The Wine Makers on Radio Misfits (The Wine Makers)

EP1 - Host John Myers introduces you to the Team:  Sam Coturri of Winery Sixteen600, Bart Hansen from Dane Cellars and Brian Casey, local Sommelier at one of the very top restaurants in California.The guys kick around why and what they love about wine and its role in life for fun, entertainment and education. Live from Sonoma CA., they take you on a trip around the extensive grape varietals grown and the wines made in Sonoma while making their way through a big, beautiful Grenache Rose on a hot, sunny afternoon.  And they have a hell of a lot of fun doing it for you.

This week John, Bart and Brian kick around drinking wine in restaurants and getting away from sticker shock. “Wines DON'T have to cost a fortune to be fun and drinkable”. Brian rants on reasonably priced wines and how to get them with Spanish, Italian and other foreign wines. Learn how to do a "Parking Lot" wine tasting and end up with wine you love. The guys just kick around drinking and eating well anywhere you live or travel.

LIVE from the MacLaren Tasting Lounge with owner/winemaker Steve Law, "Sonoma's Own James Bond" and true Scotsman. They take a deep dive into what's happening in the vineyards from bud break and bloom to creating the perfect organic bio-system...or as Sam says "creating order out of chaos".   Not only did we taste a beautiful Viognier and a Syrah from MacLaren.  Steve talks about growing his 2016 crop and how great the fruit turned out. Brian and Sam brought a couple of great bottles along including Landmark Syrah.    John rants on the whole concept of Two Buck Chuck.  Don't bring any of that over to his place for a party.

The guys get in deep with Steve Law from MacLaren and his Syrah, his land, the fruit and his winemaking.  They focus on Syrah and even kick around proper wine storage on a serious note. John tells us how to ruin cases of Silver Oak just by being stupid. Sam talks about wine tasting being a high-mileage sport...get out there and taste as much as you can, get bold and try new wines...find out what you really like. Learn the real definition of Debauchery and see if you want to implement it yourself.

As much of California's grape crop is just starting "Blooom", a very fragile state of developement, the guys focus on wine, The Dead and Sam's trip to The Shoreline Ampitheatre.  Brian focuses the group on all things "Natural" when it comes to wine.  Brian details exactly what Can or Can't be called a "Natural" wine.  Most wine drinkers think that grapes are picked, squeezed and stored in a vat or barrel and that's that.  Learn what reality is these days.

The guys kick around establishing great wine oriented relationships and what's happening in the field. Bart details "bloom" and "set" as the fruit develops, John can't figure out "dropping fruit" while Sam explains "Creating order from Chaos in the Field" and ultimately, why every bunch of grapes should hang with integrity, in dappled sunlight".Bart explains exactly how you really make Rose' and why it’s the new “Patio Pounder”.

EP7: It’s Zin Day with The Wine Makers! We're in mid-June are amazed at how well the fields are doing. Sam leads a discussion on the variety of growing areas within Sonoma Valley and all of Sonoma County. Learn why the fog helps the grapes and how.   A couple of rainy days don't seem to have a negative effect on the grapes due to wind and the balance of growing conditions and we discuss the price of grapes in Napa and hidden gem vineyards.

The guys kick around vineyard real-estate in Sonoma and Napa. Our listeners have more questions on Rose' and we talk about blends, colors and styles from around the world. Tipping at tasting rooms, yes or no?  Is the old tasting room model broken? Ever had a headache from sulfites? The guys kick discuss the Üllo Wine Purifier.

The Equinox has passed and the grape fields are moving from Chaos to Order. How and why wine really gets its beautiful deep red color. Can you buy too much wine?  The guys talk about their favorite distributors around the country so no matter where you live, you can get some of our favorites.

The Spanish are sending "Unacceptable" wine into France and the French strike back by attacking the trucks. SYNTHETIC WINE? NAH; No thanks. Just not wine to us. The process of growing fruit that is perfect and then spending the rest of the year actually making what you drink in your glass,  is too much for us to think that synthetic wine is anything but the Velveeta of the "wine flavored drink". The guys enjoy an older wine with no label, that once the cork is examined, turns out to be a '55 Bordeaux Sauternes and are really happy it wasn't worth $50,000.

EP11: There's a lot of action in the vineyards as crews trim the canopy correctly to ensure proper growing. Bart & Brian talk about the /natural/organic/synthetic faze; WHAT"S THE POINT? How about a 40oz. Rose' or a can of wine. Yes on one for everyone and John rants 'No to the canNot For Me!'

Sam's on special assignment. John, Bart & Brian check out a Spanish 'organic' wine, but is it? Bart's Chenin blanc is being blended. Is there a new trend in red blends? Would you drink wine from a can?

EP13: The guys are back, this week discussing Sam's recent bottling, the state of grapes in the field, great local wines they've discovered and more!

By the luck of the gods the guys get to taste a perfect Kamen Savignon Blanc 2013. Ingredients: Organic Grapes. The guys cover the growth, the experience and the the full trip from the mountain vineyard to your glass. What a long, strange, fascinating trip it really is. They "Phil" out the show with two more Phil Coturri Savignon Blancs from Hamel Family Wines and Stone Edge from the top of Cavedale Road. High quality but certainly not soft spoken.

