Wine Podcast: The Honest Pour with John Lenart

Philippe Rolet was born into wine in Jura. Following a passion for South American wines he eventually ended up as Estate Manager of Bodegas Caro, a partnership between the legendary Rothschild and Catena houses. Argentina didn't start producing wines until 1850 but in the years since, it has claimed it's space in the international wine market. In fact one of Caro's wines is one of the best in it's category I have ever tasted. Listen to this episode to find out about it.

Among aficionados California sparkling wine has always played a bit of a second fiddle to sparklers from other parts of the world.  While that is changing over the past few years with the emergence of Grower Champagne-like wines coming from the likes of Under the Wire and the cult wine Ultramarine, among others, the one exception to this notion has always been Schramsberg. Gaining prominence going back to 1972, when Nixon used the Blanc de Blanc to toast the Chinese Premier at the White House, wines from this historic estate have been served by every administration since. I met with Hugh Davies to talk about his family's commitment to sparkling wine, why they tore up their historic estate vineyard and replanted with Bordeaux varieties in the late 1990's and of course to taste some delicious wine.

Bordeaux can be expensive. At it's lower price points it can present uninspired wines. But Diane Flamand and Domaines Barons de Rothschild [Lafite] have closed the price and quality gap with their Légende line of wines. These bottles take wine drinkers around Bordeaux, from blanc and rouge wines made from grapes grown throughout the iconic wine region, to bottlings from more specific areas like Medoc and Saint-Emilion and Paulliac. These wines present fantastic value and would be a great jumping off point for your own study of Bordeaux.  I met with winemaker Diane Flamand to talk about what it's like to make these approachable, reasonably priced wines that you don't have to wait decades to drink. all while maintaining the Lafite Spirit.

Way back in episode 7 of The Honest Pour I interviewed Elise Losfelt of Moët & Chandon. In this episode I revisit the wines from this classic Champagne house with her colleague Marie-Christine Osselin. We sat down to discuss the task of creating consistency and quality for Moët & Chandon's Non-vintage Imperial from over a hundred base wines, and expressing the quality of  each vintage Champagne,  while still distinguishing the bright fresh fruity house style of Moët & Chandon.

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of visiting a number of producers in Chianti Classico. To hear those shows check back to episodes 61 - 67. Sadly, while there I missed the chance to visit one of the region's most iconic estates, Ricasoli at Castello Brolio in Gaiole. Fortunately, when I returned home, I had the opportunity to meet with Francesco Ricasoli.  During his visit he previewed the release of Raritas, a line of three single vineyard Chianti Classico wines that are the highest most distinguished expressions of wines produced on the Brolio estate. Technically Gran Selezione wines, Francesco calls these "Cru" bottlings.  We met to discuss this project and how it fits into the idea of Gran Selezione, his research from which these wines were born, and of course to taste some delicious wines

Chateau Montelena will forever hold a special place in Napa Valley wine history after famously winning Steven Spurrier's 1976 Paris tasting. In 2014 Matt Crafton was named winemaker there and today he maintains the heritage of this iconic producer. With a strong belief in sustainability Crafton is paving the way to the future while staying true to the legacy of Chateau Montelena. We sat down to discuss this and also to taste some delicious wine.

Cool climate pinot noir is a widely used buzz phrase today. But in the late 80's Marty Bannister was one of the pioneers of the segment. She made these wines for over a decade when health concerns forced her to let the family label go dormant. In the early 2000's her son Brook decided to revive the brand and continue working with these cool climate wines, maintaining his mother's legacy.  So many of the stories told through wine are about, place, history, or farming. This episode is about a son's love of his mother and his dedication to making sure her place in wine history is maintained.

After a short break we return to the U.S. following our Chianti Classico series to visit with a most thoughtful California wine maker. While many interviews are about history, culture or estate terroir, Paul Hobbs is a guy who I can geek out with about wine. And that makes me happy. Despite his impressive resume, talking with him about soil types, climate, and grape variety is something that is really exciting and makes you want to taste and enjoy his wines. What I really loved about talking with Hobbs is that his passion extends beyond California to Argentina, Spain, France, and Armenia, not because he wants to globalize his brand but  in order to hone his craft. I sat down with Paul to talk about this and of course to taste some delicious wines.

