Wine Tasting in California

On this episode of the California Now Podcast, host Soterios Johnson taps into the wine tasting prowess of three wine experts.

First up, Johnson chats with Lucy Simon, assistant wine editor at Food & Wine magazine. Simon offers valuable tips for novices looking to up their California wine-tasting skills. “Taking a breath, letting loose a little bit and being honest with your likes and dislikes is the best way to have a positive wine-tasting experience,” advises Simon. She also shares her top recommendations for tasting rooms in Healdsburg, Napa Valley, Paso Robles, and beyond, guiding first-timers through the best spots to start their wine journey.

Next, Johnson is joined by Tina Caputo, a writer known for her extensive knowledge on the Golden State’s food and wine scenes. Caputo dives into California vineyards and wineries offering out-of-the-ordinary wine-tasting excursions. “Obsidian Ridge vineyard, which is up in Lake County, does a volcano adventure that is led by a professional geologist,” Caputo says. She also gets into more playful wine tours that offer such activities as baby goat petting in Lodi and sound bathing in the Anderson Valley.

Finally, Johnson talks with Mary Orlin, a certified sommelier and cohost of the Sip, Sip, Hooray! Podcast. Orlin goes deep on the Sierra Foothills wine region, a historic, hidden gem viticultural scene producing diverse varietals. “The Sierra Foothills was first famous for Zinfandel,” says Orlin, “and there are some heritage vineyards that are over a hundred years old that are still producing.” The James Beard Award–winning journalist name-drops outstanding spots to sip and stay in El Dorado County and Amador County.

GUESTS

Lucy Simon, assistant wine editor at Food & Wine

Tina Caputo, Sonoma County-based culinary journalist

Mary Orlin, cohost of the Sip, Sip, Hooray! Podcast

RESOURCES

Lucy Simon is the assistant wine editor at Food & Wine magazine.

Sonoma County

Healdsburg

Marine Layer

Ridge Vineyards

Ritchie Vineyard

Napa Valley

Schramsberg Vineyards

Paso Robles

Booker Vineyard

Tank Garage Winery

Tablas Creek Vineyard

Santa Rita Hills

Melville Winery

Santa Barbara

Tina Caputo is a culinary journalist and wine expert based in Sonoma County.

Ancient Peaks Winery

Santa Margarita

San Luis Obispo County

Temecula

Doffo Winery - Cork N Torque Tour

Obsidian Ridge Co.

Lake County

Folded Hills

Santa Ynez Valley

Anderson Valley

Pennyroyal Farm

Lodi

Spenker Winery

Acquiesce Winery

Presqu'ile Winery

Pachyderm Station

Sebastopol

Fort Bragg

Mendocino County

Pacific Star Winery

Alpen Cellars

Trinity Alps

Skinner Vineyards

Bartholomew Estate

Preston Farm & Winery

Dry Creek Valley

Frog's Leap

Petaluma

McEvoy Ranch

Bottaia Winery

B. R. Cohn Winery

Windsor Vineyards

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

Geyserville

Castoro Cellars

Domaine Carneros

Medlock Ames

Mary Orlin is an Emmy- and James Beard Award–winning  producer, certified sommelier, and cohost of the Sip, Sip, Hooray! Podcast.

Sip, Sip, Hooray! Podcast

Sierra Foothills

Sacramento

San Francisco Bay Area

San Jose

East Bay

Berkeley

Oakland

El Dorado County

Amador County

Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park

American River

Apple Hill

Sutter Creek

Hotel Sutter

Plymouth

Rest

Imperial Hotel

Yuba

Shake Ridge Ranch

Scott Harvey Wines

Boeger Winery

Miraflores Winery

Placerville

Eden Vale Inn

ABOUT THE HOST

Soterios Johnson, formerly the local host of National Public Radio’s Morning Edition on New York radio station WNYC, has been the host of the California Now Podcast since its inception in 2018.

OUR TEAM

Host, Soterios Johnson

Editorial Director, John Godfrey

Producer, Kate Eplboim

Technical Producer, Jessica Marshall

Theme music, Aaron Taos