Inside Winemaking - the art and science of growing grapes and crafting wine

This episode covers my recent journey through the creation of a new wine.  A pink wine.  From grapes to finished wine that is almost bottle-ready three months later, this foray into rose has been an exciting new winemaking challenge.  As an experiment I recorded this solo episode while driving home from work.  Because I'm a captive in the car during the recording, it's part harvest chronology and a bit stream of consciousness.  I hope that the winemaking decisions that I grappled with presents thought for others producing rose wines.  

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: Pink_Winemaking_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:56pm EDT

As VP of Operations for White Labs in San Diego Neva Parker has extensive experience with the full spectrum of yeast that are cultured and available for the brewing industry.  While most known for their brewing yeast, White Labs also provides yeast and bacterial strains for producers of wine, sake, kombucha, and craft spirits.  Our conversation covers Neva's entry into yeast production, the array of available strains, pitching rates, and the various ways yeast influences flavor, fermentation kinetics, and alcoholic strength.  While Neva's expertise is focused on beer and brewing, there is much that winemakers can learn from this parallel industry that, because of its reliance on yeast, has sought a deep technical understanding of how producers can manage the cultures they provide. 

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

 

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Direct download: Neva_Parker_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:27am EDT

As a wine lover and fan of podcasts I took the opportunity to record an episode with Chappy Cottrell, who is the man in charge of Cru Podcast.  Chappy recently moved to Healdsburg to work the 2017 harvest and is beginning a new position as a sommelier and wine buyer at the esteemed restaurant and resort that is Cavallo Point (at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge).  Our conversation ranges from Chappy's background, his goals in building a wine podcast, and what he has learned from the wine professionals that have shared their experience during his interviews.  

 

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

 

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Direct download: Chappy_Cottrell_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:06am EDT

This episode features the return of Ann Reynolds, who runs Wine Compliance Alliance, and was on the podcast previously in Episode 45.  As I was busy with grapes and harvest during the month of October, I asked Ann to record a solo episode and discuss an outline navigating the federal and California state winery permitting processes. Ann has vast experience in helping clients obtain both Alternating Permit and Custom Crush / Wholesale licensing, processes that are daunting to folks approaching either for the first time.  If you are in looking to start a wine brand, or know someone who is looking into it, this episode is a great beginning resource.  

This episode features the return of Ann Reynolds, who runs Wine Compliance Alliance, and was on the podcast previously in Episode 45.  As I was busy with grapes and harvest during the month of October, I asked Ann to record a solo episode and discuss an outline navigating the federal and California state winery permitting processes. Ann has vast experience in helping clients obtain both Alternating Permit and Custom Crush / Wholesale licensing, processes that are daunting to folks approaching either for the first time.  If you are in looking to start a wine brand, or know someone who is looking into it, this episode is a great beginning resource.  

 

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

 


QUESTIONS?  COMMENTS?  LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: JIM@INSIDEWINEMAKING.COM

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Direct download: Ann_Reynolds_Solo_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:40am EDT

This episode features John Caldwell, the maverick, the grape-grower, the vine-smuggler, the clonal researcher, the winemaker, and the story-teller.  John didn't plan to start his own winery, and neither did he plan to plant grapevines on his property in Coombsville when he first bought it.  Today Caldwell Vineyard is a thriving winery and also continues to sell grapes to other wineries.  This episode starts a little slow--John didn't even realize that I was recording an audio podcast--and then delves into chaos.  It's not for the faint of heart, or the easily offended.  I'm sorry?  You're welcome?  Strap in for this one!  

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

This podcast is brought you by Musto Wine Grape Company.  Musto is the largest and oldest wine grape and juice distributor in New England, with their own vineyards in Suisun Valley, CA and long-standing contracts with growers in Lodi, Central Valley, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Washington State. Musto services all aspects of the industry for wineries and home winemakers. Whether you need grapes, juice, equipment, chemicals, or winemaking help, Musto is there for you.  Contact sales@juicegrape.com for the full inventory of grapes and supplies.  

