Podcasts about Chalk Hill

In this episode of Out of the Clouds, host Anne Mühlethaler interviews André Anderson, an author, educator, and the founder of Freedom and Balance art college. Anne first encountered Andre during his impactful TEDx talk at Hackney Empire in London and was immediately drawn to his innovative approach to storytelling.André tells Anne about his journey from a creative child who loved making imagery, writing stories and dreaming of his own media empire to becoming a self-published author and community storyteller. He explains how his first book "Ultra" — written in just 12 days on his Blackberry — opened unexpected doors and taught him the principle that "the more you create, the freer you become."Their conversation also explores André's groundbreaking project "Authors of the Estate," for which he transformed his Northwest London council estate into a publishing house. Andre explains how this initiative challenged negative narratives about his community by empowering residents to author their own stories. He likens this work to the tradition of oral historians in West Africa (called griot), highlighting how storytelling serves as both cultural preservation and a political act. André also mentions "Chalk Hill," the second book that followed "Authors of the Estate" in his publishing journey.Anne and André discuss the etymology of words like "author" and "education," as André explains how understanding their roots has shaped his approach to creativity and teaching. André also explains how his art college, Freedom and Balance, creates environments for people to discover their unique creative language through play. He shares his realization that facilitation is about asking powerful questions rather than providing all the answers, describing his role memorably: "I am Gandalf, and all of my tools, or all of my magic, is tools of play."Anne and André delve into the importance of aspirational play for adults in an increasingly AI-driven world, with André suggesting that play might be the most distinctly human activity that cannot be replaced by technology. They examine how imperfection, vulnerability and the willingness to make mistakes can become powerful educational tools and discuss André's project "Love Letters for My Peoples," which uses love as a framework for creativity and connection.Throughout the conversation, André shares his philosophy of "heart work" — creative work that incorporates strands of one's authentic self — and reflects on the importance of process over product. André even makes a compelling comparison between his "Authors of the Estate" project and Nas's seminal album "Illmatic," referring to it as his defining work that fans always want to hear again. The episode concludes with André's thoughtful responses to Anne's closing lightning round questions, revealing his deep connection to creativity, his appreciation for his mother's early support of his creative pursuits and his belief that happiness comes from knowing the world has heard you.A profound conversation about reclaiming narratives, finding freedom through creativity and the transformative power of play. Happy listening!About André AndersonFreedom & Balance is an Art College for the artist in everyone. They create programs that help organizations shape their future through play and help communities playfully grow into the type of leaders their world looks for. Andre and his team have worked with notable organizations including BBC, Google, Samsung, Estee Lauder, and The Guardian.Selected links from episodeAuthors of the EstateChalk Hill - Andre's follow-up bookFreedom and Balance Art CollegeAndre's TEDx talk on Aspirational Playhttps://www.freedomandbalance.com/lovelettersGamestorming bookA Beautiful Constraint bookNas - Illmatic - The album Andre compared to his "Authors of the Estate" projectThe Arthur theme song “Believe in yourself”Follow Andre on InstagramConnect with Andre on LinkedIn This episode is brought to you by Le TrenteAre you a purpose-driven individual seeking clarity in your personal narrative? Is your brand struggling to communicate authentically with your audience? Looking for a thought partnership that transforms how you connect with the world?Le Trente is a global community that emboldens purpose-driven individuals and organizations to communicate authentically. Headquartered in Geneva but serving clients worldwide, we coach both individuals and brands through their communication journey—from identity exploration to strategy development—all grounded in mindful leadership and compassionate, holistic communication.Our mission is to be a catalyst for positive change. We inspire open-minded people and organisations to build better worlds through community-building salons, strategic consulting, mindful coaching and storytelling.Ready to transform your approach to communication and create ripples of positive change? Get in touch, we like to make magic happen. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LE TRENTE HERE. *** If you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe for more, and consider writing a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, we really appreciate your support and feedback. And thank you so much for listening!For all notes and transcripts, please visit Out Of The Clouds on Simplecast - https://out-of-the-clouds.simplecast.com/Sign up for Anne's email newsletter for more from Out of the Clouds at https://outoftheclouds.com.Follow Anne and Out of the Clouds: IG: @_outoftheclouds or @annvi Or on Threads @annvi On Youtube @OutoftheCloudsFor more, you can read and subscribe to Anne's Substack, the Mettā View, her weekly dose of insights on coaching, brand development, the future of work, and storytelling, with a hint of mindfulness.

Jock joins Simon Nash again on the show to chat about the recent award for their Grenache at the National Wine Show in Canberra, the 10 year milestone of Biodiversity McLaren Vale plus an exciting Fortified Festival in the region in late August. @thewineshowaustralia @chalkhillwines @mclaren_vale @neatsipsfortifiedfestival

Melissa Galliani, Dan Berger & Justin Seidenfeld. Justin Seidenfeld, Rodney Strong head winemaker, joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger on California Wine Country. Justin Seidenfeld has been on CWC a few times, most recently on this episode of April 27, 2022. They begin tasting a brand new wine that they just launched on June 1st. It is a single vineyard 2023 Sauvignon Blanc from one of their estate vineyards called Bud's Ranch. Justin modelled this wine after a Bordeaux style, it is richer than the usual SV. 55% made in large oak barrels, then the rest is done in stainless steel. Dan says it is aimed at being ready to drink now and also to be held in the cellar. 2023 was an interesting vintage, it was cooler than average, which gives the wines structure without being tart. There is just enough acidity to have balance. They also use a rotating egg-shaped vessel for mixing during fermentation, which gives it lees contact. Justin started in 2005 at Iron Horse Vineyards while still going to school at UC Davis. Then he worked at Robert Mondavi before coming to Rodney Strong. Rodney Strong had the thirteenth bonded winery in California. He did a lot of firsts, like planting Chardonnay in Chalk Hill and makin the first Alexander Valley single vineyard Cabernet. He was also a founder of the Russian River Valley and Chalk Hill AVAs. Justin Seidenfeld helped drive the approval of the Petaluma Gap AVA. Dan Berger started writing about wine in 1976, working for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner. He had a very informative 2-hour lunch interview with Rodney Strong that year. 1158 Acres of Vineyards Rodney Strong winery is now owned by the Klein family and now owns 12 vineyard sites with 1158 acres total. It is critical to their success to have control over the vineyards as well as production. Dan Berger notices the flavor of fresh-cut new-mown hay in this Sauvignon Blanc which makes it unique. Rodney Strong is famous for its Cabernets and for its Chalk Hill Chardonnay. They also make a very good Pinot Noir, all from Russian River Valley. Their Alexander Valley Estate Cabernet retails for about $20. Justin says it punches above its weight, at that price. They literally buy their barrels as trees in France. That and the fact that they own their vineyards means their retail price is modest, they can focus on quality and evolve. They have just finished rennovating their vineyards and are ready for generations in the future. August 24 is the Single Vineyard Dinner, when they release their top wines. They taste one that is a 2019 100% single vineyard Cabernet, which is a demonstration of terroir. The 3 wines to be revealed on August 24 are similar except for their vineyard location so they taste differently. As Justin describes, Rodney Strong's intention is to surprise and delight.

