”, which has got to be the nicest chicken coop one has ever seen. Made by winery owner Steve Lornie, the chicken, sheep and ducks happily coexist in a beautiful wooden coop that has incorporated repurposed wine barrels.

These critters are charming, but they have jobs. Chickens provide beautiful and delicious eggs, provide manure to fertilize and they eat insects.  The ducks do the same. Baby doll sheep graze ground cover and also provide manure - all animals contributing to a whole farm approach.

The winery is also practicing integrated pest management, inviting beneficial insects to take up residence so they can eat any insects that eat grapevines. Recently a swarm of bees was discovered on one of the grapevines, so they were harnessed and put into a hive. Now the vineyard has built-in pollination (and perhaps honey one day soon?) and in addition to the bees, ‘insect hotels’ have been erected: a few cute small ones, and one large one, created as a DIY project involving children.

The overarching idea is to have minimal intervention between the growing and winemaking, to keep things as natural as possible to make the wines without any chemical intervention. This practice requires a lot of attention and despite all the focus, the vineyard rows look rather wild and unkempt. It's interesting and cute to see the animals running around between the vines, but these animals, insects as well as the many birds in the area all show that there's a very alive ecosystem in play and that the grapes are being tended for lovingly.

It has been a three-year process to get to the point of being able to seek certification, but the result is amazing wine that is gentler on their land.

I raise a glass to that.

Fishing For BC Spot Prawns with Organic Ocean

  By Leeann Froese

Sometimes in my work I get to do some pretty cool things.

I feel truly lucky that I get to go to lots of different wine tastings, meet some very interesting personalities, eat some incredible food, and get exposed to a lot of things that some other people might not unless they were in our industry. I would say that my experience last week would be no exception, when I got to go on a ride along on a spot prawn fishing boat.

We do media relations for the Chefs' Table Society of British Columbia, and as a result of this, for the past month we have been working very closely with spot prawn fisherman (the Spot Prawn Festival is a Chefs' Table Society initiative).

Michelle da Silva, a staff reporter for the Georgia Strait, was writing a story about Spot Prawns because she felt that her readers would like to know a little bit more about these little delicacies, how they are harvested and where they come from. So I, and Amber Sessions from Tourism Vancouver, joined in for a ride along.

What a great learning opportunity it was to see the fisherman at work. We were on the Organic Ocean, which is run by Steve Johanson and Frank Keitsch (and co-owned by Dane Chauvel, who was not with us).

Peter Chauvel, Dane's son, was with them. Peter is a university student who has been on fishing trips since he was a toddler. Today, Peter spends his summers working on the boats in between his semesters at university.

The location of the traps is a well-kept secret, in order to keep things commercially sensitive.

What I can share is that they have different fishing grounds up and down the west coast, and we were lucky enough to see them pull out a few strings of traps and then reset them.

I was mentally prepared to be put to work, but in the end, I just got to watch and enjoy what had to be one of the most beautiful mornings on the water all season.

The three fishermen have a very well orchestrated system. One person uses a winch and hoists in the traps, the second person empties them on a custom-built table, and passes the net to the third person, who resets the bait and gets the traps ready to drop back into the water, once all the catch has been brought up.

What was interesting to learn is that before any of the spot prawns are caught, a section of the boat hull is filled with very cold ocean water which is then further cooled on board. This on-board tank utilizes a computerized chilling system to circulate sea water drawn from the ocean floor. When the spot prawns are caught they are put into this icy cold water to stay alive up until the time that they are sold at False Creek Fisherman's Wharf or transported to restaurants. It does not get any fresher than this.

I did not for one minute think that Spot Prawn fishing would fall into the category of an easy job, but I think you, dear readers will appreciate these delicious little critters that much more after hearing how hard the fishermen work to get them to you.

The work was physically demanding, as the traps after coming up on a hoist are heavy: filled with catch, and wet. Also this is a wet job – waterproof wear is required as there is a lot of water splashing off the line and traps, and there is plenty of fast, physical action as the nets get emptied.

As each trap is emptied a very low tech tool is employed – a plastic dust pan. This flat scoop is perfect for picking up the spot prawns after they are dumped out of the traps, but first the prawns must be sorted.

At this time the unwelcome are also removed. In the traps sometimes there are other sea creatures, noted as by-catch, which can include other shrimp, crabs, jellyfish and other miscellany of fish of varying sizes. I got to check out and then throw back a Squat Lobster - which I had never heard of or seen before!

I was hoping for an octopus but none were accidentally caught that day. All by-catch is thrown back into the ocean so they can live another day. And the spot prawns have to be the right size. Any that are too small or if there are any with eggs, they are thrown back as well "for next year's catch".

A real treat: from the first trap emptied, Steve gave us each a spot prawn "breakfast" he says. I had never eaten a raw spot prawn before, and Michelle was a little unnerved as hers was "still twitching". Nevertheless, we peeled and ate these fresh-from the sea prawns. They were somewhat sweet with nice firm flesh and absolutely delicious.

Once the nets were hoisted by Frank and emptied by Steve, Pete would take the nets make sure that no jellyfish or anything else is stuck inside and then he re-sets the bait, which is a special smelly fishy mixture. Then the nets are stacked up and prepared to be dropped back into the water for the next day's catch.

The spot prawn season lasts six to eight weeks, and every day it is this same set of physically demanding tasks, seven days a week, rain or shine.

Want to see Michelle’s story of our experience?

About Spot Prawns

Wild BC spot prawns are a delicacy known around the world for their sweet, delicate flavour and firm texture. They are most recognizable for their reddish brown colour, which turns bright pink when cooked, defining white spots on their tail and white horizontal bars on the carapace.

