Shows
Small Fortune PodcastEp 68: Fred Reno on Virginia: America’s Founding Wine CountryAfter finishing a long and successful career in the California wine industry, Fred Reno retired to Virginia, the original American winegrowing region. Vines were first planted there in 1619 under orders from the British crown. They were hoping to find an alternative to French wine in its then-colonies. The founding fathers were investors in the wine business too, in 1773. In this 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Fred and host Carol Collison talk about the history of the Virginia wine business, including viticulture, growing regions and issues in sales and distribution. Fred shares details about his favorite Virginia grape...
2026-02-0340 min
Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #10 WINERY FOUNDERS MOST OFTEN ARE NOT THE BRILLIANT BUSINESS FOLKS THEY LOOK TO BEEpisode #10 is about my thoughts on why most Founders of wineries or wine brands are not the brilliant or savvy business people they would like you to believe they are. No, more often than not, their success, if they have any, is usually attributable to timing or causes outside of their control.I use my experience with Brice Cutrer Jones, the Founder of Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards, as one example of why I formed this theory. I have said many times in the past that there were two people who were responsible, in my opinion, for the foundational success a...
2025-12-2907 min
Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #9 THE FRANK PRIAL ESCAPADE vs WILLIAM HILL WINERYThis episode delves into a defining moment from February 1986 that catapulted William Hill Winery into the spotlight. At that time, I was Vice President of Sales when Frank Prial, in his popular New York Times column "Wine Talk," made a misstep with his less-than-favorable comments about the results of our blind tasting event. During this event, we pitted our wines against the esteemed First Growth Bordeaux from the celebrated vintages of 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1981—and to our delight, William Hill wines triumphed in three out of the four flights.This episode not only showcases Bill Hill's remarkable talent for sp...
2025-11-2507 min
Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 8 WINE BUSINESS IS A TRAILING ECONOMIC INDICATOREpisode #8 is an insider's view of the Henry Wine Group Board Meeting in the fall of 2007, when I was President & CEO.While reviewing some sales data for several of our top-end California producers, I noticed a disturbing trend that alarmed me. When I opened the meeting, I said, "Gentlemen, I have noticed some significant slowing down of the sales for a number of our most expensive California wines, and I believe something is happening that we should be paying close attention to.My comments were dismissed mainly by the board, which was composed chiefly of...
2025-11-1004 min
SagebrushersS4 Ep. 6: Nevada Tech HubIn this episode of Sagebrushers, University of Nevada, Reno, President Brian Sandoval speaks with Daphne Hooper, director of Indigenous Relations, and Dr. Fred Steinmann, director of the University Center for Economic Development. Hooper and Steinmann provide insight into the Nevada Tech Hub and the initiatives aimed at building a sustainable workforce and closing the lithium loop in Nevada’s electric vehicle and battery materials industry.
2025-10-2217 min
Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #7 FRANCHISE LAW PART 2In this Episode #7, I detail how I unwittingly jumped in and tried to make a significant change in the wine industry by trying to undo the Franchise Law protection that the alcoholic beverage wholesale distributors have in this country. These Laws are a vestige of the repeal of Prohibition and harm the wine producers in the most unfair way possible in well over half of the states in the country.I started a new organization on the heels of the Coalition for Free Trade's successful Supreme Court ruling that was issued on May 16, 2005, which allowed the direct...
2025-10-2207 min
Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 6 FRANCHISE LAWS AND BEING CONNED IN GEORGIAEpisode #6 describes my initial encounter with the bureaucracy in the wine business. It was when I went to work at William Hill Winery back in 1984 and was introduced to the world of Franchise Laws. Franchise Laws come in many shapes and sizes in the country, but essentially, what they are written to do is protect the alcoholic wholesaler distributors in this country. In the case I outline, it is in the state of Georgia, which has far and away the most protective and egregious law in the land. Literally, if a wine producer signs on with a G...
2025-10-1006 min
Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #5 ROOKIE BUYING WINE IN CALIFORNIAThis Episode shares a firsthand account of some of my early wine-buying visits to top California wine producers in 1981 & 1982. It is just a small sample of what I encountered at a time when the early wine producers were just beginning to become well known on the East Coast, thanks to my and my best friend Jim Arseneault's efforts as we introduced them to our respective wine-loving consumer clients in Washington, D.C.I profile 3 wineries, Mayacamas Vineyards, Kistler, & La Crema Vinera. The latter is not to be confused with the wine producer known as La Crema today...
2025-09-2613 min
Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #4 SPARKS STEAKHOUSE ADVENTUREIn this snippet from my upcoming book, I share a story about my first time on the streets of New York, calling on accounts and selling William Hill wines in only the second week after I had taken the position as VP of Sales for the Eastern Division at William Hill Winery. Some Division, I was a one-man show and responsible for half of the country east of the Mississippi. In this episode, I detail my account call at the famous Sparks Steakhouse in Manhattan. It would become even more infamous a year later when Paul (Bi...
2025-09-1506 min
Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #2 What My Book is AboutEpisode 2 provides a brief overview of what my book is about and my goal in writing it. To sum it up quickly, let me say that I have been fortunate to have had many unique and challenging experiences in my 46-year wine career, and I want to share these with anyone who is interested and curious about what really happens behind the scenes in the wine industry from growing grapes, producing wine and then the obstacles that wine producers face in marketing, selling and the distribution of their wine through the bryzanine archacia distribution system that was s...
2025-09-0404 min
Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #3 ROOKIE IN THE WINE BUSINESS EXCERPTIn this episode I share a story about one of the actions I took early in my career that change the course for me. It was 1979 and I had just been hired 5 months before at a Retail Wine Merchant in Washington, DC. I was promoted by the owner of A & A Wine & Spirits, Harry Cook, to be the American Wine Department manager. I wanted to test him right away to see if I had both the responsibility in this new position, along with most importantly the authority to order for purchase the wine I believed we...
2025-09-0405 min
Fine Wine Confidential PodcastINTRODUCTION TO FINE WINE CONFIDENTIAL BOOK PODCAST/AUTHOR FRED RENOThe Fine Wine Confidential Book Podcast is a series of audio excerpts or snippets from my upcoming book, titled Fine Wine Confidential. This new Podcast series will share insider information about what really happens behind the scenes in the Fine Wine business. Everything, from the up-close look at how marketing, sales, and pricing decisions are made to the sometimes crazy notions winery founders and owners have about who they are and why they have had success. I will tell you from my experience that most of their success is a re...
