Wine for Normal People

Greg LaFollette is known in the wine world as a “vine whisperer,” “cellar magician,” and tireless coaxer and protector of his handcrafted wines. A former seminarian and biochemist with degrees in Plant Biology and Chemistry, Greg has worked for BV, started La Crema and Hartford Court for Jackson Family Wine (Kendall-Jackson), started Sonoma Pinot cult brand Flowers and his own brands LaFollette (which he sold) and now Alquimista. He is widely considered an expert on Pinot Noir.

At the request of a listener, we discuss vegetarian food pairing, an art that's just as easy or hard as with any dish. The difference is that in the veg world, we pair with sauce and seasoning and the complexities are many -- and we get into a lot of them!

Serge Doré has been a US importer of small French family made wines for nearly four decades. His story and background is featured in episode 262, and in episode 276, we spoke with the vigneron of one of the small families he represents, Amelie Aubert from Bordeaux. This time he returns to speak with us about what Bordeaux is really like and his perspective on the good and bad of the region, how it compares with others and why it is so magnificent. 

The Aubert family has lived in Saint-Émilion on the Right Bank of Bordeaux since 1750 and has a long and successful history as producers of some of Bordeaux’s finest wines. This week Amélie, the 7th generation vigneron, joins us to tell us all about how wine is really made in Bordeaux, the importance of terroir and the differences in appellations, and how tradition is essential to making excellent wine. A truly outstanding woman and a look at how Bordeaux wine is so different from that of the New World

This week: the Pinot Czarina herself, Lane Tanner. She is famed for her deep knowledge of Pinot Noir winemaking in Santa Barbara, having arrived as only the second woman winemaker in the county in 1981. Since then, Lane has built a reputation as one of the top Pinot specialists in CA and she is an icon. Today, she is the winemaker and partner with Will Hentry (Ep 259) in Lumen Wines, making exceptional single vineyard Pinot Noir, with great Chardonnay, Grenache, Grenache blanc and Pinot Gris to boot.

Christopher Snowdon is the head of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs. He is a regular columnist for the Spectator Health blog, where his article on March 28, 2019 “The campaign to make alcohol ‘the new tobacco’” caught my eye.  In this show, Chris and I dig into the problems with new studies on wine and health that are biased and skewed. We talk about possible trajectories for Neo-temperance and the fact that despite their claims wine in moderation is still good for you!

Tannat is one of the gems of southwest France – a tannic, acidic, flavorful grape that makes wines packed with complexity (and huge health benefits!). This show takes you from the origins of the grape to the changes it needed to survive in modern times to the glory it’s achieving in Uruguay and its potential in California. A dorky show but a fascinating one, nonetheless!

Another in our series of the greatest wines in the world, this dorky, in-depth show goes over the intricate details of Rioja, Spain. The history is just fascinating(especially the ties to France), and the wines are a marvel. Rioja truly is a GREAT.

Napa and Sonoma are right next to each other on the map and they seem interchangeable. But looks can be deceiving. Oded Shakked of Longboard Vineyards and Jim Morris, the Sonoma/Napa Wine Guy, help turn SoNapa into Napa and Sonoma, the discreet entities they really are in this amazing show!

La Pitchoune means “the little one” in French and the name speaks to small production, small lots, and their small size. The winery is helmed by Tracy Nielsen and her husband Peter, with Andrew Berge as winemaker and Brett Van Ernst as marketing guru. Tracy and Andrew tell us how they broke into Sonoma despite obstacles of being outsiders and now make wine you can find at Michelin-starred restaurants, including The French Laundry and Auberge du Soleil in Napa!

Kerith Overstreet is a triple threat: Bruliam Wines' winemaker and co-founder, medical doctor, and mom to three young kids.  After retiring from general surgery and then medicine, she tried her hand at winemaking with one barrel. She quickly found she had the chops for it and her fourth baby, Bruliam Wines was established in 2008. Kerith makes lovely single vineyard Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay paying close attention to the land from which she sources.

Adam Teeter is Co-Founder of VinePair Inc, the huge online wine magazine that tells it like it is in the world of wine, spirits, and beer. Adam is a true normal wine person, he is obsessed with wine and trying to remove the elitism often associated with the industry. In this awesome conversation we discuss Adam’s transition from music to wine (and its similarities), and how he built VinePair to truly disrupt wine media.

Leo Hansen, winemaker of Leo Steen Wines tells us about growing up in Denmark, working in the service industry, being a sommelier in a Michelin star restaurant, and making the move to California to eventually become maker of some of the most exquisite Chenin Blanc in US!

Danny Glover is the owner of L'Object Wines, a fantastic Sonoma winery that focuses on Burgundy-style Pinot Noir. In an honest, down-to-earth way, Dan takes us from his life as a musician in LA to becoming 1 of 20 African American winery owners in the US! He is a mellow, very cool guy with a great story and a refreshing honesty that shows up in his wine style too!

This week we discuss Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean that has a wildness, a culture, and a wine portfolio all its own. From the islands that make luscious sweet wines, to the hot interior churning out fruity reds, to the elegant reds and whites of Mount Etna, Sicily has something for everyone and is on the rise.