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ISO The Good Life Show - Food, Wine, Travel & Lifestyle

Bio: Mike Wreyford, AKA Mike the Wine Guy, is a wine educator, writer, radio show host, and lifestyle expert. Mike is the host & producer of “The Good Life” Show, a popular radio talk show, on air since 2011. As one of the most “casually authentic” wine experts in the industry, Mike Wreyford, AKA “Mike the Wine Guy,” has blazed his own trails and made it his life’s passion to educate, inform and entertain his audience with his extensive knowledge and passion for wine, and the lifestyle that goes with it. His weekly radio program and podcast, “ISO the Good Life” has become a must-listen for travel conscious wine enthusiasts and curious foodies alike. With countless hours of Live Radio, and 1,000+ interviews, Mike’s show has earned a reputation for being informative, entertaining, and uniquely original. As a native Californian, Mike’s adventurous lifestyle and world travels have undoubtedly influenced his approach to wine and food. His dedication to bringing an “all of us” approach to his topics has earned him a loyal following of listeners who appreciate his ability to make even the most complex subjects accessible. In addition to his radio program, Mike is known for his involvement in charitable events and fundraisers, including the highly successful “World of Wine” tasting events which he has been instrumental in developing and hosting since 2011. Mike’s talent for uncovering the stories behind the wine and food he covers is unmatched. His loose yet thoroughly prepared style of interviewing guests allows him to dig deep and discover the true passion and journey of each guest. With his extensive network of contacts throughout California, the West Coast, and beyond, Mike is able to develop unique story ideas that captivate and inspire his audience. As a dedicated professional and wine expert, Mike Wreyford is undoubtedly a name to watch in the industry, and his commitment to bringing the best of wine and food to his audience is unwavering.
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Now displaying: March, 2019
Mar 4, 2019

In 1970, San Francisco firefighter Cecil De Loach, and his wife Christine, purchased the prized Barbieri Ranch in Russian River Valley’s coveted Olivet Road district. Both came armed with advanced degrees in anthropology but no background in farming or grape growing. That said, they had long dreamt of finding land their family could own and work together. For his part, Louis Barbieri, whose father Itilo planted the vineyard in 1905, was gratified to pass the vineyard on to a family committed to honoring its past, and stewarding its future.

Mar 4, 2019

We are tiny like an acorn. Our winery is framed by tall oak trees. Our wine is aged in oak barrels. So ACORN seemed the perfect name for our winery.

Bill traded in his law books for books on viticulture, pruning shears, and a tractor when we purchased Alegría Vineyards in 1990. In the early years, he was in the vineyards every day, and Betsy helped out on weekends, but within a few years she too was ready for a change and joined Bill full time.

At first, we sold all of our grapes to other wineries, and they produced highly prized Alegría Vineyard-designated wines. Then in 1994, we decided to make some wine ourselves and established ACORN Winery. Our first release, in 1996, was our 1994 Sangiovese.

Gradually, we kept more grapes for ACORN and added other wines. Now we make seven different wines—Russian River Valley Heritage Vines Zinfandel from the original 1890s vineyard, Russian River Valley Axiom® Syrah, Russian River Valley Cabernet Franc, Russian River Valley Sangiovese, Russian River Valley Dolcetto, two proprietary blends—Medley® and Acorn Hill, and a flavorful Rosato (a dry Rosé). We still sell half our grapes to other wineries. Several of them vineyard-designate the wines.

Our production remains small, at about 3,000 cases each year. All our wines are made from grapes we grow ourselves at Alegría. Every wine is a field blend, following the ancient tradition represented in the mixed planting that is our original 120-year old vineyard. Every wine is made by co-fermenting multiple varieties. We like to say that our wines are blended from the day they are picked. This is what sets ACORN wines apart.

Today, after 25 years, we continue to find alegría living in the middle of our vineyards, enjoying the cool Russian River Valley climate, and continuing a long tradition by sustainably growing premium quality grapes and producing acclaimed award-winning wines.

