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 winemaker for the esteemed Spring Mountain Vineyard. All this, before and during the founding of Frog's Leap , where early business decisions, like their comical slogan, were made with his partners in the Frog Farm hot tub. 4...
Nov 30, 2020•48 min•Season 8Ep. 2
My guests from Chenoweth and Chev have a history together. Charlie Chenoweth grows sought after Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and Charlie's wife Amy and friend Michael Browne craft their own versions of epic Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Russian River Valley also plays a role on this podcast. Its diverse soil, fog-filled valleys, rolling hills and redwood trees have inspired my two guests. Chenoweth Wines The Chenoweth Wines tasting experience was quite a venture, as you'll see below. That was before ...
Nov 02, 2020•43 min•Season 8Ep. 1
Wild fires? I was hoping it would be quite a while before I had to cover this topic again. Mother Nature hit with a vengeance in mid August. The late summer storm was a nice surprise, but the 12,000 lightening strikes in four days across Northern California was insane. The resulting 585 wildfires produced 18 large infernos, one of which was the Hennessey Fire. Today's podcast features two wineries who "miraculously" survived the firestorm, Green and Red Vineyard & Nichelini Family Winery of ...
Sep 20, 2020•37 min•Season 7Ep. 16
Clément Pierlot is the chef de cave 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-Pommery winemaker, Bruno Maillard. He crafts rosé in Provence and Carmargue/L...
Aug 25, 2020•41 min•Season 7Ep. 15
It was a chance meeting at an industry party. It's common to meet people of various winery positions at these after hours gatherings. I've struck up the occasional friendship during one of these evenings, and that how I met Mike. He's a pleasant guy, smart, and when he told me which wineries he works with it raised my eyebrows. Not one, not two, but FOUR high-end Napa Valley wineries. That's what led to this interview. His boss (bosses)? Married winemaking couple Mark Porembski and Jennifer Will...
Aug 01, 2020•34 min•Season 7Ep. 14
For this interview I traveled 2000 feet above Napa Valley to the peak of Spring Mountain. Schweiger Vineyards offers picturesque views from their tasting room in the center of their rolling mountaintop vineyard. As father and son, Fred and Andy have been working the property, with wife and mother Sally, since the 70s. As you can imagine, they have plenty of stories to tell. Their wines are excellent and they have a close relationship with their club members - whose suggestions often get put into...
Jul 16, 2020•33 min•Season 7Ep. 13
Looking for intrigue, self-preservation and humor? It's here. I talk with Agent Red of The Wine Spies. Each day they present a tempting, world-class wine at discounted prices. How do they do it? Through covert intel. On a side topic, Agent Red's personal mission is protecting our health with HALOmask. The most protective, easy to wear face mask. He explains what sets them apart from others. Then you'll hear about a whimsical wine brand from a serious Napa Valley winemaker - Grant Long's T.P. Res...
Jun 21, 2020•47 min•Season 7Ep. 10
On this podcast you're going to meet a professor from the past who you're likely not familiar with but who's decades of travel and research led to many important discoveries in viticulture, much of which had a positive influence on the quality of wine produced across the globe. Through interviews with winemaker Dan Petroski of Larkmead Vineyards and the professor's daughter Jeanne, you'll meet Dr. Harold Olmo. He was such a fearless researcher he became known as the Indiana Jones of Viticulture....
Jun 07, 2020•39 min•Season 7Ep. 10
While the Napa and Sonoma Vintners organizations are incredibly supportive to their winery members, and communities, covid-19 has required an even greater response. The Napa Valley Vintners and Sonoma County Vintners are helping to promote the creative and necessary ways wineries are reaching out to the wine loving public. In some cases, they're presenting their own virtual tasting sessions. In this podcast I talk with the President and Executive Director of the Napa Valley Vintners, Linda Reiff...
May 20, 2020•36 min•Season 7Ep. 10
Back in December - before sheltering in place and when corona referred to a type of crown or the glow around the sun - my wife and I spent a week up and down Oregon's Willamette Valley. It was cool, with light rain and occasional heavy fog...and we loved it. Prior to our trip I set up several interviews, with Lynn, the dynamic former owner of Penner-Ash; Bryan and Laura Laing, the fun-loving owners of Hazelfern Cellars; and Luisa, from one of the oldest Oregon family wineries, Ponzi Vineyards. E...
