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

Local Fresh Food Market: The name says it all

Local Fresh Food Market. The name's not fancy or catchy or the brainchild of a downtown marketing wizard, but it sure says it all—
local fresh food in a neighbourhood market.

Farmers, artisan food producers, and artists from the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Similkameen, and Okanagan have come together in Vancouver to give the residents of the 12th-and-Cambie neighbourhood (right across the street from Firefly Wines and Ales) access to the fresh (often harvested just hours earlier) and prepared foods and products usually available at far-away locations only.

I was lucky to meet several of the new owners/suppliers/operators of this re-named and re-configured market (it was formerly known as Home Grow-in Grocer) last week during a media event and it pleases me that our Vancouver friends can now easily find and buy much of the bounty I'm used to out here in the Fraser Valley.

These 10 farmers, producers, artists, and suppliers are the new owners:

Apple Barn Cider Mill Loren & Corinne Taves Blue Comet Seafoods Sasha Berger Book Nook Lorna Davies Cocolico Wendy Boys DeN-NeM Wood Products Bernice Noel

Gelderman Farms Jerry Gelderman  Parsons Farm Market Quentin Parsons  Redl Home Grown Beef Tom Redl  Thomas Reid Farms Dave Reid  Wild Coast Edibles Cherie Kroll

Cheers to you!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Despite Mother Nature’s temperament, BC wineries continue to produce exceptional quality wines: Report

2010 BC wine grape crop: Outstanding quality despite challenging vintage

(Kelowna, BC) With tonnage down 11% from last year, the 2010 vintage provided numerous challenges for vintners in British Columbia. Despite Mother Nature’s temperament, BC wineries continue to produce exceptional quality wines.

The 2010 harvest got off to a late start with the first grapes being picked the week of September 15, two weeks behind the 2009 harvest. The majority of BC wineries started picking after September 24, and with fruit still coming in well into November, 2010 earned the distinction of being one of the latest harvests on record.

Because of the arduous circumstances throughout the vintage, crop levels were down across the province; however, not as much as initially anticipated. According to the 2010 BC Wine Grape Crop Report, tonnage* was down 11% from 19,879 tons in 2009, to 17,778 tons in 2010.

According to BCWI director Rod King of King Family Farms in Naramata, “[The grape] pricing reflects the reality of a shorter crop last year. All the main varieties were up a little bit on a price per ton basis.” Although the short crop affected some grape pricing, those changes have not affected wine prices at the consumer level, according to Stephen Schiedel, Portfolio Manager (Wines of Canada, USA and South America) at the BC Liquor Stores. 

The 2010 white wines have been released to much acclaim. The cooler conditions of the vintage allowed for full flavour development while maintaining the vibrant acidity that the Wines of BC are known for, and perfect for summer sipping. Consumers seem to agree, with overall provincial BC VQA sales up 3% over the past 12 months and BC VQA Wine Store sales continuing to increase, with rolling 12 months sales ended May 2011 up 4%, over 2010.

The 2010 red wines (most of which won’t be released until 2012) were more of a challenge, but vintners are excited about their development. At Hester Creek Estate Winery, their team did a lot of work in the vineyard to ensure phenological ripeness, according to General Manager Mark Sheridan. “We cropped light and did a lot of canopy management, but we have some of the best colour, tannin structure that we’ve had and are extremely excited about the entire portfolio.”

As we release the 2010 BC Wine Grape Crop Report, vintners across the province are already well into the 2011 growing season. As Rod King stated at last year’s winemakers and viticulturalists’ forum, if there is one thing we can learn from the 2010 vintage “the lesson is to have faith, the vines will pull through.”

2010 BC Wine Grape Tonnage* by Variety – Top 10

Variety	2010 Rank	2010 Total Tons*	2009 Rank	2009 Total Tons*
Merlot	1	3,030.69	1	3,391.15
Chardonnay	2	1,891.04	2	2,398.22
Pinot Gris	3	1,622.26	3	1,793.60
Cabernet Sauvignon	4	1,602.51	4	1,695.05
Pinot Noir	5	1,344.99	5	1,445.65
Sauvignon Blanc	6	1,064.56	7	1,168.42
Syrah/Shiraz	7	936.43	11	739.73
Gewürztraminer	8	845.47	6	1,310.45
Pinot Blanc	9	808.74	10	868.65
Riesling	10	786.16	9	880.26

The 2010 BC Wine Grape Crop Report was compiled by BDO Canada LLP from information submitted by 126 wineries across the province. Thank you to all those who contributed, as well as to the BC Wine Institute, BC Grapegrowers’ Association, BC Wine Authority and the BC Wine Grape Council for their assistance.

