Shows / If Vines Could Talk
If Vines Could Talk
We believe Michigan makes great wine. It is an up-and-coming region, already producing world-class award-winning wines. Our mission is to help the world learn about and to enhance the prestige of Michigan wine.
Episodes
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 166: Bailey & Jason – Another World Wines
In this episode I talk with Jason Young and Bailey Fortuna of Another World Wines. Bailey began her wine career in New York restaurants, where she became…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 165: Jessica Youngblood – Youngblood Vineyard
This episode features Jessica Youngblood of Youngblood Vineyard, a family farm located twenty miles northeast of downtown Detroit. Jessica shares how she and…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 164: Lori Herron – Social Vines
In this episode, we begin with Brad Deacon, who explains PA232 and the role of the Michigan Craft Beverage Council. He shares how producers can explore grant…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 163: Chef Jean Joho on Michigan Wine
Chef Jean Joho joins me for a conversation that spans his early life in Alsace, his classical training, his rise in Chicago, and his long relationship with…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 162: Sam Smiertka – Blue Dot
Steve first shares a short collage of voices from a successful Michigan wine dinner at Wildfire in Chicago. Then in this episode, Steve talks with Sam Smiertka…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 161: Emmy Sue Neighbors - Building Forsu
Emmy Sue Neighbors joins the podcast to share the story behind Forsu, her Michigan‑born project shaped by organics, community, and personal meaning. She began…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 160: Mimmo Musumeci – Ca’ Musu
In this episode, I sit down with Mimmo Musumeci of Ca’ Musu, a vineyard‑driven project in Hart, Michigan. Mimmo and Elise run a small, focused winery built on…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 159: Chris Baldyga - 2Lads
Chris Baldyga joins the podcast for a conversation about his path from early exposure at Chateau Grand Traverse to founding and leading 2Lads. He shares how…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 158: John Braganini - PA232 & St. Julian Update
In this episode, Steve talks with John Braganini about PA 232, the Michigan Agricultural Commodities Marketing Act that now serves as the framework for a…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 157: Christine McAfee – Oceana Winery and Vineyard
In this episode, I sit down with Christine McAfee, owner of Oceana Winery and Vineyard. Christine brings twenty years of experience from the Finger Lakes…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 156: Sue Chilton – Shiny Quarter Vineyard
In this episode, I sit down with Sue Chilton of Shiny Quarter Vineyard. We recorded in early June, and Sue walks through her approach to biodynamic light…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 155: Barry O'Brien - O'Brien Vineyards
Barry O’Brien moved back to Michigan after years in New York and bought his Old Mission land in 1999. He started as an importer, then took over the vineyard…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 154: Lauren Kniebes – Marketing with Labels
In this episode, I sit down with Lauren Kniebes for a lively conversation about marketing, labels, tasting room experiences, glassware, and the creative…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 153: Sean O’Keefe – Soil to Soul Origins
Sean O’Keefe joins me for the final episode in our five-part series on pioneers and trailblazers in Michigan wine. We explore the origins of vinifera in…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 152: Leonard Olson – A Michigan Legacy
In this episode I sit with Gunnar Olson, owner of Baroda Founders Winecellar, to reflect on the legacy of his father, Leonard Olson. Leonard helped launch…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 151: Maxx Eichberg – Soil and Soul
Episode 151 features Maxx Eichberg in the third installment of our five-part series on pioneers and trailblazers. Maxx returns to talk about regenerative…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 150: Tony Peterson – Contessa Winecellars
This episode continues our five-part series on pioneers and trailblazers in Michigan wine. Tony Peterson of Contessa Winecellars shares the story behind his…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 149: Doug Welch, Fenn Valley Vineyards
Episode 149 features Doug Welch, owner and cofounder of Fenn Valley Vineyards and a pioneer of the Lake Michigan Shore. Doug shares the story of building Fenn…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 148: Dan Nitz – Frozen Gold Harvest
Episode 148 closes out our five-part miniseries on Michigan varieties with grower and winemaker Dan Nitz. Dan manages hundreds of acres of vineyards and…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 147: Matt Killman – Cool Climate Excellence
