Two Guys Talking Wine: Recent Episodes
Two Guys Talking Wine
We're both wine writers living in Ontario Canada. We are past-presidents of the Wine Writer Circle of Canada. We travel. We drink wine. And we know things. We're going to share that knowledge with you. Opinionated and Wine fueled content is what you will find here.
One of André's favourite stories in the wine world is the history behind the fabled Grange from Penfolds. So when the guys had an opportunity to interview the winemaker from Penfold's they jumped at the chance. Andrew Baldwin is part of the senior winemaking team - and he joins the guys to discuss what's going on in Australia ... and as it turns our the United States, and France.
The Penfolds wines are currently in special offer with the LCBO at https://www.vintagesshoponline.com/vintages/Public/OrderProgramProducts.aspx?programId=1072
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We sit down with Jose Rallo of Donnafugata winery in Sicily. Does farming organically or biodynamically really matter? What's it like to make wine next to Europe's most active volcano.
Wines are available through Univins - https://univins.ca/en/
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
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We discuss problems with ordering wine from the LCBO, segue into the topic of Natural wine and then Riesling comes up again.
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Michael and André catch up after most of 2024 apart. They taste through some wines from the east and the west coast and talk about what's on their mind.
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
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Michael took the opportunity to leave the Canadian cold to visit the island of Cyprus. Nobody told André that Cyrpus is different than Cypress - and he makes a bunch of Cypress Hill jokes. Did Michael learn anything about these wines? The answer may surprise you.
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
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Michael and André sit down with Andy Peay of his eponimous winery. They discovered the cool climate Pinot Noir (and Chardonnay) at a recent Rogers and Co. tasting. So they decided they needed to find out what the heck is going on in a part of California that is delivering stunning cool climate wines. Strap in and discover the Sonoma West Coast.
Learn more about Peay Vineyards here - https://peayvineyards.com/
You can order from Rogers and Co - https://rogcowines.com/
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André does a blind tasting of non-alcoholic beer with Michael. They discuss dry January - and what is going on at the LCBO.
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
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The first show of 2024 has us speaking with a natural wine producer ... Michael and André have learned that natural wine is currently in the process of being defined. Which is great news for the consumer.
That producer is Xavier Amirault - and his wines are delicious! Michael discovered Xavier on a recent trip to the Loire so he was thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with him in Canada.
You can learn more about Xavier's wines here - https://www.domaineamirault.com/en/home/
They are available in Ontario through Amethyst wines - https://amethystwine.ca/
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
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Michael and André sit down to discuss their recent Toronto Life articles - and reflect on the year that was 2023
https://torontolife.com/food/holiday-wine-guide-2023-lcbo-gift-bottles/
https://torontolife.com/food/holiday-wine-guide-lcbo-bargain-bottles/
https://torontolife.com/food/holiday-wine-guide-the-lcbos-best-canadian-made-spirits/
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
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Michael and André had a chance to cook their own dinner with the fine people from Ruffino. They sit down with Beppe D'Andrea the Brand Ambassador for Ruffino. They discuss what's going on in Tuscany. The fact that Ruffino has recently aquired vineyards in Bolgheri - sustainability and more.
You can learn more about Ruffino here - https://ruffino.com/
Thank you to Val D'Oca for their sponsorship - You can learn more about their wines at www.valdoca.com/en/
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
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This Episode is sponsored by Val D'Oca Prosecco
Every year Médoc hosts a marathon that involves a combination of long distance running ... and drinking wine. How did Matt fare? Is this marathon worth the hype?
Learn more about the marathon here - https://www.marathondumedoc.com/
Thank you to Val D'Oca for their sponsorship - You can learn more about their wines at www.valdoca.com/en/
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
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This Episode is sponsored by Val D'Oca Prosecco
Michael visited some of the most well known Cabernet Franc regions in France. Chinon, Bourgueil, Anjou, and Saumur-Champigny. He comes back to talk about where Ontario Cabernet Franc stands in the world - and what we might be missing out on in Ontario.
The press trip was organized by Sopexa - https://www.sopexa.com/
You can learn more about Loire Wines here - https://www.vinsvaldeloire.fr/en
Thank you to Val D'Oca for their sponsorship - You can learn more about their wines at www.valdoca.com/en/
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
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This Episode is sponsored by Val D'Oca Prosecco
André recently visited Alto Adige for their Wine Summit. His trip centered around scenic Bolzano. He was shocked and pleased to see the supreme quality of the wines from this region. Also, the depth of varieties planted with everything from Sauvignon Blanc to Merlot.
You can learn more about Alto Adige here - https://www.altoadigewines.com/
The press trip was organized by Sopexa - https://www.sopexa.com/
Thank you to Val D'Oca for their sponsorship - You can learn more about their wines at www.valdoca.com/en/
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
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This Episode is sponsored by Val D'Oca Prosecco
André and Michael had the opportunity to sit down with Gottfried Mocke, the Chief Winemaker at Boekenhoutskloof Winery located in South Africa.
We taste through a line up of wines ranging from old vines semillon, to syrah, to chardonnay and pinot noir.
You can learn more about Boekenhoutskloof Wineyr at www.boekenhoutskloof.co.za
Thank you to Val D'Oca for their sponsorship - You can learn more about their wines at www.valdoca.com/en/
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
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This Episode is also sponsored by Val D'Oca Prosecco
Recently André Proulx appeared on an episode of Canadaland sharing his work into the current state of Wine Writing in Ontario. He takes a look at the damage being done by the LCBO and their Food and Drink Catalog. He also takes a look at the suspicious writing that takes place in the Toronto Star. Michael unpacks what was said and what went into putting this episode together.
You can listen to the episode here - https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/920-a-wine-critic-spills-all/
Michael reference a video by Konstantin Baum - Master of Wine talking about Luca Maroni's scoring system - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKvv30LmLzw
They take the time to sip on some local spirits made by - https://limiteddistillery.com/
To learn more about our sponsor you can visit - https://www.valdoca.com/en/
Also - you can support the work Canadaland does by clicking the links below - including the excellent season of Commons all about hockey
https://canadalandnetwork.supercast.com/
https://www.canadaland.com/shows/commons/
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at - www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
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This Episode is Sponsored Content thanks to Vins de ChablisThis Episode is also sponsored by Val D'Oca Prosecco Michael and André do a quick overview of Vins de Chablis tasting through the whole pyramid going from Petit Chablis up to Grand Cru. They also take a moment to discuss https://unlock.chablis-wines.com/ a new online program to help people get a better understanding of the region.Thank you to Val D'Oca for their sponsorship - You can learn more about their wines at https://www.valdoca.com/en/You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
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We were approached by a listener Myles - who wanted to free up some space in the cellar. So he brought the largest lineup of wines we have ever tasted for Stump the Chump. We were also joined by Jordan of rescuingtrappedwine fame. How did the crew do? Were there any duds in the lineup? You can follow Myles and Jordan at the links belowhttps://www.instagram.com/cellartimewine/https://www.instagram.com/rescuingtrappedwine/You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
We are joined today by Valentino Valentini of Agricola Bocale. Michael and André recently tasted through a lineup of wines in an attempt to teach André more about Sagrantino - and the wines of Umbria. It appears the movement to use less oak in wine production has made it's way to Montefalco. Available to purchase in Ontario through Apparition Wines & Spirits: www.apparitionwines.com | sales@apparitionwines.com | 416 557 5145Montefalco Rosso DOC 2018Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG 2017 Ennio Sagrantino DOCG 2017Trebbiano Spoletino DOC 2022You can learn more about Bocale by clicking here -https://www.bocale.wine/You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
We woke up early in July to sit down with Diego Corradi from the Verona Mountains, and the Export Manager with Azienda Agricola Graziano Prà. We learn about a wine that is named after a beloved border collie - and the impact that volcanic soils have on Soave. We also scratch the surface on the sweet wines of the region. André may have learned something about Italian wine - Michael was Michael.
