Podcasts about longboard vineyards

Episode 224 Sponsored by: River Road Family Vineyards and Winery Today we were joined by Oded Shakked from Longboard Vineyards! Oded shares with us his passion for winemaking, focusing on Syrah and Chardonnay and the value of supporting small, family-owned wineries. We discuss the importance of terroir and natural wine development while celebrating the cultural communal aspects of wine ~ we encourage our listeners to enjoy a welcoming experience at Longboard Vineyards. Wines of the day: Longboard Vineyards 2023 Chardonnay, Rochioli Vineyard Longboard Vineyards 2020 Syrah, Dakine Vineyard  Links:  https://www.longboardvineyards.com/ https://capabunga.com/ Sponsor: River Road Family Vineyards and Winery Credits: The Wine Road podcast is mixed and mastered at
 Threshold Studios Sebastopol, CA. http://thresholdstudios.info/

Oded Shakked, owner of Longboard Vineyards, is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. He has been on the show before. His last appearance was this episode on November 17, 2023. He has a long history of making high quality wines from his small properties. He grew up surfing in Israel and then, looking for good waves, he went to surf the Atlantic beaches. In France, he discovered wine, then he heard about UC Davis, came to study in the program and, “never looked back.” He had a series of winemaking jobs and started his own vineyard On West Side Road he has about five acres where he grows about 40% of the grapes he uses at Longboard. His neighbors are the Rocchioli family, and their famous vineyard. He feels lucky that they sell some grapes to him. As neighbors, their kids played sports together. Visit Chigazola Merchants online to shop their unique selection of fine Italian wines. They begin tasting the Rocchioli Vineyard Chardonnay. He wants people to consider aging this white wine. A well-made white wine, not over-oaked and doesn't have residual sugar, it gets a "sun-dried linen" character, as one of his professors described it. They also taste a Syrah, which reminds Dan that all these wines need some time in the bottle. Wines are like cakes in the oven, says Oded. You have to have patience for the wine to develop complexity. Dan says that if you open it and taste it two days later, it can also open up a lot. They have a cellar, a lounge and vineyard in Healdsburg. The place used to be the Magnolia Cannery, then it was Clos du Bois winery, and later under other brands. Oded says his job title could be "vinegar stopper" because wine will occur naturally and also turn quickly to vinegar if you're not careful. You can actually observe their cellar operations and get close to the process.

Dan Berger with Oded Shakked on CWC. Oded Shakked returns to California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger, with three wines from Longboard Vineyards, for tasting and discussion. In the first portion of today's show, Dan Berger is on his way in, against inclement weather and traffic. They get right into the history of the name and Oded admits that he would never have chosen this name if he had known it would be such an important brand so many years later. At the time, he was a professional winemaker, hired to make his bosses' wine. It's true that he is a surfer, at the time he was a winemaker at J Vineyards and Winery. He wanted to make Syrah and they were not interested in that. So he exchanged a raise for production space and started making it on his own, in 1998. It remained a hobby winery until he went full time with it in 2005. Surfing brought me into winemaking, he says, because it took him to the western coast of Europe looking for waves. That is also where he discovered wine. He found his vocation and got a degree from UC Davis and then worked for a roster of top wineries before Longboard. Oded likes the fact that Americans have created a food culture that was not around 40 years ago. That includes more and more people who will age red wines. He likes wine with “fuzzy edges” which reminds him of the sound of vinyl records as opposed to digital recording. No more surfboards on the labels. They don't use surfboards anymore on their labels, because he wants the focus to be on the wine, not the surf. The tasting room is in Healdsburg, two blocks off the plaza, right by the railroad tracks. It is open daily 11am-6pm. They are a small winery, under 5000 cases. Longboard is one of the few small independent labels that grows the grapes, makes the wine and sells it. He either grows the grapes or buys from trusted growers like Rochioli. He makes a very traditional methode champenoise bubbly wine, which is sold out at the moment. As Dan Berger has just arrived late, they are tasting the Longboard Chardonnay, which Dan suggests would age well. His manipulation is minimal. Dan says that Oded's strength is his connection to great growers. Another great advantage is that he had access to all the best equipment for making wine. They also taste Meant To Bee Pinot Noir, which comes from a vineyard where there is a beehive in an old walnut tree.

