ROCKnVINO: A Pairing of Music & Wine

Grammy-winning blues musician Christone "Kingfish" Ingram performs as part of the Healdsburg Wine and Food Experience on Friday, May 17th at Rodney Strong Vineyards. ROCKnVINO co-host Michelle Marques had a chance to chat with Christone about his hometown, his mentor Buddy Guy, what it was like to meet Michelle Obama, and his experience in the wine world. Get tickets to see him perform at healdsburgwineandfood.com

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Steve Dveris, CEO of SD Media and Founder of the Healdsburg Wine and Food Experience. Steve talks about the upcoming series of events from May 16th through May 19th, that focus on the makers behind the magic. At the Healdsburg Wine and Food Experience you can dive into events that are delicious, fun, educational, inspirational, and celebrate the people and agriculture that make Sonoma County such a great place. This event also has international flair, with celebrity chefs from around the country, as well as wines and foods from around the world. There are also great musical elements as a part of the weekend, including a performance with GRAMMY-winner Christone "Kingfish" Ingram at Rodney Strong Vineyards on Friday, May 17th. Tickets are a la carte, so you can tailor your own experience. Get details and secure your spot today at healdsburgwineandfood.com ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Lauren Fremont, Executive Director of Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley about the upcoming Passport to Dry Creek Valley, Friday, April 26th through Sunday, April 28th. This event has expanded to include a more intimate experience with boutique wineries on Friday, as well as a la carte luncheons and dinners on Friday as part of a new Wine-derlust Collection! Of course, you can also get two-day tickets for Saturday and Sunday, where over 25 wineries will offer tastings, bites, education, and music, depending on the location. Get all of the details and secure your tickets today at drycreekvalley.org ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle welcome back Patrick Davis, Founder of Songwriters in Paradise, a series of intimate songwriter showcases in the round where each songwriter shares the stories behind the songs, all paired with delicious food and wine. This year, the series returns to both Napa County and Sonoma County. SIP Napa is happening April 18th through April 21st with showcases at Alpha Omega, Charles Krug, Silver Oak, and Brasswood wineries. Artists such as Kristian Bush of Sugarland, Channing Wilson, and Marc Broussard take turns performing songs and chatting about their music. Then SIP comes back to Healdsburg from July 24th through July 27th with showcases at Banshee, Robert Young, Bricoleur and La Crema wineries. New to Songwriters in Paradise this time is Shawn Mullins, who wrote hits including Lullaby, Shimmer, and Beautiful Wreck. Also performing is multi Grammy winner Dan Tyminski (probably best known as the singing voice of George Clooney’s character in O Brother Where Art Thou), and Kim Richey. You can get tickets for a single day, or passes for the whole weekend. Learn more at songwritersinparadise.com. ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Erica J. Simpson, General Manager for the Uptown Theatre in downtown Napa. Erica dishes on her time working for the Rolling Stones, how she acts around performers when she is star-struck, how she got her current job, the perks (and occasional downsides) of working at a concert venue, the best moment of a live show, the bar program at the Uptown, and more! Check out the extended podcast of our interview on rocknvino.com to hear her hilarious story about Julia Child, why her dog Jack is the most handsome and best dog, and what kind of wine she’d enjoy on her last day on Earth. ROCK’nVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Art Murray, co-founder of T.O.W.N. – a dinner series created to highlight all the beauty Sonoma County has to offer during months not traditionally visited. Short for “Traveling Off-Season for Wine Night”, TOWN features a uniquely themed dinner once a month, concluding the first season in March 2024. Art and Alex Harris