Jock regales Simon and Jill with stories as always, the team won the Bushing King title at this year's McLaren Vale wine show. Its a title that is much sought after across the region and well regarded throughout the whole industry. Jock also gives an update on the work he is doing with Diversity McLaren Vale and how the program is expanding into other regions. @thewineshowaustralia @chalkhillwines

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: summer reading programs + a fun murderful treat Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: we're trying a new thing and pressing books into each other's hands that we are required to read over break! The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . 1:51 - Currently Reading Patreon 3:18 - Fabled Bookshop 3:52 - Bookish Moment of the Week 5:13 - Murdle: Volume 1 by G.T. Karber  6:04 - Hunt A Killer  7:52  - Current Reads 8:11 - Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (Kaytee) 8:22 - Babel by R.F. Kuang 13:15 - The Girls on Chalk Hill by Alison Belsham (Meredith) 18:06 - The Life Council by Laura Tremaine (Kaytee) 20:55 - CR Season 3: Episode 24 21:01 - Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First by Laura Tremaine 23:11 - Laura Tremaine's Patreon 25:02 - Murdle: Volume 1 by G.T. Karber 25:15 - Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (Meredith) 30:29 - Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (Kaytee) 32:27 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 33:07 - Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah 34:42 - My Murder by Katie Williams (Meredith) 36:49 - Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka  37:58 - Deep Dive: We Boss Each Other's TBR 46:43 - Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff (For Kaytee to read) 46:48 - Matrix by Lauren Groff 46:51 - Florida by Lauren Groff 49:09 - Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby 49:31 - The One by John Marrs 49:45 - Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (For Meredith to read) 52:33 - Meet Us At The Fountain 52:51 - I wish for good wishes in my impending move and life changes. (Kaytee) 54:47 - I wish we would go into more books “blindly”. (Meredith) 55:42 - Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff Connect With Us: *Please note the change in Meredith's Instagram handle. This was recorded prior to the change. We apologize for any inconvenience.* Meredith is @meredithmondayschwartz on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

Chalk Hill Estate Vineyards & Winery located in the Russian River Valley AVA in Sonoma County, California, is one of California's premier producers of luxury wines. Founded in 1972 by Fred Furth, Chalk Hill was acquired by Foley Family Wines in 2010. Under Bill Foley's leadership, Chalk Hill continues to promote the Chalk Hill AVA as one of the top winegrowing regions in California. The unique topography, climatic and geological diversity of Chalk Hill creates an environment that allows for a wide range of varieties to be grown on the estate including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Carmenère, Syrah and Semillon. The 1,300 acre iconic Sonoma estate includes around 300 acres of vineyards, a winery, a hospitality center, culinary gardens, equestrian pavilion, ponds and a wilderness area.

Na początku spore zaskoczenie, bo wino, choć spędza prawie rok w beczce, jest rześkie. Im dłużej się nim raczyliśmy, bardziej się nam podobało. Wino w konkretnej cenie (137zł), natomiast sprawdzi się przy konkretnej okazji w połączeniu z tłustą rybą czy pieczoną polędwiczką wieprzową

Map: Sonoma County AVAs. Sonoma County Winegrowers  Over the last 12 years we've done so much on Sonoma but I realized that we've never done a podcast outlining the areas of Sonoma to give form to this wine paradise that has 18 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) and covers more than a million acres of land (405,000 ha) of which more than 60,000 acres are planted to grapes.   Sonoma is still full of small, family-owned vineyards. It's estimated that at least 85% of Sonoma County's vineyards are family owned and operated and 80% of vineyards are less than 100 acres (40% are less than 20 acres). The Sonoma landscape incorporates coastal ranges, valleys, mountains, flats, benchlands, and innumerable soils and microclimates, including a multitude of producers with different styles and ideas of what to grow.     In this show, we try to compartmentalize the areas of Sonoma, to help you figure out the big areas and their specialties.   Here are the show notes: We start with generalities… Climate: There are sunny days and almost no rain from May through September with most areas cooler near the coast and warmer inland. The Pacific Ocean/Petaluma Gap and San Pablo Bay serve as cooling influences for the western and southern regions of Sonoma County Land: Elevations and slopes slow ripening, provide poor soils with excellent drainage, and create complex wines. Wines from valley floors are simpler. Matching grape to site is important given soil, elevation, and climate diversity. Grapes: Everyone grows everything! You'll find dozens of varieties growing in Sonoma. Moon Mountain AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers  Most of the show is spent detailing the valleys. Here is the quick and dirty on each area:   Sonoma Valley Sonoma Valley AVA: Centers on the Sonoma Valley in the southeastern part of the county. It gets cool air from the San Pablo Bay in the south, and protection from the cool influence of the Pacific in the west from Sonoma Mountain. There are dozens of different soils from very fertile on the valley floor, to well-drained and poor on the hills and mountains   Sonoma Valley has 4 AVAs within it: Moon Mountain, Sonoma Mountain, Bennett Valley, Carneros Moon Mountain District AVA is on the steep western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains. It has the famed Monte Rosso vineyard and specializes in Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Sonoma Mountain AVA is at high altitude, with steep vineyards on eastern exposures. The vineyards rise above the fog line, allowing grapes to ripen more fully in the sunlight. Basalt soils make good Cabernet Sauvignon. Other grapes are: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel   Bennett Valley AVA is Sonoma Valley's smallest AVA. It's a series of small vineyards in the slopes, hills, and ridges between Taylor Mountain, Sonoma Mountain, and Bennett Peak. In the moderately cool climate, with a long hang time, Rhône varieties do well as does Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and grapes like Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier with acidity. Pinot Noir acreage is increasing.   Los Carneros AVA straddles Napa and Sonoma counties. It hugs the San Pablo Bay, and is one of the coolest AVAs in the area, with moderately cool and windy days and early morning fog. The soil is compressed clay and very consistent, this and the weather limits vigor. Chardonnay is 50%, Pinot 43%. Merlot makes excellent wine on the clay soils. Bennett Valley AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers  Town to stay in if visiting the area: Sonoma   ** Sonoma Valley is a discrete part of the larger Sonoma County. When producers use a general AVA for grapes from a combined region, it's Sonoma County. _____________________________________________  COASTAL APPELLATIONS (mainly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir areas)   Sonoma Coast AVA: Goes from the San Pablo Bay to the border of Mendocino County in the north. This appellation is too large to have meaning – it can be cold and rugged near the coast or warm and sheltered inland, producing very different styles of wine. The expectation is that the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that have the “Sonoma Coast” label are actually from coastal vineyards, but that's not true. We tell the story of how this AVA got to be so muddled and then talk about the 3 AVAs that were set up to rectify the issue:   Petaluma Gap AVA: 25 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, the AVA runs from the Pacific Coast at Bodega Bay, southeast to San Pablo Bay, and has a mild Mediterranean climate. The defining feature is the wind gap in the coastal range, which funnels in cool coastal marine air bringing fog and cool afternoon breezes. The cool climate lower yields and help Pinot Noir (75% of plantings), Chardonnay and Syrah the grapes retain acidity. The West Sonoma Coast AVA (got it in 2022): Stretches from the Mendocino County border to the northern coastal border of the Petaluma Gap AVA. The area includes ONLY areas where coastal influence reaches – it is remote with cooler marine temperatures and much fog at elevation. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the main grapes. Fort Ross-Seaview AVA: Located on the outskirts of the Pacific Ocean, with major coastal influence, and high elevation, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay have excellent acidity.   Towns to stay in: Petaluma, Jenner, Bodega Bay West Sonoma Coast AVA,  Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers    _____________________________________  RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY AVA (Pinot Noir, but Rhône and Italian varietals are great too in certain regions)   Russian River Valley AVA is known for Pinot Noir. The constant cooling fog from the Pacific Ocean, coming from the Petaluma Wind Gap creates big diurnal swings, so grapes have a long growing season to develop flavor in the western part of the AVA.   The reality is that the Russian River Valley encompasses warm and cool areas. There are 5 Neighborhoods within Russian River Valley, which are used to discuss the cooler places that are more suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (Laguna Ridge, Sebastapol Hills, parts of the Middle Reach) and those that are suited to warmer climate grapes like Rhône varieties, Zinfandel, and Italian varieties (parts of the Middle Reach, Santa Rosa Plains, Eastern Hills)   Green Valley of Russian River Valley SUB AVA of Russian River is in the southwestern part of the Russian River Valley, surrounded by Sebastopol, Forestville and Occidental. It is very cool, foggy, with heavy coastal influences and produces acidic, less extracted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling wines on its Goldridge (yellow, sandy) soil     Chalk Hill AVA is in the northeast part of Russian River Valley and has less marine influence and fog. It has rocky, chalk soils so they do grow Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, but they also grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.   Town to stay in: Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, or Windsor    _______________________________________ DRY CREEK VALLEY AVA (Zinfandel central)   Dry Creek is the easiest valley to visit (2 roads, 5 stop signs!) and probably the easiest to understand. It is known for exceptional Zinfandel. It's in northern Sonoma County, 20 miles/32 km east of the Pacific Ocean. The Coastal Range blocks a lot of the cooler air from flooding the Dry Creek, giving it hotter days and slimmer diurnal swings at night. The vineyards lie on hillsides, benchlands, and the valley floor at different elevations and on different soils – from loam to clay to gravel. Zinfandel is 30% of plantings and is more elegant, and “old school” (especially from producers like Nalle or Peterson – friends of the pod!). The flavors are less like black fruit and more like raspberry, pomegranate with acidity and moderate alcohol. Other varieties grown are: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay very good Italian and Rhone Varieties, Bordeaux varieties grown too     Rockpile (Dry-Creek Adjacent, great Zin!): On the northern part of Dry Creek Valley, at high elevations beyond the fog, the AVA is great for rich, dense reds – Zin especially is famed (Bruliam does a great job and a friend of the show!)   Town to stay in: Healdsburg or Windsor   Dry Creek AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers    _______________________________________   ALEXANDER VALLEY (known for Cabernet Sauvignon) Alexander Valley AVA: In northeastern Sonoma County, north of Healdsburg, the Russian River flows through h the Alexander Valley. It gets some cool marine air from the Pacific Ocean, and wind can cool mornings and evenings. Daytime heat spikes will ripen the grapes, but the cool wind will preserve the acidity in the classic Cabernet Sauvignon, which is so coveted, that many Napa wineries grow Cab here for top cuvees.     Pine Mountain – Cloverdale Peak (Alexander Valley adjacent) AVA: This small area overlaps the northernmost portions of the Alexander Valley AVA. It is steep with high elevations and grows a number of grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon.   Alexander Valley AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers    _______________________________________ Less visit-able places (yes, I know that's not a word)…   Knights Valley AVA is right next to Mount St. Helena, and has well-drained soils, but very warm temperatures with no Pacific or San Pablo Bay influence. Elevation is the only cooling factor in this area that has volcanic and alluvial gravel and focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon (2/3 of plantings) and other Bordeaux varietals. Kendall Jackson owns most of Knights Valley.     Northern Sonoma AVA: Too huge for any meaning – most producers use Sonoma County AVA. It includes Chalk Hill, Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, and most of Green Valley.     Fountaingrove AVA (2015) – mostly growers, few wineries. Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals, some Rhône varietals – Syrah, Viognier, Petite Sirah plus smatterings of everything. It's too hot for Pinot and Chard except in a few key north-facing sites   So much to explore! Sonoma is a place you can need get enough of, but hopefully this episode gives some form to exactly what you want to do when you finally make it out there!    Some of my favorite people mentioned: @sonomawineguy on Twitter and other Social Media, Nalle Winery, Crux Winery, Bruliam Winery, Keller Estate, Inman Family, Kieran Robinson Wines, Truchard Winery, (and I forgot to mention...Longboard Vineyards in Russian River!).   _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors:   I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can't find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!   If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please consider virtually buying us some bottles by becoming a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople   To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes   Sources for this show: https://sonomawinegrape.org/scw/sonoma-county-territory/ www.sonomavalleywine.com https://petalumagap.com/ russianrivervalley.org www.wdcv.com www.greenvalley-russianriver.com www.bvgg.org www.carneros.com www.alexandervalley.org  

