Have the alcohol levels in wine gotten too high? And, just what is too high? It’s a controversial subject, and one with many opinions about its relevance in today’s wines. Some say it doesn’t matter at all - “it’s just a number.” Others counter that it takes away from the wine itself, and hastens inebriation. How and why has this become a factor, and does it really matter, or is this a tempest in a wine glass?
Join us as we talk with Bartholomew Broadbent about the steady increase in alcohol levels in wine - its causes and its effects.
To find out more information on Broadbent Selections: www.broadbent.com
Possibly no other grape variety is as subject to the differences of terroir, as is Pinot Noir. And, no discussion or tasting of Pinot Noir would be complete without including Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Located West and South of Portland, the Willamette Valley is 150 miles long and nearly 60 miles wide, with 200 wineries and over 12,000 acres of grapes. Bounded by the Cascade Mountains to the East, the Coast Range mountains to the West, plus a series of lower hill chains to the extreme north of the valley, the Willamette Valley is one of those regions that illustrates the diversity of terroir. So much so, that in 2002, the vineyards and wineries of the region delineated and submitted petitions to the TTB to divide much of the northern part of the Willamette Valley AVA into six more specific AVAs. During 2005-06, the petitions were approved and the following sub-AVAs were created within the Willamette Valley: Chehalem Mountains, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Ribbon Ridge, and Yamhill-Carlton District
Rusty Gaffney (Prince of Pinot) selected 12 wines for us to taste, 2 from each region or district. Join us as we explore the wines of these sub-AVA regions, to discover their differences, as well as their similarities. The wines:
CHEHALEM MOUNTAINS
2006 ArborBrook Vineyards Estate 777 Block
2006 Laura Volkman Vineyards Jacob Estate
DUNDEE HILLS
2006 Et Fille Maresh Vineyard
2006 Domaine Drouhin
Virginians have grown grapes for wine for four centuries, beginning first with the Jamestown settlers. Unfortunately, early efforts to grow vinifera in Virginia were unsuccessful. In the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, Thomas Jefferson cultivated European grapes but his Monticello vineyards never produced wine. George Washington, at Mount Vernon, was also unable to make wine despite a decade of effort. In the late-1950s, experimental plantings of vinifera began to finally show promise and by the 1970’s a handful of wineries were established in the Commonwealth.
In 2009, Virginia has 140 wineries (and counting), ranking fifth in the US in terms of numbers of wineries. Wines from the Commonwealth are winning national and international recognition for their elegant qualities. Virginia’s terroir has helped vintners create wines stylistically between those of California and Europe that work very well with food. Virginia Viognier is one of a handful of varietals emerging as one of Virginia’s most notable wines.
Join Ted Burns and Scott Hendley as they talk Virginia wine with Virginia winemakers Michael Shaps and Jim Law, wine columnist Toby Beard and Professor of Viticulture Tony Wolf. The panel of Virginia wine experts discuss the strengths, challenges, characteristics, styles, trends and highlights of Virginia wine.
The idea that wine was meant to pair harmoniously with food can sometimes create obvious misconceptions. For instance, in the case of Sauternes, one might automatically assume that because of its inherent sweetness, the wine can only be paired properly with desserts. As it turns out, inventive food and wine pairings can be genuine discoveries, as we were to learn by matching Sichuan Chinese food with Sauternes.
Join us as we visit Bordeaux’s Restaurant Au Bonheur du Palais. Beginning in the kitchen and proceeding into the dining room, we’ll see how Chef Shan creates cuisine to compliment and support several vintages of Ch. Suduiraut. Join us, along with Chef Shan, AXA’s Christian Seely, and Suduiraut’s Pierre Montégut, as we discover that while good wine and food matches are sometimes born, more often than not they are made.
If you’re a fan of Bordeaux – especially the sweet wines of Sauternes - the name Château Suduiraut will be no stranger to you. This Sauternes Premier Cru is situated at the southern end of the commune of Preignac, sitting almost literally in the shadow of it illustrious neighbor, Château d’Yquem. A part of the AXA Millésimes portfolio since 1992, Suduiraut’s 92-hectare vineyard is 90% Semillion and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, each averaging about 25 years of age.
What makes the Sauternes region so special is something called Noble Rot, which is a fungal organism known scientifically as Botrytris cinerea, and is almost single-handedly responsible for the world’s greatest sweet wines. Botrytis causes the berries to dehydrate and shrivel, which in turn concentrates the grape sugars. In the case of Sauternes, the region’s proximity to the Garonne River provides the fog and mists that allow this to take place.
Join us as we walk through the vineyards of Suduiraut, guided by Technical Director, Pierre Montégut. We’ll also watch as they bottle the 2006 vintage.
