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OthelloMacbeth – HOME, Manchester
OthelloMacbeth, directed by Jude Christian, brings together two of Shakespeare's most popular tragedies into a single two-hour play. These plays are condensed into two parts, the first being Othello, with Macbeth forming the second half of the production. The main motive behind compressing these plays is to provide a retelling of Shakespeare's tragedies, and inviting a fresh perspective on them. Performed by a company of actors, who move seamlessly from Othello to Macbeth, this play is deliberately experimental and runs huge risks by truncating texts that have been an integral part of British culture for over 400 years.
Macbeth (Sandy Grierson) and Banquo (Ery Nzaramba). Picture Credit – Helen Murray.
By removing all scenes which do not include women, OthelloMacbeth aims to shine a spotlight on Shakespeare's iconic female characters, bringing their narratives to the forefront of these male dominated plays. This is designed to highlight the patriarchal society in which Shakespeare's plays are set. In fact, it suggests the complete opposite, that women can only have a voice if men are removed.
An abridged Othello forms the first half of OthelloMacbeth. It savagely removes all of Iago's soliloquies, and all of his decisive scenes alone with Othello, Roderigo and Cassio. Its objective is to focus instead on the stories of Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca; portraying how they are all wronged by the male characters in Shakespeare's play. The problem with this is that the narrative becomes disjointed and the heart and soul is ripped out of Othello.
By erasing Iago's soliloquies, his manipulation, corruption and malevolence is bypassed, obscuring the root cause of Othello's jealousy. OthelloMacbeth cuts the critical scene where Iago reveals his suspicions to Othello that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio, having gifted him the precious handkerchief. This pivotal scene is reduced to Iago's hasty warning "Beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on". The removal of the rest of this scene means that OthelloMacbeth jumps straight into Othello accusing Desdemona of being a whore before he knows that her handkerchief is missing, that it is in Cassio's possession and before he has seen the couple together, which all propel the suspicions planted by Iago. This makes Othello's slip into a jealous rage feels ridiculous, rather than tragic. It actually received laughter from some in the audience.
Othello (Ery Nzaramba) accuses Desdemona (Kirsten Foster) of infidelity. Picture Credit – Helen Murray.
Crucially, by erasing Iago's poisonous manipulative accusations, there is no evident reason why Othello would believe Iago's words over Desdemona's passionate pleas that she is innocent. She is basically murdered because Othello sees the handkerchief in Cassio's hand. Critically, she is also killed off-stage, removing the tragedy in her demise.
By deleting these critical parts of the play, the essence of the play is missing, events are propelled at a preposterous speed, and there is a lack of a true connection with any of the characters. This is irritating as Kirsten Foster is a great Desdemona and Melissa Johns gives a strong performance as Emilia. It is just a shame they aren't given enough material to really develop their characters. I would love to see these actresses play these roles in their entirety.
Even some of the crucial lines of the female characters have been removed. Rather than empowering the women, OthelloMacbeth simply reduces the audience's connection to them, providing snapshots of their characters, rather than fully rounded narratives. You only need to look at the Globe Theatre's current production of Othello to see that Shakespeare's female characters are already strong, iconic women, without the need for abridgment. Sheila Atim's forceful portrayal of Emilia shows that Shakespeare's men do not have to be removed from the plays in order to shine a spotlight on the female characters. Emilia's powerful tirade against Othello is proof of this. Yet in OthelloMacbeth, this poignant speech loses its force due to it being compressed.
"When shall we three meet again?". Picture credit – Helen Murray.
For me, abridging Othello into 1 hour 10 minutes hinders every character's development, including the female roles. Rather than adding a fresh perspective to the play, it made me mourn the parts that were missing. Shakespeare's plays revolve around his wonderful characters and poetry. The popularity of these female characters has endured for over 400 years without removing the parts of the play that do not include them. This is why the first half of OthelloMacbeth failed to impress me, until its end, when Emilia, Desdemona and Bianca turn into Macbeth's witches with the line "when shall we three meet again?", setting the scene for the second half of the play.
In complete contrast to the first half, Macbeth is superbly edited, keeping the essence of Shakespeare's play, its characters, and its narrative. Whereas condensing Othello does not work, doing so with Macbeth is a stroke of genius. Macbeth's soliloquies, including the famous "Is this a dagger I see before me?" remain in the play. Although shortened, they allow the audience to catch critical glimpses of his desire for power and his motivation behind the murder of the king.
To strengthen this, the witches remain ever present on stage, reminding the audience of the root cause of Macbeth's thirst for power. When a murder takes place, the witches brilliantly mirror the murderer, with blood on their hands, highlighting who is really responsible for these horrific crimes.
Lady Macbeth (Caroline Faber) and Macbeth (Sandy Grierson) wash their hands after murdering Duncan. Picture Credit – Helen Murray.
Truncating the poignant scene between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, following the murder of Duncan, works wonderfully, intensifying the paranoia and madness of their characters after committing a foul deed. Likewise, the scene where Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost also benefits from being edited. Turning Macbeth into a raving madman makes Lady Macbeth's line, "you have displaced the mirth", truly funny.
Cutting Macbeth adds a new perspective onto his character by making him commit the murders he usually hires an assassin to undertake, swiftly turning Macbeth into a ruthless, cold-blooded murderer. The brutality of this play is starkly revealed as Macbeth embarks on a murderous rampage, even savagely garrotting one of his victims. Sandy Grierson excels in this role and is one of the best Macbeths I have seen.
Caroline Faber as Lady Macbeth. Picture Credit – Helen Murray.
Caroline Faber is equally brilliant as Lady Macbeth. Her portrayal is more powerful than any other I have watched. She remains on stage throughout the majority of the play, caressing a blanket, looking like a swaddled baby. This really helps emphasise her femininity, rather than her being a ruthless, heartless killer. Echoing her earlier speech with Macbeth about wanting a baby, this parallel also makes Lady Macbeth's demise all the more tragic. Although, the iconic "out, damned spot!" speech is removed from OthelloMacbeth, it is ingeniously replaced with Othello's "speak of one that loved not wisely but too well" and matches this situation perfectly, adding more pathos to her suicide.
There are other parts in Macbeth where Othello overlaps, such as a beautiful moment where Banquo's ghost (previously Othello) gives a witch (previously Desdemona) the handkerchief back, as a symbolic way of apology.
Whereas cutting Othello resulted in the tragedy being removed from Shakespeare's play, Macbeth successfully accentuates the tragedy of the narrative. This is most evident when Macduff finds out the fate of his wife and children. Although this scene is edited, Samuel Collings perfectly turns Macduff's disbelief into sheer grief and devastation as the appalling news sinks in. For me, this was the most striking moment in the play.
OthelloMacbeth is a play of two completely contrasting halves. A frustrating, condensed version of Othello gives way to a fantastic Macbeth. Quite a few members of the audience left during the interval, unfortunately missing one of the most thrilling, intense, captivating versions of Macbeth I have ever seen.
I just wish that both plays were performed in their entirety, as separate shows, because the cast were superb, Macbeth was excellent, and Othello showed some promise. However, it really doesn't need to be ripped apart in order for the female characters to shine. They don't need men to be removed to gain their voices, they are strong enough as they are. In fact, Shakespeare's male characters, Iago in particular, are essential to keeping the essence of his plays. Without them, you get incoherent plays that are confusing and rushed.
Published by Nicola Brierley
Mancunian blogger and reviewer of theatre.	View all posts by Nicola Brierley
HOME, Manchester, Manchester, Theatre Reviews
HOME, Jude Christian, Lyric Hammersmith, Macbeth, Manchester, Othello, OthelloMacbeth, Sandy Grierson, Shakespeare, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
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Hong Kong /
Winning 3D experience
News - Hong Kong
Entertainment - Tech & Games
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Lai Ying-kit April 20, 2010
Ying-kit Lai
Vanishing vinyls
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The big moment
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Interview television travel host Ian Wright
Leading lights get going
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Lai Ying-kit
3D Animation Club's Chan Siu-lung, Yuen Chun-ho and Ho Ka-ho, with teacher Owen Chan Ka-chun (second left). Photo: Lai Ying-Kit
Student filmmakers produce an animation that brings them an award at an international film festival, writes Lai Ying-kit
When the school bell rings to signal the end of class, the first thing Chan Siu-lung does is to rush to the computer room. He joins his classmates to sit at a computer, but instead of playing their favourite online game, they create their own 3D animations.
The Form Four student is chairman of Shun Tak Fraternal Association Yung Yau College's 3D Animation Club. Last week, Siu-lung and three of his classmates added yet another award to the club's trophy cabinet with one of their films.
The students were named champions at the first Vafi International Children and Youth Animation Film Festival in Varazdin, Croatia. They beat 226 teams from 26 countries to win the "Maxi" category - the most advanced of three in the contest.
Their film is a 4-minute animation intended to raise awareness of environmental protection. It simulates a computer game in which the main character - a boy - goes through three stages to depict how pollution worsens as civilisation progresses.
The students said the idea came up when countries around the world were gearing up for the Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change last year.
'We saw a promotional film for the summit. We felt we could do our own version, in a different way,' said Siu-lung. 'We decided to use a video game as the format of our film because we think it is the best way to convey the message to other young people.'
The 3D Animation Club was formed last year with 38 students who had learned basic animation and filmmaking skills in class. Their works have won prizes at international competitions.
In January, Siu-lung won a special jury prize at a short film festival in Australia for first-time filmmakers under the age of 25.
Club members continue to hone their skills and learn from animation professionals at their weekend workshops on campus. Their interest is supported by their school, which installed a new, door-tall supercomputer in January to support their animation software.
Ho Ka-ho, who was part of the team that won the Croatian contest, said his next project was to re-master his old works with new, enhanced 3D effects. '3D technology has climbed another level with Avatar. The new effects make characters more real and their actions more exciting. Audiences can feel the characters popping out from the screen. I'm planning to work in this direction,' he said.
The film festival in Croatia gathered young people from all over the world to share their experiences.
Eighty finalists were invited to the host city to attend the awards ceremony and stay with young locals to learn about their culture.
Siu-lung and Yuen Chun-ho said their first-ever visit to Eastern Europe was rewarding - it gave them a chance to meet the locals and experience their culture. 'The place is renowned for its baroque architecture. Most are one- to two-storey buildings and date back more than a century ago. Life there is very different,' Chun-ho said. 'There were also scars left from war. Some abandoned, old buildings were full of bullet holes. The windows are all shattered. The sight reminds me the country is still recovering from civil war.'
