We are back and ready to drink! (Click image to Play!) Hey there Guys and Girls! After a long summer break, we are happy to let you know that we are back behind the microphone, and in the vineyards! We really apologize for the long delay, but work was getting quite hectic, and The Guy thought that he lost a bunch of already recorded episodes. As it turns out, The Guy secured himself a new job with less hours, which means more podcasting coming your way! In addition, the recordings that we thought we lost have been found safe and sound. Woot! Upcoming from these 'Lost Episodes' are interviews from the Benzinger Winery, an Eco-tour from the Kunde Estate, a trip to Clear Lake to visit Shannon Ridge (recently voted one of the top 10 hottest small brands in wines), and so much more. We'll even be throwing in some videos for you in the coming weeks and months ahead. Keep those headphones on and your subscriptions up to date cuz The Guy and The Girl are back! Cheers! The Guy and Girl

 

Hey there guys and girls, here we go again! Wine Blogging Wednesday! This month's contest is alternative wine packaging. For most people that means boxed wine. In fact, the Boxed-Wine-Guy is hosting this months' event (Thanks Roger!) but Pam & I are not your average wine drinkers. Nope, not us. We have to be different. We went out and found some wine in a can. With a straw. The horror! Although it is wine, technically speaking it is sparkling wine in a can, and comes to us from Francis Ford Coppola and the wine is his daughter's namesake, Sofia. The Sofia Mini comes in a package of four cans, neatly packaged in a hexagonal box, and retails for about $12.99. Following the hip trendy set, you can also find the cans for purchase at your local disco. We wonder out loud if Karen and Karla from the Rumor Girls are listening as this seems like a product right up their alley. Listen now as we give you are impressions of this marketers dream product. Have you tried Sofia? Let us know! Give us your thoughts on the wine-in-a-can concept.

Music by Bloom - Falling

A Guy and a Girl Comment Line - 408-627-7796 Skype - Aguyandgirl SPONSORS: Sponsorship provided by Folgers. Get your free gourmet samples at www.folgers.com/podshow

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A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle Wine Podcast EP39: ZAPPed again!
Viva Zinfandel!
A few weeks ago we attended the ZAP Festival (www.zinfandel.org), a.k.a the Zinfadel Advocates & Producers Festival in San Francisco, this festival is completely out of control. To give you an idea of how big this event is, there were approximately 9,000 attendees, 273 wineries, and 550 wines featured, if you were to hit every single one, and even if you didn't actually consume the wine but only swirled the wine in your mouth they still would have to haul you out on a wheel barrow. Oh, yeah, did I mention the 1,500 pounds of cheese?
We really enjoy going the ZAP festival, but it can be a bit overwhelming which is why it is a good idea to look in the program pick the producers that your intrested in trying and just go for it (it also helps make the decision process easier if there is a sexy beautiful girl pouring the wine). If you are planning a trip out to wine country next year and Zinfadel is a favorite of yours I think you should definatly consider planning it around this 4-day extravaganza event in late January, you will not be disappointed!
Well, because there was no way Joe and I was able to taste all the wines and talk about it, we decided to change things up a bit on this show and we simply recorded random bits and pieces from the show floor. We hope that you like it, we will return to the regular format for the next show. Of the wines we tried, we picked some of our favorites, such as:
Brown Estate Vineyards - www.brownestate.com (a favorite from last year) Barefoot Cellers - www.barefootwine.com (another favorite from last year and has become a regular at meal times at the guy and girl family dinners).  I love these guys because their booth was fun, and they knew how to draw a crowd, believe it or not Elvis is apparently not dead.
Javalina Leap Vineyard Winery www.javelinaleapwinery.com here is where they had the beautiful girl pouring the wine but this wine was not just a pretty face it was down right amazing. If you can get your hands on a bottle, check it out for sure.
Frank Family Vineyards - www.frankfamilyvineyards.com  We don't want to say too much about these guys because they are going to be featured in an upcoming episode, so stay tuned!
Our Artist featured this week is Black Lab - Ecstasy . You can find more music from along with other great artists on the Podsafe Music Network http://music.podshow.com.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this episode - special thanks to John from the CorkDork blog (http://corkdork.typepad.com) for spotting some of the great wines and sharing those with us.  Check out his blog for full details (he even liked the Adobe Road Zin that we raved about!)
Cheers!
A Guy and a Girl
Comment Line - 408-627-7796
Skype - Aguyandgirl
SPONSORS: Sponsorship provided by Folgers. Get your free gourmet samples at www.folgers.com/podshow