have put together a truly unique opportunity in Sonoma County to experience wine, music, art, food, and imagination in one night. Previous meals have featured unexpected entertainment, including an opera singer, Muay Thai fighters, and an actual monkey (a famous monkey at that)! Art is the President of his family winery, Flambeaux Wine, and Alex is an artist and also has The Harris Gallery Art and Wine Collection with his father. Get tickets now for Raising the Bar, the next TOWN dinner at Lo & Behold Bar and Kitchen in Healdsburg on Wednesday, February 21st from 6pm to 9pm. Hosted by Flambeaux Wine, The Harris Gallery Wine, and special guest winery, Gary Farrell, expect an eclectic menu and enchanting atmosphere, combined with a funky and fun DJ set, for an extraordinary evening that will perfectly blend the rustic charm of wine country with high cuisine. ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Jason Lefler, owner of Stereophonic Wine. Jason describes his wines as the beginning of a journey, not the conclusion of one. With more than two decades of wine industry work under his belt, Jason decided he wanted to make a wine with a grape variety from his wife’s ancestral home in Italy, near Mt.Vesuvius. This Aglianico was planted everywhere in Pompeii 2000 years ago, and archeologists have been able to pinpoint the exact spots where it grew at the time of the destructive volcano that buried the town under ash. From this journey, Jason, working with his winemaker, Aaron Jackson, has started a new journey with each bottle, searching for new ways of coaxing flavors from grapes. Stereophonic Wine also features a playlist for each bottle, which you can access through a code on the label, or through the website. Jason also works to find the right image to represent each wine. Find out more and purchase Stereophonic Wine by clicking here. ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk about the just announced lineup for Bottlerock Napa Valley, May 24th through May 26th, 2024. Headliners include Pearl Jam, Ed Sheeran, Stevie Nicks, and Maná. Pearl Jam is working on a follow up album to 2020's Gigaton, and this is their only U.S. date so far. Ed Sheeran has been selling out massive shows in 2023, and this is also his only U.S. concert date so far. Steve Nicks had been scheduled to perform at Bottlerock in 2021, but Covid-19 had other plans and now the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is finally headed to the stage in Napa. And Mexican rock bank Maná will also be headlining the La Onda Festival, happening the weekend after Bottlerock - a great excuse to stay the whole week and do some fun wine tasting in Napa and Sonoma Counties! Coco shares some insider tips about the JaM Pad, where you can watch acoustic sets on a second stage at Bottlerock, plus the skinny on aftershows at places like the Uptown Theater and JaM Cellars Balloom. Three-day tickets for Bottlerock Napa Valley go on sale Tuesday, January 9th at 10am online at bottlerocknapavalley.com ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Mark Hanson, co-founder and CEO of Bricoleur Vineyards. Mark is a Santa Rosa native and his wife Beth is the great granddaughter of Pietro Carlo Rossi, the original oenologist at Sonoma County’s historic Italian Swiss Colony. As such, both had a strong connection to Sonoma County, and after "retiring" they decided to start their own winery in Windsor. The location had an old horse barn on site which has since been transformed into a beautiful tasting room and event space. The name Bricoleur is French and it reflects the spirit of flying by the seat of your pants. At Bricoleur Vineyards you can experience wine and food together in a variety of ways, including the Soaring and Rooted tastings, live music concerts, corporate events, wine club events, cooking classes, and even a cruise along the Seine from Normandy to Paris with Bricoleur! In fact, this Saturday, you can attend An Evening with Patrick Davis & His Midnight Choir, December 16th, a benefit for Toys 4 Tots. Mark has offered KSRO listeners a discount code for 25-percent off! Use code BRICOLEURFRIEND at checkout. ROCK’nVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

