VinoCamp Speakers:

Dr. Donna Senese, Associate Professor Geography
University of British Columbia Okanagan

TALK:
“The Wine Soaked Landscape: an international perspective on the allure of wine country”
The speed and spatial extent of recent wine industry growth is unprecedented in the history of Canadian wine production. While the ability to produce quality wines has initiated growth, the production of a romanticized wine landscape appears to be sustaining growth through tourism and migration.   The Canadian wine landscape is a stellar example of our emerging ‘post production countryside’ where consumption-oriented uses, largely for elites, are the major commodities produced. Here, viniculture and viticulture provide a leisure landscape suitable for both tourism and the ultimate mobility, migration.  The wine landscape has managed to lure an aging, urbanized baby boom with the health benefits, class attachment and nostalgia associated with discovery and consumption of local wines in the rural countryside. Quite simply, there is a very high quality of life associated with visiting a winery, running a winery, and living among wineries. Wine tourism and wine migration are not isolated to New World wine regions like Canada.  Drawing upon new research, Donna will present an entertaining and unique tour of wine tourism and migration around the world, to unravel the romantic allure of wine landscapes in Italy, Spain, California and Canada.

BIO:
Donna Senese was born and raised in Niagara Falls Ontario. After obtaining a PhD in Geography from the University of Waterloo she moved to the Okanagan Valley 1994 where she is now Associate Professor of Geography at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. Dr. Senese’s research and teaching interests are in tourism, recreation and wine. She was an invited lecturer at the 2008 International ‘Oenogastronomica Turismo’ Conference in Saint Vincent in the Valle d’Aosta while on sabbatical leave with the Citta` del Vino, Vini Passitti and Pro-Agri-Turismo organisations in Italy. Dr. Senese has most  recently authored:  ‘Wine Tourism; competitiveness and sustainability’ published with co-author Barbara Carmichael in ‘Wine Geography’ Springer Publishers in 2009; ‘Amenity Resources and Rural Change in the Okanagan’ in ‘The Canadian Rural Urban Fringe’ Brandon University Press 2009 and ‘Wine Led Amenity Migration’, in ‘Amenity and Retirement Migration’, Ashgate Publishers 2010. Donna teaches a variety of geography courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels including the very popular Geography 435 ‘Wine Geographies’ and she will be a guest instructor at the UBC Okanagan Wine School this coming August 2009.

Sid Cross, Western Living

TALK:
“Old versus Young”
Join Daenna Van Mulligen and Sid Cross as they pour a selection of wines from around the world, new regions and old and of various vintages to discuss age-worthiness. What makes a wine cellar worthy? Is it price, region, varietal, terroir, winemaking or all of those components?  Young wines vs. Old wines there may be some boisterous discussion and we may discover discrepancies in how different generations of wine drinkers feel about age-worthiness in a wine, or if it’s irrelevant.

BIO:
Sid Cross is globally respected for his extensive wine and food knowledge, tasting ability and memory. He is Wines Committee Chair for world Organization of The International Wine & Food Society headquartered in London England. He is a frequent wine judge, panelist and entertaining educator on wine and food. Sid is the only Canadian to be inducted as a Membre d’Honneur of the L’Academie du vin de Bordeaux and to be awarded The Gourmet of the Year by The Society of Bacchus America (‘for outstanding knowledge of food and wines and for imparting this knowledge to others’). He has been promoted by the French Government from Chevalier to Officer status in the prestigious Ordre du Merite Agricole. Also passionate about Italy’s slow food movement and diverse wine selection. Sid, using his legal background, has recorded detailed notes of his comprehensive tasting experiences over the years in his chronological black book diaries providing one of the most extensive historical wine and food information collections of its kind in the world.

Daenna van Mulligen, Wine Diva

TALK:
“Old versus Young”
Join Daenna Van Mulligen and Sid Cross as they pour a selection of wines from around the world, new regions and old and of various vintages to discuss age-worthiness. What makes a wine cellar worthy? Is it price, region, varietal, terroir, winemaking or all of those components?  Young wines vs. Old wines there may be some boisterous discussion and we may discover discrepancies in how different generations of wine drinkers feel about age-worthiness in a wine, or if it’s irrelevant.

BIO:
Daenna Van Mulligen is a wine journalist, wine judge and sommelier. She is recognized via her alter-ego Wine Diva (WineDiva.ca) a tongue-in-cheek wine website geared toward her very serious passion for all things wine. WineDiva.ca celebrated five years in February 2009. In February 2008 Daenna launched her second website WineScores.ca which also allows her to illustrate her more acute approach to wine by scoring reviewed wines out of 100 points and by writing about her extensive international wine travels. Daenna speaks regularly at consumer as well as trade and media wine events; she is a member of the International Federation of Wine and Spirits Journalists and Writers, Les Dames d’Escoffier and Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival planning committee.