This interview is an un-edited audio from our video interview shoot that is available on our YouTube channel. Watch it here: https://cellarangels.com/wineries/calluna-vineyards/

Welcome to Episode 1150 in which Steve Raye interviews Kayla Winter, in this installment of Get US Market Ready With Italian Wine People, on the Italian Wine Podcast. About today's guest: A Sonoma County native, Kayla Winter has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Enology and Viticulture from Cornell University. After 10 years in traditional wine at reputable wineries such as Chalk Hill, Raymond, and Paul Hobbs, she was hired by BevZero to apply traditional winemaking skills to the, at the time, struggling no and low alcohol segment in the US. Since then she has helped over 20 brands bring products into market through dealcoholization and product development services. In her spare time Kayla loves gardening, tending to her chickens, and playing Dungeons and Dragons. To learn more visit: Website: www.bevzero.com Instagram: @thenonalcwinemaker Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-marie-winter/ More about the host Steve Raye: Steve Raye of Bevology Inc originally joined our weekly lineup with narrations from his book “How to get US Market Ready” - but everyone just loved him so much, we brought him back with this series of interviews that informs and inspires! Each week he speaks to industry professionals; guests who have gained valuable experience in the Italian wine sector and have insightful tips and stories that can help anyone who wants to learn about getting US Market Ready! To learn more visit: Website: www.bevologyinc.com/ Let's keep in touch! Follow us on our social media channels: Instagram @italianwinepodcast Facebook @ItalianWinePodcast Twitter @itawinepodcast Tiktok @MammaJumboShrimp LinkedIn @ItalianWinePodcast If you feel like helping us, donate here www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/ Until next time, Cin Cin!

In todays episode, Shelley and Phil open and taste through an easy to get Chalk Hill Chardonnay and another NFT Wine, this time a Cabernet Sauvignon from Conn Creek in Napa Valley! Wait until you hear what THIS NFT brings you! The leaves are turning and we are knee deep into Fall! #HappyFriday! #ItsWineTime! #Cheersing #EasterEggWines tasted this episode:   2021 Chalk Hill Sonoma Coast Chardonnay ($16 at Fred Meyer)

David Ramey revolutionized modern-day winemaking and helped to elevate California to the forefront of the international wine community. Hailed as “Professor Chardonnay” by Wine Spectator, David's groundbreaking work with indigenous yeasts, whole-cluster pressing, sur lies aging and malolactic and barrel fermentation yielded a new California Chardonnay style that was richer and more complex. A stint working for the Moueix family at the renowned Château Pétrus in Bordeaux introduced David to the time-honored methods of winemaking in France. He brought these lessons back to California where he helped establish a number of wineries that would soon become household names such as Matanzas Creek, Chalk Hill, Dominus Estate and Rudd Estate. In 1996, David and his wife Carla founded Ramey Wine Cellars in Healdsburg, California. They live just outside Healdsburg, not far from the winery. Their two children are now actively involved in the business, continuing the tradition of crafting some of the most sought-after wines in California. Please drink in this master class in winemaking with the Legend himself, David Ramey.

Dan Berger & Mark Beeman Mark Beeman, winemaker at Sebastiani, is in the studio today to talk to Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger on California Wine Country. Sebastiani wines has been in business since before 1904, but the vineyard goes all the way back to 1825 when the Franciscan padres who established a mission in Sonoma also planted a vineyard that year. That vineyard is still on the Sebastiani property. Samuele Sebastiani came from Tuscany and landed in Sonoma County around 1897, working first as a mason. He built a lot of the facilities and facades around the area and at the winery, including the stone arch gate in the illustration above and the Sebastiani Theater, built in 1933. The winery is gorgeous and one of the great visits in the area. Samuel Sebastiani planted a cherry orchard where Cherry Block is planted today. Samuel's son August replanted it from cherries to vines in 1961. Cabernet has always been at the heart of this winery. They were labeling it since the 1940s and helped put Sonoma County on the map for Cabernet as a variety. They have the huge old redwood tanks that they used to use, that decorate the tasting room. Mark Beeman Mark Beeman grew up on a cattle ranch, his parents were forensic chemists and he got a degree in Geology. Then he joined the Peace Corps and did agro-forestry and conservation work in Tanzania. When he came back from East Africa, he saw that the wine industry was blossoming in eastern Washington and he got a job at Columbia Crest winery. That led to Conn Creek and Villa Mt. Eden. Later he met Paul Dolan and the Thornhill family who were the new owners of Parducci winery in Ukiah, Mendocino County. He worked there about 12 years. A few years ago he went to Maui to make wine, for three years. Now he has been the winemaker at Sebastiani since December of 2020. Click the logo to visit our sponsor Bottle Barn online for the best deals on wine, beer and spirits. After Peace Corps he knew he needed more knowledge so he took courses at UC Davis, took online courses and studied at Santa Rosa Junior College. But Mark also gives credit to his colleages. There are other winemakers in the Foley portfolio, such as Chalk Hill and Ferrari-Carrano. They collaborate, debate, talk and learn from each other. “The education isn't always just at school, it's also with your co-workers.” Dan Berger has brought another cellar wine today, a 2017 MacRostie Winery Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast. It has good acidity, bright fruit, and some complexity. For comparison, Mark has brought a 2019 Chardonnay called Patrick's Block, which Sebastiani controls, so they have full say over everything from dirt to cork. It has lemon peel flavors and Dan says it's “Burgundian,” that is rich but not just fruity, it has rustic character from lees contact and barrel aging. Tastings With its new ownership, Sebastiani has been a part of Foley Food and Wine Society, since 2008. Mark Beeman works closely with the other winemakers in the group. For example, they just met to discuss how to improve white wines. Membership in the society provides benefits at their many tasting rooms and wineries. They then taste their Sangiovese, the grape of Chianti wine. It comes from two differently-situated vineyards in Alexander Valley, which produce complimentary flavors. The oak is very light, which Dan Berger says is important for Sangiovese. It has some cranberry flavors too. At last they taste their 2019 Alexander Valley Cabernet, which showcases what the fruit can do in this area. It won a Double Gold Medal at the SF Chronicle competition.

