I'll Drink to That! Wine Talk
A former sommelier interviews incredibly famous and knowledgeable wine personalities in his tiny apartment. He gets them to talk candidly about their lives and work, and then shares the conversations with you. To see new episodes sooner and to see all of the hundreds of back episodes in your feed, it is important to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE the show. It is free to do either, the show is free.
Episodes
503: Peter Jakob Kühn Found Quality Along With Pain
Peter Jakob Kühn made the wines at Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn in Germany's Rheingau region for many decades before retiring and passing the family winery on to his son Peter Bernhard Kühn.Peter Jakob, who was born in 1954, alludes to the constrained economic situation that existed in the German countryside following the Second World War. He recalls his grandfather, who had lived through two
502: Matt Dees Likes How Grapevines Think
Matt Dees is the winemaker at JONATA, The Hilt, and The Paring, wineries which are located in California's Santa Barbara County.Matt recalls studying plant and soil science, and then his first job at a winery, at Shelburne Vineyard in Vermont. He then describes a chance encounter with a bottle of Staglin Family Cabernet Sauvignon, which prompted a phone call to the Staglin family and a tr
501: This Conversation with Meike Näkel Has A Terrifying Turn
Meike Näkel and her sister Dörte run the Meyer-Näkel winery in the Ahr region of Germany.As a winery, over 90% of Meyer-Näkel's production is of red wine, and most of that is Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). Meike explains that the historical roots of red wine production in the Ahr region may stretch back to the 14th century, and that there may have been Spätburgunder planted in Ahr in the 19t
500: Richard Sanford and the Hot Tub Time Machine Wine Fermenters
Richard Sanford co-founded the Sanford and Benedict Winery and planted the Sanford and Benedict Vineyard. He founded the Sanford Winery, and he also founded the Alma Rosa Winery, all in Santa Barbara County, California.Richard discusses his sailing career, working in the merchant marine, racing boats recreationally, and as an officer in the United States Navy. He talks about his travels a
499: David Rafanelli on Four Generations Making Wine in California
David Rafanelli and his family own the A. Rafanelli Winery in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma County, California.David relates the story of his Italian grandmother arriving in California in 1903, and beginning to make homemade wine in San Francisco. He explains how the family bought farm land in the Dry Creek Valley in the 1920s, thus beginning a 100 year stretch of working with vines with
498: A Rush of Blood to the Wine Glass from Dan Keeling
Dan Keeling is a co-founder and partner in the Noble Rot restaurants and Shrine to the Vine retail shops in London, "Noble Rot" Magazine, and Keeling Andrew and Co., an importer of wine into the United Kingdom. He co-authored "The Noble Rot Book: Wine From Another Galaxy".Dan admits to some of his obsessions, namely food and music. He describes how a friend's accident allowed him the chan
497: Robert Drouhin Is From A Good Vintage
Robert Drouhin and his family own Maison Joseph Drouhin in the Burgundy region of France, as well as Domaine Drouhin in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.Robert describes moving to Burgundy as a child, and his experiences around Beaune during World War 2. His adoptive father, Maurice Drouhin, owned the Maison Joseph Drouhin winery, and began instructing Robert in the specifics of wine. Maur
496: Sandy Block's Shot at Redemption
Sandy Block was a Master of Wine who was also the Vice President of Beverage at the Legal Sea Foods group of restaurants, and an Adjunct Professor at Boston University in Massachusetts. Sandy passed away in November of 2021.Sandy talks about his rollercoaster relationship with academics: doing very well in school during some periods of his life, and almost flunking out of school during ot
495: Steve Doerner and the Burgundian Bicyclists
Steve Doerner is Winemaker Emeritus at Cristom Vineyards in Oregon.Steve discusses his shift from being a Biochemistry Major at UC Davis in the mid-1970s to his first Job working for Josh Jensen at Calera Wine Company. Steve arrived at Calera for the 1978 harvest, the first vintage for Pinot Noir at Calera. Josh had begun making wine at Calera in 1975, first planting a Pinot Noir vineyard
494: Alicia Towns Franken's Wine Life
Alicia Towns Franken is a Co-Founder of Towns Wine Co. and the Executive Director of Wine Unify.Alicia discusses her upbringing in Chicago and her introduction to wine in college. She then segways into describing her role as the Head Sommelier at Grill 23 & Bar in Boston, Massachusetts during the 1990s and early 2000s. Alicia talks about the bigger themes of her career, including incl
493: Neil Empson Shifted Gears Into Wine
Neil Empson is the founder of Empson & Co., an exporter of wines from Italy and other countries.Neil, who was born in New Zealand in 1939, recounts his youthful days driving fast, reselling Ferraris, and meeting with intelligence officers. He talks about meeting his wife Maria, who convinced him to move to Italy and take up the wine business there, founding a company for wine export.
