The Santa Rosa restaurant, John Ash & Co., has played a little known but remarkably important role in the history of Sonoma County wine. John Ash & Co. was known for spawning numerous innovative and progressive wine trends that have since become commonplace in restaurants today. Restaurant wine-by-the-glass service originated in California at John Ash & Co., and organized blind tastings of wines and creatively themed wine dinners emphasizing food and wine pairings were first popularized at the restaurant. John Ash & Co. was among the first restaurants to have a wine bar and an associated retail wine store.

Over the years, numerous ex-employees of the restaurant have went on to become successful winemakers, winegrowers and key employees in various wine related businesses.

Listen to Dan Kosta, a former Wine Director at John Ash & Co. talk about his experiences that led up to him co-founding Kosta Browne with Michael Browne, another former John Ash & Co. employee.

For more info on John Ash & Co: www.chefjohnash.com

For more info on the wines of Kosta Browne: www.kostabrowne.com

Sponsor- The Office of Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

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Blending, or the combining of multiple ingredients, has always been part of the art of cooking. So too has it always been a part of wine making and the creation of exotic mixed drinks. So, it should be no surprise that blending the flavors and aromas of Cognac with the culinary arts results in a sum greater than its parts. In fact, this beautiful marriage of components is likely to elicit a gastronomical delight. But, as with cooking, it is all about the quality of the ingredients.

There is a familiar saying, “All Cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac”, and the Cognac region of France is rightly famous for its brandy, a spirit made by double-distilling wine to create an eau-de-vie, a colorless liquid of about 70% alcohol. After years of aging in large oak barrels, the spirit takes on additional complexities and various shades of amber-gold color depending upon age. During this aging process much of the alcohol is lost through evaporation (called the “angels’ share”), and after final blending the spirit is reduced to about 40% alcohol. Cognac is usually consumed on its own as an aperitif (before dinner), as a digestif (after dinner drink), or used in cooking. In addition, it has also become very popular as an ingredient in many cocktails.

GrapeRadio is pleased to present, “The Art of Blending”, a tribute to the artistic efforts of master blenders, chefs, and mixologists who use palettes of flavors to create passion in the world of wine, food and cocktails.

For More Info on Cognac: www.bnic.fr

Some demijohns from 1820 at rest in a Paradis cellar (’Grande Champagne’ refers to a specific growing region, considered the most important in Cognac) - Otard

Barrel cellar. Alcohol evaporation causes a fungus referred to as the “angels’ share” to collect on ceiling beams and walls; note the earthen floor - Merkow

Château Fontpinot amid the vines - Frapin

Ugni Blanc grapes in June - Frapin

Several older barrels; note the many chestnut barrel rings, which attract bugs that otherwise might have a taste for oak - Hennessy

View of Cognac from the river Charente. Due to fire regulations, all barrel storage must now be located outside the city of Cognac

Tasting table - Hennessy

Fascinating lineage display illustrates the number of components blended into this bottling of Cognac - Courvoisier

Older bottles in cellar, some dating to 1795 - Courvoisier

As evidence of an old seabed, Paul-Jean Giraud shows one of the many fossils he found in his vineyards - Giraud

Vines and landscape around Bouteville - Giraud

To any fan of the wines from France’s Rhone Valley, the name Guigal needs no introduction - in fact it is as well known as Syrah itself. In fact, everyone attending the 4th seminar of the 2008 Hospice du Rhone was salivating to partake of these wines.

Hosted by Phillippe Guigal, with additional commentary from Patrick Will, attendees were able to sample 10 wines from E. Guigal: 2006 Condrieu, 2006 Condrieu “La Doriane,” 2006 St. Joseph “Lieu-Dit Le St. Joseph,” the etherial 2005 Ermatage Blanc “Ex Voto,” 2003 Cote Rotie “Brune et Blonde,” 2005 St. Joseph “Vignes de L’Hospice,” 1998 Cote Rotie “Chateau d’ Ampuis,” 2004 Cote Rotie “La Moline,” 2004 Cote Rotie “La Landonne,” and finally the amazing 2001 Ermatige Rouge “Ex Voto.”

Join us as we hear from Phillippe Guigal about the fascinating history of this legnedary property, with its steep hillside vineyards and delicious wines.

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

For more info on the wines of E. Guigal: www.guigal.com

Sponsor- The Office of Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

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Established in 1859 through the merger of two Champagne growers, Champagne Duval-Leroy is still a family business, handed down from father to son for 148 years. Carol Duval-Leroy has been running the Maison since 1991, after the sudden loss of her husband. Located in Vertus, in the heart of Côte des Blancs since its creation, this area was an important regional center during the Middle Ages, and was entirely destroyed once during the Hundred Years’ War and then again during the Second World War. With five hundred hectares of vines, Vertus (pop. 2,500) is now the second largest wine-growing district in the Champagne region, after Les Riceys.