QUESTIONS?  COMMENTS?  LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: JIM@INSIDEWINEMAKING.COM

 

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Direct download: John_Caldwell_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:47am EDT

This podcast is brought you by Musto Wine Grape Company.  Musto is the largest and oldest wine grape and juice distributor in New England, with their own vineyards in Suisun Valley, CA and long standing contracts with growers in Lodi, Central Valley, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Washington State. Musto services all aspects of the industry for wineries and home winemakers. Whether you need grapes, juice, equipment, chemicals, or winemaking help, Musto is there for you.  Contact sales@juicegrape.com for the full inventory of grapes and supplies.  

QUESTIONS?  COMMENTS?  LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: JIM@INSIDEWINEMAKING.COM

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Direct download: Caleb_Mosley_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:35pm EDT

As the fourth generation in the Musto family business, Christina Musto is on this episode of the podcast to talk about what Musto Wine Grape Company has available for home and commercial winemakers in New England and to discuss her role as a founding member of Women Winemakers of Connecticut.  Musto is the largest and oldest wine grape and juice distributor in New England, with their own vineyards in Suisun Valley, CA and long-standing contracts with growers in Lodi, Central Valley, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Washington State. They also supply fresh grapes, frozen must and juice from Chile, Argentina, Italy, and South Africa.  

Christina, who has her Wine Business MBA from Sonoma State University, runs marketing and sales at Musto Wine Grape Company and has deep understanding in the details of helping customers make wines from Musto's inventory of grapes and equipment.  

OUR CONVERSATION COVERED:

  • The history of Musto Wine Grape Company
  • The protocols for shipping fresh grapes to Hartford
  • A sampling of grape varieties available from the US, Chile, and South Africa
  • The winemaking classes, free and otherwise, offered at Musto
  • Written resources available at JuiceGrape.com
  • Women Winemakers of Connecticut
  • The winery scene in Connecticut

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

This podcast is brought you by Musto Wine Grape Company.  Musto is the largest and oldest wine grape and juice distributor in New England, with their own vineyards in Suisun Valley, CA and long standing contracts with growers in Lodi, Central Valley, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Washington State. Musto services all aspects of the industry for wineries and home winemakers. Whether you need grapes, juice, equipment, chemicals, or winemaking help, Musto is there for you.  Contact sales@juicegrape.com for the full inventory of grapes and supplies.  

Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

 

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Direct download: Christina_Musto_complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:16am EDT

Hailing from the Pisoni family that helped put Santa Lucia Highlands on the winemaking map in California, Jeff Pisoni shares the story of his family's relationship with farming and the development of Gary's, Pisoni, and Soberanes, which supply grapes to numerous top end wineries across the state.  Recounting clandestine attempts his father, Gary Pisoni, undertook to find water on the family ranch, Jeff shares how he and his brother, Mark Pisoni, grew up on the farm and now split the work with Mark managing vineyards and Jeff in charge of winemaking.  Jeff describes some of the challenges of growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah in the Santa Lucia Highlands, and the ways he approaches the uniqueness that the grapes bring to his winemaking.  The Pisoni Estate brand is focused exclusively on Pinot Noir.  Jeff explains the creation of his family's other wines including Lucia Vineyards that encompass Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, and Luli Wines, which also includes a rose and Sauvignon blanc.  

 

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

QUESTIONS?  COMMENTS?  LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: JIM@INSIDEWINEMAKING.COM

 

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Direct download: Jeff_Pisoni_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:05am EDT

This episode is the first in a series of solo podcasts where I present my assessment of the most critical chemical analyses a winemaker needs to understand.  It's a peek inside the chaotic jungle that is my harvest-season brain and the attempts to organize sugar's conversion to alcohol during harvest, when winemaking decisions are most critical.  If there was a straight-forward and precise working ratio of sugars to ethanol, this would be a simple, 60-second podcast.  Approach this as my quest to identify the variables that affect primary fermentation's numerical outcome, the tools available to a contemporary winemaker, the value and costs of each tool, and the limits of their ability to yield accurate measurements.  Not every winemaker would agree with my thoughts presented here, so use this as one of many resources to gain proficiency in wine chemistry. 