492: Jean-Emmanuel Simond Does Not Like Your White Wine
Jean-Emmanuel Simond is a writer and wine critic for "La Revue du vin de France", covering the Côte de Nuits of Burgundy and Alsace. He is also a co-owner of wine importer Oenotropie. He is based in Paris, France.Jean-Emmanuel describes a chance introduction to fine, old wine and the subsequent revelation he had about wine. He discusses a key period for his wine experience that happened w
491: Ukraine, Wine and Terror
Levi Dalton speaks with three Ukrainians about the struggles faced by winemakers and winery owners amongst the warfare in Ukraine.Alla Plachkova discusses fleeing Kyiv as bombs begin to fall on the city in 2022. She talks about rescuing her mother and fleeing south inside Ukraine as warfare stretches across the country. She shares the fears she felt as a mother trying to protect her child
490: Patrick Campbell Pruned Mountain Vines on Crutches
Patrick Campbell was the owner of Laurel Glen Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain in California, a winery he sold in 2011. He began the Tierra Divina Vineyards company, which encompasses the Terra Rosa, REDS, !ZaZin, and Tierra Divina wine labels, among others. The Tierra Divina Vineyards brands include wine labels from Lodi in California, from Argentina, and previously from Chile.Patrick talks a
489: Sylvain Pataille and the New Old Style
Sylvain Pataille is the owner and winemaker at Domaine Sylvain Pataille, which is located in the Marsannay area of Burgundy, within France.Sylvain discusses the impact in Burgundy of economic changes over the last one hundred years, and notes the special situation of Marsannay, which is near the city of Dijon in France. He does into some depth about the the vine planting history of the Ma
488: Erin and the Volcano
Erin Scala explores the wines of Pico Island, a part of the Portuguese Azores in the Atlantic Ocean.Erin puts on sturdy boots and ventures to the Azores to explore mysterious vineyards and ancient lava stone walls in view of the giant volcano on Pico Island. She explores grape varieties grown on Pico, such as Arinto dos Açores, Terrantez do Pico, and Verdelho, and describes the wines made
487: Dominik Sona and a Conception of Kabinett
Dominik Sona is the General Manager of the Koehler-Ruprecht winery, which is located in the Pfalz region of Germany.Dominik speaks about his family history in the Pfalz and his winemaking work early in his career for a winery, Villa Wolf, in that area of Germany. He also discusses the situation for the Koehler-Ruprecht winery in 2010, when he began to work at that winery. He references th
486: George Skouras and the New Old World
George Skouras is the owner and winemaker at Domaine Skouras, located in the Peloponnese of Greece.George explains how his interest in wine first developed, and discusses his time as a student, working and living in France. He then talks about the early period of his career, making wine on the Greek island of Cephalonia. He describes a key meeting with Spyros Kosmetatos, which would lead
485: Robert Vifian and Stories from the Tan Dinh Wine Cellar
Robert Vifian is the chef and co-owner of Tan Dinh Restaurant, located in Paris, France.Robert was born in Vietnam in 1948, and lived in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) as a child, experiencing the effects of the Tet Offensive firsthand. He and his family are French, and he moved to Paris, eventually joining his parents there. Robert's mother founded Tan Dinh Restaurant in 1968, and later R
484: Erin Scala Looks Deep Into Lake Garda
Erin Scala explores the long history and many recent changes in the area around Lake Garda and in the Bardolino wine zone, in the northeastern Italy.Erin speaks with a number of different winemakers and specialists to clarify the situation around the evolution of winemaking in the Bardolino zone, from Roman times to the present day. She addresses the shift in the area in recent years towa
483: Listen to Françoise Vannier and Never Look At Burgundy the Same Way Again
