One of the coolest developments in the Ontario wine scene is the creation & growth of Niagara Custom Crush Studio. Started in 2022 it is part production facility to help small independent winemakers make/sell their wine and a kick ass wine bar in the middle of Niagara wine country. My guests on the Podcast is Graham Rennie, Founder and CEO of Niagara Custom Crush Studio and their new Chief Operating Officer and Head Winemaker Kevin Panagapka. Kevin has been on the pod before talking about his virtual winery, 2027 Cellars.  

Meet Melissa Devore, the president of Amici Cellars, a powerhouse of a winery located in Napa!  Melissa went from graduating Rice University with a Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry degree to working with wineries in Chili to now heading up an iconic California winery. She's my guest on the 'Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast.

Of course, I spend my final night in Japan at a wine store that ONLY sells Canadian wine! If you find yourself in Tokyo, you have to check out Heavenly Vines and their excellent selection of all things Canadian vino. My guest on the podcast, making his return is the co-owner, Jamie Paquin.

Hey, look its famed winemakers Ann Sperling and Peter Gamble back on the podcast! BUT this time there’s a twist. Beyond making world class Ontario wines Ann and Peter have been making wine in Mendoza. The wine is called Versado and their latest release, the 2018 vintage is out now! This was a fun deep dive into their South American adventures … I always learn something new whenever this Dynamic Dionysus couple come on the Podcast. 

On the ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People Podcast’ I sit down the winemaker for Stoneleigh Winery, Jamie Marfell. Always love when I can do a deep dive on all things New Zealand wine.

On the latest episode of the 'Matt Talks Wine  Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast my guest is 2024 VQA Promoters Award winner (Hospitality) Robbie Raskin, the Owner of Archives Wine & Spirits. I visited Robbie's wine bar/bottle shop and left thinking how lucky St. Catharines is to have this cool small slice of wine heaven right in the middle of their downtown. There is a reason why Robbie won his VQA award and it starts with this fantastic bar. Thrilled to hear he is expanding into Toronto soon.

My latest guest on the ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast is Ed Madronich, President for Flat Rock Cellars. A thoughtful and engaging conversation from someone who has been in the wine making business for decades. We discuss perception versus reality when it comes to all things wine, the differences between American vs. Canadian customers plus Ed’s bold claim about Ontario terroir versus the rest of the world.  Perfect timing to sit down with Ed as the winery is releasing their 20th Anniversary Bottle of their Twisted series of wines!

I don’t do nearly enough on the topic of pairing food with wine. No better person to correct that oversight than with someone has written seven cookbooks, is a professional chef (and professional gastronaut), did a Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and holds the Guinness Book of World Records for most pancakes made. My interview with Bob Blumer! Needless to say, you’re going to enjoy this one. By the way his latest book: 'Flavorbomb: A Rogue Guide to Making Everything Taste Better' is out now!

Part Two of the 'Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast with Sommelier/TV Wine Personality/Wine Writer Renée Sferrazza we pick up on the conversation about pairing great wines with normal moments of your life, more excellent wines from Prince Edward County, the LCBO and the surprisingly good work being done by McManis Winery. 

Coming back for her third time is Sommelier, TV Wine Personality, Wine Writer, Content Creator and all-around advocate for all that is good and right in the wine world, Renée Sferrazza!!! This one was so good I had to break it up into two parts. In Part One we go over a wide range of wines all from Prince Edward County, a behind the scenes look about doing live TV wine segments and we fight about the movie ‘Love Actually’.

The Podcast is heading back to the famed Northern Italian wine region of Piedmont. My guest is Federica Boffa-Borgogno. She is a part of a fifth generation of wine growers. What make’s her family’s portfolio so impressive is the consistent level of quality. Of course, the Barolo Cannubi Riserva is gonna knock your socks off but so will the Barbera d'Alba and Dolcetto d'Alba.

Meet Federico De Cerchio, a fourth-generation Italian wine grower, based in the Abruzzo region of Southern Italy and now owner of the family wine business Famiglia De Cerchio Winery. Enjoyed hearing about Federico’s wine journey, learning more about all things Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and when he first started working with his father just how long did it take for them to get into their first disagreement? 

Meet Susan Sterling, my latest guest on the ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast.  Susan spent over two decades working with the wines of Andrew Peller. Today she is the Brand Ambassador for one of the most famous Port Houses, Taylor Fladgate.  I’ve known Susan for well over 15 years, she is a good friend who has been a big part of my own wine journey.  A long overdue interview!

