Ep 188 Featuring Wine Enthusiast Person of the Year Gretchen Roddick
October 16, 2026
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🍇 Where Wine Takes You, Episode Highlights 🍷
From a part-time tasting room job in Paso Robles to helping lead the entire California wine industry, Gretchen Roddick has built quite a career. And 2026 has turned into one heck of a year.
This week, Adam Montiel welcomes Gretchen, Executive Vice President of Hope Family Wines, newly elected Board Chair of the Wine Institute, and Wine Enthusiast’s 2026 Person of the Year. Recorded at SLOCAL Studios just days after the national announcement, it’s a candid conversation about nearly three decades of hard work, taking chances, building relationships, and helping put Paso Robles on the world wine map.
Gretchen shares how a young woman from San Jose found her way to Cal Poly, into the wine business, and eventually into a partnership with Austin Hope that helped grow Hope Family Wines from roughly 1,000 cases a year to nearly a million. They talk about the people who believed in her early on, the breakthrough success of Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon, the culture behind the Hope family business, and why treating people well still matters, no matter how big you get.
They also get into the tougher conversations facing wine today. Changing consumer habits, reaching new wine drinkers, and what California wineries need to do to stay relevant. As the new chair of the Wine Institute, Gretchen brings a perspective that reaches well beyond Paso, without losing the relationships and community that got her there. And yes, she shares what happened when the news broke about her Wine Enthusiast honor and her phone wouldn’t stop ringing.
In our Travel Paso Spotlight, we’re celebrating the return of the Garagiste Wine Festival, November 6–7, 2026. More than 50 small-production winemakers, over 200 wines, new Paso Robles venues, an Italian grape variety seminar, and a chance to meet the people actually making what’s in your glass. Plus, proceeds from festival activities help support the next generation of winemakers through the Garagiste Scholarship Fund at Cal Poly.
And Adam has a little personal news of his own: he’s getting married in Paso wine country this weekend, exactly nine years after his first date. Turns out, love doesn’t always consult the local events calendar.
🍷 Guest & Episode Links
Gretchen Roddick / Hope Family Wines
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Website: https://hopefamilywines.com/
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopefamilywines/
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Wine Enthusiast, Gretchen Roddick’s Person of the Year profile: https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/industry-news/wine-star-awards/person-of-the-year-2026/
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Wine Institute, Gretchen Roddick elected Board Chair: https://wineinstitute.org/press-releases/gretchen-roddick-of-hope-family-wines-elected-wine-institute-2026-2027-board-chair/
🌅 Travel Paso Spotlight: Garagiste Wine Festival
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Festival website: https://www.garagistefestival.com/
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November 6–7 festival schedule: https://www.garagistefestival.com/paso-robles-nov-2026
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Tickets: https://www.my805tix.com/e/16th-paso-garagiste-wine-festival/tickets
📰 Paso Wine Wire
Sensorio Nears One Million Visitors
Seven years after opening as a temporary art installation, Sensorio is approaching its one-millionth visitor, celebrating with an expanded Fireflies exhibit, new installations, and special promotions.
Source: https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/324072
Sensorio: https://sensoriopaso.com/
🚢 Special Announcement: Join Adam, Epoch, and LXV on the Danube with Cork & Cruise!
Adam is heading to Europe, and you’re invited!
November 6–13, 2027, join Adam Montiel, Epoch Estate Wines, LXV Wine, and the team at Cork & Cruise for a special Danube River wine cruise through Germany, Austria, and Hungary.
Spend the week exploring European destinations while enjoying exclusive wine tastings, wine-paired dinners, special bottles, and personal time with Jordan Fiorentini of Epoch and Neeta and Kunal Mittal of LXV. Adam will also bring the podcast onboard for a live show.
Adam has been involved behind the scenes helping put this experience together with Cork & Cruise, and he can’t wait to share it with fellow Paso wine lovers.
The group recently hosted a livestream discussing the cruise and everything they’re planning. Adam will include the replay so you can get a feel for the people, the wines, and the experience before joining.
Availability is limited, so contact Mary Ann and the Cork & Cruise team for details and current stateroom options.
Cork & Cruise Website:
https://www.corkandcruise.com
Danube Cruise Details:
https://www.corkandcruise.com/homedanube2027
Staterooms and Booking:
https://www.corkandcruise.com/stateroomsbookingdanube2027
Phone: (805) 221-4605
Danube Cruise Livestream Replay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNbXNyd6jNc
Cork & Cruise also has upcoming Rhine and Rhône river wine cruises planned for 2028, including voyages with Herman Story, Desparada, Turtle Rock, Ultima Tulie, and Law Estate Wines.
🍂 HARVEST WINE MONTH
October is Harvest Wine Month in Paso Robles Wine Country, with winery events happening throughout the month, including vineyard experiences, dinners, grape stomps, live music and more.
See what’s happening at PasoWine.com
🎯 Plan your next Paso Robles getaway at travelpaso.com
📲 Where Wine Takes You now has its own Instagram. Follow us at @wherewinetakesyou for new episodes, behind-the-scenes pours, guest highlights, and more from Paso wine country.
🎙️ RECORDED AT SLO CAL STUDIOS
Recorded at SLO CAL Studios, San Luis Obispo County, California.
SLO CAL — where the wine is world-class, the people are real, and life is too beautiful to rush.
For turns well taken:
https://slocal.com
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🎙️ Credits
Executive Producer: Joel Peterson + Paso Wine
Associate Producer: Krista Smith
Recorded, edited, hosted by Adam Montiel
Follow Adam: @AdamOnTheAir
Explore all things Adam: AdamMontiel.com
Listen to Adam’s other shows: Up + Adam (daily) and The Pour (wine & more, travel, culture)
Learn more, connect, or say hey at AdamMontiel.com/connect
🎵 Original music by Moonshiner Collective
📱 Download the Paso Wine App
🍷 Plan your trip at PasoWine.com and follow @PasoWine
🎯 Plan your next Paso Robles getaway at travelpaso.com
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