Major Crush

We almost can't believe we landed an interview with THE Chef John Ash -- the Father of Wine Country Cuisine! But somehow, we did, and it turned out to be one of the most informative interviews we've done that brings the world of food and wine together in perfect harmony! In this episode, Meredith & Lou get to learn about Chef John's past experiences, but they also learn about one of the most fascinating topics for wine lovers: pairing wine and cheese! John was so generous to us as he walks us through some really valuable tips, and, he also provided some great connections for us -- and our listeners -- to source some incredible cheeses. To help out, we've provided the names and links to all of the places Chef John mentioned in this interview. For an INCREDIBLE cheese selection, look no further than Cowgirl Creamery! Chef John mentions how well they do seasonal cheeses — and, this is the kind of place that sources specialty cheeses you’re gonna want to try! Click here to visit the site. Gioia Cheese Company

We had so much fun discussing some of the things we learned from our interview with Chef John Ask with our buddies Josh Martin and Lars Williamson of Blank Wines. In this special bonus episode, Meredith set up a taste experiment inspired by Chef John Ash -- which turned out to be pretty enlightening -- and we advanced our discussion of how much more fun it is to enjoy wine (and food) when you keep things simple! CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out all three seasons of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you access your favorite podcasts! Episodes of Season Three drop every Thursday but make sure to subscribe to our show so you never miss a thing!

The last stop on our Paso Robles road trip was a bonding experience for Meredith, Lou, and Josh Martin of Blank Wines. Meeting Raymond Smith, winemaker, and owner of Indigené Cellars added so much to this journey, and after you listen to this interview, we know it will be easy to understand why this new friend of the podcast means so much to us! In this interview, you'll learn how humility, hard work, dedication, and generosity come together to create an inspiring winemaker story, which in turn, offers up the world some of the most delicious wines we've EVER experienced!! We hope you enjoy this episode - and someday soon, some of Raymond's wines!!  Now for some promised links:  The charity Raymond Smith mentioned in this interview called The Old Skool Cafe - and it is one of the very best Bay Area non-profits! Our mutual friend, Teresa Goines, is the Founder/CEO of Old Skool, and our team has plans to shed more light on what this "youth-run, jazz-themed supper club" is doing in the lives of others! For more i

Our road trip through Paso Robles continues this week with a visit to War Room Cellars in Santa Margarita! This is not one of our typical winemaker interviews, mostly because there's nothing "typical" about Andrew & Evan Nelson! These two brothers are a couple of the most enjoyable people to spend an afternoon with, and they are truly living up to their motto: Wine for All, All for Wine!! The focus of War Room Cellars is marketing, distribution, and sales, and everything these two brothers do centers around creating the best value and easiest access to the wines they procure. Their two major wine brands -- Bonny Doon and Lapis Luna -- are wines that are priced around $20 or less per bottle, and these wines end up on the shelves in specialty retailers all throughout the country. When we met the Nelson brothers, they were just about to launch their new luxury wine seltzer called Bubble Butt -- and we were lucky enough to get a special delivery after our interview with two cases of this absolutely delightful

We had so much fun tasting Bubble Butt! Every now and then, you come across a wine offering that combines kitsch with class, and that's exactly what you've got with this wine seltzer in a can! Listen in as Meredith & Lou talk to Josh Martin & Lars Williamson of Blank Wines about this happy sparkling rosé, and then learn how these four wine geeks help to round out their own understanding of the term "value wines."  If you're interested in finding Bubble Butt, check your local retailer and ask for it by name at your local Trader Joe's! Or, you can visit the War Room Cellars website by clicking here! CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out all three seasons of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you a

The Major Crush Paso Robles Road Trip continues, and boy did we have fun at Denner Vineyards! Have you ever heard that saying, "I'd rather be lucky than good?" Well, in the case of this episode of Major Crush, we were able to experience both! Our good fortune started with access to the winemaker, Anthony Yount, and the winery owner, Ron Denner, but the tasty wine, the delicious stories, and the genuine camaraderie we experienced made everything about our time at Denner Vineyards truly special! Josh Martin of Blank Wines joins us again in this episode and together, Meredith and Lou learn more about the Paso Robles Wine Country and how the soils, the freedom, and the passion for wine all come together. Denner is one of the most welcoming wineries we've visited and that spirit of hospitality is always available to people like you when you order wines from the Denner website. A special "shout out" to Autumn Cone for organizing our interview (on super short notice!) and for providing our listeners with details on