Shawn Brynildson, the winemaker at Black Stallion Estate Winery in Napa Valley is my latest guest on the ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast! Shawn went from studying medicine in school to switching over to wine while at University of California, Davis. Just what was his parents reaction? A wide ranging conversation about all things wine making, California and the prejudice that does sometimes surround Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.   

I love the story of Jerome Christie (Territory Manager/ Portfolio Manager for Intra Vino) and his journey into wine. He went from a solid government job to being inspired by wine through trips to Santorini and Sunday dinners with his in-laws. Jerome started volunteering at Intra Vino and is now a big part of the company and is in the middle of all things Court of Master Sommeliers. This is a great interview for people looking to get into the wine business cause Jerome will inspire you! This is a great interview for people who enjoy a good human interest story cause Jerome will inspire you! On top of that I bet you learn a thing or two about Greek wine ... I know I did.

On the latest 'Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast I have on grape grower and winemaker Jessica Oppenlaender (And a super fun cameo from her sister Ali) Oppenlaender from Liebling Wines. They spent years working with their father growing grapes for some of the top winemakers across Niagara and now they are also make their own wine. This is a fantastic story about wine but really more about family. A compelling/fun interview that I guarantee you will enjoy. For more about Liebling Wines: lieblingwines.ca

A different edition of the ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast! My guest is Sophie Menin an award-winning wine writer and the author of, ‘A Year in the Vineyard’. Her book is packed with 180 gorgeous pictures from the world’s most stunning wine regions. From Piedmont to Burgundy to Napa and everywhere in between.  We discuss the many years of work that went into her latest work that will give you a completely different perspective of what it takes to make a bottle of wine.

My guest on the 'Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast is Andrew Carter, the Executive Chef & Owner of the famed Yorkville The Oxley Public House restaurant.   A powerhouse of an interview!! Andrew went from working as a teenager in food halls to working under Nico Ladenis, the first British chef to be awarded three Michelin stars to opening up arguably the best British style pub in Toronto. The energy, the stories and the passion ... you will be hooked from start to finish.

My guest on the 'Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast is Jeff Moote the founder and winemaker for Divergence Wines, a virtual winemaker based in Niagara. Cool origin story about how Jeff went from working as an Engineer in the chemical process industry to making wine!  A hell of leap of faith that has led to a rather impressive sparkling program!

The Podcast is heading to the Southern France wine region of Roussillon. My guest is Moritz Bak, owner of Res Fortes winery. A cool story about a young winemaker who fell in love with this part of the world and wanted to make world class wine. (I grabbed his last 6-Pack of Syrah!)

On the latest ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast I’m joined by prolific Instagram star Cokie from Cokies World of Wine. (Find her here: https://www.instagram.com/cokiesworldofwine/) I’ve met so many people who have committed so much of their life to the study of wine … I don’t think I have ever encountered anyone with the passion/ work ethic for all things vino like Cokie.  She is so damn impressive and is a MUST FOLLOW for anyone who wants to learn about wine. Seriously as you are reading this I can almost guarantee Cookie is studying a map of some random wine appellation. 

When a winery has the highest of aspirations to make the best wines from the Niagara terroir the Bat Signal will go out to winemakers Ann Sperling and Peter Gamble!! They are the Batman and Batman of extracting the best out of the Niagara region. On the latest ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast I bring back Ann (Third time on the Pod) and Peter (Second time) to go over their latest project, Dobbin Estate Winery. This passion project by Wade Dobbin started in 2018 after the acquisition of their prized vineyards needed some of the best minds in the land which Wade got with Ann and Peter. This was an epic interview that also featured Assistant Winemaker Dave Brennan and Dobbin Estate General Manager Nathan Dobbin and included tasting their Chardonnay, two wildly different Rieslings and a Right Bank style Bordeaux Blend.

This is Julie Garton, the Wine Director for Liberty Entertainment Group. This is Julie’s second appearance on the ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast. Julie oversees the wine program for one of Toronto’s newest restaurants Blue Bovine Steak + Sushi House. We discuss her new project, just what are some of the big differences between a high end establishment and a Michelin Star level one … oh and when she climbed to the base camp for Mt. Everest. You can find out more about Blue Bovine Steak + Sushi House here: bluebovine.com

The ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast is heading back to the Okanagan Valley! My guest is former Sommelier for The National Club and now the Guest Experience Manager for one of the best wineries in all of Canada, Checkmate Artisanal Winery. We discuss the devastating environmental damage the 2024 winter had on the entire region. As someone who has known James from his early days at the Club, I love his story from Toronto to B.C. No better person to be representing some of the best Chardonnay and Merlot made in Canada. *Bonus: Most emotional moment in the history of the pod (168 episodes in!) happens midway of this interview.

