Sip Sip Hooray Podcast (Mary Babbitt and Mary Orlin)

Steve McInytre of McIntyre Family Wines is truly one of the OG sustainable grape growers and winemakers of Monterey County's Santa Lucia Highlands. Steve dreamed of being a rock star, but lucky for us - and the wine world - the wine bug bit.

The Marys visit Steve at his Carmel tasting room, the McIntyre Tasting Studio, where we chat about and taste the wines that taste of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Steve helped create the guidelines for the sustainability certification SIP Certified, which stands for Sustainability in Practice. He also helped establish the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA (SLH).

Steve also planted and farms about 20% of the vineyards in the SLH. He knows the ins and outs for coaxing true expressions of the regions from vine to glass. We not only taste, but chat about the family's adorable Bernese Mountain dogs.

You can visit the dog-friendly McIntyre Tasting Studio in Carmel at the Crossroads Shopping Center.

169 Crossroads Blvd
Carmel, CA

https://www.mcintyrevineyards.com/Our-Tasting-Room

The Author of The World in A Wineglass is here!

Food & Wine executive wine editor and Travel + Leisure wine editor Ray Isle has been writing about wine and other adult beverages for over 20 years. You've also seen his byline in many publications, including The Washington Post, Time and Wine & Spirits. Ray has also collected all sorts of awards and accolades for his work, including three James Beard nominations for beverage writing.

He makes the world of wine understandable and attractive.

Ray is also the author of a beautiful new book called The World in a Wineglass. His first book is It is part love letter, part encyclopedia or wine Wikipedia, and part delightful guide to wine around the globe.

But Ray is not your typical wine writer. In fact, he might be better known for his wine and potato chip pairings: barbecue chips and Zinfandel or spicy AF jalapeño or sriracha chips with a super acidic chilled white wine like Riesling or Grüner Veltliner.

So, Ray is the perfect guide through this world of wine. In The World in a Wine Glass, he explains the difference between corporate-owned, mass-produced wines and the wine producers who grow their own grapes and make wines that reflect the place and vintage variations for a unique sip. He does this by comparing them to the difference between a Taco Bell taco and a taco made from scratch from your local taqueria.

The wines that Ray chose for his book offers something more, stories, soul and a few surprises.

Yet the world of wine and wine journalism is changing and from his vantage point, Ray has seen it all.

So pop the cork, pour a glass and settle in for some great wine stories.

We’re talking to Megan Bell, winemaker and founder of Margins Wines in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains. She was recently profiled in a San Francisco Chronicle story about struggles small wineries and winemakers face as they work to keep their labels going despite many challenges. Megan is the face of the story. We wanted to hear all about it straight from her - and while there’s gloom, she remains hopeful and pushes on. By the way, her wines are delicious!

Sip Sip Hooray! Podcast is in Brazil! The Marys were invited by ApexBrasil to be part of the first American wine journalists to formally tour Brazil's major wine region in southern Brazil.

On our visit to Tenuta Foppa & Ambrosi, we were charmed by Lucas Foppa and Ricardo Ambrosi, two high school friends who met in winemaking classes. Yes, that's right - in Brazil you can study wine (but you have to spit) in high school!. These best buddies decided to work together pursuing a life in wine.

There's a Napa Valley connection to their story. You'll just have to tune in to find out! Plus we have exciting news on their new American wine project and the import front to share!

Grab a glass of wine - preferably Brazilian (look for sparkling wines!) and get to know Lucas and his winery, and how he and Ricardo are carrying forward tradition with a modern spin.

When Ian Brand came on the Monterey County wine scene, his mission was to work with unsung vineyards and grape varieties. Why? He wants to ensure these special places and wines don't stay in the shadows of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are the varietals most identified with this California Central Coast wine growing region.

The Marys meet up with Ian on a busy day at his winemaking facilitiy, where he takes a time out to chat about his unique focus and passion.

You can taste Ian's line up from his three wine labels, I. Brand & Family, La Marea and Le P'tit Paysan at his tasting room and bottle shop in Carmel Valley Village, a short drive from Carmel-By-The-Sea.

Creating opportunity. That’s how our guest, winemaker Denis Hoey, has been living his life. He pursued a dream of making wine, and now that he’s established his own winery, Odonata Wines in the Monterey County AVA, he’s dedicated to bringing others along in the wine industry.

The Marys visit Denis at his Salinas Valley winery - one of seven on the River Road Wine Trail - and we are blown away by his accomplishments and his drive. He makes about 32 different wines - whew! So there’s a taste for everyone. If you love sparkling wine, Odonata is the place to go. Denis loves bubbles, and he makes some fun bottlings, including some sparkling reds!

Join us and be inspired by this passionate winemaker who’s paying it forward.

Chateau Margaux is in the house! Winemaker Margaux Alvarez that is. If you're a Titan Games fan then you may have seen our guest running the obstacle course, defying time and gravity, to claim Mount Olympus in victory as the Season 2 West Region Champion. Margaux is fierce in the gym and in competition, and she also brings it to making wine.

After all, who else could call her or his wine The G.O.A.T. Wine?

Grab a glass, or a pair of dumbells, and enjoy our conversation, and learn which came first, weights or wine.

Three years have gone by since a devastating CZU Lightning Complex wildfire tore through California's Santa Cruz Mountains in August 2020, destroying the home of Big Basin Vineyards winemaker Bradley Brown. The fire damaged his vineyard, but spared his winery, even though it was very close to the flames. Since that time, Bradley and Big Basin have been coming back and in many ways, they are better than ever.

In the immediate aftermath of the 2020, we hosted a podcast panel discussion with the winemakers impacted by the flames and smoke, and Bradley Brown was a participant. So today we are happy and grateful to welcome Bradley back to the podcast under happier circumstances, to talk about growth from the wildfire ashes, changes at Big Basin and in Bradley's life.

Big Basin has a new tasting room and wine bar in Santa Cruz, CA, and the winery also brought back the popular Fireside Fridays at its Boulder Creek winery and vineyard.

Mary O has a confession - she's been a Big Basin fan since at least 2010 and at one time, Big Basin wines were the #1 label in her collection, although she put a good dent in that during the pandemic.

Have we got an inspirational episode for you! Meet Judy Jordan, the woman who is helping make a difference for young women beginning their careers in wine agriculture, cellar work and hospitality. In her words, "Drink Well. Do Good." We couldn't agree more.

Judy created J Vineyards, a predominately sparkling wine house in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County in 1987 at the age of 27. Her parents started Jordan Winery in Alexander Valley. The winery became known for hospitality and creative, delectable pairings. When Judy sold the winery in 2015 she was able to pursue her dream of creating a label that would give back to the community by empowering young women wanting to begin careers on the ag, production and hospitality side of the business. She launched Geodesy Wine and partnered with WG Edge, Women Gaining an Edge, to provide mentorship, scholarships and help open doors to opportunities.

If you're a Chard and Pinot fan then you may know the name Gary Farrell. His namesake winery - Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery - in Sonoma's Russian River Valley, became the go to for lovers of Burgundian, acid driven wines that reflect the character of the vineyard. And these are storied vineyards - Rocioli, Bacigalupi, Durell, Gap's Crown, Sanford & Benedict, Bien Nacido and more.

For the past 10 years, Theresa Heredia has been leading the winemaking at this storied winery. Theresa's path to wine was a real journey. Originally a PhD Chemistry candidate, she traded peptides for wine, leaving doctorate studies for testing pH levels in wine.

Now she's carrying on founder and Russian River Valley pioneer Gary Farrell's vision with passion, talent and heart, celebrating the winery's 40th anniversary!

Theresa's adding her own touch to the winemaking here. But she's also opening the cellar doors wide, making the winery and tasting room a welcoming place for all -- especially BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities.

There's one thing to know about Alfaro Family Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains. You are guaranteed great wine and a good time. This family-owned winery is in Corralitos, at the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA. It's a mecca for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir lovers, but at Alfaro, you'll also find Syrah, Merlot, and yes, Gruner Veltliner, that crisp and aromatic white wine from Austria that is growing in popularity here. In fact, the Alfaros are leaders in Gruner, planting the first vineyard within the appellation.

Richard and Mary Kay founded the winery after beginning to plant their 56-acre vineyard. Now son Ryan steps into the winemaking role, with Richard focusing more on the grape growing. Listen along and meet this super fun, laid back yet serious winemaker and find out why we just love Alfaro wines! 