Apr 26, 2020•1 hr•Season 7Ep. 9
In this second ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers) podcast, I feature Ramazzotti Wines & Berryessa Gap Vineyards as I promoted the annual Zinfandel Experience. Joe and Travis Ramazzotti follow in immigrant Guiseppe's footsteps growing zinfandel and other Italian varieties. In 2002, they decided to start bottling their grapes and others from legendary vineyards in Sonoma County as Ramazzotti Wines . I met up with Joe and Travis at Deavola Pizzaria in Geyserville for the interview. Hey, wh...
Apr 07, 2020•47 min•Season 7Ep. 8
Zinfandel Advocates and Producers host ZinEX, aka the Zinfandel Experience, each year in San Francisco. The past few years I've interviewed zinfandel winemakers and growers to help promote the event. This podcast will be the first of two featuring this year's guests. Napa Valley's Robert "Bob" Biale filled the full hour of my radio show, so he'll be the only guest on this podcast. His Italian immigrant family has a rich history in Napa. As you'll hear, early challenges inspired Bob's father to g...
Mar 18, 2020•36 min•Season 7Ep. 7
This is a shorter podcast that features the Mount View Hotel and Spa in Calistoga, Napa Valley. It's an historic, beautifully designed art deco hotel that offers many enticing experiences for their guests. This interview aired on my radio show last Saturday and I wanted you to hear it in case you're panning a trip to Napa Valley or Sonoma, in the coming weeks. On April 1st, The Mount View is offering a one of a kind experience that combines wine tasting, a film, dinner, featuring one of the perf...
Mar 05, 2020•17 min•Season 7Ep. 6
It was two years and two months after the wine country wildfires when I stopped by to see how Paradise Ridge Winery's rebuild was coming along. I had no idea it was the first day of their soft opening. In October of 2017 their hospitality center and production facility burned to the ground. I've come to know the Byck family fairly well over the years and I'm thrilled to see the return of Paradise. Owner and family member Rene and I sat down in January so he could catch us up on the challenges hi...
Feb 16, 2020•42 min•Season 7Ep. 5
On this first podcast of 2020 I talk with winery owner and winemaker, David Eckert about ZO Wines, in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley. Not only do they have a number of tasting spaces on the property, they also have a lovely 100+ year old Craftsman home that is available for overnight stays. David also answers the question of why they chose an elephant as their mascot. And no, it doesn't mean their wines are big. You'll also meet esteemed winemaker Daniel Baron, who spent many years at Napa and...
Jan 25, 2020•38 min•Season 7Ep. 4
After a long unplanned delay my latest podcast is finally here. For you hard cider fans, you'll get a kick out of hearing from founder Jeffrey House. The former Brit brought his cider knowledge to the U.S. in the 1970s and opened Ace Premium Craft Cider in 1993. With his sons firmly in place Ace is still a family run business, now in it's second generation. Then you can join me on Spring Mountain Vineyard during harvest with their longtime vineyard manager, Ron Rosenbrand. You'll hear about the ...
Dec 18, 2019•43 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Each year I have the great pleasure to taste some of the world's best wines all in one place. If only Wine & Spirit Magazine's Top 100 Event was several days so I could taste them all. The local culinary treats are a welcomed bonus. In this podcast you'll hear interviews with winemakers from California's Central Coast, South Africa, Portugal, Slovenia, Napa Valley, and W&S Magazine's senior editor Joshua Green. The Top 100 wineries gather every October in San Francisco. it's a "must expe...
Nov 03, 2019•52 min•Season 7Ep. 2
Now a guy who calls himself John Fucking Caldwell is likely to be brash...probably be 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. Join us in his kitchen in south Napa Valley...
Oct 16, 2019•41 min•Season 7Ep. 1
As the harvest season was looming I felt it was a good time to talk with a grape grower. I wanted to get answers to questions I was receiving from people about the weather. We had heavy and late rains well into spring, then occasional heat spikes began happening the past couple of months. Would that affect the grapes and vines? After meeting Gus Gamba recently Gamba Vineyards and Winery seemed like the place to visit. And what a story he has to tell about his old vine zinfandel and Italian herit...
Sep 28, 2019•37 min•Season 6Ep. 17
On this podcast I'll take a detour from the wine road to talk whiskey. It's another adult beverage that has really be exploding in the last decade or two. In the California town of Graton, head distiller Jeff Duckhorn and his team are crafting Redwood Empire Whiskey. They've gone through a transformation with new branding and adding two more whiskey's to their line-up. Then you'll meet author Paula Moulton. This multi-faceted woman gave up city life to become a grape grower, an author, an accomp...
Aug 31, 2019•42 min•Season 6Ep. 16
CK Mondavi and Family of Napa Valley is currently ranked at #16 in annual case production for US vintners. That's large. LaRue Wines of the Sonoma Coast region produces less than a thousand cases. My guests are Randy Herron of CK Mondavi and Family, and Katy Wilson of LaRue. I thought it would be fascinating to hear the differences between these two brands. Randy crafts more than half a dozen varietals that are priced in the Value category. Katy focuses on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir priced at the...
