• S6,E45: Fenn Valley Vineyards, Shady Lane Cellars, Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival (Nov. 9-10, 2024)

  • Nov 20 2024
  • Length: 45 mins
  • Podcast

S6,E45: Fenn Valley Vineyards, Shady Lane Cellars, Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival (Nov. 9-10, 2024)

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  • Summary

  • It's all about Michigan wine this week on Behind the Mitten, and we are awash in the great grape harvest of 2024.

    Our first guest is in charge of one of the Midwest's biggest, and arguably most exciting, food festival. The 17th Annual Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival kicks off November 21 through the 23rd. It's a full on extravaganza of food and food related events and presenations at DeVos Place throughout the weekend. Dawn Baker from Show Span joins us and shares all the new things that you'll find this year, including The Vineyard where you can sample over 1000 wines. Beer City Station with over twenty different brewies pouring their liquids, and the Barrel Room where you can try liquors and cocktails. There are mulitple food and drink pairing options, and culinary demonstrations throughout. This is really a fun festival, it is really huge, and it really shouldn't be missed.

    Then we catch up with Fenn Valley Vice President Brian Lesperance, who shares a little bit about the excellent grape harvest that Michigan experienced this fall. All that lovely sunny weather that we had put our wines on the road to greatness this year, and Fenn Valley is ready. Look for new releases happening throughout the year, and the next few years as they age to perfection. Sip 'n Shop is happening on December 14 2024, where you can, wander the aisles of artisan crafts while enjoying a glass or two. Right after the holiday season look forward to the chili-cook-off at the vineyard which will feature four cook-off categories: Four Legs (beef and pork), Two Legs (Fowl), Vegetarian (non-meat), and Exotic (Seafood or wild game, including venison). Registration will open for the cook-off on December 1st, 2024.

    Then the ladies stop by from Shady Lane Cellars. Maddie McCandless, assistant winemaker and Kasey Wierzba, Executive Winemaker and General Manager also share a harvest report from the vineyard, which is located in Suttons Bay. Kasey has been at the vineyard since 2013, and brings years of experience in California to the vineyard. Maddie graduated from Purdue in 2019, got a degree in enology in 2021 and worked at Ram's Gate Winery before finding her home in Northern Michigan. These women are smart, knowledgeable and super fun.

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