Mar 4, 2019

Since 1927, when John Pedroncelli, Sr. purchased vineyard and a small winery in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley, two elements remain unchanged: the exceptional place the Pedroncelli family farms vineyards, and the family's dedication to making fine wines.

  • From selling grapes to home winemakers during prohibition in order to keep the vineyards going,
  • to growing a small base of business during the 1930s and 1940s,
  • to the second generation joining their father: son John becoming winemaker in 1948 followed by Jim in 1955 as sales director,
  • to 1963 when the winery was officially purchased by John and Jim from their father,
  • to growing the line of wines in the 1960s with vineyard expansion and diversification,
  • to the boom time of the 1970s and 1980s along with many changes and additions to our sales base including national sales and export,
  • the third generation coming on board and vineyard replanting in the 1990s
  • to the 21st century refining our focus to restaurants and casual dining/meet-up wine bars and independent wine shops across the nation.
  • to the transfer of ownership of the company to the third generation (now a 70% woman owned company with a woman winemaker!)
  • to the second decade in the new millenium where the fourth generation is coming up the ranks...
  • Nine decades strong, we are still family owned and operated.It all adds up to tradition, heritage and a family of wines you can enjoy with confidence.

 

Mar 4, 2019

Debbie is responsible for managing Wine Road events, which include the annual event weekends Wine & Food Affair, Winter WINEland and Barrel Tasting. In her current position Debbie is the first line of contact for participating wineries (up to 100) as well as helping visitors plan their event experience. She coordinates with the health department, hires security, designs programs, event maps and working with a designer comes up with the inspiration for the overall event theme and look for all printed and online materials.

Along with these event planning tasks, Debbie works with advertisers and our PR Manager to make sure our events are getting the exposure needed to always bring in new customers.

Mar 4, 2019

Claudia Vecchio has assumed the position of CEO of Sonoma County Tourism.

Vecchio has many years of experience in the industry, including multiple leadership roles in tourism organisations, serving as the State Tourism director at the Ohio Department of Development, Division of Travel and Tourism, and senior vice president overseeing the tourism group at Edelman PR in Chicago.

In her new role, Vecchio will try to drive Sonoma County Tourism into record-breaking years, with out-of-the-box ideas and by sharing the message that wine country is open for business and ready to deliver the world-class experience that is expected.

She replaces Ken Fischang, who stepped down in May. Interim Sonoma County Tourism CEO Tim Zahner told the Las Vegas Review Journal that, after the fires, Vecchio will have plenty on her plate when she arrives.

“Claudia is stepping into a situation where the community of Sonoma County and the board and staff of Sonoma County Tourism have come together to not only support one another in our time of need, but also to rally around and get the word out that we are open for business and ready to welcome visitors to the Northern California they love,” Zahner said. 

Vecchio leaves her position as the first director of the state Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, which consists of the Commission on Tourism, Division of Museums and History, Nevada Arts Council and the Nevada Indian Commission.

“In addition to its extraordinary natural beauty, Sonoma County exudes an incredible spirit of independent thinking, creativity and fortitude that truly sets it apart from any other destination,” Vecchio said in a statement. “The truest sense of this spirit has been on full display during the recent fires. It’s a privilege to join a team and represent a countywide tourism industry that can come together through challenging times to not only support one another, but also to rally around and get the word out that we are open for business and ready to welcome visitors to Northern California.”

Vecchio said it should be a fairly easy transition on the marketing side, as Sonoma County has a few things in common with Nevada, like its independent, creative, maverick spirit.

“It’s wineries versus casinos,” she said. “They are important drivers, but I see so much more to talk about.” 

Vecchio long has been a fan of and visitor to Sonoma County, having family in Bodega Bay. Upon moving to Sonoma County, she had planned to rent, but after the destructive fires and the even tighter rental market, she is in the process of buying a home.

Vecchio is a former president of Destination Integration in Dallas and head of Ohio’s tourism office. She began working in Nevada in November 2011.

She also has managed national brand launch campaigns for Taco Bell, Frito-Lay and Norwegian Cruise Lines and was on the promotion team that launched the Fox Broadcasting Network’s television programming. She also was a tour manager for the international education and entertainment organization, Up With People.

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