The Wine Makers on Radio Misfits

Hosted by The Wine Makers

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Episodes

418

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

A laid-back journey into the heart of wine culture Every week, hosts Sam Coturri, Bart Hansen, Danielle Langlois and Brian Casey pull the cork on real conversations with winemakers, growers, sommeliers, and industry trailblazers from Sonoma and beyond. The Wine Makers blends deep knowledge with a relaxed, no-snobbery approach to everything from biodynamic farming to rebellious cider makers and sake artisans. These are not dry lectures or polished promos—just passionate people talking shop over a glass (or three). The hosts’ decades of hands-on experience in vineyards, cellars, and tasting rooms fuel lively discussions about sustainability, storytelling, and the changing world of wine. Whether you’re just starting to explore wine or already know your skin-contact from your carbonic maceration, this show delivers honest insight, practical advice, and plenty of personality. Pour a glass and press play.

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60 recent

June 12, 20262 hr 17 min

The Wine Makers – Lulie Halstead, Wine Business Strategist

Lulie Halstead is a globally recognized expert in wine business strategy, consumer insights, and marketing, with over two decades of experience shaping the wine industry’s research and advisory landscape. We first met Lulie at the Direct-to-Consumer Wine Symposium a few years ago and frequently listen to her podcast, “A Question of Drinks” that she does with her friend Felicity Carter, available on all platforms. She was nice enough to stop by on her way back to London to discuss the top 10 challenges in the wine industry and offer some simple solutions. Lulie is a globally recognized expert in wine business strategy, consumer behavior, and drinks industry marketing but is best known as the co‑founder and former CEO of Wine Intelligence, a leading research and insights provider to the global wine industry, which she established in 2002 and later became part of the IWSR Group. Wine Intelligence is widely regarded as the foremost wine‑focused consumer behavior insights organization, with coverage in over 160 markets. Over the past two decades, Halstead has advised the leadership teams of some of the world’s leading wine businesses, combining academic research with practical industry application. She has been a regular keynote speaker at high‑profile international wine conferences and continues to teach and supervise on Masters and MBA programs in countries including Italy, France, Australia, Chile, and the USA. Her expertise spans marketing, branding, consumer behavior, research methods, and strategy, with a strong wine sector focus. [Ep 415] Lulie Halstead – A Question of Drinks Podcast | LinkedIn www.thewinemakerspodcast.com

June 5, 20261 hr 37 min

The Wine Makers – Katy Wilson, VinePair NextWave Winemaker of the Year, Carbonic Maceration

On this week’s episode of The Wine Makers, we speak to Vine Pair’s Winemaker of the year Katy Wilson. Katy is a certified bad ass in the wine industry making wine for Anaba, Reeve, Bloodroot, and her own brand LaRue Wines. Katy grew up with agriculture in her blood, farming walnuts on her family’s farm. After double majoring in Wine & Viticulture and Agricultural Business at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Katy got the winemaking bug traveling the world to make wines with some of the greats. Today we talk about all things carbonic maceration. Katy has been using carbonic maceration to make fresh delicious wines for her clients for years and advised our very own Danielle Langlois with her 2025 Gamay. Katy brought some really cool carbonically made Pinot, Grenache, and Sangiovese wines for us to try, some young, and spicy, and some fresh but subdued with a bit of age. Katy also brought some bottles from her personal label LaRue. We tasted a coastal, mouth watering, acid-driven 2021 Chardonnay from H. Klopp Vineyards and an elegant and aromatically expressive 2023 Cabernet from Bedrock Vineyards. The Cabernet is from her Charlie LeRue series, a project with her Sommelier husband, David Meneses, and named for her daughter. Katy’s wines are elegant and nuanced, expressing a sense of place. If you have the opportunity to taste any of her wines, you won’t be disappointed. One of those opportunities will be at her yearly LaRue Summer BBQ, where you can taste through her current releases and some special library wines. Get the last few tickets for Katy’s Larue Summer BBQ on 8/1 at the link below. https://www.laruewines.com/product/2026-larue-summer-bbq-at-the-farmhouse Find Katy’s wines at https://www.laruewines.com, anabawines.com , https://www.reevewines.com and https://www.bloodrootwines.com . Follow her on Instagram at @laruewines. And don’t miss The Ramble, a charity event put on by Bloodroot Wines happening tonight and tomorrow 6/5-6/6. Tickets available at https://www.bloodrootramble.com

