female announcer: "Fresh Glass" is brought to you by: Visit California.

University of California.

Cal State University San Marcos.

CCAE Theatricals, transforming lives through theater, creating pathways in the arts, inspiring the next generation of arts leaders.

Maya's Cookies, you can visit their locations or order online at mayascookies.com.

The County of San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce.

Computers 2 Kids.

Lifetime Smiles of Escondido.

With additional contributions from Fresh Glass Innovators Thank you.

For a complete list of financial contributors, visit aptonline.org.

speaker: All aboard.

Cassandra: Today, I'm in Napa Valley.

Courtesy of the Napa Valley Wine Train, we will embark on an incredible adventure as we enjoy the Tasting on the Rails experience.

Rodrigo Cuadra: Look outside, how beautiful that is.

speaker: Cheers.

Cassandra: I'm Cassandra Schaeg, entrepreneur, advocate, and enthusiast.

Food, beverage, and entrepreneurship are growing with diverse innovators creating brands and making a name for themselves.

both: We're the Bright sisters.

Cassandra: Join me exploring unique flavors, captivating stories, and the entrepreneurial spirit of America's tapestry.

I'm creating a space for people who look like me to share their stories and their spirits.

This is "Fresh Glass."

♪♪♪ Cassandra: My experience in Napa continues where I visit downtown and J. Moss Winery.

James Moss: I'm James Moss, founder and winemaker of J. Moss Winery.

Cassandra: My friend James has been making wine over 20 years.

James sets hisself apart by using grapes from some of the valley's renowned Appalachians.

James: How are you doing?

Cassandra: How are you?

James: You ready to get your drink on?

Cassandra: James and his wife, Janet, opened in 2010.

He's one of Napa's best-kept secrets, creating his signature Cabernet or what he likes to call-- James: Liquid to lips is what it's all about.

Cassandra: What year was it when you moved to Napa officially?

James: 1998.

Cassandra: How many Black folks were in Napa at that time?

James: Me.

No-- Cassandra: I'm not shocked.

I'm not shocked.

James: I mean Mac McDonald.

Cassandra: Oh yes, Mr, Mac McDonald, founder of AAAV.

James: Big Mac was here.

Napa don't look like today.

It didn't look like this in '98.

It was really just nothing going on.

Cassandra: Sometimes when we come in, the majority of us always veer to something sweet.

What are some of the ways to get them to elevate that?

Like, I've started with sweet too, right?

I was Mad Dog 2020, right?

I started sweet.

Cassandra: I was Beaulieu.

James: That is sweet.

Cassandra: Okay, and then you just progress, you just keep progressing.

How do you get people to progress?

James: Here we get a lot of people that want sweet wine, you know?

So I'll say, "Okay, how about this?

Let's try rose.

Move to Chardonnay.

Then I'll even let you try my Merlot," because it has just this big rush of fruit, right?

It's not sweet, but it's a big rush of fruit.

Most people will try those things and they'll go, "Oh, I like the Chardonnay," or "I really like this rose," or "You know what?

I didn't like red wine that much, but this Merlot tastes really great."

If you start drinking more wine and don't just drink sweet wine, you get a more sophisticated palate and you'll start going more the dry route and you can do it inexpensively.

I say--you have eight friends, right?

I say once a month, have seven of your friends buy a bottle of wine.

Cassandra: That's a good one.

James: And y'all all go sit down and now you all get to drink eight different wines and you only pay for one bottle.

It's all start with trying different things besides just drinking the same old sweet wine every day.

Cassandra: What sets your wines apart?

James: I think our wines tend to always have a certain type of richness and flavor to them because that's what it's about with J. Moss Wines.

We're not so much on the big tannic side of things.

We're more on the lush, rich side of things.

Cassandra: So, velvet versus-- James: Silky, right, versus just suck your mouth dry, right?

Cassandra: You talked about a lot of mentors.

How important is mentorship in this industry?

James: Very important.

If someone really wants to get into the business, I think they should go work at a winery first and see how hard it really is.

Whether it's for pay or for free, don't matter.

