Grape Encounters Wine Radio

Did you ever have one of those days where you feel inexplicably strange from head to toe? Well, when weird is the rule rather than the exception, maybe you just have to go with it; swim with the tide and not against it. On this week’s episode of Grape Encounters, David decides to surrender to the strange world that Covid-19 has confined us to and take a deep dive into the weirdness of wine. Consider this. When the parents of Baby Boomers first began drinking wine, there were just a handful of choices. That was it. You didn't go to a grocery store and have an aisle that had 500 or 1000 wines to choose from. But today, not only do we have those grocery stores, we have package stores, big box stores and online retailers as well; all eager to sell us almost anything imaginable. Yep, these days, it’s oh so easy to get off the beaten path and out into the weeds where an endless array of offbeat wines await and, among them, there are some truly imaginative alternatives.This week, we’re going wonderfully weird with Wes. He’s been a favorite contributor to Grape Encounters from nearly day one. Wes Hagen wears a whole lot of hats and manages to feel comfortable in any scenario he finds himself in. Wes is a fabulous winemaker at J Wilkes. He’s also an educator, wine judge, AVA author, multi-brand ambassador, renaissance man and hippie, you can take Wes Hagen down any road imaginable and he’ll help you discover things you never imagined existed.

When we asked Wes to join us in a discussion about the weirdness of wine, he was all in, declaring, “Hey, I've been weird for 51 years. So I've got a couple extra days on you if you think it's just been weird for a year. I've been a wine professional for 25 years and I only know three things about wine. First, I smell it. If it smells good, I go to step two.... I put it in my mouth. If it tastes good, I go to step three. I drink it. And that's it. If you smell it, you taste it. If you enjoy the taste, you drink it. As a certified priest of Baucus, let me just say that he wants all of us to drink all the wines out there. And the weirder the wine we drink, the more we’ll understand those kinds of blue-chip wines. The Cabernets of the world. The Chardonnays of the world.”When it comes to exploring the vast world of wine, there’s no better travel companion than Wes Hagen. He’ll try anything twice. He always has an open mind and thrives on new discoveries. And why wouldn’t he? After all, he’s created a seemingly endless selection of wines that never existed before Wes and will never exist again. The moral of this week’s story is, “find something weird to choose and NOT tasting means, “you lose!”

This edition of Grape Encounters is brought to you by Total Wine & More. Just a couple of generations ago, you could have set ALL of the major wine choices available to you on a small table. Today, if you want to truly do justice to the world of wine, it takes several thousand square feet to properly showcase what’s available. With more than 8000 wines in stock at every store, nobody showcases the astounding world of wine today better than Total Wine & More! To check out their mind-boggling selection or simply get inspired, click here and we’ll show you something truly amazing!

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David is starting to become very encouraged about where the world is headed after 12 months of 19; Covid-19 that is.  He doesn’t want to jinx things but it certainly looks like the restrictions that we’ve all had to deal with for a very long time are starting to ease.  Yes, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. At least it looks like a light, but who can be sure of anything these days?  

2020 (and at least the first quarter of 2021) will be remembered as a master’s course in “Agony.”  Thank goodness that there are those among us who manage to make lemon méringue pie out of lemons.  This week’s guest, Allison Levine, is one of those alchemists.  She’s someone that David has been wanting to get on the show for quite a while because, if there was ever a person skilled at keeping the proverbial fires burning in a metaphorical downpour, it’s Allison.  In her capacity as a wine and food event planner, writer, consultant and podcaster, Allison can make ordinary extraordinary.  Her company, “Please the Palate” has an outstanding reputation for pleasing her peeps, which ensures that it’s never a dull moment with Allison is in the house. 

Now, even though Allison has taken “shelter in place” very seriously, she’s managed to multi-process her way through 12 months of pandemic with the precision and grace of a Cirque du Soliel performance.  Yes indeed, while many continue to wait out Covid, Allison keeps the communication and content coming… virtually and vigorously.  On this week’s show, she’ll explain why adaptation is essential when your regular gig requires you to be in all four corners of the globe simultaneously. Wait!  Do globes even have corners?

Nearing her 10th anniversary as a food, wine and lifestyle marketing consultant and event planner, Allison shares tales from her travels to wine regions around the world; filling the calendar with industry events where every teaching and tasting moment must be memorable.  Without further ado, let’s spend more than a moment with the inimitable Allison Levine.

