Grape Minds

Like it or not, we're sliding into the last few months of 2021, and you know what that means; holidays.  The piles of traditional foods demand a versatile wine, and we found one in Tom Mortimer's Le Cadeau Pinot Noir. I his episode we get super wine geek-y from yeast, to carbonic maceration to suffering vines. Of course, we laugh a lot too-  Cheers!  

Julie sand Gina have been on the road a lot this summer, and collected some fabulous wine and cocktail intel along the way.  Leave it to Gina to find a wine tasting room after discovering good wine is made in that beautiful state- from the noble grapes we all know so well. She also found a sweet place to sample some wines in Telluride. Julie found the coolest bar in the Midwest when she went home to KC for her BFF's wedding.  While Julie couldn't transport that experience back home, Gina had some Colorado wines shipped in, and we get to try them (including a Pet Nat which leaked in shipping but survived, nonetheless). Join us for a fun recap.

A bit of a cynic, I never gave a whole lot of credence to glassware intended for specific grape varieties. But this incredible experience with Maximilian Riedel made me a believer.  No exaggeration- the difference between glasses when trying the same wine was mind blowing. The fact that global warming is now impacting the shape of the bowls is another staggering fact we learned in this episode.   

We wrap up our grilling series with a slab of ribs and some good ol' American wines. We revisit the first clever label we remember from the 90's, 7 Deadly Zins- which is, as we remember, a decent value that is perfectly suitable for Barbeque sauce slathered goodness.  And what grilling podcast with American wines would be complete without a cabernet sauvignon- namely Ancient Peaks cab from Paso Robles.    

Despite what some might think, port is not the only outstanding wine export from Portugal. The country has a vast, diverse wine region and it's where we travel to next as an extension of our traveling through the glass series. We're also looping in the summer grilling series because- as it turns out- these wines are GREAT for grilled goods. In this oceanfront country, it's more about grilling fish and we taste-test a popular white blend called Vinho Verde. Portugal is also famous for its black pork and cured meats which pair particularly well with the county's rustic red blends that use both noble and indigenous grapes. It's a delicious, beautiful country. Join us as we explore.  

In honor of  rosé month, we continue making converts of the un-initiated to join in our love of the most appropriate shade of wine for hot weather.  This time, Morning Edition host John Davis is our hapless victim- dragged in from the hallway- to try a beautiful Argentinian rosé of Pinot Noir. 

We kick off our summer grilling series in the world headquarters of beef with Argentinian wines. Drink like a Gaucho (Argentinian cowboy) as you tend your backyard asado (grill).  We found some decent value wines in the bunch, too!  

With labels as cool as this, one might wonder if the wine in the bottle can deliver on the promise of the crushed velvet-covered passion pit one imagines their taste buds frolicking upon once it's in your mouth.  Well, it does.  And the winemaker is among the coolest we've met.  Rock on, Mr. Page!  

When one thinks of wine from Canada, most people immediately think of the well-marketed and delicious ice wine which stormed south about the time Generation X started learning about wine. But here to dispel any illusion that our northern neighbor is a one trick pony, is Martin's Lane Winery.  They're producing shockingly good, world class Riesling and Pinot Noir in the British Columbian Okanagan Valley. In this episode we talk with winemaker Shane Munn about these incredible wines, the valley's deep namesake lake and the microclimate it creates.  We also wonder about climate change speculators gobbling up real estate for ensure a foothold in the future of wine.    

We've talked about wine in a can before, but now that summer is sizzling, the beverage marketing people have gone full tilt with weird stuff in a can. One cannot turn a corner in a grocery store without being visually assaulted by sassy marketing on slim cans with pinkish hued graphics promising low calories, lots of flavor, and a little booze-from lemonade rosé blends to straight up cocktails to alcoholic kombucha. One of the joys of having a wine podcast is that people will send the occasional unsolicited sample. Gina has been compiling an assortment and so, here we are taking the bullet for you, dear listener, as we try through the lot of odd offerings (except for the one kombucha that blew up).

