What would make a Napa winemaker leave Cabernet country and head almost to the Canadian border to work with grapes like La Crescent, Marquette and Petite Pearl?

For Kyle Mizuno, Director of Winemaking and Head Winemaker at Rolling Hills Estate Winery, it was the opportunity to help write a wine story that is still very much in its beginning.

In this episode of Uncork Your Mind, Kyle joins me from Westport, New York, to talk about his journey from studying biochemistry at UC Davis to entering the Napa wine industry—and ultimately trading an established wine region for the possibilities of New York's Champlain Valley.

Kyle describes Napa as a place where the picture has largely been painted. You can make the blues deeper, the reds brighter and the greens bolder, but consumers often know what they expect the finished picture to look like.

The Champlain Valley gave him something different:

A brand-new palette and a blank canvas.

We talk about the challenges of growing grapes this far north, the moderating influence of Lake Champlain, dramatically higher acidity, short harvest windows and what happens when a California winemaker discovers that October really does mean the end of harvest.

We also get into some grapes you may—or may not—know: La Crescent, Marquette, Petite Pearl, Frontenac and Frontenac Gris.

Kyle shares why La Crescent reminds him of "sunshine in a bottle," what he sees in Marquette and Petite Pearl, and why his goal isn't to make hybrid grapes imitate Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay.

Instead, he's applying the attention to detail he learned making high-end Napa wines to discovering what these cold-climate grapes can become when allowed to express their own personalities.

Perhaps most exciting is the bigger picture.

Rolling Hills Estate Winery has planted 20 acres in a region that is still developing its wine identity, and Kyle sees an opportunity not just to build a winery, but to help build a wine community.

Could today's Champlain Valley be experiencing its own pioneering wine moment?

Pour yourself a glass and join us for a fascinating conversation about taking risks, rediscovering winemaking and helping write the next chapter of New York wine.

Because sometimes the most interesting wines aren't the ones whose stories have already been told.

They're the ones whose stories are just beginning.

What do wine appreciation and parenting have in common?

More than you might think.

In this episode of Uncork Your Mind Conversations, Debbie Gioquindo, the Hudson Valley Wine Goddess, sits down with Danielle Frank, author of A Wine Lover's Guide to Parenting: The Fine Art of Wine & Whine Management.

Danielle shares the inspiration behind her book and explains the surprising parallels between raising children and appreciating wine — from patience and perspective to learning how to embrace life's unpredictable moments.

This conversation blends wine, humor, and real-life parenting, offering a refreshing reminder that sometimes the best parenting advice comes with a sense of humor… and possibly a glass of wine.

• The inspiration behind A Wine Lover's Guide to Parenting

• How wine appreciation can mirror the parenting journey

• Why patience is essential for both wine lovers and parents

• Danielle's humorous take on balancing family life and wine culture

• How humor and perspective can help parents navigate everyday challenges

(Adjust if needed once you review the interview)

00:00 – Welcome to Uncork Your Mind Conversations
01:10 – Meet author Danielle Frank
03:30 – The inspiration behind A Wine Lover's Guide to Parenting
07:15 – Wine wisdom and parenting lessons
11:45 – Finding humor in the chaos of parenting
16:20 – Why wine culture and parenting share common ground
20:10 – Danielle's advice for parents who love wine
23:00 – Final thoughts and where to find the book

Danielle Frank is the author of A Wine Lover's Guide to Parenting: The Fine Art of Wine & Whine Management, a witty and relatable book that explores the similarities between wine appreciation and raising children.

Through humor and storytelling, Danielle offers parents a refreshing perspective on family life and the role wine culture can play in bringing people together.

Debbie Gioquindo, known as the Hudson Valley Wine Goddess, is a wine educator, writer, and Certified Specialist of Wine. Debbie is passionate about making wine fun, approachable, and accessible while sharing the stories behind the people and regions that shape the wine world.

🍷 Subscribe to Hudson Valley Wine Goddess for more wine stories and conversations.

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https://hudsonvalleywinegoddess.com

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In this episode of Uncork Your Mind, I chat with David Sheldon, owner of Hampton Roads Winery in Surry County, Virginia, and author of You Can Wine Too, about how he and his wife Diane transformed retirement into a life of winemaking, farming, and creativity.

We talk about:
🍇 Lessons from starting a winery from scratch
🏠 Turning a Victorian mansion into a tasting room
🐐 Building the world's tallest Goat Tower
🐄 Raising cattle and saving a calf named Nicholas
💡 The passion that keeps them pouring

🎧 Listen & read more → https://hudsonvalleywinegoddess.com/
📘 Buy You Can Wine Too on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
🍷 Visit hamptonroadswinery.com

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