Nicholas Campell, star of the tv series, DaVinci’s Inquest, is our first guest today to talk wine.

We welcome one of the best winemakers in the Okanagan, BC, and perhaps one of the best anywhere. Jeff Martin is the Owner/Winemaker at La Frenz on the Naramata Bench. He’s worked for huge corporations in Australia and the Okanagan, but he’s finally found his place on Earth - Naramata!! Not only is he highly regarded, he’s very outspoken about such things as local wine festivals, VQA and the future of our wine business. You may not agree with everything he says but it makes for great radio.

Maria Martinez Sierra is a legendary Spanish winemaker. Her home is Rioja and her winery is Montecillo. This is the woman who loves Tempranillo so much she called Cab and Merlot a sin!! Hailed by the Spanish wine industry as the Winemaker of the Year.

Nina Stojnic is the voice and face of New Zealand wine. She passed through Vancouver, pouring the best they had to offer, including Monkey Bay. Named Best Buy in Wine Spectator with an 87. One of the subjects we talk about is the re-branding of her wine group and announcing that her New Zealand wines will make less of an emphasis on volume and more on gaining the “premium” market!

Ned Bell is a “star” in the kitchen. He’s on Canada’s Food Channel and he’s been the Chef and the Owner of very successful restaurants in Alberta and Vancouver, BC. Now he is back in Kelowna, with his partners, and opened Cabana Grille, a big impressive new food destination in the Mission district. The interview takes place at the crush pad of Black Hills winery south of Oliver, BC, where Ned’s team was creating the food for the launch of this year’s Note Bene!!

Daniel Zepponi had accumulated 15 years of winery experience by the time he was 20 years of age, working with his winemaker Father Gino Zepponi in Napa. Through Beringer, Etude, Chateau St. Jean and Stag’s Leap he learned all about the passion of wine growing in the fields. Its now serves him well in the boardroom as he’s the new President of Mission Hills Estate Winery in Kelowna. He fills us in on his first look at the Okanagan and we talk about the future of Canada’s Winery of the Year and our Canadian National animal, the mighty Beaver.

Wine Diva, Daenna Van Mulligen tastes her way through the three Vancouver Urban Wineries - Pacific Breeze, Il Vino and California Cult Classics - which have become very popular, and gives she us a special review.

All this and more on this edition of The Tasting Room!