Shows
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 21: Breaking Down the Barriers to wine: a visit to Flat Rock CellarsIf only you could see the beautiful view while listening to Andrea Morris chat with Flat Rock owner Ed Mardonich! It’s a stunning location with beautiful wines, named for the abundance of flat rocks they discovered while doing drainage for the vineyard. During our tasting, Ed challenges our preconceived notions of wine tasting and we taste red wines before whites. It really is a much better way to enjoy a tasting. Ed also sheds some light on how the number of taste buds on your tongue detect differences in taste. We also touch on how sustainability and community are...2025-07-1055 min
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 20: Wine is a time and a place. A visit to WestcottIn this episode we travel slightly above the Niagara escarpment for a chat with Wescott’s winemaker Casey Kulczik. Wescott is a winery that is keen on nurturing the micro flora and fauna on the property to produce wines that truly represent the place of where they are. Andrea and Casey start off their tasting with the Blanc de Noir from the Brilliant series. (a brilliant idea for sure!) It led to an interesting discussion about wild fermentation – describing the yeast as minions and the winemaker as Gru. Casey’s passion for winemaking is front and center in this episode...2025-06-261h 13
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 19: 50 Shades of Red : a visit to Leaning Post Winery (Part 2)Andrea had so much fun chatting with Ilia and Nadia Sawchuk, owners of Leaning Post Winery, that we had to extend the interview to a second episode. In Part 2, we taste the wonderful red wines we have to offer, starting off with two Pinot Noirs. Pinot Noir is a fussy grape to grow, but it’s a beautiful fruit that produces a full bodied wine with less alcohol content. Ilia refers to it as the Emo punk brother of Chardonnay, but Nadia and Andrea referred to it as the Pedro Pascal of wine. (YUM!) We chatted about the supportive win...2025-06-1239 min
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 18: A winery born from pillow talk. A visit to Leaning Post Winery (Part 1)Ilya and Nadia Senchuk – owners of Leaning Post Winery revealed to our host, Andrea Morris, that the dream of owning a winery actually started as pillow talk, then expanded to numbers on a napkin and eventually led to a search for the right property. After losing three bids for vineyards, they decided to rent a house with some vines on the property, which eventually became Leaning Post. Their passion for wine is evident in this episode when Nadia becomes emotional while speaking about showcasing their wines to a journalist. Their goal as winery owner is to be a warm and...2025-05-2958 min
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 17: Worthy grapes and noble wines. A visit to The Batcave – Bachelder Estates (part two)In part two of Andrea’s interview with Thomas Bachelder – owner/winemaker of Bachelder Estates, we taste some wonderful wines. We start off with comparing Gamay Noir wines from Niagara and Bench vineyards, comparing color, taste and the aromas. During the tasting we learn how the colour of red wine is effected by the volume in the glass. As we progress to sipping Chardonnays, Thomas shares some insights on the expense of making wines, and the factors like barrel aging, hand picking, the age of the vines and the craftsmanship that can raise the...2025-05-151h 17
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 16: Making wines with a sense of place. A visit to The Batcave – Bachelder Estates (part one)This is the first episode of Spill the Wine that doesn’t include a wine tasting! The conversation Andrea Morris had with Thomas Bacherlder – owner/winemaker of Bachelder Estates was so interesting it needed a full episode to itself. Thomas’ journey as a winemaker began in Montreal, then led to Burgundy, Oregon and finally, Beamsville, which has the climate and terroir for making the Burgundy style wines he loves– Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (and Gamay too!) You will learn about the difference between Domaine and Chateau wineries, what “mapping” a region means, and the terroir...2025-05-0147 min
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 15: A winery named to honor mom: a visit to Cloudsley CellarsIf you’re a fan of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this is a winery you MUST visit! Our host, Andrea Morris, speaks with Cloudsley owner Adam Lowy about the reasons for focusing on these two grape varietals, and the choice to outsource their grapes from outstanding growers in the Bench area. Adam talks about making wines that don’t make your mouth tired. He provided another great statement regarding wine: “Wine is a snapshot of the time and the place the grapes were grown.” They also discuss the challenges of promoting Ontario wines across Canada and around the worl...2025-04-1757 min
