The Wine Makers on Radio Misfits
The Wine Makers
A laid-back journey into the heart of wine culture Every week, hosts Sam Coturri, Bart Hansen, and Brian Casey pull the cork on real conversations with winemakers, growers, sommeliers, and industry trailblazers from Sonoma and beyond. The Wine Makers blends deep knowledge with a relaxed, no-snobbery approach to everything from biodynamic farming to rebellious cider makers and sake artisans. These are not dry lectures or polished promos—just passionate people talking shop over a glass (or three). The hosts’ decades of hands-on experience in vineyards, cellars, and tasting rooms fuel lively discussions about sustainability, storytelling, and the changing world of wine. Whether you’re just starting to explore wine or already know your skin-contact from your carbonic maceration, this show delivers honest insight, practical advice, and plenty of personality. Pour a glass and press play.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 3, 2017 • 48min
The Wine Makers – The Lost Episode
After being so rudely interrupted by the horrendous Nor-Cal fires, The Wine Makers invite you back to Sondra Bernstein’s Rhone Room for a show originally intended for release on October 13th. Let the world know Sonoma and Napa are indeed open for business and are really on track.
Our guests are Ian Blessing from The French Laundry and Brandon Montalvo from Sante’, two young Sommeliers who bring their fresh views to the show.
Oct 27, 2017 • 54min
The Wine Makers – Aftermath
The guys finish covering the Nor-Cal fire and all the sordid details of unemployment and destruction. Help us recover by getting to Sonoma and support the best wine in the world.
Oct 20, 2017 • 47min
The Wine Makers – Fire Storm
Sam, Brian and John get together to provide an in-depth look at the Sonoma-Napa fire. Sam spent his week on the fire line providing the nation, via Facebook a close-up, brutally honest view of the fire, its current damage and the damage to come for the town of Sonoma. The fires are still burning in some hills and forests even now, 11 days after they started.
Oct 6, 2017 • 42min
The Wine Makers – The Rhone Room
LIVE for the first time from Sondra Bernstein’s new tasting house, “The Rhone Room”, the guys introduce you to the new generation of Sommeliers. Meet Brandon Montalvo from Sante’ and Ian Blessing from The French Laundry.
We introduce Dane Cellar’s new Chenin Blanc and discuss the fine points of wines with a background story, from aging wine in shark tanks to Fable Mountain South African wines complete with selfies taken by the monkeys in the forest.
Brian describes the truly deluxe tour at Opus One and just how down-home and open everyone was… perhaps not your usual tour.
The Rhone Room is the newest tasting house in Sonoma and the only one dedicated to Rhone Wines Alone. What could be a nicer welcome to Sonoma than The Rhone Room?
Sep 29, 2017 • 41min
The Wine Makers – Harvest Weather
The grapes continue to flourish in the fields. Weather has made a real impact on harvest because of the temperature swings over the last couple of weeks.
Sam and John kick around some of the Real history in Sonoma Valley and how it impacts the wine that is grown here.
We’ve got more memories of Sondra Bernstein’s International Grenache Day little “get together”. It really turned into a great event as a party for the vintners who are so stressed and busy right now.
Be on the lookout for Morgan Peterson and his Bedrock wines… You’ll thank yourself for looking it up.
We end up chatting about Katie Bundschu and the Myers Wedding 17 yrs. ago on their back deck.
Sep 22, 2017 • 36min
The Wine Makers – International Grenache Day
EP21: The Guys have a first taste of Pinot Noir in a can from up in Oregon. It’s also Bart Hansen’s birthday! Boxes, cans, screw-tops…it’s all in the fruit not the packaging. So drink more Grenache!
A special shout-out to Sondra Bernstein for throwing her intimate little party for Grenache Day and Bart’s birthday.
Sep 15, 2017 • 25min
The Wine Makers – CRUSH
EP20 The guys are cut in half today because of the most important part of making wine…Harvest and Crush. Brian and John kick around the fact that Harvest workers put in the longest and hardest work weeks of the year in just getting the grapes off the vines and to the winery crush facilities.
We’ll see you next week with a full report on crush and especially International Grenache Day
Sep 8, 2017 • 55min
The Wine Makers – Spillage
Bart and Sam rant about the Federal Gov. and labeling. A massive wine scam in France sent executives to jail. Sam and Bart say there are wineries in Sonoma that spill more in a day than the whole production of their small wineries.
Sep 1, 2017 • 41min
The Wine Makers – It’s A Dirty Job
Brian Casey tours The Lasseter Family Winery and their vineyard and gets the full treatment. The guys kick around Airline wines, touring France and finding wine in your local store that fits your taste profile. And Dirty hands mean you’re truly doing your job in wine-making. Ever seen a barrel of wine with red stains on it? Well, we determine that it’s all Bart’s fault. We also discuss what a “normal” year is when it comes to harvest and crush if there is such a thing anymore.
Aug 25, 2017 • 59min
The Wine Makers – Erich Bradley
The guys are lucky enough to have one of THE Master Wine Makers in the US, Mr. Erich Bradley on the show this week. Erich helps pull back the curtain on what it really takes to make a world-class wines. We discuss everything from land and fruit to winemaking and John discovers the fact that Erich is the mastermind behind many of his favorite wines.
From Ag and field reports, this week’s show also addresses the impact the intense 100+ degree days have had on the vines and ultimately, what will be in your glass soon.
