The Wine Makers on Radio Misfits

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By: The Wine Makers

A Podcast from Sonoma, CA featuring experts Brian Casey, Sam Coturri, Bart Hansen & host John Myers. Taking the stuffiness out of wine every Friday!

The Wine Makers – Grand Finale from the DTC Wine Symposium
Last Friday at 1:31 PM

The Marathon – Winemakers, Industry Leaders & The Reason for the Season, Steve Gross

In our final dispatch from the 2025 DTC Wine Symposium, we sat down with industry leaders, keynote speakers, and winemakers from across the country to explore the biggest conversations happening in the wine world.

The highlight, as always, was Steve Gross from the Wine Institute, the foremost expert on wine shipping regulations. If you’re a winemaker who relies on direct-to-consumer sales or a wine lover who enjoys having bottles shipped straight to your door, you have Steve to thank—and y’all better go to Fr...


The Wine Makers – DTC Show Pt 2, Monterey County Wine
02/07/2025

The DTC Wine Symposium Podcast Extravaganza – Part 2: The Wines and the People of Monterey County

Okay, we admit it—we’re Sonoma homers. Occasionally, we branch out and interview someone from Napa (gasp!). But despite our regional prejudices, the growers and winemakers of Monterey County welcomed the podcast crew—not to mention 700+ DTC Wine Symposium attendees—with open arms!

Jokes aside, the Monterey County wine community were fantastic hosts all week long. We were lucky enough to sit down with friend of the pod, Adam Lee—a longtime proponent of Monterey fruit—and let him guide us throu...


The Wine Makers – DTC Show Pt 1, Karen MacNeil
01/31/2025

We kicked off our annual pilgrimage to the DTC Wine Symposium with one of the biggest names in wine: Karen MacNeil. Yes, the Karen MacNeil—winner of nearly every major wine writing award, founder of the Culinary Institute of America’s Professional Wine Program, Stanford University wine educator, and global authority on all things wine.

You know her from WineSpeed in your inbox, from PBS and Netflix in your living room, and from Come Over October, a movement championing wine’s place in culture. And, of course, she’s the author of The Wine Bible—Volumes 1 through 3, with Volum...


The Wine Makers – Regenerative Agriculture Meets Academia
01/24/2025

Professor Phil  wrapped up teaching a master class in regenerative organic agriculture to a group of Harvard and MIT grad students at Liquid Sky Vineyard in Sonoma’s Moon Mountain AVA.

After experiencing firsthand the vineyards and tasting the wine they helped study, John sat down with the students to discuss how they plan to take the principles of regenerative organic farming into the world through their future careers.

This episode offers a fascinating glimpse into the minds of some of the brightest and most innovative thinkers in agriculture today.

Tune in and enj...


The Wine Makers – Isabel Gassier & Phil Coturri, “Á Deux TĂȘtes” Release
01/17/2025

This week, we had the pleasure of sitting down with winemaker Isabel Gassier and viticulturist Phil Coturri to discuss their collaborative project, À Deux TĂȘtes, which began in 2017 with the late, renowned French winemaker Philippe Cambie. Isabel has been crafting wine simultaneously at her family’s Domaine Gassier in France and Sonoma’s Winery Sixteen600, where all the grapes are organically farmed under Phil’s care.

Together, Phil and Isabel share insights into their approach and decisions for the challenging 2022 vintage. They discuss the new releases of Oakville and Rossi Ranch Grenache, as well as the 2023 Rosé of Grenac...


The Wine Makers – Adam, Sabelli-Frisch
01/11/2025

Adam Frisch, a Los Angeles-based cinematographer, took an unconventional path to winemaking, diving in with no formal training to produce wines from historic varieties like Flame Tokay and Mission.

Adam’s approach to winemaking is as bold as it is thoughtful. “I tend to go for more restrained oak usage for the best expression, but I’m not opposed to oak if the wine demands it (and some do). My wines are typically bone dry, naturally fermented, with no added chemicals, and low in sulfites. I try not to filter or fine.”

We love passionate and adve...


The Wine Makers – Martha Stoumen
01/04/2025

This week, we spoke with Martha Stoumen, a winemaker crafting unique wines from the warmer regions of Northern California. For the past decade, she has been building her own label and gaining attention with her eye-catching designs and surprising grape varietals. Her commitment to sustainable farming has set her apart, appealing to wine lovers who value quality and ethics. With a focus on natural acidity, her wines remain fresh, vibrant, and incredibly drinkable.

Martha spent eight years apprenticing around the world before launching her own journey as a winemaker. Starting as a self-funded, first-generation vintner, her goal...


The Wine Makers – Gloria Ferrer – Kyle Altomare & Brad Kurtz
12/27/2024

When we last checked in on Gloria Ferrer, the winery was undergoing a significant transition. With a new general manager in place, they were moving toward organic farming across their 300 acres, while also preparing for the retirement of their original winemaker and vineyard manager. Enter viticulturist Brad Kurtz, who not only spearheaded the shift to organic farming but also took a deep dive into re-evaluating every block of their estate vineyards—matching clones and rootstocks to specific soils for optimal results.

In early 2024, Kyle Altomare joined as Director of Winemaking. With experience at Raventos Codorniu and as As...


The Wine Makers – Brooke Delmas Robertson, Delmas Winery
12/20/2024

Brooke Delmas Robertson is one of our favorite people, and for good reason. Her Delmas SJR Vineyard Syrah was just named #10 on Jeb Dunnuck’s Top 100 Wines of 2024, and shortly after, her Viognier earned a spot in Decanter’s Top 50. Her family has been raising the bar in the Rocks District of Walla Walla for years, producing only about 1000 cases annually—flying under the radar, but with outstanding quality.

Brooke’s commitment to sustainability and family legacy shines through in her approach: “We want our vines to outlive us and be sustainable and strong for generations to come. That...


The Wine Makers – Stuart Spencer, St. Amant Wine & Executive Director Lodi Wine Growers
12/13/2024

Stuart Spencer began his career with the Lodi Winegrape Commission in 1999 as the Program Manager where he was instrumental in conceptualizing and guiding many of the region’s successful marketing, research and education, and sustainable viticulture programs, including LODI RULES.

His passion for Historic Vineyards runs deep and his knowledge of the local history in Lodi is impressive. Stuart wrote an article in March of this year that highlighted the growing concerns over foreign bulk wines flooding the California wine industry that is truly shocking.

www.lodigrowers.com/imported-foreign-bulk-wine-the-dirty-secret-no-one-in-california-wine-is-talking-about

Stuart also is the wi...