Major Crush

In this episode of Major Crush, Meredith and Lou talk about Bordeaux! This might be a wine region in France, but Bordeaux has a massive influence on how wine is made in the California Wine Country. Meredith and Lou tackle this influential Old World region and help to draw some direct comparisons between this region in France and California -- specifically when it relates to the Right Bank/Left Bank and Sonoma/Napa Valley conversation. //  SPECIAL THANKS: We want to thank The Panel Wine Club in Sonoma (www.panelwines.com) for allowing us to record this episode of Major Crush in their beautiful tasting studio! // Be on the lookout for a Major Crush follow-up episode from Meredith and Lou as they help to explain the French AOC system and how this organization structure influences how Old World Wines versus New World Wines get their classifications. CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you’re listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening

In this special bonus episode, Meredith and Lou get personal with Philip O'Connor about his background and life, and we also get to learn a little bit more about his daughter (soon-to-be-2-year-old, Edith), and his wife -- who has a fascinating career as a cheesemonger!  CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out the entire first season of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you access your favorite podcasts!

In this episode of Major Crush, Meredith and Lou spend a little time with one of the most interesting and storied winemakers in all of Napa Valley: Ron Fenolio. One of the many things that make this interview so interesting for Meredith, Lou, and all of our listeners is that the first commercial vintage Ron ever produced was entered into the 1976 Judgement of Paris, and it won "The Most French Like Chardonnay!" Ron tells Meredith and Lou his story as well as gives these two some unique insight into the early days of winemaking in the Napa Valley, his personal philosophies on food and wine, and he also details his journey as the owner of one of the original wineries established in the Napa Valley in the early 1970s: Veedercrest. //www.veedercrestwines.com //   CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at m

In this special Major Crush Bonus Episode, Meredith kicks things off by sharing a few more thoughts about her passion for "wine and wellness," and then leads us into a fascinating discussion with Ridgely Evers about growing Italian varietals in the California Wine Country. To hear the full-length interview with the DeVero team, be sure to check out Episode 5 of Season One of Major Crush! CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out the entire first season of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you access your favorite podcasts!

In this episode of Major Crush, Meredith and Lou take some time out to talk about one of the biggest influences in the California Wine Country: Rhône varietals. It's amazing to discover how influential this region of France is when you take a closer look at what the winemakers these two are meeting have chosen to grow and make. So it seemed right to take a full episode to unpack this region that is so rich in heritage, but also so storied in how the French curate their vintages. // We want to thank The Panel Wine Bar in Sonoma for allowing us to record this episode of Major Crush in their beautiful tasting studio! // Some of the California wineries that were mentioned in this episode include //Judge Palmer Winery // Williamson Wines // Roger Roessler //Winery Sixteen 600// Thanks for listening to this episode of Major Crush! CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and your listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any othe

An afternoon with Ridgely Evers is something Lou and Meredith will never forget! And in order to give you the full experience, we've created this BONUS episode that features our tour around the DaVero Winery property. Learning all about Ridgely's past and the details of his approach to farming and curating biodynamically balanced wines were just some of the highlights of our visit, and so we hope you'll enjoy this additional podcast episode! To learn more about Ridgely and his team, go to www.davero.com // To hear the complete Major Crush interview with Ridgley, be sure to check out Episode 5! CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out the entire first season of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you ac

Spending an afternoon with Ridgely Evers, founder of DaVero Winery, was one of the most interesting and informative sit-downs Meredith and Lou have had so far, and one thing’s for certain: these two have a Major Crush on DaVero Winery! Ridgely is a tech-guy by trade, but a farmer by instinct, and so his passion for biodynamic farming combines almost poetically with his understanding of science and the movement of nature. This episode was so full of great information that we’ve had to create two bonus episodes just to share everything we learned! DaVero’s focus on Italian varietals is a reflection of this winery’s commitment to growing grapes in the climate they were meant to grow in, and the Dry Creek AVA of Sonoma County is the mirror image of the Mediterranean. DaVero Winery is a club-only, direct-to-consumer winery, so in order to access their wines, you’ll want to join their club. But if you’re ever in the Wine Country, you’ll definitely want to make an appointment and experience this winery for yourself!

In this special bonus episode, Lou leads us into a conversation with Bill Williamson on his leadership concepts and how he's applied his vast knowledge to the world of wine. It's just a sneak peek into how interesting the Williamson Wines brand truly is, and it will give you another taste of how great Meredith and Lou's time with Bill was. Just as a reminder, if you haven't listened to the full-length interview with Bill Williamson, it's Episode 4, and it's available wherever you access the Major Crush podcast series! CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out the entire first season of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you access your favorite podcasts!