Blanchard Family Wines is the story of how wine can bring people together, build bridges and ignite passions that make dreams come true. This boutique winery expresses the vision of two brothers and the uniting qualities of great wine shared among friends and family.A first-generation wine venture, the roots of the company are grounded in a family concept. The founders, Mark and James Blanchard, follow the tradition of two Blanchard brothers that can be traced back to at least the last four generations in the family.Blanchard Family Wines is dedicated to the creation of limited production, hand-crafted, artisan wines, sourced from the top vineyards in the Sonoma Valley. They showcase the world-class appellations of Russian River, Chalk Hill, Dry Creek and Alexander Valley and most of their wines are either 100% varietal or single-vineyard products. Their family roots blend into the company philosophy, from the logo to the product names.The first wine tasted in this week's episode is the Blanchard Family Wines Rosé. This wine is the winery's very first Colorado-made Blanchard rosé. Made from grapes grown in Palisade, Colorado, this wine is a juicy, fruity upfront tasting, heavy red-based varietal wine. Its distinct colour and flavour profile make it a rich, juicy, full bodied rosé that catches you off guard in the best way. To purchase this wine, click here.The second wine of the episode is Blanchard's Dairy Block Blend. This wine also happens to be their first Colorado-made red wine! This wine is a delicious blend that would fit in any line-up in a Sonoma winery tasting. It's a unique varietal blend of Petite Pearl and Verona, which produce bold, rich, delicious red wines. Click here to purchase.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Breathe taking is all I have to say when meeting and sitting down with my guy David Jeffrey at his estate on Chalk Hill in Sonoma County. Great wines and talented winemaker! We talk his mid life crisis, at least according to me, taste some of his delicious wines while sharing his views on winemaking plus his opinions especially about Chalk Hill and Bordeaux.Don't forget to Subscribe, Rate and Review! Also, follow us on our Facebook @corkandtaylor and Instagram accounts @corkandtaylorpodcast.Also, Please consider supporting the show as it would be appreciated. This helps me offset  expenses to continue to run and grow the Cork & Taylor Wine Podcast. Thanks! Lukehttps://www.patreon.com/corkandtaylor​Check out our Cork and Taylor Wine Collection by going to the link below. We have partnered with some awesome wineries to bring wine country to your door. Remember to use CorkTaylor when you check out at each of their shops!https://www.corkandtaylor.com/winecollection

Bottle Barn's vast selection. Bottle Barn wine buyer Barry Herbst joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger to taste and describe some recent competition winners available at Bottle Barn, which is the sponsor of this radio show and podcast. Dan Berger has decades of experience as a wine judge and wine competition manager. This year's competition season is full of important appointments. Speaking of competition and the upcoming Winter olympics, Dan Berger mentions Ice Wines, some of which are coming from New York and Michigan these days. First Tastings Barry begins with a Gruet sparkling wine. Dan Berger says that they have figured out how to get the grapes from the vineyard in northern New Mexico to the winery in southern New Mexico. It is an expensive process that has to be done carefully. Think-skinned varieties can go for days but thin-skinned grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have only a few hours before they wilt. This sells for $13.49 per bottle. Barry Herbst has also brought a 2019 Chalk Hill Chardonnay, from the Sonoma Coast, a Double Gold medal winner at the SF Chronicle competition. Wine Competitions The Chronicle competition is in Cloverdale, because the Chronicle people sponsored it where it was, when they joined forces. It used to be the Cloverdale Citrus Fair, before that. Steve Falk who used to work for the Chronicle, now is at the Press Democrat and is starting a new competition there. It is entirely for northern California. The Chronicle is by price categories. Dan Berger does not judge for the Chronicle because he disagrees with the price categories. Any wine is subjected to discounting. For example, at Bottle Barn, many wines are discounted. Therefore, the price categories are not valid, in Dan's opinion. However he likes the Press Democrat format. Click the logo to visit our sponsor Bottle Barn online for the best deals on wine, beer and spirits. More Tastings Chalk Hill has been known for consistent Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. They are perennial winners in all the competitions and always reasonably priced. Dan Berger describes the Chalk Hill viticultural program led by Mark Lingenfelder who is very respected in the industry. These grapes show his quality, with lemon oil and ‘candle wax' flavor. That is an unusual term but it seems to work, both as a descriptor and as a source of more jokes than you might have thought possible at first. Next is a 2020 Mohua Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand that won a Triple Gold at Dan Berger's International Wine Competition. It's $10.99 at Bottle Barn and that's “... fabulous” says Dan. It's a classic example of New Zealand style wine, with its green grass and lime flavors. Then they sample a 2006 Gloria Ferrer Pinot Noir, a single vineyard designation from Sonoma Valley. This is Dan Berger's cellar wine for today. All agree it is delicious. Finally they taste a de Lorimier Primitivo that won various awards at Harvest Fair (Best of Class) and Double Gold at the Chronicle. It is part of the Wilsonn family portfolio. It is a warm wine that will go well with a winter stew.

If yo u cannot see the audio controls, listen/download the audio file here Michael Beaulac - Senior Winemaker, Chalk HillJason Gorski - Director Of Winemaking And Viticulture, Delille Cellars

Justin Seidenfeld Tom Simoneau has brought two guests on to California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger today from Rodney Strong Vineyards. They are Head of Winemaking Justin Seidenfeld and Director of Communication Chris O'Gorman. Their story begins 55 years ago when a celebrated American dancer, Rodney Strong, retired to wine country after a career dancing on Broadway and in Paris. He was a famous dance prodigy from Washington state. He was asked to bring American dances to the Parisian audiences and he fell in love with wine when he lived in France. When Rodney Strong planted the Chalk Hill vineyard in 1965 there were 300 acres of Chardonnay in California in 1965. Then he planted 100 acres of it and truly, the rest is history. Tom Simoneau remembers when he first came to California in 1978 and was playing music at the time, he lived in Healdsburg and they had a big band house Fitz Mountain where they would rehearse. Then they would drive down to their tasting room and taste through everything. This is when he got into wine. Rodney Strong passed away about ten years ago but remained active at the winery into the 1990s even after the Kline family purchased the winery. Wine Enthusiast's American Winery of the Year in 2013. Justin Seidenfeld is only the third winemaker at Rodney Strong Winery, the first was Rodney Strong and the second was Rick Sayre. First they taste a Rosé of Pinot Noir that Justin calls an “intentional” Rosé, meaning that these grapes were grown and harvested just for Rosé, earlier, like 20-21 brix. They have watermelon and strawberry components, jasmine, and lower alcohol. Dan Berger explains that some Rosés are made from juice bled off the red wine tank, which makes a stronger Rosé. This wine, on the other hand, is more like a white wine with a bit of color, more delicate and fragrant than other Rosés. They have a new label which is part of their rejuvenation project. They have converted to screw caps which have a lot of advantages. They find that their consumers appreciate. Dan Berger explains that the kind of liner in the cap determines the OTR Oxygen Transfer Rate for the wine. They still use cork for the big reds though. “Comitted to Community since 1959” is their slogan. They have always supported the arts in Sonoma County. They are not going to do the big Summer concert series but they are working on a smaller scale Americana concert. Next they taste the 2019 California Chardonnay which has evolved over the years. Now they are looking for cool climate vineyards, to get the tropical character, and the Sonoma County grapes compliment with their flavors, like green apple. Dan says it's meant to be enjoyed immediately. Like the Rosé, Steve finds it unique. Tom says this one might take an award away from some more expensive Chards. It is creamy, rich and tangy. Justin Seidenfeld declares his philosophy that, “The wine is made in the vineyard” and that if there is one term to define his wine, it is balance. Tom Simoneau tells about a Cabernet Sauvignon he is making called True Love, that he and his wife Brenda picked and made. They taste a 2019 Petaluma Gap Pinot Noir, from the newest AVA in Sonoma County. This AVA is truly distinguished by its climate. This is the most southernly vineyard in Sonoma County, on the top of a hill about 275 feet elevation.

