Rock Star Winemaker Coming to Canada

Charles Smith started his winemaking career with a cool five grand and a maybe not-so-cool Chevy Astrovan.

But before that, the American winemaker spent a decade or so living in Denmark, where he managed rock bands, including The Raveonettes and The Cardigans. His trademark long grey corkscrew curls and his own rock star escapades have made him legendary amongst his fans.

And then there’s the vino. His wines — which include Kung Fu Girl Riesling, The Velvet Devil Merlot, Boom Boom Syrah, Motor City Kitty and many more — regularly receive accolades from wine magazines and critics. His labels include K Vintners, the Magnificent Wine Company and Charles Smith Wines: The Modernist Project.

This spring, he’ll be on the road, promoting his wines; a handful of Western Canadian dates are planned. He’s highly entertaining, and the wines are worth checking out, too.

Some fun quotes and facts about Smith:

• What he wanted to be when he was a kid:  "Probably a firefighter. Or a male stripper," he told the Calgary Herald in 2010.
• On the business side of wine: "I have nice clothes in my closet, but I'm a winemaker,” he told the Herald. “I'm a glorified farmer."
• His worst job: A brief time at a fish and chips shop when he was a teenager. “I was the deep-fry cook and I had to dress up as a pirate,” he told the Herald.
• On winemaking: "There might be other winemakers out there who are as passionate about making wine," he told the Herald, "but there are none who are more passionate about it."
• On wine in general: “It’s just booze. Drink it!" (from charlessmithwines.com)

Here, a look at upcoming tastings and events where Smith will be on hand:

• Sept. 29, Oct. 6 and Oct. 13 — Blues and BBQCWA Downtown Tasting Room, 35 S Spokane Street, Walla Walla, Washington. Call 509-526-5230 for tickets and information.
• Oct 14 to 15 — Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival, BMO Centre Stampede Park, Calgary, Alberta. Go to rockymountainwine.com for more information.
• Oct. 21 to 22 — Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival, Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton, Alberta. Go to rockymountainwine.com for more information.
• Nov. 4 — Walla Walla Wine Auction, Marcus Whitman Hotel, Walla, Walla Washington. A benefit for Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho. For more details, call 866-904-7721
• Nov. 5 — The Northwest Food and Wine Festival, Doubletree Lloyd Center, Portland, Oregon. Go to nwwinefestival.com or call 800-422-0251.
• Nov. 11 and 12 — Taste of Tulalip: A Culinary Celebration of Wine Food Tradition, in Tulalip, Washington. For more details, call 360-716-1239.