You can purchase wines from PRA through the Vine Agency - https://thevineagency.ca/shop/products Learn more about PRA by clicking here - https://www.vinipra.it/en/
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine through Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
We are joined today by Matteo Apollonio, export manager for Mezzacorona Wines. We go through the lineup including Pinot Grigio - and the low alcohol Pinot Grigio that may make its way to a family picnic this summer... but not at Michael's house.
You can learn more about Mezzacorona by visiting https://www.mezzacorona.it/
Thanks to Woodman Wines for hosting us - you can find the Mezzacorona Wines at the LCBO. You can learn more about Woodman Wines at https://www.woodmanwinesandspirits.com/
There have been many jokes about Chardonnay over the years on this podcast. But André got a chance to make the pilgrimage to the mother land in Bourgogne. He traveled from the Maconnais up to Cote des Nuits - and did learn something along the way.
With thanks to: Pascal Marchand - http://www.marchand-tawse.com/en/ Veronique Drouhin - https://www.drouhin.com/en_US/ Sylvain Pataille Domaine Pavelot - https://www.domainepavelot.com/en/ Domaine Patrick Javillier - http://www.patrickjavillier.com/#!en/ Vins de Bourgogne - https://www.vins-bourgogne.fr/
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
So Michael and André have both been to Abruzzo. They both tried to learn something - did it finally stick? Michael is fevereshly working on his Rosé report so tasted a lot of cerasuolo while away. Highlights from his trip include
Torre dei Beati - www.torredeibeati.it Masciarelli - http://www.masciarelliwine.com Nic Tartaglia - www.nictartaglia.com Pasetti - www.pasettivini.it
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
Michael went to France - André decides (once again) to try to learn something from him. Anything that is learned is by accident.
You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
Michael recently spent some time in Italy - so André decides to try to learn something from him. Rest assured anything learned is purely by accident. You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
Michael and André recorded this before Michael took off to Italy and France for a month. André is getting ready to take off to Burgundy. They decided to taste through some wines from Kacaba, Chateau des Charmes, and 16 Mile to get ready for summer.
We are joined by Corrie Krehbiel the winemaker from Mission Hill. Michael recently had a chance to taste these wines at an event in Toronto. He was so impressed that he thought this would be a great opportunity to talk to the winemaker from Mission Hill about what's going on there. We asked if they would provide some wines to taste - and they did not disappoint by delivering bottles of Perpetua, Oculus, and Quatrain. You can order the wines tasted directly from - https://www.missionhillwinery.com/With thanks to Mission Hill Winery. for providing samples.You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
Today Michael and André are joined by Gabriele Fasan of Ponte. This winery has a large portfolio including more than a few bottles of Prosecco that are tasted on this podcast.You can learn about Ponte here: https://www.ponte1948.it/You can order these wines by contacting J Cipelli - https://www.jcipelli.ca/You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
Today we are joined by Melanie Young & David Ransom of the Connected Table. Longtime members of the wine community you can listen to their radio show and connect with them by visiting - https://theconnectedtable.com/ Melanie also hosts Fearless Fabulous You - Where you can hear her share the stories of women entrepreneurs. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/209-fearless-fabulous-you-27073519/Today we unpack the difference between earned and paid media. What is the state of wine media in 2023? While this is a topic Michael and André have been unpacking recently we are thrilled to get a new perspective on this. You can support Two Guys Talking Wine through Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
Michael was kind enough to procure a bottle of 2009 Ridge Monte Bello for André this year. After enjoyin the bottle together they thought they should reach out to the source to unpack what makes this wine so damned good - and why it's such an icon. Ridge Vineyards responded the call by sending head winemaker John Olney to put up with the guys this week while they sipped on the current vintage for sale - 2019. Let's dive into the philosophy of what goes on behind the scenes at this iconic Californian winery.This podcast was not sponsored however the 2019 Monte Bello was gratefully provided for sample to Michael and André You can follow Ridge Vineyards here:https://www.ridgewine.com/https://www.instagram.com/ridgevineyards/You can order Ridge wines in Ontario from Rogers and Company - https://rogcowines.com/winery/ridge-vineyards/You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
Today Michael and André are joined by Paul K of the Original Wine Of The Month Club. We discuss the current state of wine journalism and how important wine scores are when it comes to selling wine in 2023. We definitely make mention of James Suckling, Luca Maroni, and Carolyn Evans Hammond as people who's scores are regularly flagged as being out to lunch. You can subscribe to Paul K's Podcast at: https://www.winetalkspodcast.com/You can listen to our appearance coming up on his show shortly! Support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
Are yeast strains interesting? Michael and André unpack this question when they taste through a trio of wines from Ontario's Flat Rock Cellars. They bottled two incarnations specificlly by the yeast strain used to ferment these wines. What impact does yeast have on wine?You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
Michael and André set the table on what to expect in the 2023 season of Two Guys Talking Wine. After taking a much needed month off to refocus. You can support Two Guys Talking Wine on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine
Michael and André run the longest running podcast based in Ontario. Terry David Mulligan has the longest running podcast about wine in Canada. They all sit down together to talk about Terry David's newest project - a Bordeaux style blend made with Jason Priestly and Michal Mosny.
Michael and André run through the highlights from their Toronto Life columns for Christmas and New Years. These columns were written after tasting through 269 wines!
We sit down with Jessica Chester one of the founders of Laneway Gin. We talk about some great bottles to score for the holidays - but end up taking a look at branding and marketing in general for the beverage industry.
Earlier this year Michael and André declared they were going to put Appassimento from Ontario on trial. The year got away from them - and here we are in the month of December where we sit down with René Van Ede, winemaker - and Ed Haddon, sommelier - both from the Foreign Affair.