Tom Simoneau has brought two guests on to California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger today from Rodney Strong Vineyards. They are Head of Winemaking Justin Seidenfeld and Director of Communication Chris O’Gorman. Their story begins 55 years ago when a celebrated American dancer, Rodney Strong, retired to wine country after a career dancing on Broadway and in Paris. He was a famous dance prodigy from Washington state. He was asked to bring American dances to the Parisian audiences and he fell in love with wine when he lived in France. When Rodney Strong planted the Chalk Hill vineyard in 1965 there were 300 acres of Chardonnay in California in 1965. Then he planted 100 acres of it and truly, the rest is history. Tom Simoneau remembers when he first came to California in 1978 and was playing music at the time, he lived in Healdsburg and they had a big band house Fitz Mountain where they would rehearse. Then they would drive down to their tasting room and taste through everything. This is when he got into wine. Rodney Strong passed away about ten years ago but remained active at the winery into the 1990s even after the Kline family purchased the winery. Wine Enthusiast’s American Winery of the Year in 2013. Justin Seidenfeld is only the third winemaker at Rodney Strong Winery, the first was Rodney Strong and the second was Rick Sayre. First they taste a Rosé of Pinot Noir that Justin calls an “intentional” Rosé, meaning that these grapes were grown and harvested just for Rosé, earlier, like 20-21 brix. They have watermelon and strawberry components, jasmine, and lower alcohol. Dan Berger explains that some Rosés are made from juice bled off the red wine tank, which makes a stronger Rosé. This wine, on the other hand, is more like a white wine with a bit of color, more delicate and fragrant than other Rosés. They have a new label which is part of their rejuvenation project. They have converted to screw caps which have a lot of advantages. They find that their consumers appreciate. Dan Berger explains that the kind of liner in the cap determines the OTR Oxygen Transfer Rate for the wine. They still use cork for the big reds though. “Comitted to Community since 1959” is their slogan. They have always supported the arts in Sonoma County. They are not going to do the big Summer concert series but they are working on a smaller scale Americana concert. Next they taste the 2019 California Chardonnay which has evolved over the years. Now they are looking for cool climate vineyards, to get the tropical character, and the Sonoma County grapes compliment with their flavors, like green apple. Dan says it’s meant to be enjoyed immediately. Like the Rosé, Steve finds it unique. Tom says this one might take an award away from some more expensive Chards. It is creamy, rich and tangy. Justin Seidenfeld declares his philosophy that, “The wine is made in the vineyard” and that if there is one term to define his wine, it is balance. Tom Simoneau tells about a Cabernet Sauvignon he is making called True Love, that he and his wife Brenda picked and made. They taste a 2019 Petaluma Gap Pinot Noir, from the newest AVA in Sonoma County. This AVA is truly distinguished by its climate. This is the most southernly vineyard in Sonoma County, on the top of a hill about 275 feet elevation.

Sean talks Gin and this distillery based in McLaren Vale up on Chalk Hill. Great story and a great brand in the making. Never Never Distilling Co's Southern Strength Gin has been named the World's Best Classic Gin at the influential World Gin Awards in London. It's the first time an Australian gin has won the prestigious award.

Following a controversial ownership change, McLaren Vale Distillery launched its debut single malt whiskies in late 2020.Jock Harvey of McLaren Vale winery Chalk Hill last year revealed he had taken full control of the distillery he co-founded in 2014 with John Rochfort.The split followed John's departure to set up another brand – Rochfort Distillery – which has since entered liquidation and become the subject of a legal dispute.You can read all about that on the website too.Jock is with us in this episode to tell you everything you need to know about the McLaren Vale whiskies, which will largely be matured in locally sourced red wine and fortified wine casks.

Alex Holman Alex Holman, the winemaker at Notre Vue Winery joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger on California Wine Country today. This is Alex's first time on the show. Notre Vue means "Our View" in French. The property was once called the Balverne Estate. Notre Vue is their top tier brand that can only be acquired through the estate. Balverne is their 3-tiered brand, more of new world varietals, with wider distribution. Notre Vue is more based on old-world blends. The property has been growing grapes since the 1800s. Having earned a degree in Chemistry from Fresno State, Alex Holman first worked as an analytical chemist and in a fertilizer-pesticide plant. Then decided he wanted to work in a different place, so he went back to school for Enology. He is a native San Franciscan so that brought him home. He caught the fermentation bug from being a home brewer. Before we continue with Alex Holman, Dan Berger has brought another "cellar dweller" from his extensive personal wine collection, to taste and discuss. This one is a 2004 Syrah from Brandborg Vineyard & Winery in Elkton, Oregon. Dan says they have the most fun tasting room in southern Oregon. This wine has flavors of black pepper, raspberry and a bit of fresh plum. Dan says their wines are a great value at modest prices. Alex Holman detects some aroma of violets in it too. He likes that as a descriptor for Syrah and for him, that's a sign of a good one, when it's present. The Notre Vue property consists of 700 acres, 310 are devoted to forever wild open space. The Notre Vue website has a lot of pictures and descriptions of the property and the wildlife that lives there. They have about 220-240 planted acres with 16 varietals. The property is in Windsor, a half mile east of the freeway, up to the top of the hills. The Kinkade fire came through the property. It burned 80 miles of irrigation lines. They did manage to harvest some fruit and the rest of the work this time around has been a struggle. They sell more grapes than they bring into their own winery and contracts have been "difficult" this year. The testing labs were so booked up that it took 6 weeks to get his results on smoke taint tests. Dan says the soil type is different than most of their neighbors. The property is split between Chalk Hill and Russian River AVAs. The southwestern quadrant is ancient sea bed, more clay soils, higher magnesium. The northern part has the volcanic Chalk Hill soils. Their Bordeaux and Rhône styles are doing well up on the rocky soils, whereas their Pinot and Chard vines are in the lower areas. Alex Holman says, "A wise man once told me that wine is made from fruit, so that should be your first flavor." The Chardonnay they are tasting is "nice and dry, and lovely," says Steve Jaxon. Dan Berger says that one thing that is appealing about this tasting is that it is not too cold. Alex says it is important to have sweet and spicy oak. He pays a lot of attention to his coopers, that they are not overbearing. Notre Vue has a lot of open space and lakeside pavillions where they have tastings. Block 23 has a beautiful view of the valley. It is a great place to watch the planes when they do air shows. They are open daily by appointment only 10:30 to 4:00. They can also host special events for small groups of 8-10 and up to 40 people. Bob and Renée Stein have owned the property since 1992. They have two labels. Ten years ago, the property was called Windsor Oaks and before that it was Balverne. When they transformed from Windsor Oaks, Balverne became the three-tier brand with national distribution. Notre Vue is their special lots, only available on the estate. Bottle Barn would have Balverne rather than Notre Vue. He explains how the different labels are derived from different clones. They are also tasting a Rosé. Dan says these is a lot like Rhône wines, blends of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. Dan says so much Sonoma County Rosé is made from Pinot Noir,