Welcome to the first Major Crush Road Trip episode of the new season! We decided to branch out this time around and explore a different California Wine Country with our listeners, and our first stop was Paso Robles! We brought along Josh Martin from Blank Wines to serve as our tour guide — since he graduated from Cal Poly and knows so much about this unique growing region! Paso Robles is filled with terrific wines and the stories behind each one made this trip so much fun for us! And because of the constant comparisons that are made between Paso and the Rhône growing region in France, it made perfect sense for us to start our tour at L'Aventure Winery. We had a wonderful experience there as one of the best hospitality guides we've ever met (Leanne) took us through the whole story and showcased the amazing wines of Stephan Asseo — a true shining star of the Paso Robles Wine Country! Click here to learn more about L'Aventure Winery. BONUS ALERT: Be sure to check out the BONUS episode we've created to go along w

This is a new bonus series spin-off where Lou & Mere start the conversation with Josh Martin and Lars Williamson from Blank Wines about how differently the Millennial & Gen Z generations approach all things wine. This first episode reaches back to our Summer Series where Lou interviewed Josh & Lars about their new company, Blank Wines. In that episode, these two winery guys spoke very highly of a wine varietal called Elbling, so it seemed fitting that the first time Mere & Lou tasted this wine, they should do it with Josh & Lars. Then, the four open up and talk about our trip down to Paso Robles and the first winery we encountered: L'Aventure Winery, and then wrap up the episode with more details about Blank.  CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Foll

Welcome back to a brand new season of Major Crush! Boy do we have a great first interview to share with you — it's with Adam Lee, a total rock star of the winemaking world, and one of the most sincere people you'll ever meet. He has an incredible story to tell, and the wines he makes are some of the most well-made we've featured in any of our seasons. Adam is considered by many people in the industry to be a Pinot Noir expert — and in fact, he is the Pinot Noir Advocate for Jackson Family Wines.  So when he talked to us about how he makes his wines, we couldn't help but develop our very first "major crush" of the season! Adam Lee Bio: The Southern Baptist boy from Austin, TX developed a love affair with wine in college, and even though he never studied it, his mind and soul were divinely created to make it. Like many winemakers, when Adam moved to California he started his journey in a tasting room, but the calling to make his own wine was too strong to ignore. So in 1994, he took a leap of faith and founded

One thing everyone who knows anything about wine can agree on: it always pairs well with others! So in the final episode of our Summer Series, Meredith sits down with two of her favorite people -- her mom and dad, Jan & John Hale -- and Lou takes some time in the park with Ethan Glago, one of our favorite people, and, a bit of a Millennial wine expert! In this breezy and light episode, Meredith and Lou simply want to invite our listeners to see how easily people open up when you pair them with a good bottle of wine! By the way, if you want to find out how to get your hands on the wines Ethan represents, feel free to email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com and we will get you connected! CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast.

Not everyone gets to hang out in the Wine Country -- and right now, that even includes Meredith! She's been sheltering in place in her new hometown of New Orleans, and so we decided it might be fun for her to interview someone "in the know" in NOLA about all things wine.  We feel so honored to have an episode featuring Morgan Fouss, Director of Wine and Spirits for Langenstein's and Prytania Wine and Spirits. This interview is for anyone who has questions about retail wine buying, and it's packed full of terrific advice! Morgan Fouss, Director of Wine and Spirits for Langenstein's and Prytania Wine and Spirits // Certified Sommelier/ WSET III Advanced. Here is a link for more information: https://www.langensteins.com/prytania-wine-spirits/ CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.co

Meredith is the first one to have a "summer fling!" After listening to the BLANK Interview with Lou and his friends Josh Martin and Lars Williamson, she couldn't resist trying the unusual white wine they raved about from Luxembourg called Elbling! In this episode, eavesdrop on a call between Mere and Lou and hear a little bit more about this amazing summer white! CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out the entire first season of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you access your favorite podcasts! Episodes of our Summer Series drop every Thursday.

Welcome to our first full episode of the Major Crush Summer Series! We're excited for you to meet Lars Williamson & Josh Martin, two up-and-coming entrepreneurs who, we believe, are about to change the wine industry for the better! In this episode, Lou interviews these two down-to-earth and totally switched on guys to talk about the future of wine, and their unique wine brand, Blank Wines. One of the biggest mystery in the wine business today is how to attract more millennials to wine, and it just might be that Josh & Lars have the answer! We'll be inviting these two back for a Season 3 episode once the Blank Wine brand launches, but for now, you can go to www.blankwines.com for more information.  CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majo

The Major Crush Summer Series starts this month! So get yourself ready to have a summer crush — on all things wine!!

