Grape Radio

Welcome to our video podcast - Stewards of the Land Russian River Valley, Sonoma - Video Show #24.

Click the Image Below to Play the Video:

When you think of the Russian River Valley, what comes to mind? Pinot Noir and Chardonnay? Well, right now, yes, but it wasn’t always that way.

Trappers and hunters predominated in the early 1800s, as Russian settlers moved into this area just north of San Francisco giving the river and the surrounding watershed its colorful name. By the 1870s, viticulture had been firmly established in the valley, only to be completely de-railed by prohibition in the 1920s. What followed, even after the repeal of prohibition in 1933, was a steady growth in normal agricultural crops and orchards for many years to come. It would take a 30-year incubation period for the re-birth of vineyards.

The true wine Renaissance finally arrived in the 1960s, when pioneers like Charles Bacigalupi and Joe Rochioli began planting Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. And later, when Chateau Montelena took the French by surprise at the 1976 Paris tasting (with a Chardonnay made from Bacigalupi fruit), and Williams Selyem began to win accolades for its Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs, the valley found its rightful place as a world-class (and world famous) wine growing region.

GrapeRadio is proud to present a brief look at the Russian River Valley, including interviews with Joe Rochioli, Howie Allen, Helen Bacigalupi, Burt Williams, John Haeger, James Laube, and many more. Join us for a close-up of this beautiful area, including highlights of its history, its agriculture, its foods, and most importantly, its people.

For journalist and author George M. Taber, much of our enjoyment of wine has to do with what he refers to as “the romance of the cork.” Indeed, there is a celebratory, even romantic feeling on hearing the “pop” of a cork pulled from a bottle. Unfortunately, romance sometimes becomes tainted.

Although world wine production mushroomed through the 1990s, the global demand for wine corks dropped about 20%, between 2000 and 2005, according to a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) report. At the root of this apparently contradictory pattern was an issue called “cork taint,” wherein an infected cork taints the wine in the bottle with a chemical know as Trichloroanisole, or TCA. As the number of reportedly tainted bottles increased, especially through the 1980s and 1990s, the search was on by wine producers and others to find a solution and/or an alternative closure for wine bottles. What led up to this seemingly sudden appearance of cork taint — or, has it been there all along? Why and how this happened is the fascinating subject of George Taber’s new book, To Cork or not to Cork.

So, is “the romance of the cork” dead? Join us as we talk with George about the history, evolution and prognosis of wine bottle closures.

George shares many insights, and more than a few historical nuggets along the way.

To buy the Book Now: Click Here

Sponsor: Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

Click Below to Play the Show:

FYI: We gave away 3 signed copies of the book to listeners who commented on the show:

- Matt Wessler
- Doug Hackett
- Charlie S Brown

Welcome to our video podcast - Shea Vineyards - Video Show #23.

Click the Image Below to Play the Video:

Oregon is rightfully known as Pinot Noir country, and one of the better-known purveyors of this grape is the 200-acre vineyard planted by Dick and Deirdre Shea in 1989. Shea Vineyards lies in the heart of Oregon’s Yamhill-Carlton District. The Willakenzie soils in this part of the state make it an ideal site for some world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Finally, after yielding fruit to some of the West’s best known wineries, Dick and Deirdre founded Shea Wine Cellars in 1996, in order to produce their own wines from Estate fruit. We wondered what it would be like to taste the full lineup of their current vintage. We didn’t have to wait long.

Fortunately, our own Rusty Gaffney was able to lay his hands on the entire 2005 lineup of wines, and arranged for all of us to sit down and taste through them. Join us as we explore the smells and tastes of Oregon’s Shea Vineyards - one bottle at a time.

Join us as we talk with with Dick Shea about his eponymous Oregon vineyard.

Sponsor: The California Wine Club: www.cawineclub.com

With friends and families gathering this time of year, plus a multitude of holiday parties, what better time to open several bottles of wine and organize your own wine tasting. With this in mind, the GrapeRadio bunch got together to assess 10 wines in a slightly formalized setting. In this case, “formalized” meant a sit-down tasting of specific wines, as opposed to the normal party atmosphere of sipping wine while wandering among guests.

