I'll Drink to That! Wine Talk

Cory Empting is Managing Director of Winegrowing at Domain H. William Harlan, overseeing Harlan Estate, BOND, Promontory, and The Mascot in the Napa Valley of California.Cory recounts his memories of growing up in the Napa Valley and learning about winemaking from the age of 15. He recalls running around The French Laundry as a kid and helping out with a harvest at Forman Vineyard. He also talks about his first experiences at Harlan Estate, a property where he has now worked for decades. Cory discusses why he decided to pursue a career at Harlan, which led to being named the Winemaker of the property years later.Cory talks about Bob Levy, the Founding Winemaker of Harlan Estate, who Cory still works with today. He also describes working for Bill Harlan and Will Harlan, the owners of the property. Cory talks about the 1997 vintage at Harlan Estate, and his experiences tasting that wine over the years. He also shares some thoughts about the ageing trajectory of Harlan wines in general.Cory discusses the Harlan property itself and contrasts it with the nearby Promontory vineyard, then describes how the winemaking approach for Promontory evolved over time. This leads into a discussion of how the approach at Harlan Estate has changed over the years, both in terms of the farming and the winemaking. One key change has been the move to dry farming (without irrigation), and Cory talks about the implications of that shift. Other topics that emerge in the discussion include soil health, head trained vines, vineyard exposure, harvest date, native yeast fermentation, fermentation temperature, stem inclusion, extraction, tannin management, avoiding acidification, the duration of malolactic conversion, press wine, and the length of élevage. Amidst this discussion Cory emphasizes his respect for Bob Levy’s accomplishments and frames the shifts at Harlan over time as a natural evolution in a multi-generational business.Cory shares the terrible circumstances surrounding the wildfires in the Napa Valley in 2017, and what his family experienced during that time. He also grapples with how that harvest redefined his thinking about the winemaking. After that experience in 2017, Cory reviewed harvest records from previous decades and started thinking more about the winemaking of the past in the Napa Valley. This coincided with Cory having more encounters with older vintages of Napa wines.Farming is discussed in-depth, as Cory shares his thoughts on the language of plants and interacting with vines. A significant outcome of the work in the vines at Harlan has been earlier ripening as an outcome of dry farming. Cory recognizes members of his team who made key contributions to the work in the vines on the property, including the Castellanos brothers and Francisco Gonzalez. He also touches on the significant differences between different vineyard parcels within Harlan Estate, both in terms of vineyard work and exposure. The subject of multi-generational wineries comes to the fore as Cory discusses internal dynamics at the workplace between winemakers and ownership.In 2020, wildfire reappeared in the Napa Valley, and Cory made a decision to harvest weeks earlier than had been the norm at Harlan Estate in the 2000s. He refers to that decision as “an inflection point” for Harlan Estate and shares his reasoning in this interview. The question of whether wildfires are part of a new climate reality for Napa is addressed in this interview, and Cory talks about the relation of farming and climate to wine style. He also shares his thoughts on how smoke taint may alter the tannins of a wine. He closes with the thought that his team is currently learning and adjusting at a faster pace.This episode also features commentary from:Ric Forman, Forman VineyardKelli White, Director of Education at The Wine Center and author of the book "Napa Valley Then & Now"Frederic Mugnier, Domaine Jacques-Frederic MugnierSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt Dees is the winemaker at JONATA, The Hilt, and The Paring, wineries which are located in California's Santa Barbara County.Matt recalls studying plant and soil science, and then his first job at a winery, at Shelburne Vineyard in Vermont. He then describes a chance encounter with a bottle of Staglin Family Cabernet Sauvignon, which prompted a phone call to the Staglin family and a trip to California to visit. Soon enough, Matt was working at Staglin, alternating between vintages there and in New Zealand at Craggy Range Winery.Matt discusses various early influences on his winemaking, including Andy Erickson, Doug Wiser, Adrian Baker, and Michel Rolland. He touches on learning to blend for texture and structure, with an approach to blending for the mid-palate. Matt also notes the handling of press wines, and when blending decisions are made. He talks about avoiding blending for aromatics.Matt contrasts the harvest conditions in New Zealand and in the Napa Valley in the early 2000s, as well as the resulting wines. He further talks about how some of the elements of each can be found in the wines of Santa Barbara County, and about his own transition to making wines there at JONATA. He emphasizes the diurnal shift in Ballard Canyon, the difference between the