Alex Holman, the winemaker at Notre Vue Winery joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger on California Wine Country today. This is Alex's first time on the show. Notre Vue means "Our View" in French. The property was once called the Balverne Estate. Notre Vue is their top tier brand that can only be acquired through the estate. Balverne is their 3-tiered brand, more of new world varietals, with wider distribution. Notre Vue is more based on old-world blends. The property has been growing grapes since the 1800s. Having earned a degree in Chemistry from Fresno State, Alex Holman first worked as an analytical chemist and in a fertilizer-pesticide plant. Then decided he wanted to work in a different place, so he went back to school for Enology. He is a native San Franciscan so that brought him home. He caught the fermentation bug from being a home brewer. Before we continue with Alex Holman, Dan Berger has brought another "cellar dweller" from his extensive personal wine collection, to taste and discuss. This one is a 2004 Syrah from Brandborg Vineyard & Winery in Elkton, Oregon. Dan says they have the most fun tasting room in southern Oregon. This wine has flavors of black pepper, raspberry and a bit of fresh plum. Dan says their wines are a great value at modest prices. Alex Holman detects some aroma of violets in it too. He likes that as a descriptor for Syrah and for him, that's a sign of a good one, when it's present. The Notre Vue property consists of 700 acres, 310 are devoted to forever wild open space. The Notre Vue website has a lot of pictures and descriptions of the property and the wildlife that lives there. They have about 220-240 planted acres with 16 varietals. The property is in Windsor, a half mile east of the freeway, up to the top of the hills. The Kinkade fire came through the property. It burned 80 miles of irrigation lines. They did manage to harvest some fruit and the rest of the work this time around has been a struggle. They sell more grapes than they bring into their own winery and contracts have been "difficult" this year. The testing labs were so booked up that it took 6 weeks to get his results on smoke taint tests. Dan says the soil type is different than most of their neighbors. The property is split between Chalk Hill and Russian River AVAs. The southwestern quadrant is ancient sea bed, more clay soils, higher magnesium. The northern part has the volcanic Chalk Hill soils. Their Bordeaux and Rhône styles are doing well up on the rocky soils, whereas their Pinot and Chard vines are in the lower areas. Alex Holman says, "A wise man once told me that wine is made from fruit, so that should be your first flavor." The Chardonnay they are tasting is "nice and dry, and lovely," says Steve Jaxon. Dan Berger says that one thing that is appealing about this tasting is that it is not too cold. Alex says it is important to have sweet and spicy oak. He pays a lot of attention to his coopers, that they are not overbearing. Notre Vue has a lot of open space and lakeside pavillions where they have tastings. Block 23 has a beautiful view of the valley. It is a great place to watch the planes when they do air shows. They are open daily by appointment only 10:30 to 4:00. They can also host special events for small groups of 8-10 and up to 40 people. Bob and Renée Stein have owned the property since 1992. They have two labels. Ten years ago, the property was called Windsor Oaks and before that it was Balverne. When they transformed from Windsor Oaks, Balverne became the three-tier brand with national distribution. Notre Vue is their special lots, only available on the estate. Bottle Barn would have Balverne rather than Notre Vue. He explains how the different labels are derived from different clones. They are also tasting a Rosé. Dan says these is a lot like Rhône wines, blends of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. Dan says so much Sonoma County Rosé is made from Pinot Noir, which they have a lot of.

Michelle & Emily welcome artist Karen Ann Jones to the podcast. They crack open two bottles of a 2012 Balverne Cabernet from Chalk Hill which explains why this is one of their longer episodes. There was so much to talk about one bottle wasn't enough. Sound familiar? From KarenAnnJones.com: "Karen Ann Jones is a painter and clothing designer. She and her husband have a five story warehouse in downtown St. Louis, Missouri in the USA where they live with their little dog Gisele. Her painting studio, gallery and design company are all their building making her love where she lives. She is an oil painter, painting mostly figurative works and commissioned portraits. Through her art she empowers people to celebrate their uniqueness to feel strong and beautiful. She has also designed a clothing line featuring her artwork that she sells online and in different boutiques nation wide. My goal in my work is to express my optimistic, happy, in love with life, quirky, deep, intimate and passionate perspective of life. I choose my painting by recreating a visual of the feelings I am having at that moment. I get to spend personal time with that passionate feeling that I long to experience. This is probably why I don’t paint a painting in one day. I want to linger in that relationship." The conversation "wines" its way through a myriad of topics: how Karen views her calling to paint as being a "Life Cheerleader" even during these COVID times; how it's affecting her desire to create and what she's drawn to painting; to how the law of attraction works; to a fun conversation about orgasms and how if everyone in the world had more orgasms it would put more positive energy out into the universe and the world would be happier!! (Finally, homework you'll LOVE!) Thank you for listening and subscribing to Cliterally Speaking the Podcast. Visit our website: www.cliterallyspeakingpodcast.com Facebook: @cspeakpodcast Instagram: @cliterallyspeakingthepodcast Twitter: @cliterallyspea1 Please call our comment line: 812-727-0794 Watch our youtube channel (Cliterally Speaking the Podcast) for all the behind the scenes discussions during our recording sessions. Be on the lookout for the launch of our live-streaming channel on Twitch, CliterallySpeakingPodTV. Our patreon site is up - visit it here - http://bit.ly/32uOnVT

Jock and Simon discuss the Chalk Hill Precinct and his Naked Wines projects, the release of a Rose in his mum's name and the biodiversity project. Hands Full? Yep. One of the industry's great guys and a fun chat. @chalkhillwines

Ramey Wine Cellars was founded in 1996 by David Ramey and his wife Carla. After sixteen years making wine in Sonoma County, and firmly establishing Matanzas Creek and Chalk Hill wineries in the marketplace, David crossed the Mayacamas to spend six years in the Napa Valley–first as winemaker for Dominus Estate and project manager for the construction of their new winery; then helping Leslie Rudd reshape the Girard Winery into Rudd Oakville. David's groundbreaking work with indigenous yeasts, sur lies aging and malolactic and barrel fermentation yielded a new California style that was richer, more lush and silky smooth than previously known. As a result, he created a benchmark style now emulated by many. David earned a graduate degree from the University of California at Davis, where his 1979 thesis on volatile ester hydrolysis (translation: how aromas evolve in wine) is still used today to understand how wine ages. https://www.rameywine.com/story/david-ramey/ https://www.sidebarcellars.com/ https://twitter.com/ramey_david We Talk About: A random trip to Los Angeles with a future well-known winemaker from Santa Cruz His involvement in many brands and projects including Simi, Dominus, Rudd, Matanzas Creek, and more. How Ramey Wine Cellars started: 260 cases of Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay in 1996 Robert Parker Jr., IPOB, and how to look at "balance" in wine His thoughts on the "natural wine" movement and sulphur dioxide The Ramey Cab Sav from Oakville AVA that you'll want to taste! One varietal that ripens late; could it be part of Napa's future? Story behind the Sidebar brand: the Kerner grape, Lodi Zin, and more

The StoryThe Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, actually the complete name includes Lot 96 and it is a Trader Joe's $12.99 exclusive wine. This wine is featured in Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer, but there is no mention of any technical details, is it 100% Cabernet Sauvignon? What are the rough details of the oak program? Nothing, but they do tell us it is from the Chalk Hill AVA.Chalk Hill is a relatively small sub-AVA located in the northeast corner of the Russian River AVA inside the Sonoma County AVA. While the Russian River AVA is a cool climate region well suited for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay the Chalk Hill AVA is warmer, harvest can occur several weeks earlier than the surrounding AVAs. This is a very hilly location and the soil is also unique, it is ancient volcanic ash, making this an attractive location for Cabernet Sauvignon.Typical Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon start at around $20 and can go up to two or three times that price. You do not normally see Chalk Hill AVA on the label of discounted contracted store brands. There are only 5 wineries setting up shop in Chalk Hill and the vineyards under cultivation is a fraction of the greater Russian River AVA.A couple of details of note concerning the Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is that the bottle is a full size and weight Napa/Sonoma big boy Cabernet bottle and a real cork are used. I always keep my pulled corks for some unknown reason, I guess I will recycle them, but most are made of corks version of particle board or are some sort of synthetic. Real corks are rare in wine in the CheapWineFinder.com price range.Since $12.99 is a bump up from the usual $9.99 price of Trader Joe's Reserve wines. The cork and the bottle are typical of wine in the twenty dollars plus range, this may be a clue that the Chalk Hill Lot 96 may have been intended to sell for higher than its current price tag. I wouldn't think that Trader Joe's would mandate a real (and more expensive) cork or a heavy glass bottle that also adds to the price tag as an incentive to buy a $12.99 bottle of wine. You expect those details in a twenty-five dollar of wine.So, this is a Cabernet Sauvignon from a region that does not seem to sell off their excess grapes of finished wine to store brands with basic packaging that is above its price point. I am only playing detective here, I have no actual insight into the history of this Cab. But since store brands such as Trader Joe's have price advantages over retail wines, lower distribution costs and paying upfront for the bottles all add up to considerable cost savings. So, maybe this time this is an actual twenty buck wine selling for $12.99.I could easily be wrong and this is a $13 Cabernet Sauvignon selling for $12.99, but the clues left behind do say otherwise. The alcohol content is a ripe 14.5%.Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Tasting NotesThe color is a jammy, opaque black cherry red. The nose is a combination of ripe blackberries and raspberries, herbs and menthol, followed by chocolate powder and soft vanilla. This is a wine that may be a little bit young, not that it does not have good flavor it just seems a little "tight". This Cabernet starts with smooth, ripe blackberry, black pepper, juicy raspberry, and slightly rough herbs.The mid-palate add tart cherry, orange zest, a lightly rugged edge to the tannins (something welcome in a full-bodied cabernet Sauvignon) and a late hit of cool blueberry. The acidity is nicely balanced and the finish mirrors the body of the wine and sticks around for a while.The Summary The Trader Joe's Grand Reserve Chalk Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is a tasty classic Califonia Cabernet Sauvignon. My advice is to buy a couple of bottles now (it will sell out and when it is gone it is gone for good) and stick them in a cool, quiet spot at home. Wait until after the 4th of July to pop the top and t...

