GrapeRadio – Wine Talk Show

We decided to make a trek up to Sonoma County to visit with a few personalities from the Kendall-Jackson stable of wineries.

Our first stop was to visit with Melissa Stackhouse, winemaker for La Crema. The love for farming came naturally for Melissa, having spent summers on her grandparents’ farm in rural Minnesota. But, it was a visit to Washington State’s San Juan Islands that actually introduced her to wine. And, as they say in fishing, the hook was set. A UC Davis education was next on the agenda, followed by several internships which finally led her to La Crema in 2001 as assistant winemaker. By 2003, she was running the place.

Next, we were off to meet with Don Hartford at Hartford Family Winery in the Russian River Valley. Don attended University of Massachusetts at Amherst, obtained his law degree from Santa Clara University, and his legal career has included a Tokyo law firm, a large San Francisco-based firm, Jess Jackson’s practice of Constitutional law, and work at the California Supreme Court. The law notwithstanding, Don has immersed himself in winemaking and winery management over the past 20 years. He also owns and farms a small vineyard of old-vine Zinfandel behind his home. This 90-year old vineyard is located on seven acres and is head-pruned to produce annual yields of about 1.5 tons an acre. Almost by itself, stewardship of this property has returned Don to his Massachusetts farming roots.

Then, we spent some quality time with Randy Ullom, of Kendall-Jackson Estates. Randy was originally hired in 1993 by Jess Jackson as the winemaker at Camelot Vineyards. That same year, Jackson also put him in charge of heading up a new Chilean operation as founding winemaker and general manager of Viña Calina. Then in 1996, Ullom helped Jackson establish wine production in Argentina with the Tapiz label. In 1997, Ullom was made winemaster for Kendall-Jackson Winery. In 2006, he also became the company’s Chief Operating Officer, reflecting his intimate involvement in the both the viticultural and winemaking programs of Kendall-Jackson.

Finally, we talked with Alex Réblé, winemaker for Matanzas Creek. Originally from the Bordeaux region of France, Alex was educated at the Agricultural School of Libourne and Blanquefort and mentored by Jean-Claude Berrouet (then winemaker at Pétrus and La Fleur-Pétrus).  After working at Chateau La Tour Carnet for a year, Alex turned his attention to the New World. Wanting to try his hand with Burgundian varieties, he took a job at Willamette Valley Vineyards in Oregon, working with Joe Dobbes. Then, he was on to the Napa Valley in 1998, to work with Luc Morlet at Newton Vineyards, Ken Deis at Flora Springs Winery, and Daniel Baron at Silver Oak and Twomey. Finally, he joined Matanzas Creek in 2001 as cellar master, becoming its winemaker in 2010.

Sponsor: VinAssure, Wine Preservation System : www.vinassure.com

For more information on Jackson Family Wines: www.kj.com

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Show #270
(1:15:01 min 41MB)

In wine growing, the word “sustainability” gets bandied about frequently. So, what’s it really mean? Obviously, sustainability is the ability to continue on…to endure. So, with wine growing the term will usually mean that the grower uses farming methods that are least likely to harm the environment in general, and the farm in particular, so that it may ‘live long and prosper.’ But, philosophically, it actually goes well beyond that basic premise.

Sustainability in wine growing will normally involve both biological and philosophical approaches – such as organic farming or biodynamics, each of which is intended to conserve natural resources, protect and restore natural habitats, and protect the health of those doing the farming, and their neighbors and customers. It’s a lofty goal, but one that makes plenty of common as well as practical sense. So, how does one practice sustainability at a winery or vineyard? We’re glad you asked!

Join us as we talk with Jon Ruel, Director of Viticulture and Winemaking at Trefethen Vineyards, about the differences between terms like sustainably farmed, organic, certified organic, and biodynamic. As a family farm in Napa Valley for over 40 years, Trefethen has been making conscious decisions concerning long-term sustainability.

