Geoff Hamelin and his father, Paul, are the proud owners and operators of Verterra Winery located in the picturesque Leelanau Peninsula. Verterra Winery is renowned for consistently crafting top-notch, award-winning wines. Just recently, their Merlot Rose' took home the prestigious top prize in the Michigan Governor’s Cup competition. Cheers to Verterra Winery for their well-deserved win! verterrawinery.com

Today, we are thrilled to unveil our latest offering: Winery Immersion. Join Jayme and me as we chat with Jason Forbes, the Wine Club Manager at Dablon Vineyards and Winery in Baroda, Michigan. Jason has graciously invited us to sample five of Dablon's exquisite wines. Tune in as we sip, savor, and share our thoughts on these delightful libations. Cheers to a great experience! www.dablon.com Contact Jason at [email protected] with questions, or call 269-999-6111.

Meet Paula Camp and her partner, Mary, the dynamic duo behind Carriage House Ciders in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Paula's story is nothing short of extraordinary - join us as we delve into her journey of making major life changes, venturing into the world of cider production long after most people have retired, and crafting exquisite European-style ciders that will tantalize your taste buds. Get ready for a cider experience like no other!

Welcome to Podcast #55, our first anniversary show! What better way to celebrate than with something sparkling? Jayme and I are raising a glass of bubbly as we dive into the fascinating world of sparkling wine production. Did you know there are seven different methods to make sparkling wine? So grab a bottle of Michigan bubbly, pop that cork, and join us as we explore the effervescent world of sparkling wine! Cheers to one year of podcasting!

Guess who's back? Andrew Backlin, that's who! Today, we're diving into the latest buzz at Modales, his side hustle Backlin Wine Consulting, the thriving Michigan wine scene, and what the future holds. Let's uncork some juicy details and toast to what's to come! You can reach Andrew at backlinwineconsulting.com.

Today, Jayme and I have the pleasure of sampling three exquisite Michigan sparkling wines. First up is "Bedazzled," a crisp and dry bubbly white wine from Black Star Farms. Next, we have "Cows on the Beach," a 2022 bubbly Muscat from Chateau Fontaine nestled in the picturesque Leelanau Peninsula. And last but certainly not least, we'll be sipping on "Sparkling White" from Chill Hill winery right here in the Lake Michigan Shore. Make sure to mark your calendars and tune in to our podcast in two weeks, where we'll be delving into the fascinating world of sparkling wine production. Cheers to bubbly adventures ahead! Blackstarfarms.com;

Dan Nitz is my guest today. Dan owns Arrowhead Vineyards and has started the Nitz Family Vineyards wine label. Arguably the largest wine-grape grower east of the Rocky Mountains, Dan cultivates hundreds of acres of vinifera, hybrids as well as a few acres of juice grapes. nitzwines.com

Jayme and I go full-geek and talk about anthocyanins and Brettanomyces. There's no doubt the science of wine is truly fascinating. Today we share some things we've learned - and some opinions - about these two very different topics. DISCLAIMER: Be sure to do your own research on topics we discuss, particularly when we talk about perceived medical benefits. Enjoy!!

Cody Kresta Winery is making great wine thanks to owner/winemaker David Butkovich and grower/assistant winemaker Robert West. Today we’ll talk about how both of these great winemakers came into the business, discuss their fabulous wines, and some of the secrets behind them. codykrestawinery.com

Jayme and I are tasting three Lake Michigan Shore Merlot. We have one each from Dablon, Karma Vista (now Filkins Vineyards), and Lawton Ridge. We thought they were, respectively, bold, elegant and vibrant. At the end of this episode is a short segment on my experience with decanting. Pop open a bottle of Michigan wine and follow along. dablon.com, filkinsvineyards.com, lawtonridgewinery.com