Currently, Duval-Leroy cultivates about 200 hectares of grapes: Chardonnay (27%), Pinot Noir (38%) and Meunier (35%), and is ranked in the 15 top Champagne houses with a production of 5-6 million bottles annually. Their own vineyards contribute an independent supply of grapes which provides one quarter of the company’s annual grape needs, with the balance coming from growers under contract. Although the main production facility is in Vertus, Duval-Leroy has additional facilities located in Bligny, Beaunay, Chouilly and Sézanne where grapes can be pressed on location, and juice trucked in to the main facility.

Join us as we visit the large Duval-Leroy facility in Vertus during crush.

For More Info on Champagne Duval-Leroy: www.duval-leroy.com

The sponsor of this video is the Office of Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

Bins of Chardonnay awaiting the presses

GrapeRadio cinematographer Mark Ryan grabs a shot of Chardonnay from above, as the grape bins are off-loaded from trucks arriving from the vineyards

Five large horizontal grape presses handle the harvest at Duval-Leroy

We taste the freshly pressed Chardonnay fruit

Trucks arrive from other vineyards, where grapes were pressed on location

Huge automated riddling racks

Duval-Leroy bottling line

Carol Duval-Leroy

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Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, is south of Épernay in the middle of the Côte des Blancs, and is home to the House of Champagne Salon. Salon only produces one Champagne, the Cuvée “S”, and only in vintage bottlings. Since its inception in 1921, Salon has made only 37 vintages – an average of around four per decade. The fruit comes from a 2.5-acre vineyard owned by Salon (Le Jardin de Salon, or “Salon’s Garden”) and from 19 smaller parcels representing 22.5 acres of vineyards in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, all chosen by founder Eugène-Aimé Salon early in the 20th century.

Created in 1921, the House of Salon was headed by Aimé until his death in 1943, when it was left to his nephew. It was then bought by Dubonnet-Cinzano in 1963, later part of the Pernod-Ricard group. In 1988, Champagne Laurent-Perrier, became the majority shareholder of Champagne Salon.

Join us as we visit with managing director Didier Dupond, and our excellent guide Marie-Agnes Thomas. We were also able to explore the estate vineyard and cellar of Salon, where we talk with vineyard manager Christelle Rinville and watch as master riddler Bernard Charpentier disgorges some Champagne the old-fashioned way, like his father and grandfather before him.

For More Info on Champagne Salon: www.champagnesalon.com

The sponsor of this video is the Office of Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

The Salon Estate vineyard and grounds

Chalk-studded soil at Salon

Marie-Agnes Thomas points out some bottles from the 1945 vintage in the Salon library

Salon labels through the years

The new Salon tasting room. The staircase (out of view in foreground) leads down to cellars (seen in photo above)

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Founded in 1721, the House of Ruinart was named after Benedictine monk Dom Thierry Ruinart. It is located at the entrance to the city of Reims, where crayères (Gallo-Roman chalk pits) hewn out of the chalk subsoil are the secret to a slow ageing process, normally lasting between three and twelve years depending on the cuvée.

Ruinart was the first champagne House to acquire its crayères, classified as a historic monument in 1931. The depth of the pits and the chalk from which they are made provide perfect thermal stability and optimum humidity. The constant low temperature leads to a slow prise de mousse (the formation of smaller bubbles), resulting in a light refreshing mousse or mouthfeel.

Join us as we visit the crayères, and sit down with Ruinart’s cellarmaster Frédéric Panaїotis to discuss Ruinart’s history, its vineyard sources, and, of course, taste its various cuvées.

For More Info on Champagne Ruinart: www.ruinart.com

The sponsor of this video is the Office of Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

Guide uses a diorama to illustrate how the Romans excavated the blocks of chalk from crayères, or chalk pits, thus creating large holes that became inter-connectable and used as aging caves (seen below)

Frédéric Panaїotis (center) conducts formal tasting of six Ruinart cuvees

Tasting bar made from riddling racks

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Champagne Roger Coulon is a classic example of a Grower Champagne. Here in Vrigny, in the Montagne de Reims region of Champagne, Eric and Isabelle Coulon, are considered Recoltants-Manipulants (growers and producers).

Since 1806, eight generations of this family of wine growers has cultivated vines, harvested grapes and produced and sold its own wine. The family vineyards of 9 hectares (22.5 acres), are spread over 70 parcels of land in 5 villages, most of which benefit from South-east facing slopes on a sub soil made up of chalk and clay. As with many small growers, grass is grown between the vines on every other row to limit erosion, and the Coulon’s practice of lutte raisonée (reasoned agriculture) uses minimal herbicides and pesticides. The vines grown here are 40% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay with an average vine age of 38 years. Using only wild yeasts, they produce about 75,000 bottles per year.

Join us as we visit with Eric and Isabelle Coulon, and watch GrapeRadio’s Jay and Eric as they help (or hinder) the harvesting of Pinot Noir clusters in the vineyard, and later as Jay races to dump more grapes into the press in a little friendly competition with the locals.

For More Info on Champagne Roger Coulon: www.champagne-coulon.com

The sponsor of this video is the Office of Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

Vineyards nestled in among buildings in the small village of Vrigny

Workers dumping Pinot Noir into the feeder on top of the horizontal grape press.

