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Adam Huss | Beyond Organic Wine Podcast
My guest for this episode is Elaine Chukan Brown.
Elaine is a writer, speaker, wine educator, and now author of the book The Wines of California. Elaine has been a contributor, columnist, editor, and/or wine reviewer for nearly every wine publication out there, and they co-founded the Diversity in Wine Leadership Forum, and have advised diversity initiatives in multiple countries.
In 2019, the Wine Industry Network named Elaine one of the Most Inspiring People in Wine. In 2020, they were awarded Wine Communicator of the Year in the world by IWSC and VinItaly, and they were named a Wine Industry Leader in the North American wine industry by Wine Business Monthly.
In 2021, The Hue Society created the Elaine Chukan Brown Award in Wine Education, awarded annually and named for Elaine in recognition of their work in education and their effort to help open the way for others’ success.
In 2022, Elaine was nominated for a James Beard Award in Journalism.
And this is just a short list of Elaine’s work, honors, and awards.
So it should be no surprise that their new book, The Wines of California, is a worthwhile read. But more than that, it presents an overlooked history of wine in the US, and makes it clear how deeply indebted those of us working in wine today are to innumerable unsung people… both past and present.
In some structural ways Elaine’s book gives you what you might expect from a book titled The Wines of California – a history of the wine industry here, regions and producers and grape varieties, and the current challenges we’re facing – but Elaine presents the substance that fills in that structure in such a holistic way, contextualizing each event within global and national currents, and telling this story from a perspective that includes all the participants in all of their complexities…so that I found fresh insights, deeper understanding of my own participation in this history, inspiration for action, and even, believe it or not, hope.
Don’t be fooled by the title. This is not a ponderous exercise in academic wine writing… this reads like a hot take, as well as helpful reference with up to the minute relevance. You might think of it as a People’s History of the Wines of California crossed with a progressive California wine travel guide. In our conversation we talk about the book of course, but it leads to some really important questions that transcend not only the book, but also wine. Elaine talks about how we are in the midst of a revolution, and I’m finding it really exciting to take this perspective into everything I’m doing with wine. I hope you do too.
A big thanks to Napa Green for sponsoring this episode. Don’t miss their RISE Climate & Wine Symposium.
I’m Adam Huss. I created the Organic Wine Podcast to ask hard questions and offer examples of people working on beautiful answers in wine.
I have been writing about wine since 2004, making wine since 2007, growing wine since 2012, running a commercial winery in Los Angeles since 2019, and producing and hosting the Organic Wine Podcast since 2019. In 2023 I renamed the podcast the Beyond Organic Wine podcast,
My wine journey has led me to reconnect with the magic and mystery of the natural world, and I hope the Beyond Organic Wine podcast helps reconnect you too.
😍 This one is a gem! Book your tastings at Napa Green Certifed @mummsparkling & @spottswoodewinery and enjoy a stay at the incredible @solageauberge!
Sustainability & Luxury truly make a great pairing. Cheers to Climate Smart Wines! 🍷
🎙️: @mvino1
⚠️ Don’t sleep on this one! Get your $15 tickets to taste INCREDIBLE wines from @spottswoodewinery, @dominusestatewinery, @chimneyrockwinery and many more at @klwines in San Francisco on July 23rd & 24th!
You know where to go ➡️ link in bio or www.napagreen.org. See you there! 🍷
📣 Calling all wine lovers! We’re partnering with some amazing wineries, restaurants and resorts to celebrate Cheers to Climate Smart Wines Month and we’re giving away an incredible ‘Experience Napa Valley Day’ to one lucky winner! 🍷
The winner will receive:
✨A one-night stay at @solageauberge
✨Wine tastings at @seaveyvineyard and @rutherfordhillwinery
✨A gift certificate to @charlies_nv
How to Enter:
1️⃣ Make sure you’re following @napagreen & @visitnapavalley
2️⃣ Like this post
3️⃣ Tag your favorite wine lover in the comments.
🙌 Bonus Entry: Share this post to your stories and tag us!
Giveaway ends Friday, July 18th. Winner will be announced here and contacted via DM by Monday, July 21st.
Legal Terms:
Must be 21+ and a legal resident of the U.S. to enter. Giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by Instagram. No purchase necessary to enter. Winner will be selected at random and must respond within 48 hours to claim the prize. Travel and additional expenses NOT included.
Good Luck! 🥂
Sustainability is beautiful 🌼
Experience this wine tasting itenerary for yourself on your next trip Napa Valley! 🍷
#sustainabletravel #winetasting #winetrip #napavalley #napawine #climatesmart #winelovers #cheers
Fairy tale like settings? Delicious, ethically & sustainably produced wines? Yes please! 🌸
#visitnapavalley #napavalley #fairytale #winetasting #sustainablewine #cheers #winelovers #winetrip #magicmoments
🎞️: @mvino1
🎟️$15 wine tasting with the winemakers!? Join us at @klwines in San Francisco July 23rd & 24th tasting @spottswoodewinery, @dominusestatewinery, @chimneyrockwinery, @etudewines and many more from 4:00-6:00pm.