Matt Killman returns for the fourth episode in our miniseries on Michigan varieties. We explore cool climate grapes that thrive in Michigan, especially those…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 146: Maxx Eichberg – Pinot Noir Pure Michigan
Maxx Eichberg returns for the third episode in our miniseries on Michigan varieties. Today we focus on Pinot Noir, recorded in July 2025, with a detailed look…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 145: Andrew Backlin – Sauvignon Blanc Focus
Andrew Backlin returns for the second episode in our miniseries on Michigan varieties. Today we focus on Sauvignon Blanc, recorded in June in the old tasting…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 144: Amy Birk – Cabernet Franc Focus
Amy Birk returns as we launch a new five-part miniseries focused on Michigan varieties. In this episode we explore Cabernet Franc. Recorded in June 2025, this…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 143: Tom Knighton – Michigan's Red Wine Story
Episode 143 features Tom Knighton of Blustone Vineyards in the final episode of our three part series on Michigan Red Wine. We recorded this last July and dive…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 142: Andrew Backlin – Michigan's Red Wine Story
Andrew Backlin, Head Winemaker and Proprietor at Modales, joins me in the original Modales tasting room for a conversation about Michigan's Red Wine Story. We…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 141: Amy Birk - Michigan’s Red Wine Story
Amy Birk, co-owner and winemaker at Domaine Berrien Cellars in Berrien Springs, joins the podcast to talk about Michigan’s red wine story. We explore why red…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 140: Mike de Schaaf - Ripen and Reap
In this final episode of our four-part series on vineyard care through the seasons, I sit down once again with Mike de Schaaf, Farm Manager at MSU Extension in…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 139: Mike de Schaaf - Vines in Motion
Episode 139 features Mike de Schaaf, Farm Manager at MSU Extension in Benton Harbor. This is the third of four conversations covering vineyard care through the…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 138: Mike de Schaaf - Buds and Beginnings
Episode 138 features Mike de Schaaf, Farm Manager at MSU Extension in Benton Harbor. This is the second of a four-part series focused on vineyard care for each…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 137: Mike de Schaaf & Winter: Rest and Restoration
Episode 137 features Mike de Schaaf, Farm Manager at MSU Extension in Benton Harbor, joining me for the first installment of a four part series on vineyard…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 136: Ben Guerrin - Vineyard Pulse
This episode features a summer conversation with Ben Guerrin, recorded during his time as Vineyard Manager at Modales. We explore organic certification, the…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 135: Steve Salisbury – Legacy
Many listeners have asked me to share my story, and this episode brings it forward. I also explain what is ahead while my wife and I travel abroad. I have…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 134: Tim Godfrey - The Bad and the Ugly
In this episode, I sit down once again with Tim Godfrey, now serving as Program Director for Agriculture, Culinary Management, and Wine and Viticulture at Lake…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 133: Folklor – Heritage in the Glass
Join me for Episode 133 as I visit with Folklor, a remarkable farm and winery in Charlevoix owned by Izabela Babinska and Derrick Vogel. I walked the farm with…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 132: Tony Jacobson - Loose Cannon
In this episode, Tony Jacobson walks through his journey from Sleepy Creek in Illinois, to ten years in Traverse City, to his work with Mawby, and finally to…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 131: Chalet Sturgeon - Pouring Premium
Episode 131 features Chalet Sturgeon in Pouring Premium. We explore the February event with Domaine Berrien and Watermark Brewing, and highlight the Local Pour…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 130: Kristy McClellan – Michigan Wine Advocate
Episode 130 features Kristy McClellan, a true Michigan Wine Advocate. From her early start at Brittany's Oyster Bar in Charlevoix to her years at Argonne…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 129: Up North - Northern Expressions
This episode takes you inside Up North, a wine tasting room in Geneva, Illinois, dedicated to showcasing northern Michigan wines. We feature 14 remarkable…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 128: Chaz Judy - Petoskey Farms
From Missouri roots to Michigan vineyards, Chaz Judy brings a unique perspective shaped by culinary school, a strong sense of smell, and years of experience at…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 127: Ellie Mullins – P+E Bottle Shop
