Sip Sip Hooray Podcast

Sip Sip Hooray for Rhone wine varieties! Our guests today are a husband and wife winemaking team, working and living in California's Santa Clara Valley. This is a historic winemaking region, dating back to the 1798, but Kim and Todd Engelhardt are adding their own chapter to the story, buying property and planting vineyards on land that, in the late 1880s, was known as Lion Ranch. The Engelhardts went all in on Rhone wine varietals - and their honeymoon in the Rhone Valley sealed the deal. They visited Condrieu - where only Viognier is made - and fell in love with it. But they didn't just buy and drink Viognier - they built a wine business - Lion Ranch Vineyards & Winery - around it. Now, with wines names like Lioness, Lion's Share and Alpha, this winery roars. Todd, an emergency room physician by night, handles organic farming, and the duo is moving into regenerative farming, along with incorporating Baby Doll sheep and bees into their ecosystem. Kim overseas the winery operations, sales and marketing and is the president of the winery association Wineries of Santa Clara Valley. Together they share winemaking duties. We're delighted that Kim and Todd are taking time to chat with us on the pod. We know you'll be smitten with them, their story, their approach to wine and, of course their wines.

If you've ever dreamed of making a career switch to wine, our podcast today may just inspire you. Rosa Fierro went from legal assistant to winemaker and winery owner. It didn't happen overnight, and the journey wasn't without its twists and turns and stops and starts. But one of the reasons Rosie has made it work is because of the women who helped her out along the way. Today Livermore Valley's @Rosa Fierro Cellars is 100% female owned and operated. They are helping to change the narrative about what has been a male dominated wine world, and as Aretha Franklin and Annie Lennox sing, sisters are doing it for themselves! The two Marys are at Rosie's winery and tasting room, in what we like to say is the vortex of winemaking in Northern California's Livermore Valley Wine Community, as she's surrounded by other wineries, a brewery and a distillery. Rosie has perhaps the most unique label art we've seen and it's very personal. Rosie also honors powerful, impactful women in a special way in her cellar. Grab a glass and join us for a great chat!

We, the Marys, were honored to be invited to celebrate Ridge's 60th anniversary at a luncheon at the winery with legendary winemaker Paul Draper, his team, including head winemaker John Olney and Ridge's new winemakers Trester Goetting at Monte Bello and Shauna Rosenblum at Lytton Springs. They are both super talented, hard working, great people and both a lot of fun too, which is a good thing because they big shoes to fill. So how do you take on winemaking duties at a place so renowned for excellence as Ridge Vineyards? We find out today as we sit down with Trester and Shauna. Trester and Shauna are certainly artists in wine, but they're also artists in other aspects of their lives having to do with music, ceramics and sculpture. We are excited to introduce you to Trester and Shauna! They are dynamic, and bring amazing backgrounds in wine to Ridge. After listening to our super engaging chat, we think you'll agree that Ridge is in great hands for the next 60 plus years to come.

From homemade cranberry wine to a dizzying array of more than 20 award winning wines, Fenestra Winery owner and founder Lanny Replogle is one of the best known and most respected vintners in California's Livermore Valley. Fenestra is known for crafting everything from Albariño to port and sharing the wines in a historic rustic property at affordable price points. Fenestra is Latin for window and we are excited that Lanny is joining us today to give us a window into his world. According to one local winemaker here in Livermore, Lanny is the historian of Livermore Valley Wine. This former chemistry teacher connects the technical to the artistic when it comes to winemaking and calls upon chemistry to name his art in a bottle: Conjugation, Infrared. Though Lanny retired back in 2018 that never really fully took. The Marys are thrilled that we could coax Lanny out of retirement to join us in person on the pod. He certainly charmed us, and we loved the variety of wines - such good sips at such great prices.