Françoise Vannier is a geologist who has studied and mapped the vineyards of Burgundy for multiple decades. She is based in France.Françoise discusses how she began her study of the vineyards of the Côte d'Or, and the surprising results that emerged from her research. She touches on both broad themes and specific, individual instances in her analysis of the rock types and rock weathering
482: Lorenzo Accomasso and Barolo from the War Until Now
Lorenzo Accomasso is a vintner in the La Morra area of Italy's Piemonte region. He has been releasing Barolo and other wines under the Accomasso label for several decades.Lorenzo discusses the increased interest in Barolo and in the wines of the Piemonte that has occurred over the last couple of decades, as well as the increased planting of vineyards in La Morra. Lorenzo talks about helpi
481: Wine Before and After the Genocide
Zorik Gharibian is the founder of the Zorah winery, in the Vayots Dzor region of southern Armenia.Zorik discusses the long history of wine production in Armenia, referencing evidence that wine was made in Armenia in the Copper Age (about 6,000 years ago). He talks about the grape remnants and clay storage jars that have been found from that time. And he discusses other wine related finds
480: Kevin Zraly Was At the Top of the World and Then Lost Almost Everything
Kevin Zraly is the author of "Kevin Zraly's Windows on the World Complete Wine Course". He is also the co-author (with Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen) of the book "Red Wine: The Comprehensive Guide to the 50 Essential Varieties and Styles". Kevin was for decades the Cellar Master of Windows on the World restaurant, located on the top floors of the North Tower of New York City's original W
479: Christopher Howell Doesn't Want It To Be About Him
Christopher Howell is the winemaker and General Manager of the Cain Vineyard and Winery in the Napa Valley of California.Christopher discusses his early wine tastings and home winemaking in the 1970s, and talks about some key relationships that helped form his interest in wine. He explains how he ended up pursuing an oenological and viticultural education in Montpellier, France, highlight
478: Jason Lett Is Not At Peace
Jason Lett is the co-owner of The Eyrie Vineyards, in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.Jason discusses how his father, David Lett, helped transform the Willamette Valley into a growing region for Pinot Noir, acheiving worldwide acclaim for his efforts. Jason, who was born shortly after his father arrived in Oregon, retraces in this conversation the path that led his father there. He also t
477: Mary Ewing-Mulligan Says Intro Books Don't Sell...More Than Several Million Copies
Mary Ewing-Mulligan is the President of International Wine Center, located in New York City, and a co-author of the "Wine For Dummies" books.Mary discusses her introduction to working with wine, employed by an Italian government agency responsible for promoting Italian wine. She explains the situation for Italian wines in the United States at the time, the 1970s, and how the Italian wines
476: Christophe Roumier Has A Family History Written In Wine
Christophe Roumier and his family run Domaine Georges Roumier, located in the Burgundy village of Chambolle-Musigny in France.Christophe discusses the arrival of his grandfather in Chambolle-Musigny, and the beginning of the Roumier family history with wine. He talks about his family's work for the Comtes Georges de Vogüé domaine, also in Chambolle-Musigny, and then explains the timeline
475: Giacomo Oddero Remembers the People Who Believed in Barolo
Giacomo Oddero and his family operate Poderi e Cantine Oddero, in the La Morra area of the Barolo appellation in Piemonte, Italy.Giacomo, who was born in the mid-1920s, remembers the difficulties encountered in the Barolo region in the aftermath of World War II, as well as the specific changes that helped set the Barolo area on a path to prosperity. He recalls the challenges posed by fami
474: Rod Berglund Is Not Just A Swan Clone