We are joined by longtime listener and supporter Ken Little. When he pledged to support 2 Guys Talking Wine - I'm not sure he had this in mind. We stump the chump!
You can check out Ken's work at the following links: https://www.instagram.com/resonanttransitions/ https://soundhealinginstruments.com/ https://abbeyretreatcentre.ca
Were you missing Beaujolais Nouveau from the shelves of the LCBO this year? What happened? We take a look at whether or not these wines were missed.
Zonte's Footsteps is a label that stands out on the shelves of your local wine shop. André and Michael both included one of their wines in their Toronto Life column in 2021. They had an opportunity to sit down with Brad Rey of this winery to catch up their wines - and a bit about the state of Australian wine.
André has admitted that Italy is his blind spot in wine knowledge. However Michael and André have the opportunity to unpack some more from what André learned in Abruzzo. They sit down with Marianna Velenosi from her eponymous winery and talk about "Super Marche" - Will Montepulciano make great dance partners with Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah?
Today André gets Michael to flip through one of his favourite books about Ontario wine. Spectacular Wineries of Ontario was published in 2012, and was put together by photographer Steven Elphick. How many of these wineries are still in existence after ten years?
There have been many changes taking place at how journalists can access product during the pandemic. There have also been some changes about how some journalists behave during the pandemic. However, is the LCBO actively trying to kill local wine journalistm?
André and Michael have both mentioned that they find cocktails too fussy to make. They got a package featuring fancy mixes and gins from Laneway Distillers and Slurp. What did they think?
We learn that André still doesn't know much about Italian wine. Michael still can't pronounce things in other languages. We also take a look at what might happen when you have a trio of wines ready to drink being sold in one box.
André and Michael have spent quite a bit of time talking about Gamay, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Franc on this podcast. But have they been unfairly overlooking Merlot? Michael digs a handful of bottles from his cellar from the hot 2010 and 2012 vintages to take a look at in today's episode.
Michael was at a Wakefield tasting recently - he had a chance to taste through some of their top tier wines. Has his mood on expensive wines been changed by this tasting?
Michael and André sit down with the general manager of Monte Creek, Erik Fisher. They get a bit of a crash course on the Thompson Valley in British Columbia - did the guys get into these wines?
André was recently gifted some wines from 1983. These were wines that were served on Pacific Western Airlines, as well as Air Canada. Including a trio of Canadian wines that pre-date VQA were any of these wines drinkable?
Michael and André taste through some of the new Red Wines from Culmina. This was done live to tape - how did this go?
In our 300th episode we discuss who André thinks is the most underrated winemaker in Ontario - Michael disagrees with him.
In this weeks episode Michael and André unpack a recent visit to Burgundy. We talk about where Ontario is situated in the market - and what the future holds for the province.
Michael and André sit down for their favourite game - Stump the Chump. What bottles climbed their way out of Michael's cellar? We are joined today by Jordan Armitage (@rescuingtrappedwine) and Christine Campbell (@girlsgograpedotcom).
Michael went to the loire valley earlier this year - André went in July. Both were hoping for some more insight on Cabernet Franc. What did they learn?
André and Michael are once again joined by Christina Campbell of girlsgonegrape.com. This time they take a look at Chardonnay across vintages 2014-2018 in Ontario.
We are joined by Christine Campbell - Vancouver based wine writer, podcast host, and Chardonnay love. She shares her love of BC Chardonnay with the guys and teaches them a new hashtag.
Ryan Oldrige from CREW took up the challenge when he made a fumé blanc. We catch up with him today to taste through a few of his current lineup of wines.
André was a judge at the Ontario Wine Awards. Michael was a judge at the All Canadian Wine Championships. How did things go down?
André spent a week in Abruzzo - a region he doesn't know much about. Did he learn anything? Michael and André break it down.
Michael and André recap after their missing week. They talk about the Campari Negroni product recently released at the LCBO ... and their taste in cocktails in general.
Michael went to Italy ... André did not. We break down some of the wines that Michael experienced in Montefalco.
Michael and André often get asked how did they meet. Here is a deep look at the origin of Michael and André's love of wine ... and tolerance of each other.
On May 19th it is national caesar day. Michael and André take a departure from talking about wine to talk about Vodka with CEO and Founder of Zirkova Vodka Katherine Vellinga.
Michael and André got their hands on the latest wine from 19 crimes. Martha's Chard features Martha Stewart. Does this sub twenty dollar Californian Chard deliver the goods?
Michael has just returned from his first trip to France. What did Michael think of the land of many cheeses, bread, and butter?
Michael and André had a chance to attend a masterclass with Gerard Bertrand. Thank you to Family Wine Merchants for the Invitation. We had a chance to taste through the portfolio from top to bottom, from white, to orange, to red. What were our take-aways?
Michael and André discuss - What do they look for in a good rosé? Also, what is going on in Niagara with these wines this year.
Michael and André take a moment to continue down the Riesling rabbit hole. This time they take a look at some Riesling from BC.
André and Michael do not talk about Gewürztraminer very often... why is that? They take a look at two bottles from Alsace and one from Ontario.
This week we take a look at Gamay ... but not from Ontario. We are joined by Nicolas Mielly from Chateau de la Chaize in Beaujolais. We have a chance to discuss the future of the region, the impact of Georges DuBoeuf and Nouveau. Is Beaujolais on the cusp of greatness?
Michael and André sit down with Tracey Shepos Cenami who is the Chef and Cheese Specialist for La Crema, and with Susan Lueker, winemaker responsible for Bordeaux style wines from Kendall-Jackson. We take a look at their careers - but also talk about how far things have come for women in the hospitality industry.
Continuing the discussion from last week. Michael and André take a look at some older bottles of Ontario Riesling. Are Ontario's take on this grape world class?
We taste through a trio of rieslings from Flat Rock cellars. And we also take a look at the state of Riesling in the province of Ontario.
We are joined with one of the original pioneers of the Lake Erie North Shore. Sal D'Angelo was one of the early wineries to work with hybrids and vinifera in the other wine region.
Michael and André taste through some of the new wines from Pelee Island. It has been awhile since we've done a deep look at the winery (way back in Episode 13 - https://soundcloud.com/twoguystalkingwine/061416-2guystalkinwine-pelee-island-and-lens?si=2574f813213a4d22a70082735060c720&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing)
A few episodes ago we put the call out to our listeners. Who is a regular drinker of Orange wine? Can you explain to us the appeal. One man rose to the occasion - he is Richard Beatty.
We are now deep into the neverending pandemic. The Toronto Star recently published a piece on bottle shops ... so Michael and André thought they would speak to the owner of one of these shops (Archive 909 Dundas St W) in Toronto. They are joined by Josh Corea.
Michael and André take turns guessing what the other one is looking forward to in the world of wine trends for 2022. Also - they unpack some trends that (they hope) are dead.
