Episodes

He had me at: "Wine has gotten so unbelievably soft. It walks around whining and making apologies." When I read this, I reached out immediately to ask him how...and why? And he told me. Louis has been around, in fact, I sensed his career was parrellel to mine: he has vast experience in wine retail, wine wholesale, wine hospitality, wine digital, wine writing, wine, wine, wine..... Louis Calli may never have claimed to “save” the wine industry single-handedly, but his diagnosis is as precise as...

I think one of my big mistakes in life was to teach my son-in-law about Champagne and Sparkling wine. My depletion rate has doubled. The intrigue for me to speak with Arnaud Werrich is hard to describe. I am fascinated with wine of course, but immigration as well. Who would pick their lives up to move to a new country to start a new career. I am jealous of this type of courage. Arnaud isn’t just another winemaker crossing the ocean, chasing the “California dream.” He’s a scientist thrust into ...

Georgian wines have been around...well, I suppose over 6000 years. In fact, it is a disputed fact between the Armenians and the Georgians as to which country made wine first. The best analysis I can come up with is that 6100 years ago, when what is now called Areni 1 Cave located in Armenia was established, there was no Georgia and there was no Armenia, but regardless, the disageement lives on. Georgian wines have been in the US since I can remember. At least since the '80's. And back then they...

Wine Talks had tried...tried to get Ms. Anson on the show. But being the quintessential author and historian of the vineyards and wines of Bordeaux, it took a bit of scheduling. Jane Anson is the real thing. And we could have spoken for hours. She is elegant, articulate and whimisical all in one person. We already know it takes pure passion of story telling to write about wine and to study wine, but to roll into her skill set, the previously mentioned human qualities, is quite rare. If you wan...

The idea of food and wine pairing is elusive at best. If you gave five Sommeliers the same dish and a host of wines to pair with the dish, you could very easily get five different suggestions. I know for me, when I pair wine and food, my first ideas usually don't work. Enter Dr. Peter Klosse and his research. If you’ve ever stared at a wine list or picked up a tasting note and thought, “There’s got to be a better way to make sense of all this,” then this episode of Wine Talks is for you. Paul K...

I find her refreshing. I find her intriguing. I find her wise: In wine. Natalie brings to the proverbial table an unabashed view of wine and she will tell you like it is. I have to tell you that having Natalie McLean on the show was one of those times where you know you could just keep talking for hours, and still barely scratch the surface. From the moment she cracked her opening line about starting to drink when she met her husband—"and haven't found a reason to stop"—I knew we were in for a...

This is what is so interesting about the wine trade. It takes a ton of passion to do this, it is hard work and sometimes, without the passion, it just feels like a vanity project. At Caiarosa in Italy, the passion extends from Bordeaux France. I have had the pleasure to sit with the Director of the famed Chateau Giscours, a 2nd growth Bordeaux, and find their story and approach solid, but adventurous. Enter Caiarosa on the west side of Tuscany; a solidly Tuscan winery employing the methodes and...

I have been watching, waiting, watching and waiting again...to talk with Klaas De Jong. He produces some of the most unique and cinematic wine footage in the trade. But it isn't just about the footage, it is the story telling. And he didn't come from the wine side, he is a movie maker who loves wine and he brought the two worlds together. If ever there was a guest who could turn the scrutinizing lens of cinema on a glass of wine, it’s Klaus de Jong—part philosopher, part producer, and entirely ...

She is the worlds preeminent authority on wine fraud. If you weren't even aware that wine fraud exists, if does...in a big way. Wait until you her Maureen's disdain for Rudy Kurniawan, the famed and jailed wine fraudster (he was sent back to Singapore a few years ago), she tells it like she feels it. You might say Maureen Downey has the world’s most expensive palate—and the sharpest magnifying glass for tasting deception in a bottle. If you think wine is just about swirling, sipping, and enjoy...

The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is coming to Yerevan, Armenia. It is a huge feather in the cap of the Armenian wine trade and the story of how and why it landed there is inspiring. Quentin Havaux is the 3rd generation of the fames tasting and judging group and the ascent to international recognition of the CMB is quite organic and humble. The wine trade is unforgiving and requires tenancity and patience. Quentin describes the history of CMB with pure enthusiasm and passion. And the relentless...

He changed everything...without a clue on what can of worms he was going to open. Steven Spurrier, the architect of the Judgement of Paris, checked in with Wine Talks to tell his and it's story. He passed only weeks after. Stephen Spurrier was never just a spectator in the world of wine—he was the host who re-sorted the guest list, rewrote the rules, and decanted a whole new future for California and beyond. In this episode of Wine Talks, you’ll hear firsthand how one Englishman’s curiosity and...

I am proud when I say I was born in Inglewood, California. So were Li and Leslie Jones. When I was 5 or 6 years old, my father would take me to work as I sat and stamped brochures with the name Van Ness Pharmacy. Then the perscription driver would take me to Daniel Freeman Elementary School. I say that with all the reverence in the world for the process; I learned work ethic. When I heard that there was a wine bar that primarily served wines from black owned wineries and was catgering to a fnew...

I watch social daily. I guess we all have to. Besides the interaction with peers, it keeps you aware of what people are thinking and doing. Once you get past the chaf and get to the honest opinions and outlooks, you get folks like Molly Bossardt. I reached out to her to get a glimpse of what she is thinking and doing in our trade. Have a listen. Molly Bassard proves that you don’t have to be born in Napa or Bordeaux to turn the wine world on its digital head. When she launched Bread and Butter...

