Wined Up

If you have a reliable crystal ball we would love to use it! There has been a plethora, nay a cornucopia, of INTENSE futuristic conversations over the last two weeks. What is the verdict you ask? Well, let's chat about it.

The last week and half has been an absolute blur! Between Premiere Napa Valley, industry hangs, dinners and bottling runs we have been getting after it. With all the wine-ing and dining comes perspective as well as some intrusive thoughts that must be sorted out.

3:24.00 - After the grape pricing break down how can you make wines of a certain pricepoint? Is it possible to target that and make it work? 9:07.00 - What is the driving force behind Napa grape prices rising so dramatically? 17.44.00 - When preparing to purchase grapes when does that conversation happen? What is the conversation like when negotiating a grape contract or price you are going to pay...

Into the inner sanctum of the wine industry: what it costs for our grapes! Each year we get a lovely report that dives directly into the California wine grape market and how it is going to impact our bottom line. For all you stat nerds like me out there here is the link to the USDA/CDFA grape reports going all the way back to 1976: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/California/Publicati...

Questions 1 - 3 3:43.00 What is the main focus of the "slow" season in the cellar? When you are barrel tasting young wines what are you looking for? What is going on in your barrels right now? 19:04.00 Before bottling what is the last chance you have to make adjustments to a wine? 31:07.00 For the health-conscious crowd what are your thoughts on low-alcohol or zero alcohol wines? What are the thin...

We've been so hyped up on this last year that we've been neglecting the wines that are going to being bottled sooner rather than later. 2022 had its challenges and particular vibe that is very akin to a few years that came before it.

The life of the traveling wine salesman. It is a HUGE new-ish avenue for wine producers but is the juice worth the squeeze?

The new year is here and we are ready for it! While I might not be the most "woo woo" I do believe that your mindset makes a HUGE difference. Let's get into what we are running with as our theme and vibe for this new year. RESOURCES Maggie Rogers - folk / Alaska (Pharrell's feedback) - https://youtu.be/TyimCGEkiUc?si=Et4L3zrf8XLVUB3x Rick Rubin: Protocols to Access Creative Energy and Process - ht...

1:52.00 - What is your favorite holiday wine pairing? 6:27.00 - What are winemakers doing during the "off season" after harvest? 16:.03.00 - Why is every photo of a winemaker we see them leaning on a trellis super well lit as if they have a professional crew with them? 24:15.00 - What are the biggest challenges facing Napa in 2024? Wine for Normal People - Episode 502 with Stu Smith - https://yout...

Here it is folks! Let's dive into everything that this amazing growing season and harvest had to offer.

Where does it come from and how can you capture it? Inspiration, much like motivation, can be tough to come by. As long as you are open to it and willing to push through it is more readily available than you think.

You better be ready for it then and don't say I didn't warn you... There are few ways that people make it happen. Let's dive into each of them and talk about some of the perks and some of the pitfalls.

You have questions and I have answers! Let's dive into the most popular issues in wine that you want to know about: 3:01.00 - What are your recommendations for bringing wine to holiday parties? 7:42.00 - The winery we love has new ownership, what can we expect? Are the wines going to change? 19:14.00 - With harvest complete what are you looking forward to? 25:49.00 - What do you think of emerging...

It is official folks. The 2023 harvest season is finishing up and we are finally able to catch up on a little rest and relaxation.

*insert Leonidas impression here * The madness has set in and the shenanigans are here. As the season has gone into overdrive I am going to take you through the last 10 days to give you some insight into what it is like being a winemaker during the harvest season.

Cheeky and Fun. Cruel and Tragic. EVIL SHENANIGHANS. All of the above can be true. Behind the romantic veil of a bottle of wine are stories that you can't even imagine.

Listen here folks, it has been a wild month in the wine industry and mother nature is now doing what she does best: throw curveballs. On top of that it has been another month of BIG TIME mergers and acquisitions. What is the impact going to be and how should we respond as consumers?

Harvest Update - 1:44.00 What do you look for in a vineyard before you pick? Is it up to you or the grower to decide when to pick? - 5:24.00 What characteristics do you get in a wine you pick earlier or later? - 12:11.00 How do you decide what winemaking procedures to use through harvest? - 15:50.00 How often does a batch of wine go bad or spoil? - 24:55.00 What is the process of adding a new wine...

Can you believe it is here already? Neither can I. Let's dive into what the beginning of the harvest season looks like in terms of our winery operations and how we handle the first rounds of fruit that make it to the winery.

With the 2023 harvest upon us, lets get a little bit nostalgic and revisit what could be one of the most epic vintages in recent history: 2013.

What are the best tips for getting a good hospitality experience in Napa? 2:08.00If you are having a bad hospitality experience what can you do to remedy it? 13:56.00What do winemakers look forward to when harvest comes around? 26:06.00What is the most challenging thing about harvest? 29:43.00What are the toughest wines to make? 32:41.00

The opinion of many of us in the wine industry: It is so much fun EXCEPT for bottling. It is where years of work coalesce but with so many moving parts it is never easy. WINE OF THE WEEK: Phillips Hill Anderson Valley Gewurztraminer - https://www.phillipshill.com/

The countdown has begun and we are just a few short weeks away from grapes making their way the wineries. What does that mean for us and what are we doing to make sure we are ready for the madness that the harvest season has to offer? Let's get into it. WINE OF THE WEEK: Native Flora 2015 "Presse for Time" Pinot Noir - https://www.nativeflora.com/red-wines/2015-pressed-for-time

Cheeky, fun and sometimes tragic. Unfortunately no mozzarella sticks. This here wine industry and hospitality world seems so fun and luxurious right? Well, here are a batch of stories from the life and times of yours truly making their way through these treacherous waters.

Don't forget to "like" and subscribe! Submit you questions for our next Q&A session in the comments. TOPICS: 2:04.00 - How is this growing season going to turn out? 6:52.00 - It was so rainy in California this year, how is that affecting the growing season? 11:00.00 - Why not just by all French oak barrels if they are the best? 16:22.00 - Why not use 100% new barrels if they have the biggest a...