{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Episode 234 - Spicy Vines owner, Chrystalyn Hackett","description":"   In this episode of Wine Road, hosts Marcy Gordon and Beth Costa (0:00-0:24) introduce the show and thank sponsors Ron Rubin and River Road Family Vineyards and Winery for their support.    &amp;nbsp;  They welcome Crystalyn Hackett, owner of Spicy Vines, as their guest (0:49-1:00). Crystalyn shares her excitement about being on the show and introduces a spiced wine she brought, which ties into her personal story and the origins of Spicy Vines (1:23-2:55). The wine, described as &quot;Christmas in a glass,&quot; is a blend of Grenache, Zinfandel, Carignan, and Petite Syrah, infused with holiday spices and a hint of brandy, evoking cozy, festive feelings (2:05-2:33).  Crystalyn recounts her journey, starting with her time as a competitive equestrian in Germany, where she realized her entrepreneurial aspirations (3:08-4:46). After traveling and brainstorming ideas, she returned to California and created her first spiced wine, inspired by a drink she had in Germany (6:00-7:16). Despite having no prior experience in the wine industry, she spent a year perfecting the formula and navigating regulatory challenges to define and legally categorize &quot;spiced wine&quot; (8:03-9:22).  Crystalyn explains how she built Spicy Vines from scratch, starting with events in San Francisco and eventually partnering with her now-husband, Doug, who became the winemaker (10:29-11:19). Together, they expanded their portfolio to include Zinfandel, Syrah, ros\u00e9, and other varietals, focusing on high-quality, small-batch production (12:12-13:07). Their Healdsburg tasting room, opened in 2016, offers a lively atmosphere with live music, wine cocktails, and charcuterie (13:13-14:22).  Crystalyn emphasizes the importance of creating a welcoming, fun experience for visitors and wine club members, offering customizable memberships and personal touches like follow-ups and curated shipments (17:00-24:41). She also teases plans to launch her own podcast to share inspiring stories and connect with others (24:42-25:35). The episode wraps up with details about Spicy Vines' unique &quot;winning cork&quot; promotion and upcoming events, including their harvest release party and annual &quot;Taste of Pine Mountain&quot; event (25:36-27:00). The hosts close by encouraging listeners to visit Spicy Vines and keep it spicy (29:33-30:05).    &amp;nbsp;  &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;  LINKS: Spicy Vines&amp;nbsp; The Gables Inn - the lodging property featured today Wine &amp;amp; Food Affair - tickets to on sale today Frick Winery - our last mystery &quot;where am I winery&quot; &amp;nbsp; Sponsor: River Road Family Vineyards and Winery Credits: The Wine Road podcast is mixed and mastered at\u2028 Threshold Studios Sebastopol, CA. http:\/\/thresholdstudios.info\/ &amp;nbsp; ","author_name":"Wine Road: The Wine, When, and Where of Northern Sonoma County.","author_url":"http:\/\/wineroadpodcast.libsyn.com\/podcast","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/37971030\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/87A93A\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/192325445"}