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GUEST:   https://chezjulies.com/  https://www.instagram.com/chezjuliesconsultingwinemaker/  MENTIONS:   http://www.mycoventures.com/  https://www.somamushrooms.org/  https://namyco.org/  https://www.cafebeaujolais.com/  MUSHROOM HOUR:   https://welcometomushroomhour.com    https://instagram.com/welcome_to_mushroom_hour   https://tiktok.com/@welcome_to_mushroom_hour   Show Music courtesy of the one and only Chris Peck: https://peckthetowncrier.bandcamp.com/   TOPICS COVERED:   Cafe Beaujolais  Cook Your Mushrooms  Mycoventures  SOMA & NAMA  Mushrooms + Skillet  Expanding Vocabulary of Descriptors for Smell and Taste  The Magic of Cooking Together  Future of Culinary Mushrooms  Underappreciated Russulas and Suillus  Community Cookbooks  NAMA Mushroom Cooking Competition  Licensing and Importance of Consumer Education  Don't Let Your Mushrooms Spoil – Preservation Techniques  

As biological technologies continue to advance, many growers are exploring how best to integrate them into their farming operations. Nevada Smith, Head of Marketing North America, and Robert Blundell, Research Plant Pathologist, both with Pro Farm Group, highlight the role of biological pesticides and biofertilizers in sustainable winegrowing. Biological pesticides, derived from microbial sources or natural products such as plants, fungi, bacteria, or nematodes, play a crucial role in pest management by inhibiting or delaying growth or directly causing pest mortality. Understanding which biological products to use and when to apply them within an integrated pest management system is essential for maximizing their effectiveness. Biofertilizers, which enhance plant health and resilience to abiotic stresses, are another key tool for sustainable viticulture. Nevada and Robert discuss the growing importance of these technologies in improving soil health and supporting long-term agricultural productivity. Resources:         REGISTER: 5/9/25 Biochar Field Day 117: Grapevine Mildew Control with UV Light 123: What is Happening in Biologicals for Pest Management and Plant Health 266: Soft Pesticide Trial: Powdery Mildew, Downy Mildew, Botrytis, and Sour Rot Healthy Soils Playlist Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles ProFarm What are Biopesticides? Vineyard Team Programs: Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Donate SIP Certified – Show your care for the people and planet   Sustainable Ag Expo – The premiere winegrowing event of the year Vineyard Team – Become a Member Get More Subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode on the latest science and research with the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Since 1994, Vineyard Team has been your resource for workshops and field demonstrations, research, and events dedicated to the stewardship of our natural resources. Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.   Transcript [00:00:00] Beth Vukmanic: As biological technologies continue to advance, many growers are exploring how to best integrate them into their farming operations. [00:00:13] Welcome to Sustainable Wine, growing with Vineyard Team, where we bring you the latest in science and research for the wine industry. I'm Beth Vukmanic, executive director. [00:00:23] In today's podcast, Craig McMillan, critical resource Manager at Niner Wine Estates. With Longtime SIP certified Vineyard in the first ever SIP certified winery speaks with Nevada Smith Head of Marketing North America and Robert Blundell research plant pathologist, both with Pro Farm Group. Together, they highlight the role of biological pesticides and bio fertilizers in sustainable wine. Growing [00:00:49] biological pesticides are derived from microbial sources or natural products such as plants, fungi, bacteria, or nematodes. They play a crucial role in pest management by inhibiting or delaying growth or directly causing pest mortality [00:01:04] Understanding which biological products to use and when to apply them within an integrated pest management system is essential for maximizing their effectiveness. [00:01:13] Bio fertilizers, which enhance plant health and resilience to abiotic stresses are another key tool for sustainable viticulture, Nevada and Robert discussed the growing importance of these technologies and improving soil health and supporting long-term agricultural productivity. [00:01:30] If you're gonna be in Paso Robles, California on May 9th, 2025. Join us at Niner Wine Estates for a Biochar Field day. This interactive morning features live demonstrations and expert discussions on the benefits of biochar for soil health and sustainable farming. Learn how to integrate biochar into your farming operations through practical insights and hands-on experiences. Go to vineyard team.org/events or look for the link in the show notes to get registered. [00:02:00] Now let's listen in.   [00:02:05] Craig Macmillan: My guest today are Nevada Smith. He is Head of Marketing North America and Robert Blundell, who's a research plant pathologist, both with Pro Farm Group. Thank you for being on the podcast [00:02:15] Rob Blundell: Thank you, Craig. [00:02:16] Nevada Smith: Thank you. [00:02:18] Craig Macmillan: Today we're gonna be talking about bio pesticides and we might as well start with the the basics. What is a biological pesticide? Robert, why don't you start? [00:02:26] Rob Blundell: Yeah, that's a good question, Craig. And and you know, honestly, it's. So when I first was kind of thinking about this, it's not as simple explanation as you might think. It's a constantly kind of evolving term and depending on who you are asking, you can get a, a very different answer. And it's, it's really kind of this large umbrella term. [00:02:42] . It's kind of a microbially based product or natural product typically derived from a plant, fungi, bacteria, nematode, you know. That pretty much has the ability to inhibit or delay the growth or, you know, cause the death of a pest. [00:02:56] And you know, with the term biological pesticide, pesticide being extremely broad whether it's, you know, insect, fungi, even rodent, you know, rodent sides, things like that. So yeah, again, it's a very broad term and different, different grooves, different commodities are gonna kind of have their own explanation. [00:03:09] Even the EU has a different, I think definition versus the EPA as well. So it's an evolving, evolving term. [00:03:15] Craig Macmillan: What about you, Nevada? Do you have anything to add to that? [00:03:17] Nevada Smith: I'm kind of with Robert, it's almost like sustainability. What does that mean? It means to me, I get to keep farming every year. But I think for everyone else it might have different definitions. And I think basically the, the premise is, is it's biologically based. It's based on a living organism, something that we can repeat, regrow, and, you know, the societal part of it, bio pesticide, it means it's acting or killing or helping mitigate pest. For proform have a biologically based strategy. And so we, that's what we deliver is those type of tools. [00:03:50] Craig Macmillan: One of the major pets on grapes is powdery mildew. Around the globe. Probably the major pest overall, I would say fungal disease. I have been seeing a lot of increase in the use of bio pesticides specifically for powdery mildew, some in organic systems, some in more traditional sustainability oriented systems. [00:04:09] What kind of mechanisms are there out there in the biological world for managing powdery mildew and how does that, how do they work? Nevada, do you wanna start? [00:04:18] Nevada Smith: Yeah, so for biological pesticides, there's sort of different categories and I'll even. Even throwing some sort of organic pesticides as well into this whole mix. I think as a grower or a wine processor, you have a choice and it's like, either I'm going conventional, I'm looking to maximize my value proposition on my vineyard or my process my wines. And so one of the ways we really think about this is how do you integrate bio pesticides into the overall spray for bio mildew, like our winemaker at our place they always say, Hey, if it's more than 3% power mildew it's a no go. It's a bad day for us. And so for us to take the risk on our farm. For a biologicial pesticide, we had to have some data to really get us excited about it. [00:05:02] Overall, we wanna see performance. We need to see at least seven to 10 days. And I think that's maybe the biggest challenge a powerdy mildew issue is depending on what sort of climate and what variety of grapes you're growing is how long does it take me to get across the vineyard? [00:05:17] It's really what it comes down to. [00:05:18] And you know, maybe from a pathology point of view, Robert has some perspective. [00:05:24] Rob Blundell: The way we want to kind of think about powdery mildew is it's, you know, it's, it's always gonna be there. It's gonna be present. And biologicals, when used in the right way, can be a fantastic you know, tool in the arsenal. For, for growers or farmers against a deadly pathogen like this. [00:05:38] Growers really need to kind of consider the goal of using a biological, because there's so many different mechanisms of action of a biological, I mean, it can be live, it can be live, it can be the, you know, the spent fermentation product of a biological, which is gonna work very differently versus an actual liable organism you're gonna put in your field. [00:05:53] So kind of having a clear mindset from the, from the start is gonna be crucial to knowing. What kind of biological do you use? And also importantly, kind of when to use it as well. Because you can have drastically different outcomes based on like the time of your, you know, the time of venue production and then, and then the time of the season as well. [00:06:09] But yes yeah, ultimately there's broad, broad mechanism of actions. So if we're putting something on there live you know, you know, with something like powder mildew, this, pathogen functions because it attaches onto leaves. So we have these overwintering structures called cassia. [00:06:24] So these are basically the dormant structures that are gonna help powerdy mildew, survive. That's why it's been around for so long. That's why it's, it comes back every year. So it basically shuts down, it's fungal mycelium into these dormant hard structures. And then every year it basically reawakens around spring when we get the rainfall. [00:06:39] So we're gonna get ASCO spores. These are specialized spore structures within that kind of dormant structure. They get released out. So, you know, with the, with the weather coming in this week, that's gonna be, huge out there right now. So we're gonna get the release of those spores. [00:06:51] They're gonna land on that leaf. So really that's kind of our prime target of having protection is when they're gonna be landing and then adhesing to that leaf. So with something like a biological, if we can get that onto that leaf and then, you know, that's kind of our line of defense really. We want to be setting like a line of defense early in the season. [00:07:08] Know we have a product regalia. So that gets on there. It has these antimicrobial compounds, which the first point of contact is gonna. Prevent you know, it's gonna help mitigate that interaction between the leaf and the pathogen acts as kind of that medium layer. And then it's also gonna boost the plant's natural defense. [00:07:24] So how powdery mildew you kind of functions it. Once it gets on that leaf, it has a very specialized structure. Call it, they would call it a whole story or an appium, depending on where you are in the world and specialized structure that will kind of get through that cell wall, under that cell membrane and then sucks out the nutrients from the leaf so we can get a biological on the early to boost that plant defense, boost those, you know, defense fight hormone pathways. [00:07:46] We're gonna kind of mitigate that as a an initial point of contact. And then hopefully that's gonna set us off for a you know, a good season after that. But the time, yeah, the timing is definitely crucial. [00:07:55] Nevada Smith: I think to add to Robert's point is really to start your season off right and clean. So that's why as growers or as winemakers, you choose to use some sulfur to kind of mitigate, which is not necessarily a bio pesticide, but it could be organic, you know, depending on what your source of there. But those tools to me, are foundational for getting a clean start if you start bad, and it's gonna be a hell of a year all year long. [00:08:20] And I think that's the biggest challenge of bio pesticide uses overall is. Where do they fit, what growers they fit in? And it's not a solution for all, for sure. I mean, if you're growing Chardonnay or Pinot Noir on the Sonoma Coast in a foggy bank off of Bodega Bay, tough times, you know? But if you're in Pastor Robles, maybe in the Napa Valley in the valley where it's a little bit drier, you go in cab. Issue. You probably can integrate a nice bio pesticide program into it, and I think that's the secret. [00:08:58] Craig Macmillan: You mentioned regalia. What is the actual ingredient in regalia? What does it come from? [00:09:03] Rob Blundell: Yeah, so for Regalia the active ingredient comes from giant knotweed, so Ray Nectria. So that's a giant knotweed extract essentially that's been procured and then optimized in r and d and then applied typically as a folia spray for, for grape vines. [00:09:17] Craig Macmillan: And then the plant reacts to that, and that's what increases the plant defense mechanism. [00:09:22] Rob Blundell: Yeah, yeah, pretty much. There's kind of a few, few tiers of how, you know, Regilia kind of functions. So yeah, so we do that kind of initial application pretty much as soon as you, you have any green tissue, you know, really that's a great time to kind of get that on there. And then so the plant is gonna respond to that so typically a plant, defence pathway. [00:09:39] We have salicylic acid, so that is a key phyto hormones. So phyto hormones are kind of the driving force behind the plant defense. And this is very, you know, this is typical for all kind of pathogens, all kind of crops really. So you're gonna have a pathogen interact and we'll have its initial interaction with a plant. [00:09:55] And then you're gonna get this initial, like, response straight away from a plan. It's gonna be, Hey, I, my defenses are up. I, I sense this as a foreign agent. Basically I need to, you know, protect myself. So you get this upregulation of fighter hormones. They're very regulated. Pathways that then have these cascading effects to ultimately kind of therefore have longer term defense. [00:10:14] So you have an upregulation of fighter hormones. This is gonna signal to the plant that, Hey, I need to strengthen my cell walls, for example. So I'm gonna send more liening cell lignin being a crucial component a cell. wall . That's something we see upregulated as a result of regalia. So we get that increase in phyto hormones, we'll get lignin sent to the cell wall. [00:10:32] We get an increase in antioxidants as well to kinda help break down the pathogen as well. Limiteds effects we get polyphenols various other kind of antimicrobials as a result. So we have kind of direct effects, but then crucially with regalia, so we're gonna have the plant initially respond to its application, and then when the pathogen does. [00:10:50] Come around for a, an attack. That plan already kind of is, is heightened its responses, it's ready for it, so it's gonna be a faster kind of response time and therefore what we kind of consider more of a, a longer term defense response. [00:11:02] Craig Macmillan: Are there other modes of action, perhaps ones that are live? [00:11:05] Nevada Smith: Yeah. And that, I think that's a great point. Is there, you know, the, the bacillus category has been a big category the last dozen years or so. And this could be anything waiting from a bacillus subtles to bacillus Emli. There's other bacilli out there too. And I think they're more of an integrated approach. [00:11:22] So I conventional our farm vineyards. We're gonna just rotate it in there. So just like if you're straight organic or you're straight bio pesticide, it'd be a regalia, as an example, rotated with a bacillus product. We happen to have one as well, a very nice one called Sargus. But there's other great solutions out there in the marketplace today. There's other living organisms as well. There's some products in the Streptomyces categories as well. They're used in grow rotation, but I think to me as a grower and as a winemaker myself. I'm just looking for integration, IPM strategy all the way along. And depend on how, what your guard rails are for farming that would dictate what your options are overall. [00:12:07] Craig Macmillan: So, , to you, Robert, , how do these actually work? Like bacillus subtilis and things? [00:12:11] How do they actually either prevent or treat powdery mildew in grape. [00:12:15] Rob Blundell: Yeah, good question. So for Bacillus with Star in particular so we're actually not looking to treat powdery mildew kind of outright with this product itself. That's more where regalia is gonna come as a benefit. So actually Bacillus is great for something like botrytis in grapes. So, and this is really, really where we can kind of combine regalia and stargus together for a very effective program. [00:12:34] Kind of a one-two punch. So we, you have a live bacillus product. So we have spores that are gonna colonize a surface. So whether that's being the soil, you know, microbia the leaves or the berries, and with botrytis infecting berries causing damage, necrotic lesions in those berries, that's where something like stargus , a bacillus product can be applied to those berries to effectively colonize it. [00:12:55] And again, kind of creating like a nice. Kind of shield essentially from pretty much all fungal pathogens work the same. They have to attach, then they have to penetrate to essentially, hold on. So if we can kind of form a physical, kind of physical barrier, that's gonna be great. So for a lot of the Bacillus products they produce a suite of antimicrobials. [00:13:13] So star for our company we have a suite of antimicrobials that produces, so we have things like Itur, Phin, these are all really good antimicrobials. They're gonna have a direct effect on it. So those spores will be able to, you know, colonize the berry, for example, and then help Yeah. Prevent prevent powerdy mildew So you have this live culture essentially that's on the grapes and it's producing compounds, and that's where the, the antimicrobial comes in or the antifungal comes in. [00:13:40] Nevada Smith: Yes. And. [00:13:47] So there's two registrations from an EPA standpoint. There's the live bacteria count, which people are familiar with from back in the day when there was bts, right cells ths for worm protection. And so we measure the CFUs, which is a colony forming unit. So the bacteria, and there's a minimum threshold that we have for our product as well as anybody else that registers their bacteria. Just sort of a quality control thing for the grower to know this is the level we produce. What we. Seeing the production for our solution is really around the chemical compounds being created in the fermentation process, this lipopeptides cycle. And so that's what's important to know that there's some differentiation. [00:14:25] And I always use the example, I'm a huge basketball fan and you know, there's a difference between Michael Jordan and myself. I'm not at his level. And so not all bacilli are created equal, but they all do have some performance values for them. And obviously, you know, the more you can look into science and whether it be uc, extension and the Gubler Eskalen models and local trial researchers will give you the value proposition each of these products brings to you. [00:14:50] Craig Macmillan: Now, this is something that I, I don't think I've heard before and I wanna make sure that I heard it correctly. So, some of the protection is actually coming from things that are being produced during the fermentation production of the bacteria themselves. And so these are side things. And then that makes it into the final product. [00:15:05] Nevada Smith: Yeah, that's actually the most important thing on foliar. So holistically for bacillus, and this is a very broad brush here unless you're in a tropical environment like bananas in. Columbia or Costa Rica, you're not growing more spores on the leaf surface. You might have that happen a little bit depending on sort of your micro environments. What you really want is coverage and then that eradicates. [00:15:29] The way that the the bacillus really works, it really pokes holes into the cell wall of power mildew. So that's, and it just kinda leaks out and dies. And so it's botrytis , and or powder mildew. That's the major effects that it has on these pest diseases. [00:15:43] But in those rare examples, I'll tell you, we've seen some results of our products being used in crops and tropical environments. If it can grow, it's creating more value. Now let's talk about something different. You put bacillus. Sargus into the ground in a soil treatment. It has tremendous effects on colonizing around the roots. [00:16:01] And so that's where bacillus is actually known in its natural environment into the soil profile. So that's where we really see that the one two value. Now, that's not what we're using it for in grapes. Grapes, is for foliar control of. And mild diseases. But we have many other crops that we use bacillus for like corn, for root management and prolification around the diseases down there. [00:16:27] Craig Macmillan: Do you have anything to add to that, Robert?  [00:16:29] Rob Blundell: Yeah, so that's, yeah, excellent points from Nevada. So yeah, kind, kind of getting, talking about how we can use bacillus, you know, actually to go into the soil. So something like nematodes, you know, that's, that's a huge issue in grapes always has been. It's where we have, you know, root stocks engineered over the years to have, you know, nematode resistant root stocks. [00:16:43] Again, not, not kind of the primary purpose of what we'd be looking to use stargus, and vineyards, but again, having a soil colonizer is fantastic. You know, a lot of the. The majority of diseases, especially in like the row crops, they're coming from the below ground. You know, you've got the pythium and lettuce. [00:16:57] You've got like sclero, things like that, huge kind of soil-borne pathogens. So again, having something that you can add to the soil, you know, the soil already has its own fantastic suite of, naturally present. You know, bacteria, fungi, that's, you know, like Nevada said, that's what we got ab baus from, stargus from. [00:17:12] So we're just kind of adding to that to kind of help boost the fight. And we can always kind of think of the interaction between pathogens and plants as kind of this arms race. There's a ways, you know, the pathogen kind of gets ahead by evolving slightly, and then you have the ho response from the plant and then the, the microbiome as well. [00:17:27] So we're just trying to kind of tip the scales and our balance is how a good way to kind of think of biologicals as well. And I think as you were mentioning, kind of the, the fermentation process, and that's where we get our microbials from. [00:17:37] Every microbe has primary metabolites. That's what's key to basically the survival of a microbe. But then we have secondary metabolites, and these are very highly specialized products that get produced. For bacillus, during that fermentation process, this is a, you know, these are unique metabolites. You know, metabolites are produced by the majority of. Micros, but the in particular can produce these like fantastic suite of very unique metabolites. So that's where the, a non-life product kind of comes into itself as well. By us able to understand what are those metabolites we're producing same fermentation, can we optimize those? And then do we, do we even need a live product as a result of that? [00:18:12] Craig Macmillan: Um, it sounds like this could have a really dramatic impact or role in fungicide resistance management. I. What is that role? Or are we talking about going over completely to biological for a program or are we including in a rotation with other materials? What about organic growing where we have a, a little smaller suite of things that we can use? [00:18:35] Nevada Smith: , I'll start with that if you don't mind. [00:18:36] I think it's a great question and where I see it fitting is most synthetic pesticides for disease control are really affecting the mitochondria on the inside of the dupo. And where I see it fitting is the sort of one, two, I would say contact plus systemic. That's an a de-risk, your resistance management issues. But B, increase the likelihood that those products work better and longer. [00:19:02] So today we position a product like Sargus other bacillus products in the marketplace to be in combination with a. SDHI chemistry, like Luna would be an example of that, or Pristine. We would see those integrated in the cycle of sprays, which is, it's very similar to why you use sulfur with those products as well. [00:19:23] But I think, you know, as a winemaker, I want less sulfur my crop as possible, but obviously I want, as a farmer too, I want it to be clean as can be. So it's kind of this yin and yang overall. [00:19:33] But for resistance management, I think you have to really think about the whole approach. And once again, back guardrails. Of what your restrictions are for you as a farmer and maybe the winemaker working together with them. How do you really get to the. And, you know, I, it's kind of a joke too, but we talked about earlier the word sustainability be very broad. Stroke. Well, I'm wanna farm into the future years. I wanna have that vineyard for a hundred years and not to replant it. So I'm really trying to keep as clean as possible all the time, especially for the over wintering stuff. And so to me early often protection, control contact plus systemic is the approach that we take at our farm as well. [00:20:10] Craig Macmillan: When we say earlier, are we talking bud break, two inches, four leaves?   [00:20:15] Nevada Smith: For powder. Yeah. But then we could debate, you know, on these opsis issues and can cane issues. [00:20:24] Craig Macmillan: When would I wanna put on a bacillus? [00:20:27] Nevada Smith: I would start with a sulfur spray about bud break here, and then kind of rotate back into the bloom time for the first bloom spray, about 50% bloom, more or less. I kind of time it too, and if it's a little later, I'm okay with that. That would be the major time where I get the first shots on and that we, I would start with regalia, for example, just because it's a different mode of action. And then I'd come back with the bacillus here about seven to 10 days later. [00:20:51] Craig Macmillan: And would you then include synthetic materials as well, I'm assuming. [00:20:55] Nevada Smith: Yeah, on our farm we would typically our biggest issue is getting across the, the vineyard. And so we're looking to start off with a synthetic material first, just so we can get a nice, well, sulfur first, sorry. That probably like A-S-D-H-I chemistry. And then I'd start to think about how can I integrate my approaches to, being softer chemistry based through the rest of the season. [00:21:17] Craig Macmillan: Does that make sense to you, Robert? [00:21:19] Rob Blundell: Yes. And actually I'm just gonna jump back a little bit in our conversation. I just add a few more details kind of on this approach as well. So yeah, a little bit earlier, I kinda mentioned this arms race between the pathogen and the host and, you know, the available treatments that we have and really kind of a huge benefit of. Adding a biological, say, into your conventional program or just introducing more biologicals in general for your, your fungicides is you know, as, as Nata was saying, you know, a lot of the conventional chemistry is targeted in that mitochondria. It's a very specialized kind of function. It's there, it does a great job when it works well, but then. [00:21:51] We get pathogen resistance, obviously. So there's kind of two types of resistance. You get qualitative resistance and quantitative. So qualitative is when there is a kind of sudden or abrupt loss in the ability of say, a fungicide to work. And then you have quantitative where it's kind of more of a gradual decline in effectiveness. [00:22:08] And then you get kind of these varying levels of fungicide sensitivity versus that qualitative where you're having either resistant or a sensitive is isolate. And this. It's great. We're talking about grapes and powerdy mildew, 'cause this is one of like, this is like the classic textbook example. We kind of get taught in pathology about this because powerdy mildew, it has these really quick cycling times, produces a number of generations per season, very easily dispersed. [00:22:28] So this is such a high risk kind of category for this fungicide resistance. So again, if we have just a whole range of availabilities in terms of different fungicide options, you know, chemistry, soft chemistry, biologicals various other options, we're just kind of increasing our chances of really. Just well, and one not having any pathogen resistance. [00:22:49] Because again, as soon as you have that, then you have you, you really lose your options for your chemistries. So again, just, you know, introducing a few biologicals here and there, especially for, you know, grapes on the West coast, which is the amount of sprays we're having to do in other states where you have less sprays, you can kind of get away with kind of not considering your approach a little bit more. [00:23:05] You don't have to kind of. Do your frack checks as much because maybe you're only doing one or two sprays. But here we have to be very, very concerned with our, you know, what products we're using and then at what timing they're using. So again, just having a biological to really kind of take the pressure off some of those chemistries is a, is a huge a huge, valuable source of preserving the life of your chemistry. [00:23:23] And then have, like Nevada said, you know, having sustainable wines for the years to come. [00:23:28] Craig Macmillan: Actually, that made me think of something. Is there a risk of resistance being developed to biological strategies? [00:23:38] Rob Blundell: Yeah, that's, that's a really good question. So yes. [00:23:41] It's kind of a newer question. Yeah. So again, with a lot of these chemistries being very, very site specific function, all you have to do is have a very small mutation in your, say, powerdy mildew, to overcome that. And typically with biologicals, the typically, I say typically the mode of action is a little bit more broad. [00:23:57] So very rarely are you gonna have an extremely like. , so like a lot of the chemistries buy into certain receptors that their job that do that really well. Biologicals don't tend to do that as much. They're more of a broad spectrum. That's why we see a, like for our fungicides, we see a range of control against a lot of different, you know, powerd mildew, we've got ascomiscies,, Presidio, my seeds, they pretty much do well across a range because they are more broad spectrum. [00:24:19] Not to say that in time we're gonna start to see a decline. It's, you know, again, it's kind of really how we consider using them. And we. Whether we wanna like, fully rely on them or hey, that's, let's, let's use more of a, a combined approach. So again, we just really make that sustainable as well. [00:24:33] So kind of to answer your question definitely it comes with risk but kind of inherently due to the more broad spectrum nature of biologicals, we're not too worried about the kind of resistance that we've seen developed as a result of c chemistries in that very, very specific function of a chemistry. [00:24:48] Craig Macmillan: That makes a lot of sense. I know that you had mentioned you're farming in a more traditional fashion, Nevada, but your products, and obviously I know some folks in the organic area. What role do biologicals play in an organic fungicide program? Nevada? [00:25:03] Nevada Smith: I think it's definitely at the core of your foundation of seeing how you are gonna approach powerdy, mildew and botrytus. Is it a typical, you know, seven spray system, which I'd say it's kind of typical for the northern coast markets or the coastal range. Or if you're in the valley floor are you more in that three to five applications for bio pesticides and, and what timing and how you're approaching those things are critical overall to assessing those on the organic. [00:25:30] You don't have to be just organic. You could be, from a theoretical point of view, you can just choose to be this type of farmer, which is, I want to choose softer chemistries. And I think that's the mixed bag that we deal with with customers, a crop and the crop advisors out there. [00:25:44] Rob Blundell: Yeah, and I was gonna say just to kinda add to that as well. So again, regardless whether you're doing organic or chemistry or biologicals, you know. Really key as well. Foundation is just having good cultural control as well. Something we haven't really touched on today, but again, you can really increase the effectiveness of your biological, your chemistry based on what you're doing in, in the vineyard. [00:26:02] So, you know, things like, you know, canopy thinning, so if you're using say, a biological, you wanna try to colonize those berries, you wanna kind of thin out that kind of piece. You're getting a better spray coverage. You're also gonna, you know, reduce the humidity and that kind of pee of things like mildew you know, effective pruning in dry conditions. [00:26:18] Navar was kind of talking about opsis, some of those canker pathogens. So those grapevine trunk diseases, that is still the most effective way to control a grapevine trunk disease is just to prune under the right conditions. 'cause you need that wound, that pruning wound to heal when it's, you're not gonna get a, let's see, you know, we got that ring coming in this week. [00:26:33] So, grapevine trunk disease is dormant on those on the, on the parts of the vine. They're gonna be airborne. So you need to make sure there's a very good dry window. So again, like cultural practice is always, always key to whatever approach or biologicals or chemicals. [00:26:46] Nevada Smith: I think the add to that, one of the biggest things I remember, I wanna say it's like in 2010, I saw Gubler trials, Gubler, uc, Davis, you know, famous for everything. And he had the trial and all he did was pull leaves. On the bunch closures, and I was like, wow, that looked amazing. And I said, what? What spray did you have on there? [00:27:02] And they're like, nothing. We just pulled leaves and just literally that airflow coming across there, drying out, I assume it was just drying out the spores was amazing. I was like, wow. But then I started doing the cost analysis as a grower. I'm like, I can't send a crew there and pull leaves all the time. So, [00:27:19] Craig Macmillan: Yeah, it's true. I mean, and that's why it's a mix of things. I think. It's integrated pest management. You, you know, you do want to get some airflow through there. You will probably do some canopy management, whether you do shoot thinning or leaf removal. Some of that also helps with coverage. [00:27:32] Right. So using a mix of cultural and chemical or pesticide techniques is probably, probably wise. I'm not a pest control advisor, so I probably shouldn't say that. I. But I think I, you, they're not the first folks that have, have reminded me of that. And sometimes I know that, I think we kind of forget. [00:27:49] I wanna change topics a little bit. There's a, I don't wanna say new, but new to me. Area bio fertilizers a totally different kind of strategy for plant nutrition Nevada. What is a bio fertilizer? What, how do they work? What is it and how does it work? [00:28:05] Nevada Smith: So bio fertilizers can be a multitude of things, but once again, back to bio based on living organisms prior living organisms. We happen to have one that we're just launching this year into the grape industry called Illustra. It's based on this unique technology, UBP. Universal biological platform. I'm not trying to be a billboard ad here, but the reason why I'm bringing it up is it, it's really is a platform, which is interesting about it because it's, it's a technology that we can change and manipulate depending on how we go through the production cycle. And so we're creating tools that are more made for abiotic stresses. [00:28:39] And so we're trying to deal with different stresses that. Crop can deal with. And so right now the core market that we've been using these products , for is like soybeans and corn. [00:28:49] But as we think about the permanent crop markets of grapes, tree nuts, citrus, it's a little bit different as far as cycle and how you approach it. And so what we've seen through the data, these bio fertilizers is really trying to mitigate abiotic stresses. So what we're really mitigating is one, like you, you think about herbicide applications. You kind do a banded application near the tree trunk into about a third of the spray row. That herbicide usually hits that tree trunk. [00:29:14] There is a cause and effect on the grapevine itself. What if you could put a tool down that was sprayed on the same time to mitigate that stress or de-stress it from even how much time and pressure it's having? So. Our product is really one of those tools today that's really focused on mitigating biotic stresses. [00:29:30] Other things I can think about as a farmer is like salinity in the soil. The roots are pushing. You have water issues in California. We all talk about that. How do you mitigate the plant that still maximize the yield? So. Choosing the bio fertilizer today that's really focused on that, not just being a typical, you know, can 17 or un 30 twos based nitrogen based products. [00:29:51] This is something else to bring into the marketplace. They're kind of more niche based, depending on what you're dealing with. But there there's several out there. There's, seaweed extracts would be a big one, right? That people use a lot around farms. There's humic, andic acids, organic acids in general. So those are the kind of the buckets of items today that farmers are choosing for bio fertilizers. [00:30:14] Rob Blundell: Hmm. Yeah. And I can yeah, touch a little bit more on the, on the UBP illustrate product as well in terms of kind of how, how that really functions. And as Navar said, it's, you know, helping bounce back after, say, some herbicide damage, promoting that early season boost in biomass. [00:30:27] So, you know, a product like this, this UBP will basically kind of. Inducing cell division. So in you know, increasing mitochondrial activity, more cell division essentially leads to more chlorophyll, more photosynthesis graded by a mass production. And it's actually done by acidifying the cell wall. So we acidify a cell wall. You get more what we have these, there's proton pumps on these cell wall. [00:30:48] We're basically pumping in more protons, increasing the rate of that cell division. So we're basically yeah, boosting that in ocean season biomass. Therefore having that. You know, quicker resilience to say, you know, abiotic stresses like no said, whether it's salinity, salt, drought, water, things like that. [00:31:02] So yeah, numerous, numerous benefits of some of these fertilizers. [00:31:07] Craig Macmillan: Which actually talking about antibiotic stress, that it reminds me of something. I want to apply it to this, but I also want to go back. If you're using a live material, a bacillus or something, or if you have a, a bio fertilizer that may is are there living things in bio fertilizers. [00:31:22] Nevada Smith: There can be, [00:31:24] uh [00:31:24] Craig Macmillan: be. Okay. [00:31:25] Nevada Smith: We don't have anything in ours today, but I think there are, let's call the word impregnated Fertilizers. With living organisms. It could be trico, dermas, it could be other things, bacillus. And those are good, good tools to use. [00:31:39] The hard part is like, you know, now we start to open the can of worms around like compost tea, like what's in there. And I think that's the biggest challenge that growers, those things do work as a whole. But then you start to run into the quality assurance, quality control. And I think that's where companies invest in the bio pesticide industry are really trying to. Tell the story and not just be perceived as snake oils and saying, Hey, replicated work we measure to this level, like CFU content and here's what we expect results to be consistently. [00:32:08] And this is sort of the shelf life issues and we're kind of getting as a, you know, the world evolves. I think there's just this environmental things that people choose to do. And I think, you know, everything works. Just a question of how you integrate it into your own farming systems. [00:32:24] Craig Macmillan: So speaking of environmental factors and antibiotic stress one thing that's occurred to me is that if I have something that's that's out there, either that's living or maybe maybe a fragile compound, how do things like drought and heat affect these materials in the field? [00:32:38] Rob Blundell: Yeah. Yeah, very good question. I think historically that was always kind of. What people thought of the negative of biologicals were like, well, is only gonna work under certain conditions. You know, where, where have you tested it? So yeah, it's, it's a good question as well. [00:32:50] It's , case by case dependent you know, certain extremes and temperatures, various conditions as well are gonna have effects on, you know, the, the longevity of that. But we, you know, we try to test it under. There a variety of conditions. And then for particularly something you know, with our fungicides as well for, for the grape industry, you know, these new be tested on a variety of key varietals as well. [00:33:10] You know, it's, Hey, it might work for Chardonnay but not for Sauvignon Blanc. So that's important to evaluate as well, rather than just bring a product to market that like you, it's only gonna work on very certain aspects of a, of the single industry. [00:33:22] Craig Macmillan: So heat as an example, , you have a fair amount of confidence that I can apply something in the, in the heat if I have a hot, dry condition in the summer that it's not going to. Break down those materials that are there from the fermentation or kill the live organism. We, we think there's a fair amount of resilience here. [00:33:39] Rob Blundell: Yeah, again, definitely gonna be dependent on the, the type of microbe and the type of metabolite that it's producing. But you know, microbes in nature are exposed to these extreme conditions just naturally anyway, you know, so we have epi amplified slipping on the surface of products. So on the surface of. [00:33:54] Structures. So like a grapevine, like a leaf. They're obviously out there and exposed to the elements every single day. And then the soil is a, is a chaotic environment. There's a lot going on in the soil. So microbes are just, you know, extremely resilient in nature themselves. So there's gonna be a, again it's gonna vary depending on, you know, the microbe and, and the product we're using. [00:34:12] But there's good efficacy. [00:34:16] Craig Macmillan: What's the future? What is the future looking like for biological products, living or extra? [00:34:23] Nevada Smith: for the marketing hat on myself, not the farmer side. [00:34:27] It, I think everything's coming down to specialized sprays. And if I had to vision what the features look like to me, it's gonna be about. Seeing robots down the vineyard. They have 18 different things and their little mechanisms and there's, they're just, they're analogizing what's going on in that grape cluster itself. [00:34:44] They're spot spraying three or four things and they're going down the next level. That to me, is where we're gonna get down to the future, where the grapes themselves will naturally grow less chemicals to be used overall. [00:34:54] but if you need to go through and really take care of a problem, you're gonna go through and take care of a problem. And I think that's where it's become very exciting to me. You're gonna put less of a prophylactic spray across all systems, and you're kind of really create some microenvironments where you think that Vine number seven got sprayed a lot. Vine number 21 has not been sprayed all season. Wonder why? Let's go check it out. Let's understand and investigate. [00:35:18] The other big thing I think in grapes that's really interesting from exploratory research and development side for our company is like viruses. Viruses have not been addressed and it's becoming an issue. It's something I want to kind of explore and put on our docket of, you know, assessment stuff and how we can take new technologies to really improve virus transmissions. How do you mitigate once you have a virus? And it still produce that vine for another 10 plus years. So it gets quality and quantity out of it. Those are the kind of things interesting to me. [00:35:50] Craig Macmillan: Robert. [00:35:51] Rob Blundell: Yeah, definitely. Yeah, really good point, Sarah as well. And yeah, viruses in particular is, is something we see about in the grapevine industry. And yeah, often biological companies we're focused on, you know, the, the fungal issues, the bacteria, the, the nematodes. So that's, that's a huge area that really needs some more dedication. [00:36:06] So there's gonna be some great technologies available for that in the future. Yeah, I think to speak to no Nevada's points on kind of the future of it, I think like a really kind of custom tailored approach is gonna be available for those that want it. Particularly from the pathology side of my interest. [00:36:19] I think precision monitoring and detection of disease is just, I. Advancing leaps and bounds. So again, like, you know, going out there and doing scouting, hopefully people are gonna have a lot better tools available, available to 'em in the near future to really kind of understand crucial times in their season where disease is coming in. [00:36:36] And then again, like I. Just having better tools to kind of really actually di inform us of the pathogen as well that's present rather than just again, a lot of, a lot of diseases is hard to pinpoint to an exact pathogen. We're lucky in grapes, powerdy, mildew, and, botrytis are very obvious. We know what those are, we think are some of the row crops. [00:36:52] It could be a whole host of things. We've got nematodes, we've got various sore pathogens that we can't actually see. So I think yeah, improving disease diagnosis and detection, having these precision tools is gonna be a huge part of the future where biologicals can integrate themselves in as well. [00:37:07] Craig Macmillan: That sounds pretty exciting. I wanna thank you both for being on the program. This has been a really great conversation. My guests today we're Nevada Smith. He is the head of Marketing North America and Robert Blande, who's a research plant pathologist, both with Pro Farm Group. Thanks for being on the podcast. [00:37:22] Nevada Smith: Appreciate you. [00:37:23] Rob Blundell: Thank you very much, Craig. It was a pleasure. [00:37:25] Craig Macmillan: And to our listeners, thank you for listening to Sustainable Wine Growing Vineyard team. [00:37:29] Nevada Smith: Craig, one more thing. We gotta just drink more wine.  [00:37:40] Beth Vukmanic: Thank you for listening. [00:37:41] Today's podcast was brought to you by Vineyard Industry Products serving the needs of growers since 1979. Vineyard industry products believes that integrity is vital to building long-term customer, employee, and vendor relationships. And they work hard to provide quality products at the best prices they can find. Vineyard industry products gives back investing in both the community and the industry. [00:38:06] Make sure you check out the show notes for links to Pro Farm, an article titled, what are Bio Pesticides Plus Related Sustainable Wine Growing Podcast episodes. 117 Grapevine Mildew Control with UV Light 123. What's happening in biologicals for pest management and plant health? 266 Soft pesticide trial for powdery mildew, downy mildew, botrytis and sour rot, and a healthy soils playlist. [00:38:34] If you'd like the show, do us a big favor by sharing it with a friend, subscribing and leaving us a review. You can find all of the podcasts on vineyard team.org/podcast, and you can reach us at podcast@vineyardteam.org. Until next time, this is Sustainable Wine Growing with the Vineyard team.   Nearly perfect transcription by Descript

