A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle

Hey there Guys and Girls, we have been so busy these last couple of weeks, I wanted to post a quick little blog to let you know what is going on over here at wine central.

First off – If you somehow missed it, we are now part of Podshow! Podshow is the premier podcasting network, and one of the main reasons that we chose to be affiliated with them is that we are excited in what they are going to be able to deliver to you – the listener. We want to get you more involved with our podcasts, give you prizes, provide tools for you to be more interactive and the like. We feel that Podshow will be able to provide these services and oh-so-much-more!


Secondly (secondly? Is that even a word?) – We are very proud to announce our very first sponsor – GoDaddy! GoDaddy is the schnizzle when it comes to domain registration and web hosting. For you dear listener, we have a few special codes to hook you up, let you spend less money on hosting, and more money on wine.
Enter the following discount codes at checkout, and save accordingly:

Bottle1 – Save 10% off any order. Everything.
Bottle2 – Save an additional $5 of any order $30 or more.
Bottle3 – Get any .COM domain name for only $6.95/yr. (That’s cheaper than we pay AND we use GoDaddy! GoFigure!)

Yes, these are great if you want a website or a webhost. If you don’t need either, don’t worry, we’ll have more exciting stuff coming very, very soon. (hint hint)

Lastly – We are getting ready for the switch over to the Podshow networks, and while we don’t expect any hitches, sometimes things don’t go the way you expect. We have setup an list that will send you an email each time we release a new episode. This is great if you don’t want to subscribe (although we really wish you would) OR if our subcription mechanism fails for some reason. (Yes, Virginia, it does happen).
Look on the right hand side where it says ‘Subscribe me’. Yep right over there ->.

Thanks & stay subscribed!

Joe

Ep25 – Concannon Vineyards: 1963 Petit Syrah

Originally uploaded by GuyandGirl.

Here’s a quick photo of the original bottle of Petite Sirah, from Concannon Vineyards. (listen to episodes 25 & 26 for an interview with Jim Concannon) I thik the original price was about $1.75. Shoulda bought some back then!

Episode 26 – Concannon Vineyards (part 2)

This episode of A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle wine podcast has us visiting the Concannon Vineyard in Livermore, California. This is part 2 of our interview with Jim Concannon. In case you missed the first episode, Jim Concannon’s grandfather James Concannon started the winery, in 1883. Not only is the Concannon winery known as ‘America’s First Irish Winery’ but the founder James Concannon was actually born on St. Patrick’s Day in 1847. Pretty cool. Listen as Jim talks about the early days, when the Concannon Winery used to ship wine directly to Vatican city. Concannon has also been very proactive in the community and has struggled (much as their vines do in the rocky soil) to ensure that the property has been set aside in a trust to preserve it for future generations. The Concannon family is also starting a wine museum, and we will return later this year when the construction is complete and the museum is open. Until then, however, we hope you enjoy the second installment of our interview.

Our musical guest today is Joseph K, and the song is Out of Time. When we first heard this song, it reminded us of Jack Johnson, yet Joseph has a style that is all his own. (It doesn’t hurt that he is originally from Santa Cruz, just down the road from us) We hope you like it, and if so, check out his website and drop him a line. www.jkmusic.us.

Concannon Vineyard
4590 Tesla Road
Livermore, CA 94550
Phone: (800) 258-9866 / (925) 456-2505
Fax: (925) 456-2511
Google Map

Leave us some feedback! We now have voicemail, simply call 408-627-7796 and let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or would like us to review a particular winery. If you prefer email, you can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com.

Cheers!
-A Guy & a Girl

Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo!

Episode 25 – Concannon Vineyards

Happy St. Patricks Day! This episode of A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle wine podcast has us visiting the Concannon Vineyard in Livermore, California. We talk to Jim Concannon, whose grandfather and family patiarch James Concannon started the winery, in 1883. Not only is the Concannon winery known as ‘America’s First Irish Winery’ but the founder James Concannon was actually born on St. Patrick’s Day in 1847! Talk about luck of the Irish! We spent a couple of hours with Jim, and the stories that he told were so rich, colorful, and passionate, we simply turned on the recorder and enjoyed his stories. (Due to the length, we decided to split this up in two parts, and this is part 1) While we do sample some wines during our conversation, we don’t talk about them in great detail. We promise to return soon and concentrate on the wines themselves. If you are intrigued by the history of wine, then this is the podcast that you have been waiting for.

Originally planted with premium Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapevine cuttings from France’s legendary Chateau Y’Quem, Concannon later imported the first cuttings from the hybrid Petite Sirah vine developed in 1880 by French viticulturist Francois Durif. James Concannon would become good friends with Archbishop Alemany, a powerful figure in the Catholic Church and a man whose influence would help shape the future of the winery. Archbishop Alemany suggested that James develop a line of sacramental wines for use in church services. It was a suggestion that proved to be a tremendous blessing, as during prohibition, the winery was able to continue production as they were suppliers to the Church, while many other california wineries were lost during those 13 years. James Concannons’ grandsons (Joseph and James) would later make the decision to be the first to varietally label Petite Sirah from their 1961 vintage (released in 1964). Later in the 1970′s, Concannon’s vine clone 7 and 8 (a Cabernet Savignon clone) were planted in Napa, and as a result, the Concannon name has roots in the success of many winemakers that have followed.

It seems that once you visit, you may have a hard time leaving!

Early in the morning and late at night, our lab technician will feel a cold breeze coming into the room and see a figure outside of the window where my father had his office in the 1920s,” said Jim Concannon of Concannon Winery. “The lights go on and off regularly almost every day for no reason. None of the electricians can figure out why, because all of the wiring is in perfect condition,” he continued. “One of our employees came into the winery in the morning, and all of the corks from the previous day’s partial bottles in the tasting room were lying on the bar top. We have a burglar alarm, so no one could have gone in there. I think it is the ghost of my grandfather, James Concannon, looking over us. – Wine Institute

Musical guest today is Bloody Irish Boys, and the song is Drunk Tonight

In our opinion, this is a must visit on your wine travels throughout California.

Concannon Vineyard
4590 Tesla Road
Livermore, CA 94550
Phone: (800) 258-9866 / (925) 456-2505
Fax: (925) 456-2511
Google Map

Leave us some feedback! We now have voicemail, simply call 408-627-7796 and let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or would like us to review a particular winery. If you prefer email, you can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com.

Cheers!
-A Guy & a Girl

Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo!