Grape Encounters Wine Radio

It’s a veritable potpourri of pontification on this week’s edition of Grape Encounters.  As you probably know, sometimes our show’s host has so many things on his mind that he foregoes having guests on so that he can cover as much turf as possible.  This week, he’s all over the board! First, David is backpedaling a bit when it comes to virtual wine tastings. In past weeks, he’s been a little sour...

Cancelled. Cancelled. Cancelled! Whether you’re into sports, travel or wine, there’s a good chance that your favorite events and activities are on indefinite hold. We are all pretty bummed for sure. But it’s even sadder when events that are an essential part of making our lives better also fall victim to our current plight. Well, the good news is, some very important wine and food events that rais...

We had intended to pay a long overdue visit to a number of our wine and hospitality friends on the east side of America.  Unfortunately, we’re in a bit of a holding pattern. Nonetheless, we still want to spread the love and two of our most lovable east coast friends join us today thru the magic of ZOOM. What would we do without it? Will OuweleenVintner, O-Neh-Da First up, it’s our bud Will Ouwelee...

Definitely Worth a Second Listen! To celebrate 4th of July Weekend, David wanted to feature a couple interviews that took place days before and a few weeks into the Covid-19 pandemic. These interviews were particularly special because they illustrate just how quickly the crisis evolved but also the creativity of fellow foodies and wine enthusiasts that has kept many of us from going bonkers. There...

Kristy Charles and her family co-founded Foursight Wines in 2006 and the Covid-19 crisis has helped fire up something that this family is particularly good at; evolving and reinventing as necessary. While there is no shortage of wineries doing what we now affectionately call “Virtual Tastings,” Kristy and her family team were determined to take the concept to a higher level. To that end, they are...

With a host of critical national and international issues dominating every news cycle, it can be hard, if not impossible to live life the way we did not so long ago. From Covid-19 to daunting civil rights challenges that are the focus of a historically contentious election, these are serious times. Nonetheless, while our lives may seem unrecognizable, most of our passions are either on hold are be...

If there's one thing you probably should know about Grape Encounters host David Wilson, it’s this:  Even though the show is largely about how to have fun with wine, David is highly sensitive to the abuse of wine, alcohol, or anything else like that. It has to be consumed responsibly, which is why he never talks about wild parties that he’s been to because that’s not something he’s keen on glorifyi...

Hey wine enthusiasts! There is a very big holiday that is coming up and it would be a shame if it isn't on your calendar, because it is a whopper in the wine business, it is National Rosé Day. What, you didn’t know there was a National Rosé Day? Then, we've got lots to talk about where Rosé is concerned, because it is one of the most misunderstood categories of wine. To help untangle the mysteries...

This week, David decided he wanted to get out and travel a good distance, even if it is digitally. Today, he’s taking you all the way to Italy to talk about a really interesting project that is really reigniting a long-lost era of Italian winemaking. Joining David for the first half of today’s show is Piero Pavone, founder of Vinum Hadrianum, a winery on the eastern central coast of Italy that is...

Well, it's now been 10 weeks of isolation and David is very proud of himself for doing all sorts of things that he generally doesn't like doing, but he's actually having a good time all the same. David says his house has never been cleaner nor has his laundry been this caught up. But among his most important achievements has been spending quality time in the kitchen and doing marvelous things with...

Now going into a third month of shelter in place with Grape Encounters Radio, host David Wilson is honored to spend some quality time, albeit in confinement, with two extraordinary icons of the wine industry… Judd Wallenbrock, CEO of CK Mondavi & Family (parent company to Charles Krug), and Peter Mondavi Jr., Co-Proprietor of Charles Krug. This edition of Grape Encounters offers a very intimate lo...

Featuring Imagine Wine and Lando Wines What's that old saying? "If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck at all!" Sometimes you want to laugh. Sometimes you want to cry. But at all times, you want to survive. America's boutique winemakers could never have imagined where just a short three -month journey would wind up taking them. It's sink or swim for small producers. Thank goodness win...

