Grape Encounters Wine Radio

Featuring Special Guest Carolina de Funes, Manager of Asociación Garnacha Spain We’re taking you to Spain’s Garnacha Land for three amazing weeks, AND we’ll also share how to get worldwide flights and accommodations for under $25!  THIS IS NOT A TYPO!  From insanely cheap off-season worldwide travel with airfares that are almost free and phenomenal equally inexpensive accommodations to a preview o...

In this episode of Grape Encounters, we invite you to step into a world where wine enthusiasts embark on a quest to elevate their wine experience… where big, bold reds that once fell short are transformed into vibrant, unforgettable delights. It's a story of courage and alchemy, where a mere teaspoon of our friend Jutta Turners's remarkable port-style wine became the catalyst for an explosion of f...

Do you want to save big on wine at restaurants and wine bars?  Of course, you do, and you can!  All you need is an understanding of the secret pricing formulas which may shock you! This episode of Grape Encounters is going to be a lot like having somebody throwing stacks of 100 bills at you because we want to share sometimes shocking information with you that will help you to understand why you're...

At a recent family gathering, Grape Encounters host David Wilson realized that he couldn’t keep it inside any longer. He had a secret that he hadn’t shared with either of his older brothers. As a child, he used to borrow, without permission, their record albums, sometimes at the risk of torture or worse. With a shared love of classic rock, David wondered how they would react to his confession. He...

Winemaking legend Mike Grgich not only catapulted California Wine from the shadows to the spotlight literally overnight, but he also mentored and inspired more generations of rising star winemakers than anyone else. It’s certainly a reasonable assumption, given that Mike remained engaged in his craft for the lion’s share of a century. It’s a living legacy without peer. And though we will no longer...

Did you know that less than 1% of wines make it to US retailers' shelves?  On this weeks edition of Grape Encounters you'll meet a wine importer, distributor and retailer who is determined to give hard-to-get imports an opportunity to show their stuff in the extraordinarily competitive American market. Vero, which means real in Italian, is all about opening up the category of small production, sus...

If you're a wine enthusiast, chances are you're also an olive oil enthusiast—you just might not know it yet! In this week's episode of Grape Encounters Wine Radio, we're diving headfirst into the world of olive oil and its inseparable bond with wine. The more you integrate olive oil into your wine experience, the richer and more delightful your journey becomes. Join us as we explore the harmonious...

Welcome to Grape Encounters Radio, where host David Wilson is serving up a delightful Thanksgiving feast of stories, wine adventures, and holiday tips in Episode 749. This year's Thanksgiving holds special significance as David joyfully anticipates reuniting with his family after four years away. David takes us on a nostalgic journey to the last two Thanksgiving celebrations spent in Italy, where...

On this NO BS episode of Grape Encounters Radio, host David Wilson really turns up the heat on wine writers and reviewers, urging wine enthusiasts to hold them accountable. Witty, edgy, and engaging, David encourages listeners to think seriously about the motives behind the wine reviews they read (and listen to) and to be sure they are genuinely comfortable with the qualifications of the person di...

In this special episode of Grape Encounters Radio, we've got a treat for you as we welcome one of the most beloved guests ever to grace the Grape Encounters microphones—Former Bad Company bassist Paul Cullen. This week, Paul is here to share his journey from the stage to the vineyard, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of rock and the world of wine. But before we dive into the fusio...

This week, Grape Encounters presents a “Down-Understanding of Australian Wines” like never before! Now, in our 15th year in the world of broadcasting, we continue to bring you stories, people, and adventures that revolve around one common theme – wine. But today, we're setting our sights on a world of wine that doesn’t get nearly the attention it richly deserves. Today, we’re taking a deep dive in...

Well, they say with artificial intelligence, you have to take the good with the bad, or is it the bad with the good? Well, whichever way it is, the guest who was supposed to be featured on this show headed for the hills when he heard a little bit about some of the latest AI innovations that are finding their way into journalism, photography, and even wine. Who would have thought that a 10-minute p...