After years of making wine out of their family home, Kent and Kathy Rosenblum took their love of winemaking to the next level and founded Rosenblum Cellars in 1978. In partnership with several close friends, and with Kathy acting as his assistant winemaker and helping with the crush, Kent made Rosenblum Cellars’ first vineyard designated zinfandel. Inspired by their early winemaking success, Kent began to focus on crafting vineyard designated wines using grapes farmed from mountainside, head-pruned, old vines. He would search Sonoma and Napa, Santa Barbara, Paso Robles and beyond, just to find the best vineyards and growers in California.
In 1987, Rosenblum moved his commercial operation from its location next to The Dead End Bar in Oakland, to a facility next to the Oakland-Alameda Ferry building on the island of Alameda, and the rest of the journey became history. Along the way, Rosenblum Cellars became one of the original “three R’s of Zin” (along with Ridge and Ravenswood), and the practicing veterinarian even managed to pick up a new nickname instead of Doc, becoming “The King of Zin”. Long hard work eventually paid off, and the Rosenblums were able to sell their winery to Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines for a reported $105 million in 2008.
Join us as we talk with Kent about his humble beginnings, his love for wine, and the dozens of vineyard designates to come out of his prolific winery. You may even want to open a Zin or Petite…we did.
One of the more fascinating processes to watch in a winery is the act of bottling the wine, arguably the last step before the vintner bids goodbye to what quite literally were the fruit of his labor. Although the process is highly automated, there are many complexities involved - plus, there is a great deal to watch.
Join us as we visit with Martin Clubb at this Walla Walla, Washington winery and see first hand what the process is all about.
Founded in 1983 by Jean and Baker Ferguson in Walla Wall, Washington, the L’Ecole Nº 41 winery is now owned and operated by their daughter and son-in-law, Megan and Martin Clubb. So, where did they get a name like that? Well, L’Ecole Nº 41 is French for “the school” and it is located in district number 41. Built in 1915, the schoolhouse is located in historic Frenchtown, a small community just west of Walla Walla. Frenchtown derived its name from the many French-Canadians who settled the valley during the early 1800s. Legend has it, these men of French descent were raising grapes and producing wine, and was chosen to salute these pioneer viticulture efforts. By the 1860s, nurseries, vineyards and winemaking had become a part of the regions’ growing economy.
Practicing sustainable farming, non-interventionist practices in the winery, L’Ecole is currently producing about 30,000 cases annually of Semillon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Apogee & Perigee, and Syrah. Join us as we visit with Martin Clubb in the vineyard, to see what sustainable farming is all about.
On California’s Central Coast, half-way between the mision sites of San Luis Obispo and San Miguel, the Margarita Vineyard stands alone as the only vineyard in the vicinity. It is nestled into the rugged Santa Lucia Mountain range, yet near the coast where Franciscan missionaries first grew grapes here more than 200 years ago.
While the peaks are the most conspicuous evidence of the area’s geologic history, Margarita Vineyard is rich with other sights that exemplify the diversity of its terroir, including rolling hills, dramatic outcroppings and petrified oyster shells. In fact, the vineyard could be viewed as a hybrid of the cooler Edna Valley to the south and warmer climate of Paso Robles to the north. It has inland sheltering from the surrounding mountains, yet is merely 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean.
Join us as Jay, Mark and I visit the Santa Margarita Ranch, and literally dig into the vineyard to see why this historic site is so unique.
We are always looking for wine and food pairing opportunities. So, while in Naples, Florida, last year we just had to pay a visit to Jacques and Lysielle Cariot at their well-regarded and award winning Bleu Provence restaurant.
As a shellfish, one could rightfully expect that mussels would pair well with almost any white wine. But, as it turns out there is a seemingly perfect match in Muscadet. Made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape, Muscadet comes from the western-most end of the Loire Valley, the same valley that includes the regions of Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Saumur, Bourgueil, Chinon, and Vouvray. Interestingly, however, Muscadet is referred to by its apparent taste (musk-like), making it one of the rare exceptions where a French wine is named for something other than its region.
Join us as Jay, Mark and I pay a visit to Jacques Cariot at his Bleu Provence restaurant, and see why Jacques feels that Muscadet is the most natural and perfect pairing with mussels.
Arguably the benchmark in charitable wine auctions, the Auction Napa Valley is held annually in (where else?) Napa Valley. Established by a group of Napa Valley vintners in 1981, ANV has given over $70 million dollars over its 28 years for healthcare, youth service and low-income housing charities in Napa County.