The guys introduce you to special guest, Kyle Haraszthy. Sam reports on the Vineyards and finds them in great shape going into harvest mode. Kyle's family and background go all the way back to when the Very First grapes were grown here in Sonoma...About 1850 or so.

This week the guys hit hard on a new subject in the wine world; Bio-dynamic cultivation of Cannabis.  Since Mike Benziger put his name on 400 acres of Organic Bio-dynamic Cannabis here in Sonoma the wine leaders are becoming the pot leaders.

The guys are lucky enough to have one of THE Master Wine Makers in the US, Mr. Erich Bradley on the show this week. Erich helps pull back the curtain on what it really takes to make a world-class wines. We discuss everything from land and fruit to winemaking and John discovers the fact that Erich is the mastermind behind many of his favorite wines. From Ag and field reports, this week’s show also addresses the impact the intense 100+  degree days have had on the vines and ultimately, what will be in your glass soon.

Brian Casey tours The Lasseter Family Winery and their vineyard and gets the full treatment. The guys kick around Airline wines, touring France and finding wine in your local store that fits your taste profile. And Dirty hands mean you're truly doing your job in wine-making. Ever seen a barrel of wine with red stains on it?  Well, we determine that it's all Bart’s fault. We also discuss what a “normal” year is when it comes to harvest and crush if there is such a thing anymore.

Bart and Sam rant about the Federal Gov. and labeling. A massive wine scam in France sent executives to jail. Sam and Bart say there are wineries in Sonoma that spill more in a day than the whole production of their small wineries.

EP20 The guys are cut in half today because of the most important part of making wine…Harvest and Crush. Brian and John kick around the fact that Harvest workers put in the longest and hardest work weeks of the year in just getting the grapes off the vines and to the winery crush facilities. We'll see you next week with a full report on crush and especially International Grenache Day

EP21: The Guys have a first taste of Pinot Noir in a can from up in Oregon. It’s also Bart Hansen’s birthday! Boxes, cans, screw-tops…it’s all in the fruit not the packaging. So drink more Grenache! A special shout-out to Sondra Bernstein for throwing her intimate little party for Grenache Day and Bart’s birthday.

The grapes continue to flourish in the fields. Weather has made a real impact on harvest because of the temperature swings over the last couple of weeks. Sam and John kick around some of the Real history in Sonoma Valley and how it impacts the wine that is grown here. We’ve got more memories of Sondra Bernstein’s International Grenache Day  little “get together”.   It really turned into a great event as a party for the vintners who are so stressed and busy right now. Be on the lookout for Morgan Peterson and his Bedrock wines… You’ll thank yourself for looking it up. We end up chatting about Katie Bundschu and the Myers Wedding 17 yrs. ago on their back deck.

LIVE for the first time from Sondra Bernstein’s new tasting house, “The Rhone Room”, the guys introduce you to the new generation of Sommeliers. Meet Brandon Montalvo from Sante’ and Ian Blessing from The French Laundry. We introduce Dane Cellar’s new Chenin Blanc and discuss the fine points of wines with a background story, from aging wine in shark tanks to Fable Mountain South African wines complete with selfies taken by the monkeys in the forest. Brian describes the truly deluxe tour at Opus One and just how down-home and open everyone was… perhaps not your usual tour. The Rhone Room is the newest tasting house in Sonoma and the only one dedicated to Rhone Wines Alone. What could be a nicer welcome to Sonoma than The Rhone Room?

Sam, Brian and John get together to provide an in-depth look at the Sonoma-Napa fire. Sam spent his week on the fire line providing the nation, via Facebook a close-up, brutally honest view of the fire, its current damage and the damage to come for the town of Sonoma. The fires are still burning in some hills and forests even now, 11 days after they started.

The guys finish covering the Nor-Cal fire and all the sordid details of unemployment and destruction. Help us recover by getting to Sonoma and support the best wine in the world.

After being so rudely interrupted by the horrendous Nor-Cal fires, The Wine Makers invite you back to Sondra Bernstein’s Rhone Room for a show originally intended for release on October 13th. Let the world know Sonoma and Napa are indeed open for business and are really on track. Our guests are Ian Blessing from The French Laundry and Brandon Montalvo from Sante’, two young Sommeliers who bring their fresh views to the show.

Brian Casey scores for The Wine Makers, bringing our good friend Kieran Robinson from Kieran Robinson Wines as our guest this episode. Kieran’s fascinating background, from Phili to the Cotie Rotie, has given him a true appreciation for the deep-rooted French and American viticulture and winemaking philosophies.

The guys meet up with Winemaker Casey Graybehl to talk over his line of Grenache wines and how all of this fits into the holidays.  Brian and Bart get Casey really talking about his background, his time in France and what it’s like to move from a “Garage-ista” to having a full line of small batch Grenache:  his wines are stellar and a treat for any holiday or in your glass right now. Sam is on special assignment in NYC and John is figuring just how much great wine he can get the family involved in. Happy Holidays from The Wine Makers

Part 2 with our special guest Kieran Robinson from Kieran Robinson Wines. Kieran’s fascinating background has given him a true appreciation for the deep-rooted French and American viticulture and wine-making philosophies.

The guys discuss their love of music and wine with Casey Graybehl. This show focuses on Grenache and how long it takes to make; then how easy it and fast it can go down. Enjoy and thanks for listening.

