Two Guys Talking Wine

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 M...

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 e...

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...

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 convers...

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 e...

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...

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 – A...

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 rest...

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 a...

Michael Pinkus and André Proulx record in downtown Toronto with Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta of Tenuta San Guido to unpack the history of Sassicaia and Bolgheri. Priscilla explains how Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, inspired by Bordeaux, began planting Cabernet in stony Bolgheri hill sites and originally made Sassicaia privately before Nicolo brought it to market, with the first release (1968 v...

Michael Pinkus and André Proulx welcome Nikka Global Director Koji and Export Manager Kuma to discuss Japanese whisky and taste Nikka’s Yoichi and Miyagikyo single malts plus Nikka From the Barrel and the 40th-anniversary From the Barrel Extra Marriage. They cover founder Masataka Taketsuru’s role as the “father of Japanese whisky,” his 1918–1920 Scotland apprenticeship and detailed notebook, and...

Judging 130 Chardonnays, the Canadian Wine Library, and a Surprise Chinese Cabernet Gernischt André and Michael reunite over drinks after time apart, starting with André’s experience judging about 130 Chardonnays for the Experts Tasting alongside winemakers, sommeliers, and an LCBO rep, and his visit to the Canadian Wine Library at Brock University, where he tasted older wines and brought home a 2...

When you open high-priced wines, what goes through your head? You expect to be wowed. You expect a moment of zen. You expect your world to change ... for the better. We opened three bottles in one night that should have changed our lives. A La Tache, a Henri Guiraud Fut de Chene MV17 and something else none of us can remember - which should tell you all you need to know about our dinner and tastin...

When Michael came back from Bordeaux, he made a bold statement: "I'm a right bank guy over a left bank guy". But the left bank is where all the 1st growth producers reside, how could this be. An interview with Ludovic von Neipperg may open a few eyes. So let us borrow your ears for an hour and see if you agree. Learn about the Vignobles Comtes von Neipperg here - https://www.neipperg.com/ You can...

Sangrantino, heard of it? It's a wine that has the ultimate tannin punch and can take decades to resolve itself (make it ready to drink) ... but hold on. There's a new wave of winemakers in the region, fronted by women, who are learning to show the softer side, the more approachable side of this wine. Could Sagrantino be drinkable sooner - are we looking at a renaissance in Umbrian wine. Michael i...

After last episode's introduction to Vino Nobile, we dive a little deeper. We taste wines from Boscarelli, and even go "outside the house". For those who want to go even deeper, check out our Patreon account, there we have posted the full interview with Luca Ferrari ... become a paid member and get exclusive content like this. You can learn more about Poderi Boscarelli here - https://www.poderibos...

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, also known as Nobile ... it's Italian for Noble and so this is known as Noble wine. But what is it, what's the history, what makes it so special and why has André been in the dark so long about this? In this episode, some of those questions get answered, others, sadly, we'll remain in the dark about. We are joined by a principal from Poliziano to discuss. You can lear...

This week we are joined by friend of the podcast, Ofelia Bartolucci, and we discuss Michael's and her visit to Alois Lageder and Summa back in the Spring of 2025. What is Summa you might ask? What is an Alois Lageder? What the hell are you guys talking about? So many questions. Be prepared to have them answered by none other than Helena and Clemens Lageder Learn more about Alois Lageder - https://...

They are going to have trouble with people pronouncing it, and they know it, but Chianti Rufina producers have a gem of a wine on their hands and they want you to know about it. Andre and Michael discuss TerraElectae with the help of Gerardo Gondi (of Gondi Estates) and Federico Giuntini Masseti (of Selvapiana). Beware: High Quality Wines Ahead. You can support us on Patreon here - https://www.pat...

We get some odd questions as Canadian wine writers, many are about other Canadian wine writers: "Does Michael really hate Chardonnay?" "Does Andre really not know how to finish a question?" But the question we get asked most: "I have a bottle of BLANK Canadian wine in my cellar - how much is it worth?" We finally sat down with an expert in the secondary market of wines and posed that and other que...

Does a bottle of British Wine sound foreign to you? We had heard good things about British Bubbles, and when given the opportunity to sit down with four British winery principals (on British soil - at the British consulate in Toronto) we jumped at the opportunity ... the results: Sparkling. You can purchase the following bottles in limited supply at the LCBO https://www.lcbo.com/en/balfour-1503-cl...

Michael and André have been talking wine for 10 years - they take a look and reflect on what - if anything - they have learned. You can email André at andre@andrewinereview.ca and follow him on Instagram here - @andrewinerview You can email Michael at michael@michaelpinkuswinereview.com and follow him on Instagram here - @thegrapeguy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The NBA could only wish for such Madness. They do theirs in March, we do ours in October ... it's just scarier that way. It all comes down to this. Four wines remain. The Highlander said it best, "There can be ONLY ONE" and we're about to find out who takes home the belt (literally). From the Ontario's longest running, and award winning, podcast about wine. The Podcast that brought you such iconic...

With the Sweet Sixteen over and done with, we move on to the Elite Eight. We reshuffle the deck. No one knows what wine is which. There is no picking of favourites. New numbers are assigned and we taste again. Knocking out 4 more wines from this competition; because there can be only one. This is Round 2 of Ontario's Ultimate Wine Competition: the wine competition nobody asked for, and yet we pull...

A boy. A dream. An adventure. An idea. They said he was crazy. They said he was nuts. They said it could not be done. The doubters were everywhere. And yet he persisted for 3 years. Finally, worn down by his antics, Michael said yes. André swooned. His dream was about to become a reality. Just a few things were needed, namely a cast of characters to help, enter Anja Warunkiewicz and Matt Cauz. Lad...