Psychic Terroir – Details, episodes & analysis

I'm thrilled to have Alice Feiring on the show: a prolific writer and natural wine advocate, as well as a profound influence on my own burgeoning journey in the wine world. We chat about the interesting moment natural wine finds itself in, framed from the timeline of her first book when the term "natural wine" was obscure, to its unprecedented rise to a level worthy of co-opting and commodification, to our present day and the backlash the nebulous term "natural wine" is currently facing during these difficult economic times. We also chat about the controversial health reports that have emerged in relation to alcohol consumption, and of course I make this lauded wine writer tell me a personal ghost story.    .....................

SHOW NOTES:

Alice's Site: https://thefeiringline.com

Alice's Substack: https://feiring.substack.com/about

NYT "Is Natural Wine Dead?" Article: NYT

Alice's Latest Book: To Fall in Love, Drink This

.....................

Song - Jonathan Wilson: "Desert Raven" off the album Gentle Spirit - https://www.songsofjonathanwilson.com

Today on the show I'm excited to bring on Patrick Cappiello of Monte Rio Cellars. We talk about navigating the choppy waters of the difficult wine economy since his call to action this Spring to drink more domestic wine. We explore the unhelpful infighting going on in the progressive wine world over dogmatic use or disuse of sulfur and filtration. Patrick tells us about some of the producers he fell in love with as a young sommelier whose wines transcend traditional notions of terroir for him. I also give Patrick his first tarot reading to help him find a missing ID card, and I'm happy to report he texted me after the recording session to let me know that I nailed it.  

.....................

Beaming to you live from the beautiful city of Telos, below the majestic Mount Shasta, behold the fifth episode of Psychic Terroir . . . a wine podcast about the mystery of wine, and all of its wondrous and strange qualities that can't be deduced on an Advanced Sommelier Exam, or quantified into a magazine's number score. 

.....................

SHOW NOTES:

Patrick's Site: https://patrickcappiello.com/

Monte Rio Cellars: https://www.monteriocellars.com/

The '76 Redo: https://www.the76redo.com/

Song - Jonathan Wilson: "Desert Raven" off the album Gentle Spirit - https://www.songsofjonathanwilson.com

Summer Break is over, and the time has come for more podcasts. I had a blast catching up with my friend Daniel Souder of Iris Read — the coolest spot in Cincinnati after Skyline Chili. Daniel is a talented restaurateur and wine curator, who has exhibited thoughtful versatility navigating the chaotic food and wine world, and always in pursuit of celebrating quality and authenticity. We talk about the strange moment we're all adapting too in the wine industry, the mysterious fingerprint a winemaker's vibe leaves on their wines, haunted basements, and Dan's unequivocal psychic powers.  

.....................

Beaming to you live from the beautiful city of Telos, below the majestic Mount Shasta, behold the fifth episode of Psychic Terroir . . . a wine podcast about the mystery of wine, and all of its wondrous and strange qualities that can't be deduced on an Advanced Sommelier Exam, or quantified into a magazine's number score. 

Iris Read natural wine shop + bar - https://www.irisread.wine/

Song - Jonathan Wilson: "Desert Raven" off the album Gentle Spirit - https://www.songsofjonathanwilson.com

In case you were confused by the title, Sara literally is recording this podcast on horseback. We also go deep on this precarious moment in the California wine industry, we talk about how our mentors wines carve their way into our souls, Evan regales us with his Dad's close encounter with GOAT MAN, and we let the Tarot decide the direction of H2 for Ruth Lewandowski Wines. 

.....................

Beaming to you live from the beautiful city of Telos, below the majestic Mount Shasta, behold the fifth episode of Psychic Terroir . . . a wine podcast about the mystery of wine, and all of its wondrous and strange qualities that can't be deduced on an Advanced Sommelier Exam, or quantified into a magazine's number score. 

Ruth Lewandowski Wines - https://www.ruthlewandowskiwines.com/

Little Trouble Wine Co. - https://www.littletroublewines.com/

Song - Jonathan Wilson: "Desert Raven" off the album Gentle Spirit - https://www.songsofjonathanwilson.com

I'm so happy to have on the show, an old friend and inspiration: Martha Stoumen. Martha makes some of the purest and most joyful wines around, and brings a lot of warmth and wisdom to the conversation. We shoot the shit, and go deep on growing a natural winery while navigating a wine industry in constant flux. Is the "fashion" influence on natural wine good or bad? Can we drink less, and justify spending more on authenitc wine? Can a the taste of a wine preserve a cherished memory in amber? Tune in to find out!

.....................

