Harvest Reality Check: Insights from Thomas Rivers Brown – Straight Talk Episode 26

The renowned Napa Cabernet winemaker and his numerous esteemed clients are busy gearing up for harvest 2024. Thomas Rivers Brown took a moment to share his insights on what the harvest season is truly like.

With Harvest 2024 now underway in California’s wine region, it’s the most hectic time of the year. Brown paused to speak with Wine Spectator‘s Straight Talk podcast host James Molesworth about the challenges and realities faced during this bustling season.

He also revealed his innovative “Ziploc baggy mini-maceration method” for assessing the optimal picking time for a vineyard parcel.

Moreover, Dr. Vinny, an education and advice columnist from Wine Spectator, joins the conversation to provide a refresher on advanced harvest terminology.

Now accessible on Apple, Google, Spotify, and additional platforms, including at WineSpectator.com/podcast, Straight Talk made its debut in October 2022 and has drawn in some of the most notable figures in the wine industry, offering candid, insightful, and often amusing dialogues.

In its first season, the podcast featured renowned winemakers such as Aubert de Villaine, Tim Mondavi, Tony Soter, Mark Aubert, Helen Keplinger, Thomas Rivers Brown, Greg Brewer, and many others, alongside celebrated chefs like Thomas Keller and Marcus Samuelsson, NBA Hall of Famer and winery investor Tony Parker, and film, television, and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc icon Sarah Jessica Parker.

“The Straight Talk podcast is essential listening for anyone involved in the wine industry, providing consumers with a close connection to our expert team of tasters that no other medium—or podcast—can emulate,” remarked Wine Spectator editor and publisher Marvin R. Shanken, who also featured in multiple episodes during the initial season of Straight Talk.

Wine Spectator‘s Straight Talk podcast is available for free across all major podcasting platforms, as well as at WineSpectator.com/podcast. Listeners are encouraged to send their questions and feedback to StraightTalk@WineSpectator.com.

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About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!