Sondra Bernstein, the genius behind The Girl & The Fig, Suite D, The Fig Rig… wow, what a resume’ joins the guys at a live show from her newest creation, The Rhone Room. Featuring all Rhone style wines, The Rhone Room follows the wine list from The Girl & The Fig restaurant.

Since it’s the holidays, the guys found Jayme Powers, owner of SIGH Sonoma, the only Bubbly tasting room in town.  Jayme describes just how hard it is to build a brand new tasting room and gives us all the details of Bubbly(Champagne in France), how to make it, open it and what to give as we approach the holidays.

Part 2 of our show from Sondra Bernstein's Rhone Room. The guys discuss Rhone wines and the state of the end of the growing season.

The guys get together and reflect on all that happened in 2017, a crazy year to be sure.

The guys kick off the year with two great guests: Ian Blessing from The French Laundry and Jeff Cohn of Jeff Cohn Wines. A quick review of last year and some predictions for the coming year.

An obviously over-served group of Wine Makers talk about exactly how to do a wine tasting right by comparing glasses of wine against each other and how Jeff Cohn makes such a beautiful red wines.

The guys look forward to the new year and what it can bring in terms of new vineyards, beautiful fruit and the wine-making that goes with it. Let’s hope it’s different than last year in a very positive way.

On the heels of last week’s discussion of the future, let’s look at reality and what we can do at every point along the way to make sure this year is spectacular.

The long anticipated interview with Maureen Cottingham, Executive Director of the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance. Their events are among the most popular in all of California's wine making regions, visit them at SonomaValleyWine.com

The guys tackle the issue of the strange weather patterns we've had this year and how it might affect the crop and of course what they're doing about it right now.

EP41: Tom Gendall from Cline Cellars, joins The Wine Makers to talk land, fruit and winemaking. Tom's insights to making high quality yet accessible wines, gives us all a new way of looking at the wine we buy and drink.

Land, Weather, Fruit and the art of winemaking. Bart, Brian and Sam discuss all of these and more on this week's episode.

The Wine Maker's guest today is the man who helped put Zin in every store in the country, Peter Mathis. Peter grows his fruit (now mostly Grenache) and makes his wine here in Sonoma. Peter's Grenache and Rose' are beautiful and the conversation is great.

Catchin’ up on everything wine and fun, the guys blend their own wines with new fruit from Dane Cellars. Direct from the barrel, we all blended our own mixture.  I was a bit heavy on the Syrah according to the instructor, Bart Hansen. Penalty Laps for Myers.

From the World-Famous Rhone Room in Sonoma, CA a conversation with two of Sonoma’s most innovative vintners ever, Morgan Twain Peterson and Chris Cottrell. Discussing their ideas for an extensive new line of wines, saving Heritage Vineyards and what the 'wine life' is really all about. Drop by the General Hooker House when you’re in Sonoma to taste all of the incredible Bedrock Wines.

This week we welcome Jeff Bundschu from the historic Gundlach-Bundschu Winery. This Sonoma landmark planted vines in 1858 and has been harvesting grapes ever since. Jeff shares his deep passion of music and wine, and their relationship to each other in his own life. We learn about his family hi-jacking a train and kidnapping Richard Branson. His story of last years fire is truly terrifying. Ian Blessing, from the team at the French Laundry joins the show to discuss the new breed of sommelier. We open up a bottle of 1982 Gundlach-Bundschu Kleinberger, these vines have since been ripped out and no longer exist in California.

This week we welcome Ian Blessing from the French Laundry and open up some 1970 Margaux and some old non-vintage Champagne. Sam and Bart discuss the recent rain storms and how they'll affect the vineyards. Recorded at Bart Hansen's house on Sonoma Mountain over-looking some of the most historic vineyards in the County.

Sheana Davis is an American cheesemaker, chef, culinary educator and owner of the Epicurean Connection in Sonoma. In 2009, Sheana proudly released her own cheese, Delice de la Vallee, which in 2010 won an ACS 1st Place. She talks about wine pairing, the history of cheese in Sonoma, and the current wave of young cheesemakers on the rise. We are also joined by her husband Ben Sessions, formerly of Hanzell Winery, and Kyle Reynolds, cheese expert from the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn. Pour yourself a glass and cut off a wedge of your favorite cheese for this episode. Contact Sheana: http://www.theepicureanconnection.com/ Instagram @EpicureanSonoma Twitter @EpicureanSonoma The Epicurean Connection PO Box 1916 Sonoma, CA 95476

I don't think there's another guest I quite so enjoy having on the show than Bob Cabral. Back in the days of "Heard it through the Grapevine" Radio show on KSVY I had Bob as a regular guest. And he or Three Sticks have been on The Wine Makers podcast several times. He's just that much fun to talk with. Talk about somebody with a clear definition of what life should be like, Bob's own line Bob Cabral Wines is a beautiful and complete full circle. He set out to achieve this and he is doing so. Beautiful Bob, thanks for being our guest again. Cheers [EP226]

The guys head into the eastern hills of Napa's Oakville District. Second generation winemaker Maya Dalla Valle let Brian, Sam and John behind the curtains of her family's esteemed Dalla Valle Vineyards estate, where there are no public tastings and there's a waiting list to get the wines. Maya talks about growing up in Napa, the legend of her namesake wine and her path back to the family business. The wines are fantastic and corgi content is top-notch! [EP227]

