Wine Soundtrack - USA

What if the future of wine is cleaner, healthier, and more authentic than ever before?In this episode, we sit down with award-winning winemaker Vivian Valenzuela, founder of WOO GIRL! Cellars, to explore how she's redefining modern winemaking from the heart of Sonoma County.From vegan-friendly wines and regenerative farming to zero residual sugar, minimal sulfites, and single-vineyard expressions, Vivian shares the philosophy behind creating wines that are as honest as the land they come from. Discover why terroir matters, what makes a truly sustainable wine, and how lower-alcohol wines can still deliver extraordinary depth, complexity, and character.Whether you're a wine enthusiast, a sustainability advocate, or simply curious about the next generation of winemaking, this conversation will challenge what you think you know about wine—and leave you eager to pour your next glass.Don't miss this inspiring conversation with one of California's most exciting voices in wine.

Peltier Winery & Vineyards is a fourth-generation farming family operation where the winery itself was established in 2001 by third-generation farmer Rodney Schatz and his wife Gayla in the heart of California's Lodi Appellation. What began in 1985 with Rodney's purchase of 40 acres of Old Vine Zinfandel has evolved into a 1,000+ acre sustainably certified operation producing over 30,000 cases annually across multiple wine collections. The winery's product innovation spans from rare Italian varietals like Teroldego and Vermentlno to modern offerings like Zante-a carbonated rose designed for today's conscious consumers with less than 1 gram of sugar per serving. Peltier distinguishes itself through complete estate control from vineyard to bottle, pioneering sustainable practices including being among the first to achieve 100% Lodi Rules certification and installing an innovative worm farm water treatment system that reduces energy use by 95%. Looking ahead, the winery continues expanding into new appellations like Clarksburg while maintaining their core phllosophy of minimal intervention winemaking that lets vineyard personality shine. Peltier consistently delivers award-winning quality across price points from $17-$60, earning accolades from Wine Enthusiast, San Francisco Chronicle, and international competitions. Their unique tasting room features a 24-wine WineStation system that eliminates waste while encouraging exploration of their diverse portfolio, embodying their brand promise of being "wine-smart with a wink"-knowledgeable experts who don't take themselves too seriously while delivering exceptional estate-grown wines that reflect four generations of farming heritage with three generations currently working together.

CMB Family of Wines is a family-owned and operated portfolio of premium wine brands based in California’s Russian River Valley, on the Laguna Ridge at Martin Ray, one of the state’s oldest continually operating wineries.The portfolio includes Martin Ray, Angeline, Synthesis, Courtney Benham, and the newly acquired Foppiano and Vina Robles. Known for revitalizing legacy brands, CMB Family of Wines blends tradition with modern innovation to craft wines that celebrate California’s most esteemed appellations. With a strong commitment to quality, sustainability, and a family-first philosophy, CMB Family of Wines is building a dynamic future for generations to come.

Nancy and Garry Rodrigue started Rodrigue Molyneaux Winery in 2004 with a passion for making the best wine possible in the Livermore Valley – a cornerstone of California wine. Today, Nancy and Garry aim to share that message and their Italian and Bordeaux-style wines with visitors near and far. Twenty-five years ago, we reclaimed land from 120-year-old dormant vineyards because we knew Italian and French Bordeaux-style grapes would thrive in this acclaimed terroir. We started with a block of Cabernet Sauvignon, and soon expanded into more Italian and French-style wines. Barbera was our first Italian single varietal, and we believe what put us on the map for cultivating unique and hard-to-find varietals. We created an environment for our wine lovers to bask in nature with a California drought-resistant garden that continually receives accolades from local designers and horticulture specialists. When we first started, we sold RM wine mostly to friends. Now, we are proud of our loyal guests and Club Members who allow us to thrive and improve our winery at every opportunity we can. Our Tasting Room and our Clubhouse, where we hold staff and release events for our Club Members, both pay homage to the evolving Livermore wine story. Today, we still harvest and lovingly craft Cabernet Sauvignon and Barbera, along with Petit Verdot and Nebbiolo. For non-estate grapes, we buy only Livermore fruit, usually within a few miles of our winery, to support the hard-working farmers in our region. With the input of our winemaker and Tasting Room staff, we are excited to have planted more interesting varietals – Teroldego, Dolcetto, Fiano, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec.Raised among Livermore’s vineyards and wineries, Rodrigue Molyneaux’s winemaker Meredith Sarboraria knows what makes the wines of Livermore Valley special. Meredith’s years of experience in the Livermore wine industry allow Rodrigue Molyneaux guests and club members to savor balanced, aromatic, and surprisingly unique varietals.