A wide-ranging conversation with one of the co-owners of Henry of Pelham Winery, Dan Speck. I sat down with last in late 2018 and since then A LOT has changed. We discuss the impact of COVID, the war in Ukraine and inflation has had on the world of wine. I guarantee you'll learn something new from one of the most interesting people in the Ontario wine biz.

My guest is Steven Campbell, board member for the non-profit organization Grapes for Humanity who just launched their wine auction to help raise money for several important environmental charities. You have until Monday April 22nd to get your bids in! (Link: https://www.waddingtons.ca/auction/grapes-for-humanity-canada-fine-wine-auction-2024-apr-22-2024/) We dive into Steven’s rich past that includes owning the famed Toronto restaurant, La Maison, opening one of the first wine bars in Ontario and the dangers climate change is having on wine all over the world. (Also, his dogs make a brief appearance)

On the latest episode of the 'Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast I speak with the most important wine journalist covering all things Ontario Wine, Rick VanSickle. We discuss the politics behind wine production, how the LCBO is not doing nearly enough for Ontario winemakers and is there a future in designating specific vineyards with "Grand Cru" status?

On the 'Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast my interview with the winemaker for Niagara winery Westcott Vineyards, Casey Kulczyk. Love his passion about Westcott's overall philosophy about making world class Niagara Wine NOT about making "Burgundian" style wine. Trust me, Casey's passion for all things Niagara winemaking and just how special Pinot Noir and Chardonnay can be in this area is infectious. No way you won't enjoy this conversation. 

They love Merlot, can't stand the film 'Sideways' and in under a decade are making a real name for themselves in the world of Ontario wine. On the 'Matt Talks Wie & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast I sit down with the Owners of Kirby Estate, a gorgeous boutique winery specializing in Chardonnay and Bordeaux Blends. Fun conversation about where they are now as a winery and how scary was their first vintage.

From Châteauneuf-du-Pape to Morocco this episode of the ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People Podcast has range! My guest is Anne Charlotte Melia Bachas.  Anne is the Winemaker and Owner of Chateau Font du Loup in Châteauneuf-du-Pape while her father Charles has founded Domaine du Val d’Argan, a winery in Morocco.  We talk about those early days in 2002 when she took over Chateau Font du Loup, winemaking in Morocco and sticking to making her style of wine. 

If I think about the people who had the biggest influence on me when it comes to wine, Brian Perry, the Beverage Manager and Head Sommelier for The National Club is right at the top of the list. There is so much to admire about Brian. I’ll always appreciate the fact that when I joined the club, I was the youngest member at the time and as a sports media gas bag I was not exactly a captain of industry. Brian treated me the same as anyone else and it wasn’t long before he became an important part of my life. Thrilled after many years I was able to convince him to sit down, talk about the Club, his rise and our collective love for wine.  This episode went long so I have split it up into two parts. This is Part II

On the latest ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast I sit down with one my wine mentors, Brian Perry, the Beverage Manager and Head Sommelier for The National Club. Brian has a remarkable story from bartending with little wine knowledge to running one of the largest wine programs in Canada. This episode went long so I have split it up into two parts. This is Part One.

Really cool origin story with my guest on the wine podcast, Wine Importer Emily Craig, owner of Emily Craig Import Agency. Emily went from graduating with a Science Degree, to working a harvest in Nova Scotia to working for some of the largest Canadian wine importing companies in Canada to starting her own boutique wine important company. Oh, and she started during the pandemic. This is someone with a clear vision for her future, a hell of a work ethic and true passion for wine.

I love how Assistant Winemaker for Domaine Queylus Brooke Husband can make winemaking technique and the difficulties of Wild Fermentation sound so interesting.  On my latest interview Brooke does such a great job blending (Pun intended, sorry) the human element that goes into making great wine. Lotta range in this episode from the importance of wine education, the spending habits of people far younger than me to winning multiple Hospitality and Wine Awards 

Find me a better winemaking couple than Ann Sperling and Peter Gamble! I sit down with the vino power couple about their work with On Seven Estate Winery, a Niagara boutique winery obsessed with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Great interview for anyone interested in learning about how Niagara is perfectly suited for world class Burgundian style wine and also a cool story about taking chances in the vineyard.

