Today's episode is with Matt Gant from Gant & Co. wines based in Karridale at the southern tip of Margaret River, Australia. Matt has been a friend of Vine Street for the last two decades. We began importing his First Drop line from the Barossa in about 2004/2005. We no longer work with First Drop – nor does Matt – but last year we picked up his newest venture, Gant & Co. These wines come from the family estate established by Claudia's father in Karridale, which is a cool-climate subregion of Margaret River, highly influenced by both the Indian and Southern oceans.

The lineup includes a Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc, which is made in a savory rather than fruity style with lees aging and subtle oak presence, as well as two lighter-bodied reds. The first is called Nouveau. It's made in the Portuguese Palhete style, which is a nod to Matt's many years working in Portugal. He is actually currently a partner in a project at Quinta da Pedra Alta in the Douro, and this co-ferment of red and white varieties is similar to the base wine of port prior to fortification. Think crushable, chillable red that's also a really serious wine made from dry-farmed grapes, indigenous yeast, etc. etc. Finally, the Jeune is a light red blend of Cab, Merlot, and Malbec, and it's made in what Erin Larkin from the Wine Advocate calls "a summertime Cabernet." Listen to the second episode of this interview to hear me fangirling over this wine.

These wines disprove every trite American perception of Australian wine as sunshine in a bottle. They are light and acid-driven, yet pack so much flavor and texture onto that slender frame. They're really great wines, and they're such an incredible value, especially for Australian wine these days.

Our conversation is split into two parts: in the first episode we talk about Matt's background, and how his palate has evolved over the years thanks to his time working abroad. In the second episode, we get into Karridale and the wines.

To begin, Matt started by sharing with me his very first memory of wine growing up – not in Australia, but in a small town near in the county of Essex, just northeast of London...

Hosted by Charlotte Alsaadi.

Special thanks to SNACKTIME for the music!

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Ronnie Sanders, founder and CEO of Vine Street Imports, recounts the story of meeting Matt Gant from Gant & Co., a husband-wife winemaking project based in Karridale at the southern tip of Margaret River. Plus, Ronnie shares the defining thing that he loves about Matt's winemaking style.

Special thanks to SNACKTIME for the music!

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This episode is the second half of our conversation with Martin Dicuzzo from Magna Montis based in Argentina's Uco Valley. In Part 2, we talk about Martin's first vintage that received praise from Tim Atkin, Martin's first time meeting Ronnie and the Vine Street team, the crazy reality of inflation in Argentina, and of course, the wines. To pick up where we left off, Martin explains that with his bright, fresh Tupungato Malbec that is fermented in stainless steel and aged in concrete, he ended up creating somewhat of a paradox...

Hosted by Charlotte Alsaadi.

Special thanks to SNACKTIME for the music!

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Today's episode is with Martin DiCuzzo, the owner and winemaker of Magna Montis based in Argentina's Uco Valley. Magna Montis is the first Argentinian producer that Vine Street has ever imported. Ronnie was really drawn to these wines because they're so unlike the typical fruit bomb stereotype of wines from Mendoza. They are super fresh and bright, even the ones aged in oak. If you know the rest of our portfolio that is largely built off the "new wave" ethos – you'll know instantly that they fit right in. The lineup includes three Malbecs – there's the Tupungato, which is fruit-forward, fresh and bright, the Paraje Altamira which is aged in oak and is more classic in its profile, and the Machinte, the most premium wine, which is very elegant and powerful – as well as one uniquely floral and saline Chardonnay.

In this two part conversation with Martin, we talk a lot about this new chapter of Argentinian wine. Part 1 is all about Martin's background, including his nearly four year stint living in China working for Bodegas Norton as an Asian distribution manager. We talk about how he got into winemaking without any formal education, and his big hopes and dreams for his country's wine reputation. In Part 2, you'll hear about the praise Martin got from Tim Atkin in his first ever vintage, his experience meeting Ronnie and the Vine street team for the first time – including how Ronnie simply could not believe that Martin had never heard of the Grateful Dead – and of course, we'll touch on the wines and the reasons behind his winemaking ethos.

Martin grew up in a pretty quiet neighborhood in a middle class family. His childhood obsession, which turned into something of a lifelong passion, was music. He had a rock band and even started his own company importing music electronics. For much of his twenties, it really didn't seem like wine was anywhere in his future…

Hosted by Charlotte Alsaadi

Special thanks to SNACKTIME for the music!

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This episode is the second half of our conversation with Jurgen Gouws of Intellego Wines. If you haven't already, go back and listen to part 1 to hear more about Jurgen's background. In this episode, we talk about how a surfing trip in Bali inspired on of his most beloved wines, the Kedungu red blend, his recent foray into the pet nat world, and the subtle intricacies of working with growers who supply fruit to many different producers.