Daenna is a regular contributor to the Canadian wine magazine Vines. She has a weekly segment on Terry David Mulligan’s radio show The Tasting Room Radio heard on across Canada and contributes to Taste Magazine and FoodVancouver.com as well as making regular appearances on City TV.

Mark Davidson, Wine Australia

TALK:
“Cool, Single & Sustainable”
How cool is cool? Is a wine from a single vineyard better? What’s the difference between organic, biodynamic and sustainably farmed?  Join educators Mark Davidson from the International Sommelier Guild and Wine Australia and Ingo Grady from Mission Hill Family Estate for a fun and informative session that will showcase a cross section of wines from Australia and the Okanagan Valley and cover three topical themes: Cool Climate, Single Vineyards and Sustainably Produced wines.

BIO:
Born in London, raised in Sydney Mark has been a Canadian resident since 1985. He has over twenty five years experience in the hotel and restaurant business, fifteen of those as a Sommelier.

As a Department Head and instructor with the International Sommelier Guild he is instrumental in the on going development of the curriculum and has taught classes in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Las Vegas.

Mark is currently the Market Development Manager for Wine Australia USA conducting education seminars for Sommeliers, retailers and distributors.

In addition he writes articles for Wine Access and Western Living, does a weekly radio wine reviews in Vancouver and developed a wine education and restaurant etiquette course for SFU Global Asset and Wealth Management MBA program.

Mark has a teenage daughter whose current antics merely confirmed a long held belief. Wine everyday is a must.

Ingo Grady, Mission Hill Family Estate

TALK:
“Cool, Single & Sustainable”

BIO:
Raised in the heart of Germany’s famed Mosel wine region, Grady now lives in the heart of BC’s wine country, the Okanagan Valley, where he leads the Mission Hill Family Estate Wine Education program.  He has the enviable task of introducing premium wines to eager audiences at both the winery and at special tasting events around the world.  After spending over 25 years in the wine business, Grady remains passionate about his chosen career, which first began in 1981 as an apprentice in the fine wine import business.  Subsequently he worked for other domestic and international wineries, culminating in a year at Napa’s renowned Clos du Val. Returning to Canada in 1989, he founded Grady Wine Marketing, an agency that imported fine wines from around the globe.  A decade later, Grady joined the Mission Hill team assuming the role of Director of Wine Education, where he works closely with our onsite sommeliers, employees and visiting tour groups and dignitaries sharing his knowledge and appreciation for fine wine.  Grady has recently extended his teaching repertoire and now also teaches International Sommelier Guild courses at the winery’s Education Center.

David Sanders, Agent For Riedel for Alberta and BC

TALK:
“The Glass as a Messenger” – ROBERT MONDAVI – “It sounded unbelievable to me, something like Pyramid Power.  But, it’s absolutely true.  The wines simply taste better in Riedel glassware.”  ROBERT PARKER – “I know of no finer tasting or drinking glasses than the glasses from Riedel.  All of this may sound absurdly high-brow or esoteric but the effect of these glasses on fine wine is profound.  I cannot emphasize enough what a difference they make.”  Come discover what those in the wine industry already know – Riedel glasses do make a difference in your perception of the aromas and taste of wine.  Lets take 4 wines and taste them from 5 different glasses. Will the wine taste the same? Let’s see. We will explore what works, what doesn’t and why. The wine is the message, the glass is the messenger.

BIO:
David is an established Sales Professional and Presenter with experience in corporate communications, business and product development, strategic planning and relationship marketing. He spent 10 years with W. H. Puddifoot working as a supplier and consultant to the hospitality industry. His clients cover a wide range of hotels, resorts and wineries including the Westin Resort, Intrawest, Mission Hill and the Harmony group – Earls, Joey’s and Cactus Club. In addition, he also has 12 years of experience with Riedel. David is currently the Riedel Agent for Alberta and British Columbia.

Dwight Sick, winemaker, Stag’s Hollow Winery

TALK:
“Twitter Tasting”
Share a tasting of Stag’s Hollow wines and converse about them via messaging on a cell phone, BlackBerry, iPhone or computer from anywhere in the world.  Dwight will be pouring their 2007 Simply Noir, a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir, and their 2006 Heritage Block, a Bordeaux-style blend.  This live wine tasting will occur simultaneously at Stag’s Hollow in the Okanagan, at VinoCamp Vancouver, and in wine shops across B.C. and Alberta.  Follow along at: http://twitter.com/stagshollow.