Rod Berglund and his family own Joseph Swan Vineyards in Sonoma County, California, where Rod is also the winemaker.Rod explains how he first became interested in wine, and what led him to found his own winery in the late 1970s. He also discusses how he met winemaker Joe Swan, who would eventually become his father-in-law. Rod conveys how Joe in many ways stood apart from his California w
473: Tomoko Kuriyama Explains the Burgundy Mindset
Tomoko Kuriyama is a partner in Chanterêves, a micro-négociant based in Burgundy, which she runs with her husband Guillaume Bott.Tomoko spent over a decade working in wineries in Germany, then moved to Burgundy in France and started Chanterêves. She explains in this interview the differences between Germany and Burgundy in terms of the winemaking and vineyard work. She also discusses the
472: Anthony Hanson Washed Burgundy's Dirty Laundry
Anthony Hanson wrote the book "Burgundy," which was originally published in 1982, and then subsequently revised by him for another edition published in 1995. He is today a consultant for Haynes Hanson & Clark, as well as The Fine Wine Experience in Hong Kong.Anthony describes his entry into Beaune (via bulldozer) in the 1960s, and his first tasting at the Hospices de Beaune in Burgund
471: Jeff Kellogg Enters the Other Side of the Wine Business
Jeff Kellogg is the co-founder of Kellogg Selections, a wine distributor in North Carolina. Jeff is a former sommelier, who previously appeared in I'll Drink to That! episode 230.Jeff discusses his decision to start a wine distribution business, and the financial and personal realities around launching such a business. He also describes a changing demographic in North Carolina, and what t
470: Jacques Seysses Knew It Would Never Be Worse Than 68
Jacques Seysses is the founder of Domaine Dujac, based in the Burgundy village of Morey-Saint-Denis in France.Jacques recounts how he became interested in wine, and what led him to purchase a domaine in Burgundy in the late 1960s. He describes working with Gérard Potel at Domaine de la Pousse d'Or, as well as some of his visits to other Burgundy vigneron, like Henri Gouges, Charles Rousse
469: Mimi Casteel Thinks Your Sustainability Sucks. Try Again.
Mimi Casteel is the owner of the Hope Well Vineyard, in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.Her family owns the Bethel Heights Vineyard, also in Oregon. Mimi takes on issues like land use, agricultural practice, and vineyard work in this interview, stressing the importance of a connection with nature. She argues against reductionist approaches in the vineyard, and against a goal of species el
468: David Ramey and the Evolution of Chardonnay
David Ramey is the founder and co-owner of Ramey Wine Cellars and Sidebar Cellars, both based in Sonoma County, California.David shares his career path in California wineries from Simi, to Matanzas Creek, Chalk Hill, Dominus Estate, Rudd Estate, and starting wine labels of his own. While discussing those various work experiences, David also shares what he learned at each point, and how th
467: Benjamin Leroux Explains How Winemaking in Burgundy Has Changed and Why It Will Change Again
Benjamin Leroux is the proprietor of the Benjamin Leroux winery located in the town of Beaune, in the Burgundy region of France.Benjamin explains how although his family was not in the wine business, he found himself working in a winery at a young age. He discusses his internships outside of Burgundy, at wineries in Oregon and Bordeaux, before talking about his start as the head winemaker
466: Joe Rochioli Jr Built a House for Pinot Noir
Joe Rochioli, Jr. owns the J. Rochioli Vineyards and Winery in California with his son Tom Rochioli and his family.Joe describes the events on the family farm in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County around the middle of the twentieth century, when there was a shift from growing various cash crops to growing more and more wine grapes. He discusses his decision to pursue more plantings
465: Ken Wright Went Looking for Aroma
Ken Wright is the founder and winemaker of Ken Wright Cellars, based in Carlton, Oregon.Ken discusses his work with Dick Graff in the 1970s, and then explains why he decided to move from California to Oregon in the 1980s to pursue winemaking in Oregon. He gives a thorough explanation of the different rock types found in state, and the attributes that different sites bring to a resulting w
