In today’s episode, meet Rodrigo Soto, a Chilean winemaker who backed into wine, and organic and biodynamic viticulture, almost by mistake. However his slightly rebellious nature and love for the outdoors carved a path that took him from Chile to California and back multiple times. Rodrigo has spearheaded the winemaking initiative at pioneering wineries in Chile & California like Fetzer, Matetic Vineyards, Benziger, Veramonte, and today is the Estate Director for the Hunees family properties in Napa that include Quintessa, Faust Wines, and Flowers winery in Sonoma. Today we go behind the scenes to meet the man who has transformed these wine projects with the power of his conviction in how biodynamic agriculture ultimately yields a better wine.

In this episode we talk about:

• Rodrigo’s background and why a summer job in a restaurant was the beginning of his curiosity about wine.
• The uncanny timing of an unwanted thesis on organic agriculture that opened the door to a lifelong learning and
working with biodynamic agriculture.
• A glimpse into the world of wine in Chile in the early 2000s, and then mid-2010s, as he worked with trailblazers
Matetic Vineyards and Veramonte.
• His fascination, and love affair, with California that brought him to LA, then Mendocino, Sonoma, and finally
landed him in Napa.
• The importance and influence of key biodynamic mentors in his life like Alvaro Espinoza and Alan York who shaped
his path.
• His knack for coming into wine projects and transforming them, with biodynamic viticulture, to finer wines.
Chile & California’s geographical similarities from coastline to weather, and even soil. Culture is another story,
though.

Resources:
Matetic Vineyards (Chile)
Benzinger Winery (Napa)
Veramonte Winery (Chile)
Quintessa Winery (Napa)
Follow Rodrigo on Instagram