Vino Frankel A Taste of Sculpterra

Sculpterra Winery
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Join winemaker Paul Frankel of Sculpterra Winery in Paso Robles, California, as he explores the world of winemaking, tasting, and food pairings straight from the heart of the Central Coast. Each episode of Vino Frankel: A Taste of Sculpterra brings stories from the vineyard and the iconic Sculpterra Sculpture Garden, blending the art, science, and joy of wine. Discover the passion behind Paso Robles wines, meet the people shaping Sculpterra’s legacy, and experience how every sip tells a story — and every visit inspires.

  1. 3d ago

    Corks, Closures & Harvest: The Secrets Behind Wine Bottles | Ep. 54

    On this episode of Vino Frankel: A Taste of Sculpterra, Paul Frankel welcomes Rich Tanguay from Scott’s Premium Corks back to the studio. Rich is the cork man, so the conversation starts with the many alternatives to traditional natural cork. They talk about semi-synthetic, full synthetic, agglomerated and micro-agglomerated corks, glass closures and screw caps, along with TCA, oxygen and why different wineries choose different closures. With harvest underway at Sculpterra, Paul also talks about fermentation and the importance of temperature during winemaking. They discuss what happens when fermentation gets too cold or too hot, how temperature affects different styles of wine, and the equipment used to keep fermentations under control. Rich then takes Paul on a trip north to Monterey County and Arroyo Seco, discussing the region’s cool, windy conditions and its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and other varieties. They taste a Joyce Winery Albariño and talk about how climate and terroir shape the wine. Paul also breaks down machine versus hand harvesting, including the advantages, disadvantages and why Sculpterra uses both approaches depending on the vineyard and the fruit. 🍷 Wines Tasted 2025 Sculpterra Héroe PrimitivoA 92% Primitivo / 8% Syrah blend from the Frankel Family Estate. Paul and Rich discuss its dark fruit, concentration, acidity and how the Syrah helps balance the powerful Primitivo. Joyce Winery AlbariñoAn Albariño from Arroyo Seco in Monterey County, described as crisp, dry and reflective of its cool-climate growing conditions. 2023 Sculpterra MaquetteA blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Paul and Rich finish the episode tasting the wine and talking about its mouthfeel, tannins, dark fruit, oak and long finish. The episode wraps up with Rich's three questions for Paul: Why did Paul buy Merlot this year? Where did he get it? Are we going to panic and start making non-alcoholic or low-alcohol wines? Along the way, Rich also talks about his Mexican nickname, “Ricardo.” 👍 LIKE the episode💬 COMMENT with your wine questions🍷 SUBSCRIBE for more Vino Frankel: A Taste of Sculpterra Produced by EZF Media

  2. Sep 24

    AI, Wine & Harvest 2026 with Kelly Reeves & Cris Castaneda | Ep 53

    On this episode of Vino Frankel! A Taste of Sculpterra, Paul Frankel welcomes Kelly Reeves and Cris Castaneda for the 53rd episode of the podcast — featuring conversations about harvest, wine, business, marketing, culture and the future of the wine industry. Harvest 2026 is underway at Sculpterra, with Merlot, Primitivo and Grenache recently harvested. Paul talks about this year's harvest, checking Brix, removing older vineyard blocks, the unusually light pistachio crop and keeping the winery running seven days a week during harvest. Cris Castaneda joins Paul to talk about her journey into business and her work with Burritos Express, Cowboy Pizza, La Bella Pizza and Arroyo Grill. She shares the story behind her relationship with the Arroyo family, their growth across the Central Coast and the challenge of introducing wine to Mexican food. Cris also discusses developing wine-and-food pairings to make wine more approachable for restaurant customers. Kelly Reeves breaks down the Santa Barbara County 1% Wine Business Improvement District assessment, including how it works, how the money is being used for regional marketing and the legal challenges surrounding the program. The group discusses the impact of regional marketing on individual wineries and mandatory assessments. The fan-favorite “Makes Sense in Spanish, Doesn’t Make Sense in Spanish” segment returns as Cris explains what the word Chicano means, where the term comes from and how it became part of Mexican-American cultural identity. Paul also tackles common wine misconceptions, including what “dry wine,” “natural wine” and “Vinho Verde” actually mean. Kelly also gives her latest update on artificial intelligence and wine, looking at the role AI could play in the wine industry and marketing — and asking the big question: is AI taking over the world? The episode also features the Sculpterra event calendar, listener questions and plenty of conversation about wine, winemaking, restaurants and life in Paso Robles. Wines Tasted: 2021 Sculpterra Syrah — 100% Syrah, 14.6% alcohol, 448 cases produced 2021 Sculpterra Cabernet Franc — 100% Cabernet Franc, 14.5% alcohol, 270 cases produced LIKE this episode COMMENT with your wine questions SUBSCRIBE for a new episode of Vino Frankel! A Taste of Sculpterra every week. Produced by EZF Mediaezfmedia.com

    AI, Wine & Harvest 2026 with Kelly Reeves & Cris Castaneda | Ep 53

  3. Sep 17

    Episode #52 | Sculpterra Harvest, Wine, Photography & the Story Behind the Tasting Room