BIO:
Dwight left an established career of 18 years to pursue his love and passion for wine. He started working at wineries in the Okanagan and enrolled at UC Davis University. Dwight’s philosophies on winemaking below, mirror very closely those that Larry and Linda have also embraced throughout the growth of Stag’s Hollow. “I will always consider myself to be a “student” of wine, as the wines, the vineyards that bear the fruit, and the art of winemaking are ever evolving. My beliefs on winemaking and life are very similar in that balance is essential and there must be passion in both. In winemaking, I feel that the product of the passion, that which the art of winemaking must preserve, is distinctiveness and authenticity.

Stellar wines begin in the vineyard and, as a winemaker, you must have the knowledge and expertise to recognize needs or problems from fruit to fruition before they become obviously apparent. While I embrace “Old World” philosophies, I recognize that “New World” technologies also have their place in this process.

The Okanagan Valley’s unique microclimate is the ideal location to grow grapes for making award-winning wines. By combining Stag’s Hollow Winery’s superior vineyard sites, along with our sustainable vineyard practices, and by adding careful but minimal winemaking principals, we can, and will, produce world class wines that are true to their terroir and that are unmistakably identifiable as being from no where else in the world but from the Okanagan Valley.”

Patrick Murphy, Vista D’oro

TALK:
“Romancing the Vine: The trials and tribulations in owning a boutique winery”

BIO:

Patrick Murphy didn’t always own and operate a working farm and most recently a winery.  In the beginning, Patrick and Lee Murphy both were employed by Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers and together they dreamt of returning their family closer to the soil. In 1997 they made that happen with the inception of Vista D’oro Farms and now Winery.

The Farm

Vista D’oro Farms is located in scenic and rural South Langley, BC, overlooking the meadows and trees of Campbell Valley Park and the Golden Ears Mountains.  Hence, the golden view or, for those with an Italian influence, our namesake ‘Vista D’oro’.  Originally, the 10 acre property was an idle dairy farm  homesteaded in 1890 which, the Murphy’s have successfully transformed into a multi-functional farmgate and culinary operation that is regarded as a premier culinary agritourism destination.  The farm is home to orchard fruits, walnut trees, culinary herbs and vinifera grapes for the winery.  The produce grown on Vista D’oro is used in every aspect of the operation, showcasing the superiority of local, farm-fresh ingredients.

The Winery

In 2007, Patrick Murphy, resident farmer and furniture maker, turned his life long hobby into a successful new enterprise. Increasing his winemaking skills by attending  University of California Davis’s (UC Davis) Viticulture and Enology Programs, Patrick has come a long way from making wine in the basement with his grandfather.   The Winery is currently increasing its portfolio to complement its flagship D’oro – a fortified walnut wine.

Mike Raffan, Township 7

TALK:
“Romancing the Vine: The trials and tribulations in owning a boutique winery”

Kirby Froese, Dunham & Froese

TALK:
“Romancing the Vine: The trials and tribulations in owning a boutique winery”

BIO:
Kirby Froese winemaker of Dunham & Froese Estate Winery has traveled the world honing his talent for over 15 years. Beginning in the Banff Springs Hotel (now the Fairmont) as their wine steward; his passion and interest in the production side of wine took him across the globe to experience winemaking in Australia, Chile and California.

As an award winning winemaker he has worked with grapes in the Okanagan since 1998 and has grown an understanding of the “new world” and has artistically merged the two together.  His style leans towards the old world influences of dry intrepid blends which is an expression of the strong influence of the desert heat and the extreme temperature changes that the vine endures under the Canadian skies.

Kirby is completely hands on from vineyard to bottle and brings with him the belief in organic methods when producing their wines. The 30 acres designated for Dunham & Froese (established in 2005) is from his partners’ property Gene & Shelly Covert which is farmed using organic & Biodynamic® methods. Continuing to following these practices in the winery are allowing the artistic expression of our winemaker, Kirby to paint the brush of that season.
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Shelley Boettcher, Calgary Herald, “Uncorked in Calgary“

Moderator on Talk:
“Romancing the Vine: The trials and tribulations in owning a boutique winery”

BIO:
Shelley Boettcher is an award-winning journalist and the staff food and wine writer at the Calgary Herald. She writes one of the Herald’s most popular blogs, Uncorked in Calgary, and her work has been published in magazines and newspapers around the world. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Western Ontario, and she’s the proud mom of two rascally little boys, who think her iPhone actually belongs to them. When she’s not chasing kids or in front of the computer, Shelley can often be found with a glass of wine or a stack of books — sometimes both. Earlier this spring, she was a judge at Vinitaly, and this fall, she’ll start her advanced WSET certification. She harbours fantasies of one day being able to carry on an intelligent conversation in Italian.

CheeseCamp Speakers:

Anthony Nicalo, Farmstead Wines

TALK:
“Pondering Wine and Cheese Pairing: Are wines and cheeses made with a particular philosophy a better pairing than those with divergent interests?”