In this episode of The Vint Wine Podcast, we sit down with Julien Howsepian, lead winemaker at Kosta Browne, one of California's most acclaimed producers of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Julien shares how his path led from UC Davis to becoming a key figure in American fine wine and explains what makes the Kosta Browne portfolio so distinct—from Russian River to Santa Rita Hills, and even Burgundy.

In this episode of Five Questions with a Winemaker, presented by the Vint Marketplace, we sit down with Julien Howsepian, Head Winemaker at Kosta Browne, one of California's most celebrated names in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Known for their single-vineyard expressions and dedication to regional identity, Kosta Browne has become a benchmark producer for American cool-climate wines.Julien shares:

Send us a textDive into the world of premium yet affordable Chardonnay with our exploration of La Crema's 2023 Sonoma Coast offering. At just $15 from Costco, this wine delivers remarkable quality that punches well above its price point, making it a must-try for wine enthusiasts seeking value without compromise.What sets La Crema apart is their consistent house style applied across different growing regions, allowing the unique terroir characteristics to shine through while maintaining their signature approach to winemaking. The Sonoma Coast Chardonnay undergoes meticulous barrel fermentation and ages for six months with a thoughtful combination of 25% French oak (contributing refined spices) and 25% American oak (adding vanilla and butter notes), all while developing complexity through on-lees aging.The cool Sonoma Coast region, with its fog-covered mountain valleys along the Pacific, creates the perfect environment for a more Burgundian-style Chardonnay. The 2023 vintage experienced a growing season 3-4 weeks longer than usual, resulting in perfectly developed fruit with balanced 13.5% alcohol content – a telltale sign of cool-climate viticulture. Whether you're a casual wine drinker or a serious oenophile, this bottle offers a fascinating glimpse into how location, climate, and winemaking techniques converge to create distinctive character in the glass. Try it yourself and discover why La Crema continues to be a benchmark producer for accessible, high-quality California Chardonnay!Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.comor email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com

Cobb Wines tasted today. Ross Cobb from Cobb Wines and Ziggy the Wine Gal from The Krush join Steve Jaxon on California Wine Country. Dan Berger is away this week.  Ross Cobb first met Ziggy when he was at Williams Selyem in 1998 or 99, while he was working with Bob Cabral there. Cobb Wines is a winery inspired by creative freedom. A quote from Patti Smith provides context. Robb was always motivated by music and he lets “…Patti Smith explain the rest.” Ross has also been working with Les Claypool's Pachyderm Wines They start by tasting the Cobb Wines Riesling, from a 14-15 acre vineyard at a high elevation. It is officially the smallest appellation in America. The soil is limestone, at 1200 feet. It is the last of the Sonoma Coast vineyards that he picks every year. The fermentation is long and slow. He just tasted his 2024 vintage, which began last Fall, so even that step comes late with this wine. It is balanced between fruit and alcohol. How about some sushi? Fresh oysters? Fresh Dungeness crab? Ziggy says it is a dry Riesling that should go with “dry January” whatever that is. Ross Cobb's 25th Vintage Ross grew up in Valley Ford and his dad worked at Bodega Marine Lab. They were friends with other families that made wine in the area. The family moved away and later he went to UC Santa Cruz to study Soil Science and Environmental Engineering. They have lived at Coastlands Vineyard since 1989. He worked for a lot of different wineries in northern California. In 2001 He started Cobb Wines and this year will be his 25th vintage. He only started making the dry Riesling in 2016. He also makes Chardonnay in the traditional way, not the big buttery style that Ziggy calls “Chateau Two by Four” with too much oak. Cobb Wines dot com is the website with all of the wines they have today, available for sale. They are also at Bottle Barn and many local restaurants. They aren't a tasting room but they can receive guests.