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Obama Commutes Chelsea Manning's 35-Year Sentence, Pardons James Cartwright
Posted 1:31 PM, January 17, 2017, by CNN Wire, Updated at 04:07PM, January 17, 2017
President Barack Obama on Tuesday commuted the sentence of Chelsea Manning, who was convicted of stealing and disseminating 750,000 pages of documents and videos to WikiLeaks.
Chelsea Manning is seen in a 2010 U.S. Army photo.
The President also pardoned James Cartwright, the former vice chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, who pleaded guilty in October to a single charge of making false statements to federal investigators in 2012 when he was questioned about leaking top secret information on US efforts to cripple Iran's nuclear program to two journalists.
A presidential commutation reduces the sentence being served but it does not change the fact of conviction, whereas a pardon forgives a certain criminal offense.
Manning, a transgender woman and former US Army soldier, was serving a 35-year sentence at Fort Leavenworth, an all-male Army prison in eastern Kansas, despite her request to transfer to a civilian prison. A White House statement on Tuesday said her prison sentence is set to expire on May 17.
The material, which WikiLeaks published in 2010, included a classified video of a US helicopter attacking civilians and journalists in Iraq in 2007. Labeled "Collateral Murder," the film drew criticism from human rights activists for the deaths of innocent people.
Though found guilty on 20 out of 22 possible charges (including violating the US Espionage Act), Manning was not convicted of the most serious one; aiding the enemy, which could have earned the private a life sentence.
Instead, the former intelligence analyst was sentenced to prison, as well as demoted from private first class to private and dishonorably discharged.
A former intelligence official described being "shocked" to learn of Obama's decision Tuesday. The official added that the "entire intelligence community is deflated by this inexplicable use of executive power," saying it was "deeply hypocritical given Obama's denunciation of WikiLeaks' role in the hacking of the (Democratic National Committee)."
Asked to describe the difference between the situations of Manning and former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, who is living in exile in Russia after leaking state secrets, a source with knowledge of the White House's thinking said there was a "fundamental difference" between the two.
Edward Snowden spoke via webcam at SXSW in Austin, Texas, on March 10, 2014. (Credit: CNN)
Snowden, the source said, "dodged blame, fled the country and is hiding from prosecution," whereas Manning admitted guilt without a deal and eventually confessed.
"She went through the process, acknowledged she had done something wrong. She was tried and sentenced," the source said.
Because the Manning case launched WikiLeaks, the surprise about the decision was expected. The White House is aware that the intelligence community and the Pentagon may be dismayed by the decision, but, the source added, this "doesn't set a precedent if you consider the distinction between the two of them to be material."
Part of the thinking was that Manning's term was quite "extreme" and "without historical precedent" and she had already served more than six years, the source said, adding that another factor is the personal and emotional side of the Manning story: she is transgender, in a male prison, "facing an uncertain fate behind bars."
Snowden tweeted his support of Manning Tuesday, urging her to "stay strong a while longer."
President-elect Donald Trump did not immediately comment on the matter, but when asked about WikiLeaks in the wake of the releases in 2010, he told Fox News' Brian Kilmeade: "I think it's disgraceful. I think there should be like death penalty or something."
WikiLeaks declares 'victory'
Earlier this month, WikiLeaks said it would agree to a US extradition request for the site's founder, Julian Assange, if Obama granted clemency to Manning. It was not immediately clear if WikiLeaks would make good on its promise, though the group declared "victory" in a tweet Tuesday afternoon.
Protesters demonstrate in support of Bradley Manning on Aug. 21, 2013, in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. (Credit: T.J. Kirkpatrick/Getty Images)
A senior administration official insisted Tuesday that Obama's decision "was not influenced in any way by public comments by Mr. Assange or the WikiLeaks organization."
Chase Strangio, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented Manning, said he was "relieved and thankful" Obama commuted her sentence, and Amnesty International also cheered news of Manning's commutation.
"Chelsea Manning exposed serious abuses, and as a result, her own human rights have been violated by the US government for years," Margaret Huang, the group's executive director, said in a statement. "President Obama was right to commute her sentence, but it is long overdue. It is unconscionable that she languished in prison for years while those allegedly implicated by the information she revealed still haven't been brought to justice."
Republican members of Congress, however, expressed outrage.
"This was grave harm to our national security. and Chelsea Manning is serving a sentence and should continue to serve that sentence," Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, told CNN's Jake Tapper on "The Lead."
House Speaker Paul Ryan, denouncing Manning's "treachery," said on Twitter that she "put American lives at risk and exposed some of our nation's most sensitive secrets."
And South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham told CNN that Manning "stabbed his fellow soldiers in the back" and Obama "slapped all those who serve honorably in the face."
Two-year sentence sought for Cartwright
Cartwright's career was marked by decades of distinguished military service. From August 2007 to August 2011, he served as the second-highest uniformed officer and, before that, he served as commander of US Strategic Command. During his tenure in these posts, he held the highest security clearance, and retained top security clearance upon his retirement from the military in 2011.
Retired Marine Gen. James Cartwright arrives for a hearing at U.S. District Court, Oct. 17, 2016, in Washington, D.C. (Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
The senior administration official said Cartwright's motive mattered in Obama's decision to pardon him, calling it "different than most people who leak info to journalists."
"We are deeply grateful for President Obama's decision to pardon General Cartwright. … Current and former leaders of the American national security community have, almost with one voice, stood up for General Cartwright. We thank them for supporting a man who is truly one of our nation's heroes," Cartwright's attorney and former White House counsel, Gregory Craig, said in a statement.
Federal prosecutors had sought a two-year prison sentence for Cartwright in court filings earlier this month, but his attorneys asked for probation, emphasizing his desire to persuade journalists to modify their reporting to protect national security interests.
"General Cartwright understands the magnitude of his offense and deeply regrets the decision that he made … He has accepted responsibility and acknowledged his guilt," his attorneys wrote in court papers.
"(I)n General Cartwright's communications with both journalists, he successfully persuaded them not to report information that would be harmful to the United States."
One of those reporters, David Sanger of The New York Times, submitted a letter in support of Cartwright explaining that "throughout the interview, (Cartwright) consistently showed his concern that information damaging to US interests not be made public."
The other reporter, Daniel Klaidman, who wrote for Newsweek, also submitted a letter on Cartwright's behalf, as did several current and former members of Congress, along with military officials from the Bush and Obama administrations, all urging the judge for leniency in light of Cartwright's decorated military career.
Cartwright, 67, served 40 years in the US Marine Corps and was widely regarded within the military for his technical acumen and work in the areas of nuclear proliferation, missile defense and cybersecurity.
He was scheduled for sentencing before DC District Court Judge Richard Leon on January 31.
BREAKING: With 209 commutations and 64 pardons, @POTUS just gave 273 Americans a second chance. Learn more → https://t.co/t6Cs7NVqFA pic.twitter.com/FYrxSdqq8Q
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 17, 2017
FACT: In commuting the sentences of 209 people today, @POTUS has now granted more commutations than any president in U.S. history. pic.twitter.com/QoQ1i81Y4N
Bradley Manning Wants to Live as Woman Named Chelsea
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Filed in: Nation/World
Topics: Barack Obama, Chelsea Manning, James Cartwright, wikileaks
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Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin Pardons Child Rapist, Violent Criminals Before Leaving Office This Week
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Ex-Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin Defends Controversial Pardon of Convicted Child Rapist
Michael Flynn Should Get up to 6-Month Jail Sentence for Lying to FBI, Prosecutors Say
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APC Zones Presidency To South-West and VP To North-East
Decision-makers in governing All Progressives Congress (APC) may have agreed on a zoning arrangement for the big six positions in party and government at the national level.
A dependable party source in Abuja said after initial hiccups, the South-West finds favour to produce
the next presidential standard-bearer of the party. The North-East gets the running mate ticket.
The Senate Presidency is to return to the South-East, while the North-West is for the Speakership slot according to the source.
The arrangement mirrors what the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the ruling party in 1999 presented
as a governance outlook with Olusegun Obasanjo from the South-West as president. His deputy then, Atiku Abubakar, is from Adamawa in North-East.
Now-late Evan Enwerem, the first Senate President, was from the South East. The disgraced first Speaker, Salisu Buhari, is from Kano, North-West.
Though Enwerem and Buhari were booted out of office for forgery, the slots remained in the two zones for the eight years Obasanjo and SouthWest kept the presidency. The governing party also seems
to have kept faith with the PDP's old blueprint in zoning its national chairmanship position to the North-Central.
The APC Zoning…
The national leader of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari, has also mentioned his preference for
the former Nasarawa State governor and serving Senator, Adamu Abdullahi for the party's top job.
During eight years of Obasanjo, PDP produced four national chairmen from the North-Central
in Solomon Lar, Barnabas Gemade, Audu Ogbeh and Colonel Ahmadu Ali (rtd).
South-South also gets the position of national secretary of APC. Following President Buhari's endorsement of Adamu, leaders of the party in other zones reportedly engaged in hide-and-seek over the national scribe slot.
Party bigwigs seeking higher government positions were said to have worked tirelessly behind the scenes
to ensure their geopolitical zones didn't get the top party office, in order not to have their ambitions derailed.
Efforts to earlier zone the office to the South-West reportedly met with stiff resistance, following rumours that its acceptance would affect the consideration of the zone for the presidency.
South-East also tipped for the office, at a point, eventually lost it to strong resistance from individuals from the zone seeking higher party and government positions.
South-East eventually landed the Deputy National Chairman (South) slot, for which President Buhari is reportedly backing former Senate President, Ken Nnamani.
North-West major stakeholders also allegedly worked against having the national scribe position
zoned to them, considering the earlier rumour some individuals from the zone were eyeing
the Presidency after eight years of President Buhari from the zone.
The number four position in government eventually yielded to the president's zone.
Meanwhile, despite the official recognition of factions of the party in many state chapters battling leadership crisis, those antagonising the recognised factions are not mellowing.
Senate Passes Bill To Grant Local Government Financial and Administrative Autonomy
Court Stops President Buhari, AGF. Senate President, others from tampering with Electoral Act 2022.