2025-08-2603 min
Garden Basics with Farmer Fred401 Home Landscaping Tips for Fire SafetyWe examine the growing wildfire risks for homeowners, particularly in fire-prone areas across the United States. We get insights from Kevin Marini, a UC Defensible Space Advisor. He highlights the importance of maintaining clear spaces around homes and managing vegetation in three defensive zones. Originally aired in Episode 361. Pictured: Aftermath of the Altadena (CA) Wildfire, January 2025.Links: Subscribe to the Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter https://gardenbasics.substack.com Other links mentioned in today’s podcast:The Dance of Defensible Space, by Kevin Marini UCANR Fire Network: Creating a Defens...
2025-07-181h 01
program Fred's CountryFred's Country w23-25From Texas, the US & Canada,
1st for Weekly neo-traditonal, classic Country & the 90's spirit from France
program Fred’s Country 2025 w # 23:
Part 1:
- Charley Pride, Heartaches by the Number - Cover Story TBR 06/20 - 2025
- Midland, Glass Half Empty - S - 2025
- Bryce Leatherwood ft Walker Montgomery, In Lieu Of Flowers - Bryce Leatherwood - 2025
- Jenna Paulette, 3 Kings - Horseback - 2024
- Pat Green, Corey Kent, Two Hands - S - 2025
Part 2:
- Sunny Sweeney, Please Be San Antone - Heartbreaker's Hall Of Fame - 2006
...
2025-05-3058 min
Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #21 PART 2 LUCIE MORTON ON NORTON VS CYNTHIANAHere is Part 2 of my in-depth interview with Lucie Morton where we continue to discuss the differences between Norton and Cynthiana grapes. We also cover her attempt to reclaim another Virginia native grape, Cunningham which one of her familial ancestors is connected to here in Virginia. Finally, Lucie will describe her proverbial Ah Ha moment when she decided that she would produce her upcoming documentary film titled "Odessey of Forbidden wines, exile and return of American grapes." This interview is packed with many more ins...
2025-04-1042 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #21 PART 1 LUCIE MORTON ON NORTON & CYNTHIANALucie Morton is the World's most preeminent Ampelographer, if not the only one still living that practices this art in the wine industry. I know, you are asking yourself what is Ampelography? Well, Lucie will explain that in some detail in this episode. In fact, this interview was filled with so many insights that I have chosen to break it up into 2 parts. In Part 1 we touch on many areas of winegrowing with a focus on American Heritage grapes and their demise and rediscovering. One of which, the Cunningham Grape, another Virginia native grape L...
2025-03-1236 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 20 THE WINERY AT BULL RUN/KENDELL ANDERSON WINEMAKERIt is safe to say that Kendell Anderson the featured winemaker in this Episode #20 started his career in the Wine Industry in a most unconventional way. He graduated from William & Mary with a degree in Kinesiology and Health Science, not the traditional degree you might associate a winemaker with.It was a girl friend of his that got him interested in wine when she began to take him to wineries mostly in Loudon County in the Northern section of Virginia. He would eventually land a job with a large California company, Saxco that sold bottles, labels and o...
2025-02-2640 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #19 TOM PAYETTETom Payette is one of the veterans making wine here in Virginia. The upcoming 2025 harvest will mark Tom's 40th. While most of Tom's career has been in Virginia he has been involved some years ago on the west coast in California as a result of his position at Prince Michel. The then owner Jean Leducq owned a vineyard on Elhers Lane in Napa Valley.Tom has been recognized by numerous wine publications for his work including being named in 1999 as Winemaker of the Year by Vineyard & Winery management and more recently he was named by Wine Business...
2025-02-0449 min
Garden Basics with Farmer Fred374 Success with Pepper Seeds and Seedlings. Fire-Wise Landscaping.Tips for starting pepper seeds. How to care for pepper seedlings. With Debbie Flower. Protecting your yard and home from wildfire. With Kevin Marini, University of California Defensible Space advisor.Previous episodes, show notes, links, product information, and accurate, human-reviewed transcripts at the home site for Garden Basics with Farmer Fred, GardenBasics.net. Transcripts and episode chapters also available at Buzzsprout.Pictured: Pepper Seed PacketsLinks:“Beyond the Garden Basics” Newsletter Smart Pots https://smartpots.com/fred/ Dave Wilson Nursery https://www.davewilson.com/home...
2025-01-101h 36Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #18 NOKESVILLE WINERY/DUSTIN MINERDustin Minor and Nokesville Winery are a relatively new addition to the Norton scene in Virginia. His first full fledge vintage was 2021 when he made wine in the basement of his house after getting his winery license. Today he only produces a little over 1,000 cases of wine but from what I have tasted the quality is high and the future is bright for this new upcoming Vintner.Dustin started by planting several vines in his backyard in Nokesville because he thought they would look cool. That was over 12 years ago and eventually would lead to him...
2024-12-3137 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #17 LEXINGTON VALLEY VINEYARD/RYAN HALE WINEMAKER,OWNERLexington Valley Vineyard is a hidden gem in the Virginia lineup of wineries. I virtually got lost the first time I went to check it out. I had to keep checking my Navigation app to be sure I was headed in the correct direction. However, once I found it, I was impressed with the wines I purchased that day back in August of 2022, especially their Marchel Foch along with their Norton.This is a small family run operation that Ryan Hale the current winemaker father Cal planted the vineyard in 1999 but passed aways in 2021. Ryan and his...
2024-11-2739 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #16 SHEP ROUSE/ROCKBRIDGE VINEYARDI always enjoy sitting down with Shep Rouse and getting his viewpoint on winegrowing in Virginia and wine in general. He has been making wine for close to 45 years. First in California in the early '80s and then in Virginia first in 1986 at the old Montdomaine winery and then founding his own winery Rockbridge in 1992.Although Shep doesn't produce a Norton every vintage, mostly because he doesn't grow it in his vineyard the Norton wine, I have had from him in the past is a great expression of the grape and what it can be once...
2024-11-0131 min
Garden Basics with Farmer Fred361 Defensible Space Landscaping TipsWe examine the wildland-urban interface and its growing wildfire risks for homeowners, particularly in fire-prone areas like California and other western states. We talk about the concept of hardening your landscape from the Ember Ignition Zone with insights from Kevin Marini, a UC Defensible Space Advisor. He highlights the importance of maintaining clear spaces around homes and managing vegetation in three defensive zones.Today, it’s Episode 361, Defensible Space Landscaping Tips. It’s the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast, brought to you today by Smart Pots and Dave Wilson Nursery. Let’s go!Pictur...
