GrapeRadio – Wine Talk Show

Moraga Vineyards is a wine growing estate in the Santa Monica Mountains at an elevation of 600 to 900 feet, five miles from the Pacific Ocean in the Los Angeles community of Bel Air. Owners and native Californians, Tom and Ruth Jones have lived on the 16-acre Moraga Canyon property since 1959, purchasing a small horse ranch originally built by Victor Fleming, director of Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz.

Wineries and vineyards have a rich history in Southern California. Wild grape vines were reported by the de Portola expedition in 1769, and the missionaries planted throughout the region along the mission trail. Were that not enough, there was a time when the largest vineyard in the world was located in Guasti (aka Cucamonga), in San Bernardino County.

Join us, as we talk with Scott Rich, winemaker for Bel Air’s Moraga Vineyards. You’ll find that some basic assumptions made about wine growing in the Los Angeles basin may be not be quite true.

(Note: since the time of this interview in June 2013, billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch has purchased the Moraga Vineyards estate for $28.8 million.)

For more info:

Moraga Vineyards: www.moragavineyards.com

Sponsor: Wine Berserkers: www.wineberserkers.com

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Show #347
(1:00:05 min 61.9 MB)

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Chester Osborn is a walking encyclopedia. The Australian wine producer manages to keep ALL of the data for 60 different wines he makes each year, in his head! The sheer number of vineyards would tax most people’s faculties. And, these are wines of no small breeding. Most of the vineyards are 60+ years old.

Chester comes by all of this naturally. He is the 4th generation of his family in the wine business, with d’Arenberg’s first vintage coming in 1928. Born in 1962, he was raised on the family property where father d’Arry Osborn had begun producing wines with the red stripe label in 1959. During Chester’s initial years of schooling he worked in the vineyards and the cellar floor during school holidays. In 1980 Chester commenced his Oenology degree at Roseworthy Agricultural College.

In 1983, Chester graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Sciences in Oenology and took over the reins as Chief Wine maker at d’Arenberg, rejuvenating the 70 year old cellars and 19th Century vineyards as well as overseeing all aspects of wine making, viticulture and marketing. In 1984 he took leave from the winery and spent most of the year undertaking a viticultural and oenological tour of France, Italy, Germany and Spain. Chester Osborn has received masses of critical acclaim for his wine making talents. Most recently he was recognized as The Red Wine maker of the Year at the 2007 Japan International Wine Competition.

Join us as we hear from indefatigable Chester Osborn, who relishes the d’Arenberg goal as the “Art of Being Different.”

For more info:
Hospice du Rhone: www.hospicedurhone.org/
d’Arenberg: www.darenberg.com.au

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

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Show #344
(1:16:23 min 73.3MB)

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Alessandro Bindocci is the 4th generation of Bindocci’s to work in the wine business, and the 2nd generation to be following in the footsteps of Piero Talenti, mentor to Alessandro’s father Fabrizio and one of the founding fathers of the Brunello di Montalcino appellation.

After completing his enology degree at the University of Pisa, Alessandro returned to Montalcino to work with his father, bringing with him 21st century technology to one of Brunello’s oldest estates. Alessandro is winemaker for Tenuta Il Poggione, one of three original producers of Brunello di Montalcino, who began making wine in the late 19th century along with Biondi-Santi and Frescobaldi. Now owned by the Franceschi family, this estate has some of the oldest vines in the appellation.

Join us as we talk with Alessandro about Montalcino, the Tenuta Il Poggione wines, and a joint project between the Franceschi and Terlato families, named Mazzoni.

For more info:

The Montalcino Report: www.montalcinoreport.com
Live Like an Italian: livelikeanitalian.com

Sponsor: Wine Berserkers: www.wineberserkers.com

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Show #343
(41:19 min 39.7 MB)

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One might easily assume the Garcin family have always been Bordelais. However, they’re relatively recent transplants, having previously lived in the French Alps, where they owned a chain of supermarkets and a sports company. After the sale of these companies, brother and sister, Daniel and Sylviane Garcin, headed to Bordeaux in 1991, whereupon Daniel bought Chateau Smith Haut Lafite, and Sylviane bought Chateau Haut-Bergey. At the same time, Silviane formed Vignobles Garcin and continued to buy additional properties.

Vignobles Garcin consists of four small, ultra-premium wineries, including Right Bank properties Barde-Haut and Clos L’Eglise, as well as two Left Bank estates Haut-Bergey in Graves and Chateau Branon in Pessac-Leognan. The properties are now managed by Silviane’s daughter, Helene and Helene’s husband Patrice Leveque. The Garcin’s also decided to invest in Argentina, forming Bodega Poesia in the Lujan de Cuyo sub-appellation in the Mendoza region.

One of the properties, Chateau Barde-Haut, began as an addition to the family home on a 17-acre natural amphitheatre, just a few minutes from center of St. Emilion. Neighbors include Tertre-Roteboeuf and Troplong-Mondot. Dr. Alain Raynaud is also part of the Garcin team and consults on the winemaking.

Join us as we talk with the charming Hélène Garcin-Lévêque about Bordeaux, her family’s properties, and their progressive attitude in creating a state-of-the-art ‘green’ winery at Chateau Barde-Haut.

For more info:

Vignobles Garcin: www.vignoblesgarcin.com/

Bodega Poesia: www.bodegapoesia.com

Sponsor: Best Wines Online: www.bestwinesonline.com

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Show #342
(44:09 min 42.4MB)

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Anaba (“Anna-bah”) takes its name from the cool upward-flowing breezes called anabic winds that frequently stream through the estate Carneros vineyard during the warm summer months. Owner John Sweazey is thought to be the first vintner in Northern California to harness wind power to supplement power in his tasting room and storage facility.

