Four Rodney Strong Cabernets. Four different expressions of Sonoma County. And one debate that might upset a few wine critics.
In Episode 132, we taste our way through Rodney Strong’s Sonoma Collection (Red Label), Sonoma County (White Label), Knights Valley (Blue Label), and Alexander Valley (Black Label) Cabernet Sauvignons.
We explore what makes these wines different and how Sonoma County’s growing regions influence the final product.
Then we tackle a question that’s been bothering us: Are professional wine descriptions actually helping people buy wine?
Wine Spectator uses terms like ink, loam, cast iron, brambly, and iris to describe what’s in the glass. But does the average wine drinker know what those words mean? More importantly, do they care?
Are wine critics educating consumers, or simply trying to impress one another?
Join us for four solid Cabernets, some spirited debate, and a reminder that enjoying wine shouldn’t require a vocabulary lesson.
Grapes & Debates — where great wine meets great conversation.
5 Oct 2026
Episode 131: 50 Years After the Judgment of Paris — A Spring Mountain Vineyard Vertical
This one comes with some serious Napa Valley history.
In 1976, Spring Mountain Vineyard’s 1973 Chardonnay was poured at the legendary Judgment of Paris, finishing fourth among the white wines in the blind tasting that forever changed the world’s perception of California wine.
Now, 50 years later, we’re opening Spring Mountain Vineyard again.
Adam, Chris, and Joe sit down for a vertical tasting of the 2014, 2018, and 2019 vintages, exploring how the wines differ from year to year—and using them to tackle a question every wine drinker eventually faces:
How much does vintage really matter when you’re buying everyday wine?
Do you need to know whether 2018 was “better” than 2019? Should vintage charts influence what makes it into your cart? Or are we sometimes giving that little year on the label way too much power?
And Spring Mountain Vineyard has more than wine history behind it. If the property looks like it belongs on television, there’s a reason: it served as a filming location for the 1980s TV series Falcon Crest.
The Judgment of Paris. Falcon Crest. Three vintages spanning five years. And three guys ready to debate whether vintage really matters.
🍷 Pour a glass and join us for Episode 131 of Grapes & Debates.
20 Sept 2026
Is the Wine Industry Really in Trouble? | The Vineyard House with Charlie Plummer & Michael Sherman
Is the wine industry really facing tough times—or is the mainstream media making the story bigger than it is?
On Episode 130 of Grapes & Debates, Adam steps away from his usual crew and sits down with Michael Sherman of 21 Wine & Spirits Distributors and Charlie Plummer, Global Director of Sales for The Vineyard House, the family-owned Napa Valley estate of Jeremy Nickel.
Together, they taste through an extraordinary lineup of wines from The Vineyard House while digging into the realities of today’s wine business. Adam puts the big question to Charlie: What’s actually happening in the industry, and does the doom-and-gloom coverage match what people inside the business are seeing?
And then there’s the wine. One bottle in particular stops Adam in his tracks—the 2013 The Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon.
Great wine, candid industry conversation, and a Cabernet Adam won’t soon forget. Pour a glass and join the debate.
Who has been a guest on Grapes & Debates
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Chef Drayke
Nick Antalek
Chandler
Aly
David Pearson
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
302,739
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 77 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
97
Social presence
0
YouTube
82
Engagement
60
Contact Grapes & Debates
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Grapes & Debates
Who hosts Grapes & Debates?
Adam and Joe and Adam Barringer and Chris and Chris Botting and Joe Bates host the show. Published by Adam Barringer.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Grapes & Debates take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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