2024-10-111h 05Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 15 BURNLEY VINEYARD/LEE REEDER OWNER & WINEMAKERBurnley Vineyard was first planted in 1977 making them one of the early winegrowing pioneers during the formative years when Virginia wine was just beginning to re-emerge after a long slumber from the years of Prohibition and its repeal. C. J. Reeder, Lee Reeder's father purchased the land in 1977 and Gabriele Rausse who had just begun to plant Barboursville Vineyard down the road from this property entire into a handshake deal with C. J. The arrangement was Burnley would buy Barboursville vines, (they had begun a nursery at that time) and Barboursville would buy their grapes. Ultimately that w...
2024-10-0932 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #14 ANNA WANT/CASANEL VINEYARDS & WINERYThis is a fascinating interview because Anna Want, the General Manager and daughter of the founders openly embraces the idea that Casanel has both Norton and Cynthiana vines planted in their vineyard. There is beginning to be a more robust open debate about whether the Cynthiana grape vine is Norton under a different name, or a completely different species of grape vine. I personally, lean toward it is a different species based on the many bottles of Norton I have tasted and enjoyed that have Cynthiana vines listed as the varietal from the nursery they purchased these vines from.
2024-09-1033 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 13 ROB COX, PARADISE SPRINGS DIRECTOR OF WINEMAKINGRob Cox had a dream of being a professional baseball player early in his life and when that didn't pan out, he found himself in the business of Golf. Not the usual way in which a person becomes a winemaker, which eventually he did. Now almost twenty years later he guides the winemaking at both Paradise Springs Virginia winery and their wine making operation in Santa Barbara, California. Additionally, somehow, he also has a consulting practice in Virginia. A very busy man for sure juggling all of these aspects of his wine career.Paradise Springs i...
2024-08-2732 min
Taking a Stand with Pastor Phil McKay027 Navigating Trust in the Vaccine Industry: Which Vaccines Are Right for Your Children? Dr. Fred Simon, MD, continues his discussion on the vaccine industry, exploring its implications for individuals and parents as they navigate decisions about what to trust and what to question. Pastor Phil provides his Biblical worldview on these contemporary choices.
2024-08-0523 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 12 TODD KLIMAN/AUTHOR OF THE WILD VINETodd Kliman, is a James Beard Award winning writer. After reading The Wild Vine you will know why. He has an incredible ability to bring to life the story of the Norton Grape and have you feel as if you just entered another world, you didn't even know existed. All the time going back into time and then bringing you back to the moment. He started out with the idea that he would write a column about Norton. But after meeting Jenni McCloud at Chrysalis Vineyards and spending time understanding her story and why she planted the l...
2024-08-0236 minTaking a Stand with Pastor Phil McKay026 The History of Vaccines and Big Pharma’s Involvement Dr. Fred Simon, MD, delves into the history of vaccines in America, examining how Big Pharma gained control over the medical delivery system and its impact on current events. Pastor Phil offers a Biblical worldview on fear, trust, and the enduring nature of the Bible in contrast to the ever-changing perspectives of humanity.
2024-07-2919 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 11 MATTHEW MEYERMatthew began his winemaker career on the West Coast in California. His final stop on that journey was several years at the venerable Heitz Cellars in Napa Valley where he says he learned some good winemaking skills and lesson that have served him well the rest of his career.He would then move to Virginia in 2002 to take the position as winemaker at Williamsburg Winery established by Patrick Duffeler Sr. in 1985. Matthew has since moved on from Williamsburg Winery and is working with Gauthier Winery a small vineyard and winery who only has Norton planed a...
2024-07-1636 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 10 BARREL OAK/Jeremy Ligon Winemaker & Vineyard managerJeremy Ligon was brought on just in time for the 2021 harvest. Barrel Oak was purchased from its' previous owners and the new ownership wanted to up the quality of the wines from their Vineyard. In my opinion, Jeremy was a significant step up and his wines reflect that. In 2014 Jeremy was recognized as one of the new upcoming winemakers in Virginia as someone to keep an eye on. He has lived up to that from what I have tasted of his new wines from Barrel Oak.There is an intriguing story he relays as to w...
2024-06-2734 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 9 HORTON CELLARS SHARON & SHANNON HORTONIf it were not for Dennis & Sharon Horton Virginia may have never come to know and enjoy it's native grape Norton once again. Let me quote a passage from Todd Kilman book The Wild Vine to set the stage for this Episode.Dennis Horton rang up Jon Held at Stone Hill Winery in the fall of 1988 and requested a shipment of vines, (Norton), laying the foundation for his new vineyard in Orange, Virginia. He buried the borrowed roots in the soil that spring, eight acres' worth of Norton--the first planting of the grape in Virginia since Repeal.
2024-05-1235 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #8 RAPPAHANNOCK CELLARS/JOHN DELMARE, TOM KELLY, STEVE MONSONRappahannock Cellars was established when John Delmare and his wife Marialisa made the decision to sell their vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountain area of California and move their family to Virginia back in 1998. They soon purchased the historic Glenway farm in Rappahannock County which would become their new home and vineyard. It is truly a family affair as three of their twelve siblings have returned to the farm after college graduation and work actively in important segments of the family business at Rapahannock Cellars. The 85-acre farm is now planted to 30 acres, and they gr...
2024-04-1736 min
Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #7 ARTERRA WINERY/JASON MURRAYArterra Winery owned by Founder & winegrower Jason Murray believes in producing wine that is reflective of the grape from which it is grown. Thus, he uses only native yeasts, neutral barrels, and screw caps for bottle enclosure. He feels that when you have a bottle of Arterra you will taste exactly what the grape gave him that vintage and nothing else. After 20 years of growing grapes in Fauquier County in Northern Virginia he is guided by the philosophy that if you plant the grape vine in the best site in the vineyard and give the grape the attention and...
2024-03-3144 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #6 DR. BRUCE ZOECKLEIN/EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF ENOLOGY VA TECHDr. Bruce Zoecklein is nothing short of an Icon here in Virginia. When he was recruited by VA Tech in 1985 to head up their Enology Program the Virginia Wine Industry was just beginning to take shape and form. Bruce brought a level of knowledge about winemaking that would prove invaluable to the growth of Modern-Day Virginia winegrowing. His credentials are incredible and include authoring over 100 hundred papers and publications about winemaking and wine growing. Topped off by his book on Winery Planning and Design.While Bruce is now Professor Emeritus at VA TECH, he is still very...