We wrap up our visit to Chianti Classico with a visit to Castello Monterinaldi in Radda. Searching for the terroir of each commune of the region has proven to be a challenge as so many microclimates and soil types exist withing each commune. However, matching clones of sangiovese to each microclimate within an estate is an important job at Castello Monterinaldi. This effort leads to some special wine. I met with Fabrizio Benedetti to discuss this and of course to taste some delicious wines.

While some wineries take centuries to figure out which clones or massal selections work best in their vineyards, the brilliant minds of Felsina have accomplished the same in just five decades. Today, third generation winemaker Giovanni Poggiali maintains his family's commitment to producing wines that express the distinct terroir of each of Felsina's vineyards and dedication to purity of sangiovese.

The wines of Badia a Coltibuono are some of the most precise, balanced, and typically Chianti Classico of those produced in the region. While many wineries pay lip service using terms like " we believe wine begins in the vineyard," Roberto Stucchi Prinetti truly follows the axiom. After receiving his degree at UC Davis, and working under Cathy Corison at Chappellet, he returned to take over as the sixth generation of his family running Badia a Coltibuono. He immediately replanted the vineyards to maximize quality and emphasize terroir. Ever since the wines he makes have been met with critical acclaim.

I've traveled throughout the wine world and few places have enchanted me the way Volpaia and the people there have.  The hilltop hamlet is magical. The 11th century piazza is composed of a church, a cafe and a the Castello di Volpaia tasting room which was closed when I arrived. That's it. I wander up the road another 50 or so meters to find a smaller, older piazza consisting of not much more than yet another church, a small ancient well and an iron gate. With no signs, I have no idea where to go so I throw caution to the wind and enter the gate. Sitting in the manicured garden under the warm spring Tuscan sun I meet Giovannella Stianti. Tall, grey haired and elegant Giovannella introduces herself to me and warmly welcomes me into her home. All of the walls inside the ancient building are lined with beautiful books. Gio explains that her father was a book binder and this was his work. After lunch Gio takes me on a wonderful tour of the village and winery within. The modern winery is built into the building of the 11th century with pipes running underground connecting one production area to the next. Already enchanted with both the place and Giovannella, I then sat down to record this episode with Federica Mascheroni Stianti, Gio's daughter, who now runs the family business. As charming as her mother, Federica and I talk about what makes wine from Radda unique, the controversy behind the gran selezione classification, and of course we taste some delicious wines.  If you travel to Chianti Classico a visit to Castello di Volpaia is not to be missed.

The sub-region of Barberino Tavarnelle lies in the western part of Chianti Classico. Topping out at about 400 meters above sea-level the vines here flower early and experience a longer growing season than other areas of Chianti Classico. These wines typically express more earth that fruit and are the perfect companions of the region's game focused cuisine. I met with Paolo De Marchi of Isole e Olena, a top producer from Barberino Tavarnelle to talk about these wines and learn about how his farming choices over the past 45 years have allowed him to express its special terroir.

We continue our special series of episodes from Chianti Classico. In this episode we visit Castello di Fonterutoli just south of Chianti Classico. It's on this spot, that the riders of the legend of the black rooster met. The tiny hamlet no loner houses the winery, it is still home to the Mazzei family's agroturismo and osteria (a great place to have a traditional, highly regional dinner!). The new winery is a modern, high tech winemaking facility, built into the hillside that still uses time honored traditions of vinification. The Mazzei family has been involved in the wine business for 24 generation and holds a unique place in U.S. history. It is said that Philip Mazzei inspired Thomas Jefferson to write that "All men are by nature equally free and independent." Today brothers Francesco and Filippo continue the family's legacy of making great wine. I met with Francesco at the winery south of Castellina in Chianti to discuss the family's heritage, the importance of Chianti Classico and of course to taste some delicious wine.

In this episode I meet with Giovanni Manetti, the current President of The Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico and winemaker of Fontodi. The pride he takes in his vineyard is clear when he talks about his farming practices. You can hear the passion in his voice and it's impossible to not be captured by it. And of course you can taste it in his wines too.

