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:

New Sensation! How Jane Lopes and Jonathan Ross are championing a whole different side of Australian wines. May 17, 2021

Show notes

MJ’s guest this week is Jane Lopes and Jonathan Ross, the creators of LEGEND Imports. Jane and Jonathan share a combined six years of work in Australia’s most renowned restaurants, and nearly 40 years in the wine industry. Jane has worked at many prestigious restaurants and bars, such as The Violet Hour (Chicago), The Catbird Seat (Nashville), Eleven Madison Park (New York) and Attica (Melbourne).

In 2018, Jane passed the Master Sommelier exam, becoming one of only 35 women in the world to do so.

Jonathan was a member of the award-winning wine team at Eleven Madison Park starting in 2012, and held the title of Head Sommelier from 2015. In Australia, Jonathan took on the role of Beverage Director for the premium restaurants of the world-renowned Rockpool Group.

In 2020, Jane and Jonathan returned to the U.S. and started LEGEND Imports, a new wine import and wholesale company that brings the very best of Australian wine to the American market.

MJ dives deeper into the artisanal Australian wine scene during his conversation with Jane and Jonathan, including the sampling of a 100 year old Port by Seppeltsfield that was absolutely gob smacking delicious!

Grab a glass, pop a cork and get cozy for this one folks.

A huge thank you to Jane Lopes and Jonathan Ross!

Follow LEGEND Imports on IG @auswinelegends

Discover LEGEND Imports producers and partners at: https://legendaustralia.com/

This episode’s in studio wine:

2012 Henskens Rankin of Tasmania

1920 Seppeltsfield Centennial Collection

___________________________________________________________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 Wine Spies! Get a discount for being a listener of the show by going to: www.winespies.com/blackwineguy

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.

BONUS EPISODE: Co- Interview with the Fine Line Podcast: Balancing Hedonism and Health May 07, 2021

Show notes

If you follow MJ on IG you know that he is all about balancing wine with wellness. When Lisabeth Danneels & Emily Gold of the Fine Line Podcast: Balancing Hedonism and Health reached out to chat he was all in! In this convo you'll learn even more about MJ and his unique path to wine podcasting. The ladies and MJ share great hacks for staying fit and healthy while living your best wine loving life. ENJOY!

Check out their podcast https://anchor.fm/finelinepodcast

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

Anything Goes When it Comes to Mo’s cuz Soil Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy. Robert Dentice’s (aka Soil Pimp) Epic German Love Story. May 03, 2021

Show notes

MJ’s guest today is German wine lover, expert, avid vinyl fanatic and best known to listeners by his IG handle Soil Pimp, Robert Dentice. When not toiling away during the day financing Biotech companies he can frequently be found visiting the world’s greatest vineyards and winemakers - particularly in Germany. His wine collection is primarily focused on Germany and could easily be one of the largest and deepest collections of German wine in the U.S. Robert formed Source | Material to share and awaken fellow wine lovers to all that is German viticulture. MJ gets the inside scoop on all the things that bring Robert joy - playlists, wine pairings and epic tasting parties. Robert’s in studio wine choices - all three bottles - sets the stage for this epic master class in German wines.

A huge thank you to Robert Dentice!

Follow him on IG @soilpimp

Learn, discover and purchase world class, curated German wines at: https://sourcematerialwine.com/

Follow them on IG @sourcematerialwine

This episode’s in studio wine:

Keller

G-Max

Riesling, 2015

Stein

Weihwasser

Riesling Feinherb, 2019

Fritz Ekkehard Huff

Nierstein, 2019

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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 Wine Spies! Get a discount for being a listener of the show by going to: www.winespies.com/blackwineguy

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.

Straight From Crooklyn: From Ft. Greene to St. Martin. The Incredible Journey of Chef Michelangelo Wescott. Apr 26, 2021

Show notes

MJ’s guest this week is Chef Michelangelo Wescott. He is the chef and owner of Gypsy Apple Bistro, a French inspired restaurant located in the foothills of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. They were listed as one of Eater’s 38 most important restaurants in New England. Born in Fort Greene, Brooklyn in the early 70s, he and his brother were raised by their parents (both immigrants) in a community surrounded by food culture. In 2016 he overcame a battle with stomach cancer and is currently on a major upswing from a rare tick-bourne blood infection. Chef and MJ have been friends for years. In this lively, overdue reunion they discuss everything from Chef’s beginnings in Fort Greene, BK to his many cooking jobs and the often larger than life characters that have shaped his career. There is passionate, real talk about racism, bingeable Hulu recommendations and inspirational tales of triumph over adversity. So “do the right thing” and take a listen!

A huge thank you to Chef Wescott!

Follow him on IG @chefwescott

Check out his acclaimed restaurant Gypsy Apple Bistro at: https://www.gypsyapplebistro.com/

Follow Gypsy Apple Bistro @gypsyapplebistro

This episode’s in studio wine:

Robert Biale Vineyards

Zinfandel

Black Chicken

Napa Valley, 2007

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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 Wine Spies! Get a discount for being a listener of the show by going to: www.winespies.com/blackwineguy

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.