daytime and nighttime temperatures in the vineyard.Matt speaks of Santa Barbara County - and specifically Ballard Canyon - as a young region, noting the wide range of grape varieties that have been planted at JONATA as they try to figure out what works well at the site. Matt also addresses the ageing curve of the JONATA wines. He distinguishes between ageing as surviving and ageing as evolving.Matt addresses the fundamentals of the wines that he is responsible for, including harvesting and winemaking decisions. He details his approach to picking Sauvignon Blanc at different ripeness levels for the same eventual wine. He talks about a purity of fruit as an overrated concept, and explains his approach to Cabernet Franc. He shares the nuances behind picking decisions for Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Sangiovese. He touches on the peculiarities of Sangiovese during fermentation and maturation. Matt also addresses what is necessary for a successful Merlot. He talks about Viognier, and whether or not he blends some into his Syrah. In terms of vineyard decisions, Matt discusses own rooted Cabernet Franc and Syrah, and what possibilities own rooted vines present. He talks about trial blocks of Assyrtiko, Picolit, Furmint, Xinomavro, and possibly Nerello Mascalese, as he searches for grape varieties that may do well in drought conditions. Building on that discussion, Matt touches on the characteristics of Xinomavro and Assyrtiko as wines from Ballard Canyon.After the owners of JONATA purchased further properties, Matt was presented with the opportunity to make regular trips to Burgundy, and to produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for The Hilt. The Hilt is centered around the vineyards of Radian and Bentrock in the Southwest corner of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation, in California. Matt talks about that area and those vineyards specifically; discussing the exposition, soil type, and peculiarities of the sites. He talks about the wines from Radian and Bentrock, which include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Syrah. He details the winemaking protocols for both the Pinot Noir and the Chardonnay, and how his approach to both has changed over time. He talks about what may happen next at the property. He shares as well a frank discussion of drinking windows for Sta. Rita Hills wines.This episode also features commentary from:Andy Erickson, who co-owns Favia Wines and consults for a number of other wineries in CaliforniaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Richard Sanford co-founded the Sanford and Benedict Winery and planted the Sanford and Benedict Vineyard. He founded the Sanford Winery, and he also founded the Alma Rosa Winery, all in Santa Barbara County, California.Richard discusses his sailing career, working in the merchant marine, racing boats recreationally, and as an officer in the United States Navy. He talks about his travels around the globe, both before and after his service in the Vietnam War. He reflects on his short time working in business and education, and then his segue to planting a vineyard in what became the Sta. Rita Hills appellation of California. That vineyard became known as the Sanford and Benedict vineyard, and Richard co-founded the Sanford and Benedict Winery with Michael Benedict to produce wine from that vineyard. They had realized that Santa Barbara County, with its transverse mountain range, offered opportunities for growing vines in areas cooled by winds coming off the Pacific Ocean.Richard remembers his introduction to wine and a bottle of Volnay, and his desire to plant Pinot Noir in the Sanford and Benedict Vineyard. He talks about the early days getting the vineyard going, in an area where Pinot Noir had not been planted previously. He discusses the geography and geology of the place, as well as the history of ownership there. Richard recalls converting a small barn into a winemaking facility, building the fermenters, and inviting his friends to harvest the first grapes from Sanford and Benedict. He also recalls the subsequent visit from the local sheriff. Besides the attention of the police, the activity at Sanford and Benedict also drew interest from wine writer Robert Lawrence Balzer, who wrote about the wine being made near Lompoc.Richard talks throughout this interview about both the agriculture aspect and the business side of making wine. He notes that tax write offs were an impetus for the planting of many of the vineyards in Santa Barbara County in the 1970s. He talks about the difficulties of dry farming and of organic viticulture in that area. Richard recalls meeting his wife Thekla during a fun sail. And he talks about the tough breakup with his business partner Michael Benedict that would eventually lead Richard to found the Sanford Winery near to the original Sanford and Benedict Vineyard.Richard recalls the Small Winery Technical Society, and the other winemakers in the group, such as Dick Graff (Chalone) and Josh Jensen (Calera). He talks about the role that that group played in his own development as a winemaker, and the camaraderie that he found amongst a group of friends who were also competitors in the wine business. Richard thinks on that period with a