WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:06.040 Welcome to Wine Soundtrack USA. Listen to the passion with which producers narrate their 2 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:12.119 winery and their world team thirty answers discover their stories, personalities and passions. 3 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:15.839 Hello, friends and listeners of Winne's Soundtrack. This is Alison Levigne and today 4 00:00:15.880 --> 00:00:19.920 I am with Eric Johnson, the director of viticulture and wine making of Tally 5 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:24.000 Vineyards in San Luis, Bispo. Eric, Welcome to Wine Soundtrack and tell 6 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:28.280 us a little bit about Tally. Yeah, thank you for having me. 7 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:33.600 Tally Vineyards is a winery, a vineyard winery on the Cier Coast, California, 8 00:00:34.159 --> 00:00:38.000 based out of Roal Grande Valley. We specialize in pune orange chardonnay, 9 00:00:38.119 --> 00:00:44.159 but we dip into Sarra granas, Sauvio blanc, Grumer Veldlinger. Yeah, 10 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:47.520 and it's a lot of fun stuff to do. Well, any other weird 11 00:00:47.560 --> 00:00:52.399 wines and Me's grooner, the weirdest grooner, would be the most obscure. 12 00:00:52.439 --> 00:00:55.880 I mean, we'll do some some weird like orange wines, and you know 13 00:00:55.920 --> 00:01:00.799 we've we've dabbled in the elusive pet nat but you know it's as weird as 14 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:06.840 we get, I guess. And how many cases do you produce. We 15 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:11.640 produce about twenty four thousand a year. It's pretty consistent. Yeah. And 16 00:01:11.879 --> 00:01:15.239 is it all a state fruit? And how many acres do you own? 17 00:01:15.719 --> 00:01:21.640 Yeah? So everything itally a state Yep, pretty rad We have right now 18 00:01:21.640 --> 00:01:26.280 about one hundred and twenty five acres. Yeah, so enough to you know, 19 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:30.079 make wine and not purchasing any fruit. We do not purchase any fruit 20 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:33.879 for tali bean heres Nope. Yeah. And where can people find your wines? 21 00:01:33.879 --> 00:01:37.239 Are they available in markets across the US or in specific markets or just 22 00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:42.920 direct to consumer? Yeah, We're always available to direct to consumer. We 23 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:49.239 have a glorious Wine club, but we are available in many, many markets, 24 00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:53.120 a lot of wine shops, restaurants, you have some cool grocery stores 25 00:01:53.159 --> 00:01:55.719 and stuff like that. So yeah, we're out there. Okay, cool, 26 00:01:55.799 --> 00:01:57.439 we got the basic stuff out the way. So now about you. 27 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:04.239 I'm curious what is your first memory relevant to wine? How far back do 28 00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:07.359 we go? Where did you grow up? I grew up in a town 29 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:14.479 in the Central Valley called Los Banos, and which is a small farming town. 30 00:02:15.039 --> 00:02:16.039 It used to be back in a day more dairy. But I grew 31 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:23.240 up on a farm apricots mostly and wine. And my first memory of wine 32 00:02:23.319 --> 00:02:30.960 is cold bottles of carl Rossi Chabilee. You know that's not Chubbie obviously sister 33 00:02:30.039 --> 00:02:34.800 college drinking or is this high school drinking? This is my mother and father. 34 00:02:36.199 --> 00:02:38.719 They would have the jugs in the fridge and you know, now with 35 00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:44.360 the knowledge I have, with my history of wine making, I think they 36 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:46.639 those wines were probably going bad for how long they left them in the fridge 37 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:52.479 and they were just continuously drinking them for weeks on end. It seems like 38 00:02:52.520 --> 00:02:55.719 some stomach issues personally, But yeah, but they never reported that. No, 39 00:02:55.719 --> 00:02:58.719 No, they rolled with it, rolled with it. Yeah. And 40 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:00.280 then when getting to high school, I was but there's a lot of baskets, 41 00:03:00.439 --> 00:03:04.520 Like there's a lot of bass French and Spanish bass kids, and if 42 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:07.639 you know Basque, they drink a lot of red wine. And so that 43 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:10.240 that involved us stealing a lot of red wine and drinking it and you know, 44 00:03:12.280 --> 00:03:14.919 doing what kids do when you drink a lot of red wine in high 45 00:03:14.919 --> 00:03:17.560 school. Absolutely, so when you look back now at your career and move 46 00:03:17.639 --> 00:03:22.639 past the Carla Rossi and whatever wines you could steal, what would you say 47 00:03:22.680 --> 00:03:24.840 is one of those aha moment wines you had and what was it and when 48 00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:30.599 was it? That's funny because this is a it doesn't represent what I what 49 00:03:30.680 --> 00:03:38.159 I truly dig as wines right now, but it so it was a five 50 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:43.479 Senek went on. It was a Sirah. I can't remember if that was 51 00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:47.479 one of the serial killers or or not time of his life, you know, 52 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:53.199 vintages, but it was a wine I had, and it was the 53 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:59.560 first wine that I really understood texture, like it blew my mind away? 54 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:00.719 Can I I don't know if I should. I can't cuss on this, 55 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:06.840 right, you can't. So no, it did. It blew my mind. 56 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:11.479 It just as I've never had anything with that that sort of of texture, 57 00:04:12.120 --> 00:04:15.120 and it's just yeah, that that that one I always think about. 