Wined Up
Taking you behind the cellar doors of the wine industry like never before! We release an episode every Wednesday to tackle all things wine, winemaking, hospitality and more. Be sure to leave a "like" and subscribe for new episodes. Have questions that you want answered? Leave them in the comments and we will dive into them on the last Wednesday of each month!
Studies Show Stuff AND Things
1:20 Wait, alcohol may not be as bad as you think? insert caveat here. 20:13 Hiding smoke taint, the view from a winemaker roundtable.
The HUNT Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41366185/
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The Show Must Go On
We are BACK! It was a much needed hiatus but we are refreshed and ready to go. 0:00 The Show Must Go On. 12:33 Premiere Napa Valley Was Vibe. 24:27 Red Friday.
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The State of Things
5:50 Current state of the wine business. 19:00 Tangent #1. 20:50 Why are some suffering? 31:58 Why are some succeeding? 35:22 What does 2026 hold.
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MTGA Wines: www.mtgawines.com
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Out of the Thick of Harvest
1:59.00 This harvest in a nutshell (question mark?). 14:45.00 The best kind of year for white wines! 20:40.00 Is Napa in a weird situationship with replanting, grape growers and wine production volume? 30:02.00 What to expect as a wine consumer. 35:05.00 The silver lining.
Newsletter Link: https://mailchi.mp/mtgawines/25-holidays-10150287
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Into the Thick of Harvest
1:34 Challenges Accepted. 7:42 What is next for the 2025 Harvest Season. 14:25 That reminds me... are my analogies getting old?. 19:59 Grower Relations and Logistics. 39:47 Surprise guest?!
Newsletter Link - https://mailchi.mp/mtgawines/summer25
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MTGA Wines: www.mtgawines.com
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Beautiful Forests, Dusty Deserts & Grape Harvests
6:01 My Pre-Harvest Getaways. 10:01 Our 2025 Harvest Outlook. 22:33 Are additives actually okay??
Newsletter Link - https://mailchi.mp/mtgawines/summer25
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Growing Seasons and Golden Handcuffs
2:55 Growing Season. 13:59 DtC's Golden Handcuffs. 22:24 My Annoying Story of Distro. 29:23 Finding the middle ground. 33:52 Be Solution Oriented.
Newsletter Link - https://mailchi.mp/mtgawines/summer25
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The Industry is in a State?
3:04 State of the Industry. 8:48 Reducing prices & Labor Costs. 21:23 False Facts of Napa County https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/305447
24:02 Distributor Relationship. 32:13 "Your boos mean nothing I've seen what you people cheer for." 36:05 "If you're going to conduct the orchestra you need to turn you back on the audience."
Newsletter Link - https://mailchi.mp/mtgawines/summer25
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Blaire Payton...
Botting, Experiences and Creating Value
2:40 - Bottling the 2023s
11:43 - The Winery "Experience" Continued - Insider Thoughts
22:45 - Napa has no added value?
33:51 - What's the Problem/Rolland Interview - Do we need entry level wines? Quality is no longer the issue.
Newsletter Link - https://mailchi.mp/mtgawines/summer25
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Fitness Influences and Wine Marketing (are TRASH)
The title is the TLDL (too long didn't listen). But you should listen in anyway. Health Influencers can be the WORST. 5:52 Guess who's back Sulfites and Additives. 22:30 Winery Marketing is TRASH. 37:15 Who is f%$king up the (grape) market?
Newsletter Link - https://mailchi.mp/mtgawines/summer25
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Winery Experience Woes?
0:00.0 - Happy Summer! 8:36.00 - Winery "Experience" Woes. 19:21.00 - Tomnotory. 28:10.00 - Reworking a Wine Portfolio. 33:15.00 - The tariffs are working??
Newsletter Link - https://mailchi.mp/mtgawines/summer25
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The Direct-to-Consumer Conundrum
The light at the end of the tunnel might not be a train after all but there still might be a long road ahead.
Boisset Announces Complimentary Tastings at DeLoach Vineyards and Raymond Vineyards, Declaring the Wine World is Open to All to Learn, Discover and Enjoy - https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/304260
SVB DTC Report - https://eml.svb.com/NjEwLUtBSy0yNjYAAAGbHS8k2O5shVlrQLV8syhnOED5F6kY7MbLOChpu3tkBqyGsisqWPccn6Ao8Y8HRMsqZPbREEU=
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Finding the Way Forward
Let's set the doom and gloom of the last year aside. How is the world of wine moving forward and meeting consumers where they are?