Passion only takes winemakers so far. On top of the desire to make great wine a lot of hard work goes into it as well. There are few people in wine who have had to work as hard as Sara Dionisio and her husband Antonio Ribeiro. After mother nature dealt the couple a catastrophic blow in 2017, they have, like a phoenix, literally risen from the ashes and today continue their pursuit of  producing delicious wines.

When I started The Honest Pour there were several winemakers who I really wanted to interview.  The guest of this episode is one who I have tried to book for almost three years. The wines of Muscadet are often over cropped, too linear, and mundane, But the wines made by this episode's guest are different.  Jo Landron makes some of the most dynamic, terroir driven, and delicious wines in the western Loire's Muscadet region. Known as much for his flamboyant mustache as his wines, Landron uses both organic and biodynamic farming to express the special terroir of his vineyards. Next time you want to have some seafood, raw oysters in particular, pick up a bottle of his delicious and crazy good value wine for a match made in heaven.  You can thank me later.

Just over 30 years ago the great Bordeaux house Chateau Lafite Rothschild laid stake in the new world with its purchase of Los Vascos, in the Colchagua province in Chile. To run the business they hired Claudio Naranjo, a young financial consultant who aided them in the purchase, as the General Manager. Decades later, Naranjo still holds that position but with a much deeper understanding of, and more importantly, a passion for wine. Today, Claudio is responsible for maintaining what is referred to as "The Spirit of Lafite" here in the new world. While making some great red wines, headed by Le Dix de, Los Vascos, grand cuvee, one of the wines that most impressed from the Los Vascos portfolio is a $10 sauvignon blanc. This wine is among the best $10 wines I have ever tasted.

Sometimes touring Napa Valley wineries can become a bit repetitive. Cabernet, cabernet and more cabernet. Now, I love Napa cab, but a brief departure from it can offer a palate refreshing break. A great place for this break is Benessere. Founded in 1994 by John and Ellen Benish, they wanted a place to remind them of a beloved trip to Italy they had taken. So, instead of planing more cabernet, they committed to planing Italian varieties like sangiovese, aglianico and even sagrantino.  While John sadly passed away in October of 2018, his family is committed to maintaining his vision of producing wonderful wines using grape varieties from Italy. Benessere's winemaker, Matt Reid says he makes wine because "it makes me happy and I want to share that happiness." His wines convey this happiness. Beautiful Italian-like acidity, balanced by the sun-kissed fruit of Napa make for some very special wines.  I met with Ryan Shenk, DTC Sales and Hospitality Manager at Benessere to walk the vineyards of Benessere and of course, to taste some delicious wines.

Stuart Smith founded Smith-Madrone in 1971 on Spring Mountain. Since then  he and his brother have been making some fantastic wines from their self built winery.  If you want to see winemaking that isn't veiled by the branded, retail friendly experience you get at many places along highway 29, head up Spring Mountain and pay a visit to Smith-Madrone. Stu may likely be your host in the barn-like winery/tasting room. You'll find him a gigantic character never short on opinions. More importantly you'll taste some spectacular and insightfully made wines.

Big, round, rich chardonnay may not always be a critical favorite, but it is certainly loved by the mass market.  While the wines of Kistler, Sonoma-Cutrer and others popularized this style in California, it wasn't until 1990 when Koerner Rombauer, working with fruit from Sangiacomo vineyard in Carneros, was able to produce this style of chardonnay at a price point friendly to the consumer. Today, K.R., Koerner's  son, runs the family winery and remains true to his father's vision of making wine his customers want to drink. I sat down with K.R., to talk about the wines made at his family's winery, his commitment to staying family owned, and of course, to taste some delicious wine.

Erica Crawford came to the wine business through marriage. That’s not to say that nothing about her personal background influences the wines she and her husband Kim make today. In fact, her previous career in the medical and pharmaceutical industries largely shaped Loveblock’s commitment to organic and sustainable farming and winemaking. Her commitment to this is so strong that the farming practiced by Loveblock is entirely closed loop. Close loop farming recycles all nutrients and organic matter back into the soil from which it grew. Through these practices Loveblock produces wines of elegance with more restrained aromatics and more complex texture than is often associated with New Zealand wines.