58 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:20.199 There are some chipiles, uh you know that that have blown my mind and 59 00:04:20.439 --> 00:04:25.920 that really kind of got me into loving great Charnay. But it was that 60 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:30.519 goddamn Snecmonon, which obviously I can't afford it now, but you know, 61 00:04:31.160 --> 00:04:33.319 yeah, yeah there, hey, but it taught you texture. So I'm 62 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:38.759 curious if we were to come to your home now, what would we find? 63 00:04:39.240 --> 00:04:41.360 What do you drink? What is at home? Is it wines you 64 00:04:41.399 --> 00:04:44.480 make? Is it winds your friends make winds from around the world, particular 65 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:48.399 grapes like and now that you've moved on and you love texture, Yeah, 66 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:53.879 yeah, what I what I dig? So yes, I drink a lot 67 00:04:53.879 --> 00:04:55.360 of wine. I drink a lot of beer too. I drink a lot 68 00:04:55.360 --> 00:05:00.120 of cocktails. I guess you're an opportunity. Absolutely. I support all been 69 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:04.040 appoine industry. So I love I do love Chris White Whites like like I 70 00:05:04.040 --> 00:05:08.600 do love Chabli like I love love Love Shublee. I love Gammet. I'm 71 00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:14.759 a hardcore Gammet guy, crubaujile. I obviously am Pinot. I like northern 72 00:05:14.839 --> 00:05:21.079 roon. I love Northern ron uh corn oscot ROTI and champagne. My wife 73 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:25.399 and I are big champagne peeps. But then yeah, my friends, I 74 00:05:25.399 --> 00:05:28.079 mean I have a lot of friends. Uh, most of my best friends 75 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:31.639 are whine makers. Lugar who's here, you know. I drink a lot 76 00:05:31.639 --> 00:05:34.480 of his wines. I drink a lot of uh you know, say, 77 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:39.639 Thomas Fogerty was here too. Just a lot of buddies and pres skill. 78 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:42.759 I end up with a lot of press sciel wine. So yeah, I 79 00:05:42.839 --> 00:05:47.240 just I honestly, I try not to drink our wines. It just depends 80 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:49.720 on how much money I have. But you know, sometimes you know, 81 00:05:49.720 --> 00:05:53.800 when you're scrubbing, you gotta you gotta just drink your own sauce. But 82 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:57.439 I try not to drink it because I I'd rather not, uh just be 83 00:05:57.600 --> 00:06:00.439 so familiar with it that I think all my wines are which it just you 84 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:02.800 know, I mean not all your wines are great. Well, I know, 85 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:05.120 but I don't want to be saying that, you know, I don't 86 00:06:05.120 --> 00:06:08.959 want to put that out there and look arrogant. You know, I'm trying 87 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:14.199 to trying to just look cool fair enough. Is there a particular bottle you 88 00:06:14.279 --> 00:06:17.720 opened up recently from your cellar or maybe a restaurant that just kind of blew 89 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:24.759 you away? And or maybe it's one of your own. It's funny because 90 00:06:24.759 --> 00:06:28.040 there was a recent one, you know, World of pian in No War 91 00:06:28.279 --> 00:06:32.920 we do is like tech seminar beforehand, which just wine makers. And this 92 00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:43.560 woman brought a nineteen sixty two Grand Crew, Yeah, Saint Julian Meadog nineteen 93 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:48.720 sixty two, and it the fucking nose was like a ten year old cab. 94 00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:54.000 Murlow, you know, right, Marlow, And you're like, what 95 00:06:54.279 --> 00:06:57.759 this is from nineteen sixty two, and then you drink it and it translated 96 00:06:57.879 --> 00:07:00.519 perfectly from nose to palette. It blew my mind. I was like, 97 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:03.040 what the hell? And this is just a couple of days ago. It 98 00:07:03.079 --> 00:07:06.120 was just like, what the fuck is this? This is wild? But 99 00:07:06.920 --> 00:07:11.360 there's reasons why it was in very good condition, which I don't need to 100 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:15.040 dive into that, but I would say that one. I'm still I've been 101 00:07:15.079 --> 00:07:16.720 thinking about that one every day, well in nineteen sixty two, that you're 102 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:21.040 drinking in twenty twenty four, that drinks like it's ten years old, probably 103 00:07:21.079 --> 00:07:26.600 gonna leave lingering memory. Yeah, yeah, right, yeah, you get 104 00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:30.079 it, you get it. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So you were 105 00:07:30.120 --> 00:07:32.959 saying, okay, obviously you're now talking about them or low you just had. 106 00:07:33.319 --> 00:07:36.160 You said that you work with a bunch of different varieties, mostly pino 107 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:39.800 and shard, but you mentioned a few others that you do. I'm curious 108 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:44.439 if you think there's a such thing as a perfect variety. No, no, 109 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:47.040 way, no, no, because it just depends on how you're feeling, 110 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:49.879 right, I mean, there's nothing I want to drink every day. 111 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:53.279 I mean, even if they're like, oh you can have gear Sea every 112 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:55.040 day. I mean, yeah, I'd probably take them up on it, 113 00:07:55.079 --> 00:07:58.600 but I'd get sick of it. You know, it just it just depends 114 00:07:58.600 --> 00:08:01.279 on what you want to do. I had eras in my life where I 115 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:05.360 just want to drink dura all the time, you know, are boid Like, 116 00:08:05.399 --> 00:08:07.000 I mean, it's just and now it's like I still love that stuff. 117 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:13.519 But you know, you go through these phases of what you're you're digging 118 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:16.839 in kind of style of your life, and I yeah, there's there's no 119 00:08:16.839 --> 00:08:24.079 perfect now now. So do you you know there are people that you'll talk 120 00:08:24.120 --> 00:08:26.079 to. I don't know, as a wine maker, if you're aspiring to 121 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:30.639 some level of perfection, I don't know what that's defined as or if you 122 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:33.639 aspire to something, but a lot of people will will look at their look 123 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:37.559 at wines for what critics say to them about them. And I'm curious what 124 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:41.879 your opinion is on wine critics and scores and how they defined the level of 125 00:08:41.879 --> 00:08:50.440 perfection of a wine. I told you there'd be some thought provoking questions. 126 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:52.639 Oh for sure, I think about this all the time. No, I 127 00:08:52.639 --> 00:08:56.120 mean I listen. I understand why you need to have some sort of rating 128 00:08:56.320 --> 00:09:01.799 system for for wines, and it's really good to consume order to see, 129 00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:05.639 but you know, it's it's and there's a lot of publications obviously, but 130 00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:11.320 but I don't know. I have a problem with with you know, certain 131 00:09:11.639 --> 00:09:18.080 raiders that you know they say rate a classic Burgundy and whatever, right, 132 00:09:18.120 --> 00:09:22.240 and like this is ninety eight points, saw someome and then it rates something 133 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:28.159 that's like eighteen percent alcohol and like this isnt it's the same part, they're 134 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:31.559 the same, And I just don't I don't know. I just think there's 135 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:33.039 there's I mean, it's just a wine history. There's so much bs in 136 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:37.960 the wine history. It has its place and it's not going away. And 137 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:41.639 some are better than others. I mean some, you know, they're not 138 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:48.320 great at all, but some I respect. And I actually because I've always 139 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:52.159 I have this idea which I need some funding for it. But but it's 140 00:09:52.279 --> 00:09:58.399 just reviewing wines that people are rating really high and just seeing to be like 141 00:09:58.519 --> 00:10:01.840 are these good because we've been I've been screwed so much. But it's like, 142 00:10:01.879 --> 00:10:05.200 oh, this thing is like ethereal and so amazing a hundred points that 143 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:09.240 you spin some coin on it and you're like, this is not not ethereal. 144 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:13.399 It's not ethereal. This is brooding and I'm I'm blacked out now, 145 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:20.200 you know. And so it's yeah, I have positive and negatives. I 146 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:22.320 get that. Yeah. So, so getting down to you as a wine 147 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:24.919 consumer, and you were talking about how you've had phases. You love sure 148 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:30.639 and our why and then you like hoot ROTI and you like a variety of 149 00:10:30.679 --> 00:10:35.840 wines. So I'm curious as a consumer red whiter rose mmm, I think 150 00:10:35.879 --> 00:10:39.360 if I had to choose for you, like just to be stuck with it, 151 00:10:39.399 --> 00:10:43.039 you say, like, like I'm on island sure by white wine. 