We've got the OG Wine Riot Ringmaster in the house! Our guest today is about as anti-wine snob as they come.

Tyler Balliet has been on a mission to bring joy to the wine world, focusing on the fun, the fascinating stories and the celebrations big and small that are created with wine.

Tyler is the author of The Rebel School of Wine: A Visual Guide to Drinking with Confidence, and let me tell you, we cannot wait to get schooled. Tyler has thrown more wine parties than we can count, each more extravagant, creative, and out there, and most importantly, super fun, and totally Instagram and TikTok worthy.

His goal is to entertain and educate, but you're never talked down to. In fact, Tyler says we're all talking about wine the wrong way. His book, The Rebel Wine School, restores joy and curiosity about wine.

There are so many juicy details about wine, its culture and history that we never knew that, thanks Tyler, we’re happy to know about now.

The Rebel School of Wine book is the anti-wine book, a lively, colorful, all-inclusive read that you'll go back to over and over instead of leaving it collecting dust on your bookshelf. Find out why in our lively conversation with Tyler.

We are excited to have Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein as our 25th episode guest! Evan was the youngest person to pass the Master Sommelier exam, and, as you can imagine, has had quite the career journey since! We worked with Evan during our In Wine Country TV days, and he was a favorite guest because he makes wine easy and fun! Now he's helping you Master The World of wine in your own home. It's like having a private tasting with several Master Sommeliers, who curate tasty and interesting blind tastings just for you. So grab a glass, tune in and get to know Evan. You'll get a few great wine tips too!

Why should California try to be Champagne? That's the question Napa winemaker Jon Person posed to himself and his wife Jacqueline.

When it comes to bubbly, Champagne‘s allure is clear. But thanks to folks like Dan and Jacqueline, there’s a new style of California bubbly. Think sunshine in a glass, and breaking all the traditional rules. Dan says sparkling wine is an every occassion wine - and we agree!

Join us for a super fun episode and get to meet the man behind the critter labels of this new sparkling wine style. You'll definitely want to know about Dan's fireworks hobby and a happy experiement with Albariño and Merlot.

Here at Sip Sip Hooray! we are all about making wine approachable, sharing peeks behind the label of some of your favorite wines and helping you discover some new wines.

For this episode the Marys are in Livermore Valley at Omega Road Winery. This is a winery and story we want you to know. Today we've got a show about a daughter father duo who are making wine together as Omega Road Winery in California's Livermore Valley. And with the name like Omega, they may just wind up being the end all in wine. It's a family affair, as mom and the family dog are also involved! We are excited to introduce you to Alexandra Henkelman. She is Alex to her friends and we're sure she will feel like a friend by the end of this podcast.

Alex is an active member in Livermore's wine community, supporting a growing cadre of women working in wine in the valley as a member of the Women's Wine Collective of Livermore Valley. Alex and her family just debuted their newly expanded tasting room, a beautiful and hip, cool place to hang out. It is exciting to see how the family has not only grown but thrived with the Omega Road label. We are thrilled to be here in the tasting room with Alex and her dog - and winery mascot - Millie.

From homemade cranberry wine to a dizzying array of more than 20 award winning wines, Fenestra Winery owner and founder Lanny Replogle  is one of the best known and most respected vintners in California's Livermore Valley. Fenestra is known for crafting everything from Albariño to port and sharing the wines in a historic rustic property at affordable price points. Fenestra is Latin for window and we are excited that Lanny is joining us today to give us a window into his world.

According to one local winemaker here in Livermore, Lanny is the historian of Livermore Valley Wine. This former chemistry teacher connects the technical to the artistic when it comes to winemaking and calls upon chemistry to name his art in a bottle: Conjugation, Infrared. Though Lanny retired back in 2018 that never really fully took. The Marys are thrilled that we could coax Lanny out of retirement to join us in person on the pod. He certainly charmed us, and we loved the variety of wines - such good sips at such great prices.

If you've ever picked up a wine book, there's a good chance it's The Wine Bible, by our guest Karen MacNeil. The Wine Bible is so popular that Karen just revised this 3rd edition, and it has surpassed the  one million copies sold mark! But she didn't want to call her book a wine bible. This is just one of the many behind the scenes stories Karen shares with the Marys, on this episode of Sip Sip Hooray!

Karen's career has come a long way since she debuted The Wine Bible in 2001. Now she heads a multimedia wine empire, including a digital newsletter, live virtual wine tastings, leading classes, seminars and influencing what is in all of our wine glasses.

Lest you think Karen is a wine snob, just check out her recent Instagram post, where Karen's answer to the question about holding a wine glass by the stem or bowl was refreshingly unexpected!

So grab a glass and settle in for a fascinating chat with Karen!

Buckle up for the newest Sip Sip Hooray! podcast episode! When you think of wine in Carmel Valley, the first label that comes to mind is Bernardus. This Monterey County winery led the way in establishing the Carmel Valley AVA as a world class wine region. The Marys are excited to be back at Bernardus Winery & Vineyards in beautiful Carmel Valley Village! We filmed several episodes of our NBC TV show In Wine Country here. We're at the Bernardus tasting room to catch up with winemaker Dean De Korth and grape whisperer Matt Shea. These guys are the OGs of the Bernardus team. They shaped the winery's house style along with founder Bernardus (Ben) Pon, who was an avid Bordeaux lover. But Ben was also passionate about cars, and along with wine, VWs and race car driving are part of his story. While Bernardus is an established label, we're excited to share how the winery evolves and innovates. Plus, Bernardus is a beloved label around the world, especially in Holland. Tune in to find out why! So pour a glass, listen in and enjoy the ride!

How do you take your coffee? That's the question winemaker Larry Schaffer of Tercero Wines asks when you visit his Los Olivos, CA tasting room. What's your coffee preference have to do with wine? The Marys were wowed by this! Join us and find out why.

Schaffer makes his Tercero Rhone varietal wines in Santa Barbara County's Santa Ynez Valley. He's one of the most straight talking winemakers we've ever met! So pour a glass of wine, and get ready for a fun and entertaining chat, and discover why you need to try Larry's wines.

Are you watching OWN's The Kings of Napa? We are, and we're loving the bingeworthy show about a powerful African-American family in Napa Valley with secrets and scandals that are juicier than the grapes!

Joining us for this special Sip Sip Hooray episode is creator and showrunner Janine Sherman Barrois. She's the award-winning writer and executive producer behind many of TV's top shows, including ER and Claws.

She's spilling the T on all the behind the scenes action and how she is bringing drama to Black wine culture. Janine shares what it's like to have Oprah greenlight this family drama, where the fashion is fierce and the salacious scandals are non-stop. Wine is a character too, playing a leading role in the family dynamics.

So pour yourself a glass of your favorite wine and listen to our conversation with Janine.

The Kings of Napa airs Tuesdays at 8 pm ET/7 pm CT and 8 pm PT on OWN.

We strike a harmonious cord in the wine world with this episode! Say hello to winemaker Shalini Sekhar. She wears many hats in her role as winemaker for Neely Wine in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Waits-Mast Family Cellars in Mendocino County, among others. She also finds time to make wine under her own label, Ottovino Wines.

Our setting for this (socially distanced) episode, just before harvest 2021, is the beautiful Spring Mountain Vineyard, home of Neely Wine in Portola Valley, nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA. We are surrounded by vineyards, redwood and oak trees.

Discover how this former classical musician, who excels at the piccolo and aspired to be a concert performer and music teacher, became a leading Indian-American winemaker. She is carving out a path that allows her to persue her dream of teaching into being a mentor to women entering the wine industry, especially women of color. And, she'll share how she balances her very busy career, which involves lots of road trips to vineyards, with being a mom.

Shalini also gives us an impromptu piccolo performance. So pour a glass and enjoy a delightful and engaging conversation!

Want to know the inside tracks, the backroads and the best bets of the Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley in northern Sonoma County? We got you!

Our guests today co-host the popular, fun and informative award-winning podcast, The Wine Road. As they say, it's all about the wine when and where of Sonoma County.

Marcy Gordon and Beth Costa are podcast pros! They've done 180+ episodes, extolling the delights of northern Sonoma County, from the redwood forests, the diverse growing regions, picturesque valleys and charming downtowns. Tune in and you'll learn about engaging wine personalities, incredible experiences and a diverse culinary culture.