464: Russell Hone and the Killer Wine Tasting
Russell Hone lives and works in Burgundy, France with his wife Becky Wasserman.Russell is one of the wine world's great characters, and this interview follows along with the various curves, shifts, and turns to the side of his life, going from England in the post-war years to Germany, Bordeaux, and then on to Burgundy in the 1980s until today. He recalls several encounters with a broad ca
463: Brenna Quigley and the School of Hard Rocks
Brenna Quigley is a geologist who does wine related consulting as a terroir specialist at brennaquigley.comBrenna describes her unusual family connection to geology, and her entry into the wine world. She goes on to define key concepts in geology, such as what soil is, how it is formed, and the different types of rocks that are found in the world. Brenna describes the key rock formations
462: David Hirsch and the Hirsch Vineyards Lighthouse
David Hirsch is the owner of Hirsch Vineyards, located in the Sonoma Coast of California.David opens up about his travels across the United States and across the world in the 1960s and 1970s, and about what led him eventually to the outer reaches of the Sonoma Coast to plant a vineyard. He also reveals what he has learned about the farming of grapevines over the years. And he talks about
461: White Burgundy Maestro Pierre Morey
Pierre Morey works with his family at Domaine Pierre Morey and Maison Morey-Blanc, both based in the Burgundy village of Meursault, in France.Pierre grew up farming some of the most renowned vineyards of Meursault, as his family worked as sharecroppers for the Lafon family. He discusses his experience working in and vinifying the fruit of vineyards like Le Montrachet, Meursault-Perrieres,
460: Joel Peterson and the Winemaking American Dream
Joel Peterson is the Founder and Winemaker of the Ravenswood Winery, and the Founder and Winemaker of Once & Future Wine, both in California.Joel describes his first moments with wine, tasting wine with his father and mother, and how that led later to his work with Joseph Swan. Joel talks at length about Swan and the early days of the Joseph Swan winery. Swan was making exemplary Cali
459: Jasper Morris Goes Deep on the Burgundy Crus
Jasper Morris is the author of the book "Inside Burgundy: The Vineyards, the Wine, & the People", as well as the website Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy.Jasper gives both an overview of his own career as a wine importer and Burgundy specialist, and an overview of the vineyards of Burgundy. Jasper goes from north to south along the Côte d'Or, giving his unfiltered opinion about the diffe
458: Luis Seabra Opposes the Winemaking Orthodoxy
Luis Seabra is the proprietor and winemaker at Luis Seabra Vinhos, producing dry wines from the Douro Valley and the Vinho Verde regions of Portugal.Luis discusses his beginnings working as a plant specialist at an university, his work doing vineyard trials for the Portuguese government, the nine years that he made dry wines at the house of Niepoort, and on to the founding of his own wine
457: Jeanne-Marie de Champs Does Not Follow the Trends
Jeanne-Marie de Champs is the proprietor of Domaines et Saveurs Collection, an exporter of Burgundy and other wines from France. She is based in Beaune.Jeanne-Marie discusses arriving in Burgundy from the Loire Valley, and the situation for Burgundy in the 1970s and 1980s. She explains why she started her own business exporting wines, and the changes in the American wine market that
456: Ehren Jordan Has Eyes for Oregon
Ehren Jordan is the proprietor of the Failla winery, which specializes in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah from California and now also Oregon. Ehren is also the owner of the Day wine label, working with Zinfandel.Ehren discusses his decision to work increasingly with fruit from Oregon vineyards, while comparing and contrasting those with the vineyards he is familiar with in California.
