Media Releases

Wines of British Columbia, Tourism Calgary and the Alberta Culinary Tourism Alliance Showcase the Best of the West in a Winery & Chef Collaborative Lunch and Dinner at the James Beard House in New York for the Very First Time

For Immediate Release:
April 20, 2015

KELOWNA, BC – The Wines of British Columbia, Tourism Calgary and the Alberta Culinary Tourism Alliance (ACTA) have partnered to bring an exciting Western Canadian culinary celebration to the James Beard House in New York on Wednesday, April 22, 2015.

Six British Columbia wineries and Calgary chefs are travelling to New York to whisk, flambé, decant and share their exceptional talents with the world!

Celebrating 25 years, the British Columbia Vintners Quality Alliance (BC VQA), an appellation of origin that guarantees the quality of wine made from 100% British Columbia grapes, is gaining respect internationally as they bring a refreshing taste of intense, bright, and exceptionally food-friendly wine to the forefront of the culinary industry.

British Columbia’s wine industry has grown exponentially over the last few years attracting winemakers from all across the globe, creating highly sought after wines that are now breaking into the USA market.

“This will be an exclusive opportunity for New Yorkers to discover what makes the Wines of British Columbia so special,” says British Columbia Wine Institute Marketing Director Maggie Anderson. “Our unique terroir and climate create a wine style unlike anywhere in the world, and we are excited to partner with Tourism Calgary and ACTA to showcase our exceptional wine and food pairings with distinguished media and guests.”

Calgary’s culinary landscape has been gaining momentum over the last few years and is standing on its own as hub of exceptional local products and notable talent. The city has flourished with creative chefs at the helm of innovative restaurants committed to local products and serving the community.

“We are proud to showcase an acclaimed all-female lineup of Calgary chefs for an inventive and hearty feast that highlights the best local fare from across Alberta,” says Andrea Visscher, Public Relations Manager at Tourism Calgary.

This will be the first time the Wines of British Columbia have partnered with a lineup of all-female Calgary-based chefs.

“We are thrilled about this new culinary collaboration, and excited to share our best with New York!” says Anderson.

This is a one-off opportunity for wine and food enthusiasts to try these boutique premium BC VQA wines with perfectly paired Western Canadian culinary fare from some of Canada’s best chefs and wineries likely unheard of in the current market.

The main event will be held over lunch, targeting key New York trade and media, and will be followed by a consumer/Beard House member dinner that evening. The JBF media lunch and dinner will feature a chef collaborative menu showcasing Calgary’s “Women of the Wild West” as they present honoured guests with a multi-course feast of premium BC VQA Wines paired with acclaimed Canadian Agri-Foods.

Vancouver-based sommelier, wine consultant, writer and judge Kurtis Kolt will emcee for the event, taking guests on a virtual journey through BC’s spectacular wine regions.

“We are very excited to have Kurtis here to take the lead in the wine and food pairings. Having participated in numerous in-market events, he is familiar with the New York wine and food scene, and with his enthusiasm and experience within the BC wine and food industry, he is a great advocate to introduce the Wines of British Columbia to this exciting market,” Anderson notes.

Highlights of the event include an outstanding menu featuring exceptional BC VQA Wines and exclusive ingredients from across Alberta including braised Carmen Creek bison short rib, Alberta Premium Rye Whisky mousseline, Saskatoon berries, Chinook Honey verrine, smoked ham hock tortellini, gremolata walleye and many more. The dishes served will be heightened by fantastic pairings from Laughing Stock Vineyards, Mission Hill Family Estate, Nk’Mip Cellars, Quails’ Gate Winery, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards and Vista D’oro Farms & Winery.

Access to the media lunch event is by invitation only; guests include key wine trade, media, sommeliers and other VIPs interested in British Columbia Wine Country and Calgary as tourism and investment opportunities.

Wines of British Columbia Wineries
Laughing Stock Vineyards
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery
Nk’Mip Cellars
Quails’ Gate Winery
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards
Vista D’oro Farms & Winery

Calgary, Alberta Chefs
Alison Bieber, Black Pig Bistro
Connie DeSousa, CHARCUT Roast House
Nicole Gomes, Nicole Gourmet
Wanda Ly, WinSport Canada
Liana Robberecht, Calgary Petroleum Club
Karine Moulin, Hotel Arts Group

BACKGROUNDER

About British Columbia Wine Institute
The British Columbia Wine Institute (BCWI) was originally created by an act of the provincial legislature, the BC Wine Act, in 1990 as a component of a strategic plan of industry and government to create an internationally competitive wine industry.