A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle Wine Podcast EP38: Wine Blogging Wednesday #30 We are getting back in the swing of things and after the ZAP festival in San Francisco, we caught with an old friend, Tim Elliot of Winecast who coincidentally is hosting this month's Wine Blogging Wednesday. This month's challenge is much easier than the last time Tim hosted a WBW, and the theme this time around is New World Syrahs. (New World refers to areas that are relatively new to the wine making world. This includes the Americas, as well as New Zeland and Australia.) Our choice is the 2005 Little Penguin Shiraz. Listen to our podcast, and find out why we disagree on this bottle of wine. If you like the show (or not) take a moment to review our show on iTunes, we'd appreciate it. Sponsorship provided by Folgers. Get your free gourmet samples at www.folgers.com/podshow The song for this episode is by Matthew Ebel and the song is Drive Away, from the CD Beer and Coffee. Don't forget, if you like this song drop the artist a line and let them know what you think and tell them you heard them on A Guy, A Girl, and a Bottle wine podcast!

Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl
Check us out at PodShow at www.wine.podshow.com Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo!

A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle Wine Podcast EP37: Kaz Winery  
In today's wine podcast we visit the eclectic and eccentric KAZ winery in Kenwood, California. Kaz is the smallest winery open to the public in all of Sonoma county, and is known, at least in wine circles, for the extremely tasty ports that they produce. Kaz also loves to experiment with blends, so the wine lineup changes quite frequently. Only 2000 cases produced each year, spread out over 12 or so different styles, so you certainly won't be finding these bottles on your friends (or your grocer's) shelf.

Pam and I have enjoyed coming to KAZ over the last few years. If you are looking for a very formal wine experience, please pass KAZ up, cuz you are certainly in the wrong place. If you truly enjoy a wine adventure, don't miss this winery. There is something always going on at KAZ, tour groups, picnics, and of on occasion, the random light saber battle in the tasting room. Richard Kasmier, "Kaz", has been making wine since 1985 and the winery was bonded in 1994. Formally a professional commercial photographer, you can find many of his images adorning the labels of the wines, as well as the food items that Kaz puts together as well. Kaz's wife Sandi hand colors all the photos, and his son Ryan, passes the time photoshopping his father into, well, interesting situations. Check out their website for a sample of the tomfoolery that goes on at this winery.

Don't let the fun stuff distract from the wines, as while the KAZ family enjoys having fun, the wines are top-notch. Ever tasted a white port? Made from Chardonnay, it is one of the more unusual ports that is made for the Bodega Bay Port Works label under which Kaz bottles his all his ports. Very delectable, and even reminds one of cookie dough, if you can believe that. Dog friendly, and just down the street from Sugarloaf state park, bring the whole family for a true California experience. If you are coming in from out of town, and are looking for a place to stay, ask about The Little House located on the Kaz property, kinda gives you an excuse to sample all of the different varieties Kaz has to offer.

