Through The Grapevine | Culture + Hospitality

AND just like that season five has come to a wrap! Time really does fly when you are having a good time, and boy, did we have ourselves one. Special thanks and shoutout to our newest co-host, Matt Souza, who immediately added value to our mission. This episode is ALL LOVE as we look back on some of our favorite moments from season 5, from guests to bloopers. We are actively working on ways to bett...

Over the past 5 seasons, you all have heard us talk A LOT about sustainable eating and living. You may also remember that JTM along with a few other rotating co-host has had the chance to work at a few of the best restaurants in the Tri-Valley in Sabio on Main, Range Life, & Wingen Bakery. And eating local is something that has become more than just a motto, but a lifestyle. In this episode, we fi...

We are joined by the dynamic duo in Briana & Kristen Iosco. Co-owners and partners these two have taken the healm at the Livermore Valley wine country’s most important beer garden. Located in downtown at the historic blacksmith square Tap 25 serves as one of the heartbeats of this town. Tune in and listen to the ladies share their journey of becoming first time business owners after a lifelong dre...

On this episode, we have the owner and proprietor of the most wanted chips and salsa in ALL of the Livermore Valley. Aurora Nava a.k.a. Flaca has been in the game since 2011 when she was pushed by friends and loved ones to share her one of a kind salsa with more people. She has since opened a storefront on First Street and is dishing out a refreshing take on authentic home-style Mexican food. Flac...

This week we try a little something new and talk about mental health and it’s relevances to working in the service industry. Matt tells a wild story that might give you the chills a bit. And Savannah expands upon the idea and shares how the spirituality of Buddha can help balance living consciously. The service industry is a beautiful and destructive profession that often takes its worst toll on u...

Today we are joined by our first winery guest of the season! Rhonda Wood began making wine in 1996, fast forward 21 years later, Wood Family Vineyards opened their doors here at Vasco Row in 2017. Wood Family specializes in bold reds and one hell of a good time. Operating one of the most well-known wineries in the region, we are joined by her son and Executive VP, Harrison Wood, to learn more abou...

In this episode, Matt, Savannah, and JTM recap the beginning of the year. Spending some time on the Livermore Valley 1/2 marathon and what it means for the region. We then dive into a conversation about the current workforce culture of the area. Should work be fun? With as much time as we all spend in our professions, it was cool to dive into where we think it may be headed. As always we dance aro...

On this episode we send out the beloved Bar Quiote. Created by a couple former Range Life alums Bar Q was an agave and hotdog bar offering up good times and great drinks. Born in a pandemic Bar Q brought some new life to Livermore but faced what many small business do. Join us as we send off Bar Q and share some of our favorite memories while also sharing some insight in what it is to become!! And...

Season 5 Episode 4 is out! Today we are joined by Trevor Schlitt of Minute Media Productions - Minute Media Productions LLC focuses on creating fun and exciting videos. From weddings and real estate to commercial projects, let me capture your story exactly how you want it! Trevor takes us on a journey of how his business came to be and the importance of visuals and media to all businesses. Trevor...

And away we go! Season 5 - Episode 2 we are excited to invite back a familiar voice in Chief Storyteller Paul Halvorsen! Paul and his crew of storytellers hold down the block over at Maple Plaza at Story Coffee. Paul brings a few awesome bottles of Chardonnay, paying homage to the early days of winemaking here in the Livermore Valley. If you follow TTG you are well aware of Mr. Halvorsen and his s...

Yo - we could not be more excited to launch our fifth season of Through The Grapevine Podcast a.k.a. TTG_Podcast if you're nasty! As always, we are recording in the beautiful Livermore Valley Wine Country at the Advance Creative Studio. Savannah and I are jacked to take another round around the sun with you all. Our goal is to bring you closer to the movers and shakers of the Tri-Valley and Li...

Join SVC and JTM as we reflect on the good, bad, ugly, and everything else in between. It has been a great year for TTG and we owe so much of that to the folks that listen and support our shenanigans. It is also our favorite time of the year, the end of it!!! In this episode we revisit our goals and dig into some of the items we would like to accomplish in the new year. Of course we go over our 20...