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: Solo_Sugar_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:07am EDT

In the basement of the world's cutest micro-winery, I met with Mark Porembsky to talk about his work there making not only the wine for Anomaly Vineyards, but also for his own brand, Zeitgeist Cellars.  

Our conversation covers:

  • Mark's favorite winemaking tool
  • The mentors that Mark  had when learning to make wine
  • How Mark and his wife, also a winemaker, harness "creative conflict" in their blending process
  • How subtlety and complexity have evolved to be hallmarks of the Zeitgeist wines
  • The origins of Anomaly Vineyards
  • How Mark uses analytical tools such as tannin assays to inform his winemaking

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Deep Winemaking 2017 is scheduled for August 10-12th in Napa.  Come spend three days immersed in technical visits with winemakers, viticulturists, barrel cooperages, and wine laboratories with other like-minded aspiring winemakers.  

Please email me with any questions or comments about winemaking or this podcast    jim@insidewinemaking.com

The Inside Winemaking Podcast on iTunes

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Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: Mark_Porembski_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:42am EDT

Three years after my first podcast with Mike Dunn, he helped me rope Randy Dunn into a podcast so that we could learn more about old-school Napa winemaking and the stories from a place that had far less glitz than exists today.  Not one to seek the spotlight, Randy has consistently turned out iconic mountain Cabernets, which have brought the spotlight up to their otherwise quiet ranch on Howell Mountain since the 70's.  Mike and Randy count their harvests together in decades, not years.  

There are two reasons this turned out to be a great podcast.  First, Randy painted a picture of his background and some of the adventures from his early days at Caymus Vineyards, including misleading immigration raids.  Second, Mike and Randy were candid about their methods of working together together at Dunn Vineyards.  

For a primer to this episode, check out Mike's first podcast on Inside Winemaking in Ep. 3 from August of 2014, where we discuss his path back to Dunn Vineyards and the creation of his own wines with the Retro Cellars brand.  

 

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Deep Winemaking 2017 is scheduled for August 10-12th in Napa.  Come spend three days immersed in technical visits with winemakers, viticulturists, barrel cooperages, and wine laboratories with other like-minded aspiring winemakers.  

Please email me with any questions or comments about winemaking or this podcast    jim@insidewinemaking.com

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Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: Randy_and_Mike_Dunn_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:23am EDT

I had a great time talking with Rebekah Wineburg, who has made worked at some of the top wineries in the world and is currently the winemaker at Quintessa in Napa Valley.  Rebekah told me her background and then the full history on Quintessa including the key elements she uses to describe the wine, "Elegance, harmony, and layers."  

Our conversation covers a whole range and vineyard and winery topics such as:

  • How to pick vineyards for a specific wine style
  • Rebekah's thoughts on extended maceration
  • The size and diversity of vineyard blocks at Quintessa in the Rutherford AVA
  • Biodynamics "as we believe it to be" and the preparations applied in the vineyard
  • Protocol 2010 and the contractor that Quintessa uses to have confidence that new vines are clean when planted
  • Ideas to help consumers feel confident with her wines, and the differences in tasting with other winemakers vs. consumers
  • Plans for the winery re-design at Quintessa
  • What it's like to work with the Huneeus family

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

DEEP WINEMAKING 2017 IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 10-12TH IN NAPA.  COME SPEND THREE DAYS IMMERSED IN TECHNICAL VISITS WITH WINEMAKERS, VITICULTURISTS, BARREL COOPERAGES, AND WINE LABORATORIES WITH OTHER LIKE-MINDED ASPIRING WINEMAKERS.  

