Between the Vines: One woman's wine-soaked musings

Ka-Boom! TNT Chardonnay a big hit

Okanagan Crush Pad in Summerland, B.C. sponsors a program called Okanagan Wine Campus.

Created in 2011, Wine Campus is a mentorship program that provides the person named Vancouver's Sommelier of the Year a chance to make a small-lot wine using the grape variety and style he or she chooses. The proceeds from the sale of this wine benefit the B.C. Hospitality Foundation.

In 2012, Terry Threlfall was named Sommelier of the Year, so when harvest 2012 fell, he visited Okanagan Crush Pad and worked closely with chief winemaker Michael Bartier to create his wine.

We had great fun tasting Threlfall's TNT Chardonnay, paired expertly with goodies from Hawksworth. The Chardonnay was clean, fruity, fresh, and lively, with a minerality and brinyness (word?) that will make it a swell match for so many party foods.

This wine lives up to its explosive moniker, but can in no way be lumped in with the fruit-and-oak-bomb Chardonnays many have come to fear.  

Our afternoon of tasting TNT was rounded out with wines from Haywire and Bartier Scholefield ... Lovely!

À Votre Santé!

Copyright © 2013 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Dish 'n Dazzle 2012 benefits the BC Hospitality Foundation

Are you ready for Dish 'n Dazzle 2012?

Mixologists, chefs, and wine aficionados are preparing to converge at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel in Vancouver to raise money to support the BC Hospitality Foundation. And you can, too.

Generously presented by Wines of Argentina, this event offers

• more than 20 wineries from Argentina pouring wine;
• 12 restaurants serving up outstanding cuisine;
• six bartenders competing to make you the best cocktail—ever;
• a HUGE silent auction with tons of restaurant and hotel certificates and other items; and
• music.

Tickets to Dish 'n Dazzle are a steal at $75 per person, but if YOU are reading this blog and want to catch an even better deal, you can get your ticket for just $69. All you have to do is use the promo code WOADISC when you order your tickets.

Public transit is handy if you're a city dweller; if you travel from the Fraser Valley, try car-pooling or parking in Surrey or New Westminster and taking SkyTrain.

Dish 'n Dazzle
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
6:30 - 9:30 pm
Fairmont Waterfront Hotel
900 Canada Place, Vancouver
Tickets $75 ($69 with promo code)

    

Cheers to you!

Copyright © 2012 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

BC Hospitality Foundation helps beleaguered former editor

The British Columbia Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) is continuing its mission to provide financial support to members of the hospitality community who are having difficulty making ends meet due to extraordinary health crises.

Its most recent beneficiary is Teresa Evans, who worked as a publisher and editor in the BC hospitality industry for 35 years.

Teresa retired from her position as editor of the BC Restaurant News in 2001.  Since that time, she has faced numerous physical challenges and a significant financial burden as a result of her medical expenses.  The BCHF presented Teresa with a $5,000 grant to help with her accumulated expenses from the past two years.

Do you want to support the work of the BCHF?

Visit Tip Out to Help to make your individual donation or participate in a fundraising event.

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Formed in 2006, the BCHF is a charitable organization dedicated to providing financial support to individuals within the hospitality community who are coping with extraordinary costs arising from a serious health crisis.

Since its inception, the Foundation has expanded to also award scholarships and bursaries to students enrolled in approved hospitality programmes.  BCHF raises funds through donations, third party functions, and by hosting events such as an annual golf tournament, Dish 'N Dazzle and Tip Out to Help.

www.bchospitalityfoundation.com | www.tipouttohelp.com

Good news for a great BC cause: British Columbia Hospitality Foundation Golf Tournament Raises More Than $100,000

July 28, 2011 (Vancouver, BC) – The British Columbia Hospitality Foundation’s (BCHF) 2011 Golf Tournament was a smashing success. Held at the Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club on Monday July 18, 2011, the event raised more than $100,000 while giving participants an enjoyable day of activity and socializing on the greens. 

