Arts
**Beats Vines and Life**

MJ Towler aka the Black Wine Guy went from a totally obsessed wine newbie to the world’s first-ever African-American fine and rare wine auctioneer in less than 3 years.

These days, he is a podcaster and journalist who travels the globe, having conversations with the movers, shakers, and disruptors in the worlds of food, wine, music, and more.

This show pairs his passion for complex, interesting wines with complex, interesting guests. These are deep thinkers and Mavericks talking about their passions, life lessons, and inspirations – while drinking a bottle of something listeners will definitely want to savor for themselves.

Sit back, listen, learn, and laugh. This is Beats Vines and Life.

For more information and exclusive content, go to beatsvinesandlife.com

Follow MJ on IG

@blackwineguy

@beatsvinesandlife

Podcast produced by Marvin J. Towler

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latest Episodes:

Go Your Own Way: Diane Carpenter on Somms, Streaming, and Clonal Selection Mar 21, 2022

Show notes

MJ’s guest today is owner of Ross Knoll Vineyard, Co-founder and Board Member for SommTV, and executive producer for SOMM Films, Diane Carpenter. In 2017 Diane and her husband David of 34 years cultivated their own vineyard in Sonoma County, California and planted 3000 Calera Clone Pinot Noir vines. Two years later, Diane and her colleagues created SommTV, where Diane has been an Executive Producer on Somm: Into the Bottle and SOMM 3. Diane is also Co-Founder and Board Member of Forgotten Man Films, where they produce the ongoing SOMM series.

In this episode, MJ and Diane discuss her upbringing in England, meeting her husband, and moving to America. Diane details her journey through wine, from the glass that sparked her passion to getting her hands dirty in wine country for the first time to starting SommTV. She shares how she has balanced raising a family and pursuing a career.

A huge thank you to Diane Carpenter!

Check out her website and join her mailing list: www.dianecarpenter.org

Follow her on IG at @yourwinestylist

This episode’s in studio wine:

2020 Ross Knoll Rose Cuvee Chelsea

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For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy

Thank you to our sponsor: Taub Family Selections. Taub Family Selections is a dynamic fourth generation, family-owned wine import company with a truly enviable portfolio of fine wines from 11 countries. They are proud to represent an exceptional portfolio of high quality, terroir centric and historic producers from around the world, including Italy and France - where they have an exciting roster of burgeoning vignerons from Burgundy coming your way soon.

Learn more at www.taubfamilyselections.com

Thank you to our sponsor: Independence Wine and Spirits - or IWS. IWS is one of the hot up and coming distributors of fine wines and spirits headquartered in New York City. Like Taub Family Selections, IWS is owned by the Taub family, who have re-entered the NY wholesale market, bringing the family back to its roots in distribution where they held court from 1951 – 2004.

To learn more about IWS go to: https://independencewine.com

Thank you to our sponsor: Ross Knoll Vineyard Wines is a female owned company which produces handcrafted wines with winemaker, Justin Seidenfeld, made from Pinot Noir grapes sourced from exceptional vineyards in the Russian River Valley.

Go to rossknollvineyard.com and join their waitlist for the 2021 vintage Pinot Noir which will be released early 2022.

Thank you to our sponsor: SOMM TV. SOMM TV is a streaming network focused on the world of wine, food, and travel. Many call it the "Netflix" of wine & food!

Use code MJ60 at checkout and get your first year of SOMM TV at 60% off! That's only $20 for the whole year!

Checkout Link: http://watch.sommtv.com/checkout?code=mj60&plan=yearly

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Desperately Seeking Sharon: The Art of Pop Culture and Wine Mar 14, 2022

Show notes

MJ’s guest today is radio and music industry powerhouse, Sharon Dastur. Sharon served as SVP of Programming for the World Famous iHeartRadio’s Z100 New York radio station for 20 years. She is 1 of 5 people that have held this position in the history of the station, and the only woman. She has transformed brands, created popular culture, and has helped guide the careers of some of the biggest artists in the world including Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry, Jonas Brothers, Ariana Grande and more. She has won accolades across the entertainment industry including the prestigious annual Billboard Women in Music List (for the last 10 years), ELLE Magazine’s Women in Music Power List and Women in Music: The 50 Most Powerful Executives in the Industry, just to name a few.

In this episode, MJ and Sharon discuss her childhood in Texas and her early beginnings as an intern at her favorite local radio station in Houston. Sharon shares how she went on to become a top leader in the music industry. She talks about her first forays into wine; from early tasting events to what she calls her “New York City Wine Crew.” She and MJ discuss their love for wine, and their love for learning more about wine every day!

