Cork Talk

This episode features Pat and Clyde Colwell of Carolina Heritage Vineyard & Winery ! Pat and Clyde both ended up in North Carolina for work. When they met they soon started looking for land for a vineyard. Clyde had a lifelong desire to have his own vineyard and Pat was all in as long as they could farm it organically and sustainably. Organic and sustainable have been two driving forces behind...

This episode features Michael Zimmerman of Junius Lindsay Vineyards !  We talk with Michael about why he’s growing grapes and how he first conceived of the idea.  As he tells it, he has a love for old world wines which came from his time in the Foreign Service.  He was fortunate enough to make several visits to France and tour around the wine regions of the country. His heart landed in the R...

This episode features Sean and Patricia McRitchie of McRitchie Winery & Ciderworks ! This family business has deep roots in the wine industry on the west coast. After settling in North Carolina, Sean and Patricia decided to continue their tradition and immediately became an integral part of the North Carolina wine industry. Sean and Patricia talk about how they integrate family into everything...

This episode features the team from Elkin Creek Vineyard in Elkin, North Carolina!  We met up with Louis and Carrie Jeroslow and Jennifer and Nick White one evening.  In our discussion we listened as the two couples told us how they first discovered Elkin Creek Vineyard.   It started at Jennifer and Nick’s wedding and a dream was soon formed.  It wasn’t long after that the stars aligne...

This episode features Ben and Becky Starr of Starrlight Mead in Pittsboro, NC! Ben and Becky caught the mead making bug after falling in love with it at a Renaissance faire. For the past 8 years, Ben and Becky have been building up their business and refining their mead making skills. They like meads with big bold flavors and surprising flavor combinations. Visit the brand new Mead Hall and you&#8...

In this episode we sit down with John Wright of Sanctuary Vineyards in Jarvisburg, NC.  Growing grapes on the coast may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Currituck and the Outer Banks, but Sanctuary Vineyards is proving that you can grow European style grapes and make some top quality wine. John talks about how this really is a labor of love.  He is constantly pouring tim...

In this episode, we sit down with Diane Currier of Honeygirl Meadery in Durham, NC!  Diane was turned on to mead making in her early days as a home brewer.  She talks about her surreal experience of walking through a fireweed meadow and then hours later tasting a mead made from that specific type of honey.  Listen to her tell her story about how she got started, where she finds inspiration, and ho...

This conversation takes us to plēb Urban Winery in Asheville, NC to celebrate their 1st anniversary party!  Learn about what it means to truly be an urban winery and make wine more accessible to the masses.  From featuring grapes that grow well, to being more sustainable, plēb is certainly breaking into the Asheville scene and embracing #NCWine.  

This episode features Chuck and Jamey Johnson of Shadow Springs Vineyard and Windsor Run Cellars.  We discuss how the they traded in the 8 to 5 corporate job for something they’re more passionate about.  Having two wineries that are just over a half mile apart provides many conveniences but also several challenges.  They view the wineries as being alter egos of each other.  Windsor Run Cella...

Bonus Episode!  Banner Elk Winery & Villa is a mainstay of the High Country of North Carolina.  No matter the season, this winery is always a popular destination.  The wines are delicious, the sangrias are a hit in the summer, and who doesn’t love s’mores.  Escape the heat and head to the mountains for a visit!

Laurel Gray Vineyards is located in the Swan Creek AVA, part of the Yadkin Vally in North Carolina.  Listen to the story of Kim and Benny Myers about how they transform Benny’s family farm into a vineyard.  Years of hard work have gone into building the vineyard and winery, and they certainly have a loyal following.  

We sit with Charles and Ann Edwards of Baker Buffalo Creek Vineyards on a warm spring evening.  Listen as they tell us how a family farm transitioned from moonshine to dairy, and is now producing excellent wines. We recorded this episode outside because there’s nothing better than relaxing under the shade trees when you visit. 

This episode we chat with Jay Raffaldini from Raffaldini Vineyards. We discuss how Jay discovered his property and has put a lot of effort into bringing a bit of Chianti to North Carolina. Jay wants his visitors to relax and enjoy what he calls the exhale moment because as he says, “Life is meant to be slow.”

As a special treat, we bring you the panel discussion from the 2019 #NCWine Blogger Summit held on March 25th, 2019. On the panel we interviewed four winemakers about some of the challenges of making wine in North Carolina. We hope you enjoy this special bonus episode!

Episode 4 takes us to Silver Fork Winery & Vineyards. We sit with owners Jennifer and Ed talking about their love of wine and how they are making Silver Fork part of their authentic lifestyle. They traded in the corporate life for one that’s at the pace of wine.

Our third episode of Cork Talk brings us to Piccione Vineyards. We chat with Bill and Hailey about why Bill decided to start a vineyard here in North Carolina, how he caught the wine bug, and how Hailey has made her way through the industry and joined the Piccione team.

Episode two finds us sitting down with Michael and Amy Helton of Hanover Park Vineyard. Michael and Amy truly are pioneers in the North Carolina wine industry having planted the first vineyard in Yadkin County. We talk about things they’ve learned over the years and how it influences their wines. Pearl sleeps in her usual spot while we record Episode 2 of Cork Talk. Pearl joined us in her us...

Join us for our first episode! We sit down with Diana & Chuck from Jones von Drehle Vineyards. Diana and Chuck discuss how they discovered a prime vineyard location in Thurmond, North Carolina. Learn how they work hard to socialize their brand and expand into restaurants and wine stores across the state. We talk about wine club events, driving more than 1 million miles in the pursuit of wine,...

We’re excited to announce that we’re starting a podcast!  We’re calling it Cork Talk.  We’ll be meeting with important people in the wine industry starting with our home state of North Carolina.   We’ll be meeting with vineyard owners, wine makers, fellow bloggers, and other important people in the industry.  This is our introductory episode w...