R. Coulon has a lovely tasting room right across from the winery

Gorgeous barrel room located just off the tasting room

Eric Coulon watches, as wife Isabelle demonstrates leaf and grape growth

Jay races a worker to see who tires first

Mark and Jay with Eric Coulon

Eric snips a few bunches of Pinot Noir

Our final reward, a glass of 1990 Reserve

After purchasing an abandoned farm in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains in 1983, winegrower Jim Law 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 Linden winery was opened in 1988.

The relatively small 5,000 case production is Jim’s “sweet spot,” and to exceed this he’d have to sacrifice his winegrowing time - not something he’s prone to do. It was 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. They’ve been experimenting here with different varieties, placement, trellising, and som on over many recent years, and from the end product, it seems they’re getting closer to defining the mid-Atlantic region. Jim Law seems to be at the forefront of all of that. “We’re still young. We don’t have all the answers yet,” he would say. Not too dissimilar to what one hears from almost any winegrower on the West Coast. But somehow when Jim said it, it seemed more mystical, as though he looked forward to coming back some generation later, reincarnated as… what else, a winegrower, to see the fruition of his and others’ labors.

Sponsor- The Office of Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

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Champagne Jacquesson was founded in 1798 by Memmie Jacquesson and today stakes a claim as the oldest independent Champagne house. Purchased by the Chiquet family in 1974, Jacquesson is now run by brothers Jean-Hervé and Laurent Chiquet, who oversee the vineyards and day-to-day running of the winery.

The champagnes of the House became favorites of Napoleon, and accompanied him on several of his campaigns and were served at his wedding to the Archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria. A Jacquesson invention, the muselet, is used to hold the corks in place on all champagne and sparkling wine bottles, was patented by Adolphe Jacquesson in 1844.

Join us as we visit with Jean-Hervé Chiquet in the vineyard for a discussion of terroir, and then move on to the winery to observe crush…

For More Info on Champagne Jacquesson: www.champagnejacquesson.com

The sponsor of this video is the Office of Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

Small plot of Pinot Noir just inside the walls of the main property

Picking fruit in Avize and Dizy

Crush Pad: Jacquesson uses two types of vertical presses, both of which gravity feed directly down to the fermentation room

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In 1836, the future Maison Pommery was begun by Narcisse Greno. He was joined by Louis Alexandre Pommery some 20 years later, and Henri Vasnier became the company’s financial backer. Following the sudden death of Monsieur Pommery in 1858, his wife, Jeanne-Alexandrine Louise, took over the running of the company in 1858. In 1868, Louise Pommery began the construction of the Domain which still stands today, a construction enterprise which was completed in 1888. In 1874, Pommery began establishing themselves as a Maison producing sparkling wine only. The house continued to be run by family members until 1979, whereupon it changed hands several times. In 2002, current owners Vranken Monopole aquired the Maison Pommery. The 51 hectare Estate contains18 kilometres of cellars and gallo-roman chalk pits, which act as the aging cellar for 20 million bottles of Champagne. The cellars are an attraction in themselves, where the bottles are surrounded with many works of contempory art.

Join us as we visit with Thierry Gasco, Cellar Master of the Pommery House for over a decade. A Reims native, Thierry studied medicine for two years, graduating from the University of Burgundy with the DNO (National Oenology Diploma). In 2004, he was appointed a member of the National Board of the INAO (only 50 members in France) and was reappointed to this same position in 2007. Join us as we visit with Thierry and discuss the Pommery innovations and its wines.

For More Info on Champagne Pommery: www.pommery.com

The sponsor of this video is the Office of Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

Located 116 steps underground, Champagne Pommery’s cellars are something of a dichotomy, with unusual displays of contempory/modern art staged within the alcoves of the centuries-old caves

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On our visit to Champagne, we had the opportunity to talk again with Richard Geoffroy, the Chef de Cave of Dom Pérignon, to get his perspective on the 2007 harvest - which was literally in progress during our visit.

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!” Richard Geoffroy has been the cellar master for Dom Pérignon for over a decade. Although he has a medical degree from the University of Reims, he 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 we visit with Richard at L’Abbaye de Hautvillers, the birthplace of Champagne.

For More Info on The Champagne of Dom Pérignon: www.domperignon.com

The sponsor of this video is the Office of Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

Entrance to the Abbey de Hautvilliers, founded in 660 A.D. (Below) Inside of chapel, and Dom Perignon’s burial place next to Dom Jean Royer, the last Abbot of the Monastery

Although never officially classified, the wines of Pomerol have nonetheless been able to rise on their own merits to become some of the best, as well as some of the most expensive in Bordeaux. With its clay and gravel soils planted predominantly to Merlot and a lesser amount of Cabernet Franc, this small right-bank region totals less than 800 hectares, and is marked more by its understated farm-house wineries than by grand chateaux.

Now, not content to merely rest on their reputation, many producers in the region have formed an association to further promote Pomerol and its wines. The group, Pomerol Séduction, is currently an assemblage of nine vintners, including Château Beauregard, Château Clinet, Clos du Clocher, Château La Conseillante, Château Gazin, Château Mazeyres, Château Petit Village, Château Rouget and Château Vieux Maillet. Join us as we speak with several representatives from Pomerol Séduction to hear how Pomerol differs from other regions in Bordeaux, and how they differ from each other within Pomerol.