Our own Rusty Gaffney hosted the tasting, and we sat around a large dining room table where he had set out 10 Burgundy glasses for each taster (we were going to taste Pinot Noir, so Rusty supplied the appropriate stemware). Some food had been prepared for later (you can properly evaluate wines either with or without food, but should keep things consistent), as we wanted to check out the wines first without the compliment of food. Water bottles were available to freshen the palate and keep us hydrated, and we were ready to dive in.

There is no completely right or wrong way of assessing wine - people often take different approaches to determining what they like or do not like about a wine. Usually, a quick sniff, followed by a swirl and another longer sniff gives one a sense of the aromatics. Then comes a small taste, which is usually held in the mouth for several seconds before swallowing or expelling (yes, spitting out) the wine.

At this point, many people like to make a note of their impressions. The note(s) can be very brief or very verbose, depending upon what the taster wants to convey to him/herself or to others. Ordinarily, the wines are not discussed individually as tasted, but instead are discussed when all of the wines have been evaluated. As you might imagine, impressions of each wine can differ with each taster - it just depends on the taster’s preference.

Finally, food is served and the wines are evaluated once again, in a less formal setting with plenty of discussion along the way. And, there you have it - wine tasting made easy!

Sponsor: The California Wine Club: www.cawineclub.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

View More Photos From ‘Wine Tasting with Shea Vineyards’

Welcome to our video podcast - The Winery at LaGrange - Video Show #22.

Click the Image Below to Play the Video:

Located just outside of Haymarket, Virginia, the Winery at LaGrange is in a beautiful pastoral setting. The winery is named for its three and a half story La Grange manor house which was built in the 1790’s, although the winery itself was started in 2006. Situated about an hour from Washington DC, they get plenty of visitors, and if the crowd during our visit was any indication, the Winery at LaGrange will become another thriving East Coast winery.

Join us as we talk with with general manager Fletcher Henderson, and winemaker Rob Cox about this exciting new project.

Sponsor: North Berkeley Imports: www.northberkeleyimports.com

Welcome to our video podcast - Boordy Vineyards - Video Show #21.

Click the Image Below to Play the Video:

Located in Hydes, Maryland, Boordy Vineyards was founded by Philip and Jocelyn Wagner, who established Maryland’s first commercial winery in 1945. Boordy is probably best known for introducing new varieties of French hybrid grapevines throughout the United States in the 1930s. Since 1980, Boordy has been owned by the R.B. Deford family, and is located on their historic 240-acre farm in the Long Green Valley of northeastern Baltimore County. The winery is housed in a 19th century stone barn whose thick walls keep the wine at cellar temperatures throughout the year.
Proprietor and winemaker Rob Deford attended UC Davis, but as he put it, “there was never any doubt that I would come back here to Maryland to make wine.” This was his home. Boordy currently produces 70,000 gallons of wine annually. In addition to the three generations of Estate vines, forty acres of grapes are cultivated in the Long Green Valley (Central Piedmont region) and in the Catoctin Mountains of western Maryland. Varieties grown include chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, petit verdot, seyval blanc, and vidal blanc. Boordy’s winemaker since 1986 has been Tom Burns.
Join us as we talk with Rob Deford, and get a glimpse into the history of winemaking in the area.

Sponsor: North Berkeley Imports: www.northberkeleyimports.com

Welcome to our video podcast - Linden Vineyards - Video Show #20.

Click the Image Below to Play the Video:

The one constant we heard during our East Coast winery visits was: see Jim Law at Linden Vineyards. And, without a doubt, we found Jim to be one of the most talented, dedicated and knowledgeable individuals we’ve met - anywhere! Purchasing an abandoned farm in 1983, Jim began planting vines from cuttings and grafts in 1985. Varieties included Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Vidal and Seyval. The first vintage was 1987 and the winery was opened in 1988.

Jim has been experimenting here with different varieties, placement, trellising, and so on over many recent years, and from the end product, it seems they’re getting closer to defining the mid-Atlantic region. All of this presented an interesting dichotomy out in the vineyard. Jim had recently replaced a block with new denser plantings - like babies, small and petite; while back behind us, stood an army of tall wooden lyre trellises, waiting for the older vines to climb to the top. We also noted that Jim seems to enjoy the same challenge himself, and the Blue Ridge climate and growing conditions apparently afford him that very “opportunity.” Even though Jim seems to be at the forefront of all of this experimentation, he also admits there is a long way to go. “We’re still young. We don’t have all the answers yet,” he told us. Not too dissimilar to what one hears from almost any winegrower on the West Coast.
Join us as we talk with Jim Law, and take a fascinating look at East Coast viticulture - Virginia style!

