Why You Should Be Drinking Portuguese Wines Now On the podcast today, the Symington family has a history in Portugal as rich as their Ports. We are excited to have DOC Douro Category Manager Mariana Brito and fifth generation family member Harry Symington joining us on the pod from Portugal to share Symington’s story. Port is a wine we think of as …

When you look at a restaurant's wine list, what do you see? Do you see equity, cultural and biodiversity, representation, affordability, fun? Our guest today believes all of that should be front and center on a wine list. Miguel de Leon has made a career and a celebrated name for himself as a wine professional of color in New York City, where he is…

The number one thing people always ask us is, can you do wine country on a budget? With the Napa Valley wine experience becoming more and more expensive, with wine tastings regularly costing upwards of $10, can you visit this incredible wine mecca without blowing a small fortune in the process? We, the Marys, say yes! You can be bougie on a budget …

Is it time to turn to white wine? Wine drinkers are now choosing white wine more than red! Our guests, Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, aka the World Wine Guys, are the perfect ambassadors for exploring the wide and delicious world of white wine. After all, their motto is, "We uncork your world." Mike and Jeff could have dedicated their new book, "W…

On the podcast today, a wine friend so busy we can't believe she's made time to visit us again. And she’s speaking to us from Mendoza, Argentina. Dr. Laura Catena is the managing director of one of the best known names in wine - Catena Zapata. Catena is admired around the world not only for incredible wines her family produces, but also for their s…

We’ve become cork dorks! That’s right, while you may love the convenience and ease of screw caps, after today’s pod, you’ll never think about cork stoppers the same way. Sure, cork has been used for centuries to seal wine bottles, and, you may know it comes from the bark of cork oak trees. You may not know 60% of the world’s cork comes from Portuga…

Does wine speak make your eyes roll or glaze over? One of the most intimidating things about wine isn't about what's in your glass - it's the words used to describe it. Do tasting notes that allude to a pasture in Southern France, stewed plums or brown spices (whatever those are!) turn you off from wine? You're not alone. The way we talk about and …

Want to know the inside tracks, the backroads and the best bets of the Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley in northern Sonoma County? We got you! Our guests today co-host the popular, fun and informative award-winning podcast, The Wine Road. As they say, it's all about the wine when and where of Sonoma County. Marcy Gordon a…

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 the Willamette Valley, always with an eye towards improving every day. That's in line with the principle of areté. What has areté got to do w…

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 got a show about a daughter father duo who are …

We've made our list 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 nice wines or bubbly, but our gift picks are sure to brin…

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 Basin have …

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. This dynamic duo blows us away with their talent and …

Welcome to #SoberOctober. 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 redefin…

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 the 1798, but Kim and Todd Engelhardt are adding their own chapter to the story, buying property and planting vineyards on land that, in the lat…

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 work is because of the women who helped …

We, the Marys, were honored to be invited to celebrate Ridge's 60th anniversary at a luncheon at the winery with legendary winemaker Paul Draper, his team, including head winemaker John Olney and Ridge's new winemakers Trester Goetting at Monte Bello and Shauna Rosenblum at Lytton Springs. They are both super talented, hard working, great people an…

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 at affordab…

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…

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 Major League Baseball's first …

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, first with her wine and her paintings, then with a live music venue. For one, she's championing Livermore Valley Grüner Veltliner. And, she's working to bring in n…

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 with wine, when af…

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, Bacigalupi, Durell, Gap's Crown, Sanfor…

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 inspiring - so much so that h…

Steve McInytre of McIntyre Family Wines is truly one of the OG sustainable grape growers and winemakers 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, where we chat about and taste…

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 in winemaking classes. Yes, that's ri…

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 well as being a lens on the wines and winemakers of past eras.While Rob is passionate about Santa Cruz Mountains wine history, he's also focused on moving the story forward. Rob brings for…

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. The Marys meet up wit…

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 region, the birthplace of t…

We have a confession! The Marys had never sipped a Brazilian wine before Apex Brasil 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 good wine too. So we invite you to get in on Brazilia…

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 wines or haven’t visited the winery, you are in for a treat. Folktal…

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 Valley, and the breathtaking views, not to mention the wi…

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. This is just one of the many behind the scenes stories Karen sha…

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 Winery & Vineyards in beautiful Carmel Valley Vill…

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, climate change is happei…

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 makes terr…

The Marys are honored to have wine writer extraordinare Alice Feiring on our pod! 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…

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 great story that you need to know! Than…

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 - one of seven on the …

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 the lives of others better. Iris' life is one of many first and of breakin…

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 to the Sal…

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 m…

For this episode of Sip Sip Hooray! we are in Hopland in California's 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 a holisti…

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 a…

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 class Chardonnay and P…

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 role as Viticultural Manager…

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 executive …

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 to f…

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, Ottovino Wines. Our setting for this (s…

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 rules. Dan says sp…