The Taste with Doug Shafer – a Podcast About Wine, Food, and Friends

Shafer winemaker Elias Fernandez grew up in Napa Valley, attending school with the kids of prominent winery families. Meanwhile he got a taste of agriculture working in vineyards and orchards alongside his parents and later during summers at Louis Martini Winery. He was the first in his family to attend college, where he discovered a love of winemaking – a passion he’s pursued ever since. Enjoy! F...

Beth and Lindy Novak have lots of great memories of growing up in Napa Valley including hanging out with the Shafer kids. But things got tough when their father died unexpectedly and their mother, Mary Novak, had to figure out her next steps. Fortunately Mary and her daughters created Spottswoode Estate, turning it into one of the top wineries in Napa Valley.  Enjoy! For more visit:  spottswoode.c...

As a teenager Mia Klein wanted to be a chef. In her first job as a cook, however, she discovered wine and a whole new path opened up for her. In 1984 she landed her first job at Chappellet. Eventually Klein became one of the busiest consulting winemakers in Napa Valley, producing wines for Spottswoode, Araujo, Viader, Dalla Valle, and others, including her own brand, Selene. Enjoy! For more visit:...

Few people can tell the story of California wine from the 1950s to today with the flair and authenticity of Richard Peterson. Hired by Gallo in 1958, later by legendary winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff at Napa Valley’s Beaulieu Vineyard, and eventually striking out on his own, Peterson lived the highs and lows of American wine during these crucial years. He’s captured it all in his outstanding memoir...

Not long out of college Kyle MacLachlan was cast as the lead in the 1984 film, Dune, launching a career, that's included film and TV roles in Blue Velvet, The Doors, Twin Peaks, Portlandia, and more. In the early 2000s, wanting to reconnect with his Washington-state roots, he launched his wine brand Pursued By Bear, producing delicious Cabernet, Syrah, and most recently a Rosé. Enjoy! For more vis...

Marilisa Allegrini travels the world promoting her families wines made throughout Italy’s top appellations. She was not always eager to be part of the family business. In her 20s she pursued a career in medicine before her father talked her into joining the family business. She has been a pivotal figure in the renaissance of wines from Valpolicella and beyond. Enjoy! For more visit:  allegrini.it

In 1968, Giovanni Manetti’s father purchased a rundown vineyard in Chianti called Fontodi that he set about restoring on weekends. Giovanni eventually took charge of the winery and through hard work – and breaking a few rules along the way – built a wine brand that helped change the image of Chianti and today is beloved around the world. Enjoy! For more visit:  fontodi.com

In 1985 Danny Meyer opened Union Square Café, which became beloved in New York City for its great food and even greater sense of warmth and welcome. He’s opened many restaurants since including Eleven Madison and Gramercy Tavern, as well as Shake Shack, focusing on outstanding hospitality. Danny and Doug talk about how often the greatest success is born of past struggles. Enjoy! For more visit:  u...

Cleo Pahlmeyer grew up in Napa then headed to the East Coast and later to London to pursue her of love art history. By 2008 though, she’d developed an interest in the world of wine. She applied for an entry level job at her father’s winery, Pahlmeyer, where she took on more and more responsibilities, and today is Pahlmeyer’s president. For more visit:  Pahlmeyer.com

At nearly 30, Chris Carpenter moved to Napa, earned a viticulture degree at UC Davis, and went on to become winemaker at Lokoya, Cardinale, Mt. Brave, and La Jota here in the Valley and Hickinbotham in Australia. In this episode, Chris talks about what it takes to make wines of beauty and distinction on two continents. For more visit:  Lokoya.com

In the 1980s Michael Honig took over the family’s Napa Valley vineyard property and started Honig Winery, focusing on Sauvignon Blanc. While making Sauvignon Blanc is popular today, 20 or 30 years ago it was a steep uphill climb. He’s seen it all and tells great stories about making it in the wine business. Enjoy! For more visit:  HonigWine.com

Cathy Corison discovered her passion for wine almost by accident when she was a biology major in college. She went on to study winemaking at UC Davis and ventured into the wine business, which in the 1980s was not always eager to hire a woman. Undaunted, she pursued a personal vision for wine produced at the intersection of power and elegance – and has succeeded. Enjoy! For more visit: corison.com

He grew up one of 11 children on an apple farm and become one of the most celebrated names in the world of wine. The epic story of Paul Hobbs includes names such as Robert Mondavi, Zelma Long, Larry Hyde, Michel Rolland, and Andy Beckstoffer and winds through Napa, Sonoma, the Finger Lakes, Argentina, France, Spain, and Armenia. You won’t want to miss this great wine adventure. Enjoy! For more vis...