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Home > Technology > 6 Reasons Why Telemedicine Is Likely Here To Stay
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6 Reasons Why Telemedicine Is Likely Here To Stay
information technology, 2 years ago 0
Reasons Why Telemedicine Is Likely Here To Stay – With the advent of the coronavirus pandemic in late 2019, the world of health began to transform rapidly. Patients and doctors alike were scrambling for ways to provide care while maintaining distance and preventing exposures as much as possible.
Thus, the wheels of the telemedicine system which had been slowly gearing up, really began making progress.
Telemedicine visits for check-ups, follow-ups, or non-urgent issues went from being a relatively unknown section of healthcare, to being a commonplace way to connect with a physician.
And, while this sect of medicine was pushed to the forefront out of necessity, it is likely that we learned a few things that will mean it is here to stay for the long term.
Below, we will cover 6 reasons why telemedicine is advantageous to patients and providers alike, and why it is unlikely it will be declining in popularity anytime soon.
1. Increased convenience for patients
2. More efficient visits for doctors and offices
3. More inclusive care for rural communities
4. Improving health technology makes remote monitoring easy
5. Easier preventative care and follow-ups
6. Insurers are opening up to telemedicine
Even patients who were the most ardent skeptics of virtual appointments were likely to change their tune after seeing the ease of a telemedicine visit.
Sure, there is a certain charm and personal connection that comes with in-person visits, but to trade that for the convenience of not having to commute to an office, wait in a waiting room, get time off work, or arrange for childcare — the increased ease of a virtual visit is undeniable.
Telemedicine quickly went from a rare option not on the average patient's radar, to one that was specifically requested.
For medical institutions and doctors the need to opt for digital transformation is essential. This means working with IT hardware, software, as well as looking for staffing support. Trained staff can help in optimizing telemedicine services and ensure that doctors and institutions can get off on the right footing. HealthTECH Resources is one of the major players in IT support and staffing solutions.
For doctor's offices, the efficiency of visits and the number of patients who could be comfortably seen in a given day drastically increases with the use of more telemedicine consults.
Time lost to late arrivals, settling patients in rooms, data intake, and other various time-consuming activities of in-office appointments could be drastically reduced, streamlined, or avoided altogether.
And since, for many conditions, the level of care provided remains just as high as in-office visits, doctor's offices were able to measure the positive impact of telemedicine first hand without sacrificing quality. The fact is that medical staff has been comfortable with working online and remotely for a while now, considering part of their education, like advanced medical certification, can be done this way.
Not all communities have equal access to healthcare. In rural areas, the closest clinic or specialist for a specific condition may be hours or cities away.
Telehealth services help level the field in terms of care provided, allowing someone in a 1,000 person community to virtually meet with the same specialist as a patient living in manhattan, for example.
Telehealth services are rapidly adapting and adjusting to the challenges like making healthcare more inclusive. Not every person in a rural community may have a home computer, but it is likely that someone in the household owns a smartphone that can be used to have a secure telemedicine consult through certain platforms.
This improved access to healthcare via telemedicine helps to make progress on the issue of making care more available and inclusive, no matter where you live.
In the past, in-person follow-up and maintenance appointments for chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes had to be carried out in a clinic due to patients not always having the tools and skills to measure metrics like blood pressure and glucose levels.
However, improvements in medical wearables are making continuous monitoring and ease of use for the general population much easier.
Now, by looking at the stats from a medical wearable or app, doctors may be able to track a patient's progress, adjust medications, and provide advice and care remotely with ease and accuracy.
It is clear that with the continued rise of health tech and the public embracing the telemedicine model of healthcare, that these types of remote monitoring services are only the beginning of what can be achieved.
Preventative care and careful monitoring of chronic conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease, help improve overall outcomes and can reduce healthcare costs in the long term.
Patients not attending follow-up or maintenance appointments can be a huge barrier to appropriate chronic care, and may lead to poorer outcomes over time.
By moving follow-up and preventative care to virtual appointments more often, doctors can help improve attendance and better manage long-term conditions by addressing issues before they become critical.
Ensuring reimbursement for services provided through telemedicine is a huge barrier to virtual care that seems to be opening up.
In the past, insurances have been reluctant to allow virtual care reimbursements and commonly required in-person visits only.
However, with the need to offer virtual care during the pandemic, and the growing demand for virtual care from patients, these barriers are slowly being removed or reassessed.
The expansion of telemedicine benefits for medicare beneficiaries was a huge win in the telemedicine world, and with this progress, other insurance providers are likely to embrace telemedicine as well.
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I was just curious to see if anyone has ever read/watched this series before? I was reading the raws for Chapter 122 and I'm quite depressed with the way it's going.
This anime never really caught my attention but I read somewhere that is was depressing to an extent.
Yeah, it's getting to that point actually.
1) Goshima was the spy.
2) Mikan's mum is probably going to die.
3) Mikan's gonna get stuck in the same situation as her mum was during the time travelling arc.
I won't know for sure if this is how it's going to wind up being, but for the moment I'm going to bang my head against the wall for these horrible cliff-hangers. Hopefully Chapter 137 explains in full detail about what's to come.
Just so it can be forever known "I called it" from the beginning.
You and half the G.A. populace called it. :/ Grr, I just hope it gets better.