This year, the BCWI celebrates 25 years of the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA), a standard that guarantees that wine is made from 100% British Columbia grapes. As the industry has matured and attracted winemakers and winery proprietors from around the world, the quality of BC VQA wine has been recognized at major international competitions. This attention is making BC a growing destination for wine tourism with the increasing development of farm-to-table restaurants, unique winery accommodations, memorable wine touring options and a plethora of wine-themed events.

The Wines of British Columbia truly are a reflection of the land where the grapes are grown and the exceptional people who craft them. The short, hot summers are a unique combination that creates a habitat for vines unlike any other in the world. British Columbia is a special place for wine and, thanks to a handful of hard-working visionaries, the vibrant industry has been making a name for itself nationally and internationally, over the last 25 years.

For details on BC VQA and the Wines of British Columbia, go to WineBC.com (consumer) or WineBC.org (media), like the Wines of British Columbia Facebook page and follow @WineBCdotcom on Twitter.

About Alberta Culinary Tourism Alliance
In 2012, the Alberta Culinary Tourism Alliance (ACTA) was created to bring together its agricultural, culinary, tourism and hospitality professionals in a forum for positive, sustainable growth. By working together – across sectors and geographic boundaries to build alliances and communication channels – Alberta’s culinary appeal for travelers can be enlightened, enlivened and enriched.

ACTA wants Alberta’s culinary bounty known, savoured and grown through travel experiences.

Helping create and nurture ways for culinary tourism to thrive, the not-for-profit advocacy group in action:

• Raises awareness of Alberta food-and-travel experiences
• Helps develop culinary tourism offers by linking initiatives with resources
• Strengthens connections between government, tourism professionals and culinary stakeholders
• Encourages consistent, quality culinary tourism experiences
• Identifies tangible ways to better Alberta through sustainable culinary tourism

ACTA works to achieve a vision where Alberta is regarded internationally as a premier visitor destination for its quality culinary tourism experiences that appeal to locals and visitors.

About Tourism Calgary
Tourism Calgary is Calgary’s destination marketing organization. Representing the tourism industry, and more than 540 members, they bring the world to Calgary and Calgary to the world for meetings conventions, leisure travel, and sport, culture and major events. Tourism in Calgary annually contributes over $1.1 billion in economic impact to the local community.

Operating as a not-for-profit organization, they are the authoritative source for tourism related knowledge, information and services in Calgary.

They are a sales and marketing organization, focused on promoting and selling Calgary as a destination of choice for leisure and business travel, and an outstanding host city of sport and culture events. They provide information, assistance and support to meeting planners and the convention industry, leisure travel trade and tour operators, individual visitors, and the worldwide news media. Tourism Calgary also acts as a liaison between tourism-related organizations and member hotels, restaurants, attractions and service providers, offering services like familiarization tours, site inspections, promotional materials and referral services.

About James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation‘s mission is to celebrate, nurture and honour America’s diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate and inspire.

Food matters. You are what you eat not only because food is nutrition, but also because food is an integral part of people’s everyday lives. Food is economics, politics, entertainment, culture, fashion, family, passion… and nourishment. The James Beard Foundation is at the center of America’s culinary community, dedicated to exploring the way food enriches lives.

A cookbook author and teacher, James Beard was a champion of American cuisine who helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Today, the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by offering a variety of events and programs designed to educate, inspire, entertain and foster a deeper understanding of culinary culture. These programs include educational initiatives, food industry awards, an annual national food conference, Leadership Awards program, culinary scholarships and publications. In addition to maintaining the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs, the Foundation has created a robust online community and hosts conferences, tastings, lectures, workshops, and food-related art exhibits in New York City and around the country.

The James Beard Foundation is a national not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in New York City.

MEDIA CONTACT
Donald G. House
Managing Director
Culinary Marketing Strategies Inc
donhouse@idmg.ca
T: 1.403.619.2241

Funding for this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the BC Ministry of Agriculture through the BC Agri-Foods Export Program under Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial territorial initiative. The program is delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC.