Curtis begins his adventure in California high above the vineyards of Sonoma in a hot air balloon while tasting wine with his team from Maude. Back on the ground, he takes a visit to Littorai Winery where he and his sommelier Ben check out the vineyard. Curtis then helps with the fermentation process of the wine when he is tethered above a fermentation tank filled with grapes and is tasked with 'punching down' the grapes to help with the process.