We here at Sip Sip Hooray! love a good deal! Amid all the stories swirling around about how expensive Wine Country visits have become, we decided to challenge ourselves and see if we could buck the trend, and save a few - or more - bucks.

Our first destination was Napa Valley, and ICYMI the episode, check it out here.

Now we’re headed to Sonoma County, one of Travel & Leisure’s Best 50 Places to Travel in 2024.

We did the research so you don’t have to. How about wine tastings for $35 or less, hotels for $200 or less a night, good local eats and fun activities that won’t break the bank? Yes please! We’ve even got several recommendations that are free 😃 You might just have money left over for purchasing some bottles - or cases - of wine.

Sonoma County is big - and encompasses many different geographical areas, so we’re offering our best finds, a taste of what you can discover in this diverse region that stretches from the Pacific Coast eastward to the border with Napa County.

Note: This is our own independent research and recommendations. We are not receiving fees or commissions for the places mentioned in this episode.etails

We've got the OG Wine Riot Ringmaster in the house! Our guest today is about as anti-wine snob as they come.

Tyler Balliet has been on a mission to bring joy to the wine world, focusing on the fun, the fascinating stories and the celebrations big and small that are created with wine.

Tyler is the author of The Rebel School of Wine: A Visual Guide to Drinking with Confidence, and let me tell you, we cannot wait to get schooled. Tyler has thrown more wine parties than we can count, each more extravagant, creative, and out there, and most importantly, super fun, and totally Instagram and TikTok worthy.

His goal is to entertain and educate, but you're never talked down to. In fact, Tyler says we're all talking about wine the wrong way. His book, The Rebel Wine School, restores joy and curiosity about wine.

There are so many juicy details about wine, its culture and history that we never knew that, thanks Tyler, we’re happy to know about now.

The Rebel School of Wine book is the anti-wine book, a lively, colorful, all-inclusive read that you'll go back to over and over instead of leaving it collecting dust on your bookshelf. Find out why in our lively conversation with Tyler.

On this episode of Sip Sip Hooray! the Marys are playing Santa’s helpers! We’ve been on the hunt for the perfect wine holiday gifts, from budget-friendly stocking stuffers to little indulgences, experiences, good reads and a few splurges.

Listen all the way through for exclusive discount codes!

We wanted to think outside the typical wine gift and inspire you to get creative gifting the wine lover in your life. We tried to have a broad price point range too, in hopes of providing inspiration for all pocketbooks.

Be warned, you may want to keep some of these to gift to yourself.

To be clear, we are not getting any kickbacks for promoting any of these gift ideas, and they are all chosen and in most cases, tested by us.

The Author of The World in A Wineglass is here!

Food & Wine executive wine editor and Travel + Leisure wine editor Ray Isle has been writing about wine and other adult beverages for over 20 years. You've also seen his byline in many publications, including The Washington Post, Time and Wine & Spirits. Ray has also collected all sorts of awards and accolades for his work, including three James Beard nominations for beverage writing.

He makes the world of wine understandable and attractive.

Ray is also the author of a beautiful new book called The World in a Wineglass. His first book is It is part love letter, part encyclopedia or wine Wikipedia, and part delightful guide to wine around the globe.

But Ray is not your typical wine writer. In fact, he might be better known for his wine and potato chip pairings: barbecue chips and Zinfandel or spicy AF jalapeño or sriracha chips with a super acidic chilled white wine like Riesling or Grüner Veltliner.

So, Ray is the perfect guide through this world of wine. In The World in a Wine Glass, he explains the difference between corporate-owned, mass-produced wines and the wine producers who grow their own grapes and make wines that reflect the place and vintage variations for a unique sip. He does this by comparing them to the difference between a Taco Bell taco and a taco made from scratch from your local taqueria.

The wines that Ray chose for his book offers something more, stories, soul and a few surprises.

Yet the world of wine and wine journalism is changing and from his vantage point, Ray has seen it all.

So pop the cork, pour a glass and settle in for some great wine stories.

There's more to a wine label than meets the eye.

Most of us buy wine in the store and when we do, we picture that bottle coming from a small winery nestled among the vines somewhere in wine country.But did you know a growing chunk of popular labels don't have their own winery or winemaking team?