May 29, 20261 hr 9 min

The Wine Makers – Letizia Gini & Azienda Agricola Gini, Veneto

This week we sat down with Letizia Gini from Azienda Agricola Gini, one of Italy’s most historic family wineries. Founded in 1570, the Gini family has been making wine for 15 generations from the volcanic hills of Soave to the sun-drenched valleys of Valpolicella; their wines capture the rich diversity of the Veneto. The wines are distributed by Skurnik here in the U.S., we were joined by Omar Caruso and Joan Stagnaro, two of the reps for the wines in America. The Gini family has roots in the Soave Classico region dating from the seventh century and owns 25 hectares of vineyards situated on the very best hillside position of the appellation. Extremely low yields, low-interference viticulture, and devoted attention to expressing the unique character of each cru results in wines that are not only among the greatest Soaves but also among the great white wines of Italy. Both tradition and the modern are reflected at Gini. The hand-harvested Soave Classicos is 100% Garganega. Both the Soave Classico and the single vineyard “La Frosca” are vinified in stainless steel. The family’s prized “Salvarenza” bottling, from a tiny plot of centenarian vines within the La Froscà vineyard, is matured in barrel. The Re Nobilis is a rare representative of a botrytized style Recioto, northern Italy’s version of a German TBA, while the Recioto Col Foscarin is a delightful dessert wine, also great with cheese. www.skurnik.com/producer/gini/ www.ginivini.com/en @letiziaginiii

May 22, 20261 hr 9 min

The Wine Makers – Sonoma Pride

With Pride Month just around the corner, we invited two leaders from Sonoma’s LGBTQ+ community to give us the rundown on the events, celebrations, and activities happening throughout the summer. Gary Saperstein, owner and co-founder of Out In The Vineyard, joins us to talk about creating LGBTQ+ travel and wine country experiences, including winery tours, special events, and the nationally recognized Gay Wine Weekend. The three-day festival brings together visitors from across North America for wine, food, entertainment, and community in Sonoma Valley. We’re also joined by Lisa Storment, president of Wake UP Sonoma, who discusses her advocacy work and the organization’s efforts to support LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities, promote civic engagement, and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout Sonoma County. Together, they share what’s ahead for Pride season and why these events continue to matter to the community. [Ep 412] outinthevineyard.com sonomacountypride.com wakeupsonoma.org @wake.up.sonoma

May 16, 20261 hr 23 min

The Wine Makers – Tom Sherwood, BXT Wines

BXT kept coming up in conversations over the last month. Casual conversations about bubbles always led back to one name, Tom Sherwood. Even friends who don’t live in California were talking about BXT and drinking the wines in their Instagram feeds. Who was this guy ? We reached out through Insta on direct message; he was willing to come. Even Todd Jolly, our friend from Sonma’s Best Wine Shop, wanted in on the action. The show was set, and finally we will meet this mysterious figure who is opening everyone’s eyes to grower sparkling wine in California. BXT is an exploration of Californian viticulture through the lens of traditionally made sparkling wine. BXT Vines are personally hand farmed with additional grapes being sourced from talented, passionate growers across unique sites in California. Grapes are hand-picked, gently whole cluster pressed and fermented in new and used French oak. The wine ages 6-9 months in barrel prior to being bottled with yeast and sugar. Secondary fermentation takes place in bottle, and the wine is then left undisturbed until ready. Bottles are then hand riddled and disgorged. Small Batch. Traditionally made. Sparkling wines of California. [Ep 411] @bxtwines bxtwines.com

May 2, 20261 hr 41 min

The Wine Makers – Ana Carolina Quintela, Decanter

Brazilian-born and now based in the Bay Area, Ana Carolina Quintela joins us to talk about her path from journalism to wine. She earned her degree in journalism and began her career as a daily business reporter for Diário do Nordeste, the largest newspaper in Northeastern Brazil. After moving to San Francisco, she continued her work as a journalist with the bilingual paper El Tecolote. Today, Ana is a wine journalist and critic covering Sonoma County for Decanter’s global audience, producing bi-weekly reports that focus on vineyard practices, regional trends, and the people behind the wines. She is also a certified sommelier, with experience in both wine and fine dining in San Francisco, and has come full circle by returning to her roots as a writer in the wine world. [Ep 410]

