Grape Encounters Wine Radio

A Visit to El Dorado Wine Country, Home of the Gold Rush! It’s where thousands went to find their fortune in the Gold Rush days. Today, visitors are still discovering gold... this time in liquid form as El Dorado Wine Country proves it’s a force to be reckoned with. Meet winemakers Jonathan Lachs of Cedarville Vineyards, Josh Bendick of Holly’s Hill Vineyards and Chris Pittenger of Skinner Vineyards. These boutique winemakers are creating some outstanding vino and you simply can’t imagine the view! Also meet Mark Hamlin who, along with his wife Gayle, built the truly amazing Bed and Breakfast Edenvale Inn... inside a barn. Plus tasting in the blind with our Gadget Guru Matt Dubow!

This week’s Grape Encounters takes us to extraordinary Carmel Valley and Carmel by the Sea. First stop, the Bernardus Winery and Tasting Room Manager Philip Carruthers. Founded by Ben Pon, Bernardus makes extraordinary wines and also operates an amazing luxury resort, restaurant and spa. Next we head across the street to meet with Annette Hoff Danzer, Winemaker at Cima Collina which produces wines from small Monterey County vineyards with a unique focus on the partnership between the growers who influence the vineyards and the winemaking practices that take the grapes to the bottle. Annette is well known in the region because she has helped countless independent winemakers get started. Next stop, Caraccioli Cellars in Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea and a spirited conversation with Scott Caraccioli, VP of Sales and Marketing for this family-run winery featuring Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varietals in both still and sparkling options. Their tasting room is part of the Carmel Wine Walk; the walk features more than 14 tasting rooms within a walkable square mile. Finally, since Grape Encounters is on the road for weeks to come, we turn to Gadget Guru Matt DuBow for a little advice on how to get your wine home in this age of complicated travel!

Monterey County is the home of some amazing attractions…the Monterey Aquarium, Carmel Village, Big Sur, Pebble Beach and so much more. But as good as the many attractions in this famed California county are, the wines are serious chart toppers. In this two-part series, we visit the very hip winemaker Sabrine Rodems at Wrath Wines on the River Road. Then, we hop over to the Santa Lucia Highlands to learn all we can from a true winemaking pioneer in the region, Richard Smith of Paraiso Vineyards. Richard is also on the board of Wine America, one of the most powerful voices in the wine world. And since wine tasting in Monterey County begs for a packed picnic basket, we turn to Gadget Guru Matt DuBow for a few pointers!

Most wine bottles bear more than the name of the varietal. Quality wines boast about the place they hail from. Here in America, we call our beloved wine regions AVAs. But what is an AVA… how important is it to wine consumers… and what happens when someone just outside a renowned AVA wants to join the party? This week, one of our very favorite wine experts (he makes the good stuff, too) Wes Hagen of Clos Pepe Vineyards, explains it all. And he should know. He was at the helm of the creation of one of the most respected AVAs in the country! Also on the show… if you can’t finish that great bottle, don’t let it die! Our Gadget Guru Matt DuBow is a real wine, make that, life, saver!

Supplying great wine and amazing produce in tandem to the local community. Brian Talley is the President of Talley Vineyards and Talley Farms on the Central Coast of California. There is a powerful movement afoot to better utilize the land used to grow grapes--and you’ll be amazed and how these efforts are benefiting the community. It’s all about farming on this week’s Grape Encounters plus a few things you need to know about preserving not just the land but your wine from Gadget Guru Matt DuBow of EpicStyle.com!

Some people drink wine. Some drink beer. Some drink spirits. Still others drink a combination of some or all of the above. These days, makers of wine, beer and spirits are concocting any number of hybrid beverages that blur the line between the three categories. Beyond that, there is a wide selection of spirits that started as grapes. Geoff Kleinman, founder of DrinkSpirits.com helps us sort things out on this week’s show. But first, our craziest quiz ever! Is it the name of a wine, perfume, car or baby? Gadget Guru takes on this very difficult challenge. Come play along. All this and a few tips on how to make your wine taste better. Tune in!

This week on Grape Encounters, tune in for a very special conversation with Carolyn Wente, CEO of Wente Vineyards. Founded 130 years ago, Wente Vineyards is the country’s oldest, continuously operated family-owned winery. Today, the winery maintains its leadership role in California wine growing under ownership and management by the Fourth and Fifth Generations of the Wente family. Then, it’s a colorfully philosophical conversation with members of a much younger family winemaking operation as Grape Encounters visits with Keith and Brad Saarloos of Saarloos and Sons. Saarloos and Sons is where the very first episode of Grape Encounters was recorded—and the more things change, the more they remain the same! Wrapping things up, we check in with Gadget Guru Matt DuBow who shares the story of his family-operated business that has been an unparalleled innovator in the development and sales of wine-focused accessories and gadgets.

This week we meet a very special 7th Generation French winemaker of the female persuasion, Dominque Priuer. Then, we’ll talk about the growing practice of blending beer and wine from Dr. Bill Sysak of Stone Brewery. Next, you’ll get a crash course on Chilean wines from the very charming Max Erlwein, who is both a winemaker for Cono Sur Vineyard and Winery, and the company’s Brand Ambassador. We conclude with a follow up conversation from last week’s show about adding a little water to your wine… with our slightly skeptical Gadget Guru Matt DuBow of EpicStyle.Com.

Some believe that adding a little water to your wine will actually bring out more flavor and aroma while taking out some of the alcohol sting. For this discussion we went to the very special garden tended by Master Sommelier Michael Jordan. Of course, the conversation did go way beyond water and wine. What do you expect when you’re surrounded by vegetables? This week, we’ll take you out for a little fresh produce, fresh air fresh ideas and a whiff or two of organic manure. Then Gadget Guru Matt DuBow will air his thoughts on keeping fresh air from causing your wine to go south.

Some wine retailers really get it right… and others just plain don’t get it. On this edition of Grape Encounters, David talks with two wine wizards who really know how to deliver the goods and please your palate. He will also talk about wine tasting events with someone who puts on a real humdinger. How do you spot a winning wine event and, better yet, how do you put one on yourself? That, plus, some thoughts about getting it right wine-wise when you decide to get hitched; with the very loveable gadget Guru Matt Dubow!