Golden West Podcast

This episode is a replay that originally aired on Aug 29, 2020

Andy Erickson is the winemaker for Highest Beauty, a wine from the To Kalon Vineyard Company.

Although  he’s originally from the Midwest, a summer in France convinced Andy  Erickson that his calling was wine. Beginning his journey in Napa Valley  and Sonoma, he soon moved to Mendoza in Argentina. Returning to Napa,  he honed his craft, working under a number of renowned winemakers,  including John Kongsgaard, and Michel Rolland. After earning a master’s  degree in enology, Andy worked as a winemaker at Harlan Estate and  Staglin Family Vineyards, eventually establishing a consulting firm with  his wife, viticulturalist Annie Favia, where he made such highly  coveted wines as Screaming Eagle. Andy and Annie have recently  established their own winery, Leviathan.

Jenna Davis is the Assistant Winemaker at DuMOL.

We Talk About:
-How she got into the wine business

-Her experience berry tasting and doing her first couple of harvests

-The history of DuMol going back many years

-How DuMol thinks about farming, winemaking, and more

-The Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley

-The Estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

-And much more!

Mari Jones is the President at Emeritus Vineyards.

We Talk About:

-Her family's history in the Russian River Valley

-The Hallberg Ranch and Pinot Hill Vineyards

-The Pinot Noir program and a special white wine they make

-Thoughts on vineyard management and cellar practices such as oak and more

-The "Wine Life" area of the website and how people can purchase wine

Sarah Wuethrich is the winemaker at Maggy Hawk Winery.

We Talk About:

-How she got into the wine business

-Her stops long the way at Copain and more

-The Maggy Hawk wines, vineyards they are sourced from, and style in which they are made

-A white Pinot Noir?!

-And much more

John and Katianna Hong are owners and chefs at Yangban Society in Los Angeles.

We Talk About their Upcoming Restaurant Launch:

-This September, Katianna & John Hong open Yangban Society, a Korean-American Deli and Super in the heart of Downtown L.A.’s Arts District. With Yangban Society, Katianna & John showcase an autobiographical experience that celebrates the varied dimensions of their respective backgrounds while providing standout to-go offerings and a dynamic space for locals to gather.

-The Yangban Deli menu draws inspiration from Korean flavors and influences, regional California ingredients, as well as aspects of deli culture informed by Katianna's childhood memories frequenting New York delis. Together, Katianna & John craft dishes that reveal their distinct perspectives and upbringings as Korean Americans, as well as their nuanced culinary approach, refined from their shared time at The Restaurant at Meadowood, The Charter Oak and Mélisse.

-While celebrated within the fine dining space, at Yangban Society, Katianna & John offer an experience intended for the everyday. An expansive deli counter displays hot and cold plates that can be plated or packaged for guests on-the-go including soy and garlic-brined rotisserie chicken, pea shoots & chive salad, Doenjang-roasted mushrooms & bracken fern, and avocado with Asian pear & furikake. Comforting dishes such as kimchee & pork belly posole, a Bolognese rice bowl and soy-braised oxtails invite guests to linger around the table, sipping canned cocktails, Hite beer or half bottles of Krug.

Faith Armstrong is the winemaker and owner at Onward Wines.

We Talk About:

-How Faith got her start in the wine business

-A chance encounter at Brewer-Clifton Winery in Santa Barbara County

-Making her first Pinot Noir

-Her new Art Label series wines and current Zinfandel

-All things Pet Nat and much more!

Katie Bundschu is the Vintner and Proprietor at Abbots Passage

We Talk About:

-Katie's journey into the wine business

-The history of 150 years making with in her family

-What makes Glen Ellen so special

-Her vision for Abbot's Passage

-The mercantile shop and winery

-We talk through some of the unique wine offerings

-How to visit, buy wine, and experience the property, and much more!

Michael Browne is the proprietor of Browne Family Wines with labels Cirq and Chev.