It's shocking to us that we've just finished our second season of the Major Crush Podcast! But it's true, and this season was so much fun! In this final episode of the season, Meredith and Lou reminisce about all of the great people they met and recall all of the great topics they unpacked together. If you haven't listened to this season of Major Crush, this episode might be a fun way to get started -- because it gives you a glimpse into the season while wetting your whistle for more! CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out the entire first season of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you access your favorite podcasts! We will be back for Season 3 of Major Crush before you know it, so keep in touch on so

It was such a huge pleasure to be able to spend time with one of the most notable young winemakers Meredith & Lou have ever interviewed: Jesse Katz. His resume reads like someone who should be much older than 36, and his wines are so spectacular that it's only reasonable to assume this man is truly gifted. In this interview, Meredith and Lou are two of the first people to do a tasting with Jesse in his brand new tasting facility which is perfectly situated in a spot where three famed Sonoma County AVAs come together: Russian River, Dry Creek & Chalk Hill. Jesse's honest passion for Sonoma County comes through in this interview, and his wines were more than just a little "crush-worthy!"  LISTENER NOTE: The new Aperture Tasting Room will be open as soon as it's safe for people to come back to the Wine Country, so please check out the website (www.aperature-cellars.com) for updates and to purchase wines from their collection. CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're

If the name of this episode makes you wonder if Meredith & Lou have suddenly gone pretentious on you, well...think again! There's absolutely nothing snobby or unapproachable about Lindsey Blanchard & Ryan Kuhlmann — the husband and wife duo behind  Wine Snob*! In this charming installment of Major Crush, you're going to get to meet two of the most sincere people who truly love wine and the journey it is taking them on. For two lawyers who have just started their own label, Lindsey & Ryan have an authentic talent for knowing how to make wines that are delicious, easy to drink, and so much fun to talk about! In this episode, Meredith, and our producer, Sonja Zant, give Lindsey & Ryan the chance to tell their story and present their wines in the most delightful way. The inspired pairings and the freshness of their wines make this one of the sweetest episodes of the season! Featured Wines & Pairings: Wine Snob* 2016 Chardonnay — paired with cheddar cheese popcorn // Wine Snob* 2015 Tempranillo

VIRTUAL TASTING ALERT: You are invited to a Major Crush Zoom webinar! When: Apr 3, 2020, 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Topic: A Virtual Wine Tasting at Christopher Creek Winery / Hosted by Lou Zant & Meredith Griffin and Joe & Dominic Foppoli Register in advance for this webinar: https://us04web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GnmRxqHHQUyjt1JhkJ2HBA **After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.** EPISODE SHOW NOTES: It's our second trip out to Christopher Creek Winery, and while this episode of Major Crush is still all about wine, it's also about so much more than that. It's about family...and heritage and discovering the stories and the legacy of one family inside of a bottle. We had so much fun spending a sunny afternoon with Joe Foppoli and his brother, Dominic. Dominic takes the lead in this interview and spills a few family secrets (which could also be classified as "Family Blackmail") and takes us on a virtual journey to visit t

In this Bonus episode of Major Crush, Dominic & Joe Foppoli, owners of Christopher Creek Winery, talk about the 2019 fires. As the mayor of the Wine Country city of Windsor, Dominic's experience during that harrowing time is truly something, but his love for his family, his community, and the wines Christopher Creek Winery can share with others makes this sidebar episode so worth the listen! CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out the entire first season of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you access your favorite podcasts! Episodes of Season Two drop every Thursday.

Welcome to a one-on-one chat between Meredith and Lou about wine varietals that are making a comeback in the US. Throughout the season so far, many of the winemakers we've interviewed are showcasing wines that are not so typical. Wines like Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec -- three wines that Meredith and Lou are absolutely loving, but perhaps people don't know all that much about. So sit back and have a listen as we explore these "come-back" wines that give you something new and exciting to taste, and ultimately, help you mix things up a little! CONTACT US: If you have questions or comments for Meredith and Lou, and you're listening on the Anchor App, you can send them to us directly. If you're listening to this podcast on any other platform, and you want to reach out, you can email us at majorcrushpodcast@gmail.com  // Follow us on Instagram: @majorcrushwinecast. // Be sure to check out the entire first season of Major Crush on Spotify, or wherever you access your favorite podcasts! Episodes of Seas