We recently did our second Green Wine Chat on a Google Plus Hangout. Jerry James Stone, Larry Fournillier, and I (Matt Browne) were joined by Ashley Routson and Fritze Westover (SIP’s newest team member) to talk about the Paso Robles region and taste a few of the wines that this amazing, up and coming area has to offer. Our goal is to do one of these chats per month so be sure to check them out and submit any ideas you may have for future topics. I absolutely love the diversity of people on the chats. You have the vegetarian foodie, the beer chick, and the Caribbean cuisine king from … [Read more...]

Doug Filipponi, Managing Member, Margarita Vineyards Classic Rock or Classic Country? Rock. Favorite spot in the vineyard? A place we call Oyster Ridge. Best tip for surviving the "Roller Coaster They Call Farming"? Read everything you can get hold of and stay at it. Red or White or...? Red. Most Surprising Aha Farming Moment? Seeing the effects of adding compost tea to the drip stream. When you're not farming, where would we find you? In the pickup on the cell phone. Wranglers or Levis? Wranglers of course. Is there anything else you'd like to tell us? Never give up … [Read more...]

Another Earth Day Food and Wine Festival is in the books and I can definitely say they somehow manage to get better and better each year. As you’ll see from the photos in the slideshow below there were tons of people, amazing food and wine, great music, owls, and so much more. This was the last year for this event at Pomar Junction Winery and they have been absolutely fantastic hosts. In 2014 we will switch venues to Castoro Cellars on Hwy 46 West in Paso Robles. I’ve been fortunate to see this event held at Santa Margarita Ranch and Pomar Junction, both places were beautiful and I … [Read more...]

I had the chance to meet with Mark Pisoni a couple of months back and found the guy to be super down-to-Earth and quite passionate about his family vineyards, farming, and being SIP Certified. Below you will find three questions I asked him as well as his answers. On a future blog post I will be posting a video I did with him as well, so stay tuned for that. 1)    Your passion for farming and being in the vineyards was evident to me when we met, has this always been the case? When did you start farming or hanging out in the vineyards and has it always been that passionate for … [Read more...]

What brought you to the wine industry? I was born and raised in the Napa Valley when it was still known more for the state mental hospital than it was for great wines. My great, great grandparents came to the valley in the 1870’s so I am the 5th generation in Napa. The last family members in the farming profession were both great grandfather’s on my mother’s side. My great grandfather, George Mollo, had 12 acres of Zinfandel vines that he sold to Christian Brothers. My other great grandfather, Harry Young, was the ranch manager for the Hamilton Crabb’s To Kalon Ranch.  The ranch is … [Read more...]

Be sure to check out this Google Plus Hangout (video chat) we did on April 2nd with a couple of us from SIP as well as Jerry James Stone and Larry Fournillier. This was the first one in a once monthly Google Plus wine chat we will be doing. Be sure to join in the fun and let us know if you have any ideas for future chats!! … [Read more...]

John Hilliard, Winemaker, Hilliard Bruce Classic Rock or Classic Country? Valkyries with saddle bags of souls. Favorite spot in the vineyard? Our hill top overlooks famous Santa Rita Hills vineyards of Melville, Foley, Clos Pepe, Kessler Haak, Babcock, Turner, Brewer Clifton, Huber, Gypsy Canyon and Cebada Canyon. The cliff was once an acorn grinding rock for the ancient Chumash culture. Red or White or...? Orange juice with sparkling wine and a Cuban cigar- stolen from pirates. Best tip for surviving the "Roller Coaster They Call Farming"? My family has survived sugar cane … [Read more...]

These days, sustainability is a hot-hot-hot buzz word in winegrowing, and the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is a exceptionally coveted real estate tagline for a wine label. But it wasn’t always thus, especially back in 1973 when Rich and Claudia Smith began planting what would become their 400-acre Paraiso Vineyards. Read more... … [Read more...]

We spend a lot of time on educating on sustainable farming practices but once in a while we just like to have fun. That is how the Earth Day Food & Wine Festival got started. It is a great event celebrating the very best of the Central Coast.  Over 200 growers, vintners, and chefs come together to serve out-of-this-world pairings and our guests get a chance to talk with the farmers who grew that tasty morsel. Come on down April 20, 2013 and chat with the people that make Carmel Road. Read more on the Earth Day blog spot about Carmel Road's SIP Certification and award winning wines that … [Read more...]