The Director of Winemaking and Vineyard Operations, and the General Manager of Anaba is Jennifer Marion, a graduate of UC Davis who as been at Anaba since its launch. Join us as we talk with Jennifer about her multifaceted role at the winery and the Rhone and Burgundian varietals she crafts at Anaba. Along the way, the Grape Radio crew has quite a few laughs in this thoroughly enjoyable conversation.

For more info:

Anaba Wines: www.anabawines.com

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

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Show #333
(47:35 min 43.6MB)

View More Photos From ‘Vineyards of Sonoma County – with Anaba Wines’

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Jean-Charles Boisset was born into the world of wine. His parents, Jean-Claude and Claudine, had founded the family winery in 1961 in one of the most traditional winegrowing regions in the world – the village of Vougeot, in Burgundy. Born in a room above the family cellars, he grew up within view of the centuries-old vineyards of Château du Clos Vougeot. His involvement began early, accompanying his grandfather to the vineyards, playing in the barrel rooms and, as a teen, working several summers in the winery and cellars.

Jean-Charles completed his studies at the University of London, and moved to the U.S. for graduate studies in business and finance. He soon began work with Boisset’s American operation, and successfully developed a domestic portfolio of wines, while building a sales and marketing arm for the U.S. and Canada. He then joined the family management team back in Burgundy as Vice-President, and began to expand the Boisset holdings to become the third largest wines-and-spirits concern in France. He also ramped up the quality level by focusing on small-production wines from vineyards with very low yields that relied on organic or biodynamic farming methods.

However, having been exposed to American culture at a young age by both his parents and grandparents, Jean-Charles headed West again – ultimately to the vineyards of California. Continuing his search for premium New World terroir for Pinot Noir, Boisset added DeLoach Vineyards to its portfolio in 2003, followed by the 2009 purchase of Raymond Vineyards, and the 2011 purchase of Buena Vista Winery. The family had now also firmly planted their roots in California. Today, the Boisset family collection includes wineries that share more than 18 centuries of combined winemaking heritage and tradition in some of the world’s most prestigious terroirs, from Burgundy to the South of France, and to California’s Napa Valley and Russian River Valley. As if this weren’t enough, Jean-Charles would also find amour, marrying Gina Gallo in 2009, thus creating an immediate royal wine-family.

Join us as we talk with the charming and ebullient Jean-Charles, President of Boisset Family Estates, about his affection for California, his many wine innovations, and all things wine and philosophy.

For more info: Boisset Family Estates: www.boissetfamilyestates.com

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

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Show #327
(1:14:18 min 68.0MB)

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‘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)

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Beck-Hartweg in Dambach-la-Ville is one of the historic domaines of Alsace. Building on a long tradition of family winegrowing that began in 1590, the reins now belong to young Florian Beck-Hartweg.

As you might expect, Florian makes his wines in the vineyard. Growing Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir, his overall goal is to create a balanced vineyard with low vigor vines, biodiversity resulting in a natural yield reduction. The results are wines that are very consistent, with terrific minerality, concentration and presence in mouthfeel.

Beck-Hartweg has a mere 5.5 ha (1 hectare = 2.47 acres), out of which 1.5 ha is on the Grand Cru Frankstein vineyard. Although the Grand Cru Frankstein vineyard covers 56 ha, it is divided into four separated, but very similar, south-facing parts. The bedrock here is granitic and the soils are sandy, well-drained and capable of producing elegant, complex, fruity wines with purity and marvelous acidity.

In the last several years, Florian has gained a solid reputation among lovers of wines from Alsace as a skilled, progressive and communicative representative of the future of Alsace. Join us as we talk with Florian about the family heritage, his wine-growing methods and wine-making style, and his philosophy concerning the Alsace AOC and its wines.

For more info:

Florian Beck-Hartweg Wines: beckhartweg.free.fr/

Sponsor: Best Wines Online: www.bestwinesonline.com

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Show #319
(45:10 min 41.4 MB)

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Join us for Part 3, as we talk with representatives from Viña Santa Rita, Concha Y Toro, Veramonte, and Casablanca.

For More Information:

For More Information: www.santarita.com/international/home

Concha Y Toro – www.conchaytoro.com

Veramonte – www.veramonte.com

Casablanca – www.casablancawinery.com

Sponsor: Wine Berserkers – Wine Board: www.wineberserkers.com

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Show #291
(48:36min 35MB)

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Join us for Part 2, as we talk with representatives from Casa Lapostolle, Viña Montes, Viñedos y Bodega Apaltagua, and Cousiño Macul.

For More Information: www.casalapostolle.com

Viñedos y Bodega Apaltagua – www.apaltagua.com

Cousiño Macul – www.cousinomacul.com

Viña Montes – www.monteswines.com

Sponsor: Wine Berserkers – Wine Board: www.wineberserkers.com

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Show #290
(32:59min 23MB)

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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.

We had always wanted to visit Chile, and explore the culture and wines of the region. Well, the time had finally come, and Jay was off to the Southern Hemisphere. Jay spent three days traveling the valleys and wine regions that make up this fascinating country. We’ve separated the interviews into three parts, and thrown in a “bonus reel” for good measure – four shows altogether.

Join us for Part 1, as we talk with representatives from Viña Koyle, Miguel Torres, Viña San Pedro, and Viña Maquis. There might be more to Chile than we think!

For More Information: www.koyle.cl

Viña San Pedro – www.sanpedro.cl

Viña Maquis – www.vinamaquis.com

Miguel Torres – www.torreschile.com

Sponsor: Wine Berserkers – Wine Board: www.wineberserkers.com

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Show #289
(49:15 min 35MB)

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