We Talk About:

-Life before wine and how HE ended up in the business

-Working in the restaurant business, leading up to co-founding Kosta Browne

-Starting in winemaking at Deerfield Ranch in Kenwood as a volunteer for a year

-Launching Kosta Browne with 1 barrel of Pinot Noir in 1997

-The Cirq and Chev brands, label art, and more

-Writing a book about his life and Pinot Noir

-And much more!

Riley Roddick is the owner and winemaker at Hubba Wines in Paso Robles.

We Talk About:

How she ended up as a winemaker

-Getting a degree in Ag Business with a minor in Viticulture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and later a Masters in wine

-Starting out in Paso Robles at L’Aventure Winery

-Working in France, Italiy, and Australia

-Launching a brand, the really cool labels, and the story behind the names of each wine

-How she thinks about organics, use of oak, additives, and much more

Olivia Eckerson is the Assistant Wine Manager for the Rosemont Wine Bar in Portland, Maine.

We Talk About:

-Her journey into the wine business after graduating from college

-What it was like working in Napa Valley during the fires

-Her Op-Ed in the LA Times

-Working harvest, in the vineyard, and in tasting rooms

-Natural wine, the food scene in Portland, Maine, and much more

Christopher Miller, MS is the winemaker and owner at Seabold Cellars

We Talk About:

-How he started his wine journey tasting in Washington with his dad

-Spending most of his career in fine dining as a Master Sommelier

-Working at Spago in Beverly Hills during the Global Financial Crisis in 2008

-Doing harvests with Greg Brewer at Brewer-Clifton and Melville

-Launching his own brand, making wine in Marina, California, and much more

Gina Hennen is the winemaker at Adelsheim in Oregon

The Willamette Pinot Noir Auction will take place on August 5th, 2021

We Talk About:

-How Gina ended up in the wine business after working as a semiconductor engineer

-The history of Adelheim,  Willamette Valley, and different Oregon AVAs

-The auction event that will take place on August 5th

-Co-chaired by Jessica Endsworth, a national sales manager of Northwest Wine Company, and Rob Alstrin, President and CEO of Adelsheim, the Auction will highlight the 2019 vintage, with 85 Pinot noir lots from top Willamette Valley producers, and seven Chardonnay lots from current and past Auction chairs

-The Willamette Valley Wineries Association (WVWA) has unveiled the full lineup of lots for its sixth annual Willamette: the Pinot Noir Auction, set to take place both online and in-person at WillaKenzie Estate in Yamhill, Ore. on August 5. 

-Following a challenging year, this year’s Auction will feature a record-breaking number of lots as well as a record winery turnout, with 89 participating producers, all of whom have joined together to raise money to support the WVWA.

-Open exclusively to licensed wine sellers, including retailers, restaurateurs and wholesalers, the 2021 sale will feature 85 lots of Pinot noir and seven lots of Chardonnay from the 2019 vintage, available in quantities of just five, 10 and 20 cases Willamette: the Pinot Noir Auction will take place August 5, 2021 made specifically for the Auction

-Registered members of the trade will be invited to participate in the Auction’s virtual Preview Week July 26-30, 2021, where they will have the opportunity to explore the Auction lot wines through intimate winemaker panels. These events will culminate in the August 5 Auction conducted by esteemed Auctioneer Fritz Hatton. The full lineup of lots and descriptions is available online

Will Camarda is the winemaker at Andrew Will Winery, where they focus on Bordeaux varietals in Washington state. 

We Talk About:

-His Dad Chris founding the winery in 1989

-Vashon Island and where specifically it's located

-His thoughts on farming, picking decision, use of oak, and more

-How he first went into geology before winemaking

-The vineyards: Ciel du Cheval, Champoux, and May’s Discovery, and Two Blondes vineyards.

-His memes on Instagram, why you ARE drinking some F-ing merlot, and much more!

Christian Pillsbury is the proprietor of Eden Rift Vineyards.

We Talk About:

-Christian's background and he got into the wine business

-The road to establishing Eden Rift in 2016

-The history of the site, a 500 acre property, founded in 1849 and into World War II, it was one of California's great 5 estates

-The wines they produce: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and more.

The old vine zin from 1906

-The style of wines they make, his views on IPOB, and balance

-How to visit, buy wine, and much more

Torrin is family owned and operated winery in Paso Robles, California.