BC spot prawns are the largest of the seven commercial species of shrimp found on the west coast of Canada. They vary greatly in size, with some larger females exceeding 23 cm in total length. Prawns are hermaphrodites: for the first two years of their lives they are males, and then they change to females. Typically, spot prawns live a total of four years. In BC, approximately 2,450 metric tonnes are harvested annually, with about 65% of the harvest coming from the waters between Vancouver Island and the mainland.

BC spot prawns are available live during the harvest season, which usually starts in May and lasts anywhere from six to eight weeks. Prawn fishermen spread baited traps along the rocky ocean floor at depths ranging from 40 to 100 metres. This method has minimal impact on ocean habitat and very low levels of by-catch of other species.

BC spot prawns are very popular in Japan and the rest of Asia, with over 90% of BC’s commercial catch consumed there. Most of the prawns are frozen at sea by fishermen, and then packed and exported across the Pacific. The remaining few, however, like what was harvest by Organic Ocean on our ride along, are available to be enjoyed fresh in local BC restaurants and kitchens during the fishing season!

Spot prawn stocks are carefully and sustainably managed to ensure that they remain available to enjoy for many years to come, including:

• Limiting the number of vessels that can commercially harvest spot prawns
• Limiting the number of traps that can be used
• Returning females with eggs live to the ocean
• Monitoring the spot prawn population and closing the fishery when prawn stocks approach a pre-determined level

Learn more about the Spot Prawn Festival and link to more information on Spot Prawns here.

BC Wineries to Watch For at the Vancouver Bloom Trade Only Tasting

Trade: celebrate the arrival of fresh, local, home grown ingredients and gentle weather, with the annual Wines of British Columbia Spring Release Tasting.With more than 80 BC wineries showcasing more than 300 premium BC VQA wines, the event is sure to provide a wonderful overview of BC VQA wines!

We encourage trade and media who are attending to stop by the tables of our clients, and we have provided you with a bit of intel about each.

Journalists: we can help you with any interview requests for the visiting winery principals.

Winery: Mt Boucherie Family Estate Winery Located: Kelowna Who you will meet: Winemaker, Jim Faulkner and representatives Don Pfeffer and Mario Rodi What you will taste: 2013 Pinot Gris 2012 Family Reserve Chardonnay 2012 Family Reserve Gamay Noir 2009 Summit Reserve Syrah Need to know facts: this winery just quietly goes about its business making incredible wines which reflect their soft personality. All of their wines are 100% family owned and grown. Mt. Boucherie holds the province's largest acreage of family-owned vineyards - more than 300 acres. They sell their grapes to many others in BC since the 1970s, and keep a small and interesting assortment for themselves and their wine program.

Winery: Okanagan Crush Pad Located: Summerland Who you will meet: Alison Scholefield and Rebeka Eriksson What you will taste: 2012 Haywire Syrah 2011 Haywire Canyonview Pinot Noir 2012 Haywire The Bub Sparkling Wine 2012 Haywire Switchback Pinot Gris Need to know facts: Okanagan Crush Pad is the first in Canada to extensively use concrete tanks, and wines that are fermented and aged in concrete carry the Raised in Concrete™ designation. See what differences you think the use of concrete makes. The Haywire sparkling wine, the Bub, is named after Alison Scholefield, who will be at the table.

Winery: SpierHead Winery Located: Kelowna Who you will meet: Owners, Bill and Marina Knutson What you will taste: 2013 Rosé 2013 Pinot Gris 2012 Chardonnay 2011 Persuit Need to know facts: This tiny relative newcomer of a winery flies under the radar for many, but keeps capturing accolades and awards in every competition enetered. For example, the Rosé, which the owners will pour at the table, was just granted 90 points from DJ Kearney in Wine Align.

Winery: Summerhill Pyramid Winery Located: Kelowna Who you will meet: CEO, Ezra Cipes and Winemaker, Eric VonKrosigk What you will taste: 2013 Organic Riesling 2013 Ehrenfelser 2011 Organic Pinot Noir Need to know fact: The Cipes Brut just captured the Best Sparkling Wine in Canada at the All Canadian Wine Championships. The winery recently released its first lower sulphite wines, on account of the use of a nitrogen generator in the cellar. Ask Eric and Ezra about it.

And... if you are NOT attending Bloom, but want to meet or know more about any of these clients, then contact us info at townhallbrands dot com.

Naramata's Serendipity Winery Travels to Vancouver to be at 30 Simultaneous Dinner Parties

Town Hall client press release Serendipity Supports 2nd annual #dinnerpartyYVR

Suggested Tweet:

Naramata's Serendipity @winespiration is @SocialBites #dinnerpartyYVR wine partner again http://bit.ly/MTeMFQ #bcwine

The News:

Serendipity Winery of Naramata BC will take its place on the tables of food and wine lovers for the second year - for a good cause.

On Saturday April 5, #dinnerpartyYVR, the mastermind of Annika Reinhardt of Social Bites and presented by Cressey, will connect Vancouverites at dinner parties prepared by hobby chefs on their in homes simultaneously across the city, all to benefit local charities. The winery's popular wines, including their award-winning Devil's Advocate red blend, will be featured at every table.

After the meal has completed, diners, hobby chefs and the charities involved gather for an after party. 100% of the diner's $40 donation is gifted back to represented charities. In 2013 more than 200 people participated, collectively raising more than $4500 for 24 charities.

