A mission for fine wine
In our occasional series on multifaceted Calgarians, meet the new vice-president of sales for one of the Okanagan's top wineries
Shelley Boettcher, Calgary Herald
Published: Friday, August 29, 2008
Shauna Hansen was a small-town kid with dreams of becoming a lawyer.
But a summer job as a "cellar rat" at the now-defunct Chateau Gai winery on the outskirts of Calgary changed the course of her life forever.
"I had to do everything: bottling, capping, cleaning, you name it," she says.
I got bitten by the wine bug."
And she never looked back. Born in Vegreville, east of Edmonton, Hansen, now 43, moved to Calgary when she was 11. After graduating from Bishop Grandin High School, she did a political science degree at the University of Calgary.
Along the way, she parlayed her summer gig at Chateau Gai into a permanent position in the winery's sales department.
Over the years, she continued in the industry, working in sales for major international wine and spirits companies like Coors, Beringer and Foster's, all the while honing her passion for fine wine.
This month, Hansen was named the new vice-president of sales for Mission Hill Family Estate.
Although the winery is located in the Okanagan Valley, Hansen is based in Calgary. Often working 12- to 14-hour days, she spends at least two weeks of each month travelling across North America, primarily within Canada.
She wouldn't have it any other way.
"I love viticulture; I love winemaking," she says. "And I truly love what I do."
What she does when she's not at work: "My children all have four feet: horses, dogs, cats. I have two horses, an Arabian (Tess) and a quarter-horse (Indie). I only ride Indie. Tess is getting up in years. She's a hayburner. She's fat and sassy; it's time for her to retire.
"We have two dogs, too, Sisco and Asa. Asa is a Hebrew word for healer. I got her right after another one of my dogs died . . .
"We live northwest of Calgary; my husband's retired so he takes care of the tribe when I'm not there."
On staying calm in a hectic business: "I love where I live. Home is a sanctuary for me. There's a real peacefulness there. I saddle up my horse and go for a ride with my two dogs in tow.
"I really love being outdoors. Any chance I get, I'm outside. I love growing stuff, beans, potatoes, some heirloom tomatoes (although they're not doing very well this year), and I have two rows of carrots for the horses."
On cooking: "I love cooking. That's a great stress reliever for me, too. My husband will come in sometimes, and there I'll be, throwing pots around in the kitchen. To pour a glass of wine and cook, that's very therapeutic for me."
Her favourite cookbooks: "I try to pull out a new cookbook or recipe every week. I just tried Vikram Vij's cookbook, Vij's. I had it for a year before I tried it. I made a yellow curry chicken with fennel seeds. It wasn't that hard, once you start breaking it down, and it was absolutely delicious.
"I also use Cinda Chavich's book, the prairie one (High Plains) a lot . . . And the Hali'imaile General Store cookbook from Hawaii -- it's one of our favourite places.
"There's no denying the influence of Martha Stewart and Jamie Oliver -- I love his cookbooks. He has a sticky chicken recipe that is so good."
In our occasional series on multifaceted Calgarians, meet the new vice-president of sales for one of the Okanagan's top wineries
Shelley Boettcher, Calgary Herald
Published: Friday, August 29, 2008
A typical workday: "I start with coffee, a lot of coffee, and end with wine," she says. "There's no better way to live."
On her family: "I have one brother, who's younger than me. He lives in Edmonton and he has two sons, my nephews. I try to see them every month or two months or so. I'm up there a lot for work, and I try to pop in to see them when I'm there.
"Having kids around keeps you grounded. They're eight and five, so everything's fresh and good and fun and high energy."
On shopping: "I don't like to shop but I love to buy. Time is so precious. I don't take long to make up my mind about something."
Her favourite Calgary and area restaurants: River Cafe, Thai Sa-On, the (Fairmont) Palliser for the cocktails, "and in Bragg Creek, Infusion Cafe. It's tucked away in the woods, literally, but they have a great wine list and the food is very good."
The first wine she remembers drinking: "I had just turned 18. It was Lonesome Charlie, but please don't put that in print." She laughs.
"It's a sweet wine, sort of like Baby Duck."
What are her favourite Mission Hill wines: "Well, I wish I could be enjoying Oculus every night for dinner," she says with a laugh.
When she's not sampling the winery's finest, she also enjoys Mission Hill's Reserve Pinot Gris, the Select Lots Collection's Syrah, the rose (only at the winery) and pretty much anything else that bears the label.
What does she drink when she's not drinking Mission Hill wines? "I try at least two new bottles every weekend. I like so many different wines. It really depends on the occasion," she says, listing Pinot Gris, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc as some of her favourite grapes.
She's a huge fan of Okanagan wines in general, she says.
"And nothing can beat a great bottle of Champagne. It's a party in a glass, every single time. If I ever end up on a desert island, it would be one of the things I would want with me."