He grew up one of 11 children on an apple farm and become one of the most celebrated names in the world of wine. The epic story of Paul Hobbs includes names such as Robert Mondavi, Zelma Long, Larry Hyde, Michel Rollan...

Jim Regusci on 100 years of family, wine, and fun in Napa on “The Taste with Doug Shafer”   The Regusci family’s roots in Napa Valley go back more than 120 years. On this episode of “The Taste with Doug Shafer” Jim Regusci tells the story of his grandfather coming to America from Switzerland in the 1890s and eventually purchasing the family’s home ranch on Silverado Trail. Jim’s father, Angelo, an...

Carmen Policy practiced law in Youngstown, Ohio, when his career took an unexpected turn -- he began doing legal work for the San Francisco 49ers in the late 1970s. He eventually became the team’s CEO, earning five Superbowl rings. Today Policy’s winery, Casa Piena, is a neighbor of Shafer’s and Carmen and Doug enjoy a conversation spanning wine, family, and football. For more visit:  casapiena.co...

Michael Twelftree was a construction business owner with a taste for rum. In the late 1990s he fell in love with wine and by 2000 he’d launched his now-celebrated Two Hands Wines, an Australian winery which has won countless accolades in the world of fine wine. Twelftree believes in the power of the vineyard saying, “The day you pick the grapes, you make the wine.” For more details visit: twohands...

Heidi Barrett has produced extraordinary wines for clients including Screaming Eagle, Paradigm, Dalle Valle, and many more. One of her Cabernets holds the record as the most ever paid for a single bottle of wine -- $500,000 at Auction Napa Valley. Today she has her own wine brand, La Sirena, and another with her husband, Bo Barrett of Chateau Montelena, called Barrett & Barrett. On this episod...

Pete Seghesio tells the incredible 120-year story of his family in Sonoma County from Italian immigrants with only a love of farming to leaving a lasting legacy in the world of fine wine. Today Pete has two wine brands of his own and a salumi enterprise, Journeyman Meat Co. For more visit:  http://journeymanwine.com/

Before John Anthony Truchard started high-end brand, John Anthony Vineyards, or his runaway brand JaM Cellars, he was a kid growing up working in vineyards with his dad, Tony Truchard. It’s been a long, crazy journey to the success he enjoys today. For more on John Truchard visit  https://www.jamcellars.com/About-Us

Marc Mondavi grew up at Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena and learned the wine business from his father, Peter Mondavi. Marc tells wild stories of growing up in Napa Valley and talks of his optimism as a new generation joins the family enterprise. For more visit: https://www.charleskrug.com/estate/people

Doug Shafer talks with vintner John Skupny, whose resume includes working with Francis Ford Coppola at Inglenook, Bernard Portet at Clos du Val, and Charlie and Chuck Wagner at Caymus before he and his wife Tracey launched their own winery, Lang & Reed, specializing in Cabernet Franc. For more on John Skupny visit: http://langandreed.com/

Doug Shafer talks with TV host and “wine translator” Leslie Sbrocco, known to millions from her fast-paced wine segments with Kathy Lee and Hoda Kotb on The Today Show, her PBS show Check Please, Bay Area and her books including Wine For Women. Leslie talks about getting her start by learning to write well, creating the career she hoped for, and being the hand model who poked the Pillsbury Doughbo...

Doug Shafer talks with chef Cindy Pawlcyn, who is credited with launching the current era of Napa Valley’s restaurant scene, when she opened Mustards in 1983. She went on to open Fog City Diner in San Francisco and win a James Beard Award for one of ...