Sponsor: North Berkeley Imports: www.northberkeleyimports.com

As this year draws to a close, it is almost time to make those New Years’ Resolutions. How many of your resolutions are wine-related? Have you made made resolutions before? Were you able to keep them, or did you just give up?

The GrapeRadio bunch discuss past successes and failures to live up to Wine Resolutions, and share their own resolutions for the upcoming year.

Contest Alert: Please add your “New Years Resolution” to our comments and be entered to win one of several fun prizes!

Sponsor: North Berkeley Imports: www.northberkeleywine.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

Global Warming – what does this portend for wine growers, wine makers and consumers? What adaptive changes will need to be made in existing wine regions as global temperatures increase? Will wine growing need to be relocated in cooler regions?

Despite the many scientific uncertainties about the full effects if global warming, one thing remains clear – the challenges of growing and making wine will be many and varied.

Join us as our own Rusty Gaffney MD and Ted Burns MdD interview the leaders in the field:
Dr. Gregory Jones, Associate Professor, Southern Oregon University
Dr. Noah Diffenbaugh, Assistant Professor, Purdue University

Sponsor: North Berkeley Imports: www.northberkeleywine.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

The word Legend seems to get tossed around quite a bit. But, in this case that word seems more than apt.

Considered true legends of Pinot Noir (as well as Pied Pipers for the variety on the West Coast), these 4 gentlemen almost single-handedly started the New World Pinot Noir revolution. Join us as we listen to 4 pinot pioneers: Richard Sanford, Josh Jensen, Larry Hyde, and David Hirsch, as they discuss the early roots of their respective vineyards of Pinot Noir in California, and we hear about the trials and tribulations of this “Heartbreak Grape.” Moderated by the James Beard Award Winner - Anthony Dias Blue.

Sponsor: North Berkeley Imports: www.northberkeleywine.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

Click Here: Wine Grape Varieties

Do you ever long for the good old days? Were things in the wine world really better in 1990 - or were they actually not as good as we remember? Arguably, the year 1990 signaled the beginning of many changes to come in the growing, making, and selling of wine - not just in California, but throughout the world. Many newcomers had came to set roots in the Napa Valley, bringing about a proliferation of new vineyards and wineries - some seeking cult status, with smaller production and higher prices. With the birth of the internet, wine consumers were able to get more information about wine - and get it much faster than with print media. Non-European wines would soon be known as “New World” wines, and the wine world was to become a much more globalized place.

So, what were things like seventeen years ago? Join us as the GrapeRadio crew get into the fray, discussing just a few of the differences between the world of wine in 1990 and what we see today.

Sponsor: North Berkeley Imports: www.northberkeleyimports.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

Unless you have been on a desert island for the past 20 years, the name Jancis Robinson will need no introduction. However, for those of you who have unfortunately been marooned, here is a brief introduction.

Since 1975, Jancis has been one of the preeminent voices in the world of wine. A Master of Wine, author of several books – most notably a massive tome called The Oxford Companion to Wine – as well as several television shows and other broadcast media, Jancis is considered to be the one of the most (if not the most) prolific wine writers on the planet.

Join us as we talk with Jancis about wine, her career, her colleagues, and her huge impact on a generation and a half of wine consumers.

For more information on Jancis Robinson: www.jancisrobinson.com

Sponsor: California Wine Club: www.cawineclub.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

View More Photos From ‘An Interview with Jancis Robinson’

Think of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne, and what comes to mind? Possibly that bright yellow label on the non-vintage bottling? Or, perhaps it is the stylish bottle of La Grande Dame vintage bottling. Well, did you know that Madame Clicquote is actually the inventor of the table de remuage, or riddling table. The Champagnes of the early 1800s had all been cloudy, but her invention allowed her wines to clarify, and riddling racks (in one form or another) have been used ever since. She also became a pioneer or sorts, taking charge of the cellars after her husband’s death - something unheard of in the wine industry.

Join us as we talk with Frédéric Panaїotis, one of several winemakers for Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin. Articulate and engaging, Frédéric shares some history of the “Widow” Clicquot, and the Champagne region in general. We also learn that Champagne is all about blending, and is so much more than just a celebratory wine. (Since our interview, Frédéric has become Cellarmaster, or Chef de Cave at Champagne Ruinart.)

