054: Mike and Randy Dunn - Dunn Vineyards and Retro Cellars
Explicit content warning
06/22/17 • 112 min
Three years after my first podcast with Mike Dunn, he helped me rope Randy Dunn into a podcast so that we could learn more about old-school Napa winemaking and the stories from a place that had far less glitz than exists today. Not one to seek the spotlight, Randy has consistently turned out iconic mountain Cabernets, which have brought the spotlight up to their otherwise quiet ranch on Howell Mountain since the 70's. Mike and Randy count their harvests together in decades, not years.
There are two reasons this turned out to be a great podcast. First, Randy painted a picture of his background and some of the adventures from his early days at Caymus Vineyards, including misleading immigration raids. Second, Mike and Randy were candid about their methods of working together together at Dunn Vineyards.
For a primer to this episode, check out Mike's first podcast on Inside Winemaking in Ep. 3 from August of 2014, where we discuss his path back to Dunn Vineyards and the creation of his own wines with the Retro Cellars brand.
LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Dunn Vineyards, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
- Retro Cellars, Napa Valley
- Caymus Vineyards, Napa Valley
- Pahlmeyer, Napa Valley
- La Jota Vineyard Co, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
- Long Shadows Vintners "Feather" Walla Walla, Washington
- Livingston Moffett Winery, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
The Inside Winemaking Podcast on iTunes
Questions? Comments? Let me know what you think: [email protected]
Three years after my first podcast with Mike Dunn, he helped me rope Randy Dunn into a podcast so that we could learn more about old-school Napa winemaking and the stories from a place that had far less glitz than exists today. Not one to seek the spotlight, Randy has consistently turned out iconic mountain Cabernets, which have brought the spotlight up to their otherwise quiet ranch on Howell Mountain since the 70's. Mike and Randy count their harvests together in decades, not years.
There are two reasons this turned out to be a great podcast. First, Randy painted a picture of his background and some of the adventures from his early days at Caymus Vineyards, including misleading immigration raids. Second, Mike and Randy were candid about their methods of working together together at Dunn Vineyards.
For a primer to this episode, check out Mike's first podcast on Inside Winemaking in Ep. 3 from August of 2014, where we discuss his path back to Dunn Vineyards and the creation of his own wines with the Retro Cellars brand.
LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Dunn Vineyards, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
- Retro Cellars, Napa Valley
- Caymus Vineyards, Napa Valley
- Pahlmeyer, Napa Valley
- La Jota Vineyard Co, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
- Long Shadows Vintners "Feather" Walla Walla, Washington
- Livingston Moffett Winery, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
The Inside Winemaking Podcast on iTunes
Questions? Comments? Let me know what you think: [email protected]
Previous Episode
053: Rebekah Wineburg - Quintessa
I had a great time talking with Rebekah Wineburg, who has made worked at some of the top wineries in the world and is currently the winemaker at Quintessa in Napa Valley. Rebekah told me her background and then the full history on Quintessa including the key elements she uses to describe the wine, "Elegance, harmony, and layers."
Our conversation covers a whole range and vineyard and winery topics such as:
- How to pick vineyards for a specific wine style
- Rebekah's thoughts on extended maceration
- The size and diversity of vineyard blocks at Quintessa in the Rutherford AVA
- Biodynamics "as we believe it to be" and the preparations applied in the vineyard
- Protocol 2010 and the contractor that Quintessa uses to have confidence that new vines are clean when planted
- Ideas to help consumers feel confident with her wines, and the differences in tasting with other winemakers vs. consumers
- Plans for the winery re-design at Quintessa
- What it's like to work with the Huneeus family
LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Next Episode
055: Mark Porembsky - Zeitgeist Cellars and Anomaly Vineyards
In the basement of the world's cutest micro-winery, I met with Mark Porembsky to talk about his work there making not only the wine for Anomaly Vineyards, but also for his own brand, Zeitgeist Cellars.
Our conversation covers:
- Mark's favorite winemaking tool
- The mentors that Mark had when learning to make wine
- How Mark and his wife, also a winemaker, harness "creative conflict" in their blending process
- How subtlety and complexity have evolved to be hallmarks of the Zeitgeist wines
- The origins of Anomaly Vineyards
- How Mark uses analytical tools such as tannin assays to inform his winemaking
LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Zeitgeist Cellars, California
- Anomaly Vineyards, Napa Valley
- Wine and Flavors Courses from Alexandre Scmitt
- Behrens Family Winery, Napa Valley
- Drinkward Peschon, Napa Valley
- Far Niente Winery, Napa Valley
- Tannin Assay - Rapid Phenolic Panel from ETS Labs
- Zeitgeist Cellars on Facebook
The Inside Winemaking Podcast on iTunes
Questions? Comments? Let me know what you think: [email protected]
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