lot of fondness. He also speaks fondly of the period of time where he felt he was at the forefront of wine and food in California, meeting and sharing time with people like Julia Child and Robert Mondavi.Richard shares his memories of visiting Burgundy and meeting vigneron and winery owners like Vincent Leflaive of Domaine Leflaive, Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac, and Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Richard notes specifically what he learned while visiting Burgundy, and what he then brought back to his own winemaking work in California.Richard notes how many more vineyards had been planted in the surrounding area by the time he started the Sanford Winery, a stark difference from when he first planted the Sanford and Benedict vineyard. He talks about the shifts in ownership for those vineyards over time. He talks about adding a Sauvignon Blanc to his white wine lineup, in addition to the Chardonnay. He touches on the specifics of the Sanford and Benedict Vineyard, in terms of how the wines from there taste. And he discusses the elaborate construction of the Sanford winery facility, an expensive project that obliged him to take on an additional financial partner in the Sanford Winery and would eventually lead to Richard's exit from the Sanford Winery that bears his name. Richard is frank in this interview about the challenges he faced in the wine business during his career.Richard states that he has had to dust himself off and start over several times, such as when he founded the Alma Rosa Winery with Thekla after leaving the Sanford Winery. As with the winery projects Richard was involved with earlier, the Alma Rosa Winery is also in what is now referred to as the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. It is an area that saw increased interest from consumers in the wake of the movie Sideways, something Richard talks about in this episode. Richard would eventually be obliged to sell the Alma Rosa Winery, but was involved in planting vineyard parcels there. He continues to live and work in Santa Barbara County, an area which is now well-known for its success with the Pinot Noir grape.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dan Keeling is a co-founder and partner in the Noble Rot restaurants and Shrine to the Vine retail shops in London, "Noble Rot" Magazine, and Keeling Andrew and Co., an importer of wine into the United Kingdom. He co-authored "The Noble Rot Book: Wine From Another Galaxy".Dan admits to some of his obsessions, namely food and music. He describes how a friend's accident allowed him the chance to start a nightclub in Manchester. He talks about his early jobs writing about music, and then progressing to working in A&R for record labels. He signed Coldplay to Parlophone Records, marking a huge win, but admits that at first he wasn't that taken with the band. He then succinctly breaks down the elements that contributed to Coldplay's massive success. That success propelled Dan to a Managing Director job at Island Records, but eventually that career high gave way to a career transition, as Dan found himself without a job and wondering what to do next.Dan met his now business partner Mark Andrew at a wine shop near the Island Records office, and they quickly established that they shared a sense of humor and a fascination for the same wines. They went on to begin a wine magazine (er, fanzine) titled "Noble Rot" in 2012, working together on Mark's old computer. Writing for the magazine led to introductions to vigneron, some of whom joined the import portfolio of Keeling Andrew and Co. The magazine also led to the start of a wine focused restaurant group, today encompassing three Noble Rot restaurants in London. Dan talks about being a restauranteur who is not a chef, and about the emphasis of the restaurants on wine.Dan discusses how the writing and graphics in the "Noble Rot" magazine are designed to stand out from other publications about wine. He talks about contextualizing wine amongst other aspects of culture, such as food and music. He rejects the idea of trying to be objective or encyclopedic about wine. Instead, Dan emphasizes the importance placed on humor in his wine magazine, as well as finding insights. He further describes how he developed an interest in certain kinds of wines, favoring idiosyncratic and different wines over corporate, homogenized examples.Dan talks about wine tasting trips to Burgundy, to the Jura, and to Spain, sharing some of what he learned along the way. He discusses the pricing situation for Burgundy wines today. He also discusses the wines of Bordeaux, and of Greece. Dan stresses the importance of finding the characters in wine for his own work, and then shares some advice that he would give to the next generation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sandy Block was a Master of Wine who was also the Vice President of Beverage at the Legal Sea Foods group of restaurants, and an Adjunct Professor at Boston University in Massachusetts. Sandy passed away in November of 2021.Sandy talks about his rollercoaster relationship with academics: doing very well in school during some periods of his life, and almost flunking out of school during others. Sandy explains that he began working