Life Between the Vines

Many of those who have attended Premiere Napa Valley or the Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Auction are familiar with Fritz Hatton, auctioneer extraordinaire. For many, many years Fritz has also been a vintner, co-owner of Arietta Wine. Who’d have thunk? Fritz is always with a smile and even more great stories of the wine biz. [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Fritz Hatton, Co-Owner, Arietta Wine, Napa Valley, defining the term “Viscosity”.  Learn more by visiting ariettawine.com

A background in the culinary world is a huge plus for a winemaker, and Jesse Fox has just that. Jesse the Winemaker at Sequoia Grove Winery in Napa Valley and his time as a chef has certainly paid off. I caught up with Jesse when he visited Milwaukee just a few weeks ago while on [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Jesse Fox, Winemaker, Sequoia Grove, Napa Valley, defining the term “Complexity”.  Learn more by visiting sequoiagrove.com.

Commonly you can find tasting rooms in many wineries around Napa Valley. Bazan Cellars is easily found right in the heart of downtown Napa just across the street from the famous Bounty Hunter restaurant. Even better, you can walk in without an appointment. I met up with Co-Owner Gloria Bazan as part of my tour [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Gloria Bazan, Co-Owner, Bazan Cellars, Coombsville AVA, Napa Valley, defining the term “Tasting Notes”.  Learn more by visiting bazancellars.com or coombsvillenapa.org

During my recent tour meeting Coombsville AVA winemakers, I spent some time with Julien Fayard at his tasting room in downtown Napa. The interview starts quietly enough then, shortly the room grew to a good sized happy crowd of Fayard wine lovers. Julian is a delight to talk to and his candid opinions were refreshing. [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Julien Fayard, Founder, Fayard Wines, Coombsville AVA, Napa Valley, defining the term “Negoviant”.  Learn more by visiting fayardwines.com or coombsvillenapa.org

Whenever I’m in Napa Valley I try to stop in to see Elise and Ken Nerlove, whom I’ve been friends with for several years. This father daughter team owns Elkhorn Peak Cellars, which is located in the very southern part of Napa Valley. This time around was even more exciting as they told me that [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Elise Nerlove, Co-Proprietor, Elkhorn Peak Cellars, Napa Valley, defining the phrase “Pop Up Vineyard Experience”.  Learn more by visiting elkhornpeak.com or microwineryguild.com

Napa Valley is first for fine wine and first for fine dining. So today we talk about fine wine and fine dining in Yountville as I visit Stephen Arnold, Wine Director and Sommelier at Bottega Napa Valley. I rarely get the chance to look behind the scenes at how a Wine Director’s job works. Humor, [...]

Napa Valley is first for fine wine and first for fine dining. So today we talk about fine wine and fine dining in Yountville as I visit Stephen Arnold, Wine Director and Sommelier at Bottega Napa Valley. I rarely get the chance to look behind the scenes at how a Wine Director’s job works. Humor, [...]

Working side by side with your father in a winery really brings home the concept of a family business. During a recent visit to California wine country I took a drive to El Dorado county and spent some time with Rob Sinton, Owner of Starfield Vineyards in Placerville. Rob and his dad still to this [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Rob Sinton, Owner, Starfield Vineyards, Placerville, California, defining the term “Rafle”.  Learn more by visiting starfieldvineyards.com

The less crowded road to the Coombsville AVA will fill your wine loving heart with delights. Rolling hills, family winegrowers and wild mountain terrain rise from old volcano, this is where some of Napa Valley’s best grapes thrive. Florencia Palmaz is CEO of Palmaz Vineyards and this is her home and her love. Florencia’s enthusiasm [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Florencia Palmaz, CEO, Palmaz Vineyards, Coombsville AVA, Napa Valley, defining the term “Gravity Flow”.  Learn more by visiting palmazvineyards.com