Sponsor: 7th Annual Celebration of Food and Wine : www.balboabayclub.com

For more information on Trefethen Family Vineyards: www.trefethen.com

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Wines from Alsace – are they more German or more French? Well, they’re a little of both, owing not the least to its geographical location on France’s eastern border and on the west bank of the upper Rhine adjacent to Germany. Vines have been cultivated in Alsace for more than 2,000 years, thanks to the nearby Rhine river, and was an important wine producing region in the Germanic Holy Roman Empire. The Thirty Years War (1618 – 1648), the French Revolution (1789), the Napoleonic Wars and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 caused the steady decline of the Alsace wine region. In fact, over the past few centuries several Franco-German conflicts have managed to relocate the border, making Alsace variously German then French. Thus, it’s no wonder the wines reflect so much of both countries.

Justly famous for its white wines, grape varieties here include: Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and Sylvaner. The terroir is varied, with mostly chalky soils as well as a heavier clay soil that nurtures Gewurztraminer best.

Join us as we talk with Etienne Hugel, whose family ties to the vineyards of Alsace extends back to 1639. We’ll hear a bit of history, vineyard and winemaking practices, and Etienne’s “noble mission” to continue to produce some of the world’s finest white wines.

Sponsor: 7th Annual Celebration of Food and Wine : www.balboabayclub.com

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Named after a logging camp in the idyllic region of California’s Santa Cruz Mountains, Bonny Doon Vineyard began as one man’s attempt to wade into wine with both feet and hands. As with many of us, Randall Grahm’s journey began innocently enough. Mix in a little Beverly Hills upbringing, a UC Santa Cruz education in philosophy and literature – and viola, you have a man convinced that if you can conceive growing the great American Pinot Noir, you can do it! Well, long story short, Pinot did in fact turn out to validate its title as ‘the heartbreak grape,’ and Randall, the ever cockeyed optimist that he is, decided to tackle something more…uh…. normal. Thus, running counter to established norms of the day, Randall decided to vest his future with Rhône varieties. Now, since this was 1983, it is fair to say that he was on the bleeding edge of things vinous.

As most listeners know, the names Bonny Doon and Randall Grahm easily became synonymous, along with Le Cigare Volant and Rhône Ranger. And so a movement was born, baptized and confirmed – all within a relatively short space of time. End of story? Not hardly. It’s a much longer (and stranger) journey than that.

Join us as we talk with Randall Grahm about the trials, tribulations and mentors of his life-consuming passion. We’ll even discuss biodynamics, screw caps, and his efforts to rein-in uncontrolled hedonism – all in an effort to return wine to the people.

Sponsor: VinAssure, Wine Preservation System: www.vinassure.com

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Although it is considered New World, Chile has been growing wine since the 16th century, when the Spanish conquistadors brought vitis vinifera vines with them during their colonization of the region. About the mid-18th century, several French grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carmenère were also introduced to the region.

Chile’s five viticultural regions occupy an 800 mile stretch, in a country 2,700 miles long and 109 miles wide. The most common red grapes grown are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenère – a grape originally from the Medoc region, but which has all but disappeared from Bordeaux since the phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th Century.

During the early 1980s, Chilean wineries modernized their production, bringing in stainless steel tanks for fermentation and oak barrels for aging. These were fast times, and the number of wineries grew from 12 in 1995 to over 70 in 2005. The increase in production was matched with wine exports as well, with Chile becoming the fifth largest exporter of wines, and the ninth largest producer in the world.

Join us as we talk with Andrea Leon, winemaker for Casa Lapostolle. Founded by Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, her husband Cyril de Bournet and Don José Rabat Gorchs, Casa Lapostolle began as an effort to blend French expertise with Chilean terroir. Certified as Carbon Neutral for its recycling and renewable energy efforts, the winery practices biodynamic farming, and have been a leader in the “Green” movement in Chile.

Sponsor: VinAssure, Wine Preservation System: www.vinassure.com

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The name Bouchard Pere et Fils should be a familiar one to all fans of the wines from Burgundy. Tracing their wine roots back to the Eighteenth Century, the Bouchard family began as wine merchants in Beaune, purchasing their first vineyard in 1731. Over the course of time, Bouchard Père et Fils would become the largest owner of premier and grand cru vineyards in the Côte d’Or. All together, they produce eighty crus from each vintage.

