Napa Valley Wine Radio®

There are many processes behind the scenes when winemaking, some more complex than others. We thought it would be interesting to present what is meant by "racking" and "fining" the wine. In this episode Jeff Booth of Jeff Booth Consulting describes the why, when, and how of the various methods used to clarify the wine. I suppose you could say that we're going to clarify wine clarification!

With this episode we've reached the 100-episode mark and it's been a great pleasure covering everything from how to plant a vineyard from scratch, to ordering wine in a restaurant, to the terroir of cheese. On this occasion, Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, thought it would be fun to sit down with David, Geoff, and Colleen, the Owners of Goosecross, to take a look at where we've been and also look forward to what the future holds. Cheers!

What's the best wine glass? Do you need to decant the wine? Back in 2007, we produced an episode on the most common questions we get when people write in to "Ask our Educator" at goosecross.com - it was so popular we decided to do it again.

In this episode, we get an inside look at harvesting and producing late harvest wines from a real expert. Roger Harrison of R.A. Harrison Family Cellars discusses the risks, challenges, and rewards involved in producing this very specialized style of wine.

In this episode, producer Rudy McClane tells us about his documentary film about Merlot, called Merlove. He reminds us of all the reasons this classic variety has been treasured over the centuries. Get yourself a glass of Goosecross Merlot and enjoy his enthusiastic tales of the many winegrowers he met and the wines he tasted. Cheers!

This episode is for those of you who really love good cheese. Our good friend Sherry Page, of Culinary Getaways, talks with renowned cheesemonger John Raymond about cheese and terroir, the difference between raw milk and pasteurized cheese, how seasonal changes in diet affects the character of cheese and more! There are some interesting parallels with wine - We hope you find it as fascinating as we do!

Have you heard that every year is the same here in Napa Valley? Sit back and enjoy a glass of wine while Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, tells you about a seemingly text-book growing season that threw us a curve ball at the end.

Have you thought of serving a heritage turkey this Thanksgiving? Scott Boggs of Hudson Ranch, here in Napa Valley, talks to our friend Sherry Page of Culinary Getaways, about how they farm their produce, pork, eggs, and poultry including heritage turkeys. He'll tell us about these historic varieties, how they're raised and why they're an excellent choice for your Thanksgiving table Enjoy!

Of course, the Renaissance was a time of great creativity in almost every sense and that certainly includes the culinary arts. In this episode our friend, Diane DeFilipi of Let's Go Cook Italian, tells Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, what was cooking in Italy during this exciting time in their history.

There are so many ways to look at blending wine - blending the varieties, different vineyards, locations, and barrel lots - it goes on and on. In this episode, Winemakers Geoff Gorsuch and Jeff Booth talk about the endless possibilities with Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education.

This episode is likely to give you a severe craving for sausage, bacon, salami or a good steak. Our friend, Sherry Page of Culinary Getaways learns some amazing things about the world of artisanal charcuterie from Taylor Boetticher, founder and co-owner of the Fatted Calf in Napa. Enjoy!

Did you know that the word "gourmet" referred to a lover of wine long before it had anything to do with food? Or that the word "libation" originally meant an offering to the gods? If you love wine and you love words, this episode is for you! In this phone interview, etymologist Charles Hodgson, the author of History of Wine Words, tells Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education, about the origins of some of the words and about writing this fun and fascinating book!

In this episode, our good friend Sherry Page of Culinary Getaways, speaks with Laddie Hall of Long Meadow Ranch. If you haven't been there before, it's a beautiful place, high up in the Mayacamas Mountains, that takes a holistic approach to farming by producing organic fruits and vegetables, olive oil, grass-fed beef, wine and even fresh eggs. It was a windy day at the ranch, so please bear with us as you hear some rustling along with the birdsong and the hum of the tractor.

In this episode we get a chance to hear about a program called "Napa Green" -- a voluntary environmental program that promotes sustainable agriculture and green winery practices.

Outside of the incredible friendship and cheerful smile that Bob presents to everyone he meets, one of the things we love about Bob Hurley, of Hurley's restaurant in Yountville, is that he's always mindful of creating a menu that's wine friendly. Also, Bob really believes in procuring locally when it comes to both food and wine. In this episode, our good friend Sherry Page, of Culinary Getaways, talks with Bob about his ideas on wine and food pairing, ordering wine at a restaurant and also about some of his very adventurous menu items!