Ron Miller and his wife, Diane Disney Miller, daughter of Walt, opened the winery of Silverado vineyards in 1981. While her maiden name leads some to call Silverado "The Disney Winery" there is nothing Disney-esque about the gorgeous estate in the heart of the Stags Leap District. Since 1981 Only two people have led the winemaking team. Today that post is held by Jon Emmerich. Silverado's vineyards are located throughout Napa Valley, each providing a unique palate for Emmerich to work with. While the name Silverado Vineyards might be familiar it's actually not a very large winery,  producing ,only about 75,000 cases per year. While this winery is neither new, nor historic, neither large nor small, make no mistake, there is nothing average about the wines Emmerich and his team are making in the heart of Napa Valley.

Winemakers get only one shot per year to get a vintage right.  This makes it tough for them to gain valuable experience, particularly early in their careers. In order to gain more practice, they can travel from the northern hemisphere to the southern in order to cheat mother nature and sneak in a second vintage each year. This practice is known as chasing harvest. It was so deeply embraced by Mike and Jennifer Kush that they named their wine after it. After chasing harvests around the globe, the Kushs have settled into the two regions which they are most passionate about, Central Otago in New Zealand and the Douro Valley in Portugal.

While Napa might be most widely known as cabernet country, the small valley offers a diverse collection of growing areas giving winemakers a broad palate from which to choose when deciding on grape varieties and winemaking styles. From the cool far south of Napa Valley where he grows the fruit for a bright, balanced chardonnay , to Mt Veeder which produces powerful yet elegant cabernet sauvignon, all the way up to Pope Valley in the far northeast where the warm growing season produces fruit bursting with flavor, Dave Guffy at Hess Family Estates makes the most of these choices. Guffy marches to his own beat in his winemaking and it's a unique expression which wine lovers will certainly enjoy.

I travel to Napa Valley more than any wine region in the world. That's just one reason I get excited to interview wine makers from historic wineries from Napa Valley. In the decades since the historic "Judgement of Paris" tasting Clos du Val did an amazing job in building its brand. But at what cost? I sat down with Ted Henry, wine maker at Clos du Val to talk about the rebirth of this historic Napa winery, the commitment of the owners to invest not only monetarily in  the endeavor and of course to taste the first cabernet sauvignons from the efforts.  The 2015 cabs from Clos du Val may be a bit more expensive than previous vintages but you'll be rewarded with wines that are expressive, loaded with finesse, drinkable now, but ones that will pay huge dividends after a decade or so of aging.

Over the centuries Alsace has been ruled buy both Germany and France. The cuisine and culture here have certain Germanic influences and while the wines from this region are made from the same varieties often found in Germany, the style in which they are made is uniquely Alsatian. I met with Laure Adam of Jean-Baptiste Adam, a winery in Alsace that is over 400 years old, to talk about the wines from this intriguing region and of course to taste some delicious wines.

The Yamhill-Carlton AVA, in the far northern reaches of Willamette Valley, was founded in 2004. Often known for producing pinot noir bottlings that are bold and expressive some wine makers look in another direction and create wines of great finesse. Shane Moore of Gran Moraine is one such wine maker. Not only is he making sophisticated pinto noir, but also an exceptionally balanced chardonnay.

Value priced wines are an often overlooked segment of the wine world, yet, questions about sub twenty buck wines are the most frequent I get. It can be tough. There are a lot of bad wines out there in the lower price ranges. So, when I got to taste the wines from Austerity, I knew they were wines I could direct curious listeners to. It's hard to find good quality, distinctive, wines in the sub $20 range. But Steven DeCosta is creating just that. I met with him to talk about the challenges of making these wines, how he provides great quality while maintaining value prices, and of course to taste some delicious wines.

I love a winery with a great story behind it. Azienda Agraria Scacciadiavoli is one such winery. Roughly translated as "Chasing away the devil" Scacciadiavoli is named for a local priest believed to have been an exorcist. But a great story only takes you so far. Scacciadiavoli, in Montefalco, located in Umbria, also makes some delicious wines. The primary red grape variety in Montefalco is Sagrantino. An indigenous, hugely tannic, high acid grape that makes wines with a rough exterior which gives way to delicate, elegant, and complex flavors. Like all Italian wines, when paired with food, Sagrantino really shines. These wines also offer an amazing value. Because its not widely known, consumers can buy the absolutely best Sagrantinos available for under $100.  I met with Liu Pambuffetti of Azienda Agraria Scacciadiavoli to talk about her family's winery, learn about the intriguing Sagrantino di Montelfalco wines and of course to taste some!