We Talk About:

-The story of how they met

-Working at Fetzer in Mendocino County

-Meeting James Berry "Pebble" Smith in the 2000's

-Launching the brand with 2 blocks of James Berry. Planted in 2002 and harvested in 2006

-How they came up with the name

-Farming, picking decision, and oak

-Torrin with Rhone varietals, Maven, Banshe and Lagom brand Pinot and Chardonnay

Jim Fox is the co-founder of Patiné Cellars

We Talk About:

-How he first got into wine at The Bottle Inn, in Hermosa Beach

-Meeting his co-founder Dean Nucich, and winemaker Mike Smith

-The meaning behind the name as well as the unique hockey-related packaging 

-Taking win courses at UC Davis/UCLA Ext as well as Wine LA

-The vineyards where they source fruit: Gap's Crown, Sun Chase, and Soberanes

-His ideas for food parings, decanting, and much more

Blake Van Treese is the Senior Buyer for First Bottle Wines

We Talk About:

-First Bottle and Last Bottle Wines

-How did he get into wine and life in the Napa Valley

-His role at First Bottle and how the website works

-The great user-interface of the website and how to sort by price or points

-How they bring value from Napa and beyond

-Some of the winemakers featured on the website now

-The inside story of a wine that's half Paradigm and half Screaming Eagle

-Some great international values they have now and much more

Chad Melville is the Head Winegrower at Melville Winery

We Talk About:

-His Father Ron's vineyard in Calistoga

-The road to buying property that is now Melville today

-His winemaking style, including older oak and more

-Benefits of being 100% estate grown

-The 2019 Pinot Noir, 2018 Chardonnay and other Pinots from different blocks

Gavin Chanin is the owner and winemaker at Chanin Wines

We Talk About:

-Going to school at UCLA for art, biking to Wally's, and doing his first harvest

-His experience working at Au Bon Climat

-Working harvest abroad

-The vineyard sites he works with in Santa Barbara County

-Starting his own brand in 2007 with Chardonnay

-Pinot Noir, his wine making style, and much more

Grant Coulter is the winemaker for Flâneur Wines and the winemaker and owner, along with his wife Renée, of 100 Suns Wine.

We Talk About:

-His background and how he got into wine

-Working at Beaux Freres, what he learned, and working with with Mike Etzel and Robert Parker, Jr.

-The Willamette Valley region and what makes it special

-Launching a brand with his wife

-The labels he designs, with some inspiration

-Picking decisions, farming, oak, and more

-Views on decanting, serving temperature, and cellaring

Audrey Frick is a sommelier based out of New York City. She covers Italian wines for JebbDunnuck.com and is the Wine Director for soon to be opened restaurant, One White Street.

We Talk About:

-Growing up in NYC, playing the french horn, and Mannes School of Music

-School at University of Colorado and her first restaurant job

-Becoming a Somm, working at Oak & 14th, Tavernetta, and more

-Quick run-down of Italian wines and her thoughts on the region

-Advise to people getting into wine

-Writing for JebbDunnuck.com

-What's next, including the opening new restaurant in NYC

Amanda Greenbaum is the Wine Proprietor at Aja Vineyards in Malibu, California.

We Talk About:

-The history of wine in Malibu, California and the AVA established in 2014

-The history of the vineyard, her family, the grapes, and more

-How she got into wine at a young age

-The Aja wine offerings

-What's next for the brand

-Her thoughts on food and wine pairings

-How to buy the wines

Andrew Jones is the winemaker and founder at Field Recordings

We Talk About:
-How Andrew got his start in wine

-Graduating from Cal Poly and going into farming

-The Field Recordings style, how he sources, what happens in the cellar, and more

-The three most important times for winemaking

-Why the root stock is so important

-His thoughts on decanting and temperature

-What's next for the brand

Greg McBeth is the co-founder of Melier. Experience the best of wine country. Anywhere. Anytime.