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

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As grower Champagnes appear with increasing frequency in the marketplace, we thought it was time to pop the hood (or cork) and take a closer look at them. The name “grower Champagne” is generally given to the sparkling wines of Champagne that are not produced by the larger houses, négoçiants or coopératives. The more complete definition, however, denotes those wines which are grown, vinted, and bottled by a small grower. These small growers, or récoltant-manipulants, are able to purchase only 5% of their own grapes for this purpose, so their production is a relative drop in the bucket of the total volume of Champagne that is produced. And yet, it is quite telling that they are gaining a increasing reputation for both their quality and their affordability.

Join us as we talk with Terry Theise, who has a number of these grower Champagnes in the portfolio of his Terry Theise Estate Selections. We’ll learn about the contribution of these small growers - what they bring to the Champagne region in general and how their product differs from the larger houses.

For more info about Terry Theise and Michael Skurnik Wines: www.skurnikwines.com

Sponsor - Gold Medal Wine Club: www.goldmedalwine.com

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It’s no secret that Spain is producing many of the world’s great wine produced from Rhone varietals. Yet, it was another eye-opening experience to taste through the first seminar from the 2008 Hospice du Rhone. Importer Eric Solomon pulled together some of the top winemakers in Spain in the presence of Jurgen Wagner of Cellar Capçanes, Daniel Castaño of Bodegas Castaño and Bodegas Salinas, Javier Muñoz of Bodegas Cigarral Pago del Ama (also accompanied by his highly-acclaimed father, chef Adolfo Muñoz of Restaurant Adolfo in Toledo), and Frenchman Philippe Cambie of Bodegas Mas Alta, who is also a consulting winemaker for several of the top Domains in Chateauneuf du Pape, including Pegau and Vieux Donjon.

Join us as we explore several Spanish appellations to see how “The Reign in Spain” is continuing to impress palates everywhere.

Sponsor- Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

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Ever wonder what it takes to get amenities onboard for the large number of customers served by someone like American Airlines? What kinds of wines do they serve, you might ask. Well, if you flew American Airlines to Italy in first or business class last May, you could have sipped Pommery Brut Non-Vintage Champagne, followed by Sileni New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or Murphy-Goode Sonoma County Chardonnay and Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino or Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Join us as we talk with wine writer and consultant Diane Teitelbaum, who works directly with American Airlines to select the wines served on each of their flights.

Sponsor- Champagne USA: www.champagne.us

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Thomas Jefferson was a polymath, who, among his other pursuits, was a very impressive and knowledgeable wine expert and enthusiast. If he lived today he would also be called a “wine geek”.

Mr Jefferson also happened to be the third President of the United States, principal author of the Declaration of Independence, Founding Father of the United States, Governor of Virginia, first American Minister to France and founder of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He promoted the ideals of republicanism in the United States, an ideology that encourages a system of government that emphasizes liberties and rights, and makes the people as a whole sovereign, which underlies the philosophy of democracy.

Brian Clark and Ted Burns interview John Hailman, author of the book, “Thomas Jefferson on Wine”.

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

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Port wines can seem like a challenging subject. There are all sorts of bottlings: vintage date, late-bottled vintage date, Colheitas, single Quintas, and still others know as ruby reserve, crusted, or white — and let’s not forget the various tawny Ports of 10, 20, 30 and 40 years of age. Why are there so many different bottlings, and where does one begin to explore all of these fortified wines? Thankfully, we had the opportunity to talk with Louisa Fry from the Port and Douro Wines Institute, an inter-professional council of growers and producers from this famous Portugese region.

Join us as we hear about the origins of Port, what it takes to get a vintage declared, and whether it’s called Port or Porto. We’ll also discuss the amazingly steep terraces of Portugal’s Douro region, and the varieties of grapes that are able to be blended into the final product. Of course, it wouldn’t be complete without hearing about the optimum time to drink Port.

For more info on the Wines of Portugal: www.ivdp.pt

Sponsor- Gold Medal Wine Club: www.goldmedalwineclub.com

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In 1980, Barbara and Jim Richards were living in Midland, Texas, and began thinking about a second home. They had an interest in wine and started looking for some property in the Napa Valley to build a home and plant a small vineyard. They realized their dream in 1983 when they found a property located five miles west of St. Helena and over 2,000 feet above the Valley floor near the top of Spring Mountain. Vineyard exposure is generally east with many variations, and the soils are derived from the Sonoma volcanics and from Franciscan sandstone. Total acreage is 20 acres with 15 acres planted.

In 1985, after clearing, ripping, and terracing about ten acres, they planted 3,555 bench graft Merlot vines, and 945 Cabernet Sauvignon vines. By 1987, the Richards’ recognized their previous absentee landlord role was insufficient to monitor the vines. So, Barbara came to manage things from January through harvest, while Jim would come to help when he could get away from his business as a petroleum geologist. Their first small harvest was sold to Conn Creek Winery. In 1988, they planted another 2,300 Merlot vines in their last five acres of vineyard.