at a restaurant while working on his PhD dissertation. He would eventually abandon his dissertation, but pursue his interest in wine at the restaurant. He explains how he was given his first wine job in 1981. The only French speaker on the waitstaff, he was promoted to the sommelier role, although he did not know anything about wine. He looked for answers about wine in books that he would consult during his shifts. He found that the subject of wine encompassed many of the fields of study that he already had an interest in, such as geology and history.During his first wine tasting trip to Europe in the 1980s, Sandy discovered that wine was made by farmers, and that those farmers didn't always live in elaborate palaces or chateaux. He came back to the States more energized about wine at the same time that there was a greater shift towards wine in the wider American culture. Customers were beginning to show more interest in wine at the restaurants, with the rise of varietal wines by the glass and an increase in interest in opting for wine instead of a cocktail. In the interview, Sandy discusses the character of the Boston wine trade in the 1980s and later.Sandy talks about his experiences taking the Master of Wine exam. Having obtained his MW in 1992, Sandy was one of the first Americans to achieve that distinction. He talks about learning to pass the test, writing essays under time pressure, and honing his blind tasting skills. He remembers being tasked with describing one particular set of blind wines, which turned out to be Bulgarian. And Sandy discloses how he approached studying for the test in secret, among a small group of friends who divided the study responsibilities. He then discusses how that study regime was eventually developed into a curriculum that he taught about wine with some of his fellow test takers - Alex Murray and Bill Nesto - at Boston University in Massachusetts. Sandy divulges the typical student profile of a wine class. He speaks about having the context to understand what a good wine is, an emphasis on value wines, and having some resistance to the winemaking trends of the 1990s. Sandy describes a cultural history of wine where wine has been understood as a food much longer than it has been viewed as a connoisseur's beverage.He discusses the rise of countries like Chile, Argentina, and Australia on the global wine market, the importation of Portuguese wines into the United States, and the difference between working in restaurants and working in wine distribution or import. He also addresses what qualities he used to evaluate potential hires at the restaurant group where he oversaw the beverage program. And he answers the questions frequently asked by his students, including "How does one get into the wine business?" and "How does one succeed in the wine business?" He also contrasts the interest shown in wine by young Americans today with that of their parents.This episode features commentary from:David Wrigley, MWSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alicia Towns Franken is a Co-Founder of Towns Wine Co. and the Executive Director of Wine Unify.Alicia discusses her upbringing in Chicago and her introduction to wine in college. She then segways into describing her role as the Head Sommelier at Grill 23 & Bar in Boston, Massachusetts during the 1990s and early 2000s. Alicia talks about the bigger themes of her career, including inclusion, mentorship, building community, being hospitable, building long term relationships, and being a woman supportive of other women. She also talks about the differences between the 1990s and now in the wine world.Alicia details how the experiences in her life affected and shaped her work, and how she organized her life as a parent raising two children. She identifies the connecting thread of her mentorship in the wine world and the parenting in her personal life. She discusses what makes a good mentor, and what support and scaffolding can achieve for mentees. She further addresses the challenges and rewards of personal and work transitions. Alicia stresses the importance of education, as well as the need to welcome more people into the wine world.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jean-Emmanuel Simond is a writer and wine critic for "La Revue du vin de France", covering the Côte de Nuits of Burgundy and Alsace. He is also a co-owner of wine importer Oenotropie. He is based in Paris, France.Jean-Emmanuel describes a chance introduction to fine, old wine and the subsequent revelation he had about wine. He discusses a key period for his wine experience that happened while he was living in New York City in the late 1990s, where he met Joe Dressner. He explains that in his role selling bottles from Natural wine pioneers to restaurants and wine shops in Manhattan that he learned about the wine philosophy and outlook of Joe Dressner and the vigneron he represented, at a time when there were few Natural wine producers. Jean-Emmanuel talks about tasting little known wines from the Loire Valley and the south of France, and how he recognized those as something artisanal and local, and wines with a sense of place.Jean-Emmanuel next describes his transition back to France, and then to writing and reviewing wine for "La Revue