Russell Joyce's family landed in Monterey County, California, thanks to his father's love of car racing and the nearby Laguna Seca Raceway. Ever since, Russell's been in the driver's seat of his family's grape growing and winemaking endeavors at Joyce Wine Company, with a commitment to minimalist winemaking and working with organically grown grapes. Vineyards and wine have been a mainstay of his life, ever since he was a little boy, working with his father, who planted their first vineyard behind the family home. Today, Russell's enjoying sharing his passion with his young son. Russell's also helping preserve the past, recently acquiring a historic winery property in southern Monterey County, in the Arroyo Seco AVA. Russell and his wife Charlotte have been renovating the historic former Ventana Winery site, now home to Joyce Wine Co.'s winemaking facilities. You can visit and taste the Joyce wines here among the vines, and you can also experience the wines at the Carmel Road tasting room. The Marys chat with Russell about his road to wine and the newest chapter in his family's wine journey.

Summer is here, and we're celebrating Americia's pastime, baseball! When you get to the ballpark, you're most likely eating hotdogs and drinking a cold beer. But our guest and friend of the pod, Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein, wants you to change up your game and try swirling and sipping a glass of wine instead. He's Major League Baseball's first team Master Sommelier, and Evan's joined the roster of his beloved San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. The Marys are thrilled to welcome Evan to Sip Sip Hooray for a second time at bat. He's back by popular demand! He'll give us the scoop on the lineup of wines to pair with baseball and stadium food. Plus, he's answering wine questions that you, our listeners, have always wanted to ask a somm.

There's a saying that wine is art in a glass. For 5th generation vintner Darcie Kent, that's always been true. Darcie has helped shape the modern Livermore Valley, California wine scene, first with her wine and her paintings, then with a live music venue. For one, she's championing Livermore Valley Grüner Veltliner. And, she's working to bring in new folks into wine, whether through art, music, or, yes, cannabis. We first met Darcie Kent, her husband David and daughters Kailyn and Amanda more than 20 years ago, filming a story with them about their new wine label, Darcie Kent Vineyards, for our NBC TV show In Wine Country. Back then, Darcie was "Almost Famous," thanks to her first wine release of a Livermore Valley Merlot. Her own grapevine painting adorned the label. Fast forward to 2023 and we are so happy to be back with Darcie at Darcie Kent Estate Winery in Livermore Valley. Her girls are grown -- they are 6th generation vintners! The family has a few new ventures in addition to wine! Darcie moved her winery's home base to a spot in the heart of Livermore Valley - famously owned by Bing Crosby - where she combines her wines, her art and a stand alone dispensary. She and her family also opened the Almost Famous Wine Company, a live music venue where wine pairs perfectly with local and national bands.

Vineyards have voices. That's how our guest today, Ted Glennon of Vocal Vineyards in California's Santa Cruz Mountains, approaches winemaking. From DJing to wine, Ted's career has been both vocal and vinous. Wearing his DJ Soigné hat, he spins up a playlist of cool tunes. Now he's making cool wines. Ted combined his music passion with wine, when after working as a sommelier for many prestigious restaurants, he turned his attention to making wine from the Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey County. By composing Vocal Vineyards, Ted gives voice to historic vineyards and unsung grape varieties. Check out Ted's DJ Soigné Spotify playlist for great music and wine pairing playlists!

If you're a Chard and Pinot fan then you may know the name Gary Farrell. His namesake winery - Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery - in Sonoma's Russian River Valley, became the go to for lovers of Burgundian, acid driven wines that reflect the character of the vineyard. And these are storied vineyards - Rocioli, Bacigalupi, Durell, Gap's Crown, Sanford & Benedict, Bien Nacido and more. For the past 10 years, Theresa Heredia has been leading the winemaking at this storied winery. Theresa's path to wine was a real journey. Originally a PhD Chemistry candidate, she traded peptides for wine, leaving doctorate studies for testing pH levels in wine. Now she's carrying on founder and Russian River Valley pioneer Gary Farrell's vision with passion, talent and heart, celebrating the winery's 40th anniversary! Theresa's adding her own touch to the winemaking here. But she's also opening the cellar doors wide, making the winery and tasting room a welcoming place for all -- especially BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities.

