Grape Encounters Wine Radio

While California is one of many world-class wine regions, there’s are compelling reasons why knowledge-thirsty wine enthusiasts should immerse themselves into the most comprehensive educational program ever developed around California wine. When you consider the fact that more than 90% of the domestically produced wines come from the Golden State and that the vast majority of all wines consumed in...

On any given day, there are probably as many stories written about wine as there are stories written about politics, Bitcoin and Elon Musk combined. The summer of 2021 has generated nothing short of a bumper crop of wine news and leave it to Grape Encounters to share the most juicy and irreverent stories about the world’s favorite drink with you. By the end of the program, you’ll be armed with ple...

This story would make a great movie, if only the plot were believable. Michael Juergens is part Earnest Hemingway, part Ethan Luther (Tom Cruise’s character in Mission Impossible) and a hefty dose of Andre´ Tchelistcheff (Google him if you don’t know). Michael lives the life most people dream of; a senior partner at one of the big 4 international accounting firms, a guy who runs foot races in plac...

This episode of Grape Encounters will tug at your heartstrings as few things can. It’s the story of a warm and cheerful family that suffered an unthinkable tragedy that came without warning and led them to a vineyard to heal themselves and bring hope to others. A lost loved one can never be replaced, but pain can be a powerful weapon capable of preventing tragedies from upending the lives of other...

Things aren’t always as they seem.  Like that nice fella at the farmers market, offering you a taste of some delicious Sonoma Valley wines.  He seems like a regular guy… maybe a wine country native, living the California dream?  That would be as far off as you can get! This guy is Ken Fuhr, a New York transplant with a resume´ in network news that spans several decades. During those years, the onl...

It may be a while before things truly get back to the way they were before the pandemic, but there’s an abundance of wine-related events to enjoy nonetheless. It’s wine month in California and you’ll find all sorts of celebrations happening up and down the state. Meanwhile, just up the coast, the Oregon Wine Experience is back, despite an adjustment to the date to better ensure the well-being of p...

Every year, around the globe, the devastation caused by wildfires is worsening at a catastrophic pace.  Moreover, if there's anything we've learned in recent years, it's that wildfires will overtake territory once thought to be invulnerable to its wrath.  There is no better example of this than vineyards.  No, they don't burn, but if there are grapes hanging from the vines, smoke from nearby wildf...

We’ve been telling you this for years, but maybe you need to hear it from the King of Seasoning himself.  When pairing food, it’s really all about the spice!  Sure, you can generalize and say, “White with chicken and fish” or “red with beef, lamb or gamey meats,” but the truth is, you should be more concerned about the intensity if the spices you use than what you sprinkle or rub it on. Bren Rando...

Christopher Sawyer is one of the most highly regarded Sommeliers in America and has long been nicknamed “The Sommelier to the Stars” because of his A-List celebrity clientele. Gavin Joll is the General Manager of Abacela Winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley; a true superstar winery known for its broad range of stellar varietals. Abacela doesn’t follow trends, they create them. And, as for Christop...

When it comes to wine, temperature matters tremendously. Serving wine at a cool temperature is a game-changer and can show off characteristics of the wine that are hidden when served at room temperature. But what about the temperature of the food itself? How does serving "cool food" impact the wine and food pairing experience? Well, these and other questions are brilliantly answered by Vanessa Sed...

Host David Wilson and show announcer Brent Keast were deeply involved in the world of advertising before the wine business lured them away. It is therefore fitting that they take on the topic of wine advertising and showcase a bunch of commercials that would make even the most serious wine enthusiasts chuckle out loud. While some of these commercials were tongue in cheek, many of them were dead se...

In addition to hosting Grape Encounters Radio for 12 years, Host David Wilson has also operated a wine tasting room on the Central Coast of California’s Paso Robles AVA. David says that he probably won’t run the shop forever but is grateful for the perspective that it has given him where the consumer is concerned. David says, “I'm glad that I did it because I have learned so much about you and you...