“Through compiling the Wine Grape Crop Report since 2008, we have been fortunate to be able to expand our knowledge of industry issues and increase our appreciation of the determination and efforts of BC’s grape growers, winemakers and proprietors,” states Ken Davidson, Partner with BDO. “BDO is proud to support the BC Wine Industry.”

To view the complete report, visit www.winebc.com/publications.php

*Tonnage reported in short tons. Note, participation in this survey is voluntary; therefore the tonnages reported here may differ from actual industry tonnages.

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Abbotsford wineries: Juicy side of business

Under the banner of Click Media Works, Rick and I put together the bi-monthly ePublication called eConnections for the City of Abbotsford's economic development department. I wrote a story for the February, 2011 issue about Mt. Lehman Winery and Lotusland Vineyard—the wineries of Abbotsford—and would like to share it with you...

Abbotsford wineries: Juicy side of business

Vern Siemens of Mt. Lehman Winery pulls barrel samples for tasting

Wine isn’t just something to sip; it’s integral to Abbotsford’s economy—farming, tourism, hospitality, retail, manufacturing, sales and transportation all benefit from the fermented grape.

“I am a businessman but wine is my passion and hobby and I had to come to terms with the business end of it,” said Siemens.

But the economy is not why Vern Siemens, farmer/winemaker/proprietor, developed Mt. Lehman Winery. It was, instead, born of passion. That he was able to turn his practically life-long love of winemaking into something to share with others was more a dream come true, with business sense included, than conscious business decision.

“I am a businessman but wine is my passion and hobby and I had to come to terms with the business end of it,” said Siemens.

Today, Mt. Lehman Winery, located three kilometres north of Highway 1, is a family-owned boutique winery with nearly 17 acres of vines.

Siemens creates natural, award-winning wines using organic growing standards on the rolling hills of what used to be a dairy and hay farm. Read more...

Salut!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Why doesn't the Mt. Lehman Winery want me to buy and drink its wines?

Well, actually, it does want me to...

Darlings: If you are here, it's likely you Googled "Mt. Lehman Winery" and came upon this rather negative-sounding piece. Rest assured, the following post is simply the venting of my frustration, not a reflection on either the winery's overall business practices or the quality of its wines, which are, by the way, fabulous!

I've had plenty of opportunity to taste, buy, and taste some more since this little piece was published last April. In fact, you can read about Mt. Lehman in subsequent posts here and here.

Rest assured, you will be reading more good stuff about the wine coming from Mt. Lehman. And not just from yours truly. It seems several experts agree with this perpetual student of wine and have been awarding Mt. Lehman's with all sorts of medals and prizes.

***********************

So, all my dear and brilliant wine-PR and -marketing friends, wine-writing and -blogging colleagues, wine-drinking, -selling, and -making brothers and sisters in cork-dorkdom, tell me this: why doesn't the Mt. Lehman Winery want me buying and drinking its wines?

Doesn't it want me to share the information with my family, friends, and readers?

Why does the Mt. Lehman Winery in the Fraser Valley DVA  (designated viticultural area) refuse to tell me when it's open? Or, what wines it makes and sells?

This Abbotsford, B.C. winery has no website; at least none that I can find in my quick Internet searchings. And yesterday, which was a gorgeous sunny Saturday afternoon, when Rick and I decided to stop in, they were closed. It was 12:30 p.m. I didn't have the winery's phone number handy.

But wait! There's more...

There was nary a sign posted, in window or door, telling us when it would be open or how I could contact someone attached to the winery.

Now, it's not like I'm really important in the grand scheme of the wine world, but I sure as shootin' love wine and when I can find good local wines, I get really excited and tell all my friends and readers.

I did taste some of Mt. Lehman's wines last year when they had a booth at EAT! Fraser Valley in Abbotsford. I remember them tasting rather pleasant, if simple, and even wrote a quick blog post about them.

Yesterday I was ready to taste again. And buy. And write.

But couldn't and didn't.

Today I called the winery (I took the phone number from last year's blog post) at 4:59 p.m. and asked about its hours. The answer was Thursday through Sunday, from 1:00-5:00 p.m.

But don't get me started about how the fella answered the phone...

Mt. Lehman Winery
5094 Mt. Lehman Road
Abbotsford, B.C.
Tasting room hours: 1-5:00 p.m., Thurs-Sun
604-746-2881
[email protected]

Salut!

Copyright © 2010 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Fraser Valley food, wine and cow-cams in Abbotsford: Nutrifoods Market and Bakerview EcoDairy delight all at grand opening

By Rick Rake, Guest Blogger

Where in Abbotsford do cows practically milk themselves? Where in Abbotsford are the environment and fair treatment of animals recognized as priorities? And where in Abbotsford can you witness it all and then pick up a basket of fresh food for your next meal?