PLEASE EMAIL ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT WINEMAKING OR THIS PODCAST    JIM@INSIDEWINEMAKING.COM

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Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: Rebekah_Wineburg_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:43am EDT

As Vice President and General Manager at Cliff Lede Family Wines Remi Cohen oversees the grapegrowing and winemaking for the Cliff Lede wines in Napa and the FEL wines from Anderson Valley.  In this episode Remi tells of her job in entomology that led to enrollment to study viticulture at UCDavis.  From there she quickly rose through the vineyard ranks at Napa wineries and farming companies, such as Saintsbury and Bouchaine.  With her technical background and MBA from Berkeley she was well suited to take on the operations of two wineries in two distinct parts of northern California.  

Our conversation covers lots of cool vineyard topics such as: 

  • The differences between organic and sustainable farming practices
  • The ways that sustainable operations look at the bigger picture, including workshops available through the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Association and The Wine Institute
  • The various challenges of farming vineyards on hillsides v. the valley floor.  
  • How important private tasting groups can be in developing winemaking knowledge
  • The addition of Chardonnay and Pinot noir with FEL Wines (formerly Breggo) to Cliff Family Wines and the subsequent purchase of the famed Savoy Vineyard in Anderson Valley

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Deep Winemaking 2017 is scheduled for August 10-12th in Napa.  Come spend three days immersed in technical visits with winemakers, viticulturists, barrel cooperages, and wine laboratories with other like-minded aspiring winemakers.  

Please email me with any questions or comments about winemaking or this podcast    jim@insidewinemaking.com

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Direct download: Remi_Cohen_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:41am EDT

Viticulturist and vineyard guru, Garrett Buckland, returns to the Inside Winemaking Podcast to discuss organic farming as it applies to winegrapes.  Garrett has a wealth of vineyard experience, having spent his entire life farming grapes in Napa.  He is one of the rare farming gems who also understands winemaking and is immersed in the creation of some of Napa Valley's leading wines.  We spend the majority of the podcast discussing my questions about the actual vineyard practices that are employed for organic, conventional, and sustainable winegrowing.  

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Deep Winemaking 2017 is scheduled for August 10-12th in Napa.  Come spend three days immersed in technical visits with winemakers, viticulturists, barrel cooperages, and wine laboratories with other like-minded aspiring winemakers.  

Please email me with any questions or comments about winemaking or this podcast    jim@insidewinemaking.com

The Inside Winemaking Podcast on iTunes

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Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: Garett_Buckland_Apr_17_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:02am EDT

"California terrior through the lens of Zinfandel."  As a winemaker sourcing Zinfandel vineyards, from 12 counties throughout California Tegan Passalacqua has an unrivaled view of this grape's potential in his role at Turley Wine Cellars.  Tegan and his wife also have their own small brand, Sandlands Wines, which is often known for its Chenin blanc, but is also producing lesser-known varieties such as Trousseau noir.  In this episode of The Inside Winemaking Podcast Tegan and I discuss:

  • Why Zinfandel is particularly well-suited to California throughout its winemaking history before refrigeration
  • The unique resilience that Zinfandel vines have in tolerating virus and disease
  • How eustress is healthy, but the recent drought years brought too much stress
  • Why Tegan views the tracking of acidity to be particularly important in producing Zin
  • Tegan's fascination with 
  • Why the 2012 vintage was like a rebound relationship
  • How to guide a notoriously difficult Zinfandel fermentation into finishing
  • Why Tegan only likes Brettanomyces "in other people's wines"
  • How natural winemaking is like being on the other side of a magic trick
  • The idea of putting a tax on Round-Up
  • The story behind him persuading a grower on the "true Sonoma coast" to plant Trousseau noir
  • What it's like to grow grapes and make wine on a volcano

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Deep Winemaking 2017 is scheduled for August 10-12th in Napa.  Come spend three days immersed in technical visits with winemakers, viticulturists, barrel cooperages, and wine laboratories with other like-minded aspiring winemakers.  

