Napa Sonoma Live- The Best Things To See, Sip & Savor

Join us for an interesting episode on heirloom beans, their origin and distinct flavors. We open up with my co-host Jean-Charles Boisset telling us of his love for local agricultural products and his respect for Rancho Gordo, the top local source not only for the beans, but the seeds to grow them. This episode is made possible by Oakville Grocery, part of Boisset Collection, a portfolio of wineries and lifestyle destinations with strong historical and family roots. First, as usual, we taste a few wines, inspired by the earthy flavors of beans. Todays wines include the 2016 Secret Indulgence Evoluna Chardonnay, a limited-edition clean and modestly rich, mineral-driven white wine. Next up is the 2016 Raymond Vineyards Napa Valley Reserve Merlot, an earthy, fruity and impossibly smooth red wine from St. Helena vineyards. Talking with Steve Sando, we learn how he hatched the idea for growing and seeking out heirloom beans through his travels to Mexico. He encountered many indigenous farmers growing unusual and u

Today, my co-host Jean-Charles Boisset and I sit down to discuss everyone’s favorite treat: chocolate. We talk about the nuances and complexities in chocolate that strike a chord with winemakers. Today we taste the 2015 JCB Passion red Bordeaux blend, bringing cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, petit verdot and merlot together, showcasing the best Napa has to offer. Its persistence and length make a fun pairing for the chocolate. We also sip on the lovely Buena Vista Angelica, a sweet but not cloying dessert wine made of the historic Mission grape, a thick-skinned grape with deep tannins and rich flavors of dried fruit, hazelnut and vanilla creme. This episode is made possible by Oakville Grocery, part of Boisset Collection, a portfolio of wineries and lifestyle destinations with strong historical and family roots. Chocolate has long been a passion for confectioner and artist Patricia Doyle of Farm Chocolates, her line of handcrafted organic chocolates. Doyle makes a variety of sweets, from bars to caramels,

We stay hyper-local in this episode and talk with a few acclaimed guests from the Oakville area. My co-host Jean-Charles and I talk about the unique and highly sought-after grape-growing region then we taste a single Oakville wine in this episode: the 2015 Raymond Vineyards Oakville District Collection Cabernet Sauvignon. The lush and rich, dark red wine is soul-satisfying and pairs great with grilled filet mignon. This episode is made possible by Oakville Grocery, part of Boisset Collection, a portfolio of wineries and lifestyle destinations with strong historical and family roots. We move into a conversation with Rudd Estate Vintner Samantha Rudd, daughter of the late Leslie Rudd. By the age of eight, Rudd knew confidently that she would devote her life to wine, after her family bought the iconic estate in Oakville and relocated from Wichita by way of Aspen. Their empire included not only the winery and Press restaurant, but also the Oakville Grocery, which she sold to Jean-Charles and Boisset Collection. R

  This episode kicks off with a chat about Michael Pollan’s Omnivore's Dilemma and the association with our upcoming guest, Angelo Garro of Omnivore products. We talk about salt as a critical ingredient in cooking and diet, one which often enhances a dish. The wines we taste today include the 2016 1881 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, with a label displaying the map of Napa’s wine regions. The rich red wine bursts with depth, spice and energy. We also taste the JCB No 3 Pinot Noir, a blend of grapes from Burgundy and Sonoma that my co-host Jean-Charles Boisset says represents the best marriage of France and America, his homeland and his adopted country. This episode is made possible by Oakville Grocery, part of Boisset Collection, a portfolio of wineries and lifestyle destinations with strong historical and family roots. Born in Sicily to a family of cooks, Angelo Garro grew up around good food from a young age. While he’s a blacksmith by trade, he missed his family’s home cooking as he traveled the world. He launch

Recognizing that wine isn’t the only beverage crafted in California’s wine country, my co-host Jean-Charles Boisset and I talk about the long history of apple orchards in America, and in particular, in Sonoma County—with the heart of the industry in Sebastopol. We also discuss how his family has a history of hop growing, something Jean-Charles still continues to do with hop trellises at his properties. Today, rather than tasting wine, we sample Boisset’s La Captive Cider, produced in Sonoma. We then taste the Oakville Grocery 1881 Pilsner, made with Boisset estate hops, by one of the guests on this episode Nile Zacherle. This episode is made possible by Oakville Grocery, part of Boisset Collection, a portfolio of wineries and lifestyle destinations with strong historical and family roots. Ethic Cider’s Ned Lawton joins us for our first interview covering his hand-crafted hard ciders from Sebastopol. With a commitment to sustainability, Lawton produces small batches of ciders from his certified organic orchar

In this episode, my co-host Jean-Charles Boisset and I discuss the meaning of good food and how the Good Food Foundation has createdt a certification process to reward foods that not only taste delicious, but respect the environment. As with each episode, we also taste two wines; this week’s selection includes the JCB Infinity NV Sparkling Crémant de Bourgogne and 2015 Raymond Vineyards 1½ Acres Bordeaux blend. This episode is made possible by Oakville Grocery, part of Boisset Collection, a portfolio of wineries and lifestyle destinations with strong historical and family roots. Good Food Awards Merchants and Communications Manager Katherine Harris helps dispel any misunderstandings about the definition of good food. We learn of the strict criteria the foundation uses to judge and rank the more than 2,000 products submitted to their Good Food Foundation. The foundation currently has 13 food categories and over 300 judges from an array of food specialty areas, to award deserving products with the coveted Good

