Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People

You wanna hear an inspirational story about a kick-ass woman? Then I have the Podcast for you! Meet Jen Pelka the CEO and Co-Founder of Une Femme Wines.  Jen went from running a couple bicoastal champagne bars that got swallowed up by COVID to now having her line of sparkling wine served on Delta Airlines.  Yeah, you’re going to enjoy her story.

The podcast is heading back to Scotiabank Arena as I interview Anne Martin, the head Sommelier for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.  Anne’s impressive journey took her from working in the most famous locations in the world for cheese, coffee and eventually wine.  A fun conversation about what it’s like running one of the most impressive wine programs among any team in North America.

My latest interview is with winemaker Daniel Twardowski whose ‘Pinot Noix’ (yes Noix) are some of the most stuffing examples of German Pinot you will ever try. This is not hyperbole, from Jancis Robinson to James Suckling to everyone in between these are some most of highly prized German reds out there.  We chat about making Pinot in the land of Riesling and just what were the reaction of his neig...

The podcast goes on a slightly different direction as I’m joined by the Senior Culinary Director for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) Chris Zielinski! Yes we chat about the various wine programs that are connected with MLSE but we also get into what’s it like to feed 1000s of sports fans from popcorn to foie gras and everything in between. 

What does good/proper service look like at a restaurant?  What does it mean to have a sustainable model at a restaurant where profit margins are so razor thin? I sit down with the Head Sommelier for Don Alfonso 1890, Nathan Hooper. He also goes into detail about being a finalist at the Best Ontario Sommelier Competition … and this was his FIRST wine competition! 

On the latest ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast I sit down with the winner of the most recent winner of the CAPS Best Ontario Sommelier Competition, Justin Madol. A fascinating look at just what is required to becoming a Master Somm (Justin is so close!) and all the work leading up to such a fierce wine competition.

The ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast is finally heading to Okanagan!  From premium underwear to high end Riesling and Chardonnay Ria Kitsch and her husband have already blazed an impressive entrepreneurial trail. Had a blast sitting down with Ria Kitsch the Founder/Co-Owner of Kitsch Winery. Her line of Riesling’s are all stunners. What an impressive boutique winery in...

You wanna hear a cool story? Over a decade ago winemaker Josep d'Anguera and his brother decided to overhaul the winemaking philosophy at Cellar Joan d'Anguera, their families famed vineyard.  The wines were ALREADY successful and wildly popular, but the brothers wanted to make a radical transformation. So, what happened and why?

For the first time EVER … A wine podcast will talk about the joy of Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch & St Laurent and NOT come across as 100% wine hipster!   Yeah, I know people will drop their love of these Austrian wines for street cred at the local cool person wine party, but I swear this Pod is just about how I discovered these fantastic red wines of Austria.  My interview is with Wolfgang Hamm, th...

My guest is Stephen Ranger, Canada’s foremost wine auctioneer, a Senior Advisor at Iron Gate Auctions and the owner of Ranger Wine.  This podcast has everything!  Encounters with Rudy Kurniawan How Stephen got into the wine auction world Okanagan wines A cameo from Stephen’s dog Teddy

Isabelle Clendenen from Au Bon Climat joins the podcast to discuss her role within the winery, growing up in a wine family and the classic conversation about what makes for a proper Burgundian wine in California?

It’s my final (for now!) South African podcast. I’m joined by the multi-award-winning winemaker and cellarmaster for Rustenberg Wine Estate, Murray Barlow. We discuss his journey into winemaking, the history of his family and Rustenberg and what exactly is the “style” of a bottle of wine from Rustenberg?

The Podcast is back in style with James Peden, director of operations for Liberty Entertainment Group and one of the leaders of the Michelin Star awarded restaurant, Don Alfonso: 1890. Really cool conversation about the hospitality industry, what leads to a Michelin Star and how James went from being in the military to running some of the most high-profile restaurants in Toronto 

The final ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast interview from the German wine region of Mosel is with oh so impressive Nik Weis, the winemaker and owner of St Urbans-Hof Nik Weis.  A wide-ranging interview from the impact the Second World War had on the local wine industry to “the Margarita effect” that comes with a great off-dry Riesling.  Speaking of great the people in...

The podcast goes back to Mosel, Germany with Axel Pauly, the winemaker and owner of Weingut Axel Pauly.  Axel has gone from “rising star” in Mosel to just “star” as his portfolio of Rieslings and Pinot Blanc were damn impressive from bone dry to off-dry to everything in between. Conversation spans from the hardships that comes from making wine in this region of the world (Shoes melting!!!!), how t...

The ‘Matt Talks Wine and Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast is back in South Africa!  This time with Dawie Botha, the Head Winemaker for Anthonij Rupert Wyne in beautiful Stellenbosch.

Had an epic afternoon with Matt Giedraitis, the Export Director for Dr. Loosen.  The ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast continues its tour in the German wine region of Mosel. This podcast is a great one for people who want to dip their toes into what Riesling in the land it came from. Think of it as a Coles Notes lesson into German wine led by the wildly energetic and pa...

My guest is Stefan Pauly, the owner and winemaker for the iconic Dr. Pauly Bergweiler. I was a little intimidated right before meeting Stefan considering this was my first interview in the Mosel and the winery has been around since 1556. Those feelings were gone in five seconds as Stefan opened his doors with a big warm welcome and moments later brought out this crazy lineup of his wines including...

Matt gives a brief summary of his trip to Germany, the people he interviewed and a shameful admission.  Wine Hot Take: Mosel over Mimosa’s at brunch Wine Hot Take: Grosses Gewächs over Premier Cru Burgundy 

The podcast is back in Niagara with a winery I’m shocked it took me so long to discover. I’m joined by Kevin Panagapka, winemaker, and co-founder of 2027 Cellars.  A true boutique winery Kevin’s portfolio has no weak links just high-end wine making.  We chat about what led to Kevin and his wife Jodie’s decision to start up their own winery back in 2007.  Kevin shares a funny story about the bigges...

Moving from Niagara to back to South Africa for the latest podcast. In this edition I interview the head winemaker for Spier Winery, Johan Jordann.  Beyond talking about his journey to making wine in Stellenbosch we get just how important charity, giving back and making a real difference into the community is to Spier. Some companies attempt to do good for the positive press, some dip their toe in...

Trust me when I tell ya you’re going to love my interview with winemaker (Domaine Queylus & Mason Vineyard) Kelly Mason. I ask her what she loves the most and hates the most about Pinot Noir, her answer is hilarious and would not be allowed on terrestrial radio. Kelly is one of the most talented winemakers in Ontario … she has a cult following! Also, the wines of Domaine Queylus should dispel...

The Podcast is back after a min hiatus! I sat down with the Head Winemaker for Kacaba Vineyards, Vadim Chelekhov. For my money Vadim makes Ontario’s best Syrah. We chat about his journey as a four-year-old child in Kazakhstan nosing his way through Icewine to switching from a life in medicine to wine to the pressures that come at harvest. Also, a hilarious story about trying to buy wine at the age...

Part II of my Kanonkop Wine Estate podcast! This time with the person who does just about everything for Kanonkop beyond crushing the grapes, Heidi Kritzinger.  We talk about kicking ass in World Tasting Championships, the joy of Pinotage and changing the narrative of the global perception of South African wine. 

It’s a Kanonkop Wine Estate two-pack this week on the ‘Matt Talks Wine & Stuff with Interesting People’ Podcast! First up is iconic winemaker for Kanonkop, Abrie Beeslaar.