Check out Laurie's upcoming events:
11/5 Uncork The Holidays Tasting (Easton, MD)
12/10 Bubbly Bash 2025 Tasting (Virtual)
October 2026: Treasures of Tuscany Wine Tour - 3 spots left!
Summary
In this episode of The Sipping Point, I sit down with Napa legend Tor Kenward, whose name is practically woven into the vines of California wine history. Tor shares stories from his incredible journey in the wine world—from his early days in Napa to creating his own acclaimed label. We talk about his deep love for Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, the unpredictable hand of Mother Nature, and why great wine is as much about relationships as it is about terroir.
Tor also opens up about the newly released second edition of his book, Reflections of a Vintner: Stories and Seasonal Wisdom from a Lifetime in Napa Valley, out this month. It’s a beautiful look at the heart and soul of Napa—told through his eyes and decades of experience. We also chat myths, balance, and the art of pairing wine without pretension—plus a few stories that could only come from a lifetime spent alongside the icons of Napa Valley.
Takeaways
- Great wine is built on great relationships.
- Chardonnay got a bad rap thanks to overproduction—but the good ones still shine.
- Natural winemaking is really just knowing when not to meddle.
- Mother Nature always has the final say on a vintage.
- When it comes to food and wine pairings, flexibility is the real secret sauce & a little salt can make your wine sing.
- Resilience is as essential as good soil.
Wines Tasted
Tor Cuvee Susan Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay
Tor Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Tor Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Check out the 2nd edition of Tor's book on Amazon or wherever you buy your books!
Follow The Sipping Point on Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss an episode!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel @thewinecoach to get video footage of the podcasts an more.
Let's Stay Connected:
Instagram @thewinecoach
Facebook @winecoach
TikTok @LaurieForster
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com