Tasting Room is open Fri-Mon, 11am-5pm (or by appointment)
Contact info: Kaz Vineyard & Winery 233 Adobe Canyon Rd. Kenwood, CA 95452
Phone: (877) 833-2536 Fax: (707) 833-1244
w. http://kazwinery.com/ Google Map

SPECIAL OFFER - Tell them that you heard about the winery on a Podcast and your tasting is FREE (and you might even get a special surprise!)
The song for this episode is by Alden and the song is Snapshot, from the CD of the same name. Don't forget, if you like this song drop the artist a line and let them know what you think and tell them you heard them on A Guy, A Girl, and a Bottle wine podcast! Buy it here:

We hope that you enjoyed our show, and hope that you listened as we are giving away a signed bottle of their Red Port! You have to listen to the show to find out how to enter the contest, of course.

Let us know what you think. Simply call 408-627-7796 and let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or simply want to provide some comments. If you prefer email, you can drop us a line at guyandgirl ~AT~ gmail.com.

Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl
Check us out at PodShow at www.wine.podshow.com Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo!

Don't forget!, here are a few codes to save you some wine money next time you have to order some domains:

Bottle1 - Save 10% off any order. Everything.
Bottle2 - Save an additional $5 of any order $30 or more.
Bottle3 - Get any .COM domain name for only $6.95/yr.

< - Download GNGNB Ep36: What goes with Wine? Chocolate!

In today's podcast we deviate from wine once again, and visited Ariella Toeman at Cocoa Designs. Actually, the pairing of wine and chocolate has been a constant favorite of many, although some claim that not all chocolate pairs well with wine, but in our opinion just like our attitude towards wine, if you like it then go ahead and do it anyway.
Ariella was born in Brazil, raised in Montreal, and is a professional pastry chef who has worked in France, New York, and her former hometown of Montreal. It wasn't until she met her husband and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where she came up with the idea for Cocoa Designs. Her first product, Cocoa Nuts, just like all her other products are all hand made in her one woman commercial kitchen in Burlingame, CA. These little hand made addictive nuts are praline almonds dipped in Venezuelan chocolate covered in cocoa powder and spices.

My favorite was the Azteque, which also happens to be one of her best sellers. These praline almonds are roasted dark on the inside and crisp caramel on the outside, then they are covered in dark chocolate and dusted with freshly ground cinnamon, New Mexican chile, and cocoa powder. Eating these reminded me of the Mexican hot chocolate my abuela used to make for me when I was a kid. Ariella's products don't just stop at just Cocoa nuts as she also makes chocolate bars that are filled with Cocoa Nuts, we made a couple of these during our podcast with a little help with our daughter Madison. I took one of the bars to work and I have to say it didn't last long because my coworkers said that it was amazing and they kept coming back for more pieces of MY bar. She also makes handmade caramels infused with Thai tea, Jasmine, and Earl Grey tea, I haven't tried these yet but my mouth is watering just thinking about them.

So join us on our little chocolate making adventure with Ariella and our little Oompa Loompa Madison, as we learn a thing or two about making chocolate and those delicious Cocoa Nuts.

Contact info:
Ariella at Cocoa Designs
10am-5pm PST, Monday-Friday
t. 415.407.8268
f. 501.641.0451
e. info 'AT' cocoadesigns.com
w. http://www.cocoadesigns.com

SPECIAL OFFER - Use coupon code "guyandgirl"and get a free gift with every order of $50 or more.

The song for this episode is by Pennyshaker and the song is Candy. Don't forget, if you like this song drop the artist a line and let them know what you think and tell them you heard them on A Guy, A Girl, and a Bottle wine podcast!
Buy it here:

PS - I know we diverted away from wine again but really who can say no to chocolate? We hope that you enjoyed our little diversion, let us know what you think. Simply call 408-627-7796 and let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or simply want to provide some comments. If you prefer email, you can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com.

PSS - Oh yeah, we're back in the saddle. Thanks for being patient and stay tuned for more, much, much more!

Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Check us out at PodShow at www.wine.podshow.com
Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo!

Don't forget!, here are a few codes to save you some wine money next time you have to order some domains:

Bottle1 - Save 10% off any order. Everything.
Bottle2 - Save an additional $5 of any order $30 or more.
Bottle3 - Get any .COM domain name for only $6.95/yr.

