Dan Berger is the featured guest on his own show today, to tell Steve Jaxon about Bahl Fratty Riesling, his new wine label. When Dan Berger first discovered fine wine early in his career as a journalist, it was an encounter with Riesling that got his attention. Today we get to hear about his first attempt to make a Riesling to his own demanding standards, and Steve Jaxon gets to taste some of it. Dan Berger […]
Today’s episode of California Wine Country features Carol Shelton with Harry Duke and Dan Berger. Steve Jaxon has the day off. Carol Shelton has been on California Wine Country several times, the last was this May 31, 2023 episode about her wines other than Zinfandel. Carol Shelton Wines is on its 24th harvest and Carol has been in the business for 47 harvests. She was one of the first women to graduate in winemaking at UC […]
Janice MacDonald is here to talk about Mendocino Sparkling and Oysters festival on California Wine Country with Harry Duke sitting in for Steve Jaxon, and of course with Dan Berger. Janice is the Festival and Events coordinator for Visit Mendocino. Janice seems to enjoy what must be a pleasant and easy task, promoting and describing Mendocino County to people. In Mendocino there are cool climate wines growing in the Anderson Valley and the warmer climate wines […]
Dennis McCarter, founder and winemaker of McCarter Cellars, joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger on California Wine Country. To begin, Dennis talks about how he got started in wine, which happened when he joined his first wine club where they made some wine. He was born and raised in Santa Rosa and started making wine at home with five gallons of Barbera in his garage. Then he studied on his own and kept on making wine. […]
Our guest today on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger is Martha Barra from Barra of Mendocino, the vineyards and winery. Martha was on CWC one other time, on this episode of November 18, 2020. Barra of Mendocino is and always has been an organic farm, even before certifications existed. Their tasting room is located about 10 miles north of Ukiah. Redwood Valley Vineyards is the vineyard estate which is about 5 miles from […]
Barry Herbst has brought Bottle Barn sparkling wines to California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger today. Barry was on CWC on this episode last July 5, with Rosé wines available at Bottle Barn. He was also on last January 12 for this episode about low-alcohol wines at Bottle Barn. Dan Berger declares that Bottle Barn has a bigger selection at better prices than any store in the country and maybe the world. Champagne […]
Nick Goldschmidt winemaker and owner of Goldschmidt Vineyards, returns to California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Nick has been on CWC a few times. The first in this series was this episode recorded on May 19, 2018. His most recent appearance was here on October 19. 2022. Nick was born in New Zealand but left the country as a young adult. “At the age of 20, I saw my destiny as somewhere other than […]
Davis Bynum winemaker Greg Morthole is back on California Wine Country with Dan Berger and Harry Duke, who is sitting in for Steve Jaxon. Katie Lalonde, Marketing and Communications Coordinator for Davis Bynum, is also in today. Greg has been on CWC a few times, most recently on this episode of December 1, 2021. Today Dan Berger has brought another wine from his vast collection, only this time it is not a cellar wine. Instead, it […]
California Wine Country welcomes Carol Shelton, famous for Wild Thing wines with wild yeast, and for much more. CWC has the day off today so for today’s podcast edition, this is a replay of the May 31, 2023 episode. Carol Shelton makes varietals beside Zin, although she is known as the Queen of Zinfandel, and she is back on California Wine Country today, with Steve Jaxon, Dan Berger and Harry Duke. She has been on California […]
Foppiano GM Rob McNeill and winemaker Nova Perrill, are both guests on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Rob was on this CWC episode on August 29, 2018 and Nova has been on the show three other times, the most recent was this episode of October 26, 2022. Nova became the Foppiano Vineyards winemaker in 2014 and Rob became GM in 2017. Rob had made sparkling wine and he wanted to make some at Foppiano, […]
Oded Shakked returns to California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger, with three wines from Longboard Vineyards, for tasting and discussion. In the first portion of today’s show, Dan Berger is on his way in, against inclement weather and traffic. They get right into the history of the name and Oded admits that he would never have chosen this name if he had known it would be such an important brand so many years […]
Don Chigazola has brought wines from Friuli today on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Friuli is the region of Italy in the north-east, bordering on Slovenia. He has been on the show several times, most recently on this March 2022 episode all about wines from the Alto Adige region. Don begins by retelling the story of how his company Chigazola Merchants works. He travels the back roads of Italy looking for small […]
Mike Carpenter, founder of The Redd Collection, is our guest on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger. Before we hear about the Redd Collection, Dan Berger has brought a wine for tasting, but not his usual cellar wine. It is a Donnhoff Riesling from Germany that he purchased recently at Botte Barn. It begins a bit sweet but finished dry. Everyone likes it!. Mike Carpenter explains that he is a wine retailer and […]
Barry Herbst is in the studio on California Wine Country with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger, with 2023 Harvest Fair winners at Bottle Barn. Dan Berger was also on this episode back on October 2, with a first report on this year’s Harvest Fair winners. Barry Herbst says that the public tasting at Bottle Barn last Saturday was well-attended. Almost all the winning wines from the 2023 Harvest Fair are there, in the middle of the […]
Jason Kunde from Kunde Family Winery joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger in the studio today on California Wine Country. Jason’s father Jeff was a guest on California Wine Country on this episode back on May 31, 2017. Dan Berger has brought another bottle from his gigantic collection, but this time not from the cellar, because he has just bought it. It is a 2022 Riesling, from Donnhoff in Germany that has some residual sugar, but […]
Kenwood Vineyards winemaker Mark Beaman joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger in the studio today on California Wine Country. The last time Kenwood Vineyards was on CWC was this episode of July 19, 2018, with the previous winemaker Pat Henderson. Dan Berger has brought another cellar wine today for tasting, a 2002 Riesling. It shows how Rieslings can age well. They are fresh and fruity when they are young but they also age very well and […]
