Ungrafted
25 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 30 ratingsUngrafted is a podcast about wine, humanity, and the planet. Join Icy Liu in a series of conversations with scientists, winemakers, and industry professionals who are dedicated to pushing deeper into biodiversity, regenerative agriculture, reducing the carbon footprint of wine, increasing diversity in the wine business and more.
Instagram: @ungraftedpodcast
Website: www.ungraftedpodcast.com
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Episodes
Episode 21: François de Nicolay (Domaine Chandon de Briailles) on Skim Milk against Powdery Mildew
March 01, 2022 12:12 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBToday I speak with François de Nicolay from Domaine Chandon de Briailles in Savigny-les-Beaune, Burgundy. The 14 hectare biodynamic domaine started experimenting with spraying with skim milk instead of sulfur against powdery mildew in 2013. Powdery mildew (oidium in French) is a major fungal disease that affects vitis vinifera worldwide by decreasing grape quality and yield. Francois talks about how milk works as a preventative and curative measure, as well its advantages and disadvantage...
Episode 20: Brian McClintic (Viticole Wine) on Wines for the Future
November 27, 2021 11:30 - 44 minutes - 40.9 MBBrian McClintic is an ex Master Sommelier who worked at the Little Nell in Aspen and starred in the SOMM documentary films. Brian launched Viticole Wine in 2016, a wine club for which he collaborates with organic wine and cider producers around the world on custom bottlings. Today I speak with Brian about fermented beverages of the future, including multiple fruit ferments and herbal infusions. We also chat about regenerative agriculture, racism, and how to make our lives and businesses m...
Carlton McCoy MS (Roots Fund & Demeine Estates) on Black Representation in Wine
July 16, 2021 13:39 - 45 minutes - 41.7 MBToday I speak with Carlton McCoy MS from the Roots Fund and Demeine Estates about Black representation in the wine industry. Carlton grew up in southeast Washington DC where wine was not part of his family or culture. After winning the C-CAP (Careers Through Culinary Arts Program) cooking contest, he earned a full scholarship to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, which kickstarted his wine career. Carlton became a Master Sommelier when he was only 28 years old, and ...
Episode 19: Carlton McCoy MS (Roots Fund & Demeine Estates) on Black Representation in Wine
July 16, 2021 13:39 - 45 minutes - 41.7 MBToday I speak with Carlton McCoy MS from the Roots Fund and Demeine Estates about Black representation in the wine industry. Carlton grew up in southeast Washington DC where wine was not part of his family or culture. After winning the C-CAP (Careers Through Culinary Arts Program) cooking contest, he earned a full scholarship to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, which kickstarted his wine career. Carlton became a Master Sommelier when he was only 28 years old, and ...
Episode 18: Olivier Lamy (Domaine Hubert Lamy) on High Density Plantings in Burgundy
June 08, 2021 14:46 - 40 minutes - 37.3 MBToday I speak with Olivier Lamy of Domaine Hubert Lamy in Saint Aubin, Burgundy. Olivier is one of Burgundy’s cult winemakers and a pioneer in the return to high density plantings. Olivier discusses the history of plantations in Burgundy and Champagne, the practical choices that led to a lowering of the vine densities after phylloxera, and how his vines yield better quality grapes and perform better in warmer vintages. Photo by: Gretchen Greer
Episode 17: Steve Matthiasson on Water Conservation in the Vineyard
May 12, 2021 15:34 - 45 minutes - 41.2 MBI speak with Steve Matthiasson, vineyard consultant and owner of Matthiasson Vineyards in Napa, about water conservation in the vineyard. Steve gives an overview of Napa’s climate and how farming practices have changed over the last 20 years. He cautions that drought cycles are more extreme and that all indicators show that there will be less water in the future. He discusses farming practices that help conserve water including planting cover crops, increasing soil organic matter, tilling ...
Episode 16: Christina Rasmussen and Daniela Pillhofer (Little Wine) on Carbon Neutral Shipping
April 19, 2021 15:28 - 43 minutes - 40 MBI speak with Christina Rasmussen and Daniela Pillhofer, cofounders of Little Wine about carbon neutral shipping. Little Wine is an online wine content platform focused on organic plus and climate positive growers. Little Wine also has an online bottle shop and wine club, with carbon neutral shipping. Since their founding in April 2020, they have offset 100+ tonnes of CO2 to date. According to German nonprofit Atmosfair, that’s around 100 round trip flights from London to New York City. ...