Don't think twice about it: Bakerview EcoDairy and Nutrifoods Market at 1356 Sumas Way, Abbotsford is your destination. Just look for a big red building.

To celebrate the opening of both operations, Abbotsford's glitterati clinked glasses filled with Fraser Valley wines, devoured scrumptious morsels created by chefs from the Ramada Plaza and Conference Centre, and toured the "green" facilities, an incredible dream now realized by Bill Vanderkooi, Nutriva Group president and CEO.

Here’s a rundown of the evening:

First stop was for the "quickie tour" in the comprehensive learning centre directed by lead  
volunteer Christine Wiebe.  She was proud to show us how her "girls" mosey on up to the robotic milker, where lasers help locate their teats. The centre shows school groups, families and tourists how dairy farming is changing and, most importantly, where milk comes from.

"It's like a wine tour, but for all ages," said Vanderkooi.

Ingrid Epp, manager of guest experiences at the EcoDairy, was quick to point visitors in the right direction. Among them were Abbotsford Mayor George Peary, Abbotsford MP Ed Fast, Abbotsford South MLA John van Dongen and Steve Thomson, B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Lands.

Aside from a healthy guest representation from the City of Abbotsford, Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, the business community, and the realm of community politicos, the roster read like a who's who of the Fraser Valley.

Nutriva marketing manager Tanya Curtis was all smiles under two huge festival tents, arranging the speakers who sang the praises of the new green ventures and sent their well-wishes to the Vanderkoois and their five young children.

Leah Eyjolfson and Melissa Jones from Sister Spirits Beverage Services poured wine that included Domaine de Chaberton’s Madeleine and Gamay; Township 7’s Merlot and Viognier; and Lotusland’s Cab Franc and Chardonnay.

Nutrifoods Farm Market next door to the EcoDairy is also a real treat.  Have a look.  It offers local fresh foods, responsibly produced; DHA Omega 3 enhanced milk from the dairy; eggs from Bakerview's chickens; and a deli serving Cobs bread and Starbucks coffee.  Local food producers are showcased.

And if you didn't know already, Bill Vanderkooi has invested $4 million into this first demonstration farm and market of its kind in Canada.

The 41-year-old dairy farmer has a master's degree in animal science. His goal is to dispel the impression that agriculture has to be environmentally messy and cruel to animals.

If you want to view live webcams of the cows, explanations of the operation's anaerobic digester, and how the environmentally sound facilities are run, visit www.NutriFoodsMarket.com and www.EcoDairy.ca. 

But why not see for yourself?  And when you do, remember to check out the goats grazing on the grass roof of the barn.

Salut!

Copyright © 2010 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

 

 

I pay that much tax on my bottle of wine here in beautiful British Columbia? Really?

I just read a great article written by Mark Hicken at his website, www.WineLaw.ca, titled Provincial Per Capita Liquor Tax Amounts. Then, I signed up for his two newsletters (blogs):

1. Juice, featuring wine-marketing and -law news and discussions, where you can, if you dare, access BC liquor store wine markup calculators that will tell you how much tax our provincial government actually takes (pre- and post-HST) when you and I buy a bottle of wine.
2. Free the Wine!, where you can learn how to help fight our province's wine-tax insanity.

Salut!

Copyright © 2010 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Hester Creek Estate Winery: an Italian evening with Umberto Menghi

Will you be one of the lucky ones?

On July 3, 2010, an intimate group will spend an evening with Umberto, up close and personal, as he creates a special Italian meal in Hester Creek's teaching kitchen.

Umberto Menghi likely needs no introduction, especially to Vancouver folks.

Umberto’s fresh, authoritative food started a revolution in 1973, where from a little yellow house on Hornby Street in Vancouver he took his training from Rome, London, and Paris, and combined it with his passion and home-grown Italian roots to fill Vancouver's authentic-Italian-cuisine void.

Today, he is known internationally for his many culinary ventures. He owns three popular restaurants, Il Giardino in Vancouver and Il Caminetto and Trattoria di Umberto in Whistler, and has written four best-selling cookbooks, including Umberto’s Kitchen. Toscano Mia is his fifth book and features more than 100 recipes from his homeland.

Umberto is also a TV personality.

His first cooking show, The Elegant Appetite, made Umberto a familiar face across Canada. And in his series A Taste of Life he explores the food, culture, and landscape of Tuscany from the home base of Villa Delia, the cooking school and hotel he established in the ancient village of Ripoli. Umberto can now add olive grower and vintner to his vocations, as Villa Delia produces its own estate wines and olive oil.