Our month-long summer in Italy is coming to an end but not before we pop some corks on Italian bubbly.  From Franciacorta (we try an Extra Brut from Le Marchesine) through Prosecco to little regional sparklers, there is no shortage of frizzante in the boot.  Let's look at the whole country's most famous and fabulous sparkling wines. Also, don't forget to check out this episode in which we talk with Matteo Lunelli from one of our all-time favorite Italian sparklers, Ferrari Trentodoc. And check out this delicious rosé from Corvezzo. (newly allowed DOC from our people in Prosecco)

Guys, there is just too much goodness in all of Italy and in this episode we're trying to hit the highlights of the great northern zones of the boot.  From Amarone to Barolo, we're discussing the reds while sipping on the oft-overlooked (yet DELICIOUS) white wines.  It is summer after all, and this is a summer in Italy series. We discuss a prior interview with Kristina Walch you can find here if you're interested in more detail about Trentino Alto Adige.   

Moving up the boot, we wander into the vineyards of Central Italy, which contains Tuscany, which is world famous  for its delicious Sangiovese; Chianti, Brunelo di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and lets not forget those rogues, the super- Tuscans. With the judicial addition of select international grape varieties we get the big dogs like Sassicaia, In this episode we check out some lesser- known wines from Montecucco. The we slide over to Abruzzo ( next door) for a little sip of everyone's favorite, affordable, pizza wine; Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Not to be confused with the Vino Nobile mentioned above.  Don't worry.  We sort it all out.   

The farthest south most tourists get past Rome is Naples, but there are some cool things to see in the foot of the boot.  Calabria's rustic cuisine and hot peppers will leave a mark on any traveler's memory. Basilicata's stunning Matera is a sight to behold, and the sheer abundance of Puglia's fresh produce makes one thirst for wine as straight-forward as the people in this part of the country. In this whirlwind tour of the south, we talk about and try several of the wines and pine for our next trip overseas.  

This week we are hitting the road again- journeying via our wine glass to Italy for the summer.  We're starting in Sicily, the Island right off the boot's toe, where the idyllic village of Taormina sits in the hills between the strait of Messina and Mount Etna (which has apparently been pretty active this year).  It's a must-stop destination for people traveling by car once you've gotten off the ferry. In this episode we try some deliciously affordable wines and talk about what, exactly makes a grape "indigenous."  

An addendum to your podcast on father's day wines!  Reviving the practice we began before the pandemic sent up all home to work remotely: the drive-by wine tasting, in which we gran someone walking down our halls to pop into the studio and try a wine or two.  This time, we roped in local father and innocent bystander, David Oquendo to select his favorite from our lineup of dad wines.

Today (May 25) is National Wine Day! Tis the season to break out the flip flops, don a visor, and fire up the grill.  Memorial Day, Father's Day, and the beginning of summer has us thinking grilled anything. We're cracking open a can of Rosé and testing out some of grilled meat and veggies' best pairings.  We also check out a few big daddy wines like this elegant Zinfandel from Baletto.  

As in-person interviews become part of life once again we are a little overly-excited to welcome Kyle Janzen, of Janzen Estate. We get to taste and compare Cabernet Sauvignon from the Baccio Divino line, from the ToKalon Vineyard and the Missouri Hopper Vineyard. We also try the Pazzo, blend which is described as "unpretentious" on their web site. Just like us!  

This mother's day we give mom the kind of wine that reflects the strength, stamina and poise she (hopefully) displayed over the past pain-in-the- butt year.  The dishes, the cooking, the working from home, the distance learning. Ladies, time to raise a glass of some big, bold wines as strong (read: high alcohol content) as you.  We also offer a tip of the hat to Cabernet Sauvignon's mom, Sauvignon Blanc- who is having her day this beautiful Wine Wednesday.