text:
import React from 'react';
import Tab from 'components/Tab';
import MembershipsOverviewReportsAcquisition from '../MembershipsOverviewReportsAcquisition';
import MembershipsOverviewReportsRetention from '../MembershipsOverviewReportsRetention';

class MembershipsOverviewReports extends React.Component {
  constructor(props, context) {
    super(props, context);
    this.tabs = [
      {name: 'students', contentComponent: MembershipsOverviewReportsRetention, selectedTimeframe: 30},
      {name: 'teachers', contentComponent: MembershipsOverviewReportsAcquisition, selectedTimeframe: 30}
    ];
  }

  render () {
    return (
      <div>
        <Tab tabs={this.tabs} {...this.props}/>
      </div>
    )
  }
}

MembershipsOverviewReports.defaultProps = {

}

MembershipsOverviewReports.contextTypes = {

}

MembershipsOverviewReports.propTypes = {

}

export default MembershipsOverviewReports

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


2017 K-Z Sportsmen Sportster 315TH - For Sale in Cape Coral , FL.
2017 5th wheel toy hauler. Front bedroom with trailer size queen with under bed storage, closets on both side of be and overhead storage. 20" flat screen tv, covered roof vent can be left open in rain or while driving. Super slide on left side with slide cover. Large living are with u shaped dinette which fold into a queen size bed. Couch with converts into a full bed good for children, both dinette and couch have storage. Hutch with cabinets up and down, 40" flat screen mounted on swivel. Built in stereo with surround sound and outdoor speakers. The unit includes blue ray player and blue tooth for wifi or telephone connections. Double sink, three burner stove and oven with back splash. Microwave with exhaust fan, refrigerator freezer. Bath room with tub and shower combo, sink in vanity along with medicine cabinet and mirror. Roof vent with exhaust fan. Thermostat in main living are for 15000 btu ac and heater, heat runs on propane. 10' garage large enough for two full size motorcycle or other toys. Easy open and close ramp door. Queen size bed folds down from sides, hook up for tv and overhead cabinet for helmets and clothing hooks. Vented area to remove fumes while driving. Two windows and separate exit door in garage area. White exterior with graphics, 14' electric awning, front storage compartment could be used for mounting a generator. Two 35lb propane tanks, outdoor shower. White spoke wheels 15" inch 8 ply tires. Rear view camera. Comes with water and sewer hoses, have brand new truck mounted generator/ inverter which I will include for full asking price.A very nice clean trailer.