Please email me with any questions or comments about winemaking or this podcast    jim@insidewinemaking.com

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Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: Tegan_Passalaqua_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:01am EDT

Spanning wine regions in Israel, California, Walla Walla, and Chile winemaker, Maayan Koschitzky, has accumulated more winemaking experience in ten years than many enologists would in an entire career.  Our conversation in this episode explores the practices of Kosher winemaking, especially from Maayan's early career in Israel.  After moving the the US to take winery jobs at Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle Vineyards, Maayan moved into his current position as Director of Winemaking at Atelier Melka, working with Philippe Melka.  This episode is full of great technical discussion of winemaking both in the vineyard and winery.  

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Deep Winemaking 2017 is scheduled for August 10-12th in Napa.  Come spend three days immersed in technical visits with winemakers, viticulturists, barrel cooperages, and wine laboratories with other like-minded aspiring winemakers.  

Please email me with any questions or comments about winemaking or this podcast    jim@insidewinemaking.com

The Inside Winemaking Podcast on iTunes

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Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: Maayan_Koschitzky_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:17am EDT

In this episode I take questions submitted from listeners and give my best advice.  Winemaking is like cooking in that there is rarely a discreet best answer, so each response is to be taken with a grain of salt.  There's more than one way to ferment a grape.  When appropriate I explain how you might scale up or down given the size of winery involved.   Questions in this episode about how to make wine cover: the use of SO2, winemaking in Texas, nutritional strategies for native fermentation management, red-wine color extraction, the myths and realities of decanting wines, how dry yeast can ferment a must, can vs. spur pruning, how to run a safe extended maceration on a small scale, predicting wine flavors from grape flavor, and the difference between cold settling and cold stabilization after an addition of Potassium Carbonate.  

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

If you are interested in the Napa winemaking immersion experience I am putting together for 3 days in August, 2017, send me an email......   jim@insidewinemaking.com

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Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: QA_Podcast_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:54am EDT

Tyler Thomas, who is the director of winemaking at Dierberg and Star Lane Vineyards, was the guest on the very popular Episode: 35 of The Inside Winemaking Podcast.  In this episode Tyler returns in a solo format to give color to his thoughts on what it means to be a winemaker and then results from some of the vineyard and winery trials that he has taken on.  There are numerous academic studies of how yield affects wine quality, but Tyler's trials with Pinot Noir might surprise you.  How about the importance of pumpovers?  Perhaps there is a task with a higher value return.  Can you make a decent wine without using SO2?  Is it worth the microbiological risk?  Maybe, but the grape better have the inherent characteristics to protect from oxidation.  Tyler is very forthcoming with his experience in the vineyards, cellar, and his attempts to question the basic principles of winemaking.  

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

I'm hoping to put together an episode where I answer listener questions about grapegrowing and winemaking.  Please email what's on your mind   jim@insidewinemaking.com

The Inside Winemaking Podcast on iTunes

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Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: Tyler_Thomas_Solo_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:27am EDT

Tom Rinaldi

I had the privilege to sit down and talk with one of my professional heroes, one of the most requested winemakers for this podcast, Tom Rinaldi.  After a long career including building the Duckhorn brand from the ground starting in 1978, Tom then went on to launch and direct the Provenance and Hewitt brands with the Chalone group.  Tom is now retired from full-time work, but continues to consult on small winemaking projects in Napa and Washington state.  Our conversation ranges from what Napa looked like four decades ago, to advice Tom gives for young winemakers.  

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

I'm hoping to put together an episode where I answer listener questions about grapegrowing and winemaking.  Please email what's on your mind   jim@insidewinemaking.com

The Inside Winemaking Podcast on iTunes

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Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: Tom_Rinaldi_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:27am EDT

ANN REYNOLDS, THE INSIDE STORY OF A WINE LABEL

This episode features author, Ann Reynolds, and her book The Inside Story of a Wine Label.  Ann's business, Wine Compliance Alliance, is focused resource on navigating the sea of the TTB's federal regulations for everything from grapes to bottling.  Ann's book details all of the regulated items on a wine label from brand name, alcohol content, to the specific nuances of appellation and the items that are not required on a wine label.  After years involved with wineries large and small, I learned that even I was not fully aware of all the details regulated on a wine label.  Winemakers rarely have a comprehensive education in the minutia of TTB regulations, but the feds are serious about the laws when it comes to an audit, and The Inside Story of a Wine Label is a way for winemakers to pull the guide off of the shelf in order to stay on top of each facet of a wine label.  Make sure and check out the Wine Compliance Alliance Youtube channel, which has lots of free videos that cover everything from getting a winery bond to the differences between custom crush vs. an Alternating Proprietor (AP).  