    On this episode of Vino Frankel! A Taste of Sculpterra, Paul Frankel welcomes Kathleen Bentley and Brian Kusko for the 52nd episode of the podcast — marking one year of Vino Frankel! Paul talks about what’s happening during harvest at Sculpterra, including the recent heat wave, grape picking, Brix levels, removing old vines, planting new varieties and the possibility of adding Grenache Blanc. He also discusses the unusually light pistachio crop this year and what caused it. Brian leads a discussion about photography, light and color, including how contrast, color temperature and different types of light affect photography and video. The group also explores the transformation of Bob Bentley’s original welding shop into the Sculpterra tasting room and the history, design and craftsmanship behind the space. The conversation gets into a wine-growing misconception: Do grapevines actually search for water? Paul explains the difference between feeder roots and taproots and discusses how grapevine roots respond to moisture in the soil. Brian also unpacks California weasels, including where they live, what they eat and their role as natural pest controllers. The group then gets into another wine topic — the role of temperature during fermentation and why keeping fermentation temperatures under control is so important. The episode also features the fan-favorite “Makes Sense in Spanish, Doesn’t Make Sense in Spanish” segment, mailbag questions and plenty of conversation about wine, Sculpterra and life in Paso Robles. 🍷 Wines Tasted: 2024 Héroe Primitivo — 92 Points & Editor’s Choice from Wine Enthusiast 2019 Sculpterra Repoussé 👍 LIKE this episode💬 COMMENT with your wine questions🔔 SUBSCRIBE for a new episode of Vino Frankel! A Taste of Sculpterra every week. Produced by EZF Mediaezfmedia.com

    Episode #52 | Sculpterra Harvest, Wine, Photography & the Story Behind the Tasting Room

  4. Sep 10

    Episode #51 | Valeria Genoves & Jeff Wiesinger | Paso Robles Real Estate, Wine Tourism & Wine

    On this episode of Vino Frankel! A Taste of Sculpterra, Paul Frankel welcomes Valeria Genovese and Jeff Wiesinger for Episode #51 of the podcast. Valeria shares her journey with wine, her experience at Pine Street Saloon, her family's restaurant in Atascadero, and her connection to Chiapas, Mexico. Jeff talks about his decades in the wine industry, his first experiences in Napa and Paso Robles, and how the Paso Robles wine industry and downtown area have grown over the years. The conversation also gets into the current vineyard and winery real estate market, vineyard removals and replanting, grape prices, and whether now could be a good time to purchase vineyard property. Paul discusses a common wine misconception: whether lower yields automatically mean better wine, and explains why vine balance, canopy management, soil and water availability are more important factors. The group also talks about Paso Robles wine tourism, tasting rooms, restaurants, events and the continued growth of the area as a destination. Then, Paul answers the question: Can you over-oak a wine? The group discusses different types of oak, how oak affects wine over time, and why different grape varieties respond differently to oak. 🍷 Wines Tasted: 2020 Sculpterra Pinot Noir 2019 Sculpterra Primitivo Reserve 👍 LIKE this episode 💬 COMMENT with your wine questions 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for a new episode of Vino Frankel! A Taste of Sculpterra every week. Produced by EZF Media ezfmedia.com

  5. Sep 3

    Episode #50 | Jennifer Truett & Donna Wolfe | Art, Oxygen & Viognier

    On this episode of Vino Frankel! A Taste of Sculpterra, Paul Frankel celebrates the 50th episode of the podcast with Jennifer Truett and Donna Wolfe. Jennifer is a local self-taught artist and resident artist at Sculpterra. She shares her story of how she got started creating art, beginning with scrapbooking and eventually moving into mixed media. She also talks about her artwork, including her use of wire, paint, paper, texture and sand collected during her travels. Jennifer will also be featured at Sculpterra’s Fall Art Festival on September 26th. Paul talks about the 2026 harvest, including the early ripening of the Viognier grapes, Brix levels, picking grapes and what the current weather means for harvest. The conversation also gets technical as Paul explains the winery’s bladder press, how it works and how much fruit it can handle. Then, the group talks about oxygen and wine—including why you let wine breathe, how oxygen interacts with tannins, how aeration can change the wine, and what dissolved oxygen means when bottling. 🍷 Wines Tasted: 2025 Sculpterra Viognier 2024 Sculpterra Viognier Paul and the guests compare the two Viognier wines and discuss the differences in color, tannins, astringency, smoothness and mouthfeel. Plus, Paul answers questions about motivating harvest workers, dissolved oxygen and whether El Niño could be good for the vines. 👍 LIKE this episode💬 COMMENT with your wine questions🔔 SUBSCRIBE for a new episode of Vino Frankel! A Taste of Sculpterra every week. Produced by EZF Mediaezfmedia.com