152 00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:46.000 Yeah I think so. I love white wine. I mean I I love 153 00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:48.000 it all though you're not really making this hard, but see white wine. 154 00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:52.480 See, because I'm smart, I could have champagne, my little Blanc to 155 00:10:52.519 --> 00:10:56.080 blanc, and I could have like whatever, some Quurton or something, you 156 00:10:56.120 --> 00:11:03.759 know, so stiller sparkling. Man, I think I love champagne. Yeah 157 00:11:03.879 --> 00:11:09.679 all right, I'll just do champagne and champagne versus just sparkling wine. Yeah 158 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:13.200 yeah, yeah, yeah, I feel like I can just get some Grand 159 00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:18.879 Crew yeah yeah, uh huh yeah. Yes. So you said you and 160 00:11:18.919 --> 00:11:22.039 your wife like to drink champagne. We know that champagne is versatile. You 161 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:26.000 were being very thoughtful about on an island, how you can get still in 162 00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:31.240 sparkling out of a white wine. We're gonna go back to that question later, 163 00:11:31.799 --> 00:11:35.720 but I'm curious, how do you approach pairing wine and food. Sparkling 164 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:39.919 wine can go with pretty much anything, so you can take that through an 165 00:11:39.039 --> 00:11:43.240 entire meal. But do you think there are rules to follow? Are there 166 00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:46.480 guidelines you follow or do you just do it? Come what may? And 167 00:11:46.519 --> 00:11:50.480 this is what I'm in the mood for. I think kind of all that, 168 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:52.919 but it's more I always I do have a rule with fat and acid. 169 00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:58.639 I think whether it's it's the food that has the fat or the you 170 00:11:58.679 --> 00:12:05.000 know, wine, is that vice versa? Like they need to they need 171 00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:09.600 to help each other out right, they need to meld together. Uh. 172 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:13.120 Back in the day where I when I had enough money where I could actually 173 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:18.320 go to Michelin Star restaurants, I remember that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 174 00:12:18.919 --> 00:12:20.679 I went to a restaurant. I don't need to go into it, 175 00:12:20.679 --> 00:12:26.759 but but it was the most perfect pairings I've ever had. Uh Ever, 176 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:33.399 like they were just seamless at all times. Yeah, So I really really 177 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:37.919 really like good pairings. Yeah, so finding harmony. But but there aren't 178 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:41.320 any particular rules other than fat and acid. Yeah, yes, so yeah 179 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:48.759 harmony. So for you know, for somebody who hasn't tasted your wines, 180 00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:52.559 what do you think they're missing out on a unique spot? Honestly, where 181 00:12:52.600 --> 00:12:56.519 where vineyards are located, there's there's not that many vineyards there, there's there's 182 00:12:56.559 --> 00:13:01.159 really actually three, and so it's going to have a unique flavor profile, 183 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:07.200 that's for sure. And just to taste something that's different, honestly. Yeah. 184 00:13:07.240 --> 00:13:11.039 And so space aliens were to land on your property right now, which 185 00:13:11.080 --> 00:13:13.440 of your wines would you want to welcome them and say welcome to Tali Vineyards. 186 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:18.720 Probably Rosemary shartin name. Yeah, I think it's fun, some good 187 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:22.759 acid, you know, depending on their taste buds, they dig it. 188 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:28.159 Yeah. So you've been making wine for how many harvests? Now, I've 189 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:35.480 done eighteen at Tally and wow, eighteen itally and you are the vineyard or 190 00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:39.240 head of viticulture. Spend a lot of time in the vineyards, I'm assuming 191 00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:43.759 I'm curious in the years that you've been making wine and all the time you 192 00:13:43.799 --> 00:13:48.879 spend in the vineyard you know, we know that every vintage tells a different 193 00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:50.799 story, but how much variation do you see from here to your Do you 194 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:54.919 see more commonality? What have you seen over the last eighteen years or even 195 00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:58.679 within the last five years. Yeah, I mean every vintage is very different 196 00:13:58.679 --> 00:14:05.000 and been more kind of crazy to a certain extent, but not similar crazy, 197 00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:07.639 whether it's a giant crop, a small crop, hot as hell, 198 00:14:07.960 --> 00:14:11.159 raining, I mean, it's just all over the place. There's people used 199 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:13.759 to say like California is so consistent with their harvests, like, oh, 200 00:14:13.799 --> 00:14:18.519 it's so easy, you know, especially by the Oregon Brethren. But it's 201 00:14:18.600 --> 00:14:20.519 not. It's it's so different. It's a roller coaster at all times. 