Episode 15: Cristiana Tiberio (Agricola Tiberio) on Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Biotypes
March 21, 2021 16:21 - 35 minutes - 32 MBToday I interview Cristiana Tiberio from Agricola Tiberio in Abruzzo about biotypes. Cristiana discusses the difference between biotypes and clones. She also shares her journey identifying biotypes in her vineyard, including the Fonte Canale biotype of Trebbiano Abruzzese and 4 distinct biotypes of Montelpucinao d’Abruzzo which behave differently in the vines and the cellar. Instagram: @cristianatiberio
Episode 14: Elaine Chukan Brown on Indigenous Representation in the Wine Industry
February 16, 2021 11:33 - 39 minutes - 35.7 MBToday, I chat with Elaine Chukan Brown about Indigenous representation in the wine industry. Elaine is an Alaskan Native, from the Inupiaq-Unangan-Sugpiaq tribes. She started fishing commercially when she was nine years old and worked in various industries before starting her wine career. Elaine is a wine educator and writer. She is the American wine specialist at JancisRobinson.com and has contributed to the 4th edition of the Oxford Companion to Wine and the 8th edition of the World...
Episode 13: Mimi Casteel (Hope Well Vineyard) on Tilling
January 31, 2021 14:35 - 58 minutes - 53.3 MBWe conclude Regenuary with our interview with Mimi Casteel. Mimi is one of the preeminent voices for regenerative agriculture and no till, which she practices at Hope Well Vineyard in Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon. Mimi explains the advantages and disadvantages of tilling, one of which is the release of carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. She addresses what she believes are necessary changes to farming subsidies and viticultural regulations if we are to achieve a sustain...
Episode 12: Nigel Greening from Felton Road on the Role of Animals in the Vines
January 17, 2021 12:23 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MBWe continue our celebration of Regenuary with our interview with Nigel Greening, proprietor of Felton Road in Central Otago, New Zealand. Nigel discusses the role of animals in the vines and the winery’s ecosystem. Nigel explains the difference between sheep (which are grazers) versus goats (which are browsers) in managing their wild rose population. While some believe the best way to restore land is by removing grazing animals, Nigel believes the contrary--their highland cattle has help...
Episode 11: Jordan Lonborg (Viticulturist of Tablas Creek) on Being the First Regenerative Organic Certified Winery
January 09, 2021 08:08 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBToday, we celebrate #Regenuary with Jordan Lonborg, viticulturist of Tablas Creek. Tablas Creek farms 120 acres of Rhone varieties in Paso Robles, California. They were certified organic in 2003. They have been farming biodynamically since 2010, and received their biodynamic certification in 2017. They are the first Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) winery by the Regenerative Organic Alliance, established in 2017. The 3 main pillars of the ROC include soil health, animal welfare, and...
Episode 10: Zach Lawless (Good Goods) on Reusing Glass Wine Bottles
December 18, 2020 16:18 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBToday, I speak with Zach Lawless, founder of Good Goods, a bottle return program where you bring back your empty wine bottles to participating wine stores in exchange for credits towards future wine purchases. A bottle of wine’s biggest carbon footprint is the manufacturing of the glass bottle. In the Good Goods program, the bottles are reused instead of recycled--recycling a bottle saves 7% in carbon emissions whereas reusing a bottle saves 52%. Zach and I talk about his market research ...
Episode 09: Jasmin Swan (Katla Wines) on PIWIs in the Mosel Valley
December 10, 2020 21:11 - 43 minutes - 40 MBJasmin Swan of Katla Wines, is a new negociant from the “Alt Mosel", a term she coined for the new faces making wines with diverse approaches in the Mosel Valley. Today, I interview Jas about her journey from sommelier in Iceland to winemaker in Germany. Specifically, we chat about the use of PIWI’s as part of sustainable agriculture. PIWIs are hybrids-varieties made by crossing 2 different Vitis species-- bred specifically for their fungus resistant capabilities. This means that they ...
Episode 08: Amy Christine MW and Pat Farrell MD, MW on Alcohol and Cancer
December 03, 2020 11:30 - 33 minutes - 30.2 MBToday we will be broaching a subject that might make you uncomfortable--the relationship between alcohol and cancer. The reason for this discussion is personal; I was diagnosed with breast cancer this October. The causes of breast cancer are debated, but it is pretty clear that alcohol does not help. So how do I continue a life now devoted to wine? What is a suitable balance between my passion and its risks? The opinions of doctors vary considerably on the subject. Today, I welcome Amy Ch...