We Talk About:

-Tech background and what he did before wine

-His first trip to Santa Barbara wine country

-The goal of Melier and value for consumers and wineries

-Upcoming opportunities to get involved

Joe Nielsen is the winemaker at Rams Gate Winery.

We Talk About:

-His background, graduated from Michigan State with a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture. 

-Reading books on French viticulture and planted his first vineyard in his family's backyard using French hybrid grapes.

-Moving to California for internship at Merryvale Vineyards, and later became assistant winemaker at Donelan in 2008.

-Earned his Executive Wine MBA from Sonoma State University.

-The site: perched upon the rolling hills that define the landscape of the Carneros AVA, where the San Francisco Bay meets the edges of Napa and Sonoma counties, lies Ram’s Gate Winery. As it nears the end of its first decade, Ram’s Gate is entering a heightened era of wine making excellence.

-How he views vineyard management and work in the cellar

-We talk through the 2018 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines

Chris Boyd is the founder of Monday, a beverage startup starting with alcohol free gin as their first product.

We Talk About:

-How the company got started and launched on Kickstarter

-Raising money with Republic and how it works

-Link to invest: https://republic.co/drink-monday?utm_source=drink_monday&utm_campaign=issuer_ref

-What it's been like using Republic to get fans and brand ambassadors

-The cultural shift to a more healthy lifestyle

-The design, labeling, ingredients, and more

-What's next for Monday? Hint: There's a Whiskey in the works!

-And much more

Scott Rich is the winemaker at Moraga Vineyards in Los Angeles.

We Talk About:

-His background and how he got into wine, Tony Soter, Etude, and more.

-How he came to Moraga.

-The history of the property, academy award winning director Victor Fleming and then Tom Jones, who planted vineyard in 1978.

The first wine, the Moraga Red Table Wine, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, winemaker Bruno D'Alfonso and later Mia Klein.

-His wine making philosophy, vineyard management, and more.

-We taste through both the white and red wines.

Seth O'Malley is the Founding Distiller at Wilderton, which makes non-alcoholic spirits from raw botanicals.

We Talk About:
-His background working with tea and kombucha
-How he came together with his co-founder
-The differentiation: "We weren’t interested in making an analog, something that was meant to taste like a bourbon or a gin. We wanted something completely different.”
-What exactly are raw botanicals?
-We get into the two offerings, Earthen and Lustre
-Some ideas for mixed drinks and much more

Allison Wilson is the Director of Vineyard Operations at Cliff Lede Vineyards

We Talk About:

-Her introduction to grape growing was through harvest celebrations and weekend visits to her great uncle’s nearby Livermore Valley vineyard

-Cal Poly and majoring in Fruit Science major in 2012

-Working for Renteria Vineyard Management

-Napa Valley Grapegrowers

-Her role in farming and development of Cliff Lede’s three estate vineyards, working closely with the winemaking team

-Also acting as a liaison between grower partners and winemakers to insure best vineyard practices. 

-Her views on farming, best practices, pest control, and more.

-The Lede Family Wines, including Cliff Lede Vineyards, FEL Wines, and their small luxury hotel, the Poetry Inn.

-We go through the , 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, and 2018 Rock Block Cabernet Sauvignon “Magic Nights”

Erica Stancliff is the winemaker at Pfendler Vineyards

We Talk About:

-Growing up in Russian River Valley.

-Working with Paul Hobbs.

-Why she chose school at Fresno for the Enology program.

-Her internship at Viña Cobos, working with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc.

-Returning to Napa to work at Rudd

-Her role as President of the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance

-How she met Kimberly Pfendler and the history of the vineyard

-We taste through the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, talking about her philosophy on oak and picking decisions

Brandon Sparks-Gillis is the winemaker and co-founder of Dragonette Cellars.

We Talk About:

-How Dragonette unofficially started in 2003 with 25 cases of Syrah

-How Brandon met John Dragonette at Wally's

-His background in Geology

-We talk about Santa Barbara County as a wine region

-The wines of Dragonette and style they're going for

-His experience in the Master of Wine program and much more

VYBES is an organic beverage made with Hemp CBD.

