A Winemaker’s Untamed Journey
Written by Taylor Devoe
Hear the inspiring process from the passionate founder and winemaker of Maenad Wine Co.
We recently had the chance to interview founder of Maenad Wine Co, Yvonne Irvine, on her journey to become a winemaker. Maenad Wine Co was created from a passion for winemaking and an entrepreneurial spirit, anchored by their mantra Wines and women, untamed. Maenad Wine is a celebration of wine and women, unfined and unfiltered. The name comes from the Maenads of Greek mythology. The Maenads were said to be the women who followed Dionysus, the Greek God of wine, full of veracious energy.
In our interview with Yvonne, you will learn about the wine making process, how flavour profiles are born and natural sparkling wines.
We even have a special discount waiting for you!
The name Maenad has ancient roots.
Female followers of Dionysus the Greek God of Wine (and some other fun things), the Maenads were known to partake in some wine and break into ecstatic dance as part of their rituals.
Turns out our winemaker has been following parts of the Maenad lifestyle realizing it had roots in distant past.
We obviously aren’t living in the 3rd century BC and there aren’t a lot of “followers” of Dionysus among us these days.
What we do take away from the Maenads is a lifestyle that celebrates women and wine. A celebration of all Women everywhere.
BTN: Can you share your process on your creations? How do you pick and bring together these unique flavours? I noticed that one of your wines has notes of bubble gum - was that intended?
YVONNE: This is a great question because I often hear things like “oh, I can’t drink that wine because I’m allergic to cherries” (for example). It’s important to know that those ingredients aren’t in the wine, just the aroma and flavour that reminds you of a cherry. My approach to winemaking is that less intervention is better, so I like to leave things natural.
As for flavours in a wine, that really isn’t up to me. When you see flavour and aroma descriptors for a wine, those are all what naturally comes out from the fermentation process. The variety of grape and yeast used would also influence those flavours. The flavour molecules are all present in the juice and skins of the grape and get released into the wine throughout its fermentation and evolution. Things like oak fermentation and ageing can also contribute flavour. There are certain flavours that you would expect from specific varieties as well.
Yvonne had been following the Maenad playbook all along, without even realizing it.
After stumbling across the history of these fierce, wild, wine drinking women one night, the notion of creating not just a brand or a winery, but a lifestyle began to take shape. Her wines will reflect both the spirit of the Maenads and her determination to create fun, well made interesting bottles to be enjoyed with laughter and exuberance.
BTN: Do you have a message for shoppers when it comes to buying and trying wine? Something they maybe haven’t considered, or something that often gets overlooked?
YVONNE:
Don’t be afraid to try something new! It’s the best way to further dive into the world of wine. Don’t write off one type of wine because you had one once and didn’t like it. I hear people say that a lot about Chardonnay. The truth is that there’s so many different styles of one grape and there may be a different one that you like.
I always encourage people to try Canadian wines. Not only are they fantastic but it also supports our own economy.
Sparkling wine is not just for special occasions! Everyone should be drinking that more often.
I think all winemakers want the general consumers to be less intimidated by wine. Ultimately, we just want you to enjoy it, and you don’t need to be super knowledgeable to do that. Consider ordering wines online, especially when it comes to Canadian products. We buy everything else online so why not wine? Split an order with some friends to save on shipping. The LCBO is great but most of the really cool wines of Niagara are only sold at the winery itself. That’s where you’ll find some of the greatest wines and hidden gems.
Come visit wine country! It’s the best way to understand wines, explore, ask questions and just have fun. If you have questions or are unsure about something or what to buy, ask questions. Wineries are more than happy to make suggestions or explain things further.
BTN: What is your opinion on Canadian winemaking and the overall industry here? Is there anything that is unique to Canadian wine or winemaking that a casual drinker may not know?
YVONNE: Canadian wines are so underappreciated by our own citizens and there’s a lot of misconceptions. Many people believe we can’t make red wine well here. The reality is that there are a multitude of great red wines to be had from Canada. Niagara in particular has some great Pinot Noir, Gamay, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc just to name a few. The other part is the cost. I hear a lot of complaints about the cost of Canadian wines, so let’s discuss that. Taxation on alcohol products is huge here in Canada. We are not a free market here and every wine sale, no matter where it’s sold from, goes through the LCBO in some way. The industry here is not subsidized by the government as it is in some other countries and labour in Canada is also more expensive than other countries. That said, I think as a society we should value the quality of food and wine that we consume and see its value. I certainly realize that spending more on those things is a privilege (especially right now) but if you can, you can find some amazing gems for just a little bit more cost. Or maybe the mindset of quality over quantity which I’m definitely seeing. With the rise in people drinking less alcohol, some people are buying better bottles but less quantity overall. There’s of course still some great wines sold at a lower price point too, so just keep exploring and see what you like.
BTN: Is there anything else you want to share with the audience?
YVONNE: I am really passionate about supporting women and helping women get further and find their happiness. The Maenads were such a powerful, inspiring and true to themselves group of women. I live by our tagline - “Wines and women, untamed.” I hope you do too!
Thirsty? Check out Maenad Wines today.
https://www.maenadwines.com - DISCOUNT CODE: BYTHENORTH