Episode Details

An early harvest, lighter yields, some promising wines in the making, and a guy from Boston who keeps finding new reasons to come back. Harvest 2026 has given Paso Robles plenty to talk about, and this week, we’re hearing the story from both sides of the tasting room.

Host Adam Montiel sits down with Gary Eberle at his desk at Eberle Winery, where more than five decades of Paso Robles experience bring some perspective to a harvest unlike any Gary has seen since arriving in 1973. They talk about the unusually early vintage, a dramatic drop in tonnage, the outlook for wine quality, and the realities of doing business in wine country today. And because it’s Gary, the conversation doesn’t stay in the vineyard for long.

Then Sterling Kragten, winemaker at CASS Winery, joins Adam at SLO CAL Studios, fresh off a flight from Chicago. Sterling takes us into the practical side of harvest, from cleaning and cellar decisions to Petit Verdot and experiments with sparkling rosé. First, though, the two get into a different harvest essential: workwear, including a conversation about Strauss and what a long day making wine can do to a perfectly good pair of pants.

And for a different perspective, Adam calls Phil Malloy, a Where Wine Takes You listener from Boston who recently returned from another Paso trip with his partner, Renee. Phil shares what keeps bringing them west, how the podcast has helped introduce him to new places, and why the people behind Paso’s wines are such a big part of the experience.

🍷 Featured Guests & Places

• Gary Eberle | Eberle Winery

• Sterling Kragten | CASS Winery

• Strauss | Workwear conversation with Sterling

• Paderewski Festival | Official Festival Website

🌴 Travel Paso Spotlight: The Paderewski Festival

A world-famous concert pianist, a Polish prime minister, and a Paso Robles vineyard owner. All the same guy.

This week’s Travel Paso Spotlight explores the remarkable story of Ignacy Jan Paderewski and the annual festival that celebrates his musical, cultural, and agricultural legacy.

Taking place November 6–8, 2026, in Paso Robles and Sa