The ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast is heading back to the Okanagan Valley! My guest is former Sommelier for The National Club and now the Guest Experience Manager for one of the best wineries in all of Canada, Checkmate Artisanal Winery. We discuss the devastating environmental damage the 2024 winter had on the entire region. As someone who has known James from his early days at the Club, I love his story from Toronto to B.C. No better person to be representing...

A wide-ranging conversation with one of the co-owners of Henry of Pelham Winery, Dan Speck. I sat down with last in late 2018 and since then A LOT has changed. We discuss the impact of COVID, the war in Ukraine and inflation has had on the world of wine. I guarantee you'll learn something new from one of the most interesting people in the Ontario wine biz.

My guest is Steven Campbell, board member for the non-profit organization Grapes for Humanity who just launched their wine auction to help raise money for several important environmental charities. You have until Monday April 22nd to get your bids in! (Link: https://www.waddingtons.ca/auction/grapes-for-humanity-canada-fine-wine-auction-2024-apr-22-2024/) We dive into Steven’s rich past that includes owning the famed Toronto restaurant, La Maison, opening one of the first wine bars in Ontario...

On the latest episode of the 'Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast I speak with the most important wine journalist covering all things Ontario Wine, Rick VanSickle. We discuss the politics behind wine production, how the LCBO is not doing nearly enough for Ontario winemakers and is there a future in designating specific vineyards with "Grand Cru" status?

On the 'Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast my interview with the winemaker for Niagara winery Westcott Vineyards, Casey Kulczyk. Love his passion about Westcott's overall philosophy about making world class Niagara Wine NOT about making "Burgundian" style wine. Trust me, Casey's passion for all things Niagara winemaking and just how special Pinot Noir and Chardonnay can be in this area is infectious. No way you won't enjoy this conversation. 

They love Merlot, can't stand the film 'Sideways' and in under a decade are making a real name for themselves in the world of Ontario wine. On the 'Matt Talks Wie & Stuff with Interesting People' Podcast I sit down with the Owners of Kirby Estate, a gorgeous boutique winery specializing in Chardonnay and Bordeaux Blends. Fun conversation about where they are now as a winery and how scary was their first vintage.

From Châteauneuf-du-Pape to Morocco this episode of the ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People Podcast has range! My guest is Anne Charlotte Melia Bachas.  Anne is the Winemaker and Owner of Chateau Font du Loup in Châteauneuf-du-Pape while her father Charles has founded Domaine du Val d’Argan, a winery in Morocco.  We talk about those early days in 2002 when she took over Chateau Font du Loup, winemaking in Morocco and sticking to making her style of wine. 

If I think about the people who had the biggest influence on me when it comes to wine, Brian Perry, the Beverage Manager and Head Sommelier for The National Club is right at the top of the list. There is so much to admire about Brian. I’ll always appreciate the fact that when I joined the club, I was the youngest member at the time and as a sports media gas bag I was not exactly a captain of industry. Brian treated me the same as anyone else and it wasn’t long before he became an important...

On the latest ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast I sit down with one my wine mentors, Brian Perry, the Beverage Manager and Head Sommelier for The National Club. Brian has a remarkable story from bartending with little wine knowledge to running one of the largest wine programs in Canada. This episode went long so I have split it up into two parts. This is Part One.

Really cool origin story with my guest on the wine podcast, Wine Importer Emily Craig, owner of Emily Craig Import Agency. Emily went from graduating with a Science Degree, to working a harvest in Nova Scotia to working for some of the largest Canadian wine importing companies in Canada to starting her own boutique wine important company. Oh, and she started during the pandemic. This is someone with a clear vision for her future, a hell of a work ethic and true passion for wine.

I love how Assistant Winemaker for Domaine Queylus Brooke Husband can make winemaking technique and the difficulties of Wild Fermentation sound so interesting.  On my latest interview Brooke does such a great job blending (Pun intended, sorry) the human element that goes into making great wine. Lotta range in this episode from the importance of wine education, the spending habits of people far younger than me to winning multiple Hospitality and Wine Awards 

Find me a better winemaking couple than Ann Sperling and Peter Gamble! I sit down with the vino power couple about their work with On Seven Estate Winery, a Niagara boutique winery obsessed with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Great interview for anyone interested in learning about how Niagara is perfectly suited for world class Burgundian style wine and also a cool story about taking chances in the vineyard.