This edition of Grape Encounters is brought to you by Total Wine & More. Just a couple of generations ago, you could have set ALL of the major wine choices available to you on a small table. Today, if you want to truly do justice to the world of wine, it takes several thousand square feet to properly showcase what’s available. With more than 8000 wines in stock at every store, nobody showcases the astounding world of wine today better than Total Wine & More! To check out their mind-boggling selection or simply get inspired, click here and we’ll show you something truly amazing!

Download this episode

Las Vegas based chef Rick Moonen has paid his dues. Recognized as one of the country’s premiere chefs specializing in fine seafood, Rick is remarkably humble about his assent to culinary greatness. He says, “I was lucky. When I was at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley) it wasn't known as the best [cooking] school in America. It was becoming one, and it really had the greatest chefs. I was lucky to be there at that time. Timing is everything. I was right in the curl of the wave on my board. You know, I'm not even a surfer. But when life just kept curling around me, I was ambitious enough and fearless enough, and I swam with the fishes in New York City and it became this network of things that were happening by just working diligently and putting my head down.”

Rick describes his rise to fame this way, “I worked at these small bistro restaurants on Madison Avenue where you weren't appreciated. You worked your butt off but, eventually, I got to the Water Club. Later, I ended up with a job at the Water Club on the East river; sister restaurant to the River Cafe, you know, and that's where I really got to run a place that was like a ten million dollar a year restaurant. Huge parties. On the 4th of July, that's where they shot off the fireworks for Macy's and it became these great orchestrations of major events and to be involved in that was such an adrenaline rush, you know, and after a while, you get reviews You know… you get great reviews like Gourmet Magazine… and all the magazines… and everything is pretty much consistent. And then I ended up going to Oceana; a restaurant that really changed my life. That's where I got three stars in the New York Times and became very well known. And we ended up with a public relations person that pushed me on to everything. It became a whirlwind!”

During the first segment of the show, Rick explains the slow but steady string of events that vaulted him to elite chef status. What’s so fantastic about this interview is Rick’s humbleness. He’s a guy with bragging rights who is as down to earth as your front lawn. Specializing in fine seafood, Rick became as famous for social responsibility as he was for his dishes. Today, Rick is known as the Godfather of fish sustainability and his commitment to the protection of fish populations worldwide is unrelenting. “Plentiful” fish and a “plenty-full” belly. OK, enough accolades.

So, what’s the number one, best thing you can do when you’ve got a famous chef cornered by your microphone? Simple. Ask him for as many fish-preparation tips as you possibly can. Afterall, preparing fish correctly is no easy task. Accordingly, we’ve asked Chef Rick several questions to improve everyday seafood enjoyment. Best of all, we get his wine suggestions as well. And Rick Moonen knows his wine!

This edition of Grape Encounters is brought to you by Total Wine & More. Just a couple of generations ago, you could have set ALL of the major wine choices available to you on a small table. Today, if you want to truly do justice to the world of wine, it takes several thousand square feet to properly showcase what’s available. With more than 8000 wines in stock at every store, nobody showcases the astounding world of wine today better than Total Wine & More! To check out their mind-boggling selection or simply get inspired, click here and we’ll show you something truly amazing!

Download this episode

David has not had this guest on for a really long time.  In fact, we dug into the archives and figured out how long ago it was.  We were shocked to find out that it was exactly 10 years ago to the day that we had him on.   Totally an accident or perhaps serendipity. Regardless, he is one of the most interesting people in the wine business and a wealth of information because he also has his own very successful podcast. He and his father founded a truly iconic organization and the name will be familiar because it spawned every other wine club in the country.  It’s Paul Kalemkairiam, Jr. of “Wine of the Month Club” fame. Paul’s dad started the club in 1972 and Paul Junior purchased it in 1988 and has run it ever since.

Just like we use the term “Kleenex” to generically (but incorrectly) describe tissues to blow our noses, “Wine of the Month Club” has risen to a similar level of prominence.  But there is really only one official Wine of The Month Club and we’ve got its owner on this week’s show to share a ton of information about the birth and rise of the most recognized wine club in the world.  And even though the name is trademarked, Paul explains why it’s sometimes wiser to look the other way than to engage in costly litigation.