Extraordinarily beautiful and less touristy, the Coombsville AVA of Napa Valley offers a peaceful way to see some of the finest vineyards in the Valley. Jim Pennella and his wife live next to their vineyard in an old school house easily identified as you pass by. Their wine is called Farang and I’ll let you [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Jim Pennella, Co-Owner, Farang Wine, Coombsville AVA, Napa Valley, defining the term “Angels Share”. Learn more by visiting farangwine.com

Way back in April of 2014 I recorded an interview (podcast 109) with Ron Sciandri, Proprietor of Sciandri Family Vineyards in the Coombsville AVA of Napa Valley. Just a few weeks ago I was able to have a bit of a family reunion with Ron’s son and daughter at their home in Coombsville. Ron and [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature a very special term from our past as defined by Rebecca Sciandri Griffin & Ron Sciandri, Owners, Sciandri Family Vineyards, Coombsville AVA, Napa Valley, and the term is “ASDIN”.   Learn more by visiting sciandrivineyards.com or coombsvilleava.com

JL Wood dives deeper into Chardonnay than any other winery I’ve ever spoken to. Ed Filice is the Winemaker at JL Wood and we met up at the Napa Wine Company to talk about his experiences. These white wines are as varied as can be and well worth the taste. But your question might be, [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Ed Filice, Winemaker, JL Wood, Monteray & Napa Valley, defining the term “Elevage”,  Learn more by visiting jlwoodwine.com

The Coombsville AVA is Napa Valley’s 16th sub-appelation and that designation originated with a petition to the federal government, started by Tom Farella. Tom’s wine journey started when he was very young, finding an appreciation of fine French wines. And the rest is history. I visited Tom at his beautiful Coombsville property by the foot [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Tom Farella, Proprietor, Farella Vineyard, Coombsville AVA, Napa Valley, defining the term “Shrinkle”.  Learn more by visiting farella.com

In February I sat down with four Spring Mountain Winemakers to talk about their wines and what it takes to operate a mountain winery. Stu Smith/Smith-Madrone, Sheldon Richards/Paloma Vineyard, Wesley Steffens/Vineyard 7 & 8 and Justin Mooday/Aadland-Moody join us at the Vineyard 7 & 8 tasting room. This is a strong group of winemakers growing [...]

Every wine lover has a passion for turning friends on to new, high end wines and I’m no different. Coombsville has been an AVA of Napa Valley since 2011 and Winemaker Lisa Redmon has been living and growing wine there for some time now. Coombsville is now recognized as a top fine wine area, something [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Lisa Redmon, Proprietor, Redmon Wines, Coombsville AVA, Napa Valley, defining the term “Struggle”.  Learn more by visiting redmonwines.com

Way back in 2017 I was able to do a press visit to Piedmont, Italy to learn more about Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti. One of our stops included the DOCG to see how this process works. Today I have Giacomo Pondini, Director, Consorzio dell’Asti DOCG on the phone to give us a bit more [...]

Steve Contursi and his wife Seanne are owners of Arrow & Branch and now produce their wine in almost new facility in the Oak Knoll section of Napa Valley. Steve and I met up in the barrel room which accounts for the strong echo in the recording, but are soon adding a new tasting space. [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Steve Contursi, Co-Owner, Arrow & Branch, Coombsville AVA, Napa Valley, defining the phrase “Mind Your Business”.  Learn more by visiting arrowbranch.com

Sitting along the Napa River in the city of Napa you can find the ultra cool tasting room for Scalon Cellars located in a repurposed tannery. The vineyard itself is located in the scenic Coombsville AVA just east of the city and tastings take place at the tannery by appointment.. Tim Goodwin is the General [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Tim Goodwin, General Manager, Scalon Cellars, Coombsville AVA, Napa Valley, defining the term “Apple Juice”.  Learn more by visiting scaloncellars.com

There are many AVA’s in Napa Valley, in fact Napa Valley itself is an AVA. The Coombsville AVA is located just east of downtown Napa and is something not found in the other viticultural areas of the Valley. Coombsville features softly rolling hills and peaceful country roads with vineyards of all sizes. Not glitzy and [...]

