Grape Encounters Wine Radio

We can think of no one in the wine industry so fully charged with creativity, so committed to the notion of never saying never, and so delightfully engaging and charming as Jean-Charles Boisset. His friends call him JCB… and yes, he has a multitude of friends. He’s a character that gets things done with a vision that seldom if ever borrows from competitors. In fact, he is more likely to incorporate ideas from the Lido in Paris into his wineries than from the many amazing wineries of Napa and Sonoma.

Jean-Charles and David at Raymond Vineyards

In this edition of Grape Encounters, David sits down with Jean-Charles to talk about sustainability and being good stewards of the land. Within minutes you will be convinced that JCB knows Mother Nature personally and perhaps sits down and has tea or a glass of bubbly with her while the great lady of Earth spells out her marching orders for her beloved and faithful servant.

JCB is impossible not to love, and you will understand why we say that after only a few minutes of listening in. But goodness knows, this is one of those interviews you wish you had a camera rolling on, as Jean-Charles rolls around the room gleefully, occasionally showing his red shoe soles and center stage showmanship… never once dropping the mike.

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We can think of no one in the wine industry so fully charged with creativity, so committed to the notion of never saying never, and so delightfully engaging and charming as Jean-Charles Boisset. His friends call him JCB… and yes, he has a multitude of friends. He’s a character that gets things done with a vision that seldom if ever borrows from competitors. In fact, he is more likely to incorporate ideas from the Lido in Paris into his wineries than from the many amazing wineries of Napa and Sonoma. In this edition of Grape Encounters, David sits down with Jean-Charles to talk about sustainability and being good stewards of the land. Within minutes you will be convinced that JCB knows Mother Nature personally and perhaps sits down and has tea or a glass of bubbly with her while the great lady of Earth spells out her marching orders for her beloved and faithful servant. JCB is impossible not to love, and you will understand why we say that after only a few minutes of listening in. But goodness knows, this is one of those interviews you wish you had a camera rolling on, as Jean-Charles rolls around the room gleefully, occasionally showing his red shoe soles and center stage showmanship… never once dropping the mike.

Toby Halkovich, Director of Vineyard Operations, Cakebread Cellars

As we dig deeper into our month-long discussion of sustainability, Host David Wilson put one very acclaimed Napa winery on his MUST-VISIT bucket list. Cakebread Cellars is one of those premium wineries that simply does not disappoint. They are the embodiment of winemaking perfection. You see the label and it really doesn’t matter what varietals are in the bottle. It will be a delicious wine. They always have been.

Not only does Cakebread Cellars make some of the finest wines in the world, they do it with a reverence for the land that is simply uncompromising. As a result, they have received countless awards and accolades for all that they do to constantly protect and even improve the land that produces such extraordinary grapes for them.

To share the Cakebread Cellars story is Toby Halkovich, Director of Vineyard Operations. There won’t be a test at the end of this very interesting conversation but regardless, you’re going to learn a heck of a lot about one of the most celebrated brands in American Wine!

Finally, before we put a cork in it for today, Sara Schneider, Wine Editor of Sunset Magazine tells us everything you need to know about “CORKED” wine. If that statement confuses you, then you definitely want to listen in on a conversation about one of wine’s most misunderstood maladies.

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As we dig deeper into our month-long discussion of sustainability, Host David Wilson put one very acclaimed Napa winery on his MUST-VISIT bucket list. Cakebread Cellars is one of those premium wineries that simply does not disappoint. They are the embodiment of winemaking perfection. You see the label and it really doesn’t matter what varietals are in the bottle. It will be a delicious wine. They always have been. Not only does Cakebread make some of the finest wines in the world, they do it with a reverence for the land that is simply uncompromising. As a result, they have received countless awards and accolades for all that they do to constantly protect and even improve the land that produces such extraordinary grapes for them. To share the Cakebread story is Toby Halkovich, director of vineyard operations. There won’t be a test at the end of this very interesting conversation but regardless, you’re going to learn a heck of a lot about one of the most celebrated brands in American Wine! Finally, before we put a cork in it for today, Sara Schneider, Wine Editor of Sunset Magazine tells us everything you need to know about “CORKED” wine. If that statement confuses you, then you definitely want to listen in on a conversation about one of wine’s most misunderstood maladies.

Bubbling Over with Pride: Down to Earth Month and American Champagne Producer Korbel Shares Their Unbending Commitment to Sustainability

This week on Grape Encounters Radio, Rick Marson, the Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement Manager at legendary Korbel Champagne Cellars talks about why his company is so determined to protect and nurture the land that produces American-made Champagne that is truly on par with France’s finest.

April is Down to Earth Month in California and each year, more and more wineries join the parade of producers determined to raise the bar of environmental stewardship. As his title indicates, Rick Marson is not only devoted to protecting the land that provides such a remarkable bounty; his job is to literally assure that the land survives and THRIVES.

Korbel is one of the crown jewels of American winemaking and we think you’ll be delighted to hear about the great lengths they go to to deliver an awesome product in the most conscientious way.

Sara Schneider, Wine Editor, Sunset Magazine

The show concludes with a delightful installment of “Sippin’ with Sara,” with Sara Schneider, the Wine Editor of Sunset Magazine. Is it time to come back to one of history’s most popular varietals after a long dormancy period caused by the words of a fictitious character? Listen in and find out!

