Two Guys Talking Wine

Michael and André crack a bottle of Hinterland 2021 Blanc de Noirs and settle in for another round of Shooting the It — this time with plenty to say about what’s happening in Canadian wine.

First up: Fracette, the new sparkling wine category that uses icewine during production. André questions why the category exists at all, while Michael — who has actually tasted several — isn’t exactly rushing to defend it.

From there, they head east to talk Nova Scotia, including Lightfoot & Wolfville, Blomidon and Tidal Bay, before turning back to Ontario and a much tougher subject: the 2026 harvest. With ripeness becoming a serious challenge in some vineyards, they talk about which grapes consistently work here and introduce the “mighty handful” — Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Gamay.

They also get into whether VQA needs a second tier for Ontario-grown wine, why difficult vintages shouldn’t automatically be written off, the extreme 2026 harvest conditions in France, and why climate change is creating very different problems on opposite sides of the Atlantic.

Plus, an update on Ontario’s Ultimate Wine 2026 as the competition gets ready to crown a new champion.

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You can email André at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @andrewinerview

You can email Michael at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @thegrapeguy

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André and Michael sit down with Giacomo Boscaini, seventh generation of the family behind Masi, to talk Amarone, appassimento and the wines of Valpolicella.

They taste through several expressions of Amarone, including Costasera 2020, a five-star 2007 vintage, and the single-vineyard Campolongo di Torbe and Mazzano. Giacomo explains what makes Amarone unique, how the drying process works, and why Masi has been producing single-vineyard wines long before the idea of “cru” became fashionable in the region.

The conversation also gets into changing winemaking styles, climate change in Valpolicella, food pairings, and why Amarone belongs at the dinner table rather than being treated only as a “meditation wine.”

They finish with Recioto, the traditional sweet wine that actually predates Amarone, before getting Giacomo’s thoughts on the use of appassimento outside Valpolicella — including whether the technique really works with Bordeaux varieties and some of the experiments happening here in Ontario.

You can support us on Patreon here - https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine ... $5/month members NOW get exclusive content. See Patreon page for details.

You can email André at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @andrewinerview

You can email Michael at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @thegrapeguy

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The dog days of summer may be behind us, but André and Michael are already thinking about whisky. This week they’re joined by Cooper Sleeman, General Manager of Spring Mill Distillery in Guelph and part of the family behind one of Canada’s best-known names in beer.

Cooper shares the wild history of the Sleeman family — including Prohibition, Al Capone, rum-running and tunnels under Guelph — and explains why the family returned to distilling decades after selling Sleeman Breweries.

The guys tasted the new John Sleeman & Sons Copper Pot Whisky, an Irish-inspired whisky made with Canadian grain, while digging into what separates Irish, Scotch, bourbon-style and Canadian whisky. Cooper also explains the massive investment required to build a whisky business, including 14-foot wooden washbacks imported from Scotland, thousands of barrels aging upstairs and experiments with sherry, cognac and Canadian oak.

They also talk about whether Canadians who discovered domestic spirits during the U.S. alcohol boycott will stick with them when American whisky eventually returns to shelves — and why Spring Mill may have given Michael and André a very good reason for a road trip to Guelph.

Learn more about Spring Mill Distillery here - https://johnsleemanandsons.com/

Ontario’s Ultimate Wine Awards are back for 2026: ontariosultimatewine.com

You can support us on Patreon here - https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine ... $5/month members NOW get exclusive content. See Patreon page for details.

You can email André at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @andrewinerview

You can email Michael at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @thegrapeguy

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Michael and André head to southern Italy for a look at Feudi di San Gregorio in Campania, with Italian brand curator Ophelia joining the conversation to help make sense of the region, the grapes and the people behind the winery.

They talk Fiano, Greco and Aglianico, the growing impact of climate change in Irpinia, and Feudi’s unusual relationship with hundreds of local growers. They also explore the work of agronomist Pierpaolo Sirch and the FeudiStudi project, which looks at how dramatically individual vineyard sites can shape the same grape variety.

Then Michael opens two particularly interesting bottles: Serpico 2017, an Aglianico made from remarkably old pre-phylloxera vines, and Sirica 2019, made from an ancient Campanian grape that was nearly lost before being rediscovered.

