Episodes
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Jasmine Hirsch of the Incomparable Hirsch Vineyards
Imagine owning a vineyard that is considered one of the very best in the U.S. How would you feel if it were chosen as one of the Top 30 vineyards in the world!? Within the last year, that remarkable honor was bestowed upon Hirsch Vineyards. Perched high above the Sonoma Coast, Hirsch is defined…
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Korbel Champagne Cellars - Classic
This interview at Korbel Champagne Cellars dates back to September of 2021. We were just easing out of the pandemic, so to play it safe, I had the pleasure of joining owner, president, and chairman Gary Heck poolside. Yes, there is a swimming pool off the guest house at the winery. It was a...
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Phillip Titus on His Napa Legacy and Crafting Acumen Wine
Phillip Titus is a likeable winemaker whose exuberance is youthful, yet he has been in the business for a long time. As you'll hear, he's had a stellar career and recently added Acumen Napa Valley to his list of respected wineries. He helped plant his father's vineyard as a young teenager…
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Cowhorn Vineyard & Garden, Southern Oregon
Why take the 6 hour and 40 minute drive to the Applegate Region in Southern Oregon? I had to see what 29 year old Mini Byers has acquired. Cowhorn Bioynamic Vineyard and Garden is a Petal-certified Building under the Living Building Challenge 2.1 by the International Living Future Institute. The...
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Jordan Vineyard and Winery - Classic
I am reaching back to 2019 for this podcast. In case you missed it, you may want to hear this story as Jordan Vineyard and Winery is one of Sonoma County's most stunning wineries, fashioned after a French chateau. It stands boldly yet gracefully among the sweeping lawn, beautifully manicured…
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The Cider King Speaks - Jeffrey House on Returning to ACE
This podcast was spawned by the new book from Ace Cider founder and former owner Jeffrey House, The Cider King, How I Ace'd It! The book was Jeffrey's project after selling his beloved brand in 2021. All kinds of unexpected developments occurred following the book's release. Of The Cider King…
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National Women in Wine Day
I'm going to start this Women In Wine Day post by recognizing the founders of National Women in Wine Day, Yolanda Papapietro and Renae Perry. You can read more about Women in Wine Day and nominate a woman in the wine industry for recognition at Women In Wine Day.com. You may realize a number of…
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The Top Value Wine of 2024
For this podcast, I sat down with Andy Robinson from Seghesio Family Vineyards. I recently learned that Wine Spectator named Seghesio's 2022 Sonoma County Zinfandel the Top Value Wine of 2024—an incredible achievement, especially considering the global competition in the Top 10. Producing...
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The iconic Silver Oak Winery
In the fall of 2023, I recorded this interview as an oral history video for the Napa Valley Wine Library Association. I didn't get it completed until early summer of last year. It's about time I post it as a podcast! It was a real pleasure to get to know David Duncan, co-owner and CEO of Silver…
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Coursey Graves Estate Winery's Matt Casalenuovo
Nestled at 1,500 feet atop Bennett Mountain, overlooking Bennett Valley, Coursey Graves Estate Winery boasts some of the most breathtaking views in Sonoma County—I can vouch for it, having had the pleasure of working there for the past year. (This explains why I've been behind on updating this...
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J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines "50 Years, States & Ways of Giving"
In this episode you'll meet Jerry Lohr, the founder of J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines. They're a major player. The brand is found in nearly every grocery and liquor store across the country. J. Lohr produces 1.7 million cases annually and is 20th on the list of the largest U.S. wine companies. The...
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Never Before, Never AgaIn Wines
In this episode I celebrate this year's Sonoma County Barrel Auction. The theme for the weekend is Never Before, Never Again wines. On May 2nd I was invited to the Tasting Preview event attended by trade, media guests, partners, and participating vintners. This year's auction was the 10th...
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Vranken-Pommery Champagne and Rosé-Replay
For today's episode, I'm reaching back to August of 2020. Clément Pierlot is the chef de cave (winemaker) of historic Champagne Pommery in France. I found it interesting that the Champagne house known for creating the Brut style of bubbly is now making a sparkling wine from California grapes. It...
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Patrick Davis, SIP - Songwriters in Paradise 2024
Patrick Davis is returning to Northern California for SIP - Songwriters in Paradise 2024. You may have caught him on my podcast last year, and it's a real pleasure to catch up with him again to chat about Songwriters in Paradise 2024 in Napa, very soon April 18th-21st, then Healdsburg, Sonoma...
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National Women in Wine Day - Marimar Torres of Marimar Estates
This month we celebrated Women's History, International Women's Day was March 8th, and this past Monday, the 25th, it was National Women in Wine Day in the U.S. So, appropriately, my guest for this episode is an accomplished woman in wine, who also happens to be an international woman. Marimar...
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Delving Deep into Details with Joe Nielsen of Ram's Gate Winery
In my 11 years in and around the wine industry, people have often asked me about barrels, yet related to the surface details, like whether a winery uses French oak, or 100% new oak, how many months does the wine age in oak, etcetera. Well, there are so many other details involved with barrel...
