Wine Stories: Presented by From The Sky Down

Ian

Wine Stories: Presented by From The Sky Down is your inside look at the world of wine, straight from the heart of Woodinville, Washington. Hosted at the From The Sky Down Tasting Room & Farm, this podcast brings you closer to the stories behind every bottle. Tune in for updates on events and happenings at our tasting room, along with conversations that explore what it really takes to run a modern winery. From vineyard decisions to cellar work, we pull back the curtain and share the journey. Each episode also dives into regional and global wine industry news, approachable wine education you can actually use, and thoughtful discussions designed to deepen your appreciation of what’s in your glass. Whether you are a seasoned wine enthusiast or just getting started, Wine Stories offers insight, perspective, and a genuine connection to the craft of winemaking.

Episodes

  1. 3d ago

    Ep. 6: Grape Banter & Blind Tasting

    A summer thunderstorm turns into a lively crash course on how sommeliers blind taste and why your brain’s expectations can trick you. We break down reductive and oxidative notes, decode Riesling sweetness myths, and show how dessert wines like ice wine and botrytis bottles get their signature flavors.  • recounting a sommelier class lineup and what blind tasting reveals  • explaining reduction and oxidation aromas and how they show up together  • unpacking extended barrel aging and why puncheons change oak impact  • walking through the deductive tasting method step by step  • separating aromatic vs non-aromatic whites with Torrontés as the anchor  • correcting the “Riesling is always sweet” misconception and how to shop dry  • clarifying German terms like trokken and Prädikat categories  • comparing ice wine with late harvest botrytis wines and why noble rot is rare  • using acid, alcohol and tannin to narrow grape and region  • spotting age through color change at the rim and meniscus  Please make sure to go ahead and drop us a follow on Instagram from the Sky Down Wines.  If you want to book that, feel free to go to our uh talk page and book there, or give us a call or show up in person here at the farm.

  2. Jul 10

    Ep. 5: Summer Movie Nights And New Wines

    We’re tired from movie night, but we’re still buzzing about how outdoor films and small hospitality touches turn a winery into a place where families make real summer memories. We also go deep on rosé, wine pairing science, and the unglamorous truth about wine storage and faults that every wine lover eventually runs into.  • What worked about The Sandlot on the lawn and why the turnout matters  • Soft launch pours of our Sauvignon Blanc and Grenache rosé and what guests say  • Why Ratatouille always makes us think about iconic wine flexes  • The hidden social math of helping friends move as we get older  • Aged Riesling favorites, petrol notes, and why it becomes more complex  • Sweetness vs spice in pairings, including off-dry Riesling and off-dry Chenin Blanc  • The challenge of making off-dry natural wine without refermentation  • Why leaving wine in the car can ruin bottles fast  • What “first and last” or “push wine” means in bottling  • How volatile acidity shows up, what causes it, and how to avoid it  • Film yeast in cider, flor in sherry, and what headspace can do  • What a wine thief is and how barrel sampling works  Release party on August 7th. It is $15 for wine club members, and it is $30 to the public. It is up on our Tock website under From the Sky Down. You can also give us a call on the phone number that’s on Google and we will help you purchase the tickets.

  3. Jul 3

    Ep. 4: 4th of July Special

    We bring Emily Hodge onto the mic to settle what “girl dinner” really is, from popcorn and noodles to nuggets and butter tortillas, and we turn comfort food into a surprisingly useful wine pairing lesson. Along the way, we swap Fourth of July cookout picks, explain how to spot a corked bottle, and share what we’re pouring at the farm all summer.  • red wine and popcorn as the gold-standard comfort meal  • the popcorn ritual: Amish kernels, Whirly Pop, peanut oil, popcorn salt  • cheddar powder vs nutritional yeast for a cheesy finish  • easy pairings for butter noodles, ramen hacks, and “kids menu” dinners  • wine matches for buttered tortillas and cinnamon sugar versions  • Fourth of July and the World Cup as a rare moment of unity  • what a “jerry” is in skiing, surfing, and even wine and golf  • women in wine leadership and how the industry is changing  • what corked wine smells like and what to do about it  • Grenache Gris vs Grenache Blanc and why “gris” exists  • Fourth of July wine pairings for Mexican food and classic barbecue  Come join us here in Woodinville if you would like to enjoy some From the Sky Down wine.  On August 7th, we're having our first release party of the year. It is a public ticketed event. So for non-members, $30. If you're From The Sky Down member, then it's $15.  Please feel free to join us for Thursday movie nights every Thursday at sunset.

