Read Between the Wines Podcast

For this episode, we welcome Caroline Leblanc , Brand Ambassador and Export Area Manager for Familia Torres in Canada. A graduate in marketing management with sommelier training and WSET Level 3, Caroline also serves as Communications Director for the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers and Programme Director for the International Sommelier Association. Our conversation explores her un...

For this episode, we welcome Paul and Daniel Speck of Henry of Pelham Estate Winery , one of the pioneering family-run wineries that helped shape modern Niagara. Alongside their brother Matthew, the Specks have carried forward the vision of their parents, transforming land first settled in 1794 into a vibrant estate rooted in both history and innovation. Our discussion explores the family legacy,...

For this episode, we welcome Sue-Ann Staff , one of Canada's most acclaimed winemakers, recognised with more than 450 national and international awards. A seventh-generation grower from Jordan, Ontario, Sue-Ann carries forward a family legacy dating back to vineyards planted in 1898, rooted in the soils of the Twenty Mile Bench and Vinemount Ridge. Our conversation explores her journey from workin...

For this episode, we welcome Pier-Alexis Soulière MS , one of fewer than 300 Master Sommeliers worldwide and winner of the 2018 Best Sommelier of the Americas . Born in rural Québec and now internationally recognised, he brings global experience from Michelin-starred restaurants in London, Sydney, New York, and California. Our conversation explores the rigorous path to becoming a Master Sommelier...

For this episode, we welcome Adam Kern and Chris Robinson of Lundy Manor Wine Cellars . Adam, a trained winemaker and sommelier, and Chris, a passionate voice for appassimento, share their unique perspectives on making wine in Niagara Falls, one of the region's most distinctive sites. Set on historic Lundy's Lane, Lundy Manor stands apart with its clay-rich soils, exposure above the escarpment, an...

For this episode, we welcome Barclay Robinson, winemaker at Foreign Affair Winery in Niagara. Barclay's path began as a sommelier in Calgary before studies at Brock University and vintages at Henry of Pelham and Tawse shaped his vision. His curiosity for Italian wines, especially Amarone, led him to embrace the appassimento method in Canada. Foreign Affair was founded in the 1990s by Marisa and Le...

For this episode, we welcome Louise Engel of Featherstone Estate Winery in Niagara's Twenty Mile Bench. Together with her husband David Johnson, Louise transitioned from running a renowned gourmet poultry market in Guelph to cultivating one of Ontario's most distinctive vineyards. Their journey reflects a deep connection between food, farming, and wine. Set on a limestone bench south of Vineland,...

For this episode, we welcome David Stasiuk, head winemaker at Rockway Vineyards in Niagara's Twenty Mile Bench. David's journey began in hospitality before wine studies at Niagara College led him to vintages in the Okanagan, Australia's Yarra Valley, and Marlborough, New Zealand. These experiences shaped his craft and fuelled a philosophy rooted in balance, patience, and terroir. Rockway stands ou...

For this episode, we welcome Shauna White, winemaker at Adamo Estate Winery in Ontario's Hockley Valley. With experience spanning British Columbia, Chablis, Oregon, Australia and New Zealand, Shauna brings a truly global perspective to cool-climate winemaking. She discusses the challenges of growing vinifera north of Niagara, the use of geo-textiles to protect vines in winter, and her commitment t...

For this episode, we welcome Rob Power, long-time winemaker at Creekside Estate Winery in Jordan, Ontario. Known for its motto "Serious wines from an irreverent bunch," Creekside has built a reputation for innovation, especially with Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. Rob reflects on two decades of vintages, the origins of the Broken Press Syrah, and why experimentation defines Creekside's approach. He sh...

For this episode, we welcome winemaker Mackenzie Brisbois of Trail Estate Winery in Prince Edward County. Mackenzie brings global harvest experience and a sharp curiosity to her role, crafting wines that are minimal intervention yet highly expressive of place. She discusses the challenges of farming in PEC's cool climate, her philosophy of keeping parcels separate, and why transparency and experim...

For this episode, we welcome Jerry Bell Jr , director of the documentary Red, White & Black , which explores the lives of minority winemakers in Oregon and the barriers they continue to face. Jerry shares the origins of the project, beginning with Haitian American winemaker Bertony Faustin of Abbey Creek, and explains how the film expanded to highlight Black, women, and LGBTQ+ voices in an industr...

Part 2 of the interview with winemaker François Morissette from Pearl-Morissette Winery located in Jordan in the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario. 

An interview with winemaker François Morissette from Pearl-Morissette Winery located in Jordan in the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario. 

For this episode, we welcome Angelo Pavan, founding winemaker at Cave Spring Vineyard in Niagara's Beamsville Bench. With decades of experience, Angelo has helped shape Canadian wine, establishing Riesling and Chardonnay as signature grapes of the region. His pioneering work reflects both scientific rigour and deep respect for terroir. Angelo discusses the challenges and opportunities of cool-clim...

For this episode, we welcome Greg Wertsch , co-founder of Between the Lines Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake, for the very first interview of the podcast. Fittingly, our debut features a winery whose name almost mirrors our own — a coincidence too good not to celebrate. Greg, alongside his brother Yannick, has built a family estate that blends German winemaking training with Canadian determination, p...

The myth-busting continues. This episode wraps our special two-part series on the "Dirty Dozen" of wine myths. We take on the next six: do expensive glasses really matter, is decanting only for grand old bottles, are blends inferior, what is the right serving temperature, do wine "legs" signal quality, and must red pair with red meat while white stays with fish. Expect clear answers, practical tip...

Think you know wine? Think again. This episode kicks off a special two-part series where we tackle the "Dirty Dozen" of wine myths. In Part one , we take on six of the most persistent misconceptions: do wine ratings really know your palate, are expensive bottles always better, does every wine improve with age, cork versus screw cap, the myth of smelling the cork, and why storage matters more than...

Wine is the mythical beverage. In this first episode, host Pierre Ferland sets the table for Read Between the Wines —a show about people, place, and story. From ancient roots and monks to today's golden age, we explore why wine is simple once you know what to look for. Expect friendly guidance for real life moments: wine lists, pairings, and confidence at the table. Meet winemakers, sommeliers, cr...