Brett Thiessen-Episode 50 | Wine Talk

Brett Thiessen is the viticulturist for Mount Boucherie Estate Winery and Rust Wine Co. His task is to convert all their grapes, vineyards and land to organic farming. Multiple acres over multiple sites, in multiple appelations spread throughout the Okanagan wine regions is a big task, but Brett is up for the challenge.    
In this episode we go into how he got into wine, his farming background, the personal growth that this job has given him, and where he sees the future of the Okanagan wine landscape for the next generation.  
Our audio conversation was recorded in person from the Summit Room, located in the Mount Boucherie Estate Winery in West Kelowna. 
 
Get ready for a fun conversation. Pull up a chair, grab a glass and enjoy!
  
Brett's Instagram content can be found here-
 
https://www.instagram.com/makingawinemaker/
  
Mount Boucherie and Rust can be found here-
 
https://mtboucherie.com/
 
https://www.rustwine.com/
-
Great photos of all our guests can be found on our website here-
  https://friendsofthevine.podbean.com/
 
 For all podcast updates and to follow the show look us up on Instagram-
 
http://instagram.com/ianswinetruths
 
 
All music in this podcast are courtesy of Shakamoraine-
 
Follow them here: https://facebook.com/Shakamoraine/

Ann Sperling-Episode 48 | Sperling Vineyards | Wine Talk

Ann Sperling is a winemaker and winegrower. She divides her attention between Sperling Vineyards in Kelowna where she manages the winery along with her sister, and the Niagara wine region of Ontario at Southbrook Vineyards, where she focuses on making organic, biodynamic wines.    
In this episode we go into how she got into wine, the family property in Kelowna, growing up in the family wine business, and how that translates to her current philosophies on winemaking. We also talk about a passion project she has in Argentina, where Ann and her husband own a 100 year old Malbec vineyard. 
Our audio conversation was recorded over Zoom conferencing from Southbrook Vineyards in Ontario. 
 
Get ready for a fun conversation. Pull up a chair, grab a glass and enjoy!
  
Sperling Vineyards and their Instagram content can be found here-
 
https://www.instagram.com/sperlingvineyards/
  
 
Sperling Vineyards website can be found here-
 
  https://sperlingvineyards.com/
 
Southbrook Vineyards can be found here-
 
https://www.southbrook.com/
-
Great photos of all our guests can be found on our website here-
  https://friendsofthevine.podbean.com/
 
 For all podcast updates and to follow the show look us up on Instagram-
 
http://instagram.com/ianswinetruths
 
 
All music courtesy of Shakamoraine-
 
Follow them here: https://facebook.com/Shakamoraine/

Bobbie Burgess-Episode 47 | Wine Talk

Bobbie Burgess is a sommelier and wine director for Restaurant Tyler in Starkville, Miss. She represents an up-and-coming group of young passionate female sommeliers in smaller wine regions seeking wine education, good wines and some camaraderie with other wine professionals. Through wine clubs, wine tastings, her passion for wine and the food pairings of Chef Ty, Bobbie is creating a burgeoning wine scene in this small Southern town. She was recently named Starkville's rising stars under 35, and credited with starting the local wine culture in her town, focusing on organic, biodynamic, sustainable wines.    
In this episode we go into how she got into wine, epiphany moments, being a young female sommelier in the wine world, how the current Covid pandemic is affecting her profession, mentorship of other sommeliers on her life, and much much more.   
Bobbie recently was given a scholarship with SommCon USA, who awards the top 10 professionals under the age of 30 who are blossoming leaders in the wine industry. 
Our audio conversation was recorded over FaceTime from Restaurant Tyler in Starkville, Miss. 
 
Get ready for a fun conversation. Pull up a chair, grab a glass and enjoy!
  
Bobbie’s Instagram content can be found here-
 
https://instagram.com/thepinupsomm
  
 
Restaurant Tyler can be found here-
 
  http://eatlocalstarkville.com/wp/
-
Great photos of all our guests can be found on our website here-
  https://friendsofthevine.podbean.com/
 
 For all podcast updates and to follow the show look us up on Instagram-
 
http://instagram.com/ianswinetruths
 
 
All music courtesy of Shakamoraine-
 
Follow them here: https://facebook.com/Shakamoraine/
  

Sabato Sagaria MS-Episode 46 | Wine Talk

Sabato and I reunite for another fun chat. We haven't talked since Episode 15, so lots has changed. We discuss what he is up to recently, his departure from Bar Taco, his contributions to Somm TV, his new youtube channel called Freerun with Dustin Wilson MS and Mike Laszlo about the state of the food and beverage industry, and what his quarantine wines have been recently.  
 
