Podcast Episodes

In this special episode we explore the origin of Muscat…O, a new wine produced by Fenn Valley modeled after the famous Italian dessert wine Moscato d’Asti. The product was the vision of Matthew Jannette, who joins us to tell the story.

In the first episode of 2026 we interview one of the most experienced sparkling wine experts around. Tony Jacobson is the Principal Consultant at EnoCraft and Founder of Loose Cannon Wines in Traverse City, Michigan. We cover some of the challenges and opportunities available in the sparkling category, including not being afraid of acidity. We also delve into how different production techniques offer very different approaches to wine with carbonation. And we wrap with the backstory on Loose Cannon, a boutique winery committed to local fruit.

With the fog of harvest lifting, Matthew Jannette and Andrew Backlin reflect on the growing year. We go from bud break through harvest discussing how the slow start evolved into one of the driest seasons on record. They talked about what they are most looking forward to in terms of upcoming wines as well as some lessons learned.

Harvest is rapidly wrapping up! During the harvest season we will provide periodic (~weekly) updates on how things are going in Fennville as the fruit comes in. In this episode we cover a brief history of Traminette, a hybrid grape developed in the 1960’s and brought to market by Cornell University in 1996. Traminette has a very famous parent, Gewurtztraminer, that contributes to its spicy, floral flavors—notes of lychee, rose, and white pepper—without the parent’s susceptibility to cold and disease. Kai Lesperance, Brian’s son, also makes a guest appearance!

In this episode we cover a brief history of Sauvignon Blanc, a sometimes misunderstood grape with a very long history. We delve into how Sauvignon Blanc can present itself very differently based on ripeness and its lineage as a parent of another famous wine grape.