The Wine Makers – Episode 400 and DTC Reflections

The Wine Makers – Episode 400 and DTC Reflections

From The Wine Makers on Radio Misfits by The Wine Makers

February 13, 2026 · 2h 3m

About this episode

The episode celebrates the 400th milestone with reflections on California wine history and DTC insights from notable guests.

Four hundred episodes. In classic Wine Makers Pod style, this one sorta snuck up on us. Technically, we breezed past our 400th episode somewhere in the Monterey fog while recording at the DTC Wine Symposium. So we decided to package two of our favorite DTC interviews with two of our favorite people on the planet, Elaine Chukan Brown and Duskie Estes. Both delivered keynote addresses, bringing the outside perspective we love so much about this conference. Elaine took us on a deep dive into California wine history, showing how past challenges mirror today’s conditions and reminding us that this industry has always found its way forward through collaboration and innovation. Duskie’s story, full of grit and infectious enthusiasm, laid out a path to success built on perseverance and community. On the show, the conversations were mostly what you’d expect from old friends at a great conference; a chance to catch up, laugh, and reflect. To mark the milestone, Brian, Bart, Sam, and Jasmine sat down to reminisce about eight years and 399 episodes. We revisited a few favorites and took a moment to appreciate just how far this little project has come. Most importantly, we raised a glass to…

People in this episode

Hosts: Brian, Bart, Sam, Jasmine

Guests: Elaine Chukan Brown, Duskie Estes

Topics covered

  • wine history
  • DTC interviews
  • California wine
  • collaboration
  • innovation
  • milestone celebration

Keywords

  • wine
  • DTC
  • California
  • history
  • collaboration
  • innovation
  • podcast
  • celebration
  • interviews

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: DTC Wine Symposium

Places: Monterey

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