I love port wine. But it can be a complicated subject.  Broken down into two distinct groups, tawny and ruby, each style offers different characteristics.  Vintage Port is the grandest expression of all ports. Selected for extraordinary qualities and capacity for aging in the bottle, only about three times per decade are ports declared to have the special qualities of a true "vintage." When a port is declared as a vintage you can be certain it will be an exceptional wine. 2016 was just such a vintage.  David Guimaraens, Technical Director and Head Wine Maker, The Fladgate Partnership was in Chicago with a group of other port wine makers to introduce the wines of this magical vintage. We met to talk about the 2016's and of course to taste through his Croft, Fonseca, and Taylor's vintage ports.

Somehow, the experience of a great wine is brought to even greater heights when it's backed up by a great story.  Villa Russiz, located in Italy's far north east region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, is just such a winery. Even better, the story behind it continues today. Romance, charity, and great wine. Who could ask for more? I met with Wine Maker, Giovanni Genio to hear this fantastic tale and of course to taste some delicious wine.

Often times makers of wines from classic, old world regions create wine in a style that demands aging in order for it to not only appreciate full potential, but in many cases to be even remotely drinkable.  Because of advancements in both farming and wine making, today, creating making a wine that is both age-worthy yet approachable and enjoyable to drink at a young age is a possibility.  Staunch traditionalists sometimes decry these modern styles as varying too far from the style of wine that a specific region is known for. But thank goodness for forward thinking producers like the brothers Castagnedi of  Tenuta Sant'Antonio. These four siblings come from generations of grape growers, yet, have only been making wine for the past few decades. Today, they are making some delicious wines from Valpolicella. Like may producers of the region they produce Valpolicella, Ripasso, and Amarone. Their Amarones are made in the modern style which drink well now, yet will age and improve for decades to come. I sat down with Armando Castagnedi to talk about the complex nature of wine making in Valpolicella, and what makes their modern approach to Amarone so special.

Most trips to northern California wine country end just a short drive from San Francisco in Sonoma or Napa.  But, if you're a lover of pinot noir or chardonnay and don't mind a bit more driving through the redwoods, head up to Anderson Valley.  This is one of California's coolest growing regions, which makes it perfect for the Burgundian varieties. Homey and bucolic, Anderson Valley is the road less traveled, and that's a shame because there are some brilliant wines coming from this region. Back in 2012, Roederer Estate, which had been producing outstanding sparkling wines from Anderson Valley fruit since 1981, started a still wine project with the release of Domaine Anderson wines. I met with Darrin Low, who grew up in Healdsburg, the talented wine maker at Domaine Anderson, to discuss what makes Anderson Valley unique and of course, to taste some delicious wines.

While it doesn't have a huge marketing presence the name Dunn is sure to get the attention of Napa Valley Cabernet lovers. Randy Dunn made his first eponymous Howell Mountain cabernet sauvignon in 1979. Dunn cabernets today aren't all that different from earlier vintages. They eschew the trendy giant style that garners high scores from critics. This doesn't mean Dunn wines are thin by any means. The fruit from Howell mountain makes a wine that is tannic for sure, but once you get beyond that (or let the tannins settle with a bit of aging) the fruit is extraordinarily elegant and complex. Today, Mike Dunn makes the wine at Dunn and fosters his father's vision for this Napa icon.  At the same time Mike has started his own label, Retro. This brand lets Mike explore styles beyond the house style of Dunn with his delicious petite sirah.

Back in the 1980's and earlier, one wouldn't think of drinking a Barolo that was less than 20 years old.  Nebbiolo, the grape used to make Barolo, is a late ripening variety which in some years never reached full ripeness. Even in good years the tannins in nebbilolo took decades to mellow to the point of being palatable. Wait a few decades however, and Barolo would release the delicate, floral beauty hidden below its rough exterior. Over the years, global warming, combined with modern vinification techniques allow consumers to drink many Barolo bottlings upon release.  Fontanafredda recently celebrated its 160th year. While its history runs deep, today it makes wines which combine the modern style of Barolo while maintaining the sense of place it has developed over the past century and a half. I sat down with Alberto Frea, Brand Ambassador of Fontanafredda, to talk about this history and terroir, and what it is that makes their wines so special.