I did it for free because I really wanted to understand and know what it's all about.

But I think if someone really truly wants to get in the business and know the business, walk vineyards, go work at a winery, learn what you're getting yourself into.

Cassandra: What do you want people to take away from when they leave?

James: When people come here, I want them to take away knowledge.

That's why I'm doing it.

I really enjoy people's smiles, because whenever people taste wine, either they go... or they go... Cassandra: You'll know.

You'll know if they like it or not.

First--you'll know.

I can see that.

I'll be like, "You don't like it."

"Well--" I'm like, "It's okay."

James: Exactly.

Cassandra: J. Moss Wines have been ranked at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition where Tonya Pitts has been a judge.

James: She's just a good person.

Cassandra: Tonya is a globally recognized sommelier.

In 2022, she was named Wine Enthusiast Sommelier of the Year.

She's a force to be reckoned with and she's gonna school me as I work towards my wine certification.

Cassandra: How do you pronounce--so I either say sommelier, sam-a-yay.

What is the--what is the correct pronunciation?

Tonya Pitts: Sommelier.

Sommelier.

Cassandra: Sommelier.

Tonya: Yes.

Cassandra: That's all one time.

What does it mean to be a sommelier?

Tonya: Oh, gosh.

Basically, it's a wine steward.

That's the definition of it.

And there's a lot to get there.

Cassandra: Wait, when you say a lot.

Tonya: You have to taste a lot of wine.

You have to be really humble and you have to be willing to learn and it's not something that's going to happen overnight.

It is not a race, it's a marathon.

Cassandra: I'm going for a level two certification.

Tonya: So there are different certifications.

What you're working on right now is wine spirits trust.

Wine spirits trust is really used for education.

You go through wine spirits trust first and then from there, you can go into the diploma program.

From the diploma program, you can work into becoming a master of wine.

From there, if you wanted to go into the Court of Master Sommeliers, which is all about service, and that's the difference between the two of them.

It's super-educational within both.

And there are a lot of steps and processes.

Cassandra: What's your certification?

Tonya: Mine, I have both.

Wine spirits trust, Level 2, I've gone through Level 3 for tasting, which I passed with merit.

The theory is totally kicking my butt.

And because it's a whole different way of thinking than with the Court of Master Sommeliers, and it's just--the language is different.

Cassandra: Okay, and I just find it interesting.

Well, you'll teach me but I find it interesting when people are, you know, studying and it's like, they have to break down the vintage, the appellation.

And it's like, how in the hell do you know that?

Tonya: Well, because the more you taste, the more you learn, the more you discern.

And the thing with tasting, with Master Sommeliers program, everything is blind and you do a lot of blind tasting, and that's how you learn, and when we taste, you'll see exactly what I mean.

Cassandra: All right, well, let's get to it, let's taste.

Tonya: All right.

Cassandra: What's the first thing we're going to taste?

Tonya: The first thing we're going to taste is J. Moss Chardonnay.

And the Chardonnay is coming from Atlas Peak.

It's a 2021.

Atlas Peak is an appellation here in Napa.

What I love about fruit that comes from Atlas Peak is that you get the best of both worlds.

You get the sun, you get the heat, you get the fall and the-- the fog and the coolness as well.

So this is-- Cassandra: I smell melon, like, cantaloupe or honeydew-ish.

I thought I smelled vanilla but I could--let me, let me read.

No, it's very melon.

I just, it's melon.

Tonya: So the first thing when we're looking, we're looking at sight for color, then we're going to swirl for smell, and then we're going to taste.

And that's just--and we haven't even tasted it yet.

And those are the top notes that you're getting.

So this is golden in color.

It's day bright to me.

I'm getting the melon that you're speaking of as well.

But what I'm also getting is apple, and a particular apple.

These are yellow Golden Delicious apple that I'm getting just from smell.

There is a fair amount of mineral and acidity that's here as well.

But there's a lift in the middle of the palate.

There is some oak on it, but the oak that's there is probably not neutral but very lightly toasted.

And because it has a light toast, the more toast you have, the more attributes that you get from the barrel.

