New Long Island Wine Country podcast pours it out
What do we talk about when we talk about wine? If it’s part of the newly launched “Unfined, Unfiltered” Long Island Wine Country podcast, everything under the ripening sun.
“We started the podcast a couple of months ago, says producer and owner of Theo Winery Chris Ariens. “Thomas Spotteck came up with the name.”
“That’s because I’m unfined and unfiltered,” quips Spotteck at a recent studio sit-down. And by studio, we mean the barrel room of Lenz Winery, where Spotteck has been head winemaker of the nearly 50 year old winery since 2019. It’s here that Ariens, Spotteck and the third founder of the podcast, winemaker and owner of Chronicle Wines Robin Epperson McCarthy, interview a different guest each month from the wine industry, talking about hot topics meaningful to the region, the history of Long Island wine country (with, often, some never before heard bits, which are always fun to catch) and what they’re drinking now and how it’s tasting.
It’s an insider look at the people who make the region what it is — but also, just a fun hang with this easy-going trio of wine pros.
“Thomas and Robin started talking with Kristen [Curcie] and the folks at Long Island Wine Country about doing this as a production of Long Island Wine Country,” continues Ariens. “We talk to winemakers, vineyard managers, journalists and others in the field just to learn more about the history of this business that’s grown over the last 50 years ago.”
Right now they have logged seven episodes, interviewing Pellegini winemaker (and son of the original Long Island wine pioneers, Louisa and Alex Hargrave), Zander Hargrave, Macari winemaker Byron Elmondorf, legendary vineyard manager Sam McCullough, winemaker Kareem Massoud of Paumanok, and even, well… me, a journalist who’s been writing about wine (and passionate about Long Island’s role in it) for the last few decades.