"We are so happy to support local charities, and especially via this event that puts our wine with incredible food cooked by talented hobby chefs," says Katie O'Kell, second-in-command of the small winery. "I look forward to travelling from Naramata to take part, and meeting everyone."

After dinner, all diners will leave the homes and convene for a special Cressey After Party. Serendipity wines will be also available at a cash bar at the after party.

Click here to see the various locations and buy tickets, which are moving fast!

Sign up for a meal by Wednesday, March 19 for a chance to be invited to the Cressey Dinner Party with CTV's MasterChef Canada Top 12 Finalist Josh Gale on the event night.

Find out all of the details on the Dinner Party YVR website: www.dinnerpartyyvr.com.

About Serendipity Winery:

Nestled among the rolling hills of the picturesque Naramata Beach, a visit to Serendipity is all about discovery, surprise and warmth. Judy Kingston or Katie O'Kell welcome every visitor with a smile and a glass, always pleased to share their passion and education with their guests. For a modest $3, visitors get a full flight of tastings. In the time since releasing their first wine, the winery continues to delight, surprise, and capture accolades. Visit to taste and learn why in 2013 Serendipity was the only BC winery invited to showcase wine at the Calgary Stampede (and is returning in 2014), and why the winery was named BC Winery of the Year at a New York competition.

Learn more at www.serendipitywinery.com and follow the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information on Serendipity Winery contact Sujinder Juneja 604-367-6745 or sujinder (at) townhallbrands (dot) com

Meet Haywire Winery and Summerhill Pyramid Winery at the 2014 Vancouver International Wine Festival

By Leeann Froese Oh it's on!

Vancouver International Wine Festival runs from February 24 to March 2, 2014. Our Town Hall team is attending various events throughout the festival, and we have two winery clients that are exhibiting: Haywire, and Summerhill Pyramid Winery. Both will have amazing VQA wines and bubbles you HAVE to try!

Now we will share the details on what you can expect from each of our BC winery clients during the festival, and we have some handy image downloads at the end.

Haywire Winery, Summerland BC

Of special note:

• Haywire will be making its inaugural appearance at this festival

• Meet the Bub herself, Alison Scholefield, who is likely the youngest winery principal in the room (25)

• Haywire is co-owned by Christine Coletta, who is an iconic Canadian wine marketer

• The Vancouver Sun has a table and they will also be featuring Haywire at their table

Wines you will find at the Haywire table:

• Haywire Rosé 2011 - $20 New release! #365 days of rosé indeed

• Haywire Switchback Vineyard Pinot Gris 2012 - $23 Taste the difference of a wine that has been Raised in Concrete^tm

• Haywire Canyonview Pinot Noir 2011 - $35 Critically-acclaimed, concrete-aged Pinot

• Link to Global Focus: the Bub 2012 - $25 taste why everyone loves this crisp sparkler

Who you might meet:

Alison Scholefield is arguably the youngest winery principal you will find in the room and she has been in the wine industry since birth. Now as the winery ambassador and sales team liaison for Haywire, it's her job to communicate with customers, the public and wine club members. You can ask her about where to find the wines, and anything that's happening at the winery. Also find out why she has Haywire’s Sparkling wine the Bub named after her.

Julian Scholefield is the operations manager at the winery, and also president of the Summerland area Bottleneck Drive winery association. Julian oversees the coordination in the cellar of Haywire, Bartier Scholefield, client Bartier Brothers as well as several other client wines, including bottling, deliveries, on-site activities, as well as liaising with the vineyard teams, including the team that is planting the new Garnet Valley Vineyard.

Matt Dumayne is the winemaker for Haywire. Originally from New Zealand, and with 25 vintages under his belt crafting award-winning wine in Central Otago, California, Australia, and Oregon, Matt brings unparalleled insight and passion to the winemaking program. You can speak to Matt about the ways that he is approaching the Haywire portfolio, as well as some of the special projects he's working on which *sneak peek* include an orange wine…

Bonus events where you will taste Haywire wines:

BC PAIRED: INDULGE YOUR SENSES - Gamay Noir 2012, Gewürztraminer 2012

25 UNDER $25 - The Bub Traditional Method Sparkling Wine 2012

About Haywire

Haywire is an old Canadian term that refers to wire once used for baling hay, which tended to tangle in a chaotic way. It is also an apt description of Christine and Steve’s transition from the city to owning a vineyard and winery. The learning curve was steep, but as the first wines hit the market (in 2010) it became apparent that the journey was the reward. Since planting the 10-acre Switchback Vineyard, Christine and Steve have gone on to open Canada’s first purpose-built custom crush facility (Okanagan Crush Pad Winery in 2011) and are now getting ready to plant the first 20 acres of vines at their 312-acre Garnet Valley Ranch. Haywire is committed to crafting wines that tell the story of the New Okanagan.

For more information see www.haywirewinery.com – like Haywire on Facebook or follow on twitter @haywirewine

Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Kelowna BC

Of special note:

• Stephen Cipes is a pioneer of the BC wine industry and the grandfather of BC’s organic wine movement, and you can meet him

• You are lucky, lucky, lucky that Summerhill is pouring Cipes Ariel at this festival. In late 2012 Summerhill Pyramid Winery held a tasting at Hawksworth where in this fascinating tasting event, celebrated sommelier instructor, wine judge and journalist DJ Kearney guided guests through the taste experience of the lovely Cipes Ariel, side by side with France’s iconic Champagne, Krug Grande Cuvee. The wines were accompanied by a unique tasting menu that celebrated British Columbia ingredients as inspired by the tradition of French degustation, prepared by Chef David Hawksworth and his talented team.

