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Videos

Aug. 11, 2025

Inside Bordeaux: Veronique Sanders of Chateau Haut-Bailly on Wine, Legacy, and French Terroir

Prepare to be captivated! In this episode of Wine Talks, host Paul Kalemkiarian takes us on a truly fascinating journey into the heart of Bordeaux’s Graves region with none other than Veronique Sanders, the President and Director of the legendary Château Haut-Bailly. This conversation isn’t just about wine – it’s…

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Aug. 9, 2025

Wine, Culture, and Connections: Behind the Scenes with Paul Kalemkiarian

Lisa Kay, Enology Student and Future Winemaker: Lisa Kay began as a talking points writer for Wine Talks, then pursued enology at Cornell after being inspired by the show’s women winemakers. Her journey led her to a six-week internship at Chateau Aubay in Bordeaux, highlighting wine’s power to foster personal…

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Aug. 6, 2025

How Riedel Wine Glasses Enhance Wine Flavor: Maximilian Riedel Shares Expert Insights

Once I was asked to meet a vendor at a local diner...a diner like the one at the end of the movie Sideways. Complete with amber plastic tumblers. IN walked one of the old-time great wine salesmen with his wares in tow. I must have looked cross-eyed because I was…

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Aug. 1, 2025

Why Wine Pairing Rules Are Made Up Tim Hanni Explains

This is absolutely incredible. During this conversation with Master of Wine Tim Hanni, I had to step back and take a breather. He speaks on such a level about wine and the errors of the industry and packs so much into a single sentence, one must just ask him to…

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July 31, 2025

How Our Past and Culture Influence the Wines We Love

As someone who has spent decades walking among vines, talking with winemakers, and tasting bottles that hold centuries of tradition, I’ve always believed that wine is about so much more than just what’s in your glass. This philosophy is at the heart of our latest Wine Talks episode, ‘Wine Terroir:…

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July 31, 2025

From French Influence to California Innovation: Jason Haas Details Tablas Creek’s Wine Journey

Legacy in the wine trade is not guaranteed. Not every child wants to take on the wine trade. I have many stories of famed children of iconic brands setting out to carve their own path to only lnad back in this passionate business. Jason Haas of Tablas Creek came around…

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July 29, 2025

Chasing Passions and Building Promise Winery: The Journey of Stephen and Jennifer McPherson

wine podcast, Napa Valley, Promise Winery, Paul Kalemkiarian, Stephen McPherson, Jennifer McPherson, wine industry, passion for wine, wine stories, wine tasting, winemaking, entrepreneurial journey, Napa wine, wine business, winery experience, food and wine, wine education, family business, wine culture, artisan wine, wine community

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July 28, 2025

From Executive Desk to 50 Yard Line: Eva Horton's Hidden Cheerleading Life

No one expects a high-powered executive to moonlight as a cheerleader—especially not one with pom-poms stashed next to multi-million dollar portfolios. That’s exactly where Eva Horton flips the script on all of us, as she sits down with Paul Kalemkiarian for a jaw-dropping conversation on Wine Talks. This episode unpacks…

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July 24, 2025

Saving Private Ryan and the True Meaning Behind Every Bottle of Wine

Think about it...Robert Vardanian has. Rob describes wine as the story of a particular place, time, and the people who made it—essentially, each bottle is like a message in a bottle from a unique corner of the world. He draws a fun parallel to a scene in the film "Saving…

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July 22, 2025

How French Medics Smuggled 100,000 Bottles from Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest

I could hardly believe the stories Don and Petie Kladstrup shared on this episode of Wine Talks. There I was, prepping my usual questions about historical bottles and legendary cellars, when suddenly, our conversation took this wild turn—one I never saw coming. It’s not often our guests have me on…

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July 22, 2025

Building Wine Brand Loyalty, Marketing in a Digital Era, and Gen Z with Polly Hammond

Reaching out to Polly to have a chat about coming on Wine Talks, was like a breath of fresh air. Podcasting takes great effort and a conscious effort to be better and to look for guests that can add to the entertainment and education value of the show. I could…

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July 18, 2025

Nixon's Secret Wine A Presidential Story

What does it mean to "pull a Nixon?" when it comes to wine service. We have all done it and now I know what to call it! When you pour one quality level of wine (of liquor for that matter) for your guests and reserve another level of quality for…