If there is a name that spells Coombsville AVA it's John Caldwell of Caldwell Vineyard. Smuggler and story teller, John loves people and wine. His vines talk and he listens. I was grateful to hear many of his wine stories…and as you know, winemakers tell the best stories. You can also hear John on our [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature John Caldwell, Founder, Caldwell Vineyard, Coombsville AVA, Napa Valley, defining the term “Terroir”.  Learn more by visiting caldwellvineyard.com

Each interview I conduct The Question is asked, “What is the one question you’ve never been asked, that you would like to be asked”. This podcast features Washington winemakers giving our audience a bit of a look inside their world. Below is the guests are listed in order of appearance: Joanne Dunham/Dunham Cellars Andrew Browne/Browne [...]

Winemakers are well known for cellar work in many different parts of the world. Its not unusual to meet a winemaker that has made wine in the southern hemisphere, Sonoma or Germany. In fact our guest for this podcast has done just that, and now Bennett Ewald makes wine in both Door County and Kewaunee, [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Bennett Ewald, Assistant Winemaker, Parallel 44 Winery, Wisconsin, defining the term “ROGL”.  Learn more by visiting 44wines.com

This is a follow-up to podcast 751 which featured Joanne Dunham, Founder of Dunham Cellars, Walla Walla, Washington. This time around I met up with John Blair, Partner and President of Dunham and once again we met up at the amazing Dunham hanger tasting room. While its always about the wines, this is a must [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature John Blair, President & Partner, Dunham Cellars, Walla Walla, Washington, defining the term “Shiner”.  Learn more by visiting dunhamcellars.com

Way back in November of 2010, in the very early days of this podcast, I met with Chad Johnson, Co-Owner of Dusted Valley Winery in Washington state. That was podcast #26. In 2003 Chad and his partner/brother-in-law Corey Braunel left their home in Wisconsin and began the Dusted Valley and Boomtown labels. They never looked [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Corey Braunel, Co-Owner, Dusted Valley, Walla Walla, Washington, defining the term “Kin’A”.  Learn more by visiting dustedvalley.com

Over the past 17 years I’ve interviewed Steve Johnson, Co-Owner of Parallel 44 and Door 44 Wineries many times. This time around his son Isaac, who spent the 2025 harvest as a cellar hand, will be joining us. Also, watch for an upcoming interview with Steve’s Assistant Winemaker, Bennett Ewald in the next couple weeks. [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Steve Johnson, Proprietor, Parallel 44 Winery, Kewaunee, Wisconsin, defining the term “Northern Varietals”.  Learn more by visiting 44wines.com

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Isaac Johnson, Cellar Hand, Parallel 44 Winery, Kewaunee, Wisconsin, defining the term “Rubbin’ Buds”.  Learn more by visiting 44wines.com

Our guest this week is Randy Caparoso, wine journalist as well as author of “Lodi! A Definitive Guide and History of America's Largest Winegrowing Region”. Randy’s experience with wine as well as food is vast, having been a restaurateur, winemaker, sommelier plus extensive travel wherever wine is grown. A special thanks to Eric Awes for [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Randy Caparoso, Wine Journalist, Lori, California, defining the phrase “Mediterranean Climate”.  Learn more by Googling Randy Caparoso.

Washington’s Red Mountain grows some of the most sought after grapes in the country. This desert climate area really shows how great fruit can come from diverse property. I met up with JJ Williams, General Manager at Kiona Vineyard and Winery at their extraordinary tasting room to learn more about this area. JJ is a [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature JJ Williams, General Manager, Kiona Vineyards, Red Mountain, Washington, defining the term “Flavor Listing”.  Learn more by visiting kionawine.com

I love Ohio wines and for those in the know, the state has an extensive history in wine growing dating back to the early 1800’s. Take the time to check out Leon Adams book The Wines of America, if you can find it, to learn more. Way back in 2012 I interviewed Art and Doreen [...]

This week on our Vino Lingo segment we feature Lauren Fiala, Winemaker, Baci Winery, Grand River Valley AVA, Ohio, defining the term “Heroic Viticulture”.  Learn more by visiting baciwinery.com