448: Lee Hudson’s Grape Guide

Lee Hudson is the owner of Hudson Ranch and Vineyards, in California's Carneros district.

Lee recalls his early days in Texas and in France, as well as the experience of working the 1975 harvest in Burgundy at Domaine Dujac. Lee describes founding his own ranch and vineyard in California, and gives a grape by grape guide to different grape variety characteristics and how the ways they are grown can affect them. Those interested in Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, and Pinot Noir will find a lot to learn from what Lee has to say about how those grapes behave in the vineyard. Lee also discusses his classmates at the University of California, Davis, many of whom have gone on to notable careers in wine in the decades since they were in school with Lee.