CNN & Tim Dillon Interview - https://youtu.be/-OwDAxrAL0I?si=R6WzpNE97aDBK9_3 Tim Dillon Podcast - https://youtu.be/IjYNk6BrHqw?si=xZQJ0TTKdsedF4iMBe sure to SUBSCRIBE and follow us on our social networks @mtgawines (YouTube, Instagram, The Book of Face and the Social Network Formerly Known as Twitter) MTGA Wines: www.mtgawines.com Blaire Payton Wines: www.blairepaytonwines.com
May Q&A
2:22.00 - When blending how do you distinguish a "normal" Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, versus the "reserve" bottling? 16:55.00 - What "large" producers are doing it right in terms of offering good quality? 25:26.00 - How can producers entice people to seek out "better" wine on a more regular basis? 35:10.00 - Can more premium wineries offer second or third labels? Why aren't they doing it now?
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Blaire...
Somethings Gotta Give
It is a rocky road that we are currently traversing. Some, not all, of it is the Napa wine industry's fault. How are we going to adjust and get back to basics?
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MTGA Wines: www.mtgawines.com
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Your Wine Business is LOSING Money
Your budget skills are bad and you should feel bad. Maybe it is just me, but there seems to be way to many wine business that suck at understanding the cost of discounting and free shipping. I was one of those back in the day but here is how we shored things up.
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April Q&A
2:49.00 - When you are planning a wine dinner how do you decide on what is served? Does the venue/chef collaborate with you or do you each just serve what you feel like?
10:06.00 - How is the anti-alcohol movement continuing to gain ground?
ARTICLE: https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2025/04/prohibitionists-still-writing-alcohol-rules
23:41.00 - How is business in Napa at the moment?
29:03.00 - Are organic/biodynamic farming really worth the effort? Does it make a difference in the wine and make the wine more "natural?" (non-chemically enhanced yeast)
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The Fall of Wine Empires
Holy smokes! So much has happened in the world of wine. Empires CRUMBLING. Brands getting rolled up and the slashing of prices for some of the worlds most sought after wines. Let's dive in!
ARTICLES:
It looked like Napa’s most promising wine empire. What happened? - https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/wine/article/lawrence-wine-estates-winery-20275913.php Duckhorn to wind down Canvasback, Migration, Paraduxx, and Postmark brands - https://www.northwestwinereport.com/2025/05/duckhorn-to-wind-down-canvasback-migration-paraduxx-and-postmark-brands.html Bordeaux 2024: Cheval Blanc cuts price by nearly 30% - https://www.decanter.com/premium/bordeaux-2024-cheval-blanc-cuts-price-by-nearly-30-556072/Be sure to SUBSCRIBE and follow us...
The War with Napa County Continues...
Another round of battles have and are being fought on the front lines of trying to do business in the Napa Valley. You may not know this but there is a HUGE anti-winery sentiment in the local Napa government entities, it seems the county offices in particular are leading that charge. As with most conflict it simply does not need to be this way...
ARTICLES: Castle winery that outpaced visitor limit by 1,600% gets Napa County’s blessing to keep pouring - https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/napa/winery-napa-visitor-tasting/
‘It doesn’t seem fair’: Small Napa wineries...
Tales from San Antonio
It has been a busy couple of months on the road and it looks like it is going to stay that way for many of us in the wine industry. There are some road blocks and misguided expectations that can easily derail some of these sales efforts. It isn't all just wine-ing and dining after all.
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Tariffs and bud break and bottling OH MY!
It has been two crazy weeks on the road and getting through our rescheduled bottling run but WE ARE BACK!! So much has happened and so much has changed... or has it? Time to dive into the deep.
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Totally Tariffed
200% increase on alcohol imports from the EU you say? Well... the industry has some thoughts let's distill them down, make a cocktail and try to sort it all out.
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The Pitfalls of Marketing
Marketing is always this weird, amorphous thing. For each business it can mean something different. Certain tactics will work and others will fail miserably. Depending on your goals and the scale of your business there are more than a few things to consider, so let's dive into them.
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Winemaker REACTS to the industry vibe.
Another crazy week in the world of wine news between M&A, layoffs pay-to-play schemes and much more. How is it possible that I am this positive and chipper about the situation we are in?
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February Q&A
4:15.00 - What is this Premiere Napa Valley auction and event? Who attends and what is the money for?