They are private label wines contracted out to a third party winery who supplies the grapes, the winemaking team and creates a company's vintage vision.

A great example that most of us can relate to is Costco’s Kirkland Brand or Trader Joe's wine. We're exploring the world of private label wines with one of the best in the business.

Alison Crowe is Vice President of winemaking at Plata Wine Partners and she helps create more than 100 labels for clients near and far.

If you've never heard the term private label when it comes to wine, you may be surprised to learn that many of the most popular wine brands are made by talented winemakers whose names or wineries are not on the label. In fact, Alison says she translates the beauty of a vineyard through the medium of wine.

We'll set the record straight on how private label wines are made with quality, even sustainably sourced grapes. And we'll take a deeper dive into this very important part of the wine business.

On the pod today - we're thinking inside the wine box!

Have you noticed there are more boxed wine options on the market and they're getting better and better? What may have seemed like a cheaper choice before is now viewed as a more sustainable choice. And the wine in the bag in that box? It keeps getting better.

We get the lowdown on the move to wine in boxes from industry expert Erin Kirschenmann of Wine Business Monthly and Jason Haas of Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, CA.

For Erin, when it comes to alternative packaging for wine, she's seen it evolve and she has the inside scoop on the industry perspective and the evolution of boxed wine.

For Jason, we’ll learn the inspiration for Tablas Creek being one of the first wineries to put really, really good wine in a box. If you’re used to cheap boxed wine, this is not only a revelation but a trend we’re seeing.

So draw some wine from the box in your fridge and join us for a great conversation!

Do something.

That’s what The Wine Bible author and wine expert Karen MacNeil said to herself when she was thinking about media stories focusing on alcohol’s negative effects - but not the positive communal, cultural, historic and yes, cardiac health aspects of wine.

Now there is a new campaign to bring people back to the table, the communal table, not necessarily the bar.

It is called Come Over October. And today on the podcast, we get the lowdown on this effort and why you might wanna give it a try.

Karen’s brainstorm about wine bringing people together quickly caught on. She enlisted wine communicator wizes Kimberly Noelle Charles, DipWSET, of Charles Communications and Gino Colangelo of Colangelo & Partners to work together fleshing out a campaign and spreading the word.

Karen returns to Sip Sip Hooray (link to her previous episode below). She is joined by Joseph Phelps Vineyards Maison President David Pearson to share with our listeners what Come Over October is - and isn’t (hint: it’s not a wild party) and why it matters.

We've got Hot Takes with Tom Wark! From DTC shipping, the anti-alcohol movement and more, Tom's got something to say, and he says it on our pod.

But you can get a regular dose of Tom's commentary and insights on the wine industry must read Substack, Fermentation. Because everyone wants to know what Tom thinks.

Tom Wark is one of the OG wine bloggers and the wine industry's favorite muckraker, a man who is not afraid to call out an industry that doesn't always play fair or the forces he feels are working against the American wine consumer.

Tom speaks for us, the wine lovers and little guys, and he's not afraid to push back against the big dogs or the accepted norms in the wine industry.

We’re talking to Megan Bell, winemaker and founder of Margins Wines in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains. She was recently profiled in a San Francisco Chronicle story about struggles small wineries and winemakers face as they work to keep their labels going despite many challenges. Megan is the face of the story. We wanted to hear all about it straight from her - and while there’s gloom, she remains hopeful and pushes on. By the way, her wines are delicious!

A New Wine Label Takes the Stage.

Launching a new wine label, especially during the pandemic, is never easy. But today we meet two actors who make, promote and sell their wine between acting, directing and producing gigs.

They are Matt and Carolina Espino de Jager of Fuil Wines - pronounced fool - and we're excited to hear their story of starting their own winery and the two labels that they've created.

From acting to winemaking, it's not a unique story. In this case, Matt and Carolina's screenplay is full of passion, wine country romance and determination without a marquee Hollywood name. You've heard folks say to some people who have side gigs, don't quit your day job just yet. Well, the early reviews for Fuil have been notably good. So maybe that advice doesn’t always apply!

We're excited to introduce you to these wines and Matt and Carolina, who share how they balance their dual roles. Grab a glass and join us!