The Tasting Room seemed to me to be a no brainer. I take the daily conversations between chefs, sommeliers, wine growers/owners/makers, writers, artisans and throw in the occasional celebrity and see how the mix works. The Tasting Room is the radio version of an audio blend, a Meritage for the soul.

I am talking about the art of wine and food and how almost all of us, whether we know it or not, are connected to their creation. I know a little bit about wine and food, but like to think I know a lot about people and my own art - conversation. So, if you want to join in, listen and demystify the world of wine along with me as I learn, you can learn too.

The Tasting Room is produced in association with…

www.barkleyhaven.com

www.deepfreezepro.com

Hollywood and Vines Season 2 - click on link to watch trailer! www.hollywoodandvinestv.com

Jason Priestley, TDM and Producer Chad Oakes

This week we spend an hour in Yosemite National Park at the longest continuous running wine festival in the USA..and track down the elusive winemaker Bill Dyer. The second hour we spend in Kelowna, re-connecting with Tantalus, Cedar Creek, Raudz and Howard Soon at the Winery of the Year!!

THE SHOW

Two memorable journeys for you this week.

First to Yosemite National Park..four hours East of San Francisco…the home of El Capitan and the Half Dome not to mention some of the most famous landmarks in the world!! It’s also the home for the 28th Annual Ahwahnee Vintners Holiday, a chance for a select few to meet their favourite Napa winemakers, taste verticals of their wines and exchange thoughts on the world of wine.

The Ahwahnee was built in 1927 and has served as a destination for millions of tourists. Remember the resort Jack Nicholson terrorized in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining? Some of the interiors of the hotel they built for the movie were directly copied from the Ahwahnee!! So, it’s in that timeless setting that we leaned on the grand piano and talked to the following winemakers:

Ron McNeill, VP Winemaking at Mumm Napa have released a bubbly co-created by none other than Carlos Santana

George Bursick, VP Winemaking at J Vineyards

Tom Rinaldi, Director of Winemaking at Provenance Vineyards

Ed Sbragia, Owner/Winemaker at Sbragia Family Vineyards

Plus interviews with Moderator Evan Goldstein – Master Sommelier. And the legendary Stu Good, who’s been at the Ahwahnee for over 40 years and has overseen the Vintners Holiday tasting for all 28 years.

We finish our trip to California by searching for and finding Bill Dyer, the winemaker who had a profound effect on the growth of winemaking in the Okanagan by establishing Burrowing Owl as one of its leaders. He’s now the wine consultant for Church and State, working alongside winemaker Jeff Del Nin their Coyote Bowl Syrah was judged to be the best red wine of the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival, tied with Jackson-Triggs Shiraz.

Hour Two

A single afternoon blitz through Kelowna, BC.

Starting with a long over-due visit to what’s left of Tantalus. They’ve taken down the old winery and are building a spectacular new building, so the interview takes place in a construction trailer. The carnage takes away nothing from the recent accomplishments by the winery.

Jancis Robinson’s quote about their Riesling, “Truly outstanding. Very pure, fine Riesling aromas. Great spread of tight but not austere character across the palate. Great balance and length. This one should run and run.”

Plus rave reviews from Vines Magazine, Northwest Palate, Beppi Crosariol and U Tubes Gary Vaynerchuk have all helped to make a lot of people sit up and take notice.

We talk to GM Jane Hatch and new winemaker David Paterson. www.tantalus.ca

We re-connect with one of the first guests ever on this show Winemaker and standup comedian Howard Soon. His “project”, Sandhill Wines has just been named Winery of the Year by the Canadian Wine Awards. Howard’s Sandhill wines won a total of 21 medals, including White Wine of the Year (Sandhill Small Lots 2007 Viognier) and Red Wine of the Year (Sandhill Small Lots 2007 Syrah). All of the wines he oversees won a total of 42 medals, now that’s making a statement. It’s something he’s been doing now for 25 years, it’s just that some people weren’t listening. They are now.

Then a long overdue visit to Cedar Creek Winery. Yes, we’ve seen them at various tasting but it was time to sit down with winemaker Tom DiBello and president Gordon Fitzpatrick. There’s lots of history behind the winery, lots of awards but I wanted to get to know the guys better. Know the makers, know the wines!! There’s lots of great info here, plus more than a few laughs. www.cedarcreek.bc.ca

And finally we finish the show exactly where we should – at a back table of Raudz in Kelowna, beer in hand, having a conversation with Executive Chef and star blogger Rod Butters!! Lots to talk about. New menu, influences, the gift of being a chef surrounded by the bounty of food and wine growers, and all about the fourth installment of his new blog…featuring - ta dah Howard Soon.

Enjoy TDM!