We are dedicated to living a sustainable lifestyle at Retzlaff to honor Gloria’s vision of a balanced land and community. It’s common to see neighbors and employees picking tomatoes from the garden, or community members working hard with the family during the busy harvest season. We put passion into our wines from start to finish, and value sharing those wines and our organic practices with you. It is part of our duty to educate, conserve, and sustain the future, so please come by, take a tour of our vineyard and gardens, and enjoy our fresh wines. Listen to the honeybees, smell a rose, and relax in the lush, organic paradise of Retzlaff Vineyards.

Occasio Winery, founded in 2008 by John Kinney, is a boutique winery in Livermore Valley, California, a historic wine region with roots dating back to the 19th century. Named after the Latin word for “opportunity,” Occasio was born from a passion to revive Livermore’s winemaking legacy while showcasing its unique terroir. Starting with small-lot productions, the winery quickly gained recognition for crafting expressive, terroir-driven wines that honor heritage varietals and the region’s gravelly soils and microclimate. Today, Occasio remains a family-run operation, dedicated to quality and sustainability, with a tasting room at 2245B S Vasco Rd, Livermore, welcoming visitors to experience its story firsthand. Occasio specializes in small-lot wines, focusing on Rhone (Mourvèdre, Grenache, Syrah, and Petite Sirah), Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc), and Burgundy (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) varietals. Its winemaking emphasizes minimal intervention to let Livermore’s terroir shine, blending traditional techniques with modern precision. For example, the Cabernet Sauvignon showcases intense black fruit and structured tannins, reflecting Livermore’s Bordeaux-like conditions, while Grenache provides vibrant, fruit-forward excitement, broadening the portfolio’s appeal. Occasio’s commitment to heritage grapes sets it apart in a region often dominated by Cabernet, while the sustainable vineyard practices of its growers ensure long-term environmental stewardship. Occasio is exploring ways to deepen its connection to Livermore Valley’s heritage while embracing innovation. One such innovation was a return to crafting aromatized wines like vermouth. Plans include expanding small-lot experiments with lesser-known varietals, especially aromatic white wines, highlight the region’s diversity. The winery aims to grow its tasting room experiences, offering more events like wine-and-food pairings and educational classes to engage visitors.

As you drive through the gates of Del Valle Winery, you see our Sangiovese Vineyard next to our vine covered arbor, a very popular place to sit and wine taste. Walk up the few steps of the Tasting room deck and enjoy the Livermore sunshine. In the Tasting Room, you can sit at tables, stools at the bar or enjoy a private tasting in Bobs Boardroom. As you walk out the Tasting room, you will find yourself on our covered patio where our Friday Firepit Music events take place, weddings and private events as well as daily wine tastings and small plates and lunch from our kitchen. Our barrel room is a great indoor spot, and one of my favorites is our Secret Garden, a serene setting to host an intimate gathering. At Del Valle we focus on the wine tasting experience, with an offering of foods to enjoy and complement our wines. Our kitchen is open daily (Thursday thru Monday) and serves sharable items, salads, soups, sandwiches and flat breads. Our Sangiovese is made from our vineyard on the property, all other varietals are from fruit sourced in the Livermore Valley. Our 2024 bottling consisted of 950 cases, we have continued to make more wine each year since opening the winery in 2020 and plan to bottle 1100 cases this year.