A huge thank you to Sharon Dastur!

Follow her on IG at @sharondastur and @thegrapegram

This episode’s in studio wine:

2019 Sea Smoke Sta Rita Hills Sea Smoke Estate Vineyard - Chardonnay

2020 Raen - Cuvée Royal St. Robert Sonoma Coast - Pinot Noir

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Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers!

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy

Learn more at www.taubfamilyselections.com

To learn more about IWS go to: https://independencewine.com

Go to rossknollvineyard.com and discover their rare production of 2021 vintage Mount Eden White Pinot Noir and 2021 vintage Rosé of 667.

Join their waitlist for the 2021 vintage Pinot Noir which will be released early 2022.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From F’s and D’s to NFT’s: Gary Vee on the convergence of wine and blockchain technology Mar 07, 2022

Show notes

MJ’s Guest today is a serial entrepreneur, wine critic, author, social media mogul, the Chairman of VaynerX, the CEO of VaynerMedia and the Creator & CEO of VeeFriends, and self-proclaimed future owner of the NY Jets, Gary Vaynerchuk. Known as “Gary Vee,” he is considered one of the leading global minds on what’s next in culture,relevance and the internet. He is a prolific angel investor with early investments in companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Venmo, Snapchat, Coinbase and Uber.

On this episode, MJ and Gary discuss the importance of educating yourself on your passion, his early career in wine, how NFTs and the blockchain will intersect and disrupt the wine business, and turning your life around at any age.

A huge thank you to Gary Vaynerchuk!

Follow him on Twitter and IG at @garyvee

Check out his website: https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/

Take part in the conversation with Gary at garyvee.com/discord

This episode’s in studio wine:

2015 Domaine Jean-louis Chave L'Hermitage

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Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers!

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy

Learn more at www.taubfamilyselections.com

To learn more about IWS go to: https://independencewine.com

Ross Knoll Vineyard Wines focus on select Mount Eden, Calera and 667 clones of Pinot Noir.

Go to rossknollvineyard.com and discover their rare production of 2021 vintage Mount Eden White Pinot Noir and 2021 vintage Rosé of 667.

Join their waitlist for the 2021 vintage Pinot Noir which presently is aging in barrels and will be released early 2022.

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media.

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Winemakers Series: Featuring Eva Reh of Domaine Bertagna Mar 04, 2022

Show notes

MJ’s Guest today is the Owner-Manager of Domaine Bertagna, in Nuit-Saints-Georges, France, Eva Reh. Coming from a family of winegrowers in the Moselle valley in Germany, Eva Reh grew up in the vineyards discovering a love for the land and a passion for wine passed down from one generation to another.

Her family’s wine love story began after World War II with Eva's grandfather who bought wine in bulk from Burgundy. Being a Francophile and lover of great wines, in 1954 he acquired his first vines Chambolle Musigny-Village in Burgundy. In 1982, Eva's father had the opportunity to own Domaine Bertagna in Vougeot.

In this episode we learn how Eva, the youngest of her five siblings, came to run Domaine Bertagna. She will share the story of her early years, wanting to run off to live in Paris, but how the lure and passion to build upon her family's legacy in France was too great to ignore. In true pioneer spirit, Eva shares how she managed to work alongside her father while also paving her own way as a woman in wine in the 1980’s.

A huge thank you to Eva Reh!

Follow Domaine Bertagna on IG at @domaine_bertagna

Learn more about the wine and winemakers at: https://en.domainebertagna.com/

This episode’s in studio wine:

2017 Bertagna Hautes Côtes de Nuits Blanc

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To order your bottles of 2017 & 2018 Bertagna Hautes Côtes de Nuits Blanc from Domain Bertagna text Eva 351-444-WINE (351-444-9463).

You will instantly get a text back with the details about the wine, price, shipping, all of it!

After that, just sit back, relax and know that this hidden gem is on its way.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not Your Average Joe: A Conversation About Music, Wine, and Life with Joe Bembry Feb 28, 2022

Show notes

MJ’s Guest today is Joe Bembry, Owner of56 Degree Wine. Joe came to the wine biz from a deep love of all things vinous. He graduated from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust’s Advanced Certificate with Distinction in 2003 and subsequently began his wine career as the opening Wine Director of 56 Degree Wine in 2004. Joe has also worked on the wholesale side of the business, when in 2012 he left 56 Degree Wine and began representing the great portfolios of Juan Prieto Wines, BNP and Grand Cru Selections. Returning to 56 Degree Wine in 2014 as President & General manager, Joe has now become the outright owner of the store as of January 2021.