The idea to pour the Ariel beside Krug was sparked by a wine shop host and tour guide from Epernay, (who has worked at both Moët and Krug), who suggested the wine reminded him of the Krug style. Winery CEO Ezra Cipes was inspired to conduct his own research. The media in attendance thought putting the Ariel beside the richness, layered complexity and elegance of the Krug was very brave, and while this was never intended to be a competition, the idea was to illustrate how this special sparkling wine can stand alongside the world’s best. And it did. And it does.

• Bonus: taste the Cipes Rose and Cipes Ariel over at the special Vancouver Sun table as well

• Bonus 2: the BC Wine Institute will be pouring Cipes Brut at their table

Wines you will find at the Summerhill table – All link to the Global Focus of bubbly wines!

• Cipes Brut - $26.95 The winery’s flagship bubble, which has won gold medals internationally every year since its release in 1991

• Cipes Rosé - $26.95 Gold Medal, Top 10 Sparkling Wines of competition - 2013 Effervescents du Monde

• Cipes Blanc de Noirs 2008 (pre release) Sneak peek! Say no more...

• Cipes Ariel 1998 - $85 Gold Medal - 2012 World Wine Awards, Chicago, Illinois; 92 points - Anthony Gismondi; 90 Points: Beverage Testing Institute

Who you might meet:

Founder Stephen Cipes moved to Kelowna in 1987 after a successful real estate career in New York. Ready for a career move to get in touch with the earth, Stephen was horrified when he saw the pesticides sprayed on his new vineyard and immediately transitioned to organic growing. With his jovial, convivial personality, Stephen Cipes is the spiritual guide and visionary behind Summerhill Pyramid Winery. He has so much to share.

Ezra Cipes is proud to carry on the family legacy at Summerhill Pyramid Winery as CEO. Like his father Stephen, Ezra has a multitude of passions and talents. At Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Ezra Cipes is responsible for day to day operations, marketing, and leadership. He is a talented musician, and has completed courses in vineyard management and in permaculture design.

Eric von Krosigk is winemaker and viticulturist at Summerhill, and as the winery’s first winemaker, has been associated with Summerhill since its inception. Leading the winery’s organic growers, von Krosigk works with some of the Okanagan’s best grapes to produce world-class wines. Despite the fact he wins numerous awards each year, Eric remains one of the most approachable and humble BC vintners. Also notable is that Eric is president of the Okanagan Wine Festival board.

Bonus events where you will taste Summerhill wines:

BC PAIRED: INDULGE YOUR SENSES - 2011 Baco Noir, 2010 Cabernets

ALL ABOUT BUBBLY! - Cipes Brut

About Summerhill Pyramid Winery

Summerhill Pyramid Winery, located in the Lakeshore district in Kelowna, BC, is Canada’s largest biodynamic and organic winery, producing more organic wine than the rest of the Canadian wine industry combined. In addition, Summerhill is Canada’s most visited winery and foremost producer of sparkling wine. Winemaker Eric von Krosigk oversees the portfolio of BC VQA wines that earned the winery the Canadian Wine “Producer of the Year” trophy at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in London, England in December 2009 as well as a trophy for “Best International Bottle Fermented Sparkling Wine” from this same competition in 2010. The winery, owned by the Cipes family, is also home to Summerhill’s organic Sunset Bistro, serving food grown and raised by local organic producers, including an onsite permaculture-style vegetable garden. The mission of the entire Summerhill team is to produce exceptionally good tasting wines organically, support local organic food growers in the bistro, and provide unforgettable experiences for all its guests.

For more information, visit www.summerhill.bc.ca find Summerhill on Facebook or follow the winery on Twitter @summerhillwine.

Enjoy and use these downloads:

Need an image you don't see here, or more info? Contact our media team leeann@townhallbrands.com or sujinder@townhallbrands.com

Haywire Rosé 2011

Haywire Switchback Vineyard Pinot Gris 2012

Haywire Canyonview Pinot Noir 2011

Haywire The Bub 2012

Haywire Gamay Noir 2012

Haywire Gewürztraminer 2012

Photo of Okanagan Crush Pad - home of Haywire, credit Lionel Trudel

Do you like the group photo of bottle above? Download a copy.

Summerhill Pyramid Winery Cipes Brut

Summerhill Pyramid Winery Cipes Rosé

Summerhill Pyramid Winery Cipes Ariel 1998

Summerhill Pyramid Winery 2011 Baco Noir

Summerhill Pyramid Winery 2010 Cabernets

Photo of Summerhill Pyramid Winery, credit Kevin Trowbridge

Master The Public Wine Tasting Like a Boss: 7 Tips for the Vancouver International Wine Festival

  by Leeann Froese

The Wine World Is Here So says the tagline, for the upcoming Vancouver International Wine Festival. And given our 17 years of involvement in the wine industry, of course we are involved too! Canada’s premier wine festival runs from February 24 to March 2 at the Vancouver Convention Centre and other venues across the city. The spotlight is on France as the 2014 theme country, with a global focus on Bubbly wines. The festival will feature 178 wineries from 14 countries, attracting 23,000 participants to 54 events over eight days. For full program details, visit VanWineFest.ca

#withTownHall – our firm’s involvement Our Town Hall team will be attending various events throughout the festival, and we have two winery clients that are exhibiting: Haywire, and Summerhill Pyramid Winery. Both will have amazing VQA wines and bubbles you HAVE to try! We will also be onsite in the festival tasting room representing the BC Hospitality Foundation. If we see you in the room, we are happy to take you over to these tables.