Relentless in her pursuits would be an understatement because Kerrin Laz is a force of nature. Kerrin is the type of person the wine trade needs...now. She is chock full of energy, a plethora of ideas, and a cavalcade of pathways to get there. She will be on the show again; there were too many subjects we never discussed. Sitting down with Kerrin Laz was like flipping open a well-loved journal and discovering a handful of stories you’d forgotten you needed to hear. There’s a warmth to the East...

She is the real deal. Isis Daniels, The Millenial Somm, can tell it like it is. There is no "fluff"here, just the facts maam. I was taken not only by her level of expertise but also by her ability to convey honest positions with honest feelings; a bit rare in today's social-network society. In other words, this is no AI Somm. When you invite ISIS Daniels, the Millennial Somm herself, into your headphones, you’d best expect more than wine talk—you’re headed for a technicolor journey through bot...

I am a sparkling wine lover. I think sparkling wine should be part of everyones repetoir; not for celebrations...for dinner, for lunch, for anytime. Certainly, one issue with sparkling wine is the price. One of the most popular Champagnes in the world, Veuve Clicquot, is $60.00/bottle! But then you see La Marca sparkling at $14.00/bottle. What is a consumer to do? One conversation with Anna Lopez of Gramora clears it all up. When you meet someone as devoted to their craft as Anna Lopez, you r...

There has been an uptick in wine media. The series "Drops of God" has raised an eyebrow. It has become quite common when I am speaking about wine that someone asks if I have seen the show. I have been horrified by some of the work I have seen on-line and even on an airline. Just when the industry is reevaluating where it needs to go, ghastly footage shows up in the medai...have we no understanding of what the people want to see? Film is story telling...and Chris McGilvray is keenly aware of th...

It is impossible to speak of the wines from Spain...at least the famous ones, without speaking about 1.) the Ribero del Duero and 2.) Vega Sicilia. When Wine Talks was asked to join a lunch at the Berverly Hilton Hotel and sit with Pable Alvarez, we responded with "Yes, please." Pablo Alvarez is the kind of guest who logs 135 days a year circling the globe, sharing bottles and stories that most of us only dream of tasting. You will come away with far more than just a sense of Spanish terroir—yo...

It is crazy interesting to me that a winery as young as Quintus, in such an established and historical area as Saint Emilion, can make such waves when virtually in it's infancy as a winery. Michel Roland (we just lost him), the famed oenologist once told a friend of mine that now that it is established she can grow wine grapes at her vineyard, it will take 100 years to know what it really can do. Enter the Chateau Quintus, a winery in the famed Right Bank Bordeaux appelation; Saint Emilion. T...

When I recorded this episode, Trevor was the Director and Head Winemaker of the famed Beaulieu Vineyards. And, one of the reasons I ventured into a corporate winery podcast, was that very reason. I wanted to peel back the idea of a such an iconic winery becoming corporate and how much the "Board" had to do with the decision making; in other words, can a winery maintain its boutique expression despite having a huge beauracracy working in the background. Trevor Durling is now with Darioush and Na...

Wine is experiential. It is what the industry has to hang its hat on. Each glass needs to conjure up emotion. memories and a sense of being. My father bought his wine shop in 1969 and a started his academic journey to understand and promote wine. He took master slasses before they were masterclasses: German Wine Academy, the Italian Wine Consortium and many more. He was a learner. So when he was telling me a story about one of the most emotional wines he had ever tasted, and how he had waited ...

When one thinks of the "food revolution" of America, a few names show themselves immediately. In that this movement started in California and namely Los Angeles, chefs such as Alice Waters, Jonathan Waxman, Wolfgang Puck, Ken Frank, Michael McCarty greace the list. Not the least of these is Nancy Silverton. A pioneer on not only the savory side of this revolution, but the baking side as well ("as well" might be minimizing her impact, call it "and she put fresh bread baking on the forefront of th...

Let’s dive in with a light-hearted but informative look at this episode of Wine Talks, featuring Jesse Fox and Paul K. We've got the transcript right here, so there’s no need to hold back! This episode is a fun ride through the world of winemaking, food, and hospitality—starting with Jesse Fox's philosophy: "If we would all just pretend like we've done this before, we'd be in a lot better shape." (Classic winemaker wisdom—fake it till you make it, but with grapes.) You’ll hear both speakers tackle big questions like how to keep wine culturally relevant when attention spans are shorter and people are drinking less. Spoiler: It’s not about fancy marketing or wine in pouches (which Paul K finds both amusing and slightly tragic), but rather the magic of real experiences and personal connections. Paul K and Jesse Fox swap stories from their own backgrounds, from working elite kitchens to the tight-knit vibe of Napa Valley wineries. There’s plenty of practical advice, too—like why …

When at Wine Paris, I visited the booths of many countries. Catching up with old friends, and forging new relationships to help move the needle in wine. As I visited the Armenian wine booth, there was a bustle in the air. If there is an old guard in the Armenian wine trade, it would be Vahe Keusguarian. He forged much of what is the modern wine industry there. But before Vahe, there was Karas. In fact, Vahe's first job as he picked up his life and moved to Armenia...was at Karas. At the helm a...