In this episode of Wine Road, hosts Marcy Gordon and Beth Costa (0:00-0:24) introduce the show and thank sponsors Ron Rubin and River Road Family Vineyards and Winery for their support.

They welcome Crystalyn Hackett, owner of Spicy Vines, as their guest (0:49-1:00). Crystalyn shares her excitement about being on the show and introduces a spiced wine she brought, which ties into her personal story and the origins of Spicy Vines (1:23-2:55). The wine, described as "Christmas in a glass," is a blend of Grenache, Zinfandel, Carignan, and Petite Syrah, infused with holiday spices and a hint of brandy, evoking cozy, festive feelings (2:05-2:33).

Crystalyn recounts her journey, starting with her time as a competitive equestrian in Germany, where she realized her entrepreneurial aspirations (3:08-4:46). After traveling and brainstorming ideas, she returned to California and created her first spiced wine, inspired by a drink she had in Germany (6:00-7:16). Despite having no prior experience in the wine industry, she spent a year perfecting the formula and navigating regulatory challenges to define and legally categorize "spiced wine" (8:03-9:22).

Crystalyn explains how she built Spicy Vines from scratch, starting with events in San Francisco and eventually partnering with her now-husband, Doug, who became the winemaker (10:29-11:19). Together, they expanded their portfolio to include Zinfandel, Syrah, rosé, and other varietals, focusing on high-quality, small-batch production (12:12-13:07). Their Healdsburg tasting room, opened in 2016, offers a lively atmosphere with live music, wine cocktails, and charcuterie (13:13-14:22).

Crystalyn emphasizes the importance of creating a welcoming, fun experience for visitors and wine club members, offering customizable memberships and personal touches like follow-ups and curated shipments (17:00-24:41). She also teases plans to launch her own podcast to share inspiring stories and connect with others (24:42-25:35). The episode wraps up with details about Spicy Vines' unique "winning cork" promotion and upcoming events, including their harvest release party and annual "Taste of Pine Mountain" event (25:36-27:00). The hosts close by encouraging listeners to visit Spicy Vines and keep it spicy (29:33-30:05).

LINKS:

Spicy Vines

The Gables Inn - the lodging property featured today

Wine & Food Affair - tickets to on sale today

Frick Winery - our last mystery "where am I winery"

Sponsor:

River Road Family Vineyards and Winery

Credits: The Wine Road podcast is mixed and mastered at Threshold Studios Sebastopol, CA. http://thresholdstudios.info/