In this episode of Uncork Your Mind, I chat with Shawn Pearce from Familia Vicente Pearce, a winery with roots in both Buffalo, New York, and Mendoza, Argentina. Shawn shares his fascinating journey from studying wine in college to creating a family-run vineyard with his wife, Celia, in Argentina’s renowned wine region. We explore their sustainable vineyard practices, the artistry behind their wine labels, and their delicious range of wines, including a rare Gamay Rosé and a bold Cabernet...

In this episode of 'Winephabet Street,' co-hosts Lori and Deb welcome guests Jim Quarrella and Larry Coia from Bellview Winery in New Jersey. The discussion revolves around the San Marco grape, a unique variety being cultivated by Bellview Winery in the United States. Jim and Larry share the grape's history, how they imported it from Italy, and its resilience and characteristics that make it promising for New Jersey's climate. The conversation touches on the grape's disease resistance,...

So excited about this episode of Winephabet Street. We are exploring the letter 'R' with one of the wine world's hidden gems, the Rkatsiteli grape. This ancient varietal, which hails from the storied vineyards of Georgia, offers a captivating blend of history and unique flavors that few other wines can boast. Joining us is a very special guest, Meaghan Frank from Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery located in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Meaghan represents the fourth generation of her...

In this episode of Winephabet Street, Debbie and Lori tackle the questions you've been hesitant to ask about wine. Remember, in the world of wine, no questions are considered foolish. Whether you've been pondering about tannins, wine pairings, or curious about corks, now is your opportunity to gain clarity without hesitation. We had such a good show and didn’t get to all the questions, we have a part 2 coming up.  I hope you enjoy!

Welcome to another engaging episode of Winephabet Street, where the world of wine becomes more accessible, one letter at a time. In this episode we're delving into the letter "P" with a focus on Petit Manseng, a varietal that may not be on every wine lover's radar but certainly deserves a spotlight for its distinctive qualities and growing popularity, particularly in Virginia. Lori and I are joined by Lee Hartman from Bluestone Vineyards in Virginia, who shares his deep insights into Petit...

In December on Winephabet Street we learned about the Orange Muscat grape with our special guest, Andrew Quadi of Quadi Winery. Nestled in Madera, California, Andrew and his wife have been crafting exceptional wines since the late '70s, transitioning from an engineering background to the art of winemaking. Orange Muscat, is a grape variety that boasts a fusion of orange and apricot flavors that fascinate the senses in a surprisingly delightful way. Despite its green skin, the wine reveals a...

Back in the fall, I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with Michael Migliore, owner of Whitecliff Vineyard and Winery, at their Olana Vineyard in Hudson, NY. This is a 10 acre site just over the Rip Van Winkle Bridge on the Hudson side, in the shadows of the Olana Estate and on the banks of the Hudson River.   Michael established and started farming this land in 2015 with Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, and Chardonnay. The vineyard is situated on land that has a long...

I wanted to talk to you today about an article that was in the Daily Catch. org. It was written by Scott Davis and full disclosure, I am quoted twice in the article. The article is about Milea Vineyard's plans. with Clinton Vineyards. And if you're not already aware, Clinton Vineyards was purchased by Malaya in 2022. And it was a great article, talks about Phyllis and Ben Feder, how they started Clinton Vineyards, with the Seyval Grapes, because they knew that the Save All Grapes grew well...

      I’m taking you on a virtual journey down Winephabet Street, where we dive deep into the world of N for Nero d'Avola, a red wine varietal from Sicily. In this episode of Winephabet Street, our special guest comes from the heart of Sicily, Gaetana Iacono from VALLE DELL' ACATE Winery. Gaetana hails from a family in the wine business for six generations. She has a great affinity for the native wines of Ragusa, Sicily. Determined to continue the legacy, she works hard to promote...

Join us on our journey to South America, where the rich soils of Argentina have produced some of the world's best Malbec wines with guest Veronica Kathuria from Wines of Argentina.   Argentina it's located in the southern most corner of South America the South American content And it's about in a better way I have I will speak kilometers and miles because I still go to kilometers but it ranges about 38 kilometers distance from extreme north to extreme south.   A Brief History:...

In the heart of Alto Adige, a region nestled amidst snow-capped mountains and verdant valleys, thrives a grape as bold and characterful as the landscape itself - Lagrein. Join us on Winephabet Street, as we delve into the fascinating world of this indigenous Italian variety, accompanied by a very special guest - Karoline Walch from the esteemed Elena Walch Winery. The Magic of Lagrein Born from Alto Adige's mineral-rich soils and varying climatic conditions, the Lagrein grape creates an...

The Kotsifali grape is an indigenous red grape variety from the Greek island of Crete. This grape is an essential component of many Cretan wines and is highly prized for its unique qualities.It is known for producing wines with medium to full body and moderate acidity. The grape is often blended with the Mandilaria grape to create wines with a deep ruby color and notes of dark fruits, herbs, and spices. The Kotsifali grape also produces rosé wines with fresh fruit flavors and floral aromas. ...

