In 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 and he also explains why vineyard always face north/south. You’ll definitely want to schedule a visit to Wescott after listening to this episode.

Produced by Lukas Sluzar. Recorded February 19, 2025

Show notes: www.westcottvineyards.com

Wines sampled: Brilliant Blanc de Noirs, 2021 Pinot Noir Butlers Grant old Vines, 2021 Pinot Noir Estate, 2022 Chardonnay Estate, 2021 Chardonnay Block 76, 2022 Chardonnay Butlers Grant Old Vines

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 wine community in the Bench reason, and discovered the story behind the winery name, Leaning Post. There are lots of laughs and more t-shirt slogans in this episode!

Produced by Lukas Sluzar. Recorded February 19, 2025

Show notes: www.leaningpostwines.com
Wines sampled: 2020 Pinot Noir Hemeris Vineyard, 2020 Pinot Noir Senchuk Vineyard, 2020 Syrah Keczan Vineyard, Cuvee Heritage Vintage 2020

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 welcoming place to showcase what the Niagara region has to offer, with a focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but also expanding to other varietals. If you’re not a Chardonnay fan, Nadia says “challenge accepted” and she will help you to see the beauty in this wine. This episode is full of great quotes like “Chardonnay is the pizza of wine”, and is brimming over with passion and love for wine. You’ll definitely want to make the trip to the “edge of glory” to experience their wines after listening to his episode!

Produced by Lukas Sluzar. Recorded February 19, 2025

Show Notes: www.leaningpostwines.com
Wines sampled:2021 Riesling Grimsby Hillside, 2021 Chardonnay, 2021 Chardonnay Senchuk Vineyard