Wine Festival/Vancouver Mag. Awards

[M'd]

Hello all,

Can someone clear this up for me?

I attended the awards luncheons at this year's ('04) Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival. On Thursday they announced that Mark Taylor of Cru Restaurant was the Festival's & Sommelier Guild's Sommelier of the Year, yet at Friday's wine list awards luncheon they announced Sommelier of the Year as Brent H. of Raincity Grill.

Is there now two BC Sommelier of the Year Awards given at the same Wine Festival?---Didn't Brent win this award the year before last?

I was enjoying the social aspects of the luncheon immensely so I appologize if I mearely heard wrongly.

Thanks for any insight/clarification,

Cheers,

M'd

[eatbc]

Yes we are all confused, but you're slightly off on the details.

At the Vancouver Wine Festival Trade Luncheon, Mark Taylor of Cru restaurant was named Sommelier of The Year, the award sponsored by the festival, BCRFA, Vancouver Wine Academy and the International Sommelier Guild. There have been four others: Peter Bodnar-rod(2000), Mark Davidson(2001), Brent Hayman(2002)and Barb Phillip(2003). Two weeks later at the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant awards, Brent Hayman of Raincity Grill was named Sommelier of the Year by Jamie Maw. Brent noted his/our confusion and mentioned Mark in his acceptance speech. (Mark used to work at Raincity and the two are friends)

Is every publication going to name one now? Are there really that many working Sommeliers (as opposed to qualified ones working in wine sales) to justify multiple awards? Is VanMag trying to make a statement or was it just an error?

[M'd]

Thanx eatbc,

I was getting my events mixed up.

My confusion stems from the two events awarding two different people.

Does Vancouver Magazine have it's own Sommelier of the Year Award then?

Cheers,

M'd

[jamiemaw]

At the Playhouse Wine List awards luncheon, Anthony Gismondi and I announced the Sommelier of the Year, as chosen by a group of food and wine media and industry vets. Of course that was Mark Taylor; we saluted Mark's innovative wine list at Cru, which offers colour-coded wine/food pairings and groupings by wine characeristics versus varietal or place of birth. Thanks for coming--as you know that was its inaugural in that format and was fun--hopefully, as is the spirit of these events, it will float all the boats higher by encouraging restaurants to constantly innovate and improve their wine lists.

Two weeks later, as part of the long-established 'Premier Crew' awards(recognizing outstanding service) portion of the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, Brent Hayman of Raincity Grill was recognized for his outstanding commitment to wine education via his early adoption of a significant wine-by-the-glass program, and his dedication to the wines of Cascadia. A lot of us locals have learned at his elbow.

Two events, two different sets of judges, two different results. Perhaps leading to your (quite understandable) confusion was the fact that Barb Philip of Sequoia Group was selected by both panels last year.

And yes, we think that there are more than enough qualified sommeliers in the province to begin recognizing them as an important part of the dining experience. And perhaps needless to say, we hope that recognition such as these two awards represent will encourage others to take up the saintly craft.

Thanks for pointing this out.

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver Magazine

PS--I read on this website that New York or even Edmonton might have originated the concept that Dine Out Vancouver is based upon. Correct me if I'm wrong, and I'm sure I'm dating myself, but I seem to recall that it originated in London and was started by the British wine critic Jancis Robinson's husband Nick Lander. Sponsored by the Financial Times, it was called 'Lunch for a Fiver' and its great value warmed this chilly Scottish heart. I recall clearly that this took place during the Pre-Arugula Epoch, which of course means prior to 1983.

[jamiemaw]

Just to add a little more confusion. . . in re-reading your post, it seems that Mark Taylor was recognized at two Playhouse Wine Festival events--the Trade Day Luncheon and the Restaurant Wine List Awards luncheon, which I recall was held the following day. But no doubt sound recognition for Mark's contribution.

Jamie Maw

[M'd]

Thanks Jamie,

--a very informative response. I appreciate it.

I agree that Mark Taylor's list at Cru is innovative. They serve their wines in a great informed yet unpretentious style there too.

I also think that Brent's work at Raincity has been brilliant as well. ---A great wines by the glass program and his mark-ups have been very fair (if I remember correctly) considering the effort and expense it must take to aquire some of the wines he has managed to get into BC.

I just love dining at restaurants where I know I can find a good bottle of wine at a good price and being hosted by professional sommeliers and servers just makes for a great experience. --Assuming of course that the food is equally as brilliant.

These men and the many other people practicing this "saintly craft" have probably trained A LOT of people as they have worked in the hospitality industry for the past years. I agree that they should be recognized for their contribution to the industry and to Vancouver/BC in general.

Thanx again for the help,

Cheers,

M'd

[Coop]

At a recent dinner at Parkside, we had great wine service by Chris Stewart. Very well informed, a great recomendation of a wine we would normally not have tried (Morgante Nero d'Avola) and great glasses changed with each wine, and decanters.

http://www.parksiderestaurant.ca/wines.html

The real thrill though was the dessert list and Chris' pairing suggestions.

http://www.parksiderestaurant.ca/afterdinner.html

This was the best I've seen in Vancouver, and not in the most expensive place.

BTW we are going to Cru tomorrow night for a return visit.

[Redhead]

Coop, those Parkside group menus look awesome. Any chance we could get a group of eGulleteers together to take advantage of this? Redhead

[Coop]

Mrs Coop and I would definetly be in.

[Jerry_A]

Sounds like a blast! You can add 2 JerryA's to the group if this becomes a reality, any time except April 30th to May 5th.