Episode 127 features Ellie Mullins from P&E Bottle Shop. We explore the story behind the shop, the arrival of Peony Pinot Noir, and how Michigan wine continues…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 126: Lyn Archer – Michigan Sparkle
Lyn M. (L.M.) Archer shares her discoveries in Leelanau Peninsula and Old Mission Peninsula, her Substack dedicated to bubbles, and her focus on sustainability…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 125: Sustainable Wine with WaterFire
In this episode, I sit down with Olivia Anguilm and Nick Allen of WaterFire, longtime friends who found themselves running a winery almost by surprise. Nick’s…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 124: Winnie Guerra – Sustainability Consultant
In Episode 124 of If Vines Could Talk, we sit down with sustainability consultant Winnie Guerra to explore the roots and realities of organic winegrowing. From…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 123: Bob Utter – Cold Hardy Craft
Bob Utter of Flying Otter Vineyard joins us to talk about growing grapes in Southeast Michigan. With an engineering background and a deep dive into…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 122: Michael Wells – Black Fire
In Episode 122, we sit down with Michael Wells of Black Fire Winery, located near Tecumseh in Southeast Michigan. Michael is Michigan’s first Black winemaker…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 121: Lauren Burns – Tending Tilth
In Episode 121, we meet Lauren Burns of Tending Tilth, a contract grazier restoring prairie and grasslands across Southwest Michigan. Lauren shares her…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 120: Anna Rafalski – Granor Spirit
Anna Rafalski of Granor Farm joins us to talk about Granor Farm, a bold new venture in Michigan’s beverage scene. As General Manager and Beverage Director…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 119: Old Shore Pinot Noir
In Episode 119, Lauren Kniebes joins to explore three standout Pinot Noirs from Dreihart, Poetson and Stranger Wine Co. The conversation highlights Old Shore…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 118: Drew Perry – Simpson Family Estates
Drew Perry of Simpson Family Estates shares his disciplined approach to vinifera-only winemaking across Aurora Cellars and Good Harbor Vineyards. We discuss…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 117: Matt Killman – Quiet Craft at Walloon
Today we talk with Matt Killman of Walloon Lake Winery. Known for his deep understanding of hybrid grapes and terroir, Matt shares insights into his winemaking…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 116: Gottfried Hart – A Life in the Vines
Gottfried Hart of Dreihart Winery is a winemaker whose legacy spans Michigan and Germany. From his family’s vineyards in Eibelstadt to his new tasting room in…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 115: Sean O'Keefe – Winemaker Extraordinaire
In this episode, I sit down with Sean O'Keefe, former winemaker at Mari Vineyards, to explore his approach to winemaking and the stories behind the blends…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 114: Paula Camp - Jacques Pépin Legacy
In this episode, we reconnect with Paula Camp, first featured in episode 56, as she prepares for the sold-out Jacques Pépin Foundation Benefit Dinner on…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 113: Taylor Simpson – New Stewardship at MBTB
Taylor Simpson shares a major update. She and her brother Sam are now partners with others in Michigan by the Bottle, expanding her leadership across Good…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 112: Bryan Ulbrich – Growers First, Always
Bryan Ulbrich, owner and winemaker at Left Foot Charley, joins us to share his journey from history and law to pioneering Northern Michigan’s first urban…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 111: Mike & Craig: From Soil to Glass
In this premier episode featuring home winemakers and grape growers, we meet Mike and Craig, two friends who are making remarkable wines off the radar. With…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 110: Decanting – Stories in Pouring
In Episode 110, we take you through a decanting journey using a Hickory Creek 2021 Merlot Carmenere tasted at zero, 30, 75, 120, and 180 minutes. The evolution…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 109: Mike Laing – Between Bubbles and Brothers
Mike Laing didn’t set out to lead one of Michigan’s most iconic sparkling wine houses, but the vineyard his parents planted in Lake Leelanau in 2002 quietly…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 108: Free Run Cellars – Under New Owners
Episode 108 features an in-depth conversation with the new owners of Free Run Cellars, Tricia Slevin and Prashanth Pais. Drawing inspiration from the Sanskrit…
If Vines Could TalkEpisode 107: Joe Herman – Back in the Vineyard
Joe Herman, longtime steward of Karma Vista Vineyards, is back on the show. Since selling the property, Joe has embraced a more relaxed pace while diving into…