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  

Oded Shakked, owner and winemaker at Longboard Vineyards, is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. He was last on the show in 2020 on this episode during the pandemic, when all the guests were calling in on the phone. Previously he was also on the show in 2018 on this episode.  Oded is a surfer so that explains the name Longboard Vineyards.  He has lived, worked and surfed on four continents, says his website. Click the logo to visit our sponsor Bottle Barn online for the coolest bargains on wine, beer and spirits. Longboard Vineyards was founded in 1998, while Oded was a winemaker for J Vineyards. He started Longboard Vineyards as a hobby and he has been doing it solo since 2005. He speaks Hebrew, French, Spanish and English. Dan Berger likes Longboard's Pinot Noir and Oded credits his growers, including Rochioli. Dan Berger brought another of his cellar wines today, a Silvaner, which is in a bottle shaped like the old Mateus bottles. It is very dry. Join the Rodney Strong mailing list to receive special offers, information on new releases, and more. Albariño Oded has brought an Albariño. There is also a Portuguese cousin that in that language is written Alvarinho. This is the wine he would drink while on surf trips to northern Spain and Portugal. The grapes are grown in Russian River Valley. Dan says that this wine has strong acidity. Oded wanted it to be strong like that but not too strong. It was fermented in neutral barrels. Chicken apple sausage is Dan's food pairing idea. Longboard Vineyards still makes sparkling wines, Brut, Brut Rosé and Brut Z with no sugar. Sauvignon Blanc is the one most found in distribution. He also makes a Rochioli Chardonnay and this Albarinño. The Albarinño is a semi-floral variety but it is a lot more serious than a Pinot Grigio. It also has some white peach flavors. Oded sums it up with one term: yummy! Carignane and Syrah He has also brought a Carignane. At one time this was one of the most popular varietals. It is from Vincenzo Vineyard in Mendocino County. He only sells it from the barrel into a growler. "Exotic, rustic, tasty,... pizza wine," declares Dan. It is a single vineyard. Oded descsribes cherry flavors in the bouquet. The next wine to taste is a Longboard Syrah. Dan says to give it five or six more years. Oded suggests it would go with fish. The winery is located in Healdsburg at 5 Fitch Street, open 11 am to 6 pm daily. They welcome walk-ins, but groups of 6 or 8 or more can make reservations.

Our first official "boozy book club episode" includes a great discussion on our January book choice, When We Believed in Mermaids by Barbara O'Neal, the wine bundle for January with Longboard Vineyards and we discuss our origin story: how this podcast was conceived and how our friendship began... woo to the hoo. Read our episode notes at https://www.decanterburytales.com/blog  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

