Texas Hill Country Wineries Episodes

March 21, 2024

Bret Perrenoud of Airis'Ele Vineyards

My guest today is Bret Perrenoud, is one of the owners of a newer winery in Fredericksburg called Airis'Ele Vineyards. Many in the Texas wine industry know him from his long stint as the general manager at Becker Vineyards. During …

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Feb. 29, 2024

Katy Jane Seaton of Farmhouse Vineyards

Katy Jane Seaton is co-owner of Farmhouse Vineyards in the Texas High Plains. We’re talking about Texas agriculture, Farmhouse’s best damn client list, the eclipse, the quest for unity in Texas wine, and much more. ⁠ In the Texas news …

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Feb. 15, 2024

Mike and Kristen Nelson of Ab Astris

My guests today are Kristin and Mike Nelson of Ab Astris Stonewall. In 2020 I answered a call for harvest help, met the Nelson family, and have enjoyed getting to know them and their wines ever since. Our conversation includes …

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Oct. 5, 2023

Messina Hof Winery Co-Founders Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo

Happy Texas Wine Month! My guests on this episode are some of the pioneers of the Texas Wine industry. Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo are the co-founders of Messina Hof Winery, and they join me to talk about the early days …

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July 6, 2023

Talking Texas Viticulture with Evan McKibben

Evan McKibben wants nothing more than to share the stories of the vineyard with Texas wine drinkers. He's the vineyard manager at Pedernales Cellars’ Kuhlken Vineyard just north of Fredericksburg. Before that, he managed vineyards for William Chris Vineyards and …

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May 18, 2023

Michael Barton of Hilmy Cellars

Michael Barton is the winemaker at Hilmy Cellars in Fredericksburg. He’s earning rave reviews for his wines, and today you’ll hear about his deep appreciation for Texas grape growers, the changes he’s been making at Hilmy, and what he learned …

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April 20, 2023

Winemaker Jon Leahy of Becker Vineyards

Today my guest is Jon Leahy, the winemaker at Becker Vineyards, one of the first, and one of the largest wineries in Texas. We take a look back at some of the most memorable wines he’s made, his extensive travels, …

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April 6, 2023

Dan Gatlin's Dogged Quest for Quality at Inwood Estates Winery

Dan Gatlin joins me to talk about his almost 50 years in the wine industry. We cover a lot of ground including including the development of the wine industry in Napa Valley, the lessons learned in the early years of …

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March 23, 2023

Kalasi Cellars' Nikhila Narra Davis and Greg Davis

Today's guests are Nikhila Narra Davis and Greg Davis of Kalasi Cellars. They’ve got a major presence as both High Plains grape growers and as winery owners in Fredericksburg. You’ll hear from Nikhila, who handles wines and vines, and Greg, …

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March 9, 2023

Bryan Chagoly of Sandy Road Vineyards and Top Texas Wines

My guest Bryan Chagoly co-owns Sandy Road Vineyards in Johnson City. We discuss how Sandy Road Vineyards started and their plans for the future. We also talk about Bryan’s latest project, Top Texas Wines. You'll hear more about this effort …

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Dec. 15, 2022

The Year in Review with John Rivenburgh

It’s the end of 2022, and it’s time to take stock of the big stories in Texas wine industry this year. Today I’m going to talk through it all with John Rivenburgh of Kerrville Hills Winery. We talk about the …

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Nov. 17, 2022

Glena Yates, President of the Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association

Glena Yates, president of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association, joins me to share some history of the organization, information on recent challenges and staffing changes, and what TWGGA hopes to accomplish in the next legislative session. In Texas …

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Oct. 20, 2022

Sergio Cuadra: 10 Years of Making Wine at Fall Creek Vineyards

Sergio Cuadra, director of winemaking at Fall Creek Vineyards is celebrating his 10th harvest in Texas, but he’s been working in wine for even longer in Chile. Hear what he thinks about the unique opportunities that growing grapes and making …

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Sept. 22, 2022

Tips for Visiting Texas Winery Tasting Rooms with Victoria Calais and…

My guests are two of the best hospitality biz professionals in Texas. Victoria Calais and Donna Rene Johnston join me to share some tips for visiting Texas winery tasting rooms whether you're visiting Fredericksburg, Johnson City, North Texas, Texas High …

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May 12, 2022

Modern Agriculture in the Texas Hill Country with Adega Vinho's Micha…

Michael Bilger of Adega Vinho joins me for a talk about the viticulture and enology practices he employs at Adega Vinho in Stonewall, Texas. We get specific about the terroir in the Texas Hill Country, efforts to add sub-AVAs to …

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