Nestled at 1,500 feet atop Bennett Mountain, overlooking Bennett Valley, Coursey Graves Estate Winery boasts some of the most breathtaking views in Sonoma County—I can vouch for it, having had the pleasure of working there for the past year. (This explains why I've been behind on updating this podcast and my website.) Guests are often struck by the beauty, exclaiming, “This is gorgeous!” From every vantage point, there's something to admire: sweeping vistas that stretch for miles, a serene Monet-inspired pond framed by stately oak trees, lush, colorful gardens, and the occasional visit from local wildlife. The wines themselves are marvelous, capturing the essence of their unique origins. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reflect the elegance of the cool-climate Sonoma Coast vineyards in which they're grown. The Estate Cabernet blend (currently Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec) and Syrah embody the rugged volcanic soils and rock in which they're grown. The vines, with roots that dive deep, are often blanketed in early evening to late morning fog, yielding wines with remarkable complexity and character. Find more details and photos at courseygraves.com. On this podcast, you'll hear from talented winemaker Matt Casalenue. Click play to discover his perspective on what makes this estate truly special. For more photos of the winery, visit my website https://onthewineroad.us/coursey-graves-estate-winery.  On The Wine Road Podcast is sponsored by SonomaCleanPower.org.  The closing music is composed by Marscott.

This week on the podcast we welcome The River Club, a collaborative wine tasting space brought to you by two family-owned wineries, Belong Wine Co. and Paper Planes Wine Co. Just south of downtown Napa off the beaten path along the river in Napa's Tannery District this hidden gem offers epic river views and a refreshingly modern tasting experience. Sourcing from vineyard sites from the Sonoma Coast to the Sierra Foothills, they met in Napa where they became friends in 2017 and soon began making their wines at the same winery. Realizing their shared passion, they were determined to open a space where they could share their wines that exemplify their spirit of exploration and sense of community. A great conversation about not only these two distinct wine companies but also about opening a tasting room with a modern look and feeling. Check out this episode and make a reservation to go tasting at The River Club soon. [Ep344] https://www.exploretock.com/riverclubnapa https://www.paperplaneswine.com/ https://belongwines.com/

Dan and Tom. Tom Birdsall, owner of Black Kite Cellars, is our guest on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. This is Tom's first time on the show however their winemaker Jeff Gaffner was on the show on this episode of March 11, 2020. Black Kite Cellars began when Tom and his wife Rebecca went on a cycling tour through Burgundy. They were just consumers of wine at that time. Then in the late 1990s his wife's father bought a vineyard in Anderson Valley and planted the 12 acres to Pinot. Not all the fruit was sold. He had some leftover grapes in 2003 and found a winery, Handley Cellars, to produce some wine from that harvest. Then Rebecca made the plan started Black Kite Cellars as a small family-owned winery. Tom mentions that they were lucky to find Jeff Gaffney to be the winemaker, right at the beginning. Now they are specialized in Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley. The coast has weather conditions perfect for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  They begin by tasting a Chardonnay that Dan calls “substantial” and "opulent." The Black Kite or White-tailed Kite The Black Kite is a bird, a small hawk, which is Rebecca's father's favorite bird. The local was known as the black-shouldered kite, now known as the white-tailed kite. Dan mentions that this bird is good at controlling voles and mice which can wreck vines. Another word for this bird is “angel hawk” which winemaker Jeff Gaffner remembers calling it. This is because of the way they hover over the land while hunting. So Angel Hawk became the name of their reserve label. They only make about 3000 cases per year and they are in local shops and restaurants. They also now have a new tasting room in the town of Freestone. It is small but very well appointed. It is also right at the corner of the vineyard. They are open 7 days a week and they prefer appointments. The West Sonoma Coast, the newest appellation in the county, is their specialty. Their current production is eight Pinot Noirs and four Chardonnays. The wine they are tasting is a Pinot from Roberts Road vineyard, in Petaluma Gap, that the Sangiacomo family owns.

Welcome back to *BudBreak*! We are excited to return after our summer hiatus, and we've got something truly special to kick off the season. For our first episode back, we're diving into the newest addition to the La Crema family: the Sonoma Coast Cabernet Sauvignon! And to celebrate this exciting launch, we're joined by winemaker Lisa Valtenbergs and the always insightful Gilian Handelman. It's going to be an incredible conversation as we explore the story behind this new wine, the inspiration, and what makes the Sonoma Coast such a perfect place for this bold and elegant Cabernet. So pour yourself a glass and get ready to toast to something new!

Wine Growers Bios Steve Sangiacomo is a third-generation partner at Sangiacomo Family Vineyards, located in Sonoma, Californiawhere his family has farmed since 1927. He grew up on the ranch and began learning the ropes from his father andextended family at a young age. As far back as he can remember, he clamored to tag along with his father anduncles during early morning frost protection after which he enjoyed a special treat — doughnuts. He took to thefields early and recalls jumping off a tractor to race to seventh-grade orientation. In his early 20s, he beganlearning the family business from the ground up and in his 30s he and his brother Mike took over the reins.Mike Sangiacomo is a third-generation partner at Sangiacomo Family Vineyards, located in Sonoma, California,where his family has farmed since 1927. He has lived and breathed agriculture from the day he was born. Hisgrandfather taught him how to prune fruit trees from the ground up when he was eight years old and was tooshort to climb the ladder. Later he was thrilled when, at age 12, his uncle Buck let him drive the fork lift duringharvest. Shortly thereafter he began assisting at the inspection station for pears as they were sorted for thecanneries. When the family business transitioned from orchards to vineyards he began learning the intricacies ofgrapegrowing and has never looked back.About Sangiacomo Wines:Farming is in our blood. As third-generation farmers in Sonoma, we've upheld our family's tradition of growingpremium grapes since planting our first vines in 1969. Our Sangiacomo wines reflect our passion for the region,focusing on complexity, freshness, and terroir. We farm over 1600 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay across 15vineyards in four AVAs: Carneros, Sonoma Coast, Petaluma Gap, and Sonoma Valley, with additional CabernetSauvignon in Oakville, Napa Valley. Each vineyard block is farmed with an artisanal approach, highlighting theunique microclimates and soil diversity of our land.Don't forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!Websitewww.Farm4Profit.comShareable episode linkhttps://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.comEmail addressFarm4profitllc@gmail.comPhone515.207.9640Subscribe to YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5XqwFollow us on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@farm4profitConnect with us on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/Farm4ProfitLLC/

Dan, Janice and Jamie. Janis McDonald and Jamie Peters are here to talk about Winesong! 2024 on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Winesong! takes place Sept. 6-7, 2024 at the Little River Inn. It is the annual fund raiser for the Mendocino Coast Healthcare Foundation. First, Dan Berger has brought a cellar wine, as he usually does. This is a 2007 St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc. He normally doesn't age this wine so long, but at 17 years it is "yummy" with a little green apple flavor. Usually a SV will age 6 or 7 years.The event this year is at the Little River Inn. It is two days of wine tasting, auctions and music, over the weekend of September 6 and 7. Winesong! Began in 1985 as a small wine tasting in a parking lot and grew year after year. It has always been a benefit for health care on the north coast. Winesong! is a Spectacular Scene Dan Berger has been going to this event for a long time. The wineries that participate are specialized in making very high quality wine. The scenery is also spectacular on the site and all around in the area. Click the logo to visit Davis Bynum Wines. For several years Winesong has been in the botanical garden. That location is being reorganized and they hope to return there as early as next year. There is a strong sense of community at this event. Friends see each other there every year. Everyone enjoys supporting the Mendocino hospital and health care facilities. There are two musical groups. Tenor Madness, a jazz band, plays Friday. On Saturday a rock cover band called the Casper Kings will play hits from the 80s and later. Click the logo to visit our sponsor Rodney Strong for info on the 2024 Summer Concert series. Dan Berger notes that over the last 5 years, Anderson Valley wines have improved tremendously. So have Mendocino wines, generally, in the last decade. The tasting and the music, the food, all on Saturday. But Friday afternoon is the Pinot Noir celebration. It used to be just Anderson Valley Pinot Noirs but since 2015 they have opened it to other regions that make Pinot Noir, like Willamette, the Sonoma Coast and Central Coast. One thing that Dan appreciates about Winesong is that you get a chance to taste excellent wines from producers that you have never heard of before.

Kevin Bersofsky from Montagne Russe Wines joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger on California Wine Country. He has been on CWC before, most recently on this episode of August 3, 2022. On Saturday August 10, the Wind to Wine festival is at the Gambonini Family Ranch in Petaluma. They start by tasting a sparkling wine that Kevin Bersofsky has made. Dan calls it "a very serious bubbly." It's a Brut Rosé and it is very dry. The flavors are fruity but not sweet. The Petaluma Gap was designated as an AVA in 2017. Kevin was using vineyards that were there before the AVA became official, like Springhill Ranch, Roberts Road, Gap's Crown, Terra de Promissio, Keller Estates, Sunchase, Night Wing, ... Montagne Russe Montagne Russe is the French, Italian and Spanish word for a Roller-Coaster. It literally means "Russian Mountains" because it was russian impresarios who brought ice to Paris and used it to decorate their roller coaster attractions. It can be in the 90s in the Petaluma Gap area, but by evening the wind comes in and it can be 20 degrees cooler. It blows in from Bodega Bay, off the sea. There are only two places that have east-west valleys that produce great wine, Santa Barbara County and Petaluma Gap. Dan says that the Petaluma Gap wines all have good structure because the acidity is strong. The grapes don't ripen as fast, so by staying on the vine they build up acidity. The average wind speed is 8 MPH faster in the gap than anywhere else in Sonoma County. The grapes like to cool down. The Gambonini Family Ranch will be the host of the Wind to Wine festival, with food music, wine talks and 30 or more Petaluma Gap wineries pouring wines. Dan's favorite Syrahs come from northern Victoria in Australia. They don't even import them to the US, but Dan Berger has some in his estensive personal cellar. The next wine they taste is the Montagne Russe 2021 Pinot Noir from the Roberts Road vineyard. Kevin knows that this is a vineyard that always makes good wine. Dan gets traces of cherry and also pomegranate. Steve likes the neologism Nutmeggy. Dan explains how the Sonoma Coast appellation was too varied and needed better definition. So the Petaluma Gap AVA was truly unique and deserved to be created.

Welcome to another episode of "Beats Vines & Life" where we delve into the cultural and emotional significance of wine as a product. Join host MJ Towler along with guests Prema Korellis and Ryan Prichard of Three Sticks Wines as they share their unique experiences in the world of wine, discussing everything from rare vintages to the challenges and joys of winemaking. From exploring the impact of wine critics to the importance of authenticity in the industry, this episode promises to take you on a flavorful journey through the colorful world of wine culture. So pour yourself a glass, sit back, and enjoy the blend of music, lifestyle, and of course, some exquisite wines on this episode of Beats Vines & Life!A Massive THANK YOU to PREMA KEROLLIS & RYAN PRICHARD!!!This episode's wines: 2023 Three Sticks Casteñada Rosė 2022 Three Sticks Durrell Vineyard Pinot Blanc 2022 Three Sticks Gap's Crown Pinot NoirTo learn more about Three Sticks Wine, click the link! Follow Three Sticks Wine on IG!To learn more about Head High Wines click the link!Follow Head High Wines on IG!____________________________________________________________Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers! Subscribe and give Beats Vines and Life a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show, sign up at blackwineguy.comFollow MJ @blackwineguyFollow Beats Vines and Life @beatsvinesandlifeThank you to our sponsor, GrenacheFest. The Second Annual Grenache Festival in Walla Walla, Washington, will be held on November 8th, 2024. It will feature a seated comparative seminar, followed by live music, food, plenty of Grenache wines, and tons of fun.For more information, go to GrenacheFestFollow GrenacheFest on IG GrenacheFest Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sonoma-Cutrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay In this episode, Rob and Scott experience a wonderful surprise when they drink the Sonoma-Cutrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.  So come join us, on The Wine Vault.

