Sommelier Jesse Harnden
Appellation consternation? Bordeaux bewilderment? Mission Hill Family Estate’s Sommeliers Jesse Harnden and his team Mike Lee and Brent Belanger can help! Beginning May 15, the award-winning Okanagan winery will once again play host to Sommelier Saturdays.
Guided by Harnden and his crew, guests of the one-hour classes will hone their taste buds and refine their palate whilst sipping Mission Hill Family Estate wines alongside international counterparts of various regions and styles.
DETAILS
Dates: Saturdays, May 15 – June 12
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Location: Culinary Theatre, Mission Hill Family Estate
1730 Mission Hill Road, Westbank, BC
Reservations: 250.768.6483
Cost: $25 per person for one tasting
Buy a package and attend three different classes for $60
SOMMELIER SATURDAYS
2010 SPRING SCHEDULE
May 15: Pacific Northwest
From Oregon Pinot Noir to Washington and Okanagan Syrah and Merlot, compare and contrast some of the greatest up and coming appellations around. Of particular interest will be contrasting some of the key varietals of one region to the next in a blind tasting format. Ultimately, the class will show that there is much more on the west coast of North America than Napa and Sonoma Valley.
May 22: Exotic Blends
It could be said that the real art of winemaking is in the blending process. This seminar seeks to explore the “art of assemblage” and those wines that are comprised of varietals less traditional than the standard hallmarks of France. Taste truly unique wines from Spain, Italy, Australia and more, in an effort detach from traditional cuvees. Two vintages of Mission Hill’s Quatrain will also be explained and enjoyed.
May 29: Riesling
This seminar will celebrate what many argue to be the greatest white wine on earth. The class aims to show that this misunderstood grape should not be written off as simply sweet, but rather one of the most complex varietals around. Explore the impeccable balance that producers seek in Germany, Alsace, Australia and beyond.
June 5: The Grapes of Bordeaux
Take a look at what is arguably the most famous wine region in the world – Bordeaux. Compare and contrast wines of the famed St. Emilion and Paulliac, and see how some regions of the new world are holding up against the benchmarks with their “Bordeaux Blends” or “Meritage” offerings. Two of Mission Hill’s flagship wines will also be poured – the SLC Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon and a back vintage of Oculus.
June 12: The World of Whites
As the Okanagan prepares for the heat of summer, Mission Hill concludes the Sommelier series with a look into the wide world of white wines. From benchmark Pinot Gris from the Okanagan or Gewurztraminer from the Alsace, to more obscure varietals from other corners of the world, this seminar will look into some of the many manifestations of the fairer grape. Taste Mission Hill’s white wines beside their counterparts from the rest of world and be stimulated and refreshed.
ABOUT JESSE HARNDEN
Jesse Harnden is the Lead Sommelier at Mission Hill Family Estate and oversees the Sommelier program. Jesse hails from the Niagara Peninsula where he worked for Stone Road Grille and Stratus Vineyards. He received his Sommelier training at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario. Jesse leads all of Mission Hill’s Estate Room Tastings as well as its Legacy Tasting Experience Tours.
ABOUT MISSION HILL FAMILY ESTATE
Located in the heart of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, Mission Hill Family Estate is world renowned for its award-winning wines, stunning setting and architecture, and its Cuisine de Terroir-based Terrace Restaurant. Majestic mountains, scenic lakes and lush orchards encase the winery’s dramatic architecture and culminate in a setting that celebrates wine, food and the arts. With sustainable practices that ensure care for the environment, and a timelessness that respects the family’s European heritage, guests experience the height of winemaking in an incomparable lakeside mountaintop winery. Visit missionhillwinery.com for more information.
