October 16, 2008

GRAPE RADIO INTERVIEW - Louisa Fry, of the Instituto do Vinho do Douro

The subject of Porto is always a fascinating one. And, that's why we were interested in hearing what was new in the Portugese wine world. So, GrapeRadio had the chance to talk with Louisa Fry from the Port and Douro Wines Institute - the interprofessional group the wines of Portugal .

What services does such an institute perform? Well, how about being the arbiter of when a vintage is declared! Join us as we hear from Louisa about Porto, the terraces it's grown on, how and when to drink it, and how many varieties of grapes are able to be blended into the final product.

October 14, 2008

GRAPE RADIO INTERVIEW - Frédéric Panaїotis, of Champagne Ruinart

GrapeRadio sat down with Ruinart’s Cellarmaster Frédéric Panaїotis to discuss Ruinart’s history, its vineyard sources, and of course its various cuvées. And thankfully, we even drank some Champagne! We'd interviewed Freddie twice before (when he was with Veuve Clicquot, and again on our Champagne tour, just after he arrived at Ruinart), and it was delightful to chat with him once again.

Founded in 1729, Ruinart is the longest established sparkling wine house in the Champagne region of France. Named after Benedictine monk Dom Thierry Ruinart, the winery is located in the city of Reims, where ancient crayères (chalk pits) serve as cellars that offer constant temperature and humidity, thus allowing the wine to age as long as 12 years. These crayères were hewn from the chalk sub-soil by the Romans, who used the chalk as building materials. Also used during World War I to escape the bombing, these cellars were classified an historic monument in 1931.

October 10, 2008

GRAPE RADIO INTERVIEW - John Haeger, author of Pacific Pinot Noir

GrapeRadio had the chance to visit with author and lecturer John Haeger. Join us as we talk with John about Pinot Noir, and its unique place in the world of wine.

As author of the highly acclaimed “North American Pinot Noir,” John literally wrote the book on the fascinating history and evolution of Burgundy’s illustrious grape variety here in the United States. John’s academic approach to both the research and the writing created an instant hit and a must-have treatise for most wine lovers. But, more than anything, it was destined to become THE book for domestic Pinot fanatics. Of course, its appearance at booksellers just months before release of the movie “Sideways” didn’t hurt sales either.

Now, four years later John Haeger has written another wine book, “Pacific Pinot Noir.” Since, as he notes, “96% of North America’s Pinot Noir comes from an area I call the Pacific Pinot Zone,” it was only natural for him to focus on an area extending from mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon to Santa Barbara in California and extending up to thirty miles inland.