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podcast· 51:50Clark Smith WineSmith Unusual Varietals
Dan Berger and Clark Smith. Clark Smith is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger, to discuss WineSmith unusual varietals and more. Clark Smith is an influential wine consultant, university instructor, scientist and musician. That is his website, Who Is Clark Smith? which is about wine and more. He is also one of the most frequently appearing guests in the history of California Wine Country. His most recent CWC show is this one last May. Clark Smith applies the full spectrum of creative powers to making wine. He is known for making wine from unusual varietals, many that nobody has heard of. Dan Berger has known Clark Smith for decades and their conversation is one of hundreds they have had about wine over the years. This is the full unedited live show, nearly an hour of Dan and Clark’s combined experience. Visit Chigazola Merchants online to shop their unique selection of fine Italian wines. Clark Smith has brought a Chardonnay that he made, in a Faux Chablis s
- podcast· 28:44
Williams Selyem Winemaker Jeff Mangahas
Jeff Mangahas Winemaker Jeff Mangahas from Williams Selyem Winery is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon today. Jeff has been on this show a few times before, the most recent was this episode from last March . Williams Selyem produces a limited quantity of wine in the Russian River Valley, primarily Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Most of their wines come from a single vineyard and so they express varietal and terroir characteristics. While Williams Selyem wines are very famous among well-informed wine enthusiasts, it does not have enough production for its fame to be as widespread as others who make more product and can get it out into more places. Dan Berger calls Williams Selyem, “…one of Sonoma County’s greatest wines.” Visit Chigazola Merchants online to shop their unique selection of fine Italian wines. The founders Ed Selyem and Burt Williams were early garagistes making wine in the late ‘70s. They came out with the 1985 Rocchioli Vineyard bottling that won the Californi
- podcast· 29:44
Williams Selyem Winemaker Jeff Mangahas
Jeff Mangahas Winemaker Jeff Mangahas from Williams Selyem Winery is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon today. Jeff has been on this show a few times before, the most recent was this episode from last March . Williams Selyem produces a limited quantity of wine in the Russian River Valley, primarily Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Most of their wines come from a single vineyard and so they express varietal and terroir characteristics. While Williams Selyem wines are very famous among well-informed wine enthusiasts, it does not have enough production for its fame to be as widespread as others who make more product and can get it out into more places. Dan Berger calls Williams Selyem, “…one of Sonoma County’s greatest wines.” Visit Chigazola Merchants online to shop their unique selection of fine Italian wines. The founders Ed Selyem and Burt Williams were early garagistes making wine in the late ‘70s. They came out with the 1985 Rocchioli Vineyard bottling that won the Californi
- podcast· 12:07
Christian Adams from the German Wine Collection
Christian Adams from The German Wine Collection is our guest on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Christian has brought three different German wines, each from a different producer. The 2021 Pinot Blanc is the first wine tasted. Its name Weissburgunder is German for Pinot Blanc, literally it means ‘White Burgundian.’ You don’t see much Pinot Blanc here in California but there is some in Menocino County and even in Idaho which Dan says is excellent. Also, Germany is producing “an unbelievable array” of delicious wines from new and different varieties. Christian likes the German Pinot Blancs that have “the tri-fecta” of good acidity, fruit and minerality all together. Visit Chigazola Merchants online to shop their unique selection of fine Italian wines. The next wine tasting is the estate Chardonnay from Friedrich Becker. It was fermented in German oak barrels, and spends about 5 months in the fine lees. It has undergone malolactic fermentation but not so much to o
- podcast· 13:07
Christian Adams from the German Wine Collection
Christian Adams from The German Wine Collection is our guest on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Christian has brought three different German wines, each from a different producer. The 2021 Pinot Blanc is the first wine tasted. Its name Weissburgunder is German for Pinot Blanc, literally it means ‘White Burgundian.’ You don’t see much Pinot Blanc here in California but there is some in Menocino County and even in Idaho which Dan says is excellent. Also, Germany is producing “an unbelievable array” of delicious wines from new and different varieties. Christian likes the German Pinot Blancs that have “the tri-fecta” of good acidity, fruit and minerality all together. Visit Chigazola Merchants online to shop their unique selection of fine Italian wines. The next wine tasting is the estate Chardonnay from Friedrich Becker. It was fermented in German oak barrels, and spends about 5 months in the fine lees. It has undergone malolactic fermentation but not so much to o