Sponsor: Millesima USA, Wine Merchants: www.millesima-usa.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

If you enjoyed this episode check out these other related shows:

Audio #13: Let’s Celebrate Champagne
Audio #45: The Business of Champagne
Audio #170: The Wines of Dom Perignon
Video #31: Champagne Taittinger: A Walk Through the Cellars
Video #32: The Champage of Philipponnat
Audio #200: The Champagne of Krug

Anyone familiar with Robert M. Parker’s newsletter, The Wine Advocate, is probably also familiar with Dr. Jay Miller. A clinical psychologist by training, Jay Miller assisted Bob Parker with tastings, visits, and editing for the Wine Advocate, on a part-time basis from 1985 to 1998. Bob “discovered” Dr. J., who was working part-time to support his wine habit, at Wells Discount Liquors in the Baltimore area. Over that 13 years, Jay has tasted 65,000 wines.

Dr. J. continued to dabble in the wine trade while working full time as a child psychologist, but eventually decided to plunge full time into the trade. Then, in September of 2006, Robert Parker decided to bring in some talent to help expand his wine coverage, and in the process Jay became the specialist for the Pacific Northwest, South America, and the land down under, Australia, as well as the fortified wines of Portugal.

Bob has the highest admiration for Jay’s palate (and claims he’s one of the two best tasters he’s ever encountered), and the two have continued to taste together for 25 years. Join us as our own Dr. Ted M. Burns (with guest Andrew Greene and Toby Beard ) sits down to taste with Dr. J, and get his impressions of the wide wine of world.

For More Info - eRobertParker.com: www.eRobertParker.com

Sponsor: Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

Click Below to Play the Show:

In 1982, Maison Deutz followed the lead of several other French Champagne houses by heading west to make California sparkling wine. Deutz found a premier location on the central coast, and in 1982 they began planting a 160-acre vineyard with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. In the ensuing years, Deutz was sold and became Laetitia Winery. Then finally, in 1998 Laetitia Winery was acquired along with Barnwood Winery by Selim Zilkha.

Fast forward to today, and Laetitia Vineyard and Winery has 620 acres currently planted to grape vines, and produce both sparkling and still wines - in fact, they have a separate winemaker for each program (though they are father and son). Coincidentally, Selim’s daughter Nadia had also developed a keen interest in fine wine and food, and now presides as Executive Vice President of the family’s three succsessful brands: Laetitia, Barnwood, and Avila. Join us as we talk with owner Nadia Zilkha Wellisz and vineyard manager Lino Bozzano about the past, present and the future of this marvelous estate.

For More Info - Laetitia Vineyards and Winery: www.laetitiawine.com

Sponsor: Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

Click Below to Play the Show:

Click Here: Latetita Vineyards

View More Photos From ‘The Wines of Laetitia’

What is Cognac - is it wine or is it distilled spirits? Well, actually, it is both. It is distilled wine, or brandy, and often called eau de vie. Beyond that, in order to be called Cognac it must be made according to strictly-defined regulations, and it must also come from the Cognac region in France. Located in the countryside surrounding the Charente River one hundred miles north of Bordeaux, this twenty-mile area is called the “golden circle” and encompasses Cognac and the second distilling town of Jarnac.

Because cognac is made with grapes, a Cognac cocktail goes more naturally with a lunch or dinner that also might include a glass of white or red wine. Join us today as we talk with Cyrille Gautier Auriol, Hennessy’s International Training & Promotion Manager, about the the history, the method of production, and the pleasure of tasting Cognac, and you’ll see how versatile this beverage really can be.

For More Info - Hennessy: www.hennessy.com

Sponsor: MILLESIMA USA: www.millesima.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

View More Photos From ‘All About Cognac’

What if you could wave a magic wand and change something about the world of wine? What would it be - affordable wine, no ratings, more ratings?

Abolish scores? Abolish corks? GrapeRadio discusses a few of the impossible changes we would love to see.

GrapeRadio Contest Alert: Tell us what you would like to change in the world of wine if you had the all powerful magic wand. The winner of the contest will get to host an upcoming episode of GrapeRadio. Post your entry/comment(s) on this show. Contest Expires October 31, 2007.

Notice: Congrats to contest winner: Mel Hill!