du vin de France" magazine, something he has done since 2005. He emphasizes that he is drawn to the side of wine writing that is about making discoveries, while covering diverse regions like the Côte de Nuits and Alsace. He contrasts the positions of Burgundy and Alsace in the market, with strong demand following the wines of Burgundy, but with Alsace being perceived as stylistically out of fashion, despite the emphasis on organic and Biodynamic farming there. Jean-Emmanuel goes on to describe a global fashion for lean, crisp white wines drunk too young, a trend which he finds frustrating. He cites a lack of aged white wine bottles on restaurant wine lists and suggests that white wine producers should hold back bottles longer in their own cellars. He then goes on to suggest that a fashion for underripe white wines from across many different wine regions has resulted in white wines that have been made in a way that emphasizes acidity over ageability, arguing that white wines from riper vintages will age better.Jean-Emmanuel strongly believes that global warming has helped improve the quality of Pinot Noir grapes for red Burgundy today, and he discusses this while comparing and contrasting the red Burgundy vintages of 2019, 2020, and 2021. He addresses the role of chaptalization in Burgundy today, and also raises that point that with climate change and riper grapes, the growers are finding that they cannot work in the same way that they used to. He postulates that more acidity in wines can result from adjusting work in the vineyards. He also covers current trends for red Burgundy in whole cluster use and for the level of extraction. He touches on how the timing of malolactic conversion can affect the build of a red Burgundy. He also describes how adjustments to canopy and trellising in the vineyards may affect wine quality and texture. He further touches on the importance of lees contact for red Burgundy, and how Burgundians are moving away from pumping grapes and juice, and towards an increased interest in bottling barrel by barrel. He talks about learning about wine by tasting in Burgundy cellars, and what that has been like for him. He also postulates more unpredictability and small yields in Burgundy in the future, as a result of further climate change.Jean-Emmanuel highlights the quality and value of Pinot Noir from Alsace today, suggesting that this is not always noticed because of the image of the region for white wines. He covers some of the different styles of Pinot Noir being made in Alsace today, and talks about why consumers should buy them.He also discusses his import business, which imports Italian wines into France for French consumers.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick Campbell was the owner of Laurel Glen Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain in California, a winery he sold in 2011. He began the Tierra Divina Vineyards company, which encompasses the Terra Rosa, REDS, !ZaZin, and Tierra Divina wine labels, among others. The Tierra Divina Vineyards brands include wine labels from Lodi in California, from Argentina, and previously from Chile.Patrick talks about growing up in Southern California in the 1950s and 60s, and his early experiences drinking wine with his family as a teenager. He talks about visiting wineries in the Cucamonga Valley of California during the period of the time when that was a prominent appellation for California wine production. And he sums up the kind of wines that were being made in the Cucamonga Valley area at that time.Patrick talks about his increasing engagement with his religious feelings, which would eventually lead him to study the Philosophy of Religion at Harvard University, and to then join a Zen Buddhist Center in Sonoma, California. He makes a connection between religious feeling and farming, and talks about his work pruning old vine Palomino at the Zen Center. When a vineyard then came up for sale near the Zen Center on Sonoma Mountain, Patrick bought it and expanded the acreage. In the process he learned about the history of immigration to Sonoma Mountain, spoke with many of the interesting characters who called the Mountain home, and took an increasing interest in wines from the area.Patrick describes the vine growing conditions of Sonoma Mountain, and discusses his early days as a grape grower in the late 1970s. He talks about learning how to prune. He contrasts his business experiences with Chateau St. Jean with the more positive outcome he had selling grapes to Kenwood Vineyards. He discusses the vintages of the 1970s and 1980s on Sonoma Mountain, some of which were more successful than others. And he details his shift from just selling grapes to then making wine and selling it under his own label.The grape material at Laurel Glen and the Laurel Glen clone are discussed, and so are the market preferences for California wine in the 1980s. Patrick talks about the setup of his winery in the early days, and details his use of punching down to maximize contact between juice and skins. He also stresses the importance of tannin management when dealing with Mountain Cabernet. He emphasizes that he is not a university trained winemaker, and talks about winemaking as a process of controlled spoilage. He explains