Recently Marcy and Beth hosted us, the Marys, on an episode of The Wine Road. ICYMI listen here.

It's great to support other podcasters in the wine space and we sure had lots of laughs doing it. Join us for everything you wanted to know - and didn't know you needed to know - about northern Sonoma County along The Wine Road.

This episode is a Sip Sip Hooray! podcast exclusive!

What does lineage mean when it comes to wine? For our guest today lineage means everything. Steven Kent Mirassou’s family is America’s oldest winemaking family - older than the Mondavi’s, the Sebastianis and the Gallos. He’s now working side-by-side with the seventh generation. If you are a Pinot Noir lover, you can thank Mirassou’s ancestors for bringing the some of the first pinot vine cuttings to California.

In his first full, sit down interview, sixth generation vintner Steven Kent Mirassou gives us the inside scoop on his deeply personal book Lineage: Life and Love and Six Generations in California Wine.

Join us, the Marys, as we introduce you to Steven and his stories. Lineage is a page turner - and definitely not your typical wine book. It is a love letter to wine and highly personal, with emotional highs and lows and sprinkled with racy language!

Why You Should Be Drinking Portuguese Wines Now

On the podcast today, the Symington family has a history in Portugal as rich as their Ports. We are excited to have DOC Douro Category Manager Mariana Brito and fifth generation family member Harry Symington joining us on the pod from Portugal to share Symington’s story.

Port is a wine we think of as the perfect end to a great meal, a relaxing wine to sip and toast on an evening shared with family and friends. Port invites us to slow down, sip, and savor.

The Symington family has lived by that mantra for generations. They are one of the best known names in Port, admired worldwide for their dedication to the wine and sustainable practices. Symington Family Estates owns the Port Houses of Dow’s, Graham’s, Warre’s, Cockburn’s and Quinta do Vesuvio, and dry wine producers in Portugal’s Douro Valley, Vinho Verde and Alentejo wine regions.

The family is carefully upholding the best of Port's long history while also stewarding the wine into the future, producing dry white, rosé and red wines. While they trace their roots in the Port trade back to 1652, today the fifth generation of Symingtons is leading the way in the family business.

You might think of Port as your father's or grandfather's drink. But Port is being rediscovered thanks in part to travelers choosing to go to Portugal and the historic Douro Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the world's oldest demarcated wine region as their top destination.

For this episodes show notes visit https://sipsiphooraypodcast.com/

Sip Sip Hooray for Rhone wine varieties!

Our guests today are a husband and wife winemaking team, working and living in California's Santa Clara Valley. This is a historic winemaking region, dating back to the 1798, but Kim and Todd Engelhardt are adding their own chapter to the story, buying property and planting vineyards on land that, in the late 1880s, was known as Lion Ranch.

The Engelhardts went all in on Rhone wine varietals - and their honeymoon in the Rhone Valley sealed the deal. They visited Condrieu - where only Viognier is made - and fell in love with it. But they didn't just buy and drink Viognier - they built a wine business - Lion Ranch Vineyards & Winery - around it. Now, with wines names like Lioness, Lion's Share and Alpha, this winery roars.

Todd, an emergency room physician by night, handles organic farming, and the duo is moving into regenerative farming, along with incorporating Baby Doll sheep and bees into their ecosystem. Kim overseas the winery operations, sales and marketing and is the president of the winery association Wineries of Santa Clara Valley. Together they share winemaking duties. 

We're delighted that Kim and Todd are taking time to chat with us on the pod. We know you'll be smitten with them, their story, their approach to wine and, of course their wines. 

We've made our list our list and we're checking it twice. Whether you're gifting the wine lovers in your life - or treating yourself, The Marys have got you covered! These are our top 12 picks - none of them sponsored so the list truly is all of our favorites.

Sure it's easy to pick out some nice wines or bubbly, but our gift picks are sure to bring the holiday cheer to last much longer than an opened bottle of wine.

Head to our show notes on Sip Sip Hooray Podcast for a complete list and links to every gift mentioned.

From behind the scenes of the theater and opera stage to behind the wine label, Sabrine Rodems gave up the bright lights of theater and film production for producing bold wines. 

Sabrine hones her craft daily at Wrath Wines in the picturesque Santa Lucia Highlands of California's Monterey County. This region is known for world class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir thanks to the sun and wind that define this wine region. Sabrine adds other varietals to the story, including Syrah and a white Italian variety called Falanghina. 

Join us as we talk to Sabrine at her winery, overlooking the estate San Saba Vineyard.

You can visit the Wrath Wines winery, or enjoy pours at Wrath's Carmel-by-th-Sea tasting room.

https://www.wrathwines.com/Visit

We love a winery with a manifesto, especially when one of the statements is "We are for wine with lunch on Mondays. To open the good stuff for no reason is the reason."

It just makes life more fun right? You've never met vintners like Joey Wolosz and Jeff Durham of Napa's Gentleman Farmer Wines. This dynamic duo blows us away with their talent and all the things they do besides making wine. Joey is a fantastic chef, is working on a cookbook, plays the accordian, writes a monthly newsletter and publishes a quarterly magazine. Jeff is an avid farmer, plays the clarinet and provides comic relief. All this in addition to making amazing wine with one of our favorite winemakers, Jérôme Chéry!

This doesn't even include their epic wine tastings, which are sit down full lunch affairs, all created from scratch by Joey. What's more, when you make an appointment to taste Gentleman Farmer Wines, you'll be sipping and breaking bread with Jeff and Joey, while nibbling on Joey's homemade dishes, crafted that morning.

Mary O met Joey and Jeff when they were in Palm Springs for the first ever Equality Wine Fest in June 2022. We're thrilled to introduce you to these gentleman farmers, share their story and give you the inside scoop on their soon to open The Bungalow by Gentleman Farmer, A Studio for Gustatory Well-Being in downtown Napa.

Russell Joyce's family landed in Monterey County, California, thanks to his father's love of car racing and the nearby Laguna Seca Raceway. Ever since, Russell's been in the driver's seat of his family's grape growing and winemaking endeavors at Joyce Wine Company, with a commitment to minimalist winemaking and working with organically grown grapes.

Vineyards and wine have been a mainstay of his life, ever since he was a little boy, working with his father, who planted their first vineyard behind the family home. Today, Russell's enjoying sharing his passion with his young son.

Russell's also helping preserve the past, recently acquiring a historic winery property in southern Monterey County, in the Arroyo Seco AVA. Russell and his wife Charlotte have been renovating the historic former Ventana Winery site, now home to Joyce Wine Co.'s winemaking facilities. You can visit and taste the Joyce wines here among the vines, and you can also experience the wines at the Carmel Road tasting room.

The Marys chat with Russell about his road to wine and the newest chapter in his family's wine journey.

The Marys are honored to have wine writer extraordinare Alice Feiring on our pod! Acclaimed wine writer Alice Feiring has been in love with wine for decades. She started her sensory training at very young age, sniffing everything along with her grandfather. Little could she have imagined then growing up to be the OG natural wine movement writer, or the person to take down the homogenous ”Parkerization” of wine, a style favored by one wine critic that changed the way many wines around the world were - and still are made. Now Alice has released her sixth book, To Fall in Love Drink This: A Wine Writer’s Memoir. But as you’ll find out in her engaging chat with us, the Marys, Alice’s is not your typical wine memoir. Instead of touting the great vineyards she’s visited or wines she’s tasted, she recounts an escape from a serial killer - and her reconnection with the perpetrator, and she gives wine recommendations to a plumber, to help him fall in love. You’ll want to get your hands on her book right away, and fair warning, it’s a page turner that you can’t put down.

On this episode of Sip Sip Hooray! the Marys are playing Santa’s helpers! We’ve been on the hunt for the perfect wine holiday gifts, from budget-friendly stocking stuffers to little indulgences, experiences, good reads and a few splurges.

Listen all the way through for exclusive discount codes!

We wanted to think outside the typical wine gift and inspire you to get creative gifting the wine lover in your life. We tried to have a broad price point range too, in hopes of providing inspiration for all pocketbooks.

Be warned, you may want to keep some of these to gift to yourself.

