One-on-one with Laurent Montalieu, Founder of Hyland Estates in the Willamette Valley This edition of Grape Encounters is the first in a long-anticipated month-long series recorded in the famed Willamette Valley wine of Northwest Oregon. It’s a place where you’ll find true winemaking pioneers who have no inclination to copy what their counterparts in other […]
Meet Blakesley Chappellet, Author of Napa Valley Entertaining If you think Napa Valley Wines are amazing, you should see how the vintners of America’s premiere wine region party! The term “Napa Style” can often be heard in conjunction with entertaining, decorating and even dressing in a way that reflects the nature of the legendary valley. […]
In a very special edition of Grape Encounters Radio, Host David Wilson spends a few very special days at the home of the Chappellet Family in California’s Napa Valley. This family interview is significant for two reasons. First, Chappellet family members are commemorating a very important milestone; the 50 year anniversary of a family-operated winery […]
Behind the Scenes of the Winery that American Idol Helped Build: The Villa San-Juliette Jeep Tour and Tasting You’ve got to imagine that when the former producers of American Idol built their winery, they weren’t content to be just another tasting room. To that end, they are giving fans of the brand an opportunity to […]
A Peak Into Christian’s Crystal Ball! French Winemaker Christian Roguenant is literally a walking encyclopedia of wine. If you’ve got a question, Christian has an answer. That’s why Grape Encounters Radio Host David Wilson loves any opportunity to sit down with someone he truly sees as a master of the winemaking craft. On this occasion, […]
How Delia Viader Challenged Conventional Wisdom and Came Out On Top! Today’s episode of Grape Encounters introduces you to one of the very finest producers of Bordeaux Varietal in the Napa Valley… and frankly, in the world. For more than 30 years, Delia Viader, founder of Viader Vineyards and Winery, has been a trailblazer among […]
ENCORE PRESENTATION by Popular Demand! One-On-One with Xavier De Eizaguirre, Chairman of Vinexpo Bordeaux, Europe’s Biggest Wine Soiree! This June, Bordeaux will host the most stylish wine industry show in the world, Vinexpo 2017. Vinexpo is the gold standard when it comes to wine and spirit trade expositions, drawing nearly 50,000 buyers from around the […]
We can think of no one in the wine industry so fully charged with creativity, so committed to the notion of never saying never, and so delightfully engaging and charming as Jean-Charles Boisset. His friends call him JCB… and yes, he has a multitude of friends. He’s a character that gets things done with a […]
As we dig deeper into our month-long discussion of sustainability, Host David Wilson put one very acclaimed Napa winery on his MUST-VISIT bucket list. Cakebread Cellars is one of those premium wineries that simply does not disappoint. They are the embodiment of winemaking perfection. You see the label and it really doesn’t matter what varietals […]
Bubbling Over with Pride: Down to Earth Month and American Champagne Producer Korbel Shares Their Unbending Commitment to Sustainability This week on Grape Encounters Radio, Rick Marson, the Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement Manager at legendary Korbel Champagne Cellars talks about why his company is so determined to protect and nurture the land that produces […]
This week, meet one of the most delightful, forward thinking winemakers in America today; Tyler Thomas. After working for producers like Donelan Family Wines and Hyde de Villaine in the Napa Valley, Winemaker Tyler Thomas left the fabled North Coast of California in 2013 to explore making Pinot Noir and Cabernet in Santa Barbara County. […]
It’s amazing to see what is happening in the craft beer industry. Just a few years ago, wine had replaced beer as the most popular adult beverage in America. But boy oh boy, is beer picking up steam… perhaps Anchor Steam that is! The craft beer industry is going bonkers with new microbreweries popping up […]
Plus, Farm Labor Fears on the New Political Landscape Brian Talley of Talley Vineyards and Talley Farms in the Arroyo Grande Valley on the Central Coast of California welcomes David to his breathtaking tasting room to talk about two very unrelated wine topics; one on the light side, the other a bit heavy. First, the […]
He’s known around the country as the Sommelier of the stars. That’s because both Hollywood and corporate elite turn to him for wine advice. Christopher Sawyer is without a doubt one of the most colorful figures in the wine business, and if there’s a major event or wine competition, you can bet that Chris is […]
As the U.S. wine industry basks in the glow of premiumization once again, the issue of luxury wine pricing is gaining more attention. However, a review of the luxury wine marketing literature generates more confusion than light on the issue, and makes it difficult to answer the question: what price is luxury wine? This week […]
After 5 years of unprecedented drought in California, the flood finally came… and did it ever put the enormous dry spell to bed. For several weeks, creeks in many of California’s wine regions have been overflowing their banks; a double-edged sword as plenty of damage occurred to infrastructure, but water supplies returned to 100% and […]
One-On-One with Xavier De Eizaguirre, Chairman of Vinexpo Bordeaux, Europe’s Biggest Wine Soiree! This June, Bordeaux will host the most stylish wine industry show in the world, Vinexpo 2017. Vinexpo is the gold standard when it comes to wine and spirit trade expositions, drawing nearly 50,000 buyers from around the world and featuring nearly 2500 […]
The Uncanny Success Story of the Cardella Winery! At the beginning of each year, it is Grape Encounters’ pleasure to look back upon the wineries and winemakers featured on the show in the prior year and select one that we believe has truly distinguished themselves by producing a broad range of consistently outstanding wines. Host […]
David talks with Ryan Render, Director of Sales for Tonnellerie CADUS North America, as well as founder and winemaker at Rendarrio Vineyards. Ryan consults with wineries about choosing suitable barrels for their wines. Tonnellerie means barrel-making, or cooperage, and is one of the least understood aspects of winemaking. Ryan has a keen appreciation and understanding […]
We’ve been covering the very tense state of affairs in the Finger Lakes wine region of New York for a couple of years now. It’s an ongoing saga with the potential to have a very unhappy ending if the government doesn’t step in and address the concerns of winemakers, leaders of a wide variety of […]
PERFECTION TO THE 5TH POWER It’s an achievement that most winemakers only dream of… earning a perfect 100 point score from legendary wine critic Robert Parker. Yes indeed, it’s nearly impossible to earn even one 100 point score during your career. But Mark Carter of Carter Cellars and Envy Wines has lots of years ahead […]
David Wilson hosts Sara Schneider, Wine Editor of Sunset Magazine, to endeavor to answer the impossible question, “What Makes Wine Good?” There are so many factors that determine what an individual’s perception of wine enjoyment vs. assigning a quality assessment, that it really IS an impossible question. David and Sara do their best to debunk […]
On today’s Grape Encounters radio Host David Wilson couldn’t be happier than to spend some quality time with two fellas who, along with the mom of the family, are rockin’ the wine world down under… and, thank goodness, sending plenty of their world renowned Mollydooker wines to the US. Imagine, having your wines rated among […]
David brings in an expert in good taste, Chef William Carter, the chef and co-owner of The Canyon Villa luxury B&B in Paso Robles, CA, and was formerly the Executive Chef (for nearly 29 years) at the fabled Playboy Mansion. It was nearly three decades of preparing sumptuous foods and choosing sensational wines for the […]
It is thoroughly amazing how many ways wine is used to do good things for great people. In this episode of Grape Encounters Radio, David strikes up a conversation with winemaker David Grega who is a collaborator in the production of Purple Heart Wines; a delicious blend that gives much of its profit to the […]