In the final installment of my Karlo Estates podcast series live from their “Speak Easy” wine lounge I sit down with vintners, Sherry Karlo and Saxe Brickenden.  An emotional/funny/educational, and even romantic interview that goes from the toughest moments for Sherry after the tragic passing of her husband to the remarkable bounce back for Karlo Estates with the assistance from Saxe.   Tears are shed, laughs are had, and some damn tasty wines are tried.  This interview has it all! 

In Part II of my three-part podcast series with Prince Edward County winery Karlo Estates I sit down with Winemaker Spencer Mayer.   A self professed "nerd" when it comes to all things wine this was a fun conversation with a winemaker who is in the relative early stages of making a name for himself in the business. Some great stories about his young son helping in the winery, the influence of Derek Barnett and all things Bordeaux blending.  

This is Part I of my three-part podcast series with Prince Edward County winery Karlo Estates.  What better way to kick it off than with wine legend Derek Barnett, the Executive Winemaker for Karlo Estates.  Derek goes over some of the stylistic differences between the wines of Niagara versus Prince Edward County, how he originally got into wine and why he puts up with the drive all the way from Niagara. 

The Podcast is going back to Bordeaux, this time to St-Julien with Nicolas Sinoquet the CEO & President of Chateau Gruaud-Larose! Nicolas goes over the importance of patience when it comes to making great wine and their commitment to bio dynamic winemaking. 

The ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ gets to sit down with one of the best in the business, Hugo Bernard, the winemaker for Domaine de Chevalier. A wide-ranging interview on all things Bordeaux, his family’s long history with the estate and one of the best white wine portfolios in all of Bordeaux.

On the latest episode I sit down one of the Hosts & Co-creator of the ‘Two Guys Talking Wine Podcast’, Michael Pinkus. This was a really fun interview.  I prepared a dozen or so “real” wine questions and we got to about three of them. This is a very different wine interview. Really just two people who love shooting the shit about wine for an hour.  Fun times!

The Wine Podcast is heading to Atlantic Canada with “serial wine entrepreneur” Mark DeWolf. The man has so many titles, the best way to describe him is if there is a wine related event going on in Halifax there is an excellent chance Mark is involved including the upcoming ‘Best Canadian Sommelier Competition’ coming soon to Halifax.

On the latest ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast I interview Christophe Reitz, Sommelier at Quatrefoil Restaurant in Dundas Ontario. Fresh off his wine tasting victory, winning the 2023 CAPS Cup tasting challenge we chat about prepping for a wine competition and the perils of blind wine tasting. 

Matt is going solo in his latest info. Tales of running the Bordeaux marathon, wine tourism in Bordeaux, a fantastic winery in Morocco and remembering Long Dog winemaker James Lahti. 

On the latest ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast I’m joined by the President & CEO of Liberty Entertainment Group Nick Di Donato. Just how different was the Toronto dining scene when he first came into the picture in the 1980s? How much push back did he get from the community as his background was in nightclubs at the time? From an international perspective how important is a Michelin Star for Canadian Restaurants?

On the latest ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast my interview with Joel Wilcox, the Founder & Director of Fourth Wall wines, a projected dedicated to making high quality Niagara wine. We chat about the stylistic differences that can be found in Niagara appellations, how does the classic movie ‘High Fidelity’ fit into his wine philosophy and which iconic Italian wine did he pair with KFC? 

This is Namratha Prashanth. She went from studying hospitality in Bangalore at 20 to being forbidden to work by her husband and in-laws to now becoming the Brand Owner of 'Solicantus' which produces a white and red Bordeaux.  It would be an understatement to say her story is not the most unique and the most harrowing wine journey I have heard since I started doing this podcast. Her journey is both inspiration and painful at times and I am honoured to be able to share it with you.

Never thought I would be doing this interview.  I’ll be honest after their 2015 ownership change, I stopped buying/drinking the wines of Lailey Vineyards.  Then a couple years ago Matt Faik Turkmen bought the property and started the process of returning Lailey back to its place as one of Niagara’s best wineries.  I was thrilled to speak with Matt about his journey, the work done in the Lailey vineyards and his other impressive wine project, Stonebridge Vineyards.