For more information on 2007 Auction Orange County: www.shareourwine.org

Sponsor: MILLESIMA USA: www.millesima.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

The Share Our Wine Foundations 3rd annual charity wine auction - Auction Orange County - is now open for registration.

Don’t miss out on the event of the season! Join us November 17th at Strawberry Farms Golf Club for an exclusive evening of food and wine to benefit the Orangewood Children’s Foundation and Canyon Acres Children and Family Services.

The event will feature over 300 wine related lots at the silent auction including Screaming Eagle, Harlan, DRC LaTache, Colgin, Sine Qua Non as well a live auction featuring one-of-a-kind trips to Bordeaux, Paso Robles, Sonoma, Napa and Hawaii.

You also have the opportunity to participate in a truly unique wine experience. Michael Browne of Kosta Browne Winery will be hosting a VIP wine tasting symposium discussing his wines which have attained cult status. Each attendee will have the opportunity to taste 13 wines while Michael shares his thoughts, insights and perspectives.

Please note this event is limited to 300 general admission tickets and only 100 tickets for our special VIP event. Tickets are expected to be sold out in a few days so act now.

Click Here to Register Now: www.shareourwine.org

We thought we were very fortunate to have Richard Geoffroy, the Chef de Cave of Dom Pérignon, in our studio. But, we were doubly fortunate to have him bring along the current vintage releases of both the 1999 Cuvée and 1996 Rosé for us to enjoy while we talked about Dom and the Champagne region.

Dom Pérignon is no doubt one of the most recognizable names in the world. Made by Moët et Chandon since the late 1920s, this prestige cuvée was named for Pierre Pérignon, a Benedictine monk, who legend has it, came out of the cellar one day yelling to his Benedictine brothers “I am drinking stars!” Many myths abound about Dom Pérignon, such as he was blind (he was not - he merely blind-tasted the wines), and that he introduced blending to Champagne wines (he actually innovated the blending of grapes prior to sending them to press).

Richard Geoffroy has been the cellar master for Dom Pérignon for over a decade. He has a medical degree from the University of Reims, but never entered private practice, preferring instead to get an additional degree in enology and return to the roots of his family - winemaking. Join us as Richard gives us a little history lesson of the region, as well as a prognosis of its future. And of course, our visit wouldn’t be complete without giving us a tip or two about drinking Champagne, as well as his own philosophy about terroir, winegrowing, and Champagne-making in this wonderful region.

For more information on Dom Pérignon: www.domperignon.com

For more information on Moët Hennessy: www.mhusa.com

Sponsor: MILLESIMA USA: www.millesima-usa.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

If you enjoyed this episode check out these other related shows:

Audio #13: Let’s Celebrate Champagne
Audio #45: The Business of Champagne
Audio #175: Champagne with Veuve Clicquot
Video #31: Champagne Taittinger: A Walk Through the Cellars
Video #32: The Champage of Philipponnat
Audio #200: The Champagne of Krug

Welcome to our video podcast - 2007 World of Pinot Noir - Part 1 - Video Show #19.

Click the Image Below to Play the Video:

Sponsor: North Berkeley Imports: www.northberkeleyimports.com

Call them Rules of the Road, Handy Hints, or just plain Do’s and Don’ts. Either way, there are (or, at least there ought to be) some basic tenets about how to buy and enjoy wine without over-extending your budget, guessing when a wine is ready to drink, or making a fool of yourself at a restaurant.

Today, the GrapeRadio bunch discusses some logical (subject to interpretation) approaches to wine buying, wine tasting, and wine drinking. And, we’ll get into the subjectivity of varietal preferences, plus look at a few ‘what if’ situations while at a restaurant.

Sponsor: Beachs of South Walton: www.beachesofsouthwalton.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

Welcome to our video podcast - 2007 World of Pinot Noir - Part 1 - Video Show #18.

Click the Image Below to Play the Video:

Each Spring, the World of Pinot Noir seems to hit the ground running. Join us as we give you an overview of this terrific celebration of all things Pinot Noir - from wine seminars and wine tastings, to attendee impressions and sampling some awesome cheeses - the World of Pinot Noir is a sight to behold. You’ll hear why attending an event such as this isn’t only about having fun - it should be considered a vital part of your wine education - well, that and having fun too!

Sponsor: North Berkeley Imports: www.northberkeleyimports.com