BIO:
Chef Anthony Nicalo launched his culinary career as Executive Sous Chef under Dean Zanella at 312 Chicago, creating dishes based on the local produce selection at Chicago’s only sustainable grocer, Green City Market. After serving as interim Executive Chef at Hotel Monaco’s Poste, Anthony assisted in the launch of family-owned Ristorante Castello Banfi, under the direction of Guido Havercock. The Michelin starred restaurant sits on a Tuscan vineyard, overlooking the rolling hills of Montalcino, where Anthony learned the intricacies of complementing dishes with regional wines. During a stint as Chef de Cuisine at Merriman’s in Kamuela, Hawaii, Anthony was inspired by Peter Merriman’s passion for locally farmed products. He is the director of Inevitable Table, a personal chef service providing clean, healthy food. Chef Anthony is the founder of vinaroon wine importer, Farmstead Wines; co-founder of sustainable food systems non-profit FarmFed and author of Provenance: a blueprint for the modern eater.

Sebastien Le Goff, Cibo Trattoria and Uva Wine Bar

TALK:
“Pondering Wine and Cheese Pairing: Are wines and cheeses made with a particular philosophy a better pairing than those with divergent interests?”

BIO:
Sebastien LenGoff’s roots lay in Nantes, a dynamic city on the Loire River in Western France. In 2000, he moved to Canada and obtained his Sommelier Certification in 2001 from Humber College, Toronto. He holds credentials including the WSET, a Bachelors of Business Administration and an International Trade Diploma.

In Toronto, he held prestigious management positions with premiere restaurants such as Wildfire Grill and ‘Oliver Bonacinni’ Group of Restaurants. Moving West, he has similarly worked senior management positions in some of Vancouver’s best restaurants- CinCin, Lumiere and Feenie’s. Sebastien has received accolades as Sommelier of the Year from Vancouver Magazine, Sommelier of the Year from the BCRFA and ISG in 2006, and has been honoured to be on the panel of judges for the Wine Awards issue of Vancouver Magazine.

Jonah Benton, Benton Brothers Fine Cheese

TALK:
“Cheese & Terroir: How place affects cheesemaking”

BIO:

Jonah graduated from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering in the spring of 2000. After a short period of travel and reflection he quickly learned his true passion lay in the culinary world, more specifically in the realm of cheese.  During almost a decade of working with cheese in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, Jonah has had the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the most prominent figures in the Canadian cheese industry. He has held management and purchasing positions with Alex Farms in Toronto, Whole Foods Market in Yorkville and Janice Beaton Fine Cheese in Calgary.  Most recently Jonah, along with his brother Andrew, founded Benton Brothers Fine Cheese in Vancouver.

Jonah is also an avid wine lover and teaches various wine and cheese pairing classes throughout the city.

Jessica Olive, Jo-Ann Dykstra,and Marianne Sucrest from Goat’s Pride Dairy

TALK: “Artisanal Cheesemaking on a family-operated organic farm”

Kurtis Kolt, Salt Tasting Room

TALK:

“Artisan Cheese & The Wonderful World Of Sherry”

Let Kurtis Kolt offer a casual, approachable guide to the different styles of Sherry, including tasting and shopping tips along with various, accessible artisan cheeses that will be perfect for pairing!

BIO:

Kurtis Kolt is the General Manager at Gastown’s Salt Tasting Room and has been in the Vancouver wine and food industry for the better part of two decades. Working alongside legends at The Fish House, Beach Side Cafe, CinCin and Liberty Wines honed his front of house skills, food knowledge and wine experience. He is certified by the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, The Wine Academy of Spain and is credited in the Winemaking program at UC Davis. Kurtis’ managing and wine-directing experience has launched two local restaurants, Main Street’s Aurora Bistro and Gastown’s Salt Tasting Room onto the international culinary map, securing many appearances in both local and international print media and television. Both restaurants won gold as Best New Restaurant in the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards and were named one of Canada’s Top Ten New Restaurants by enRoute Magazine in their respective years. Along with receiving consistent Gold Awards for his much-acclaimed wine program at Salt Tasting Room from the Vancouver International Wine Festival, Kurtis has received the Premier Crew Service Award from Vancouver magazine. He’s also not half as serious as all of this makes him sound.

Recently praised by Bon Appetit magazine, Salt Tasting Room is a dynamic wine and charcuterie room with exposed brick walls and a long share table. Open daily from noon to midnight, guests choose items from a chalkboard menu featuring the most diverse selection of local charcuterie, cured meats and global artisan cheeses in the city, along with an extensive selection of wine (by the glass, bottle or flight) and more than 20 varieties of Sherry. Let Salt’s savvy, casual & charismatic staff guide you through Salt’s ever-changing menu of meat, cheese & wine!