Also, we have recently been doing some behind-the scenes work with Wines of France. They return as theme country for the 2014 festival, with 52 wineries representing France’s diverse wine regions: Alsace, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Champagne, Loire, Rhône, South of France and Southwest France. All 52 wineries will be highlighted in the France Bon Appétit section of the tasting room, grouped by region, with three regional tasting stations—Alsace, Rhône and the Languedoc-Roussillon—providing guided flights and showcasing their unique wine styles.

When you read the amazing, free tasting booklet you receive when you attend the festival tasting, you will see the section on France, which our design team had the pleasure of doing the design and layout for. (Speaking of, there are numerous other printed materials, invitations, and tasting booklets that will find their way into festival goers hands at various events, all created by our design team.)

Get Your Tickets Dinners with international vine stars at some of Vancouver’s best restaurants, seminars with wine experts, access to the Acura International Festival Tasting Room and other exciting events are available. All ticket sales support VanWineFest’s charitable partner, Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival. Tickets may be purchased online at VanWineFest.ca, in person at 305-456 West Broadway, or by phoning the box office at 604-873-3311 or toll-free at 1-877-321-3121.

Behave Yourself - 7 Tips to Master the Tasting Like a Boss

With the Vancouver International Wine Festival coming up in week, there are many of you that are going to put on your finest, head on downtown, and get ready to taste as many wines as you can... well let me stop you right there! There are certain rules, how-tos, and etiquette that you should know before you encounter a wine tasting. So, let me walk you through how to taste wine, from when you arrive at the convention center all the way through until the end of the night… check out these seven tips to keep in mind so you can take on the tasting room with confidence:

1. Before You Go Make sure that you have eaten something substantial before you even head to the tasting. Alcohol is absorbed more slowly on a full stomach than an empty one, and you want to make sure that you are prepared for the tasting that lies ahead.

2. What to Wear? Anything goes when it comes to these tastings but let's just keep in mind that the room this tasting is taking place in contains 178 wineries, and is a large room to navigate. You're going to be on your feet for a while, so this is not the time to wear your Manolos; this is the time to wear something a little bit more practical a lot more comfortable on your feet.

Also keep in mind that you may be bumped into by other people or there might be some splashes that happen; this is a wine tasting event after all, so we do not recommend that you wear something very light in color or something that you're going to be super disappointed by if you get splashes of wine stain on it. We suggest darker clothing here and something that is not made in a fabric that is too precious.

3. Don't Stink! Don't wear perfume, or smoke a cigarette and go into the tasting room. Tasting wine is an olfactory and sensory experience; you want to keep things as neutral as possible. There's nothing more sensitive to a winemaker who is trying to check the aromas of his wines to make sure that they have traveled soundly all the way from France, than to have you step up to his table and overpower his nose with your stinky eau de whatever. Wear deodorant, but not stinky deodorant; you don't want to smell like BO either, because again, crowded room, lots of people…

3. One Glass, Many Wines When you enter the room you will be greeted and handed a wine glass. This is your glass to use for the entire tasting, so hang on to it; don't set it down and lose it. If you are concerned about flavours of wine mixing from one tasting into the next, each table has a convenient pitcher of water on it. which you can rinse your class out with between tastings.

5. Spit or Swallow? Now let's talk tasting. When you're approaching the winemaker or the representative from the winery they will pour a small amount of wine into your glass; this is when you are to take a step back from the table to let the person waiting patiently behind you have access to the same precious liquid. At this time you take that wine, put it in your mouth swish it around to taste it, and then spit it out into the provided spit bucket.

Spit? Did I say 'spit'? That seems like sacrilege to many, but let's just understand that you are being poured a tasting pour. (You're not going to get a full glass of wine and it's not proper etiquette to ask for more wine, because the expectation is that you're going to swish and spit out this wine like a responsible wine taster).  You might find as you taste along that some of this juice is just too delicious to spit out, so you may want to enjoy one or two samples that you actually drink, but trust me, if you start drinking every single wine you taste, you'll be blotto before you even make it through the first few tables, and that is going to ruin the experience for you, as well as everyone around you.

Also, on the note of tasting, to make sure that your palate doesn't become fatigued it's also a good idea to spit; and I would not suggest that you chew gum or breath mints during the wine tasting because they will alter the taste of the wine.

6. Offer Positive Feedback If you have an opinion on the wine that is less than positive, please keep it to yourself although if you really enjoy it please do let the winery (who is putting at least a year of effort into that bottle in front of you) know how you enjoy having them visit us from however far away they've come, and that you like tasting their wine.

7. Take the Experience Home Now we've covered spitting and how you should try not to get tipsy at the wine tasting (or ‘sloshed’, as Ali from our team likes to say), but I leave the most important tip for now: at the end of all this tasting, make sure that you have a designated driver, or transit, or cab, so you get home safely.

Lastly, as you're leaving the tasting room, make sure that you pick up something in the onsite store on the way out. Many special bottles that are not regularly available in stores are available for a limited time for the festival, right there in the tasting room. Grab something special and re-live your tasting experience again later at home.

Are you planning to attend? Come back to this post and tell us how you enjoyed your festival experience.

Or talk to us about it on Facebook or Twitter.

The Drink Business includes Globe and Mail review of Perseus Invictus

Client news: Perseus Winery posted by Leeann Froese

As we head ever further into the new year, we remain thankful for the attention and accolades our clients have been garnering in the press.

In addition to the local support, it is encouraging to note the increased amount of international attention and praise for our world-class BC wineries as well.

Of particular note, in case you missed it, is this recent example for our client Perseus, a small BC winery based in Penticton.