Well, here we are, again ... in another lockdown. So what are Michael and André up to? They catch up from their break over the holidays, and they discuss what Dry(ish) January looks like to them.
Michael and André were tasked with writing the Toronto Life gift guide. This involved tasting 120some wines on a fateful Friday night. This is what happened after...
Michael has been working on a collection of spirits for Luxe magazine going into the Holidays. So the guys took an opportunity to sit down and taste through some of what has been sent to his house.
We play André's least favourite game show - and Michael's favourite way to clean the trash out of his cellar - Stump the Chump. We sit down with Sue-Ann Staff and unpack what is sure to be a stellar lineup of wines.
We continue our exploration of the relationship with Cabernet Franc and Niagara. Today we sit down with Sue-Ann Staff who has made some legendary vintages of Franc at Pillitteri, Megalomaniac, and her own eponymous winery. But, who are we kidding - we just wanted to meet Brix Bravo.
We once again sit down with Allison Slute of Cab Franc Chronicles fame to do a special edition of stump the chump. André and Michael taste through a few different bottles of all Franc.
Michael and André sit down for a long overdue in person tasting with Allison Slute. The guys have been trying to unravel the mystery of Cabernet Franc in Ontario - so what better guest at this stage of the year than Allison Slute. She runs the instagram account @cabfrancchronicles - and knows a thing or two about the grape.
Last week Michael and André put out the call to small wineries to find out how things are going for 2021 - we are joined by Greg Wertsch from Between the lines and Jamie Quai from Quai du Vin.
So ... there has been some chatter about the 2021 Vintage. How are the courageous winemakers of Ontario faring this year. We are joined by Craig McDonald of Trius to give us an update of how things are going so far.
This week we take a look at some spirits that Michael has been exploring as he is working on some columns. We are joined by one of Michael's preferred drinkers with discerning tastes Sue. We all know André enjoys spirits - but how did this tasting turn out?
Recently Michael had an opportunity to host a lunch featuring a handful of Croatian wines. André had a chance to attend. Did they learn anything?
Michael and André record an episode from the newly minted Hamilton studio. They recently had an opportunity to taste some wines in person including a tasting that was done as part of Milano Wine Week. This event was a simulcast tasting that brought people from Milan, Miami, and Toronto together to taste through some 2015 Brunello Riserva wines. Did the guys learn anything?
Michael decided to hop on a plane to visit Italy for a few weeks. Here is a look at what he tasted. André continues to be bombarded with knowledge and maybe this time some of it will stick.
Michael has been busy in Italy, and André has been busy moving. So they take some time to catch up and talk about some wines they have been enjoying.
Michael and André continue to taste with people who know much more than they do. This time they raid the cellar and open up some bottles at Vineland estates with Brian Schmidt.
We sit down with Brian Schmidt of Vineland Estates to take a look at some back vintages of his fantastic Cabernet Franc. He has long been a champion of this grape - so it's long overdue that we sit down with him.
We raid more of Michael's cellar with some of Niagara's most honed palates. This time we try to stump the chump with Derek Barnett for Meldville and Karlo estates. How did the guys fare on this episode of Stump the Chump?
Last year while we in lockdown we had a chance to speak with Flat Rock proprietor Ed Madronich about the current lineup of wines from his winery. He invited us down to do a look back at the history of the Rusty Shed wines. Finally we had a chance to get together face to face.
It's time to raid the bottom of Michael's cellar. We unwrap another batch of bottles for Stump the Chump - this was recorded last month when David Johnson joined us. How well did Michael, André, and David fare when trying to guess what was being poured?
We have had the chance to sit down with some great guests this summer. This week we catch up with Derek Barnett about how things are looking in Prince Edward County, and in Niagara. What can we expect from Meldville and Karlo Estates in the near future?
This week the guys take a dive into Michael's cellar and try to guess what the F is in their glasses. They unpack these wines with Levi De Loryn, the winemaker from Jackson-Triggs.
Every summer it seems there is a new batch of celebrity wines that hit the market. We saw wines come from Post Malone, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige. While it's very trendy to toss your name on a bottle - is it a smart move business wise? AND, are the wines any good? Michael and André dissect - they are also joined by David Johnson of Featherstone. Is there a celebrity big enough to lend their name to a Featherstone bottle?
It looks like the guys have reached an unlikely milestone - this is the 250th Episode of Two Guys Talking Wine. They go through a round up of bubbles - and reminisce of some highlights over the years. A heartfelt thank you to the wineries who sent us wine to celebrate this episode - and a heartfelt thank you to the listeners for tuning in every week.
Ontario has finally hit stage 3 of reopening - but what does that mean? Are the wineries optimistic that at this stage of the summer tourism will resume? And, are people still buying Ontario wine by the case? André and Michael sit down with Dave Johnson from Featherstone to take a look at the state of the industry.
In this weeks episode - we feature the Rosé report. If you visit www.michaelpinkuswinereview.com you can see the full list of wines tasted by the grape guy.
Michael and André head down to On Seven winery to sit down with proprietor Vittorio De Stefano and Peter Gamble to talk about one of the newest wineries to the region.
This week we do a special Gamay themed Stump the Chump. This is part two of our chat with Shiraz Mottiar.
Michael and André are joined by Dan Speck of Henry of Pelham and Family Wine Merchants. Given that he runs an agency, deals with the LCBO, and a winery that is a key destination for tourism we thought he would be perfect to let us know how COVID has affected the wine industry so far.
Michael and André are joined by special guest Shiraz Mottiar. They are taking a deep look at Gamay. Shiraz talks about his approach working with the grape and how it has evolved over his long tenure at Malivoire.
Michael and André decided to connect for Chardonnay Day. André tries to talk about Chardonnay in Niagara and how it's evolved over the past decade ... Michael talked about Gamay.
Michael and André take a look at some wines they have recently tasted. What are they looking forward to from the summer? Many many many things.
Last week Michael was concerned about something he saw online. This has led to some offline discussion about how blogging is evolving on Instagram. Do we need someone to police content paid or otherwise on the new platforms? If so, who's job is it to police them? Miroki Tong is an up and coming wine blogger(@9ouncesplease) and she joins the guys to discuss this issue.
Today is a special episode where Michael and André are joined by Dave Sheppard - currently of Flat Rock, previously of Coyote's Run and Inniskillin. What was it like to work with Karl Kaiser?
How does wine fit into diet? Last year André set out to get healthy and lost a bunch of weight - and now Michael has let us know that he has signed up for weight watchers. But when you're trying to watch your weight how does wine fit into that? The guys got into this discussion after being sent the latest calorie wise options from Yellow Tail.
Earlier this year it was decided that 2021 would be the year of Cabernet Franc for Two Guys Talking Wine. Michael and André both spend a fair bit of time on Instagram these days - they both noticed that wine professional Allison Slute has dedicated her instagram account to the love of Cabernet Franc (@cabfrancchronicles)- so they knew they HAD to speak to her.