< - Download GNGNB Ep35: So you think you know Gin? In today's wine podcast, we stumble down a slightly different path and explore the intracacies of an alcohol that we know very little about - Gin. Through an invitation by Debbie at Folsom and Associates, we had an opportunity to meet with Master Mixologist Jacques Bezuidenhout. Jacques is an internationally known mixologist, and when he is in San Francisco, he can be found behind the bar at his restaraunt - Tres Agaves, or at Harry Denton's Starlight room pouring some of the most expensive drinks around, collectively known as the Million Dollar Cocktails.

This event was held in June of 2006 at the W in San Francisco and was an incredible way to learn about the 3 different styles of Gin. Those three styles are: Dutch Style, London Dry Style, and Plymouth. This event was sponsored by Plymouth Gin, and Plymouth's gin receipe dates back to the one originally used in the 18th Century. Plymouth's mixture of seven botanicals: Junipers berries, angelica root, orange peel, lemon peel, cardamom pods, orris root, and coriander seeds; give Plymouth a very smooth taste when compared with other gins.

Gin has a fascinating history, which is primarily English in nature. The word 'Gin' is derived from the French word from Juiper - Genievere. Although production was very small in the early 17th century, by 1743 London produced almost 20 millions gallons of Gin - the equivalent of nearly 20 gallons for every adult. By the early 18th century, Milk and water had become unsanitary and Gin became the primary means to quench a thirst. In fact, the taxes on Gin were only 2-pence, compared with 4-pence for beer. This lead to the famous 'Mothers Ruin' phrase as mothers of the time would get drunk and forget about everything, leading them to ruin. Gin is still entrenched in British history, even today every new ship of the Royal Navy still recieves a 'Commissioning kit' from Plymouth gin that consists a pennant, glasses, a gurgling fish jug and a bottle of Plymouth Gin.

Join us as we sit down with Jacques and learn about not only the history of the drink, but also how it is made, and most importantly - how to taste it.

For you faithful listeners, here is Jacques' receipe that he mentions for his favorite drink, the Negroni.
Negroni Cocktail - Named after Count Camillo Negroni from Florence who wanted an Americano with a kick.
1 oz. Plymouth Gin
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
1 oz. Campari
Splash of soda (optional)

Build ingredients over ice into a lowball glass and garnish orange zest.

The song for this episode is by Delphinium Blue and the song is California. Show some love for these artists won't you? Tell them that you heard their song on a podcast.

We hope that you enjoyed our little diversion, let us know what you think. Simply call 408-627-7796 and let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or simply want to provide some comments. If you prefer email, you can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com.

Cheers!
-A Guy & a Girl

Check us out at PodShow at www.wine.podshow.com
Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo!
Don't forget!, here are a few codes to save you some wine money next time you have to order some domains:

Bottle1 - Save 10% off any order. Everything.
Bottle2 - Save an additional $5 of any order $30 or more.
Bottle3 - Get any .COM domain name for only $6.95/yr.

< - Download GNGNB Ep34: Where have we been?

Hello, fellow wine lovers! We have to sincerely apologize for not posting a new episode for about a month and a half. We would love to say that we were busy jetting off to the wine regions of Chile, Argentina, Italy, and Australia but alas we were just plain busy working at our day jobs and spending the warm California summer having fun with our daughter before the school year starts.

We are so excited about the launch of Podshow+, and we're sure we have quite a few new listeners out there, so first of all we would like to say welcome to our podcast and we hope you like what your hear, and if you don't please don't hesitate to send us an email and give us your suggestions and comments. (Bad comments send directly to Joe, all gushing wonderful comments can be sent straight to Pam. Also, we want to let you know that we have a barrel full of exciting new and different things coming up that we think you are going really enjoy. A Guy, a Girl, and a Bottle were invited to participate in a gin tasting in San Francisco, and although we bet you thought this was just a wine podcast, we figured what the heck, gin just so happens to come in a bottle too! While we were out doing decidedly non-wine things, we set up a quite a decadent podcast with Ariella Toeman with Cocoa Designs, and of course nothing goes better with wine than chocolate. We make a few wonderfully delicious chocolate bars and you get to come along with us. (As an extra special treat, look for our first steps into video podcasting on this one!)