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

I'm hoping to put together an episode where I answer listener questions about grapegrowing and winemaking.  Please email what's on your mind   jim@insidewinemaking.com

The Inside Winemaking Podcast on iTunes

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Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: Ann_Reynolds_COMPLETE.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:47pm EDT

This episode features Philippe Melka, one of the most renowned winemakers in California.  Joining us is Meghan Zoebeck, who is one of the winemakers that make up the small Atelier Melka workshop, which is responsible for the consultation to some of Napa's leading wineries.  I have received many requests for a discussion of managing native fermentations and I felt Philippe's experience would be ideal for this topic.  After Philippe shares the mishap of feeding red pomace to the winery cows at Seavey Vineyard back in 1995 we get right into the thick of fermentation management including both philosophical and technical aspects.  This episode gets deep into the weeds of red wine fermentations and we also cover the practice of extended macerations.  We wrap up with a discussion of Philippe and Meghan's recent forays into Pinot Noir winemaking.  I had a great time recording this episode and I'm excited to share it with all the Inside Winemaking listeners.  

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

I'm hoping to put together an episode where I answer listener questions about grapegrowing and winemaking.  Please email what's on your mind   jim@insidewinemaking.com

The Inside Winemaking Podcast on iTunes

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Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: Philippe_Melka_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:57pm EDT

Austin Peterson decided that he wanted to become a winemaker his father, also a winemaker, tried talking him out of it.  Winemaking may not be the most lucrative career, but it is rife with people choosing passion over payment.  Austin, now winemaker at Ovid Vineyards in Napa’s Pritchard Hill, brings a relentless passion to the vineyard and winemaking processes at Ovid Vineyards.  

Austin and the rest of the Ovid team might have one of the most spectacular daily commutes.   Resting above the main valley of Napa Ovid is situated on Pritchard Hill perched on its western slope.  It’s this slope that allows cool air to flow out from the vineyard and leave the vines out of frost’s harm. 

In this episode of the Inside Winemaking Podcast we discuss:  

  • Organic practices for weed control
  • Winery design and gravity flow at Ovid
  • The difference between sugar measurements Brix and sugar-per-berry
  • The method Austin uses to measure sugar-per-berry and the results they have observed in their vineyards
  • The advantages of barrel fermentation for red wines
  • How sugar accumulation is not correlated with anthocyanin synthesis in grapes during the growing season
  • Results from their experiments with vineyard shade cloth.  

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

I'm hoping to put together an episode where I answer listener questions about grapegrowing and winemaking.  Please email what's on your mind   jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: Austin_Peterson_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:59am EDT

From experiments with co-fermentation, harvest timing, and shade v. sun-side canopies Robert Hunt has a contagious curiosity for the endless pursuit of refining his technical approaches to winemaking.  In 2016 Anderson's Conn Valley lost its founder, Gus Anderson, and thus I asked Robert to describe the founding of stories of the vineyard and subsequent winery.  Our conversation in this episode covers topics from estate winemaking and its gritty details, what a good winery lab job looks like, to the lessons of selective harvesting Robert learned from winemaking mentors.  Make sure to catch the final question where Robert discusses the fantasy wines he would love to make in Italy, as his travels and interest in Italian wines is impressive.  

 

I'm hoping to put together an episode where I answer listener questions about grapegrowing and winemaking.  Please email what's on your mind   jim@insidewinemaking.com

 

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

The Inside Winemaking Podcast on iTunes

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Questions?  Comments?  Let me know what you think: jim@insidewinemaking.com

Direct download: Robert_Hunt_Complete.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:37am EDT

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