Best Fred Reno Podcasts (2026)

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EPISODE #10 WINERY FOUNDERS MOST OFTEN ARE NOT THE BRILLIANT BUSINESS FOLKS THEY LOOK TO BE 7:56

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3h ago7:56

7:56

Episode #10 is about my thoughts on why most Founders of wineries or wine brands are not the brilliant or savvy business people they would like you to believe they are. No, more often than not, their success, if they have any, is usually attributable to timing or causes outside of their control. I use my experience with Brice Cutrer Jones, the Foun…

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EPISODE #9 THE FRANK PRIAL ESCAPADE vs WILLIAM HILL WINERY 7:23

1M ago7:23

7:23

This episode delves into a defining moment from February 1986 that catapulted William Hill Winery into the spotlight. At that time, I was Vice President of Sales when Frank Prial, in his popular New York Times column "Wine Talk," made a misstep with his less-than-favorable comments about the results of our blind tasting event. During this event, we…

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EPISODE # 8 WINE BUSINESS IS A TRAILING ECONOMIC INDICATOR 4:27

2M ago4:27

4:27

Episode #8 is an insider's view of the Henry Wine Group Board Meeting in the fall of 2007, when I was President & CEO. While reviewing some sales data for several of our top-end California producers, I noticed a disturbing trend that alarmed me. When I opened the meeting, I said, "Gentlemen, I have noticed some significant slowing down of the sales…

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EPISODE #7 FRANCHISE LAW PART 2 7:22

2M ago7:22

7:22

In this Episode #7, I detail how I unwittingly jumped in and tried to make a significant change in the wine industry by trying to undo the Franchise Law protection that the alcoholic beverage wholesale distributors have in this country. These Laws are a vestige of the repeal of Prohibition and harm the wine producers in the most unfair way possible…

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EPISODE # 6 FRANCHISE LAWS AND BEING CONNED IN GEORGIA 6:04

3M ago6:04

6:04

Episode #6 describes my initial encounter with the bureaucracy in the wine business. It was when I went to work at William Hill Winery back in 1984 and was introduced to the world of Franchise Laws. Franchise Laws come in many shapes and sizes in the country, but essentially, what they are written to do is protect the alcoholic wholesaler distribut…

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EPISODE #5 ROOKIE BUYING WINE IN CALIFORNIA 13:09

3M ago13:09

13:09

This Episode shares a firsthand account of some of my early wine-buying visits to top California wine producers in 1981 & 1982. It is just a small sample of what I encountered at a time when the early wine producers were just beginning to become well known on the East Coast, thanks to my and my best friend Jim Arseneault's efforts as we introduced …

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EPISODE #4 SPARKS STEAKHOUSE ADVENTURE 6:49

4M ago6:49

6:49

In this snippet from my upcoming book, I share a story about my first time on the streets of New York, calling on accounts and selling William Hill wines in only the second week after I had taken the position as VP of Sales for the Eastern Division at William Hill Winery. Some Division, I was a one-man show and responsible for half of the country e…

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EPISODE #2 What My Book is About 4:08

4M ago4:08

4:08

Episode 2 provides a brief overview of what my book is about and my goal in writing it. To sum it up quickly, let me say that I have been fortunate to have had many unique and challenging experiences in my 46-year wine career, and I want to share these with anyone who is interested and curious about what really happens behind the scenes in the wine…

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EPISODE #3 ROOKIE IN THE WINE BUSINESS EXCERPT 5:02

4M ago5:02

5:02

In this episode I share a story about one of the actions I took early in my career that change the course for me. It was 1979 and I had just been hired 5 months before at a Retail Wine Merchant in Washington, DC. I was promoted by the owner of A & A Wine & Spirits, Harry Cook, to be the American Wine Department manager. I wanted to test him right a…

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INTRODUCTION TO FINE WINE CONFIDENTIAL BOOK PODCAST/AUTHOR FRED RENO 3:15

4M ago3:15

3:15

The Fine Wine Confidential Book Podcast is a series of audio excerpts or snippets from my upcoming book, titled Fine Wine Confidential. This new Podcast series will share insider information about what really happens behind the scenes in the Fine Wine business. Everything, from the up-close look at how marketing, sales, and pricing decisions are ma…