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The Avant-Garde Aviana Wines
This brand is what you get when you combine the 4th generation of a historic wine brand (Charles Krug Winery, first established in 1862), with an off-shoot winery that is predominantly owned by women who exhibit the courage and grace of the family's immigrant matriarch (C Mondavi & Family), and a...
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Null Wines, A New Take on N/A Wine Varietals
As we find ourselves in the period of holiday parties you may be considering how much alcohol you're consuming. We're also approaching a month that can be referred to as Dry January, which is supported by an international campaign that promotes a self-imposed break from alcohol. Does that mean…
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The Magical Bhutan Wine Company (Classic)
This Classic episode was recorded in September of 2021 for my radio show, then uploaded as a podcast a year later. If you missed it the first time around, I know you'll enjoy it this time. The Kingdom of Bhutan has been referred to as "magical" for quite some time. So I suppose it should come as…
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Jennifer Brown of BACA
In this episode you'll meet Jennifer Brown of Napa Valley's Hall Family. They are more or less based in three counties, they source from a good number of appellations across California, and they have three brands that I'll touch upon, but we'll focus on BACA Wines. BACA only produces Zinfandel,...
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Old Vines and Marchelle Wines
On this episode, you'll hear about wine that has been nurtured by Mother Nature for over 100 years. Winemaker and ampelographer Greg La Follette has been crafting wine from old vines for so long that he knows of their place in history and other names they've had throughout the centuries. His…
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The Smuggler, J.F.C. (Classic)
This episode was originally posted in 2019 - Now a guy who calls himself John Fucking Caldwell is likely to be brash...probably a risk taker, and likely one of a kind. In John's case, yes, he could be described by each of those descriptors, as well as pleasant, inventive, philanthropic, and one…
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Lombardi Wines - Hilinski's Hope
Like many people in Northern California, Tony Lombardi's ancestors emigrated from Italy. He grew up in the area and his friends are the Who's Who of the wine industry. His background in PR and marketing led him to join his pals who founded one of the coveted cult brands of the early 2000s, Kosta...
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Family Winemakers of CA - Tasting Events and Advocacy
My guest is Jessica Venezia, the Director of Administration and Marketing for FWC. Not only does Family Winemakers of California hold tasting events to highlight and support their member wineries, but the organization also lobbies for legislative action on behalf of the wine industry, focusing on...
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The Story of Napa's Frog's Leap Winery - Classic
Originally posted in December 2020, I thought I'd share this story of Frog's Leap Winery once again in case you missed it. John Williams has had quite a career. The story of Frog's Leap didn't begin until after John worked with Napa Valley icon Warren Winiarski at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars. He...
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The Unexpected Home and Winery in Tuscany
Today's story features a fantasy come true story that follows the "rags to riches" life of an American with an Italian heritage. My guest is Gudrun Cuillo, an Austrian woman who was working for an opera company when she met Robert, the American. The incredible part of the story is not that they...
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Making Burgundian Wine in Sonoma County with Small Vines
If you're Paul Sloan, a restaurant sommelier and wine enthusiast, and you get so blown away by a 17-year-old world-renowned Burgundy Pinot Noir you want to replicate that style yourself, how do you achieve that goal if you don't own a vineyard and you're not a winemaker? On today's episode…
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Join Me For A Sojourn
My destination on the wine road today is Sojourn Cellars in the town of Sonoma, CA. My guest is the Director of Winemaking Erich Bradley, who has the opportunity to source grapes from celebrated vineyards in both Sonoma and Napa Counties. His hands-off natural winemaking style allows the wine to...
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Vine Whisperer Phil Coturri-Moon Mountain Event
Vineyard manager and owner of Enterprise Vineyards, Phil Coturri has spent nearly his entire life as a mountain man, of sorts. He grew up on Sonoma Mountain, then started working on Moon Mountain in the 1970s. Between the two prominent ranges is the world-class wine-producing region of Sonoma...
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Wente Vineyards - A Leader in...
As they celebrate 140 years, you can say Wente Vineyards is the leader in the U.S. as the family winery has survived longer than any other. That's quite an accomplishment! They are also a leader in sustainable practices, in a variety of areas. That's impressive! Oh sure, Wente Vineyards has had...
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Songwriters In Paradise
What goes better with an evening of music from talented singer-songwriters? Really good wine! (I know you may be thinking beer, but hey, they're in Napa Valley) 14 artists will be gathering for four nights of jammin' music, and sharing stories for friendly, jovial people in intimate winery...
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Nat'l Women in Wine Day - Anne Moller Racke, Blue Farm Wines
I didn't mention it in the interview but Anne's story is one of an immigrant achieving the American Dream. In Anne's case, it was propelled by two exceptional mentors, and her drive to create something special, like designing a Sculpture Park throughout the rolling vineyards at Donum Estate. She...
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Napa Winemaker Ted Henry Scores Big!