Take a Sonoma County boy and transplant him high in Texas where he can grow grapes and make Texas Wine. Ricky Taylor has some great stories about the trials and tribulations of trying to grow his dreams in the high country of Texas at 5400ft elevation. Needless to say we had fun. Enjoy [EP228] Alta Marfa @altamarfa Altamarfa.com Ricky@altamarfa.com

The guys sit down and talk weather, field and wine updates with Todd Jolly, Sonoma's Best Somm. It's always fun to sit down with the The Oregon Ducks Biggest Fan, Todd. Enjoy [EP229]

EP107: Bart & Brian go to Paso Robles to see Melani Harding, a former guest on the show, who now owns her own winery, Bon Niche Cellars. Melani introduces us to Leon Tackitt from Tackitt Family Vineyards down the road. So great to see Mel and Barley Von Doodle living their dream, check it out. bonniche.com tackittfamilyvineyards.com Instagram @bonnichecellars Instagram @barleyvondoodle

EP108: Brian and Bart travel to San Luis Obispo to sit down with Vicki Carroll, she runs the premier wine event Hospice du Rhone, annually at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee and bi-annually in Paso Robles. We open a bottle of rose and talk about and her work with some of the wine industries legends. hospicedurhone.org

EP109: We finish up our swing through Paso Robles with a trip to Tablas Creek, the epicenter of Rhone varieties in California. The guys sit down with Nathan Stuart, he and his dog Maya tend the bio-dynamic flock of over 200 sheep that keep this land in balance. The partnership between the Haas and Perrin families has advanced the spread of Rhone varieties in the New World and created some world-class wines. We talk about the history of the winery and touch on carbon-farming and desertification.  Check out the TED talk by Allan Savory on

Steve Law and his wife Heather have moved into a new location, away from the square, to a country setting more suited to their warm and inviting personalities. The wines are always on another level, high-quality but different than other wines. Rose, Sav Blanc, Viognier, Pinot and Syrah, from a Scottish man that trained in France and now living in the New World. Hope you enjoy... maclarenwine.com

EP111: Bart, Sam & Brian sit down and talk about the rapidly approaching harvest. Sam saves Brian’s birthday by showing up with some good Rose. Grenache day is around the corner and Sam is getting ready for a Vinyl Sunday. Check it out...

Scott Kirkpatrick and Allison Watkins started Mountain Tides Wine in 2016 with a single vision, explore Petite Sirah in all of its forms. Unique vineyard sites and an openness to stylistic differences from a lot of other Petite Sirah on "the market" sets them apart and makes them unique. Being artists, they take a thoughtful approach to wine making and life in general, creativity is the journey and quality is the goal. Check out their story... mountaintideswine.com scott@mountaintideswine.com 989-492-6681 @mountaintides @cellaringscott @_allisonwatkins  

EP113: This week, Elaine Chukan Brown, aka Hawk Wakawakka returns to the podcast on the heels of her Screaming Eagle visit. We also taste some of the “hottest” celebrity Roses of the Summer. Sam pulls out a special bottle of Chardonnay from Mayacamas, the last vintage of this vineyard. Enjoy... wakawakawinereviews.com @hawk_wakawaka

We are on the road this week, traveling to western Sonoma County for a visit with Alex and Breauna Kanzler from Kanzler Vineyards. This famed Goldridge soil vineyard in Sebastopol is only 8 miles from the coast, allowing the grapes to slowly ripen, building complexity. As Danny Fay said before our visit, "you will be in Pinot Heaven". You can actually do a "farm stay" among the vineyards in their beautiful house with a pool, visit the website for pics and details... Enjoy the show. kanzlervineyards.com Facebook @kanzlerfamilyvineyards Instagram @kanzlervineyards Breauna@KanzlerVineyards.com 707-827-3874

Joel Burt from Las Jaras Wines joins the podcast this week. Why would someone leave their job at Domaine Chandon to partner with actor/writer/comedian Eric Wareheim, who you may know from "The Tim and Eric Awesome Show", and make some of the most intriguing "natural" wines from some very unique varietals ?? Listen in and get the whole story.... lasjaraswines.com @lasjaraswines YouTube

Bart and Brian go "on the road" to visit with Tom Inners from Clif Family, on Howell Mountain, in the small town of Angwin. If you thought Clif Family wines would be mass-produced and available in every store like the Clif Bars, you would be wrong, very wrong. They make small lots of hand-crafted wine from select, organic vineyard sites. The wines are beautiful and expressive, and the way our guest Tom Inners talks about them, you would think they are still just making them for close friends and family. The hospitality is honest and real, and the company culture is about enjoying life through cycling, food and great wine. We hope you enjoy the show, we sure did... cliffamily.com @cliffamily 709 Main Street St. Helena, CA 94574 707.968.0625

The guys sit down with Tony Moll, retired offensive lineman in the N.F.L. and Sonoma native returning home to start his own wine label. Tony and his former team mates Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz own and operate Three Fat Guys Winery, with a small tasting room off the square in Sonoma. They make Rose, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, and it's good !!! Podcast listener Roger Randall comes to town and sits in on the show, bringing some special wines for us to try... THREE FAT GUYS WINES 20816 Broadway,  Sonoma, CA 95476 @threefatguyswines

