ROCKnVINO: A Pairing of Music & Wine

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Lauren Fremont, Executive Director of Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley about the upcoming Passport to Dry Creek Valley, Friday, April 26th through Sunday, April 28th.   This event has expanded to include a more intimate experience with boutique wineries on Friday, as well as a la carte luncheons and dinners on Friday as part of a new Wine-derlust Collection! Of course, you can also get two-day tickets for Saturday and Sunday, where over 25 wineries will offer tastings, bites, education, and music, depending on the location.   Get all of the details and secure your tickets today at drycreekvalley.org   ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle welcome back Patrick Davis, Founder of Songwriters in Paradise, a series of intimate songwriter showcases in the round where each songwriter shares the stories behind the songs, all paired with delicious food and wine. This year, the series returns to both Napa County and Sonoma County.    SIP Napa is happening April 18th through April 21st with showcases at Alpha Omega, Charles Krug, Silver Oak, and Brasswood wineries. Artists such as Kristian Bush of Sugarland, Channing Wilson, and Marc Broussard take turns performing songs and chatting about their music.   Then SIP comes back to Healdsburg from July 24th through July 27th with showcases at Banshee, Robert Young, Bricoleur and La Crema wineries. New to Songwriters in Paradise this time is Shawn Mullins, who wrote hits including Lullaby, Shimmer, and Beautiful Wreck. Also performing is multi Grammy winner Dan Tyminski (probably best known as the singing voice of George Clooney’s character in O Brother Where Art Thou), and Kim Richey. You can get tickets for a single day, or passes for the whole weekend. Learn more at songwritersinparadise.com.   ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Erica J. Simpson, General Manager for the Uptown Theatre in downtown Napa. Erica dishes on her time working for the Rolling Stones, how she acts around performers when she is star-struck, how she got her current job, the perks (and occasional downsides) of working at a concert venue, the best moment of a live show, the bar program at the Uptown, and more! Check out the extended podcast of our interview on rocknvino.com to hear her hilarious story about Julia Child, why her dog Jack is the most handsome and best dog, and what kind of wine she’d enjoy on her last day on Earth.   ROCK’nVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Art Murray, co-founder of T.O.W.N. – a dinner series created to highlight all the beauty Sonoma County has to offer during months not traditionally visited. Short for “Traveling Off-Season for Wine Night”, TOWN features a uniquely themed dinner once a month, concluding the first season in March 2024. Art and Alex Harris have put together a truly unique opportunity in Sonoma County to experience wine, music, art, food, and imagination in one night. Previous meals have featured unexpected entertainment, including an opera singer, Muay Thai fighters, and an actual monkey (a famous monkey at that)! Art is the President of his family winery, Flambeaux Wine, and Alex is an artist and also has The Harris Gallery Art and Wine Collection with his father.   Get tickets now for Raising the Bar, the next TOWN dinner at Lo & Behold Bar and Kitchen in Healdsburg on Wednesday, February 21st from 6pm to 9pm. Hosted by Flambeaux Wine, The Harris Gallery Wine, and special guest winery, Gary Farrell, expect an eclectic menu and enchanting atmosphere, combined with a funky and fun DJ set, for an extraordinary evening that will perfectly blend the rustic charm of wine country with high cuisine.   ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Jason Lefler, owner of Stereophonic Wine. Jason describes his wines as the beginning of a journey, not the conclusion of one. With more than two decades of wine industry work under his belt, Jason decided he wanted to make a wine with a grape variety from his wife’s ancestral home in Italy, near Mt.Vesuvius. This Aglianico was planted everywhere in Pompeii 2000 years ago, and archeologists have been able to pinpoint the exact spots where it grew at the time of the destructive volcano that buried the town under ash. From this journey, Jason, working with his winemaker, Aaron Jackson, has started a new journey with each bottle, searching for new ways of coaxing flavors from grapes. Stereophonic Wine also features a playlist for each bottle, which you can access through a code on the label, or through the website. Jason also works to find the right image to represent each wine.   Find out more and purchase Stereophonic Wine by clicking here.   ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk about the just announced lineup for Bottlerock Napa Valley, May 24th through May 26th, 2024. Headliners include Pearl Jam, Ed Sheeran, Stevie Nicks, and Maná. Pearl Jam is working on a follow up album to 2020's Gigaton, and this is their only U.S. date so far. Ed Sheeran has been selling out massive shows in 2023, and this is also his only U.S. concert date so far. Steve Nicks had been scheduled to perform at Bottlerock in 2021, but Covid-19 had other plans and now the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is finally headed to the stage in Napa. And Mexican rock bank Maná will also be headlining the La Onda Festival, happening the weekend after Bottlerock - a great excuse to stay the whole week and do some fun wine tasting in Napa and Sonoma Counties! Coco shares some insider tips about the JaM Pad, where you can watch acoustic sets on a second stage at Bottlerock, plus the skinny on aftershows at places like the Uptown Theater and JaM Cellars Balloom. Three-day tickets for Bottlerock Napa Valley go on sale Tuesday, January 9th at 10am online at bottlerocknapavalley.com ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCKnVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Mark Hanson, co-founder and CEO of Bricoleur Vineyards. Mark is a Santa Rosa native and his wife Beth is the great granddaughter of Pietro Carlo Rossi, the original oenologist at Sonoma County’s historic Italian Swiss Colony. As such, both had a strong connection to Sonoma County, and after "retiring" they decided to start their own winery in Windsor. The location had an old horse barn on site which has since been transformed into a beautiful tasting room and event space. The name Bricoleur is French and it reflects the spirit of flying by the seat of your pants. At Bricoleur Vineyards you can experience wine and food together in a variety of ways, including the Soaring and Rooted tastings, live music concerts, corporate events, wine club events, cooking classes, and even a cruise along the Seine from Normandy to Paris with Bricoleur! In fact, this Saturday, you can attend An Evening with Patrick Davis & His Midnight Choir, December 16th, a benefit for Toys 4 Tots. Mark has offered KSRO listeners a discount code for 25-percent off! Use code BRICOLEURFRIEND at checkout.   ROCK’nVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