Purchased by Champagne’s Henriot family in 1995, the domaine seemed to up the ante in quality, while still retaining its independence. Henriot’s further acquisition in 1998 of the William Fèvre label from Chablis created an impressive portfolio of wines, and it was a tribute to the Bouchard winemaking team that they were assigned responsibility for production of the William Fèvre wines as well.

Join us as we talk with export manager Luc Bouchard about the nine generations of his family’s history in Burgundy as both wine growers and négociants. We’ll discuss everything from Bouchard to Fèvre, from the Henriot acquisition to their many different bottlings, and from their winemaking processes to the current hot topic of premature oxidation in white Burgundies.

Sponsor: Millesima, Fine Wine Merchant: www.millesima-usa.com

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Human nature is a funny thing. Many people (but especially guys) really want to appear to be “in-the-know” or always right about numerous things – the business world, politics, cars, sports, restaurants, and of course…wine. Just ask a fellow wine geek about his latest acquisition, and he’ll likely be able to go on for an hour or more telling you all about its rarity, how much it cost, how long he’d been on the list, blah…blah…blah. Soon enough, somebody else in the conversation will have a story that he thinks is even better, “Oh, that’s nothing. Guess what I bought!” From here, the stories grows exponentially as each one drones on about waiting lists, allocations, megabucks, SQN, DRC, etc.

It starts out innocently enough. However, does the conversation ever reach a point where in your opinion it becomes too boastful or boorish? Well, the GrapeRadio crew try to figure this one out. As with many things, there is no one-size-fits-all opinion. But, we’re more than happy to give it a shot.

Sponsor: VinAssure, Wine Preservation System: www.vinassure.com

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Mention Champagne to people, and their eyes just light up. Thoughts of New Year’s Eve, wedding toasts, and other celebratory events jump immediately to mind. But, Champagne is a wine, first and foremost, and shouldn’t be relegated to some once-in-awhile beverage. So, how does one find out more about its versatility? Well, fortunately, we’ve invited a guest to educate us on some of the nuances of Champagne.

Although Michigan resident Brad Baker grew up drinking Australian Shiraz and California sparklers, it was a bottle of Krug Grand Cuvee that really rocked his world, and made him want to dedicate himself to learning and discovering as much as possible about the people, land, culture, and wines of Champagne – as well as other sparkling wine regions around the world. Of course, discovery and knowledge often leads to something further. In Brad’s case, all of this knowledge led quite naturally to developing “The Champagne Warrior”, his newsletter to inform subscribers all about great Champagne and sparkling wine.

Join us as we talk with Brad about his passion and enthusiasm for Champagne. We’ll also learn a few geeky things about this bubbly beverage that will have you saying, “no more flutes.”

For more info on The Champagne Warrior: www.champagnewarrior.com

Sponsor: The Independent Champagne and Sparkling Wine Invitational: www.icswi2010.com

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Each year, Hospice du Rhône produces an exciting three-day wine event that is regarded as the single most educational and enjoyable gathering of international Rhône wine producers and enthusiasts. Attendees are treated to four in-depth wine seminars, a well as wine tastings and some great meals. But, arguably the most valuable aspect of this fabulous event is the opportunity for attendees to rub elbows with the very producers and winemakers whose enthusiasm for Syrah, Grenache and twenty other varieties of Rhône Valley grapes has inspired the passion in all of us.

We return to the 2009 HdR with our coverage of a somewhat unusual Riedel seminar. Normal Riedel seminars cover how different shapes of stemware affect the aroma and taste of different grape varieties. However, this seminar was devised to illustrate the differences of three syrah-based wines (2005 E. Guigal – St. Joseph, 2005 Elderton Shiraz – Barossa, 2007 Miner/Villard “La Diligence” Stagecoach Vnyd, Napa) when sampled from 4 different stems. Even more interesting, 3 of the 4 glasses were designed specifically for Syrah-based wines.

The “science” behind the shape of the wine glass seems to always cause conversation. Most non-science/engineering types of people are unable to explain the phenomena. Riedel explains it this way: the shape of the glass dictates the emission of aroma, somewhat based on how a person positions their head while drinking, which ultimately alters the way the wine flows into the mouth. By narrowing the rim of the glass, this focuses the drinker to tilt his head back, delivering the wine to potentially different zones of the tongue, which results in the brain perceiving different flavors. The volume of the glass, the diameter of its rim, the thickness of the crystal, and the finish also all play a role in the roll of the wine onto the tongue.