  4. Jun 30

    Ep. 3: Popcorn And Cabernet

    A staff movie night with Fast Times at Ridgemont High turns into the kind of wide-ranging wine talk we love, where the laughs are real, and the details still matter. We start with popcorn, pizza, and “girl dinner” versus “boy dinner,” then use those everyday moments to ask a bigger question: How do you build a better taste palate? From there, we get practical about wine labels and sourcing, including why a bottle that says “United States Cabernet” can spark skepticism. We talk Napa Valley economics, how grape prices can skyrocket, and why some producers look to Washington State or Oregon fruit even when California has plenty of supply. If you care about transparency, value, and what you’re actually paying for, this part hits home. Then we go deep in the glass: Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, tannins, acidity, wind-driven thick skins, and why balance is the real marker of quality. We break down why Cabernet and steak is such a classic food pairing, how aging softens tannins and widens pairing options, and where Brettanomyces fits on the spectrum from “complex” to “band-aid.” We also share a cautionary tale on wine storage and what “cooked” wine tastes like when bottles sit warm for too long. We wrap with a dessert sprint: Port versus Madeira, favorite sweet wines like Sauternes and Vin Santo, and a clear explanation of Tavel rosé, saignée, and direct-to-press. If this sparked a new pairing idea or changed how you read a label, subscribe, share the show with a wine-curious friend, and leave a review so more people can find us.

  5. Jun 19

    Ep. 2: Why Merlot Got Canceled By A Movie

    We dig into what “from the sky down” really means for wine, from weather and wildfire risk to soils, drainage, and the way vineyards express place. We also get nerdy about minerality, misunderstood grapes like Merlot, and why taste is personal even when the pros are scoring bottles. • Why rain, heat, aspect, and site shape a vintage • How soil types and drainage affect vine stress and wine character • What we mean by minerality and how to describe it better • Kimmeridgian marl, fossil oyster shells, and why Chablis loves oysters • El Nino, fire season, vineyard loss, and smoke taint concerns • From the Sky Down bottling updates plus Chardonnay and malolactic trends • Carmenere’s history, Bordeaux blending, and why it deserves more love • The Sideways effect on Merlot and the missing context • Washington State wine identity, Pinot benchmarks, and blind tasting lessons • Why wine scores help people explore and why they still miss the point • Labeling and heritage grapes like Valdiguie and Zinfandel’s real origins • Old vines, longevity, and cluster shatter and millerandage We do still have Somm Sessions happening every 1st and 3rd Thursday here, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Every Sunday we have live music, 3 to 6 p.m. July 2nd we are starting every Thursday movie night outdoors, bring your chairs, the snack bar will be open, and you are also welcome to bring your own movie snacks with you.

  6. Jun 13

    Ep. 1: Fresh Cut Grass And Other Tasting Crimes

    Devin and Ian welcome you to Wine Stories Presented by From The Sky Down. This episode touches on great bottles, good conversations, and the stories that come with them. Each episode, they dive into From The Sky Down updates and happenings, wine education, swap tasting notes shaped by real-life moments, and explore everything from rare, hard-to-find wines to Cognac and Bourbon. Along the way, they share their love for films like Ratatouille, talk about what’s happening at the From The Sky Down Tasting Room & Farm, and bring you into the world behind the glass. Whether you’re deep into wine or just getting started, pull up a chair, pour something you like, and join the conversation.

  • 6 Episodes

About

Wine Stories: Presented by From The Sky Down is your inside look at the world of wine, straight from the heart of Woodinville, Washington. Hosted at the From The Sky Down Tasting Room & Farm, this podcast brings you closer to the stories behind every bottle. Tune in for updates on events and happenings at our tasting room, along with conversations that explore what it really takes to run a modern winery. From vineyard decisions to cellar work, we pull back the curtain and share the journey. Each episode also dives into regional and global wine industry news, approachable wine education you can actually use, and thoughtful discussions designed to deepen your appreciation of what’s in your glass. Whether you are a seasoned wine enthusiast or just getting started, Wine Stories offers insight, perspective, and a genuine connection to the craft of winemaking.

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