Grapes of Glory: Exploring Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards

Send us FAN MAIL text, include your cell# for a replySupport the showThis episode of 'Open Forum in The Villages, Florida' podcast, hosted by Mike Roth, features an in-depth conversation with Christian Slupe from the Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards. The episode begins with Mike’s introduction to the podcast, emphasizing its mission to highlight community leaders and interesting residents in The Villages. The show is listener-supported and encourages monthly donations or purchases through Amazon to fund the program. Christian Slupe shares his personal background and details the history and growth of the Lakeridge Winery, starting from his grandfather's initial five-acre vineyard to becoming Florida’s largest winery. He mentions the winery's relocation to Claremont due to better market opportunities and the investment in 127 acres of land there. Christian elaborates on the agricultural and winemaking processes, daily operations, and the significance of their muscadine grape varieties. The episode also highlights upcoming events, including harvest festivals, grape stomping activities, and an innovative drone show. Additionally, Christian touches on new initiatives like the introduction of a Sauvignon Blanc wine and the winery’s conservation efforts. The episode concludes with promotion for future episodes and a brief Alzheimer's tip by Dr. Craig Curtis.00:00 Welcome to the Open Forum Podcast00:57 Supporting the Podcast: How You Can Help02:04 Meet Christian Slupe: A Family Legacy in Winemaking02:48 The Growth and Evolution of Lakeridge Winery06:35 A Day at the Winery: Tours, Tastings, and Harvesting12:04 Winery Operations: From Harvest to Bottle13:12 Expanding the Winery's Reach: Distribution and Shipping16:06 Upcoming Events and Innovations at the Winery26:37 Conservation Efforts and Sustainable Practices28:00 Closing Remarks and Future EpisodesVillages Vitality Listeners, I've got some good news for you. In season 8 most new episodes will released as both audio & video versions. Videos on Apple Podcasts, Busssprout.com and YouTube. If you're listening via our Buzzsprout feed, you can ask questions via the Fan Mail button or leave me comments as a text or in our new feature, you can send it as a voicemail. If you'd like a response, make sure you leave your name, email address and cell phone number.Support the showVillages Vitality Senior Life Unscripted is Produced & Directed by Mike RothA new episode will be released most Fridays at 9 AMDirect all questions and comments to [email protected] you know a someone who should appear on the show, please contact us at:  [email protected]