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 14: Reach for the stars! a visit to Calamus Estate Winery combining astronomy with wineCalamus Estate Winery is quite unique, as it is the only winery in the Niagara Bench area that has a telescope on site. Plus, it’s also proud to be a democratic winery, where their wine club members are a part of the process of picking wines. Our host, Andrea Morris, speaks with Peter Van Helsdingen, the owner of the winery, regarding the many events they host featuring astronomy and wine, and about his approach to winemaking. They share found memories of their fathers while tasting a wonderful double barreled Cabernet Sauvignon. During the co...2025-04-0353 min
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 13: A hidden gem in the Bench wine region- a visit to King and Victoria WineryIn this episode, Andrea visits with Rob Harold and Joe Schenck, the co-owners of King and Victoria Winery. They have a genuine enthusiasm for making wine and look at each wine as one of their babies. Rob and Joe share the story of how they found the property and started the winery, and explain why their wine club is named for a group of vultures (The Committee). They share some of their innovative ways for making wine, like wrapping a blanket around a tank to get the wine to the correct temperature. Their passion...2025-03-2051 min
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 12: A unique experience – tasting wine from the tank! A visit to 16 Mile Cellar Vineyards & WineryThis episode provides tons of insights into the art of winemaking. Andrea Morris chats with 16 Mile cellar winemaker Morgan Juniper. Morgan shares information about the biodynamic approach to winemaking and talks about emotional winemaking versus lab driven winemaking. Bet you didn’t know that was a thing! In addition, for the first time on the podcast, we discuss ladybugs, particularly the multicoloured Asian lady beetles, and the negative effect they can have on wine. Of course, we also taste some magnificent wines, and experience the first tastings of wine in it’s very earl...2025-03-061h 09
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 11: Chardonnay is the chicken of the vineyard! a visit to Wending Home Estate Vineyards and WineryIn this episode, our host, Andrea Morris, visits with Wending Home Estate winemaker Ron Giesbrecht, who is well renowned in the Niagara wine making circles. Ron has over 40 years of experience in the wine business – including research, wine making and teaching as a college professor. He has a unique approach to wine making and enjoys experimenting with unique grape varieties. In addition to tasting some award- winning wines, we also laugh a lot and learn quite a bit about the history of wine both in Niagara and abroad. Fun fact I learned from this2025-02-201h 02
Spill The WineSpill the Wine episode 10: A wine tasting with a view! A visit to Dobbin Estate WineryA wine tasting with Nathan and Dave at Dobbin Estate is like a fairy tale. Andrea met them at the foot of the tower (the adult treehouse as they call it) , and proceeded to the second floor to hear the story of the winery and taste some spectacular wines. Nathan and Dave explained their reasoning for opting for an organic approach to wine making and talked in detail about the challenges of organic grape growing. The result is not your $20 bottle of wine, but understanding the work involved in the process justifies the price...2025-02-061h 08
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 9: Why can wine seem so pretentious? We did it to ourselves! A visit to Cave Spring Tasting RoomLen Pennachetti from Cave Spring is well known in the Niagara Wine region and his years in the business resulted in one of our most informative podcast episodes. Andrea and Len began their discussion by addressing the pretentiousness of wine, which Len had a very interesting take on. Throughout the course of the conversation and wine tasting, we learn some fun facts about the traditional method of champagne, the importance of one’s nose when appreciating wine and food, and how great wines don’t age – they evolve. You’ll definitely learn a lot from thi...2025-01-231h 17
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 8: Wine is Liquid Music. A visit to Black Bank Hill WineryIn this episode, we discover how land that was once an old air force training site, The Beamsville Aerodrome, has developed into a top tier winery. Andrea and Taylor Emerson discuss the evolution of the winery from the reasons for choosing to purchase this particular plot of land, the grape choices and the decision to create Old World style wines. During the course of the conversation and wine tasting, we also get creative – comparing wine tasting to driving and changing lanes, describing wine as a luggage tag and we even came up with this ke...2025-01-091h 11
