Spill the Wine Episode 6: It’s okay to drink red wine chilled! A visit to Villa Romana Winery
Release Date: 12/12/2024
Spill the Wine Episode 19: 50 Shades of Red : a visit to Leaning Post Winery (Part 2)
Spill The Wine
Andrea had so much fun chatting with Ilia and Nadia Sawchuk, owners of Leaning Post Winery, that we had to extend the interview to a second episode. In Part 2, we taste the wonderful red wines we have to offer, starting off with two Pinot Noirs. Pinot Noir is a fussy grape to grow, but it’s a beautiful fruit that produces a full bodied wine with less alcohol content. Ilia refers to it as the Emo punk brother of Chardonnay, but Nadia and Andrea referred to it as the Pedro Pascal of wine. (YUM!) We chatted about the supportive wine community in the Bench reason, and discovered the story...
info_outline
Spill the Wine Episode 18: A winery born from pillow talk. A visit to Leaning Post Winery (Part 1)
Spill The Wine
Ilya and Nadia Senchuk – owners of Leaning Post Winery revealed to our host, Andrea Morris, that the dream of owning a winery actually started as pillow talk, then expanded to numbers on a napkin and eventually led to a search for the right property. After losing three bids for vineyards, they decided to rent a house with some vines on the property, which eventually became Leaning Post. Their passion for wine is evident in this episode when Nadia becomes emotional while speaking about showcasing their wines to a journalist. Their goal as winery owner is to be a warm and welcoming place...
info_outline
Spill the Wine Episode 17: Worthy grapes and noble wines. A visit to The Batcave – Bachelder Estates (part two)
Spill The Wine
In part two of Andrea’s interview with Thomas Bachelder – owner/winemaker of Bachelder Estates, we taste some wonderful wines. We start off with comparing Gamay Noir wines from Niagara and Bench vineyards, comparing color, taste and the aromas. During the tasting we learn how the colour of red wine is effected by the volume in the glass. As we progress to sipping Chardonnays, Thomas shares some insights on the expense of making wines, and the factors like barrel aging, hand picking, the age of the vines and the craftsmanship that can raise the price of a bottle. And before our tasting of...
info_outline
Spill the Wine Episode 16: Making wines with a sense of place. A visit to The Batcave – Bachelder Estates (part one)
Spill The Wine
This is the first episode of Spill the Wine that doesn’t include a wine tasting! The conversation Andrea Morris had with Thomas Bacherlder – owner/winemaker of Bachelder Estates was so interesting it needed a full episode to itself. Thomas’ journey as a winemaker began in Montreal, then led to Burgundy, Oregon and finally, Beamsville, which has the climate and terroir for making the Burgundy style wines he loves– Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (and Gamay too!) You will learn about the difference between Domaine and Chateau wineries, what “mapping” a region means, and the terroir...
info_outline
Spill the Wine Episode 15: A winery named to honor mom: a visit to Cloudsley Cellars
Spill The Wine
If you’re a fan of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this is a winery you MUST visit! Our host, Andrea Morris, speaks with Cloudsley owner Adam Lowy about the reasons for focusing on these two grape varietals, and the choice to outsource their grapes from outstanding growers in the Bench area. Adam talks about making wines that don’t make your mouth tired. He provided another great statement regarding wine: “Wine is a snapshot of the time and the place the grapes were grown.” They also discuss the challenges of promoting Ontario wines across Canada and around the world, the effect of winter...
info_outline
Spill the Wine Episode 14: Reach for the stars! a visit to Calamus Estate Winery combining astronomy with wine
Spill The Wine
Calamus Estate Winery is quite unique, as it is the only winery in the Niagara Bench area that has a telescope on site. Plus, it’s also proud to be a democratic winery, where their wine club members are a part of the process of picking wines. Our host, Andrea Morris, speaks with Peter Van Helsdingen, the owner of the winery, regarding the many events they host featuring astronomy and wine, and about his approach to winemaking. They share found memories of their fathers while tasting a wonderful double barreled Cabernet Sauvignon. During the course of the episode, Peter also coined one of...
info_outline
Spill the Wine Episode 13: A hidden gem in the Bench wine region- a visit to King and Victoria Winery
Spill The Wine
In this episode, Andrea visits with Rob Harold and Joe Schenck, the co-owners of King and Victoria Winery. They have a genuine enthusiasm for making wine and look at each wine as one of their babies. Rob and Joe share the story of how they found the property and started the winery, and explain why their wine club is named for a group of vultures (The Committee). They share some of their innovative ways for making wine, like wrapping a blanket around a tank to get the wine to the correct temperature. Their passion and love of wine making shines through in this episode and you’ll appreciate...
info_outline
Spill the Wine Episode 12: A unique experience – tasting wine from the tank! A visit to 16 Mile Cellar Vineyards & Winery
Spill The Wine
This episode provides tons of insights into the art of winemaking. Andrea Morris chats with 16 Mile cellar winemaker Morgan Juniper. Morgan shares information about the biodynamic approach to winemaking and talks about emotional winemaking versus lab driven winemaking. Bet you didn’t know that was a thing! In addition, for the first time on the podcast, we discuss ladybugs, particularly the multicoloured Asian lady beetles, and the negative effect they can have on wine. Of course, we also taste some magnificent wines, and experience the first tastings of wine in it’s very early stages,...
info_outline
Spill the Wine Episode 11: Chardonnay is the chicken of the vineyard! a visit to Wending Home Estate Vineyards and Winery
Spill The Wine
In this episode, our host, Andrea Morris, visits with Wending Home Estate winemaker Ron Giesbrecht, who is well renowned in the Niagara wine making circles. Ron has over 40 years of experience in the wine business – including research, wine making and teaching as a college professor. He has a unique approach to wine making and enjoys experimenting with unique grape varieties. In addition to tasting some award- winning wines, we also laugh a lot and learn quite a bit about the history of wine both in Niagara and abroad. Fun fact I learned from this episode: the oldest know winery in the world...
info_outline
Spill the Wine episode 10: A wine tasting with a view! A visit to Dobbin Estate Winery
Spill The Wine
A wine tasting with Nathan and Dave at Dobbin Estate is like a fairy tale. Andrea met them at the foot of the tower (the adult treehouse as they call it) , and proceeded to the second floor to hear the story of the winery and taste some spectacular wines. Nathan and Dave explained their reasoning for opting for an organic approach to wine making and talked in detail about the challenges of organic grape growing. The result is not your $20 bottle of wine, but understanding the work involved in the process justifies the price. You’ll definitely want to visit Dobbin Estates after listening to...
info_outlineYour host, Andrea Morris, busts a popular myth that red wine should never be served chilled. During this visit to Italian winery Villa Romana, Ugo explains why the folks in Rome drink their red wine chilled, and Andrea is surprised to actually enjoy chilled Pinot Noir. Ugo and his daughter, Andrea, share their stories of creating unique and delicious award winning wines. You’ll hear about the path to starting the winery, the vision for the future and more!
Produced by: Lukas Sluzar. Recorded July 31, 2024
Show notes: Villa Romana Estate Winery: www.villaromona.ca
Wines sampled: Cenerentolo (sparkling red), Lanuvino (sparking reisling), 2023 Pinotino Pinot Gris, 2023 Scalina Vidal, 2021 Speziato Gewurztraminer, 2021 Rosellino Rose, 2020 Quatrarello Pinot Noir Riserva, 2020 Romanello Riserva blend