The Vine Guy

Sandra Guibord enjoyed a wonderful career in film and television, but her passion for wine took off when an acting job sent her packing to California. Today, Sandra is an preeminent guide in the wine and spirits community, assisting corporations in entertaining and educating their clients and executives. Her enthusiasm for helping everyday wine consumers select wines for backyard barbecues, busine...

Fayssal Bazzi's family was uprooted from their home in Lebanon when Fayssal was just 3 years old. They emigrated to Australia where Fayssal had to quickly learn a new language and culture. Today, he is one of Australia's most talented - and delightful - actors co-starring with Cate Blanchett in the new Netflix limited series, Stateless, available now. This timely refugee drama gives a harrowing lo...

Master Sommelier John Blazon is blazing a trail with the Jackson Family’s high-end Spire Collection of wines. A 37-year veteran within the Hospitality/Beverage industry, John received his master sommelier diploma from the International Court of Master Sommeliers in the fall 2004, becoming only the 59th MS for the American Chapter. Today there are 164 Master Sommeliers in the United States and only...

John Forrest, and his wife Brigid, are both doctors by training and winery owners by choice. Their lineup of wines in New Zealand covers the gamut from delicious low-alcohol wines (Doctors’), to the hallmark wines of Marlborough (Forrest), to the sumptuous Cote de Beaune-esque wines of the Waitaki Valley (Tatty Bogler). If you don’t think that low-alcohol can’t be sumptuous and complete, think aga...

Te Whare Ra (pronounced “too far rah”) Winery is the “oldest small” winery in Marlborough, New Zealand with the oldest vines in the region. Husband and wife Jason and Anna Flowerday – both winemakers in their own right – bought the 35 acre property in 2003. Together, they have brought the vineyard back to life and take great care to farm the land organically for two reasons; first, they genuinely...

Celebrated wine writer, author and educator Elaine Chukan Brown and Stuart Spencer, the executive director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission, join me in the studio for a very special episode of The Vine Guy. They discuss everything Lodi, from the multi-generational farmers who have grown grapes in the area since the mid-1800s to the new innovations taking place in the vineyards. There are a few sur...

As the former head winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyards (BV) in Napa Valley, Joel Aiken liked to experiment with a lot of clonal varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon. During his tenure at BV, Joel was responsible for making some of the most storied wines in the history of the century-plus old estate and oversaw some of the most significant changes at the winery. Today, Joel is not resting on his proverbial...

There are two things you should definitely know about Nicole Salengo, the talented winemaker at Berryessa Gap Vineyards, located in Winters, California. First, she gets bored easily, so she is always looking to take on new challenges – which is a good thing if you are a fan of great wine. Second, she is passionate about crafting wines that are true to their varietal characteristics. Since she is t...

While St. Supéry Estate Vineyards and Winery is only one of about a dozen wineries in Napa Valley that produces 100% estate grown and produced wines, they’re also just as dedicated to the environment. Under the leadership of St. Supéry’s CEO, Emma Swain, the winery has embraced “Napa Green,” a comprehensive environmental certification program that represents a soil-to-bottle approach to environmen...

Things are just peachy at Peachy Canyon Winery in Paso Robles, California, where second generation owners, brothers Josh and Jake Beckett, along with winemaker Robert Henson, are making “varietally correct” wines from site specific terroir in the Central Coast, including one Zinfandel produced from the original 18 “Heritage” clones found in California. I invite you to drink in this episode with Jo...

The Mettler family has been farming wine grapes in Lodi for over five generations. Today, they are making award-winning wines from their own vineyards. General manager Kim Mettler and Vineyard Manager (and husband) Jason Eells talk about the passion the family has for sustainable farming and quality winemaking. And find out why Kim refers to her winemaker brother, Adam, as her “little show pony!”...

Lucas Payà has worked as a sommelier and beverage director with some of the most renowned chefs in the world, including Ferran Adrià of El Bulli in Spain and José Andrés of ThinkFoodGroup in America. Throughout his career, Lucas has developed a genuine passion for Sherry and has become an advocate of promoting Jerez Sherry pairings – which he claims is the most versatile wine in the world. Today,...

I love wines from the Chateauneuf appellation - located in the Southern Rhone region of France - and until this interview, I thought I knew just about everything there was to know about this wonderful and storied wine region – that is until I met Anne Charlotte Melia-Bachas who showed me what lies on the “other side of the mountain.” Find out what happens on the other side of La Crau, where wild M...

