In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Erik Miller, Founder/Owner/Winemaker of Kokomo & Breaking Bread Winery.

Erik Miller is the founder and winemaker of Kokomo Winery, located in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley. Originally from Indiana, Miller attended Purdue University, where he earned a degree in business. After briefly working in financial planning, he realized the career lacked the excitement he sought. His long-time passion for wine and the culinary world led him to pursue a career in winemaking.

Kokomo is perched in Dry Creek Valley in Healdsburg, amidst the 12 acres of prime benchland vineyards of Timber Crest Farms. Erik started the winery in 2004, naming it after his hometown of Kokomo, IN, and decided on a Coastal Cypress Tree as a logo to signify his move out west. Kokomo currently produces over a dozen different varietals and several single vineyards designates which are farmed by his partner in the winery, grower Randy Peters. Kokomo Winery focuses their terrior-driven wines on the three distinctive appellations of Sonoma County - Russian River, Dry Creek & Alexander Valleys. Kokomo Winery has been making its mark in Sonoma County, unfailingly earning 90+ ratings, Best of Class and Gold Medals across all varietals.

Erik would then go onto establish Breaking Bread Winery in 2018 as a creative outlet fueled by his passion for simple, natural and enjoyable wines. The winery is dedicated to crafting natural wines through sustainable and organic farming practices, employing whole-cluster fermentation and utilizing native yeasts and bacteria.

And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks!

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Glenn and Laurie Proctor, owners of Puccioni Vineyards.

In this episode, they dive into the rich history of Puccioni Vineyards with Glenn Proctor, the great-grandson of Italian immigrant Angelo Puccioni, and Laurie Proctor, his wife and business partner. Angelo arrived in the U.S. in 1889 and, after working at the Italian Swiss Colony, planted his roots in Dry Creek Valley, where he established Puccioni Ranch in 1904. Over seven years of hard work, Angelo and his family cleared forty acres by mule, building the foundation of a legacy that would continue for generations. Glenn shares stories of his own connection to the vineyard, including learning to plow with a mule at just four years old—continuing a family tradition that lasted until 1968. Today, Glenn and Laurie carry on the legacy, farming old vine Zinfandel and Petite Sirah and crafting Puccioni Vineyard wines that reflect the vineyard's storied past. The Proctors share a personal touch, recounting how they met through an online love story, along with insights into their careers and education. Listen in to discover how generations of tradition, from sacramental wine during Prohibition to modern-day viticulture, have shaped Puccioni Vineyards into a symbol of Sonoma County's rich agricultural history. And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Kerry Thedorf & Johan Eide, Co-Founders of Region. & Sampl.

Region is a unique and innovative wine bar concept located in both Sebastopol & San Luis Obispo. Founded by Kerry & Johan in 2020 in the heart of the Barlow Sebastopol, Region. was the first of its kind in Sonoma County. The second location opened in 2022 at the Hotel San Luis Obispo, a property owned by the Piazza Hospitality Group, which owns properties in Sonoma County as well. Region. uniquely offers a self-serve model with state-of-the-art WineStation machines, which pour over 50 hand-selected small production wines from 35+ Sonoma County wine producers. Each week, they host a winery takeover event, where one of their partnering wineries offers a special flight, winemaker appearances & curated food pairings. In addition to its focus on supporting small production wineries, Region. is committed to sustainability, donating 1% of its sales to the environmental organization 1% for the Planet.

Sampl., founded in 2022 by Kerry & Johan, is a subscription-based wine tasting club emerged from their success with Region. Every quarter, Sampl takes you to a different winemaking region, delivering seven 100ml glasses of curated wines from the best local producers in eco-friendly, reusable packaging directly to your home. This model allows consumers to explore a variety of wines without committing to a full bottle, enabling smaller wineries to thrive in the by-the-glass market.

And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks!

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Andrew Smith, Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights and Measures for Sonoma County. Andrew first got interested in nature and agriculture by working in his family's garden and doing landscaping. With over a decade of public service experience in regulatory roles, Andrew is dedicated to finding solutions for compliance issues faced by both agricultural and non-agricultural pest control practitioners. He shares some of the strangest things that he has found in packages making their way to Sonoma County. He was recently accepted into the prestigious California Agricultural Leadership Program in the 54th class. Andrew also really enjoys presenting to the Sonoma County Winegrowers Leadership Academy. Finally, his department is responsible for making sure you don't get ripped off when buying veggies at the supermarket, or when you fill up your tank! (That's the Weights and Measures part of his job.) Andrew talks about the Crop Report, and how it paints a picture in time, especially when paired with the historical events of the time, and with economic factors. Sonoma County has crop reports going back to the 1920s on their website! And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Sharon Cohn, co-owner of Breathless Wines. Sharon talks about her path to starting a sparkling wine brand with her sisters. She has had all kinds of adventures, from a post in the Air Force, to becoming a dental hygienist (where she met her husband Bruce Cohn), owning a Massage Envy shop, and being a managing partner for the BR Cohn Olive Oil Company. Her sister Rebecca Faust founded Rack and Riddle, a custom crush facility that works with more than 250 wine clients making wines. Sharon, Rebecca, and their sister Cynthia Faust created Breathless Wines in honor of their mother, Martha, who had a rare lung disease that literally left her breathless. Now, with winemaker Penny Gadd-Coster, Breathless Wines is producing award-winning sparkling wine. And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Kimberly Charles, President and Founder of Charles Communications Associates, and one of the founders of Come Over October along with wine journalist Karen MacNeil and PR expert Gino Colangelo. Kimberly shares the details of Come Over October, an initiative created to promote the social benefits of drinking wine. She says wine is a communal beverage and it should be shared and celebrated with friends and family. Many companies have joined the campaign, including Jackson Family Wines, Wine Enthusiast, and Lyft, as well as international wine regions. You can learn more and find local ways to participate by visiting comeoveroctober.com. And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Chris Crispo & Audrey Bush of Bush Crispo Vineyards, located in Sonoma County's Russian River Valley, a family-owned estate with a history spanning three generations of the Bush Crispo family. Together, they manage the 13.5-acre property which is split between Pinor Noir & Chardonnay. The vineyard was certified sustainable in 2015, a milestone that reflects the family's ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship. And finally, Virginie & Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks.

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with David and Alan Ramey, father and son duo from Ramey Wine Cellars. David started Ramey Wine Cellars in 1996 after going to France to learn during a harvest season, and working for Simi and Matanzas for a while. Alan and his sister Claire joined the family business in 2013, and became co-presidents in 2021. The strong core of long-time employees makes this transition to the next generation an easy one. And finally, Virginie, Karissa, David, and Alan share their Tuesday Night wine picks.