When you think about beverages from Canada you probably think about beer and ice wine. Well, if you look around, you can find some world class wines. The region responsible for producing many of these wines is Ontario. Norman Hardie is just one of the wine makers producing outstanding wine here. After making wine in Burgundy, New Zealand, South Africa, and California Hardie found that the type of soil that made the wines he loves most is a combination of clay and limestone. When he found the perfect site on a hillside in Prince Edward County in 2003 he set off on his own, planting cool climate varieties there. Today, Hardie's wines stay true to his vision; low intervention, low alcohol, high minerality, and expressing a true sense of place.

If you're familiar at all with trebbiano, you're almost certainly thinking of trebbiano Toscano, which is a high yielding grape that often produces mundane wines. But not all trebbianos are created equally. 350 meters above the town of Cugnoli in Abruzzo, Riccardo Tiberio found a very old plot of trebbiano d'Abruzzese, which, despite it's name, is neither the same grape as trebbiano Toscano, nor is it common in Abruzzo.  ​In the year 2000 Riccardo purchased a small eight hectare plot of 60 year old trebbiano d'Abruzzo and carefully nurtured and replanted it. At the same time he expanded the site and included plantings of other indigenous varieties until he had a 31 hectare estate. In 2008 he handed over the growing and wine making to his son Antonio and daughter Cristiana. I sat down with Cristiana to talk about trebbiano d'Abruzzo and the importance of clonal selection and indigenous grape varieties.

The wines of Sicily get more exciting by the vintage. In the past few decades the fiercely independent Italian island on the Mediterranean has transformed from a bulk wine growing region to one producing many outstanding wines of distinction.  One of the best things about Sicilian wines is that they offer an amazing value and will rarely break the bank.  Such is the case with Cusumano, a group of brothers who invested heavily in creating high quality vineyards around Sicily. Taking their time, they eventually started making a variety of outstanding wines.

Argentina is the worlds fifth largest producer of wine. Known primarily for Bordeaux varieties, the wines of Argentina pair wonderfully its meat driven cuisine. Patricia Ortiz is the president and owner of Tapiz, Zolo and Wapisa in Argentina, who is dedicated to making wines of distinction that express not only the unique terroir from a variety of growing regions around Argentina, but is also producing wines of outstanding quality and value.

Over the past few years California wines often go to one of two extremes. They tend to either be sweet, high alcohol jam bombs that meet the likes of a few well regarded and powerful wine critics, or they tend toward the reactionary "new" school style of being intentionally low in alcohol, lean and under-ripe. Josh Phelps, a native of Napa Valley and son of a well regarded winemaker, is a millennial winemaker with a new brand called Grounded Wine Co. who is marching to his own beat. The initial release from Grounded Wine Co., a Bordeaux blend called Steady State is a truly balanced beauty. Phelps plans other new releases from growing regions in Washington State as well as Paso Robles which will be priced to be accessible to younger wine drinkers. But don't let a low priced wine from a young winemaker fool you. If  the wines to come from Grounded Wine Co . are as good as Phelps' inaugural  release, this is a guy you'll want to follow.

While working with some of Napa Valley’s most influential wine producers, in some of the best vineyard sites in all of California, Andy Erickson and his wife Annie Favia started a small project in their garage. That single barrel blossomed over the years to what has become Favia. Erickson and Favia are now producing outstanding wines from premium California growing sites in their small winery located on their historic Coombsville ranch. While these wines are hard to find, due to small production, and are on the pricier side, you can be sure that they are absolutely outstanding wines which showcase the best of the vineyards which they are grown.

Randy Snowden's parents purchased what is today The Snowden Ranch in 1955. The 160 acre property lies on the eastern slopes of Napa Valley looking down at Rutherford and St. Helena. This unique site isn't part of either the St. Helena or Rutherford appellation, yet it produces fruit that shows some distinctive characteristics of both St. Helena and Rutherford. Everyone knows Napa wine isn't cheap. With land costs that can approach a million dollars per acre, how could it be? Yet, while many Napa wines work their way well into the 3 figure price points, relative value still exists. Perhaps there's no greater example of value from Napa than Snowden Vineyard wines.