That leads André and Michael into a bigger discussion about forgotten varieties, regional identity, the “de-Parkerization” of wine — and, somehow, whether Ontario’s legacy wineries have done enough to lead the industry at home.

Ontario’s Ultimate Wine Awards are back for 2026: ontariosultimatewine.com

You can support us on Patreon here - https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine ... $5/month members NOW get exclusive content. See Patreon page for details.

You can email André at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @andrewinerview

You can email Michael at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @thegrapeguy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are joined by Beatrice Contini Bonacossi, co-owner, sales manager, and global brand ambassador of Tenuta di Capezzana in Carmignano, Tuscany who joined Michael for a rooftop chat. Beatrice walks the guys through the winery's remarkable 1,200-plus-year history, the family's century of ownership (1925–2025), and how four generations - now into the fifth - have kept Capezzana thriving. The conversation also touches on the Carmignano DOCG blend, why Cabernet Sauvignon is a gateway to Sangiovese, Vin Santo as a passion project, and a frank discussion about why European wineries seem to nail succession planning while Ontario struggles.

We taste two wines from Capezzana:

Villa di Capezzana 2020 (DOCG Carmignano) — primarily Sangiovese with up to 20% Cabernet Sauvignon; extremely tannic and rustic at six years old, still needs significant time or a long decant

Gaia della Furba 2021 (IGT Toscana) — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah blend first made in 1979 with Syrah added in 1998; velvety tannins, black pepper spice, and approachable now — about $66 at the SAQ

Many thanks to Beatrice Contini Bonacossi and the whole Tenuta di Capezzana team for the wines and the conversation.

You can support us on Patreon here - https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine ... $5/month members NOW get exclusive content. See Patreon page for details.

You can email André at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @andrewinerview

You can email Michael at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @thegrapeguy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael and André sit down outside on a hot summer day with Aveleda head winemaker Diogo Campilho to explore Vinho Verde — one of the wine world's last great unsung values. Diogo breaks down the region's fantastic and easy drinking whites, the rapid rise in red wine quality over the past decade thanks to modern viticulture, and Aveleda's commitment to indigenous Portuguese grapes across its four estates (Vinho Verde, Douro, Bairrada, and Algarve).

The guys taste five wines from Aveleda, a fifth-generation family winery founded in 1870:

• Loureiro '25 — Vinho Verde's most-planted grape; fruity, aromatic, and dry
• Loureiro-Alvarinho — a 70/30 blend built for easy, happy drinking
• Parcela do Convento (100% Loureiro, 2024) — single-vineyard, stainless steel, called one of the best Aveleda wines ever tasted
• Parcela do Rosal (100% Alvarinho, 2024) — aged with a touch of French oak
• Manuel Pedro Guedes 2023 — Aveleda's icon wine, only 671 bottles made, named for the estate's founder

Many thanks to Diogo Campilho and the whole Aveleda team for the wines and the conversation.

You can support us on Patreon here - https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine ... $5/month members NOW get exclusive content. See Patreon page for details.

You can email André at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @andrewinerview

You can email Michael at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @thegrapeguy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael and Andre sit down outside in 33°C heat with geophysicist-turned-wine-educator Diana Khandilyan to explore Armenia — home to the world's oldest known winery (the Areni-1 cave, dated ~6,100 years). Diana breaks down Armenia's geography (landlocked between the Caspian and Black Seas, bordering Turkey, Georgia, and Iran), the Soviet-era gap that pushed winemaking underground for 70 years, and how the diaspora is now rebuilding the industry from scratch.

The guys taste three wines built entirely on indigenous grapes:

• An Areni from Oshin — high-altitude, ungrafted vines, aged in native Caucasian oak
• An estate blend from Van Ardi — Areni, Haghtanak, and Milakh grown at ~1,000m
• A rare natural, one-barrel skin-contact wine called Tarerk, made by winemaker Silva Atoyan

Many thanks to our guest Diana Khandilyan whom you can follow here

• Instagram: @glass_nomad (international wine travels)
• Instagram: @pour_across_america (US winery discovery project)

You can support us on Patreon here - https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine ... $5/month members NOW get exclusive content. See Patreon page for details.