After fifteen months, Mauritson Wine's founder Clay Mauritson gets to travel! So. naturally he came straight to the Grape Minds studio to talk about the seven generations his family has spent in Sonoma, the wines he is proud to make from his family's iconic vineyard, and taste the Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel and Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

  At Oakville Ranch it's all about the ladies with Sheila  Gentry as General Manager and Jennifer Rue as winemaker. In this week's episode, Gina and Julie learn what sets this sub-appellation apart, and try their legendary Cabernet Sauvignon.

Any discussion of women in wine is incomplete without Elena Walch. This eponymous winery in Alto Adige led the charge in this Northern Italian region away from quantity and towards quality. Following her mother's lead, sisters Julia and Karoline are taking the winery into its fifth generation with respect for history and the terroir.  In this episode, Julie and Gina talk with Karoline about the wine industry, the delicious local grapes of the area around Tramin, and the satisfaction of being a woman making changes in a male-dominated trade.  

  With the obvious genetic predisposition toward making incredible wine, Chelsea Barrett of Materra Cunat Family Vineyards did not assume it was a foregone conclusion she'd rank up there with mom and pop - both iconic Napa winemakers. She did her time hitting the books, traveling the world, and rising through the ranks to develop her own style. In this episode, Gina and Julie talk with Chelsea about the bit of pressure that comes with being the daughter of legends.  A wine princess, if you will.  One that's not afraid to get her hands dirty and one who is eternally eager to discover new insights.  

Time to look beyond their ubiquitous Chardonnay and get to know another member of the all-female wine making team at Sonoma-Cutrer,   Zidanelia Arcidiacono makes the Pinot Noir here, including the Rosé version of said grape. 

Today marks the beginning of Women's History Month, so Gina and Julie are getting a jump on wine Wednesday and checking in a bit early to launch our month long homage to the wonder-women of wine. We start with a woman who captured our palates with her rose long before we met her and she captured our hearts. There are people you meet in the wine industry, and wines you try- a great percentage of each being regrettably forgettable. But the wines of Chene Bleu and the fabulous Nicole Rolet who presents them to the world, are truly unforgettable. In this Episode, we talk about her family's origin story, their philosophy of wine and wine making, and the bright future she sees for women in the industry. 

William Benson, the founder and CEO of  Billionaires’ Row Champagne, and his partner Patrick Ductant, who heads up the spirits division, refer to one another as Jordan and Scottie in a nod to the fabled '96 Chicago Bulls. William (aka Jordan) is the first and only American to have his name on a Champagne Brand approved by the Prestigious Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne in France. In this Episode Gina and Julie talk with these legends about making seemingly unattainable dreams come true.

  In this week's Valentines Day episode, Gina and Julie wax poetic about their great wine loves and present a bouquet of a dozen rosés. Send Nudes Rosé , from the folks who bring you Sexual Chocolate, a Rosé of Pinot from Sonoma Thomas Jefferson sparkling, could  not resist this since it is also Presidents Day coming up. This is a Cremant de Limoux  made from Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir. Chimney Rock, cab franc, dark almost looks like cranberry juice Elizabeth Spencer, it’s Grenache, dry and tropical, hard to find Chateau Auguste from Bordeaux, right bank style, Merlot, Cab and Cab Franc Charles Joguet Chinon Rose. Cab Franc makes a killer pink wine. Terrebrune Bandol Rose- salmon in color and strawberry aromas. Mourvedre, Grenache and Cinsault. Chene Bleu Rosé - a higher- end rosé  made from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Rolle.  Some Rosé s are bubbly:  May we suggest Lanson Rose Billecart Salmon For a lower budget bubble, there’s Anna di Codorinu Cava which is a beautiful bottle to look at- major points for packaging. And can be found at around $10. A great party wine.  If anyone’s having a lonely hearts party for the singletons on V day- this is the quantity wine for you! Remember the "Brangelina" rosé - Miraval? Now that the glossy sheen of celebrity has abated, the wine stands as a fab bottle to present on Valentine's or any day.  

