Sip Sip Hooray Podcast

“We’re about as high as you can get in the Sierra Foothills and still grow grapes.” — Derek Delfino El Dorado County in the Sierra Foothills wine country is one of California’s best kept secrets, but it shouldn’t be. When gold was discovered here in the mid 1800s, the Italians who came to the region to strike it rich brought with them their grapevines and winemaking traditions. The folks with Edio...

We’re continuing our celebration of the 50th anniversary of the legendary Judgment of Paris Tasting, that 1976 blind showdown where California wines stunned the French establishment and changed wine history forever. We’re revisiting an interview Mary Orlin did with the late Warren Winiarski, the visionary winemaker behind the 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon that shocked the judges...

What does it take to lead one of Napa Valley’s most iconic wineries into the future—especially in a milestone year? In this episode, Matt Crafton, winemaker and president of Napa Valley’s  Chateau Montelena , reflects on guiding the winery during the 50th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris—the moment their 1973 Chardonnay stunned the world by beating top white Burgundies from France. While that...

We’re popping the cork on a milestone moment, the 50th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris, the legendary blind tasting that shocked the wine world and put California wine on the global map in a big way. To help us unpack what it all meant then and what it means now, we’re joined by wine journalist Esther Mobley, formerly of the San Francisco Chronicle. We’ll chat about how that legendary showdow...

Raise a glass of California sparkling wine! Fifty years ago, when America was celebrating its Bicentennial, and the famous Judgement of Paris put California wine on the world map, Barry and Audrey Sterling founded Iron Horse Vineyards . At the time, the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley AVA was unknown. But the Sterlings saw potential there, and created a sparkling wine house that would go...

Two friends are crafting a European tradition with a California vibe. We’re stepping into that delicious moment before dinner, when the day loosens its tie. We take a breath and we ease into the evening. It’s the perfect time for an apéritif. Can America have an apéritif or aperitivo culture just as the French and Italians do? Rue de Rêve Apéritifs founders Jennifer Kimpe and Jeanne-Marie Hebert s...

If you’ve read the wine headlines lately, you’d think wine is over. Younger generations don’t drink it. Wellness concerns have people cutting back. Baby boomers are aging out of the market. But according to Dr. Liz Thach , President of the Wine Market Council and one of the world’s most respected wine researchers, that story is incomplete. Turns out younger generations ARE drinking wine On this we...

"Wine is the way we connect. It makes the world smaller in many ways." - Laura Maneic On the podcast today, a woman who’s been wowing the wine world since she started work as a sommelier at the ripe old age of 21. Today, she owns one of the buzziest wine concepts around. Corkbuzz is part wine bar, restaurant and education center. Laura Maniec is a Master Sommelier and a master of bringin...

Want to know the best winery to visit in the US? The Dr. Konstantin Frank winery was named the best winery tour in America for the third year in a row in 2024 by the USA Today 10 Best Reader’s Choice Awards. What’s the secret sauce? On today’s show, we’re headed to New York’s Finger Lakes region, where winemaking dates back to the 1800s. Meaghan Frank is the great granddaughter of Dr. Konstantin F...

It’s officially the season of festive dinners, Friendsgiving gatherings, holiday parties, and “What wine should I bring?” moments. On this year’s  Sip Sip Hooray  Holiday Wine episode, the Two Marys share their top picks for the 2025 season—plus expert recommendations from winemakers across California and beyond. On the show today we've enlisted help from some friends of the pod to suggest the...

“I wanted to connect people, my brand, to Colombia and to really just bring a more beautiful part of Colombia than what everybody knows Colombia for.” - Bibiana Gonzáles Rave,  ⁠ Cattleya Wines ⁠ New Sip Sip Hooray pod ep! The Marys chat with  Bibiana González Rave , a force of nature in the world of wine. Bibiana’s first sip of wine at age 11 led to a life in wine. At age 14 she declared she woul...

"I tell people I haven't made my best wine yet" - Tom Malone The Marys are on location in Amador County in California’s Sierra Foothills! On the podcast today,  plein air  is a French term for painting outside in a natural environment. Well, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more picturesque spot to paint than our location today. We are at  PleinAir Vineyards , one of Amador County’s newest wineries...