It’s back!  We don't run many repeats, but when we do, they have to be mighty special... and this hour-long kitchen table conversation with #1 best-selling author Natalie MacLean--arguably America's finest wine and food author--is just a click away. Natalie’s new release, Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much, is our most downloaded episode of Grap...

In this episode of Grape Encounters, we invite you to step into a world where wine enthusiasts embark on a quest to elevate their wine experience… where big, bold reds that once fell short are transformed into vibrant, unforgettable delights. It's a story of courage and alchemy, where a mere teaspoon of our friend Jutta Turners's remarkable port-style wine became the catalyst for an explosion of f...

If you're a wine enthusiast, chances are you're also an olive oil enthusiast—you just might not know it yet! In this week's episode of Grape Encounters Wine Radio, we're diving headfirst into the world of olive oil and its inseparable bond with wine. The more you integrate olive oil into your wine experience, the richer and more delightful your journey becomes. Join us as we explore the harmonious...

While we’ve been busily worrying about the impact of global warming on the wine industry, it turns out that it is currently the least of the industry’s problems.  Despite catastrophic fires in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Greece, Spain, France, Portugal, Sicily, the list goes on and on… you would think that devastation of such immense magnitude around the globe, would mean a shortage of w...

Wine's biggest con, Rudy Kurniawan, is back, unless his Facebook page is yet another counterfeit. Have we got a humdinger of a show for you this week! Today, we’re going to revisit the wine story that dominated headlines less than a decade ago until a sentence to federal prison stifled the story, and the only thing left to say was that  “there’s nothing left to say.” After several years of incarce...

September is a month bathed in golden sunlight and awash with the lush colors of California's vineyards. It's a time of celebration, and what better way to honor the occasion than by diving headfirst into California Wine Month? Host David Wilson, the voice of Grape Encounters Radio, Is pleased to welcome special guest, Jeanne Sullivan, the head of PR for the California Wine Institute.  Jeanne is y...

You are cordially invited to join us on a profound oenological journey as Grape Encounters Radio presents an encore episode that delves into the captivating realm of ancient grape varietals. Leading this very special exploration of wine history is the erudite and wildly charismatic Wes Hagen, Brand Ambassador of Native9 Wines, an illustrious name in the annals of West Coast winemaking. Within the...

This week, Grape Encounters presents a “Down-Understanding of Australian Wines” like never before! Now, in our 15th year in the world of broadcasting, we continue to bring you stories, people, and adventures that revolve around one common theme – wine. But today, we're setting our sights on a world of wine that doesn’t get nearly the attention it richly deserves. Today, we’re taking a deep dive in...

It’s here... my hour-long kitchen table conversation with #1 best-selling author Natalie MacLean--arguably America's finest wine and food author--is just a click away. Natalie’s new release, Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much, is well-positioned to become an iconic-essential read as demand for her memoir continues to grow exponentially, but to a...

Is the relationship between wine price and quality equitable?  Welcome to another off-the-beaten-path episode from the Grape Encounters Radio Studios! Each week, we strive to present engaging and enlightening content from a fresh and unique perspective that you likely won’t find anywhere else. Every episode of Grape Encounters focuses on the adventures, unique personalities, and latest news that m...

It has become an undeniable fact that Palm Springs is now one of the most essential destinations in the world for pleasure-seekers in search of world-class lifestyle experiences, especially when it comes to food and wine. Though this world-renowned desert oasis is still a relatively small city, it enjoys tremendous name recognition and is home to some of the most inspired chefs in the world, graci...

Welcome to another edition of Grape Encounters as we focus some well-deserved attention on thew London food scene.  As always, we're here to share the intriguing adventures, unique personalities, and latest news in the world of wine with host, David Wilson, as your guide. This week's focus is on a city that is often overlooked but deserves recognition for its culinary excellence: London. This magn...

Ah, behold what the El Niño tides have brought in! A reunion, a dozen years in the making, is upon us. This week on Grape Encounters Radio, host David Wilson extends a warm welcome to former colleague and friend Patrick Evans. It feels like only yesterday that these two broadcasting veterans were enlightening and entertaining their respective audiences in the Coachella Valley. Though technically o...