On this episode we chat with winemaker and soul surfer, Oded Shakked, of Longboard Vineyards. In January's book selection When We Believed in Mermaids, surfing plays an integral part in the telling of the story which makes Longboard the perfect pairing for this novel. Check out our collab wine bundle featuring wines specifically chosen for this podcast at  https://www.longboardvineyards.com/xe/xe.asp?page=viewitem&p=919&cat=special%2Ddeals and use promo code: mermaids for 15% off wines on their site for the month of February.  We also mention an interview Oded had in 2017 on the podcast "Wine for Normal People"- listen to that specific interview here, however he's been on the podcast several times. https://www.stitcher.com/show/wine-for-normal-people/episode/ep-195-oded-shakked-dynamic-winemaker-owner-of-longboard-in-sonoma-50862746  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Episode 110 | Oded Shakked Owner & Winemaker, Longboard Vineyards This week we “hang ten” with Oded Shakked Owner & Winemaker (and Surfer!) at Longboard Vineyards. We sip on Longboard’s 2109 Sauvignon Blanc and hear about Oded’s multicultural background, his love of food and wine, and surfing of course and what’s currently happening at Longboard, the winery he established in 1998. Wine of the Day: 2019 Sauvignon Blanc – RRV Wine Book of the Day : Beyond Flavor The Indispensable Handbook to Blind Wine Tasting by Nick Jackson, MW Item of the Day: Wine Road Face Mask Show Notes 0:50 Wine of the Day The perfect breakfast wine! 2019 Sauvignon Blanc – Russian River Valley. Oded first became acquainted with the varietal on his surf trips to Europe –great with lunch and summer salads. 3:43 Wine Road/Marcy reviewed the Longboard Sauvignon Blanc reviewed on Along the Wine Road Blog Varietal of the Month. 5:15 What’s happening in the Longboard tasting room – reservations required. 6:11 Longboard Urban Winery is located in a historic building in Healdsburg, walking distance for the main square in downtown. Tasting or purchase by the bottle or by glass available. 8:00 What Longboard was doing during the SIP orders. Worked in the winery of course but has some time for projects at home too. 9:15 Smaller groups allow for greater personal attention and elevated experience. 10:10 Seated tastings are more fun with more interaction and chance to learn form the staff. 11:11 Oded’s home garden planted with fruits and vegetables from his childhood in Israel. 12:27 Oded’s favorite Israeli dish to make for winery staff at harvest is Shakshuka. Also makes shawarma, hummus and tahini and his own pita bread. Israeli inspired cuisine a great pairing food with wine. Perhaps will hold an Israeli food summit in the future 14:40 New Release: Water Girl Rose and new Bubbles Brut Rose. Oded’s background is with sparkling wine producer. 17: 25 Also releasing Merlot/Malbec field-blend and newest release is new Carignan from an 88 year-old vineyard–super food friendly. 18:50 Local getaways for Oded include time at the beach or stand up paddle boarding at Lake Sonoma. 21:00 Wine Book of the Day – Beyond Flavor the Indispensible Handbook to Blind Tasting by Nick Jackson, MS. 23:20 Longboard has done tasting sensory experiences with black glasses as training tool with different elements of fruit and spices to develop sense of smell and identification. 25:09 Working on a new tasting experience with comparing same variety in young and old wines to see the how wines age. 27:30 Item of the Day – Wine Road Face Masks – branded with Wine Road logo and SIP Sonoma– send an email to info@wineroad.com with your name and address – Beth will send you one! 28:38 One More Thing—Wine Road website has a link to book your (required) reservations at wineries along the Wine Road.   Links Longboard Vineyards Wine Road Along the Wine Road Varietal of the Month Blog Wine Road Podcast Instagram -- @wineroadpodcast Wine Road Podcast is Engineered and Mastered at Threshold Studios, Sebastopol , CA

Oded Shakked Oded Shakked, owner of Longboard Vineyards, is back on California Wine Country this week, and we also have Tom Simoneau on the phone from his vineyard in Alexander Valley. Tom and Oded were last on California Wine Country in person together on March 28, 2018 (when the picture above was taken). This time due to Coronavirus restrictions, everyone is on the phone. Tom describes the vineyard as of today, where it is 100 degrees, down from 104 a half an hour ago. "We are through bloom and fruit is setting. This has been one schizophrenic Spring. (...) It will be an interesting year... Mother nature throws something at us a little different every year, so she's in charge, so we just do what we do." Oded is calling from the cellar where it is 68 degrees. He calls his winery, "a deliberate accident." He grew up in Israel and decided to follow his interest in surfing. He traveled to France to surf, got to know wine, and heard about the UC Davis wine program. So he came to California to attended that program and never looked back. He worked for a sparkling wine house in Napa, for the Jordan family as well as a job a Chateau Lafitte in France, then he settled in Healdsburg. Now he has lived here longer than anywhere else. Longboard is a reflection of his love for surfing. Longboard surfing is more about flowing movements and balance and he sees parallels between surfing and winemaking. Tom Simoneau loves the Longboard sparkling wines. Oded describes the process that yielded those complex flavors.  From about 7:00 he gives a detailed explanation of the process of making sparkling wine. The Malbec is 2017 vintage. It is one of the five main Bordeaux varieties, which are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Tom grows some Malbec. Oded likes the more blue fruit, rather than red fruit. You don't see a lot of Malbec by itself, since most of it ends up in high-end Meritage blends. It has a little herb and mineral flavors with a broad mid-palette and a long finish. Oded sees Balance as the key similarity between surfing and winemaking. Longboard Vineyards has limited seating outside, by reservation. They are also selling wine for outside pickup. One can stop by and purchase, or order ahead. But they can't do tastings at the bar as they normally do. Tom mentions that they are located in what used to be a cannery then it was Clos du Bois facility. The orange awning is their visual marker. Oded drives a restored 1951 Ford Country Squire wagon, too.  

