The Punch Down

Today we are talking with Matt Seguin. Matt is a Winemaker at Henry of Pelham in the Niagara region. He shares with us some aspects of his role - winemaking isn't only physically making wine, there's also a lot of organization and co-ordination involved. He also shares with us how he combined his interest in food and travel in to a career in wine. We talk about the importance of sharing wine and continuously tasting wine from iconic regions, not just to avoid a cellar or regional palate, but also to join in the camaraderie and passion with other winemakers and people in the industry. And of course, we talk about favourite barrels, grapes, equipment and mistakes he's made in the past. 

Matt borrows a quote from Hugh Johnson who says, "I'd rather have a lesser wine if it had more to say" and I love that philosophy. It's a philosophy that has shaped Matt's journey in wine and sums up a lot of what I know about Matt and his passion for wine and winemaking. Matt has a great repertoire for wine regions and producers and is a very passionate taster, I really enjoyed my talk with him. 

So grab a glass and I hope you enjoy the show!

Try Henry of Pelham wines here:

https://henryofpelham.com/

Today we are sipping on spirits and talking to Frank Van Sertima. Frank is the Production Manager and Distiller at Kinsip House of Fine Spirits in Prince Edward County. We talk about Frank's transition from Winemaker to Distiller, the importance of community in our industry, and how to be fearless as a distiller! He also breaks down the distillation process for us! 

One of the things that I love about Frank is his calm demeanor. He runs a smooth and consistent process which in my opinion ensures success. He also brings a ton of creativity to distillation and uses local ingredients to make his spirits, including working with local farmers for saffron, lavender and juniper as well as growing their own crops!

So if you are curious about distillation, this one's for you! Grab a glass of your favourite spirit and enjoy the show!

Try Kinsip spirits here:

https://www.kinsip.ca/

Lauren Barker is the Quality Assurance Supervisor at Stratus Vineyards. She is a whiz in the lab and runs over 30 different tests on her wines! We discuss what testing she does at the different stages of a wine's life, what tests she thinks all wineries should be performing at a minimum and some of the quality control she does to ensure a smooth and safe bottling. 

We are going to have to record a part two to dive deeper because there was just too much to touch on. Not only is Lauren an expert in the lab, but she is also a ton of fun to talk to so grab a glass of local wine, bring out your best wine puns and enjoy the show!

Try Stratus wines here:

https://www.stratuswines.com/

Books mentioned on podcast:

Patrick Iland - Chemical Analysis of Grapes and Wine

Patrick Iland - Microbiological Analysis of Grapes and Wine

Brian Hamilton is the Winemaker at Kin Vineyards in the Ottawa Valley. I was really excited to talk to Brian, he is such a thoughtful winemaker and works within a niche that very few people have experience with in Canada and that niche is biodynamic agriculture. Hear about what it's like growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in a slightly more extreme area of winegrowing. He touches on the importance of reflecting on your viticultural practices and growing appropriately. Learn about some of the biodynamic practices that Brian incorporates at Kin and the significance of biodynamics. Also hear about our shared experience of filling cow horns with manure!

I love Brian's passion, he has such a holistic approach to winemaking and viticulture and in my biased opinion, I think if more people in our industry could incorporate this kind of thinking, we could really set ourselves apart.  I think there is much to be gained by listening to this episode so grab a glass and I hope you enjoy the show!

Try his wines here:

https://kinvineyards.com/

Mackenzie Brisbois is the Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at Trail Estate Winery in Prince Edward County, Ontario. Mackenzie is for sure a trailblazer in minimalist winemaking. We talk about what it means to be a minimal intervention winemaker, how to carve your own path in the industry, respecting your terroir and understanding the growers perspective. She touches on her journey in the industry, including her belief of leaving gender out of the conversation.

Learn about some cool new projects that Trail has on the go, including a wine forest and hear how she relates harvest to drinking - I've never heard it phrased in such a way and it just made so much sense. I love what Mackenzie brings to the industry, she's one of my favourite winemakers so grab a glass and enjoy the show!

Try her wines here:

https://trailestate.com/

Dean Stoyka is the Winemaker at Stratus Vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake. If you've ever met Dean, you know just how passionate and knowledgeable he is about all things wine and grapes. In our conversation we talk about the importance of having and being a mentor, innovation in the wine industry, gravity flow winemaking, wine in cans and so much more. He also shares with us his experience of coming in to his own within the wine industry and overcoming imposter syndrome. He touches on his thoughts on inclusivity within the industry, which I think is an excellent conversation to be had. I always love talking to Dean about wine so I hope you love this episode! Grab a glass and enjoy!

Connect with Dean here:

https://www.stratuswines.com/

Yvonne Irvine is a winemaker at not just one, but three wineries! Yvonne makes wine at Creekside Winery, Queenstone Mile and with her own company Maenad Wine Co. What I love about Yvonne's winemaking style is that she can absolutely nail making a traditionally styled wine, but she's not afraid to experiment and push the boundaries - she brings some creativity to the wine industry. We touch on how she works collaboratively with Rob Power at both Creekside and Queenstone Mile and brought her vision of Chardonnay to fruition, sharing the importance of knowing your vineyard. 

If you've ever had the inclination to start a virtual winery, this is a good episode for you. Yvonne shares her expertise on how to get started and some of the things to focus on for success. We talk about barrels, winemaking software, finding balance in the industry, harvest mindsets, mistakes we've made and so much more. 

Connect with Yvonne here:

https://www.creeksidewine.com/

https://www.queenstonmilevineyard.com/

https://www.maenadwines.com/

Geoff Moss is one of only 10 Canadian Masters of Wine. Geoff is based out of BC and is the founder of Lithica Wine Marketing. We talk about Geoff’s journey in to the wine industry and his experience obtaining the title Master of Wine and he shares his expertise on a ton of topics around wine marketing and sales. If you have any involvement or curiosity in the marketing and sales side of the wine industry, make sure to listen - you’re going to find some gems in here. 

Are you analyzing your product mix?

How do you elevate your wine club?

Is offering discounts actually hurting your business? 

Connect with Geoff here:

https://lithica.wine/

Hi everyone. I am Karlee Moore, the host of The Punch Down. Each episode I will interview someone awesome from the Canadian Wine Industry. We discuss a bit about their story and background, their insights and advice, as well as some practical information about wine, winemaking, grape growing, marketing and sales. 

My mission for this podcast is to offer valuable information, whether you are a newbie or a long-serving pro so that we can work together to see the Canadian Wine industry succeed and continue to improve.  

To your success, cheers!