Audio recorded over FaceTime from his residence in NYC. 
 
Get ready for a fun conversation. Pull up a chair, grab a glass and enjoy!
  
Sabato can be found on Instagram here-
 
https://www.instagram.com/sabato3/
  
 
Their Freerun youtube conversations on the state of the food and beverage industry can be found here-
 
 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR2rSOBtsoPY9D5Gv6__Drg/featured
 
-
Great photos of all our guests can be found on our website here-
  http://friendsofthevine.podbean.com/
 
 For all podcast updates and to follow the show look us up on Instagram-
 
http://instagram.com/ianswinetruths
 
 
All music courtesy of Shakamoraine-
 
Follow them here: https://facebook.com/Shakamoraine/

Matt Landry-Episode 44 | Fiore- South Granville | Wine Talk

Matt Landry is an engaging sommelier that is well known in the Vancouver wine scene. He currently is located at the Fiore restaurant where he shares stories, pours great wine, and drops some knowledge along the way.
 
In this episode, we talk about his wine collaboration with the Okanagan Crush Pad, the recent BC Somm competition, and some quick hot takes on wine that evolve into more insightful and thoughtful points on all things current in wine.    
 
Get ready for a fun conversation. Pull up a chair, grab a glass and enjoy!
 
Audio recorded in person from the Fiore restaurant located in Vancouver, BC. 
 
The Fiore Restaurant South Granville location has a website that can be found here-
https://fiorerestaurants.ca/
 
Matt's Instagram page can be found here-
  https://www.instagram.com/m.g.landry/
 
The Metro Vancouver Wine Club can be found here-
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1481961958539867
 
-
Great photos of all our guests can be found on our website here-
  http://friendsofthevine.podbean.com/
 
 For all podcast updates and to follow the show look us up on Instagram-
 
http://instagram.com/ianswinetruths
 
 
All music courtesy of Shakamoraine-
 
Follow them here: https://facebook.com/Shakamoraine/
-

Elysia Myers-Episode 43 | Wine Art | Wine Talk

Elysia Myers lets us in to the fascinating world of painting art using real wine. She shares some stories of some of her work and how her passion for painting led her to this unique livelihood. We also share travel stories, our mutual love of mulled wine, and much more.   
Get ready for a fun conversation. Pull up a chair, grab a glass and enjoy!
 
Audio recorded over Skype from her residence in Colorado.  
 
Elysia's website for wine art pieces and commissions- https://elysiamyerswineart.com/ 
Her Instagram content can be found here-  https://www.instagram.com/elysiamyers.wineart/
Great photos of all our guests can be found on our website here-
 
 http://friendsofthevine.podbean.com/
 
- 
 
 For all podcast updates and to follow the show look us up on Instagram-
 
http://instagram.com/ianswinetruths
 
 
All music courtesy of Shakamoraine-
 
Follow them here: https://facebook.com/Shakamoraine/

2019 Highlights Show Part Two-Episode 42 | Wine Talk

Highlights from my various conversations over the last year, compiling 10 episodes in part one and 10 episodes in part two. I sit down with some great guests, and these are some snapshots from our chats, sharing their wine stories and experiences. 
-Sam Mudie- Episode 31
-Natalie MacLean- Episode 32
-Jason Ocenas- Episode 33
-Brooke Martin- Episode 34
-Jane Masters- Episode 35
-Anthony Buchanan- Episode 36
-Jason Parkes- Episode 37
-Keira LeFranc- Episode 38
-Nicole Muscari- Episode 39
-David Paterson- Episode 40
 
Get ready for a fun conversation. Pull up a chair, grab a glass and enjoy!
 
Audio recorded in person and over Skype, various locations.  
 