Bruce Cohn visits with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger today on California Wine Country. He used to own the B.R. Cohn label, which he sold in 2015. Now he owns Trestle Glen Vineyards, which is a relatively small operation, having one acre of Zinfandel and seven acres of Cabernet Sauvignon on the 21 acre property. Bruce Cohn was a business manager for several popular bands in the music business. In 1974, he bought a vineyard in southern Sonoma County and had success growing grapes. Later he founded B.R. Cohn to make wine and had great success with that brand. Since he was in the music industry, B.R. Cohn used to have concerts at the winery but the new owners are affiliated with the Bottlerock people so they will continue to produce concerts there. Meanwhile, Bruce still has many friends in music so he will be organizing some music at his own winery, in the future. Dan Berger has brought a Viogner today, which a lot of people are talking about these days. It is floral and rich in the mid-palette but not sweet. It is a 2018 Rustle Viogner from Prayer Rock Vineyards, which is not far from Roseburg, Oregon. Dan thinks this is one of the best Viogners in the US. Trestle Glen is located in a hot region, they ripen about 2 weeks before other local cooler regions. He does not make white wine, but he can’t grow white on his property because it is too hot. He had to pull his Pinot Noir vines out too, because it’s too hot. As they taste the Trestle Glen Creekside Cabernet, Dan describes it as very drinkable and fruit forward with soft tannins. Tom Montgomery was his winemaker for B.R. Cohn and now also for Trestle Glen. Tom was a Fresno State graduate and he’s teaching there now. He was there when he planted Trestle Glen and he’s the only one who has ever made wine from this vineyard. When he bought the property, it had 7 acres of Pinot and 7 acres of Cab planted. He read viticulture books and he saw that he needed help. Charlie Wagner of Caymus became his mentor. He grew grapes and sold to many local wineries. When he sold B.R. Cohn it was producing 85,000 cases a year, selling in 46 states. As they taste this Cabernet, Dan Berger tells about how there are two kinds of Cabernet now, which are Napa Valley and everywhere else. In Napa the Cabernet is made like nowhere else, because of their unique climate and land. Sonoma County has always made good Cab but without such recognition as Napa. Today Sonoma County gets all the Pinot Noir. Alexander Valley is the largest Cab producer in Sonoma Co. Dry Creek is also great but also without recognition. Chalk Hill is also great, as is Sonoma Valley. Sonoma Coast is too cool. It comes down to which style makes the most impact in the market place and that is Alexander Valley. It is a broader, richer, more supple style. Sonoma Valley is more structured. Dan says it is unfortunate that the Sonoma County subregions are not as well known as they deserve to be. Bruce’s vines get heat from the warm aquifer. As for now, he makes these two Cabs, Creekside and Hillside, but with 2019 he will start bottling a Zinfandel as well. Dan Berger restates that the subregions in Sonoma Valley deserve more individual recognition for their subtle differences with various varieties. For example, up on Sonoma Mountain, there are some properties that still grow Pinot Noir there because the cool winds coming in from the Petaluma Gap cool it just enough for Pinot Noir to thrive.

In this episode of Major Crush, Meredith and Lou sit down with Claire Lurton of Aciabo. It was an incredible “get” to spend time with Claire at her winery on Chalk Hill in Sonoma County. She and her husband, Gonzague, have a deeply fascinating history as a part of two of the most storied wine families in all of Bordeaux, France, which added so many new layers to the conversations Meredith and Lou started in three previous episodes of Major Crush where they discuss the various wine-growing regions in France. The personal details and perspectives Claire offers up in this episode are beyond interesting, and the way she approaches winemaking in California is truly unique. // If you’d like to taste the Aciabo wines — or any of the wines Claire and Gonzague import from one of their family chateaus in France, you can visit them at their tasting room located at 422 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, CA — to make a reservation, please call: 707-791-0943 or email pascal@acaibo.com // You can also check out all of the wines they currently sell on their website at www.acaibo.com Featured Wines: The Acaibo approach to California winemaking is truly French in every way! So the two wines Meredith and Lou tasted in this episode were quite special and left both of these wine lovers with an intense kind of crush. The first wine was a 2014 Aciabo Merlot (insert varietal percentages) and the 2014 Acaibo Cabernet Sauvignon insert varietal percentages). CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you’re listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out the entire first season of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you access your favorite podcasts! CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out the entire first season of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you access your favorite podcasts!

Wine royalty visits the Barrel to Bottle studios once again. This week, it's Courtney Foley, winemaker at Chalk Hill Estate. She discusses the challenges of jumping from a 4,000 cases to a 40,000 case production facility, implementing a sparkling program across the Foley Portfolio, and what "Estate Bottled" means at Chalk Hill. We've got more hockey talk then we've ever had, too! Stick around for a customer Q&A about grape stomping. 

Ramey Wine Cellars was founded in 1996 by David Ramey and his wife Carla. After sixteen years making wine in Sonoma County, and firmly establishing Matanzas Creek and Chalk Hill wineries in the marketplace, David crossed the Mayacamas to spend six years in the Napa Valley--first as VP-Winemaker for Dominus Estate and project manager for the construction of their new winery; then helping Leslie Rudd reshape the Girard Winery into Rudd Oakville.In 2014, David & Carla founded Sidebar Cellars, which adheres to the same quality winemaking at Ramey Wine Cellars while producing wines that are of different varietals (Kerner, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, etc.). These wines are also meant to be consumed when they are young and fresh.To make great wines, David takes chances, often harvesting his grapes at the last possible moment. The resulting wines are praised among colleagues, consumers and the media alike. Most importantly, they are the wines David dreams of brought to graceful, delicious life.Visit Ramey Wine Cellar profile at https://www.winesoundtrack.com/cantine/ramey-wine-cellars-david-ramey