Joe has been a consultant to hundreds of private clients and has been hired as a featured speaker for many corporations like Wells Fargo, JP Morgan, Sullivan & Cromwell, Bank of America and many others. Traveling to Europe over 30 times to visit various wine regions, he has made over 15 trips to Burgundy, his favorite region. An avid golfer and 30+ year professional musician, he is the father of two and husband to Kerin Auth Bembry of La Luz Selections.

In this episode MJ and Joe discuss the early days of Joe’s music career, his band Hyperactive, and his eventual foray into wine. From Joe’s first glass of Pinot Noir (he used to only drink white) to owning 56 Degree Wine, Joe tells the story of his journey in the wine business.

A huge thank you to Joe Bembry!

Follow 56 Degree Wine on IG at: @56wine

Follow Joe Bembry on IG at: @lemonstreduvin

Check out 56 Degree Wine at: https://www.56degreewine.com/

This episode’s in studio wines:

2012 Domaine Bzikot Bourgogne Blanc
2010 Domaine Joseph Voillot Volnay 1er Cru Les Champans

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Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers!

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy

Learn more at www.taubfamilyselections.com

To learn more about IWS go to: https://independencewine.com

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media.

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Winemakers Series: Featuring Piero Mastroberardino of the Mastroberardino Winery Estate Feb 25, 2022

Show notes

MJ’s Guest today is the President, Owner-Manager of the Mastroberardino winery estate Piero Mastroberardino. Piero is the tenth generation to run the Mastroberardino family winery, the oldest winery in the Campania region. Piero took over the winery after his father Antonio, a leader of modern winemaking in Italy and instrumental in preserving the ancient native varieties of the Campania region, retired in 2005.

Piero is a true scholar of his family’s history and shares many incredible stories - including one from the early 1920’s which involves the Mastroberardino wines, pirates, a ransom and the famous Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio! MJ and Piero discuss the importance of developing new ways to farm while also preserving the legacy and winemaking style of his father. This conversation is an exploration and celebration of The Mastroberardino family who have lived in the socio-cultural context of wine for over two centuries.

A huge thank you to Piero Mastroberardino!

Follow him on IG @pieromastroberardino

Follow Mastroberardino Winery on IG at @mastroberardinowinery

Learn more about the wine and winemakers at: www.mastroberardino.com

This episode’s in studio wine:

2016 Radici Taurasi DOCG

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To to order your bottles of 2016 Radici Taurasi DOCG from Mastroberardino in Campania, Italy

Simply text: PIERO (74736) to 351-444-WINE (351-444-9463) that's PIERO (74736) 351-444-WINE

You will instantly get a text back with the details about the wine, price, shipping, all of it!

After that, just sit back, relax and know that this hidden gem is on its way.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Love By The Glass: Dottie and John's True Life Love Story Feb 14, 2022

Show notes

This week’s guests are American journalists, authors, and wine critics, Dorothy J. Gaiter (Dottie) and John Brecher. They are the wife and husband duo who jointly wrote the successful Wall Street Journal wine column "Tastings" and created the beloved “Open That Bottle Night.” Dottie and John both began their careers at the Miami Herald, meeting each other at 9am on their first day there: June 4th, 1973. It was love at first sight, they have said. Since then, Dottie has worked at The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. John has worked at Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg News. They’re also authors of books on wine, including Love by the Glass: Tasting Notes from a Marriage (2003), Wine for Every Day and Every Occasion (2004) and several editions of The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine. They’ve appeared regularly on TV, from Martha Stewart to the Today Show. Currently, they are senior editors at Grape Collective and co-author of the bi-weekly column; Love by the Glass.

Dottie, John, and MJ talk about everything from Dottie and John’s love story, to their career, to the evolution of their love for wine. Dottie shares how she went from writing about race to writing about wine, and what it’s been like to be a Black woman in the wine industry. John talks about the first bottle of wine they ever shared and the first case of wine he ever bought.

A huge thank you to Dottie Gaiter and John Brecher!

Follow Dottie and John on IG @dottieandjohn and on Facebook and Twitter @winecouple, and check out their column at www.grapecollective.com.

This episode’s in studio wines:

2018 Camins 2 Dream Sta. Rita Hills Syrah Spear Vineyard

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Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers!

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy

Learn more at www.taubfamilyselections.com

To learn more about IWS go to: https://independencewine.com

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media.

