"The Good Stuff"

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Justin Seidenfeld, Senior Vice President of Winemaking and Winegrowing at Rodney Strong Vineyards. Justin shares his inspiration as a winemaker, to always “surprise and delight.” He is committed to innovations, while also honoring the history of Rodney Strong’s legacy in Sonoma County. He has installed an automatic Brix checking system that allows the winemaking team to precisely monitor sugar levels and integrate that info into apps to streamline the process. Justin says the grapes grown in Sonoma County are some of the best in the world and that makes his job as winemaker that much easier. He also shares details about the ROWEN Wine Company, part of Rodney Strong that really explores the expression of Sonoma County terroir. And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Kathleen Inman, Owner and Winemaker of Inman Family Wines. Kathleen shares the love story that started her journey growing winegrapes and learning how to make wine. She met her husband on her first day working at a small tasting room in Napa. That began a series of letters and a budding long-distance romance. Inman Family Wines began in 2000, and features Pinot Noir, a Rosé of Pinot Noir called Endless Crush, Chardonnay, and sparkling wines. Kathleen is also committed to sustainability and “etho-ethics” in her farming practices. And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Paul Sloan, Vigneron and Owner of Small Vines Wines. Paul talks about his early experience with wine and how that led him to pursue winemaking in California. Paul decided early on that his style leaned more towards an old-school French style of winemaking, and he really wanted to grow only the highest quality fruit with very low yields, not typical of sprawling California Vineyards. He spaces his rows much closer to each other to achieve this goal. The resulting wines are full of character and complexity. And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Rickey Trombetta, owner of Trombetta Family Wines. Rickey shares stories about growing up in Santa Rosa and they way agriculture shaped Sonoma County. She talks about how she got into wine, working out the basics as a home winemaker and learning from Paul Hobbs and mentor Carmine Indindoli. Rickey shares an great story about her daughter Erica, at the age of 10, sniffing out incredible notes from a glass of rich red wine – a glimpse into Erica’s future as the winemaker for Trombetta Family Wines! And Rickey also talks about the inspiration she found in fruit from the Petaluma Gap. And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Fred Ryan, Chairman of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, and author of Wine and the White House: A History. Fred shares the details on how he came to write this book that is fascinating for both wine lovers and history buffs. How did our first presidents use wine during the early stages of our country for diplomacy? How prominent are wines from Sonoma County at the White House? When did the US decide to only serve American wines at the White House? Which president was the most knowledgeable about wines? And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk about the some very special programs at the Sonoma County Winegrowers, including the Leadership Academy and the Employee Recognition Program. Guests are Valerie Pearce, Director of Programs at SCW, Tyler Klick, Co-Owner of Redwood Empire Vineyard Management, and Yolanda Cruz, 2023 Vineyard Employee of the Year. Yolanda is the first woman to win this honor, and is also a Vineyard Supervisor at REVM, leading teams of women workers. And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Laura Saini, General Manager of Saini Vineyards and George Christie, Co-Founder and Partner of Saini Vineyards. Laura shares the long history of the Saini family in Sonoma County as winegrowers, and their more recent move to make their own wines. They have been growing grapes in the Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys for over 100 years. George talks about his partnership with the Saini family as well as how he established the Wine Industry Network, to help wine country businesses connect and stay informed. And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Kathryn Hecht, Founder and Executive Director of AVFilm, and Alan Baker, AVFilm Board Member and Co-owner of Cartograph Wines. AVFilm began in 2015, when community members founded a local film society with a focus on educational outreach, screenings, and an annual film festival. This year the AVFilm Festival is April 26th through May 5th. Get details online at avfilmpresents.org. Alan is a transplant from Minnesota, moving to California in 2005. Alan has a background in public radio, and loves storytelling in all forms. And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with two visual storytellers, photographer Will Bucquoy and videographer Bruce Le. Both men have chronicled the stories of people in Sonoma County for years. Will Bucquoy is often at Sonoma County Winegrowers events, and he also takes photos of vineyard workers. Their portraits are proudly displayed in the offices at SCW. Bruce Le has been capturing the stories of winegrowers for SCW for years, and especially loved travelling to Washington DC with vineyard workers to tell their story. And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Steve and Alex Kanzler, father and son at Kanzler Vineyards. Steve is the founder, and Alex is the winemaker. The Kanzler family purchased their vineyard in 1994, planting 15 acres of wine grapes in 1996. The family supplied grapes to winemakers like Kosta Browne and Lynmar Estate. Alex took on the role of winemaker in 2011. The Kanzlers have a Farm Stay experience on their property and are opening a tasting room this year! And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.