Give as you go. That's the motto of our podcast guest, Dennis Murphy. As the founder and winemaker at Caprio Cellars in Washington's Walla Walla Valley, Dennis proves that making great tasting wine and making a difference in the world go hand in hand. From building homes and communities to making wine, Dennis' story is inspiring - so much so that he's one of Wine Industry Advisor's most inspring people in wine. We have no doubt you'll admire all that Dennis has done and continues to do. At Caprio Cellars, Dennis is also disrupting the winery hospitality model, offering complimentary (yes free!) wine and food pairings that rival a top restaurant three-course tasting menu. Get to know what motivates Dennis and how he's changing the wine world one glass at a time.

Steve McInytre of McIntyre Family Wines is truly one of the OG sustainable grape growers and winemakers of Monterey County's Santa Lucia Highlands. Steve dreamed of being a rock star, but lucky for us - and the wine world - the wine bug bit. The Marys visit Steve at his Carmel tasting room, the McIntyre Tasting Studio, where we chat about and taste the wines that taste of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Steve helped create the guidelines for the sustainability certification SIP Certified, which stands for Sustainability in Practice. He also helped establish the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA (SLH). Steve also planted and farms about 20% of the vineyards in the SLH. He knows the ins and outs for coaxing true expressions of the regions from vine to glass. We not only taste, but chat about the family's adorable Bernese Mountain dogs. You can visit the dog-friendly McIntyre Tasting Studio in Carmel at the Crossroads Shopping Center. 169 Crossroads Blvd Carmel, CA https://www.mcintyrevineyards.com/Our-Tasting-Room

Sip Sip Hooray! Podcast is in Brazil! The Marys were invited by ApexBrasil to be part of the first American wine journalists to formally tour Brazil's major wine region in southern Brazil. On our visit to Tenuta Foppa & Ambrosi, we were charmed by Lucas Foppa and Ricardo Ambrosi, two high school friends who met in winemaking classes. Yes, that's right - in Brazil you can study wine (but you have to spit) in high school!. These best buddies decided to work together pursuing a life in wine. There's a Napa Valley connection to their story. You'll just have to tune in to find out! Plus we have exciting news on their new American wine project and the import front to share! Grab a glass of wine - preferably Brazilian (look for sparkling wines!) and get to know Lucas and his winery, and how he and Ricardo are carrying forward tradition with a modern spin.

Wine and history have always been intertwined for Sandar & Hem winemaker Rob Bergstrom. To him, every bottle tells a unique story about the place it is grown, as well as being a lens on the wines and winemakers of past eras. While Rob is passionate about Santa Cruz Mountains wine history, he's also focused on moving the story forward. Rob brings forgotten, long lost vineyards forward, but also pushes the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA appellation to and beyond its limits of what is possible in grape growing, varieties and winemaking. Join us for a great conversation!

When Ian Brand came on the Monterey County wine scene, his mission was to work with unsung vineyards and grape varieties. Why? He wants to ensure these special places and wines don't stay in the shadows of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are the varietals most identified with this California Central Coast wine growing region. The Marys meet up with Ian on a busy day at his winemaking facilitiy, where he takes a time out to chat about his unique focus and passion. You can taste Ian's line up from his three wine labels, I. Brand & Family, La Marea and Le P'tit Paysan at his tasting room and bottle shop in Carmel Valley Village, a short drive from Carmel-By-The-Sea.

Come meet us, the Marys, and sip Santa Clara Valley Wines with us! That's right, Mary B and Mary O are hosting the VIP Sommelier Experience during the Santa Clara Valley Wine Auction on Saturday, March 25 at Guglielmo Winery in Morgan Hill, Calif. We're super excited to support this fantastic and historic California wine region, the birthplace of the state's commercial wine industry. And we are excited to meet you, our listeners, and share a Sip Sip Hooray! toast. In this special pod episode, we have all the T on the wine auction - including previewing a few auction lots. VIP admission is at 5 pm and gets you special access to the best of the best wines, plus you get to meet us and some of the local winemakers. General admission begins at 6 pm. And yes you can buy tickets now. Then you're in for a real treat, as we welcome 3rd generation vintner Gene Guglielmo. At 98 years old, Guglielmo Winery is the longest continously operated family winery in the Santa Clara Valley. If you do the math, you'll see that the winery started in 1925, right in the middie of Prohibition! Needless to say, Gene's got great stories about this and more! Special thanks to Wineries of Santa Clara Valley and the Morgan Hill Community Foundation, which will distribute auction proceeds to local non-profits serving the community. We appreciate being invited to participate in this giving event.