To be clear, we are not getting any kickbacks for promoting any of these gift ideas, and they are all chosen and in most cases, tested by us.

We have a sparkling episode for you! The always bubbly Joy Sterling of Iron Horse Vineyards in the Green Valley AVA of Sonoma County is our guest. She and her family are committed to caring for the earth through wine. As we celebrate Earth Month, Joy shares her commitment to protecting the oceans, regenerative agriculture and working to secure broadband access for everyone.

Join us - with a glass of sparkling wine in hand - and get to know one of our most favorite people in the wine world! You'll want to visit the down-to-earth outdoor tasting room and spend time there taking in the view as you enjoy delicious sparkling wines!

Meet Mark Pisoni. He's a 3rd generation farmer and son of legendary winemaker Gary Pisoni of Pisoni Vineyards. While Gary is larger-than-life, Mark is quietly building his own legacy, as grape grower extraordinare, managing what some call Grand Cru vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands: Pisoni, Garys' and Sobranes.

For Mark, it all comes down to farming, nature, wine and family. He farms sustainably, has a beneficial insect insectory at the Pisoni ranch, and is also a beekeeper. On top of all that, Mark is a devoted husband and father.

We first met Mark more than 15 years ago when we filmed an episode of our NBC TV show In Wine Country. We are thrilled to be back with Mark, this time in his home wine cellar, surrounded by great bottles, both consumed and still aging. If these bottles could talk!

There's a saying that wine is art in a glass. For 5th generation vintner Darcie Kent, that's always been true. Darcie has helped shape the modern Livermore Valley, California wine scene, first with her wine and her paintings, then with a live music venue. For one, she's championing Livermore Valley Grüner Veltliner. And, she's working to bring in new folks into wine, whether through art, music, or, yes, cannabis.

We first met Darcie Kent, her husband David and daughters Kailyn and Amanda more than 20 years ago, filming a story with them about their new wine label, Darcie Kent Vineyards, for our NBC TV show In Wine Country. Back then, Darcie was "Almost Famous," thanks to her first wine release of a Livermore Valley Merlot. Her own grapevine painting adorned the label.

Fast forward to 2023 and we are so happy to be back with Darcie at Darcie Kent Estate Winery in Livermore Valley. Her girls are grown -- they are 6th generation vintners! The family has a few new ventures in addition to wine! Darcie moved her winery's home base to a spot in the heart of Livermore Valley - famously owned by Bing Crosby - where she combines her wines, her art and a stand alone dispensary. She and her family also opened the Almost Famous Wine Company, a live music venue where wine pairs perfectly with local and national bands.

On the pod today - we're thinking inside the wine box!

Have you noticed there are more boxed wine options on the market and they're getting better and better? What may have seemed like a cheaper choice before is now viewed as a more sustainable choice. And the wine in the bag in that box? It keeps getting better.

We get the lowdown on the move to wine in boxes from industry expert Erin Kirschenmann of Wine Business Monthly and Jason Haas of Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, CA.

For Erin, when it comes to alternative packaging for wine, she's seen it evolve and she has the inside scoop on the industry perspective and the evolution of boxed wine.

For Jason, we’ll learn the inspiration for Tablas Creek being one of the first wineries to put really, really good wine in a box. If you’re used to cheap boxed wine, this is not only a revelation but a trend we’re seeing.

So draw some wine from the box in your fridge and join us for a great conversation!

The Marys have a new friend in wine! Join us for an engaging conversation with the woman who just doesn't know how to stop! Sip Sip Hooray to that!

Are you ready to meet the tour de force that is Iris Rideau? From a young age she always had the determination to make hers and the lives of others better. Iris' life is one of many first and of breaking multiple glass ceilings. Her illustrious career began in the front office of a Los Angeles insurance company, and from there she paved the way to being a leader in not just insurance, but in finance, politics and wine.

Her life in wine began when she was a mere seven years old, even though she didn't realize it at the time. How fitting that Iris became the first Black woman to own a winery in the United States, Rideau Vineyard in California's Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara wine country.

However, it was a long journey from growing up Creole in New Orleans, with Jim Crow segregation in full swing, to becoming a legendary business leader. Iris shares her incredible and inspiring story in her memoir From Black to White: One Life Between Two Worlds. Iris can add talented writer and engaging story teller to her list of accomplishments.

Is it time to turn to white wine?

Wine drinkers are now choosing white wine more than red! Our guests, Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, aka the World Wine Guys, are the perfect ambassadors for exploring the wide and delicious world of white wine.

After all, their motto is, "We uncork your world."

Mike and Jeff could have dedicated their new book, "White Wine, The Comprehensive Guide to the 50 Essential Varieties and Styles" to us, the Marys, because we're such big wine white wine lovers.

We'll get into all the tea on what it takes to author such an informative yet fun book. If you don't already have a white wine in your glass, this show will leave you craving a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or rich, aromatic Viognier.

The World Wine Guys are prolific writers and travelers. Imagine a job where you get to travel around the world, visiting the most incredible wine regions, eating exotic and gourmet meals, and of course, savoring the world's best wines.

A dream, right? Well, that pretty much sums up Mike and Jeff's lives. And today, we get to live vicariously through their wine-soaked adventures. You get the feeling that even their work isn't really work because it involves their absolute passion, wine.

We've got Hot Takes with Tom Wark! From DTC shipping, the anti-alcohol movement and more, Tom's got something to say, and he says it on our pod.

But you can get a regular dose of Tom's commentary and insights on the wine industry must read Substack, Fermentation. Because everyone wants to know what Tom thinks.

Tom Wark is one of the OG wine bloggers and the wine industry's favorite muckraker, a man who is not afraid to call out an industry that doesn't always play fair or the forces he feels are working against the American wine consumer.

Tom speaks for us, the wine lovers and little guys, and he's not afraid to push back against the big dogs or the accepted norms in the wine industry.

If you think tech and wine don't go together, you haven't met our guest, tech entrepreneur T.J. Rodgers. We all know stories about tech world titans who buy - or launch - their own winery, which often becomes a vanity project. But that's not the case for T.J. Rodgers. The man who created Cypress Semiconductor Corporation is the mastermind behind Clos de la Tech winery in California's Santa Cruz Mountains - and he is totally hands on in his endeavor. From inventing tractors to navigate his vineyards' extreme steep slopes to developing winemaking processes now used by UC Davis, T.J.'s mind works nonstop. He is always tinkering with ways to push the quality of Clos de la Tech's Pinot Noir higher and higher. T.J. sat down with us, the two Marys, inside his wine cave and winery, for an in depth chat about his path to and passion for wine. You don't want to miss this fascinating conversation! Grab a glass and listen now.

On this special edition of Sip Sip Hooray! we hear the incredible stories of bravery, heroism and spirit from vintners most impacted by the August 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fires. You will be riveted by their stories, but you'll also find hope as they assess the aftermath and the path forward. Equally important, we share the best ways you can help the recovery efforts now. Read more. 

We have a confession! The Marys had never sipped a Brazilian wine before Apex Brasil invited us to join a small group of wine journalists to tour the country's main wine region. 

The reaction from most of our friends and family -- they make wine in Brazil? Oh yes, and as we discovered, it is darn good wine too. 

So we invite you to get in on Brazilian wine now -- we're here to tell you Brazil's wines are the next thing in wine. To help you navigate what's happening in this South American wine producing country, wine journalist and expert Mauricio Roloff is joining us from Brazil! Mary O met him when he gave a master class on Brazilian wine the first day of the wine trip. He's the perfect guide for your Brazilian wine adventure! 

Saúde! (Cheers in Portuguese)

On the podcast today, a wine friend so busy we can't believe she's made time to visit us again. And she’s speaking to us from Mendoza, Argentina.

Dr. Laura Catena is the managing director of one of the best known names in wine - Catena Zapata. Catena is admired around the world not only for incredible wines her family produces, but also for their stewardship of the land and efforts to make wine production more ecologically sustainable, as well as her tireless work to champion and preserve old vines and genetic diversity in wine.

Laura is a fourth generation Argentine vintner whose winery was recently named the world's best vineyard to visit.

It is such a pleasure to welcome Laura back to the podcast today - she was last on our pod in October 2020 - to talk about Malbec, the future of healthy wine consumption and what wineries can do to take care of people and the planet.

So pour a glass of Malbec and welcome Laura back to Sip Sip Hooray!