Hester Creek Estate Winery owner Curt Garland is proud to welcome such a renowned celebrity chef to the winery. Since Umberto last visited the South Okanagan Valley, Hester Creek has undergone a significant transformation with the construction of a spectacular new winery and guest centre in 2009. Many say its Mediterranean-inspired style evokes the spirit of Tuscany; Umberto should feel right at home.

“I have enjoyed many memorable meals in Umberto’s restaurants,” recalls Garland. “And now we are looking forward to the chance to share our winery with Umberto. We hope he finds the surroundings as serene and comfortable as at his Tuscan Villa.”

Adding to this, Hester Creek winemaker Rob Summers is looking forward to tasting Umberto’s menu paired with the Hester Creek wines. “This will be a truly memorable evening, where the richness of good food, wine, and life are savoured,” he notes. “We can’t be happier that Umberto will be here.”

Tickets are $250 per couple or $150 per person. Call the winery at 250-498-4435 to purchase. Space is limited. Reservations and pre-payment are required. Tickets are non-refundable, but transferrable.

The Villa at Hester Creek has limited availability. Call now to book your special weekend.

Click here to follow Hester Creek on Twitter.

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Media contact for Hester Creek Estate Winery:
    Leeann Froese 604-904-9792 [email protected]
Media contact for Umberto Menghi:
    Taba Tabrizi 604-669-3732 [email protected] 

A wine-soaked Twitter testimonial

During the day, while I’m cleverly disguised as a business advisor for the Fraser Valley Self Employment Program (FVSEP), I spend a great deal of my time counselling clients to build relationships. I encourage them to do so for many reasons, including this one:

People buy stuff (products, services, expertise) from people they know, like, and trust or from people recommended by people they know, like, and trust.

That’s not to say one should be mercenary in his or her relationship building; in fact, that approach will eventually make people angry. No, what folks should do is simply engage.

And how does one engage? In my opinion, you engage people by first listening to them, and then giving them something they'll value.

What they'll value will depend on the individual. The person you're engaging might find value in your unsolicited nuggets of relevant, useful information. Another person might find value in your generous answers and possible solutions to his or her questions and problems. Someone else might really value your very bad jokes. Certainly some people will find value in tangible items only, but then I'd guess those folks and you weren't fully engaged.

These ideas aren’t new. They weren’t invented by Twitter or any other social media platform. Those of you reading this who are in business know that relationships are, and always have been, one of the golden keys to success.

What Twitter (and its ilk) has done, however, is give us another platform for engagement, which results in additional opportunities to build our networks with people we will grow to know, like, and trust.

So, what does any of this have to do with wine?

Well, a friend of mine IRL, Tina, known as @WorthEveryBite on Twitter, is an extraordinary baker and very well connected to all sorts of foodie types. She introduced me, in a manner of speaking, to Rebecca of Mizuna Culinary (@MizunaCulinary). Rebecca and I follow each other on Twitter and had some conversations regarding wine education.

A few weeks after our wine-ed conversations, Rebecca and Kristine Carrick (@KristineCarrick), a PR pro who was putting together a grand opening shindig for a new South Surrey business (Envision Denture Centre), were working together on the menu for this shindig when Kristine asked Rebecca if she knew of anyone who could come to the grand opening and do more than just pour wine. She wanted someone to recommend B.C. wine, talk about it, take folks through a tasting, and then pair it with the gourmet goodies Rebecca would be serving. She wanted this party to be different. Rebecca said she knew someone, and introduced us by email.

I got the gig. I love Twitter. And my new friends.

Salut!

Copyright © 2010 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Mark Sheridan shares vineyard expertise with Hester Creek Estate Winery

Hester Creek Estate Winery owner Curt Garland announced last week that he has appointed Mark Sheridan as general manager of B.C.'s newest Okanagan wine-country destination.

A seasoned viticulturist, who is recognized as an industry rising star, Sheridan has made the Okanagan—the world's next wine frontier—his home and looks forward to working with the team at Hester Creek.

Click here to read the full media release.

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Lots of familiar faces and unfamiliar wines at Marquis Wine Cellars' first food- and wine-bloggers tasting

I sure enjoyed the time we spent at Marquis Wine Cellars on Tuesday. I tasted all 18 wines but didn't get a chance to make any real notes. I always find it such a challenge to properly taste and record at events like this because I'm just so easily distracted, especially by opportunities to socialize and chat with so many lovely and wine-smart people.

Karen Laing, fellow writer and Chairman of the Board of Prospera Credit Union,
joins us for tastes at Marquis Wine Cellars' Tuesday event

Salut!

Copyright © 2010 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.