The Jampal grape, also known as Jampel or Malvasia Fina de Jampal, is a unique and rare grape variety native to Portugal. It is believed to have originated in the Douro Valley region. It is predominantly grown in the Terras do Dão region, located in the country's central northern part. The Jampal grape is a white grape known for its high acidity and aromatic qualities. It is said to produce wines with a rich, full-bodied flavor that is often described as having a mineral quality with notes...

In this episode of Winephabet Street, we learned about the Isabella grape with Stephen Casscles, a viticulturist and winemaker from New York's Hudson Valley. His project is Hudson Valley Heritage Wines where he works with indigenous, native or historically notable grapes and re-introducing them and a national audience to bring these grapes back.   Winephabet Street is a monthly series where Lori Budd of Draceana Wines and I work our way through the alphabet exploring wine and wine regions...

Have you heard of the Txakoli region of Spain and/or the Hondarrabi Zuri grape? First let me tell you how these words are pronounced. Txakoli is pronounced chah-kuh-lee and Hondarrabi Zuri is pronounced ohn-dah-rah-bee Zoo-Ree. Our January episode of Winephabet Street we explored the Txakoli region of Spain and the Hondarrabi Zuri grape with special guest Rick Fisher, Spanish Programs Director at the Wine scholar Guild. Winephabet Street is a monthly series where Lori Budd of Draceana...

Have you heard of the Graciano grape? I didn’t until we featured it on Winephabet Street in November. Graciano is mainly grown in the Rioja and Navarra regions of Spain. It is difficult to grow, is low-yielding, late harvesting and susceptible to mildew. It is used a lot as a blending grape for its deep color, strong aromas and ability to age.   Winephabet Street is a monthly series where Lori Budd of Draceana Wines and I work our way through the alphabet exploring wine and wine regions...

Welcome to Winephabet Street Season 3, Episode 6- F is for Frappatto. In this episode of Winephabet Street, we talk about the Frappatto grape with Pietro Russo, the winemaker at DonnaFugata Winery. Winephabet Street is a monthly series where Lori Budd of Draceana Wines and I work our way through the alphabet exploring wine and wine regions one letter at a time. The show is live on the third Monday at 8pm and is free, but you must register to attend. Put it on your calendar, pour yourself a...

If you haven’t tasted wines from the Jumilla region of Spain, you must. You will become a fan instantly! Trust me!   On October 12, I had the opportunity to attend Spain’s Great Match at the Mercado Little Spain, NYC, and learned a little more about the wines from this region of Spain. The Jumilla region has some beautiful wines, and the predominant grape is Monastrell. Take time to read the article and listen to the podcast about the Jumilla region and the wines. You will have a better...

I got invited to a Madeira wine tasting a few weeks ago. Madeira? I realized I didn’t know much about this type of wine. I went to the tasting and attended the seminar and educated myself all about Madeira. Madeira is very versatile and pairs well with many foods. I’m going to give you 7 facts about Madeira and at the end is a podcast that will give you a better understanding of this wine from the seminar I attended with Bruno Almeida, Sommelier and Portuguese Wine Ambassador.I hope you...

    Located 35 miles from Sacramento, California lies the El Dorado AVA. Designated in 1983 it covers the majority of El Dorado County with beautiful views of the Sierra Foothills. There are 40 wineries that grow 76 grape varietals and the highest altitude vineyards is 3,500 feet above sea level. We welcomed Kara Sather, Executive Director of El Dorado Winery Association, to talk to us and familiarize us with the El Dorado wine region. Pre-prohibition the El Dorado wine region...

The Delaware grape is an American hybrid. While its dark purplish skin would make you think it produces red wine, it’s typically used in the production of white and rose wines. For this episode of Winephabet Street we were joined by Abby Wilkens (Stamp), Assistant Winemaker at Lakewood Vineyards in Watkins Glen, New York. I first met Abby when she was 16 years old, helping at the New York Classic wine competition. I have watched her grow into the amazing winemaker she is today. In 1951...

Last month on Winephabet Street we explored the Carignan grape with Tana Cole, Winemaker at Jessie’s Grove Winery in Lodi, California. We were also joined by the big boss - Owner Greg Burns. Winephabet Street is a monthly series where Lori Budd of Exploring the Wine Glass and I work our way through the alphabet exploring wine and wine regions one letter at a time. The show is live on the third Monday at 8pm and is free, but you must register to attend. Put it on your calendar, pour...

Are you familiar with Baco Noir. It’s a French-American hybrid grape but don’t let that scare you. It makes a really nice red wine with aging potential. Think of it as a poor man’s Barolo. In this episode of Winephabet Street Lori and I spoke with Carlo DeVito, former owner of Hudson-Chatham Winery in Gent, New York. Carlo grew Baco Noir as well as sourced some from the Finger Lakes. He has in-depth knowledge of Baco and he shares it with us. Winephabet Street is a monthly series where...