We have a confession! The Marys had never sipped a Brazilian wine before Apex Brasil invited us to join a small group of wine journalists to tour the country's main wine region. The reaction from most of our friends and family -- they make wine in Brazil? Oh yes, and as we discovered, it is darn good wine too. So we invite you to get in on Brazilian wine now -- we're here to tell you Brazil's wines are the next thing in wine. To help you navigate what's happening in this South American wine producing country, wine journalist and expert Mauricio Roloff is joining us from Brazil! Mary O met him when he gave a master class on Brazilian wine the first day of the wine trip. He's the perfect guide for your Brazilian wine adventure! Saúde! (Cheers in Portuguese)

You could say that winemaker David Baird is living the dream at Folktale Winery & Vineyards in California’s Carmel Valley. They say every bottle has a story to tell, and behind the label, David coaxes those stories out of Folktale's estate vineyards. If you don’t know the Folktale wines or haven’t visited the winery, you are in for a treat. Folktale is a place you need to know about, a destination whenever you are in Carmel, Big Sur or Monterey. David brings his own touch to the wine program here, and has some exciting projects, including a wine aged under the waves of Monterey Bay. David’s also a good sport, as he met us, the Marys, at the winery the morning after returning from a seven day trek through Yosemeti Valley. So tune in to find out about the tales the wines of Folktale have to tell as they speak through David’s competent and creative winemaking hands.

Getting to Mount Eden Vineyards in California's Santa Cruz Mountains is an adventure! The drive is up a twisty mountain road with lots of hairpin turns and steep drop offs. A good portion of the road - at the topmost part - is unpaved. But then you arrive at the peak, 2000 feet above Silicon Valley, and the breathtaking views, not to mention the wines, are totally worth the journey. The Marys sit down with winemaker Jeffrey Patterson, one of the best known vintners in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, and all of California. He's been crafting world class Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon from this historic vineyard for more than 40 years. Join us and discover the magic of Mount Eden.

If you've ever picked up a wine book, there's a good chance it's The Wine Bible, by our guest Karen MacNeil. The Wine Bible is so popular that Karen just revised this 3rd edition, and it has surpassed the one million copies sold mark! But she didn't want to call her book a wine bible. This is just one of the many behind the scenes stories Karen shares with the Marys, on this episode of Sip Sip Hooray! Karen's career has come a long way since she debuted The Wine Bible in 2001. Now she heads a multimedia wine empire, including a digital newsletter, live virtual wine tastings, leading classes, seminars and influencing what is in all of our wine glasses. Lest you think Karen is a wine snob, just check out her recent Instagram post, where Karen's answer to the question about holding a wine glass by the stem or bowl was refreshingly unexpected! So grab a glass and settle in for a fascinating chat with Karen!

Buckle up for the newest Sip Sip Hooray! podcast episode! When you think of wine in Carmel Valley, the first label that comes to mind is Bernardus. This Monterey County winery led the way in establishing the Carmel Valley AVA as a world class wine region. The Marys are excited to be back at Bernardus Winery & Vineyards in beautiful Carmel Valley Village! We filmed several episodes of our NBC TV show In Wine Country here. We're at the Bernardus tasting room to catch up with winemaker Dean De Korth and grape whisperer Matt Shea. These guys are the OGs of the Bernardus team. They shaped the winery's house style along with founder Bernardus (Ben) Pon, who was an avid Bordeaux lover. But Ben was also passionate about cars, and along with wine, VWs and race car driving are part of his story. While Bernardus is an established label, we're excited to share how the winery evolves and innovates. Plus, Bernardus is a beloved label around the world, especially in Holland. Tune in to find out why! So pour a glass, listen in and enjoy the ride!