We are back with another awesome episode of Through The Grapevine Podcast a.k.a. TTG Podcast. We invite Brad Kurtz Vineyard Director at Gloria Ferrer back to the pod for an epic blind tasting using the advance sommelier grids. Savannah and I welcome in the cooler weather and share some of our favorite holiday pairings and feels. Bradley also takes us through a vintage snapshot - could 2022 be an e...

We are back with another round o tasting with a few of my favorite local wine lovers. We get back to some basics and go over a bit of the local news. Followed by jumping right back into a semi-blind tasting of 4 Sauvignon Blancs moderated by SVC.  Only to be followed up by one more pass through 4 more Sauv. Blancs. The Livermore Valley is one, if not the oldest wine-growing region in America....

In this episode, we are joined by Alex Wolfe of Fraser-Howard Vineyards & GM over at 3 Steve's Winery here in the Livermore Valley Wine Country. Alex, Savannah, and Jeremy are a few representatives of the next generation of wine professionals helping to propel the Livermore Valley to new heights. Alex offers us his newest bottling of Chardonnay from the famed Fraser-Howard Vineyard and joins u...

Voted USA Today’s 2021 #1 Wine Festival in the Country, Black Vines® is the longest-standing Black wine festival in the country and California’s preeminent curator of Black wine experiences and special events. Hosting an annual celebration of culture, art, and wine education that brings together Black artists, Black musicians, Black winemakers, and vintners; an outdoor summer soiree featuring dele...

The bittersweet reunion... Collin makes his way back to the podcast after over a year! JTM's former co-host is back in the studio talking all things Napa, Livermore, and beyond. JTM & Collin, as always, have a bit too much fun on the microphones together and share some insight into the next episode for Nottingham Cellars. After over a year, it was nice to get back into the studio with Collin a...

What an amazing episode! I wish I could say we kept it serious the entire show but we just have too much fun with the Wingen crew. We circle the wagons, after nearly 2 years and one of our most popular episodes to date, and talk all things Livermore hospitality. Are we headed into a full-fledge renaissance here in the Tri-Valley? Tune in and find out. We are also joined by Rachel Kleist, Human Res...

It has been a few weeks since we published an episode, but we are excited to be back with Tracy Farhad. Tracy joined Visit Tri-Valley in January of 2020 as their newly appointed President & CEO. Halted by the pandemic Tracy takes us through her onboarding at VTV. She shares what it took for her and her new team to grind their way through the pandemic and speaks about some of its great things!...

Here we go again!!! Join SVC & JTM for an extended episode featuring Jaton B. Gunter - Certified Sommelier, Author, & Owner of Grapes & Sands Publishing . Jaton has been in the industry for over 2 decades now, has published 5 books, and has produced 140+ episodes of Fruit In The Glass on Instagram. Needless to say, the dude has made a name for himself and we are happy to have had him i...

In this episode, we are joined by Brad Kurtz Vineyard Director at Carneros's first sparkling house Gloria Ferrer. We cover a lot of ground in this episode with Brad from his days at Cal Poly becoming a soil legend to tasting wines before they begin their journeys through method champenoise. We have never sparkled so hard in an episode before and you won't want to miss this bubbly conversation. It...

Here we go! In this episode, we touch on a few of the most influential organizations making change for the wine industry and BIPOC. Tune in as SVC and JTM cover everything you need to know about a few organizations that you should be following. We also spend some time recognizing the Lunar New Year while sipping a bit of Black Girl Magic from the McBride Sisters.  Looking for some outlets for...

Savannah and I are back for episode two of season four! In this episode, we dig into some local politics, and defend our city council!! After SVC and JTM finish their rants they spend some quality time talking about what makes their holiday dinner tables complete. Are you a thanksgiving purist or do you color outside the lines? Regardless of where you stand on the matter, you won't want to miss ou...

Yooooo! TTG is back in full effect and we could not be more excited to be back behind the microphone talking to you. In season four we will see the podcast take on some new heights. New guests, new sounds, bigger ideas, and a brand new co-host. SVC and I are geared up to bring you all the latest news, booze, and buzz going our the food and beverage world while talking up our hometown in the Liverm...

Yup, that's right part 2 of the blind tastings!! Savannah, Nakoah, and Dave are diving right back into it with our red wines for the day.  This will be our final episode of the year - Thank you to our listeners and to all those that actually read this stuff I take the time to write, lol. It has been a pleasure thus far and I look forward to getting better next season. I am looking to add a few mor...