Meet winemaker Aaron Lieberman. All his life, Aaron’s been volunteering and giving back, including a stint with the Peace Corp in Guatemala. Now he’s tending vines and crafting fine wines at Iris Vineyards in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, always with an eye towards improving every day. That’s in line with the principle of areté. (photo credit […]
Here at Sip Sip Hooray! we are all about making wine approachable, sharing peeks behind the label of some of your favorite wines and helping you discover some new wines. For this episode the Marys are in Livermore Valley at Omega Road Winery. This is a winery and story we want you to know. Today […]
We’ve made our list and we’re checking it twice. Whether you’re gifting the wine lovers in your life – or treating yourself, The Marys have got you covered! These are our top 12 picks – none of them sponsored so the list truly is all of our favorites. Sure it’s easy to pick out some […]
Three years have gone by since a devastating CZU Lightning Complex wildfire tore through California’s Santa Cruz Mountains in August 2020, destroying the home of Big Basin Vineyards winemaker Bradley Brown. The fire damaged his vineyard, but spared his winery, even though it was very close to the flames. Since that time, Bradley and Big […]
We love a winery with a manifesto, especially when one of the statements is “We are for wine with lunch on Mondays. To open the good stuff for no reason is the reason.” It just makes life more fun right? You’ve never met vintners like Joey Wolosz and Jeff Durham of Napa’s Gentleman Farmer Wines. […]
Welcome to Sober October. If you’re looking for good non-alcoholic wine, no matter the reason, this episode is your perfect pour. Call it sober curious, mindful or buzzless drinking, alcohol-free libations are growing in popularity and demand. Today’s non-alcoholic wines are getting better and better, thanks to new technologies and creators redefining what low and […]
Sip Sip Hooray for Rhone wine varieties! Our guests today are a husband and wife winemaking team, working and living in California’s Santa Clara Valley. This is a historic winemaking region, dating back to 1798, but Kim and Todd Engelhardt are adding their own chapter to the story, buying property and planting vineyards on land […]
If you’ve ever dreamed of making a career switch to wine, our podcast today may just inspire you. Rosa Fierro went from legal assistant to winemaker and winery owner. It didn’t happen overnight, and the journey wasn’t without its twists and turns and stops and starts. But one of the reasons Rosie has made it […]
Just over sixty years ago, a mountain top winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains, at up to 2,700 feet high above the future Silicon Valley, on the Monte Bello ridge, was established as Ridge Vineyards. Legendary winemaker Paul Draper joined Ridge in 1969, and not long after, crafted the wine that would seal his and […]
From homemade cranberry wine to a dizzying array of more than 20 award winning wines, Fenestra Winery owner and founder Lanny Replogle is one of the best known and most respected vintners in California’s Livermore Valley. Fenestra is known for crafting everything from Albariño to port and sharing the wines in a historic rustic property […]
Russell Joyce’s family landed in Monterey County, California, thanks to his father’s love of car racing and the nearby Laguna Seca Raceway. Ever since, Russell’s been in the driver’s seat of his family’s grape growing and winemaking endeavors at Joyce Wine Company, with a commitment to minimalist winemaking and working with organically grown grapes. Prior […]
Summer is here, and we’re celebrating Americia’s pastime, baseball! When you get to the ballpark, you’re most likely eating hotdogs and drinking a cold beer. But our guest and friend of the pod, Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein, wants you to change up your game and try swirling and sipping a glass of wine instead. He’s […]
There’s a saying that wine is art in a glass. For 5th generation vintner Darcie Kent, that’s always been true. Darcie has helped shape the modern Livermore Valley, California wine scene through her wine, art and live music venue. For one, she’s championing Livermore Valley Grüner Veltliner. And, she’s working to bring in new folks […]
Vineyards have voices. That’s how our guest today, Ted Glennon of Vocal Vineyards in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains, approaches winemaking. From DJing to wine, Ted’s career has been both vocal and vinous. Wearing his DJ Soigné hat, he spins up a playlist of cool tunes. Now he’s making cool wines. Ted combined his music passion […]
If you’re a Chard and Pinot fan then you may know the name Gary Farrell. His namesake winery – Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery – in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, became the go to for lovers of Burgundian, acid driven wines that reflect the character of the vineyard. And these are storied vineyards – Rocioli, […]
Give as you go. That’s the motto of our podcast guest, Dennis Murphy. As the founder and winemaker at Caprio Cellars in Washington’s Walla Walla Valley, Dennis proves that making great tasting wine and making a difference in the world go hand in hand. From building homes and communities to making wine, Dennis’ story is […]
Steve McInytre of McIntyre Family Wines is truly the OG sustainable grape grower and winemaker of Monterey County’s Santa Lucia Highlands. Steve dreamed of being a rock star, but lucky for us – and the wine world – the wine bug bit. The Marys visit Steve at his Carmel tasting room, the McIntyre Tasting Studio, […]
