May 9 – Ripe Life Wines

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Guy

My guest this week is Mary McAuley, “clambaker,” sommelier, and culinary school graduate, and the founder of Ripe Life Wines.

Mary had an “ah-ha” moment when charged with the task of selecting the wine for a clambake she threw with her friends back in august 2011 in her seaside hometown of Mantoloking, NJ. What started with the humble intention of making a “family wine” for personal clambakes turned into a local cult following when Mcauley realized the void for trustworthy brands on the american wine market, and felt compelled to bring her idea to the masses. Ripe life’s first wine, the clambake chardonnay, hit the shelves in July 2013 and was an instant success. At ripe life, she oversees every aspect of production, from vineyard procurement to winemaking direction with her team.  Mary says:

“In the winemaking world, a grape is deemed “ripe” only when it reaches the perfect balance of sugar and acid.  Taking this idea a step further, we believe you should strive for balance in everyday life as well–one of work and play, and one of give and take. Every wine in the ripe life collection is intended to be shared around a table (or blanket or hatchback) filled with food and amongst family and friends, and away from the daily grind.  We also donate approximately 5% of inventory to local charity events that we believe are the backbone to making the world a more balanced place.  Accordingly, every time you consume one of our wines, we feel you’re adding a little more “ripeness” to your life.”  Follow Ripe Life on Face Book & Twitter!

Ripe life’s mission is to hand-craft honest wines that live up to expert standards, but also appeal to everyday consumers – those often lost when it comes to finding a trustworthy wine and knowing what to pair it with. We are committed to making craft wines that bespeak of their native varietal and vineyard, which sets us apart from the other major players in our price category.

Ripe Life Wines can be ordered and direct shipped at www.ripelifewines.com

J. Lohr Virtual Wine Tasting with Good Life Guy, Saturday May 9, 6:00 p.m. 
I’ll be featuring four highly rated J. Lohr wines Saturday at 6:00 p.m. on Face Book Live. You can purchase these wines at Jacob Liquor Exchange East or West, tell them it’s for Good Life Guy’s Virtual Wine Tasting and save $$$. All 4 for $57
Jacob on North Rock: 316 636-4566 – West 21st St. N. 316 729-4566 curb side delivery available.

Get the wines and then download this tasting guide and join us:
Good Life Guy’s J.Lohr Tasting Guide      FB Live tips     Guy’s Facebook Page

Good Life Guy’s Virtual Wine Tasting wines:
2018 J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco – Monterey
2017 J. Lohr Los Osos Merlot, Paso Robles
2017 J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet, Paso Robles
2017 J. Lohr Pure Paso Red Blend, Paso Robles

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May 2 – 50 Ways to Love Wine More

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Guy
My guest this week is Jim Laughren Certified Wine Educator (CWE) with his latest book “50 Ways to Love Wine More!”   Jim was last featured on The Good Life in February of 2014 with his first book  “A Beer Drinker’s Guide to knowing and Enjoying Fine Wine.”
Winner-NYC Big Book Award.  Finalist-American Book Fest Best Book Awards. 
…
Are you looking for a new way to learn about wine? This unique approach to enhancing wine knowledge and appreciation cuts through the clutter and reminds everyone that the wonder of wine lies in the heart, not in the head.

Join award-winning writer Jim Laughren, CWE, on a cool, creative tour through the heart of wine country. Whether beginner or seasoned oenophile, expand your knowledge of wine tasting, wine sourcing, winemaking, wine regions, wine history, and more.

While 50 Ways to Love Wine More is brimming with facts and “vintellect” on a wide variety of wine-focused topics, what you’ll learn most is how to let wine wrap you in its embrace, whisper its secrets in your ear, and welcome you to its confederacy of aficionados.

As always, Laughren’s easy-going style is a pleasure to read, and his love of wine shines through on every page. Anyone looking for an off the beaten path approach to embracing this special beverage need look no further.   www.jimlaughren.com

Jim Laughren loves wine. And has for a very long time. He is a former importer and distributor of fine wines from around the world. He is also a Certified Wine Educator who has both taken and taught dozens of classes and seminars dealing with various aspects of wine and spirits.

But it’s sharing—with you!—that means the most to him. And it’s writing that allows him to share his knowledge, experience, and passion with all the people he’d love to meet but probably won’t have the chance to.  Jim on Face Book

In the second half I’ll be telling you a little about Washington States premiere wine producer Chateau Ste. Michelle.  The history, growth and expansion of the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is amazing and has contributed greatly to the success of the Columbia Valley.