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EPISODE #21 PART 2 LUCIE MORTON ON NORTON VS CYNTHIANA 42:08

9M ago42:08

42:08

Here is Part 2 of my in-depth interview with Lucie Morton where we continue to discuss the differences between Norton and Cynthiana grapes. We also cover her attempt to reclaim another Virginia native grape, Cunningham which one of her familial ancestors is connected to here in Virginia. Finally, Lucie will describe her proverbial Ah Ha moment when…

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EPISODE #21 PART 1 LUCIE MORTON ON NORTON & CYNTHIANA 36:05

10M ago36:05

36:05

Lucie Morton is the World's most preeminent Ampelographer, if not the only one still living that practices this art in the wine industry. I know, you are asking yourself what is Ampelography? Well, Lucie will explain that in some detail in this episode. In fact, this interview was filled with so many insights that I have chosen to break it up into …

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EPISODE # 20 THE WINERY AT BULL RUN/KENDELL ANDERSON WINEMAKER 40:50

10M ago40:50

40:50

It is safe to say that Kendell Anderson the featured winemaker in this Episode #20 started his career in the Wine Industry in a most unconventional way. He graduated from William & Mary with a degree in Kinesiology and Health Science, not the traditional degree you might associate a winemaker with. It was a girl friend of his that got him intereste…

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EPISODE #19 TOM PAYETTE 49:40

11M ago49:40

49:40

Tom Payette is one of the veterans making wine here in Virginia. The upcoming 2025 harvest will mark Tom's 40th. While most of Tom's career has been in Virginia he has been involved some years ago on the west coast in California as a result of his position at Prince Michel. The then owner Jean Leducq owned a vineyard on Elhers Lane in Napa Valley. …

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EPISODE #18 NOKESVILLE WINERY/DUSTIN MINER 37:51

1y ago37:51

37:51

Dustin Minor and Nokesville Winery are a relatively new addition to the Norton scene in Virginia. His first full fledge vintage was 2021 when he made wine in the basement of his house after getting his winery license. Today he only produces a little over 1,000 cases of wine but from what I have tasted the quality is high and the future is bright fo…

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EPISODE #17 LEXINGTON VALLEY VINEYARD/RYAN HALE WINEMAKER,OWNER 39:21

1y ago39:21

39:21

Lexington Valley Vineyard is a hidden gem in the Virginia lineup of wineries. I virtually got lost the first time I went to check it out. I had to keep checking my Navigation app to be sure I was headed in the correct direction. However, once I found it, I was impressed with the wines I purchased that day back in August of 2022, especially their Ma…

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EPISODE #16 SHEP ROUSE/ROCKBRIDGE VINEYARD 31:22

1y ago31:22

31:22

I always enjoy sitting down with Shep Rouse and getting his viewpoint on winegrowing in Virginia and wine in general. He has been making wine for close to 45 years. First in California in the early '80s and then in Virginia first in 1986 at the old Montdomaine winery and then founding his own winery Rockbridge in 1992. Although Shep doesn't produce…

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EPISODE # 15 BURNLEY VINEYARD/LEE REEDER OWNER & WINEMAKER 32:56

1y ago32:56

32:56

Burnley Vineyard was first planted in 1977 making them one of the early winegrowing pioneers during the formative years when Virginia wine was just beginning to re-emerge after a long slumber from the years of Prohibition and its repeal. C. J. Reeder, Lee Reeder's father purchased the land in 1977 and Gabriele Rausse who had just begun to plant Bar…

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EPISODE #14 ANNA WANT/CASANEL VINEYARDS & WINERY 33:48

1+ y ago33:48

33:48

This is a fascinating interview because Anna Want, the General Manager and daughter of the founders openly embraces the idea that Casanel has both Norton and Cynthiana vines planted in their vineyard. There is beginning to be a more robust open debate about whether the Cynthiana grape vine is Norton under a different name, or a completely different…

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EPISODE # 13 ROB COX, PARADISE SPRINGS DIRECTOR OF WINEMAKING 32:10

1+ y ago32:10

32:10

Rob Cox had a dream of being a professional baseball player early in his life and when that didn't pan out, he found himself in the business of Golf. Not the usual way in which a person becomes a winemaker, which eventually he did. Now almost twenty years later he guides the winemaking at both Paradise Springs Virginia winery and their wine making …