On today’s show, you’re going to learn a lot about wine clubs, including how they became a $3 billion industry and how you can get the most out of them.  The fact is, nearly every winery has a wine club and if they didn't have one, they probably couldn't survive in this market.  At least not the small guys. That means an awful lot of wineries owe their success to Paul and his father.  No pressure there.

There are few people as plugged into the wine industry as Paul Kalemkairiam.  With those broad connections comes a lot of insight.  Paul is a wealth of information about product trends, consumer behavior and how to find great wines for a truly great price.  The best part is, Paul isn’t evasive when it comes to sharing what he knows, so give a listen.  You’ll gain a lot of new insight into wine enjoyment and acquisition in less than an hour.  That means you’ll be able to get more enjoyment out of your wines than ever before.  At a minimum, you’ll learn how to stretch your wine-buying dollar quite a bit further!

This edition of Grape Encounters is brought to you by Total Wine & More.  Just a couple of generations ago, you could have set ALL of the major wine choices available to you on a small table.  Today, if you want to truly do justice to the world of wine, it takes several thousand square feet to properly showcase what’s available.  With more than 8000 wines in stock at every store, nobody showcases the astounding world of wine today better than Total Wine & More!  To check out their mind-boggling selection or simply get inspired, click here and we’ll show you something truly amazing!

Download this episode

After re-listening to this episode of Grape Encounters, we can confirm that no kitchen sinks were discussed.  Everything else was.   This week, David’s very special guest is MaryAnn Worobiec, Senior Editor and Tasting Coordinator for Wine Spectator Magazine. After the show was over, David mused, “If we were given 20 hours to fill, it would have been a snap!  MaryAnn has been with Wine Spectator for 25 years.  There’s a whole lot to talk about, plus, I’m a big fan!”

And talk they did about a wide range of subjects like; creative wine enjoyment in a Covid-19 world, what we should really drink on Valentine’s Day, why we might not want to knock celebrity wine, lesser known sparkling wine options, what’s trending wine-wise and how much (or little) you have to spend for excellent wine these days.  And that summary falls far short of encapsulating everything covered in this delightful Grape Encounters session!

MaryAnn is based in Wine Spectator’s Napa office.  Like David, her original career path did not include any wine stops along the way, but things happen, right?  Both MaryAnn and David began their careers with a focus on the political world.  For David, politics represented nearly the entire first decade of his professional career.  MaryAnn, on the other hand, was so drawn to the wine industry that quickly worked her way into a prestigious position at Wine Spectator and never looked back.

Charming, down-to-earth and rich with insight, you’re likely to long for more of MaryAnn, too. Will there be a sequel?  David says, “It’s no more likely than me taking another breath.”

This edition of Grape Encounters is brought to you by Total Wine & More.  Just a couple of generations ago, you could have set ALL of the major wine choices available to you on a small table.  Today, if you want to truly do justice to the world of wine, it takes several thousand square feet to properly showcase what’s available.  With more than 8000 wines in stock at every store, nobody showcases the astounding world of wine today better than Total Wine & More!  To check out their mind-boggling selection or simply get inspired, click here and we’ll show you something truly amazing!

Download this episode

We might as well admit it... The COVID-19 crisis has made us all a little bit lazy. You know what we're talking about, laying around in our sweats all day long. Not shaving every day. Overdosing on Netflix and Amazon Prime. And perhaps the greatest sin of all, getting sloppy in our love affair with wine!

What does that mean exactly? It means NOT doing those little things that really make our wine experiences better, like watching the temperature, drinking out of a proper glass (and certainly not out of the bottle) and taking the time to really appreciate our wines like we used to. David says this episode of Grape Encounters is a reality check for both himself and listeners to not forget that total wine enjoyment means getting a few fundamental right from the start.

Also, on Episode 601, we’ll share some important insight into who and where you get your wine guidance from. There is no shortage of folks out there sharing opinions and ideas; but if you hitch your wagon to the wrong advisors, you might miss out on a lot of insight and opportunity that with really make a difference in your wine life. Remember; people who paint their houses pink love pink. You might find a pink house revolting. That’s why it’s so important to seek out guidance and inspiration from people who love what you love. Done right, you can have an army of super-competent people pointing great wines and adventures your way!