Sixth generation vintner, Katie Bundschu joins the show and talks about her family history, life "on the road", cool-climate Cabernet and her lifestyle brand, Abbots Passage. Also, harvest is in full swing and we talk about what's going on out there. Oh and Bart makes Chenin Blanc...And Brian makes Roussanne... abbotspassage.com gunbun.com Gundlach Bundschu Winery 2000 Denmark Street Sonoma, CA 95476 707.938.5277 info@gunbun.com

EP119: This is the 3rd year in a row that fire has dominated the conversation in October. Thankfully no major fires have started here in Northern California but our power company, PG&E, has decided that when conditions are favorable for a fire they will just shut off the power grid. We sit down and talk about how this affects the harvest and what's going on out in the vineyards.

This week we sit down with our friend Todd Jolly, he runs the best wine program in Sonoma out of a small deli at the end of 8th St. East. Todd brings some epic Riesling for us to try. We cover a wide variety of subjects on this show including the future of Ravenswood and To Kalon. Check it out. [EP120] sonomas-best.com

The guys welcome back into the fold Mr. John Myers. Steve Waymire, grower at Lazy Dog Vineyard sits in, fresh from a night pick of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. We might talk a bit about the fire too.

Kieran Robinson joins the pod this week to announce the “almost” opening of his new tasting room in Philly. He has been doing the bi-coastal thing trying to make wine in Cali and complete construction in Pennsylvania. The mystery of those strange tags in the Rossi vineyard is solved, Kieran is doing some consulting. Aron Rosenthal, podcast listener, joins the show and talks food and wine in South Carolina. It’s Sunny in Sonoma! Enjoy

This week we are taking the show on the road to a "hidden gem" in the Dry Creek Valley. Nalle Winery has been making beautiful, low-alcohol Zinfandels that have been compared to some great wines from Burgundy. Doug and Lee have passed the torch to Andrew and April, it is truly a "family affair". We sat outside on the back deck, apologies for the windy background. Enjoy... [EP123] nallewinery.com andrew@nallewinery.com 707-433-1040

What's it like to have one of your wines selected by Wine Spectator as the "#2 wine in the world ?"... We ask Braiden Albrecht that question on this weeks podcast. Braiden is a childhood friend of Sams and former employee of Enterprise Vineyard who is now the wine maker at Mayacamas and works closely with Andy Erickson to craft some of the most sought after Cab and Chard in California. We talk about the long, rich history of the winery and how they are moving into the next phase of development. This is a good one, Enjoy...

This week the guys get together and talk tariffs, bottle size, boxed wine, sourcing barrels, Marin natural wine and a whole lot more. Check it out! [EP125]

Paul Mabray has been a powerful change agent in the wine industry for over twenty years. He began his career working in traditional three-tier sales and marketing with Napa Ale Works and later innovating direct-to-consumer sales and marketing models with Niebaum Coppola. Since then, he has been at the forefront of all major digital trends for the wine industry, working with WineShopper.com and Wine.com when they entered the wine-digital space. He founded two companies that have significantly changed the US wine landscape for digital. First by introducing winery e-commerce with Inertia Beverage Group that transformed into WineDirect.com pioneering winery e-commerce and then again introducing social media and social customer relationship management with VinTank.com. He is considered the wine industry’s foremost futurist and thought leader, harnessing the power and potential of digital tools and methodologies to move the industry into the future. A four-time American Wine Blog Awards finalist, he has been a guest lecturer at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, UC Davis, Sonoma State as well as keynoting conferences, symposiums, and seminars. He maintains a blog and frequently contributes articles to business periodicals for his leadership in the wine industry. Paul formerly sat on the Board of Directors for the wine business social network Openwineconsortium.org which was sold to FOHBOH, and the Board of Advisors for Snooth.com, Taste.com, and Cruvee.com (which was purchased by VinTank). He currently sits on the Board of Directors for the theappreciationengine.com and emetry.io and on the Board of Advisors for Proof Analytics.

In our continuing effort to de-mystify wine, we introduce you to Leo McCloskey and Douglas  McKesson from Enologix, they can predict some things about wine that you may not have thought possible. What if someone told you to forget everything you know about wine in Northern California, like we need to rip out all of the Cabernet Sauvignon. We are going down the "rabbit hole"... From Wikipedia... Enologix is a privately held California corporation that designs predictive analytics for luxury winegrowing. The company sells grape and wine quality indices, models, software and consulting products. Enologix created the first algorithms that predict grape harvest dates, grading new wines, digital blends, and future market price, volume and taste scores. The most important metric among winemakers are digital blends and a taste index which predicts 100-point scores of consumer critics such as Robert Parker. It claims that the quality of wine can be measured chemically, and a score assessed, much like a wine critic.Clients include Beaulieu, Cakebread Cellars, Diamond Creek, Ridge Vineyards. Enologix's metrics have been correlated with market performance metrics, including 100-points critics' scores. doug@enologix.com 707-938-9463

This week on the Wine Makers we sit down with Brenae Royal, vineyard manager at the historic Monte Rosso Vineyards. Brenae grew up in the Central Valley of California and was originally interested in animals, in part due to her exposure to F.F.A., future farmers of America. Weeks into college she decided to pivot, focusing on vines and taking a job with Gallo right out of school. [EP128] She now runs one of the most historic vineyards in California, growing Cabernet, Zinfandel and Semillon since 1886. She lives on the property with her dog and some pretty scary wildlife, it’s not unusual to see mountain lions and bobcats roaming the 250 acre property. We get into it all, style, techniques and relationships, Brenae is an African-American woman under 30 working for a large corporation in a primarily white, older, male world. The landscape is changing, and she is a part of that movement, inclusion is key to the wine industries success and it’s important to see yourself represented. Sam had some great wines open from a party the night before so we taste a little bit of everything. Great show....