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EPISODE # 12 TODD KLIMAN/AUTHOR OF THE WILD VINE 36:42

1+ y ago36:42

36:42

Todd Kliman, is a James Beard Award winning writer. After reading The Wild Vine you will know why. He has an incredible ability to bring to life the story of the Norton Grape and have you feel as if you just entered another world, you didn't even know existed. All the time going back into time and then bringing you back to the moment. He started ou…

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EPISODE # 11 MATTHEW MEYER 36:08

1+ y ago36:08

36:08

Matthew began his winemaker career on the West Coast in California. His final stop on that journey was several years at the venerable Heitz Cellars in Napa Valley where he says he learned some good winemaking skills and lesson that have served him well the rest of his career. He would then move to Virginia in 2002 to take the position as winemaker …

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EPISODE # 10 BARREL OAK/Jeremy Ligon Winemaker & Vineyard manager 34:53

1+ y ago34:53

34:53

Jeremy Ligon was brought on just in time for the 2021 harvest. Barrel Oak was purchased from its' previous owners and the new ownership wanted to up the quality of the wines from their Vineyard. In my opinion, Jeremy was a significant step up and his wines reflect that. In 2014 Jeremy was recognized as one of the new upcoming winemakers in Virginia…

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EPISODE # 9 HORTON CELLARS SHARON & SHANNON HORTON 35:33

1+ y ago35:33

35:33

If it were not for Dennis & Sharon Horton Virginia may have never come to know and enjoy it's native grape Norton once again. Let me quote a passage from Todd Kilman book The Wild Vine to set the stage for this Episode. Dennis Horton rang up Jon Held at Stone Hill Winery in the fall of 1988 and requested a shipment of vines, (Norton), laying the fo…

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EPISODE #8 RAPPAHANNOCK CELLARS/JOHN DELMARE, TOM KELLY, STEVE MONSON 36:07

1+ y ago36:07

36:07

Rappahannock Cellars was established when John Delmare and his wife Marialisa made the decision to sell their vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountain area of California and move their family to Virginia back in 1998. They soon purchased the historic Glenway farm in Rappahannock County which would become their new home and vineyard. It is truly a family…

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EPISODE #7 ARTERRA WINERY/JASON MURRAY 44:48

2y ago44:48

44:48

Arterra Winery owned by Founder & winegrower Jason Murray believes in producing wine that is reflective of the grape from which it is grown. Thus, he uses only native yeasts, neutral barrels, and screw caps for bottle enclosure. He feels that when you have a bottle of Arterra you will taste exactly what the grape gave him that vintage and nothing e…

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EPISODE #6 DR. BRUCE ZOECKLEIN/EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF ENOLOGY VA TECH 45:08

2y ago45:08

45:08

Dr. Bruce Zoecklein is nothing short of an Icon here in Virginia. When he was recruited by VA Tech in 1985 to head up their Enology Program the Virginia Wine Industry was just beginning to take shape and form. Bruce brought a level of knowledge about winemaking that would prove invaluable to the growth of Modern-Day Virginia winegrowing. His creden…

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EPISODE # 5 MICHAEL HENY, "ALL ABOUT VIRGINIA NORTON" 30:00

2y ago30:00

30:00

Michael Heny spent close to 20 years in winemaking at Horton Cellars before taking the position as winemaker at Michael Shaps Wineworks in 2019. As a result of his many years working with Dennis Horton, who was the person responsible for re-introducing Norton back to Virginia, he has a great deal of knowledge regarding the challenges that Norton ca…

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EPISODE # 4 DuCard Vineyards/Scott Elliff & Julien Durantie "All About Virginia Norton" 30:33

2y ago30:33

30:33

In this Episode I interview my friend Scott Elliff the Founder & Owner of DuCard Vineyard along with his winemaker Julien Durantie. It is an in-depth look at how one small Virginia Estate tackles the challenges of growing and producing world-quality wine from the Norton grape. For my part I say, "and they do produce world-quality wine". DuCard happ…

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EPISODE # 3 FIFTY-THIRD WINERY & VINEYARD ALL ABOUT VIRGINIA NORTON 36:13

2y ago36:13

36:13

Episode # 3 found me in my studio interviewing the owner of Fifty-Third Winery & Vineyard Dave Drillock and his winemaker Chelsey Blevins who is quickly being recognized as a young rising star in the Virginia wine industry. Fifty-Third Winery & Vineyard produces an outstanding Norton along with a wide range of wines from both vinifera and hybrid gr…