2024-03-1745 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 5 MICHAEL HENY, "ALL ABOUT VIRGINIA NORTON"Michael Heny spent close to 20 years in winemaking at Horton Cellars before taking the position as winemaker at Michael Shaps Wineworks in 2019. As a result of his many years working with Dennis Horton, who was the person responsible for re-introducing Norton back to Virginia, he has a great deal of knowledge regarding the challenges that Norton can pose both in the vineyard and the cellar.Michael addresses those and brings a different perspective to the dialogue about Norton wines. He also spent the early part of his wine career working with Archie Smith at Meredyth Vineyards. Archie...
2024-03-0430 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 4 DuCard Vineyards/Scott Elliff & Julien Durantie "All About Virginia Norton"In this Episode I interview my friend Scott Elliff the Founder & Owner of DuCard Vineyard along with his winemaker Julien Durantie. It is an in-depth look at how one small Virginia Estate tackles the challenges of growing and producing world-quality wine from the Norton grape. For my part I say, "and they do produce world-quality wine". DuCard happens to be the first winery I ever tasted a bottle of Norton from in my now 45 years of wine industry experience. It opened my eyes to a world of wine I had never encountered which would start me on m...
2024-02-0630 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 3 FIFTY-THIRD WINERY & VINEYARD ALL ABOUT VIRGINIA NORTONEpisode # 3 found me in my studio interviewing the owner of Fifty-Third Winery & Vineyard Dave Drillock and his winemaker Chelsey Blevins who is quickly being recognized as a young rising star in the Virginia wine industry. Fifty-Third Winery & Vineyard produces an outstanding Norton along with a wide range of wines from both vinifera and hybrid grapes. They are my favorite what I call off the radar winery here in the Old Dominion. But that is changing rapidly as a result of the steady leadership Dave Drillock provides and the high-quality wines that Chelsey crafts.Fifty-Third is on...
2024-01-3036 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #2 ALL ABOUT NORTON/JENNIFER McCLOUD FOUNDER CHRYSALIS VINEYARDSEpisode # 2 features Jennifer McCloud the Founder & Owner of Chrysalis Vineyards at the Ag District in Middleburg, Virginia. Along with producing some of the finest Viognier and Albarino in the country she is the proud owner of the largest single vineyard planting of Norton in the world. It makes up over 40 acres of the 70 acres of vineyard land she farms. Chrysalis was founded in 1998. and in addition to producing estate wines, she also has 10 Dairy Cows at the property from which they produce top-quality cheeses to compliment her wines and the food that is available for sale and e...
2024-01-1532 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #1 INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF NORTONThis Episode kicks off my new series of Podcasts focusing on wines produced from the Norton grape here in Virginia. In Episode #1 I recorded a conversation between the judges at the Homestead Norton Cup Challenge the weekend of November 3rd & 4th, 2023. It was during the lunch break before the judges finished judging the Final Four Norton wines that had made it into the final round that morning. It is an interesting insight into their thoughts.I especially enjoyed the conversation at the end between Dr. Bruce Zoecklein Professor Emeritus of Enology at Virginia Tech and Todd Kliman...
2023-12-3131 minSagebrushersS2 Ep. 16: Senior Editor for News & Features John TrentUniversity of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval visits with Senior Editor for News & Features John Trent. Trent is a two-time graduate of the
Donald W. Reynolds School of Journalism, earning his bachelor's degree in 1987 and his master's degree in 2000. He has a long history of telling the University’s stories and of writing award-winning articles and high-profile speeches in Northern Nevada. Trent is currently under contract with the University of Nevada Press for a 150-year history book of the University, which is scheduled for release sometime in 2024.
During the episode, Sandoval and Trent discuss Trent’s pers...
2023-11-2925 min
On Democracy with FPWellmanShan Wu Breaks Down The MAGA Legal ChaosAmerica is embroiled in total legal chaos from Trump's multiple trials, the impeachment sham in the House, the Supreme Court's ethics being investigated, and more. Fred and CNN Legal Analyst and defense lawyer Shanlon Wu break down the multiple moving parts and Project 2025 too. Shan Wu is a regular CNN and NPR legal analyst and former federal prosecutor who served in the Clinton Administration as Counsel to Attorney General Janet Reno and is now a nationally known criminal defense & college student defense lawyer. He appears regularly on multiple media outlets and writes for the Daily Beast among many other...
2023-11-1041 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 6 JAY YOUMANS MASTER OF WINEThanks for being a listener to the Fine Wine Confidential Podcast. For more information go to www.finewineconfidential.com
2023-07-0637 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #1 INTRODUCTION TO THE FINE WINE CONFIDENTIAL PODCASTThanks for being a listener to the Fine Wine Confidential Podcast. For more information go to www.finewineconfidential.com
2023-07-0518 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 44 DENNIS HORTON MONTAGE EPILOGUEThis Epilogue to my Montage about Dennis Horton and his contribution to the Virginia wine industry you get the opportunity to hear directly from 3 generations of women in the Horton family. It was my intent to give them the last word on Dennis Horton. The interview was at Horton Cellars where I sat with Sharon Horton, his wife and partner, Shannon Horton their daughter and Caitlin Horton Shannon's daughter and the current winemaker at Horton Cellars. If was a fascinating experience to capture in their words what he meant to each of them. I know yo...
2023-04-2731 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 44 PART 2/DENNIS HORTON MONTAGEPart 2 of Episode #44 Montage about Dennis Horton features my interviews with Jenni McCloud, Owner and Founder of Chrysalis Vineyards who was inspired by Dennis Horton and planted the largest vineyard of Norton currently in the World. Followed by one of the most respected individual in the Virginia Wine Industry, Luca Paschina General Manager & Winemaker at Barboursville Vineyards. And last, but certainly not least Lucie Morton one of the foremost Ampelographers and Viticulturist in the world shares her thoughts about Dennis Horton. This is an action-packed Episode with plenty of stories and insights into what Dennis Horton meant to...
2023-03-2952 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #44 DENNIS HORTON MONTAGE Part 1Because I never had the opportunity to meet of know Dennis Horton before he passed away, I wanted to include his story and contribution to the Virginia Wine Industry in some fashion. I was given an idea by Bruce Zoecklein Professor Emeritus of Enology at VA Tech. He suggested that I interview a handful of folks in the Virginia wine community and have them share with me their thoughts on Dennis and 1 or 2 of their favorite stories. I thought it was a terrific idea. So, for Episode # 44 I have undertaken that challenge. In Part 1 of a 2-part Episode I inte...