Meet winemaker Aaron Lieberman. All his life, Aaron's been volunteering and giving back, including a stint with the Peace Corp in Guatemala. Now he's tending vines and crafting fine wines at Iris Vineyards in the Willamette Valley, always with an eye towards improving every day. That's in line with the principle of areté.

What has areté got to do with wine? Aaron Lieberman is happy to tell you - and he shares this secret to making wines bloom at Iris with the Marys on this episode of Sip Sip Hooray!

Areté is an ancient Greek concept of striving to achieve full potential. It's a philosophy embraced by Iris Vineyards owners Richard Boyles and Pamela Frye. 

Aaron is also involved in the Willamette Valley Wineries Association's Diversity, Equity, Belonging and Inclusion (DEBI) Task Force. Over the years he has participated, supported and contributed to various LGBTQ and BIPOC events.

So grab a glass, sit back and get to know Aaron and Iris Vineyards!

The number one thing people always ask us is, can you do wine country on a budget?

With the Napa Valley wine experience becoming more and more expensive, with wine tastings regularly costing upwards of $10, can you visit this incredible wine mecca without blowing a small fortune in the process?

We, the Marys, say yes! You can be bougie on a budget in Napa Valley. We've got the inside scoop on the wine tastings for $50 or less, hotels in the $200 or less range, and restaurants that won't break the bank. We even got some freebies!

Here's the list of all the places and experiences we mention. But you'll have to listen to the pod for all the great details and tips - you won't want to miss any of them!

We’ve become cork dorks! That’s right, while you may love the convenience and ease of screw caps, after today’s pod, you’ll never think about cork stoppers the same way.

Sure, cork has been used for centuries to seal wine bottles, and, you may know it comes from the bark of cork oak trees. You may not know 60% of the world’s cork comes from Portugal. That’s one reason we’re excited to have Carlos de Jesus, Communications Director for Amorim Cork, the world’s largest cork producer, joining us on the pod from Amorim’s headquarters just outside of Porto.

In August and September 2023, Mary Orlin visited Amorim’s two main factories and a cork oak farm while vacationing in Portugal. She met with several members of Amorim’s team, including Carlos, and was treated to an in-depth master class on cork. She was totally fascinated and wanted to share what she saw and learned with our podcast audience.

Mary O says you may not think much about the cork stopper when you pull it from the bottle, but there’s a lot that goes into getting that cork there in the first place.Carlos will walk us through cork’s journey and also share how Amorim became the first cork manufacturer to identify and practically eliminate cork’s enemy, 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole, also known as TCA, cork taint or cork spoilage (which smells like musty basements or wet newspaper).Carlos is here today to talk about new progress in the world of wine corks.

Wine and history have always been intertwined for Sandar & Hem winemaker Rob Bergstrom. To him, every bottle tells a unique story about the place it is grown, as well as being a lens on the wines and winemakers of past eras. While Rob is passionate about Santa Cruz Mountains wine history, he's also focused on moving the story forward. Rob brings forgotten, long lost vineyards forward, but also pushes the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA appellation to and beyond its limits of what is possible in grape growing, varieties and winemaking. Join us for a great conversation!

Vineyards have voices. That's how our guest today, Ted Glennon of Vocal Vineyards in California's Santa Cruz Mountains, approaches winemaking.

From DJing to wine, Ted's career has been both vocal and vinous. Wearing his DJ Soigné hat, he spins up a playlist of cool tunes. Now he's making cool wines.

Ted combined his music passion with wine, when after working as a sommelier for many prestigious restaurants, he turned his attention to making wine from the Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey County.

By composing Vocal Vineyards, Ted gives voice to historic vineyards and unsung grape varieties.

Check out Ted's DJ Soigné Spotify playlist for great music and wine pairing playlists!

There's more to a wine label than meets the eye.

Most of us buy wine in the store and when we do, we picture that bottle coming from a small winery nestled among the vines somewhere in wine country.But did you know a growing chunk of popular labels don't have their own winery or winemaking team?

They are private label wines contracted out to a third party winery who supplies the grapes, the winemaking team and creates a company's vintage vision.

A great example that most of us can relate to is Costco’s Kirkland Brand or Trader Joe's wine. We're exploring the world of private label wines with one of the best in the business.

Alison Crowe is Vice President of winemaking at Plata Wine Partners and she helps create more than 100 labels for clients near and far.

If you've never heard the term private label when it comes to wine, you may be surprised to learn that many of the most popular wine brands are made by talented winemakers whose names or wineries are not on the label. In fact, Alison says she translates the beauty of a vineyard through the medium of wine.

We'll set the record straight on how private label wines are made with quality, even sustainably sourced grapes. And we'll take a deeper dive into this very important part of the wine business.

Can you have a healthy and balanced life with wine? Our guest today says yes!

Wine is plentiful in so many professional and personal situations and it can be challenging to navigate, especially if you feel like pulling back.

Rebecca Hopkins created A Balanced Glass, an online community of winegrowers, winemakers, cellar workers, winery management and ownership, folks in sales and marketing, PR, media, distribution, retail, restaurants, bars and tasting rooms. While it started as a forum for wine professionals, A Balanced Glass - ABG - quickly attracted wine lovers looking to create balance in their lives with wine. ABG is for everyone, where the community shares stories, successes and practical tips.

Beck and her team at A Balanced Glass offer support and suggestions to help you find your way on the path to a balanced life in wine, supporting your health and wellness goals. The community here is welcoming.

ABG's motto: Wine in moderation, choose, care, share.

Find A Balanced Glass on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) @abalancedglass

We are excited to introduce you to this wine dynamo! Heidi Scheid does it all, from transforming her family's business as grape growers to winemakers, overseeing Scheid Family Wines business operations, developing new brands - including a low ABV wine - to raising a family and summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa. 

Whew! The Marys traveled to the Salinas Valley in the Monterey County AVA to meet up with Heidi on the occasion of her family's 50th anniversary in the wine business! 

We ask Heidi to share her secrets for doing all she does (hint: she says it's not always pretty) to how she created Sunny With A Chance of Flowers lower alcohol wines to her passion for mountain climbing. Plus, she pays homage to her father, Al Scheid, a pioneer in establishing the Salinas Valley and Monterey as a premium wine producing region. 

Wines tasted in this episode:

• 2021 Sunny With A Chance of Flowers Sauvignon Blanc

• 2020 Metz Road Chardonnay

* 2019 Scheid Vineyards Reserve Pinot Noir

Scheid Family Wines has two tasting rooms! One is in Carmel-by-the-Sea, the other is under a grand 400 ft. wind turbine in the Salinas Valley.

• San Carlos & 7th, Carmel, CA; (831) 626-WINE (9463)

• 972 Hobson Ave, Greenfield, CA; (831) 386-0316

Sip Sip Hooray! thanks the Monterey County Vintners & Growers for hosting our travels. montereywines.org

If you don't know the wines of Lepe Cellars in Monterey County, you're in for a treat!

The Marys continue their Monterey County wine tour, where we met up with Miguel Lepe, founding winemaker of Lepe Cellars. Miguel is an up and coming winemaker, who, as the county's first Mexican American winery owner, has a great story that you need to know! Thanks to one college course, Miguel's life path was forever changed.

Miguel is a winemaker to watch! Get the dibs first right here. Plus, find out who the model is for his wine label.

Lepe Cellars tasting room is in Carmel-by-the-Sea at Dolores Street between Ocean & 7th.

Wines tasted in this episode:

2021 Lepe Cellars Pinot Noir, McIntyre Vineyard, Monterey County

2020 Lepe Cellars Petit Verdot, San Antonio Vineyard, Monterey County

Getting to Mount Eden Vineyards in California's Santa Cruz Mountains is an adventure! The drive is up a twisty mountain road with lots of hairpin turns and steep drop offs. A good portion of the road - at the topmost part - is unpaved. But then you arrive at the peak, 2000 feet above Silicon Valley, and the breathtaking views, not to mention the wines, are totally worth the journey.

The Marys sit down with winemaker Jeffrey Patterson, one of the best known vintners in  the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, and all of California. He's been crafting world class Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon from this historic vineyard for more than 40 years. Join us and discover the magic of Mount Eden.

On this podcast episode, let's hear it for the girls.