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EPISODE #2 ALL ABOUT NORTON/JENNIFER McCLOUD FOUNDER CHRYSALIS VINEYARDS 32:28

2y ago32:28

32:28

Episode # 2 features Jennifer McCloud the Founder & Owner of Chrysalis Vineyards at the Ag District in Middleburg, Virginia. Along with producing some of the finest Viognier and Albarino in the country she is the proud owner of the largest single vineyard planting of Norton in the world. It makes up over 40 acres of the 70 acres of vineyard land sh…

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EPISODE #1 INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF NORTON 31:56

2y ago31:56

31:56

This Episode kicks off my new series of Podcasts focusing on wines produced from the Norton grape here in Virginia. In Episode #1 I recorded a conversation between the judges at the Homestead Norton Cup Challenge the weekend of November 3rd & 4th, 2023. It was during the lunch break before the judges finished judging the Final Four Norton wines tha…

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EPISODE # 6 JAY YOUMANS MASTER OF WINE 37:47

2+ y ago37:47

37:47

Thanks for being a listener to the Fine Wine Confidential Podcast. For more information go to www.finewineconfidential.comBy Fred Reno

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EPISODE #1 INTRODUCTION TO THE FINE WINE CONFIDENTIAL PODCAST 18:20

2+ y ago18:20

18:20

Thanks for being a listener to the Fine Wine Confidential Podcast. For more information go to www.finewineconfidential.comBy Fred Reno

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EPISODE # 44 DENNIS HORTON MONTAGE EPILOGUE 31:06

2+ y ago31:06

31:06

This Epilogue to my Montage about Dennis Horton and his contribution to the Virginia wine industry you get the opportunity to hear directly from 3 generations of women in the Horton family. It was my intent to give them the last word on Dennis Horton. The interview was at Horton Cellars where I sat with Sharon Horton, his wife and partner, Shannon …

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EPISODE # 44 PART 2/DENNIS HORTON MONTAGE 52:43

3y ago52:43

52:43

Part 2 of Episode #44 Montage about Dennis Horton features my interviews with Jenni McCloud, Owner and Founder of Chrysalis Vineyards who was inspired by Dennis Horton and planted the largest vineyard of Norton currently in the World. Followed by one of the most respected individual in the Virginia Wine Industry, Luca Paschina General Manager & Win…

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EPISODE #44 DENNIS HORTON MONTAGE Part 1 36:02

3y ago36:02

36:02

Because I never had the opportunity to meet of know Dennis Horton before he passed away, I wanted to include his story and contribution to the Virginia Wine Industry in some fashion. I was given an idea by Bruce Zoecklein Professor Emeritus of Enology at VA Tech. He suggested that I interview a handful of folks in the Virginia wine community and ha…

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EPISODE # 43 JASON MURRAY/ARTERRA WINERY 51:57

3y ago51:57

51:57

Arterra Winery was founded by Jason Murray in 2013. Jason is a veteran of winegrowing in Northern Virginia for over 20 years. Arterra, which means "Art of the Land" represents Jason's quest to grow wine in a fashion unseen by most of us in the wine business. His Marketing moniker is " Clean Wine." When I first heard that I didn't really understand …

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EPISODE # 42 COMMON WEALTH CRUSH COMPANY/BEN JORDAN, TIM JORDAN, PATT EAGAN 45:59

3y ago45:59

45:59

Common Wealth Crush Company is a new exciting development in the Virginia Wine Industry. Ben Jordan along with his brother Tim and Jordan and Patt Eagan have opened what I term a winemaker Studio in the historic district of downtown Waynesboro, Virginia. Conceptually, it will allow small wine brands to have access to a winemaking facility without h…

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EPISODE # 41 CHRIS PEARMUND/PEARMUND CELLARS 44:51

3y ago44:51

44:51

Chris Pearmund has been in the Virginia wine industry for over 30 years. He started his career in 1990 when he managed to snag an entry level position at Naked Mountain. He would then purchase Meriweather vineyard in 1996 which has the oldest Chardonnay vines in Virginia today, planted in 1976. The numerous ventures and positions Chris has held in …

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EPISODE # 40 LEE HARTMAN BLUESTONE VINEYARD WINEMAKER 42:34

3+ y ago42:34

42:34

Bluestone Vineyard started out as a small family vineyard when Curt and Jackie Hartman were, encouraged by their friends Phil and Lois Kreider, to help them expand their own availability of grapes for the purpose to produce wine for their own personal use in 2003. In 2007 the decision was made to turn it into a commercial venture and in 2008 they b…

