I discovered MacDonald Vineyards from the auction podium — a wine I'd never heard of, with bidders going absolutely crazy. I came off the block, turned to my son Tom, and said, what is this? He gave me a look that said: Dad, how do you not know?

Alex and Graeme MacDonald are fourth-generation farmers on one of the most storied pieces of ground in American wine — 15 rocky acres in the heart of To Kalon in Oakville, planted by great-grandparents who didn't even want to buy the land. Their family grapes were the backbone of Mondavi's finest wines going back to 1966 — the Reserve, the To Kalon label, early Opus One — all on a handshake. The family didn't even know.

The brothers released their first vintage in 2010 — 92 cases — and sold the entire vintage in 25 minutes. Today it's still just the two of them. No employees. And they're waging a five-year battle, without lawyers, to protect the very concept of place in American wine.

Uncorking What's Next — because learning about wine should be just as much fun as drinking it.

Sponsors:

🍷 Wine Market Journal If you buy, sell, or collect fine wine, information matters. Wine Market Journal tracks actual market prices — not opinions, not asking prices — real auction transaction data from across the globe, with powerful filtering so you can find exactly what's relevant to you. Visit winemarketjournal.com to learn more. Uncorkers get 10% off their first year of a standard, premium, or professional annual subscription — just enter UNCORKING at checkout.

🥩 La Tête d'Or The French-American steakhouse from legendary chef Daniel Boulud in Manhattan's Flatiron District, serving one of the best lunches in New York. Classic American steakhouse spirit meets refined French flair — great steaks, incredible seafood, and a fantastic wine list. If you're in New York and looking for a memorable lunch, La Tête d'Or gets my highest recommendation.

🍾 The Durand Corkscrew If you enjoy mature wine, you know how challenging older corks can be. The Durand is as close to foolproof as I've ever found for opening bottles with older corks — and I keep three of them on hand here at Uncorking What's Next. We're giving one away. Share with me the story of what made you fall in love with wine — by email or on Instagram. Over the summer we'll pick the best story to feature on the podcast, and that person wins a Durand. If you'd rather not wait, order directly at thedurand.com.

Connect with Jeff: 📧 Email | 📸 Instagram | 💼 LinkedIn

If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review the show — it means the world and helps new Uncorkers find us.

A conversation with Vitalie Taittinger, President of Taittinger, on tradition, leadership, and the future of one of Champagne’s most iconic houses.

We discuss the balance between heritage and evolution, the role of family, and why the experience of visiting Champagne remains so central to understanding the wines.

A conversation with Dr. Laura Catena — physician, fourth-generation winemaker, and one of the leading voices in the discussion around wine and health.

In a space often dominated by headlines and conflicting studies, Laura brings clarity to what we actually know — and what we don’t. From the role of moderation to the challenges of studying alcohol, this is a thoughtful, nuanced look at one of the most debated topics in wine today.

Key Themes

• Why wine & health is so difficult to study
• The difference between correlation and causation
• Moderate consumption vs. extremes
• Cultural context (Mediterranean lifestyle)
• Why headlines often oversimplify the science
• The role of polyphenols and compounds in wine
• Personal responsibility and informed choice
• How the conversation around alcohol is evolving

A conversation with Omri Ram of Château Lafleur on independence, old vines, and what it means to steward one of Bordeaux’s most singular wines. From a handwritten letter that changed his life to the philosophy of “elegant power,” this episode explores why Lafleur has always stood apart

• Lafleur as an outsider in Bordeaux
• Independent, never chasing styles or trends
• “Elegant power” — contradictions in harmony
• A wine defined by balance between opposing elements
• Old vine genetics and Bouchet
• A rare, preserved genetic identity at the core of Lafleur
• From handwritten letter to Lafleur
• Persistence and belief — no website, no email, just a letter
• Farming first
• “We are farmers before anything else” — the philosophy behind
• every decision
• Climate change and vineyard resilience
• Diversity in genetics as a response to extreme conditions
• Wine is meant to be shared
• “A wine exists if people are drinking it — not buying it”

Uncorking What's Next launches April 29th. Host Jeff Zacharia introduces the show and what's coming.