The early ‘90s were momentous for the Richards’. By 1993, Barb and Jim had moved into their new home in the vineyard, and Pride Mountain Winery released a 1991 Merlot, made from their grapes blended with Pride’s Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. The Richards’ agreed to sell their grapes to the Prides beginning in 1994 and their wine maker, Bob Foley, agreed to make wine from part of the grapes into Paloma Merlot for the Richards’ new label, debuting their Merlot-based blend in 1996. Also, Barb and Jim decided to plant a block of Syrah to see how it would do, and by 1996, they started making the wine commercially as well. Unfortunately, they’ve since pulled up the small Syrah vineyard, and replanted with Cabernet Sauvignon.

In 2000, the Richard’s finally decided to construct their own winery on the property. A few years later, their son Sheldon joined them in the business, and to this date the Richards’ Paloma Merlot still stands as one of the enduring benchmarks of the variety in California, and indeed the world.

Join us as we talk with Barbara Richards about Paloma – their early years, and what it was like to basically become pioneers on Spring Mountain, and well as Merlot’s place in Napa Valley.

For more info on Paloma Vineyard: www.palomavineyard.com

Sponsor- Gold Medal Wine Club: www.goldmedalwineclub.com

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Château Palmer derives its English name from Charles Palmer (1777-1851), a former Mayor of the spa town of Bath and Member of Parliament, who rose to the rank of General during the Napoleonic period. A gentleman, officer, and aide-de-camp of the Prince of Wales, Charles Palmer apparently fell under the spell of Bordeaux as well as the charms of a beautiful widow, Marie de Gascq, who convinced him to buy her Château de Gascq estate. From 1816 to 1831, Palmer bought additional land and buildings in the communes of Cantenac, Issan, and Margaux, and by 1830 the property covered 163 hectares, including 82 hectares of vines. Ultimately, the good life did him in financially, and he was forced to sell his magnificent Médoc estate. Purchased in 1853, brothers Isaac and Emile Péreire and their descendents had the château built in 1856, and thereafter battled oidium and phylloxera, survived the Franco-Prussian war, and made it through the First World War, only to succumb to the economic crisis of the 1930s which forced them in turn to also sell the estate. Château Palmer was purchased by several families of Bordeaux, English, and Dutch extraction (the Sichel, Mähler-Besse, Ginestet, and Miailhe families) in 1938, and continues to be owned by its descendants.

Château Palmer’s terroir dates from the Quaternary period, when gravel slowly accumulated on the Left Bank of the Gironde, pushed by the Dordogne and carried along by the Garonne. The two rivers meet a few kilometers downstream from Ch. Palmer to form the Gironde estuary. Among their current 52 hectares of vines, Ch. Palmer has a large percentage of Merlot, almost the same amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, and a small percentage of Petit Verdot. Here in Margaux, the vines are planted on gravely rises several meters thick, consisting of brittle black lydite, white and yellow quartz, quartzite mottled with black, green or blue, and white chalcedony. In an effort to help the vine roots sink deep into the gravelly soil, they till the soil regularly. They also maintain a very high vine density - 10,000 vines per hectare - in order to increase competition between the vines and encourage this deep rooting.

Join us as we talk with Thomas Duroux, CEO of Château Palmer since July 2004, about Ch. Palmer’s fascinating history, along with its vineyards and wines.

For more info on Château Palmer: www.chateaupalmer.com

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

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Founded in 1729, Ruinart is the longest established sparkling wine house in the Champagne region of France. Named after Benedictine monk Dom Thierry Ruinart, the winery is located in the city of Reims, where ancient crayères (chalk pits) serve as cellars that offer constant temperature and humidity, thus allowing the wine to age as long as 12 years. These crayères were hewn from the chalk sub-soil by the Romans, who used the chalk as building materials. Also used during World War I to escape the bombing, these cellars were classified an historic monument in 1931.

Join us as we sit down with Ruinart’s Cellarmaster Frédéric Panaїotis to discuss Ruinart’s history, its vineyard sources, and of course its various cuvées.

For more info on Champagne Ruinart: www.ruinart.com

Sponsor: Bagged Wine: www.baggedwine.com

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Every fan of Pinot Noir will undoubtedly know the name of John Haeger.

As author of the highly acclaimed “North American Pinot Noir,” John literally wrote the book on the fascinating history and evolution of Burgundy’s illustrious grape variety here in the United States. John’s academic approach to both the research and the writing created an instant hit and a must-have treatise for most wine lovers. But, more than anything, it was destined to become THE book for domestic Pinot fanatics. Of course, its appearance at booksellers just months before release of the movie “Sideways” didn’t hurt sales either.

Now, four years later John Haeger has written another wine book, “Pacific Pinot Noir.” Since, as he notes, “96% of North America’s Pinot Noir comes from an area I call the Pacific Pinot Zone,” it was only natural for him to focus on an area extending from mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon to Santa Barbara in California and extending up to thirty miles inland.

Pinot Noir’s rise in popularity over the last several years owes much to the different personalities of the grape itself. Join us as we talk with author and lecturer John Haeger about Pinot Noir, and discover its unique place in the world of wine.