Aug 10, 2019•46 min•Season 6Ep. 15
As I travel this week I'm reaching into the archives to bring you two compelling interviews. UC Davis Professor Emerita Carole Meredith shares the story of how she, with a little help from others, solved the mystery of Zinfandel's origin. If you enjoy investigative stories you'll get a kick out of the many elements involved in her discovery. Kendall-Jackson's Winemaster Randy Ullom may not be a well-known name but it's very likely you've tasted his creations, including the Chardonnay that has be...
Jul 15, 2019•52 min•Season 6Ep. 14
This podcast offers something a little different. Yes, I do talk about wine - Italian and French varietals, but tasty cuisine as well. The settings for VJB Cellars and The Girl and the Fig Restaurant are entirely different, yet each offer extraordinary experiences. My guests are Italian immigrant Vittorio Belmonte and Sonoma chef & restaurant owner Sondra Bernstein. Their wine and culinary businesses are successful but both started from humble beginnings. Needless to say, that provides a com...
Jun 29, 2019•38 min•Season 6Ep. 13
I was slow to develop a taste for Port and dessert wines but for the last ten years it's been my desire to have at least one bottle on the shelf and/or in the refrigerator. It also took a while for me to hear about Napa Valley's own Port house, Prager Winery and Port Works. They hit two milestones this year; their 40th anniversary and Sweepstakes & Best of Class awards from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Tasting - the largest competition of American Wines in the world. It was their 10-year...
Jun 07, 2019•30 min•Season 6Ep. 13
It's not intentional that I'm uploading this podcast just a week or so after the movie Wine Country was released. Artesa Estate Vineyard and Winery is one of the featured wineries. As it turns out their winemaker, Ana Diogo-Draper, was on my radio show in April which places her next in line for my podcast. You'll hear Artesa is influenced by Spain, Napa Valley and Portugal. You can taste those influences in the many wines Ana crafts. Varieties include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Alberino, Cabernet S...
May 24, 2019•37 min•Season 6Ep. 12
Jordan is an ivy covered Icon. It's 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 recently planted cabernet sauvignon estate vineyard. Needless to say, it was a pleasure to spend a couple of hours there interviewing CEO & family member John Jordan and winemaker Rob Davis. He and I chatted for 90 minutes, way more than I could squeeze into my one hour radio show. Fortuna...
May 10, 2019•48 min•Season 6Ep. 11
It's another day on our incredible, beautiful and struggling planet. This podcast focuses on the positive impacts people are making as I present Part Two of my Earth Day celebration. Much like the Slow Food Movement, Italy's Slow Wine crusade promotes sustainable practices within the winemaking industry. The Slow Wine Guide features those who operate within those parameters. The 2019 edition contains 370 wineries from Italy, 121 from California, and new this year, 50 Oregon wineries. I chose two...
Apr 22, 2019•40 min•Season 6Ep. 10
On this podcast we celebrate the Earth, and those who are doing their part it keeping it as livable as possible. Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd and the Wine Institute is presenting their 8th Annual Down To Earth Month . They're promoting celebrations throughout the month, across California. You can find more details on my Events page Down To Earth Month Celebrations . You might also want to visit Discover California Wines . In this podcast you'll hear my interview with Allison Jordan, the ...
Apr 13, 2019•25 min•Season 6Ep. 9
This podcast includes stops at a favorite winery and restaurant; Spring Mountain Vineyard and A16. As you'll hear, Spring Mountain Vineyard in Napa Valley features three distinct vineyards and a history that makes it a special place. What I love about the experience there are the library wines they offer. In three visits I've tasted vintages from 1988, 2001, '04, '08, '10, and '15. The cabernet sauvignons and Elivette (reserve) blends are made in the Bordeaux style, meaning not a big, ripe, chew...
Apr 07, 2019•33 min•Season 6Ep. 8
First of all, I apologize for the delay in getting a podcast uploaded. Thank you for your patience, my faithful followers. Today we'll travel two and a half hours east of Sonoma/Napa to the El Dorado County wine region in the Sierra Foothills. This lengthy podcast will feature three vintners who are distinctly different. They are Chaim and Elisheva of C.G. Di Arie Vineyard and Winery, Kevin Jones of Lava Cap Winery, and Adam Smith of Skinner Vineyards and Winery. They are a good representation o...
Apr 01, 2019•54 min•Season 6Ep. 7