Starting at 11AM, the event included a casual pre-golf lunch compliments of White Spot, Vancouver Community College, and [yellow tail], on-course food and beverages, skill competitions, a reception, and a buffet dinner.  All proceeds from the event will go to the British Columbia Hospitality Foundation (BCHF).

The BCHF wishes to thank all its sponsors for their generous support:

Major sponsors: Cart sponsor – Meridian Valet, Brunch sponsor – Avalon Dairy, BBQ sponsor – White Spot, Reception sponsor – ContainerWorld, Range sponsor – Morneau Shepell, Putting sponsor – Rona, Best Buy LG, Boston Pizza, Labatt, Coca Cola, Molson Coors, Shaw, Western Financial Group.

Food & Beverage sponsors: Canterbury Coffee, Nk’Mip Cellars, Ripple FX Water, Sandhill Winery, Segura Viudas, Vancouver Community College, [yellow tail].

Hole sponsors: American Express, Avalon Dairy, Best Buy LG, Boston Pizza, Coast Hotels and Resorts, EMC Publishing, Fortis BC, International Cellars, KPMG, Kraft Foods, Payworks, Shaw Cable, Serta, Western Financial Group, Western Hotelier.

On-course refreshments: Authentic Wine & Spirits – Bassano, Lucky Penny, Bacardi Canada, Bacchus Group – Dr. McGillicuddy’s, Labatt - Bud Light Lime, Charton Hobbs – Hennessy Black, Coca Cola – Simply Orange, Powerade, Diamond Estates – Hypnotiq, Patron, GFS, Granville Island Brewing, Hills Foods Ltd., Summit Marketing - Lamb Weston, Molson 67, Mr. Mikes, Oranfresh, Peller Estates, Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, Ripple FX (Miller Springs Water), Rodney’s Oyster House, Sleeman Breweries Ltd., Sysco Fresh Point, Sysco Trimpac, Vincor – Growers.

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About the British Columbia Hospitality Foundation:

Formed in 2006, the BCHF is a charitable organization dedicated to providing financial support to individuals within the hospitality community who are coping with extraordinary costs arising from a serious health crisis.

Since its inception, the Foundation has expanded to also award scholarships and bursaries to students enrolled in hospitality programmes.  BCHF raises funds through donations, third party functions and by hosting events such as an annual golf tournament, Dish N ‘Dazzle and Tip Out To Help.

www.bchospitalityfoundation.com

BC wine industry steps up to the plate to sponsor new Tip Out To Help fundraising campaign: Okanagan Wine Festivals Society is title sponsor

So pleased to share this good news with you...

June 20, 2011 (Vancouver, BC) – It has been only a few days since the British Columbia Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) announced its new fundraising campaign, Tip Out To Help, and already several members of BC’s wine industry have answered the call to support the new initiative. 

Tip Out To Help is designed to be a simple and flexible way for hospitality members to help fill the Tip Jar. 

The campaign will include a wide variety of ways to raise funds. 

Each supporter can design their own campaign in order to help fill the Tip Jar.  Some ideas may be asking servers to donate a toonie each shift; collecting proceeds from special wine promotions; and poker nights or bottle drives.

To guarantee that 100% of the proceeds raised will go directly to those in need, BCHF asked for initial partnership funding from three levels of sponsors.  We are delighted to announce that The Okanagan Wine Festival Society has become our Over The Top sponsor with its generous donation of $10,000.  The Society will hereafter be recognized as title sponsor for this program.

Eric von Krosigk, the Society’s president, states, “The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society is honoured to support Tip Out To Help.  The BCHF provides a valuable and much-needed service for those who work in our industry, and our members are delighted to form a long-term strategic partnership with the Foundation in order to help it grow and continue its good work.”

In addition, the following organizations have become Big Spender sponsors by supporting us with donations of $2,500 each:

• Authentic Wine and Spirits Merchants
• Gray Monk Estate Winery
• Okanagan Crush Pad

We hope that other individuals and organizations will meet the challenge to give, supporting our campaign in its goal of raising $100,000 annually.

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For more information, visit:

• http://www.tipouttohelp.com/
• www.bchospitalityfoundation.com
• www.thewinefestivals.com