Eo 298 | Shotgun Sandra Oldfield - Alberta-BC Wine War

Mulligan Stew

Sandra Oldfield is one of the leading voices for and in the Okanagan Wine Industry.

Was team leader and winemaking leader at Tinhorn Creek in the South Okanagan.

Now, she and her husband Kenn lead a popular consulting firm called Elysian Projects. Sandra is also one of the leaders in BC Tourism.

She’s a highly respected spokesperson for the wine community in BC.

No one hired her, she just is.

Sandra is also a world-class troublemaker and people love her for that.

She speaks her mind but does it from knowledge and passion for who and what she’s standing up for.

Several years ago the Liquor Control bureaucrats would not allow wine fans to buy BC wine in BC and drive it back home to Alberta.

I drove a case of wine across the BC/Alberta border but was not detained.

Sandra ordered a shotgun from the prairies to show that a gun could be sent across borders but not wine. We’ve been friends ever since.

Now the same Alberta Liquor agency is telling BC Wineries that they cannot send their wines to wine club members in Alberta and if they do, all their wines will be pulled from store shelves in that province.

This is all happening just as many of the small BC farmers who grow the grapes are staggered from the almost complete loss of vineyards and fruit in the Okanagan from two Winter cold snaps that killed many many vines.

I found Sandra in Victoria on Vancouver Island and sat down for a frank talk about the state of her industry and possible solutions for all involved.

He also has revealed a video she shot with her husband Kenn. Boxes arriving from Alberta were sent directly to her house in BC.

Sandra will explain what that says about the playing field here.

Delighted to welcome Shotgun Sandra Oldfield