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

Gala dinner showcases wines of Italy’s Amarone Families

Amarone Amore!

September 16, 2011 (Vancouver, BC) – On Thurs., Oct. 6, 2011, wines produced by Italy’s Amarone Families will be featured at a gala dinner hosted by the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival (VPIWF).  The evening will include a five-course dinner paired with wines and a silent auction.

Held at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, the dinner will offer guests a chance to meet the principals from 12 Amarone wineries.

The following wines will be poured at the dinner:

• Allegrini Amarone Classico DOC 2007 – represented by Silvia Allegrini
• Begali Amarone della Valpolicella DOC Classico Monte cà Bianca 2006 – represented by Bullio Bruno
• Brigaldara Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2005 – represented by Stefano Cesari
• Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva 2006 – represented by Raffaele Boscaini
• Musella Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva 2006 – represented by Maddalena Pasqua di Bisceglie
• Nicolis"Ambrosan" Amarone della Valpolicella DOC Classico 2005 – represented by Mariella Nicolis & Marina Fornaser
• Speri Amarone della Valpolicella Vigneto Monte Sant'Urbano 2004 – represented by Luca Speri
• Tedeschi Capitel Monte Olmi Amarone della Valpolicella DOC Classico 2006 – represented by Marina Sabrina Tedeschi
• Tenuta Sant’Antonio Amarone della Valpolicella Selezione Antonio Castagnedi 2007 – represented by Aldo Steccanella
• Tommasi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC 2000 – represented by Pierangelo Tommasi
• Venturini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico "Campo Masua" 2005 – represented by Guiseppina Venturini
• Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva Sergio Zenato 2005 – represented by Nadia Zenato

Kurtis Kolt, who earned the title Sommelier of the 
Year at the 2010 Playhouse Wine Festival, will work with the Rosewood Hotel culinary team to create a special menu that will pair the wines with complementary cuisine.  Kolt says, "The opportunity to work with such an array of wonderful wines for an event is exciting enough, but to share this experience with the families behind these legendary labels makes this event both a personal and professional career highlight." He continues that "While Amarone wines are incredible to ponder on their own, it is when they are enjoyed with food that one can really appreciate their nuances, depth, and versatility."

VPIWF Executive Director Harry Hertscheg, who will host the evening, notes, “Two years ago we held the still-talked-about Grandi Marchi Gala, so I’m excited to welcome the Amarone Families for a gala dinner at the jaw-droppingly-beautiful ballroom at the much-anticipated, just-opened Rosewood Hotel Georgia in the heart of Vancouver.”  He adds, “With 12 stunning Amarone wines for dinner—and a chance to bid on signed, large-format bottles that include your picture taken with the attending Amarone producer—it’ll be an evening you’ll never forget. Amarone amore!”

Proceeds from the dinner will benefit the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company.  ”Just as the ‘Playhouse’ brand has become synonymous for an exciting live experience of theatre and wine, we’re thrilled to be allied with an Amarone wine auction featuring large-format bottles from producers of such high international regard,” says Max Reimer, Artistic Managing Director of the Playhouse. “We’re grateful for the tremendous contribution to the art of theatre through the appreciation of fine Italian wine. Grazie!” 

Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy an evening of outstanding food and wine in support of one of Vancouver’s premier cultural organizations.

Date: Thursday, October 6, 2011

Time: 6:00 PM reception, 7:00 PM dinner

Place: Rosewood Hotel Georgia, 801 West Georgia Street

Tickets: $250 per person; $2,250 for tables of 10

For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 604-629-2103 or email [email protected].

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Chardonnay: So much to love about it

Here is my most recent wine column, published September 15 in My City, a monthly lifestyle magazine in the Abbotsford News. 

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I have to admit it. I used to be one of those ABCers—Anything But Chardonnay. But that was a long time ago, before my palate was introduced to some great Chardonnays from around the world. And yes, that includes several made in B.C. Read more.

Cheers to you!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

EAT! Fraser Valley returns to Tradex in Abbotsford, Sept. 16 – 18

EAT! Fraser Valley is back at Tradex in Abbotsford, Sept. 16 – 18, and I'm happy to tell you I'll be presenting the wine-tasting seminar, Palate-palooza: from bubbles to bumble bees, there is a wine for everyone, seven times throughout the weekend at the Grapes & Hops Presentation Stage. Here is the schedule.

Besides the wine, you'll have opportunity to try beers, spirits, and all sorts of food. As well, you can catch celebrity chefs Chuck Hughes and Rob Feenie from the Food Network Canada as they share their culinary creativity.

You can even watch TV-cooking-show icon Graham Kerr, whom many of us remember as the Galloping Gourmet, performing on stage.

Would you like free tickets?

Well, just answer the following question as a reply to this blog post (emails do not count) and the first three people to answer correctly will receive a pair of tickets.

Which of the following seven grapes are allowed to go into the making of Champagne—the real stuff?

1. Chardonnay
2. Chablis
3. Pinot Gris
4. Pinot Noir
5. Pinot Meunier
6. Pinot Blanc
7. Viognier

Cheers to you!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

 

 

Artistic afternoon at Township 7 Vineyards & Winery in Langley benefits small animals

Spend an artistic afternoon in the vineyard at Township 7 

Find one-of-a-kind paintings, pottery, plants, jewelry, crafts, and more, while you sip wine at the fifth annual Art in the Vines fair. 

• More than 40 local artisans
• Outdoor wine bar - new summer wine releases
• Winery patio - bring your own picnic or buy and enjoy a gourmet picnic basket
• Two live bands - jazz and acoustic
• Support local charity - Small Animal Rescue Society

This event is for one day only: Sunday, August 28, 11 am-5 pm to the picturesque south Langley winery.