For more info on John Haeger: www.ucpress.edu

Sponsor: Bagged Wine: www.baggedwine.com

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Continuing our coverage of the 2008 Hospice du Rhône, we had some burning questions and we wanted some answers.
What do today’s winemakers, producers, importers, and attendees think of:
High alcohol wines?
Your favorite: French vs. American wines?
What’s your favorite amongst the 22 Rhone varietals?

For More Info on the Hospice Du Rhône: www.hospicedurhone.org ]]> http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/10/11/2008-hdr-ask-the-wine-maker-ii/feed/ http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/10/10/2008-hdr-ask-the-wine-maker-i/ http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/10/10/2008-hdr-ask-the-wine-maker-i/#comments Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:12:52 +0000 GrapeRadio Bunch http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/10/10/2008-hdr-ask-the-wine-maker-i/ Welcome to our video podcast 2008 Hospice Du Rhône Ask the Wine Maker - I - Video Show #45.

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For our coverage of the 2008 Hospice du Rhône, we decided to put people on the spot. We came up with 5 of today’s Hot Topics, and posed the questions to winemakers, producers, importers, and attendees. No debate, no discussion, just right to the point. So, today, we wanted to know:
What’s you favorite - Cork or Screwcap?
What does “terroir” mean to you?

For More Info on the Hospice Du Rhône: www.hospicedurhone.org ]]> http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/10/10/2008-hdr-ask-the-wine-maker-i/feed/ http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/10/06/2008-hdr-syrah-shootout/ http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/10/06/2008-hdr-syrah-shootout/#comments Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:00:18 +0000 GrapeRadio Bunch http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/10/06/2008-hdr-syrah-shootout/ Welcome to our video podcast 2008 Hospice Du Rhône Syrah Shootout - Video Show #44.

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Imagine 45 bottles of Syrah, each one bagged and numbered just waiting for sensory evaluation. Now, imagine that these evaluations will come from the very winemakers who made these wines.

That’s right, 45 winemakers evaluating their own wine, while competing against the wines made by their colleagues. That’s the premise of the 2008 Hospice du Rhône’s Syrah Shootout, where the winner gets bragging rights - plus a terrific-looking (not so much) “Coat du Rhône” to wear home.

Join winemaker Rusell Bevan and he takes us through a guided tour of this great event.

For More Info on the Hospice Du Rhône: www.hospicedurhone.org ]]> http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/10/06/2008-hdr-syrah-shootout/feed/ http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/10/04/2007-wine-fire-part-ii/ http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/10/04/2007-wine-fire-part-ii/#comments Sat, 04 Oct 2008 19:19:13 +0000 GrapeRadio Bunch http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/10/04/2007-wine-fire-part-ii/ Welcome to our video podcast Wine and Fire - Part 2 - Video Show #43.

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We’re back with part 2 of our coverage of the 2007 Sta. Rita Hills annual celebration of wine. Saturday, it was seminar time, complete with a series of mock “trials” where local winemakers and grape growers defend or prosecute their contributions to what ends up in the glass.

Sitting as judge in ceremonial garb was real-life attorney Cathy Pepe, co-owner of Clos Pepe Vineyards. Among the issues on trial: Chardonnay - to oak or not to oak, that is the question; and Pinot Noir - do clones or terroir have the greater effect; and finally, is it the growing conditions or the winemaking the greater influence on the wine.

Join us as we hear from various growers and producers, as well as get a glimpse of some of the marvelous food that will be matched up with local Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Wine and Fire and Santa Rita Hills Wine Growers Alliance: www.staritahills.com ]]> http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/10/04/2007-wine-fire-part-ii/feed/ http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/09/29/2007-wine-fire-part-i/ http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/09/29/2007-wine-fire-part-i/#comments Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:01:20 +0000 GrapeRadio Bunch http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/09/29/2007-wine-fire-part-i/ Welcome to our video podcast Wine and Fire - Part 1 - Video Show #42.

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The Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance held its 2nd annual Wine & Fire event in June of 2007. The festivities began on Friday evening with a reception at the restored La Purisima Mission, where over two dozen winemakers poured library wines and current releases from their Sta. Rita Hills appellation. People mingled from late afternoon through dusk and into dark, sampling the various wines.

Join us at the opening night tasting as we talk with attendees, growers like Peter Cargasacchi, and producers like Norm Yost (Flying Goat), Peter Work (Ampelos), and Victor Gallegos (Sea Smoke) to hear how and why the Sta. Rita Hills is unique as a Pinot growing area.

Wine and Fire and Santa Rita Hills Wine Growers Alliance: www.staritahills.com ]]> http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/09/29/2007-wine-fire-part-i/feed/ http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/09/22/spring-mountain-vineyard/ http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/09/22/spring-mountain-vineyard/#comments Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:04:16 +0000 GrapeRadio Bunch http://www.graperadio.com/archives/2008/09/22/spring-mountain-vineyard/

Spring Mountain Vineyard is rich with history. After the sudden death of Tiburcio Parrott in the late 1800s, neither the house nor the 800 acres were used between 1896 and 1938.

