Ep 222: Meeker Wine of Sonoma, CA with Lucas Meeker, the Next Gen of CA Wine
Release Date: 03/04/2018
Wine for Normal People
In this unique episode, Kerith Overstreet of in Sonoma returns to give us an update (she was on Ep 269 in 2019). Kerith/Bruliam is a boutique producer of vineyard-designated wines, mainly of Pinot Noir and she gives us a full education on the differences between some of the main Pinot regions of California. The cool thing about this show? The last third of the podcast is a business discussion about something she and I are always discussing – how to get our kids’ generation – Gen Z – to appreciate wine. Kerith’s daughter Amelia (the AM in BruliAM), a 21-year-old Gen...
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In this episode I'm joined by author and American wine icon, We discuss her amazing career trajectory in wine from food stamps to international fame, and her new initiative, , which is having enormous success in encouraging people to get together over a bottle of wine! Karen is one of the foremost wine experts in the United States. She's the author of the award-winning book, "The Wine Bible," which has been recognized as "the most comprehensive and authoritative book on wine written by an American author." Karen is the only American to have won every major wine award given in...
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Sandwiched between the famed Médoc AOCs of Margaux in the south and Pauillac in the north, Saint Julien has one of the highest concentrations of classified growths from the 1855 Classification in Bordeaux. This red wine only AOC is just 910 ha/2,250acres, which is 6% of the Médoc vineyard. It is one-sixth the size of Pauillac. It makes an average of about 6 million bottles a year. But this densely planted appellation may be small but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in quality. Saint Julien is considered the most consistent of the Médoc communes and it is known for...
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In this episode, I discuss eight refreshing red wines that are lighter, fresher, and perfect for sipping on a warm day. I give you ideas for wines that go easy on the oak, tannin, and alcohol, and focus instead on the freshness and lightness. These wines have a multitude of flavors and are from around the world but all of them go beyond the bold and heavy. The wines pair well with light meals, can take a chill, and are perfect for when you want something easy-drinking. Think all red wines are bold, heavy, and best served with steak? Nope! From Frappato to Listán Negro, these...
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Last fall, I met Francesco Galgani and tried his wines and I was completely blown away. I always think of Vernaccia as a more historical Pinot Grigio -- light on flavor, boring, and not anything to get excited about. But then I visited Cappella Sant'Andrea. HOLY CRAP!! This is the BEST Vernaccia on earth. Francesco and Flavia, the owners and winemakers, are truly the Masters of Vernaccia di San Gimignano. You will never taste Vernaccia like this. In the show Francesco and I discuss the long history of Vernaccia, wine in San Gimignano, why there is so much crappy Vernaccia, and...
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It's another edition of the "Alternatives to a Fave" series! This time: Sauvignon blanc. As an extension of the Grape Mini-series, for this series I come up with lists of wines that lovers of a specific grape can try as alternatives. Sauvignon blanc is not a one note! It has so many different styles -- from the acidic, minerally, citrus and flinty notes of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé to the tropical fruit, peach, grass, green pepper, and sauteed herb aromas in New Zealand and the blends with Semillon in Bordeaux, there are many, many iterations of this very popular grape. Photo:...
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Stephanie Duboudin, CEO of , joins to educate us on this state at the southern end of Australia that has a ton of diversity and makes all styles of wine. A boutique winery heaven, Victoria is something you need to know about! Wineries mentioned: Tahbilk Seppelt Mount Langhi Wild Duck Creek Yeringberg Yarra Yering Brown Brothers Pizzini Campbells Chalmers Chambers Rosewood Stanton & Killeen Giant Steps Bindi Wines _________________________________________________________ Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. ...
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Located the middle of the Médoc, 50 km/31 miles northwest of Bordeaux, Pauillac is home to 18 of the 61 châteaux classified 1855, just under a third of the list. There are three first growths, two second growths, one fourth growth, and twelve 5th growths. The first growths are Château Latour, Château Lafite-Rothschild, and Château Mouton-Rothschild. Pauillac is north of St-Julien and south of St-Estèphe with the manmade Landes Forest to the west, sheltering the vines from Atlantic winds. The commune has 1,213 ha/3,000 acres of vines (7.5% of the Medoc) and makes about 7...
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As part of the Back to Basics series, in which I update previous podcasts on practical topics that can be helpful to everyone, I update podcast Episode 28 from September 2011! Rick was the co-host then and it was a much shorter, less detailed show. Image: Assembled on Canva by WFNP Some of the suggestions from those many years ago were great, and some have changed or I’ve augmented them. The goal of this show: to give you some ideas to motivate you to try new wines and new ways to explore. Ideas include: exploring different grapes from the same regions you like, joining a...
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On the heels of my trip with a group of Patrons to Campania, I wanted to do a show on Taurasi while it was still fresh in my mind. Taurasi, a small (472 ha / 1,166 acres) DOCG region, is indisputably one of Italy’s greatest red wines along with Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello, Chianti, Vino Nobile, and Montefalco Sagrantino. Taurasi, made of the ancient Aglianico grape, is in Campania, more specifically in hills northeast of Irpinia/Avellino and is centered around the town of Taurasi, a small town with a 10th-century castle that was rebuilt by the Normans. Over the 17 towns within...
info_outlineThis week, Lucas Meeker of Meeker Wine -- a Millennial winemaker who has taken the helm of winemaking and operations at this Sonoma favorite. In his philosophical, intellectual way, Lucas recounts stories of the winery's early days and then discusses everything from additives in wine, to how wine is like vocal range.
Lucas graduated magna cum laude from Colgate University with High Honors in English in 2007, but he returned home to the family winery with plans to eventually head to graduate school. But once he started doing marketing, label design, and cellar rat work, he caught the wine "bug." He made wines under his own label, Lucas J. Cellars, for four vintages (2007-2010) and honed the craft of winemaking through hands on experience and a passion for reading and learning from his Dad, other winemakers, books, UC Davis, the internet, and his own mistakes. Eventually, he abandoned his plans for graduate school and further dedicated himself to the craft of winemaking. Lucas took over daily operation of the winery in 2010, and after four years as Co-Winemaker with Charlie, officially became Head Winemaker in 2014.
Here are the show notes:
- We chat about the storied history of Meeker, including Charlie's stories from MGM, how he bought the vineyard and how he uprooted Lucas from his Hollywood life to Sonoma
- We discuss various aspects of the wine industry -- what Custom Crush is and why it's important to wineries like Meeker, the importance of label reading and why some wineries are a sham
- We wax poetic on the virtue of Merlot and Lucas gives thoughts on wine traditions and their importance
- Lucas talks about the "magnitude" of wine and how he parses wine descriptions
- We talk about Zinfandel and changes in the wine industry in the last 10 years -- including how wine can be altered or honest
- We have a great conversation about the Meeker philosophy and Lucas's "end zone"
- We end on a positive note: Lucas's optimism for the next gen of winemakers
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