{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Tasting Notes Toronto by Insider Wine","title":"Quitting Toronto to Build a Niagara Vineyard from Scratch — Corey Mio of Mio Vineyard","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2484,"description":"What happens when you leave Toronto, buy a neglected 17-acre farm in Niagara wine country, and plant a vineyard — with no formal training in viticulture or winemaking?\n\nIn this episode, I sit down with Corey Mio of Mio Vineyard and Sempre Mio Wines to talk about building a vineyard from scratch, learning to farm on the fly, and why he believes great wine starts long before the grapes reach the winery.\n\nWe discuss the realities of growing grapes in one of the world's most challenging wine regions, Corey’s obsession with Chardonnay clones, why he identifies as a farmer first and winemaker second, and the realities of building a vineyard business in Ontario, including selling grapes to established wineries while gradually growing their own label, Sempre Mio Wines.\n\nWe also dive into the future of Ontario wine, the pressures facing Niagara growers, the challenges of regulation and development, and why Corey believes supporting local wine requires more than just talking about it.\n\nWhether you're a wine lover, aspiring farmer, or someone dreaming about building a life around something meaningful, this conversation offers a fascinating look at what it takes to turn a vineyard dream into reality.\nTimestamps\nQuitting Toronto to Build a Niagara Vineyard from Scratch — Corey Mio of Mio Vineyard \n\n00:00 – He Bought a Vineyard With No Experience\n01:45 – Why Niagara Changed Everything\n03:56 – Finding the Farm and Building Mio Vineyard\n07:58 – Why Great Vineyards Take Decades\n 10:06 – The Business of Farming, Selling Grapes & Sempre Mio\n 12:19 – Farming Philosophy and Vine Longevity\n 14:25 – The Chardonnay Obsession: Varieties, Clones & Quality\n 20:07 – The Story Behind the Tantalus Mio Vineyard Chardonnay\n 23:01 – The VQA Fight and Ontario Wine Regulations\n 25:59 – Building Sempre Mio Wines\n 28:29 – Niagara's Potential and Challenges\n 31:09 – What's Holding Ontario Wine Back?\n 37:19 – Niagara Recommendations & Where to Find Sempre Mio\n 41:02 – Final Thoughts\n\n🙌 Enjoyed the...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/qu6sl5IgAAe55ng9ARpyYSW-PPfIZ_6b8pSn9asQ7QY/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS81ZTNh/NGU4YjQ5YmQ5ODk4/NTdiOGYwNGZhNDM1/ZjZmZi5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}