This week on the podcast we sit down with Donald Patz, known for making "world-class" Pinot and Chardonnay at Patz & Hall Winery in Sonoma. He left this iconic winery when it was purchased in 2016 and has since started 3 small projects, Maritana, Terminim and Secret Door. He sparked our interest when he joined forces with Francois Villard, a master in Northern Rhone, to make some top notch Syrah and white blends from Mendocino. Lots of history here, great show. [EP129] donaldpatzwinegroup.com   Donald Patz Owner/Winemaker 707-337-2310 donald@donaldpatzwinegroup.com @drpinot   Jung Min Lee Owner/Muse/LKG lkg@donaldpatzwinegroup.com   Jennifer Kelly Vice President of Sales 707-478-5152 jb@donaldpatzwinegroup.com   François Villard Domaine François Villard – Northern Rhône Valley, France Partner – Terminim villardfrancois@aol.com   DONALD PATZ WINE GROUP P.O. Box 2096 Yountville, CA 94599 USA

This week the guys, and Jasmine, sit down and talk about French wine tariffs, travel, North Carolina, taking the sommelier exam and the state of the wine business for 2020. We cover a lot of topics and get into almost ten wines in this episode, enjoy...  [EP130]

The guys sit down with Ruben Morancy, Wine Director at Two Star Michelin restaurant Coi, pronounced "kwa", in San Francisco. Ruben is also a renowned artist with a passion for selling domestic and international wines. He started Les-sommeliers to start promoting unique fine wine events to an "under-served" community in the Bay Area and beyond. Ruben's next event is on February 15th at the Alice Collective in Oakland, featuring food by Chef Keith Corbin of Alta W. Adams in LA and jazz musician Marcus Shelby. This event will celebrate Valentines Day and Black History Month with a perfect pairing of fried chicken and tiny bubbles. Great history and stories here to share. [EP131] Coirestaurant.com Les-sommeliers.com Ruben@les-sommeliers.com 415-425-8466

Veteran of the California wine industry, Bettina Sichel, purchased this vineyard in 2011 from founder Patrick Campbell. Her first move was to hire legendary vineyard manager Phil Coturri, who had first worked this property when he was 13. She then brought in wine maker Randall Watkins, former General Manager at Moon Mountain Vineyard. The idea was not to change anything but to improve on the farming and raise the bar on the wines from this iconic vineyard. Bettina's father M.F. Sichel was the man responsible for making Blue Nun wines a household name in America. Great history here and the wines set the standard for Sonoma Mountain Cabernet. [EP132] Laurel Glen Vineyard www.laurelglen.com @laurelglen 707-933-9877

This week we sit down with Taylor Berkley Boydstun, owner/winemaker of T. Berkley Wines. He makes wines inspired by the great wines of the Loire Valley. His journey started with a trip to Spain and France, a love affair was formed and he soon found himself making wine in New Zealand, Austria and Australia. Taylor currently makes small batches of Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc Rose. This is a great story and the wines are fantastic. [EP133] tberkleywines.com @tberkleywines

This week we sit down with legends Philippe Cambie and Phil Coturri and discuss their new collaboration "A Deux Tetes". A project that focuses on New World Grenache with Old World sensibility and depth of knowledge. The Rose has been released and the Grenache Noir from two different sources, Miller Vineyard and Oakville Vineyard in Napa, is still in barrel but soon to be bottled. Isabel Gassier is the wine maker and translator of Philippe's ideas about the wines. She is the daughter of Michel Gassier, one of our favorite wine makers in France and she is an up and coming star in the California wine world. We discuss philosophy of wine making and Philippe's history and rise as the "God of Grenache" in Southern France. This is a really good show and we had fun recording it, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Cheers......

This week we sit down with Korbin Ming from Korbin Kameron Winery, the highest elevation vineyard in the Moon Mountain District. His family produces world-class Bordeaux varietals in some extreme mountain conditions. We have waited a long time to get Korbin on the show because we are huge fans of the wines and think they are a rare gem in Sonoma. We also have Danny and Katie Fay from Hill of Tara, they source their grapes from Korbin's vineyard. Listeners may remember them from their inaugural release last year around St. Patricks Day. These wines are among the most coveted in Sonoma County and we felt honored to go through the whole portfolio. Danny and Katie will be offering their second release for Hill of Tara in the coming week, we highly encourage you to get in on the ground floor. Enjoy this show as much as we did... korbinkameron.com @korbinkameron hilloftarawines.com @hilloftarawines