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Trethewey House Wine Festival shares a little 1920s Paris in the heart of Abbotsford

This year's Trethewey House Wine Festival, Paris in the 1920s, promises delicious tastes from Formaggio Urban Deli along with a number of wines (not exclusively French) and enchanting live music.

Tickets are available in advance at Trethewey House or Tourism Abbotsford.

Date:
Sat., Sept. 24, 2011 

Time:
7–10pm

Where:
Trethewey House
2313 Ware Street, Abbotsford 

Tickets:
$40 each, in advance
(cash or cheque only)

More info:
604-853-0313 

A votre bonne santé!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

More than 100 wines by the glass at Whistler's Sidecut in the Four Seasons

Congratulations to Sidecut (one of my favourite restaurants in Whistler) at the Four Seasons Resort Whistler as they celebrate their first anniversary.

I'm so sorry I have to miss the big party!

The bright side is I can feel like I'm having a party there anytime. The food, service, and wine list are great and food-and-wine boss, David Foran, makes it his business to ensure guests are happy.

Did you know that Sidecut's wine list offers more than 100 wines by the glass? I like that. A lot.

More than 100 wines by the glass means I can taste wines I might never otherwise try, and that makes me smile.

A votre bonne santé!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Wine & Food DNA at Kelowna's Mt. Boucherie Family Estate Winery: a fundraiser for the BC Cancer Foundation

What flavours work together? Taste right from the barrel and find out...

Mt. Boucherie Family Estate Winery, located in the heart of B.C.'s wine country, invites you to sip and learn about the DNA of food-and-wine pairings, as it presents Wine & Food DNA, benefitting the BC Cancer Foundation.

Sip, sample, and learn as you visit tasting stations throughout the cellar. Chef Roger Planiden’s Culinary Adventure cusine is featured while you enjoy the sounds of singer and cancer survivor Barbara Samuel.

When: Saturday, September 17

What time: 6:30 to 9:30pm

Where: Mt. Boucherie Family Estate Winery, 829 Douglas Road, Kelowna, B.C.

Tickets: $49 online or through the winery at 250-769-8803. 

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Whales and dolphins and turtles, oh yeah!

This post has absolutely nothing to do with wine or food, but it sure is relevant to travel, so I thought you'd like to read it...

 

Help Vancouver Aquarium conserve and recover:
Report whale sightings to 1-866-I-Saw-One
(1-866-472-9663)

Vancouver, B.C. – This summer, as you head out in your boat to enjoy a day on the water, you are likely to catch sight of resident cetaceans—whales, dolphins, and porpoises—and sea turtles that live along the coastline.

Report your sightings to the Vancouver Aquarium’s B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network to 1-866-I-SAW-ONE (1-866-472-9663) or www.wildwhales.org to help protect and conserve these animals.

“The Vancouver Aquarium’s B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network relies on the participation of the public to help gather information that is being provided to scientists across the province,” explains Caitlin Birdsall, program coordinator. “We use the information to monitor the species’ movements and activities along B.C.’s expansive coastline to better understand their behaviours and help inform important research, conservation and recovery actions.” 

Some species, such as the killer whale, are large, distinctive and easy to identify. Other species, however, are more difficult to distinguish. A printable Species ID Guide is available online at www.wildwhales.org/identifying-species. It provides observers with clues, such as body shape and colour, behaviours, and group size, to determine which species were seen.

The following are key observations to note:

• Location
• Time
• Species
• Number of animals
• Sighting distance
• Behaviours, such as breaching, fluking, and feeding
• If possible, photos/video to accompany a sighting

Observers can report their sightings by calling 1 866 I SAW ONE (1 866-472-9663) or log in online at www.wildwhales.org. A personal logbook is also available to frequent sighters for easy tracking. 

Observers like Catherine Smith, who has been living on Quadra Island for more than 30 years, bring valuable information to the Network. “I mostly listen for the whales as they have a distinctive sound when they blow. I leave windows and doors open as much as possible so I can catch the blow at any time when I am home. I also scan for boats that appear to be moving slowly as they often indicate they have seen a whale and are waiting for it to surface again.”

It is estimated that B.C.’s coastline is home to approximately 18 species of cetaceans—including the killer whale, harbour porpoise, and pacific white-sided dolphin—as well as two species of sea turtles. “Six of these species are either endangered or threatened,” adds Birdsall. “When analyzed, these sightings reports help researchers better understand cetacean habitat and are used to educate boaters and coastal citizens about the threats these species face in their natural habitats.”

The B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network is a network of more than 2,700 observers across B.C., including whale watching operators, lighthouse keepers, charter boat operators, tugboat captains, B.C. Ferries personnel, researchers, government employees, recreational boaters, and coastal residents.

B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network
In collaboration with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Vancouver Aquarium’s B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network collects data on cetaceans and sea turtles in British Columbia. Public sightings are reported by residents, boaters and professionals and are used to inform research, conservation and recovery actions. Report your sighting to 1-866-I-SAW-ONE, www.wildwhales.org or [email protected].

The Vancouver Aquarium
The Vancouver Aquarium is a global leader in connecting people to our natural world, and a self-supporting, non-profit association dedicated to effecting the conservation of aquatic life through display and interpretation, education, research and direct action. Learn more at www.vanaqua.org.

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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

B.C. wine world: Award winners, gurus right here in Abbotsford

Here is my most recent wine column, Fine Fare & Wine to Pair, published July 21 in My City, a monthly lifestyle magazine in the Abbotsford News. 

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There are so many fabulous things on the B.C. wine landscape and two of them are right here in Abbotsford.

Mt. Lehman Winery’s 2010 Viognier Reserve ($24/11% ABV) has just won the 2011 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence...read more.

Cheers to you!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.