Grapes and Groundbreakers: Talking and Tasting Sacramento-Grown Wines

California Groundbreakers

** This event was recorded on May 23, 2019** California is known for its amazing wines and its innovative, offbeat ways of growing, producing and marketing them. So in our offbeat and innovative way, we’re going doing a new type of tasting, mixing plenty of great wine with good gab by California Groundbreakers who turn grapes into liquid bliss. Our wine pros this time around are: * Andrew Willsen, manager and sommelier at top Sacramento restaurants including Mulvaney’s B&L, the Waterboy, Hawks and Taylor’s Kitchen * Craig Haarmeyer, who runs his Haarmeyer Wine Cellers out of West Sacramento, is designated a “winemaker to watch” by the San Francisco Chronicle, and believes in the power of Sacramento "terroir" (https://haarmeyerwinecellars.com) * Chris Walsh, an Amador County native who earned his chops in New York City as a sommelier, then decided to come home a few years ago and now makes natural wines under his End of Nowhere label, which showcases grapes grown by other small farmers in the Sierra Foothills (http://ljlwine.com) Join California Groundbreakers' executive director Vanessa Richardson as she asks questions of Andrew, Craig and Chris about California and Sacramento-specific wines -- how to taste them, appreciate them, and discern the difference between wine reality and marketing hogwash. PODCAST PLAY-BY-PLAY * 0 to 3:30 min - Intro to California Groundbreakers * 3:30 min - Panelists introduce themselves and share their favorite wine-focused movies ("Grapes of Wrath," "Bottle Shock," the "Somm" series and "Sour Grapes") * 6:25 min - Panelists' first memorable experience of drinking wine, and how they got into a wine-focused career * 16:45 min - Craig explains notable things and specific characteristics about growing -- and selling -- wine in the Sacramento region * 22:40 min - The definition of "terroir" and why it matters * 24:15 min - Chris explains Amador County terroir, and how his "natural" wines are made * 28 min - How should we taste a glass of wine? * 35:30 min - What should we talk about when we talk about wine? What's the line between sounding smart and sounding pretentious? * 41:55 min - Panelists share their pet peeves and under-the-radar highlights of the wine industry