As founder of ⁠Teneral Cellars⁠, Jill Osur is driven to make a difference, harnessing the power of business for good and using wine as a conduit for change. All this while also creating a selection of exceptional, sustainable wines.

Did you know women are the primary purchasers of wine? That's right, nearly 70% of wine sold is bought by women. As consumers, women have long held the buying power, but not necessarily the business power in the world of wine. Only 10% of winemakers are women today and there are still very few women in leadership roles in the wine industry.

Our guest today is determined to elevate women in wine, creating a winery that's run by women, partners with women-owned businesses, and donates part of their profits to groups that empower women.

Join us for this uplifting and inspiring conversation!

We, the Marys, were honored to be invited to celebrate Ridge's 60th anniversary at a luncheon at the winery with legendary winemaker Paul Draper, his team, including head winemaker John Olney and Ridge's new winemakers Trester Goetting at Monte Bello and Shauna Rosenblum at Lytton Springs.

They are both super talented, hard working, great people and both a lot of fun too, which is a good thing because they big shoes to fill. So how do you take on winemaking duties at a place so renowned for excellence as Ridge Vineyards? We find out today as we sit down with Trester and Shauna. Trester and Shauna are certainly artists in wine, but they're also artists in other aspects of their lives having to do with music, ceramics and sculpture.

We are excited to introduce you to Trester and Shauna! They are dynamic, and bring amazing backgrounds in wine to Ridge. After listening to our super engaging chat, we think you'll agree that Ridge is in great hands for the next 60 plus years to come.

A New Wine Label Takes the Stage.

Launching a new wine label, especially during the pandemic, is never easy. But today we meet two actors who make, promote and sell their wine between acting, directing and producing gigs.

They are Matt and Carolina Espino de Jager of Fuil Wines - pronounced fool - and we're excited to hear their story of starting their own winery and the two labels that they've created.

From acting to winemaking, it's not a unique story. In this case, Matt and Carolina's screenplay is full of passion, wine country romance and determination without a marquee Hollywood name. You've heard folks say to some people who have side gigs, don't quit your day job just yet. Well, the early reviews for Fuil have been notably good. So maybe that advice doesn’t always apply!

We're excited to introduce you to these wines and Matt and Carolina, who share how they balance their dual roles. Grab a glass and join us!

What makes a great vineyard great? Laura Catena, of Argentina's leading Catena Zapata Winery and the Catena Institute, set out on a mission to discover what the world's best wines have in common. Instead of telling these vineyard stories the traditional, boring way, Laura takes Gold in the Vineyards readers through an illustrated, colorful, fun and compelling journey around the world, weaving in tales of love, war, betrayal, sibling rivalry, royalty and more, that keep you turning the page to find out what happens next.

Tune in to meet Laura - a woman who balances working with her family's Argentine winery and being an ER doctor in San Francisco -  and hear the story of how the Catenas also found vinous gold in Mendoza's highest altitudes at the foot of the majestic Andes Mountains.

Do you love bold, indulgent and decadent California Chardonnays? Then you'll love our guest, Rob Lloyd. He's the winemaker you can thank for delivering Cali sunshine in a glass, perfected at La Crema and Rombauer. Now Rob and his wife Bonnie have their own venture, Lloyd Cellars and Prescription Vineyards, but he still makes wine with long running winery clients such as Jessup Cellars and Handwritten Wines.

Join us to learn about Rob's Chardonnay-powered journey to wine, his musical preferences, and why we owe Bonnie great thanks for encouraging Rob to start his own label, a labor of love that they share.

Summer is here, and we're celebrating Americia's pastime, baseball! When you get to the ballpark, you're most likely eating hotdogs and drinking a cold beer. But our guest and friend of the pod, Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein, wants you to change up your game and try swirling and sipping a glass of wine instead. He's Major League Baseball's first team Master Sommelier, and Evan's joined the roster of his beloved San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.

The Marys are thrilled to welcome Evan to Sip Sip Hooray for a second time at bat. He's back by popular demand! He'll give us the scoop on the lineup of wines to pair with baseball and stadium food. Plus, he's answering wine questions that you, our listeners, have always wanted to ask a somm.

Climate change is on eveyone's mind, especially when it comes to the world's grape growers and winemakers. Wildfires, drought, water scarcity, hail, floods, extreme weather, oh my! While there's much reason for concern, our guest today says there is hope. It is not all gloom and doom, but we must be mindful.

Let's be clear, climate change is happeing now.

The Marys welcome Brian Freedman, author of Crushed: How a Changing Climate is Altering the Way We Drink. In his new book, Brian profiles wine growers and winemakers in eight global regions facing climate adversity - but are adapting with innovative solutions. But the bubbly you loved from Champagne is now rivialed by Southern English sparklers.

Brian reminds us that grapes and wine are not the only agricultural alcohol based beverages dealing with these issues. He also explores grain-based spirits and how distillers and farmers are adapting.

When you look at a restaurant's wine list, what do you see? Do you see equity, cultural and biodiversity, representation, affordability, fun?

Our guest today believes all of that should be front and center on a wine list. Miguel de Leon has made a career and a celebrated name for himself as a wine professional of color in New York City, where he is currently the wine director at Pinch Chinese in Manhattan.

When he's not running the wine program at Pinch, he's writing thought-provoking articles for the online magazine Punch that aren't afraid to throw a punch at the status quo of the wine world. He's brave and outspoken and just what the mostly white wine world needs today.

Today, we'll explore where the wine industry and wine culture stands now in terms of progress, or lack thereof, on diversity, accessibility, equality and inclusiveness.

Miguel has stirred up controversy with his writings for Punch, including "It's Time to Decolonize Wine," and "So Long to the Sommelier." Miguel has a point and is an important voice in what could be an inflection point in how we approach, talk and communicate about wine.

Is it time for wine speak to die? Are somms fading away? You don't want to miss our lively discussion with Miguel. 

Her family is California's First Family of Chardonnay. Most Chardonnay vines planted in the state are from the Wente clone, developed in Livermore Valley at Wente Vineyards by Niki Wente's family.

So you can imagine Niki has big shoes to fill. But as a 5th generation winegrower, she's stepping up to the challenge in her role as Viticultural Manager, overseeing vineyards operations and grape growing.

We, the Marys, met up with Niki at the historic Wente Vineyards winery, where we chatted about - and yes sipped - Chardonnay, as well as her own Rosé. We also talk about Wente's commitment to sustainability and continuing the family legacy, in a wine region that has a rich history that rivals Napa Valley and Sonoma County.

You could say that winemaker David Baird is living the dream at Folktale Winery & Vineyards in California’s Carmel Valley. They say every bottle has a story to tell, and behind the label, David coaxes those stories out of Folktale's estate vineyards. 

If you don’t know the Folktale wines or haven’t visited the winery, you are in for a treat. Folktale is a place you need to know about, a destination whenever you are in Carmel, Big Sur or Monterey. David brings his own touch to the wine program here, and has some exciting projects, including a wine aged under the waves of Monterey Bay.

David’s also a good sport, as he met us, the Marys, at the winery the morning after returning from a seven day trek through Yosemeti Valley. So tune in to find out about the tales the wines of Folktale have to tell as they speak through David’s competent and creative winemaking hands.

Julia Coney is a powerhouse in the wine world. This wine journalist and entrepreneur, a former beauty writer, who loves perfume and Champagne, is changing how the world views the wine industry. She founded Black Wine Professionals in the wake of the George Floyd shooting to recognize black people working in all aspects of wine, offering visibility, support and guidance.

Tune in as the Marys get to know this mover and shaker - her struggles being a black woman in an industry not traditionally known for diversity, how she is working to overcome that and help others on their wine journeys and her string of accomplishments, included being honored by Wine Enthusiast Magazine's Wine Star Awards as the Social Visionary of the Year in 2020.

Do something.

That’s what The Wine Bible author and wine expert Karen MacNeil said to herself when she was thinking about media stories focusing on alcohol’s negative effects - but not the positive communal, cultural, historic and yes, cardiac health aspects of wine.

Now there is a new campaign to bring people back to the table, the communal table, not necessarily the bar.

It is called Come Over October. And today on the podcast, we get the lowdown on this effort and why you might wanna give it a try.