  6. Aug 27

    Episode #49 | Juan Gonzalez & Roxie Ward | Tannins, Early Harvest & Petite Sirah

    On this episode of Vino Frankel: A Taste of Sculpterra, Paul Frankel welcomes Juan Gonzalez and Roxie Ward from Agrovin USA for a conversation covering winemaking, harvest and the fascinating world of tannins. Juan and Roxie share how they got started in the wine industry, their experiences as winemakers and what they love most about working in wine. They also explain the different roles tannins play in winemaking — from fermentation and protecting the wine to aging and finishing. With harvest arriving early across California, the group also discusses why winemakers are picking earlier, lower Brix levels, changing consumer preferences and how weather is affecting the 2026 harvest. 🍷 Wines Tasted: 2021 Sculpterra Petite Sirah 100% Petite Sirah • 15.4% Alcohol 2020 Sculpterra Petite Sirah 100% Petite Sirah • 15.3% Alcohol Paul and the guests compare the two vintages and talk about how tannins, aging and oak influence the finished wine. Plus, Paul answers questions from the mailbag, including whether he would ever make wine in Greece, what Sculpterra wine pairs with Costco lasagna, and how early is too early to call someone! 👍 LIKE this episode 💬 COMMENT with your wine or harvest questions 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for a new episode of Vino Frankel: A Taste of Sculpterra every week. Produced by EZF Media ezfmedia.com

  7. Aug 20

    Episode #48 | Ryan Swarthout & Darren Brown | GSM, 100-Point Wine & Wine Aging

    On Episode #48 of Vino Frankel: A Taste of Sculpterra, Paul Frankel is joined by Chef Ryan Swarthout and Darren Brown for a conversation covering food and wine pairings, Paso Robles GSMs, a legendary 100-point wine, wine aging, and Sculpterra’s upcoming Taste & Tour event. Paul kicks things off with an update from the vineyard and winery as Sculpterra moves into harvest mode, including bottling nearly 4,000 cases, preparing tanks for harvest, checking Brix, and getting the vineyards ready for the first picks. Chef Ryan Swarthout shares his journey into the culinary world, his nearly 30 years as a chef, his experience at some of Paso Robles’ best-known properties, and his approach to creating food and wine pairings. The group also previews the Taste & Tour in the Garden, featuring four gourmet food-and-wine pairing stations throughout Sculpterra’s sculpture garden. Darren takes us into the history of GSM blends—Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre—and explains how these wines became such an important part of Paso Robles. The conversation also explores Saxum’s legendary 2007 James Berry Vineyard wine, Robert Parker’s 100-point score, and what wine scores really mean. Can wine age? Paul and Darren discuss what allows wine to develop over time, including tannins, acidity, structure, and proper storage.  Wines Tasted:• 2023 Sculpterra Mega Focus — Grenache, Syrah & Mourvèdre• 2022 Sculpterra Mega Focus — Grenache, Mourvèdre & Syrah The episode wraps up with the return of “It Makes Sense in Spanish… It Does Not Make Sense in Spanish” and a mailbag covering blending, the possibility of a Sculpterra restaurant, and Faith Frankel’s mayoral campaign.  Like the video, subscribe to the channel, and leave us a comment! Have a question about wine, grape growing, winemaking, food and wine pairing, or the Paso Robles wine industry? Drop it in the comments and Paul may answer it on an upcoming episode. #VinoFrankel #ATasteOfSculpterra #SculpterraWinery #PasoRoblesWine #WinePodcast #GSM #WineAging #WineTasting #FoodAndWine #WinePairing #PasoRobles #MegaFocus #Saxum #WineLovers #CaliforniaWine Produced by EZF Mediaezfmedia.com

  8. Aug 13

    Episode #47 | Kathleen Bentley & Karolyn Wright | Wine Barrels, Harvest & Bob Bentley

    On Episode #47 of Vino Frankel: A Taste of Sculpterra, Paul Frankel is joined by Kathleen Bentley and Karolyn Wright for a conversation about wine barrels, harvest preparations, and the art of Bob Bentley. Paul shares an update on upcoming bottling, vineyard conditions, and the approaching harvest, while Kathleen and Karolyn explore how barrels are made, oak seasoning and toast levels, and how barrels influence wine. The group also discusses getting younger generations interested in wine, harvest traditions and superstitions, aging wine, and some of Bob Bentley’s unique art and retrofit projects around Sculpterra. Wines Tasted:🍷 2025 Héroe Pinot Noir🍷 2021 Sculpterra Primitivo (Library Wine) Whether you're interested in winemaking, wine barrels, Paso Robles wine, harvest, or simply great conversations about wine, this episode has something for everyone. #VinoFrankel #ATasteOfSculpterra #PasoRoblesWine #SculpterraWinery #WinePodcast #WineBarrels #Winemaking #WineEducation #Harvest #BobBentley #PinotNoir #Primitivo #PasoRobles #WineLovers Produced by EZF Mediaezfmedia.com

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Join winemaker Paul Frankel of Sculpterra Winery in Paso Robles, California, as he explores the world of winemaking, tasting, and food pairings straight from the heart of the Central Coast. Each episode of Vino Frankel: A Taste of Sculpterra brings stories from the vineyard and the iconic Sculpterra Sculpture Garden, blending the art, science, and joy of wine. Discover the passion behind Paso Robles wines, meet the people shaping Sculpterra’s legacy, and experience how every sip tells a story — and every visit inspires.

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