- podcast· 33:47
Nalle Winery with Doug Nalle
Doug Nalle, co-founder of Nalle Winery , is our guest today on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. The last time Doug was on the show was this episode of April 19, 2023 . Doug Nalle and Dan Berger have been friends for fifty years. They have three Chardonnays to taste. First, a 2021 Chardonnay from Hopkins Ranch. Doug and his wife Lee founded the winery in 1984 and they just finished their 41st harvest. They produce about 2000 cases per year. Mostly they make Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel. Their Chardonnay is about 200 cases. Doug’s son Andrew is the winemaker now. He got a degree in enology from Fresno State. His wife April is a viticulturalist who went to Australia for training and works with the winery. They have roughly 24 acres of grapes and they use some and sell some. His wife’s family bought property in Dry Creek Valley 95 years ago and it is still in the family. Visit Chigazola Merchants online to shop their unique selection of fine Italian wines. Doug has br
- podcast· 34:47
Nalle Winery with Doug Nalle
Doug Nalle, co-founder of Nalle Winery , is our guest today on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. The last time Doug was on the show was this episode of April 19, 2023 . Doug Nalle and Dan Berger have been friends for fifty years. They have three Chardonnays to taste. First, a 2021 Chardonnay from Hopkins Ranch. Doug and his wife Lee founded the winery in 1984 and they just finished their 41st harvest. They produce about 2000 cases per year. Mostly they make Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel. Their Chardonnay is about 200 cases. Doug’s son Andrew is the winemaker now. He got a degree in enology from Fresno State. His wife April is a viticulturalist who went to Australia for training and works with the winery. They have roughly 24 acres of grapes and they use some and sell some. His wife’s family bought property in Dry Creek Valley 95 years ago and it is still in the family. Visit Chigazola Merchants online to shop their unique selection of fine Italian wines. Doug has br
- podcast· 27:24
Melissa Galliani and Dan Berger
Meissa and Dan. California Wine Country today features Melissa Galliani, GM of Wine Country Radio , with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Melissa is a frequent guest on the show, and was with us most recently on this episode with winemaker Dennis McCarter . Dan Berger’s first wine today is a 2023 that comes from Bibiana Ravé called Shared Notes . It is 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon, aged on the lees for a long time. That is what gives it a silky texture. It sells for $80 and it is hard to find because they don’t make very much of it. Next is a Vermentino. Where the last wine is subtle, this one is “in your face.” Dan Berger made this Vermentino himself. This is the 2023 bottling. The grower in Carneros is Las Brisas Vineyard. It is on a rise that overlooks the bay. There aromas of peaches and a little bit of pineapple. It is 100% natural and sells for $28 on Dan’s Bahl Fratty website. “…almost effervescent on the tongue,” as Melissa observes. This is Dan’s second year of making wine
- podcast· 28:24
Melissa Galliani and Dan Berger
Meissa and Dan. California Wine Country today features Melissa Galliani, GM of Wine Country Radio , with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Melissa is a frequent guest on the show, and was with us most recently on this episode with winemaker Dennis McCarter . Dan Berger’s first wine today is a 2023 that comes from Bibiana Ravé called Shared Notes . It is 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon, aged on the lees for a long time. That is what gives it a silky texture. It sells for $80 and it is hard to find because they don’t make very much of it. Next is a Vermentino. Where the last wine is subtle, this one is “in your face.” Dan Berger made this Vermentino himself. This is the 2023 bottling. The grower in Carneros is Las Brisas Vineyard. It is on a rise that overlooks the bay. There aromas of peaches and a little bit of pineapple. It is 100% natural and sells for $28 on Dan’s Bahl Fratty website. “…almost effervescent on the tongue,” as Melissa observes. This is Dan’s second year of making wine
- podcast· 39:01
Greg La Follette, Marchelle Wines