In Part 2 of the Grape Guy's last tasting in his backyard Michael and André take a look at some sweet wines. Yeah - we said sweet! They have both discussed on this podcast how well Canadian Icewine can age - but how did this batch hold up?
It has been awhile since we've raided Michael's cellar ... It has also been awhile since the guys were able to get together face to face. This podcast was recorded at the Grape Guys backyard following the COVID-19 guidelines. Did we find any gems from the cellar? Or was it a bucket of bombs?
Michael and André talk about some wines that they have been sipping on lately. The Grape Guy teases that he is currently working on his 2021 Rosé round up - and André is still spending way too much money on wine.
The latest instalment of the legacy series takes us to Prince Edward County (finally). We are joined by Dan Sullivan the winemaker at Rosehall Run to talk about the origin of this winery.
Tayu is a stellar Pinot Noir that has reached the Ontario market. Michael and André sit down with Viviana Navarrete who has been working on this project. The grapes used in this bottle of wine were farmed by indigenous people to the region in Chile. We take a look at how it all came together.
As André and Michael continue to unpack Cabernet Franc they turn their attention to Fogolar. If you're not familiar with Marc Pistor - there's a chance you will be very soon. His virtual label has its focus on Cabernet Franc and Riesling. In this episode we focus on the former.
Much of Ontario spent most of the past four months under lockdown. This has been a challenge for the hospitality industry across the board. The pandemic has brought about some creative ways to find a way to survive - perhaps none more than the pivot from Icellars. Adnan Icel joins Michel and André to talk about tiny bottles of wine.
This past week Seven Eleven applied for 61 licenses to serve alcohol on their premises. The knee jerk reaction from many people has been immediately to condemn this move. But is there more to this situation than meets the eye? André and Michael unpack this issue. (And maybe it's the COVID fatique setting in - but one of the guys has some choice words for Doug Ford and Justin Trudeau)
This past month one of the guys attempted to do a Dry January... how did it go? Michael and André sit down to talk about the first month of 2021 - and possibly the second one too.
This is a crossover episode - but don't worry we don't have Scrappy Doo or the Great Gazoo on deck. We are joined by Paul Kalemkiarian the host of Wine Talks in California. He runs one of the oldest wine clubs in the United States. We sit down with him to chat about what's going on with wine and covid north and south of the border.
What was the 2020 summer like in the Lake Erie North Shore? Roberto Muscedere works with his eponymous winery and they make some fantastic Bordeaux varietals. He joins Michael and André to discuss.
This week we take a look at Prince Edward County. Was the harvest as good in the County as it was in Niagara? We reach out to Kimball Lacey of Lacey Estates to see how things went during the 2020 summer we will never forget.
With the dumpster fire that was 2020 firmly in our rear view mirror we decided to take a look at one of the high points - the growing seasons. Richie Roberts is the long time winemaker from Fielding and he joins André and Michael to talk about the summer.
Michael and André go over a list of what is trendy in Ontario Wines right now. What do they want to see more of - and what do they want to stay in 2020?
Tasting a bunch of wines during a pandemic was hard work - but Michael and André have you covered with the best wines to enjoy over the holidays. You can see the full guides at torontolife.com
Michael and André reflect on the year that was 2020 and Two Guys Talking Wine. Thank You to everyone who took the time to listen. Especially to those of you who took the time to leave nasty comments for us on iTunes.
Thomas Bachelder joins Michael and André to taste through the Bachelder Toussaints lineup of Chardonnay. It's a pre-Christmas miracle!
Since André has pulled his head out of his butt and decided to focus on things other than Chardonnay, Michael has used this opportunity to line up a rare vertical of older bottles from cool vintages thanks to Featherstone. This is another good look at Cabernet Franc. (socially distanced - freezing our butts off on the patio)
Thomas Bachelder has just released his Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from 2018. He joins André and Michael to go over the wines. These wines are selling out quickly - so make sure you head to bachelderniagara.com to grab yours.
We don't usually do paid content - but as we've mentioned it does cost a little bit of money to keep the podcast. So we had the opportunity to play the new card game from Somm Blinders. On a cold day in November we were joined by Krystina Roman, a certified sommelier to play through the game.
You can pick up your decks at www.blindersgame.com and use the promo code 2GTW to get 20% off.
This week Michael and André (virtually) head to the Barossa Valley to talk about the wines of Peter Lehmann. They are joined by chief winemaker Nigel Westblade.
The writing was on the wall earlier this summer that overseas trips aren't going to happen. We were approached by Maille - the mustard folks - with an interesting concept that cuisine is a way to travel the world without leaving your house. Harry Lalousis is the world's only Mustard Sommelier and he joins Michael and André to discuss.
This podcast was fueled by a recent discussion that took place in the Ontario Wine Chat Facebook group. André managed to push Michael's buttons. The real question is - Did the guys remain civil on something they are so passionate about?
Dan Speck of Henry of Pelham joins the guys to talk about a new project (another one) from the Speck Brothers. Cave Mystère is the newest label from Chombart-Speck - it is Merlot - and how does it taste? Michael and André find out ... oh and they manage to end up talking about Baco as well.
We go through some wines to see what's good and we talk about bottle shops being made permanent in Ontario.
Michael and André talk about Jim Murray's Whisky Bible and how to think before you speak... or write. We also talk about how the LCBO is trying to crush local wine writing.
Way back in August 2018 - André issued a challenge to the wineries of the Lake Erie North Shore. Ryan Oldridge of CREW winery took up the challenge. How did it turn out? Oh - and a follow up to the Taco Bell wine last week.
Michael and André connect with winemaker Rob Power of Queenston Mile to talk about Jalapeño Noir - the lastest wine to come from the Niagara on the Lake Winery in partnership with Taco Bell. This wine sold out in 11 minutes when it went on sale last week. But, the real question, Was it any good?
What is going on in Niagara given the current landscape? Will we see wineries closing their doors amid Covid-19? Are Canadian wineries about to be hit with even more taxes? Michael and André sit down with Allan Schmidt of Vineland Estates to discuss what is going on in Niagara right now.
We spoke with Len Pennachetti back in Episode 32 - so we figured it's about time we speak to longtime head winemaker with Cave Spring Angelo Pavan. Once again we take a look at the house that Riesling built.
Be warned André's language is a little saltier than normal in this podcast - because once again - Michael has invited a high profile guest to his socially distanced garage - and André is not there. Craig McDonald of Trius joins us to talk about all things Cabernet Franc.
We go international to find out what's going on in France right now. Make sure you grab a bottle of Domaine La Decelle (available the LCBO now) to sip on while you listen to Michael and André sit down with Frederic Lavau.
In this episode we try something new. In the age of social distancing we have created a new format where Michael is able to have someone in his open air garage sit 6 ft away from him between a microphone. We are very pleased to have the Ontario Wine Awards 2019 Winemaker of the Year David Johnson of Featherstone to tell us about the journey from gravy maker to wine maker.