202 00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:26.000 Do you find that more now or that's always how it's been? More now? 203 00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:28.279 There's more extremes and water, that's for sure. Yeah, yeah, 204 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:33.360 definitely more now. So are there any sort of signs or predictors you look 205 00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:39.639 for at some point that will determine what kind of harvest you're going to get? 206 00:14:39.879 --> 00:14:43.000 You think you know, but that you don't, because a lot like 207 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:46.600 of twenty twenty was actually a perfect year setup great obviously, you know, 208 00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:52.200 than COVID and shit, But then you got all these heat waves, you 209 00:14:52.279 --> 00:14:54.519 got fires, I mean shit, you can't predict. So now it's it's 210 00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:58.639 all over the place. And so you've been doing this now for eighteen years. 211 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:01.120 Do you have any good luck rituals that you do at the start of 212 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:07.039 harvest for yourself or for you and your team? No? No, very 213 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:13.399 simple. No, jump onto something else. You said you grew up in 214 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:16.360 a farming community. You've been making wine for a long time. But when 215 00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:18.120 you were a little boy, what did you want to be when you grew 216 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:20.480 up? Did you always know this is what you wanted to do? Oh? 217 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:24.120 No, I didn't know anything whatsoever about wine or anything. No. 218 00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:26.559 I thought I wanted to be a doctor. Oh yeah, like a pediatrician. 219 00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:31.159 But I'm not that smart, so it's not going to work out. 220 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:35.679 How long did that dream last? Probably the high school something like that. 221 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:39.840 Yeah, And at what point did you know that wine was your future? 222 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:45.960 Oh man college, freshman year of college. Yeah, it was a class. 223 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:48.240 Yeah, I just kind of met some people and then yeah, it 224 00:15:48.279 --> 00:15:50.039 was a class, and I was like, oh, this is cool. 225 00:15:50.039 --> 00:15:54.480 This seems like a cool lifestyle. Look quite lavish, and it's not as 226 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:58.039 lavish as well. I mean, today is but but yeah, no, 227 00:15:58.440 --> 00:16:02.159 that's when yeah, for sure, beginning of college. Yeah, and when 228 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:04.480 you're not working, how do you like to spend your free time? Oh 229 00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:07.720 geez, I'm usually just with my family. Honestly. I have a little 230 00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:12.159 three year old daughter and my wife. We kind of just cruise around and 231 00:16:12.360 --> 00:16:15.240 I don't know, just live life. I guess, no free time for 232 00:16:15.320 --> 00:16:21.440 any other personal hobbies. Zero hobbies besides wine, which is my life. 233 00:16:21.559 --> 00:16:27.720 Yeah, a little sad. I won't judge, I promise. So, 234 00:16:30.200 --> 00:16:33.240 Okay, you have a three year old, which means that you probably don't 235 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:36.759 have a lot of time for a romantic evening with your wife. But if 236 00:16:36.759 --> 00:16:40.240 you were planning a romantic evening, something to set it apart from any other 237 00:16:40.360 --> 00:16:45.559 night with her, what sort of wines get opened? Oh? Yeah, 238 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:48.879 yeah, a little date night with my wife. I mean it's probably starting 239 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:52.320 with some champagne, my wife will and myself of little Pier Peters. We'll 240 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:57.399 start with that, and then yeah, transition to some sort of white burgundy 241 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:02.039 weather. Yeah, like it's Shabille or or I mean a Marceaut, a 242 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:07.400 nice Marcel Marceaut from La Fawn or something, and then transition to red and 243 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:11.119 that could be anywhere from Yeah, like a red Burgundy or Northern Rome. 244 00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:15.519 My wife loves North or Gamet honestly, Prue Bogelt. But yeah, we're 245 00:17:15.559 --> 00:17:18.359 all. We we my wife and I love one. She's she's been in 246 00:17:18.359 --> 00:17:23.680 the wine tree past life, and she's sawmed before and stuff. So yeah, 247 00:17:23.720 --> 00:17:29.759 we're Wine plays a significant role in your relationship. Yes, we actually 248 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:33.160 met at the world