In this special bonus episode of Major Crush, Meredith briefly touches on how diet and food concerns factor into a person's wine-drinking choices. She also discusses how a wine's alcohol content fits into healthy decision-making, and then she turns it over to Bill Williamson of Williamson Wines to give his thoughts on how alcohol impacts the flavor and balanced enjoyment of his wines. To hear the full-length interview with Bill Williamson, be sure to check out Episode 4 of Major Crush -- it was one of Meredith and Lou's favorite interviews so far! CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out the entire first season of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you access your favorite podcasts!

Meredith and Lou had the best time with Bill Williamson of Williamson Wines, and we know you’re going to want to source these show notes for all of the information you’ll need to experience Williamson Wines for yourself. Because Williamson uses a club-only, direct-to-consumer business model, you can’t get any of his amazing wines at your local retailer — you have to go direct! But joining the Williamson Wines Club will not disappoint! They have come up with so many ways for you to experience their collection of more than 40 different wines — all with their own unique story and pairing suggestions. Plus, Williamson has a cheese club and Bill’s Cellar Club, too, which allows you to get some of Bill’s favorite picks created by other winemakers from around the world. In addition, Williamson’s incredible team of chefs have posted the most stunning recipes for you to explore — all based on Bill’s belief that a recipe should create the most delicious dishes to go with his wines, but also, these recipes should be abl

In this bonus episode, we do something we probably should've done right off that bat -- introduce you to Meredith Griffin and Lou Zant, that is! But it's never too late to get to know someone, and so in this installment of Major Crush, Meredith and Lou take some time to talk about themselves!  CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out the entire first season of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you access your favorite podcasts!

It's pretty clear that Lou and Meredith have a MAJOR CRUSH on Judge Palmer Wines! So in this BONUS episode, they go back and meet with Palmer Emmitt, the co-owner of this amazing winery, but this time, dessert wines are the main focus! Palmer walks Meredith and Lou through a beautiful sweet wine tasting, featuring three of their most unique offerings! Palmer also teaches these two crushers how Solera wines are made, and they get to taste two Solera wines that aren't even in the bottle yet! It's a gorgeous afternoon to be sipping wine with great friends, and we hope you enjoy this experience of learning along with Meredith and Lou!  Featured Wines: The wines featured in this episode include the following: Judge Palmer Quarante Deux "40 Deuce" Sauvignon Blanc Single Barrel Reserve White Wine / 2017 Domenica Amato Appiccicoso / Gavel 1 & Gavel 2 Solera (pre-orders only). Visit Judge Palmer Wines (www.judgepalmer.com) to order any of the wines from the spectacular winery, and be sure and tell them you h

Welcome to our third episode of Season 1: The Dirty Crush! This time, Meredith & Lou visit Judge Palmer Winery in the heart of the Dry Creek AVA in Sonoma County, CA. Micheal Scorsone, one of the owners and winemakers at this boutique winery is such a pleasure to be around, and his laid-back style and incredible passion for wine (and food) make this episode educational but so very entertaining! NOTES: Judge Palmer Winery has two labels: Domenica Amato and Judge Palmer -- and both are featured and talked about in this episode.  Featured Wines: You can purchase any of the wines Meredith and Lou discussed with Michael on the Judge Palmer Website, but to help you keep track, here is a list of the wines Michael showcased in this episode: 2017 Domenica Amato Granche Blanc -- 2017 Domenica Amato Viognier -- 2016 Domenica Amato Roussanne -- 2017 Domenica Amato Grenache -- Domenica Amato Gusto Rousso -- 2015 Judge Palmer Cabernet Sauvignon. The tasting room for these wines is located at 1830 Jameson Road, Hea

Welcome to Season 1 of Major Crush (The Dirty Crush). This is Episode 2, and it's all about the Napa Valley growing region known as Calistoga. This episode features a very personal interview with a premier winemaker and winery owner, Chris Madrigal of Madrigal Family Winery. Chris is from one of the most storied families in the Valley, and his philosophy on wine growing, winemaking, and living a life in harmony and balance with nature makes him one of Meredith and Lou's favorite people in the California Wine Country! FEATURED WINES:  2018 Madrigal Dry Rose / 2017 Madrigal Tempranillo  |  To order these or any of the other outstanding vintages this winery has to offer, please visit the official website (http://www.madrigalfamilywinery.com/)  If you happen to find yourself in the Napa Valley and want to stop in for a tasting, the tasting room is located at 3718 North Saint Helena Highway, Calistoga, CA 94515  // It's always best to set up an appointment by calling: 707.942.8619 Or book