This fun episode covers the two basic food groups in wine country; cheese and charcuterie! Co-host Jean-Charles Boisset and I talk about the wonderful craft cheeses and meats made fresh in the area. The wines we taste today include the 2016 DeLoach Vineyards Estate Chardonnay and 2015 DeLoach Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir, both from Boisset’s certified organic and Biodynamic Russian River Estate, which pair perfectly with our cheese and meat selections. This episode is made possible by Oakville Grocery, part of Boisset Collection, a portfolio of wineries and lifestyle destinations with strong historical and family roots. To shed light on the cheeses of Sky Hill Napa Farms, we talk with Will McCosker, whose family founded the goat cheese farm when he was a child. McCosker reminisces about their first pet goat, Oscar McCosker, and how the farm got its start. He talks about the varieties of goat cheeses Sky Hill produces, from fresh to flavored chèvre, and goat feta cheese. The milk for all varieties comes from th

Get an inside peek at this historic Victorian located next door to Oakville Grocery. Co-host Jean-Charles Boisset shares his love of history, stemming back to his childhood in Burgundy, and reflects on the inspiration for the museum and the 1881 Napa wines. Wines we taste today are the 1881 Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine, made of 100 percent chardonnay grapes along with the 2016 1881 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon. This episode is made possible by Oakville Grocery, part of Boisset Collection, a portfolio of wineries and lifestyle destinations with strong historical and family roots. We talk with Ali Madrid, tasting room manager at 1881 and learn more about the setting, its bountiful collectibles and  the 16 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in Napa. Madrid shares a few of the tasting experiences available in the salon, and then introduces us to the gorgeous outdoor patio. Next, we sit down with 1881 Winemaker Thane Knutson. We hear about how he started at Raymond Vineyards a decade ago and brings his winemaking

In this episode on the unexpected, Jean-Charles Boisset and I enjoy talking about the finer items in the store, including caviar and a selection of highly coveted wines by the glass or taste, that visitors may be surprised to discover in the same location as sandwiches and potato chips. The wines we taste today include JCB No 21 Brut Cremant de Bourgogne, bubbles that work beautifully with caviar, along with the 2015 Secret Indulgence Tarot Cabernet Sauvignon—showing that even red wine works with the tiny eggs. This episode is made possible by Oakville Grocery, part of Boisset Collection, a portfolio of wineries and shops with strong historical and family roots. Today we interview Oakville Grocery Wine Director Ed Maass, who shares insights into the mission of the Oakville Grocery’s new wine program in Napa. A nitrogen gas wine-preservation system allows guests to sample a dozen wines by the glass, including a selection from small producers that you otherwise might not have an opportunity to taste. But the

In this episode, Jean-Charles Boisset and I talk about our other favorite beverage besides wine: coffee, and how it plays such an important role in most people’s mornings. But as visitors tour Napa Valley, it's not easy to find a good cup as you drive up and down Highway 29. Oakville Grocery has forged a relationship with a master of coffee selecting and brewing: Derek Bromley of Ohm Coffee Roasters. We taste the 2017 JCB No 33 Chardonnay as well as the 2016 Buena Vista Winery Chateau Buena Vista Cabernet Sauvignon. This episode is made possible by Oakville Grocery, part of Boisset Collection, a portfolio of wineries and lifestyle destinations with strong historical and family roots. Our interview today is with Derek Bromley, the founder of Ohm Coffee Roasters. Bromley's background as a sommelier informs his astute sense of smell and taste, which he now focuses toward coffee. Derek had his first cup of coffee (milked down and sugared up) when he was only five years old, and ever since he’s had an intense pa

In this episode, I sit down with my co-host Jean-Charles Boisset to introduce this segment on the future of food. Boisset's passion for supporting local purveyors and farmers is at the heart of his philosophy on food. We also sip on the refreshing 2015 JCB No 76 Chardonnay, a rich and full-bodied white wine with subtle hints of oak and a light freshness. We also taste the 2016 Raymond Vineyards Generations Cabernet Sauvignon, with most of the grapes originating from St. Helena vineyards. This velvety and weighty red wine is simply divine, mouth coating and well-balanced. This episode is made possible by Oakville Grocery, part of Boisset Collection, a portfolio of wineries and lifestyle destinations with strong historical and family roots. Our interviews include Perry Hoffman, chef/partner at Boonville Hotel, and Gibson Thomas, publisher of Edible Marin and Wine Country. Hoffman recently took the helm at his uncle Johnny Schmitt’s 15-room Boonville Hotel restaurant after stints at the highly acclaimed Shed

Tune in for the inaugural episode of Napa Sonoma Live, our first-of-its-kind luxury lifestyle podcast covering the best things to see, sip and savor in wine country, hosted by Napa Sonoma magazine's Executive Editor Laura Levy Shatkin and co-hosted by Jean-Charles Boisset, Proprietor of Boisset Collection. Napa Sonoma has been the ultimate guide for visitors and locals alike, full of vibrant stories, photos and tips on the best things to experience in wine country for over a decade. The podcast is brought to you by Oakville Grocery, part of Boisset Collection, a portfolio of wineries, gourmet shops and lifestyle destinations with strong historical and family roots. This first episode, Oakville Grocery Then and Now, details how California’s oldest continually operating grocery store has shaped the food culture both in the past and the present. Guests on the episode are Lin Weber, a Napa Valley historian, and Barry Dinsmore, the general manager of Oakville Grocery. This interview takes you from the grocery's fo