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 7: Every label tells a story. A visit to Dim WineryThis is the story of how a family farm becomes a winery. Our host, Andrea Morris, visits Dim Winery and chats with Peter Dim about the history of the farm and of course, we taste some amazing wines. We are also treated to some wonderful stories about the labels and names for the wines. In addition, we also learn a lot about agriculture and weather and their affects on the grapes. Produced by: Lukas Sluzar. Recorded July 31, 2024 Show notes: Dim Wine Co. : www.dimwineco.ca Wines sampled: 2017 Great Escape Chardonnay, 2019 Edgewater Riesling, Icarus G...2024-12-2644 min
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 6: It’s okay to drink red wine chilled! A visit to Villa Romana WineryYour host, Andrea Morris, busts a popular myth that red wine should never be served chilled. During this visit to Italian winery Villa Romana, Ugo explains why the folks in Rome drink their red wine chilled, and Andrea is surprised to actually enjoy chilled Pinot Noir. Ugo and his daughter, Andrea, share their stories of creating unique and delicious award winning wines. You’ll hear about the path to starting the winery, the vision for the future and more! Produced by: Lukas Sluzar. Recorded July 31, 2024 Show notes: Villa Romana Estate Winery: www.villaromona.ca2024-12-1246 min
Spill The WineSpill The Wine Episode 5: A new podcast idea is born at London Born Winery!We experience a bit of the UK vibe in this episode as your host, Andrea Morris, visits with Sarah at London Born Winery. We discover how a family from England started a winery in the Ontario wine region and learn the stories behind wines. During the conversation, Andrea and Sarah develop some great ideas for future podcasts and give some helpful hints regarding food pairings. And we even veer off the path of wine and sample some beer! Listen carefully and you may even hear Andrea’s puppy, Nandor, bark a few times. Produced by: Lukas Sluzar. Rec...2024-11-281h 07
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 4: Hey honey – let’s ditch our jobs, buy some land and open a winery! A vist to Back 10 CellarsTen acres and a mule was the slogan years ago, and your host, Andrea Morris, visits with Andrew Brooks, the owner of Back 10 about his journey into the wonderful world of wine. Andrew and his wife, Christina, had no experience in farming or agriculture, but clung to the dream of starting a vineyard from the ground up. Back 10 Cellars started with a big dream , pure will, gumption and determination. We talk about their story and taste some of the fruits of their labour. If you’ve ever dreamed about owning a winery, this is the episode you MUST listen to!2024-11-1450 min
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 3: Red, Red Wine, featuring a visit to Kacaba Vineyards WineryIf you are a red wine lover, this is the episode for you! Your host, Andrea Morris, takes you one of the wineries in the Bench area that is renowned for their hearty reds – Kacaba Vineyards Winery. Charles will be our wine steward for the day and guide us through a tasting of a variety of wines, beginning with some bubbly, and ending with deep, rich reds. We will also discuss the history of Kacaba Vineyards and learn how this vineyard was saved from becoming a housing development and became an award-winning winery. Produced by: Lukas Sluzar reco...2024-10-3139 min
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 2: The Lovely episode, featuring a visit to Commisso Estate WineryYour host, Andrea, SERIOUSLY overuses the word “lovely” in this episode. As a matter of fact, it annoyed her so much, she wanted to redo the episode. However, producer Lukas Sluzar felt there is valuable information in this podcast, so Andrea bit the bullet and allowed it to air. Count the number of times she says lovely, and you could win a prize!! (email your answer to spillthewinepodcast@gmail.com) In this episode, we visit Italian winery Commisso Estates and speak with the owner, Frank. Frank shares his feelings about making wine affordable and delicious (and of course, LOVELY). 2024-10-1738 min
Spill The WineSpill the Wine Episode 1: Everything is peachy keen at Cornerstone Estate WineryWelcome to the first episode of Spill the Wine – a podcast obviously about WINE! Wine is the one beverage that people seem to think they can’t enjoy unless they know something about it, which is quite odd when you think about it. But have no fear - we are hear to help you learn about wine, debunk some myths, and introduce you to the wonderful Bench area of the Niagara Wine region. We begin our journey with a visit to Cornerstone Winery, a family-run business that is one of the few wineries in the area that makes fruit wine...2024-10-0355 min