Dan Berger and Alan Baker The co-founder of Cartograph Wines, Alan Baker, is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. He has been on CWC four previous times, the last time was this episode recorded on November 23. 2022. In each of his appearances we hear how he came to California from Minnesota and used to work in radio. Dan Berger brought a 2016 MacRostie Chardonnay, from Wildcat Mountain, one of the eastern areas of Sonoma Coast. Dan declares, “These wines are really bullet-proof for several years,” meaning it's delicious and has good structure. Alan Baker and Serena Lourie founded Cartograph in Healdsburg in 2009. Read their story on this page of the Cartograph Wines website. Alan Baker used to work in public radio, in Minnesota. He grew up in Iowa, majored in music in college and worked as a recording engineer and producer. In 2005 he moved to Healdsburg and “started knocking on doors.” His partner Serena was an adolescent psych nurse, then went into program design and then into venture capital. They met making wine at Crush Pad. Click the logo to visit our sponsor Rodney Strong for info on the 2024 Summer Concert series. Cartograph Wines has a tasting room in downtown Healdsburg. That's where AV Films is holding its festival. There is a lot to do and see in Healdsburg. Click the logo to visit Davis Bynum Wines. They taste the Cartograph 2023 Rosé, which has a salmon color, rather than pink, and has a lively finish. After that they taste a Riesling. Friday August 9, 2024 there will be a special anniversary edition of California Wine Country for the 16th anniversary of The Drive. Save the date, location to be announced soon.

On today's "Saturday Edition" episode, Rich answers the top question of the week that was sent in by our listeners. Rich starts off by talking about a several deal updates for the Somers Capital Mastermind. Rich then analyzes the journey he and his team have gone on as they closed on a 44 unit boutique hotel in Sonoma Coast, negotiations with the seller, the full pricing of the deal, a few mishaps that happened along the way, and how navigate through potential issues.If you have a question you'd like answered, please email info@somerscapital.com. Stay tuned every Saturday to see if it's featured!--Connect with Rich on Instagram: @rich_somersInterested in investing with Somers Capital? Visit www.somerscapital.com/invest to learn more. Interested in joining our Boutique Hotel Mastermind? Visit www.somerscapital.com/mastermind to book a free call. Interested in STR/Boutique Hotel Management? Visit www.excelsiorstays.com/management to book a free call.

Juggernaut Sonoma Coast Chardonnay-Upscale @ A Value Price!This Chardonnay is a brand from Bogle Family Vineyards a 6th generation winery from the Clarksburg AVA.The Sonoma Coast AVA is a high-end Chardonnay and Pinot Noir AVA .The wines from here can sell for $50 and up.So this $15 Sonoma Coast AVA CHardonna y for BOgle Family Wines is special.For more info check out https://cheapwinefinder.com/ and of course, listen to the best Value-Priced Podcast!Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.comor email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com

Dan and Raghni. Raghni Naidu of Naidu Wines is back as our guest on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. She was on CWC once before, on this episode of August 25, 2021, with Harry Duke sitting in for Steve Jaxon that day. Her story begins in India where she was born and raised. Her mother was always searching for interesting flavors in the kitchen and brought Raghni up to appreciate fine flavors. When she travelled overseas, she brought back recipe books and seeds that she planted in their kitchen garden. She moved to Melbourne, Australia to attend university. She already had some family in that city and her father was doing some business there. There she learned of many wonderful cuisines and she also met her husband there. They married and moved to the Bay Area in 2006 where she and her husband enjoyed the local food and wine culture. After a vacation in Provence, they started searching for a place to start the winery. She purchased the vineyard in 2018 and began making wine and offering hospitality in the large house on the property. She feels a sense of responsibility to focus on the highest quality of production. Dan Berger and Steve Jaxon both notice the excellent quality in the 2022 Chardonnay that they are tasting. Dan notices the great acidity “the secret weapon of all these good wines” and the lower alcohol, having been perfectly harvested. Pinot Noir: It's the Loir! They had Pinot Noir on the property when they purchased it, but they also have begun making other varietals. (Steve reminds us that by law, if you're growing grapes in Sonoma County you must make Pinot Noir.) They have done Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Dan appreciates the structure and balance in these wines. They work with winemaker Matt Duffy who shares their convictions about making wines of the highest quality. Dan remembers someone saying that they best fertilizer for a vineyard is the footprints of the winemaker on the soil. Matt Duffy knows the vines and the ups and downs of the soil. Once the wine is in the house, half the work has already been done. There is no conflict between growing and production when the same winemaker is working on both aspects. It is Raghni's leadership that holds it all together, from the vineyard through production and all the way down to other issues like bottles and labels. The Naidu Wines House The house on the Naidu Wines property is a beautiful family home with four bedrooms and luxurious decor. It is available Guests who book a stay at the estate may enjoy the vineyard environment with a unique opportunity to get personal with the wines by experiencing the terroir directly. It is a fully remodeled home equipped with modern furnishings & contemporary fixtures, located on a knoll in the tranquil rolling hills of Sonoma Coast, with stunning vistas all around at all times of day.

Megan Bartholomay, our Froggy Wine Specialist from Republic National Distributing is back with another episode of Wine Wednesday.  Follow Megan @fargos.winest  This week's wine: MIRABELLE BRUT ROSÉ   Mirabelle is Schramsbergs multi-vintage brut sparkling wine. Twenty years into building an outstanding range of vintage dated sparkling wines, the Davies family set out to master the non-vintage or multi-vintage traditional method technique. A few years of experimentation would ultimately lead to the successful launch of Mirabelle Brut and Mirabelle Brut Rose in 1992. This wine is a specially crafted blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Schramsbergs select cool-climate vineyards in the Napa-Carneros, Sonoma Coast, Anderson Valley and Marin County areas of Californias North Coast. Starting in 2022, the Mirabelle packaging started to designate the bottling number to give specificity to each bottling of Mirabelle, and to highlight the vintage which is primarily in the blend. For this 31st bottling, the 2019 vintage makes up 78% of the blend, with the other 22% being from select base wines from previous vintages.The grapes are picked by hand and gently pressed to provide superior quality juice for the production of this balanced, refreshing rosé bubbly. In the spring following the fall harvest, base wines are individually evaluated and carefully blended by our winemakers. Pinot Noir lots, including a few fermented with skin contact, provide brightness of berry fruit and body, while Chardonnay lots lend length and zest to the palate. Additional flavor depth and aromatic complexity results from the blending of base wine lots aged in barrels and tanks for one or more years. The wine undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle and rests for approximately two years before its release. Following the en tirage aging, an extensive dosage trial process produces the ideal finishing touch, and the sparkling wine is ready to be enjoyed. The finished Brut Rosé exhibits fresh, elegant, and toasty aromas that lead into lively and delicious fruit flavors on the palate.The multi-vintage Mirabelle Rosé is delicious on its own, and it also pairs well with everything from grilled salmon, BBQ pork ribs, poke tuna, classic Hawaiian pizza or simple pastas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More wine please@Masaveubodegas @bacawine @hallwines @waltwines #wine #podcast #radioshow #host Co hosts : Good ol Boy Harmeet, Good ol Boy Justin, Made Man Maury, Made Man BobSIPS – On this episode we discuss wines from Fillaboa, BACA, Walt and Hall. From the crisp, refreshing notes of the Philiboa Albariño to the rich, complex layers of the Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon, this episode is a journey through the vineyards of excellence. Tune in as the cellar doors swing open, revealing the secrets behind each vintage, and discover whether these wines deserve a toast or a roast in the world of oenophiles. We will be discussing this wine and rating them from 1-5 with 5 being the best:05:09 Fillaboa Albarino 2022 3 SIPS10:48 Fillaboa Seleccion Finca Monte Alto Albarino 2020 4 SIPS17:40 BACA Homebase Zinfandel 2019 4 SIPS23:07 Walt Pinot Noir La Brisa Sonoma Coast 2021 4 SIPS28:36 Walt Pinot Noir Blue Jay Anderson Valley 2021 4 SIPS36:14 Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 4 SIPS45:16 Kathryn Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 5 SIPSinfo@sipssudsandsmokes.com X- @sipssudssmokes IG/FB - @sipssudsandsmokes Sips, Suds, & Smokes® is produced by One Tan Hand Productions using the power of beer, whiskey, and golf. Available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart, and nearly anywhere you can find a podcast.Enjoying that cool Outro Music, it's from Woods & Whitehead – Back Roads Download your copy here:https://amzn.to/2XblorcThe easiest way to find this award winning podcast on your phone is ask Alexa, Siri or Google, “Play Podcast , Sips, Suds, & Smokes” Credits:TITLE: Maxwell SwingPERFORMED BY: Texas GypsiesCOMPOSED BY: Steven R Curry (BMI)PUBLISHED BY: Alliance AudioSparx (BMI)COURTESY OF: AudioSparxTITLE: FlapperjackPERFORMED BY: Texas GypsiesCOMPOSED BY: Steven R Curry (BMI)PUBLISHED BY: Alliance AudioSparx (BMI)COURTESY OF: AudioSparxTITLE: Back RoadsPERFORMED BY: Woods & WhiteheadCOMPOSED BY: Terry WhiteheadPUBLISHED BY: Terry WhiteheadCOURTESY OF: Terry WhiteheadPost production services : Pro Podcast SolutionsAdvertising sales: Contact us directlyContent hosting services: Audioport, Earshot, Radio4All, & PodBeanAlbariño, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Wine Tasting, Wine Reviews, Napa Valley, Sonoma Coast, Wine Pairing, Vineyards, Wine Ratings, Wine Connoisseurs, Wine Podcast, Wine Enthusiasts, Wine Exploration, Wine Terroir, Wine Varietals, Wine Appreciation, Vintage WinesBaca Wines[Baca Wines Website](https://www.bacawines.com)Walt Wines[Walt Wines Website](https://www.waltwines.com)Hall Wines[Hall Wines Website](https://www.hallwines.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More wine please@Masaveubodegas @bacawine @hallwines @waltwines #wine #podcast #radioshow #host Co hosts : Good ol Boy Harmeet, Good ol Boy Justin, Made Man Maury, Made Man BobSIPS – On this episode we discuss wines from Fillaboa, BACA, Walt and Hall. From the crisp, refreshing notes of the Philiboa Albariño to the rich, complex layers of the Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon, this episode is a journey through the vineyards of excellence. Tune in as the cellar doors swing open, revealing the secrets behind each vintage, and discover whether these wines deserve a toast or a roast in the world of oenophiles. We will be discussing this wine and rating them from 1-5 with 5 being the best:05:09 Fillaboa Albarino 2022                                                        3 SIPS10:48 Fillaboa Seleccion Finca Monte Alto Albarino 2020 4 SIPS17:40 BACA Homebase Zinfandel 2019                                      4 SIPS23:07 Walt Pinot Noir La Brisa Sonoma Coast 2021                  4 SIPS28:36 Walt Pinot Noir Blue Jay Anderson Valley 2021                  4 SIPS36:14 Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019                           4 SIPS45:16 Kathryn Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019            5 SIPSinfo@sipssudsandsmokes.com X- @sipssudssmokes IG/FB - @sipssudsandsmokes Sips, Suds, & Smokes® is produced by One Tan Hand Productions using the power of beer, whiskey, and golf. Available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart, and nearly anywhere you can find a podcast.Enjoying that cool Outro Music, it's from Woods & Whitehead – Back Roads Download your copy here:https://amzn.to/2XblorcThe easiest way to find this award winning podcast on your phone is ask Alexa, Siri or Google, “Play Podcast , Sips, Suds, & Smokes” Credits:TITLE: Maxwell SwingPERFORMED BY: Texas GypsiesCOMPOSED BY: Steven R Curry (BMI)PUBLISHED BY: Alliance AudioSparx (BMI)COURTESY OF: AudioSparx TITLE: FlapperjackPERFORMED BY: Texas GypsiesCOMPOSED BY: Steven R Curry (BMI)PUBLISHED BY: Alliance AudioSparx (BMI)COURTESY OF: AudioSparx TITLE: Back RoadsPERFORMED BY: Woods & WhiteheadCOMPOSED BY: Terry WhiteheadPUBLISHED BY: Terry WhiteheadCOURTESY OF: Terry WhiteheadPost production services : Pro Podcast SolutionsAdvertising sales: Contact us directlyContent hosting services: Audioport, Earshot, Radio4All, & PodBeanAlbariño, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Wine Tasting, Wine Reviews, Napa Valley, Sonoma Coast, Wine Pairing, Vineyards, Wine Ratings, Wine Connoisseurs, Wine Podcast, Wine Enthusiasts, Wine Exploration, Wine Terroir, Wine Varietals, Wine Appreciation, Vintage WinesBaca Wines[Baca Wines Website](https://www.bacawines.com) Walt Wines[Walt Wines Website](https://www.waltwines.com) Hall Wines[Hall Wines Website](https://www.hallwines.com)

Peaks & Tides Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021- A Good $12.99 Aldi Wine!The Sonoma Coast is an elite Pinot Noir growing region.This $12.99 Aldo Pinot Noir is not made in the same way as the $65  Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, but it is a legit drink it now Pinot Noir!It is a  solid, very drinkable, Sonoma Coast Pinot.For more information check out  https://cheapwinefinder.com/ and of course, listen to the BEST value-priced Podcast !!Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.comor email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com