Great photos of all our guests can be found on our website here-
 
 http://friendsofthevine.podbean.com/
 
- 
 
 For all podcast updates and to follow the show look us up on Instagram-
 
http://instagram.com/ianswinetruths
 
 
All music courtesy of Shakamoraine-
 
Follow them here: https://facebook.com/Shakamoraine/

2019 Highlights Show Part One-Episode 41 | Wine Talk

Highlights from my various conversations over the last year, compiling 10 episodes in part one. I sit down with some great guests, and these are some snapshots from our chats, sharing their wine stories and experiences. 
-Daryl McDonnell, BBQ Sessions- Episode 21
-Lawrence Francis- Episode 22
-Heather Lipp- Episode 23
-Cristie Norman- Episode 24
-Steve Halfnights, VIWF Recap- Episode 25
-Jack Chapman- Episode 26
-Anne Krebiehl- Episode 27
-Kelsey Rufiange- Episode 28
-Grant Biggs, Katie Truscott- Episode 29
-Esther Mobley- Episode 30
 
Get ready for a fun conversation. Pull up a chair, grab a glass and enjoy!
 
Audio recorded in person and over Skype, various locations.  
 
Great photos of all our guests can be found on our website here-
 
 http://friendsofthevine.podbean.com/
 
- 
 
 For all podcast updates and to follow the show look us up on Instagram-
 
http://instagram.com/ianswinetruths
 
 
All music courtesy of Shakamoraine-
 
Follow them here: https://facebook.com/Shakamoraine/

Keira LeFranc-Episode 38 | Stag's Hollow Winery | Wine Talk

Keira LeFranc is the winemaker for Stag's Hollow. She got her start with Stag's Hollow, working a harvest. After living in Australia, running a wine bar, and  getting her wine making degree in New Zealand, she came back to Okanagan Falls, to mentor under then winemaker Dwight Sick.
 
She now spearheads the wine program, marking 2018 as her first solo vintage. Young, ambitious, talented, she is a star on the rise in BC wine. 
 
Wines Tasted-
2018 Muscat Frizzante
2018 Syrah Rosé
2018 Dolcetto
2016 Tempranillo Joven
2016 Tempranillo (85% Tempranillo, 15% Bordeaux Varietals)
 
Get ready for a fun conversation. Pull up a chair, grab a glass and enjoy!
 
To follow all new wine projects of Keira and the winery, go here-  https://stagshollowwinery.com/
 
Audio recorded in person at Stag's Hollow Winery, located in Okanagan Falls, BC. 
 
 She can be followed on Instagram here- https://www.instagram.com/stagshollow/
 
 
Great photos of all our guests can be found on our website here-
 
 http://friendsofthevine.podbean.com/
 
- 
 
 For all podcast updates and to follow the show look us up on Instagram here-
 
http://instagram.com/ianswinetruths
 
 
All music courtesy of Shakamoraine-
 
Follow them here: https://facebook.com/Shakamoraine/
 

Garagiste North and BC Pinot Recap-Episode 36 | Wine Talk

This episodes features three short interviews, and a recap of the BC Pinot Celebration from Kelowna. I was fortunate enough to stay with my friends on the Kitsch Wines property, and sample 25-30 different wineries at this celebration.
 
Also, I was invited to the Garagiste North Wine Festival, which focuses on small wineries in BC, that make 2000 cases or less. Some of them truly are garagiste level, while others are verging on big name success. I was lucky enough to taste quite a few, with some of course being a very low intervention style, so a definite contrast to the bigger wineries. All in all, a great weekend. 
 
I also managed to record a few minutes with three of my favourites from the Garagiste North Wine Festival, which was at Sperling Vineyards in East Kelowna. Mike Mosny of Winemaker's Cut, Anthony Buchanan, who is the head winemaker of Desert Hills, now has his own side label called Anthony Buchanan Wines, and finally Tyler Knight from Lightning Rock, who shares the wine growing and wine making duties with his wife, Jordan Kubek. 
      
Get ready for a fun conversation. Pull up a chair, grab a glass and enjoy!
 
The Garagiste North Festival website can be found here- http://www.garagistenorth.com/
 
Audio recorded in person from Sperling Vineyards in East Kelowna, BC. 
 
Mike Mosny- https://winemakerscut.ca/ 
Anthony Buchanan- https://anthonybuchananwines.ca/
Tyler Knight- https://www.lightningrockwinery.com/
 
 
Photos from the wine festival courtesy of Jennifer Schell, who operates the festival, writes books, makes wine... all of her talents can be seen here-  
http://www.jenniferschell.com/
 
 
Great photos of all our guests can be found on our website here
 
 http://friendsofthevine.podbean.com/
 
- 
 
 For all podcast updates and to follow the show look us up on Instagram here-
 
http://instagram.com/ianswinetruths
 
 
Music courtesy of Shakamoraine-
 
Follow them here: https://facebook.com/Shakamoraine/