The Stemware used for this event were: Riedel Restaurant = Oregon Pinot glass #0447/07; Sommeliers = Hermitage 0400/30; Vinum Extreme = Syrah 4444/30; and Flow = Syrah 0407/30. that seeks to find the differences Based on the tried – and arguably true – impression that wines taste and smell different when consumed from different stemware.

For more info on Hospice du Rhone: www.hospicedurhone.org

For more info on Riedel, Wine Glass Company: www.riedel.com

Sponsor: VinAssure, Wine Preservation System: www.vinassure.com

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The California Pinot Noirs that tend to draw the attention of the critics and enthusiasts are ones that are single vineyard bottlings that stick their chest out and claim to be terroir-driven. In truth, the wines are often highly extracted, high in alcohol, generously oaked, and darkly colored, so loud and powerful that terroir is lost in all of the pumped-up glamor. Really good Pinot Noir should not only taste like Pinot Noir, it should have refinement, breeding, subtlety, and suaveness, but above all else, it should show a sense of place by exhibiting terroir. Winemaker Theresa Heredia of Freestone Vineyards is a proponent of terroir, and she is dedicated to bringing out the regional typicity of the Freestone estate vineyards located in the extreme Sonoma Coast.

Despite the importance of the place where a wine is made, the ambition and talent of the person who made it is highly relevant to how that wine tastes. We all like to know about the personal idiosyncrasies and a winemaker’s take on the world. Those are the things that make wine different and special. Join us in a conversation with Theresa Heredia as the Grape Radio crew learns about her ambition and character and why her touch is guiding Freestone Vineyards to produce some of the most stunning terroir-driven Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays in California.

For more info on Freestone Vineyards: www.freestonevineyards.com

Sponsor: 2010 World of Pinot Noir: www.worldofpinotnoir.com

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It should come as no surprise that one of our favorite things to do is taste wine. Well, Grape Radio’s Rusty Gaffney (aka, The Prince of Pinot) invited us to take part in a tasting of wines from Oregon’s Shea Vineyard – specifically, the wines made by Shea Wine Cellars from Estate fruit. It had almost been two years since we had last tasted a flight of wines from this vineyard (2005 vintage – Show 181), so we felt it was high time to take a look at them once again.

Although Oregon grows at least 15 or more varieties of wine grapes, it is the nearly 50,000 acres of Pinot Noir that gets the most attention. Pinot does quite well here, and 9 of the 16 AVAs (American Viticultural Area) in the state are planted to the famous grape of Burgundy. The largest amount of Pinot is in the northwest corner of the state in the Willamette Valley AVA, an area sufficiently diverse to have 7 sub-appellations within its boundaries. Shea Vineyard is located in the one of the Willamette sub-appellations, the Yamhill-Carlton District, officially established in 2005.

Planted by Dick and Deirdre Shea in 1989, the property is 200 acres of which 140 acres are planted to vineyards – 135 acres of Pinot and 5 acres of Chardonnay. The Willakenzie soils in this part of the state make it an ideal site for some world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. After years of selling fruit to some of the West’s best known wineries, Dick and Deirdre founded Shea Wine Cellars in 1996, in order to produce wines from their Estate fruit.

Join us as we dig into 5 wines from the 2007 vintage, to swirl, sniff, and taste Oregon Pinot Noir from Shea Wine Cellars.

THE WINES:
2007 Shea Wine Cellars Willamette Valley Estate Pinot Noir
2007 Shea Wine Cellars Willamette Valley East Hill Pinot Noir
2007 Shea Wine Cellars Willamette Valley Pommard Clone Pinot Noir
2007 Shea Wine Cellars Willamette Valley Block 33 Pinot Noir
2005 Shea Wine Cellars Willamette Valley Homer Pinot Noir

For more info on Shea Wine Cellars: www.sheawinecellars.com

Sponsor: 2010 World of Pinot Noir: www.worldofpinotnoir.com

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