I’ll be featuring these four Chateau Ste. Michelle wines Saturday at 6:00 p.m. on Face Book Live. You can purchase these wines at Jacob Liquor Exchange East or West, tell them it’s for Good Life Guy’s Virtual Wine Tasting and save $$$.
All 4 for $45

Here’s tips for joining Face Book Live: FB Live tips

Down Load this tasting guide…
…and have more fun when you join me on Face Book LIVE

Good Life Guy’s.Wines of the Week:
2018 Cht. Ste. Michelle Gewurztraminer, Columbia Valley WA
2017 Cht. Ste. Michelle Chardonnay, Columbia Valley WA
2016 Cht. Ste. Michelle Merlot, Columbia Valley WA
2016 Cht. Ste. Michelle Cabernet, Columbia Valley WA

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Apr 25 – Bakerita & Fine Wine

Posted on April 21, 2020 by Guy

My Cookbook guest this week is Rachel Conners with her new book Bakerita

Amazingly delicious and beautiful gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar–free desserts from the popular Bakerita blog

Rachel Conners began her blog as a hobby to share baking recipes with friends, but when she started to focus more on gluten-free, paleo, and vegan recipes to make things she could share with her sister, who was following a strict diet due to health concerns, Rachel quickly realized she was onto something. Bakerita surged in popularity as fans flocked to it for delicious and beautifully photographed recipes. Interest in gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar–free foods continues to grow in popularity, yet there are remarkably few books available focused just on desserts, and even fewer with recipes that even beginner bakers can make at home. That’s where Bakerita comes in, offering recipes for everything from breakfast treats like Lavender-Lemon Raspberry Scones, pies and tarts such as Chocolate Mousse Pie, cakes including Mocha Chip Cheesecake, and updated all-time favorites like chocolate chip cookies, all made without any hard-to-find ingredients. Rachels on Face Book, Twitter and Instagram

Later in the program Doug and Ashli Cohen, owners of Salt Wine Company. They have combined, over 50 years in the wine business. They specialize in wines from Oregon Washington and California made from biodynamically grown grapes from small estate vineyards that they blend.

They have partnered with NW Wine Company of Oregon to make these two labels.  NW Wine Company is as one of the Willamette Valley’s first custom crush facilities.  Learn more here!  The custom-crush facility started out as an incubator for boutique, small production wineries.  Doug is the National Sales Manager at NW Wine Company.

I’ll be featuring these four wines produced by Doug and Ashli Saturday at 6:00 p.m. on Face Book Live. You can purchase these wines at Jacob East or West, (apparently the West store does not have any Greetings product, just Second Growth) tell them it’s for Good Life Guy’s Virtual Wine Tasting and save 15%

These special wines may be hard to find outside of Wichita, sorry.  

Good Life Guy’s Wines of The Week:
2016 Greetings from the Columbia Valley Merlot
2018 Greetings from Oregon’s Willamette Valley AVA Pinot Noir
2016 Second Growth Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2017 Second Growth Willamette Valley Oregon Pinot Gris

 

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April 18 – Winemaker Ondine Chattan

Posted on April 13, 2020 by Guy

My guest this week is winemaker Ondine Chattan.  We first met many years ago while judging at the New World International Wine Competition.

Growing up close to wine country in Marin County, California, Ondine Chattan was enthralled with art, science, and nature from an early age. From exploring marshlands near her home to studying insects and flowering plants, her interest in science grew over time into a love of biology and chemistry. The daughter of an artist and theatre set designer, Ondine also was drawn to fine art and spent considerable time visiting museum exhibits in nearby San Francisco. She wrestled with conflicting desires to pursue either scientific or creative disciplines; however, it took only a single introductory lecture on viticulture, at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, for her to realize that she had found a pursuit that combined her interests in hard science and subjective aesthetics.

After her first job at Sonoma’s Cline Cellars, Ondine went back to school for a master’s degree in Enology at California State University, Fresno. Following graduation in 1997, she went to work at Ridge Vineyards, which, like Cline, is another winery known for using traditional, time-honored winemaking techniques. She joined Geyser Peak in 1999 and became its Director of Winemaking in 2010, remaining there until December 2017. Ondine was also the lead winemaker at XYZin, which is produced at the Geyser Peak facility. In 2018, she joined Share a Splash wine co. in the Sonoma Valley, where she makes a number of different varietals and, as of March 2019, is the Head Winemaker. Ondine is also makes wine for Naked Wines.

Until October 2010, she and her spouse David Reed were co-owners of Atelier, a boutique winery in Healdsburg, where she focused on producing Zinfandel and Syrah.

