Through The Grapevine | Wine & Hospitality

We are back with part two of Karl Wente's episode and excited for you all to hear it. We dive straight into measure p and have some more fun along the way as we break into our third bottle. We also spend some time thanking folks for their continued support as we are communally ecstatic about YES ON MEASURE P. Be sure to hang in there towards the end of this episode as we went ahead and re-aired something that many might not have heard just yet. Let the Renaissance begin.

We are excited to air this week's 2 part episode with Livermore's own Karl Wente. We have spent the last two seasons building a voice for regional maturity and sitting down with fifth-generation winemaker Karl was genuinely insightful. With the vote just one day from wrapping up, we make sure to spend some time on MEASURE P and the value of tourism here in the valley. The Wente family has been stewards of this region for over a hundred years, here first hand what the family believes is needed for our region to thrive. We also dive into our local newspaper (The Independent) discussing the owner's attempt at halting regional maturity with her NO on P campaign. We take strides in the right direction on a regional identity as Collin and Karl discuss the possibilities of Cabernet Franc being our new local staple...Which Karl describes as a beautiful love child of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. You won't want to miss Karl talk about his friend and mentor 'Don' Julio Covarrubias. There is truly a little bit of everything in this episode, and we hope you enjoy it. Get out and VOTE YES ON P - Yes on Progress.

On this round, we sit down with Robyn & Nicole. Local realtors by day, the two of them decided they wanted to impact their community differently. And over the past several years, they have built a group of more than 10,000+ subscribers. With rich history here in both Pleasanton & Livermore, the ladies give us their perspective on what they have found people are looking for in a thriving city. Making references to the flywheel mentioned in Brandon Cardwell's episode, the ladies share where they wish to make an impact. J'mon takes one for the team and sits this one out but still hung out to enjoy a donut and glass of wine and was able to capture some fun pics and videos. Be sure to look out for some of those shots and videos on the Love Livermore pages on both Instagram & Facebook all week. Join the ladies and us as we continue our charge for a communal message in which we can take this valley, market, and community to the next level. If you have enjoyed listening to us, we ask that you give us a follow and subscribe. We will also have a Facebook and LinkedIn soon so that we can continue to meet you where you are. Tell a friend or come hang out with us in the tasting room Thursday - Sunday from 12:00 - 5:00.

In the mood for reminiscing, join us as we take it all the way back in this episode with Jim McDonnell, owner of Sabio On Main. Since the age of 16,  Jim has been a successful serial entrepreneur as well as a lifelong foodie who travels extensively, visiting the most cutting edge restaurant venues across the globe. Drawing inspiration from the many meals, conversations, and experiences he has encountered. Alongside his Chef & Partner Francis X. Hogan, these two have developed a concept over at Sabio that has helped push this region to new heights. We further discuss the unique tech and hospitality symbiosis that exists here in the Tri-Valley and work towards finding our regional voice. As new Vice-Chair for Visit Tri-Valley, Jim speaks on the importance of Measure P and what it could do to accelerate our local flywheel. J'mon is back at it again with another great segment taking our listeners as far back as you can go. We are always reaching for new heights, so we encourage you to join us at cruising altitude in this insightful yet fun-loving episode of TTG. And REMEMBER...our message is only as strong as our following so, please join our community by hitting that subscribe button and tagging a friend.

Join the crew as we continue to push the conversation on regional maturity here in the Livermore Valley.  Ballets are on there way to you all if they haven't arrived already. Be sure to vote for Progress by VotingYesOnP and bring the Livermore Valley Wine Country its first downtown hotel. Collin, Jason, and Jeremy take a moment to circle back on the first few guests and have a bit of fun. The guys are surprised by a special guest from next door, who is excited for SF Beer Week and to share their most recent Scarcity release. Jason spends a moment going over is WSET III test in Napa, Collin questions regional messaging and gives suggestions to some fixes. And don't miss Jeremy go over where you can find the Nottingham Crew this Valentine's Day.  If you enjoy this episode we ask you to subscribe and join us in pushing the limits on what this region is capable of. Follow us @ttg_podcast and at @nottingham_cellars on Instagram or at our Facebook page Nottingham Cellars Winery for all the latest information on Jason's Masterclass schedule, release dates, events and more. Pull a cork and enjoy!

In this week's episodes, we sit down with the city of Livermore Cheif Strategist of Entrepreneurship Brandon Cardwell. We have often talked about building a sustainable hospitality culture and community here in the Livermore Valley. Join us as Brandon dives into the flywheel that he believes can help manifest more innovative and progressive thought leadership. Day to day you can find him at the Daybreak Labs in downtown Livermore, where he manages operations and ideas in the cities first and only start-up incubator. He also goes on to explain how important an innovation economy is to Livermore's craft scene. Jon Ernst Creative Director at Altamont pops in as well and drops of a sample of their new Scarcity and sticks around for the next episode. This is by far one of our favorite episodes we have had the opportunity to publish. Subscribe and send it to a friend if your a fan of the content, thx!

In TTG fashion, we went a bit long on this episode, but for a good reason. Livermore local Paul Halverson takes us on a wild ride this episode as we dive into all that is coffee. From Asgardian origin stories to easy ways to make a better brew at home, you will take much from this episode. Pauls's rich history in the world of coffee has led him to ope Story Coffee in his hometown of Livermore. Where he is pushing the limits of the everyday coffee experience, Paul and his team of talented storytellers genuinely are a joy to engage with, and we couldn't be more excited to continue to push for regional maturity alongside hospitality professionals like these. We also get his opinion on the very important Yes on P talks. Enjoy another fun-loving episode of Through the Grapevine, and don't forget to subscribe. Next week we sit down with Brandon Cardwell Cheif Strategist of Entrepreneurship and curator of Livermore's bustling co-working space 'The Switch.' We will see you at the Yes on P March February 1st Saturday at 10:45 starting at the Livermore Cyclery.