facets of his technique, such as his approach to maceration, pressing, and cooperage at the time. And then the conversation takes a turn, as Patrick describes his increasing interest in bulk wine, in marketing bulk wine from California, and then subsequently developing projects in Chile, followed after that by a long period of working with wine from Argentina.Patrick talks about Argentina as a relatively little known wine region at the time he first visited it, and shares his experience of first trying a wine from Malbec. He then covers the situation for winemaking in Argentina during that period, and the social, economic, and political realities that he witnessed as well. Patrick contrasts the wine culture and society of Chile at that time with what he witnessed in Argentina, and then describes the boom period for Argentinian Malbec in the global wine market, as well as what happened next. Patrick enunciates a philosophy in step with and taking cues from local winemaking traditions, while also being frank about his embrace of modern winemaking techniques and methods. He further discusses the market for the wines.Patrick's involvement with the push for expanded direct shipping of wine in the United States comes into the discussion, and he talks about the numerous strategy sessions, the different partnerships, and the approaches that were developed in the run up to a United States Supreme Court verdict on the question of direct shipping from wineries to out of state customers. He then addresses the ramifications of that 2005 decision on the wine market of today,There is a forthright discussion about Patrick's decision to sell Laurel Glen Vineyard, as well as some sage advice for young people just starting out in the winemaking business today. Patrick also speaks about the severe illness that left him partially paralyzed for life, with limited mobility.Erin Scala also describes in this episode the background to Granholm v. Heald, the US Supreme Court decision which had large ramifications for direct shipping of wine inside in the United States after it was decided in 2005. This was the court case in which Patrick Campbell was involved, along with a group of other people who were looking for the expansion of direct shipping opportunities for wine.This episode features commentary from:Mike Chelini, formerly winemaker at Stony Hill VineyardRay Coursen, founding winemaker at Elyse WineryRandall Grahm, founding winemaker at Bonny Doon VineyardJoel Peterson, founding winemaker at Ravenswood WineryDavid Rafanelli, A. Rafanelli WinerySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Erin Scala explores the wines of Pico Island, a part of the Portuguese Azores in the Atlantic Ocean.Erin puts on sturdy boots and ventures to the Azores to explore mysterious vineyards and ancient lava stone walls in view of the giant volcano on Pico Island. She explores grape varieties grown on Pico, such as Arinto dos Açores, Terrantez do Pico, and Verdelho, and describes the wines made from them. She also details local traditions associated with winemaking on the island, as well as the geography of the place and its history.Erin speaks with several different people who live and work on Pico today, leading a tour to many of the top wine producer addresses on the island. In the process, she also goes into specifics about what some of the top producers are up to in regards to topics like oxidation, reduction, pressing, and wine aging, touching on the wide range of wines on made on the island. Erin finds out about some of the distinctive vineyard practices on the island. She also gives a sense of some of the different personalities amongst the winemakers and vine growers. In the process, Erin reveals the renaissance of winemaking that has occurred in recent years on the island, as well as explaining what occurred to send vine growing into decline there many decades ago.Across this episode, Erin interweaves the culture, context, and history of this area of Portugal into the survey of the wines there. Listeners will hear about the distinct cheese of the island, the spiritual significance of the soups there, the effects of the vineyard walls, the impact of the whaling industry on Pico, and "The Year of the Noise". More than a sense of place, Erin also conveys a sense of the sublime. She takes you to some of the hardest vineyards to farm on Planet Earth, and gives you a fantastic sense of why it is important to do so.This episode features commentary from (listed in order of appearance):Vanda Supa, Director of Environment and Climate Change of PicoMonica Silva Goulart, Architectural Expert of the Pico Island VineyardsPaulo Machado, Insula and Azores Wine CompanyDr. Joy Ting, Enologist at the Winemaker's Research ExchangeAntónio Maçanita, Azores Wine CompanyCatia Laranjo, EtnomAndré Ribeiro and Ricardo Pinto, Entre PedrasLucas Lopez Amaral (translated by Paulo Machado), Adega Vitivinícola Lucas AmaralTito Silva (translated by Fortunato Garcia), Cerca dos FradesJose Eduardo and Luisa Terra, Pocinho BayFortunato Garcia, Czar WineryBernardo Cabral, Picowines Co-opFilipe Rocha, Azores Wine CompanyChristina Cunha (for her uncle Leonardo da Silva), Santo Antonio CarcaritaMarco Faria, Curral Atlantis WinerySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