Intermináveis dias de sol. Praias. Montanhas. Parques naturais. Entretenimento. Tech. Não satisfeita em ter tudo isso, a Califórnia é também o quarto maior produtor de vinho do mundo, e faz coisas simplesmente espetaculares. Neste episódio vamos destrinchar, com muito amor, a região original de produção de vinho na Califórnia – Sonoma! As sub-regiões de Sonoma que cobrimos neste episódio são:Chalk Hill – onde o forte é a produção de Chardonnay.Russian River – casa de belissimos Pinot Noir.Dry Creek Valley – famoso pela produção de Zinfandel, um dos vinhos emblemáticos da Califórnia.Sonoma Coast – outra excelente área para Pinot Noir, com sua fria brisa do Pacífico.Knights Valley – Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, e com excelentes Syrah. As uvas mais populares da região são:Chardonnay – sabor amanteigado, com frutas tropicais, e em muitos casos superiores aos originais da Borgonha. Pinot Noir – com fruta mais pronunciada e mais prontos para consumo rápido do que seus pares franceses.Um pouquinho de Syrah em Knights Valley Zinfandel – varietal gêmea da Primitivo italiana, levada à Califórnia por imigrantes italianos no século 19. Anos-estrela: 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013 (safra mágica), 2014, 2015, 2016 Produtores:Tine House Vineyards – produtor pequeno com excelente Pinot NoirMarcassin – Pinot Noir supremo da região. E custa de acordo com essa fama.Donalan Valley – Obisidian Vineyard é um Syrah espetacular. Verite – vinhos caros, mas em sua maioria levando 100 pontos Parker.Peter Michael – Les Pavots é a estrela do show. Littorai – Pinot Noirs geniais. Vários rótulos, caros porém de qualidade espetacular.Ridge – um produtor muito famoso, tradicional e um pouco mais democrático. Relativamente fácil de achar.Bella Winery – pequeno produtor focado exclusivamente Zinfandel, de altíssima qualidadeArista – deliciosos Pinot Noir. Menos famosa que Littorai e Marcassin, mas também mas acessível em termos de preço. Vinho vorazmente consumido:Ridge Pagani Ranch, 2015, Zinfandel – um vinho excelente (como todos Ridge que tomamos até hoje!). Blend de Zinfandel, Petit Syrah e Alicante Bouschet. Vinhaço! Dica cultural: Hoje falamos do livro “The Fight”, no qual Norman Mailer conta o antes e durante da mais famosa luta de boxe de todos os tempos, Ali vs. Foreman no Zaire, The Rumble in the Jungle! Uma leitura imperdível para quem gosta de boxe e literatura esportiva.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fight-Penguin-Modern-Classics/dp/0141184140/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=norman+mailer+the+fight&qid=1563991873&s=gateway&sr=8-1https://www.amazon.co.uk/Muhammad-Ali-Unfiltered-Officially-Authorized/dp/1501161946/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?keywords=GOAT+Ali+photo+book&qid=1563991909&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmr2 Como sempre, fica o convite para seguirem nosso podcast no Spotify, Apple e Instagram. E deixem seus comentários no Instagram @podcastwine ou mandem suas perguntas e sugestões para podcastwinenot@gmail.com. Um grande abraço e até a próxima!

Ramey Wine Cellars was founded in 1996 by David Ramey and his wife Carla. After sixteen years making wine in Sonoma County, and firmly establishing Matanzas Creek and Chalk Hill wineries in the marketplace, David crossed the Mayacamas to spend six years in the Napa Valley--first as VP-Winemaker for Dominus Estate and project manager for the construction of their new winery; then helping Leslie Rudd reshape the Girard Winery into Rudd Oakville.In 2014, David & Carla founded Sidebar Cellars, which adheres to the same quality winemaking at Ramey Wine Cellars while producing wines that are of different varietals (Kerner, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, etc.). These wines are also meant to be consumed when they are young and fresh.

In the sixty years since its founding, Rodney Strong Vineyards has grown to near ubiquity in the world of wine. Director of Winemaking Justin Seidenfeld joins Greg and Binny's Head of Wine Barbara Hermann to speak to the historic importance of the winery, including the founding for the Russian River Valley and Chalk Hill regions. He shares how he uses a modern, state of the art winery and vineyard management to produce classically styled, consistent wines in large enough quantities to be available everywhere. And he shares his experience tasting holy s*** wines. Wines tasted include Rodney Strong Charlotte's Home Sauvignon Blanc, Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc,  Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon and Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Stick around for the Q&A segment, where Justin answers your question about harvesting grapes.

David Ramey is the founder and co-owner of Ramey Wine Cellars and Sidebar Cellars, both based in Sonoma County, California. David shares his career path in California wineries from Simi, to Matanzas Creek, Chalk Hill, Dominus Estate, Rudd Estate, and starting wine labels of his own. While discussing those various work experiences, David also shares what he learned at each point, and how this would evolve into his winemaking approach today. He goes grape variety by variety, explaining key aspects he has learned about each. David also gives his thoughts on winemaking topics such as whole cluster, malolactic conversion, reduction, oxidation, tannin management, infusion vs. extraction, barrel aging, and more. This episode gives a clear picture of how California winemaking has changed over the decades, and breaks down some key winemaking concepts. Take the demographic survey. This episode is sponsored by: NY Drinks NY Trip to the Finger Lakes Wine Region

David Ramey is the owner of Ramey Vineyards which he started with his wife Carla in 1996. He has one of California’s most impressive winemaker resumés and shares many of his experiences on this episode. Fresh out of UC Davis, and with an internship at Jean-Pierre Moueix’s, Château Pétrus under his belt, David started his winemaking career in 1980 as assistant to Zelma Long at Simi Winery.  He subsequently became chief winemaker at Matanzas Creek and then Chalk Hill before taking on the task of winemaking and building the new winery at Dominus. He later helped rebuild and replant what had been the Girard Winery into Rudd Estate. David is a legend in the winemaking industry and shares his entrepreneurial journey! http://whatgotyouthere.com/   Vuori Clothing 25% off with discount code “WGYT” https://www.vuoriclothing.com/ GlobeKick 10% off with discount code “WGYT” https://globekick.com/ 15% off Four Sigmatic with discount code "WGYT" http://foursigmatic.com/wgyt   http://www.rameywine.com/ https://www.facebook.com/RameyWineCellars https://twitter.com/RameyWineCellar https://www.instagram.com/rameywinecellars/ https://twitter.com/ramey_david https://twitter.com/WhatGotYouThere https://www.instagram.com/whatgotyoutherepodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/whatgotyouthere/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-delaney-00909190/   Intro/Outro music by Justin Great- http://justingreat.com/ Audio Engineer- Brian Lapres 

The “Drinking Stories” podcast is back. This episode features local vintner David Ramey, who opened his Ramey Wine Cellars in 1996 after helping put the Matanzas Creek and Chalk Hill wineries on the map. The varietal is gaining more attention, especially as it’s a featured grape of the new Petaluma Gap wine region. David also talks about why some instead call it “shiraz” and what foods it pairs best with.

Greg Morthole is a graduate of the University of Wyoming who got his start in the Vinquiry wine lab after following his heart to Sonoma County, but not for the love of wine. He has since worked as an Oenologist at Chalk Hill winery, a lab manager for Rodney Strong winemakers where he still is today working as a winemaker responsible for making the single vineyard reserve wines and Davis Bynum wines. 

David Ramey is the owner and winemakers of Ramey Wine Cellars based in my new home of Healdsburg, California. You may have heard of Ramey, or even purchased a few bottles, as it is distributed in almost every market. David has been making wine for 40 odd years in France, Napa, Sonoma, most notably at Chateau Petrus, you’ve probably never heard of that though, Chalk Hill, Matanzas Creek, Rudd Estate, and Dominus in Napa and Sonoma. Learn more about David with the Show Notes here In this episode we chat geeky winemaking stuff like total S02 (sulfur dioxide) in wine and native fermentations then we get into how David has grown a family run wine business for decades with production at 40,000 cases from a side project making chardonnay to a multi-million dollar company. We get into the numbers of running a boutique winery, how you should sell your wines, whether direct to consumer or distribution, and what he hopes his legacy looks like. With that, there are two organizations I want to introduce you to, that are working to support, rebuild, and make thrive wine country in the wake of the devastating fires that destroyed the lives of many recently in Northern California. The first is Rebuild Wine Country, founded by the team behind Senses Wines, Rebuild Wine Country is a group of volunteer wine industry professionals working with Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County to raise $5 million to rebuild owned and rented homes lost in the Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Mendocino, and Lake County wildfires. 100% of your donations go to rebuilding homes and rentals damaged or destroyed by the North Bay wildfires. You can donate by going to RebuildWineCountry.org The second organization is Winemakers and Sommeliers for California Wildfire Relief set up by Patrick Capiello, Pax Mahle, and Sara Morgenstern to rally wine professionals and wine lovers everywhere to support those affected by these terrible fires. They are raising funds through events at amazing venues such as Corkbuzz NYC and Bluxome St. Winery with food and wine from incredible local producers while rare and cellar-worthy bottles donated by sommeliers and collectors from across the country will be available for purchase. 100% of all proceeds will benefit wildfire victims in partnership with CA Wine Strong, Redwood Credit Union North Bay Fire Relief, and Napa Valley Community Foundation. You can donate and learn more about events at WSCWR.com  -