We are excited about this one. We had been chasing Bill Niles for a while wondering if he would join is for an epic interview, needless to say, we got him. You won't want to miss what he has to say in this season opener. From Yes on Measure P to anime there is nothing that we do not get to. Since opening Range Life in historic downtown Livermore, he has helped push the boundaries on what this region believed we were capable of. The talented team at Range stands as a beacon for what we strive to offer in this region both food and hospitality. This episode is full of laughter and inspiration so be sure to subscribe and share with a friend as our message is only as strong as our following. Thanks for listening and enjoy season 2 of Through The Grapevine.  Listen to the end to get a sneak peek at our next guest?!

We are back and more excited than ever for 2020. But first, we look back at some of the highlights in 2019 as we begin to build the foundation for what is to come this season. While we are still shaking the cobwebs off in this episode, the camaraderie is better than ever. We wish everyone who decides to join us this season a very prosperous 2020, it is time for big things here in the Livermore Valley. And this will be the place to stay caught up! 

We end the season with a great conversation with Livermore Valley’s own Steven Mirrasou, proprietor and winemaker at Steven Kent Winery. His flagship wine, Lineage, has helped propel the region and exposed that world class wine can be grown and produced here. We talk about what it’s going to take to see the region thrive.

Kevin Woodling is the Sales Manager for Scott Laboratories. Scott Labs is a provider of equipment and winemaking materials, everything from fermentation supplies, to sanitation, filtration, bottling etc etc. Scott is a leader in the industry, one of the most trusted companies for a lot of wineries globally. Kevin got his start in the wine industry while attending Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He began by working for several family-owned wineries including Livermore Valley’s Fenestra Vineyards before he transitioned into wine distribution sales. After several years in the industry, Kevin became a part of Scott Laboratories after the 2004 harvest. Kevin is more than just a supplier.  He is very well versed on the catalog, which is massive.  In the event he is not 100% sure, Scott Labs more than likely has a specialist to walk you through a process or protocol.  Suppliers like Scott are the reason the industry makes progress.  A lot of time and money go into R&D and education. We have a great conversation about wine, the industry, and how the Livermore Valley can reach its goals if we put in the work.

Sarah Niles is a partner and the active Sommelier/Service manager at Range Life, one of Livermore Valley’s most interesting and promising restaurants. Her Husband Bill is Chef, and their partners Wayne (the drinks Guru) and Lauren Longwell (the savvy social media mama) opened the doors a few years ago and have taken the Valley by storm. The restaurant is set up like a neighborhood restaurant like you’d see in a larger city. Big open spaces, simple elegant decor. Bill is a hyper local/seasonal ingredient focused chef, meaning daily menu changes based on what is available. Sarah is tasked with putting together a wine list that will pair well with a broad range of cuisine and showcase wines that will enhance a meal. She does so much more, and is truly passionate about her industry. Beyond making and serving great food, Sarah is looking to solve industry problems that will create a more sustainable work life for the folks in the kitchen working hard that typically take on a less glamorous role. Come learn more about “who is Sarah Niles”. For one, she is an extremely talented Somm, but as we learn, she is so much more and her passion and drive is infectious. Thank you for joining us, Sarah!

John Ernst is the “In house guy” at Altamont Beer Works handling digital media, design and working with Steve on the company’s marketing goals. John tells us how he cracked the industry, ultimately teamed up with Steve Sartori at Altamont and created the visual framework for the company to take off. What started as side work quickly became a passion, and it wasn’t long before the ABW crew brought him on full time. John is as sharp as they come, extremely talented and naturally understands the type of work ethic it takes to be successful. We really enjoyed his perspective and we definitely will get him back out here next season to check in on the Altamont Takeover!

We couldn’t be more excited than to sit down with Chuck McKahn, partner and winemaker at a McKahn Family Cellars here in the Livermore Valley. Chuck’s career as a winemaker is in the Napa Valley. His career began with an epic opportunity to work harvest at Chappellet on Pritchard Hill under the mentorship of the one and only Philip Titus. It was here that Chuck got hands on experience crafting some of the most sought after wines in the world. Chuck used this opportunity and climbed the ladder after being offered a full time job after his first harvest. It wasn’t long before Chuck had earned the assistant winemaker position which opened the doors to a head winemaker opportunity at William Harrison in the heart of Rutherford.  Chuck has helped the winery Garner a better reputation and reach a total output that has put the winery in a stronger financial position. In addition, he has helped re-shape the winery’s production program to achieve new heights in quality. Chuck is as talented as they come, dedicated to his craft, and is on a lifelong mission to continue to better himself in all things wine. Follow Chuck and his projects on IG:  chuck.mckahn.wine mckahnfamilycellars williamharrisonvineyardswinery

Michael Vanderveen is a Pleasanton born photographer and videographer. He has seen much of the world but remains drawn to his backyard in the Livermore Valley Wine Country. We are excited to have him as we share what makes this valley so great through his unique vantage point. We dive into the importance of tying captivating visual and graphic elements to your products and brands. And most importantly the power of storytelling. We may have also just planned a TTG documentary as well...but you will have to tune in and find out for yourself. Stay tuned as we get close to wrapping up season one. We are diving into the gritty conversations more so than ever. We thank you for your continued support and it has been an absolute pleasure meeting many of our listeners locally. Enjoy & Cheers.