Pick up your tickets asap at the link in our bio!
⭐️ Steal this itinerary!
Cheers to Climate Smart Wines Month is back this July and we couldn’t be more excited!
We have built some truly fabulous and sustainable experiences which you can find on www.napagreen.org and this year we have included hotels as well!
Tag us in your posts when you visit our amazing Napa Green Certified wineries so we can share your Green adventures!
Team Green is thoroughly enjoying visiting a few of our Napa Green Certified wineries today! 🌱
Pictured here are the STUNNING new Sky Lofts at @rutherfordhillwinery. We strongly recommend a visit, it’s spectacular!
Wondering what this sign hung outside of the winery that you work at means? Want to be able to talk more about what it means to be @napagreen certified??
Join the Napa Green Ambassador training at Clos du Val on Wednesday, June 25 from 9-11 am to learn the answers and more.
Tickets are free but space is limited so reserve your spot from the Workshops & Events link in our bio.
#climateaction #napagreen #napagreencertified #climatesmartwinery #regenerativeag #regenerativefarming
🍇 Do you want to learn more about what it means to be a Napa Green Certified Vineyard or Winery?
🍇 Do you have new team members who still aren’t sure what that Napa Green Certified sign hanging out front actually means?
🍇 Are you curious about this term that’s suddenly popping up everywhere – regenerative?
🍇 Want to know what exactly does it mean to be climate smart?
Join us Wednesday, June 25, 2025 @closduval to learn how to talk about being @napapagreen certified.
Use the event link in our bio to register.
#climateaction #wineindustry #wineindustryleadership #climatesmart #sustainablewine #sustainablewinery #regenerativevineyard #regenerativeag
📢 Attn Wineries!! Today is last day to sign up for the Cheers to Climate Smart Wines this July!
Email winery@napagreen.org to sign up today!
Thank you all for making RISE Climate & Wine Symposium a success! We 70 powerful speakers and 650 guests across the six events, dozens of commitments to action, and a flood of positive, heartfelt feedback.
Let’s keep the momentum going!
📸: @briana_marie
Congratulations to Napa Green Certified @cliffamily for winning the RISE Leadership Award for Supply Chain & Waste Management Excellence!
Clif Family attended our first conference & committed to reducing their bottle weight and waste. They set upon an inspiring journey to change their packaging based on their outdoors loving and mountaineering inspired founders. They were able to..
• lighten the weight of a case of their wine by almost 8 lbs!
• reduce their carbon output by 42 metric tons!
• institute fully recyclable, bio based shippers that keep wine cool!
• eliminate all foils!
• eliminate all plastic & metal moving fully to renewable cork enclosures!
Their customers responded with absolute enthusiasm.
“This story is not just about wine packaging or supply chain decisions. It’s about how we do business. It’s leading with values. It’s about remembering that the best way to climb higher.. is to carry less.” - Sarah Richmond, Clif Family Winery.
Take action this Earth Month with Napa Green. Our team of experts is ready to assist you in achieving your climate action goals for both your vineyard and winery, no matter where you are in your sustainability journey.
🎥 @robot_productions
#earthday #earthdayeveryday #earthmonth #climateaction #sustainabilty #climatesmart #regenerativeag
🍴Wednesday April, 23rd is the day NOT to miss lunch at @cliffamily!!
Come enjoy delicious food while supporting Napa Green! See you there.
Uniquely, Napa Green isn’t just a roadmap of leading practices. Napa Green provides an expert, boots-on-the-ground consulting team that develops:
✅ Regenerative Carbon Farm Plans (to enhance soil health, biodiversity, resilience, and carbon storage)
✅ Irrigation Distribution Uniformity Assessments (to maximize water efficiency)
✅ Integrated Resource Assessments (to reduce energy, water, waste and emissions in production)
✅ Action Plans for continuing improvement (tailored to the opportunities and goals of each vineyard or winery)
Additionally, we support soil sampling and analysis, provide resource assistance, run practical training and education workshops throughout the year, and provide valuable, hands-on guidance in meeting your climate action goals.
✅ Napa Green members implement over 120 best practices in both the Vineyard and Winery. This Earth Month, learn about 21 of them with “21 Days, 21 Ways” counting down to Earth Day.
📷 @buddsocial
📍 @tressabores
#21days21ways #earthmonth #earthday #climateaction #regenerativevineyard #climatesmart #sustainablewine #regenerativeag #environmentalleadership #wineindustry #winebusiness