We Talk About:

-Jonathan's life leading up to starting Vybes: MySpace, RadPad, and more

-His first experiences with CBD and learning about the beverage industry

-What actually is CBD and some of the history 

-The branding and how he comes up with new flavors

Sarah Hoffman co-founded Maker wine, along with her co-founder Kendra. Maker wine works with independent winemakers to bring you their premium wines in a can.

We Talk About:

-Her life before wine and her experience with craft beer

-Building the Maker brand and what it stands for

-How they source new wines, vineyards, and relationships

-Telling the stories of the site, place, and winemaker through the can

-A unique varietal they offer that only has 10 acres left planted!

-How you can get access to the Can Club and much more

Kristie Tacey is the winemaker and founder of Tessier Winery. She's is a scientist turned  winemaker; a former published research scientist who now makes small-production wine sourced vineyards all over California using a minimalist intervention style.

We talk about:

How she got into wine and her first job at Lost Canyon

What she believes when it comes to farming and vineyard practices

Protocols in the cellar and other insider information

How she differentiates her wines with music, to give people an experience

Lastly we talk through some of her amazing wines

Matt Dees is winemaker for Jonata, The Hilt, and The Paring. Today, we'll be talking about The Hilt's Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County. Enjoy my conversation with Matt Dees.

Matt began as head winemaker at the award-winning Jonata vineyard in 2004. Since then, he's overseen the transformation of the estate's dry, rocky, sandy landscape into one of the most respected sites in Central California.

Rancho Salsipuedes, where The Hilt wines make their home, provides vineyards planted on land nearly 13 unobstructed miles from the ocean on the west. This unique, large and sprawling property offers a range of altitudes, aspects, soil types, and microclimates, giving winemaker Matt Dees a patchwork of vineyard parcels from which to select grapes and create wines with distinctive styles.

Over the years, his wines have gained widespread acclaim from critics such as Robert Parker, Antonio Galloni, and Stephen Tanzer. 

Caitlin Lhommeau is the winemaker and owner of Resolution Wines, her personal label started in 2018, featuring Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. She joined the wine industry in 2016 after working a harvest just for fun, while applying for medical school.  She has since been working for the Tench family in Oakville in the Napa Valley, under Russell Bevan’s wine making expertise.  The first vintage of her label, Resolution Wines will be released in August 2020. 

Andy Erickson is the winemaker for Highest Beauty, a wine from the To Kalon Vineyard Company.

Although he’s originally from the Midwest, a summer in France convinced Andy Erickson that his calling was wine. Beginning his journey in Napa Valley and Sonoma, he soon moved to Mendoza in Argentina. Returning to Napa, he honed his craft, working under a number of renowned winemakers, including John Kongsgaard, and Michel Rolland. After earning a master’s degree in enology, Andy worked as a winemaker at Harlan Estate and Staglin Family Vineyards, eventually establishing a consulting firm with his wife, viticulturalist Annie Favia, where he made such highly coveted wines as Screaming Eagle. Andy and Annie have recently established their own winery, Leviathan.

Kiana Estevez is the Founder of Aisle Mine, where she provides a virtual cooking experience for guests, while chefs share their story as a means to change the ratio in equalizing culture differences in food. She graduated from Boston University in 2018 as a first generation student. 

Christine Soto is the owner and operator of Dead or Alive, a retail wine shop and bar in Palm Springs, California.

Dead or Alive is an independent, locally-owned shop in Palm Springs offering a highly curated selection of craft beer and wine. At this hidden gem, conversation is emphasized and there's always something new. It's a bar that feels like home, but with a better wine list.

Samantha Rudd and Philip Tessier are owner and Executive Chef at PRESS in the Napa Valley, respectively.

Cathy Corison is the Winemaker and Founding Partner at Corison.

Cathy’s winemaking journey began nearly 45 years ago when she took a wine appreciation course at Pomona College on a complete whim. She fell in love with wine for all the usual reasons, but, as a Biology major, was also taken by the fact that wine is the result of a fascinating collaboration among a series of living systems. Two years later she graduated, and two days after that, arrived in the Napa Valley, bent on making wine. She holds a master’s degree in Enology at UC Davis.