The Caires estate offers spectacular views of rolling hills stretched out among painted skies, creating the perfect setting for growing the most delectable yet unpretentious wines California has to offer. Three microclimates and a diverse terroir, ranging from a low, cold creek bed to a rocky hillside slope — replete with an interesting clay and static soil makeup — contribute layers of complexity and depth to BoaVentura wines. BoaVentura wines are truly handmade. The grapes are hand-picked by family and friends, and Brett and Monique take pride in crafting wines that BoaVentura Baptiste de Caires would be proud of. After all, his spirit is manifested in the name of the winery, Boa Ventura, or “Good Venture.”

In 2008 Jessica Munnell approached Tom Merkle about working together to create a wine that featured his grapes. A partnership was formed that became Wautoma Wines – made of the best Cabernet Sauvignon from Wautoma Springs. Eight years later Rachel Mercer joined the duo and the three set their sights on increasing production and opening a Tasting Room. In December 2019, Wautoma Springs Tasting Room in Prosser, WA, opened. A small tasting space that showcases tapas, tinned seafood, local produce and Wautoma Springs wines.The epitome of a boutique winery, producing extremely small-lot, hand-crafted wines from people who know the business inside and out. This isn't a venture capitalist's or a lawyer's winery - not that there's anything wrong with that. We know the soil. We know the vines. And we know how to make good wine. Our story is in every bottle.

Tirriddis is a Washington State traditional method sparkling wine winery located in Prosser, Washington. Founded in 2020 by Andrew Gerow, Gabriel Crowell, and Matthew Doutney, three graduates of Washington State Universities Viticulture & Enology program. Our name, Tirriddis, comes from Tirage, Riddle, and Disgorge the three steps to naturally produce sparkling wines. Focused solely on this traditional method, we proudly implement ground-breaking and unique “non-traditional” styles to emphasize Washington’s world class growing environment. In addition to wine quality, sustainability within the community and our environment is very important to us as we strive to help represent and push forward the future of Washington wine.

The Martinez family planted a small vineyard of Cabernet Sauvignon in 1981 on the Horse Heaven Hills AVA (HHH’s) and are now a small family owned and operated vineyard and winery. They take pride in the family’s Latino heritage as the vineyard owner, Sergio Martinez; is from Mexico while his wife Kristy is 3rd generation Prosser resident. Their son Drew Martinez is the winemaker and his wife Monica the General Manager. Customers will find numerous artworks inside the winery representing the Latino heritage including Dia de Los Muertos art.The winery, established in 2005; produces their estate, old vine Dominio de Martinez Cabernet Sauvignon and May Mae Rosé. They also produce other award-winning reds like Carménère primarily from the HHH’s AVA and whites like Albariño from The Yakima Valley AVA. The family celebrates their Mexican heritage through experiences from the vineyard to the glass.Daily offerings include wine tasting flights and appetizers with expanded food options Friday-Sunday. Guests can purchase by the glass or bottle or venture out and try one of the wineries famous wine slushies. Either the original Rosé Rita or the new Mango Rita with Chamoy and Tajin.

At Gilbert Cellars, we’ve been busy reimagining what a winery can be! We think it should feel spirited, inclusive, and a little bit tipsy. A space where you can meet up, learn, party, relax, or just be. We make wines that pair with all these things. We find joy in being a part of this gorgeous valley, where we’ve long been stewards of the land. We love building this dynamic community, and sharing what wine culture is to us. As fifth-generation stewards of the land, we must ensure its viability for the generations to come. Washington State has just launched the Sustainable WA certification, which we are practicing, along with farming organically in vineyards where the microclimates make it possible. Our goal is to have minimal intervention in the vines, tending them for the sake of healthy plants and soil, and to minimize the amount of interaction post-harvest.