This week we sit down with Tanner Walle and Lauren Feldman of Valley Bar & Bottle and talk about the new wine bar and restaurant opening up in the former space of Harvest Moon. Both of these hospitality professionals have decades of experience servicing industry staff as well as visiting tourists. This funky space is destined to be a "hot spot" in Sonoma for wine and food lovers. Wine "geeks" like us are craving a place to hang out and drink interesting global wines with cutting-edge foods. They are in final stages of preparation and should be open by May 1st. Great show... [EP136] valleybarandbottle.com @tannerwalle @laurenfeldman

In 1989, Carl Doumani discovered the work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, a Viennese painter, architect, ecologist and philosopher. Believing that the wine world had transformed a beverage of consummate pleasure into an absurdly serious pursuit, he commissioned Hundertwasser to design a winery to combat these notions. [EP137] Imagine Alice in Wonderland meets Charlie & the Chocolate Factory. Now about the wines... The winery borders the famed Shafer's Hillside Select vineyards in Napa Valley's Stags Leap District. Winemaker B.R. Smith, who studied under Aaron Pott, crafts these deeply flavored wines under the watchful eye of consulting winemaker Philippe Melka. Cabernet Sauvignon is the obvious draw but the Petite Sirah steals the show, bringing grace and elegance to an otherwise dark and brooding variety. Upon entering the barrel room, Smith's surfboard, perched atop the first row of barrels, lets you know these people have a zest for life and whimsy. Bruce Mackay is the tour guide and historian, with numerous stories of the property and it's eccentric inhabitants. If you were visiting Napa and only had one winery to visit, this would be a fulfilling choice. Hope you enjoy the show. quixotewinery.com @quuixotewinery

The "shelter-in-place" order has been given by our California Governor Gavin Newsom. The Wine Makers are working from home this week. We decided to practice "social distancing" and try out the Zoom app to continue to continue recording shows for our listeners. Sondra Bernstein, owner of the girl & fig restaurant, sits in and talks about the state of the food and wine industry going forward. Her restaurants and catering business closed on Monday with no projected opening dates. It's getting weird out there !!! We will continue to do our shows and bring some information and hopefully spread a little joy. [EP139] Once we get familiar with our different app options with quality sound we will continue bringing guests onto the show. We hope that by continuing to record our podcasts we can bring some sense of normalcy into your lives. Enjoy the show. thegirlandthefig.com thebitegoeson.com

One of our favorite guests joined us on the show this week to chat about the state of the global wine industry, virtual wine tasting and how damn tasty moose can be when cooked properly. Enjoy !!! wakawakawinereviews.com lilyelainehawkwakawaka@gmail.com

Jordan Kivelstadt joins us on "lock-down" this week to talk about his new project KIvelstadt Cellars Wine Garden & Eatery that was set to open April 18th in the former historic site of Fords and Schellville Grill. Jordan and his chef Matt Tucker have had to put things on hold so they shifted to a wine and meal delivery service to stay connected with their clients and the community. Sam and Bart talk about their new "virtual tasting" experience that rolls out this week. Stay safe, order wine and join us in the digital world, this could go on for a while. Go to Dane Cellars or Sixteen 600 websites below to order wine for the virtual tasting. Cheers. [EP140] danecellars.com winerysixteen600.com kivelstadtcellars.com

"The Wine Industry doesn't have an education problem, we have an engagement problem". Paul Mabray is an outspoken voice in the wine industry when it comes to data collection and how to properly use it to engage our customers. We thought this was a good time to have him back since all of us in the industry are scrambling to connect with our customers in a meaningful way. Stay safe, order wine, listen in and turn on. Cheers  [EP141] Thanks emetry.io paul @ emetry.io

BONUS CONTENT! - On Friday the 10th of April 2020 The Wine Makers Podcast did their first Virtual Wine Tasting with Dane Cellars & Sixteen600. They recorded it and decided to release it as a "bonus" show for anyone that wanted to hear it. Thank you to everyone that signed up and joined us, it was nice to see all of your faces and we truly appreciate the support. Cheers! The next virtual tasting is scheduled for Friday May 1st. Stay tuned for details. winerysixteen600.com danecellars.com thegirlandthefig.com

This week the guys were supposed to have Esther Mobley on, wine writer for the S.F. Chronicle. Our Zoom invite somehow made it into her "junk" file but we decided to do the show anyway. Don't worry, we got her back for next weeks show. We discuss the origins of the podcast and how it has changed in the last few weeks. Stay safe, order wine, tune in and guzzle down. [EP142]

This week we finally sit down with Esther Mobley, former editor at Wine Spectator in New York and current wine, beer and spirits writer at the San Francisco Chronicle. What we have loved most about Esther since joining the Chronicle in 2015 is her ability to use wine as a backdrop to get at the really interesting stories about the people and issues behind the wine. Iconic wine makers and wineries are sometimes used as a backdrop to cover deeper stories of immigration, climate change and social inequity. Her natural sense of curiosity serves her well and endears her to the readers. We talk about what it's like to cover the wine industry in these strange times where personal contact is off limits. Pour yourself a Paloma and enjoy... [EP143] Stay safe, order wine, tune in and turn on..... sfchronicle.com esthermobley.com  