Greg La Follette, Marchelle Wines founder and winemaker, is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Greg is coming from the winery, where they are busy with harvest time. He is going right back too, after the show. He was a chemist and did some work in early Aids research and then went back to school in food science and enology. Greg had the good fortune to work at Beaulieu Vineyards under André Tchelistcheff. They had similar technical backgrounds. André challenged Greg, telling him that he would learn the heart and soul of wine if he came to work for him, rather than stay in the lab. Greg turned out to become one of André’s greatest disciples. Visit Chigazola Merchants online to shop their unique selection of fine Italian wines. They are drinking a Colombard, which was once the most widely planted white wine grape up until the early ‘7. Now, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are the most planted. Colombard and Cinsault This 2022 Colombard is from two vineyards i
- podcast· 40:01
Greg La Follette, Marchelle Wines
Greg La Follette, Marchelle Wines founder and winemaker, is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Greg is coming from the winery, where they are busy with harvest time. He is going right back too, after the show. He was a chemist and did some work in early Aids research and then went back to school in food science and enology. Greg had the good fortune to work at Beaulieu Vineyards under André Tchelistcheff. They had similar technical backgrounds. André challenged Greg, telling him that he would learn the heart and soul of wine if he came to work for him, rather than stay in the lab. Greg turned out to become one of André’s greatest disciples. Visit Chigazola Merchants online to shop their unique selection of fine Italian wines. They are drinking a Colombard, which was once the most widely planted white wine grape up until the early ‘7. Now, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are the most planted. Colombard and Cinsault This 2022 Colombard is from two vineyards i
- podcast· 46:42
Taft Street Winery co-founder Mike Martini
Taft Street Winery co-founder Mike Martini is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Mike was last on CWC on this episode of on September 15, 2023 . In 1979 there was hardly any Pinot Noir planted in the Russian River Valley. When Mike decided to open this property, it was risky because the region had not yet developed its reputation. Other better financed growers made a bigger impression. Mike describes their secret to success as a balance between ignorance and passion. They started making wine in the garage in 1978. His late partner Mike was the only man he knew who could fall asleep in his chair holding a wine glass and never spill a drop. An “Interesting” Harvest Mike says this has been an “interesting” year. In the 1980s the wine tourists would visit a winery and buy a case. Now the consumer has changed and a new generation wants a story, an experience and a photo op. Then, maybe, they buy a bottle, not a case. That is why this show is so important becaus
- podcast· 24:54
Harvest Fair Winners with Dan Berger
Dan Berger is in the studio today with Sonoma County Harvest Fair Winners on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon. Dan Berger had decades of experience as a wine judge and he was a judge in this year’s Sonoma County Harvest Fair competition . He describes the new organization this year, where the judges only had 25 or 30 of one type of wine, instead of 55 or 60 of the same type. Dan likes this because the judges can get tired on too much of the same varietal. So, with a limited exposure to a single type of wine, the palette has a chance to regenerate. Also, the judging of each type is more spread out across all the judges. What is the difference between a Gold Medal and a Sweepstakes? asks Steve. The Sweepstakes is a second round, more like a final round taste-off, where different varietals are against each other. This can be more difficult to understand. Dan says take it with a grain of salt. Gold Medal is good enough as a winning designation. Visit Chigazola Merchants online to s
- podcast· 45:11
Barry Herbst on Harvest Fair
Barry Herbst is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger to talk about Harvest Fair Winners available at Bottle Barn. Barry is a frequent guest and his last time on the show was this episode last December to talk about sparkling wines . He has brought some winning wines from this year’s Harvest Fair. This year there were two little late heat waves and harvest was hectic. There were whites and reds coming into the wineries all at once. The Sonoma County Harvest Fair wine winners have been published on the website. The Sweepstakes winners will be announced at the event, Saturday Oct. 12. Then there will be another episode of this show with more of those winning wines. Dan Berger, Wine Judge Dan Berger served as one of the judges. The competition is entirely for Sonoma County. The judges are all locals or people with a long history of association with Sonoma County wines. Also, they have more time to evaluate the wines. Deborah del Fiorentino does a great job runnin
- podcast· 36:30
Black Kite Cellars, Tom Birdsall