2023-02-0736 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 43 JASON MURRAY/ARTERRA WINERYArterra Winery was founded by Jason Murray in 2013. Jason is a veteran of winegrowing in Northern Virginia for over 20 years. Arterra, which means "Art of the Land" represents Jason's quest to grow wine in a fashion unseen by most of us in the wine business. His Marketing moniker is " Clean Wine." When I first heard that I didn't really understand if it was yet another take on "Natural Wine". I learned in my interview that it is much more than that.Essentially, as Jason describes it simply, he tends his vineyard with the least amount of intervention po...
2022-12-1551 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 42 COMMON WEALTH CRUSH COMPANY/BEN JORDAN, TIM JORDAN, PATT EAGANCommon Wealth Crush Company is a new exciting development in the Virginia Wine Industry. Ben Jordan along with his brother Tim and Jordan and Patt Eagan have opened what I term a winemaker Studio in the historic district of downtown Waynesboro, Virginia. Conceptually, it will allow small wine brands to have access to a winemaking facility without having to shell out the up-front costs of building their own winery. Common Wealth Crush hopes to be an incubator for future Virginia wine brands and as they grow they will move on being replaced by other new start up wine brands.
2022-11-2545 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 41 CHRIS PEARMUND/PEARMUND CELLARSChris Pearmund has been in the Virginia wine industry for over 30 years. He started his career in 1990 when he managed to snag an entry level position at Naked Mountain. He would then purchase Meriweather vineyard in 1996 which has the oldest Chardonnay vines in Virginia today, planted in 1976. The numerous ventures and positions Chris has held in the Virginia Wine Industry is very impressive. He started Pearmund Cellars in 2002 and today manages that operation along with several others: Vint Hill Winery and Effingham Winery. The later was established as recently as 2015.As you can imagine Chris is q...
2022-10-3044 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 40 LEE HARTMAN BLUESTONE VINEYARD WINEMAKERBluestone Vineyard started out as a small family vineyard when Curt and Jackie Hartman were, encouraged by their friends Phil and Lois Kreider, to help them expand their own availability of grapes for the purpose to produce wine for their own personal use in 2003. In 2007 the decision was made to turn it into a commercial venture and in 2008 they began to plant more vines at their already existing property on the hill alongside of their house. In 2009 they had their first production of just 500 cases.In 2010 a winery was built when Lee Hartman, their son joined them an...
2022-09-0842 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #39 CHELSEY BLEVINS/WINEMAKER FIFTY-THIRD WINERYChelsey Blevins would tell you that winemaking found her. It was in 2010 that she visited Horton Vineyards and was given a full tour of the cellars. It was after the tour that Mike Heny, who was the winemaker at that time asked her if she wanted to work the harvest. She said, why not. Thus, her entry into the wine business. Next, she got a position at Barboursville Vineyards working in their library tasting cellar. She caught the wine bug and decided to enroll in the wine program at Piedmont Virginia Community College. It was there that she met...
2022-07-0136 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 38 DAMIEN BLANCHON:AFTON MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS WINEMAKER & VINEYARD MANAGERDamien Blanchon was born and raised in the South of France where his family had roots in the Beaujolais Village region of Burgundy. He grew up with wine in his family and when he was 8 years-old he already knew this what he wanted to do--drive a tractor in the vines and be a winegrower. He would go to school to learn the craft of winemaking and recalls a teacher tell him when he was finishing to gain his degree in Viticulture & Enology that he English would be the most important language he could learn and so he pursued an in...
2022-06-1245 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 37 AFTON MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS/ELIZABETH &TONY SMITH OWNERSAFton Mountain Vineyards was one of the first of the early farm wineries in Virginia when it was planted in 1978 by David Medford a Chemist from Richmond, Virginia. However, he named it Bacchanal Vineyards after the Greek god Bacchus. It would be purchase later by Tom & Shinko Corpora and renamed Afton Mountain Vineyards in 1987.In 2009 Elizabeth & Tony Smith would purchase it. Elizabeth and Tony were both from Charlottesville, had been married at the Chapel on the campus of UVA and wanted to return to the area after spending several years raising a family in coastal Virginia.
2022-05-0943 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 36 WILLIAMSBURG WINERY/PATRICK DUFFELER;FOUNDER & MATTHEW MEYER;WINEMAKERPatrick Duffeler purchased his tract of land called Wessex Hundred just outside of Williamsburg, Virginia in 1983 and would start to plant his vineyard in 1985. Patrick was born in Belgium and after gaining his degree in Economics & Finance from the University of Rochester, New York he started his professional career with Eastman Kodak. He would go on to work in the International Division of Philip Morris in Switzerland as the Director of Marketing and ultimately become President of Fragrances Selective. It was in 1983 that his wife Peggy had convinced them that he needed to slow down and after an exhaustive s...
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Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 35 BILL CURTIS/OWNER & CHEF:TASTINGS RESTAURANT, WINE BAR, & WINE SHOP CHARLOTTESVILLEWhen Bill Curtis opened TASTINGS Restaurant, Wine Bar, & Wine Shop in 1990 it was the first of its kind on the East Coast to combine all these elements under one roof. Bill has been involved in the Virginia wine and food scene for close to 40 years and has a tremendous Passion still, for the wine world. He is exceptional in his breadth of knowledge and is especially sharp when it comes to wines from Burgundy, France.Bill is an example of a "fine wine merchant" in the true sense of that descriptor. He will learn your palate, what you...
2022-04-0540 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 34 JENNI McCLOUD/CHRYSALIS VINEYARDS AT THE AG DISTRICTJennifer McCloud's journey and pursuit to reclaim Norton as Virginia's native grape began in the mid-1990's when she found herself in Charlottesville, Virginia at the Eastern conference of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture, (A.S.E.V.) where Dennis Horton and his winemaking consultant at the time Alan Kinne were speaking about Viognier and Norton, two grape varietals that Dennis had been producing wine from. She was intrigued and when she had her first taste of Norton it just spoke to her. She would later engage Alan Kinne to consult for her when she wanted to...
2022-03-0737 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 33 TIM & PETER RAUSSE/GABRIELE RAUSSE WINERYTim & Peter Rausse were involved in the planting and development of the Gabriele Rausse winery beginning early in their youth. Although Tim went off to school shortly thereafter, he would return and immerse himself in the operation and winemaking and hasn't looked back. Peter calls himself the unofficial GM these days and recounts in this Episode how his role is to make sure everything at the winery works. While Tim continues to stay focused on the vineyard and winemaking side of the winery. Tim's wife is also a winemaker at a Northern Virginia winery and comes from a wine...