Eventually the property was purchased by Mike Robbins in 1974. Robbins bought an old Victorian on St. Helena Highway near Deer Park Road and constructed a small winery which became Spring Mountain Vineyards. Soon Robbins outgrew this first location and discovered the wonderful Parrot estate.

After acquiring Parrott’s Miravalle estate, Robbins restored the Victorian residence and built a 17,000 square foot winery at the site of Tiburcio’s wine cave and small winery. Though his primary vineyard was in Rutherford on the Silverado Trail (now the site of Domaine Mumm), Robbins planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc in 1980 on the land around Miravalle. Robbins’ Spring Mountain Chardonnay became highly prized by connoisseurs and was a “cult” wine of the late 1960’s and 1970’s.

Once the site for the former TV show, Falcon’s Crest, Spring Mountain lives on, now comprising four separate vineyards totaling 245 acres in 130 blocks. The Miravalle, Chateau Chevalier, Streblow (Alba), and Draper (La Perla) vineyards are beautifully terraced, rising up the hillside from 400′ to 1600′ in elevation creating several microclimates. The “main house,” an 8,000 square foot Victorian was built in 1885 by Tiburcio Parrott.
Featured during the aerial flyover in the opening credits of the TV show, the house is meticulously maintained both inside and out, and all of the original features of stained glass and molding have been kept.

Join us as we talk with Valli Ferrell, winemaker Jac Cole, and vineyard manager Ron Rosenbrand about the vineyards and this lovely estate.
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For more info on Spring Mountain Vineyard: www.springmountainvineyard.com

Sponsor: Bagged Wine: www.baggedwine.com

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Download audio file (GR-ENG-USA-2008-09-22.mp3)

GrapeRadio Host Brian Clark spends three days in Germany’s Rhine River Valley. This media/press trip was sponsored by the German Wine Institute and the European Union for its Destination Riesling program.

Join him as he travels to some of the most popular wine destinations in the Rheinhessen, Nahe and the Rheingau Regions.

Day Three Itinerary: (The Rheingau Region)

Domdechant Werner’sches Weingut -
(Hosted by Dr Franz Werner Michel): www.domdechantwerner.com
Weingut Künstler (Hosted Günter Künstler): www.www.weingut-kuenstler.de
Weingut Josef Leitz (Hosted by Josef Leitz): www.leitz-wein.de
Schloss Reinhartshausen (Hosted by Walter Bibo): www.schloss-reinhartshausen.de

For more info on:

German Wine Institute: www.deutscheweine.de
Wines of Germany: www.germanwineusa.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

Download audio file (GR-ENG-USA-2008-09-20.mp3)

Dr Franz Werner Michel reviews the extensive tasting he has prepared for the group.

Th entrance Weingut Künstler.

Gunter Künstler (center) discusses his wines.

Weingut Künstler an many other producers in German are known for high quality Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir).

Marissa D’Vari watches Josef Leitz conduct the wine tasting.

Walter Bibo (left) welcomes us to Schloss Reinhartshausen.

The cave system of the Schloss and Weinguts of the area are all very impressive.

Older vintages laid down for future generations.

GrapeRadio Host Brian Clark spends three days in Germany’s Rhine River Valley. This media/press trip was sponsored by the German Wine Institute and the European Union for its Destination Riesling program.

Join him as he travels to some of the most popular wine destinations in the Rheinhessen, Nahe and the Rheingau Regions.

Day Two Itinerary: (The Nahe & Rheingau Regions)

Weingut Dönnhoff (Hosted by Hermann Dönnhoff): www.doennhoff.com
Weingut Jakob Schneider (Hosted Jakob Schneider): www.schneider-wein.com
Weingut Schloss Schönborn (Hosted by Peter Barth): www.schoenborn.de
Schloss Vollrads (Hosted by Dr Rowald Hepp): www.schlossvollrads.de

For more info on:

German Wine Institute: www.deutscheweine.de
Wines of Germany: www.germanwineusa.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

Download audio file (GR-ENG-USA-2008-09-19.mp3)

Journalist Gregory McCluney (Left) Michael Cervin, Michael Schemmel (bottom, German Wine Institute), Peter Barth (Schonborn), Sherri Weiss Poall (Wines of Germany/RF Binder), Brian Clark, Becky Sue Epstein, Marissa D’Vari

Hermann Dönnhoff reviews his wines as Michael Schemmel looks on.

Hermann Dönnhoff explains his vineyard practices to the group

Harvest is only a week away as the grapes are reaching perfect maturity

The Naha region offers many steeps slopes near water - ideal for growing world class Riesling.

The beautiful entrance to the Weingut Jakob Schneider home and winery.

Jakob Schneider reviews his cellar. Use of old large oak casks is common in Riesling production.

Crossing the river between the Rheinhessen and Rheingau regions is required in this area. The bridge was destroyed during the WWII and never replaced.

Schloss Schöborn is located in a beautiful location above the Rhine

Old bottles like these (Schloss Schöborn) are common sight in many cellars. Riesling wines can be aged to great lenghts.

The entrance to Schloss Vollrad is very impressive. Schloss is German for “Castle”.