Hosts Michelle and Coco talk with Jay Nunez, founder and winemaker at No Love Lost Wine Co. Jay makes sustainable, natural wines, and is inspired by the unknown, challenging himself to make wines with intrigue and a unique spirit. He also wants to make approachable wines that can be enjoyed by anyone, not just the high end cab connoisseur. We chat with Jay about his tasting room in downtown Napa, and talk about how his former career in music and sound engineering helps to inform his winemaking. He also loves to cook and has worked with a neighboring business to add some delicious sandwiches to the offering at his tasting room. Visit the tasting room at 960 Clinton Street in Napa, or buy his wine online at nolovelost.wine Hear more behind the scenes conversation with Jay Nunez, including his well-thought out desert island disc lineup and his girlfriend Canon Thomas’ picks, as well as his approach to label art, online at ROCKnVINO.com ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit

During this episode of ROCK’nVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with The Wine Guy, Tom Simoneau! KSRO listeners are quite familiar with Tom’s voice, since he started his radio career as The Wine Guy on KSRO back in the 90s. Tom is uniquely suited for our show, since he started out as a musician and ended up a winemaker! Tom learned to play guitar with his college friends and decided to make a go of it as a band in Georgia. Their first band was named C&W Mow Company, since their landlord told them they needed to pay rent somehow and mowing lawns was a good way to earn some dough! Influenced by bands like the Allman Brothers and Little Feat, Tom and his bandmates started to play bigger shows and tour across the country. The music scene in San Francisco drew them west, and they decided they were going to head to California to get signed and become professional musicians. Luck wasn’t in the cards, but after a holiday trip home, Tom started to date a beautiful girl he knew from home in Maine, and brought her back to California. Tom and Brenda Lee bought a home in Healdsburg and Tom started working by selling wine over the phone direct to customers. He had the chance to make some wine, and won awards as an amateur winemaker. They sold their first home and bought a ranch in Alexander Valley. That sealed the deal, and Tom the bassist became Tom Simoneau, winemaker and grape grower. In the early years, Tom relied on American AgCredit to help him live from harvest to harvest, as he fleshed out his business. This episode is PACKED with great stories not only about Tom’s history, but stories of Sonoma County, Healdsburg, and the families who make this place their home. Check out Tom’s wines (including the Brenda Lee Chardonnay!) online at simoneauvineyards.com and find it on the menu at Valette in Healdsburg. ROCK’nVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCK’nVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Beth Costa, Executive Director of Wine Road about the upcoming Wine & Food Affair, November 4th and 5th. More than 40 wineries are participating, each with a delicious wine pairing and great recipes you can try at home! This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about pairing wine and food, and take those tips back to your own kitchen. VIP Tickets are already sold out, but you still have until Monday, October 30th to get your passes for the Weekend, Sunday Only, or Designated Driver. Beth also shares the details of some fun additional events featuring live music that you can add on to your weekend! Coyote Sonoma has a great concert on Saturday, November 4th, and Hook & Ladder Winery is hosting a free concert on Friday, November 3rd. Check the sidebar on this page for more musical events during Wine & Food Affair. Beth is also the co-host of a podcast called The Wine, When & Where of Sonoma County. She and Marcy Gordon share their insider stories about the places to check out when you’re exploring along the Wine Road. Listen to our conversation with Beth to find out how her podcast is connected to Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg!! ROCK’nVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCK’nVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Ian Devereux White and Jefferson Lee Rhodes of the band Rhodes Devereux. Ian is also the vintner and founder of Smith Devereux Wines. Ian and Jeff have recently reunited to form their new band after years spent pursuing different passions. The two met while teens and formed a band called Standing Room Only. Now their life paths have converged again, and they are creating music informed by major turning points in their lives. Ian's winery has created wines for musicians like Matt Kearney and Kenny Aronoff, as well as Cedric the Entertainer. Ian and Jefferson perform their new song, "Found" live on ROCK'nVINO. You can follow them on Spotify and social media. ROCK’nVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCK'nVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle head into the moshpit with our guest Alec Graham, Executive Chef of Northern California for Foley Family Wines as we preview AFTERSHOCK 2023! Since the Aftershock Festival began in 2012, it has become THE destination for fans of metal, hard rock and punk, bringing massive headliners as well as up and coming bands to Discovery Park in Sacramento each year. This year's big names include Pantara, Incubus, Godsmack, Tool, Korn, Queens of the Stone Age, and Guns 'n Roses. Tool's frontman Maynard James Keenan also has his own winery: try his wine at Aftershock and create your own ROCKnVINO experience! Coco and Alec share their tips for getting the most out of this Festival, who they are most excited to see, and moshpit etiquette. Get details and tickets at aftershockfestival.com ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCK’nVINO hosts Michelle and Coco chat with Rene Byck, Vice President and Co-Owner of Paradise Ridge Winery in Santa Rosa. Paradise Ridge really has it all! Perched above Santa Rosa in Fountaingrove with some of the most spectacular views in all of Sonoma County, the winery also boasts a beautiful sculpture garden; a museum dedicated to Nagasawa Kanaye, one of the earliest grape growers in the area; a wedding and venue space; summertime concerts with rotating food trucks; and delicious wines. Rene shares the story of how his parents started the winery and the sculpture garden, the connection to Burning Man, the fires in 2017 that destroyed parts of the property, the rebuilding journey with help from American AgCredit, and the popular Wine and Sunsets Series, which goes through mid-October. Make your reservation today by visiting prwinery.com ROCK’nVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCK’nVINO hosts Michelle and Coco chat with Jeremy Carter, winemaker and founding partner of Tarpon Cellars. Jeremy shares his background growing up in Georgia and fishing for tarpon (a kind of sport fish) in Florida. That is where the winery got its name! After thinking that he might want to work in the hospitality side of wineries, an internship in Rutherford changed his mind and he was HOOKED (fishing pun intended.) Tarpon Cellars is focused on the experience of wine, food and music, all paired together to create the ultimate experience. As such, Jeremy spends a lot of time hosting winemaker dinners, concerts and other experiences to make wine more fun and accessible. And each bottle in the Cambaro line (lower price point, approachable wines) has a special Spotify playlist posted on the back label, with a curated playlist for the wine! ROCK’nVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