Sip Sip Hooray! Podcast is in Brazil! The Marys were invited by ApexBrasil to be part of the first American wine journalists to formally tour Brazil’s major wine region in southern Brazil. On our visit to Tenuta Foppa & Ambrosi, we were charmed by Lucas Foppa and Ricardo Ambrosi, two high school friends who met […]
The Marys are back in the Santa Cruz Mountains! On this latest pod we sit down with Sandar & Hem winemaker and storyteller Rob Bergstrom. Wine and history have always been intertwined for Sandar & Hem winemaker Rob Bergstrom. To him, every bottle tells a unique story about the place it is grown, as […]
When Ian Brand came on the Monterey County wine scene, his mission was to work with unsung vineyards and grape varieties. Why? He wants to ensure these special places and wines don’t stay in the shadows of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are the varietals most identified with this California Central Coast wine growing region. […]
Come meet us, the Marys, and sip Santa Clara Valley Wines with us! That’s right, Mary B and Mary O are hosting the VIP Sommelier Experience during the Santa Clara Valley Wine Auction on Saturday, March 25 at Guglielmo Winery in Morgan Hill, Calif. We’re super excited to support this fantastic and historic California wine […]
We have a confession! The Marys had never sipped a Brazilian wine before ApexBrasil invited us to join a small group of wine journalists to tour the country’s main wine region. The reaction from most of our friends and family — they make wine in Brazil? Oh yes, and as we discovered, it is darn […]
You could say that winemaker David Baird is living the dream at Folktale Winery & Vineyards in California’s Carmel Valley. They say every bottle has a story to tell, and behind the label, David coaxes those stories out of Folktale’s estate vineyards. If you don’t know the Folktale wine or haven’t visited the winery, you […]
Getting to Mount Eden Vineyards in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains is an adventure! The drive is up a twisty mountain road with lots of hairpin turns and steep drop offs. A good portion of the road – at the topmost part – is unpaved. But then you arrive at the peak, 2000 feet above Silicon […]
If you’ve ever picked up a wine book, there’s a good chance it’s The Wine Bible, by our guest Karen MacNeil. The Wine Bible is so popular that Karen just revised this 3rd edition, and it has surpassed the one million copies sold mark! But she didn’t want to call her book a wine bible. […]
Buckle up for the newest Sip Sip Hooray! podcast episode! When you think of wine in Carmel Valley, the first label that comes to mind is Bernardus. This Monterey County winery led the way in establishing the Carmel Valley AVA as a world class wine region. The Marys are excited to be back at Bernardus […]
Climate change is on eveyone’s mind, especially when it comes to the world’s grape growers and winemakers. Wildfires, drought, water scarcity, hail, floods, extreme weather, oh my! While there’s much reason for concern, our guest today says there is hope. It is not all gloom and doom, but we must be mindful. Let’s be clear, […]
We’re celebrating bubbles and California’s Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County on Sip Sip Hooray! with Scott Caraccioli of Caraccioli Cellars. Of course the holidays are sparkling wine season, but we believe bubbles are for year round — and yes, daily sipping 🥂 But there is much more to Caraccioli Cellars than sparkling wine! Scott […]
Acclaimed wine writer Alice Feiring has been in love with wine for decades. She started her sensory training at very young age, sniffing everything along with her grandfather. Little could she have imagined then growing up to be the OG natural wine movement writer, or the person to take down the homogenous ”Parkerization” of wine, […]
If you don’t know the wines of Lepe Cellars in Monterey County, you’re in for a treat! The Marys continue their Monterey County wine tour, where we met up with Miguel Lepe, founding winemaker of Lepe Cellars. Miguel is an up and coming winemaker, who, as the county’s first Mexican American winery owner, has a […]
Creating opportunity. That’s how our guest, winemaker Denis Hoey, has been living his life. He pursued a dream of making wine, and now that he’s established his own winery, Odonata Wines in the Monterey County AVA, he’s dedicated to bringing others along in the wine industry. The Marys visit Denis at his Salinas Valley winery […]
The Marys have a new friend in wine! Join us for an engaging conversation with the woman who just doesn’t know how to stop! Sip Sip Hooray to that! Are you ready to meet the tour de force that is Iris Rideau? From a young age she always had the determination to make hers and […]
We are excited to introduce you to this wine dynamo! Heidi Scheid does it all, from transforming her family’s business as grape growers to winemakers, overseeing Scheid Family Wines business operations, developing new brands – including a low ABV wine – to raising a family and summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa. Whew! The Marys traveled […]
The Marys are thrilled to welcome a true wine dynamo and new friend to the pod! Meet Philana Bouvier. She’s the President of Napa Valley-based Demeine Estates, whose impressive portfolio includes Heitz Cellar, Burgess, Stony Hill, as well as international wineries Champagne Legras & Haas, Domaine de Montille, Racine, La Chablisienne, Ca Rome, and more […]
