In the early 2000's, Len and Maria Cristino purchased 40 acres of property with the intention of making appassimento wines. In this episode, we chat with Winemaker Rene Van Ede about the process of making this type of wine, which involves drying the grapes for 4-6 week, which in turn concentrates the sugar and acid. The result is a wine with a deep colour and beautifully concentrated flavours. It's also interesting to note the similarities between ice wine and appassimento wine – but I'll let you discover that on the podcast! Our conversation with Rene is packed with lots of laughs and loads of information, and I'm sure you'll be planning a trip to Foreign Affair after listening.

Produced by Lukas Sluzar, recorded March 18, 2026

Show notes: www.foreignaffairwinery.com

Wines sampled: Traditional Sparkling, 2025 Sussreserve Reisling, 2025 Chardonnay, 2024 Cabernet, 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Whiskey Barrel, 2023 L'eredite, 2025 Reisling Appassimento

Tiny bubbles in the wine make me happy – and if they make YOU happy, then this is the episode for you as we explore the wonderful world of Petillant Naturels (aka Pet Nats). Rob Harold and Joe Shenck, the owners and wine makers of King and Victoria talk about their initial experimentations with making Pet Nats, and the challenges of making a wine that is still fermenting in the bottle. We toss around some great ideas wines for expanding their Pet-Nat portfolio. And Rob unwittingly comes up with yet another great t-shirt slogan (check the title of this episode for a clue!) When you've finished listening, you will be able to confidently choose Pet Nats as a Jeopardy category.

Produced by Lukas Sluzar, recorded March 18, 2026

Show notes: www.kingandvictoria.com

Wines sampled: Reboot Reisling Pet-Nat, Savy B Sauvignon Blanc Pet-Nat, Prose Pinot Noir Rose Pet-Nat, G-Minor Gewurztraminer Pet-Nat

Put your wine glass away because in this episode, we won't be drinking wine, but we will be chatting Marilyn Bellows, owner of ebikethebench wine tours about the various ways to enjoy your day in wine country without having to drive your car. Marilyn and her team are based out of Vineland Estate Winery and offer a variety of different tours to suit your needs. You can take guided tours (with lunch included) to wineries or enjoy tours that include hiking, kayaking and much more. It's a great way experience the beauty of the Niagara Escarpment, get some exercise and explore wineries. I've taken a tour and I can tell you from my own experience, it's a lot of fun and you will definitely work off those wine calories!

Produced by Lukas Sluzar, recorded February 11, 2026

Show notes: www.ebikethebench.com

Wines sampled: none this time!!