"The Good Stuff"

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Oded Shakked, founder and winemaker of Healdsburg’s Longboard Vineyards, to explore the unexpected connections between surfing, winemaking, and a life shaped by a deep appreciation for nature, community, and the journey along the way.  Tune in to hear Oded’s perspective on supporting small local farmers, keeping agricultural communities thriving,...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Chef Chris Ricketts Chris Straub of Santa Rosa’s Flamingo Resort & Spa and Palm House Hospitality to explore the people, experiences, and creativity shaping Sonoma County’s hospitality scene.  Tune in as Chris Straub shares his journey from working with luxury hotel brands across the country to bringing his passion for hospitality to Santa Ro...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Lupita Medina Flores, Associate Director of Operations at Bevill Vineyard Management, to explore how hard work, community, and a deep respect for the land are shaping the future of Sonoma County winegrowing.  Tune in as Lupita shares her journey from growing up in Santa Rosa as the daughter of immigrants from Michoacán, Mexico, to building a care...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Sarah Citron, CEO & Co-Founder of Bricoleur Vineyards, to explore how family legacy, creative marketing, and a passion for bringing people together are shaping the future of Sonoma County wine.  Tune in as Sarah shares her journey from fashion and digital marketing in New York City to building a welcoming wine country destination rooted in he...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Mike Bailey, Global Director of High Value & Small Acre Crops at John Deere, to explore how technology, innovation, and relationships are shaping the future of agriculture.  Tune in as Mike shares his passion for helping farmers tackle real-world challenges, the importance of understanding growers’ needs, and how pilot programs in Sonoma Coun...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Taylr Cuneo of Hamel Family Wines to hear about her unconventional path into the wine industry and the experiences that shaped her along the way.  From business school in Chicago to culinary school, Taylr has brought together her love of food, hospitality, wine, and agriculture to her career. Tune in as she shares how her passion for cooking bega...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Katie Ambrosi, Executive Director of Wine Road, to talk about her roots in Healdsburg and her journey through Sonoma County’s wine and hospitality industry.  Tune in as Katie reflects on growing up in Healdsburg, her path in the wine industry from Heck Estates to Wilson Family Wines, and now her new role leading Wine Road into its 50th anniversar...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Damien Wilson, the Hamel Family Chair of Wine Business at Sonoma State University and a pioneer in wine business education.  Tune in as Damien shares his unconventional path into the wine industry, from growing up learning about wine in his family’s convenience store in Australia to becoming the first person in the world to earn an honors degree...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Brad Peterson, a longtime Sonoma County winegrower, former board chair of Sonoma County Winegrowers, and current Vineyard Manager at Silver Oak.  Tune in as Brad reflects on growing up in Alexander Valley, building a career from the ground up at Silver Oak, and the philosophy that continues to guide him: “We have yet to make our best bottle of wi...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Josh Little, a Sonoma County Winegrowers board member and fourth-generation winegrower whose roots run deep in Sonoma County agriculture.  Tune in as Josh shares how growing up in the wine industry, and learning the value of hard work from an early age, shaped his approach to business and agriculture. From working in wine sales to helping grow G3...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Tony Lombardi of Lombardi Wines to explore his family’s connection to wine, his journey into the industry, and the legacy he’s building in Sonoma County.  Tune in as Tony shares the story of his grandfather, who came to the United States from Italy in 1914, and how his family’s love of wine was passed down through generations. From growing up in...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Nick Frey and Duff Bevill to reflect on the history, growth and future of the Sonoma County Winegrowers.  Tune in as Nick and Duff share stories from their decades in the industry, from the early days of Sonoma County’s modern winegrowing movement to the people and organizations that helped shape the region into what it is today. They also look b...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Alex and Christian Ehret of Ehret Winery.   Tune in as Alex and Christian Ehret share the story of their family’s deep roots in Knights Valley and the evolution of their estate from a cattle ranch into a thriving winegrowing operation. After their grandfather purchased the property in the late 1970s, the family pivoted to winegrowing, planting hu...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Claudia Ross of Ross Ranch in Knights Valley.  Tune in as Claudia shares how growing up moving from place to place taught her the art of reinventing herself, making new friends and building community, lessons that would ultimately shape her journey into wine. After a fortuitous decision to plant 90 Syrah vines on their property, Claudia and her f...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Alexandra O’Gorman, Vice President of Community Relations at Foley Family Wines & Spirits.  Tune in as Alexandra shares her journey from growing up in Carmel to building her career in Sonoma County’s wine industry. From her early days in hospitality and events to earning her MBA in Wine Business at Sonoma State University, she reflects on the...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Lisa Wittke Schaffner and Sharon Wright, board members at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds and Exposition.  Tune in as Lisa and Sharon share their journeys in public service, from Lisa’s experience as the first woman to serve as mayor of Santa Rosa to their shared passion for strengthening community connections through organizations like the Sonoma...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Baron Ziegler, Founder of Marine Layer Wine in downtown Healdsburg.  Tune in as Baron Ziegler shares his unconventional journey into the wine industry, from buying and selling wine as a teenager, attending and leaving medical school to follow a dream, and eventually building Banshee Wines into a nationally recognized brand before launching Marine...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Joy Sterling, Partner and CEO of Iron Horse Vineyards.  Tune in as Joy shares the remarkable story of Iron Horse Vineyards, from her family's journey to Sonoma County in the 1970s to building one of the region's most iconic estate wineries. As Iron Horse celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, Joy reflects on a legacy rooted in vision, continu...