Hosts Michelle and Coco talk with Jay Nunez, founder and winemaker at No Love Lost Wine Co. Jay makes sustainable, natural wines, and is inspired by the unknown, challenging himself to make wines with intrigue and a unique spirit. He also wants to make approachable wines that can be enjoyed by anyone, not just the high end cab connoisseur. We chat with Jay about his tasting room in downtown Napa, and talk about how his former career in music and sound engineering helps to inform his winemaking. He also loves to cook and has worked with a neighboring business to add some delicious sandwiches to the offering at his tasting room. Visit the tasting room at 960 Clinton Street in Napa, or buy his wine online at nolovelost.wine Hear more behind the scenes conversation with Jay Nunez, including his well-thought out desert island disc lineup and his girlfriend Canon Thomas’ picks, as well as his approach to label art, online at ROCKnVINO.com ROCKnVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit

During this episode of ROCK’nVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with The Wine Guy, Tom Simoneau! KSRO listeners are quite familiar with Tom’s voice, since he started his radio career as The Wine Guy on KSRO back in the 90s. Tom is uniquely suited for our show, since he started out as a musician and ended up a winemaker! Tom learned to play guitar with his college friends and decided to make a go of it as a band in Georgia. Their first band was named C&W Mow Company, since their landlord told them they needed to pay rent somehow and mowing lawns was a good way to earn some dough! Influenced by bands like the Allman Brothers and Little Feat, Tom and his bandmates started to play bigger shows and tour across the country. The music scene in San Francisco drew them west, and they decided they were going to head to California to get signed and become professional musicians. Luck wasn’t in the cards, but after a holiday trip home, Tom started to date a beautiful girl he knew from home in Maine, and brought her back to California. Tom and Brenda Lee bought a home in Healdsburg and Tom started working by selling wine over the phone direct to customers. He had the chance to make some wine, and won awards as an amateur winemaker. They sold their first home and bought a ranch in Alexander Valley. That sealed the deal, and Tom the bassist became Tom Simoneau, winemaker and grape grower. In the early years, Tom relied on American AgCredit to help him live from harvest to harvest, as he fleshed out his business. This episode is PACKED with great stories not only about Tom’s history, but stories of Sonoma County, Healdsburg, and the families who make this place their home.   Check out Tom’s wines (including the Brenda Lee Chardonnay!) online at simoneauvineyards.com and find it on the menu at Valette in Healdsburg. ROCK’nVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.

During this episode of ROCK’nVINO, hosts Coco and Michelle talk with Beth Costa, Executive Director of Wine Road about the upcoming Wine & Food Affair, November 4th and 5th. More than 40 wineries are participating, each with a delicious wine pairing and great recipes you can try at home! This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about pairing wine and food, and take those tips back to your own kitchen. VIP Tickets are already sold out, but you still have until Monday, October 30th to get your passes for the Weekend, Sunday Only, or Designated Driver.  Beth also shares the details of some fun additional events featuring live music that you can add on to your weekend! Coyote Sonoma has a great concert on Saturday, November 4th, and Hook & Ladder Winery is hosting a free concert on Friday, November 3rd. Check the sidebar on this page for more musical events during Wine & Food Affair.     Beth is also the co-host of a podcast called The Wine, When & Where of Sonoma County. She and Marcy Gordon share their insider stories about the places to check out when you’re exploring along the Wine Road. Listen to our conversation with Beth to find out how her podcast is connected to Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg!!   ROCK’nVINO is sponsored by American AgCredit.