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July 17, 2025

Surviving the Wine Business: Kevin O'Leary Reveals the Real Profit Equation

Kevin O’Leary, widely recognized as an investor, quickly learned the tough realities of the wine business. Joking that “the way to become a millionaire in wine is to start as a billionaire,” he discovered firsthand how challenging the industry could be. In North America, an astonishing 97% of wine sells…

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July 17, 2025

Why the Wine Industry Must Change | Susan Kostrzewa on Hospitality, DTC, and Gen Z Consumers

Susan Kostrwava knows the wine industry like few others—after all, when she talks about effective messaging, wine authenticity, and the power of experience, it’s with the insight of someone who shaped the narratives at Wine Enthusiast and now crafts strategy for brands craving a new audience. In this episode, you’ll…

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July 17, 2025

#1 Bill Laimbeer's Unexpected Words After Winning! Hear them from John Salley

A few years ago, I had NBA star John Salley in the house. We had some great laughs and the story telling was incredible. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you mix NBA championship rings, vegan wine, and a dash of Inglewood nostalgia, this episode is for you! Host…

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July 16, 2025

Consistent Social Media The Secret to Marketing Success

Here Madeline Puckett compares social marketing as going to the gym. I get her point in that there is a baseline to stay fit as there is a baseline in social to stay active.

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July 14, 2025

Armenian Wine Gets 93 Points from James Suckling | Zara Winery’s Story of Passion & Innovation

Sometimes life is about timing. Just as I was inquiring about the wine of an Armenian wine maker, I received an email from a gentleman thanking me for the inquiry, and that he happens to be in LA...and would love to sit for a podcast. I was floored. When Vahagn…

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July 14, 2025

Wine Professional vs Wine Lover What's the Difference #winetalks

What better way to define a wine professional versus a wine lover than to hear it from Pierre Olivier Clouet of Chateau Cheval Blanc. Pierre Olivier Clouet is the kind of winemaker whose energy is so palpable, you half expect him to vivify the vines just by striding through the…

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July 14, 2025

Napa Cabernet Reinvented: Kellum Vineyards’ Ron Nicholsen on Releasing Decade-Old Wines

At a recent Cabernet Sauvignon tasting in Los Angeles at the famed Republique restaurant, I spied this cool cat pouring off some aged wines. In that I fancy myself as a off-beat jacket guy, I had to engage Ron as to the provenance of not his wines, but of his…

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July 14, 2025

Why Wine Isn’t Just a Drink: Entheogens, Passion & Purpose with Ross Halleck

Despite being the son of a pharmacist turned wine professional, I did not know the purpose of an Entheogen. Ross Halleck set me straight,so much so, that after defining an entheogen, the value of the consumption of wine became clearer. Ross Halleck doesn’t just make wine—he might just ask you…

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July 10, 2025

Judgment of Paris Winemaker’s Daughter Reveals the Soul of Napa | Violet Grgich Interview

Proper winemaking takes humility. It takes a story. It takes risk. And I guess risk is relative. when you come from nothing or next to nothing and you plot a path and execute a path, that comes from and takes humility. Mike Grgich landed in Saint Helena with $32 dollars…

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July 8, 2025

Unlocking the Emotional Language of Wine: Why Tasting Is More Than Flavors | Wine Talks Reel

Stephanie Morton-Small doesn’t just pour wine—he pours a brand new philosophy into the glass. You will come away from this episode seeing wine, not merely as a world of flavor notes and technical jargon, but as a profound and very human emotional experience. Through a lively exploration, our guest debunks…

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July 4, 2025

Ask Ara Zada: Sage & Acorns How Animal Diets Affect Their Flavor!

And and I know what that animal's been eating So like let's say we go to sage country and the uh deer are all eating sage I like to cook some sage in- How interesting Like if you do a white-tailed deer that doesn't really eat sage you know they're…

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July 4, 2025

Ara Zada Reveals How French Cooking Techniques Transform Middle Eastern Dishes

Chef Ara Zada joins us for a flavorful discussion on how classical French cooking techniques can elevate traditional Middle Eastern dishes. In this clip, Ara explains the art of layering flavors—starting with aromatics like mirepoix, onions, garlic, and sofrito—and how integrating these elements into your cooking liquid enhances not just…

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