Oded Shakked, owner of Longboard Vineyards, is back on California Wine Country this week, and we also have Tom Simoneau on the phone from his vineyard in Alexander Valley. Tom and Oded were last on California Wine Country in person together on March 28, 2018 (when the picture above was taken). This time due to Coronavirus restrictions, everyone is on the phone. Tom describes the vineyard as of today, where it is 100 degrees, down from 104 a half an hour ago. "We are through bloom and fruit is setting. This has been one schizophrenic Spring. (...) It will be an interesting year... Mother nature throws something at us a little different every year, so she's in charge, so we just do what we do." Oded is calling from the cellar where it is 68 degrees. He calls his winery, "a deliberate accident." He grew up in Israel and decided to follow his interest in surfing. He traveled to France to surf, got to know wine, and heard about the UC Davis wine program. So he came to California to attended that program and never looked back. He worked for a sparkling wine house in Napa, for the Jordan family as well as a job a Chateau Lafitte in France, then he settled in Healdsburg. Now he has lived here longer than anywhere else. Longboard is a reflection of his love for surfing. Longboard surfing is more about flowing movements and balance and he sees parallels between surfing and winemaking. Tom Simoneau loves the Longboard sparkling wines. Oded describes the process that yielded those complex flavors.  From about 7:00 he gives a detailed explanation of the process of making sparkling wine. The Malbec is 2017 vintage. It is one of the five main Bordeaux varieties, which are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Tom grows some Malbec. Oded likes the more blue fruit, rather than red fruit. You don't see a lot of Malbec by itself, since most of it ends up in high-end Meritage blends. It has a little herb and mineral flavors with a broad mid-palette and a long finish. Oded sees Balance as the key similarity between surfing and winemaking. Longboard Vineyards has limited seating outside, by reservation. They are also selling wine for outside pickup. One can stop by and purchase, or order ahead. But they can't do tastings at the bar as they normally do. Tom mentions that they are located in what used to be a cannery then it was Clos du Bois facility. The orange awning is their visual marker. Oded drives a restored 1951 Ford Country Squire wagon, too.  

Home Alone with Beth – SIP Episode 2 SIP Episode 2 -- Shelter in Place and SIP SONOMA! Beth continues to Shelter and Sip in Place and record what’s new on the Wine Road. In this episode Beth sips some Quivira Grenache, she tells us what winemaker Oded of Longboard is busy doing right now and also talks about the Item of the Day -- RePour Winesaver. Wine of the Day – Quivira Grenache Item of the Day—RePour Winesaver Show Notes 0:24 –What’s happening in the immediate neighborhood 1:40-- Wine of the Day --2017 Quivira Vineyards Grenache from Wine Creek Ranch 3:10 - Winemaker Interviews --Oded Shakked Winemaker at Longboard Vineyards 8:14 – Beth is alone, but Marcy is still busy using big words and writing Varietal of the Month wine reviews for the Wine Road blog- Along the Wine Road. 9:40 – Item of the Day the RePour Winesaver. Great to use for vertical tastings or with virtual tastings online with winemakers. 13:11 – Check out the Winemaker interviews on Instagram @thewineroad 13:52—Check Wine Road for Links to wineries shipping wine for $5 shipping fee 13:58—Also the Wine Road Events link has wine specials instead of events with sales and pre-packs for you to try. 14:46—Stay safe and stay connected-- talk to you soon! Links Quivira Longboard Along the Wine Road /Varietal of the Month Bog RePour Wine Road Check for links to shipping specials and Wine specials under Events.

