Episode 396 of I’ll Drink to That! was released recently, and it features Hardy Wallace of the Dirty & Rowdy winery in California, who returns to the show after previously having been a guest back in 2014, in episode 160.
The last time Hardy Wallace was on IDTT it was a whizz-bang episode full of fresh starts, positive self-analysis, lots of surprises, and abrupt changes of course based on a song and prayer. In it, our hero traveled from the East Coast to the West Coast with little more going for him than a Really Goode Job, only to surprise everyone in the end by becoming a Mourvedre specialist turning out more single-vineyard bottlings than Domaine Tempier. In fact, it was an inspirational story throughout. This new episode finds Hardy more sober-minded, more financially dependent on making this winery thing work, and more aware of the intricacies of Mourvedre. If the previous episode was a tour of emotional highs and lows, this new talk features more shared observations on the nature of the craft. What is the difference between Mourvedre grown on limestone and Mourvedre grown in sand? What happens when you use a lot of stem inclusion and whole berries with Mourvedre in the winery? What are the realities of sourcing Mourvedre grapes all up and down the long state of California? These are all topics that Hardy addresses in this latest interview. And there are some surprise sidelights, like his experimentation with Merlot winemaking, and his new belief in Clothing Optional. If, when listening to the previous episode, you were curious if this guy would ever settle down and develop into a mature and steady winemaker, this newest interview with Hardy proves that he has.
This episode also contains a Warm Up from Erin on Mourvèdre.
Listen to this episode:
I’ll Drink to That is the world’s most listened-to wine podcast, hosted by Levi Dalton. Levi has had a long career working as a sommelier in some of the most distinguished and acclaimed dining rooms in America. He has served wine to guests of Restaurant Daniel, Masa, and Alto, all in Manhattan. Levi has also contributed articles on wine themes to publications such as The Art of Eating, Wine & Spirits magazine, Bon Appetit online, and Eater NY. Check out his pictures on Instagram and follow him on Twitter: @leviopenswine
