Media

The Vancouver International Wine Festival is returning Feburary 24th with Italy as its focus. In its 45th year Canada's premiere wine trade show and the largest consumer wine show in the Americas, it's a highlight for many who love wine. Join Gismondi on Wine Editor-in-Chief Anthony Gismondi and find out what to expect at the festival from VIWF's Executive Director Harry Hertscheg, including the number of wines, events and countries this year and where to get your tickets. Wine writer and educator, and the 2024 VIWF Keynote Speaker, Filippo Bartolotta, joins us from his home in Italy to explain what makes the current Italian wine industry so interesting and exciting, unlike ever before. #vanwinefest #VIWF2024 #winetasting

Mike and Nicole Dowell have met the challenges of raising a young family, buying a vineyard and building a winery, and acquiring two more terroir-based estate vineyards, giving them vital control over all their grapes. As we visit and taste in all three vineyards, it is easy to appreciate the work and dedication required of a small, land-based producer as they search for their place in the modern-day wine world.

We met up with Arianna Carafoli, Bottega's Export Director, at the Vancouver International Wine Festival earlier this year for a quick course on prosecco, while learning about Bottega's stylish bottles and spreading the Italian lifestyle through its brand.

Okanagan-born and raised Michael Bartier has been growing wines in the region for decades. He invited Anthony Gismondi to compare new and old vintages to see how his bottles have fared over time. The highly-experienced tasters take you on an animated tour of Bartier Bros.'s best hits focused on flavour, texture and time, while Michael reflects on how wine shapes his life and work.

The Rosso family have been winegrowers in Serralunga d’Alba for over a century. But in 1996, they decided to produce wine under the Giovanni Rosso label, employing the considerable talent of the son of Giovanni Rosso, Davide Rosso. The superstar winemaker studied in Burgundy at Domaine Jean Grivot and Domaine Denis Mortet which explains the elegant style of the Giovanni Rosso wines, not a word always associated with nebbiolo, at least when it's young. Still, it describes Rosso’s wines to a tee. Davide has eschewed pesticides or herbicides to grow organically and make wines that speak terroir before anything else. We caught up with the winery's International Export Director, Daniele Dellanoce, at the Vancouver International Wine Festival for a quick mini master class on Langhe nebbiolo and the story of Giovanni Rosso, located in the Barolo commune of Serralunga D'Alba.

At 32 years of age, winemaker Matteo Pola has shown impressive determination and skill while taking over the day-to-day winegrowing from his father and founder of Fontanabianca, Aldo Pola. Matteo is already wowing the critics, inspired by his mentor and formidable Nebbiolo producer Beppe Caviola. We caught up with him in Vancouver to talk about the family business and his thoughts on the future of Barbaresco and all things Piemontese. Be prepared to add Fontanabianca to your travel list the next time you are headed for northern Italy.

Glenn Stirling, winemaker for Orofino Vineyards in the Similkameen Valley, explains why they offer three different rieslings in 2022 and what they would taste like compared to one of their rieslings that has been aged more than a decade.

Barolo has long held the title of the "King" of Piedmont wines while the softer Barbaresco is crowned the "Queen,” but with several stellar vintages of late, there could soon be another coronation, of a sort, in the wine region. Winemaker Matteo Pola visited Vancouver for the first time recently, and we took the opportunity to sit down to talk about the family winery, Fontanabianca, and the rise of Barbaresco. We'll release the full interview in September. Still, in this short clip, you will be interested to hear what Matteo says about recent and upcoming Barbaresco vintages, including his birth year wine.