Be Inspired.

Episodes

Breaking Barriers: How Ten Ten Wine Bar Champions Black-Owned Wines
April 30, 2026

Breaking Barriers: How Ten Ten Wine Bar Champions Black-Owned Wines

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 per...
Growing Wine Brands: Digital Strategies and Innovation with Molly Bossardt
April 28, 2026

Growing Wine Brands: Digital Strategies and Innovation with Molly Bossardt

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...
Building Wine Experiences: Kerrin Laz on Napa, Innovation, and Giving Back
April 21, 2026

Building Wine Experiences: Kerrin Laz on Napa, Innovation, and Giving Back

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 path...
Breaking Barriers: Millennials, Diversity, and the Future of Wine with Isis Daniels
April 16, 2026

Breaking Barriers: Millennials, Diversity, and the Future of Wine with Isis Daniels

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 w...
How Time, Terroir, and Biodynamics Shape World-Class Sparkling Wines in Penedès
April 14, 2026

How Time, Terroir, and Biodynamics Shape World-Class Sparkling Wines in Penedès

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 popul...
Independent Filmmaking and Wine: Chris McGilvray on Craft, Passion, and Perseverance
April 7, 2026

Independent Filmmaking and Wine: Chris McGilvray on Craft, Passion, and Perseverance

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...
From Ribera del Duero to Tokaj: The Global Journey of Vega Sicilia With Pablo Alvarez
April 2, 2026

From Ribera del Duero to Tokaj: The Global Journey of Vega Sicilia With Pablo Alvarez

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 si...
Beyond Classification: Château Quintus, Wine Passion, and Reimagining Saint-Émilion’s Legacy: Nils Vaincot
March 26, 2026

Beyond Classification: Château Quintus, Wine Passion, and Reimagining Saint-Émilion’s Legacy: Nils Vaincot

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), ...
From Air Force Dreams to Napa Icons: Trevor Duling’s Unexpected Wine Journey
March 24, 2026

From Air Force Dreams to Napa Icons: Trevor Duling’s Unexpected Wine Journey

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 ide...
Château d’Yquem: Exploring Wine, Noble Rot, and Human Emotion with Lorenzo Pasquini
March 19, 2026

Château d’Yquem: Exploring Wine, Noble Rot, and Human Emotion with Lorenzo Pasquini

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 underst...
Navigating Restaurant Legacies with Nancy Silverton: The Evolution of Dining and Social Media
March 17, 2026

Navigating Restaurant Legacies with Nancy Silverton: The Evolution of Dining and Social Media

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...
From French Laundry to Napa: Jesse Fox on Crafting Experiences and Wine Innovation
March 14, 2026

From French Laundry to Napa: Jesse Fox on Crafting Experiences and Wine Innovation

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…
Ancient Grapes and Modern Wines: Journey of Juliana Del Aquila
March 10, 2026

Ancient Grapes and Modern Wines: Journey of Juliana Del Aquila

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 ...
Inside Bordeaux: Wine, Terroir, and Emotional Experiences with Dominique Arangoits
March 5, 2026

Inside Bordeaux: Wine, Terroir, and Emotional Experiences with Dominique Arangoits

When I visited Paris in 1993, I had been helping my parents sell my grandmothers house. My father said "we are taking you and Sandra to Tour D'Argent." THe whole story for another time. My father spoke French to the Sommelie...
From Bankruptcy to Barefoot: A Journey Through Wine Industry Hard Knocks
March 3, 2026

From Bankruptcy to Barefoot: A Journey Through Wine Industry Hard Knocks

This is a true story. in 1989, Michael Houlihan came to my office. He had a vision of wine brand (the story of why he had a vision is crazy in itself). He wanted to create a wine named Barefoot Cellars. He had found the name ...
From Industrial Vineyards to Artisan Wines: A Conversation on Wine’s True Identity
Feb. 26, 2026

From Industrial Vineyards to Artisan Wines: A Conversation on Wine’s True Identity

In as large as the wine trade is, it is really a small, tight knit industry. It takes a certain love of the lifestyle, the product and the people to survive, or shall I say flourish. I've been following the career and passion...
From Vineyards to AI: How Technology Is Shaping the Future of Wine with Laurent David.
Feb. 24, 2026

From Vineyards to AI: How Technology Is Shaping the Future of Wine with Laurent David.

Wine and tech have had their disagreements. There are pundits on both sides of the fence of tech in wine and when I heard there was a LA Wine Tech booth at Wine Paris, I had to explore. I reached out to the head guy (he doesn...
Wine Talks with Paul Mabray: Navigating the Digital Evolution of the Wine Industry
Feb. 5, 2026

Wine Talks with Paul Mabray: Navigating the Digital Evolution of the Wine Industry

Next week, I am in Paris. And I have the privledge to document the session on "Rethinking The WIne Business." Two of the prominent panel members are Paul Mabray and Priscilla Hennekam. There is a movement in the trade to mix ...
The Evolution of Bordeaux: Old Vines, Climate Change, and the Future of Fine Wine
Jan. 27, 2026

The Evolution of Bordeaux: Old Vines, Climate Change, and the Future of Fine Wine

I have to say that I can pick ém. My love of Bordeaux and the volume of Bordeaux I have tasted has lead me to Chateau Haut Bailly. Under the tootlidge of Veronique Sanders-Van Beek, the winery continues to make great strides ...
From Endless Summer to Carmel Wines: The Creative Journey of Walter Georis
Jan. 20, 2026

From Endless Summer to Carmel Wines: The Creative Journey of Walter Georis

Crazy story. Walter Georis wrote the soundtrack to the iconic surf film, The Endless Summer. With desires to make it big in music, the soundtrack would be their swan song in show business. What happens after, is shear career ...
Romania’s Wine Revival: From Communist Past to International Stage
Jan. 16, 2026

Romania’s Wine Revival: From Communist Past to International Stage

I have been selling direct to the consumer in the wine trade for over 35 years. The industry certainly is not what it was; in some ways, better, in other ways, not so much. I've seen it all...well, at least most of it. The m...
Building Michael Franzese Wines: Samvel Hakobyan’s Immigrant Success Story and Michael Franzese’s Transformation
Jan. 14, 2026

Building Michael Franzese Wines: Samvel Hakobyan’s Immigrant Success Story and Michael Franzese’s Transformation

Wine branding is slow. It is different than other products; more rules, a limited set of consumers, and big brands standing in your way. These are the typical headwinds; unless your Samvel Hakobyan. I am convinced, despite th...
Behind the Scenes at Paris’ Barbecue Championship: Judges, Prizes, and Local Impact
Jan. 8, 2026

Behind the Scenes at Paris’ Barbecue Championship: Judges, Prizes, and Local Impact

Paris.....Texas. The subject to two movies over the years, the most recent a romantic comedy. Listen, folks, this ain't no joke. I can personally attest that BBQ is alive in well in Texas and this day was a Championship Blowo...
Women Leading Armenia’s Wine and Tourism Revolution
Jan. 6, 2026

Women Leading Armenia’s Wine and Tourism Revolution

The wine movement is Armenia is "pedal to the medal." Katie bar the door, no holds barred. As it should be. And leading the helm are some tough no non-sense women. Sisian Boghossian is one of them. Clearly her commitment to h...