On this episode, Michelle and Coco talk with Alicia Sylvester, winemaker for Banshee Wines. Alicia shares her agricultural roots (pun intended) and how they led her to appreciate the work done by farmers across the country. After working on harvests around the globe, Alicia returned to California to work at Chateau Montelena and Sonoma Cutrer. In 2021 she took on the role of Winemaker at Banshee Wines, producing wines that taste much more sophisticated than their price point would suggest. At Banshee, Alicia can indulge in both sides of her winemaking personality: Bordeaux style, in your face, big cabs and the more nuanced Burgundian pinot noirs and chardonnays. Alicia is also hilarious, loves to attend concerts, and will occasionally indulge in some 90s country (hellz yeah Garth Brooks!) Check out Banshee Wines and their tasting room record player just steps off the Healdsburg Plaza. https://www.bansheewines.com/

During this episode of ROCK’nVINO hosts Michelle and Coco chat with Mark “Swany” Swanhart, the creator and director of SAVOR After Hours – a wine-tasting cabaret starring Maks and Val Chmerkovskiy from Dancing with the Stars at JaM Cellars Ballroom in Napa. The show feels like a rollercoaster that will dazzle your senses with exciting dance sequences, emotional music selections, incredible costumes, and the best wine selections from Napa County vineyards. Swany takes you on an adventure that will make you cheer, laugh, gasp, cry, and more. The venue is expertly designed to give you a wonderful vantage point from any seat. The show tickets start at just $44, however you can add all kinds of experiences onto your base ticket, including wine tasting, photo ops with the stars, pre-show meet and greet, and more. It runs through Labor Day weekend, so don’t delay! Get tickets now at savorafterhours.com

During this episode of ROCK'nVINO hosts Michelle and Coco chat with Little Saint's Executive Wine Director Alex Sarovich. Little Saint is a music venue/cafe/restaurant in Healdsburg with a 100% plant-based menu. Alex shares her road to Healdsburg and how she makes wine approachable for guests at Little Saint. Whether you are stopping in for a creamy, decadent affogato (Michelle's recommendation!) or joining your pals for a leisurely brunch with wine pairings, or headed to catch a concert upstairs with small bites and a glass of vino, Alex and her team can help you pick just the right wine. Be sure to get on the mailing list so you are first in the know to snag tickets for a very impressive list of artists, including Lucy Dacus, boygenius, or The War and Treaty. The upstairs venue is intimate and hosts incredible shows. You can also now book multi-course vegan dinners at The Second Story, Friday through Sunday beginning at 5:30pm.

Coco and Michelle talk with Gerald “Gerry” Casale, co-founder of DEVO and proprietor of The 50 by 50 winery. Gerry talks about the foundation of the band DEVO and how it was connected to the horrific events at Kent State in 1970, when 4 of his fellow students were shot and killed by the National Guard. That event was a pivotal point in his life: it forced him to stay at the university instead of transferring to another school, and exposed him to new ideas from visiting professors. Gerry also shares how music and his success with DEVO gave him an opportunity to try great food and wine, meeting chefs like Jeremiah Tower and Wolfgang Puck who were coming up at the same time as the band. The 50 by 50 has two current releases: The 50 by 50 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2016 and The 50 by 50 Carneros Rosé of Pinot Noir 2017. Each wine harmoniously combines Gerry’s love of music and wine.