George Skouras is the owner and winemaker at Domaine Skouras, located in the Peloponnese of Greece.George explains how his interest in wine first developed, and discusses his time as a student, working and living in France. He then talks about the early period of his career, making wine on the Greek island of Cephalonia. He describes a key meeting with Spyros Kosmetatos, which would lead to the founding of the Gentilini Winery on Cephalonia, and to market success for a white wine he made there. George shares some of the business philosophies that he developed at that time and which stayed with him later on.George then discusses his return to an area near where he grew up, Nemea, to focus on the production of wines from the red Agiorgitiko and the white Moscofilero grape varieties. He talks about his first vintages of making wine at Domaine Skouras, and about the resistance he faced trying to sell Agiorgitiko wines in the international markets. This last problem was solved by the addition of some Cabernet Sauvignon into the blend of one of the Skouras wines, a wine called Megas Oenos. That blend was a market success, and led to more interest as well in the native Agiorgitiko wines from Nemea. That interest was shared by George, who spent decades examining the different areas in which Agiorgitiko was grown, and exploring the different qualities that the grape possesses. George came to several conclusions about how to grow and to handle Agiorgitiko, and he shares those thoughts in this interview. He also describes the different growing areas for the grape variety. He then touches on a key change, the recent development of virus-free clones of Agiorgitiko. Further, George gives an assessment of his own wines from Agiorgitiko, and their development over time.George frequently discusses how both the Greek wine business and the international markets for wine have changed over time, and he gives an account of his own developments in response. He also summarizes his work with little known native grape varieties like Mavrostifo. And George speaks in some detail about Moscofilero, specifically about a darker colored variant of Moscofilero known as Mavrofilero. George talks about his early learning curve with Moscofilero winemaking, and describes the attributes of a Moscofilero wine from the Peloponnese.Several viticulture and winemaking topics are touched on in this interview, including irrigation, yields, elevation of vineyards, destemming, press wine, cooperage, lees contact, and aging.If you are curious about the development of Greek wine since the 1970s, this is a key perspective to take into account. George is one of a generation of Greek winemakers who have decidedly shaped the Greek wine scene of today.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Erin Scala explores the long history and many recent changes in the area around Lake Garda and in the Bardolino wine zone, in the northeastern Italy.Erin speaks with a number of different winemakers and specialists to clarify the situation around the evolution of winemaking in the Bardolino zone, from Roman times to the present day. She addresses the shift in the area in recent years towards rosé production, and explores both why this has occurred as well as the historical precedents for it. She enunciates how the wineries in the area vary in their choice of technique, and describes the different styles of the resulting wines. Erin examines both the shifting cultural and climatic settings for the wine production of this area. She explains how this Lake area - now well within Italy - was once at the border with Austria, as well as the recent effects of climate change there. She discusses the typical foods of the place, as well as the microclimate created by its defining feature: the lake. Erin also looks ahead to what wine styles may become more prevalent in the zone in the future.If you have not kept up with the rapid changes for wine within the Bardolino zone in recent years, this episode is a complete and crucial overview of the situation on the ground.This episode features commentary from:Gabriele Rausse, Gabrielle Rausse WineryLuca Valetti, Cantina ValettiRoberta Bricolo, GorgoFrancesco Piona, CavalchinaMarco Ruffato, Le GinestraMatilde Poggi, Le FragheDaniele Domenico Delaini, Villa CalicantusAndreas Berger, Weingut ThurnhofFabio Zenato, Le MoretteFranco Christoforetti, Villa BellaGiulio Cosentino, Albino PionaAngelo Peretti, author of the book "Il Bardolino"Katherine Cole, journalist and author of the book "Rosé All Day: The Essential Guide to Your New Favorite Wine"Special Thanks To:Irene GraziottoSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lorenzo Accomasso is a vintner in the La Morra area of Italy's Piemonte region. He has been releasing Barolo and other wines under the Accomasso label for several decades.Lorenzo discusses the increased interest in Barolo and in the wines of the Piemonte that has occurred over the last couple of decades, as well as the increased planting of vineyards in La Morra. Lorenzo talks about helping his parents at the winery in the post-World War II years. He contrasts the current situation for the wines with the period of the 1960s, when people were leaving the countryside to find jobs in