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

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 Bar00:34 Meet Celia Mendez: From Canary Islands to Toronto01:45 Celia's Childhood in the Canary Islands06:19 The Unique Wines of the Canary Islands13:12 Celia's Journey in the Wine Industry24:13 Opening Canary Counter: A Dream Realized25:34 Pursuing the Dream of a Portfolio Manager26:20 Writing the Business Plan27:27 Facing Financial Setbacks29:34 Opening Canary Counter30:01 Curating Unique Wine Selections33:26 Community Engagement and Market Research37:04 Lessons from Bossanova46:20 The Future of Canary Counter52:05 Final Thoughts and Podcast Conclusion🙌 Enjoyed the episode?Follow, rate, and review Tasting Notes Toronto on your favorite podcast platform — it really helps others discover the show. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.Champagne: Cork Pop and Pour by ultradust -- https://freesound.org/s/166923/ -- License: Attribution 4.0