How do you run a wine competition during a pandemic? What is it like to be a judge during a pandemic? The guys sit down with Bev Carnahan to talk about the All Canadian Wine Championships.
Michael and André sit down for what is basically another free therapy session with each other. They talk about what's going on with them and how COVID is affecting the wine industry - I think. This one gets a little rambly so buckle up.
André and Michael have a chance to chat with Nicolas Potel of Maison de Bellene. They wanted to talk about some very interesting old wines that have made their way onto the market in Ontario... but they got into discussions about so much more than that.
Michael and André sit down with Ilya and Nadia Senchuk of Leaning Post wines. They talk about the origin of the winery - and they taste (surprise, surprise) Chardonnay.
Thank you to everyone who has listened to the podcast to date. This is our 200th episode! Doesn't time fly when you're having a good time? Appropriately enough André forces Michael to talk about Chardonnay for the 100th time.
In our final podcast where we tasted through the Bachelder Violette Release we look at Pinot Noir. This is the third part of our series with Thomas - we hope you enjoyed them.
As the wineries have re-opened why not check out one of the new guys on the block? If you've heard this podcast before you know that we're fans of Kevin Panagapka and 2027 Cellars. We taste through some of the new wines in the portfolio.
André and Michael sit down with Ed Madronich of Flat Rock Cellars to talk about one of the "special projects" available to consumers right now. They take a look at two wines made the same way - with only the yeast being different.
Michael and André sit down with Grant and Casey to rock through the lineup of Chardonnay available at the winery.
In the second part of a three part series of chats with Thomas Bachelder we talk about Gamay being released under the Bachelder umbrella. Michael was very excited.
Michael and André sit down with Carolyn and Casey from Westcott to taste through the current line up of Pinot Noir. Find out which babies are loved more (like children - there really is a favourite).
Michael and André catch up on what they've been drinking. They also spend a large amount of time talking about haircuts - for some reason.
We recorded this a few weeks ago - but it's always nice to be reminded of the joys of Port. We sat down (virtually) with Lindsay Groves and a bunch of mason jars to talk about about Taylor Fladgate.
This is the first of a three part series where we sit down with Thomas Bachelder to talk about his spring release - this week we focus on Chardonnay.
We originally met Natalie walking around Saguenay dressed as the Roman goddess Venus. André got to talk with her frequently while working on her book. The finished book is an essential guide to travel the world finding the best ways to explore wine regions.
Michael and André talk about what they drink this weekend - as they decided to dig deep in their collection. Some interesting wines were opened - what did you drink this past weekend?
Welcome to your April list of what's hot and what's not for releases coming out. This was recorded during our last pre-quarantine podcast session - and knowing that it was going to be our last face to face meeting in awhile we recorded several episodes. This podcast is fueled by Cabernet Sauvignon.
How are the guys coping with Covid 19. There isn't actually a whole lot of wine talk in this episode - but we will be back at it in the weeks to come. Wash your hands!
Michael and André attended a dinner hosted by Wakefield wines. They took some time to explore "proper" serving temperatures.
Welcome to our annual debrief of Michael's trip to Italy. Where, once again, he has left André behind.
Michael is now back from Italy. We have decided in spite of COVID-19 the show will go on - hopefully this will help distract a little bit about what's going on in the world right now. André had an opportunity to sit down with Franck Bijon.
It's early in the year so naturally Michael has left André in North America by himself. Michael is in Italy - so naturally he thought this would be a perfect time to talk about Bordeaux. We are joined by Christer Byklum - one of the most trusted voices in Wine.
Old Chilean and Star Trek: Picard are what the guys tackle as Michael raids his cellar again.
They make wine in China? Is it any good? While Michael is still gallivanting around Tuscany - André sits down with Lenz Moser and Andrew Von Teichman to talk about Changyu Moser XV.
It's early in the year so naturally Michael has left André in North America by himself. Michael is in Italy - so naturally he thought this would be a perfect time to talk about Burgundy. We are joined by Christer Byklum - one of the most trusted voices in Wine.
Michael and André take a question from the audience as they tackle the question - how do you start a wine collection with $250?
The guys take a look at the latest batch of wines and score them only with their thumbs.
Michael and André lament the end of the holiday season by talking about some of their favourite wines from over the past month.
Michael and André took a bit of time to check out the Sparkle and Ice gala in Niagara on the Lake. André checked out the Icewine Gala in Niagara Fall the previous week. It's been an Icewine filled January for the guys.
It's time for another episode of our very popular Stump the Chump. This time we head south of the border with friend- of-the-podcast Farrah Felten-Jolley of Klinker Brick located in Lodi; and for those keeping track, our first non-Ontario based "victim".
And now the exciting conclusion of old wines. When our heroes left off André was heading to his cellar to open up a bottle of Chateau La Confession... did the bottle make it to the table?
It's our last podcast of 2019. Michael and André take a moment to reflect on their year tasting wine say a number of thank yous and oh, they also empty the swear jar.
It's one of the last times the guys get together for 2019 - somehow the conversation ended up on the topic of Old Wine. At least they didn't talk about wine scores.
Michael and André are about to revolutionize wine scoring. The 96pt scores are in the past - experience everything you need to know from our Two Thumbs.
Michael forced André to wake up to speak to someone in France about the Rhone Valley. Truthfully it wasn't that difficult - we're both fans of the wines, and the region.
André and Michael are talking about food and wine pairings. They have both come to a very specific realization about these marriages of cuisine and beverage - do you agree with them?
Michael and André sit down with sommelier and broadcaster Matt Cauz to taste through a bunch of wines that have crawled their way out of the cellar.
Michael and André sit down to go over a few topics - but we kick things off with thoughts on the new VQA logo.
André visited the Languedoc earlier in October and found some tasty wines. He also learned a few things about the "natural" wine movement.
You may remember a little while back Miguel Torres was talking to Michael and André about sustainability. He suggested they follow up with Chris Jackson - so they did.
We take on another 6 bottles of wine blind with friend of the podcast Thomas Bachelder.
We are joined by friend of the podcast Farrah Felton Jolley to talk about what's new at Klinker Brick in Lodi, California.
Thomas Bachelder sits down with Michael and André to school them on old Cabernet Sauvignon... at this point he's hijacked the podcast... but they don't mind.
It's time for another popular episode of stump the chump - we sat down with Brian Schmidt to taste through some old bottles of wine.
We sit down with Doug Marshall of Washington Wines to talk about value and what's going on in the state. We also talk about why you should visit Washington.
Michael and André dive into their experience visiting wine country this summer - make that wine countries.
We sat down with Thomas Bachelder for our annual podcast session. There really isn't much to say here - but if you're a fan of his wines you NEED to listen to this podcast.