Please join along with welcoming our two special guests for this podcast, Karissa and Dan! Along with Marcy and Beth, the four talk all about the go-to Sonoma County destinations, from the locals!  Wine, When and Where of Northern Sonoma County with news on events, wineries, wines, dining options, activities, and places to stay. Special Guests Karissa Kruse & Dan Aguilar    Show Notes   Sonoma County Winegrowers Association 1:00 Wine of Podcast: 2018 Longboard Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc  2:00 Dan’s Sonoma County Stops  6:20 Dan’s Tasting Room Choices 12:33 Where do you take out of town visitors?  14:00 Barrel Tasting is here!  16:50 What is the Sonoma County Wine Growers Association all about?  20:00 Last notes from Dan & Karissa 22:00 43rd Annual Barrel Tasting    Links  Sonoma County Winegrowers Association  Longboard Vineyards  Willi’s Wine Bar Russian River Brewery  Annadel Park Pomo Canyon Campground  Shell Beach Blue Heron  Cape Fear Cafe  Jack London State Park  Lynmar Estate Iron Horse  MaCRostie  Francis Ford Coppola Winery  Campo Fina  Valette  Bravas  Diavola  Geyrserville Gun Club Catellis  Locals Tasting Room  Pech Merle Young and Yonder Wine Road   Credits: The Wine Road podcast is mixed and mastered at Threshold Studios Sebastopol, CA. 

Wine Road Episode 97 | Winter Wineland, here we come!  Wine Road Event Manager, Debbie Osborn, is back in the booth with Marcy & Beth talking all things Winter Wineland. Did you know you can create a custom map from the participating wineries on WineRoad.com? Also, you can find the entire Winter Wineland program to map out your weekend! Tune in to find all the tips and tricks to make your Winter Wineland weekend unforgettable.  Wine Road provides the Wine, When and Where of Northern Sonoma County with news on events, wineries, wines, dining options, activities, and places to stay.   Special Guest | Debbie Osborn, Event Manager at Wine Road    Show Notes 0:45 Wine of the Podcast: 2017 Longboard Pinot Noir  1:15 Winter Wineland!  3:50 Winter Wineland Program - Website Information!  5:25 Lodgings  7:30 Winemaker Breakfast  9:01 Last details about Winter Wineland  10:15 Item of the Day: The Whine Barrel  13:17 Book of the Day: I drink, therefore I am by Roger Scruton 14:45 Reminder: Pre-sale Winter Wineland tickets end January 13  16:27 Follow this link to leave a review on Trip Advisor!  Links  Longboard Vineyards 1:55 Capo Creek  Roald Wine Company Baca Wines  Wineroad lodgings  Wineroad Map  Winemaker Breakfast  8:09 Kendall Jackson Winery  8:45 Barrel Tasting - tickets going live soon!  16:27 Leave us a review on TripAdvisor!     Credits: The Wine Road podcast is mixed and mastered at Threshold Studios Sebastopol, CA. 

