Another Bottle Down

On today's show, Jessica heads to the Napa Valley to sit down with Stephen Arnold, the wine director of Bottega Restaurant in Yountville, Napa. Stephen lives and breathes hospitality, and he's driven by a thirst for knowledge with the ultimate goal of elevating the guest experience at Bottega. Jessica and Stephen talk about all the ins and outs of selling Italian wine in California wine country, educating the staff and guests, and acquiring all the verticals and gems that make Bottega a wine destination. Check out more info on Bottega Napa

On today's show, Mark and Jessica have a meandering conversation based on some more abstract concepts that Mark has be exploring. While it was originally intended to be a conversation about learning wine and wine education, Mark takes a different course and explores the relationship between wine and art. "Do we find beauty in wine" and "can imperfect wines be attractive," are some of the larger topics Mark and Jessica tackle. Cited: What Art Does: An Unfinished Theory, by Brian Eno

On today's episode, Jessica is joined by the Marchese Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga, the current owner and managing director of Tenuta San Leonardo in Trentino. Over 1,000 years ago, San Leonardo was founded as a monastery, but it has served as the residence of the Marchese Guerrieri Gonzaga family for over three centuries. Anselmo elaborates on the winemaking traditions of the estate, starting with his father the Marchese Carlo being drawn to Bordeaux and eventually working with the Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta at San Guido (before Sassicaia was made). Anselmo is such an advocate for Trentino and the Bordeaux varieties in Northern Italy vs the coastal Bolgheri. Additionally, he breaks down the fascinating history of Carmenere in the region and his uncompromising attitude to creating an honest and drinkable style of wine. So many great stories in this episode, please enjoy! Fact checking: The weather is actually cooling off in Austin; we're currently experience a delightful Texas fall. Bordeaux and Coonawarra Australia are both Region II on the Winkler scale of 'Growing Degree Days' with Trentino being Region III on the valley floors and Region II on the higher elevation vineyards. Links: San Leonardo Website

On today's show, Jessica and Mark host a special episode with Mandi Nelson, president and founder of ATX Somms, on the upcoming event, Grapes for Good, benefitting the Kerrville Floods relief effort. On August 10th 2025, that's this upcoming Sunday, the Texas sommelier industry will get together at Wanderlust East Austin to show off some seriously amazing wine and celebrate community, and YOU are invited! The biggest impact will be to buy tickets; 100% of the admission proceeds will go to relief efforts. There will also be a silent auction and retail purchases with proceeds also going to Kerrville relief. This is a great way for the Texas wine loving community to use what we love and have it go to a good cause. Buy tickets and more information at ATX Somms.com Benefitting organization: Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country The Wine and Food Foundation is matching up to $7,500 in Ticket Sales

Mathieu Billecart, 7th generation owner and President of Champagne Billecart Salmon, comes on the show to talk about partnering in a new non-Alc project called Jukes. Mathieu has been frustrated by a lack of options in the non-alc space. For him, wine lovers who choose to abstain for a temporary or permanent time period deserve a beverage that provides an elevated tasting experience, similar to that of wine, but dealcoholizing wine is not the best option. During a recent lunch with Matthew Jukes, a friend and British wine expert, he learned what Jukes was working on: an apple cider vinegar based product with various blended fruit and vegetable juices. Mathieu was intrigued and a partnership formed. The second half of the show is dedicated to learning about the Billecart Salmon Prestige releases of Cuvee Nicolas Francois 2012 (Blanc), Elizabeth Salmon 2012 (Rose), and Louis Salmon 2012 (Blanc de Blancs). Jukes Website Champagne Billecart Salmon- Prestige Cuvees Mathieu Billecart's first appearance on Another Bottle Down

On today's episode, Mark chats with Matt Crafton, head winemaker at the historic Chateau Montelena in Napa Valley. Matt is the fifth winemaker at Montelena and has been at the helm since 2014 overseeing all aspects of winemaking, vineyard management, communication, and strategy. Matt and Mark delve into the history of this historic estate as well as the vineyards that go into the core Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. The conversation weaves in elements of the Napa Valley terroir, creativity in winemaking, and various challenges that face the industry in today's wine-loving world. Pertinent links: Matt Crafton's Bio Chateau Montelena's Website Napa Valley Vintners The Restaurant in San Miguel that Mark referenced: Naakary San Miguel de Allende

On today's show, we have Riccardo Fratton, head winemaker of San Polo in Montalcino, Italy. Riccardo was raised in the Veneto region but didn't really blossom as a winemaker until working in California. He was so impressed by the level of experimentation and a sort of freshness to winemaking that he brought those points of inspiration back to his home country. Meeting and working for Marilisa Allegrini, the Queen of Amarone, brought him to relocate to another Allegrini estate in Montalcino, San Polo. Jessica has spent a substantial amount of time in Montalcino over the last year and has the good fortune to taste the 2024 vintage and beyond with Riccardo. They talk about all of the particularities of Southeast Montalcino and the diversity and history of the San Polo Estate. Here are some pertinent links: Wineries of Marilisa Allegrini San Polo Montalcino website Jessica's article on the new Brunello FORMA Riccardo Fratton on Instagram

On today's show, Jessica interviews Gus Zhu, a Master of Wine and author of the recently published book Behind the Glass: The Chemical and Sensorial Terroir of Wine Tasting. Gus does an amazing job of breaking down complex topics involved in wine chemistry and sensorial analysis to be understandable by wine lovers of all levels. In addition to talking about the book, Jessica and Gus delve into many misunderstood topics, from volatile acidity and cork taint to cultural shifts of flavor and aroma preferences within various populations. In Gus's words, a deeper undertanding of how we perceive aromas will lead to a more colorful human experience. Purchase Behind the Glass through the Academie du Vin Library: Here More about Gus Zhu from the Institute of Masters of Wine: Here Gus Zhu's consulting company: Here