This week, hosts Karissa and Virginie sit down with Bret and Kristen Munselle of Munselle Vineyards to celebrate an incredible milestone for their family – 150 years farming in Sonoma County.   Tune in as they share the story of six generations of family farming, from vineyards and wine to hops, prunes, dairy, and back to vineyards, and how they're building a legacy for the future through their fa...

This week, Karissa and Virginie are joined by Carmen Snyder, Executive Director of Sonoma County Farm Trails and the Gravenstein Apple Fair.  Tune in as Carmen shares her passion for intentional farming and how Sonoma County Farm Trails is working to keep agriculture thriving for generations to come. She also offers a preview of the 53rd Annual Gravenstein Apple Fair, happening August 8–9, where y...

This week, Karissa and Virginie are joined by Pete and Cathy Seghesio - Century Club members, longtime Sonoma County vintners, and owners of Journeyman Meats and Journeyman & San Lorenzo wines.   Tune in as the husband-and-wife duo reflects on the Seghesio family’s deep roots in Sonoma County, the lessons learned from generations of farming, and how gathering around the dinner table helped sha...

This week, hosts Karissa Kruse and Virginie Boone sit down with Barbara Fitzgerald and Kimberly Charles of Come Together, a community for wine.    Tune in as Barbara and Kimberly share the inspiration behind the Come Together movement, including initiatives like Share & Pair Sundays and Come Over October, and their mission to reframe the conversation around wine as a catalyst for connection, c...

This week, hosts Karissa Kruse and Virginie Boone sit down with Palmer Emmitt, Owner and Winemaker of Judge Palmer Wines.  Tune in to hear Palmer’s unconventional path to Sonoma County winemaking—from competitive downhill skiing, to studying film at NYU, to a career in Hollywood, before ultimately finding his way to Sonoma County and earning his MBA from Sonoma State with an emphasis in wine busin...

This week, Karissa sits down with Ray Isle, Executive Wine Editor of Food & Wine magazine, for a special “on-the-road episode” recorded during the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience, where the two connected between events for a conversation about wine, storytelling, and the people who make the industry so fascinating.   Tune in as Ray shares how a graduate school fellowship brought him to t...

This week, hosts Karissa Kruse and Virginie Boone sit down with Paul and John Hawley of Hawley Winery in Healdsburg.   Tune in as this father-and-son duo shares the story behind Hawley Winery, the rewards of running a family operation, and John’s remarkable journey through Sonoma County’s wine industry. From helping expand Kendall-Jackson’s early presence in the region to his work at Clos du Bois...