Schloss Vollrad has impressive grounds and structures including this formal courtyard.

Dr Rowald Hepp (Center) discusses his wines with Gregory McCluney and Becky Sue Epstein

GrapeRadio Host Brian Clark spends three days in Germany’s Rhine River Valley. This media/press trip was sponsored by the German Wine Institute and the European Union for its Destination Riesling program.

Join him as he travels to some of the most popular wine destinations in the Rheinhessen, Nahe and the Rheingau Regions.

Day One Itinerary: (The Rheinhessen and Nahe Regions)

Weingut KF Groebe (Hosted by Friedrich Groebe): www.weingut-k-f-groebe.de
Weingut Wittman (Hosted by Philipp Wittman): www.wittmannweingut.com
Weingut Strub (Hosted by Walter Strub): www.strub-nierstein.dea>
Reh-Kenderman (Hosted by Dr Roman Barvulsky): www.reh-kendermann.de
Weingut Tesch (Hosted by Martin Tesch): www.weingut-tesch.de

For more info on:

German Wine Institute: www.deutscheweine.de
Wines of Germany: www.germanwineusa.com

Fellow Journalist on the Press Tour:

Michael Cervin: www.michaelcervin.com
Gregory McCluney: www.wine.appellationamerica.com
Becky Sue Epstein: www.beckysueepstein.com
Marissa D’Vari: www.awinestory.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

Download audio file (GR-ENG-USA-2008-09-18.mp3)

Philipp Wittman (center - top) discusses his vineyards

Entrance to Weingut Wittman

Walter Strub of Weingut Strub takes us on a tour of his rare red soil vineyard.

Volkmar Stöckmann (left), Dr Roman Barvulsky, and wine maker Philipp Maurer discuss their wines

Journalist Michael Cervin (left) and Gregory McCluney discuss with Martin Tesch his dry wine philosophy

The linup of Weingut Tesch including his famous Riesling Unplugged

Our beautiful view at dinner. Vineyards occupy almost every slope in the area.

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The name biodynamics might be a term you recognize – or maybe not. Strictly speaking, biodynamics is an agricultural process that places first emphasis on the soil as a living organism. Possibly one of the least understood and/or controversial wine practices in present day enology, the term is derived from Dr. Rudolf Steiner’s spiritual beliefs and philosophical teachings. These beliefs stress the merits of using organic methods to maintain the health of land that is producing crops, and the practice is steadily gaining a foothold in current-day winegrowing practices throughout the world.

Join us as we hear from biodynamic consultant Philippe Armenier, and John Bryan, owner of Napa Valley’s Sycamore Vineyards, about what the process has done for this winegrower for Freemark Abbey winery.

For more info on Freemark Abbey and Sycamore: www.freemarkabbey.com

Click Here: Freemark Abbey Winery

Opus One, certainly one of the most iconic wineries in Napa Valley, was the fruition of a 10-year collaboration between Robert Mondavi and Philippe de Rothschild of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild in Bordeaux. Celebrated as the first joint venture between California and France, the winery produced its first vintage in 1979, having been made, aged and bottled at the Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville. Some 10 years later, construction began on Opus One’s own winery – right across the highway from the Mondavi winery. As with the concept of Opus, the design of the new winery was groundbreaking, combining Greek and Roman motifs with those of early California.

Join us as we talk with Roger Asleson and Michael Silacci about Opus One and its history, as well as its place in today’s Napa Valley.

For more info on Opus One Winery: www.opusonewinery.com

Sponsor: Bagged Wine: www.baggedwine.com

Click Below to Play the Show:

Download audio file (GR-ENG-USA-2008-09-15.mp3)

If you like this show check out:

Audio #93: Mondavi - 40 Years in Napa
Audio #186: Chateau Mouton Rothschild

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We’re always looking for opportunities to talk with international producers, so a recent portfolio tasting from Vintus Wines offered us an excellent chance to do a little globe-trotting without actually straying very far from home. Founded by former Kobrand executive Michael Quinttus, Vintus has put together a fairly diverse list of estate-based producers from France, Italy, Spain, Chile, South Africa, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, Hungary, and Portugal.

Join us as we talk with Alice Paillard about the Champagne region, and Barbara Sandrone about Piedmont. We’ll also spend some time with the self-styled “driving winemaker” Telmo Rodriguez, who drives over the vast regions of Spain to make wine, and we’ll find out what’s new in South America with Finca Decero from Argentina, and Eduardo Chadwick of Chile’s Viña Errazuriz.

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One of the oldest producers in Barolo, the Fontanafredda estate is a major player in Piedmont with a solid repertoire in Barolo, Barbera d’Alba, Dolcetto d’Alba and other Piedmontese DOCs. At the top of the line are the single vineyard Barolos: La Rosa, Lazzarito, La Delizia and La Villa, followed by some standard Barolo and Barbaresco cuvées. Owned and run by the Monte dei Paschi Monte dei Paschi di Siena since 1931, Fontanafredda’s fruit is sourced primarily from 70 hectares of their own vineyards, with the remainder coming from several hundred local growers with long-term contracts.

Join us as Danilo Drocco (winemaker since 1