of Peano and arm did you. Yes, Yeah, 249 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:37.279 I love that. Yeah we did. Yeah. We met in the world 250 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:41.200 of Pinot in twenty twelve. Yeah, and been together ever since. Was 251 00:17:41.240 --> 00:17:45.799 she summing? Uh no, no she was No, she was a it's 252 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:51.359 consumer, just tasting away. Wow yeah, wow, Yeah, Well look 253 00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:55.519 at that she gave to your table, you port a little wine and asked 254 00:17:55.519 --> 00:18:00.599 her around on her digits and there you go. Yeah, exactly. So 255 00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:04.519 I'm curious on a on another subject, you wanted to be a doctor, 256 00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:08.799 you end up getting into wine, you know, a totally different path. 257 00:18:10.119 --> 00:18:12.440 Was there Was there a piece of advice someone gave you along the way that 258 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:15.240 helped kind of guide you and what you want to do or how you want 259 00:18:15.240 --> 00:18:18.720 to live your life or work by Is there something that that kind of guided 260 00:18:18.759 --> 00:18:23.799 you that way or some person. Yeah, I mean I guess, I 261 00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:27.680 guess a person like my grandfather was a farmer, hard worker, so I 262 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:30.519 kind of always, uh, you know, think about him, and you 263 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:33.680 know, you just got to do the work. You know, people need 264 00:18:33.720 --> 00:18:36.480 to see you do the work and and gain that respect for you. So 265 00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:38.400 it's a him and wine industry. You know. I had a lot of 266 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:47.519 uh, you know people that will say mentored me throughout anything in particular standout 267 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:52.160 person, person or something that they taught you by example or by words. 268 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:56.079 Well yeah, yeah, I mean most of the most of these guys, 269 00:18:56.079 --> 00:18:59.759 which I don't want to mention them because they have big heads already. They 270 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:03.839 it was about tasting great wine. You got to taste great wine to make 271 00:19:03.880 --> 00:19:07.440 great wine kind of a thing. And so just always kind of testing your 272 00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:12.839 palate and drinking new things and kind of staying active in that sort with your 273 00:19:12.839 --> 00:19:15.799 palate, you know, because how do you know what great wine is if 274 00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:18.599 you never tastes it. I mean, you could get lucky obviously, you 275 00:19:18.599 --> 00:19:22.039 know, you could just get grace from a great spot and be a really 276 00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:27.000 good wine maker. But it helps to drink great wine and kind of figure 277 00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:30.640 out, Okay, how did they do this, and like, why is 278 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:34.640 this a great wine? And if you could offer advice to our listeners, 279 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:38.200 to to wine drinkers or people who want to explore wine, what kind of 280 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:42.839 advice would you give? Drink great wine. Just drink wine all the time. 281 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:48.079 Taste tastes, always taste wine, and honestly think about what you're tasting 282 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:52.440 at all times. It's great to verbalize that because it's good for your memory. 283 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:57.200 But yes, just constantly, just taste different wines. Don't get interrupt 284 00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:00.400 where you're just tasting the same wines. It's you never want to get that 285 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:07.640 kind of palette. So you've had an eighteen year career with this winery, 286 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:10.680 you still have a lung career ahead of you. You look much younger than 287 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:17.640 than having eighteen years. But my patches, yeah, micro needles. But 288 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:19.400 I'm curious when you look back at your career, what would you say is 289 00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:25.240 one of your proudest achievements to date? Oh, I don't know I have 290 00:20:26.839 --> 00:20:32.680 proudest achievements. That's a good question. I don't know. I'm not proud 291 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:36.720 of anything. Yeah, I don't know. I mean because again, like 292 00:20:37.559 --> 00:20:40.279 scores are nice, like I've got We've gotten some really good scores, but 293 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:45.000 I don't know. I guess it's just if somebody. No, there was 294 00:20:45.160 --> 00:20:47.240 a blanking on the guy right now. I was in New York, like 295 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:51.920 this is probably eight years ago, and this Burgundian guy, oh my god, 296 00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:56.200 want blank on his name right now. He's burg producer, famous guy. 297 00:20:56.880 --> 00:21:00.599 And he tastes some of the wine and he really liked it and came 298 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:04.680 and talked to me about it, and that was rad. Yeah, Alan, 299 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:08.799 gross, that's what it is. So an achievement doesn't have to be 300 00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:15.799 something grandiose, like we built the winery. It can be something being recognized. 