Napa and Sonoma are the two most famous places for wine in the United States. On a map, they are right next to each other and they seem really interchangeable. But looks can be deceiving. The truth is, that they are an hour drive apart and worlds away in climate, geography, grapes, cost, marketing, and culture.   This week, Oded Shakked, winemaker and owner of Longboard Vineyards and Jim Morris, the Sonoma Wine Guy, who now works for a Napa winery help me parse the differences. This podcast should help make everything a whole lot clearer when people talk about Napa versus Sonoma!   Here are the show notes: Geography: The distance between the areas – 45 mi -1 hr, the difficulty in getting between them Looking at a map – and the geography of the two areas Marketing differences – when and how they diverged: Napa’s 20 year head start and the importance of Robert Mondavi’s marketing efforts to Napa Ease of travel in Napa v Sonoma The money difference/investement -- small farmers v. outside money The competition element – a problem for both Sonoma and Napa What’s not different: SKILL!!! Everyone knows what theya re doing for the most part Provenance, time, is smaller – Napa – elite Experience difference: Napa – an elite or aspirational experience, status, expense, trying to weed out people Sonoma – more affordable, more relaxed Costs differences – and how places used it to weed people out Grapes and climate Diurals/acid differences – Sonoma is cooler in many spots Napa Envy by Sonoma Sonoma’s Identity issue One common problem: cost of living is going up and it’s harder to find people to work there Some travel tips for Northern California wine country and all the other stuff you can do in Sonoma! Thanks to our sponsors this week:  YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople   Blinkist: Blinkist is the only app that takes the best key takeaways, the need-to-know information from thousands of nonfiction books and condenses them down into just 15 minutes so you can read or listen to. 8 Million people are using Blinkist right now and it has a massive and growing library: from self-help, business, health to history books. Get the main idea of books so you can decide if they are something you want to read more of or if the gist is just enough! Right now, for a limited time Blinkist has a special offer. Go to www.blinkist.com/​WINE​ to start your free 7 day trial.  

Petite Sirah, a red grape that’s a cross of the Rhône varieties Peloursin and Syrah is a plummy, powerful, and tannic grape that provides the vital support function of a blending grape in many wines, especially Zinfandel. This week we discuss the grape as an important blender and what it does as a standalone variety (spoiler alert: it’s not always great!).   Here are the show notes: We give an overview of the grape, discussing the dark color, strong acidity and tannin, full bodied nature of the grape and how it makes savory, meaty character, dense blackberry flavored, sometimes chocolaty wines We talk about the origin story and get dorky about clones v. hybrids (and M.C. Ice throws in mutants for good measure) Then we discuss why Petite Sirah is really not grown in France and why it’s so important in California, its adopted homeland We hit on top spots for varietal Petite Sirah – parts of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, especially We briefly cover where else Petite Sirah is grown (the US and its PS… I love you campaign, Australia, Israel, mainly) and the top producers: Turley, Ridge, Robert Foley, Quixote, Robert Biale, Alta Colina, Peterson, Crux Finally, we get the inside farmer perspective from Oded Shakked of Longboard Vineyards. I asked Oded for his ideas on Petite Sirah, which are traditional and helpful, and M.C. Ice and I discuss the highlights of my conversation with Oded and why most winemakers like the grape better as a a back-up singer, rather than lead vocals! Feel free to chime in and give us a black eye if you love P.S. -- we can take it!    Thanks to our sponsors this week:  YOU!The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople    Last Bottle I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines: Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines. Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay. Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.   Blinkist: Blinkist is the only app that takes the best key takeaways, the need-to-know information from thousands of nonfiction books and condenses them down into just 15 minutes so you can read or listen to. 8 Million people are using Blinkist right now and it has a massive and growing library: from self-help, business, health to history books. Get the main idea of books so you can decide if they are something you want to read more of or if the gist is just enough! Right now, for a limited time Blinkist has a special offer. Go to www.blinkist.com/​WINE​ to start your free 7 day trial.  