If someone, winemaker, takes what's in the barrel and decides to stir the lees, you know, the lees that's there from after they've pumped and pressed and done all that, it gives you more of a creaminess.

So he has not done any lee stirring.

He lets it probably sit on top, right, which leaves us to have this richness and we get the fruit, we get some creaminess, but it's not like super, super-creamy and it's not super-vanilla, oaky, either.

Cassandra: I'm going the way you like.

You brought it down to the apple.

Tonya: Oh yeah.

Cassandra: You literally just gave me a whole read of this wine.

Tonya: Oh, but you'll be like that too.

Yeah, you will.

Cassandra: That's why you do what you do.

Tonya: You will be that way too.

Cassandra: I'm like, "I smell melon."

Tonya: It's really good.

It's round, it's lush, but it's got acid, it's got mineral.

It doesn't strip your palate.

It makes you salivate a little bit.

There's some warmth there.

Cassandra: I always--I'm not really a Chardonnay person and there are very few Chardonnays where I'm like, "I could do this," or "I could drink a bottle of this," and this isn't--this is not a typical Chardonnay.

James!

James: What's up?

Cassandra: Well, I wanna thank you two, and it's always good to see us doing big things.

Tonya: Always.

Cassandra: So thank you and thank you.

Tonya: Absolutely.

Any time.

James: To good wine, good friends, and long-lasting lives.

Cassandra: Cheers.

Tonya: Cheers.

Cassandra: Cheers, cheers, cheers.

♪♪♪ Cassandra: Want to indulge in one of Napa's ultimate experiences?

Add the Napa Valley Wine Train to your list.

The 36-mile ride starts downtown and stops at some of Napa's iconic wineries.

I wanted to start this right.

So I went to the train's gift shop where wine educator Ta'Rod Kenney treated me to a tasting.

Ta'Rod Kenney: Hello, I'm Ta'Rod Kenney from the Napa Valley Wine Train wine and gift shop.

I'm a wine educator here.

Cassandra: How you doing, Ta'Rod?

Ta'Rod: Doing fantastic.

Cassandra: I'm excited to get on this train.

One of the things that I am working on is my wine certification.

Ta'Rod: Fantastic.

Cassandra: So, I feel like we should learn this together.

Let's have a quick tasting before I get on.

Ta'Rod: So first up, we have the Lobo Chardonnay.

Fantastic Chardonnay.

Very creamy on the texture, not heavy oak presence.

So you're not getting a lot of that gritty butteryness you might be familiar with most Chardonnays.

Cassandra: I feel--it smells a little vanilla-ish, but it also a little, I don't, maybe, I don't wanna say doughy.

Ta'Rod: We like to say soft or very, very plush, which isn't atypical in Chardonnays, but you notice a little bit of citrus on the back end that really cleans it up and doesn't allow it to stay too long on the back of the palette.

Cassandra: Yeah, that was good.

Ta'Rod: Up next is our Sosabe Cabernet.

Now this is Black-owned.

This is a Coombsville AVA, so Coombsville gets a lower temperature than most AVAs here in Napa Valley, sometimes 10 to 20 degrees less.

In Cabernet that's gonna produce a softer Cab, not as much of that gritty, heavy oak as you might experience in a typical Napa Valley Cabernet.

Cassandra: There you go, spicy, like, plush.

That's a good selection to get this started.

Ta'Rod: Fantastic.

Cassandra: Tell me what to expect on this adventure.

Ta'Rod: I got a lot of food to try out, a lot of drinking to do.

But it's gonna be a fantastic day, I'm sure.

Cassandra: Thank you.

Ta'Rod: Of course.

Cassandra: I'm looking forward to this.

♪♪♪ speaker: All aboard.

Cassandra: The train rolls through the lush Napa Valley.

The landscape gives you spectacular views of the hills and vines that produce this region's finest flavors.

The train's food and beverage director is one of the individuals responsible for curating this first-class experience.

Jorge Ruiz: My name is Jorge.

I am the director of food and beverage for the last almost three years.

Cassandra: You're a very dapper man.

Jorge: Thank you.

