British Columbia-born actor/director Jason Priestley (Beverly Hills, 90210, Private Eyes) turned his passion for wine into a serious commitment when he joined the ownership group of Black Hills Estate Winery in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley in October 2007. Priestley was part of a team that grew Black Hills into one of the South Okanagan’s leading wineries, anchored by its flagship Nota Bene red blend. The winery was sold to Andrew Peller Limited in 2017.
In a quest to remain actively involved in the Canadian wine business, Priestley has now partnered with friend and media broadcaster Terry David Mulligan and winemaker Michal Mosny in the creation of Q&A – a premium project that focuses on a single red wine sourced from some of the top vineyards in the Okanagan Valley.
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“After the sale, I continued to search for exceptional terroir capable of producing a peerless Bordeaux-style blend,” says Priestley, as quoted on the Q&A website. “Throughout this journey, I merged paths with Terry and then Michal. Together, we questioned what we already know, over and over again. After looking everywhere, all roads lead to one answer and the answer is once again in the Okanagan. This time, the difference is in the details, with a focus on elegance and finesse.”
From left to right: Winemaker Michal Mosny, Jason Priestley, and Terry David Mulligan have partnered to create Q&A.
“I heard about Canadian wine for the first time from Terry and Jason’s international television show, Hollywood and Vines TV, and it quickly became my passion,” shared Mosny. “They are the reason why I decided to move here with my wife in 2012 and make wines in the Okanagan Valley.” Slovakian-Canadian Mosny is the proprietor of Winemaker’s CUT, an acclaimed winery based in the District Wine Village in Oliver, BC.
“Q&A and Winemaker’s CUT share the same vision and philosophy towards wine,” continues Mosny. “Both labels reflect our curious and detail-obsessed demeanour. We leave no stone unturned in finding what we seek. If the answer does not exist, it is the opportunity to make the calls for ourselves.”
“The Okanagan has always been the answer” – Terry David Mulligan
The grapes for the 2020 Q&A come from the sun-drenched Quails Wayside and Chahal Vineyards in Oliver. “The purity and intensity of the fruits are accentuated by a meticulous oak regime and crafted through traditional winemaking methods,” explained Mosny.
Media broadcaster and wine radio host Terry David Mulligan completes the Q&A trio. Former host and producer at CBC TV and MuchMusic, Mulligan currently hosts Mulligan Stew and Tasting Room Radio. As well, he co-hosted Hollywood and Vines TV with Priestley – television and radio shows that have anchored him as one of Canada’s leading wine broadcasters.
“The Okanagan has always been the answer. I can attest from the time I lived in the Valley,” Mulligan says. “It all started with a question: what is next for this wine-producing paradise? Having asked countless more questions of myself, and to the guests as a show host, I am totally happy to have found the answers with Jason and Michal, and we are thrilled to share this project with you.”
The inaugural vintage of the Q&A red wine is now available online in limited quantities at qa.wine and at select premium stores.
Q&A 2020 Red
The first vintage of this much anticipated collaborative effort from Jason Priestley, Terry David Mulligan and Michal Mosny is being marketed as a premium level red blend, consisting of 45 percent cabernet sauvignon, 38 percent merlot, 13 percent cabernet franc and four percent petit verdot. It’s densely concentrated and does need some time to open up (I suggest a good decant prior to drinking). The nose is striking, with beautiful dark fruit aromas (blueberry, blackberry, dark cherry) and a hint of spice. On the palate, the wine is juicy, rich, and possesses a certain sweet heat combo (despite just 2.3 g/L of residual sugar and a reasonable 14% ABV). Tannins are fine-grained. At $50, one should expect a high-end wine. I’m not completely convinced that this first edition lives up to the hype of its highly marketable status or properly reflects the expectations of its pedigree (though, I guess this could have fetched for an even greater sum due to said celebrity and marketable status, and that would have been a big let-down). Even if it does make for an enjoyable sip, the overall value verdict is likely to be in the eye of the beholder. ($50)