Trying to live fairly normal lives in a world where almost nothing is normal has not only changed a lot of important plans, but also fueled some mighty creative reinvention of some of our favorite things. First, a deep dive into a craze wine enthusiasts probably didn’t expect… the virtual wine tasting! How does it all work and where do you get hooked up? Show announcer, tasting room host and winem...

Two Women-Owned Wineries That Go Beyond! Here’s an unusual theme for our show: Women-owned-and-operated wineries in two different states that produce additional products unrelated to grapes! Intrigued? Good. This week’s show begins on the high plains of Sonoita, Arizona, where Arizona Hops and Vines not only produces, well, hops and wines, but also puts on some very intriguing events throughout th...

I've always contended that wine can be a great creative catalyst so that's what we'll be doing with all of our time for the next several weeks. As a matter of fact, as we navigate our way through this very difficult episode of human history now, on the show today we'll be taking on what I hope to be a very fun project together. In fact, we're all going to be making wine together in each of our own...

These days, a “Grape Encounter” is far different than what it used to be. Until “Shelter in Place” became the new normal, a Grape Encounter usually occurred face-to-face. Unfortunately, in today’s socially-distanced world, the way we enjoy wine has changed radically overnight. The good news is, while a lot of people may be content to just stay home and catch up on any number of Netflix serials or...

This is a very unusual episode of Grape Encounters Radio. There are no guests on today’s show. There’s not much fancy production work that normally enhances the program. It’s just your host, David Wilson, broadcasting from the Grape Encounters studio, 100% alone. Nonetheless, David covers a lot of ground as he talks about how to creatively enjoy wine while you’re sheltering at home. What does that...

Every year, we look forward to showcasing all of the amazing things that take place during California Wine Month (AKA April to those not in the know)! Needless to say, hundreds of events that took months and months to plan were largely cancelled. Some were transformed into virtual events and others were reimagined as no-contact opportunities to save on amazing wines throughout the state. Nancy Lig...

This week’s guest on Grape Encounters is the head of judging and one of the driving forces behind the Pacific Rim Wine Competition; Spreti Valenti. Spreti is a certified sommelier, wine buyer and consultant. As a professional wine judge, she has served for numerous, prestigious wine competitions in the U.S. and Europe (San Francisco Chronicle, LA International, Sunset Magazine Wine Competition, In...

Host David Wilson says of this week’s edition of Grape Encounters Radio: “This is one of those days when I wish I had all the time in the world to spend with you and our very special guest, but alas, our time is limited, so I have to dive into this discussion very quickly and we’ll only be able to explore the tip of the iceberg.” If you ask anyone in the wine world who the most influential wine cr...

The last time David had Spencer on Grape Encounters, the conversation was largely about a new project he is overseeing as COO of Wines That Rock, a very unique New York based company that creates very special wines that pay tribute to music, film and pop culture. The company’s latest project includes Star Trek themed wines that are being released in conjunction to the latest Star Trek installment...

All over the world, there are literally countless wine and food pairing events going on every single day. More often than not, it’s the best of the best wines paired with culinary creations that few of us will actually get to enjoy more than perhaps once or twice a year, if that. It’s been a long-standing belief of host David Wilson that pairing food and wine can be a beautiful thing, but it need...

It really can be very difficult, if not impossible to predict just how bountiful a particular vintage is likely to be this early in the year, but Host David Wilson likes to think he has his finger on the pulse and is looking at a few subtle clues to help him make a long-shot prediction for the 2020 vintage. One thing is certain; the past decade has produced more than its fair share of bumper crops...

On this installment of Grape Encounters, David will be talking about something that has been on his “to-do” list for a super long time. Over the years, Grape Encounters has done a number of shows for listeners who may be interested in making their own wine; how you go about doing it without planting any grapes or building a winery. To be sure, many people do get into the business by jumping in hea...

Plus, the Remarkable Connection Between Football and Wine! Host David Wilson has a great big soft spot in his heart for the winemakers of Bordeaux, France. He says it’s mostly because much of the wine-loving world just assumes that, with all the prestige attached to the Bordeaux label, you might expect it to be a stuffy place, steeped in pretentiousness. Well, not so fast! Bordeaux is actually an...