This week, Gina and Julie wander through the wine glass to Australia with the help of importer, distributor and Aussie, Jane Uttley of Unfiltered Unfined Wines. We talk super-hot shiraz, seafood friendly whites, and pair everyone's favorite brekkie food: vegemite. For video evidence of us ingesting Vegemite, click here.

We're all tired of not being able to travel. But enough complaining- the world of wine awaits. We're letting our taste buds take us on a journey as we circle the globe to vicariously visit vineyards (how's that for alliteration?) far from home.  Our first wine wandering takes us to the beautiful island nation of New Zealand where we find one of the most memorable wines and wine stories in any portfolio. Brent Marris of Marisco Vineyards talks of his family's ignominious backstory and how it's told through the winery's King Series.  We try a couple of wines from the Ned line, which is not, as one might suspect, named for Ned Stark of Game of Thrones. And talk about the indigenous culture and fantastic foodways of this stunning wine destination. Be sure to check the recipe section on Marisco's web site for the perfect pairings. Pack your bags! 

When the pandemic hit in March last year, wine.com went into "Christmas mode" and hasn't stopped since. Gina and Julie talked with Wilfred Wong, whose title is chief story teller, and Gwendolyn Wilson Osborn, Director of wine education about how their business works and what's trending for those of us stuck at home waiting out this pandemic.  

Often in the wine world, ABC refers to "Anything But Chardonnay," But in this episode we're looking at "Anything But Champagne." Not that we'd ever dump out an ounce of Champagne. *clutches pearls* We love the stuff.  But there are other bubbles in the world, and we're checking a few of them out while we talk about the many places that make their own style of sparkling.  We're trying a Trentodoc from Italy, a fabulous British sparkler, and a ruby-red sparkling Pinot Noir from California. 

After a year of separation, polarization, and mental and physical distance, Gina and Julie are setting the holiday table with blends.  Because after all, we're all better when we some together, whether we're grapes, politicians, or family members. In this episode there's a tour of some of the most famous blends and a tasting of one Rhone red hat's easy on the palate and the wallet; Les Dauphins Côtes-du-Rhône and a Bordeaux style blend from Washington State called Chasing Rain.

Gina and Julie talk with the CEO and 7th generation of the Billecart Salmon Champagne House, Mathieu Roland-Billecart about the new, Brut Nature cuvee, the iconic rosé, and the intriguing, food-friendly "Sous Bois." But let's be real, they are all food friendly. Of course we taste through them all just to make sure. Join in!

Growing up in a family that valued good wine, Juan Pablo Torres Padilla expanded on that passion spending half his life in France and visiting some of the best vineyards and wineries in the world.  When he chose to make that passion into his career, he chose Napa Valley's Rutherford AVA to make world class wines.  He now is owner of Sullivan Rutherford Estate and in this episode Gina and Julie talk about the current release, a stroke of (good) luck in 2020, and artificial intelligence.  Yes  A.I. and wine.

Before that turkey hits the table, let's talk about the wines. In this week's episode, Julie and Gina chat about Thanksgiving pairings with winemakers from Chateau Montelena in Napa Valley and Archery Summit in Willamette Valley, Oregon. Plus stories of a few side dish fails.

Chateau Montelena is an icon of California wine. It's 1973 Chardonnay was heralded the best in the world at the 1976 "Judgement of Paris," and the winery's entire portfolio remains a benchmark of quality. In this episode we talk with winemaker Matt Crafton about the responsibility that history brings and his view towards the future.    

We could all use a little mellowness a week out from the elections, so we'd like to propose Merlot. It's that grape that gets along with everybody, sometimes to her own detriment, but this noble, globetrotting grape finds a way to shine no matter where she lands. Today, Gina and Julie raise a few glasses to try Merlot from several American growing regions.