Michael and André at the end of a marathon recording session decided to crack open some older bottles of Ontario Gamay. Did these age well?
We were fortunate enough to snag Richard Painter while he was in town. We got to learn all about New Zealand... and it's not just a Sauvignon Blanc podcast.
Michael and André sit down with Brian Schmidt of Vineland Estates. Where we discuss his origin in the industry - and we discuss the origin of the swear jar.
Michael swears a lot in this podcast - we will be making a fifteen dollar donation to Brian Schmidt of Vineland estates efforts for Haiti due to this podcast. We tackle a few recent news stories around Ontario including Pelee Island, Norman Hardie, and Hundred Dollar Rosé.
André and Michael spend the evening diving into one of the greatest wine regions on the planet - Chablis!
In this episode André and Michael do a brief overview of Vinho Verde. Given that the summer has really kicked in - these wines are very weather appropriate.
We sit down with Andrzej Lipinski of Big Head wines - but you will be shocked when you hear how many other wineries have had him at the helm when it comes to making their tasty wines.
Michael and André catch up with Magdalena Kaiser to find out what's going on at I4C for 2019! It's the 9th edition of the fantastic festival - and we know André is excited.
André sits down with Marcelo Papa of Concha Y Toro to talk about Marques de Casa Concha
Michael was a judge at the All Canadian Wine Championships - We sit down with Michael and some of the judges - André was a judge at the Ontario Wine Awards - we discuss some of the results.
Le Clos Jordanne is making a comeback - we speak with Thomas Bachelder about his new old project.
Michael was busy globetrotting - so André took the opportunity to sit down with Roberto Pighin of his eponymous winery to talk about what's going on there.
Michael and André sit down with Miguel Torres to taste the Anthology release of wines - these are available through Galleon. Naturally we enjoyed drinking some of the finest wines on the planet - but things get pretty deep as Miguel talks to the guys about sustainability and climate change.
Listen to both André and Michael fangirl out about some of their favorite wineries at the California Wine Fair this year.
One of our minds was completely blown at the New Zealand wine fair in Toronto this year. You'll never guess who...
Maria Larrea got off the plane and came straight to the Toronto studio to talk about her fantastic wines that will be coming out in vintages shortly.
So it turns out the winemakers want to know how the mind of a wine writer works - Kelly Mason sits down with Michael Pinkus to figure out what makes him tick. Who knows - it might be Chardonnay.
André recently purchased a bottle of wine for $129 dollars - Michael said there is no bottle of wine worth this hefty sum. André also recently tried Coca-Cola and Red Wine - Michael thinks André has finally lost his mind.
Michael and André sit down with Will Roman from Rosewood - the portfolio has made some significant changes since hiring winemaker Ryan Corrigan so we find out what's going on.
Michael went to Washington State - André stayed home - but Michael did bring a special bottle to share while we recorded this episode.
André and Michael recap their favorite wines of Cuvee, and got a chance to speak a bunch of winemakers!
It's always fun when Michael raids his wine cellar. Now that his lovely wife doesn't enjoy Riesling - André gets to reap the spoils. We taste through an interesting lineup of old Riesling.
You may remember Penelope Irving, of Family Wine Merchants from our Fried Chicken and Icewine episode. But we also opened some bottles that Michael wrapped in tinfoil to see what they were - how did we do?
Michael has a bee in his bonnet about the stemware at a recent wine event. André thinks he's being a big baby.
André and Michael sit down with Winemaker Isabel Mitarakis of Don Melchor at the Foxley on Ossington.
Ok - this podcast is a little gratuitous - but Michael let André brag a bit about his trip to Europe.
After disappearing for a month - Michael and André have a lot of nonsense to get caught up on.
It's been more than a month since we've heard from Andre but he's back ... sort of ... Michael catches up with him while he is still in Chile to discuss what the heck he has been up to there.
Michael and Andre revisit the topic of changes to the VQA for one specific purpose - to taste a non-vintage, multi-vintage blend ... but then they also go on a "tangerine" ... and while you will hear Andre's voice in this podcast it's because we recorded this one late in 2018. He's coming back ... or so he says.
One more time ... Andre is still away so Michael fills the chair this week with the accomplished and very busy winemaker Kelly Mason, who plies her trade with 3 wineries and has her own vineyard ... how she found the time to sit and chat we don't know but we're glad she did.
The cat (Andre) is still away and Michael brings in yet another mouse to the studio to chat about Ontario wine: this week Michael gives second chair to the new winemaker of 16 Mile Cellar, Morgan Juniper, to find out her vision for the winery and why she came back to Niagara.
With Andre away on his month-long vacay Michael takes over and brings in the first of a string of women making a mark on the Ontario wine industry. Today we talk with Britnie Bazylewski of Creekside / Queenston MIle and Rood Apples Cider
André and Michael sit down with Penelope Irving to talk about André's favorite wine and food pairing - Fried Chicken and Icewine.
We sit down to discuss wine over a couple of bottles of old Cabernet Franc from Vineland estates - we also make this our very last podcast to ever talk about wine scoring.
There are some proposed changes on the table at the VQA - what will they mean - we weigh in with our opinions?
We sit down again with Thomas Bachelder - we tried to get him to talk about his eponymous virtual winery - but instead we got him to sing Barbie Girl by Aqua.
We catch up with a couple of winemakers to talk a bit about what's going on for the harvest 2018 ... so far. We even get a bonus look at what's happening in British Columbia.
Michael discovers some Bourbon - one of the things André likes to drink when there isn't wine in his glass.
We speak with Tony Aspler - the founder of the Ontario Wine Awards, and recipient of the Order of Canada. André and Michael still do not have the Order of Canada.
André had a chance to visit the Lake Erie North Shore recently. These are his exploits.
Michael and André debrief after another great year of the Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration - or as André calls it - Christmas in July.
Wes Lowrey may be one of the most down to earth people in the Ontario wine industry. But the kickass wines from Five Rows speak loud and proud for the Lowrey family.
André is stuck in Toronto - while Michael is out in Prince Edward County judging the All Canadian Wine Championships.
For our 100th episode we return to our humble roots - and talk about ... well what did we talk about?
We sit down with one of the journalists responsible for the investigation into Norman Hardie and the allegations of sexual misconduct. We also find out what's going on in Saguenay this weekend. Today it's all about some tears and some laughter.
We had the opportunity to sit down with Don Triggs - of Jackson-Triggs fame... we talked about the past, but his future is also very interesting as he has recently founded Culmina wines in British Columbia.
Michael and André once again sit down with David Reist from Clonakilla to get schooled in Aussie wines.
André sits down with Sara Triggs from Culmina to talk about this new winery that is making big noise in BC.
This is from a time Michael went to Portugal - and André and Michael both forgot they recorded this podcast.
André and Michael speak with Crystal Luxmore about the Wild Things festival taking place in Toronto. This beer festival will feature naturally fermented beers and wines from the Living Vine.
