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.

We also tried several wines on the episode, including a 2025 Sauvignon Blanc from Modales and a Pét-Nat from Loose Cannon, a new winery in Traverse City. We also popped a bottle of Blanc de Blanc provided by our friends at Laffort.

The "this won't pour" segment gave a shout-out to a couple podcasts as well as some discussion of the downhill spiral of the Costco diapers. Needless to say, it was a wide ranging conversation!

• Acquired
  • Trader Joe's Episode
  • Costco Episode
• Gastropod

Have questions you would like to submit for an upcoming Episode? Contact us today!

Sponsors

• Fenn Valley Vineyards, Inc
• Carrier Signal
• Interested in being a sponsor? Click here.

Show Links

• https://craftpourdecisions.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/craftpourdecisions
• https://www.instagram.com/craftpourdecisions/

Music is provided by Domestic Problems.

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.

During this episode we refer back to our rose episode when talking about methods of rose production. We also discussed the recent rainfall. We have a weather station on the farm you can check out at https://www.fennvalley.com/current-weather-data/.

Kai Lesperance, Brian's son, also makes a guest appearance!

Note: this episode is audio only. We will provide video when it adds value, but given the time craziness of harvest, we will prioritize getting content out over polished production.

Have questions you would like to submit for an upcoming Episode? Contact us today!

Sponsors

• Fenn Valley Vineyards, Inc
• Carrier Signal
• Interested in being a sponsor? Click here.

Show Links

• https://craftpourdecisions.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/craftpourdecisions
• https://www.instagram.com/craftpourdecisions/

Music is provided by Domestic Problems.

Harvest continues! 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 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.

We reference Andrew Backlin's episode a fair bit. Check it out here.

Note: this episode is audio only. We will provide video when it adds value, but given the time craziness of harvest, we will prioritize getting content out over polished production.

Have questions you would like to submit for an upcoming Episode? Contact us today!

Sponsors

• Fenn Valley Vineyards, Inc
• Carrier Signal
• Interested in being a sponsor? Click here.

Show Links

• https://craftpourdecisions.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/craftpourdecisions
• https://www.instagram.com/craftpourdecisions/

Music is provided by Domestic Problems.

Harvest continues! During the harvest season we will provide periodic (~weekly) updates on how things are going in Fennville as the fruit comes in.

This short episode also goes over a little history and use of the Riesling grape, originally used for winemaking in the 15th century! We discuss how this famous grape is among the most versatile in the wine world, being used for everything from dry sparkling wine to true late harvests.

Note: this episode is audio only. We will provide video when it adds value, but given the time craziness of harvest, we will prioritize getting content out over polished production.

Have questions you would like to submit for an upcoming Episode? Contact us today!

Sponsors

• Fenn Valley Vineyards, Inc
• Carrier Signal
• Interested in being a sponsor? Click here.

Show Links

• https://craftpourdecisions.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/craftpourdecisions
• https://www.instagram.com/craftpourdecisions/

Music is provided by Domestic Problems.

Harvest continues! During the harvest season we will provide periodic (~weekly) updates on how things are going in Fennville as the fruit comes in.

We also go through a little history on the Cayuga White grape, the first hybrid wine grape released by Cornell University in 1972. We wrap the episode with an overview of the different methods of harvest and the rationale behind hand versus machine picking.

Note: this episode is audio only. We will provide video when it adds value, but given the time craziness of harvest, we will prioritize getting content out over polished production.

Have questions you would like to submit for an upcoming Episode? Contact us today!

Sponsors

• Fenn Valley Vineyards, Inc
• Carrier Signal
• Interested in being a sponsor? Click here.

Show Links

• https://craftpourdecisions.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/craftpourdecisions
• https://www.instagram.com/craftpourdecisions/

Music is provided by Domestic Problems.

Harvest has started! We are going to try something new for the harvest season and provide a periodic (~weekly) update on how things are going in Fennville as the fruit comes in.

We also go through a little history on the Chardonnay grape, one of the most popular varieties grown around the world. And we wrap the episode with an overview of what goes into deciding when to harvest each block.

Note: this episode is audio only. We will provide video when it adds value, but given the time craziness of harvest, we will prioritize getting content out over polished production.

Have questions you would like to submit for an upcoming Episode? Contact us today!

Links to Topics Discussed

• Judgement of Paris
• AMA #3 - Sparkling Wine

Sponsors

• Fenn Valley Vineyards, Inc
• Carrier Signal
• Interested in being a sponsor? Click here.

Show Links

• https://craftpourdecisions.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/craftpourdecisions
• https://www.instagram.com/craftpourdecisions/

Music is provided by Domestic Problems.

In this episode we talk to Matthew Jannette, Head of Winemaking at Fenn Valley Vineyards. Matt and Brian literally sit next to each other at work, so needless to say they dove right into a myriad of topics.

Like many episodes, we start by going through Matt's journey through the craft beverage world - which included stops at some of the worlds' largest and smallest wineries. He also spent time selling wine which gives him a lot of street credibility when it comes to consumer preferences.

As evidenced by the crazy number of links below, this episode was all over the place, which really highlights the breadth of Matt's passions. We fully expect Matt to be a frequent visitor as we look to explore various topics. As a 10+ year veteran of the Michigan wine industry, he is a wealth of knowledge based on real world experience.

Links to Topics Covered

• https://www.plummarket.com/
• https://domainedesmathurins.com/
• https://www.bnektar.com/
• https://nordesgin.com/en/nordes-en/
• https://fever-tree.com/en_US/products/premium-indian-tonic-water
• https://www.picturethisai.com/
• https://www.kitchenaid.com/countertop-appliances/stand-mixers/attachments/p.metal-food-grinder-attachment.KSMMGA.html

Sponsors

• Fenn Valley Vineyards, Inc
• Carrier Signal
• Interested in being a sponsor? Click here.

Show Links

• https://craftpourdecisions.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/craftpourdecisions
• https://www.instagram.com/craftpourdecisions/

Please note: Transcription is done automatically and may not be accurate.

Music is provided by Domestic Problems.

In this Ask Me Anything (AMA) episode we dive into the different ways sparkling wine can be produced. We cover the three main methods, Méthode Champenoise, Charmat Method, and Carbonation Method in detail. We also touch on a couple others, such as Pét-Nat.

Pour Decisions approaches the topic from two points of view. First, we try to highlight the considerations of each method, including time, equipment, and winemaking strategy. And second, we illustrate how the techniques translate into differences in the finished product. This is a great episode for producers and consumers alike.

Have questions you would like to submit for an upcoming AMA? Contact us today!

Sponsors

• Fenn Valley Vineyards, Inc
• Carrier Signal
• Interested in being a sponsor? Click here.

Show Links

• https://craftpourdecisions.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/craftpourdecisions
• https://www.instagram.com/craftpourdecisions/

Music is provided by Domestic Problems.