With restrictions lifted after our long Covid ordeal, most of us are eager to make up for lost time. For wine enthusiasts, that means looking for events to attend that promise an unforgettable experience. Well, one thing is certain, The Oregon Wine Experience is a Grape Encounters’ favorite, promising a full-immersion food and wine happening that delivers Oregon’s finest in high style! Joining Dav...

It’s hard to find a winemaker who doesn’t have an interesting back story; and you’ll certainly meet the most interesting of the lot on Grape Encounters.  This week’s story is no exception and David’s guests can only be described as “exceptional” for plenty of reasons. This week’s show features John Munch, founder of Le Cuvier Winery in California’s extraordinary Paso Robles wine region.  John’s li...

David is starting to become very encouraged about where the world is headed after 12 months of 19; Covid-19 that is.  He doesn’t want to jinx things but it certainly looks like the restrictions that we’ve all had to deal with for a very long time are starting to ease.  Yes, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. At least it looks like a light, but who can be sure of anything these days?   2020 (a...

When it comes to wine, temperature matters tremendously. Serving wine at a cool temperature is a game-changer and can show off characteristics of the wine that are hidden when served at room temperature. But what about the temperature of the food itself? How does serving "cool food" impact the wine and food pairing experience? Well, these and other questions are brilliantly answered by Vanessa Sed...

Whether it’s a tour of the vines on horseback, a litter of kittens entertaining cellar visitors, sheep, ducks and chickens controlling vineyard weeds and pest, or a golden retriever named Buck warmly welcoming you to the tasting room, animals large and small, feathered and four-legged are always eager to lend a helping hand in wine country. So it’s easy to understand why the wine community has suc...

It’s a wine-themed benefit like no other, so who better to walk us through it than Italian-born Sommelier Ferdinando Mucerino; a true original. Named 2019 Best Wine Director by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Ferdinando could make watching paint peel a really great time. So imagine being one of the hosts of this virtual superstar-studded benefit for Teen Cancer America. Ferdinando will walk participants...

There are few things in life that are more delightful than an hour-long conversation with winemaking icon Jean-Charles Boisset. Apart from being one of the most innovative wine producers and marketers of our time, Jean-Charles is arguably the most colorful character in the world of wine, bar none. His flair, his showmanship, his joie de vivre, envelopes you like diving into a swimming pool filled...

She’s a Grape Encounters’ favorite and for good reason! Allison Jordan is Executive Director of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and Vice President of Environmental Affairs for the Wine Institute where she is responsible for oversight of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Program and Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing. While those are lofty titles to be sure, no one br...

Featuring Benchmark Wine Group CEO David Parker This was such a fascinating concept, we wanted to give it a second chance to air!  Over the past year, so much of our conversation has been about coping with COVID-19 and how to continue to enjoy our wine lifestyles while many of our favorite activities remain on hold. While creative new activities like Virtual Tastings serve as somewhat satisfying s...

Wine is a great conversation starter, but that’s just a drop in the barrel! What you're really after are wine adventures! Wine wants to show us a great time, take us to places we’ve never been before and ignite our imagination. It’s what we call a Grape Encounter and it’ll completely change the way you think and drink. Today’s edition of Grape Encounters Radio is for every wine enthusiast who is e...

It’s one of the most common conversation starters, “Do you want the good news first, or the bad news?” Well, in the 13 years that we’ve been doing Grape Encounters, we’ve tried to keep our focus on the good news. We figure you can get all the bad news you can stomach elsewhere. Today, we’re full of good news, and only good news. More specifically, we’ve got terrific news if you’re a wine drinker i...

Did you ever have one of those days where you feel inexplicably strange from head to toe? Well, when weird is the rule rather than the exception, maybe you just have to go with it; swim with the tide and not against it. On this week’s episode of Grape Encounters, David decides to surrender to the strange world that Covid-19 has confined us to and take a deep dive into the weirdness of wine. Consid...

David is starting to become very encouraged about where the world is headed after 12 months of 19; Covid-19 that is.  He doesn’t want to jinx things but it certainly looks like the restrictions that we’ve all had to deal with for a very long time are starting to ease.  Yes, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. At least it looks like a light, but who can be sure of anything these days?   2020 (a...