Jermaine Stone brings Terroir Tapes back to Napa Valley

Napa Green will host the second annual Wine and Hip-Hop Terroir Tapes Listening Session on July 17 at Napa Yard in Napa, pairing classic hip-hop with Napa Green Certified wines. The event spotlights the shared idea of “terroir” in wine and hip-hop while showcasing sustainable Napa Valley producers.

Why it matters: - The event links wine education with hip-hop culture in a format designed to make Napa Valley terroir more accessible. - Napa Green is using the listening session to highlight climate-smart, sustainable winemaking at a venue near the Napa River, where the organization’s mission began. - The pairing of music and wine gives Napa Green wineries a public stage to reach new audiences around sustainability and place-based storytelling.

What happened: - Napa Green will host the second annual Wine and Hip-Hop Terroir Tapes Listening Session on July 17 at Napa Yard in Napa, California. - Emmy-nominated host Jermaine Stone, also known as The Real Wolf of Wine, will lead the experience. - The event pairs classic hip-hop tracks with Napa Green Certified wines from local wineries. - Stone first appeared in Napa Valley as keynote speaker at Napa Green’s 2025 RISE Climate & Wine Symposium.

The details: - Terroir Tapes is built around the idea of terroir, the “sense of place” created by climate, soil, topography and cultural traditions. - The experience uses wine tasting to show how the same grape can taste different depending on where it is grown, even within one valley. - The concept also extends to hip-hop, where regional geography has shaped sound, lyrical focus and culture. - Stone spent more than 20 years moving from rap into the wine business, including work in the shipping department at Zachy’s Auction House. - Stone became the first Black commercial wine auctioneer. - Stone is the founder of Cru Luv Selections, host of the podcast Wine and Hip-Hop and host of the Tastemade series Street Somm. - Street Somm has been nominated for both a James Beard Award and an Emmy Award. - Wine Enthusiast named Stone one of its 40 Under 40. - Napa Green described the event as a natural fit because it brings the organization’s wineries back to the riverfront where the nonprofit’s work began. - Megan Scott of Napa Green said classic tracks and wine both can act as a “time capsule.”

Between the lines: - The event is part cultural programming, part sustainability showcase. - Stone’s role helps bridge audiences that may not normally overlap: wine consumers, hip-hop fans and climate-minded attendees. - Napa Green is leaning on storytelling and experience to reinforce its broader message about regenerative agriculture and resilient wine businesses.

What's next: - Napa Green is already selling tickets for the Terroir Tapes tasting event. - The program will feature wines from Chimney Rock Winery, Domaine Carneros, Grgich Hills Estate, Jessup Cellars, Spottswoode Estate, V. Sattui Winery and Young Inglewood. - Napa Green will continue promoting its climate-smart standards for vineyards and wineries across Napa Valley.

The bottom line: - Terroir Tapes turns a wine tasting into a cultural argument: place shapes both what people drink and what they listen to.