Join us as we talk with vintners and attendees and they share their fond recollections about the iconic Robert Mondavi, and his innumerable contributions to wine and to the Napa Valley.
As our listeners are undoubtedly aware, our friend and colleague Brian Clark was injured in a terrible car accident in Paso Robles in early March.
Well, we are now very pleased to report that Brian is doing much better, and has since been admitted to a fabulous rehabilitation facility near his Southern California home. We are so thankful for the outcome, and hope Brian continues to regain his strength and get back to us and to his family. In fact, we were so elated with Brian’s progress, that we decided to do a little impromptu podcast to celebrate among ourselves, but with Brian very much in our hearts and minds.
As noted in some our posts below, you can continue to get direct feedback on Brian’s progress at the CaringBridge website:
Arguably the benchmark in charitable wine auctions, the Auction Napa Valley is held annually in (where else?) Napa Valley. Established by a group of Napa Valley vintners in 1981, ANV has given over $70 million dollars over its 28 years for healthcare, youth service and low-income housing charities in Napa County. The GrapeRadio crew received an invitation to attend this stellar event, and we were not disappointed.
Organized each year by the Napa Valley Vintners (NVV), the event runs over a three-day period, usually in June. Consisting of a wine & food extravaganza, several auctions (e-auctions, live auctions and barrel auctions), and plenty of vintner-hosted activities, it is a spectacular event. In 2008, as the final gavel fell, a total of 44 Live Lots, 128 Barrel Lots and 87 E-Lots that offered extraordinary collections of wine, vintner-hosted events and travel adventures donated by the organization’s many wineries had raised more than $10.35 million.
Join us as we talk with vintners, celebrities (Oprah!), and attendees about the sights, sounds, foods, wines, and overall excitement that make the Auction Napa Valley such a special event.
In 1993, billionaire Stephen Adams and his wife Denise were married at a country chapel in St.-Emilion, Bordeaux’s historic Right Bank city. This was the beginning of Adams’ fascination with French culture and wine, a fascination that would cause him to purchase six (and counting) Châteaux in and around St. Emilion. His considerably diverse holdings, amassed over the course of 47 years, include banks, billboards, recreational vehicles, and now wineries – and in France, no less. Known collectively as Adams French Vineyards, this gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘an American in Paris.’
Beginning in 2000, Stephen Adams bought Château Lagarosse, in the rolling hills of the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux. He followed this in 2002 with the purchase of Château de Candale in St.-Emilion. Still looking for a flagship winery, he found it in 2004 with the purchase of Château Fonplégade, a 48-acre property located on St.-Emilion’s limestone plateau, yet needing some TLC. His total renovation of the property, at a cost of $7 million, including large new fermentation tanks, and vineyard improvements.
In 2005, he bought Château de Bel-Air in Lalande-de-Pomerol. And, last year, he added Château Roylland in St.-Emilion and Château L’Enclos in Pomerol. All along, his strategy always was (and still is) to pay relatively low prices for properties, then upgrade heavily - all under the direction of Michel Rolland.
Join us as we talk with Stephen Adams at Château Fonplegade in St. Emilion, and tour vineyards and wineries of this and several other of Adams’ properties, including Château De Bel Air, Château de Candale, and Château Lagarosse.
One of the promising discoveries during our 2007 trip to visit some Mid-Atlantic wineries was Black Ankle Vineyards. Founders Ed Boyce and Sarah O’Herron decided to look for an alternative careers to Management Consulting, and their fascination with wine, winemaking and viticulture led them in 2001 to actually consider the process of owning and operating their own vineyard and winery. But where?
After years of research, the pair decided they could make excellent wine in Maryland. After nearly a year of searching, they found a beautiful 146-acre farm in Frederick County, with 40 acres well suited to grape vines. The farm has all of the things they were looking for: relative altitude, well-drained and low vigor soil, and a mix of different eco-systems. They purchased the property in May of 2002.
Beginning in April of 2003, Ed and Sarah planted a mix of red and white grapes, choosing some of their favorite varieties, but also ones known for high quality wine and thought to be most suitable for the Mid-Atlantic climate. Varieties inclluded: Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Later they added a small parcel of Pinot Noir, and some Grüner Veltliner, Albariño, Viognier, and the ubiquitous Chardonnay.
They also made a decision to farm with the principles of Biodynamics, the original Organic farming movement which was founded by the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner in the 1920’s. Biodynamics involves working as much as possible by the rhythms of the moon, planets and seasons, with a strong emphasis on biodiversity, and a goal of self-sufficiency. Although they continue to experiment with new pest management ideas, they are not yet able to farm 100% organically, though they are optimistic that they will get there before too long.