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EPISODE #39 CHELSEY BLEVINS/WINEMAKER FIFTY-THIRD WINERY 36:01

3+ y ago36:01

36:01

Chelsey Blevins would tell you that winemaking found her. It was in 2010 that she visited Horton Vineyards and was given a full tour of the cellars. It was after the tour that Mike Heny, who was the winemaker at that time asked her if she wanted to work the harvest. She said, why not. Thus, her entry into the wine business. Next, she got a position…

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EPISODE # 38 DAMIEN BLANCHON:AFTON MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS WINEMAKER & VINEYARD MANAGER 45:09

3+ y ago45:09

45:09

Damien Blanchon was born and raised in the South of France where his family had roots in the Beaujolais Village region of Burgundy. He grew up with wine in his family and when he was 8 years-old he already knew this what he wanted to do--drive a tractor in the vines and be a winegrower. He would go to school to learn the craft of winemaking and rec…

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EPISODE # 37 AFTON MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS/ELIZABETH &TONY SMITH OWNERS 43:42

3+ y ago43:42

43:42

AFton Mountain Vineyards was one of the first of the early farm wineries in Virginia when it was planted in 1978 by David Medford a Chemist from Richmond, Virginia. However, he named it Bacchanal Vineyards after the Greek god Bacchus. It would be purchase later by Tom & Shinko Corpora and renamed Afton Mountain Vineyards in 1987. In 2009 Elizabeth …

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EPISODE # 36 WILLIAMSBURG WINERY/PATRICK DUFFELER;FOUNDER & MATTHEW MEYER;WINEMAKER 1:01:46

3+ y ago1:01:46

1:01:46

Patrick Duffeler purchased his tract of land called Wessex Hundred just outside of Williamsburg, Virginia in 1983 and would start to plant his vineyard in 1985. Patrick was born in Belgium and after gaining his degree in Economics & Finance from the University of Rochester, New York he started his professional career with Eastman Kodak. He would go…

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EPISODE # 35 BILL CURTIS/OWNER & CHEF:TASTINGS RESTAURANT, WINE BAR, & WINE SHOP CHARLOTTESVILLE 40:12

3+ y ago40:12

40:12

When Bill Curtis opened TASTINGS Restaurant, Wine Bar, & Wine Shop in 1990 it was the first of its kind on the East Coast to combine all these elements under one roof. Bill has been involved in the Virginia wine and food scene for close to 40 years and has a tremendous Passion still, for the wine world. He is exceptional in his breadth of knowledge…

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EPISODE # 34 JENNI McCLOUD/CHRYSALIS VINEYARDS AT THE AG DISTRICT 37:47

4y ago37:47

37:47

Jennifer McCloud's journey and pursuit to reclaim Norton as Virginia's native grape began in the mid-1990's when she found herself in Charlottesville, Virginia at the Eastern conference of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture, (A.S.E.V.) where Dennis Horton and his winemaking consultant at the time Alan Kinne were speaking about Viognier…

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EPISODE # 33 TIM & PETER RAUSSE/GABRIELE RAUSSE WINERY 38:41

4y ago38:41

38:41

Tim & Peter Rausse were involved in the planting and development of the Gabriele Rausse winery beginning early in their youth. Although Tim went off to school shortly thereafter, he would return and immerse himself in the operation and winemaking and hasn't looked back. Peter calls himself the unofficial GM these days and recounts in this Episode h…

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EPISODE # 32 MIKE HENY/WINEMAKER: MICHAEL SHAPS WINEWORKS 37:12

4y ago37:12

37:12

Michael Heny graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Comparative Literature from University of Virginia in 1990. Hardly, the typical training or studies that would lead to a successful career. He was in need of a job just out of college when he answered and ad for a position as a cellar worker at Montdomaine Cellars where Shep Rouse w…

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EPISODE # 31 JUSTIN ROSE/WINEMAKER ROSEMONT VINEYARDS 35:09

4y ago35:09

35:09

Rosemont Vineyards was established in 2003 by Stephan and Chandra Rose on a farm that had been in the Rose family since 1858. When Stephan retired as a successful Dow Chemical executive, he was interested in returning to the family farm and get back to land, so to speak. With the help of a family friend, he was introduced to Lucie Morton the world-…