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 tasting room is LEED-certified, and there is a beautiful, modern guest home on the property overlooking the vineyard. Naturally, I accepted the offer to stay there for two days. While there, I spent a mo...
May 25, 2025•27 min•Season 11Ep. 6
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 trees, and vineyards. Since the first vintage in 1976, Jordan wine has lived up to the elegance of the Chateau in which it is produced. Needless to say, it was a pleasure to spend time there interviewing CEO...
Apr 29, 2025•47 min•Season 11Ep. 6
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 book, Jeffrey says, "It's a story of immigration, a story of business, entrepreneurship, plus some encouragement for anyone who suffers from depression" (which he's dealt with for decades). We go into quite...
Apr 04, 2025•27 min•Season 11Ep. 5
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 the women listed for nomination have appeared on this podcast in the past. The interviews for today's offering were originally posted in 2022, in honor of the Second Annual Women in Wine Day. I feel they...
Mar 25, 2025•40 min•Season 11Ep. 4
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 high-quality wine at a scale that reaches shelves across multiple states and countries—while keeping it affordable—is no small feat. That’s just one of the many topics I explore with Andy in this conversation....
Mar 02, 2025•28 min•Season 11Ep. 3
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 Oak Winery , founded by his father, Ray in 1972. Together, David and I explore the numerous innovations and transformations that have helped solidify Silver Oak's remarkable legacy over the past 50 years....
Feb 02, 2025•33 min•Season 11Ep. 2
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 podcast and my website.) Guests are often struck by the beauty, exclaiming, “This is gorgeous!” From every vantage point, there’s something to admire: sweeping vistas that stretch for miles, a serene Monet...
Dec 20, 2024•22 min•Season 11Ep. 9
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 family-owned and operated winery is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. During their half-century of business, philanthropy has played a role in their operations. This year, they chose to go nati...
Jun 28, 2024•28 min•Season 11Ep. 9
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 anniversary of the Barrel Auction. Over $400,000 was raised during the auction at MacMurray Ranch the following day. Congratulations to Sonoma County Vintners! In addition to having the chance to taste some of ...
May 13, 2024•27 min•Season 11Ep. 8
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 turns out, Louis Pommery California Sparkling is harvested and made just up the freeway from me in Sonoma County. It was a topic worth pursuing. That led to another interview with a fellow Vranken-Pommer...
May 02, 2024•41 min•Season 11Ep. 7
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 County July 23rd – 28 at special wineries in each region. Patrick Davis is a talented performer. He's a prolific writer, travels quite a bit, and likes to be so surrounded by his friends. Together they put ...
Apr 07, 2024•20 min•Season 11Ep. 6
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 Torres is a member of Familia Torres, a historic winemaking family in Spain’s Catalonia region. She loves living in California, especially Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley, where she presides over Mari...
Mar 28, 2024•33 min•Season 11Ep. 5
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 selection and how they can be used, it will make your head spin! So, if your head hasn’t been spun in a while, listen in to my conversation with Joe Nielsen. He’s as smart as he is chill, which allows him to...
Mar 01, 2024•33 min•Season 11Ep. 4
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 passion to support nonprofit causes (Equality Now), and blend it all into a wine brand that is enhanced with innovative augmented reality technology. What's more, the juice is sourced from three Eur...
Feb 04, 2024•31 min•Season 11Ep. 3
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 wine lovers have to put aside their beloved nectar of the Gods? Not necessarily. A good option will be discussed on today’s episode that takes me into San Francisco. My guest is Catherine Diao, wine lover ...
Dec 08, 2023•29 min•Season 11Ep. 3
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 no surprise that the introduction of vineyards, while in the shadow of the Himalayas, occurred unexpectedly. And like a centuries-old fable, the hero in this tale possessed an unwitting innocence. Words ...
Nov 28, 2023•42 min•Season 11Ep. 2
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, which I found interesting knowing that Jennifer’s family has gained notoriety for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. Jennifer and I met in 2020 at the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers Zinfa...
Oct 14, 2023•29 min•Season 11Ep. 1
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 latest wine project is Marchelle Wines. I’ll chat with Greg about the gnarly old vines and the diverse geology of the Russian River Valley’s six Neighborhoods. You’ll also hear from Greg’s partner with March...
Sep 26, 2023•19 min•Season 10Ep. 18
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 who can make the best of a situation. So it may come as no surprise that he's the kind of person who would consider, and accomplish, smuggling grapevines into the U.S. And that's just half of the story. J...
Sep 08, 2023•40 min•Season 10Ep. 17
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 Browne. That position paid off in spades as you'll hear in this interview, ultimately leading KB winemaker, Cabell Coursey to join Tony at Lombardi Wines. Tony shares the story of his family's influence ...
Aug 08, 2023•27 min•Season 10Ep. 16
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 the smaller production facilities. Jessica delves deeper into the details. This podcast is for wine lovers and fledgling wineries who are looking for support to generate growth, awareness, and sales. On...
Jul 21, 2023•22 min•Season 10Ep. 15
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 helped launch Glenora Wine Cellars in the Finger Lakes region. Afterward, he returned to Napa Valley as a winemaker for the esteemed Spring Mountain Vineyard. All this, before and during the founding of Fro...
Jul 14, 2023•49 min•Season 10Ep. 14
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 ended up in Tuscany, but had the good fortune to turn their newly purchased property into a winery that sits near a long abandoned medieval village. What they were able to do with each property is remarka...
Jun 24, 2023•25 min•Season 10Ep. 13
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, you’ll hear the fascinating story of how Paul and his wife Kathryn made it happen without buying grapes and hiring a winemaker. I will say, the purchase of an unusual European tractor was part of the process....
Jun 08, 2023•23 min•Season 10Ep. 12
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 express its own personality. As a result, they speak deeply and eloquently. Sojourn Cellars Tasting salon, is in a chic renovated historic home, where I joined Erich after hours. If you're still trying t...
May 24, 2023•39 min•Season 10Ep. 12
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 Valley. Phil started learning about organic farming as a teenager, so it’s no surprise he is referred to as a wizard and a guru, possibly even a vine whisperer. In this podcast, Phil talks about his backgro...
May 12, 2023•16 min•Season 10Ep. 11
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 more time than any other winery to develop sustainable business practices beyond what most can replicate, yet the family’s desire to continually do so goes as deep as the roots of their expansive vineyard...
May 04, 2023•29 min•Season 10Ep. 7
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 settings. On this podcast I talk with the founder of S.I.P., Patrick Davis about how this multi-year event came to be, and what attendees can expect. I will definitely be attending one or two shows. Can’t make...
Apr 07, 2023•40 min•Season 10Ep. 9
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 also developed relationships with winegrowers who could provide the grapes she needed to create ideal Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Her impressive career is what prompted me to choose her as the subject for...
Mar 25, 2023•26 min•Season 10Ep. 8
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 Val winery won awards on an international stage...how could I pass up getting that story? Fortunately, we also cover much of what he's been doing since moving to Groth. Ted is now the Director of Wine gro...
Mar 17, 2023•31 min•Season 10Ep. 7