Karen’s brainstorm about wine bringing people together quickly caught on. She enlisted wine communicator wizes Kimberly Noelle Charles, DipWSET, of Charles Communications and Gino Colangelo of Colangelo & Partners to work together fleshing out a campaign and spreading the word.

Karen returns to Sip Sip Hooray (link to her previous episode below). She is joined by Joseph Phelps Vineyards Maison President David Pearson to share with our listeners what Come Over October is - and isn’t (hint: it’s not a wild party) and why it matters.

We're celebrating bubbles and California's Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County on Sip Sip Hooray! with Scott Caraccioli of Caraccioli Cellars.

Of course the holidays are sparkling wine season, but we believe bubbles are for year round -- and yes, daily sipping 🥂

But there is much more to Caraccioli Cellars than sparkling wine! Scott makes terrific still wines too - Pinot Noir, Syrah, and even Gamay! All from his estate vineyard, the esteemed Escolle Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands.

When you spend time with Scott, you can't help but be impressed by his passion and vast knowledge of grape growing and winemaking! He and his family put Monterey County on the map for bubbly, making sparkling wine to rival the world's best Champagne. But he's not content to rest on his successes. Scott and his team are constantly striving to improve what they do with every vintage, from going all estate to tapping into the potential of Gamay.

Join us for this great episode and raise a glass to Scott and Monterey County sparkling wine!

Come meet us, the Marys, and sip Santa Clara Valley Wines with us! That's right, Mary B and Mary O are hosting the VIP Sommelier Experience during the Santa Clara Valley Wine Auction on Saturday, March 25 at Guglielmo Winery in Morgan Hill, Calif. We're super excited to support this fantastic and historic California wine region, the birthplace of the state's commercial wine industry. And we are excited to meet you, our listeners, and share a Sip Sip Hooray! toast.

In this special pod episode, we have all the T on the wine auction - including previewing a few auction lots. VIP admission is at 5 pm and gets you special access to the best of the best wines, plus you get to meet us and some of the local winemakers. General admission begins at 6 pm. And yes you can buy tickets now.

Then you're in for a real treat, as we welcome 3rd generation vintner Gene Guglielmo. At 98 years old, Guglielmo Winery is the longest continously operated family winery in the Santa Clara Valley. If you do the math, you'll see that the winery started in 1925, right in the middie of Prohibition! Needless to say, Gene's got great stories about this and more!

Special thanks to Wineries of Santa Clara Valley and the Morgan Hill Community Foundation, which will distribute auction proceeds to local non-profits serving the community. We appreciate being invited to participate in this giving event.

When documentary director Jason Wise premiered SOMM at the Napa Valley Film Festival in 2012, he didn't imagine the runaway success of the film. In our far ranging interview, Jason gives the Marys the behind the scenes scoop and previews the many (and we mean many) new video and movie projects coming soon to your home computer and smartphone. You won't want to miss this lively chat!

Nearly 20 years later, Wise has turned SOMM into the online streaming juggernaut SOMM TV, home to a plethora of full feature wine and food movies, mini documentaries and videos. The new series Verticals, now in its second season, tells the behind the label story of one winery per episode through a series, or "vertical" of wines.

This Sip Sip Hooray! episode is all about courage! As a child growing up in Bosnia, Samra Morris dodged incoming fire just trying to go to school. This brave woman survived her war-torn country, studying winemaking in her native Sarajevo. Now Samra’s following in the footsteps of a wine world legend - Richard Sanford at Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills of Santa Barbara wine country in California. She is also California's first Bosnian winemaker.

You don’t want to miss Samra’s story! Join us, the Marys, for a truly compelling and inspiring episode of Sip Sip Hooray!

For this episode of Sip Sip Hooray! we are in Hopland in California's Mendocino County at the beautiful, picturesque winery, Saracina Vineyards.

Tucked into the rolling hills, the mantra at this wine ranch is biodiversity and sustainability. Since its founding by John Fetzer and Patty Rock in 2001, Saracina has been on the leading edge of a holistic approach to grape growing and winemaking. Vineyards share the landscape with majestic 140 year old olive trees, baby goats and alpacas, honey bees, orchards and chicken. Saracina may be best known for wine, but the ranch also produces honey and olive oil. Now owned by Taub Family Selections, Saracina is committed to raising the bar through its dedication to diversity in every aspect.

Winemaker Alex MacGregor is one of those legendary Mendocino characters and you'll love getting to know him. So grab a glass and enjoy our conversation.

Give as you go. That's the motto of our podcast guest, Dennis Murphy. As the founder and winemaker at Caprio Cellars in Washington's Walla Walla Valley, Dennis proves that making great tasting wine and making a difference in the world go hand in hand.

From building homes and communities to making wine, Dennis' story is inspiring - so much so that he's one of Wine Industry Advisor's most inspring people in wine. We have no doubt you'll admire all that Dennis has done and continues to do.

At Caprio Cellars, Dennis is also disrupting the winery hospitality model, offering complimentary (yes free!) wine and food pairings that rival a top restaurant three-course tasting menu.

Get to know what motivates Dennis and how he's changing the wine world one glass at a time.

If you've ever dreamed of making a career switch to wine, our podcast today may just inspire you. Rosa Fierro went from legal assistant to winemaker and winery owner. It didn't happen overnight, and the journey wasn't without its twists and turns and stops and starts. But one of the reasons Rosie has made it work is because of the women who helped her out along the way. 

Today Livermore Valley's @Rosa Fierro Cellars is 100% female owned and operated. They are helping to change the narrative about what has been a male dominated wine world, and as Aretha Franklin and Annie Lennox sing, sisters are doing it for themselves!

The two Marys are at Rosie's winery and tasting room, in what we like to say is the vortex of winemaking in Northern California's Livermore Valley Wine Community, as she's surrounded by other wineries, a brewery and a distillery. Rosie has perhaps the most unique label art we've seen and it's very personal. Rosie also honors powerful, impactful women in a special way in her cellar.

Grab a glass and join us for a great chat!

She's bubbly, effervesecent, elegant and ebullent. We're thrilled to have Champagne Laurent-Perrier's Michelle DeFeo join us for a great conversation about one of our favorite beverages, French Champagne.

Michelle DeFeo is the President of Laurent-Perrier U.S. The winery, dating back to 1812, is the largest family-owned and female-led Champagne house.

Join us, the Marys, as we get the inside scoop on all things bubbly! Michelle’s path to Champagne isn’t your typical road - and it started with sneaking a bottle during one of her parents’ parties. So pop a cork and enjoy our sparkling conversation!

Resilience. Determination. Perseverance. These three words describe our guest, Alan Viader of Viader Vineyards & Winery. Resilience to continue in the face of wildfire devastation. Determination to grow grapes on the steepest, rockiest slopes of Napa Valley's Howell Mountain, and perseverance to survive not one but two major fire events.

Join the Marys as we get right into a story so relevant for today's wineries. With fire season here, and the continuation of drought in California, we are so inspired by Alan, who is making the wines at the pioneering winery his mother Delia Viader started in 1986. Alan is a volunteer for Napa search and rescue operations, and recently became a trained firefighter.

This dynamic mother-son team keeps pushing the limits to create some of the most sought after wines in Napa Valley. You'll be inspired by their story.

Have we got an Olympic-sized episode for you! We are thrilled to welcome 12-time Olympic medalist swimmer Natalie Coughlin to Sip Sip Hooray! She won gold in the pool, now she’s winning gold in the vineyard. Join us, the Marys, As we dive deep into what drives Natalie, her Olympic career and her new wine label Gaderian Wines. Natalie says yes to opportunity when it presents itself to her. That’s led to a wide range of experiences, including being a reality show dance competition contestants, both competitor and judge in cooking competition shows, a Sports Illustrated swimwear model, and, of course, hands-on winery owner. You’ll want to gather around Natalie’s table and her wine. With Gaderian Wines she’s making wine fun and approachable and something you’ll want to share.

The Marys are thrilled to welcome a true wine dynamo and new friend to the pod! Meet Philana Bouvier. She's the President of Napa Valley-based Demeine Estates, whose impressive portfolio includes Heitz Cellar, Burgess, Stony Hill, as well as international wineries Champagne Legras & Haas, Domaine de Montille, Racine, La Chablisienne, Ca Rome, and more across France and Italy.

