Maynard James Keenan is the frontman of celebrated American rock bands Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer.
But over the years, he’s become increasingly renowned as a wine enthusiast and winemaker at Arizona winery Caduceus Cellars and its affiliated label Merkin Vineyards, which he founded in 2004.
In this very special wine podcast episode of Drinks Adventures, Maynard shares with you some of the winemaking projects currently exciting him at Caduceus, as well as his recent forays into making mead and cider.
He gives you an overview of wine in Arizona, where the industry is still in its infancy but showing a lot of potential with its expressions of Mediterranean grape varieties.
Maynard reveals how he cut his teeth on Australian wine and became a huge fan of Penfolds, which you previously heard featured on this show back in Season One.
We talk about the untimely passing last year of Maynard’s close friend, the hugely respected Adelaide Hills winemaker, Taras Ochota, who Maynard cites as his biggest influence in recent years.
And, if you stick around to the end, Maynard updates you on Puscifer and how he’s has been coping during these strange times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
All tracks used in this episode are from the brilliant new Puscifer album, Existential Reckoning, released in October 2020.
Thanks to Maynard for giving us the nod to use them in this episode. Oh, and beware, there is a language warning on some of these tunes.
More:
Penfolds California Collection debuts world blends
Two Paddocks wine with Sam Neill, pinot noir obsessive: S6E6
Andrew Caillard MW on ultra-fine Australian wine: S7E4