You may be aware that The Drinks Business is the leading European drinks trade publication; and recently Lauren May, web editor at the venerable publication, curated a round up of the 'Top 10 Wines in the US Press', choosing to include The Globe and Mail's Beppi Crosariol, who recommended Perseus Winery's "powerful" 2010 Invictus, a $32.99 Bordeaux-style blend.

Crosariol said: "With a name like Invictus, Latin for invincible, this red creates high expectations. I don't know about the invincible part (depends on the wines it's competing against), but it's impressive stuff. A classic Bordeaux-style blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec, it's powerful yet velvety, with succulent berry fruit, chocolate and dark coffee, held together by lots of sticky tannins. Decant and serve with hearty winter food such as braised short ribs, lamb shanks or stews. 91 Points."

As the Drink Business presents their roundup, it is also interesting that many of the most talked-about wines are generally lower priced and produced in higher volumes than this $32.99 wine that is crafted lovingly and in limited quantities from select premium vineyard sites in the Okanagan.

Planning to visit the Okanagan this summer? You can visit Perseus and taste the Invictus yourself. The winery tasting room is open from May 2, 2014 until October 19, 2014, from 10am - 7pm daily. If you can't wait until May to try their wines, visit their website to find a store near you.

Follow the conversation about Perseus on Facebook and Twitter.

Lots of love for the Pink Bub from Haywire winery

Client news: Haywire winery Posted by Leeann Froese

Last year at this time, Haywire released an experimental lot of their sparkling wine, the Bub, with a pink dosage and released it just in time for Valentine’s Day. The wine was a hit beyond expectations and sold out in a week and a half!

Well, the Pink Bub is back, and this time, it has its own pearly white label (designed by our team) and we are so excited to share that the press is just as excited for this year's release.

There are many positive reviews and 'love' for the Pink Bub, just in time for Valentine's Day.

Thank you to the journalists, publishers and bloggers for all of your support! Read all about it...

Kurtis Kolt from WE | The Westender says "Pink peppercorns galore entertain raspberries."

Jurgen Gothe from The Georgia Straight says "A delicious and deep-fruited bubble."

Editor Jim Tobler's #WineWednesday Pick in MONTECRISTO Magazine "People will be impressed just looking at it [we'll take that], but even more so when they imbibe."

Treve Ring from WineAlign says "Forget flowers, buy rosés."

Treve also includes the Pink Bub in her regular column in EAT magazine and says "A fitting pick for St. Valentine’s Day and celebrating the sweethearts in your life."

Kayla Bordignon writes about it on her blog Uncork BC

In Stimuli magazine, Kristine Carrick includes the Pink Bub in her Valentine's Day roundup: "I’ve decided that the pink and red day on the calendar should be a reminder to treat yourself."

If you don't already know about the Pink Bub, this sparkling wine is a true labour of love and is a tribute to the lovely Alison Scholefield, known as the Bub, Bubba, Bubster, or Alibubba in her early days.

This wine was made with 51% Pinot Noir and 49% Chardon­nay grapes grown in a cool moun­tain vine­yard site near Oliver. Whole clus­ter pressed, fer­mented cool, and sec­ondary bottle-fermented. At dis­gorg­ing, a dosage made from red wine was added to give Pink Bub its lively colour.

Closed with a crown cap to ensure this wine tastes just as winemaker Michael Bartier intends. This wine bursts with crisp and elegant green apple with a slight cherry note – a lively expression of Okanagan freshness. At just $24.90 per bottle; get yours now!

Buy online or see the list of stores.

Have you seen a recent review of the Pink Bub that we've missed here? Tell us about it.

Happy New Year! Wishing you the best for 2014 and hope to see you #withTownHall

Happy New Year from Town Hall By Leeann Froese

At this time on behalf of our entire team I want to wish everybody the best of the holiday season as we turn the corner into 2014.

2013 has been a pretty challenging, yet amazing year. The easiest way to say it, is that it has just been incredible, full of change, positivity, amazing people, and hope for what lies ahead.

After spending 16 years with an agency that we did a vast body of work with, and that taught us so much, to go out on our own was a bigger move than I anticipated. It is our blessing that our clients have come with us, and new ones have joined us too, and we have a team of 7 professionals that step up to do their best every time they are on the job, yet, can celebrate life and have fun on the flipside.

As I write this all I can say is that I am filled with gratitude. I'm so thankful to everyone around me: my family, friends, coworkers, clients and the media who support us. Plus, everyone has just spread so much goodwill and been supportive over this year - this year that has been so big and so full of change as we launched Town Hall.

I would love to personally reach out and say to every single person how meaningful my relationship with you is, but I'm going to do this in a mass way right here on this blog and say very best of the season to you all.

I wish you a Happy New Year as we welcome 2014, and I can't wait to see you in person, talk to you on the phone, or swap an email with you and strengthen our relationship as time unfolds.

And so I don't leave you with a totally mushy ending - here is a fun how-to that we did just in time for the holiday season.

Cheers!

If you are on mobile and cannot see the You Tube embedded - here is the click through.

Create your kit - presented to YVR bloggers - what to include in your media kit

  By Leeann Froese

Are you a blogger? Do you have a media kit?

YVR Bloggers is a group curated by Daddy Blogger Ricky Shetty, and the objective of the group is to hold monthly networking events to educate and inspire bloggers in Vancouver.

The group, which I was invited to join on account of this little #withTownHall blog, is an awesome place to network with bloggers across different industries both offline and online.