301 00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:18.759 Yeah, yeah, being recognized by by a legend is pretty rad. 302 00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:25.279 Yeah. Ban of White tastes wine. That was cool. Well, Ban 303 00:21:25.359 --> 00:21:29.519 of White tasted your wine. Well, let me ask you if you well, 304 00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:32.680 let me ask you this question. We're sitting at a table, empty 305 00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:36.519 seat next to you. Your wine's on the table. Who, from any 306 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:38.000 walk of life, living or deceased, would you want to share with your 307 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:41.640 wine? And considering that Van of White has already tasted your wine, she 308 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:45.640 cannot be the person you want to share it with. Oh geezh man, 309 00:21:48.839 --> 00:21:51.799 oh man. When I get sentimental, maybe just my grandpa, I guess, 310 00:21:52.400 --> 00:21:55.480 yeah, because famous people I'm not, you know, I don't know. 311 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:59.480 I don't know if I want to be the famous person. Maybe, 312 00:21:59.640 --> 00:22:03.880 I don't know. Yeah, Grandpa, Yeah, do Grandpa Charlie Chavian be 313 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:06.799 wild? But now I think, yeah, I think Grandma. Yeah, 314 00:22:06.839 --> 00:22:07.920 did he ever get to taste wines you made? Yeah? He did, 315 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:11.119 he did totally. That's awesome. Yeah so that was rad. Yeah for 316 00:22:11.160 --> 00:22:15.400 sure. Yeah, well complete this sentence. For me, A table without 317 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:22.599 wine is like, uh geez, a table without love, I guess. 318 00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:26.119 Yeah. Yeah, but what's either we have beers and cocktails too, or 319 00:22:26.200 --> 00:22:30.279 just no wine or just no wine? Yeah, yeah, wins love. 320 00:22:30.599 --> 00:22:34.920 It's just such a special thing and constantly evolves. No bottle that's the same, 321 00:22:36.039 --> 00:22:40.559 It's every year is different. There's nothing like it. Yeah yeah, 322 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:42.599 Well, speaking of that, do you think I mean, you were talking 323 00:22:42.599 --> 00:22:48.200 about earlier about how there's been some big vintage variation and there you've been. 324 00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:52.480 We've all been thrown curveballs in nature in the last you know, handful of 325 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:57.079 years. We know that climate change exists. You think we'll be drinking wine 326 00:22:57.079 --> 00:23:02.599 in three hundred years, five hundred years time? Yeah, from different regions 327 00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:06.400 for sure. Absolutely, yeah, because wine is love. Wine is love. 328 00:23:06.680 --> 00:23:08.880 Will we will always figure out how to ferment things, don't worry. 329 00:23:10.039 --> 00:23:15.480 Yeah, yeah, well you've been great. This has been really easy, 330 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:18.359 I hope. But now comes the fun hard part where we have a little 331 00:23:18.359 --> 00:23:22.400 fun pairing myn with music. This is a chance to talk about some of 332 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:26.880 the wines you make, and what kind of music you can give me a 333 00:23:26.920 --> 00:23:29.200 genre. You can give me a specific song, you can give me a 334 00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:32.039 specific artist. You can be as generic as you want. It's up to 335 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:34.680 you. But you know, tell us a little bit about your wine and 336 00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:40.960 why it conjures up this this particular music. And so I want to start 337 00:23:41.000 --> 00:23:45.680 with your Rosemary Vineyard pino nowir, because I had the pleasure of drinking a 338 00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:48.400 little of that earlier. Yep, yep, Rosemary's Okay. This is yeah, 339 00:23:48.440 --> 00:23:52.200 this is the hardest one because I'm really bad at remembering songs and stuff. 