Beaming to you live from the beautiful city of Telos, below the majestic Mount Shasta, behold the fifth episode of Psychic Terroir . . . a wine podcast about the mystery of wine, and all of its wondrous and strange qualities that can't be deduced on an Advanced Sommelier Exam, or quantified into a magazine's number score. 

Martha Stoumen Wines - https://marthastoumen.com

Song - Jonathan Wilson: "Desert Raven" off the album Gentle Spirit - https://www.songsofjonathanwilson.com

Taking a break from your regularly scheduled programming to hang out with you lovely people, and talk about the 2024 Iruai Spring Release (live on the website today!).

The new wines include:

2023 'Shasta-Cascade' White

2023 Oregon Rosé

2023 'Road Opener' Savagnin Rose Musqué

2023 'Bloom Phase' Red

2022 'Steelhead Run' Syrah

LINKS:

Buy some wine: https://iruaiwine.com/wine

So excited to have on the delightful Eric Moorer of Gemini in Washington D.C. and the "Crooked Crown" Substack. We talk about the state of wine retail, and hybridizing wine shops and bars. Eric has a really eloquent way of sensing the musicality in wine, and we explore the idea of "sonic terroir" in individual wines and wider wine regions. We also delve into his new substack: "Crooked Crown," and what inspired him to start it up. No spooky stories today, but Eric humored me and let me give him a tarot reading . . . spoiler alert: it's going to be a good year for the man.    LINKS   Gemini - https://www.happygeminidc.com Crooked Crown - https://crookedcrown.substack.com

I'm so excited to have my friend Hardy Wallace on the show. It's no exaggeration to say that I most likely wouldn't be making wine today if it weren't for this man. Hardy has an infectious way of tapping into all the reasons wine should be celebrated and shared, and an ever pioneering perspective on what wine can be. Hardy and his wife Kate make the incredible Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! wines, and you can now go taste with them in person at their groovy tasting room in Sonoma. 

.....................

Beaming to you live from the beautiful city of Telos, below the majestic Mount Shasta, behold the first episode of Psychic Terroir . . . a wine podcast about the mystery of wine, and all of its wondrous and strange qualities that can't be deduced on an Advanced Sommelier Exam, or quantified into a magazine's number score. 

Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! - https://winecoyeah.com/

The Extradimensional Life Podcast- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-extradimensional-life/id1727003735

Song - Jonathan Wilson: "Desert Raven" off the album Gentle Spirit - https://www.songsofjonathanwilson.com

Beaming to you live from the beautiful city of Telos, below the magestic Mount Shasta, behold the first episode of Psychic Terroir . . . a wine podcast about the mystery of wine, and all of its wondrous and strange qualities that can't be deduced on an Advanced Sommelier Exam, or quantified into a magazine's number score. 

I couldn't ask for a more appropriate first guest, Adam Vourvoulis is a dear friend, and a fanstastic winemaker under the moniker Vin de California in Pasadena. Adam and his wife Kate also run a great bottle shop and market called Altadena. We get real, and talk about the complicated reality of the wine business, annoying rich people, and developing a Boomer pallet in our ripe old age. We also talk about time — you know, like the concept — consumption, and midfulness time travel.

 

Vin de California Wine - https://www.instagram.com/vdcwine/

Altadena Beverage and Market - https://www.altadenabev.com

Song - Jonathan Wilson: "Desert Raven" off the album Gentle Spirit - https://www.songsofjonathanwilson.com

 

On today's show, we expand on our conversation about the state of natural wine and the discourse around it with Joseph Shaughnessy. Joseph is sommelier at the legendary MÄS restaurant in Ashland, OR, as well as a winemaker with his own label: Cru Siskiyou. Joseph graciously brings some counterpoints to our last episode's conversation with Alice Feiring and makes the case for more traditional wine expressions. Joseph and I dive into a dialectic debate ranging from the virtues of typicity, the difficulty of defining "natural wine" satisfactorily, left brain terroir vs. right brain terroir, and the "reverse Parkerization" that can be found in the natural wine movement. Joseph and I both love philosophical thought experiments, and it was such a blast going down the rabbit hole and stress testing some of our preconceived notions about wine and what we love about it. Needless to say, we gracefully settle the debate once and for all and heal all discord in the wider wine industry. You're welcome! This was also our first in-person episode, which allowed us to share a few bottles and chat about the experiential differences in an excellent French natural wine as compared to a delicious and well aged more traditional California Cab.  .....................

SHOW NOTES:

Joseph's Insta: southern_oregon_somm

Joseph's Wine: Cru Siskiyou

MÄS: https://masashland.com/

.....................

Song - Jonathan Wilson: "Desert Raven" off the album Gentle Spirit - https://www.songsofjonathanwilson.com