Join us as we talk with Ed Boyce about the trials, tribulations and successes of East Coast vineyard management and winemaking.
Located in the heart of the Sta. Rita Hills, Fiddlestix Vineyard is the brainchild of Kathy Joseph, proprietor of Fiddlehead Cellars. A UC Davis alumni, Kathy worked under Zelma Long at Simi Winery before branching out on her own. She’s always made Pinot Noir - usually from two sources, Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and the Santa Maria Valley. However, when Robert Mondavi bought Santa Maria’s Sierra Madre Vineyard in the mid-’90s, Kathy needed to look for a new source of fruit. The location she finally selected was about 122 acres, located directly across the road from the historic Sanford & Benedict Vineyard. After purchasing the land in 1996, she selected rootstalk and began preparation for planting. At this point, Kathy approached Beringer and offered them an opportunity to buy in on a 50/50 basis. They recognized the potential of the site, wanted to partner with Fiddlehead and bought 1/2 of the vineyard development to get 1/2 of the fruit. In retrospect, the partnership with Beringer seems to be the best of both worlds - Kathy has the autonomy to manage the vineyard, and both she and Beringer share the fruits of her labors.
Planted in 1998 to 100 acres of Pinot Noir, the spacing at Fiddlestix is tight, with vines planted 4 feet apart, and each row 7 feet wide – resulting in 1,556 vines per acre. The vineyard is made up of 32 mini-blocks, representing different combinations of six clones, three rootstocks, and various elevation, exposures, and soil combinations. The soil is well-drained Gazos and Botella clay loam, loaded with chirt and Monterey shale.
Join us as we visit during “Fiddlefest”, a tribute to producers of Pinot Noir from the vineyard, and to the vineyard itself. We’ll talk with Kathy Joseph and several other winemakers who buy Fiddlestix fruit for their own labels, including: John Falcone (Rusack), Paul Lato (Paul Lato Wines), and Joe Davis (Arcadian).
As with many of the Pomerol properties in Bordeaux, Château Petit-Village is actually devoid of a grand Château. Laid out in a triangular shape, the estate consists of 11 hectares of vineyards, with a nucleus of small buildings that serve as winery, vineyard and business offices. Interestingly, this is presumed to account for its name, which means “small village”.
It is unknown who initially planted vines at the estate, but after the French Revolution, it has been under the ownership of several families, including the Dufresne family, the De Seguin family (Clos Fourtet), and was acquired by the négociant Fernand Ginestet in 1919. It remained among the Ginestet properties, along with other properties such as Château Margaux and Château Cos d’Estournel, until the difficult 1970s forced the Ginestets to divide their properties. Petit-Village was run by Bruno Prats until 1989 when it was sold to the present owners, the insurance group AXA Millésimes. Christian Seely oversees the AXA portfolio, but Petit-Village was managed by Jean-Michel Cazes and Daniel Llose until Cazes’ retirement. Currently, the property is managed by Daniel Llose and technical director, Serge Ley.
The property is nestled among some well-known neighbors: Vieux Château Certan, La Conseillante, and Beauregard. The Petit-Village vineyards consist of 75% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc, however, the cepage (blend) varies year to year (for 2007: 78% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc). As with nearly all Right Bank properties, the blend is predominately Merlot.
Join us as we talk with technical director Serge Ley about the vineyard, the winemaking, and of course, the wine.
Andrew Jefford is an English author, journalist, editor, radio and television personality, as well as a poet. Andrew’s approach to writing encompasses not only what is contained within the glass but also the personalities, environment, and culture that surrounds it — making him a standout amongst his peers. His passion for wine has led to numerous articles and books, including the remarkable “The New France” (2002), and most recently “Andrew Jefford’s Wine Course” (2008). He has won eight Glenfiddich Awards along with a host of others, including the Louis Roederer International Award for Wine Feature Writer (2008).
Join us as we talk with the multi-talented Andrew Jefford about his philosophies on wine, wine writing, and wine education.
GrapeRadio is a wine talk show. Show topics cover issues such as the enjoyment of wine, wine news and industry trends - the hallmark of the show is interviews with world class guest (winemakers, vineyards owners, wine retail / wholesale leaders, restaurateurs and sommeliers). The scope of the show is international so expect to hear many guests from around the world.
GrapeRadio has received numerous awards and honors including the 2008 James Beard Award for excellence in Journalism.
GrapeRadio has been the subject of numerous news reports by: The New York Times, Business Week, CNN, The Financial Times of London, and Wired Magazine.
As our listeners are undoubtedly aware, our friend and colleague Brian Clark was injured in a terrible car accident in Paso Robles in early March.