factories. He also recalls the difficult growing conditions of the 1970s, and the changes in attitude towards topics like green harvesting and fruit sorting that have occurred over time.Lorenzo is clear about his winemaking stance as a Traditional producer, and touches on some of the techniques that separate his winemaking from those who operate in a Modern style. He talks about the changes in popularity for Modern and Traditional wines from the Piemonte, and how those categories have been perceived in the market over time. He also touches on the difficulty of changing one's winemaking style once it has been set. Vineyard work is discussed, and Lorenzo makes a distinction between his different Barolo vineyards (Rocche, Rocchette, and Le Mie Vigne). He contrasts the different attributes of those vineyard sites.Vintage evaluations are given for many years, stretching back to the 1970s. Lorenzo gives his frank opinions of many vintages, and at times gives his thoughts on ageability as well. Then he discusses some of the difficulties he has experienced when making wines from the Dolcetto grape variety, in contrast to Nebbiolo.This is a rare opportunity to hear from a Piemonte vintner who lived through World War II, and with that in mind, this episode begins with a history of Italy and of the Piemonte in the later years of that war and after. That was a time when fighting between Fascists and Partisans took a huge human toll, with many deaths. The capsule history then transitions into a discussion of the changes the Piemonte experienced in the second half of the 20th century, as emigration and industrialization changed the environment for wine production. Italian cultural commentators Mario Soldati and Luigi Veronelli are also talked about, as are the changes in winemaking that increasingly began to take hold in the late 1970s and into the 2000s. Those changes gave rise to different winemaking camps in the Piemonte, which are discussed. Eventually the market for the Piemonte wines begins to change, and at the same time there arrives a belated realization that climate change has altered the realities for vine growing in the Piemonte.This episode also features commentary from:Martina Barosio, formerly of ScarpaNicoletta Bocca, San FereoloBeppe Colla (translated by Federica Colla), the ex-owner of PrunottoLuca Currado, ViettiUmberto Fracassi Ratti Mentone, Umberto FracassiAngelo Gaja, GajaGaia Gaja, GajaMaria Teresa Mascarello, Cantina Bartolo MascarelloDanilo Nada, Nada FiorenzoGiacomo Oddero (translated by Isabella Oddero), Poderi OdderoFederico Scarzello, ScarzelloAldo Vaira (translated by Giuseppe Vaira), G.D. VajraAldo Vacca, Produttori del BarbarescoMichael Garner, co-author of Barolo: Tar and RosesVictor Hazan, author of Italian WineThank You to...Robert Lateiner and Gregory Dal Piaz for the use of the recording of Lorenzo AccomassoCarlotta Rinaldi and Giuseppe Vaira for their translation workChris Thile for voiceoverBodhisattwa for the whistling of "Bella Ciao"See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kevin Zraly is the author of "Kevin Zraly's Windows on the World Complete Wine Course". He is also the co-author (with Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen) of the book "Red Wine: The Comprehensive Guide to the 50 Essential Varieties and Styles". Kevin was for decades the Cellar Master of Windows on the World restaurant, located on the top floors of the North Tower of New York City's original World Trade Center.Kevin describes his entry into the world of restaurants as a college student, and how a series of seemingly chance events led him to study and teach about wine. He recalls trips to California, France, Italy, and Spain to visit wineries, and some of the standout moments in those adventures. Then Kevin talks about his short lived career as a wholesale wine salesman in New York City, and explains how that quickly developed into a job opportunity as the Cellar Master at the brand new Windows on the World restaurant in the late 1970s. His role at Windows brought him into contact with legendary restauranteur Joe Baum, whom Kevin talks about at length.Kevin talks about the philosophy behind the wine program at Windows on the World - from the selection to the pricing to the service style - and recalls a key trip to Bordeaux to source wines there with Alexis Lichine. He also explains how working at Windows led to his book deal, and to more and more teaching opportunities. Kevin became famous as a teacher and speaker about wine, and in this interview he discusses how he approaches speaking to a group about wine. He also recalls the origins of the New York Wine Experience, which he founded.The interview with Kevin goes from highs to lows, as Windows on the World is closed by a bombing in 1993, and then totally destroyed as a result of the 9/11 attacks. Kevin shares the pain he has felt as a result, and gives his rationale for why he might have survived while his co-workers perished. He also talks about how he has coped with the aftermath of those terrible events on a personal level, and some of the challenges that he has faced as a parent.This episode also features commentary from:Martin Sinkoff, Martin Sinkoff AssociatesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.