text:
21369 Center Ridge Road
Fairview Park, OH 44116 • View Phone NumberTel. (440) 333-9774
Obituary for Donald William Abel
Lakewood, Ohio | Age 87
Loving Husband and Father
Donald William Abel 87, Don was born on May 28, 1932 to the late Albert and Marcella Helen (Branske) Abel and he passed away on September 13, 2019. Beloved husband of Maureen (nee Brenda Downes) and loving father of Donald Joseph Abel (Zoe). Don was preceded in death by his brother William "Bill" Abel (Patricia). He is survived by his brother Allen (Janis) Abel, nieces Carolyn (Michael) Douglas, Jennifer (Gregory) Miller, and nephew Michael (Tiffany) Abel; great nieces: Addison Joy, Larkin Grace, Rose Marcella (Miller); Avery Grace (Douglas); great nephews: Walter Jerry Abel, Bo William Miller.
Don grew up in Kamms Corners and graduated from St. Patrick (West Park) 1946 and Cathedral Latin High School (1950). Ordained in St. John's Cathedral in 1959, Don served in the Diocese in St. Paul's, Akron (1959-1964), St. Mark's, West Park, (1964-1967) and as Chaplain for the 107th Armored Calvary Division. In June 1967, Don was commissioned for active duty as a First Lieutenant in the Army Chaplain Corps and served in Vietnam (1968-1969), He rose through the ranks to Lt. Colonel while serving overseas in Vietnam, Germany, and Korea as well as posts in Virginia, Florida, California, Hawaii and Texas.
Don's tour in Vietnam was during the Tet Offensive; he was in Nui Ba Den and Chu Chi. Merited recognition for superior performance, includes 2 Bronze Stars for meritorious achievement in ground operation against hostile forces. Meritorious service medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Metal with one Silver Service Star, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and Vietnamese Presidential Unit Citation/Cross of Gallantry with Palm.
During over 20 year's active duty, Don earned 2 masters degrees: one in psychology from UCLA and Ball State University and one in sociology from Long Island University. In 1965, he graduated from the Army Chaplains School in Brooklyn, NY. In 1987, Don retired from the Army, moved with his family to Hawaii, and continued serving the military community as a college instructor with Central Texas College and Hawaii Pacific University. In August 2007, Don returned to live in Lakewood, Ohio to be with family and friends and the Indians, Browns, and Cavaliers.
Don was a gifted sportsman, playing tennis, golf, football, and baseball. He was very proud of having been scouted by the Cleveland Indians in high school but he was chosen for God's team. An avid swimmer, Don loved floating in deep water with the Hawaiian sea turtles. He played drums and was the heartbeat of his high school marching band which played for a Brown's game. He also played in a dance band. He was a fine photographer. He loved Scrabble. Noted for his storytelling; he could keep any group entertained and inspired. Always one more joke! Since returning to Cleveland, Don enjoyed garage sales and thrift stores. His goal was to cheer up people and listen to their stories; a subtle way to continue reaching out to others. Reading the latest best seller, memoirs, and history were a major part of each day. His whistling and his laughter echo in our hearts.
Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 21 at St. Luke the Evangelist Church, 1212 Bunts Road, Lakewood, OH 44107. Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the charity of your choice. (440) 333-9774 www.buschcares.com
Add your thoughts, prayers or a condolence to Donald's guestbook.
1 Memorial Avenue
Arlington National Cemetery, 1 Memorial Avenue, Arlington, VA 22211 Interment for Donald William Abel https://www.tributes.com/obituary/show/Donald-William-Abel-107519727#services https://www.tributes.com/obituary/get_ics/107519727?service=3854572&tr= Interment will be at a later date.
Interment will be at a later date.
Fairview Park, OH 44116


text:
University / Sciences / Section of Biology / The Section / The Connections / Biology Education
Dr Kostas Kampourakis
Section of Biology and IUFE
Pavillon Mail, 40 Boulevard du Pont-d'Arve
1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
Kostas.Kampourakis@unige.ch
Research and Professional Appointments
Kostas Kampourakis is currently working on projects relevant to the teaching and the public understanding of genetics. At the Section of Biology he is teaching the course "Biologie et Société".
He is the Editor of the book series Understanding Life, published by Cambridge University Press, as well as the co-editor of the Springer book series Contributions from Biology Education Research.
He is the past Editor-in-Chief of the journal Science & Education (Springer), the official journal of IHPST, and the past Editor of the Springer book series Science: Philosophy, History and Education.
K. Kampourakis (2021). Understanding Genes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
K. Kampourakis (2020) Understanding Evolution. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
K. Kampourakis, T. Uller (Eds.) (2020) Philosophy of Science for Biologists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
K. Kampourakis, K. McCain (2019). Uncertainty: How it Makes Science Advance. New York: Oxford University Press.
K. McCain, K. Kampourakis (Eds.) (2019) What is Scientific Knowledge? An Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology of Science. New York: Routledge.
K. Kampourakis, M. Reiss (Eds.) (2018) Teaching Biology in Schools: Global Research, Issues and Trends. New York: Routledge.
K. Kampourakis (2018) Turning Points: How Critical Events Have Driven Human Evolution, Life, and Development. Amherst NY: Prometheus Books.
K. Kampourakis (2017) Making Sense of Genes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
R.L. Numbers & K. Kampourakis (Eds) (2015) Newton's Apple and Other Myths about Science. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.
K. Kampourakis (Ed) (2013) The Philosophy of Biology: a Companion for Educators. Dordrecht: Springer.
Articles in peer reviewed journals
F. Stern, M. Delaval, K. Kampourakis, A. Müller A (2020) Implicit associations of teleology and essentialism concepts with genetics concepts among secondary school students. PLoS ONE 15 (11): e0242189.
F. Stern, K. Kampourakis, M. Delaval, A. Müller (2020) Development and validation of a questionnaire measuring secondary students' Genetic Essentialism and Teleology (GET) conceptions. International Journal of Science Education, 42(2) 218-252.
K. Kampourakis (2020) Students' "teleological misconceptions" in evolution education: why the underlying design stance, not teleology per se, is the problem. Evolution: Education and Outreach, 13 1
K. Kampourakis, F. Stern (2018) Reconsidering the meaning of concepts in biology: Why distinctions are so important. BioEssays (online)
F. Stern, K. Kampourakis, C. Huneault, P. Silveira, A. Müller (2018) Undergraduate biology students' teleological and essentialist misconceptions. Education Sciences, 8(3), 135.
K. McCain, K. Kampourakis (2018) Which questions do polls about evolution and belief really ask, and why does it matter? Public Understanding of Science, 27(1) 2–10.
F. Stern, K. Kampourakis (2017) Teaching for genetics literacy in the post-genomic era. Studies in Science Education, 53(2), 193-225.
K. Kampourakis, P. Silveira, B.J. Strasser (2016) How do pre-service biology teachers explain the origin of traits? : A philosophical analysis. Science Education, 100(6), 1124-1149.
R. Nehm, K. Kampourakis (2016) Conceptual change in science and science education. Encyclopedia of Educational Philosophy and Theory, 1-5.
K. Kampourakis, K. McCain (2016) Believe in or about evolution? BioScience, 66(3), 187-188.
K. Kampourakis (2016) The "general aspects" conceptualization as a pragmatic and effective means to introducing students to nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 53(5), 667-682.
K. Kampourakis, C. Gripiotis (2015) Darwinism in context: An interdisciplinary, highly contextualized course on nature of science. Perspectives in Science, 5, 25-35.
W.F. McComas, K. Kampourakis (2015) Using the history of biology, chemistry, geology, and physics to illustrate general aspects of nature of science. Review of Science, Mathematics and ICT Education, 9 (1), 47-76.
M.F. Campanile, N.G. Lederman, K. Kampourakis (2015) Mendelian genetics as a platform for teaching about Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry: the value of textbooks. Science & Education, 24 (1-2), 205-225.
K. Kampourakis (2015) The need for interdisciplinary dialog in evolution education: A comment on the responses by Ware & Gelman and Shtulman. Cognitive Science, 39(4), 846-848.
K. Kampourakis (2015) Distorting the history of evolutionary thought in conceptual development research. Cognitive Science 39(4), 833-837.
K. Kampourakis, B.J. Strasser (2015) The evolutionist, the creationist and the 'unsure': picking up the wrong fight? International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement, 5(3), 271-275.
K. Kampourakis, A. Minelli (2014) Evolution makes more sense in the light of development. The American Biology Teacher, 76(8), 493-498.
K. Kampourakis, E. Vayena, C. Mitropoulou, R.H. van Schaik, D.N. Cooper, J. Borg, G.P. Patrinos (2014) Key challenges for next-generation pharmacogenomics. EMBO reports, 15(5), 472-476.
K. Kampourakis, A. Minelli (2014) Understanding evolution: why evo-devo matters. Bioscience, 64(5): 381-382.
K. Kampourakis (2013) Mendel and the path to Genetics: portraying science as a social process. Science & Education, 22(2), 293-324.
K. Kampourakis (2013) Teaching about adaptation: Why evolutionary history matters. Science & Education, 22(2), 173-188.
K. Kampourakis (2013) Nägeli, Carl von. In Stanley Maloy and Kelly Hughes (Eds) (2012) Brenner's Online Encyclopedia of Genetics (2nd edition) pp.2-3.
T.R. Reydon, K. Kampourakis, G.P. Patrinos (2012) Genetics, genomics and society: the responsibilities of scientists for science communication and education. Personalized Medicine, 9(6), 633-643.
K. Kampourakis, E. Palaiokrassa, M. Papadopoulou, V. Pavlidi, M. Argyropoulou (2012) Children's intuitive teleology: shifting the focus of evolution education research. Evolution Education and Outreach, 5(2), 279-291.
K. Kampourakis, V. Pavlidi, M. Papadopoulou, E. Palaiokrassa (2012) Children's teleological intuitions: what kind of explanations do 7-8 year olds give for the features of organisms, artifacts and natural objects? Research in Science Education, 42(4), 651-671.
K. Kampourakis, W.F. McComas (2010) Charles Darwin and evolution: illustrating human aspects of science. Science & Education, 19 (6-8), 637-654.
K. Kampourakis, V. Zogza. (2009) Preliminary evolutionary explanations: a basic framework for conceptual change and explanatory coherence in evolution. Science & Education, 18(10), 1313-1340.
K. Kampourakis, V. Zogza (2008) Students' intuitive explanations of the causes of homologies and adaptations. Science & Education, 17(1), 27-47.
K. Kampourakis, V. Zogza (2007) Students' preconceptions about evolution: how accurate is the characterization as "Lamarckian" when considering the history of evolutionary thought? Science & Education, 16(3-5), 393-422.
K. Kampourakis (2007) Teleology in biology, chemistry and physics education: what primary teachers should know. Review of Science, Mathematics and ICT Education, 1(2), 81-93.
K. Kampourakis (2006) The finches' beaks: introducing evolutionary concepts. Science Scope, 29(6), 14-17.
K. Kampourakis, V. Zogza. (2006) Tempo and mode of teaching evolution. Themes in Education, 7(1), 3-24.
K. Kampourakis, K. Roumeliotou (2004) Mendel was not alone. Biologist, 51(1), 54-57.
K. Kampourakis (2020) Why does it matter that many biology concepts are metaphors? In K. Kampourakis, T. Uller (Eds.) Philosophy of Science for Biologists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 102-122.
K. Kampourakis, T. Uller (2020) How can we teach philosophy of science to biologists? In K. Kampourakis, T. Uller (Eds.) Philosophy of Science for Biologists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 299-311.
T. Uller, K. Kampourakis (2020) Why should biologists care about the philosophy of science? In K. Kampourakis, T. Uller (Eds.) Philosophy of Science for Biologists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1-20.
K. Kampourakis (2020) Supporting Science Teachers' Nature of Science Understandings Through a Specially Developed Philosophy of Science Course. In: McComas W. (eds) Nature of Science in Science Instruction. Springer, Cham, 641-658.
W.F. McComas, K. Kampourakis (2020) Using Anecdotes from the History of Biology, Chemistry, Geology, and Physics to Illustrate General Aspects of Nature of Science. In: McComas W. (eds) Nature of Science in Science Instruction. Springer, Cham, 551-576.
K. Papaioannou, K. Kampourakis (2020) Health-care professionals' awareness and understanding of genomics. In G. P. Patrinos (Ed.) Applied Genomics and Public Health. San Diego CA: Academic Press, 225-242.
K. Kampourakis (2019) How are the uncertainties in scientific knowledge represented in the public sphere? The genetics of intelligence as a case study. In K. McCain and K. Kampourakis (Eds.) What is Scientific Knowledge? An Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology of Science. New York: Routledge, 288-305.
K. Kampourakis (2019) Genetics makes more sense in the light of development. In Giuseppe Fusco (Ed.) Perspectives on Evolutionary and Developmental Biology: Essays for Alessandro Minelli. Padova: University of Padova Press, 115-122.
K. Kampourakis, M. Reiss (2018) Concluding remarks. In K. Kampourakis, M. Reiss (Eds.). Teaching Biology in Schools: Global Research, Issues and Trends. New York: Routledge, 275-280.
K. Kampourakis, K. Niebert (2018) Explanation in biology education. In K. Kampourakis, M. Reiss (Eds.). Teaching Biology in Schools: Global Research, Issues and Trends. New York: Routledge, 236-248.
K. Kampourakis, P. Stasinakis (2018) Development. In K. Kampourakis, M. Reiss (Eds.). Teaching Biology in Schools: Global Research, Issues and Trends. New York: Routledge, 99-110.
M. Reiss, K. Kampourakis (2018) Introduction: Biology didactics. In K. Kampourakis, M. Reiss (Eds.). Teaching Biology in Schools: Global Research, Issues and Trends. New York: Routledge, 1-8.
P. Stasinakis, K. Kampourakis (2018) Teaching evolution in Greece. In H. Deniz, L. Borgerding (Eds.). Evolution Education Around the Globe. Dordrecht: Springer, 195-212.
K. Kampourakis (2017) Nature of science representations in Greek secondary school biology textbooks. In McDonald C., Abd-El-Khalick, F. (Eds.) Representations of Nature of Science in School Science Textbooks: A Global Perspective. London: Routledge, 118-134.
K. Kampourakis (2017) Public understanding of genetic testing and obstacles to genetics literacy. In Patrinos G.P., Danielson P., Ansorge W.J. (Eds). Molecular Diagnostics (3rd edition). Amsterdam: Elsevier/Academic Press, 469-477.
K. Kampourakis (2015) Myth 16: That Gregor Mendel was a lonely pioneer of genetics, being ahead of his time. In R. L. Numbers and K. Kampourakis (Eds.). Newton's Apple and Other Myths about Science. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press, 129-138.
R. Nehm, K. Kampourakis (2014) History and philosophy of science and the teaching of macroevolution. In M.R. Matthews (Ed.). International Handbook of Research in History, Philosophy and Science Teaching. Dordrecht: Springer, 401-421.
K. Kampourakis, R. Nehm (2014) History and philosophy of science and the teaching of evolution: students' conceptions and explanations. In M.R. Matthews (Ed.). International Handbook of Research in History, Philosophy and Science Teaching. Dordrecht: Springer, 377-399.
R.M. Burian, K.Kampourakis (2013) Against "genes for": Could an inclusive concept of genetic material effectively replace gene concepts? In K. Kampourakis (Ed.) The Philosophy of Biology: a Companion for Educators. Dordrecht: Springer, 597-628.
J.G. Lennox, K. Kampourakis (2013) Biological teleology: the need for history. In K. Kampourakis (Ed.) The Philosophy of Biology: a Companion for Educators. Dordrecht: Springer, 421-454.
K. Kampourakis (2013)Philosophy of biology and biology education: an introduction. In K. Kampourakis (Ed.). The Philosophy of Biology: A Companion for Educators.Dordrecht:Springer, 1-29.
For more information, see: http://kampourakis.com
// The Connections