At a recent meetup the topic was Marketing Your Blog using Social Media and SEO

Held at the luxurious Waterfall Building near Granville Island the event featured a panel of SEO experts who shared their insights and tips on how your blog can be found on search engines:

Bosco Anthony from Bosco Anthony, Emily Chow from Chow Communications, Christian Thomson from Marwick Marketing, Cijaye DePradine from Web Cash Coach, Keith Kidwell from Netsurf Marketing, Christine Nielsen from Ms Pixel, Chuck Anderson from Blissful Parenting, and Bonnie Sainsbury from Social Media Smarter.

Social media marketing educator Matt Astefan of Web Friendly gave a terrific and super useful keynote: "Facebook Hacking: How to Get Free (or Cheap) Reach with Facebook".

For fun, Victoria Clements sang a Christmas song to get us into the holiday mood, and the Salvation Army was also on hand to raise awareness for the work they do and collect donations. There was also music, and sponsors and so much more happening at this event - including a visit from Santa Claus! To learn more, do check out the YVR Bloggers website and social feeds.

I am proud to share that I also had a small role in the evening. I was invited to share some of my blogger relations expertise, so I shared a top line look at what to include when a blogger builds a media kit (can also be known as a rate sheet) - an essential if you are a blogger wanting to work with marketing and PR companies and sponsored posts and advertisers.

So click on through to see 5 things you need to include, and how to use the content.

[slideshare id=29134222&doc=yvrbloggermediakitslides-131212005336-phpapp01]

Want to talk bout how our team can build a kit for you?

Need more? Sign up to receive updates like this, and other interesting stuff. Or email leeann@townhallbrands.com

Summerhill Pyramid Winery Wins Gold in France and Rosé is Named in World's Top 10 Sparkling Wines

  Client News - photo download at end of story

Suggested Tweet:

Best bubble! @summerhillwine Cipes Rosé named in Top 10 in the world http://bit.ly/1dSKgbY #bcwine #organic

The News:

They have done it again! The Cipes Rosé sparkling wine from Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Canada's acclaimed organic and biodynamic winery, has been given a gold medal and named one of the Top 10 Best Sparkling Wines in the World at the 2013 Effervescents du Monde held on November 13-15 in Dijon, Burgundy, France.

Of the 46 gold medals awarded, the Cipes Rosé is the only North American wine to win a medal, as well as make the top 10. Other countries that placed in the top 10 included France, Italy, Spain, South Africa and Brazil.

The Effervescents du Monde, now in its 11th year, has established itself as the leading authority on quality sparkling wine. Utilizing strict guidelines, more than 100 international expert judges, including 50% from outside of France, sampled over 600 wines representing almost 30 countries.

The Cipes Rosé is a 100% organic Pinot Noir cuvee grown at multiple vineyard locations around the Okanagan Valley that were planted and are maintained specifically for sparkling wine production to express a crisp, bright style.

Made in the traditional Champagne method, this wine offers notes of raspberry, strawberry, kiwi, blood orange, vanilla, almond and white toast. Extremely versatile, the wine pairs well with charcuterie, salmon, grilled chicken, duck, pork, quiche, roast turkey, or with family and friends.

Perfect for the holidays!

Download the bottle shot here.

British Columbia Icewine Harvest Begins

Client News - photo downloads at end of story

British Columbia Icewine Harvest Begins at Summerhill Pyramid Winery in Kelowna

Summerhill Pyramid Winery Team Braves Sub-Zero Temperatures For A Sweet Reward

Suggested Tweets:

Brrrr! The #icewine harvest began tonight @summerhillwine Superb grapes will yield delicious nectar. #bcwine #organic

or

Want to learn more about #bcwine and #icewine? @summerhillwine tells us more about it in Icewine: The Essence of the Grape

Here's The Story:

Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Canada’s acclaimed organic and biodynamic winery, started its harvest of Icewine at their Kelowna vineyard tonight. Following an already excellent growing season and table wine harvest, the ideal weather situation occurred that allowed the team to harvest Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zweigelt from the winery’s estate vineyard.

“To make superb Icewine, the first thing you need is superb grapes,” said Summerhill CEO Ezra Cipes. “The Okanagan Valley is singularly blessed because not only have we had a growing season that produced perfect grapes, but we had the temperatures that froze our grapes on the vine to produce this delicious nectar. It’s perfection in a glass.”

In the previous vintage, Summerhill picked grapes for the 2012 vintage Icewine on January 12, 2013.

Vineyard manager Willem Semmelink suggested, "After a challenging growing season that saw heavy rain in June, followed by damaging hail in some parts of the Valley, the weather ultimately delivered a long, warm Autumn that produced wonderful grapes. We are pleased that the arctic express has arrived so early, allowing us to capture this amazing fruit so early in the season and avoid damage to nature's gift."

So what exactly is Icewine?

Icewine is a style of sweet dessert wine produced from grapes that have frozen naturally on the vine to a level of at least -8 degrees Celsius. Grapes left on the vine late in the season begin to lose their stored water content and start to shrivel. The sugars within the core of the grape do not freeze, which produces a concentrated grape must at time of pressing, resulting in a small yield of sweet and concentrated juice. Ice wine usually offers mouth-coating balanced with high acidity and moderate alcohol.

Icewines are generally more expensive than table wines for several reasons. Labour costs are higher than normal as a large group of grape pickers must be assembled with sometimes little notice, who are able to pick the entire crop within a few hours before the grapes begin to thaw, often in the middle of the night. The potential for damage to grapes left on the vine also increases due to weather, predators, rot and disease. Conditions in the cellar are also more challenging as the grapes must be pressed while still frozen and special equipment may be used. Fermentation also takes months instead of weeks and unique varieties of yeasts must be used in the process.