340 00:23:52.240 --> 00:24:00.680 But oh let's see do do do ID? Just look at my phone 341 00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:03.319 so I can get better, right, Honestly, I'd say that that because 342 00:24:03.319 --> 00:24:10.519 it's so it's it's more serious wine. It's probably needs maybe some cool classic 343 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:15.440 jazz. Yeah, yeah, I would do classic jazz actually, Okay, 344 00:24:15.640 --> 00:24:21.599 yeah, and then I know you also do chardonay, so do you do 345 00:24:21.640 --> 00:24:26.079 a Rosemary vinyard Chardinay? We do? Okay, Yeah, it's so high 346 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:32.240 tone. I mean maybe we need some some bump in music. I don't 347 00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:36.079 know, some good house music. Yeah, I don't know. I don't 348 00:24:36.119 --> 00:24:38.599 think. I don't think that is quite our brand. But I just think 349 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:45.680 it's it's it's actual uh flavor profile is so zingy. I think it actually 350 00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:48.960 fits that more than anything of some cool maybe some trance music cool? Yeah, 351 00:24:51.079 --> 00:24:53.880 what about a state pino no art? So it's gonna not be a 352 00:24:53.960 --> 00:24:59.079 vineyard designate per se. The first thing that bolved my head is so dumb. 353 00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:03.640 Come on, well, it's like it's a collaboration of all the vineyards. 354 00:25:03.640 --> 00:25:06.480 So I thinking I was thinking about all the celebrities that we are. 355 00:25:06.680 --> 00:25:08.640 What is the world? We are the world? Yeah? Even though I 356 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:12.559 don't want to listen to that song, but it literally popped my head because 357 00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:17.720 I think there's been a lot of articles about it recently. They didn't invite 358 00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:22.319 Madonna. I think it's Billy Joel's fall on honestly. And what about your 359 00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:33.960 grooner? Oh grooner? Yeah? Um man, these were good. I 360 00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:40.359 was like yes though no, h oh jeez. We can tell there's no 361 00:25:40.440 --> 00:25:42.720 pre preparation on this question because I put you right on the spot. No 362 00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:51.359 zero. Yeah, yeah, maybe some funk. Actually, yeah, maybe 363 00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:53.039 some fun a little earth wine and fire actually something like that, a little 364 00:25:53.440 --> 00:25:56.640 subdued funk. Okay, I won't put any more pressure on you with this 365 00:25:56.680 --> 00:26:00.720 one unless there's another one that's just actually has a pairing in your mind. 366 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:06.200 But I'm going to ease off on that. Yeah. Yeah, So I 367 00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:08.400 have one more question, a little two parter. The first part of the 368 00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:12.480 question is what is one wine region in the world that's at the top of 369 00:26:12.519 --> 00:26:18.119 your bucket list to explore? Uh? Nor, I have not been there. 370 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:19.960 Actually, Champagne, I haven't Beenishably. I've been a Burgundy a bunch 371 00:26:19.960 --> 00:26:23.400 of times. I've been to Bordeaux, but I've never been Ashably. I've 372 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:29.079 never never been to Beaujolais and Northern Rhone, like I just really want to 373 00:26:29.079 --> 00:26:32.039 go. I've been to other places Argentina and Chile and New Zealand and stuff 374 00:26:32.039 --> 00:26:33.960 like that, but I've never been to like the things I love the most. 375 00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:37.400 Yeah, I'm like, you told me all the grapes that you seem 376 00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:40.400 to love. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know why. It 377 00:26:40.440 --> 00:26:44.519 makes zero sense. You're right, got to start planning your trip. And 378 00:26:44.599 --> 00:26:48.640 the second part of that question is for people who want to come visit Tally 379 00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:51.920 Vineyards, how can they visit you? How can they find you? What 380 00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:56.680 can they experience with a visit? Yeah? Absolutely, a website Tallyvineyards dot 381 00:26:56.680 --> 00:27:02.799 com. We're located outside of Royal Grande, which is really about twelve miles 382 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:07.400 outside of San Luis Obispo. It's very easy, it's a very beautiful drive. 383 00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:11.440 We have a great wine club. You can buyer bottles online as well. 384 00:27:12.839 --> 00:27:19.119 Experience wise, it's it's just really good service. It's all seed to 385 00:27:19.160 --> 00:27:22.759 tastings, and I just think you have a great time. It's beautiful out 386 00:27:22.759 --> 00:27:26.799 there. You get to look over the Tally farms, you look over the 387 00:27:26.839 --> 00:27:30.279 vineyards, feel the sea breeze. You could feel you would definitely feel some 388 00:27:30.359 --> 00:27:33.000 breeze, that's for sure. It's a little windy out there, but you 389 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:37.359 know that's all good. Yeah, wonderful. Well, Eric, I think 390 00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:41.920 I hope you had fun. I hope it wasn't too painful. But it's 391 00:27:41.960 --> 00:27:45.680 been fun chatting with you, and I think it's time to go taste a 392 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:49.039 little tally wine. So thank you so much for joining us. Yeah, 393 00:27:49.119 --> 00:27:52.279 hey, thank you for having me. I really appreciate it was fun, 394 00:27:52.359 --> 00:27:55.039 you know, a little pressure, but I'm good. Yeah, thank you 395 00:27:55.839 --> 00:28:00.359 you. Yeah, thanks for listening to a new episode of Wine Sells Track 396 00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:06.759 USA. For details and updates, visit our website windstoundtrack dot com.