Find out more here: CA Down to Earth Month and Korbel and Sara Schneider

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This week on Grape Encounters Radio, Rick Marson, the Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement Manager at legendary Korbel Champagne Cellars talks about why his company is so determined to protect and nurture the land that produces American-made Champagne that is truly on par with France’s finest. April is Down to Earth Month in California and each year, more and more wineries join the parade of producers determined to raise the bar of environmental stewardship. As his title indicates, Rick Marson is not only devoted to protecting the land that provides such a remarkable bounty; his job is to literally assure that the land survives and THRIVES. Korbel is one of the crown jewels of American winemaking and we think you’ll be delighted to hear about the great lengths they go to to deliver an awesome product in the most conscientious way. The show concludes with a delightful installment of “Sippin’ with Sara,” the Wine Editor of Sunset Magazine. Is it time to come back to one of history’s most popular varietals after a long dormancy period caused by the words of a fictitious character? Listen in and find out!

Time to Change Your Wine Wardrobe! Breaking Out Your BBQ Apron with Wes Hagen of J. Wilkes and Eric O’Brien of Alpha Omega. Friends since 7th Grade, Eric O’Brien, Pitmaster of Alpha Omega Winery in St. Helena, California and Wes Hagen, Winemaker for J. Wilkes in Santa Barbara County, California, join David for a spirited conversation about getting into a BBQ season frame of mind. After a remarkably wet winter in California, the state that has been suffering from what seems to be an almost endless drought, is ablaze with colorful wildflowers and deep green grass. The vineyards in California have never been in better shape and all eyes are on those BBQs that have remained idle during all those downpours. This is a time when wine lovers break out their BBQ aprons, clean up the grill, and start stocking up wines that will compliment hand-rubbed meats and back ribs slathered in sweet and savory BBQ sauce. So who better to talk about changing your wine wardrobe than the Pitmaster of one of California’s finest Cabernet producers and a winemaker that has literally elevated previously unknown growing areas to the wine world center stage! It’s all fun and games until somebody gets poked in the eye with a corn cob!

Tyler Thomas, Winemaker at Dierberg and StarLane Vineyards

This week, meet one of the most delightful, forward thinking winemakers in America today; Tyler Thomas. After working for producers like Donelan Family Wines and Hyde de Villaine in the Napa Valley, Winemaker Tyler Thomas left the fabled North Coast of California in 2013 to explore making Pinot Noir and Cabernet in Santa Barbara County. Many of his winemaking friends told him “you don’t leave Hollywood to make movies in Texas,” but Tyler was drawn to the chance to work with great estate fruit, and a family who is invested in making great wines in a region with tremendous freedom.

David was particularly excited to have Tyler on the show not simply because his employers, Jim and Mary Dierberg, are at the forefront of Santa Barbara winemaking with three estates in three Santa Barbara AVAs. What intrigued David the most was the fact that the Dierberg’s actually have a 250-year plan for their winemaking business. Such a notion is not uncommon in Europe, but in America, where change is always in the wind, the idea is pretty much unheard of. So what’s it like to think many generations down the road? Well, you’ll have to give a listen to find out!

Find out more at: dierbergvineyard.com and starlanevineyard.com

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This week, meet one of the most delightful, forward thinking winemakers in America today; Tyler Thomas. After working for producers like Donelan Family Wines and Hyde de Villaine in the Napa Valley, Winemaker Tyler Thomas left the fabled North Coast of California in 2013 to explore making Pinot Noir and Cabernet in Santa Barbara County. Many of his winemaking friends told him “you don’t leave Hollywood to make movies in Texas,” but Tyler was drawn to the chance to work with great estate fruit, and a family who is invested in making great wines in a region with tremendous freedom. David was particularly excited to have Tyler on the show not simply because his employers, Jim and Mary Dierberg, are at the forefront of Santa Barbara winemaking with three estates in three Santa Barbara AVAs. What intrigued David the most was the fact that the Dierberg’s actually have a 250-year plan for their winemaking business. Such a notion is not uncommon in Europe, but in America, where change is always in the wind, the idea is pretty much unheard of. So what’s it like to think many generations down the road? Well, you’ll have to give a listen to find out!

CRAFT: The California Beer Industry

It's amazing to see what is happening in the craft beer industry. Just a few years ago, wine had replaced beer as the most popular adult beverage in America. But boy oh boy, is beer picking up steam… perhaps Anchor Steam that is! The craft beer industry is going bonkers with new microbreweries popping up every week and new and completely off-the-wall beers being produced at a dizzying pace... which begs the question, "Is the craft beer industry taking cues from the wine industry?"

To help David answer that question, we welcome guest Jeff Smith, Producer and director of Craft: The California Beer Documentary. Jeff decided he was going to visit 80 breweries in 30 days!  In doing so, the similarities between the boutique wine business and the craft beer business became obvious. You'll see what we mean on this edition of Grape Encounters.

Also on this week’s Grape Encounters, David introduces a new wine accessory that he and his team have been working on for eight years! This week, it goes public! Stay tuned to learn more.

Finally, a series of stories that make up this week’s edition of Grape Encounters News. Listen in if you want to be the most informed person at your next dinner party!

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