This episode features an in-depth discussion about winemaking at Whitehall as the team nears the end of the 2025 harvest season. The episode begins with insights into the progression of the harvest, focusing on the completion of most varietals and the ongoing work with late-harvest selections like Semillon.

Our conversation runs the gamut of technical issues such as stabulation of Sauvignon blanc juice, cellar techniques to avert the need for fining and filtration, and Whitehall's trials with Pierce's Disease resistant clones from UCDavis.

Resources from this Episode

Whitehall Lane Winery

This episode is sponsored by Harvest Pillar concrete trellis posts. Want to know why more growers are going for concrete? It's because Harvest Pillar is the last trellis post you'll ever need.

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Ben is a seasoned viticulturist and winemaker currently serving as the Director of Viticulture and Winemaker at Large at Walsh Vineyards Management, overseeing approximately 1,000 acres in Napa and Sonoma. His journey in the wine industry began in 2004 after graduating with a biochemistry degree, starting at RH Phillips and later working with Jim at Seavey Vineyard.

At Walsh Vineyards Management, Ben works with a team of 125 full-time employees and up to 400 seasonal workers, focusing on client relations, vineyard management, development. Alongside his professional role, he has created his own wine brand, Vidi Vitis, which started in 2015 with a unique opportunity to salvage a ton of Stags Leap District Cabernet. His winemaking philosophy emphasizes quality fruit, experimentation, and a passion for exploring different grape varieties.

Resources from this Episode

Walsh Vineyards Management

Vidi Vitis / Forgotton Union Wines

This podcast is sponsored by InnoVint.

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The Inside Winemaking Podcast on iTunes

Now on Spotify

And Amazon Music

Join me as I sit down with Esther Mobley, Senior Wine Critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. Esther shares her fascinating journey from an English major to a wine journalist, starting with a harvest internship in Napa Valley and subsequently working in Mendoza, Argentina. Her career path led her through Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator before landing at the Chronicle in 2015, where she has since become a prominent voice in wine journalism.

Throughout our conversation, Esther discusses her approach to wine writing, emphasizing her role as a reporter who explores wine through broader lenses of society, climate change, immigration, and culture. She explains that her job goes beyond traditional wine criticism, focusing instead on telling compelling stories about the wine industry in California. The episode offers listeners an insider's view of wine journalism, tracing her professional evolution and her unique perspective on covering the dynamic world of wine.

Resources from this Episode

• San Francisco Chronicle Wine

• Drinking with Esther Newsletter

• "The original 'cult' wine: How I discovered California's strangest vineyard" Published 2018

This episode is sponsored by Harvest Pillar concrete trellis posts. Want to know why more growers are going for concrete? It's because Harvest Pillar is the last trellis post you'll ever need.