You can email André at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @andrewinerview

You can email Michael at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @thegrapeguy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael and André catch up on everything happening in Ontario wine right now — starting with an on-the-record correction: Michael does not hate Chardonnay (an amphora-aged Volta Chardonnay proved it). From there, the guys cover:

• Flat Rock's annual tasting – barrel samples from the promising 2025 vintage, and how far Ontario Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc have come since 2010
• Rosé report preview – André's tasting through 200+ rosés and sparkling wines for this year's report, plus a tangent into sangria season
• Judging the Experts Tasting – Michael's first time on the panel, the surprising sommelier-vs-winemaker splits on which Chardonnays advanced, and a memorable library tasting of aged Canadian wines (Creekside Lost Barrel, Quail's Gate, 16 Mile Rebel Pinot)
• Competition season wrap-up – results from the All-Canadian Wine Championship (including a surprise Sauvignon Blanc ice wine winner) and a pointed critique of the Ontario Wine Awards' medal inflation — 92% of entries took home a medal this year
• Port talk – Kopke and Ramos Pinto tawny/LBV tastings, plus a port reduction recipe for braised lamb
• Whiskey corner – a first taste of John Sleeman & Sons' new Copper Pot Irish-style whiskey, and more Nikka appreciation

You can support us on Patreon here - https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine ... $5/month members NOW get exclusive content. See Patreon page for details.

You can email André at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @andrewinerview

You can email Michael at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @thegrapeguy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

André Proulx and Michael Pinkus assemble an “Avengers” lineup of Trius Red winemakers at Trius — J-L Groux, Craig McDonald, Emma Garner, and Ben Minaker - for a deep vertical tasting from 2010–2024 (plus a 2002 Trius Grand Red). Today's episode is supersized to match the grandeur of the guests.

The unpack how Niagara’s climate, vineyard sourcing, blending, tannin management, cork choices, and restrained oak have shaped this flagship blend. Groux recounts Trius Red’s origins in 1989 as a Bordeaux-inspired assemblage and how warmer, longer falls have helped late-ripening reds, while the group compares challenging and standout vintages (including 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2020) and discusses the difficulty of maintaining quality as production scaled.

In the post-credits scene André speaks with former Trius winemaker Darrell Brooker (2005–2010), now CEO of Latitude Wines, about his approach to Trius Red, vintage-driven volumes, and adapting oak use to each season.

Learn more about Trius here - https://www.triuswines.com/

You can support us on Patreon here - https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine ... $5/month members NOW get exclusive content. See Patreon page for details.

You can email André at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @andrewinerview

You can email Michael at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @thegrapeguy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Pinkus and André Proulx take this show on the road live from the GO Train en route to a Barolo and Barbaresco tasting recently held in Toronto. André was looking for a starting point as a Barolo-curious drinker concerned about tannins and long aging. At the Liberty Grand, they taste through producers and interview Salvatore from Reva Winery about crafting youthful, fruit-forward Nebbiolo and why they don’t recommend decanting. Pietro Ratti explains Barolo’s vineyard mapping history, the MGA system (170 MGAs plus 11 villages), and how to learn the region by starting with vintage, then village, then single-vineyard wines. Bersano discusses modernizing Piedmont wines for drinkability and how climate change is affecting Barolo styles and accessibility. Back home, they praise the approachability and value of Reva’s 2023 Langhe Nebbiolo and 2021 Barolo.

Wines tasted were from

Reva Winery - https://www.revawinery.com/

Borgogno - https://www.borgogno.com/en/

Catina Ratti - https://www.ratti.com/en/

Bersano - https://www.bersano.it/en/

With thanks to Nicholas Pearce for providing wines from Reva for the episode - https://www.npwines.com/

With thanks to Will Predhomme for hosting this fantastic event - https://predhomme.ca/

You can support us on Patreon here - https://www.patreon.com/2guystalkingwine ... $5/month members NOW get exclusive content. See Patreon page for details.

You can email André at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @andrewinerview

You can email Michael at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram here - @thegrapeguy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.