In the final installment of my Karlo Estates podcast series live from their “Speak Easy” wine lounge I sit down with vintners, Sherry Karlo and Saxe Brickenden.  An emotional/funny/educational, and even romantic interview that goes from the toughest moments for Sherry after the tragic passing of her husband to the remarkable bounce back for Karlo Estates with the assistance from Saxe.   Tears are shed, laughs are had, and some damn tasty wines are tried.  This interview has it all! 

In Part II of my three-part podcast series with Prince Edward County winery Karlo Estates I sit down with Winemaker Spencer Mayer.   A self professed "nerd" when it comes to all things wine this was a fun conversation with a winemaker who is in the relative early stages of making a name for himself in the business. Some great stories about his young son helping in the winery, the influence of Derek Barnett and all things Bordeaux blending.  

This is Part I of my three-part podcast series with Prince Edward County winery Karlo Estates.  What better way to kick it off than with wine legend Derek Barnett, the Executive Winemaker for Karlo Estates.  Derek goes over some of the stylistic differences between the wines of Niagara versus Prince Edward County, how he originally got into wine and why he puts up with the drive all the way from Niagara. 

The Podcast is going back to Bordeaux, this time to St-Julien with Nicolas Sinoquet the CEO & President of Chateau Gruaud-Larose! Nicolas goes over the importance of patience when it comes to making great wine and their commitment to bio dynamic winemaking. 

The ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ gets to sit down with one of the best in the business, Hugo Bernard, the winemaker for Domaine de Chevalier. A wide-ranging interview on all things Bordeaux, his family’s long history with the estate and one of the best white wine portfolios in all of Bordeaux.

On the latest episode I sit down one of the Hosts & Co-creator of the ‘Two Guys Talking Wine Podcast’, Michael Pinkus. This was a really fun interview.  I prepared a dozen or so “real” wine questions and we got to about three of them. This is a very different wine interview. Really just two people who love shooting the shit about wine for an hour.  Fun times!

The Wine Podcast is heading to Atlantic Canada with “serial wine entrepreneur” Mark DeWolf. The man has so many titles, the best way to describe him is if there is a wine related event going on in Halifax there is an excellent chance Mark is involved including the upcoming ‘Best Canadian Sommelier Competition’ coming soon to Halifax.

On the latest ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast I interview Christophe Reitz, Sommelier at Quatrefoil Restaurant in Dundas Ontario. Fresh off his wine tasting victory, winning the 2023 CAPS Cup tasting challenge we chat about prepping for a wine competition and the perils of blind wine tasting. 

Matt is going solo in his latest info. Tales of running the Bordeaux marathon, wine tourism in Bordeaux, a fantastic winery in Morocco and remembering Long Dog winemaker James Lahti. 

On the latest ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast I’m joined by the President & CEO of Liberty Entertainment Group Nick Di Donato. Just how different was the Toronto dining scene when he first came into the picture in the 1980s? How much push back did he get from the community as his background was in nightclubs at the time? From an international perspective how important is a Michelin Star for Canadian Restaurants?

On the latest ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast my interview with Joel Wilcox, the Founder & Director of Fourth Wall wines, a projected dedicated to making high quality Niagara wine. We chat about the stylistic differences that can be found in Niagara appellations, how does the classic movie ‘High Fidelity’ fit into his wine philosophy and which iconic Italian wine did he pair with KFC? 

This is Namratha Prashanth. She went from studying hospitality in Bangalore at 20 to being forbidden to work by her husband and in-laws to now becoming the Brand Owner of 'Solicantus' which produces a white and red Bordeaux.  It would be an understatement to say her story is not the most unique and the most harrowing wine journey I have heard since I started doing this podcast. Her journey is both inspiration and painful at times and I am honoured to be able to share it with you.