Hear about travel to the wine region Sonoma County in California as the Amateur Traveler talks to Brooke Herron about this popular tourism region where she grew up. https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-sonoma-county/ Why should someone travel to Sonoma County? Brooke says, "A myriad of reasons, in my opinion beyond wine. It is an absolutely stunning region from an outdoors perspective. You've got the coast, you've got hiking trails, mountains, hills and then you've got also lots of farms, distilleries, breweries, cideries. And what I loved the most about living there for 20 years and now coming back home to it on a regular basis is really first, the outdoors and the beauty, right? The access to the ocean and trees. And then next, of course, the fact that you can get amazing food, and craft drinks everywhere." Brooke lays out a 5-day itinerary: Day One: The Sonoma Coast The first day begins on the breathtaking Sonoma Coast. Drive along Highway 1, skip the touristy Bodega Bay, and head to Shell Beach near Jenner. Here, you can choose between a leisurely stroll on the Kortum Trail or a more challenging hike on the Pomo Canyon Red Hill Loop. Chris recommends history buffs take the drive up to Fort Ross which was the Russian presence on the California Coast. After the hike, consider a stop in Jenner for a smoked salmon bagel or clam chowder with a view over the bay. For dinner, Santa Rosa offers the Bird and the Bottle, a favorite, or a more casual option at Russian River Brewery. Day Two: Sebastopol and Russian River On the second day, Brooke will explore the charming town of Sebastopol and the Russian River area. The Barlow, an open-air marketplace, is a must-visit. Enjoy craft cider, spirits, and unique food options. Highlights include Golden State Cider, Blue Ridge Kitchen, SpiritWorks Distillery, and the recently added Rewind Arcade for a playful touch. If you're not into alcohol, explore Goldridge Organic Farms for olive oil tastings and Bohemian Creamery for a delightful cheese experience. For wine enthusiasts, Horse and Plow, Dutton Estate Winery, and the unique Radio Coteau are recommended stops. Day Three: Relaxing in Petaluma On the third day, Brooke recommends a leisurely drive to Petaluma. Explore the historic downtown, and if in the mood for seafood, the Shuckery is a great choice. For a more casual experience, Brewster's Beer Garden offers a relaxed atmosphere with great outdoor seating. Accommodations in Santa Rosa can be found at Hotel E, a boutique luxury option in the heart of downtown. In Petaluma, Brooke suggests considering the charming Metro Hotel for a unique and affordable stay. Day Four: Explore Hillsburg and Windsor Brooke's top winery picks in Hillsburg include Idlewild Wines for unique Italian varieties like Arnés, Fresa, Dulcetto, Grignolino, Barbera, and Cortese blends, with educational Sunday events. Orsi Vineyards, a hidden gem in Dry Creek Valley, offers distinctive varieties like Sagrantino and Biancolella. Unty Vineyards, known for sustainable practices, provides a casual Rhone and Italian variety tasting experience. Gary Farrell in Sonoma County is recommended for exceptional Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, especially from the Russian River Valley. Aperture Cellars, known for Bordeaux blends, stands out, with a focus on texture. In Windsor, Artisan Alley hosts Two Shepherds Wine and Tilted Shed Cider. Two Shepherds offers organic and natural wines, including orange and skin-contact varieties. Grand Cru Custom Crush offers a diverse micro-winery tasting experience. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy Shiloh Regional Park's hikes and mountaintop views, while Riverfront Regional Park offers a scenic water setting. Brooke suggests exploring farmers' markets in Windsor and Healdsburg for fresh produce and vibrant atmospheres. Dining recommendations in Healdsburg include Bravas Tapas Bar, Willie's Seafood and Raw Bar, Valette Restaurant, and The Matheson. Lo and Behold is recommended for cocktails, and Black Oak Coffee and Flying Goat for coffee. In Windsor, Artisan Alley's Two Shepherds Wine and Tilted Shed Cider are must-visits, along with Pizzalea for gluten-free pizza. To unwind, Shiloh Regional Park and Riverfront Regional Park offer beautiful natural settings. For spirits, Young and Yonder Spirits and Alley Six Spirits in Healdsburg are noteworthy. Day Five: Explore the Sonoma Valley On day five, explore the renowned Sonoma Valley. Hike at North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park or Bartholomew Park. Kibblestadt Cellars, known for balanced wines, is a top choice. Prohibition Spirits in Sonoma offers unique tastings like Pink Gin. Bedrock Wines, near the plaza, features interesting varieties. Eldorado Kitchen is recommended for high-end dining. Café La Haye, Valley Bar and Bottle, and Sunflower Cafe offer diverse breakfast and casual options. Enoteca Della Santina is suggested for a relaxed glass of wine, while Winery 16 600 in Glen Ellen offers unique wines. Sonoma's fine dining includes Eldorado Kitchen and Café La Haye. Hot Monk Tavern and The Grapevine are casual favorites. Eldorado Cantina, attached to Eldorado Kitchen, offers delightful Mexican food at a more affordable price. Wrap up the day with tastings at Kibblestadt Cellars and Bedrock Wines. Brooke highlights Sonoma County's diversity, including hikes, beaches, cider, beer, and spirits. For planning, check Sonoma County Tourism's website for itineraries and information. Whether you are here for the wine, cider, and spirits or the coastal hikes and ziplining through the redwoods, Sonoma Valley offers adventures that bring you back again and again.

Welcome to The Black Wine Guy Experience! In this episode, host MJ Towler sits down with special guest Andy Peay, co-founder of Peay Vineyards, to have an in-depth conversation about wine, winemaking, and the unique journey that led Andy to where he is today. They dive into a wide range of topics, including Andy's background, his family's influence on his love for wine, the founding of Peay Vineyards, and the intricacies of winemaking on the West Sonoma Coast.From discussing sustainable food initiatives and organic farming practices to exploring the distinct qualities of their 2021 vintage wines, this episode offers a fascinating look into the world of winemaking and the passion that drives Andy's approach. Join us as we uncork the stories behind the bottles and gain a deeper understanding of what makes Peay Vineyards a truly special part of the wine industry.A Massive THANK YOU to Andy Peayll!!!This episode's wines: 2021 Peay Chardonnay West Sonoma Coast 2021 Peay ‘Pomarium' Estate Pinot Noir West Sonoma CoastTo learn more about Peay Vineyards, click the link!Follow Peay Vineyards on IG!____________________________________________________________Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers! Subscribe and give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show, sign up at Blackwineguy.comFollow MJ @blackwineguyThank you to our sponsor, Grenache Study. The Grenachenaissance© is upon us! Find out more at Grenache Study Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

VINTJS Redwood Valley Zinfandel 2021-Give it a TryThis is a Trader Joe's $9.99 wine.In the past VINTJS wines were $6.99, but in the last few years were wine from the Sonoma Coast AVA.Wines from the Sonoma Coast do not sell for $6.99, maybe $26,99 and up, but not the lessor.VINTJS skipped the 2020 vintage and is now back with this 2021 vintage.Seven Bucks Sonoma Coast Pinot is not sustainable, it had to end.But $9.99 Red Valley AVA Zinfandel, okay, that can be a thing!For all the details check out https://cheapwinefinder.com/ and listen to the best Wine Podcast for the details!!!Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.comor email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com

We're talking hybrid grapes and their place in the future of the wine industry. Kathryn explains native vs hybrid grapes, where they grow, and why they require less maintenance and fewer chemicals in the vineyard. The hosts open a bottle of Baco Noir from Sonoma Coast made by hybrid-champion Matt Neiss. The wine industry faces many challenges with climate change and hybrid grapes could be part of the solution. Tug asks: why have people been averse to cultivating and drinking these grapes before? The stigmas are pervasive (the bottle this week is delicious!). In other news, the kids are finally all in school, even the littlest one. And their parents celebrate! Tug and Kathryn gush over a night at the Hollywood Bowl for The Sound of Music sing-a-long. The Wine of the Week is the North American Press ‘The Rebel' Baco Noir, Sonoma Coast, CA 2021. Follow Us on Instagram @Thelongfinish @esterswine @kathrynweilcoker @tugcoker North American Press northamericanpress.wine IG: @north_american_press IG: @vinous_california

Waves crashing on the sandy shore. The "noise" of the waves contain frequencies that can help mask loud sounds that stimulate your brain. The expectant rhythm of the sounds of those waves can help support a cadence that allows for relaxation and sleep to occur.  Recorded by Meghan Fohl. Part of the Music for Sleep project - for more information and to hear more sounds from the collection, visit https://citiesandmemory.com/music-for-sleep/

Three childhood friends, Occidental, West Sonoma Coast, Seal Team, Grand Cru Classe vineyard and interview with Christopher Strieter, CEO & Founder of Senses Wines in Sonoma. ON THE ROAD with MR CA WINE is about California's cool, aspirational lifestyle and awesome wines hosted by Chuck Cramer, a California native, living in London and is the Director of European sales & marketing, Terlato Wines. This is a wine journey covering the hottest topics in the world of California wine, chatting along the way with the key influencers in the industry who make it all happen. This week's episode includes an interview with Christopher Strieter, CEO & Founder, Senses Wine in Sonoma. 

Welcome to Episode 1556, in which Cynthia Chaplin interviews Michelle Schromm in this installment of Voices, on the Italian Wine Podcast. More about today's guest Empowering Change in the Wine Industry, For Women in Wine: Bâtonnage is dedicated to creating lasting change within the wine industry by supporting and empowering women at any phase in their career, through Mentorship, Networking, and Community Building. The Bâtonnage Forum was founded in 2018 with the intention of stirring up the conversation about women in wine. What started as a grassroots event attended by over 300 people, has grown into a diverse network of women from more than 25 states and 15 countries, in all stages of careers. With a constant focus on real-life impact, Bâtonnage launched the progressive and impactful Mentorship program in 2020, and in 2021 became a 501c(3) organization. Today, our network includes a large and growing community of more than 2,500 women wine professionals, supported by over fifty industry professionals who volunteer their time to support our community. Michelle has been an active member of the Bâtonnage community since its first annual forum in 2018. She supported the organization's Mentorship program for two years as a Level 1 and 2 Mentor (Marketing & Communications IAF), before being appointed as Executive Director in 2023. Her journey in the wine industry began over a decade ago in Mendoza, Argentina, where for over 5 years she led the Hospitality program at Pulenta Estate, as well as co-founded a nonprofit organization supporting vineyard workers and their families in the region's wine country. She returned to the United States in 2015 to work for Paul Hobbs Wines in various Sales & Marketing roles, including import and export management and finally as Director of Marketing. In 2021, Michelle joined the environmentally passionate, and largely woman-run, team at Sonoma Coast's RAEN Winery where today she serves as Director of Marketing and Direct Sales. Connect: Instagram: @lameech LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michelleschromm About today's Host: Cynthia Chaplin is a VIA certified Italian Wine Ambassador, a professional sommelier with FIS and the WSA, a member of Le Donne del Vino, and a Professor of Italian wine and culture. Born in the USA, she's lived in Europe since 1990. Italian wine, in particular rosé, is her passion. She works with embassies, corporations and private clients, creating and presenting tastings, events, seminars and in-depth courses. Cynthia is a wine writer, a judge at international wine and sake competitions, she consults with restaurants and enotecas developing comprehensive wine lists and food pairings, and she advises clients who want to curate an Italian wine collection. She currently works for Vinitaly International in Verona as a Project Manager, Educator, and the host of VOICES Series on The Italian Wine Podcast, focusing on diversity and inclusion in the global wine industry. Connect: Facebook: Italian Wines in English Instagram: kiss_my_glassx Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-chaplin-190647179/ _______________________________ Let's keep in touch! Follow us on our social media channels: Instagram www.instagram.com/italianwinepodcast/ Facebook www.facebook.com/ItalianWinePodcast Twitter www.twitter.com/itawinepodcast Tiktok www.tiktok.com/@mammajumboshrimp LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/italianwinepodcast If you feel like helping us, donate here www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/ Until next time, Cin Cin! Share this pod! Remember Voices is all about diversity, equity, and heart-warming personal stories about real people!

Angels and Cowboys Sonoma Rosé 2022-You decide Which Team Your OnThis is a Provence Style Sonoma Sourced Rosé.The Grenache (this is mostly Grenache) comes from the Russin River and Dry Creek.The Syrah is sourced from Carneros, Sonoma Coast, and Sonoma Valley.The Carignan comes from Alexander Valley.And all this builds up to a very tasty summer Rosé.For more information check out https://cheapwinefinder.com/ and listen to the best wine podcast for more information!!Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.comor email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com

Welcome to Episode 1503 on Italian Wine Podcast, today on Masterclass US Wine Market With Juliana Colangelo she will be interviewing Michelle Schromm More about today's guest Michelle Schromm has been an active member of the Bâtonnage community since its first annual forum in 2018. She supported the organization's Mentorship program for two years as a Level 1 and 2 Mentor (Marketing & Communications IAF), before being appointed as Executive Director in 2023. Her journey in the wine industry began over a decade ago in Mendoza, Argentina, where for over 5 years she led the Hospitality program at Pulenta Estate, as well as co-founded a nonprofit organization supporting vineyard workers and their families in the region's wine country. She returned to the United States in 2015 to work for Paul Hobbs Wines in various Sales & Marketing roles, including import and export management and finally as Director of Marketing. In 2021, Michelle joined the environmentally passionate, and largely woman-run, team at Sonoma Coast's RAEN Winery where today she serves as Director of Marketing and Direct Sales. Connect: Instagram: @lameech Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/batonnageforum Twitter: @MichelleSchromm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleschromm/ More about Juliana Colangelo: Juliana Colangelo is a Vice President at Colangelo & Partners, the leading wine and spirits communications agency in the U.S. Juliana joined Colangelo & Partners in 2013 with previous experience in events, hospitality, and nonprofit development. During her tenure at C&P, Juliana has led the development of the California office, growing the agency's domestic presence to a dedicated office of 13 people with representation of leading wine companies such as Jackson Family Wines, Far Niente, Charles Krug Winery, Foley Family Wines and more. Juliana has completed her WSET Level 3 and her eMBA in Wine Business with Sonoma State University, allowing her to bring a strategic and sales-oriented approach to communications strategy for the agency. In 2021, Juliana was named one of PR News' Top Women in PR in the “Rising Stars” category. In 2022 Juliana became a Vinitaly International Academy Italian Wine Ambassador. Connect: Instagram: www.instagram.com/julezcolang/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/jules.colangelo/ Twitter: twitter.com/JulezColang LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliana-colangelo-mba-04345539/ Website: https://www.colangelopr.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! Tune-in and hit the like! - Business, US Market advice, importing, exporting, business, personal stories and advice, plus she is very fun to listen to!

