Welcome back to another episode of Wine Talks! In today’s conversation, we uncork the fascinating story of Vito La Fata, a man whose winemaking roots are as deep and rich as the vineyards of his Sicilian heritage. With the clink of glasses and the pour of a vintage, Vito takes…
George Walker III, a recipient of the Roots Fund scholarship, shares his incredible journey and the impact it has had on his education and career in the wine industry. The Roots Fund, founded in 2020 by Carlton McCoy, Aikimi Dubeau, and Tahir Habibi, aims to provide opportunities for black individuals…
Always a hoot to catch up with fellow wine podcasters....particularly with MJ. He has coined himself as The Black Wine Guy but wants to rebrand that name to a more appropriate description of what his podcast is about...wine, life, and the pursuit of knowledge.
He calls himself the Black Wine Guy....but never has been too happy with that name. And Wine Talks gets it. MJ Towler has covered virtually all the bases when traversing the wine industry landscape. He has a rounded viewpoint on all things wine. And his take on the plight of…
When you have sold some of the most luxurious brands in the world, what does adding Chateau Angelus to the list mean? Actually, it means quite a bit. Chateau Angelus was awarded Premiere Cru Classee "A" when the Right Bank of Bordeaux began classifications in 1955. This puts the Chateau…
The late, great, George Mardikian was restauranteur extraordinaire, philanthropist, and an inspiration to his family and employees. Hear from his nephew/son Haig Mardikian wine, Ohmar Khayyams, immigration and philanthropy. George Mardikian represents all that is good as an American immigrant. He fled Turkey ahead of the Armenian genocide and made…
The Association of African American Vintners started in 2002 with 4 vintners; now there are over 200 members. Thanks largely to the efforts of Angela McCrae and her associates. Diversity is an important subject in the wine trade. The industry is light on BIPOC and women in the workforce; both…
In the wine trade there is a lot of idle talk. Opinions on the longevity of the industry, opinions of consumerism, opinions of packaging trends...let's face it Wine Talks has it's opinions too. But it takes fortitude to stay the course; pick a philosophy and run with it. Talley Farms…
In 1988, Paul K Sr. featured a Romanian wine in the Original Wine of the Month Club. The wine was Premiat Sauvignon Blanc and was $2.50/bottle on reorder. It was a very nice wine. Turns out, according to Marinela, that wine was purchased from Romania during the USSR rule. Long…
Off the main highway that runs through Napa Valley and specifically through Saint Helena, one can make a hard left turn after passing the cute gas station that doubles as a coffee shop (yes, new meaning to the question "leaded?". Make the next right and travel a block or two…
Chateau Lagrange was in Los Angeles. Matthieu Bordes presiding. On a recent visit to the WIne Talks studios, we caught up with all things Bordeaux. Matthieu considers it a dream job. Maybe "job" isn't the best adjective. When you love to do something and have the passion to do it…
In his new book "Facing the Heat; From my grand mother's kitchen to cooking on the line." Chef Castan has peeks around just about every corner of the chef business. After all, he has worked for some of what would be considered the best restaurants in France to being head…
The Areni Global group is on a mission. They want to protect the flanks of fine wine. What is fine wine? Pauline Vicard defines it here. Areni Global was named after the famed Areni-1 cave found in Aremia; the oldest known in-tact winery ever unearthed. The founding of the group…
Michael Higgins is quite unique in the world of wine. He has published three photo journals on three popular wine-growing regions of the world. Starting in Argentina, he sets out to bring to the readers a comprehensive view of the region, people and wineries. But he adds an important twist…
Unaware he was creating the $3B Direct to Consumer wine industry, Paul Kalemkiarian Sr. explains how the idea evolved and his thoughts on business. In 1969, a time where California wine was barely recognized to the world. a pharmacist who was born in Cairo, bought a liguor store in the…
Just when you thought the Napa Valley was going the way of its French counterparts by steeping itself in the tradition...along comes Jean Charles Boisset. You will be fascinated, intrigued, and dumbfounded. Jean-Charles not only comes from one of the most famed Burgundian families, he married a Gallo. And I…
Paul McSharry wasn't originally destined for the wine business, he had other plans. Let's face it, Ireland is not necessarily the hotbed of the wine culture. Life has a way of redirecting our focus and Paul has bitten off an idea that seems to be resonating with want to be…
The Smithsonian Institute wanted to know about Jerry Eisterhold. So much so, the featured an article on what one might say is a long shot at best. The idea to repropagate vines of yesteryear in America would be fruitless (pun intended). But it is quite the opposite. In this episode,…
Of all the sectors of wine, retail has to be the toughest. Tough meaning you need to understand not only wine, but POS systems, merchandising, event planning, inventory systems, the gift of gab, employee relations, internet marketing, subscription marketing, and many more facets. And Jeff and Kathy did not set…
The Nazis destroyed her parent's Chateau, and she was there to witness. You just know it. Humans have a sense about who and what they are. and when you sit in the presence of pure elegance, pure knowledge, and pure humility, you just know it. Though May-Eliance Lencquesaing spoke for…
Time to set the record straight. Because I have just about had enough. On this episode, I try to lay it all out....get to the root and wax poetic a bit. Wine has a special place in me heart and that didn't happen overnight. It took 35 years for me…
Would you like to end your hangover before it even starts? Would you like to mitigate any symptoms of excessive drinking? Certainly, we have all thought at some point, "I wish there was something to help keep away a hangover!" Have a listen to this. After studying classical art, archeology,…
Despite we might be competitors in the wine club space, Nia brings a bubbly outlook to the world of wine influencers. She has two important features that bring the spotlight to her efforts; she is a woman, and a woman of color; both attributes the wine industry is seeking to…
As much as we aspire for wine to be a romantic beverage that tells a story...and it is, we have to acknowledge that is it business. So you must meet Julien Fayard of Fayard Wines. And there is really good chance you will meet him if you swing into his…