
Ep 123: From Pre-Med to Paso: Following Science, Finding Soul – Featuring MCV Wines

March 7, 2025
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Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights Â
In this episode of Where Wine Takes You, we sit down with Matt Villard, owner and winemaker at MCV Wines, to explore his unexpected journey from pre-med at UC Davis to crafting bold, Petite Sirah-driven wines in Paso Robles. Sometimes, the best path is the one you never planned for, and Matt’s story proves that following your passion can lead to extraordinary places.
We dive into:
- How a single UC Davis class changed everything
- The origin of MCV Wines and Matt’s obsession with Petite Sirah
- How family, loss, and perseverance continue to shape his winemaking philosophy
Later, in our Travel Paso Spotlight, we celebrate Women’s Week in Paso! We chat with Joeli Yaguda, co-owner of General Store Paso Robles, about the incredible impact of women-led businesses in Paso Robles and how At Her Table is shining a spotlight on the women shaping the region’s food, wine, and hospitality scene.
And of course, we run down the latest in Paso Wine Wire, including:
- Parchetto Bistro’s Park Street Jazz Night – A one-night-only New York-style jazz & WhistlePig whiskey dinner (March 20)
- Cab Franc Masters Returns to Paso – A deep dive into Paso’s role as a Cabernet Franc powerhouse (March 16-17)
- Paso Tourism’s $20.9M Economic Impact – Wine country’s boom is fueling local businesses, public services, and job creation
Links from the Show:
- MCV Wines: mcvwines.com
- General Store Paso Robles: generalstorepr.com
- At Her Table: athertable.com
- Travel Paso: travelpaso.com
For planning your next adventure in Paso Robles, check out TravelPaso.com.
Before we wrap up, don’t miss Adam’s insider info: Tickets are now on sale for Paso Wine Fest (May 15–18, 2025) – Head to pasowine.com for details and tickets.
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Where Wine Takes You (WWTY) is Executive Produced by Paso Wine. Â
WWTY is recorded, edited, produced, and hosted by Adam Montiel. Follow Adam on Instagram @AdamOnTheAir and check out his daily podcast Up + Adam as well as The Pour with Adam Montiel. To connect with Adam, learn more, or for Spotify or other pod links, visit AdamMontiel.com.Â
Subscribe & Connect:
If you love Where Wine Takes You, subscribe, leave a review, and share it! Catch his daily show Up & Adam, and check out The Pour, where he just dropped an episode from World of Pinot Noir with Louis Latour and Dan Kosta of Kosta Browne fame. More content from WOPN coming soon including a chat with Paso Wine’s Joel Peterson!
For the latest in Paso Robles Wine Country, check out PasoWine.com and follow on Instagram @PasoWine. Download the free Paso Wine App as your guide to all things wine country.Â
Original music on WWTY, “Good Company,” performed by Moonshiner Collective.
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