April 17, 20261 hr 20 min

The Wine Makers – Sonoe Hirabayashi, Six Cloves Wines

On this week’s episode of The Wine Makers, we sit down with Japanese winemaker Sonoe Hirabayashi of Six Cloves Wines. She talks about her roots in Nagano, her family’s long history of fermenting miso and sake, and how she found her way into wine, along with her connection to the art of Taiko drumming. Sonoe originally moved to New York to work as a corporate accountant, but after getting hooked on wine, she realized that path was not for her. She headed to UC Davis to study winemaking, later returned to Japan to help her family make sake, and has since worked around the world. Today, she produces balanced, elegant, acid-driven wines under her Six Cloves label. She shares her Chardonnay from Linda Vista Vineyard in Oak Knoll and her Alder Springs Pinot Noir, both showing a strong sense of place and her light touch in the cellar. She also makes Cabernet, Zinfandel, and a Grenache Pinot blend worth seeking out. [Ep 409] Wines – sixcloveswines.com Instagram – sixcloveswines Hear Sonoe talk fermentation and play Tokai drums in San Francisco on Sunday April 26th at Sequoia Sake Company. bit.ly/3QftzQZ

April 10, 20261 hr 6 min

The Wine Makers – Christopher McGilvray

Christopher McGilvray is an award-winning independent filmmaker based in Santa Cruz, California. Through his company, Nomadic Bear Productions, he has created content for a wide range of clients, including Oracle, EMI Records, and Ridge Vineyards. We sat down with Christopher to talk about his current documentary, Eden, which follows the Patterson family, caretakers of one of California’s most historic vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Mount Eden. The property’s history dates back to the 1800s and includes names like Almaden, Paul Masson, Louis Latour, and Martin Ray. The film tells a story of transition, succession, and passion over a seven-year period as the next generation returns home to take the reins. Cinematographer Isiah Flores captures the quiet, everyday beauty of life on a family-run estate, while composer Alex Kelly provides a moving score. It’s a side of farming and winemaking most people never see, including the reflection and family struggles behind every bottle. [Ep 408] Check out the trailer at Edenfilm.info/trailer and explore the wines at Mounteden.com

April 3, 20261 hr 54 min

The Wine Makers – Jennifer Rue, Oakville Ranch Vineyards

Jennifer Rue has been the winemaker for Oakville Ranch Vineyards for more than a decade. Her connection to the site runs much deeper. Her career has effectively orbited Oakville Ranch from the start. Her first winery job sourced fruit from the vineyard. She later worked for an early iteration of Oakville Ranch, then spent years at Miner Family Winery working with relatives of the ranch’s ownership. Different roles, same vineyard. Again and again. Along the way, she has worked along side Phil Coturri and Enterprise Vineyards to help this important, historical site realize its potential and attain its rightful place among the vaunted vineyards of the hallowed appellation. We talk a lot about the “only Grenache in Oakville,” but we’ve never really broken down the ranch itself,how it’s laid out, what makes it distinct, and why it behaves differently than the valley floor. Jennifer sat down with Brian and Sam and we got into it. She also pulled a couple of unicorns, a 2015 Oakville Ranch Chardonnay and a very limited 2023 Oakville Ranch Grenache Rosé plus we got a look at what’s coming from the much touted 2023 vintage. Finally, Phil Coturri popped by to help confirm or dispel a few of the Oakville Ranch myths and rumors we’ve all heard..and maybe even helped spread. Sit down, pop a unicorn and lets head to the far eastern reaches of the Oakville District. https://oakville-ranch.myshopify.com/ https://www.instagram.com/oakvilleranch/ PS – The book we talked about – Click Here

March 27, 202657 min

The Wine Makers – Robyn Sebastiani, Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance

This week we welcome Robyn Sebastiani from the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance. Robyn serves as Executive Director of both the alliance and its charitable foundation, and she joins us to talk about what the SVVGA actually does and how it all got started. We also get into a couple of upcoming events, including Sonoma Valley Western Reserve at the private Wing and Barrel Club this May, along with the 129th Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival, which takes place every year during the last weekend of September. Now’s a good time to start planning for both. www.sonomavalleywine.com