Quitting Toronto to Build a Niagara Vineyard from Scratch — Corey Mio of Mio Vineyard
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41:24
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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?
In 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.
We 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.
We 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.
Whether 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.
Timestamps
Quitting Toronto to Build a Niagara Vineyard from Scratch — Corey Mio of Mio Vineyard
03:56 – Finding the Farm and Building Mio Vineyard 07:58 – Why Great Vineyards Take Decades 10:06 – The Business of Farming, Selling Grapes & Sempre Mio 12:19 – Farming Philosophy and Vine Longevity 14:25 – The Chardonnay Obsession: Varieties, Clones & Quality 20:07 – The Story Behind the Tantalus Mio Vineyard Chardonnay 23:01 – The VQA Fight and Ontario Wine Regulations 25:59 – Building Sempre Mio Wines 28:29 – Niagara's Potential and Challenges 31:09 – What's Holding Ontario Wine Back? 37:19 – Niagara Recommendations & Where to Find Sempre Mio 41:02 – Final Thoughts
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Episode 20
