Podcast #8 – Special Harvest Podcast and Jackpot Chard from Rd. 13

The grapes have been harvested for the season and the winemakers and cellar staff are busy pressing and fermenting. We talk about what goes on in the wineries at harvest time and how those grapes make it into your bottle. Join us with a great bottle of Road 13′s Jackpot Chardonnay!

Jackpot Chardonnay 2007 from Road 13

Hester Creek’s brand new digs

Hester Creek's grand opening

The grand opening of Hester Creek’s new wine shop and winery took place today in the sun, and then rain, and then sun again near the end.

Let me say just say this – if you visited Hester Creek before, even recently, it will be worth visiting again soon. The wine shop is spacious, the tasting bar is large and brightly lit and they’ve even paved the parking lot!

The tasting room was packed when I arrived, most likely due to the rain that had everyone claiming space inside rather than lounge outside or mill about on the patio. Unfortunately, the first thing that I could smell upon entering the wine shop was a good dose of Calvin Klein or similar blend of fragrance, which almost entirely masked the wonderful scents from the hors d’oeuvres created by Chef Heinz Schmid. (If you don’t already know the effects of wearing too much perfume in general, please don’t douse yourself in anything smelly before going to a wine-related event…)

After a Pinot Gris and some appies, I started to take in the sights. The large main room, with the curvascious tasting bar as a center piece, has many rooms and spaces adjacent to it that will be useful for functions. Off to the right is a private dining room with an entrance to a small, viewable barrel cellar. The dinning room also has its own private entrance and patio outside. The main room has a large, partially covered patio as well which will easily handle the summer (or wine festival) crowds that will do doubt be descending on Hester Creek in the future. There is a viewable demonstration kitchen just to the right of the tasting bar and probably a whole lot of different rooms that I didn’t get the chance to see on this occasion. Perhaps soon.

I’m glad to see that Hester Creek is on the up and up. It was only about six years ago when it would not have been possible to say that. I’m glad to see that this winery will be around for many more years to come. Cheers!

Hester Creek patio off the main room

Podcast #2 – The Okanagan Valley and Amicitia White 2008

In our second podcast, we talk about the various regions of BC Okanagan Valley. As you drive south on Highway 97 from north to south, we’ll tell you about some of the wineries that you’ll see along the way. Taste along with us as we check out the Amicitia White 2008 from Dunham and Froese Estate Winery.

Dunham & Froese Amaticia White 2008

Podcast #1 – Introductions and Odyssey Brut

Here it is, fresh off the digital workstation – our very first podcast!! 

In this first episode, we talk about our philosophy of wine and we taste the Odyssey Brut 2006 from Gray Monk Estate Winery.

Gray Monk's Odyssey Brut 2006