This is the third time I've interviewed winemaker Ted Henry - each time at a different winery. It's not that I'm a Ted groupie. As a matter of fact, I didn't plan to interview him when he moved to Groth Vineyard and Winery in 2021. But then I read four wines he produced when he was with Clos du…
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LatinX Wine Industry Summit
In December, the 2nd Annual LatinX State of the Wine Industry Summit was held at RD Winery in Napa Valley. I missed the event but thought the topic was important enough to share on my podcast, so I met up with the moderator of the event, the dynamic Gabriela Fernandez. The all-day wine industry...
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Wine Industry Icon: Warren Winiarski - Classic
Sometimes good things come in twos. It took over two years for me to nail down this interview with Warren, I recorded over two hours of audio, and it took two visits to do so. Yet every minute I spent with him was a pleasure. You may be aware that Warren was the founder of Stag's Leap Wine…
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Exploring Portugal, Drinking Wine
Join me for my travels through Portugal. In this podcast version of Exploring Portugal, Drinking Wine, you'll meet Carlos de Jesus, the Director of Marketing and Communications of Amorim Cork. From then on, you'll have a newfound respect for the next cork you pull from a bottle! Then I'll sit…
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Valdo Numero 10 Sparkling Wine
I've been going through some ch-ch-changes for 2023...all for the better. I'll explain in this episode. My guest is Matteo Bolla, of the Italian Bolla wine-making family. However, his side of the family produces prosecco in a distinctive style called Valdo Numero 10. You'll hear about Matteo's...
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Taylor of Serres Ranch
Happy Holidays and New Year! My gift to you, a story featuring Taylor of Serres Ranch. She's an ambitious 5th generation family member who loves to share the story of their nearly 100 year old ranch. She does so with guests while introducing you to their wine in the middle of the vineyards. I'm...
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Meet Thatcher, The Phenom Somm
In this podcast I'll introduce you to a rising name in wine who is making waves within the industry. Thatcher Baker-Briggs is a young sommelier who is fast-becoming a modern-day trailblazer for minorities and millennials in the wine industry. Not only can he procure impossible-to-get vintages and...
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The Magical Bhutan Wine Company
The Kingdom of Bhutan has been referred to as "magical" for quite some time. So I suppose it should come as no surprise that the introduction of vineyards, while in the shadow of the Himilayas, occurred unexpectedly. And like a centuries-old fable, the hero in this tale possessed an unwitting...
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Theresa Heredia, A Winemaker To Watch
My guest on this podcast is the engaging Theresa Heredia, the winemaker at Gary Farrell Vineyards and Winery. I really enjoyed sitting down with Theresa. Not only is she savvy, she's quite playful too, further adding to the enjoyment. Gary Farrell Vineyards and Winery is one of the early…
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Founder, President, Mother Tracy Dutton
In the 20th century until the mid-70s or so, west Sonoma County was about as rural as a region could be. When it came to agriculture, it wasn't far removed from the centuries prior in the farming, orchard, and grape growing regions of the old world. And like many small towns across America, it…
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How He Built This - The San Francisco Wine School
I've made the trip to the San Francisco Wine School a number of times in the past to expand my wine knowledge, while enjoying a selection of fine varietals. Heading into "the city" is something I enjoy. Often, I stay the night. Since I've taken advantage of the San Francisco Wine School I thought...
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Hospice du Rhone in Paso Robles
On today's podcast I'm featuring my roadtrip to the Hospice du Rhone event. It's an atypical wine tasting in California. In the French Rhone Valley region there are a great number of wine varieties and 22 of them were featured. 125 Wine producers from California, Oregon, Washington, and France…
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Shooting Star Alicia Sylvester of Banshee Wines
I think of Alicia Sylvester as a shooting star because, to me, she appears to be speeding through life...even when she's standing still; when she can stand still. Her passion is invigorating. Her energy is inspiring. And at times you could even say she glows. This podcast can serve as a sort of...
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Ravenswood Winery Founder Joel Peterson Oral History
I'm offering something a bit different today. As the Visual Oral Histories Chair of the Sonoma County Wine Library Association, I began videotaping oral histories as a way to capture the stories of those who made major contributions to the wine industry. Joel Peterson, the founder of Ravenswood...
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Wineries Celebrate Earth Month
Spring is here, we're getting out to enjoy it, and many are considering how to thoughtfully take care of our beauiful planet. Each April, California Wines presents Down to Earth Month celebrating Earth Day. In this podcast you'll hear about events that are occuring across California. Guests…
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Women In Wine - Katie & Pam
I have finally returned with a new podcast. I apologize for the delay. It was my intention to get this podcast featuring two female winemakers released in March. It's Women's History month, International Women's Day was March 8th, and the 25th was the Second Annual Women in Wine Day. A week…
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Korbel Champagne Cellars' Gary Heck
It's that time of year to pop some bubbly, so why not find out how the Korbel brothers eventually created "champagne" 139 years ago. It's a multi-layered history full of drama and perserverance. The Hecks are only the second family to run the business, and because of their decades of…
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House of Saka - Cannabis Infused Wine
It was only a matter of time before cannabis would end up in wine. As it turns out, it's not an easy process. However, the proficient hand-picked crew at House of Saka have managed to make it happen. Looking for a different kind of lift from your Pinot Noir and sparkling Chardonnay that doesn't...
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