Dan and Tom. Tom Birdsall, owner of Black Kite Cellars , is our guest on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. This is Tom’s first time on the show however their winemaker Jeff Gaffner was on the show on this episode of March 11, 2020 . Black Kite Cellars began when Tom and his wife Rebecca went on a cycling tour through Burgundy. They were just consumers of wine at that time. Then in the late 1990s his wife’s father bought a vineyard in Anderson Valley and planted the 12 acres to Pinot. Not all the fruit was sold. He had some leftover grapes in 2003 and found a winery, Handley Cellars, to produce some wine from that harvest. Then Rebecca made the plan started Black Kite Cellars as a small family-owned winery. Tom mentions that they were lucky to find Jeff Gaffney to be the winemaker, right at the beginning. Now they are specialized in Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley. The coast has weather conditions perfect for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They begin by tasting a Cha
- podcast· 21:19
Longboard Vineyards
Oded Shakked, owner of Longboard Vineyards , is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. He has been on the show before. His last appearance was this episode on November 17, 2023 . He has a long history of making high quality wines from his small properties. He grew up surfing in Israel and then, looking for good waves, he went to surf the Atlantic beaches. In France, he discovered wine, then he heard about UC Davis, came to study in the program and, “never looked back.” He had a series of winemaking jobs and started his own vineyard On West Side Road he has about five acres where he grows about 40% of the grapes he uses at Longboard. His neighbors are the Rocchioli family, and their famous vineyard. He feels lucky that they sell some grapes to him. As neighbors, their kids played sports together. Visit Chigazola Merchants online to shop their unique selection of fine Italian wines. They begin tasting the Rocchioli Vineyard Chardonnay. He wants people to conside
- podcast· 19:08
Dan Berger Harvest Time Selections
Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Dan Berger is back on California Wine Country after some vacation travel and today he joins Steve Jaxon with some thoughts about harvest time and some wines to taste. Dan Berger and Steve Jaxon will talk about harvest time today and taste some wines that Dan has brought. We were going to have Deborah Del Fiorentino on to talk about her organization of wine competitions including the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. But we will have to reschedule her. In the meantime, Dan Berger has brought some wines from his extensive personal cellar. This year Spring was cool and the vines matured more slowly than usual. It took a long time for the vines to come out of hibernations. Then, after bud break, we had come brutally warm weather, then cool again. There wasn’t enough rain to do any damage. Then late summer, we had 100 degree days but much colder at night, which favors retention of acid. Growers and winemakers are facing a choice. Either pick early, save acidity and hop
- podcast· 37:28
Dennis McCarter
Dennis McCarter, owner and winemaker of McCarter Cellars , is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. This is his second time as a guest on CWC, the last time was this episode back in January of this year. Dan Berger is away again this week and Melissa Galliani joins us in the studio. Dennis tells about having taken a course at SRJC about pairing wine and food, which left him with the desire to start making wine. He started by making five gallons of Barbera in his garage. As he continued to make wine, he started winning awards, so he decided to go pro. That coincided with his transition out of the insurance business. The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc came from Rogers vineyard in Dry Creek Valley. The location is on the cooler side of the area. Dennis eventually finished enology studies at SRJC. His wines started winning awards right away. They continue to win recently. The inaugural Pinot Noir earned 98 points and took best of class at the North Coast Wine Challenge, sp
- podcast· 37:11
Winesong! 2024
Dan, Janice and Jamie. Janis McDonald and Jamie Peters are here to talk about Winesong! 2024 on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Winesong! takes place Sept. 6-7, 2024 at the Little River Inn . It is the annual fund raiser for the Mendocino Coast Healthcare Foundation . First, Dan Berger has brought a cellar wine, as he usually does. This is a 2007 St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc. He normally doesn’t age this wine so long, but at 17 years it is “yummy” with a little green apple flavor. Usually a SV will age 6 or 7 years.The event this year is at the Little River Inn. It is two days of wine tasting, auctions and music, over the weekend of September 6 and 7. Winesong! Began in 1985 as a small wine tasting in a parking lot and grew year after year. It has always been a benefit for health care on the north coast. Winesong! is a Spectacular Scene Dan Berger has been going to this event for a long time. The wineries that participate are specialized in making very high quali
- podcast· 37:35
The Return of Winemaker Carol Shelton
