Sam’s on special assignment. John, Bart & Brian check out a Spanish ‘organic’ wine, but is it? Bart’s Chenin blanc is being blended. Is there a new trend in red blends? Would you drink wine from a can?

EP11: There’s a lot of action in the vineyards as crews trim the canopy correctly to ensure proper growing. Bart & Brian talk about the /natural/organic/synthetic faze; WHAT”S THE POINT? How about a 40oz. Rose’ or a can of wine. Yes on one for everyone and John rants ‘No to the canNot For Me!’

The Spanish are sending “Unacceptable” wine into France and the French strike back by attacking the trucks. SYNTHETIC WINE? NAH; No thanks. Just not wine to us. The process of growing fruit that is perfect and then spending the rest of the year actually making what you drink in your glass,  is too much for us to think that synthetic wine is anything but the Velveeta of the “wine flavored drink”.

The guys enjoy an older wine with no label, that once the cork is examined, turns out to be a ’55 Bordeaux Sauternes and are really happy it wasn’t worth $50,000.

The Equinox has passed and the grape fields are moving from Chaos to Order. How and why wine really gets its beautiful deep red color. Can you buy too much wine?  The guys talk about their favorite distributors around the country so no matter where you live, you can get some of our favorites.

The guys kick around vineyard real-estate in Sonoma and Napa. Our listeners have more questions on Rose’ and we talk about blends, colors and styles from around the world. Tipping at tasting rooms, yes or no?  Is the old tasting room model broken? Ever had a headache from sulfites? The guys kick discuss the Üllo Wine Purifier.

EP7: It’s Zin Day with The Wine Makers! We’re in mid-June are amazed at how well the fields are doing. Sam leads a discussion on the variety of growing areas within Sonoma Valley and all of Sonoma County. Learn why the fog helps the grapes and how.  

A couple of rainy days don’t seem to have a negative effect on the grapes due to wind and the balance of growing conditions and we discuss the price of grapes in Napa and hidden gem vineyards.

The guys kick around establishing great wine oriented relationships and what’s happening in the field. Bart details “bloom” and “set” as the fruit develops, John can’t figure out “dropping fruit” while Sam explains “Creating order from Chaos in the Field” and ultimately, why every bunch of grapes should hang with integrity, in dappled sunlight”.Bart explains exactly how you really make Rose’ and why it’s the new “Patio Pounder”.

As much of California’s grape crop is just starting “Blooom”, a very fragile state of developement, the guys focus on wine, The Dead and Sam’s trip to The Shoreline Ampitheatre.  Brian focuses the group on all things “Natural” when it comes to wine.  Brian details exactly what Can or Can’t be called a “Natural” wine.  Most wine drinkers think that grapes are picked, squeezed and stored in a vat or barrel and that’s that.  Learn what reality is these days.

The guys get in deep with Steve Law from MacLaren and his Syrah, his land, the fruit and his winemaking.  They focus on Syrah and even kick around proper wine storage on a serious note. John tells us how to ruin cases of Silver Oak just by being stupid.

Sam talks about wine tasting being a high-mileage sport…get out there and taste as much as you can, get bold and try new wines…find out what you really like.

Learn the real definition of Debauchery and see if you want to implement it yourself.

LIVE from the MacLaren Tasting Lounge with owner/winemaker Steve Law, “Sonoma’s Own James Bond” and true Scotsman. They take a deep dive into what’s happening in the vineyards from bud break and bloom to creating the perfect organic bio-system…or as Sam says “creating order out of chaos”.  

Not only did we taste a beautiful Viognier and a Syrah from MacLaren.  Steve talks about growing his 2016 crop and how great the fruit turned out. Brian and Sam brought a couple of great bottles along including Landmark Syrah.    John rants on the whole concept of Two Buck Chuck.  Don’t bring any of that over to his place for a party.