LUIS GÜEMES is the winemaker working with the family of Congressman Francis Rooney to make Bodega 202 from Rioja, Spain. Gina and Julie caught up with them both at the 2020 Naples Winter Wine Festival in January where they tried the wine, talked with the man who made it, and learned a little about how the Camino di Santigo led Rooney and his family to put down some roots in Spain.

Today we continue our salute to Hispanic Heritage Month with a trip (via Zoom) to Chile where we talk with Enrique Tirado, the winemaker behind Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon. 

With story as delicious as the wines he makes, Rolando Herrera of Mi Sueno Winery recalls washing dishes, mowing lawns, sending out resume after resume, and then deciding to make Mi Sueno reality.   

Hispanic Heritage Month straddles the months of September and October, lasting from the 15th of September to the 15th of October. The impact of the numerous cultures that make up the diaspora of the Hispanic population cannot be denied in the wine industry. Today we're talking with Bibiana Gonzalez Rave of Cattleya Wines in Napa, by way of Colombia and France. 

On International Pinot Noir day we celebrate with a few domestic options since we couldn't seem to get the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti here in time. Just kidding- who'd ship something like that in August? This grape may be of particular interest to our Libra friends- the zodiac sign we paired with this delicate beauty of a grape.   

Yeah, we know we just talked about rosé a few weeks ago on  rosé  day, but the wine gods have given us the entire month of August to celebrate the pink stuff,  so here we are, yet again, loving on this bashful hue of wine.  Dive in with us as we cool off and talk about the summer sipper we all adore. We try: Cattleya Wines' Rosé of Pinot Noir from Sonoma and Hahn's Rosé of Pinot Noir from Monterey County.

Gina and Julie joined a virtual happy hour with wine lovers from around the world to talk about BIG NEWS in Italy's Bubble Belt (Prosecco land aka: Conegliano Valdobbiadenne). Mionetto hosted the Happy Hour so we were able to try through their wines with the winemaker.

The time to make your opinion heard is now.  The US Trade Representative's Office is taking public comment on a proposed 25% tariff on European wine. We've been hearing about a couple of different tariffs (the proposed 100% hike on sparkling wine was particularly upsetting) and this week the president of the US Wine Trade Alliance sorts out the hows and whys- showing exactly how a tariff like this can hurt American small businesses already reeling from the economic crisis in the wake of COVID- 19.

Once judged for its pinkish hue, rosé presents a cooling option for those who swing red in their wine preferences. This week Gina and Julie try a few lesser known grapes that look cute when they blush. 

Back in January, Gina and Julie got to sit down and talk with Jean Charles Boisset of the Boisset Collection. We were at the Naples Winter Wine Festival and this was before COVID-19. Little did we know that the ebullient winemaker would become our virtual BFF for happy hour as we all quarantined (or Sip In Place, as Boisset likes to say). Then came the past week and a half of unrest. Listening back to this interview, it feels like this is a good moment to hear from a Frenchman transplanted to Napa.  

Chardonnay is a many- splendored grape. Let's talk about her in the many forms she takes; lean, acidic minx, full-figured diva. 

In this episode of Grape Minds we travel to one of our favorite wine regions in the US, Oregon.  This is the month to celebrate Oregon wines, and we get a guided tour from Gary Horner, the winemaker at Erath Winery in the Dundee Hills. 

E-Commerce and direct-to-consumer sales surged over the past six weeks as people "Sip in Place" while "Sheltering in Place." Some states and municipalities are easing restrictions on wine shipping and delivery, while several wine clubs and wineries are waiving shipping fees.  It's an opportuity to get hard-to access wines, subscribe to clubs to support your favorite producers, or just ask your local wineseller for a curbside pick-up assortment.   

While on Coronavirus lockdown, Gina and Julie have moved operations from the studio to the kitchen table- with a respectable six foot distance between- to talk wine. Today's theme is Earth Day- highlighting a natural wine from Westminster called Seeds and Skin. We also try an easy-peasey Chardonnay from Raeburn winery, and a second East Coast entry - a Malbec - from Biltmore Estate.