Wine Road Episode 49 - Tie the knot in Sonoma County. In this episode Marcy and Beth have special guest Marisa Manna Ferrell owner of So Eventful. The ladies start off with the Wine of the Day, a sparkling brut from Longboard Vineyards. Beth talks about the Tip of the Day - checking winery hours and then she and Marcy discuss the difference of variety and varietal as the Words of the Day. Marisa discusses all things wedding & event planning in Sonoma County. What are the trends, crazy requests, honeymoon ideas, engagement planning? Marcy then shares the Book and Item of the Day, did you lose your kitty? Wine Road has a NEW event this year! Esprit du Rhône May 18-19 Tickets on SALE NOW. *Change in Friday night location to Longboard Vineyards in Healdsburg    WineRoad.com   Show Notes: 0:30     Wine of the Day - Longboard Vineyards, Brut 1:50     Tip of the Day - Check hours before you venture out 3:45     Word of the Day - Variety vs Varietal 5:05     Marisa Manna Ferrell - So Eventful Wedding & Event Coordinating 9:55      2018 Wedding Trends - Purple 11:00    Crazy Requests - Rent-a-Dog 13:10    Destination Weddings - price comparisons 14:35    Honeymoon Planning - from start to finish 16:50    Book of the Day - Wine Appreciation, 500 wines for 100 Occasions by David Williams 18:55    Item of the Day - Paws Off Glass Markers by TrueZoo 20:35    Wine Road NEW EVENT - Esprit du Rhône *Friday night location changed to Longboard Vineyards   Links: • Word of the Day • Tasting Tip of the Day • So Eventful Wedding & Event Coordination • Book of the Day - Wine Appreciation • Wine of the Day - Longboard Vineyards • Item of the Day - Paws Off Glass Markers • Esprit du Rhône   Credits: The Wine Road podcast is recorded, mixed, and mastered at Threshold Studios Sebastopol, CA

Crux Winery owners Brian Callahan and Steven Gower (some of the nicest dudes you ever want to meet) craft small lots of Rhône varietals–Grenache, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache Blanc and Viognier–with some Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc. Their wines capture the unique characteristics of Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley and are rich, complex and balanced, without excessive alcohol levels or overripe fruit flavors.   One amazing thing about these guys (there are a few): This is their other job. They each hold down big corporate jobs in the health sector and have given up all spare time to dedicate their lives to making insanely good wine farmed in a sustainable and earth-friendly manner. Their grapes are sourced from their own vineyards and other select vineyard sites owned by growers with a similar philosophy who have also embraced environmental practices in vineyard management.   Some topics we cover: How they wound up finding each other and getting into winemaking How they decided to take the business to the next level The balancing act of holding down corporate jobs and running a winery -- holding down 2 full time jobs!  The business of wine versus their corporate jobs Terroir, native yeast, and doing Rhône in Russian River Valley The grapes and the wine -- how they grow or source the fruit, how they make wine, and why the stuff is so outstanding!    A fantastic look at these guys are hustling, making fantastic wine, and keeping their dream alive to eventually give up their day jobs and be winemakers and winegrowers full time.   They, of course, will be at Sonoma Underground on February 24, 2018 at Longboard Vineyards in Sonoma.     Thanks to our (delicious) sponsor, HelloFresh: A meal kit delivery service that shops, plans and delivers your favorite step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients so you can just cook, eat and enjoy! Delivered right to your door, with a variety of chef-curated recipes that change weekly, this is a new way to eat and cook! We love it!  For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com and enter WINE30. You won't regret it!         

This time, an outstanding interview with Oded Shakked of the small Russian River Valley producer, Longboard Vineyards. Although he's been making wine for most of his life in California, Oded is originally from Israel and has a global perspective on wine, winemaking, and wine business that's refreshing and fascinating. He's fantastic and all his wines are delicious, well-balanced, and all are made to accompany food.    Here are the show notes:  Oded shares his amazing story, from being a kid in Israel to discovering surfing, traveling the world, and then winding up at UC Davis in Sonoma to study winemaking. We talk about what things used to be like in Napa and Sonoma, and what a winemaking degree from UC Davis gave to Oded that was so valuable. Oded discusses his love of Sonoma and why it's so special to him.  We discuss the changes that have occurred over the years in Sonoma and what Oded has seen in the food and wine scene -- for good and bad.  Oded is a deep thinker. We tap into some of that brain power when he discusses his philosophy on food and wine, and how it helps him makes wines of balance Since he is one of the few winemakers in California that does a full line of still wine and also makes a Methode Champenoise sparkling wine, he uses this unique experience to tell us the differences in mentality you need to make each type of wine (a very cool discussion).  We chat about Syrah (Oded's is stunning!) and why it isn't as popular as it should be. All in all a fascinating conversation with a great winemaker, a guy with great perspective on the last 30 years in Sonoma, and an all around nice person! Go visit Longboard when you're in Healdsburg: https://www.longboardvineyards.com