Episode 07: Alpana Singh on the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas
November 20, 2020 01:38 - 1 hour - 68.6 MBIn an October 2020 New York Times article, Julia Moskin shared accounts of sexual harassment and assault of 21 women at the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas. She wrote a follow up article, where the Chairman of the Court, Devon Broglie, stepped down amidst sexual misconduct allegations of his own. Many sommeliers, wine professionals, and some Master Sommeliers were vocal about their outrage and much-needed changes. Alpana Singh is one of them. At 26, she became the youngest female and...
Episode 06: Mathieu Lapierre on Microscopes in Winemaking
November 12, 2020 19:31 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBWe speak with grower Mathieu Lapierre from Domaine Marcel Lapierre about the use of microscopes to monitor yeasts, bacteria, and other microorganisms during vinification. He also discusses the different methods he uses when issues arise. In the 1960s, Beaujolais négociant, researcher, and father of natural winemaking Jules Chauvet and Paul Bréchot used the microscope to monitor alcoholic fermentation in order to make wine more naturally and reduce the use of sulfur dioxide during vinficia...
Episode 05: Diana Snowden Seysses (Domaine Dujac) on Carbon Capture and Reuse
November 05, 2020 07:07 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBToday we speak to winemaker Diana Snowden Seysses about carbon capture and re-use at Domaine Dujac in Burgundy. Carbon is essential for life. There are pure forms of carbon such as diamonds and combined forms such as CO2, which makes up the majority of greenhouse gases —around 80%. Although they are not the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases, emissions produced as a by-product of wine fermentation are 5 times more concentrated than those of cars or planes. Instead of letting this ...
Episode 05: Diana Snowden Seysses on Carbon Capture and Reuse
November 05, 2020 07:07 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBToday we speak to winemaker Diana Snowden Seysses about carbon capture and re-use at Domaine Dujac in Burgundy. Carbon is essential for life. There are pure forms of carbon such as diamonds and combined forms such as CO2, which makes up the majority of greenhouse gases —around 80%. Although they are not the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases, emissions produced as a by-product of wine fermentation are 5 times more concentrated than those of cars or planes. Instead of letting this ...
Episode 04: Benjamin Bois on Climate Change in Burgundy
October 29, 2020 22:01 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBWe speak to Professor Benjamin Bois from the University of Burgundy about climate change and viticulture. In Burgundy, harvesting in August is the new normal. Indeed, there have been 7 vintages with August harvest dates since 2003. However, some questions remain. How will this warming trend continue? What about rain, frost, hail, and diseases? And what about some of the proposed strategies to combat climate change such as using different varieties and rootstocks?
Episode 03: Joel Burt (Las Jaras Wines) on Wildfires and Smoke Taint
October 22, 2020 16:07 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBWe speak with Joel Burt, winemaker of Las Jaras Wines, a project he shares with comedian Eric Wareheim. He discusses how winemakers deal with smoke taint, ash and soot. He worked with interventionist methods in the past while he does minimal intervention winemaking now. We also talk about California's wildfires and how they affect vineyards and vineyard workers. This interview was recorded on October 2nd, 2020, the week of California’s Glass Fire. https://lasjaraswines.com/
Episode 02: Jane Lopes and the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Wine Tasting
October 13, 2020 15:18 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MBWe speak to sommelier and importer Jane Lopes who, along with her husband, Jonathan Ross have donated a Ruth Bader Ginsburg lot to the Vines 4 Votes online wine auction. This was in honor of the wine and cheese tasting they held for the late Supreme Court Justice’s 83rd birthday in March of 2016. Jane shares how RBG inspires her to fight for justice and equality. Vines4Votes is an online wine auction from October 12 to 16, 2020. All proceeds are donated to the ACLU of Texas and earmarked...
Episode 01: Zev Rovine and the Working Contract
October 13, 2020 14:17 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBWe speak to Zev Rovine about his "working contract" with his wineries. It will "address issues such as sexist behavior, racist behavior, labor rights, and responsible stewardship of the land we farm.” This was in response to one of Zev’s Italian producers, Valentina Passalacqua, who was under scrutiny when her father was placed under house arrest by the police. He owns a vegetable company and is accused of exploiting his migrant workers. Zev has since discontinued his relationship with Val...
Episode 00: Ungrafted Trailer
October 13, 2020 13:10 - 1 minute - 1.47 MBHi, my name is Icy Liu. Welcome to Ungrafted, a podcast about wine, humanity and the planet. I interview scientists, wine growers, importers and other folks about topics such as regenerative agriculture, carbon footprints, how we treat human beings and so much more.
Episode 001
October 07, 2020 14:28 - 9 seconds - 159 KBWelcome to Ungrafted, a podcast about wine, humanity, and the planet. Coming soon...