2022-02-1538 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 32 MIKE HENY/WINEMAKER: MICHAEL SHAPS WINEWORKSMichael Heny graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Comparative Literature from University of Virginia in 1990. Hardly, the typical training or studies that would lead to a successful career. He was in need of a job just out of college when he answered and ad for a position as a cellar worker at Montdomaine Cellars where Shep Rouse was the winemaker. He remembers Shep tasting wine one afternoon outside the cellar when Shep asked him to join him. It was the first time he even was exposed to the Tasting of wine. He became enthralled with the pr...
2022-01-2537 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 31 JUSTIN ROSE/WINEMAKER ROSEMONT VINEYARDSRosemont Vineyards was established in 2003 by Stephan and Chandra Rose on a farm that had been in the Rose family since 1858. When Stephan retired as a successful Dow Chemical executive, he was interested in returning to the family farm and get back to land, so to speak. With the help of a family friend, he was introduced to Lucie Morton the world-famous Ampelographer and Virginia based viticultural consultant and expert. After many meetings with Lucie, she determined that it was a good location and the vineyard was planted.Rosemont has a great mix of both French American hy...
2022-01-0535 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 30 JON WEHNER/CHATHAM VINEYARDS AT CHURCH CREEKIn 1999 Jon Wehner and his family established Chatham Vineyards at Church Creek located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Jon is a second-generation winegrower following in the footsteps of his mother and father who had a small home vineyard for over 30 years in Great Falls, Virginia. The quality of the grapes from that vineyard produced a Vidal Blanc that was the house wine at one of Washinton, C. D. areas finest restaurants for many years, L'Auberge Chez Francois in Great Falls, VA. He grew up learning the art of winegrowing from none other than world renown Ampelographer, Lucie Morton...
2021-12-0838 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 29 Sharon Horton & Shannon Horton/Horton VineyardsDennis and Sharon Horton planted a small hobby vineyard at their home in Orange, Virginia in 1983. That hobby turned into the full-time pursuit in winegrowing and in 1989 they planted their first commercial vineyard. In 1993 their Viognier stunned the experts and was proclaimed the best Viognier in the country. That quick fame and Dennis ambition to pioneer the growing of many different varietals made an indelible mark on Virginia winegrowing for years to come. Dennis was once quoted as saying he had probably ripped out more vines and varietals that most vintners had even planted. There is no question that the H...
2021-11-2232 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 28 CORRY CRAIGHILL/SEPTENARY WINERY & ASHLEIGH WHITE/GLEN MANOR VINEYARDSBoth Corry Craighill & Ashleigh White have had an interesting start to their careers in the wine industry. Corry has made wine all over the world and Ashleigh has worked on the West Coast and the East Coast of this country.While Ashleigh had the good fortune to have her uncle, Jeff White turn the family farm into a vineyard, thus providing her with an opportunity to take a shot at winegrowing-- Corry started by working in the tasting room at Jefferson Vineyards for her first taste of what the wine industry is about. In my opinion they bot...
2021-11-0642 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 27 ENOLOGY PROFESSOR EMERITUS BRUCE ZOECKLEIN/VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITYBruce Zoecklein began his career in Enology on the staff at Fresno State University in California. He was recruited in 1985 by the University of Virginia to head up a new initiative to support the Virginia wine industry. His West Coast friends thought he was "crazy" as they couldn't fathom that quality wine was being produced in Virginia. Bruce took the position and relocated to Virginia. His contribution to winemaking in the Old Dominion has been significant and he is well respected by the Industry at large, not just in Virginia, but throughout the country. He continues to consu...
2021-10-2142 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #26 KIRK WILES/CO-FOUNDER & CEO PARADISE SPRINGS WINERYParadise Springs Winery was founded in 2007. However, the Fairfax County Board challenged the Wiles family's right to open a winery and start a vineyard. There was over two years of litigation which Kirk and his mother eventually prevailed and won. During that two year period Kirk was so confident that with the help of consultant and Virginia vintner Chris Pearmund they began to produce small amounts of wine in 2007. Once Paradise Springs became active and started selling wine their brand took off. It was in 2014 during a trip Kirk made to Southern California visiting some friends that they t...
2021-10-0141 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 25 JOY TING/WINEMAKERS RESEARCH EXCHANGE COORDINATORJoy Ting fell for the wine bug after a trip visiting here boyfriend, now her husband, while he was stationed in Northern California during his stint in the Air Force. They took a trip to Napa Valley and that experience intrigued the both of them. When they settled in Charlottesville, Virginia because he got a position at University of Virginia in the medical department she realized quickly that her degree in Marine Biology wasn't going to lead to a budding career there. After taking some teaching positions she start to take the accredited viticulture courses at Piedmont Valley Community Col...
2021-09-1346 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 24 JAKE BUSCHING/JAKE BUSCHING WINE & HARK VINEYARDSJake Busching got his start in Virginia winegrowing after he moved to Richmond Virginia and was a struggling musician working in the restaurant business to make a living. Eventually he would move to Charlottesville and take a position at Jefferson Vineyards working for the Woodward family. When Chris Hill, the consulting viticulturist at Jefferson Vineyards realized that Jake knew his way around a farm and could repair equipment he made a point of getting him into the vineyard side of the business and his career grew from there. Michael Shaps we there at the time and he would along wit...
2021-08-3144 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 23 NATE WALSH: WALSH FAMILY WINE FOUNDER & WINEMAKERWalsh Family Wine was birthed when Nate and Sarah Walsh had the opportunity to lease Bethany Ridge Vineyard and produced their first wine, a Sauvignon Blanc in 2014. Several years later they entered an agreement with the owners of North Gate vineyard and winemaking facility where they had been sharing space since 2017. They would end up purchasing it. They now produce wine from several vineyards they farm which includes Bethany Ridge, which they would eventually expand from its original 4.5 acres to 25. Twin Notch Farm which they developed along with the purchase of North Gate Vineyards. They also buy Merlot from Rus...
2021-08-0740 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 22 GLEN MANOR VINEYARDS:JEFF WHITE/FOUNDER &WINEMAKERThe Glen Manor property has been in Jeff White's family since 1901. However, it was Jeff who saw the potential that the family property had as an ideal site for a vineyard. He planted his first vines at Glen Manor Vineyards in 1995. A mere 1.2 acres of Sauvignon Blanc. At the time Jeff was working for and learning about winegrowing from Jim Law at Linden Vineyards. He would sell his grapes to Jim for a number of years until he ultimately planted additional vines and started to produce his own wine with the 2007 vintage. His wines are among the best...
2021-08-0239 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 21 PROFESSOR TONY WOLFTony Wolf by all measures has contributed a significant amount of research and experience that has advanced winegrowing in Virginia during the past 35 years. He has been the Director of the Alson H. Smith, Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center for the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, (VA Tech) since 2004. He has published many articles that have been Peer Reviewed about Viticulture and is considered one of the leading authoritative voices in the field of Horticulture in the Eastern United States. His Father was a scientist and instilled a passion and love for Horticulture in him at a you...
2021-07-1942 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 20 KESWICK VINEYARDS: STEPHEN BARNARD WINEMAKER & VINEYARD MANAGERKeswick Vineyards was established by Al and Cindy Schornberg in 2000 on a property that has Virginian historical roots dating back to 1727. Stephen Barnard joined them in 2002 which was their first vintage and jumped right into making the wine. He left in 2004 and rejoined Keswick in 2006 and has been the winemaker and vineyard manager ever since. Stephen got his start in wine at Groot Constantia Winery the oldest winery in his native country South Africa. First as a tour guide, then as a cellar worker and finally as the assistant winemaker. He would eventually enroll in an intern program at Ohio...
2021-07-0243 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #19 KING FAMILY VINEYARDS:MATTHIEU FINOT/WINEMAKERMatthieu Finot was born into a winegrowing family in Crozes-Hermitage, France. In 1995 after graduating with his degree in enology from the university in Beaune he proceeded to work in multiple wine regions in France including, Rhone Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Provence, and Jura. He did stints in Italy and South Africa before arriving in Virginia in 2003.He then landed a position at Afton Mountain Winery and would become the full-time winemaker at King Family Vineyards in 2007 succeeding Michael Shaps when Michael started Virginia Wineworks.Matthieu is one of the founding members of the Winemakers' Research Exchange in Vi...
2021-06-1647 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE # 18 EARLY MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS:BEN JORDAN/WINEMAKERBen Jordan began his winemaker career in California and would move back to his native state of Virginia in 2012 where he took the position as winemaker at Michael Shaps Wineworks. He was then recruited by Early Mountain Vineyards and became their winemaker in 2015. He is recognized as one of the most respected upcoming winemakers in the Virginia Wine Industry today. Early Mountain Vineyards has grown in acclaim as their wine quality continuously improves under Ben's leadership. Ben and his family have a small family vineyard in the Shenandoah Valley called Mount Airy which he and his brother manage. They produ...
2021-06-0243 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #17 EARLY MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS, AILEEN SEVIER VP STRATEGY & MARKETINGEarly Mountain Vineyards was established in 2012 after Jean and Steve Case, the founders of AOL, purchased a vineyard in Madison County, at that time called Sweely vineyards, when it went on sale in 2011. Jean Case took the lead on the project with the goal to not just produce world class wine at Early Mountain but to promote Virginia winegrowing and its wines as a region that stands next to the best in the world. She started to feature wines from other top Virginia wine producers in their tasting room. In this way the consumer can sample a number of diff...
2021-05-2232 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #16 TRUE HERITAGE: GEORGE HODSON/CEO & EMILY PELTON/WINEMAKERTrue Heritage is the new wine project of the brother/sister team, George Hodson/ CEO & Emily Pelton/Winemaker at Veritas Vineyards. They created this new Brand with the expressed intent to showcase Virginia wine on a more National and Regional scale. There is no tasting room, hospitality center or any of the Agritourism trappings that a vast majority of Virginia winegrowers use to promote their wines. The vineyards which were planted are producing grapes for these new wines are centered currently in a small area within the Monticello AVA called Keswick. The farms have been in certain families for years...
2021-05-0933 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #15 BLENHEIM VINEYARDS/KIRSTY HARMON WINEMAKER & GENERAL MANAGERKirsty's story of how she fell into winemaking begins as almost a fairly tale. At the young age of 24 early in her career working as a microbiologist she decided to leave the lab and devote her time to a side project she had as a calligrapher and wedding planner. In the course of that business she planned the wedding for none other than Patricia Kluge owner of what would become known as Kluge Estate. It was there that she met Gabriele Rausse , Kluge's vineyard consultant. In 2000 Kluge asked Kirsty to build her a winery. In the process when Gabriele learn...
2021-05-0336 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #14 LUCIE MORTONLucie Morton is recognized today world wide as one of the foremost Viticulturist and Ampelographer in the Wine Industry. She started in winegrowing back in 1971 when her Dad asked her to take a gap year as she was finishing up grad school to be his farm manager and look into planting vines at Morland their family farm. She never looked back. She would later go to France to gain her formal education in winegrowing. Eventually, her career would take her to California where she consulted from many clients. While in France she was fortunate to make friends with Pierre Gale...
2021-04-141h 04Fine Wine Confidential PodcastEpisode # 13 Claude Thibaut/ Thibaut-JanissonClaude Thibaut was born in a Gran Cru village in the Champagne region. His grandfather once worked as a vineyard manager for Moet-Chandon and his father was among the first of the grower champagne producers as they have become to be known in the country today. Claude received his winemaking degree from the university in Reims which at that time was a recently established program. Prior to that the only Universities that offered a degree were in Bordeaux, Dijon, or at Montpellier. Claude would go on to make wine in Australia and then eventually land in California where he w...
2021-03-2843 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #12 DuCard Vineyards, Scott Elliff Founder & Owner.DuCard vineyards was established in 2001 after Scott and Karen Elliff purchased property on the eastern slope of the Shenandoah National Park west of the historic town of Madison, Virginia. The property, at an elevation of 1,000 feet was once the site of a thriving Apple Orchard at a time when Virginia was the leading state for apple growing. Scott and his wife bought the property as a getaway from Washington, DC and after consulting with the Virginia Agricultural Extension Service were advised not to replant the orchard but to put in a vineyard instead. Advice they heeded. So, in 2001 they jump...
2021-03-2344 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEPISODE #11 ANKIDA RIDGE, CHRISTINE, DENNIS, & NATHAN VROOMANAnkida Ridge was established by Christine & Dennis Vrooman with the planting of their first vines in 2008. Lucie Morton was their vineyard consultant and she brilliantly, in my opinion, advised them to plant Pinot Noir. She believed that the southeastern facing slope at 1800 feet nestled into the Blue Ridge Mountains along with the granite soils gave them the chance to be successful with the varietal. She was 100% correct. Ankida Ridge in a short period of time has been producing some high quality wines from Pinot Noir which is a rarity in Virginia at this time.HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPI...