Cathy is the co-founder and CEO of Enolytics, a big data startup providing business intelligence for the wine industry. She also currently writes for Forbes.com about the business and politics of the wine industry, and for Inc.com about entrepreneurs with a special focus on women. She is the author of the award-winning book Hungry for Wine: Seeing the World through the Lens of a Wine Glass. Cathy's writing has appeared in print and online for both general-interest and wine industry publications including the Harvard Business Review network, The Atlantic, Decanter, Food52.com (where she was the "Wine, Unfussed" columnist), DailyBeast, The Boston Globe, the Washington Post, Wine Enthusiast, GlobalPost, Grist.org, and Daily Candy. She found a little time to come hang out with us. cathyhuyghe.com Cathy's Book, Hungry for wine Cathy's Post on Balanced Glass

This week on the podcast we invited some of our friends from different wine making regions in the world to discuss the challenges of selling wine in our current environment.  We were joined by Anne Charlotte from Chateau Font du Loup in France, Elyse Perry from Bokisch Vineyards in Lodi, Dusty Nabor from Dusty Nabor Wines & NSO Wines in Southern California and Melani Harding from Bon Niche Cellars in Paso Robles. dustynaborwines.com nsowines.com @dustynabor bonniche.com @barleyvondoodle @melaniharding lafontduloup.com @anne_charlotte_lafontduloup bokischvineyards.com @bokischvineyards

We had another great virtual wine tasting with Dane Cellars & Sixteen600. This is just some "bonus" content if anyone would like to hear it. danecellars.com winerysixteen600.com

This week we are joined by wine professionals on the retail side of the business to talk about how they are dealing with an increased direct to consumer demand. Todd Jolly from Sonoma's Best, Donald Moffat from Zachys and Alvaro Cardenas from Wine Stop give us the lowdown on sales, tariffs, pricing and market trends. After you listen to the show, reach out and buy some wine. Cheers... [EP146] mywinestop.com zachys.com sonomas-best.com

This week we are not talking about Covid-19, Corona Virus, PPP, PPE, SIP, N95, DTC, EDD, Ventilators, Curb-Side Pick Up, Social Distancing, etc. We needed a break. We thought you might need one too. We had an idea, let’s just talk about wine with interesting people and wines we love. Bart, Sam and Brian decided to each invite two guests, and not reveal our choices until we started recording the show. The result was the ultimate “blind date” [EP147]

This week we decided to "honor" one of our favorite grapes. Grenache doesn't get as much attention as some of the other varietals despite being THE most widely planted grape in the world. We invited on four of the local Grenache Masters; Casey Graybehl, the Grenachista, Peter Mathis from Mathis Wines, Jeff Cohn from Jeff Cohn Cellars and Dave Mounts from Mounts Winery. [EP148] Sondra Bernstein from The Girl & The Fig joined the podcast as well, her love of this amazing grape has fueled the consumption for diners at her restaurant here in Northern California. She also hinted of a possible Sine Qua Non wine dinner at her Suite D event space. Stay safe, tune in, drink more...Cheers... jeffcohncellars.com grenachista.com mountswinery.com mathiswine.com thegirlandthefig.com

Today we officially reopen the tasting rooms here in Sonoma. But what exactly does that mean ?? We discuss the challenges of opening up for hospitality in Sonoma. Stay safe. Drink more wine. Cheers !! [EP149] danecellars.com winerysixteen600.com

Mayacamas Olds was recently named as the new General Manager of Gloria Ferrer Winery in Sonoma. Her journey in the wine business started at a very young age with her parents owning Sky Vineyards on Cavedale Rd. between the Napa and Sonoma valleys. Maya has a Bachelor of Science in fermentation from UC Davis and has worked on multiple continents with large and small companies in the wine industry. She has known Sam since they were in diapers and used to work with Bart at Lasseter Winery when she was a part of the Enterprise Vineyards team. Mayacamas has big plans for Gloria Ferrer and a position with a lot of influence. She will be in charge of every aspect of the business from hospitality to viticulture all the way to winemaking and sustainability. We are truly proud to have one of our own running this great estate that greets wine lovers at the entry to Sonoma in Carneros.  [EP150] Check it out.... gloriaferrer.com @gloriaferrerwinery 23555 Arnold Drive, Sonoma 866-845-6742 skyvineyards.com @skyzinfandel

This show was our third and maybe the last virtual tasting of this series. Bart sent out a 2012 Chenin Blanc from the cellar and a 2017 Zinfandel just out of the barrel. Once again we were truly grateful for the support of our listeners and the incredible community they have created. We hope to be returning soon to our regular shows without the use of Zoom. Thank you all for the support over the last few months. Stay safe, tune in, drink more wine. danecellars.com winerysixteen600.com

Troon Vineyard in the Applegate Valley region of Southern Oregon was originally planted by Dick Troon back in 1972. The property was conventionally farmed for over 40 years and was in need of some love. Craig Camp was brought on in 2016 to focus on organic, bio-dynamic and regenerative farming, bringing the land back to its original state, suitable for farming high quality grapes to make world-class wines. Their unique climate is very similar to Southern France and therefore perfectly suited to Rhone varietals. The wine making team of Nate Wall and Sarah Thompson have re-energized the land and brought a new focus based on the total health of the vines to create some serious and fun wines. Great story, check it out.. troonvineyard.com @troonwines