The Wine Makers on Radio Misfits

This week we celebrate one of our favorite holidays by sitting down with the two biggest champions of Grenache. The Haas & the Perrin Family changed the focus of the wine industry in California by introducing Rhone varietals to the New World. Sondra Bernstein from the girl & the fig forced wine lovers to step out of their comfort zones by only offering these wines at her hugely successful restaurant in Sonoma. These were not seen as smart business decisions at the time, but passion and focus sometimes override logic. Thank God, we hope you enjoy the show! [EP162] tablascreek.com thegirlandthefig.com @figgirl @tablascreek @MJ Towler @hospicedurhone

We are in the middle of Harvest and still dealing with fires, smoke and heat. This show was sort of a break from reality for us, some meat but also a lot of fat. Ramblin on. [EP161]

This week we have a little fun and taste through the new releases from Sixteen600 and Bart offers a special vertical Zinfandel promo. If you happen to listen to the entire show you will be rewarded with some stupid ramblings from the Wine Makers. You can tell we are suffering from PTSD. Sonoma Strong has become Sonoma Tired. Enjoy everyone… Cheers! [EP160]

We are experiencing fires in a large portion of our wine growing regions due to a lightning storm that brought over 11,000 strikes in a 72 hour period. The smell of smoke has become a part of our daily lives for the past two weeks. First and foremost our hearts go out to all the families that have lost loved ones and their homes. Being that the fires have started so early in the picking season, we have a new challenge this year, smoke. Vineyards that have prolonged exposure to smoke risk being “tainted” by the smell and flavor of the fires. What does that mean for this years harvest? This is not an easy or fun conversation to have but we thought it was important to honestly discuss the ramifications. Stay safe, tune in…

This week we sit down with MJ Towler. MJ is a wine professional with over 20 years of experience in all aspects of the wine business, Towler has worked retail, wholesale, auctions and also as a sommelier. On May 5, 2000, he became the first-ever African American fine and rare wine auctioneer.  We had been following his Instagram account for a while and were intrigued by his choice of unique wines, especially his love of Rhone varietals. MJ will soon be starting a new project that includes a podcast from New York so we thought it would be fun to get the lowdown. We talk about marketing, music, race, and of course wine. MJ recently featured Hill of Tara wines on his feed so we brought along Danny Fay to make an introduction. This is a good one…. Sidenote – Fire season has officially begun here in California, we have multiple fires in and around wine country that are making things even more challenging for harvest than they already were, please continue to support our local growers and winemakers in any way that you can. Stay safe. blackwineguy.com Instagram @blackwineguy The Black Wine Guy 19 Tower Hill Ave. Red Bank, New Jersey 07701

To say Artie has spent a career working with the best in the food & wine industry is a laughable understatement. From Nobu in New York to the Versace Mansion in Florida, from Harlan Estates to Mayacamas in California, this guy has seen it all. Now producing his own wine brand using top growers like Phil Coturri, who makes a brief appearance on the show, Artie is making a name for himself among wine drinkers who appreciate his passion and attention to quality. These wines are not easy to get but well worth the pursuit. Sit back, pour a glass and enjoy. [EP157]

This week we talk about Cameron Diaz and her new venture into “clean wine”. We might be a bit late to the conversation but felt we had to weigh in. What the Fuck is “Clean Wine”? The Wine Industry is in an uproar over labeling concerns but what is the real issue, and are we at fault for not addressing this and making it clear? You decide.

Left a good job in the City, working for the Man every night and day. In 2016, Todd Cavallo and his wife Crystal left their jobs in finance and bought a farm in upstate New York. The plan was to grow vegetables, make wine, raise chickens, and collaborate with like-minded people to create a biodynamic farm. They have gotten a lot of attention for their Piquette, a wine based beverage made by using the once used grape skins, fermenting them again and doing a dosage before bottling or canning. It’s low alcohol, refreshing, delicious, fresh and cool. They have also made still wines from a grape called Marquette, a hybrid grape created by Cornell, their U.C. Davis on the East coast. For all of us that have wanted to truly “drop out & tune-in”, this show is for you. [EP155] wildarcfarm.com @wildarcfarm Wild Arc Farm, 918 Hill Ave, Pine Bush, NY 12566 845-419-3504

This week we travel to Israel, virtually, to chat with Guy Eshel from Dalton Winery in the area of Galilee. We heard about Guy through a mutual friend in Mexico City, the Taco Mensch. Guy Eshel grew up in Cali and Israel and has worked at wineries in France, Australia and California, including Broc Cellars in Berkley. We knew almost nothing about the wine culture in Israel so we cover a lot of topics, including terroir, climate, and the kosher certification. The wines Guy sent us were amazing, we discuss how you can get access to them here in the States. Enjoy the show… [EP154] www.dalton-winery.com @daltonwinery @guyovino @TacoMensch

So, at first glance you might ask why we are sitting down and talking with someone who works at a bank. Let me take an excerpt from Rob’s own “Professional Summary” to give you an idea, Rob McMillan is one of the top wine-business analysts in the United States and the author of Silicon Valley Bank’s highly regarded annual State of the Wine Industry Report. With decades of experience researching the wine business, his views are sought after and trusted by winery owners, journalists, entrepreneurs and investors. He is a prominent speaker, both domestically and internationally, and he is extensively quoted in national, regional and trade press. He has also been named several times as one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in the US wine industry. We cover a lot of topics on this show but we mainly focus on the general health of the wine industry, both pre and post Covid-19. You can find links below to his annual report that we think is extremely valuable to anyone in the wine industry. Check it out…. Rob McMillan, EVP & Founder Silicon Valley Wine Division 1300 First Street #466 Napa, Ca. 94559 www.svb.com/wine-report www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciEMUQcbFjI www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG1wk3p3jVE www.svbwine.blogspot.com