In the latest episode, I sat down with brothers Dick and Ron Tanner of Tanner Vineyards for an open, engaging conversation about deep Sierra Foothills roots and navigating a shifting wine scene.

(Dick and Ron Tanner)

Tanner Vineyards, with a tasting room in downtown Murphys, is family owned and operated. Their great-grandfather Angelo Sciaccaluga, was actually one of the first winemakers ever in Calaveras County, after arriving from Italy in the 1860s.

With their family heritage (and witnessing the expansion of the local wine industry), Dick and Ron began growing grapes in the 1990s on family property in Vallecito (in addition to their full-time work in the timber industry).

Over the past decades, the Tanner name has become synonymous in Calaveras County with warm hospitality and estate grown reds.

In the episode they talk about how they arrived in the industry, the transformation of Murphys, the types of wines they make, the enjoyment of running a family business, and also ways they are starting to scale back their operation.

The interview was conducted in their tasting room in downtown Murphys. Find it at SierraWineTrails.com or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

And if you’re going to make a debut in Amador, it is best to start with a winemaking legend: Jeff Runquist.

Known far and wide for producing some of the most balanced, expressive, and deeply varietal-forward wines in the Sierra Foothills, Jeff’s reputation precedes him. He has countless awards, (including multiple Winery of the Year honors and a relentless stream of double gold medals).

But behind every great winery is a great story, and Jeff has a great one. Diving into how he originally found his way into the world of winemaking, he laughed and gave us a teaser:

“If it wasn’t for my sleeping bag being stolen, and a 540 verbal SAT score, I don’t know where I would have been.”

(You’ll have to listen to the full episode to learn exactly how a stolen sleeping bag leads to a lifetime of crafting incredible varietals)

There was a series of unpredictable twists of fate that directed him toward the UC Davis wine program, eventually to an internship at Montevina in Amador County with Cary Gott, and later his own winery that would help shape the Sierra Foothills wine landscape.

(wines aged to perfection)

A Surprise Guest from a Signature Vineyard

In the middle of the recording, we received a surprise walk-in visit from one of Runquist’s long-time trusted growers, Enver Salman, a legend in the Clarskburg AVA. Enver, who has now passed the operations over to his son, and arrived in the tasting room unanounced, shared a quick snippet during the recording.

Jeff is a passionate champion of his growers. He prominently features the vineyard names on his labels. Having Enver drop by while the mics were hot was the perfect testament to what makes his winery so special.

(Enver and Jeff)

Listen to the Latest Episode Now!

From accidental beginnings to the pinnacle of Sierra Foothills winemaking, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

• SierraWineTrails.com

• Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music