Are you sick of California yet? We hope not ... because André actually spent some time in the Napa Valley and made Michael jealous for a change.
André and Michael sit down with some of the people visiting Toronto for the California Wine Fair. This is the second part of two.
André and Michael sit down with some of the people visiting Toronto for the California Wine Fair. This is the first part of two.
Chardonnay is A-Okay in Oregon. Even Michael has to agree with this statement as we welcome Oregon winemakers and owners to Toronto with open arms and tongue a wagging.
Michael and André continue their discussion with Thomas Bachelder and give into a few bottles of wine to see if they can stump him.
How do you go from scribe to winemaker? We talk to Thomas Bachelder about the path he took to becoming one of Ontario's most celebrated winemakers.
Last Summer Michael and André went to a magical land called Quebec. Where they let you drink wine in the street. This is a chronicle of their adventures there.
Michael and André talk about their favorite wines at Cuvée 2018, Ontario's premier wine event.
André's apartment nearly burned down ... so we talked about what wines you would grab in a real emergency.
Michael and André managed to sit down with all three Speck Brothers of Henry of Pelham to talk about the origin of this winery.
Michael was in Australia. André was not. Michael had a great time, tasted lots of great wines and talked to lots of interesting people. Andre ... well he listened.
This week André sits down with Steve Saylor to talk about being blind and tasting wine, and also just being new to wine in general.
Michael is still on the road, but hard at work. Here is what the South Island of New Zealand sounds like.
André sits down with Mike and Jeff from Sparklingwinos.com to talk about some recent events and Nova Scotia.
Michael talks about the finer points of North Island wines in New Zealand - André sits at home in Toronto and tries to not be jealous.
Michael is still in the Southern Hemisphere so André has enlisted Konrad Ejbich to co-host the podcast this week. He fills André in on a bit of history about Icewine.
Michael and André sit down with Randy Ullom of Kendall Jackson to talk about what effect the recent fires have had on the wine industry and what is going on at his winery.
André couldn't resists revisiting the Champagne flute debate. He called in a ringer as we speak with Olivier Krug (from THAT Krug). Can Michael hold his ground ... and onto his Champagne flutes?
I know what you're asking yourself ... Are Michael and André going to put out a clip show for this year? The answer is yes?
We know Gerard Comeau was in Ottawa in front of the supreme court... but we don't know what the hell happened. So we called in a law talking person (Carissima Mathen, Vice Dean Faculty of Law University of Ottawa) to dumb it down for us.
André gets to raid Michael's cellar again as we visit some old Riesling that was kicking around.
We realize some of these rumours are a little old but we had to go through what was causing a stir in Niagara over the past month or so.
André talks to Michael about Into The Vine a wine and art installation that was hosted recently in Toronto.
André and Michael sit down with Derek Barnett - winemaker of Southbrook, Lailey, Karlo and now Meldville fame.
Once again Michael is raiding his cellar and using André as a guinea pig to taste through some old wines.
Michael and André dissect a conversation that has arose over the past few weeks about the VQA.
Michael was kind enough to bring a few bottles of old Chateau des Charmes reds that were lurking in his cellar over to the studio in Toronto. How did this go?
Michael and André take a step into the way back machine and interview The Count of Buena Vista.
Today we discuss wine scores, what they mean to us, what bothers us about them and ask if there is integrity out there anymore.
Andre and Michael sit down with the four winemakers representing Mission Hill, Martin's Lane, Checkmate and Cedar Creek in a downtown Toronto hotel room, and this is what happened ...
Has Riesling had it's day or is Riesling's best days still ahead? The Two Guys discuss.
Michael didn't invite André to this interview with Miguel Torres Jr. Too bad ... it's a pretty good one.
Did Michael finally rip up his ABC card at the 2017 I4C? We chat with Stacey Mulholland to find out.
André was a judge at a Buttertart competition. So he had to ask the question... what wine pairs with a Buttertart?
This week André found a way to get Michael to say nice things about Chardonnay as we speak with the Chairperson of I4C Stacey Mulholland to find out what's going on this year.
I'm not sure how we got on the subject. But André and Michael discuss some memorable wines they have tasted over the years.
André and Michael dare the LCBO to go on strike and issue a challenge to the wineries of Ontario.
I'm not even sure words can describe what Michael and André were talking about here. But it has something to do with reviewing crap wines.
André and Michael both attended The Great New Zealand Wine Tiki Tour Toronto. Here are some thoughts on the tasting.
André checks in from the road and talks with 5 guys and 1 girl about wine from Portugal.
Michael and André sit down with Rollin Soles of ROCO winery (formerly of Argyle) and David Adelsheim of Adelsheim.
We're at Cuvee this week enjoying some of the best wines Ontario has to offer and speaking with some of the people who make this all possible.
Michael and André talk about the recent pioneers and innovators feature in the Vintages catalogue.
Michael heads off to Italy and André is stuck in Toronto ... that doesn't seem fair. Featuring a guest appearance by Michael Godel of godello.ca
What do you do when you HAVE to taste wine and you've got a cold? No seriously ... this question isn't rhetorical comment and let me know.
Michael and André sit down with David Reist from Clonakilla. A Canadian ex-pat now involved in the wine industry in Australia.
Michael and André sit down with winemaker Jason Parkes from the Hatch to do a virtual tasting.
Michael and André take a look at the fastest growing varietal in the General List at the LCBO for VQA wines.
Michael dug out a few bottles of older Riesling from his cellar as we do a live tasting of some bottles from Ontario.
This podcast is presented by IWEG.ORG and Ontario's Brave New Wines. www.iweg.org/courses/ontario-s-brave-new-wines
André and Michael sit down with Len Pennachetti the founder of Cave Spring Cellars.
This podcast is presented by IWEG.ORG and Ontario's Brave New Wines.
https://www.iweg.org/courses/ontario-s-brave-new-wines
Michael and André speak with Alberto Zenato. For some strange reason we end up talking about Chicken Wings.
Michael and André speak with Jay Wright of Constellation Brands about the sale that recently took place and what it means for Ontario wineries.
For our 3 Legacy podcast we speak with the founder of Chateau des Charmes winery, Paul Bosc Sr.
Michael and André have the opportunity to sit down with JL Groux the winemaker from Stratus.
Having each returned from Prince Edward County, the boys discuss the good, the bad and other things about "The County".
André and Michael get a little overwhelmed at the number of Rosé's that are on the shelves this summer. You should drink them all.
Michael and André dissect a recent New Zealand tasting that was hosted at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.
Michael and André have the opportunity to sit down with Donald Ziraldo, one of the co-founders of Inniskillin.
Michael and André talk about a few of the tastings that have taken place in Toronto recently.
In this episode we try to talk about our personal biases ... instead we talk about Cabernet Franc and Pinot Gris.