GrapeRadio – Wine Talk Show

‘All I want is a small place out in the country,’ is often how it begins. For Dr. Elias S. Hanna and family, what began in 1985 as a small getaway house/farm in the Russian River Valley, morphed into four vineyard locations. Beginning with 12 acres in the Russian River Valley purchased in the 1970s, he and his children began their foray into winemaking with homemade Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. In the mid-1980s, Dr. Hanna hired a winemaker and expanded the vineyard holdings.

In the Russian River appellation, the Home Ranch on Occidental Road includes Hanna’s winery production facility, as well as the main 25 acre vineyard planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. The other RRV property is the Slusser Road vineyard is planted to Sauvignon Blanc, as well as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. With its cool climate, this 60-acre vineyard is all about aromatics and crisp mouthfeel. Their 88-acre Alexander Valley Red Ranch vineyard is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec. And, the most recent acquisition is the Bismark Mountain Ranch. Located on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas Mountains at elevations from 1,400-2,600 feet, the 67 planted acres of steeply terraced rocky volcanic soil are planted to Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Syrah, Petit Syrah and Zinfandel.

Today, the Hanna family owns 600 acres, 250 of which are planted, split between four different vineyards. Dr. Hanna’s eldest daughter Christine has been running the winery for over 20 years. Join us as we talk with Christine Hanna about a simpler time in the wine-growing world, and what it takes to plan for the family’s future generations.

For more info:
Hanna Winery & Vineyards: www.hannawinery.com/

Sponsor: Wine Berserkers: www.wineberserkers.com

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Show #321
(1:01:51 min 56.6 MB)

Freemark Abbey’s history began in 1886, when Josephine Tychson established the original winery along Route 29 in St. Helena, becoming one of the area’s first woman winegrowers. Although its name might indicate otherwise, the winery was never a monastery, nor was it ever inhabited by monks. Instead, the current winery name originated in 1939, when its three owners – Charles Freeman, Markquand Foster and Abbey Ahem – combined their names to form Freemark Abbey.

In 1967, the winery was sold to a group of seven partners, which actually set the stage for a new era of winemaking creativity. In fact, the winery garnered the nickname the “University of Freemark” due to the sheer number of innovations and significant winemakers that emerged. During the 1960s, Freemark Abbey winemaker Brad Webb, (subsequently known for his time at Hanzell) pioneered a number of methods that have since become California winemaking standards. And, his use of non-malolactic fermentation for Chardonnay is still used at Freemark Abbey today. In the 1970s, Jerry Luper (of Château Montelena and Diamond Creek fame) worked his magic on the red wines, cementing Freemark Abbey’s position as a quality Cabernet house.

When wine shop owner Steven Spurrier conducted his now legendary blind tasting in Paris, pitting the upstart wines of California against the established wines of France, Freemark Abbey was among the 12 American wineries chosen to participate. In an upset that shocked the wine world, California wines won every category of the tasting, elevating Napa Valley and California wines onto the world stage. Owned by Jackson Family Wines since 2006, the legacy continues with the same winemaker for nearly 30 years.

Join us as we talk with Ted Edwards, winemaker at Freemark Abbey since 1985. We’ll get some history, and hear what it takes to continue to make the wines he likes to make at this venerable Napa landmark.

For more info: Freemark Abbey: www.freemarkabbey.com

Sponsor: Pinpoint Technologies – Your Business List Source: www.pinpoint-tech.com

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Show #317
(53:51 min 49.3 MB)

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.

For more information on Casa Lapostolle: www.casalapostolle.com

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

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Born and raised in Western Australia, Rob Mann followed in the family tradition – oenology. After receiving his degree from University of Adelaide, Rob worked for Hardy’s in McLaren Vale, before returning home to pickup the reins at Cape Mentelle Vineyards in 2005 in Australia’s Margaret River region. Cape Mentelle was one of the first vineyards established in the area. First planted in 1970, there are now over 180 hectares under vine. Founded by West Australian wine industry pioneer David Hohnen, Cape Mentelle is credited with pioneering many varietals and blends in the region, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc Semillon.

The Margaret River region is located in the Southwest corner of the “land down under,” stretching about 100 km from north to south, and about 27 km in width. The climate here is Mediterranean, with mild wet winters and warm dry summers – approximating something like Bordeaux in a dry season. Although it contributes only 3% of the country’s total grape output, it commands over 20% of its wine market. With over 5,500 hectares under vine, there are over 120 producers in the region. Grape varieties grown include: Cabernet, Shiraz, Merlot, Chardonnay, Semilion and Sauvignon Blanc.

Join us as we talk with Rob Mann about Australia, the Margaret River region, to see if it really is different “down under.”

Sponsor- Pinpoint Technologies, Mailing List Source: www.pinpoint-tech.com

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