David Godfrey, who died on June 21 of pancreatic cancer, was the owner of Godfrey-Brownell Vineyards, the eighth Cowichan Valley winery when it opened in 2000.
The winery capped a life filled with an astonishing number of careers and achievements. He is almost certainly the only winery owner in British Columbia to have won a Governor General's Literary Award.
David was born in Winnipeg in 1938 and grew up in Ontario, where his parents moved when he was 7.
The upbringing engendered a lifelong appreciation of Zinfandel, a popular variety for home winemakers. "I guess I was always interested in wine from my Cooksville days," David told me.
His education included a degree from the University of Toronto and graduate degrees from Iowa State and Stanford Universities. That led to a career as a university teacher.
That interest in music re-emerged at the winery, which regularly hosted concerts by a wide range of musicians.
During the late 1960s, he became a powerful figure in Canadian publishing. The Quill & Quire obituary says: "'In the decade after 1967, Dave Godfrey was a powerhouse in Canadian writing and publishing,' says Dennis Lee, who in 1967 co-founded House of Anansi Press with Godfrey. At the time, Anansi, which was instrumental in publishing early work by Michael Ondaatje, Margaret Atwood, Graeme Gibson, and Matt Cohen, was located in the basement of Godfrey's rented house on Spadina Avenue in Toronto. Two years after launching Anansi, Godfrey joined Roy MacSkimming and James Bacque in beginning New Press. 'Both presses were passionately nationalistic in mission,' says MacSkimming, 'with Anansi focused more on literary publishing, New Press more on political and social issues.' Along with his wife, Ellen, Godfrey started Press Porcépic in 1973." This was an outlet for experimental writing.
He moved to Victoria in 1978, becoming chair of creative writing at the university. At the same time a new interest in technology led him to help write several books on the subject. Ultimately, he and Ellen launched one of the earliest internet service providers in Canada.
Throughout that career, he never lost his urge to farm. His grandparents had lost a farm in Saskatchewan during the Depression, leading to a family determination to acquire farmland again. He actually tried to buy land in Saskatchewan but was thwarted because he was not a resident of the province.
Finally, he was able to combine a passion to farm with a passion for wine.
"I did my graduate work in the States, partly in Iowa and partly in California. I used to make wine with Raymond Carver in Iowa, the famous writer. He was a student there too. I always made wine. So about the early '90s we started looking for a farm." Ultimately, he bought a farm in 1998 south of Duncan and planted grapes for the winery named Godfrey-Brownell.
The public sometimes took the winery's doubled-barrelled name as a partnership.
Sadly, the founding partner is now also silent.
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery recently trumpeted the significant awards it brought home from several international wine competitions this spring.
Other British Columbia wineries do the same. These are mostly the larger producers who can afford the hefty entry fees.
It is a valid test of how BC wines stack up. It no longer is a surprise that the wines hold their own.
The surprise is that some of the same wineries have stopped competing in the Lieutenant Governor's Awards of Excellence in BC Wine, even though there is no entry fee. Granted, this is not as widely recognized as, say, the Decanter World Wine Awards. But I will bet that the consumers who actually buy most BC wines are better acquainted with the LG Awards than with Decanter.
To put international competitions in perspective, Syrah du Monde charges 180 Euros per entry and asks for six bottles of wine. The winery can provide tasting notes at an additional 55 Euros an entry.
Burrowing Owl, of course, has won two LGs: in 2013 for a 2010 Cabernet Franc and in 2005 for a 2003 Syrah.
Given the winery's latest awards, perhaps its peers were happy not to have to compete with Burrowing Owl wines at the LG Awards this year.
Gold for its 2012 Syrah at the Syrah du Monde 2015 in France. This was the only Canadian Syrah to take home a medal this year.
Double gold for the 2012 Merlot at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, along with gold for the 2011 Meritage, four silvers and and three bronze medals.
Gold for 2012 Athene at the International Wine & Spirits Competition 2015, along with five silvers and two bronze medals. The entry fee for IWSC is £130 per entry and four bottles are required.
Silver for 2013 Chardonnay and 2012 Pinot Noir at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2015, plus four bronze medals and two commendations.
A complete (and impressive) list of Burrowing Owl's extensive awards is on the winery's website. Just click on "Purchase" and then "Awards" at the bottom of that menu.
One thing struck me as I looked over the list: judges are not always consistent from one competition to another. For example, the 2012 Syrah won silver at the IWSC competition, a bronze at San Francisco and a commendation, which seems just slightly less than bronze, at Decanter. Of course, the Syrah du Monde, now in its ninth year, is a tightly focussed competition. This year 418 wines were entered and a total of 38 golds were awarded.
I have been able to taste six of Burrowing Owl's recent releases, most of which have been in competitions. Never mind if the judges are all over the map. These are first rate wines.
Burrowing Owl Pinot Gris 2014 ($20). The wine begins with appealing aromas of citrus and pear. On the palate, there are flavours of pear, peach, apple and pink grapefruit. The texture is juicy and the finish seems endless. 91.
Burrowing Owl Chardonnay 2013 ($25). The winery fermented 60% of the wine in stainless steel and 40% in oak. This means the wine retains fresh and vibrant fruit while enhancing the texture and complexity. The wine also was aged 10 months in French oak (25% new). It begins with aromas of citrus and nectarine, leading to flavours of tangerine and melon with a hint of vanilla (from the barrels). The texture is rich and the finish is long. Good acidity promotes fresh flavours as well as giving the wine the potential to age for several years. 91.
Burrowing Owl Pinot Noir 2013 ($30). The winery's reds are always big and bold; this is no exception. Dark in colour, it has intense aromas of raspberry and cherry that lead to meaty, earthy flavours dominated by strawberries' and cherries. The wine is robust on the palate and has a long, spicy finish. 90.
Burrowing Owl Cabernet Franc 2012 ($33). This shows the variety's classic brambly aromas and flavours: raspberry, blackberry, black cherries and blueberries. The structure is firm and age-worthy, although the 22 months of barrel aging have given the wine a polished texture. Decant now or cellar for five years. 92.
Burrowing Owl Syrah 2012 ($33). There is no question that this delicious wine deserves a gold medal. It begins with aromas of plum, blueberry and cassis. It is full on the palate with flavours of black cherry, plum, leather and tobacco. A touch of black pepper anchors the long, earthy finish. 93.
Burrowing Owl Athene 2012 ($38). This is a blend of 53% Syrah and 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, co-fermented and aged 21 months in barrel (85% French and 25% new). It begins with aromas of black cherry and cocoa, leading to flavours of black cherry, black currant, espresso coffee and dark chocolate, with spike and black pepper on the finish. The generous texture makes this wine bold and satisfying. 92.
The new wine shop which Tightrope Winery opened last month constitutes one more must-see winery on the Naramata Bench.
The tasting room, generous in size and elegant in design, offers a superb view over vineyards and Okanagan Lake beyond the vineyards.
The winery, operated by Lyndsay and Graham O'Rourke, began selling its wines in 2013 under the license of nearby Ruby Blues Winery. At the time, Lyndsay also was the winemaker at Ruby Blues. It is a position she has turned over to Blair Gillingham now that Tightrope has its own license and rising production.
After growing up in Southern Ontario, Graham trekked across the country and spent a few years enjoying the outdoor life that Whistler, B.C. has to offer by skiing, mountain biking, playing rugby, and meeting his future wife carving the snowy slopes and sipping fine wines.
Having grown up in British Columbia Lyndsay has been aware of the fine grape growing conditions the Okanagan Valley has to offer since the onset of her own wine passion. Once the couple had their first child they decided that the environment of the Okanagan would be ideal for cultivating a family as well as their dreamed-of winery.
Initiating a formal education on the subject of how to best cultivate the vines that produce the wines they love, they discovered that the vineyard life and winemaking were passions that they shared and wished to further pursue in their life together. The growing family relocated to New Zealand for a more advanced and thorough education on this subject that has proven to be their life-focus.
Having attained honours degrees in both oenology and viticulture while studying in New Zealand at Lincoln University, Lyndsay and Graham made a welcome return to the Okanagan Valley, settling on the Naramata Bench in 2007.
Since that time both have been hard at work honing their skills and practicing their trade, enabling that they can excel in their chosen profession. Lyndsay has traded in her snowboarding boots for a pair of Wellies, and was been an outstanding, award-winning winemaker for the Ruby Blues Winery along the Naramata Bench from 2009 to 2014.
In 2012 and 2014 Ruby Blues won the Lieutenant Governor's Award for their 2011 and 2013 Viognier. Lyndsay has now turned her focus to Tightrope Winery full time and continues to craft award winning wines in the new Tightrope facility!
After their return to Canada, Graham went to work for Mission Hill Winery as one of their lead viticulturists. Managing numerous acres of different varietals successfully through many seasons allowed Graham to put into practice those hours of study, and he has stowed the mountain bike in the garage in favour of overalls and a tractor. 2012 saw Graham leave Mission Hill to focus on the O'Rourke's own 10 acre property along the Naramata Bench at Fleet Road, from which all of the Tightrope grapes derive.
Tightrope Riesling 2012 ($20). This is now sold out. It has developed into a classic dry Riesling with "petrol" on the nose and a bit on the palate. Perhaps a better descriptor is marmalade, especially on the palate. The acidity is balanced with a bit of residual sugar and the wine finish dry. 91.
Tightrope Riesling 2013 ($20). The wine begins with floral and citrus aromas. The wine has more weight on the palate, with juicy flavours of grapefruit and with 13.3% alcohol, the result of a warmer year. 90.
Tightrope Viognier 2013 ($27). The wine begins with aromas of citrus and cumin spice, leading to flavours of apricot, tangerine, ginger and vanilla. The wine was partially barrel-fermented. 90.
Tightrope Viognier 2014 ($27). Perhaps because there is Similkameen fruit blended in this wine, it is bold and ripe, with flavours of peach and apricot. 90.
Tightrope Tip-Toe 2014 ($21). This is a blend of Gewürztraminer (46%) with Riesling and Chardonnay. It begins with aromas of rose petal and lychee and has flavours of citrus, pear and mandarin. The fresh acidity gives this wine a refreshing finish. 91.
Tightrope Pinot Gris 2014 ($20). This is an appealingly refreshing wine made in the fruit-forward Pinot Grigio style (alcohol of 12.8%). It has flavours of apples, peaches and pears, with a hint of sweetness on the finish. 90.
Tightrope Rosé 2014 ($20). This is a blend of 95% Pinot Noir and 5% Barbera. The wine is dark in hue, with aromas and flavours of raspberry, cherry and strawberry. The texture is juicy and the delicious finish lingers. 91.
Tightrope Vertigo 2013 ($28). This is an approachable red blend – 50% Merlot and 25% each of Cabernet Franc and Barbera. It has flavours of plum, black currant and chocolate with a touch of pepper and a hint of oak. 90.
Tightrope Pinot Noir 2013 ($32). Dark ruby in colour, this wine begins with aromas of spice, cherry, strawberry and mocha. It is rich on the palate with flavours cherry, raspberry, plum and mocha, all subtly framed with oak. The texture is seductively silky and the finish is persistent. This is an outstanding wine. 93.