18:26.00 - What is the next big step for your wine brand? Do you have a particular goal that you are trying to achieve?
28:50.00 - What are the repercussions of the bridge being out? Are the wines ok and are the winery operations still going as planned?
31:58.00 - What is the deal with Cabernet Franc? It seems like it has gotten really popular but I don't get it?
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The Wine Club Life Blood Part Deux
Back to the future with this episode. What else can a wine business do for you? Is the wine and the club or allocation enough? What more can be done to engage and support the folks that support us?
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Big news and big happenings?!?
Holy smokes it has been a week!! Bridges washing out (bottling is still the worst btw), wineries and tasting rooms closing, pet projects struggling with selling wine. What else can we dive into?
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Moving Right Along
A wine industry on the move! As the new year progresses there are all kinds of opinions and thoughts about where we as a wine region and industry are headed. Some points are well taken, others less so and some simply don't seem to be all that beneficial to consumers or the wineries involved.
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January Q&A
4:08.00 - What is the excuse for bottling costs going up 30-40 % other than that is what the market will bear? It just seems excessive and like a lot of things maybe it can be based on inflation, supply chain issues, energy costs etc but when all of those goes down, the cost does not. 13:05.00 - What causes a winery to stop making a particular wine even if club members and fans love it? How does the focus shift from there? 21.12.00 - Although 100 % cabs are popular, have you thought of bottling a Bordeaux blend in which you combine your expertise around...
Drama be damned, we're making wine!
Barrels barrels every where and plenty of wine to go around! It was the 10th annual barrel trial tasting at Pine Ridge Vineyards this week and yours truly got an invite. Frankly it is now a new favorite event and provides an immense amount of insight into a winemaker's crazy brain. Let's dive in.
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The End Has Begun?
Or has it? Recent remarks from the US Surgeon General have left the alcohol industry shaking in their boots (even though the WHO made similar statements two years ago). Are their flaws in their argument or is it time to jump on the wagon?
A Fresh Start
2024 is officially in the rearview mirror which means it is time to look forward to the new year. After a tumultuous year what is the industry looking forward to? How are we going to forge ahead, connect with wine lovers and ensure our businesses thrive?
December Q&A
2:36.00 - What are you, and maybe the industry, looking forward to in 2025? 9:57.00 - It sounds like wineries are regularly behind the 8 ball when it comes to planning and financial success, why is that? Is there a common thread between the tough year(s)? 27.04.00 - We are shopping for wine glasses, any suggestions? Should we invest in a decanter as well? What do you recommend? 35:05.00 - During this "slower" season what is going on in the cellar? What are you looking for in the wines?
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2024 Was A Vibe
Boy was it. I might have rambled a bit more than usual but this year was a thing and despite the "doom and gloom" there's quite a lot to look forward to and be thankful for.
Celebrating the repeal of prohibition or is a new one coming?
It feels like there is more doom and gloom around the industry these days. Slowing sales, increasing costs and what some are calling a neo-prohibitionist movement. With the 91st anniversary of the repeal of prohibition on December 5th 1933 now seems like a good time to try and tackle the issue.
ARTICLE LINK - https://daily.sevenfifty.com/what-do-neo-prohibitionists-really-want/
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How Wineries are Wrapping Up 2024
Well folks, another year is almost in the books. It has been a wild ride and now we are setting our sights on 2025 and what the future holds.
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November Q&A
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4:19.00 - On the most recent podcast you mention being a consultant for other wineries. You seemed passionate for the Missouri couple’s wine and story but did not mention their name. Do consultants who also make their own wine generally not say who they are working for because they are at risk of ca...Road Warrior Vibes
The road warrior returns! We are back after a few weeks of wine events around the country. How was it out there? What was the vibe? Are wine and alcohol sales still dipping? Is there a bright side? Let's answer all of those questions and more
2024 Harvest Wrap Up
5th Wednesday Bonus Episode! Let's get into what made the 2024 growing season special. How does it compare to past vintages and where are these wines going in the future?
October Q&A
4:14.00 - Why are there so many shipping issues with wine? Given the growth of DTC programs and wine clubs how has it not been figured out?12:00.00 - When wines are going into barrel after harvest how do you decide which wine goes in what barrel?19:03.00 - What is your honest opinion of the grape market going through rocky season?26:02.00 - Do you think that the Kansas wine shop stands a chance against Constellation and Meoimi? When could consumers start to see a change in how wines are listed or described?31:33.00 - Since you are working around family and other wines...