2021-03-0841 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEpisode #10 Andrew Hodson/Founder & Owner of Veritas Vineyards and WineryVeritas Winery was established in 1999 by Andrew Hodson and his wife Patricia. They both had successful careers in the Medical field but asked themselves is this all there is? So, during a folk tour after meeting a couple who had moved to Virginia and described how they had never been happier and that Virginia had a budding winegrowing industry. Andrew and Patricia looked into Virginia and eventually bought a piece of property that was Saddleback Farm in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and planted their first vines in 1999 with the help and direction of Chris Hill one of...
2021-02-2641 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEpisode 9 RDV Vineyards/Rutger de VinkRutger de Vink the founder of RDV established is Vineyard in 204 after having working as an intern with Jim Law and Linden in the early 2000s. He credits Jim for a fortuitous trip he took at Jim's invitation with a group of winemakers to travel to Bordeaux in 2002. It was during that trip that he met a fellow Dutchman, Kees van Leeuwen, when they visited Cheval Blanc in St. Emilion. It was Kees, who was a vineyard consultant, that he listen to about what was necessary for a vineyard site to be great. Just prior to that trip Rutger had...
2021-02-1038 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEpisode #8 Shep Rouse /Rockbridge WineryShepherd (Shep) Rouse is Virginia through and through. His ancestors roots trace back to the 17th century in Virginia. Shep was a Fulbright Scholar and after spending time in Germany he fell in love with their wines and Riesling specifically. When he returned to the U.S. he decided to take up the art of winemaking and headed to the West Coast where he would as a get his degree in Enology at U.C. Davis. He worked for several of the early pioneers in Northern California and would eventually make it back to his native state, Virginia, where he t...
2021-02-0242 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEpisode 7 featuring Jim Law owner and winemaker at Linden VineyardsJim Law began his quest to produce wine in Virginia when he and his family bought a long-abandoned apple orchard in the Northern part of Virginia in 1983 after several years of searching for a parcel of land that had high elevation and had eastern facing slopes. His first vineyard experience was with a small Ohio vineyard and in 1981 he had two distinctly different opportunities to help start a winery. One in Southern Oregon and one that would take him to Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. He opted for the Virginia startup because as a young guy he could be inv...
2021-01-1943 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEpisode 6 Jay Youmans, Master of WineIn September of 2020 I had the opportunity to interview Jay Youmans MW. Jay owns the Capital Wine School in Washington, DC. and is responsible for overseeing and conducting the Virginia Governor's Cup wine Competition. He shares how he originally got involved in the competition and describes the inter-workings and criteria that is required to participate. Jay got started in the wine business while he was going to school at Wake Forest in North Carolina when he went to work at a friends restaurant called the Salem Cotton Company in the early 1980's. After working for a small distribution house he w...
2021-01-1037 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEpisode 5 Chris Hill Virginia ViticulturistChris Hill is one of the most accomplished and noted Viticulturalist in Virginia. Many of the clients he has worked with in advising and planting vineyards are amongst the who's, who of the successful modern day Virginia winegrowers. That list includes Michael Shaps, Pollack, Barren Ridge, Veritas, King Family Vineyards, Keswick, Lovingston, and Pippin Hill Farms and Vineyards. Chris has always viewed his role as part of the winery team and stays focused on the vineyard side of the business. He was the past President of the Virginia Vineyard Association and received their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.In...
2020-12-3040 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEpisode 4 with Michael Shaps Founder and Owner of Michael Shaps WineworksMichael Shaps started making wine in Virginia when he succeeded Gabriele Rausse at Jefferson Vineyards in 1995. Michael became enamored early on with the wines of Burgundy, so it seemed the logical step for him to go to France and learn how to make wine. With no prior connections he left his job in Boston where he was the manager and wine buyer for a high-end restaurant and went to France in the early 1990's. After doing his research he learned about the Lycee Viticole de Beaune, the school of Enology and Viticulture in the heart of Beaune, France and ma...
2020-12-1633 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastEpisode 3 Luca Paschina General Manager and Winemaker Barboursville VineyardsThis Episode with Luca Paschina from Barboursville Vineyards starts with him describing his youth in Italy where he began making wine at the young age of 14 years old with his Father. Later, he would go on to work for another wine company. He was there for 8 years and gained experience in all aspects of the wine business from grape growing, winemaking, to working in Sales. During that time he worked in numerous winegrowing regions which included the Napa Valley, Finger Lakes district in Upstate New York as well as in Southern and Northern Italy. In 1990 he felt it was time...
2020-12-0641 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastGarbriele Rausse Episode 2 part 2In this second and final segment of my interview with Gabriele we dig deeper into the reasons why he left Jefferson Vineyard in 1995 and took the position of Director of the Grounds and Gardens at Monticello. Gabriele shares a number of insights about Thomas Jefferson throughout this segment. He also share several interesting and somewhat humorous stories about Kluge and the original land grant the Carter family were given by George the III. Highlights from the segment include:a). his opinion on why he felt Jefferson failed to make wine successfully from vinifera at...
2020-11-2926 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastGabriele Rausse Episode 2/part 1 Fine Wine Confidential PodcastThis is Part 1 of Episode 2 where I have the pleasure to interview Gabriele Rausse, who the NY Times called the Father of modern-day Virginia winegrowing. ( Part 2 of this Episode will be published as a continuation of this Episode at a later date). Gabriele came to Virginia in April of 1976 when Gianni Zonin offered him the position of planting the vineyard at Barboursville. At the time he was back in Italy waiting on his Visa to return to Australia where he had been offered a position at the University of Melbourne as head of the Plant Pathology studies. Once in Virg...
2020-11-2423 minFine Wine Confidential PodcastFine Wine Confidential Introduction EpisodeIn this first episode I introduce myself, (Fred Reno) and what motivated me to create this Podcast. I have included brief audio excerpts from interviews in my next in my next 3 episodes. First, with Gabriele Rausse, who the NY Times called the Father of the modern-day Virginia wine industry followed by Luca Paschina who succeeded Gabriele at Barboursville Vineyards in 1990. The last excerpt is with Michael Shaps in which he recounts how he moved to France and knocked on the door at the Lycee Viticole de Beaune in Burgundy and gained admission into their school of Viticulture and Enology. ...
2020-11-0318 min