The Universe in a Glass

Episode 24 - Saline Whites with Ignasi Segui

Ignasi Segui drops by the studio this week. Ignasi is a Catalan grape grower and winemaker, the proud proprietor of a family farm that dates back to 1405. He manages a 120 hectare polycultural estate of which 34 hectares are devoted to a variety of native Catalan grapes, among them Xarel-lo, Macabeu, Parellada, Monstrell, Malvasia de Sitges, and Sumoll. We talk salty wines, tasting through a pair of single vineyard old vine favorites from Penedès and coastal South Africa. Ignasi discusses his earliest memories of life on the land, his evolution as a winemaker, and the singular charm of Xarel-lo. We debate the source of salty flavors in wine and close things out with a bit of verse from Catalan poet Salvador Espriu.

Episode 23 - Quaffable California Reds with Sherman Thacher

Sun-kissed California comes our way this week with Paso Robles icon Sherman Thacher in the studio. Sherman hails from a long, proud line of California farmers and got his start in the beverage game as an award-winning brewer before shifting to wine. We share a pair of his offerings that depart from the typical Paso Robles script, tasting Thacher Winery's Cinsault and Valdiguié to better understand California's viticultural past, present, and future. We discuss the appeal of life on the land, his lessons learned from working with malted barley, and the appeal of wines that don't drink like osso buco. We close out with a bit of verse from former California Poet Laureate Dana Gioia, and Sherman celebrates the collegiality of his winemaking community.

Episode 22 - Virginia Petit Manseng with Ben Jordan

We're joined this week by one of our favorite local winemakers Ben Jordan for a look at our favorite local white grape Petit Manseng. Viognier may be the State Grape of Virginia, but Manseng holds more promise for characterful, ageworthy wines in the Old Dominion. Ben talks over his roots in retail, working under local legend Michael Shaps, taking the reins at Early Mountain, and opening his own custom crush facility in the Shenandoah Valley. We discuss the merits of Petit Manseng in a hot, humid growing zone, the challenges of working with a fast-ripening, acid driven varietal, and the creative possibilities it opens up for local winemakers. We close out with a beautiful bit of verse from former Virginia Poet Laureate Rita Dove, and Ben considers how he would like to see the state's wine industry grow going forward.