Scott then ventured into the world of winemaking entrepreneurship, creating his first label in 1999, S.P. Drummer, a highly acclaimed Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon blend, then Rumpus in 2007, focusing on Sonoma Coast wines. He worked diligently, entering new markets and selling wine through distributors, which brought initial success, but proved to be very time consuming and taxing. In 2013, Angels funded Scott's third label, Rox, then took on his other 2 brands a few years later. Because of your support, his career has taken off and flourished. Scott – who dubs himself a “one-man show” – now has three labels – Rumpus, Rox and S.P. Drummer – the latter which is a throwback to his drumming days in Williamsburg. Since his first internships in Sonoma County, Scott has studied Sonoma's appellations and investigated the best sites for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, like Petaluma Gap, Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast. He's also ventured into Napa Valley for Cabernet, Clarksburg for Petite Sirah and Tempranillo, and Argentina's high-elevation vineyards for Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay.With Angel support, Scott's making a diverse range of wines – his mom's favorite Sauvignon Blanc, four distinctive Chardonnays, Napa and Sonoma Cabernets, California Petite Sirah and Tempranillo – plus a collection of wines from Argentina. His wines are one of a kind, just the way he likes them.

Christi & Alex are nose deep in their glasses with this wine- exploring the possibilities & sharing their insights all while Making Wine Fun & Not Frightening!   It's been a few weeks, and it's hardly surprising that it's a bumpy road to finding out what this wine is! But rest assured, it's delicious, delightful and well worth the listen!It's wine o'clock, so Grab A Glass, Pop In The Earbuds, and Let's DRINK SOMETHING AMAZING! Alex has also added a cool link below the wine description where you can go straight to Wine.com to buy the wine! If you haven't got a local wineshop, just click the link "  | Buy This Wine! "!.....Flowers Chardonnay 2021Sonoma Coast AVA, California, USA100% Chardonnay13.5% abvJS93 WS92$48.99 average price Buy This Wine! Winemaker NotesAmidst the cold and rugged conditions, Flowers Chardonnay enlightens with a stunningly pure and vibrant character. At Flowers, the believe in crafting distinctive and complex wines that truly reflect a sense of place. With this bottle, they are pleased to share the layers of bright citrus-fruit and coastal minerality that are expressive of the Sonoma Coast.Flowers WineryOver 25 years ago, Flowers Vineyards and Winery pioneered the growing of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on the rugged coastal ridges of the extreme Sonoma Coast. Joan and Walt Flowers had a simple goal, to make exceptional wine that captures the wild beauty of the land and the spirit of the Sonoma Coast. This idea continues to drive everything we do - farming responsibly, harvesting by hand, using 100% native fermentation, and making wine with minimal intervention. Our unwavering commitment to crafting distinctive wines that capture the spirit of the Sonoma Coast has been the bedrock of our success, and it will continue to drive us forward for years to come.  Perched on top of soaring coastal ridges that border the nearby Pacific Ocean, our estate vineyards, Camp Meeting Ridge and Sea View Ridge, rise to impressive elevations from 1,150 to 1,875 feet. Flowers resides in the Fort Ross-Seaview American Viticulture Area (AVA), which was established in 2012 and located on the extreme western edge of the Sonoma Coast Appellation. Defined by elevation, rugged terrain and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, vineyard plantings are limited to 920-1,800+ft above sea level and are only 2% of the total AVA acreage.The Pacific Ocean is less than two miles from the vineyards, generating cooling sea breezes and coastal fog while the soaring elevations ensure abundant sunshine for a long, slow growing season. Together they create an ideal environment for elegant and nuanced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.Support the showLike the Show? Every Coffee Helps!https://www.buymeacoffee.com/DrinkSomething

Cloudline Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2021- Legit Under $20 Pinot NoirAfter 15 years of writing CheapWineFinder.com, I have figured out that my favorite wines are Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.Hey, your CWF why are you promoting expensive Boutique Pinot?Because years of drinking Trader Joe's, Aldi's, and Costco wines have allowed us to drink Napa, Santa Barbara, Sonoma Coast, Bordeaux, Rhone Valley, Rioja, and Sangiovese wines on the cheap.We have been drinking the good stuff we just didn't pay top dollar.So if you want all the details check out https://cheapwinefinder.com/ and/or listen to the best wine podcast!!!Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.comor email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com

In 2006 we began making wine in a garage for people like us — back then it was all about creating high-quality wines that go with laid back experiences, always bringing it back to food, friendship, and family. Fifteen years later, we've aged a bit, like some of our favorite wines, and we put family squarely at the center of all we do. It all happens within a vibrant and close community that surrounds the wine experience. From growing to making to drinking, we're honing our craft and widening our circle with each vintage. We're proud and humbled that we get to create small-lot Pinot Noir from the crown jewel Sonoma County sites in our own backyard. We can't wait for you to discover the unexplored vineyards of our Humboldt County roots. Delight in the simplicity of well-made wines, created and shared in kindred spirit with you. From unexplored vineyards in hidden coastal corners of Northern California…to renowned Russian River and Sonoma Coast sites, we create wines that combine character and approachability, community and drinkability. Every wine brings out the unique qualities of its vineyard and the personality and care of the people who brought it to life. Singular expressions of people and place, vintage after vintage, creating an outpouring of connection.

Episode 175  Sponsored by Ron Rubin Winery  Episode 175 | Rebecca Germolus, Wine Marketing Maven, Writer for Along the Wine Road Blog Wine of the Day: Pedroncelli 2021 Rosé Podcast Sponsor: Ron Rubin Winery 1:15  Along the Wine Road Blog - Rebecca is the Author 2:55 Rebecca does marketing and writing for wineries in addition to our blog! 8:57 We learn Rebecca's story about how she went from Library Science to Wine. 12:38 Pedroncelli Winery Shout-out! 13:34 Along the Wine Road topics vary - from history stories to learning about how to plan your trip to visit Sonoma County. 14:20 Making Restaurant Wine lists- a fun job, but challenging! 16:08 Tasting notes are divisive, but she believes that they're necessary! 19:56 Wine tasting and and conveying the different notes isn't easy. 20:31 Fast Five - Tiann Lordan Hartford Family Winery - Braaibroodjie  - grilled sandwich 24:31 Tasting notes take a lot of time and energy, but without them Wineries are missing out on great sales opportunities. 26:05 When Rebecca helps someone plan a trip (and she uses the Wine Road website to find the kind of wine that they like) she looks for the wineries that offer the most information 29:26 Rebecca wants everyone to know that Sonoma County is the Disneyland of Wine! (Or the Tilt-a-Whirl) 29:58 Appointment only is no more! (Mostly) Walk-ins Welcome! There are about 60 wineries that belong to the Wine Road that are happy to welcome you 31:16  Wine Road Insider! Check this out on https://www.wineroad.com/insider-perks-privileges/ Fast Five - Tiann Lordan from Hartford Family Winery - Braaibroodjie Ingredients: 1. Bread (sourdough is yummy) 2. Chutney - peach is best :) 3. Tomato  4. Cheese  5. Onions  Instructions: Slather bread with chutney, slice tomatoes, onion and cheese, put on bread. Have a fire, let it burn out, put it on a griddle on the coals, place the sandwich directly on the griddle. Before flipping, press the sandwich to make sure it doesn't fall apart! He would pair this with a Pinot Noir maybe one from the Sonoma Coast with some spice and earthiness. Links: Maximum Value Marketing Along the Wine Road Blog Pedroncelli Winery Ron Rubin Winery   Credits:  The Wine Road podcast is mixed and mastered at 
Threshold Studios Sebastopol, CA. Threshold Studios

It's time to give the people what they want! Believe it or not, this is the first time Kathryn and Tug have opened up a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon on the podcast! Kathryn tests Tug's tasting skills on the wine, and the hosts discuss the typical markers of this grape variety. Kathryn talks about the Sonoma Coast and what makes it a unique growing region ("refrigerated sunshine"!), especially for Cabernet Sauvignon. The couple gears up for a fun adventure in the music world. Tug recaps an amazing weekend in San Francisco. The Wine of the Week is the Unturned Stone ‘Spider Chase' Cabernet Sauvignon, Waterhorse Ridge Vineyard, Fort Ross - Seaview, California 2018. Unturned Stone Wine @unturnedstonewine (IG) www.unturnedstonewine.com Follow us on Instagram @thelongfinish @kathrynweilcoker @tugcoker @esterswine Follow us on YouTube @thelongfinish

This week we sit down with vintner Dan Kosta, who has built wine lists at high-end restaurants, developed cult wine brands like Kosta Browne and collaborated with celebrity chefs like Emeril Lagasse. His new project, Convene Wine, is a study in Sonoma Coast and Russian River Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The wines are elegant and expressive, the conversation is lively, grab a glass and check it out. [EP274] Website - www.dk-convene.com Instagram - @dk_convene

MJ's guest in this episode is the owner and winemaker of Hirsch Vineyards in Sonoma, CA, Jasmine Hirsch. In this episode, MJ and Jasmine talk about her family's history in the wine industry and how she became interested in winemaking. She shares the story of Hirsch Vineyards and the unique terroir of the Sonoma Coast. Jasmine discusses the philosophy behind Hirsch Vineyards and their commitment to sustainability. Why did they move to biodynamic farming, and how that differs from natural wine? They also talk about living in Philadelphia, Prague, and Amsterdam. This “Jawn” has it all!A huge Thank You to Jasmine Hirsch!For information about Hirsch Vineyards click the link.Follow Jasmine on IGFollow Hirsch Vineyards on IGThis episode in-studio wines: 2021 Hirsch Vineyards Sonoma Coast Rosé of Pinot Noir2021 Hirsch Vineyards Sonoma Coast Bohan-Dillon Pinot Noir2020 Hirsch Vineyards Sonoma Coast Reserve Pinot Noir2019 Hirsch Vineyards Sonoma Coast Raschen Ridge Pinot Noir2019 Hirsch Vineyards Sonoma Coast East Ridge Pinot Noir____________________________________________________________Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers! Subscribe and give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at Blackwineguy.comFollow MJ @blackwineguyThank you to our sponsor: Rare Liquid. Rare Liquid is setting a new provenance standard for the rare wine & spirits industry. Utilizing the untapped potential of Web 3.0 Rare Liquid is building a community of artisan producers, technology, and logistics professionals to serve the needs of next-generation wine collectors.Learn more at Rare LiquidFollow Rare Liquid on IG @rareliquidclub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wine Road Podcast Episode 170 Sponsored by Ron Rubin Winery   Episode 170 | Tiaan Lordan, Winemaker, Hartford Family Winery Beth and Marcy chat with Tiann about his love of nature and how it connects to winemaking, we sip on the Hartford Family Wines 2021 Land's Edge Pinot Noir, and we hear the famous owl story too.  Wine of The Day: Hartford Family Wines 2021 Land's Edge Vineyards Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast Podcast Sponsor: Ron Rubin Winery  SHOW NOTES 1:04 Seven years of Wine Rod Podcast can you believe it! 1:25 Wine of the Day: Hartford Family Wines 2021 Land's Edge Vineyards Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast blended from two vineyards. 3:55 Hartford Family Wines produces between 12 -15 Pinot Noirs each year and each are distinct. 4:31 What Tiann looks for when creating Pinot. Site first. Then tries to be hands off and let the site shine. 6:30 Hartford Family Winery tasting room is open daily from 10-4:30pm. 8:00 How Tiann got started in the wine industry. Went to University of Stellenbosch to study conservation ecology but then segued to wine. 13:13 The famous story of the Hartford Owl! Stay tuned for kid's book a plush owl ;-) 19:15 Tiann loves the terrain and landscape of Sonoma County. 20:17 Beth is a birder! Birding is for everyone. 23:14 At Hartford Court there is no cell reception— so that's a positive! Come taste and relax and listen to the birds. Links  Hartford Family Wines Ron Rubin Winery Credits: The Wine Road podcast is mixed and mastered at Threshold Studios Sebastopol, CA. http://thresholdstudios.info/