455: Jean-Pierre de Smet and the Burgundy Community
Jean-Pierre de Smet was a co-founder and partner in Domaine de l'Arlot, the winery based in the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation. Jean-Pierre retired from l'Arlot in 2007, and has since that time been helping his friend Didier Fornerol make the Domaine Didier Fornerol wines, also in France's Burgundy region.Jean-Pierre provides key insights into a number of Burgundy winemaking techniques,
454: Blending for Beauty with Maggie Harrison
Maggie Harrison is a partner in the Antica Terra winery in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, where she is also the winemaker. Maggie also makes the Lillian wines from California fruit.Maggie discusses her first winery job working at Sine Qua Non, the development of her approach to each step of the winemaking process, and what she sees as the difference between Oregon and California wi
453: Esther Mobley Looks Through the Lens of Wine
Esther Mobley is the wine writer for the "San Francisco Chronicle."Esther talks about her previous work at "Wine Spectator" magazine, how her approach to writing has evolved since joining the "San Francisco Chronicle", and what she has found compelling amongst the stories and issues surrounding California wine today. Esther also shares a lot of insight into how she goes about her job for
452: Louis-Benoit Desvignes and the Challenge of Finding Who You Are with Wine
Louis-Benoit Desvignes and his sister Claude-Emmanuelle Desvignes work together at Domaine Louis-Claude Desvignes in Morgon, in the Beaujolais area of France.Louis-Benoit discusses the challenges of the climate, the farming, and the market for a producer of Morgon wines today. He describes a changing area that is inheriting great vine material and building on the the hard work of previous
451: The Aligoté Thread
Erin Scala speaks with Burgundy vigneron devoted to the Aligoté grape variety and explores the challenges and rewards associated with Aligoté today.Erin narrates a tour of Burgundy cellars and vineyards, piecing together conversations with multiple vigneron to find a through thread for Aligoté.This episode contains interviews and commentary from vigneron and wine professionals working wit
450: António Maçanita on the Past and Future of Portuguese Wine
António Maçanita is involved with several wine projects throughout Portugal, including Fitapreta in the Alentejo, Maçanita Vinhos in the Douro Valley, and the Azores Wine Company on the Azores Islands.António discusses the rapid change that is happening on the island of Pico, as hundreds of hectares of vineyard are being replanted after over a century of decline. He explains the winemakin
449: Training to Be the World's Best Sommelier with Arvid Rosengren
Arvid Rosengren is the Wine Director of Legacy Records, the restaurant in Manhattan. He won the World's Best Sommelier title in 2016.Arvid shares his memories of growing up in a household of limited means, and what that brought later in his life to his attitude as a competitor and a working sommelier. He recalls his wine studies in Sweden, and his work in restaurants in both Denmark and S
448: Lee Hudson's Grape Guide
Lee Hudson is the owner of Hudson Ranch and Vineyards, in California's Carneros district.Lee recalls his early days in Texas and in France, as well as the experience of working the 1975 harvest in Burgundy at Domaine Dujac. Lee describes founding his own ranch and vineyard in California, and gives a grape by grape guide to different grape variety characteristics and how the ways they are
447: Sommelier to Self-Employed: A How-To Guide from Will Predhomme
Will Predhomme operates Predhomme, Inc. a wine communications firm based in Toronto, Canada. He is also a partner in Pearce Predhomme, a wine label sourcing wines from Oregon and South Africa.Will traces his history with restaurants and wine, from humble beginnings in Windsor, Ontario to sommelier jobs in Calgary and Toronto. He discusses how his goals changed over time, and how he approa
446: James Conaway is a Moralist in the Valley
James Conaway is the author of "Napa: The Story of an American Eden," "The Far Side of Eden: New Money, Old Land, and the Battle for Napa Valley," and "Napa at Last Light: America's Eden in an Age of Calamity," a trilogy of books about wine and wineries in California's Napa Valley.James argues that serious changes are needed if the Napa Valley is to survive as an agricultural eden in
445: Reinventing the Cork with Dominique Tourneix of DIAM
Dominique Tourneix is the Director General of DIAM Bouchage, a company specializing in reconstructed cork closures for wine.Dominique discusses the causes of cork taint in wine and the presence of volatile compounds within traditional cork. He examines the part that wine cork plays in both preventing and allowing for the oxidation of wine, as well as the useful life of a cork. He also exp