Mary McDermott moved from Ontario in the summer of 2014 to take over making wine at Township 7 Vineyards & Winery in Penticton.
The winery has now released three of the whites and a rosé that she made in that vintage. It did not take her long to put her imprint on the wines – and it is quite a positive impact.
That is not to take anything away from her predecessor, Brad Cooper, who moved on to Serendipity Winery. Earlier this year, the winery released reds he had made. My reviews were delayed, but finally here they are. They are also pretty solid wines.
She was recruited by Township 7 after new owners acquired the winery in 2014. Mike Raffan, a former owner and now general manager, says that the new owners also have invested in improvements in the winery's facilities. Possibly, new equipment also accounts for the pristine polish that the 2014 wines show.
Township 7 Sauvignon Blanc 2014 ($17.38 for 1,058 cases).
Details matter. Ten per cent of this was fermented in neutral barrels, a technique to add some fullness to a wine that can be linear. The wine begins with aromas of lime and herbs. The flavours are intense, with notes of lime, lemon and peach wrapped around a spine of minerals. The wine has a crisp, dry finish. 89.
Township 7 Unoaked Chardonnay 2014 ($16.51 for 398 cases). This wine begins with appealing aromas of apple and pineapple. These are echoed in the flavours. The palate is crisp, with flavours that have a laser beam focus and freshness. The finish is very long. 91.
Township 7 Chardonnay 2014 ($18.25 for 498 cases). This wine is well differentiated from the extremely fruit-forward style of the unoaked version. Half was fermented in stainless steel while the other half was fermented in French and American oak barrels (18% new). The subtle oak shows in a delicate note of vanilla and in the full texture. But the aromas and flavours of citrus, apple and stone fruit remain brightly in the foreground. The racy acidity adds to a crisp finish. This Chardonnay has the structure to age for another four or five years. 91.
Township 7 7 Blanc 2013 ($19.99 for 328 cases). This is 60% Gewürztraminer, 40% Pinot Gris, a blend that marries flavour with good acidity. The wine has a spicy aroma leading to flavours of pear, grapefruit and ginger. There is a touch of residual sugar here. 89.
Township 7 Rosé 2014 ($17.38 for 198 cases). This is 95% Merlot, with five per cent of Muscat to lift the aroma and the fruit flavours. The wine, which has a pale salmon hue, has aromas of strawberries and cherries. The superb weight of this wine takes one by surprise. This is a dry rosé but the fruit flavours are full and intense. The finish is refreshing. 91.
Township 7 Merlot 2012 ($25.99 for 1,398 cases). This wine is a generous mouthful of vibrant flavours of black cherry, black currant and vanilla, with attractive red berry aromas. The long ripe tannins give the wine good weight and length. 90.
Township 7 Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Blue Terrace Vineyard ($26.99 for 498 cases). Township 7 has been buying grapes for a decade from this vineyard at the north end of Black Sage Road. The wine begins with aromas of red fruit (cherry, raspberry, black currant) and vanilla. On the palate, there are flavours of black currant and plum. The texture is firm; the wine benefits from decanting, as one would expect.
Blue Grouse Estate Winery & Vineyard has set a high standard for winery architecture on Vancouver Island with new winery and tasting room that opened last month.
"We hope that Blue Grouse will become a destination," says Paul Brunner, the mining engineer who bought the winery in 2012 from its founders, Hans Kiltz and his family.
You can be assured a building this spectacular will be on every wine tourist's must-visit list in the Cowichan Valley.
I was struck by the private comment of one industry veteran who suggested the building does not "fit" the Cowichan Valley. I suppose Paul could have built something more in keeping the valley's dairy barns. But hardly anyone tours dairy barns.
The new Blue Grouse winery should provide a real shot in the arm to wine touring in the valley.
To design the winery, Paul hired Joe Chauncey of Boxwood Architects in Seattle. He incorporated features of a grouse in the design. The roofline resembles the curve of a grouse's head and neck. The curves of the tasting room soaring ceiling are meant to remind one of a grouse's belly.
The new building occupies the footprint of the former winery but is a good deal larger. The winery is taller, with a mezzanine overlooking the vineyard. In fact, everything has been scaled up, including a much larger parking lot in anticipation of growth in visitor numbers the building should inspire. The new owner also has allowed his winemaker, Bailey Williamson, to increase the portfolio with a second label – called Quill - using purchased fruit.
This property was a pioneering, if tiny, Cowichan Valley vineyard, planted in 1977, according to the winery. A German-born veterinarian, Hans Kiltz, bought the property in 1989 and opened the winery in 1992. The small size of the vineyard – somewhere between seven and ten acres – limited his production. However, Hans was among the band of Vancouver Island winemakers who never bought Okanagan grapes.
The wines now being released under the Blue Grouse label continue to be made just from estate-grown grapes. But Paul has had to expand production to justify what he has invested in buying Blue Grouse and redeveloping the winery.
Paul was born in Colorado in 1950, the son of a Swiss-born carpenter and developer. His family moved to Canada in the 1960s and became Canadian citizens. Paul has a mining technology diploma from the British Columbia Institute of Technology, an engineering degree at the Colorado School of Mines and a master's in business administration from Harvard.
He parlayed that into a long career with an international drilling services company called Boart Longyear. He was the company's chief executive in 2008 when he retired. His business career took him, and Cristina, his Peruvian-born wife, to numerous wine-producing countries, including Chile, South Africa, Australia and the United States. Eventually, their love of wine led to invest in their own winery.
I took advantage of an invitation to Blue Grouse's grand opening to visit three other Cowichan Valley wineries. One of them, Unsworth Vineyards, opened an elegant wine shop several years ago with a patio that looks over a large and attractive pond. Unsworth also operates a well-regarded restaurant, something that is still to come at Blue Grouse.
The other two wineries are Enrico Vineyards and Glenterra Vineyards.
Here are notes on wines I was able to taste.
Blue Grouse Estate Bacchus 2013 ($20 for 80 cases). This wine has floral and spicy aromas, leading to flavours of grapefruit and grapefruit rind. The finish is crisp and bone dry. 88.
Blue Grouse Estate Ortega 2013 ($20 for 321 cases). The wine begins with a lovely floral aroma, with hints of apple. On the palate, there are flavours of lime, lemon and tangerine. 90.
Blue Grouse Estate Siegerrebe 2013 ($20 for 102 cases). This early-ripening grape does well in coastal vineyards. The wine invariably is thespian, with dramatic spicy aromas of lime and grapefruit. It delivers a bucket of tropical fruit flavours. This wine has a crisply dry and refreshing finish. 90.
Blue Grouse Estate Pinot Gris 2013($19 for 133 cases). The winemaker fermented most of the grapes in stainless steel but also fermented 20% in barrel. The generous texture of the wine benefitted from that. The wine has aromas and flavours of pear and melon. 90.
Blue Grouse Estate Pinot Noir 2012 ($24 for 130 cases). This wine was aged 10 months in barrel (30% new French oak). There is a hint of oak in the aroma with flavours of cherry. 89.
Blue Grouse Estate Pinot Noir 2013 (barrel sample). This has appealing aromas and flavours of cherry and strawberry, with a spicy note on the finish. The wine shows more concentration and fullness than the previous vintage while retaining the minerality of the vineyard. 90.
Blue Grouse Estate Black Muscat 2012 ($30 for 46 cases). Blue Grouse claims to grow the only Black Muscat vines in North America. The wine is always a surprise in the glass. It is dark in colour with dramatically spicy aromas and flavours of boysenberries. The finish is totally dry. It is an excellent wine with cheese. 89.
Blue Grouse Quill White 2013 ($17 for 389 cases). This is a blend of 39% Pinot Gris, 36% Ortega, 15% Gewurztraminer and 10% Müller-Thurgau. Half of the grapes were sourced in the Okanagan, half came from the estate. This is a juicy white, with aromas and flavours of lime, apple and peach. 88.
Blue Grouse Quill Rosé 2013 ($17 for 140 cases). This is made from Gamay Noir purchased from a Cowichan Valley vineyard. Light-bodied and refreshing, it has aromas and flavours of strawberry, cranberry and red currant. 90.
Blue Grouse Quill Red 2012 ($19 for 205 cases). This is a blend of three island grown grapes and one from the Okanagan: 47% Cabernet Foch, 21% Maréchal Foch, 11% Cabernet Libre and 21% Merlot. The aromas are dominated by the singular spikiness of the Cabernet Foch and Cabernet Libre, two varieties developed by Swiss breeder Valentin Blattner. There are flavours of black cherry, black currant, vanilla and chocolate. 89.
Enrico Vineyards, owned by Victoria businessman Harry Smith, opened in 2010. A former defenseman on the 1961 world champion Trail Smoke Eaters, Harry walked away from a Detroit Red Wings training camp in the 1960s because he though he could do better in business. How right he was! His ventures have range from shopping centres to a Hawaii coffee plantation and Columbia Fuels Inc., the largest petroleum products distributor on Vancouver Island. The Enrico vineyard is on a farm he bought in 2000. His winemaker is Daniel Cosman, also the winemaker for Unsworth.
Enrico Celebration 2012 ($24). This is a Charmat method sparkling wine made with Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. Almost gold in colour, it has flavours of nuts and orange peel with a rich texture from lees contact. 87.
Enrico Ortega 2014 ($17.50). This wine begins with lovely floral aromas. On the palate, it is intensely fruity with flavours of peach and lime. The residual sweetness lifts the flavours and gives the wine a juicy texture. 90.
Enrico Pinot Gris 2014 ($18.50). This is a refreshingly crisp wine, with aromas and flavours of spice, pears and peaches. 90.
Enrico Pinot Gris Reserve 2014 ($24). This is a barrel-fermented wine from the best grapes selected from the winery's 3 ½ acres of Pinot Gris. The wine has an appealing core of sweet fruit flavours (apple, pear and citrus) with a hint of oak in the aroma. 91.
Enrico Red Dragon 2013 ($17.50). This is a curious name for a delicate rosé made from Pinot Noir. The wine has aromas and flavours of strawberry. 88.
Enrico Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 ($20). This wine is made from Okanagan grapes. The wine is still a bit firm and should be decanted. There is a hint of mint and black currant on the nose, leading to flavours of black currant, plum and dark chocolate. 88.
Enrico Cabernet Foch 2012 ($18.50). This estate-grown wine is claimed to be Vancouver Island's first 100% varietal red from this Blattner hybrid. The wine is dark and full-bodied with aromas of mint, pepper and earth, leading to flavours of plum. There is an intimation of deli spices. 90.
Enrico Cabernet Libre 2012 ($18.50). This is another estate-grown Blattner hybrid. The hallmark of this variety seems to be a distinctive peppery and earthy aroma. The wine is lean, with flavours of cherry. 88.
Glenterra Vineyards is a 15-year-old winery operated by a remarkably modest winemaker called John Kelly. Perhaps his modesty accounts for Glenterra being lower on the radar screen than it should be. The wines here always are interesting, displaying the hand of one of the island's best winemakers.
Glenterra Vivace 2014 ($20). This is a blend from a large number of experimental white grapes that were already in the vineyard when John bought it. It is hard to pin down the elusively fruity, spicy flavours of this dry white. 89.
Glenterra Brio 2012 ($25). This is a blend of the experimental reds in the vineyard, supplanted with Okanagan fruit (mostly Merlot). The wine is delicious, with a good body and with flavours of black currant, plum and vanilla. 90.
Glenterra Orange Pinot Gris 2014 (N.A.). John Kelly has joined the growing number of leading edge winemakers who produce so-called orange or natural wines. In this case, the Pinot Gris is fermented on the skins with wild yeast and left on the skins for some time. The result is a bronze wine with flavours of herbs, grapefruit, and dried orange peel. The wine is quite dry, verging on austere. It begs to be aged. 90.