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  

Known for its world-class art collection and Pinot Noirs, Donum Estate is also serious about sustainability, investing heavily in integrated pest management and biodiversity. Dan Fishman, the winemaker, discusses the benefits and tradeoffs of moving to organic and regenerative farming with an IPM framework. From sheep, ducks, and chickens to mealybug destroyers, it's creating a diverse ecosystem that is improving the soil, vines, and wines for Donum.  Detailed Show Notes: Dan's background - Donum winemaker since 2012, took over farming in 2019DonumFounded in 2001 in Carneros to create the ultimate Pinot NoirAdded Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast vineyardsCCOF (organic) and pursuing ROC regenerative certificationIntegrated pest management (“IPM”) is a critical 1st step for sustainability; it changes philosophy from exploiting resources to maximize cash crops (conventional) to looking at the system holistically and thinking about the entire ecosystem (IPM)Not about eliminating pests but managing them and creating resilience in the ecosystemExamples of IPMSheep for weeding in winter - less tractor passes & fuel use, brings compost back to the vineyard, uses contract grazer w/ 500 sheep/herd, need sheep out before bud break, or they will eat green shootsCompost teas (biologically active sprays) - when used on the canopy, introduce microbes that compete w/ others like mildewChickens & ducks eat ground insectsCommitted to organics in 2019Stopped using herbicides, which kill weeds but also other fungi in soil; stopping created living soils, insect life returned right awayWithout synthetic nitrogen, we need to get the nitrogen cycle back (e.g., sheep compost helps)Benefits of IPMReduced vigor reduced the need to crop thin and hedge, which was done before to get to target yields, therefore no reduction in overall crop yieldsImproved grape chemistry - 7-8 years ago harvested at 25+ Brix to get phenolic ripeness with 3.7-3.8 pH and 4-5 g/L TA; 2022 - 23-23.5 Brix, 3.5 pH, 5.6-6+ g/L TA -> less work needed in wineryCan ferment with native yeasts (not killed by sprays)Increased vineyard lifespan - vines can live 50-60 years vs. 25-30 typically in Sonoma for Pinot NoirReduced cost of synthetic fertilizersCosts of IPMSome upfront investment, e.g., Clemens weed knife for under-vine weed management instead of spraying RoundupMore monitoring of vineyard, e.g., people monitoring for mealy bugs, which are then treated with an organic essential oilEstimates ~5-7% more expensive vs. conventional farmingThe highest impact process was getting rid of herbicidesOther elements usedRoot Applied Sciences - monitoring stations that check for mildew spores reduce organic sprays by 20%, kill less yeast in the vineyardVineView aerial mapping to identify potential problemsWater probes to monitor vine stress to determine irrigation needsBiodiversityCover crops, every 6th row is a native wildflower encouraging native insectsIntroduce predators - e.g., wasps & mealybug destroyers to reduce mealy bugsEncourage raptors with owl boxes and raptor perches to help control moles & gophersNext for IPM and biodiversity at Donum - more chickens & ducks, may own a small flock of sheep, and set up a truffle grove Get access to library episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recently I was introduced to the wines of Copper Cane and Joesph J. Wagner. After visiting their warehouse, I have done features with Valette Healdsburg with these great California wines. In this feature we will open two of these wines and look at the websites to give you insight into the world class wines we have here. We have featured Valette Healdsburg, many times recently and feel this is a great match of world class wines and cuisine. first let's look at the tasting notes from the winemaker and then introduce our great friends at Valette. Our first wine is The Napa Valley Chardonnay from QuiltWines. Aromas of ripe pears, roasted almonds, buttered toast, honey, lychee, jasmine blossoms, freshly washed river gravel, lemon zest. Flavors of baked apple with vanilla drizzle, pineapple-mango cream, buttered toast, salty popcorn and lemon curd with notes of nectarine and cantaloupe. Joesph has his own approach to these wines. As you taste through our portfolio of wines, you will notice there is a common thread of character that each wine holds, while also showcasing the region and variety. When Joseph makes the decision to harvest, he looks at measures such as Brix, acidity and pH, but also takes in the physiology of the vines themselves. So though our wines exhibit differences due to growing region and grape variety, they all possess a shared character based on our method for determining the perfect moment to bring in the crop. This wine was a great pairing and we actaully got two dishes to go with this wine. We will have audio features and a link so that you can join us as we paired enjoyed the best of the best. today we will also feature a great Pinot Noir. BELLE GLOS 2020 LAS ALTURAS PINOT NOIR Ruby red in color with fragrant aromas of blueberry pie, dried fig, kola nut and hints of coffee grounds. Dark berry fruit on the palate with flavors of blackberry pie, black cherry, creamy milk chocolate and subtle notes of nutmeg. Rich and structured, this wine has beautiful acidity that lingers through to a long, mouthwatering finish. the bottle is waxed and a beautiful package that would impress anyone on your holiday lists ! While each vineyard location lies near the Pacific Ocean, the climate differences are significant, varying with the amount of fog, wind, sunlight, and soil type at each site. Each Vineyard Designate is crafted to distill the purest essence of the locale into elegant expressions of California Pinot Noir. Owner/winemaker, Joe Wagner chose the name Belle Glos (pronounced “BELL GLOSS”) to honor his grandmother, Lorna Belle Glos Wagner. Lorna was a co-founder of Caymus Vineyards, an inspirational figure to Joseph and an avid lover of Pinot Noir. As a fifth-generation Napa Valley winemaker, Joe learned his way around a vineyard long before he was able to drink wine. By the time he was 19 he knew that he would continue his family's winemaking legacy, working alongside his father at Caymus Vineyards. In 2001, he created Belle Glos, with a focus on vineyard-designated Pinot Noirs from throughout California's best coastal regions. More recently, he has launched a number of new brands under Copper Cane Wines & Provisions. Joe has a keen interest in contributing to the evolution of the wine industry, by discovering new wine growing locations and through experimentation in the cellar. Joe lives in Napa Valley, has six children, and maintains a healthy balance between his family life and a passionate dedication to his business. We have sat down with a great friend GENERAL MANAGER / HARRY BRYAN. Having an incredible passion for memorable food and beverage experiences, Harry Bryan is the perfect addition to work alongside executive chef, Nathan Davis and owners Aaron Garzini and Dustin Valette. Harry re-joins the Valette team as General Manager with over 20 years of professional experience in the hospitality industry. Harry comes to the property from award winning Timber Cove Resort on the Sonoma Coast where he was the Food & Beverage Director. His management experience also includes positions as Bar Manager with Heartland Brewery in New York City, Bar Manager and Floor Captain of the Versace House in Miami Beach, and General Manager of Mateo's Cocina Latina in Healdsburg. Valette was born from two brothers' lifelong dream of creating a unique dining experience in our hometown of Healdsburg. Our goal is to provide a canvas for local farmers, winemakers and artisans to showcase their crafts. We will have two audio links at the bottom of this feature. Click on the link and join us as we pair these great wines with many dishes from this great restaurant. Cheers! Click here and join us as we enjoy great food and wine . Click here and join us as we enjoy great food and wine .

Molly talks with author Daisy Bateman about her book, "A Dismal Harvest".   Order "A Dismal Harvest" from an independent bookseller at this link: https://bookshop.org/a/10588/9781645060383 or at Amazon right here https://amzn.to/3EIpOeP ABOUT A DISMAL HARVEST Autumn on the Sonoma Coast. A welcome chill is whipping through the crisp Pacific air, but something else is stirring in this rural California town… Witty and down-to-earth Claudia Simcoe is sure that the gourmet harvest dinner being held at her artisan marketplace will wipe away any memories of the unpleasantness last summer. Not to mention give her a chance to figure out the bewildering relationship budding with her craft-beer-brewing neighbor, Nathan. But rather than dealing with carefully curated food and cautious flirting, Claudia finds herself thrown into the center of a murder investigation when a secret compartment in her market is tied to the death of a local lawyer. At least this time she isn't the prime suspect. Instead, it's one of Claudia's marketplace tenants who is wanted by the police: the locally-famed cheesemaker, Julie Muller. Determined to help clear her friend's name—and to discover the history connecting her market to the murder victim—Claudia is forced to test her mettle as a detective once more. As she starts digging into San Elmo's long-buried past, she is confronted with Prohibition-era mysteries, shady land deals, and a small town bursting with motives to kill the crooked lawyer. But just as she thinks she's getting a handle on this investigating thing, another gruesome death brings Claudia dangerously close to the killer. The second installment in Daisy Bateman's Marketplace series delivers cozy mystery and charming humor as Claudia works to uncover the truth about the murders, her marketplace, and her feelings for her ruggedly attractive neighbor. ABOUT DAISY BATEMAN Daisy Bateman is a mystery lover, cheese enthusiast, and world-renowned expert in Why You Should Buy That. In what passes for normal life, she works in biotech. She lives in Alameda, California, with her husband and a cat, only one of whom wears a tuxedo on a regular basis, and a puppy on a mission to chew the whole world into tiny pieces.

Published with permission of Treasure Mountain Podcast. Please visit Treasure Mountain Podcast, Treasure Mountain website and Treasure Mountain facebook page. On this episode of Spirit Stories we have as our guest, Ayya Tathālokā from Aranya Bodhi Awakening Forest Hermitage in California. Ayya Tathālokā was born in Washington, DC in 1968 to environmentally-minded scientist parents. In 1988, at age nineteen, urgently inspired by the sudden death of an associate, she left her Pre-naturopathic Medical studies in university and made her way first to Europe and then on to India, entering monastic life as an white robed anagarika and then two years later undertaking ten-precept nuns ordination. Wishing to connect with the ancient lineage of the Bhikkhuni Sangha, she sought and found her female mentor in Buddhist monastic life in South Korea, the most venerable bhikkhuni elder Myeong Seong Sunim (和法界 明星), who gave her the name "Tatha-alokā", and went on to train under her mentorship for ten years. Returning to the United States in 1996, with her bhikkhuni mentor's blessings, in 1997 in Los Angeles, with an international gathering of bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, Dharma teachers and supporters in attendance, she received bhikkhuni higher ordination from the Sri Lankan bhikkhu sangha led by her preceptor, the Venerable Dr. Havanpola Ratanasara Nayaka Mahathero. Since then Venerable Tathālokā has focused on meditation, and on both the study and practice of Dhamma & Vinaya. Her meditation training in Theravada Buddhism has been largely with the masters of the Thai forest traditions stemming from Ajahn Mun Buridatta: Ajahn Maha Bua Nyanasampanno and teachers of the Ajahn Chah tradition, together with the Burmese mindfulness and insight masters of Sayadaw U Pandita's tradition and meditation master Pa-auk Sayadaw. Overall, her practice and teachings are profoundly influenced by the Buddha's own advice and injunctions as contained in the Early Buddhist suttas. Recognizing the growing number of Theravadin bhikkhunis and samaneris in the United States and the true value of coming together in harmony, Ayya Tathālokā proposed and participated in the founding of the North American Bhikkhuni Association (NABA) in 2004. Several months later, she also participated in founding the first residential community for bhikkhunis in the western United States named "Dhammadharini”. Ayya Tathālokā is the first Western woman to be appointed as a Theravada Bhikkhuni Preceptor, and she has contributed to the going forth and full ordination of more than 50 women as nuns in the USA, Australia, India, and Thailand. Ayya Tathālokā's primary role is as the founding abbess and preceptor of both the Dhammadharini Monastery at the western foot of Sonoma Mountain in Penngrove and the Aranya Bodhi Awakening Forest Hermitage on the Sonoma Coast in Northern California, where she provides Dhamma and meditation teaching and guidance, and monastic mentorship. And since 2021, she has been actively invovled in the United Theravada Bhikkhuni Sangha International working group together with other international bhikkhuni preceptors and leaders of Theravada traditions. Links from this episode: Dhammadharini Monastery - https://www.dhammadharini.net/ Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon. To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.  

In this episode of the Vint Podcast,  Brady and Billy are joined by Ken Freeman , owner of Freeman Winery and BNY Mellon senior strategist, aka the perfect combination of finance and wine. We discuss how he and Akiko acquired a Sonoma vineyard and winery for a steal and were immediately profitable (unheard of in the wine space), Sonoma Coast wines, and his work with regional viticultural organizations. We also cover his work outside of the winery, where Ken is at BNY Mellon and works with estates throughout Napa and Sonoma to manage the sale and acquisition of high-profile vineyards and wine brands.  Cheers!Contact us anytime at brady@vint.co or billy@vint.co

This interview is with Ted Lemon of Littorai Wines. Ted describes his wine journey, beginning in 1981 in France at the Université de Dijon where he studied enology. He talks about his experience working for a Burgundian estate and goes on to explain why he later moved to California. Even though Ted currently resides at his Sonoma Coast winery, he consults for wineries across California, Oregon, and even New Zealand. In fact, he was the original consulting winemaker for Gary Andrus at Archery Summit, and has also worked with Weber Vineyard and Fuqua Vineyard. Ted compares the French, Californian, and Oregonian wine communities and also goes over what it is like running his own winery. Later, Ted talks about his winemaking philosophy and his passion for biodynamic viticulture. He also speaks about generative agriculture and his vineyard management style when it comes to growing his own Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varieties. At the end, Ted talks about the future of Littorai Wines and what plans are in the works. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt over Zoom on June 6th, 2022.

Ayya Tathālokā was born in Washington, DC in 1968 to environmentally-minded scientist parents. In 1988, at age nineteen, urgently inspired by the sudden death of an associate, she left her Pre-naturopathic Medical studies in university and made her way first to Europe and then on to India, entering monastic life as an white robed anagarika and then two years later undertaking ten-precept nuns ordination. Wishing to connect with the ancient lineage of the Bhikkhuni Sangha, she sought and found her female mentor in Buddhist monastic life in South Korea, the most venerable bhikkhuni elder Myeong Seong Sunim (和法界 明星), who gave her the name “Tatha-alokā”, and went on to train under her mentorship for ten years. Returning to the United States in 1996, with her bhikkhuni mentor's blessings, in 1997 in Los Angeles, with an international gathering of bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, Dharma teachers and supporters in attendance, she received bhikkhuni higher ordination from the Sri Lankan bhikkhu sangha led by her preceptor, the Venerable Dr. Havanpola Ratanasara Nayaka Mahathero. Since then Venerable Tathālokā has focused on meditation, and on both the study and practice of Dhamma & Vinaya. Her meditation training in Theravada Buddhism has been largely with the masters of the Thai forest traditions stemming from Ajahn Mun Buridatta: Ajahn Maha Bua Nyanasampanno and teachers of the Ajahn Chah tradition, together with the Burmese mindfulness and insight masters of Sayadaw U Pandita's tradition and meditation master Pa-auk Sayadaw. Overall, her practice and teachings are profoundly influenced by the Buddha's own advice and injunctions as contained in the Early Buddhist suttas. Recognizing the growing number of Theravadin bhikkhunis and samaneris in the United States and the true value of coming together in harmony, Ayya Tathālokā proposed and participated in the founding of the North American Bhikkhuni Association (NABA) in 2004. Several months later, she also participated in founding the first residential community for bhikkhunis in the western United States named “Dhammadharini”. Ayya Tathālokā is the first Western woman to be appointed as a Theravada Bhikkhuni Preceptor, and she has contributed to the going forth and full ordination of more than 50 women as nuns in the USA, Australia, India, and Thailand. Ayya Tathālokā's primary role is as the founding abbess and preceptor of both the Dhammadharini Monastery at the western foot of Sonoma Mountain in Penngrove and the Aranya Bodhi Awakening Forest Hermitage on the Sonoma Coast in Northern California, where she provides Dhamma and meditation teaching and guidance, and monastic mentorship. And since 2021, she has been actively involved in the United Theravada Bhikkhuni Sangha International working group together with other international bhikkhuni preceptors and leaders of Theravada traditions.

Punch downs by foot, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noirs & Chardonnays and the CA list. ON THE ROAD with MR CA WINE is about California's cool, aspirational lifestyle and awesome wines hosted by Chuck Cramer, a California native, living in London and is the Director of European sales & marketing, Terlato Wines. This is a wine journey covering the hottest topics in the world of California wine, chatting along the way with the key influencers in the industry who make it all happen. This week's episode includes an interview with Jamie Kutch, Kutch Wines.