Friends of the Pod Series -- Ep 267: Leo Hansen of Leo Steen Wines, The Dane who Mastered California Chenin Blanc

Wine for Normal People

Alcohol, Lifestyle, Arts, Education, Food, Wine, Dining, Grapes

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 11 March 2019

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Originally from Denmark where he grew up as the son of a chef and hotelier in the happiest country in the world, Leo Hansen started in the hospitality world at the ripe old age of 12 and hasn’t stopped since.

First he was a certified European sommelier working for a Michelin starred restaurant and that brought him to the US where he immersed himself in the world of New World winemaking. In 2004 he started Leo Steen Wines, which concentrates on divine Chenin Blanc (AKA Steen in South Africa, but ironically a family name as well!) but also makes Cab Franc, Chardonnay, and Grenache.

He has been in California for 20 years but he maintains a European palate and focuses on traditional European winemaking techniques like foot treading, natural yeasts, lower alcohols and less new oak. He’s the perfect balance of professional winemaker and sommelier and a fascinating guy all around.

And a few show notes:

Leo tells us about his early life as a the son of a chef and hotelier, including some notes about Danish cuisine!
We learn about Leo\'s career path, especially his time at Kong Hans in Copenhagen, a Michelin Starred Restaurant
We discuss the difference in sommelier culture in Denmark v. the US
Leo takes us through his journey from a harvest worker at Clos du Bois to owner of Leo Steen.
Finally, we discuss his specific philosophies and wines and why site is so important to his wine.

For more info on Underground Wine Events, go to www.undergroundwineevents.com

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Thanks for
0:08.0	listening to Wine for normal people.
0:10.0	The podcast for people who like wine, but not the snobbery that goes with it.
0:14.0	I'm Elizabeth Schneider a certified sileleier and certified specialist of wine.
0:20.0	And I'm MC Ice, just a wine-loving normal person.
0:23.0	Today, we have the international man of mystery, Leo Hanson, of Leo Steen,
0:28.0	wines who will be at the Underground Wine event on April 6th.
0:31.0	He is originally from Denmark. He grew up and I know that we have
0:35.2	listeners in Denmark in fact somebody just contacted me who is a winemaker in
0:39.0	Denmark and he is going to be so excited to hear this podcast but but anyway Leo grew up in Denmark he was the
0:45.8	son of a chef in a hotel yea in the happiest country in the world and he
0:49.9	started in hospitality at the ripe old age of 12. I just want you to know Leo you have me beat by a year because I was 13
0:57.1	When I got into hospitality and you haven't stopped since he was a certified European solomlyay working for a Michelin-starred restaurant and that brought him to the US where he fell in love with the wine here and immersed himself in the world of New World winemaking.
1:11.0	In 2004, he started Leosteen Wines which concentrates on some of the most
1:16.9	amazing Shenenblanc I think it's probably the best American Shenenblanc
1:20.0	that there is and Steen, I believe that you call it Stein because of
1:24.4	Shannon Blanc and the South Africans call it called Shannon Blancstein is
1:28.2	that correct that is correct and is all of my my family middle name oh God, it all works out very well.
1:34.3	He also makes Cab-Fronk, Grenache.
1:36.0	He's been in California for 20 years,
1:37.6	but maintains a European palette
1:40.0	and focuses on traditional European winemaking techniques
	...

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