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Cheers To Rob Long Feb 07, 2022

Show notes

This week’s guest was executive producer and writer for the Emmy Award-winning TV series “Cheers,” a published author, co-founder of the podcast network Ricochet and host of the weekly podcast, Martini Shot, Rob Long. A graduate from Yale University, Rob also spent two years studying at UCLA School of Film, Theater and Television. Rob began his career writing and producing TV's long-running series, "Cheers," and served as co-executive producer in its final season. During his time on, “Cheers,” the show received two Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe awards. Rob has been twice nominated for an Emmy Award, and has received a Writers Guild of America award. Rob’s podcast network Ricochet, garners 4 to 5 million downloads per month! He writes regularly for The Washington Examiner and Commentary Magazine, and has been a Contributing Editor at National Review since 1993. Rob’s most recent book, Bigly: Donald Trump in Verse, is a comical string of Trump’s most popular quotes arranged in poetry form! He serves as co-president on the Board of Directors of My Friend’s Place, an agency for homeless teens in Hollywood and is on the board of the American Cinema Foundation. Rob is also an active and passionate member of the Southern Foodways Alliance.

Rob and MJ discuss everything from New Haven pizza and fried donuts, writing and producing Cheers, behind the scene stories from Fraser and Friends to vapers and reality TV. This is a trip down memory lane. Buckle up and enjoy the ride. Cheers!

A huge thank you to Rob Long!

Follow Rob on IG at @rcbl

Check out Rob’s Martini Shot podcast at https://martinishotpodcast.com.

This episode’s in studio wine:

1998 Cos D'Estournel

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Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers!

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy

Learn more at www.taubfamilyselections.com

To learn more about IWS go to: https://independencewine.com

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media.

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Midnight Train to Georgia: Lisa Granik's Marvelous Mission To Master of Wine Jan 31, 2022

Show notes

This week’s guest is Recently named as one of “the 50 most influential women in the wine trade,” and as “a leading woman in wine,” Lisa Granik MW entered the field following an earlier career as a lawyer and law professor. Having worked in wine production, retail, import and distribution channels, she has worked with both small and large wholesalers and importers around the United States. Her writings on wine have appeared in publications such as Sommelier Journal, The World of Fine Wine, and The New York Times. Lisa became a Master of Wine in 2006. She has a BS and MS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, a JD from Georgetown, her LL.M and doctorate from Yale Law School.

Lisa and MJ discuss her unconventional path to becoming a Master of Wine, imposter syndrome, how wine is like people, where to get the best steak in Philly, Lisa’s time in the Soviet Union, and why she left litigation behind.

A huge thank you to Lisa Granik

Follow Lisa on IG at @lisagranikmw

For more information, check out Tastingworks website at http://granikmw.com/

This episode’s in studio wines:

Kapistoni Tavkveri
Kapistoni Chinebuli
Zulal Areni Vayots Dzor

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Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers!

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy

Learn more at www.taubfamilyselections.com

To learn more about IWS go to: https://independencewine.com

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media.

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Still Sippin'...Still Trippin' Jeff Porter Pt. 2 Jan 24, 2022

Show notes

MJ’s guest is seasoned sommelier, wine educator and founder of Volcanic Selections, Jeff Porter. Jeff has been featured in numerous major food and wine publications, such as The New York Times, Los Angeles Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Eater and The Financial Times. Jeff’s sommelier career began in Napa Valley, where he worked at Tra Vigne Ristorante in St. Helena. He joined the Bastianich Hospitality Group in 2009 at Osteria Mozza under the auspice of James Beard Award winning chef Nancy Silverton.

Jeff is back! On this week’s episode, he and MJ talk all about turning a passion for wine into a successful career. Jeff details making the move from LA to NYC, and the differences in wine culture that he discovered once he arrived. Jeff shares about the process of making Sip Trip, his web series about wine life and culture that aims to show anyone can get be passionate about wine. He reflects on starting an import and distribution business just before the pandemic hit, and opens up about what’s next for him and his business.

A huge thank you to Jeff Porter!

Follow him on IG @jeffporterwine

Check out Volcanic Selections

https://volcanicselections.com/

Follow them on IG @volcanicselections

This episode’s in studio wine: 2019 Natte Valley Stellenbosch Cinsault

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Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers and wine drinkers!

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy

Thank you to our sponsor: Paso Robles Wine Country. Paso Robles is a region with so many diverse microclimates that allows for a stunning array of grapes to thrive in. It’s made up of over 200 family-owned wineries, making a beautiful variety of wines.

Learn more at https://pasowine.com/

Tune in to their podcast Where the Wine Takes You - which explores the people, places and wines of Paso Robles Wine Country!

https://pasowine.com/where-wine-takes-you/

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media.

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.