For this episode of Sip Sip Hooray! we are in Hopland in Mendocino County at the beautiful, picturesque winery, Saracina Vineyards. Tucked into the rolling hills, the mantra at this wine ranch is biodiversity and sustainability. Since its founding by John Fetzer and Patty Rock in 2001, Saracina has been on the leading edge of […]
Can you have a healthy and balanced life with wine? Our guest today says yes! Wine is plentiful in so many professional and personal situations and it can be challenging to navigate, especially if you feel like pulling back. Rebecca Hopkins created A Balanced Glass, an online community of winegrowers, winemakers, cellar workers, winery management […]
From behind the scenes of the theater and opera stage to behind the wine label, Sabrine Rodems gave up the bright lights of theater and film production for producing bold wines. Sabrine hones her craft daily at Wrath Wines in the picturesque Santa Lucia Highlands of California’s Monterey County. This region is known for world […]
Her family is California’s First Family of Chardonnay. Most Chardonnay vines planted in the state are from the Wente clone, developed in Livermore Valley at Wente Vineyards by Niki Wente’s family. So you can imagine Niki has big shoes to fill. But as a 5th generation winegrower, she’s stepping up to the challenge in her […]
Are you watching OWN’s The Kings of Napa? We are, and we’re loving the bingeworthy show about a powerful African-American family in Napa Valley with secrets and scandals that are juicier than the grapes! Joining us for this special Sip Sip Hooray episode is creator and showrunner Janine Sherman Barrois. She’s the award-winning writer and […]
Meet Mark Pisoni. He’s a 3rd generation farmer and son of legendary winemaker Gary Pisoni of Pisoni Vineyards. While Gary is larger-than-life, Mark is quietly building his own legacy, as grape grower extraordinare, managing what some call Grand Cru vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands: Pisoni, Garys’ and Sobranes. For Mark, it all comes down […]
We strike a harmonious cord in the wine world with this episode! Say hello to winemaker Shalini Sekhar. She wears many hats in her role as winemaker for Neely Wine in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Waits-Mast Family Cellars in Mendocino County, among others. She also finds time to make wine under her own label, […]
Why should California try to be Champagne? That’s the question Napa winemaker Jon Person posed to himself and his wife Jacqueline. When it comes to bubbly, Champagne‘s allure is clear. But thanks to folks like Dan and Jacqueline, there’s a new style of California bubbly. Think sunshine in a glass, and breaking all the traditional […]
If you think tech and wine don’t go together, you haven’t met our guest, tech entrepreneur T.J. Rodgers. We all know stories about tech world titans who buy – or launch – their own winery, which often becomes a vanity project. But that’s not the case for T.J. Rodgers. The man who created Cypress Semiconductor […]
Have we got an Olympic-sized episode for you! We are thrilled to welcome 12-time Olympic medalist swimmer Natalie Coughlin to Sip Sip Hooray! She won gold in the pool, now she’s winning gold in the vineyard. Join us, the Marys, As we dive deep into what drives Natalie, her Olympic career and her new wine […]
This episode is a Sip Sip Hooray! podcast exclusive! What does lineage mean when it comes to wine? For our guest today lineage means everything. Steven Kent Mirassou’s family is America’s oldest winemaking family – older than the Mondavi’s, the Sebastianis and the Gallos. He’s now working side-by-side with the seventh generation. If you are a […]
This Sip Sip Hooray! episode is all about courage! As a child growing up in Bosnia, Samra Morris dodged incoming fire just trying to go to school. This brave woman survived her war-torn country, studying winemaking in her native Sarajevo. Now Samra’s following in the footsteps of a wine world legend – Richard Sanford at […]
She’s bubbly, effervesecent, elegant and ebullent. We’re thrilled to have Champagne Laurent-Perrier’s Michelle DeFeo join us for a great conversation about one of our favorite beverages, French Champagne. Michelle DeFeo is the President of Laurent-Perrier U.S. The winery, dating back to 1812, is the largest family-owned and female-led Champagne house. Join us, the Marys, as we […]
Resilience. Determination. Perseverance. These three words describe our guest, Alan Viader of Viader Vineyards & Winery. Resilience to continue in the face of wildfire devastation. Determination to grow grapes on the steepest, rockiest slopes of Napa Valley’s Howell Mountain, and perseverance to survive not one but two major fire events. Join the Marys as we […]
Julia Coney is a powerhouse in the wine world. This wine journalist and entrepreneur, a former beauty writer, who loves perfume and Champagne, is changing how the world views the wine industry. She founded Black Wine Professionals in the wake of the George Floyd shooting to recognize Black people working in all aspects of wine, […]
When documentary director Jason Wise premiered SOMM at the Napa Valley Film Festival in 2012, he didn’t imagine the film’s runaway success. This peek into the secretive world of Master Sommeliers not only spawned two sequels, but it also inspired people to become sommeliers, even if it meant a career change. Nearly 20 years later, […]