Cassandra: What do you like most about your job?

Jorge: This is a very exciting job and we built this team based on culture, more than experience.

And we have three main goals that I like to follow every day, which is have very happy customers, have my company happy, and then have my employees super-happy and excited to provide the right service.

Cassandra: Tell me a little bit about Tasting on the Rails.

Jorge: So Tasting on the Rails, it was a new concept that we introduced last year.

Normally, Nathan has some crazy ideas and give it to me.

And he said, "Jorge, how we can make that happen?"

And I always look the logistic how I can make a miracle.

So the idea of the Tasting on the Rails is have one experience that you have seven courses and seven wines.

Cassandra: Those partaking in the seven-course experience should come hungry.

Paired with some of Napa's noteworthy wines, every bite and sip is something to savor.

Jorge: The idea is for you to try, for example, the Chardonnay with the salad and the Sauvignon with the soup, but then switch and do opposite way.

And then you have explosive change of flavors in your palate.

And those are things that we want to accomplish in this beautiful experience.

Cassandra: Yes, and it is a beautiful experience.

Jorge: It is a beautiful car, brand-new renovated cars.

Cassandra: So, thank you.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to experience this.

I know people are going to want to book their trip relatively soon, as soon as they see this.

Jorge: Well, thank you for hosting me, and I'm so glad that you have the opportunity to travel the Tasting on the Rails, and experience Napa food.

Cassandra: Napa Valley Wine Train.

Cassandra: Thank you.

Jorge: Thank you.

Cassandra: Cheers.

Jorge: Cheers, salud.

Cassandra: Thank you, salud.

Cassandra: I bet you're wondering about the engine behind the experience.

Rodrigo is the executive chef, and he's from Miami where the beach, culture, and nightlife scene are among the country's top spots.

Cassandra: Chef!

Rodrigo: Cassandra.

How are you?

Cassandra: Hungry.

Rodrigo: I can't blame you.

Cassandra: I wanna dive in, but before I do, tell me a little bit about how you landed here at the Napa Valley Wine Train.

Rodrigo: So my journey starts back when I was a toddler, if you will.

My--it comes from my grandmother, you know.

We came to the US from civil unrest.

While my parents were actually working two or three jobs, my grandmother was the one that actually put me to the kitchen.

Fast forward a few decades over, and next thing you know, I get a random call.

"Hey, do you wanna work in the West Coast?"

Why not, Cassandra, right?

I mean, how can you--how can you--look outside, how beautiful that is.

I mean, so, I've been working in Napa Valley for about ten years already.

I originally come from Miami.

Cassandra: Miami.

Rodrigo: Miami, yes.

So for, I mean, quite the opposite from Miami.

Here, you actually get all four seasons.

I mean, you get a beautiful harvest, you get beautiful produce.

I always say that I don't--the first time I ever tried a strawberry, as ironic it may be, was when I stepped foot in North California.

Cassandra: Really?

Rodrigo: Strawberries over there are just picked as a commodity.

They're not picked for the season as they're picked over here.

And in California, I feel like we are much conscientious of what we're eating and what we-- what we grow and how it grows.

So with that being said, I mean, that's just food for a chef, but like it's just brain food for a chef.

Cassandra: What did you prepare for me today?

Rodrigo: So the part of our experience here on the 1011 Tasting on the Rails, we are doing a dual plate.

This entree consists of a beautiful angus beef tenderloin with a nice bordelais sauce and a little mushroom puree.

And then on the other opposite side, you have a chimichurri, because I'm from Miami, with a triple corn polenta and, of course, the cherry tomato as well has a little story itself.

I grow those in my backyard and bring them to work every single day.

I mean, and I'm completing them myself, yes.

Cassandra: Awesome.

This train is a little rocky.

Rodrigo: It is, it is.

Cassandra: How are you serving this food in this environment?

Rodrigo: So, the irony of me working in the wine train is when I first started here, I-- my background is all fine dining.

So I'm here, let me go with the spoons and saucing with the spoons.

The first day, I just had the whole kitchen just look at me with a spoon.

They're like, Okay, let's see what this guy has.

