A UC Davis professor once told Cathy Corison she would never be a winemaker in the Napa Valley. As a woman, it simply wasn't done.
She didn't argue. She just went and did it anyway.
Nearly five decades later, Cathy is one of Napa's most respected voices — and her daughter Grace Corison Martin has come home to build on what her mother started.
Matt talks with both of them about Kronos Vineyard, planted in 1959 on St. George rootstock and never replanted — through phylloxera, through the Parker era, through every stylistic wave the valley has ridden. They cover Grace's path from a BFA in acting to Union Square Cafe to coming home during COVID and discovering she'd been a winemaker all along. And they dig into the philosophy behind 40 vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon built for the table — wines defined by restraint, benchland fruit, and yields so low they'd make any business school professor wince.
This one covers a lot of ground: old vines, family succession, organic and regenerative farming, the broken three-tier system, and what it actually takes to build something meant to last.

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📍 What You’ll Learn:
Old vines and their impact on wine complexity
Benchland terroir between Rutherford and St. Helena
Kronos Vineyard and its historical significance
Sustainable and organic farming practices
Cabernet Sauvignon winemaking philosophy at Corison
Building a winery from purchased fruit to estate
Family legacy and generational transition in wine
Napa Valley’s stylistic evolution and market pressures
Chapters:
00:00 - The Legacy of Corazon Winery
02:44 - Old Vines, Great Wines
05:32 - Breaking Barriers: A Woman's Journey in Winemaking
08:09 - The Family Business: Succession and Passion
10:40 - Finding Home: Grace's Return to Napa
11:17 - Miracles of the Kronos Vineyard
13:08 - The Financial Journey of Winemaking
15:26 - The Evolution of Napa Valley's Wine Industry
29:10 - The Mythical Roots of Wine
30:30 - Balancing Winemaking and Motherhood
32:27 - The Small Scale of Winemaking
32:56 - The Importance of Hospitality in Wine
34:21 - The Evolution of the Sommelier Community
35:17 - Direct-to-Consumer Sales Strategy
36:37 - Stylistic Choices in Winemaking
37:24 - The Unique Characteristics of Rutherford Fruit
40:13 - The Vision for Future Wines
42:57 - Sustainability in Winemaking Practices
45:31 - The Future of Chorus & Winery
47:36 - Adapting to Climate Change in Winemaking
51:59 - Exploring New Varietals
54:59 - The Role of Regenerative Agriculture
59:19 - A Surprise Guest Joins the Conversation
01:01:43 - Exploring New Wine Varieties

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🎧 Listen now on YouTube + all podcast platforms
🔗 Full episode and show notes at winecentricshow.com

We’re grateful for the support of our episode partners:
▪️Fearrington House: https://fearrington.com/

Carmel Greenberg didn't come to Clos du Val to make bigger wines. She came to make better ones.
As head winemaker at one of Napa's oldest estates — and the first Israeli woman to lead a Napa Valley winery — Carmel has worked alongside some of the valley's most respected names: Cakebread, Dominus, Buccella. What she took from all of it wasn't a formula. It was a point of view.
In this episode, we get into what that actually means at the winery level — how she thinks about picking, pressing, and blending; why freshness and restraint are harder to achieve than extraction; and what Clos du Val looks like when she's done with it.
This is a conversation about the direction Napa is heading — and who's quietly leading it there.

Chapters:
00:00 – Welcome & Introduction
02:15 – Carmel's path into winemaking
06:40 – From UC Davis to Napa's top estates
10:30 – Joining Clos du Val
14:20 – Elegance vs. power — where Napa is heading
20:10 – Terroir and vineyard decisions
26:45 – Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet philosophy
32:30 – Fermentation and barrel aging
38:50 – Innovation at a historic property
44:10 – The future of Clos du Val
48:30 – Final thoughts & little easter egg

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Available on YouTube and all podcast platforms.
winecentricshow.com
Filmed at: Saint Pierre Wine Bar, Raleigh, North

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into wine culture.
🎧 Listen now on YouTube + all podcast platforms
🔗 Full episode and show notes at winecentricshow.com

We're grateful for the support of our episode partners:
▪️ Fearrington House: https://fearrington.com/
The official wine glass of the Wine Centric Show is Glasvin.
Use code WINECENTRIC for 10% off at https://tidd.ly/41vgdSQ
We’re grateful for the support of our episode partners:
▪️Fearrington House: https://fearrington.com/
This episode was filmed at Saint Pierre Wine Bar in Raleigh, NC

Backend Tags:
Napa Valley winemaking, Carmel Greenberg, Clos du Val winery, Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc Napa, UC Davis winemaking, women in wine industry, modern Napa wine style, terroir driven wines, wine podcast, wine education, vineyard techniques, wine fermentation, barrel aging wine, wine innovation

Most world-class wine programs live in big city restaurants. This one lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains — and that changes everything.
Tyler Wesslund, sommelier at High Hampton, pulls back the curtain on the art and strategy behind wine list curation, guest-centered service, and the evolving role of the modern sommelier.
From Bordeaux vintages and the rise of Spanish wines to decanting techniques, inventory management, and his playful “fork vs. spoon” pairing philosophy — Tyler shares how great wine service is less about expertise and more about sparking curiosity.
Whether you’re a wine professional, a hospitality enthusiast, or simply love a great glass with a great view, this one’s for you.

In This Episode
-Tyler Wesslund’s journey into the world of wine and hospitality
-The philosophy behind building a successful wine program
-Why vintage depth and vertical collections elevate wine lists
-The importance of demystifying wine for guests
-Key techniques for wine tasting and quality evaluation
-When and why to decant wine
-The growing influence of Spanish wines on modern lists
-The philosophy of “fork vs. spoon” wine pairing
-How technology is transforming wine lists and inventory management
-Creating a memorable wine experience at High Hampton

Episode Chapters
00:00 – Welcome to the Wine Centric Show
03:20 – Behind the Scenes: Tyler’s Journey into Wine
08:26 – Transitioning into the Sommelier Role
11:43 – Wine Selections and Emerging Trends
15:34 – Vintage Depth and Wine Program Management
18:41 – The Allure of Spanish Wines
25:55 – The New Generation of Wine Professionals
28:41 – A Bordeaux Affection: Personal Collections
30:13 – Decanting: The Art and Science
32:25 – Tasting Before Service
33:35 – Pairing Philosophy: Fork vs. Spoon
34:55 – Technology and the Modern Wine List
37:02 – Wine Inventory Management
39:55 – Exploring Alternative Wines
41:06 – Breaking Down Wine Lists for Guests
42:03 – Pairing Wines with Personalities
44:27 – Goalkeeper Styles and Wine
45:26 – Modern Golfers and Their Wine Pairings
46:40 – The High Hampton Wine Experience
47:39 – Celebrating Life’s Achievements with Wine

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into wine culture.
🎧 Listen now on YouTube + all podcast platforms
🔗 Full episode and show notes at winecentricshow.com
We’re grateful for the support of our episode partners:
▪️Fearrington House: https://fearrington.com/

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