At Demeine Estates, Philana is super lucky to work closely with Master Sommelier Carlton McCoy Jr. - a true wine celebrity who hosts his own show on CNN, Nomad. Philana also works tirelessly to raise up women and minorities, creating more diversity and opportunity for those already working in and those new to the wine industry.

We salute her efforts! Learn all about it as we have a delightful conversation, best savored on a "self-care Saturday." What's that you ask? Tune in to find out why you'll want to add this to your weekly routine.

Welcome to #SoberOctober. If you're looking for good non-alcoholic wine, no matter the reason, this episode is your perfect pour.

Call it sober curious, mindful or buzzless drinking, alcohol-free libations are growing in popularity and demand. Today's non-alcoholic wines are getting better and better, thanks to new technologies and creators redefining what low and no ABV (alcohol by volume) wines can be. 

It's only fitting now that #SoberOctober, an extension of Dry January and July, is here, that our guests are all in on everything fun about wine, minus the hangovers, and the calories. Catherine Diao and Dorothy Munholland founded Studio Null and immediately garnered rave reviews for their sparkling Rosé and red blends that all clock in at 25 calories/5 ounce glass. Null Wines recently released the first non-alcoholic Grüner Veltliner, called Grüner Weiss and the Marys are excited that we got to try it and we'll share our review with you. 

Also in this episode, Catherine and Dorothy explain what it takes to make Studio Null Wines, which start as full-blown wines, and then they remove the alcohol. It's a fascinating story best enjoyed with a non-alcoholic wine. We'll also hear the story of the artists behind Null Wines distinct labels.

Does wine speak make your eyes roll or glaze over? One of the most intimidating things about wine isn't about what's in your glass - it's the words used to describe it. Do tasting notes that allude to a pasture in Southern France, stewed plums or brown spices (whatever those are!) turn you off from wine?

You're not alone. The way we talk about and communicate sets wine apart from other alcoholic beverages. Maybe this is why younger consumers aren't big wine fans. Wine words matter. That's why today's guest, wine journalist, educator and Terroir Review.com founder Meg Maker says it's time for the languages of wine to change - and we the Marys, agree!

Meg has been researching the lexicon - or language - of wine and shares some fascinating discoveries and perspectives. Lately she's been speaking and writing about a new approach to talking about wine. The goal - use words that are more welcoming, approachable and relatable, whether you're a wine pro or just love wine.

The Sip Sip Hooray! wine podcast is here. On this sneak peak co-hosts Mary Babbitt and Mary Orlin introduce you to the wine-soaked show, and catch you up on what they've been up to since the "In Wine Country" NBC TV days. No wine snobs allowed, because wine is always fun on our podcast.

He’s a father of three, husband, musician, composer, serious athlete (runner and Iron Man competitor) and occasional poet. Add winemaker to that list, and that sums up our guest Dane Stark, of Livermore Valley's Page Mill Winery.

On this episode of Sip, Sip, Hooray! the Marys dish on what's buzzy in the wine world, from a huge globe vessel for aging wine to The Prisoner wine's new Napa Valley digs.

Twenty five years ago Rob Jensen was immersed in the high tech world of Silicon Valley. He and his wife Diana shared a love of wine and after volunteering during harvest at a local winery, decided to try making wine themselves. Like a true tech start up, they turned their garage into a home winery. Well a couple barrels led to a few more, and then many more.

Iconic. Pioneer. Rebel. Rule Breaker. Visionary. These words all describe the one and only Randall Grahm, winemaker and face of Bonny Doon Vineyard. The Marys had the honor of a visit by Randall to their Sip, Sip, Hooray! podcast studio.

Have you seen the movie Wine Country yet? We watched it as soon as it was available on Netflix. What did we think?

When the winery motto is “It’s all good at Wood,” you can’t help but have fun at Wood Family Vineyards in California’s Livermore Valley. Commercial airline pilot turned winemaker Rhonda Wood’s path to wine is inspiring.

In this episode of Sip Sip Hooray! we talk about a fabulous event called Open That Bottle Night. Tune in to find out what it is all about and how to join in our Open That Bottle Night (OTBN) challenge!

In Napa Valley, the name Shafer is synonymous with grit and determination. That's what it took for John Shafer, one of the valley's pioneering winemakers, to start his namesake winery. Shafer's son Doug now carries the legacy forward, and the Mary's road tripped it to meet up with a fellow wine podcaster and awesome storyteller.

We're headed to Napa Valley to interview a star of the wine world. Meet Pam Starr, co-founder and winemaker extraordinaire of Crocker & Starr. She's the queen of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, but that's not all! Pam's path to wine started with a plan to go to dental school. Fortunately, wine won out.

We are thrilled to have a real life cover girl on our show! Meet Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins, a total dynamo in the wine world. Her title at Ancient Peaks Winery in Santa Margarita, Calif., which is just south of Paso Robles, is VP of Operations, but she does so much more. Amanda is a tireless promoter of her winery and the Santa Margarita and Paso Robles wine regions. She's also a rancher, mom and she has a talent for wrangling people together for a good cause.

Join the Marys as we visit Alex Villicana, who, with wife Monica, kicked off Paso Robles' modern day spirits movement, establishing Re:Find Distillery, a micro craft spirits producer, at the Villicana winery. Vodka and gin from wine grapes? Find out how the Re:Find folks do it.

Are you on the hard seltzer bandwagon yet? White Claw, Truly, Bon & Viv, Smirnoff, Henry's, Pura, boozy bucha and tipsy teas are all vying for your tastebuds.
Wondering if these libations are worth your cold hard cash? And what's really in them? In this episode the Marys pop the top on a wide range of sparkling bevvies. We give you our honest take or take down of the hottest, trendiest brands in the drinks biz.

The scenery along the drive to Kukkula Winery in Paso Robles took our collective breaths away! We were smitten even before meeting owner, winemaker, and, jack of all trades, Kevin Jussila. So grab a glass of wine, sit back, close your eyes, and imagine you are with us in Kukkula's tank room. We discover how Kevin built his dream winery rock by rock, and he tells all about kippis. Cheers!

The Marys visited SummerWood Winery in Paso Robles, where we met the charming winemaker, Mauricio Marchant, in June 2019. We talk to the Chilean native about his journey through wine, starting at Chile's Concha y Toro, with stints in Oregon and Napa Valley, before landing in Paso.
Come along with us and discover what role music plays in making happy, delicious wine!

On this special edition of Sip Sip Hooray! we have a roundtable chat with three vintners who have been, and still are, connecting with wine lovers via Zoom tastings, personal deliveries, wine care packages and more. We welcome Stephanie Honig of Honig Vineyard & Winery in Napa Valley, Bradley Brown of Big Basin Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Ann Kraemer of Yorba Wines and Shake Ridge Vineyard in Amador County to the show to tell us how the coronavirus has affected their wineries, and what they are doing to keep all of us connected to the wine world as we sip from home.

Across the country winery tasting rooms are slowly coming out of covid-19 lockdown. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom has just given the green light to winery reopenings across the state, depending on local county guidelines. So what does that mean for wineries and winery guests like all of us? Join us for the second in our coronavirus wine conversations series for a frank look at how three wineries in three California wine regions have reopened or are preparing for reopening. What's changing? What's staying the same, if anything?

There's a saying in the wine industry that sommeliers are the last to be hired and first to be fired. This has never been truer than in the time of coronavirus. A staggering majority of somms were furloughed, laid off or let go permanently. But thanks to a handful of somms and wine companies, these wine professionals are getting the attention and help they need.



On today's episode, we talk about what's been happening to somms since March 2020, assistance programs, what role and operational changes may be adopted permanently, how the country's reckoning with diversity and BIPOC is being addressed by the wine community and how you can help save our somms.

It's all about wine with heart on this episode of Sip Sip Hooray! We welcome Phil Long, winemaker and co-founder, with his late wife Debra, of Longevity Wines in California's Livermore Valley, east of San Francisco and San Jose. Phil's a busy man! He just inked a national wine distribution deal recently took on the role of president of the Association of African American Vintners. We talk Covid, diversity, hearts and wine.

We've got a sparkling edition of Sip Sip Hooray! Our special guest is the bubbly Blaine Ashley, aka Champagne Blaine and founder of New York Champagne Week. Meet the woman who is bringing Champagne to everyone and helping all of us discover those smaller producers crafting delicious bubbles across France's Champagne region.