444: Enrico Pozzesi Remembers His Friend Giulio Gambelli
Enrico Pozzesi is the owner of Fattoria Rodano, the winery located within Castellina in Chianti, in Tuscany, Italy.Enrico discusses his wines and vineyard property in this episode, as well as the varying conditions that were presented by different vintages. He also discusses his friendship with an advisor to his winery, Giulio Gambelli. Gambelli in the years since his death has become a l
443: Anne Parent Shares the Secret to Understanding Pommard
Anne Parent and her sister Catherine run Domaine Parent, based in the Burgundy village of Pommard. They also control the micro-négociant known as Jacques Parent et Compagnie.Anne describes the differences between the key crus of Pommard, relating how Pommard Epenots is distinct from Pommard Les Rugiens. She also describes her vineyard holdings on the hill of Corton. Anne recounts the diff
442: Ray Coursen Recalls the Napa Valley of the 1980s and Before
Ray Coursen is the owner and founding winemaker of Elyse Winery as well as Jacob Franklin Wines, in California's Napa Valley. He is also involved with winemaking for Purple Heart Wines, benefiting the Purple Heart Foundation.Ray relates how he arrived in the Napa Valley in the 1980s, and shares conversations he had with several wine world figures at that time. He discusses the history of
441: Chisa Bize Found a Family in Savigny-les-Beaune
Chisa Bize runs Domaine Simon Bize et Fils in Burgundy's Savigny-les-Beaune.Chisa describes her own upbringing in Tokyo, and explains how a chance meeting with Patrick Bize led her to Burgundy, where she is now in charge of the Bize family domaine. Chisa details the differences between the various crus that Bize cultivates, and explains how her approach to farming has shifted over time. S
440: Aldo Vacca on the History and Future of Barbaresco
Aldo Vacca is the Managing Director of the Produttori del Barbaresco, in the Barbaresco zone of Italy's Piemonte region.Aldo discusses the foundations of Barbaresco as a delimited zone, and talks about the origins of the Produttori del Barbaresco. He gives a sense of how the winemaking at the Produttori has evolved over time. He also describes the characteristics of some of the important
439: Jean Gonon on Why Every Vintage Should be Different
Jean Gonon works with his brother Pierre at Domaine Pierre Gonon in the Northern Rhône Valley of France, within the Saint-Joseph appellation.Jean speaks about the importance of farming, vine selection, and constant care in this discussion, while asserting that the winemaking that follows is quite simple. He also gives a history of Saint-Joseph as an appellation, and as a terroir. Jean exp
438: Five Decades of Burgundy with Dominique Lafon
Dominique Lafon is the Managing Director of Domaine des Comtes Lafon, with cellars in the Burgundy village of Meursault. Dominique also founded the Mâcon winery Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon, and the Burgundy négociant label Dominique Lafon. He consults in Oregon at Lingua Franca Wines.Dominique discusses his firsthand meetings with some of the greats of Burgundy of a previous generation,
437: Drinking with the Minotaur
Erin Scala explores the renaissance of winemaking happening today on the Greek island of Crete.Erin narrates a tour through the Crete wine regions near the towns of Heraklion, Chania, and Sitia, and gets answers about grape varieties like Vidiano, Thrapsathiri, Malvasia di Candia, Kotsifali, Liatiko, Plyto, and more.This episode contains interviews with winemakers and wine profession
436: Patrick Comiskey on the High Highs and Market Lows of American Syrah
Patrick Comiskey is a wine writer for "Wine & Spirits" Magazine as well as the "Los Angeles Times." He is also the author of the book "American Rhône: How Maverick Winemakers Changed the Way Americans Drink."Patrick recounts the origins of Rhône grape varieties like Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne in America, and points out some of the winemakers who brou
435: Samuel Guibert on the Unique Blend of Mas de Daumas Gassac
Samuel Guibert is a co-owner and winemaker at the Mas de Daumas Gassac winery, in the Languedoc region of France.Samuel goes into detail about the unusual red and white wines of Mas de Daumas Gassac, a winery that blends Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, Tannat and a number of other grape varieties together with Cabernet Sauvignon for their red. Samuel explains the setting of the individual vineyards
434: The Transformation of Lodovico Antinori