Unsworth Vineyards was established in 2010 by Tim and Colleen Turyk. They come to wine from operating a large fish packing business. The winery occupies a 32-acre farm on which a previous owner had planted Maréchal Foch in 2006 but then abandoned plans for a winery. With its spacious tasting room and restaurant, this has become a popular stop for wine tourists.
Unsworth Charme de L'ile NV ($21.00). This sparkling wine is described by the winery as a "Proseco style" wine. It is made with 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Gris and 20% Sauvignette, all from the Cowichan Valley. The wine begins with clean fruity aromas, leading to flavours of apple and citrus. 88.
Unsworth Pinot Gris 2013 ($20). This is a delicious, refreshing wine with flavours of apples, pears and peaches and with a crisp finish. 89.
Unsworth Allegro 2014 ($20). This crisp and tangy white reminded me a bit of Sauvignon Blanc (the blend is 50% Pinot Noir, 50% Sauvignette). It has a lightly pink hue, aromas of apples and flavours of lemon and lime. The wine's fresh acidity gives it a vibrant finish. 90.
Unsworth Petit Milo 2014 ($23). This variety, along with Sauvignette, is a white hybrid developed by Valentine Blattner (with significant work by Paul Troop and Daniel Cosman, partners in an island grape nursery). This wine has aromas of grapefruit and lime, with flavours of peaches and guava. The noticeable residual sweetness lifts the flavours and gives the wine a juicy texture. 88.
Unsworth Rosé 2014 ($19). This won double gold at the All Canadian Wine Championships. Made with Pinot Noir, it has aromas and flavours of strawberries and raspberries. The finish is dry and refreshing. 90.
Unsworth Cab Merlot Timbucktwo 2012 ($20). The blend is 95% Merlot from Naramata Bench, 5% Cabernet Libre from the estate. The latter brings a note of spice to the aroma. There are flavours of black currant and plum. The soft tannins make this wine approachable and easy-drinking. 87.
Unsworth Symphony 2012 ($22). This is by far the best Blattner red I have yet tasted. The wine is 85% Cabernet Libre and 15% Petit Milo, aged 26 months in American and French oak barrels. It begins with aromas that the winery describes as "cooked cherries" and goes on to deliver flavours of fig, liquorice, chocolate, earth and spice. 91.
Unsworth Ovation NV ($21.50 for 500 ml). This is a port-style wine made with Maréchal Foch grapes. It is rich, with flavours of plums, figs and liquorice. 91.
Having a Merlot lover in the house always creates issues when Pinot Noirs need to be assessed over dinner.
However, a strange thing happened when we were assessing the 2012 Blue Mountain Reserve Pinot Noir. "Pretty good," the Merlot lover said.
How good? When I reached for the bottle to finish the last glass, the bottle was empty. As they would say in tennis, advantage Pinot Noir.
Blue Mountain has been making consistently good Pinot Noir since 1991. Winemaker Matt Mavety, one of the family that owns this winery, has made significant technical changes in recent vintages that seem to have yielded further improvements.
I also note that the winery suggests the 2013 will age six to seven years while the 2012 will age seven to eight years.
My experience confirms that these are ageable wines. Recently, I opened a 2008 Blue Mountain Pinot Noir (the regular, not the estate). The wine was dark, showing no significant browning. The structure was firm (but not hard) and the fruit was still full of life. Clearly, the wine is at a peak. I would not expect it to begin sliding into old age for another couple of years. That is not bad for a $25 bottle of wine.
Blue Mountain wines are built to improve with moderate aging. Last fall, I had a long conversation with Matt about which wines in his portfolio are collectible. Naturally, he said all of them.
"Nobody collects Gamay Noir," I suggested.
"Then they would be missing something," he replied.
Perhaps I will set aside a few bottles of the Gamay. Meanwhile, here are notes on the other wines that Blue Mountain released this spring.
Blue Mountain Chardonnay 2013 ($20.90). This wine was fermented and aged 45% in stainless steel, 55% in French oak barrels (new to three years old). On the nose, there are aromas of citrus with a hint of toast, leading to refreshing flavours of apple touched with notes of lemon and hints of good lees aging. The texture is generous with a terroir driven backbone of minerals. This elegant wine is designed to age into an Okanagan answer to Burgundy. 90.
Blue Mountain Reserve Chardonnay 2012 ($29.90). Here is another ageable Chardonnay. The winemaker deliberately did not allow it to go through malolactic fermentation, thus retaining the good acidity that keeps the fruit flavours fresh. The wine begins with aromas of citrus mingled with lightly toasted oak and notes of lees. Half of this wine was fermented and aged in French oak. The texture is full, almost fleshy, with flavours of lemon, tangerine and peach that linger on a lightly spicy finish. 92.
Blue Mountain Reserve Pinot Gris 2012 ($27.90). In a blind tasting, one might take this for a Pinot Gris from a fine producer in Alsace. The wine – 40% of which was fermented and aged in French oak – begins with aromas of toasted oak and lees mingled with pear. On the palate, there is a layered cascade of fruit flavours – apple, pear, citrus – and a finish that just won't quit. With its structure and its good acidity, this wine age as readily as the Pinot Noirs. 92.
Blue Mountain Pinot Noir 2013 ($24.90). This is a blend of six clones from vines ranging from seven to 29 years in age. The wine was aged 10 months in French oak before being bottled. It begins with aromas of lightly toasted oak mingled with cherry. The palate is silky, with flavours of cherry and raspberry, with a touch of vanilla and mocha. 91.
Blue Mountain Reserve Pinot Noir 2012 ($39.90). This wine, which spent 10 months in French oak, has benefitted from significant bottle aging before release. Dark ruby in colour, the wine begins with aromas of lightly toasted oak mingled with red fruit. On the palate, there are rich flavours of strawberry and plum supported by toasty oak. The texture is silky and the finish is spicy. The wine is seductive and delicious. 93.
Sea Star Vineyards &; Winery on Pender Island debuted last year with startlingly good wines.
It turns out that Sea Star is not a one-shot wonder. The recently released wines from the 2014 are every bit as good, it not better.
Credit goes to owner David Goudge and his winemaker, Ian Baker. David, who has lived on Pender Island for about seven years, purchased the predecessor winery, Morning Bay in 2011. The original winery, an attractive building set amidst the forest, was still there. So was the seven-acre vineyard that had been planted in 2002.
David resuscitated there property by invested in new equipment, a climate controlled barrel cellar and an updated wine shop. To manage the vineyard and make the wines, he hired Ian Baker, who had formerly done the same duties at Mistaken Identity Vineyards on Salt Spring Island.
It is apparent they are a good team.
He came to Vancouver to study architecture at the University of British Columbia. Then he went briefly into the restaurant business before establishing himself as a Vancouver real estate agent.
Ian (left) is a one time Department of Fisheries employee and the former operator of a landscape business in Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island. More to the point, he was a long-time amateur winemaker with, as one of his former partners said, "a box of medals." He came to Sea Star in 2013 after about four years with Mistaken Identity.
The Pender Island grapes in the winery's whites are from the 5,000 vines at Sea Star's vineyard and the 7,000 vines at the 5.5-acre vineyard at Clam Bay Farm on North Pender Island. Encore, the 2013 Bordeaux blend, is made with red varieties purchased from Okanagan growers because those varieties would never ripen on Pender Island.
Sea Star Salish Sea 2014 ($15.75 for 515 cases). This is a blend of Ortega and Siegerrebe. It begins with a glorious aroma of tropical fruits and flowers, continuing on to flavours of lime and grapefruit mingled with herb and spice. Once again, the wine is very well balance to give the perception of a dry finish, with lingering fruit. Another refreshing white. 91.
Sea Star Encore 2013 ($21.75 for 470 cases). This is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has been aged months in new and used French oak. The wine is still bright and youthful; I decanted the wine as recommended by the winery. It begins with aromas of red currants and noticeable oak. On the palate, there are flavours of black currant, prune, chocolate and liquorice. Because the oak has not finished marrying with the fruit, this wine will benefit from another year of bottle aging before being opened. And the winemaker knows that. The wine has been released now because of consumer demand. 88-90.
The appreciation of rosé wines has risen dramatically during the past decade – to the point that Riedel Crystal of Austria has just announced a wine glass specifically for rosé.
"Rosé has become one of the most frequently enjoyed and trendy wine styles worldwide, especially in the US," said Maximilian Riedel, president and CEO of Riedel Crystal.
The company designed the wine glass in consultation with rosé producers in Provence. However, the shape would be suitable for virtually any rosé.
Most of us have been drinking rosé wines with standard stemware for white wines. You will continue to enjoy the wines even if you never buy Riedel's rosé glass.
It is a fact (at least in my opinion) that Riedel stemware always makes the wines taste better. I have attended four or five tasting demonstrations, including at least two led by Maximilian's father, Georg. There is no doubt that wines are diminished in poor stemware but are vastly better in the proper glass.
The easiest way to grasp this is taste a Pinot Noir from, say, a hotel banquet glass and then taste it from a Riedel Pinot Noir glass. Pinot Noir, along with most other wines, dies in banquet glasses but remains alive and full of flavour in the Riedel glass.
I have no doubt that a good rosé will be better in a Riedel glass.
Here are notes on a selection of recent British Columbia rosés that I have enjoyed, even without the Riedel glass.
Bench 1775 Glow 2014 ($19.90). This is a Malbec rosé, Salmon pink in hue, it has aromas and flavours of strawberry and rhubarb. It is a light, refreshing and dry rosé recalling rosé wines of the south of France. 89.
Black Widow Syrah Rosé 2014 ($23 for 80 cases). This dry rosé is loaded with flavour. It begins with aromas of strawberry and raspberry and goes on to flavours of cherry and plum, with a lingering finish. 90.
Covert Farm Family Estate Rosé 2013 ($18.29). This wine begins with an appealing cherry hue. It has aromas of cherries with an undertone of pomegranate and sweet tobacco. It may sound like an odd descriptor for a rosé but it sets up a savoury complexity which carries through to the palate with cherry and strawberry flavours. This is 75% Merlot, 21% Pinot Noir and 4% Syrah, co-fermented and aged on the lees. Note the wine also has a year of bottle age. With a dry finish, this is a rosé to pair with grilled salmon. 90.
Mission Hill Five Vineyards Rosé 2014 ($14.99 ). The wine just gleams in the glass like a pale ruby. Fruity aromas, notably cherries, burst from the glass. On the palate, there are juicy flavours of strawberries, watermelon and pomegranate. The finish lingers. The hint of residual sweetness adds to the generous texture of this delicious summer wine. It is 85% Merlot, 10% Pinot Noir and 5% Syrah. 90.
Roche Rosé 2014 ($19.98 for 185 cases). Roche is the label of artisan producers Dylan and Pénélope Roche who have a small vineyard on the Naramata Bench. This wine is 93% Zweigelt and 7% Schönburger (co-fermented). The wine begins with a brilliant jewel-like hue. It has aromas of strawberries and pink grapefruit, leading to flavours of strawberry, pomegranate and cherry. The wine is refreshing, with good body and with a lingering dry finish. 91.
Sage Bush Rosé 2012 ($NA). The wine begins with a pale, slightly bronze tint. On the nose, there are aromas of strawberry jam that are echoed on the palate. There is an appealing spoonful of sweet fruit on the palate. Bottle age has added a roundness to this wine without taking away from its freshness. 89.