Winemaker Carol Shelton is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. CWC co-host Dan Berger is away this week. Carol is one of our most distinguished winemakers and a regular on this show. Her last time here was last January, in this episode with Dan Berger and with Harry Duke sitting in for Steve Jaxon. Carol Shelton graduated from UC Davis in 1978. This year will be her 48th harvest, and her 25th harvest for her own brand. There were a few years where she worked on two harvests in a year, in the northern and southern hemisphere. Carol Shelton worked for Mondavi, in Australia, in the Central Valley, for Rodney Strong for 20 years, for the Windsor Wines label. Zinfandel is her favorite varietal. It makes up about 70% of her production now. She wanted to show the world that Zin could be as noble a grape as Pinot and Cab. Old vines of Zin have a unique concentration of flavor. Wild Thing Carol Shelton Wines is located in a business park on Coffey Lane. This weekend
- podcast· 23:28
Winemaker Dan Barwick
Winemaker Dan Barwick with Melissa Galliani. Winemaker Dan Barwick is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Dan is the winemaker at Trecini Winery . He has been on CWC before, the most recent was this other episode recorded on Aug. 25, 2023 . Our regular co-host Dan Berger is on vacation this week. Right away Steve Jaxon is loving Dan Barwick’s Sauvignon Blanc. It’s made with all Sonoma County fruit, mostly Russian River. It has rich flavors of apricot and mango. “Easy to drink,” says Dan. Trecini has been bottling wine for 25 years. Dan took several courses at UC Davis and at Santa Rosa Junior College in winemaking including courses from Rich Thomas. He was at the forefront of changing viticulture in Sonoma County in ways which improved the quality of Sonoma County wines. He taught that you had to be in the vineyard to get to understand the vines. This helps him make decisions about pruning and harvesting. Sauvignon Blanc Dan says that Sauvignon Blanc is his
- podcast· 43:42
Williams Selyem winemaker Jeff Mangahas
Williams Selyem winemaker Jeff Mangahas is back on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Jeff has been on CWC as recently as last February on this episode , and previously here in 2021 and before that, on this episode from 2018 . Wine Country Radio GM Melissa Galliani has brought a bottle of Dry Creek Chenin Blanc. Dry Creek is a sponsor of the KRSH Backyard Concert Series and their Chenin Blanc is a popular favorite. “Really refreshing,” says Jeff. Williams Selyem has a rich history as one of the original Russian River Valley producers. Their first commercial release was in 1981. They have been making interesting, small-production wines in Russian River Valley and other nearby regions. Williams Selyem: Russian River Valley Pioneers Williams Selyem worked with the growers in Russian River Valley, such as the Rocchioli and Martinelli vineyards. They produce 52 different wines, in small lots. The are not easy to get so the way to buy them is through the website. Click
- podcast· 24:53
Kevin Bersofsky, Montagne Russe, Petaluma Gap
Kevin Bersofsky from Montagne Russe Wines joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger on California Wine Country. He has been on CWC before, most recently on this episode of August 3, 2022 . On Saturday August 10, the Wind to Wine festival is at the Gambonini Family Ranch in Petaluma. They start by tasting a sparkling wine that Kevin Bersofsky has made. Dan calls it “a very serious bubbly.” It’s a Brut Rosé and it is very dry. The flavors are fruity but not sweet. The Petaluma Gap was designated as an AVA in 2017. Kevin was using vineyards that were there before the AVA became official, like Springhill Ranch, Roberts Road, Gap’s Crown, Terra de Promissio, Keller Estates, Sunchase, Night Wing, … Montagne Russe Montagne Russe is the French, Italian and Spanish word for a Roller-Coaster. It literally means “Russian Mountains” because it was russian impresarios who brought ice to Paris and used it to decorate their roller coaster attractions. It can be in the 90s in the Petaluma Gap area, but by even
- podcast· 47:44
Justin Seidenfeld, Rodney Strong winemaker
Melissa Galliani, Dan Berger & Justin Seidenfeld. Justin Seidenfeld, Rodney Strong head winemaker, joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger on California Wine Country. Justin Seidenfeld has been on CWC a few times, most recently on this episode of April 27, 2022 . They begin tasting a brand new wine that they just launched on June 1st. It is a single vineyard 2023 Sauvignon Blanc from one of their estate vineyards called Bud’s Ranch. Justin modelled this wine after a Bordeaux style, it is richer than the usual SV. 55% made in large oak barrels, then the rest is done in stainless steel. Dan says it is aimed at being ready to drink now and also to be held in the cellar. 2023 was an interesting vintage, it was cooler than average, which gives the wines structure without being tart. There is just enough acidity to have balance. They also use a rotating egg-shaped vessel for mixing during fermentation, which gives it lees contact. Justin started in 2005 at Iron Horse Vineyards while still going to