Again, to our loyal listeners thank you for your patience, and for our new listeners we hope you enjoy our podcast because our intent is to reach out to the average everyday wine drinker. If you want pretentious, you are looking in the wrong place! Lastly, if you happen to be at the Podcast and Portable Media Expo in September, just look for a Guy, a Girl and there is a good chance we might have a Bottle, so just stop by and say hello, we might even share some with you!

Leave us some feedback! Simply call 408-627-7796 and let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or simply want to provide some feedback. If you prefer email, you can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com.
Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl

Check us out at PodShow at www.wine.podshow.com
Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo!
Don't forget!, here are a few codes to save you some wine money next time you have to order some domains:
Bottle1 - Save 10% off any order. Everything.
Bottle2 - Save an additional $5 of any order $30 or more.
Bottle3 - Get any .COM domain name for only $6.95/yr.

Click to download GNGNB Ep33: Wine Blogging Wednesday #22 (This is a repost, I had to fix the audio - should be all better now!) - The Guy

Hello once again Guys and Girls, we are back with another episode of Wine Blogging Wednesday (WBW22 to be exact). Tim Elliot, a fellow wine podcaster at Winecast, is hosting this month's extravaganza and has selected 'Red wines with less than 12.5% alcohol' as the goal. This is in contrast to the Girl's wishes of finding wines with a much higher alcohol content, but I digress. I looked high, and I looked low, but being from California, it was somewhat difficult to adhere to the rules, so we chose 2 different wines for our assignment: Santa Ema 2002 Merlot (12.8% ABV) and the 2001 Quinta D'Aguieura (12% ABV). (Ironically, Kate Hopkins of the Accidental Hedonist originally tasted a 2002 Santa Ema for the original Wine Blogging Wednesday, waaay back in September of 2004.) You'll have to listen to the podcast to hear our thoughts on these low alcohol wines. 2001 Quinta D'Aguieura 40% Touriga Nacional / 60% Cabernet Sauvignon (12% Alcohol) Vinho Regional Beiras (from Portugal) Background Music by Mike Ratza - Blue Bossa Music - Black Lab - Ecstasy What did you think of this episode? Leave us some feedback! Simply call 408-627-7796 and let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or simply want to provide some feedback. If you prefer email, you can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com. Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo!

Well, we have been away from the podcasting scene for a couple of weeks, but we are here and raring to go. We have lots of really great stuff coming up in the next couple of months, and hope you join us. If you haven't already done so, click on the link to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcatcher, which ensures you get the show delivered directly to you as soon as it is released. Feel free to burn a copy of these songs, or better yet, support the artists by purchasing some of their music by clicking on the links below.
Kermit Lynch "Awake for the Count" featured on the CD Quicksand Blues


Bari Koral - Aspiring Angel


LoveSpirals - Love Survives


Butterfly Catchers - Morning


Black Lab - Remember (Sir Alex Kemp Mix)


Bloody Irish Boys - (Get) Drunk Tonight

And lastly, here are a few codes to save you some wine money next time you have to order some domains:

Bottle1 - Save 10% off any order. Everything.
Bottle2 - Save an additional $5 of any order $30 or more.
Bottle3 - Get any .COM domain name for only $6.95/yr.

What did you think of this episode? Leave us some feedback! Simply call 408-627-7796 and let us know if you like what you hear, have suggestions, or simply want to provide some feedback. If you prefer email, you can drop us a line at guyandgirl@gmail.com.

Cheers! -A Guy & a Girl
Subscribe to our Wine Podcast at iTunes or Yahoo!