Today’s edition of Grape Encounters is brought to you by Total Wine & More. Enthusiasts often liken wine to a time machine. It can take you to places in the past where the spirit was created, without ever having to leave your home. Whether you’re sipping a Sangiovese from Italy or a Reisling from Germany, a well-shaped goblet filled with crafted, fermented grapes, can tell you a lot about remarkable places and spaces across the world. Dig in deep and explore; learn more about over 8,000 wines at your local Total Wine & More store. For further information, log on to www.totalwine.com. You can also do all your shopping from home and take advantage of our first class curbside pickup at your local Total Wine & More store.

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Just how much more can they throw at us?

These days, being a wine enthusiast is not without its challenges. Without a doubt, those of us who derive pleasure from the fruit of the vine are all about fun. We want to kick back and have a nice time, enjoy our wine and be joyful. Much to our dismay, however, the past year has been a major pain in the backside because every conceivable thing capable of disrupting our joyful wine experiences has been thrown at us. And just when you think you've seen it all, you can't eat inside restaurants anymore… You can't go shopping for wine the way that you used to and, for the most part, traveling to wine country and visiting wine festivals is pretty much off the table until further notice.

On the bright side, we’ve done a darn good job at being model citizens by trying to do all we can to stop the horrible COVID-19 plague. But just when we think that there's nothing else that can be thrown at us, comes the latest bucket of ice water dumped over our head. Well, actually, it’s not really the latest because it has been rearing its ugly head for a while now; and at this moment in time, it’s getting a whole lot of traction. We’ll just call it what it is, the disgusting “T” word. TARIFFS! We’d prefer not to get political here, so we won’t. Tariffs on imported wines are equal-opportunity pocket-pickers. And with money being unusually tight for most of us, a 25% price hike couldn’t have come at a worse time.

What should we do? Well, at Grape Encounters, we’re never shy about finding the big Kahuna; a leader who is pumped up and leading the charge against senseless expenses. Ben Aneff is that guy. He’s been in the news a lot these days because he knows his way around these tough issues and can tell us what to be concerned about and how to turn the tariff tide. Ben is President of the US Wine Trade Association. He’s also a founding partner of Tribeca Wine Merchants in New York City. When you learn WHY many wines from Europe are now 25% more expensive, you’ll be hard-pressed not to blow a gasket.

Today’s edition of Grape Encounters is brought to you by Total Wine & More. Enthusiasts often liken wine to a time machine. It can take you to places in the past where the spirit was created, without ever having to leave your home. Whether you’re sipping a Sangiovese from Italy or a Reisling from Germany, a well-shaped goblet filled with crafted, fermented grapes, can tell you a lot about remarkable places and spaces across the world. Dig in deep and explore; learn more about over 8,000 wines at your local Total Wine & More store. For further information, log on to www.totalwine.com. You can also do all your shopping from home and take advantage of our first class curbside pickup at your local Total Wine & More store.

Download this episode

 

Featuring Benchmark Wine Group CEO David Parker

Over the past year, so much of our conversation has been about coping with COVID-19 and how to continue to enjoy our wine lifestyles while many of our favorite activities remain on hold. While creative new activities like Virtual Tastings serve as somewhat satisfying substitutes for the real thing, many of us are eager to find other creative ways to stay engaged. If you’re looking for something fresh and new to do, we’ve got a heck of an idea to share with on this week’s show.

Did you know that investing in fine wine can help you keep your cellar full to the brim with the good stuff AND can generate a tidy profit, too? David Parker of Benchmark Wine Group is one of the world’s leading experts on fine wine investing. Benchmark Wine Group is the leading source of fine and rare wine for wine retailers, restaurants and collectors around the world. It is the largest online seller of rare wines and is also one of the few California companies to hold auction, retail, wholesale and import licenses. David also heads up the NAWR- National Association of Wine Retailers and owns The Wine Market Journal; an essential tool for fine wine investor around the world.

On this edition of Grape Encounters, David Parker gives listeners a comprehensive understanding of how to buy fine, rare wine online and what to look for if you are interested in buying wine as an investment.   With tasting rooms and restaurants closed or restricted, David also talks about Benchmark's efforts to bring the experience to a virtual setting.  If this show doesn’t get your creative juices flowing, nothing will!