Hosted by Charlotte Alsaadi.

Special thanks to SNACKTIME for the music!

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Jurgen Gouws from Intellego Wines is a laidback guy with a surfer's tan who makes serious natural wines. His lineup runs the gamut from pet nats to skin contact whites to chillable reds and seriously incredible Syrah. After studying at Elsenburg in Stellenbosch, he traveled the world to work at Terroir al Limit in Priorat, at Stéphane Ogier in the Rhone Valley, Matassa in the Languedoc, and even two harvests in Russia. Back in South Africa, he spent four years at Lammershoek with Craig Hawkins, who, having also spent time at Matassa, liked to play with elements of natural winemaking. Jurgen was developing his own winemaking identity as he watched Craig lean more heavily into that ethos with the launch of Testalonga. With his own brand Intellego, Jurgen adopted many of the same ideologies: organic farming, minimal intervention in the cellar, and a real focus on place more than anything. Intellego translates to "I understand" in Latin and is aptly named, as Jurgen has really begun to understand the potential of the incredible Swartland. He has a particular affinity for some of the older Chenin Blanc bush vines in South Africa and is not afraid to push the boundaries of texture.

Jurgen came to the US recently and we were lucky enough to snag him for an hour to chat. This episode is part 1 of 2. Here we talk more about Jurgen's background and in part 2, we talk more about his wines. In this episode, Jurgen shares his experience working in Russia, Afrikaans culture, the influence that Eben Sadie had on his career, and how he decided to get into wine at 15 years old after giving up his lifelong dream of being a dentist...

Hosted by Charlotte Alsaadi.

Special thanks to SNACKTIME for the music!

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Mick Craven from Craven Wines was our very first guest on this little podcast when we launched last year. He was back in town, so we sat down for a quick catch up.

In this episode, we talk about the Cravens' infamous Pinot Gris, which (surprise, surprise) was rejected yet again by the South African Wine & Spirits Board for not conforming to the 'typicity' of Stellenbosch. Mick has some things to say about that. We also talk about the exciting things happening in the Polkadraai Hills (a ward of Stellenbosch), the Cravens' new cement toys in the cellar, and cheesesteaks...

Plus, Mick shares a new wine that might be coming on the Craven horizon!

Hosted by Charlotte Alsaadi.

Special thanks to SNACKTIME for the music!

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This episode is part 2 of our conversation with Franco Lourens of Lourens Family Wines based in Paarl, South Africa. Go back and check out part 1 if you haven't already, as this episode is a continuation of our conversation.

In this episode, we talk about how Franco launched his own project, as well as the stories behind his wines. We start with the story of his white blend. Franco released his first solo wine as a means of getting some extra cash for an engagement ring. The plan worked, and later, he would rename this white blend after his wife, Lindi Carien...

Hosted by Charlotte Alsaadi.

Special thanks to SNACKTIME for the music!

Vine Street Imports Instagram | Website

This episode is an interview with Franco Lourens of Lourens Family Wines based in Paarl, South Africa. The word 'family' is found in the name of many wine projects, but few actually put their family at the center of their branding. Franco's wines are not only named after members of his family, but their faces also adorn the labels. His red blend, 'Howard John,' is named after his dad, the white blend 'Lindi Carien' after his wife, and the coveted varietal Grenache after his daughter, Lua Ilse.

Working mostly with old-vines, Franco has become masterful at the intricacies of blending to craft quietly confident wines, an acumen that has earned him a deserved place among South Africa's best new-wave producers. Franco originally started his own label while working as the assistant winemaker at Alheit Vineyards in Hemel-en-Aarde, but since 2020, Franco has been back in Paarl sharing cellar space with Lukas from Van Loggerenberg Wines.

In this episode, which is part 1 of 2, Franco shares his background and reveals what – or rather - who kept him from quitting the wine business when he felt he was hitting a plateau. In part 2, you'll hear how needing some extra cash for an engagement ring prompted Franco to start his own label, as well as the stories behind many of his wines.

For Franco, becoming a winemaker was never a given, as wine wasn't a big part of his parents' lives. But when you grow up in a viticultural paradise, it's easy for wine culture to seep in through osmosis...

Hosted by Charlotte Alsaadi.

Special thanks to SNACKTIME for the music!

Vine Street Imports Instagram | Website

Ronnie Sanders, CEO of Vine Street Imports, shares his take on why current market conditions mean it's the perfect time to sell English sparkling wine...