By The Glass

50. Defining Drinkability with Jurgen Gouws

Jurgen Gouws makes minimal-intervention wine in the Swartland under the Intellego Wines label. For BTG's first ever South Africa episode, Chris chats with Jurgen about the country's drought several years ago, the 2021 harvest, the collaborative spirit of Swartland, his PetNat experiment, the movement away from over extracted Pinotage, his approach to skin-contact Chenin Blanc, his love for Normandy Cider, South African grilled meat, natural winemaking, and the importance in drinking wines from around the world.

48. California Pinot Noir with Kerith Overstreet

Kerith Overstreet is the winemaker and proprietor of Bruliam Wines in California. She sources Pinot Noir from Petaluma Gap, Santa Lucia Highlands and Russian River Valley. Prior to pursuing a wine career, Kerith completed residency and fellowships in pathology — her father said she had to graduate med school before making wine.
 
In this episode, Kerith discusses winning gold in the Houston Rodeo Wine Competition, maintaining relationships with growers in sought-after vineyards, producing elegant Zinfandel, developing meaningful relationships with wine buyers across the country, and self-medicating with Russ & Daughters smoked fish.

47. Crisis Management with Gio LoGrasso

Gio LoGrasso is the General Manager of Uchi, a Japanese restaurant in Houston, Texas. After regaining electricity last week, Gio met with Chris to discuss the winter storm’s impact on his restaurant and his home. They discuss winterizing a dining room, dealing with other weather-related crises like hurricanes and floods, and finding a work/life balance in the hectic world of hospitality.

46. Basque Cider in Oregon with Jasper Smith

Jasper Smith is the founder of Son of Man and makes Sagardo-style cider in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge. For this episode, Jasper discusses applying Basque cidermaking techniques to the heirloom apple varieties he sources from the orchards around Mt Hood. He also discusses spontaneous fermentation, Gipuzkoa mythology, the beer-wine binary, his love for Loire Valley Pineau d'Aunis, his culinary career, and favorite cider pairings.
 
Visit Son of Man's website to sign up for their “Club Sagardo” DTC service or to learn where the tall boys of cider are available in your local market. 

45. Transcending Typicity in Txakolina with Álvaro de la Viña

Álvaro de la Viña started his Spanish natural wine import company in 2013. For today’s Texas Txotx-themed episode, Álvaro discusses the regional differences in Txakolina production, the challenges securing organic certification in Getaria, Selections de la Viña’s foray into South America, and his love of conservas.
 
Álvaro's wine and conservas can be purchased through Light Years in Houston and Lolo in Austin. Wines featured in today's episode include Jon Goenaga G 1200 from Getariako Txakolina and Ulibarri Artzaiak from Bizkaiko Txakolina. 
 
To learn more about conservas, read the New York Times feature on Álvaro's  Conservas Braseadas Güeyuma. Also check out episode 27 of this podcast, when we spoke with seafood company Jose Gourmet and importer A Priori Foods...

44. Bizkaiko Txakolina with Itziar Insausti

Itziar Insausti is the winemaker of Doniene Gorrondona, one of the wineries responsible for reviving txakolina production near Bilbao through the creation of the Bizkaiko Txakolina DO in 1994. Itziar works with 100+ year-old vines of indigenous Basque grapes like Hondarrabi Zuri, Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia, and Hondarrabi Beltza. For this episode, Itziar walks Chris through the regional differences in the three Txakolina DOs, the challenges farming organically in such a humid climate, as well as her experimentations bottling without sulfur and aging red txakoli.  
 
This episode was made in coordination with Texas Txotx, a state-wide celebration of Basque Cider and Wine. The next few episodes will focus on these unique beverages. Visit www.texastxotx.com to learn more!

43. Mentorship & Mindful Farming with Les Lunes & Populis

Diego Roig & Shaunt Oungoulian run Les Lunes and Populis, two Orinda-based wineries that focus on organically farming old vines in California. Over the summer, they created a BIPOC and LGBTQIA mentorship program, which aims to create a more inclusive and diverse wine industry. Shaunt & Diego chat with Chris about positivity in natural wine, as well as the California wildfires, the evolving identity of their two brands, the importance of biodiversity in old Mendocino vineyards, and the education they received at wineries like Maison Valette in Burgundy and Domaine Léon Barral in Faugères. 

42. Ordering Tableside Wedge Salad with Eric Sandler

Eric Sandler is the Food Editor for CultureMap Houston and hosts a podcast called "What's Eric Eating" that reports on the Houston-area restaurant scene. This week, Eric walks Chris through his past ten months of restaurant reporting. Along the way, he talks about his favorite new restaurant to open in 2020, the challenges of executing a to-go menu, his safety precautions when eating out, and the future of fine dining post-pandemic.
 
 
 

41. Protecting Penedès with Pepe Raventós

Pepe Raventós and his family have been making wine in Penedès for 21 generations. In today's episode, Pepe walks Chris through the family's decision to leave the Cava D.O. in 2012, the Mediterranean climate of coastal Catalunya, his years living as an ex-pat here in the states, the influence of Didier Dagueneau, Emmanuel & Anne Houillon, and Frank Cornelissen on his approach to winemaking, the importance of supporting small farmers and preserving old vines of Xarel·lo, Sumoll, and Montònega. 

40. Carbonic Carousing with Andy Young

Andy Young makes natural wine in Oregon’s Willamette Valley under two labels: The Marigny and Saint Reginald Parish. In this episode, Andy describes his approach to carbonic maceration, the backlash to glou, Texas viticulture, and the wine that inspired his Piquette. Along the way, he and Chris hash out the pros and cons of the DTC winery model and the discography of Frank Ocean.
 
You can purchase Andy’s wine online at www.streginald.com and www.themarigny.com
 
Follow Andy at @streginald and this podcast at @bytheglasspodcast

39. Pineapple Pizza Pairings with Emily Tolbert

Emily Tolbert moved to Houston to pursue a career in medicine at MD Anderson before pivoting into wine. She currently runs the wine program for Savoir, a neighborhood restaurant in Houston’s Heights neighborhood. For BTG’s final episode of 2020, Emily walks Chris through her NYE restaurant traditions (inventory and champagne), her tour of New Zealand wine country, and the chemistry of grape fermentation.

38. Christmas Traditions in the Houston Hospitality Industry

This week, Chris talks with six different hospitality workers about their respective businesses' plans for the upcoming holiday.
Up first is Michelle Wallace of Gatlin's BBQ to talk about this year's influx of catering orders, her pivot to breakfast (brisket tacos!), and gumbo. To discuss Christmas Eve dinner, Chris hits up Marcus Gausepohl -- the wine director of Brennan's of Houston -- to learn about the restaurant's time-honored family meal tradition. Tommy Ho of Anvil Bar & Refuge explains the origin story of the bar's intricate Christmas decorations as well as the secret to making good eggnog. 
For Christmas Day activities, Chris first calls up Greenway Coffee co-founder David Buehrer, who is slinging white truffle biscuits, tenderloin sandos, and flat whites at Blacksmith Coffee in Montrose. Last but not least, Houston legend DJ Sun explains the annual James Brown-themed Christmas party that he hosts at his bar: The Flat. 
 
Below are the hours of operation for each establishment featured in this article of each event:
Christmas Eve:
Gatlin's BBQ: 7AM-4PM 
Brennan's of Houston: 11-2 & 5-8:30
Anvil Bar & Refuge: 4PM-2AM
Christmas Day:
Blacksmith: 8AM-2PM
The Flat: 8PM-2AM