A game changer for enjoying wine one glass at a time. “I wanted the freedom to drink whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.”  – Coravin inventor Greg Lambrecht. How do you open a bottle of wine without committing to finishing it before it goes bad? That question led Greg Lambrecht, a medical device entrepreneur, to invent  Coravin   - a groundbreaking system that lets you pour a glass without pulli...

If you're a fan of the podcast you know that we're all about simplifying and demystifying the world of wine to make it more accessible and appealing for all of us. That’s also the goal of Wine Folly, a multi-platform blend of information for wine education, entertainment, and enjoyment. Our guest today is Madeline Puckette, the co-founder and chief design officer of Wine Folly . She made a...

For this episode, the Marys are on location with Rob Sinton, winemaker at El Dorado County’s Starfield Vineyards . This is where the grapes meet the sky, as they say, thanks to high altitude vineyards reaching upwards of 2400 to 3000 feet in elevation. Here at Starfield Vineyards, you gaze at the vineyard views surrounded by evergreens in every direction. This mountain terroir gives El Dorado wine...

We love a good wine comeback story where the little guy wins! On today's show, a story that stopped the wine world in its tracks and made seemingly everyone cheer. It's a "Let's Hear It For The Little Guy" tale, a David versus Goliath story with a dreams do come true plot. We're talking with James Hall, founding winemaker of the illustrious Patz & Hall Winery California’s Sonoma County. He's t...

We’re on location in California’s Amador County in the Sierra Foothills. Meet Scott Harvey, one of the pioneers in this wine region. Scott has been making wine in the Amador County AVA at his namesake winery Scott Harvey Wines since the late 1970s, making a name for himself with celebrated Zinfandels and Barberas. We're excited to be with Scott at his namesake winery in the Shenandoah Valley, and...

Two women with a love of wine, the Earth, and chemistry are at the heart of our show today. Their story is a blend of Native American and Spanish culture, but it is rooted in a love of family and belief in dreams. They are Tara Gomez and Mireia Taribó of Camins2Dreams Winery in Lompoc, California. These winemaking wives share their journey from different continents to one shared dream. Tara is the...

You'll feel you've stepped back in time at Boeger Winery with $15 tasting fees and great wines for far less than in other more famous California wine regions. But the quality here equals them! On today's podcast we are on location at Boeger Winery in El Dorado County, where the original owners of this estate first arrived in California’s Sierra Foothills to strike it rich in gold. What they discov...

 Dr. Laura Catena reacts to AHA’s statement on alcohol and cardiac health and the possibility of USDA Dietary Guidelines dropping alcohol consumption guidance. Given the recent news that the USDA may drop the current recommendation of one alcoholic drink per day for women and two alcoholic drinks per day for men in the soon to be released update of the USDA dietary guidelines, and the American Hea...

On today's show, when you think of Japanese cuisine, what beverage comes to mind? Maybe sake or a Japanese beer? What about an elegant Pinot Noir? Our guest today is out to prove that Pinot is the perfect complement to umami-rich Japanese dishes. Xander Soren has spent his career blending technical expertise with a passion for music and creative expression. He helped launch iTunes, the first iPods...

What do a 1946 Western film, a fight for independence in the Balkans, a celebrity Engagement, a Fulbright Scholarship and Baskin-Robbins ice cream have in common? They are all part of the life story of a charismatic, hardworking, and big dreaming winemaker. Meet Sonja Magdevski of ⁠Clementine Carter Wines⁠ in Santa Barbara County’s Los Alamos, where she’s one of the OGs who turned the sleepy littl...

On the podcast today, the story of a woman who went from finance to fermentation. Terah Bajjalieh earned her degree focused on economic forecasts and number crunching, but instead wound up working in a world of weather forecasts and grape crushing.  She's a winemaker you need to know -- who just debuted two of her wines at select Whole Foods. Terah graduated with a degree in finance, but a thr...

The need for help for impacted wine professionals is ongoing. On this episode of Sip Sip Hooray!, we dive into how the wine and hospitality community supports professionals in crisis. Guest Cristie Norman, president and co-founder of the United Sommeliers Foundation , shares how the nonprofit has been providing financial aid to sommeliers and wine professionals affected by disasters—including the...

This Earth Day, we get our hands dirty (in the best way!) with Jason Haas, second-generation proprietor of Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, on California’s Central Coast. Tablas Creek is the first U.S. winery to earn Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC). Jason breaks down what regenerative organic farming is, why it's a game-changer for the planet and your wine glass, and how Tablas Creek...