Wine Interview: Katie Madigan Winemaker at St. Frances Winery | Making Great Wine at Great Scale

This week, a behind-the-scenes look at how great Sonoma wine actually gets made. Katie Madigan of St. Francis Winery shares how she went from chemistry student to winemaker, why sustainability is more than farming, and how to keep soul and quality in wines priced around $15–$18.Katie breaks down St. Francis Winery’s approach to balance, aromatics, and vintage expression, plus what it takes to produce accessible wines at scale without losing identity.We taste and discuss:• 2023 Sonoma County Chardonnay – St. Francis Winery – Sonoma County – $15–$18 – 14% ABV• 2023 Old Vine Zinfandel – St. Francis Winery – Sonoma County – $15–$18If you care about sustainability, value-driven California wine, or how winemakers think during harvest, this one’s for you.Subscribe for weekly wine conversations.Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!Buy us a glass!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/cheers3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠⁠Chapters00:00 – Welcome and Introducing Katie Madigan02:02 – From Chemistry to Winemaking03:14 – UC Davis Enology Program04:34 – Early Days at St. Francis08:28 – Sustainability at St. Francis Winery12:19 – How Katie Knows a Wine Is Ready14:16 – Aromatics, Texture, and Wine Accessibility18:32 – Making Quality Wine at Scale20:11 – Todays Wine20:13 – 2023 Sonoma County Chardonnay26:52 –2023 Old Vine Zinfandel36:01 – Review and Final Thoughts