Sherry took me a long time to get to know. My friend, sherry guru Elizabeth Mendez tried to show me the light for years. Somehow I just couldn't see it. But finally, on a trip to Spain hosted by González Byass, maker of Tio Pepe fino sherry, I was able to put context to the ethereal fortified wine of Jerez. It happened while eating tapas, a simple grilled shrimp on a skewer and sipping Tio Pepe sherry, that it all came together. I talk some sherry basics and sample some stunning wines with the charming Victoria González-Gordon.

Manuel Louzada is a thoughtful well spoken winemaker. A fourth generation winemaker his family's commitment to quality winemaking has been passed down through the generations and today he maintains that commitment on two continents. Chasing harvests between South America and Europe his wines are distinctive and terroir driven. The wines I tasted in this episode are no longer the current releases but the tasting notes below will give you an idea of the style of wines Louzada makes and what you can expect from the current releases.

In Episode 12 of The Honest Pour I interviewed Marchese Lamberto Frescobaldi, owner of Frescobaldi. In this episode I interview a winemaker from one of his estates, Eleonora Marconi, winemaker at Frescobaldi's Castello di Nipozzano Estate. Built in the year 1000 as a defensive fortress, today Castello di Nipozzano houses the wine cellars. I spoke with Marconi about her dedication to making wines for this historic estate her close working relationship with the Marchese.

When you think about drinks from Texas what first comes to mind might be Lone Star beer or Tito's Vodka. But for the wine lover, look to Texas Hill Country. Here lies a burgeoning wine industry. The arid land and gently rolling hills there brings to mind the south of Spain. It's in the hill country just outside of Austin that William Chris Vineyards is located. The Chris of William Chris, is Chris Brundrett, the native Texas winemaker winemaker who studied at Texas A&M. Brundrett is making some really delicious and  intriguing wines that express the terroir of the lone star state.

Back in November I visited Jericho Canyon. I spent time with the winemaker Nicholas Bleecher who literally grew up beneath the vines of the vineyard his parent planted in Jericho Canyon, a secluded, steep sloped cut in the hills of Calistoga. Nick and I started our conversation atop the windy canyon, then went deep into the echo filled caves to taste some very special wine.

IIn Rutherford, just north of Oakville lies the Georges De Latour vineyards. While Mr. De Latour lacked creative naming for his vineyards, he found some of Napa's greatest land for growing cabernet sauvignon. From these amazing properties the great André Tchelistcheff created some of the best wine available from Napa Valley. The weight of that history and sense of place is not lost on Jeffrey Stambor who today, as winemaker at BV, fosters that tradition of excellence. Stambor approaches winemaking at BV with the French sensibility of expressing what the land gives him rather than creating character in the winery.

Without the influence of Robert Mondavi Napa Valley would still be a world-class wine region, but it wouldn't be the same as it is today.  While his eponymous winery sold to a large corporation more than a decade ago, the wine making team there strives to assure that Mr. Mondavi's influence and philosophy live on today.  Joe Harden is responsible for making the Bordeaux wine varieties for Robert Mondavi Winery. A former pro basketball player, Harden grew up in Lodi, the son of wine grape growers, who sold grapes to Mondavi. Upon leaving the hard court he returned to the world of wine and landed an internship, which turned into a job as winemaker, at Robert Mondavi. Even though he's a young man, the responsibility of maintaining the tradition of Robert Mondavi does not escape Harden, and he's making some fabulous wines from Mondavi's To Kalon and other great vineyards.

A lot of marketing efforts are being made to convince consumers that Champagne is not just for special occasions. While that's true, some bottles are meant for times of celebration and opulence. Just by looking at the unique metalicized bottle of Armand de Brignac one can tell these cuvees are for special times. Produced by the Cattier family, who have been making fine Champagnes for 11 generations, Armand de Brignac produces five multi-vintage cuvees.. Hip hop star and mogul Jay-Z loved the wine so much he bought the brand in 2014. Winemaker at Armand de Brignac, Emilien Boutillat is a native of Champagne who is committed to creating wines that express the best of Champagne.  While talking with Boutillat and tasting his wines, one can tell his efforts are succeeding.