The Wine Makers on Radio Misfits

“The Wine Industry doesn’t have an education problem, we have an engagement problem”. Paul Mabray is an outspoken voice in the wine industry when it comes to data collection and how to properly use it to engage our customers. We thought this was a good time to have him back since all of us in the industry are scrambling to connect with our customers in a meaningful way. Stay safe, order wine, listen in and turn on. Cheers  [EP141] Thanks emetry.io paul @ emetry.io

Jordan Kivelstadt joins us on “lock-down” this week to talk about his new project KIvelstadt Cellars Wine Garden & Eatery that was set to open April 18th in the former historic site of Fords and Schellville Grill. Jordan and his chef Matt Tucker have had to put things on hold so they shifted to a wine and meal delivery service to stay connected with their clients and the community. Sam and Bart talk about their new “virtual tasting” experience that rolls out this week. Stay safe, order wine and join us in the digital world, this could go on for a while. Go to Dane Cellars or Sixteen 600 websites below to order wine for the virtual tasting. Cheers. [EP140] danecellars.com winerysixteen600.com kivelstadtcellars.com

One of our favorite guests joined us on the show this week to chat about the state of the global wine industry, virtual wine tasting and how damn tasty moose can be when cooked properly. Enjoy !!! wakawakawinereviews.com lilyelainehawkwakawaka@gmail.com

The “shelter-in-place” order has been given by our California Governor Gavin Newsom. The Wine Makers are working from home this week. We decided to practice “social distancing” and try out the Zoom app to continue to continue recording shows for our listeners. Sondra Bernstein, owner of the girl & fig restaurant, sits in and talks about the state of the food and wine industry going forward. Her restaurants and catering business closed on Monday with no projected opening dates. It’s getting weird out there !!! We will continue to do our shows and bring some information and hopefully spread a little joy. [EP139] Once we get familiar with our different app options with quality sound we will continue bringing guests onto the show. We hope that by continuing to record our podcasts we can bring some sense of normalcy into your lives. Enjoy the show. thegirlandthefig.com thebitegoeson.com

In 1989, Carl Doumani discovered the work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, a Viennese painter, architect, ecologist and philosopher. Believing that the wine world had transformed a beverage of consummate pleasure into an absurdly serious pursuit, he commissioned Hundertwasser to design a winery to combat these notions. [EP137] Imagine Alice in Wonderland meets Charlie & the Chocolate Factory. Now about the wines… The winery borders the famed Shafer’s Hillside Select vineyards in Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District. Winemaker B.R. Smith, who studied under Aaron Pott, crafts these deeply flavored wines under the watchful eye of consulting winemaker Philippe Melka. Cabernet Sauvignon is the obvious draw but the Petite Sirah steals the show, bringing grace and elegance to an otherwise dark and brooding variety. Upon entering the barrel room, Smith’s surfboard, perched atop the first row of barrels, lets you know these people have a zest for life and whimsy. Bruce Mackay is the tour guide and historian, with numerous stories of the property and it’s eccentric inhabitants. If you were visiting Napa and only had one winery to visit, this would be a fulfilling choice. Hope you enjoy the show. quixotewinery.com @quuixotewinery

This week we sit down with Tanner Walle and Lauren Feldman of Valley Bar & Bottle and talk about the new wine bar and restaurant opening up in the former space of Harvest Moon. Both of these hospitality professionals have decades of experience servicing industry staff as well as visiting tourists. This funky space is destined to be a “hot spot” in Sonoma for wine and food lovers. Wine “geeks” like us are craving a place to hang out and drink interesting global wines with cutting-edge foods. They are in final stages of preparation and should be open by May 1st. Great show… [EP136] valleybarandbottle.com @tannerwalle @laurenfeldman

This week we sit down with Korbin Ming from Korbin Kameron Winery, the highest elevation vineyard in the Moon Mountain District. His family produces world-class Bordeaux varietals in some extreme mountain conditions. We have waited a long time to get Korbin on the show because we are huge fans of the wines and think they are a rare gem in Sonoma. We also have Danny and Katie Fay from Hill of Tara, they source their grapes from Korbin’s vineyard. Listeners may remember them from their inaugural release last year around St. Patricks Day. These wines are among the most coveted in Sonoma County and we felt honored to go through the whole portfolio. Danny and Katie will be offering their second release for Hill of Tara in the coming week, we highly encourage you to get in on the ground floor. Enjoy this show as much as we did… korbinkameron.com @korbinkameron hilloftarawines.com @hilloftarawines

This week we sit down with legends Philippe Cambie and Phil Coturri and discuss their new collaboration “A Deux Tetes”. A project that focuses on New World Grenache with Old World sensibility and depth of knowledge. The Rose has been released and the Grenache Noir from two different sources, Miller Vineyard and Oakville Vineyard in Napa, is still in barrel but soon to be bottled. Isabel Gassier is the wine maker and translator of Philippe’s ideas about the wines. She is the daughter of Michel Gassier, one of our favorite wine makers in France and she is an up and coming star in the California wine world. We discuss philosophy of wine making and Philippe’s history and rise as the “God of Grenache” in Southern France. This is a really good show and we had fun recording it, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Cheers……

This week we sit down with Taylor Berkley Boydstun, owner/winemaker of T. Berkley Wines. He makes wines inspired by the great wines of the Loire Valley. His journey started with a trip to Spain and France, a love affair was formed and he soon found himself making wine in New Zealand, Austria and Australia. Taylor currently makes small batches of Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc Rose. This is a great story and the wines are fantastic. [EP133] tberkleywines.com @tberkleywines

Veteran of the California wine industry, Bettina Sichel, purchased this vineyard in 2011 from founder Patrick Campbell. Her first move was to hire legendary vineyard manager Phil Coturri, who had first worked this property when he was 13. She then brought in wine maker Randall Watkins, former General Manager at Moon Mountain Vineyard. The idea was not to change anything but to improve on the farming and raise the bar on the wines from this iconic vineyard. Bettina’s father M.F. Sichel was the man responsible for making Blue Nun wines a household name in America. Great history here and the wines set the standard for Sonoma Mountain Cabernet. [EP132] Laurel Glen Vineyard www.laurelglen.com @laurelglen 707-933-9877