How does Chateau Musar create a wine so instantly recognizable—vibrant, soulful, unmistakably Musar? In this episode, Marc Hochar takes us inside the family’s collaborative blending process, revealing how each member’s unique palate shapes the final wine. From generational taste differences to the guiding hand of Gaston, the Musar blend is crafted through shared vision, spirited debate, and a reverence for the winery’s heritage.

Unlike wines polished to perfection, Musar embraces vibrancy, quirk, and character—the very traits that define its identity. The result is a blend that reflects continuity, lineage, and the soulful imperfections that make Musar one of Lebanon’s most iconic wineries.

This episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the Hochar family maintains consistency while honoring individuality, ensuring every vintage carries forward Musar’s legacy.

📍 What You’ll Learn

• Why Gaston has the final say in the blending process
• How each family member’s palate contributes to the final wine
• How Musar achieves continuity without sacrificing character
• Why vibrancy and quirk are essential to Musar’s style
• How family opinions and collaboration drive blend decisions
• Why “too perfect” is not Musar

🔑 Keywords

Chateau Musar, wine blending, signature style, family tradition, wine tasting, Lebanese wine, Marc Hochar

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

🙏 Episode Partners

▪️ Fearrington House – https://fearrington.com/
▪️ Heather Donovan Real Estate – https://heatherdhomes.com/
▪️ Conscious Strong – https://go.consciousstrong.com/

LA Dodgers’ Manager, Dave Roberts, a three-time World Series champion and co-owner of Red Stitch Wine, shares how the intensity of a playoff run mirrors the precision of winemaking. From his first unforgettable glass of Jordan Cabernet to launching a boutique label with fellow athletes, Dave opens up about the journey from the dugout to the vineyard.

This candid conversation explores the parallels between baseball and wine, from the art of timing to the value of patience, and touches on evolving wine trends, the influence of his sommelier wife, and why younger generations are key to the future of wine culture. Red Stitch Wine isn’t just a brand; it’s a reflection of friendship, family, and a love for the craft.

📍 What You’ll Learn:

• Clever parallels between ballplayers and wine styles, from bold Cabs to elegant Pinots.
• How wine became part of Dave’s personal and family life.
• The story behind Red Stitch Wine and its roots in friendship and shared passions.
• Why timing matters, whether chasing a playoff berth or picking grapes at peak ripeness.
• The influence of Dave’s wife, a trained sommelier, on their wine journey.
• A shift toward more balanced, lower-alcohol wines with nuance.
• Insights on how the wine world can better connect with younger audiences.

Chapters:
00:00 Dave Roberts and His Journey
04:24 The Intersection of Baseball and Wine
09:10 First Wine Experiences and Discoveries
13:46 The Birth of Red Stitch Wine
18:20 Involvement in Wine Production and Marketing
23:33 The Young Pitcher and Wine Pairing
25:34 Shohei Ohtani: The Two-Way Player
27:40 Wine Culture in the NBA
28:48 Dave Roberts: The Wine Guy of MLB
31:32 Red Stitch Winery: A Shift in Wine Philosophy
36:15 Connecting Baseball and Wine for Younger Generations
37:50 Quickfire Questions and Future Aspirations

🔔 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, including Fearrington House, Heather Donovan Real Estate, and Conscious Strong.

Portugal’s Douro Valley isn’t just beautiful, it’s alive with history, resilience, and over 300 grape varieties that define the essence of Portuguese wine. At the heart of this landscape, Sandra Tavares da Silva and Jorge Serôdio Borges, the visionaries behind Wine & Soul, are preserving and celebrating vineyards that date back generations.

Their story is one of devotion, to the land, to grape diversity, and to the complex identity born from old vines. With more than 90 distinct grape types thriving in their vineyards, the wines crafted here reflect a rare harmony of nature, heritage, and human touch.

Sandra Tavares da Silva and Jorge Serôdio Borges are more than just acclaimed winemakers — they’re stewards of the Douro’s soul. Founders of Wine & Soul, their mission is to protect and express the raw beauty of ancient vineyards. Both named Winemakers of the Year by Portugal’s leading wine publications, Sandra was also recognized as one of the Top 24 Women Winemakers Worldwide by Jancis Robinson in the Financial Times.

More about their wines and philosophy: www.wineandsoul.com

📍 What You’ll Learn:

• Why the diversity of grape varieties in the Douro is unmatched anywhere else in the world.
• How the Douro went from fortified to fresh wines
• How old vineyards survive and thrive through resilience — and what that means for wine lovers.
• The critical role of plot identity in shaping the character of each bottle.
• How climate and terroir work together to support this extraordinary grape ecosystem.
• Why the Douro’s complex blend of grapes results in wines that are layered, expressive, and unforgettable.

🎧 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, including Fearrington House, Heather Donovan Real Estate, and Conscious Strong.