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Lodi wine – It’s almost impossible NOT to think of the Creedence Clearwater classic, when the town Lodi comes up in a conversation. Yep, it was more than 50 years ago that John Fogerty sang about a little known California town where it was easy to become forgotten. The funny thing is, while Fogerty was poking fun at this small agricultural town south of Sacramento and east of San Francisco, many of the grapes planted there were already becoming historic. Today, Lodi is not just a wine-producing powerhouse, it is home to some of the most historic vines in America; many were already 50 years old when the song “Lodi” became a hit.

Lodi makes some of the most delicious wines in California and has become quite a success story. There’s just one problem… The historic old-vines of Lodi are beginning to disappear, must to the dismay of locals, wine history buffs and, of course, those of us who love the small production but deeply-concentrated wines that flow from these vines.

Joining David on this week’s show is the Executive Director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission, Stuart Spencer, who shares a determined campaign to Save the Old Vines! It’s an effort we’re proud to support vigorously!

Stuart was appointed Executive Director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission in 2018. Prior to that, he worked as the Commission’s Program Manager since 1999. Over the years, Stuart has been involved in many of the Commission’s marketing, education, and research activities which have focused on raising public awareness about Lodi grapes and wines. As Stuart is also the proprietor of St. Amant Winery, he is the Commission’s onsite industry expert and is a regular spokesperson on all things Lodi.

Today’s edition of Grape Encounters is brought to you by Total Wine & More. Enthusiasts often liken wine to a time machine. It can take you to places in the past where the spirit was created, without ever having to leave your home. Whether you’re sipping a Sangiovese from Italy or a Reisling from Germany, a well-shaped goblet filled with crafted, fermented grapes, can tell you a lot about remarkable places and spaces across the world. Dig in deep and explore; learn more about over 8,000 wines at your local Total Wine & More store. For further information, log on to www.totalwine.com. You can also do all your shopping from home and take advantage of our first class curbside pickup at your local Total Wine & More store.

Download this episode

If you want to see Host David Wilson’s demeanor change from affable to outraged in a matter of seconds, all you have to do is toss the term “new normal” into the conversation. There’s no doubt that we’ve all had to make major life adjustments to cope in a Covid world, but David refuses to accept the status quo as being even remotely normal. Sure, we’ve all had to make do. We’ve compromised and agonized our way through a horribly dreadful 2020, but shouldn’t our sacrifices stand for something? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to awaken to an even brighter world than the one we left behind when Covid became a part of everything on our mind? Well, we still have to do all we can to defeat the virus, but we can and should look toward the future with conviction and optimism. Let's create the new wine normal.

Winemaker, author, teacher and ambassador Wes Hagen joins David in a passionate discussion that encourages wine enthusiasts to reject the notion of new normal. After all, nothing has been normal about the past year and much of what used to bring us loads of pleasure had to be set aside for a while. But calling our current state of being “the new normal’ feels a lot like throwing in the cards and accepting defeat. Not so fast! Though the bar has been lowered for many months now, it’s not a permanent state of being and, even though the pandemic is far from over, we can find a great deal of pleasure in conceptualizing a world that rewards our sacrifices and perseverance. Accordingly, this might be a great time to begin planning your next wine adventure, guided by realistic expectation about when we can safely begin living life without danger or restrictions.

David says, “I know most people are very discouraged and so they don’t allow themselves the opportunity to dream and plan because we’ve all had to face so much loss, heartbreak and disappointment. We are all living in a temporary state of affairs and whatever we want normal to be down the road is ours to invent!”

This episode of Grape Encounters will give you plenty to think about and, just for fun, David takes us on a little WINE METAPHOR ADVENTURE just for giggles. What if we described other things and people in our lives the way critics talk about wine? To illustrate just how odd wine tasting notes can be, David has prepared “tasting notes” to describe is friend Wes. It’s an eye-opening hoot that you won’t want to miss on this episode of Grape Encounters!

This episode of Grape Encounters is brought to you by Total Wine & More! With the holidays coming up fast, it’s time to get your wine game in high gear. After all, there are few holidays that beckon us to get creative with pairing more than Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sure, it can be daunting, but that’s why it’s so fun to let the experts at Total Wine & More bounce some ideas your way. However, if you’d prefer to enjoy a home shopping socially-distanced experience, explore the amazing wines, beer and spirits online at TotalWine.com. You can do all your shopping from home and take advantage of our first class curbside pickup at your local Total Wine & More store.

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