Since many of the world’s wine growing regions will not experience such extreme temperatures, Canada and Germany produce most of the world’s Icewine, usually sold in 375 or 200ml bottles

Summerhill Winery has produced a short video titled Icewine: the Essence of the Grape which can be viewed HERE.

Learn About Summerhill Pyramid Winery:

Summerhill Pyramid Winery, located for more than 20 years in the Lakeshore district in Kelowna, BC, is Canada's premier certified organic winery, BC's first Demeter certified biodynamic vineyard, and Canada's foremost producer of sparkling wine.

Winemaker Eric von Krosigk oversees the portfolio of BC VQA wines that suit every occasion and has earned the winery the 'Canadian Wine Producer of the Year' award at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in London, England. The winery, owned by the Cipes family, is also home to the Sunset Organic Bistro, serving food grown and raised by local organic producers, including Summerhill's own on-site permaculture-style vegetable garden. The mission of the entire Summerhill team is to produce exceptionally good-tasting wines organically, support local organic food growers, and provide unforgettable experiences for all guests.

More background reading on Summerhill Pyramid Winery's organic and biodynamic farming practices can be found here.

For more information, visit www.summerhill.bc.ca, find Summerhill on Facebook or follow the winery on Twitter @summerhillwine.

Download photos:

1. Pickers bundled up to pick frozen grapes at Summerhill Pyramid Winery click here

2. Frozen grapes are poured into a bin at SummerhiIll Pyramid Winery click here

3. Frozen grapes are picked for Icewine at Summerhill Pyramid Winery click here

4. A bottle of Summerhill Pyramid Winery's finished Pinot Noir Icewine click here

Need something you can't find here? Email leeann@townhallbrands.com or sujinder@townhallbrands.com

Do Good Work: Town Hall does 30 Days of Kindness with 30 Day Adventures

  Do Good Work - Town Hall does a kind act for 30 Days of Kindness.

by Leeann Froese

Those that know me, know that each day I ask myself and my world: “have you been as kind as you can be today?”

So when blogger, friend, and client Marc Smith of 30 Day Adventures called for people to get involved in his latest blog series called 30 Days of Kindness, I leaped at the chance.

Presented by CHIMP and Provence, the second annual 30 Days of Kindness series sees Marc work with people and companies to spread 30+ acts of kindness.

For our act of kindness I asked my Town Hall team what they wanted to do; I said I wanted help those who are constantly helping others.

It was Andrew & Felicia from our design team that suggested we visit and recognize those who volunteer at Honour House.

So we went to Honour House. See the 30 Day Adventures blog post by Marc Smith on our act of kindness here.

It just so happened that Marc posted our kind act on World Kindness Day! How fitting. CTV spoke to Marc about his series, World Kindness Day and Honour House. If you want to watch the CTV coverage go here and check it out!

Honour House is a home away from home that offers temporary housing for Canadian Forces and Emergency Services personnel whose families or loved ones are receiving medical treatment in Greater Vancouver. This special refuge is almost 100% volunteer driven, and seemed like the perfect place to visit and show some kindness to the volunteers.

The house opened in 2010 and is a completely renovated heritage home in New Westminster that has 20 guest rooms, peaceful, brightly lit common areas and a shared kitchen. Craig Longstaff is the general manager, and Patti Graham, who looks after finances, are the only two paid staff members. Maintenance, upkeep and fundraising events are all managed by a group of dedicated volunteers. Craig gave our team a tour and we learned a lot about this unique facility.

A lot of care and love goes into Honour House on a regular basis; for example a group of quilt makers has sent over enough quilts for the entire house, as well as many child-sized quilts, which young guests of Honour House can take home with them when they return home.

Town Hall’s act of kindness was to take the volunteers some kind of a treat and help with some of their regular duties. Sally Koldenhof, owner of Custom Cookies by Sally, heard what we were planning, and made amazing maple leaf sugar cookies to fit Honour House’s theme. We then gave these to the volunteers and staff upon arrival.

As we learned more during our visit to Honour House we realized that this special facility needs more volunteers. Like any accommodation or B&B, when guests leave, things need to be cleaned and organized for the next set of people who will be staying.

With a number of VIPs set to visit Honour House on Remembrance Day for the parade and event to follow after in New Westminster, our timing could not have been better. The Town Hall team, along with Marc, spent a few hours working at Honour House on Friday November 8th.

I, Andrew, Felicia, Sujinder, Ali, Ben, and Marc raked leaves, made beds, vacuumed & mopped the floors over the course of an hour and a half alongside their volunteers and we were able to get the house cleaned from bottom to top.

After that was done the group posed for a photo and enjoyed the custom-made maple leaf Cookies by Sally. The volunteers, staff and the Town Hall team were super happy with the cookies.

During our time at Honour House we realized that the Honour House volunteers are amazing. No job was too big or too small, and they did everything with a smile. The ladies whom I helped were laughing and having fun pretty much the whole time. Their passion for Honour House is clear and they do whatever it takes to make sure the house is comfortable and clean when new guests arrive.

Craig was impressed with how much our team accomplished. He noted that they need five or six people to help them on a regular basis, to bolster their existing group of volunteers.

So, if your company, or you and a group of friends want to help those who regularly help others, check out the Honour House website at www.honourhouse.ca They would be very grateful for your help and so would the Canadian Forces and Emergency Services personnel, who stay there.

I especially send this note out to other companies - as a small business owner, if I and my team can find the time to do an afternoon of good work: I challenge you to do the same.