The Wine Makers on Radio Misfits

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

The guys cover a wide variety of topics this week including social media influencers, organic sprays, drought, cannabis farming and bottling lines. [EP152]

Troon Vineyard in the Applegate Valley region of Southern Oregon was originally planted by Dick Troon back in 1972. The property was conventionally farmed for over 40 years and was in need of some love. Craig Camp was brought on in 2016 to focus on organic, bio-dynamic and regenerative farming, bringing the land back to its original state, suitable for farming high quality grapes to make world-class wines. Their unique climate is very similar to Southern France and therefore perfectly suited to Rhone varietals. The wine making team of Nate Wall and Sarah Thompson have re-energized the land and brought a new focus based on the total health of the vines to create some serious and fun wines. Great story, check it out.. troonvineyard.com @troonwines

This show was our third and maybe the last virtual tasting of this series. Bart sent out a 2012 Chenin Blanc from the cellar and a 2017 Zinfandel just out of the barrel. Once again we were truly grateful for the support of our listeners and the incredible community they have created. We hope to be returning soon to our regular shows without the use of Zoom. Thank you all for the support over the last few months. Stay safe, tune in, drink more wine. danecellars.com winerysixteen600.com

Mayacamas Olds was recently named as the new General Manager of Gloria Ferrer Winery in Sonoma. Her journey in the wine business started at a very young age with her parents owning Sky Vineyards on Cavedale Rd. between the Napa and Sonoma valleys. Maya has a Bachelor of Science in fermentation from UC Davis and has worked on multiple continents with large and small companies in the wine industry. She has known Sam since they were in diapers and used to work with Bart at Lasseter Winery when she was a part of the Enterprise Vineyards team. Mayacamas has big plans for Gloria Ferrer and a position with a lot of influence. She will be in charge of every aspect of the business from hospitality to viticulture all the way to winemaking and sustainability. We are truly proud to have one of our own running this great estate that greets wine lovers at the entry to Sonoma in Carneros.  [EP150] Check it out…. gloriaferrer.com @gloriaferrerwinery 23555 Arnold Drive, Sonoma 866-845-6742 skyvineyards.com @skyzinfandel