Lodovico Antinori is a partner in Tenuta di Biserno, in the Maremma area of Tuscany, and was the founder of Ornellaia in Bolgheri. He is also a partner in Tenuta Campo di Sasso.Lodovico is open and frank in his assessment of his career, discussing his family's position within Tuscan wine, his own important trip to California, and the rise of Super Tuscan wines like Ornellaia. He describes
433: Peter Liem's Insider Guide to Champagne
Peter Liem is the publisher of ChampagneGuide.net, as well as the author of the book "Champagne: The Essential Guide to the Wines, Producers, and Terroirs of the Iconic Region."Peter Liem returns to the show for an interview about Champagne. Peter has been tasting the wines of Champagne professionally for twenty years, and has lived in that region for the last ten years. In this inte
432: Doug Frost is a Double Master
Doug Frost is both a Master Sommelier and a Master of Wine, who resides in Kansas City, Missouri. Doug does wine and spirits consulting in a range of fields, and works as a wine writer.Doug reflects on his career in restaurants, distribution, writing, and consulting in this conversation, touching on his varied adventures in the wine and spirits trade. He remembers cellar visits in the Rho
431: Victor Hazan and the Problem of Italian Wine
Victor Hazan wrote the book "Italian Wine", which was published in 1982. He also co-wrote several Italian cookbooks with his wife, the late Marcella Hazan.Victor Hazan speaks about his lifelong search for authentic Italian ingredients and expressions, an ethusiasm he shared with his wife of many years, Marcella Hazan. Victor details the start of his wine writing career, and confesses why
430: Becky Wasserman-Hone Gives a Burgundy Tour
Becky Wasserman-Hone is the founder and co-director of Becky Wasserman & Co., an exporter of wines from Burgundy and other regions of France and Europe.Becky looks back on her career in this interview, and talks about what would be become a key period for Burgundy, as it increasingly found an audience amongst American consumers. She also recalls some of the keys friends and mentors sh
429: Bill Easton Ignored the 90s Monster Wines
Bill Easton is the proprietor and winemaker at both Easton Wines and Domaine de la Terre Rouge in Amador County, California.Bill describes an era of post-Prohibition California winemaking that has largely disappeared, and explains why he decided to pioneer Rhone grape varieties in a corner of the state that was little known. Bill also is frank about his stylistic choices, and his decision
428: Swedish Sommelier Totte Steneby on Restaurant Success and Disaster
Totte Steneby is the Beverage Manager of Portal Restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden. He is also an importer of Burgundy wine into Sweden, and a European brand ambassador for both the Sandhi and Domaine de la Cote wineries of California.A former child actor, Totte Steneby discusses his sommelier career, having worked at a number of top restaurants in Sweden. He shares some of the difficult mom
427: Gianluca Garofoli on One Hundred Years of Verdicchio
Gianluca Garofoli works with his family at the Garofoli winery, in the Marche region of Italy.Gianluca Garofoli discusses in-depth the wine history of the Marche, as well as the native grape varieties Verdicchio and Montepulciano. This conversation is an insider's guide to the Castelli di Jesi sub-zone of the Marche, and Gianluca provides rich detail about the winemaking there. Viney
426: Giampaolo Venica Remembers a Different Friuli
Giampaolo Venica works with his family at the Venica winery, in the Friuli region of Italy.Giampaolo Venica describes the Friuli as a region that has changed significantly in recent decades, and which is still in flux today. He notes the many changes in grape plantings and wine styles within the Collio, and questions what types of wines from the Friuli may find resonance with consumers in
425: Cherasco Barolo Survives Today Solely Because of Marchese Umberto Fracassi Ratti Mentone
Marchese Umberto Fracassi Ratti Mentone is the sole producer of a Barolo from the Cherasco sub-zone of Italy's Piemonte region. His family has owned vineyard land in the Cherasco area for centuries, and the Marchese, who is now over 80 years old, tends to the family parcel at the edge of the Barolo zone.This is a rare encounter with the Marchese, who rarely grants interviews. The conversa
424: The Complete Stephen Brook
Stephen Brook is a prolific author of anthologies, travel books, and a wide range of wine books published over the last thirty years, including "The Complete Bordeaux," "The Wines of Germany," "The Wines of California," "Wine People," "The Wines of Austria," and "Bordeaux: People, Power, and Politics."Stephen has also been a Contributing Editor to Decanter Magazine since 1996. Stephen rev
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