In this episode, I sit down with Celia Mendez, founder of Toronto's newest wine bar and bottle shop, Canary Counter. Celia shares her journey into the world of wine — from growing up in a small mountain village in Tenerife, surrounded by her family’s vineyards, to studying and working across Barcelona, Bordeaux, Austria, and Burgundy. We explore the volcanic landscapes and unique grape varieties of the Canaries, her family’s winemaking traditions, and how those roots inspired the opening of her new wine shop, Canary Counter, on Harbord Street. Celia reflects on choosing wines that express their landscape, heritage, and makers, and on building a space that brings her community together through discovery. This episode is a deep dive into volcanic wines, place-driven winemaking, and the passion behind one of Toronto’s most exciting new wine bars.

Celia Méndez — From Tenerife to Canary Counter, Toronto’s Newest Wine Bar

00:34 Meet Celia Mendez: From Canary Islands to Toronto

01:45 Celia's Childhood in the Canary Islands

06:19 The Unique Wines of the Canary Islands

13:12 Celia's Journey in the Wine Industry

24:13 Opening Canary Counter: A Dream Realized

25:34 Pursuing the Dream of a Portfolio Manager

26:20 Writing the Business Plan

27:27 Facing Financial Setbacks

29:34 Opening Canary Counter

30:01 Curating Unique Wine Selections

33:26 Community Engagement and Market Research

37:04 Lessons from Bossanova

46:20 The Future of Canary Counter

52:05 Final Thoughts and Podcast Conclusion

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Champagne: Cork Pop and Pour by ultradust -- https://freesound.org/s/166923/ -- License: Attribution 4.0