Well, I'm saucing and the plate just makes it all the way across there, and the salsa over here and we're like, all right.

So that's not gonna work.

Let's think this through and, of course, I adapted to what they were doing and then, and little pointers and this and that, I mean, that it takes a team.

Cassandra: How many is in your team, your team here?

On the train?

On the train right now, we have 12 on the train.

Cassandra: Yeah, because I saw tight quarters.

I peeked my head in.

Everyone looks scrunched up but they were making--they were assembling phenomenal plates.

Rodrigo: Yeah, it's all about organization and keeping it clean.

And I always tell them it's like, if you could do it here, you could do it anywhere else.

And I think that's something they take to heart and they just--they maximize their space as much as possible.

Cassandra: What do you like most about running this, being the executive chef?

Rodrigo: You know what?

I mean, every single day is a different day being on the tracks.

I mean, there's always different elements, confined spaces.

I mean, we're prone to weather.

We're prone to rocking and we're also prone to the human factor, which is basically, "Hey, what if we forgot something in the station?"

It happens and that's what actually makes us even better as professionals is that we need to think accordingly, adjust, and make sure that we have everything onboard before we leave our commissary and to greet our guests and prepare delicious food.

Cassandra: One of the things I think it's really great to see is, like, Napa's evolving and I feel like there's more of a rich culture here that wasn't here before.

And you coming from Miami, how has Napa welcomed you into this--into this food Mecca?

Rodrigo: We're on the brink of being the new foodie destination, the new multi-- Cassandra: Michelin star.

Rodrigo: Multicultural Michelin food scene.

And I think it happens.

It all starts from the kitchen and the chefs realizing, I don't--I have all the tools of the trade right here with my staff.

Let me showcase my staff.

Let me--let me have them speak up.

Let them, you know what, do a special for me one day.

To this day, I ask, "Hey, can you bring your family mole and I'll buy it from you," and I can't get any better than that.

But--and I've made specials off of that mole.

And I'm like--and I'm like, "Your mole is where--it's where it's at."

And that's where it gets the juices flowing into all that, all those, that cabinet of spice that you have.

And the kitchen is already happening and it's just basically uncovering it, open it, opening each one and saying, "All right, what spice do you have to bring in," and just put it onto a plate.

Cassandra: Do you put raisins in your potato salad?

Rodrigo: I do not put raisins on that potato salad.

Cassandra: Thank you.

Rodrigo: The raisins do not belong on potato salad.

Cassandra: Thank you.

Cassandra: Well, thank you for feeding me.

Rodrigo: Thank you.

Thank you, Cassandra.

Cassandra: This is phenomenal and congratulations on everything.

Rodrigo: Thank you.

I hope to see you once again.

Cassandra: You will see me.

♪♪♪ Cassandra: This was an experience I'll never forget.

I'm bummed this journey is coming to an end, but the good news is I'll be back and you can join me.

Cassandra: Cheers.

Cassandra: Visit Napa.

Make sure your glass is always full.

And thank you for tuning in.

♪♪♪ Cassandra: Thank you.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Cassandra: On the next episode of "Fresh Glass."

speaker: Welcome to Rady Shell, Jacobs Park.

Cassandra: I'm hanging out in my hometown, San Diego, California.

speaker: If you open a wine bar, then people ask about cheese and meat.

You have cheese and meat and they want champagne.

Cassandra: Join me as I venture to some of my favorite hangouts and show you why we are America's finest city.

speaker: In some places of Mexico, you cannot be a feminist or stand up for women's rights.

I couldn't let these women down.

♪♪♪ female announcer: "Fresh Glass" is brought to you by: Visit California.

University of California.

Cal State University San Marcos.

CCAE Theatricals, transforming lives through theater, creating pathways in the arts, inspiring the next generation of arts leaders.

Maya's Cookies, you can visit their locations or order online at mayascookies.com.

The County of San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce.

Computers 2 Kids.

Lifetime Smiles of Escondido.

With additional contributions from Fresh Glass Innovators Thank you.

For a complete list of financial contributors, visit aptonline.org.