In this On The Road episode, I had the opportunity to catch up with Alberto Tasca, the managing director of his mulit-generation winemaking family, who was recently in San Francisco to receive Wine Enthusiast’s European Winery of the Year. Since 2000, Alberto has been dedicated to leading his family’s efforts in sustainable farming and advancing the quality of wine production from their esteemed e...

Madrid native Laura Diaz Munoz learned her craft in Spain but honed her skills at one of the most prestigious wineries in Napa Valley before being tagged as the head winemaker at Ehlers Estate, on the border between St. Helena and Calistoga. There, she is making remarkable red wines and stellar sauvignon blancs.  Wines tasted in this episode: 2018 Ehlers Estate Sauvignon Blanc, St. Helena, Napa Va...

There are not a lot of things in the wine world that Remi Cohen hasn’t accomplished. She has toiled in the cellar and the vineyard, and run a entire winery. She has worked with some of the most well-known names in the industry. Today, as the chief operating officer of Cliff Lede Vineyards, she is now one of those industry icons. Her journey from UC Davis student to leading lady is inspirational. D...

Napa native Jeff Cole grew up among the vine of Napa Valley but never thought he’d actually be making wine. He went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to pursue a career in recreational management but a last-minute twist of curriculum changed his course work and life. Today, he is the winemaker at Sullivan Rutherford Estate, where he is producing elegant chardonnay, beautiful Bordeaux blends, and bold ca...

Stergios Tatsis of Domaine Tatsis produces traditional Greek wines from the unique terroir of the Goumenissa appellation. Together with his brother Periklis, they farm about 14 hectares, making natural wines mainly from two indigenous varieties, Xinomavro and Negoska. But isn’t all wine natural? Learn what’s so natural about these wines.  Wines tasted in this episode: 2009 Domaine Tatsis Xinomavro...

He went from Madison Avenue in New York City to cellar rat in Napa Valley. With no formal training, winemaker Dan Petroski makes some of Napa Valley’s most prestigious wines at Larkmead Vineyards by thinking about the past and looking toward the future. He applies the same philosophy in contemplating climate change and what can be done to preserve the legacy of Larkmead as well as the rest of Napa...

Marie-Clémentine Savey is the Wine Ambassador from the Chateauneuf-du-Pape region in France. She discusses the amazing diversity of wines from France’s oldest Appellation d'origine Contrôlée and why the pebbles in the vineyards are so important. Wines tasted in this episode:  2017 Château Sixtine Tradition Rouge 2017 Raymond Usseglio Cuvee Imperiale Rouge  2016 Tour Saint Michel Cuvee Feminessance...

Eric Platt, president of Artisans and Vines, a boutique wine importer and distributor, joins the podcast to discuss how he scours the globe to find remarkable wines that deliver value to consumers. Listen in to find out which imported wines should be on your radar in this conversation with Eric Platt. Wine's sampled: 2019 Zonte's Footstep "Scarlet Ladybird " Rose, McLaren Vale, Australia  2017 Zon...

In this episode, Erik Segelbaum, 2019 Food and Wine Magazine “Sommelier of the Year,” discusses the impending trade tariffs on French wine -- and other EU Products -- and the far-reaching impact these tariffs will have on American jobs as well as the long-term consequences for American wine consumers. This episode is hosted by Scott Greenberg and produced by Sarah Beth Hensley. Music for this epis...

Ann Wofford from Woffard Acres Vineyards joins Scott on the podcast to talk about the five-acre vineyard in El Dorado County in California. The vineyard is part of an AVA and Ann shares what visitors to the region can expect and what it is known for. Wines sampled:2016 Wofford Acres Vineyards “Bearly There” Merlot, El Dorado County, California2017 Wofford Acres Vineyards Estate Syrah, El Dorado Co...

Mauro Di Maggio, is the Managing Director of Cantine San Marzano in Italy. He joins the podcast to discuss his role in a more than 50-year-old consortium of 19 growers in Italy. Stick around to hear about some of the savory wines in his selection. Wines tasted:Mauro di Maggio, San Marzano Wines' managing director August 7, 20192018 San Marzano Il Pumo Sauvignon Malvasia Salento IGP2017 San Marzano...

Blair Pence of Pence Ranch Vineyards in California joins the podcast for a reunion with The Vine Guy. Scott and Blair grew up together and have been friends for about 45 years, coming back together again over a shared love of wine. Blair discusses his unlikely path to wine maker: he went from owning a horse ranch to grape farmer to wine maker. He also shares how trips to Burgundy influenced his wi...