Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People

Meet Rob/Liz Harold & Joe/Tracey Schenck. They are the hard working masterminds behind the boutique Niagara winery King and Victoria Winery. This podcast is packed with so many stories from the past two+ decades that led to the start of their winery. The heart of this interview is about how these four went from grinding away working at tasting rooms to now making some pretty damn good Niagara wine.

Every wine region has their acclaimed winemaker who may not be as well known in other parts of the world. In North Canterbury wine region of Waipara Dom Maxwell has been making award winning wines for over two decades. Dom headed up the wine program at the famed winery Greystone Winery for 21 years until he started his own winery, Forager Winery. Thrilled to be able to share his story.

My guest on the latest ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast is one of the top winemakers working in Ontario, Matt Smith. The 2024 Paul Pender Rising Star Award winner is the winemaker for Cloudsley Cellars, Honsberger Estate and Kirby Estate.

The latest guest on the 'Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast is the incredibly impressive Elsa MacDonald. Elsa is a Master of Wine and is the Director of Education for CAPS Ontario. She went from working as a financial consultant in the early 2000s to becoming a Master of Wine in 2018. Great conversation about the importance of the CAPS program, judging international wine competitions and the traps that come when blind tasting a wine.

The Podcast is going back to South Island, New Zealand. Big fan of when you stumble on a winery you have never heard of and end up loving the wine and the story. Meet Steve Farquharson the Co-Owner of Wooing Tree Vineyard located in Central Otago. Steve went from IT to wine, Wooing Tree is woven within a community in Cromwell and his award winning line of wines go from Blondies to Beetle Juice. Bad a blast with this unexpected discovery.

Kelly owns her own winery Mason Vineyard, is the chief winemaker at Domaine Queylus and is one of the most ambitious winemaker in Canada. She is expanding all things Mason Vineyard while making incredible Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. Kelly has been on the Podcast more than just about any other guest. Her passion for all things wine is so infectious.

This is a podcast years in the making. One of the most important winemakers in Canada, my guest on the podcast is Shiraz Mottiar, the Winegrowing Director for Malivoire Wine Company. Shiraz has worked for Malivoire since 2000 and has helped elevate Gamay as one of the elite red wines made in Niagara.

It would take too long to properly sum up the career and credentials of Angela Aiello, my latest guest on the 'Matt Talks Wine and Stuff with Interesting People' She is a wine educator, a winemaker (The Juice Wine Company), an award-winning entrepreneur (Super Wine Girl) and does a hell of a job on live TV talking all things wine. Angela also has partnered up with one of the most impressive wine bars in Ontario, The Crush On King. The "Super Wine Girl" is back on the pod and to be honest I'm shocked it took so long to have her back on!

We got wine royalty on the Podcast with Vitalie Taittinger, the President and CEO of Champagne Taittinger, the 3rd oldest Champagne House. Great Champagne deep dive with Vitalie that stretches from 1915 to Taittinger's relationship with the 2026 World Cup!

Meet Peter Dim, Niagara winery owner of Dim Wine Co. Dim Wine Co. is relatively "new" for the Niagara wine scene but his families wine history in this area goes back well over 50 years. I learned about them through word of mouth from other wineries and I'm thrilled to have discovered them. Great family story, killer Riesling and big Bordeaux blends.

With June 5th being World Verdejo Day who better to have on the podcast than Santiago Mora, the Director General of DO Rueda. We discuss the rise of the white wine region of Rueda, the importance of the Gran Vino de Rueda classification and just how Santiago has grown into his job.

The leadup to World Verdejo Day (Friday June 5th) continues with my interview with the President of Marqués de Cáceres.

We are less then a week away from World Verdejo Day which is happening on Friday, June 5th. I have a bunch of interviews with winemakers, winery owners and other people connected with the Verdejo grape and the Spanish white wine region of Rueda. Rueda is a two-hour drive northwest of Madrid and is perfect spot for Verdejo with its hot summers, cold winters, crazy old vines and a massive commitment to organic/biodynamic grape growing. My first interview is with winemaker Pedro Martin from Bodegas Protos. His family used to make white wine in Rueda in the 1940s. His journey has gone from learning how to make wine in Bordeaux, working at one of London’s most famous wine stores, Oddbins to now making a variety of Verdejo for Bodegas Protos.

What I love about doing this Podcast is the opportunity to meet with crazy talented people with fascinating stories to tell. Meet Mia Martensson! She went from Hotel pot-washer on Gotland Island in Sweden to being the Head Sommelier on the largest private residential yacht to creating a Wine Spectator Award Winning wine program at the Seven Stars Spa & Resort in Turks & Caicos. Lotta energy, lotta fun!

The Podcast is back in South Island New Zealand. My guest is Fergus Winters, a winemaker and the Manager for The Boneline, a boutique winery located in the Waipara wine region located in North Canterbury. Great interview especially for people who want to learn more about Waipara an important but not talked about enough part of the New Zealand wine world.

Did you know there is a giant wine library located at Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute? It’s true, and it’s glorious! Love the idea of showing just how age worthy Canadian wines are and all will always be. Had a chance to interview Taylor MaGee the wine cellar manager for the library and operations co-ordinator for CCOVI.

Thrilled to interview Nate Weis the General Manager and Senior Winemaker for Beaulieu Vineyard, one of the most important/historic wineries in Napa Valley.

Her official title for Neudorf Vineyards is Director of Sales and Marketing but Rosie Finn would rather be known as the “International Cheerleader” for one of the best wineries in the Nelson region of South Island New Zealand. Growing up in the winery Rosie never thought she would be working at Neudorf until she found herself thousands of miles away from home. Her story is a sweet one built on a love for family, wine and a hell of a lot of hard work. Hard not to root for this winery or her family.

The Podcast is doing a deep dive on all things Italy with Giovanni Silvestri from Italy's leading food and wine media company, Gambero Rosso. We discuss all that goes into judging thousands of wineries that you will find in their Vini d'Italia guide, the definitive go-to resource for all things Italian wine. I get to try a white grape from Lazio winery Casale del Giglio that I had never heard of before (Called Bellone, you can find it at the LCBO), Giovanni goes over his wine journey all while hanging out at Bar Centrale at Terroni. Not a bad way to spend the day.

On the latest ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People Podcast’ … the South Island, New Zealand wine tour continues with Paul Donaldson, the General Manager of Pegasus Bay winery located in the Waipara wine region. This winery is a true family affair. Started by Ivan and Christine Donaldson in 1985 and now in the more than capable hands of their children who produce such a diverse range of wines from classic Pinot Noir to just about every style of Riesling you can imagine. One of the highlights of our trip!