The combination of established techniques of winemaking with a winemaker’s relentless pursuit of the new is what motivates Ondine. She sees her interests in sustainable viticulture, terroir, and ‘risky’ techniques such as native yeast fermentations as perfectly intertwined.

I have a couple of Ondine’s wine that I purchased through  NakeWines.com and we will share some insight on each.

And then…

Something NEW!  Virtual Tasting with Good Life Guy, Saturday April 18th 6:00 p.m. on Face Book LIVE.

Stop by Jacob Liquor Exchange East or West and pick up the three bottles of  Matua wines shown below and available nationwide.  You can call ahead for curb side pickup or tell them at checkout that your purchase of these 3 wines is for Good Life Guy’s Virtual Tasting Experience you only pay $35 plus tax.  (discounted price in Wichita only)
Jacob on North Rock: 316 636-4566 – West 21st St. N. 316 729-4566

I’ll be talking about these wines, New Zealand and Matua winery during the radio show Saturday between 12:05-1:00 p.m. on KNSS 98.7/1330, but join me on Face Book LIVE Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m. and we will taste them together 🙂

Good Life Guy’s Wines of the Week:
Three fine New Zealand Wines from Matua
Sauvignon Blanc, Rose’ and Pinot Noir

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Serial Grilling & Grand Prairie Mushrooms

Posted on April 6, 2020 by Guy

First up this Saturday is Matt Moore with his new book Serial Griller – Grillmaster Secrets for Flame-Cooked Perfection.

From the author of South’s Best Butts and A Southern Gentleman’s Kitchen, an all-around grilling cookbook showcasing different methods and diverse cuisines, as well as sought-after stories and recipes from America’s all-star grillers

Matt Moore confesses: He is a serial griller. He can’t help it—if there’s food and flame, he’ll grill it. In his newest book, he shares his indiscriminate appetite for smoky perfection with a broad collection of recipes varied in method, technique, and cuisine. After a review of the basics—the Maillard reaction, which grill is best for you, and more—he takes the reader on a tour across America to round up authentic stories, coveted recipes, and indispensable tips from grill masters of the South and beyond, including stops at unexpected but distinguished chefs’ spots like Michael Solomonov’s Zahav and Ashley Christensen’s Death & Taxes. Moore offers his own tried-and-true grilling recipes for every part of the meal, from starters and salads to handhelds (Tacos al Pastor, Pork Gyros) and big plates (Country-Style Ribs with Peach Salsa) to desserts (Grilled-Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwiches). Serial Griller is a serious and delicious exploration of how grilling is done all around America.
Get a copy NOW!

Joining me next is Jodi Hilt from Grand Prairie Farms 

Grand Prairie Mushrooms take pride in every single mushroom we grow to ensure the freshest mushrooms possible. Mushrooms are a great local food source that transforms waste into life. We grow shiitake, blue oyster, yellow oyster, pink oyster, king oyster, and lions main. Grand Prairie Mushrooms is committed to developing sustainable growing practices that improve the health of our customers, community, and environment.  Learn more and follow Grand Prairie Farms on Face Book.
This is a small indoor gourmet mushroom cultivation facility located south of Wellington, Kansas. We grow a variety of mushrooms using biodegradable bags with an emphasis on organic practices and substrate health!
We were inspired to educate ourselves on the uses of fungi and the pivotal role mushrooms play in the overall health of people and our planet. Participating in the mushroom experience is fun and amusing while we continually learn the mycelium process.

You can purchase Jodi’s premium mushrooms through the WAVE – Funky Fresh Farmers Market and either arrange to pickup or take advantage of the market’s delivery here in Wichita.

Something NEW!  Virtual Tasting with Good Life Guy, Saturday April 11th 6:00 p.m. on Face Book LIVE.

Stop by Jacob Liquor Exchange East or West and pick up the three bottles of Bogle wines shown below and available nationwide.  You can call ahead for curb side pickup or tell them at checkout that your purchase of these 3 wines is for Good Life Guy’s Virtual Tasting Experience you only pay $25 plus tax.  (discounted price in Wichita only)
Jacob on North Rock: 316 636-4566 – West 21st St. N. 316 729-4566

I’ll be talking about these wines and Bogle winery during the radio show Saturday between 12:05-1:00 p.m. on KNSS 98.7/1330, but join me on Face Book LIVE Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m. and we will taste them together 🙂

Good Life Guy’s Wines of the Week:
From Bogle Vineyards in Clarksburg California
        2018 Sauvignon Blanc – 2018 Chardonnay – 2016 Petite Sirah

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