A Beautiful Mind! Deconstructing the Language of Tasting with Celebrated French Sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier Apr 19, 2021

Show notes

MJ’s guest this week is Pascaline Lepeltier. Growing up in the Loire Valley and detouring from a master’s in philosophy and a career as a university teacher, Pascaline began her obsession with wine at the two star Michelin-rated L’Auberge Bretonne. Promoted to the position of Beverage Director for the Rouge Tomate flagship in New York, she moved to Manhattan in 2009. Currently, she is a partner with David Lillie in Racines NYC, one of the top wine destinations in the US. She oversees a 2000+ wine list focusing on “vins de vignerons”, mostly organic, biodynamic and natural. Pascaline and MJ discuss everything from the virtues of hybrid grape farming in Vermont to her desire to pair wine and foods that have matching “energy” rather than flavor and structure. Wine and Philosophy class is session in, so take a seat!

A huge thank you to Pascaline Lepeltier!

Follow her on IG @pascalinelepeltier

Check out the marvelous offerings at: racinesny.com

Follow Racines NY @racines_ny

This episode’s in studio wine:

La Gargista

2017 Cybelle

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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 Acker Wines! Listeners of the show will receive $25 off purchases of $100 or more with code BWG25 at checkout. (Retail store only)

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.

Styles Upon Styles Upon Styles is What I Have - You Want to Dis the Zin But You Still Don’t Know the Half! Co-Owner of Dancing Crow Vineyards, Stefan Cartlidge on the Magic of Lake County Wines. Apr 09, 2021

Show notes

MJ’s guest this week is Stefan Cartlidge. Stefan comes from an esteemed family of Northern Californian winemakers. His father Tony Cartlidge, co-founded Cartlidge & Browne Winery in Sonoma, CA in 1980. In 2011, his father sold his share of that winery with a goal to continue working in the wine business but this time with his family. In 2014 his family purchased the 36 acre Dancing Crow Winery. After several years in Northern California, Stefan now represents the family’s wines on the East Coast. MJ is blown away by the Dancing Crow bottles shared in the studio. Stefan breaks down what makes Lake County and it’s Kelsey Bench AVA so special for winemakers. They also get into Dancing Crow’s delicious 2018 Zinfandel and why the user generated wine apps often totally miss the mark on this one (and many other good wines as well!). Get comfy for this one - it’s got plenty of insider low down to up your wine game.

A huge thank you to Stefan Cartlidge!

Follow him on IG @oats_n_haydn

Follow Dancing Crow Vineyards on IG @dancingcrowvineyards

Discover and purchase Dancing Crow Wines at: https://dancingcrow.com/

This episode’s in studio wine:

Lake County Rose 2020

Old Stake 1901 Vineyard

Kelsey Bench, Lake County 2018

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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 Wine Spies! Get a discount for being a listener of the show by going to: www.winespies.com/blackwineguy

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.

Beaune Thugs and Burgundy. A Candid Conversation with Burgundy Expert Paul Wasserman. Mar 29, 2021

Show notes

MJ’s guest this week is one of the world’s foremost authorities on Burgundy and a member of the famed Wasserman family, Paul Wasserman. Paul was just a year old when the Wassermanns moved from Philadelphia to Burgundy. He moved to Los Angeles in 1994 where, because Burgundy was frowned upon at the time, he worked as a sales rep and was eventually hired as the French, German, and Austrian wine buyer for Woodland Hills Wine Company. It was there, he became known as one of the country’s foremost specialists in French and German wines. Paul returned to the family business in 2012. In this episode, he shares his unique stories of growing up in Burgundy, surrounded by wine and winemakers. He recalls the good, bad and ugly moments he spent with the infamous wine counterfeiter, Rudy Kurniawan. And you’ll get the inside scoop on what is exciting him in Burgundy right now. Grab a glass, this episode is not to be missed!

A huge thank you to Paul Wasserman!

Follow him on IG @paulbwasserman

Discover and purchase their catalog of wines at : https://www.beckywasserman.com/

Follow them on IG @beckywasserman.co

This episode’s in studio wine:

Domaine des Croix

Beaune Les Cents Vignes

Premier Cru 2017

Domaine Danjou Banessy

Cotes Catalanes

2018

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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 Wine Spies! Get a discount for being a listener of the show by going to: www.winespies.com/blackwineguy

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 Times They Are A-Changin’. The New York Times Wine Critic, Eric Asimov’s Life as a Literary Oenophile. Mar 22, 2021

Show notes

MJ’s guest this week is Eric Asimov. Eric has been the NY Times Chief Wine Critic since 2004 after having covered wine with The Times's tasting panel and in his Tastings column for the Dining section. His weekly column appears in the Food section. He is the author of “How to Love Wine: A Memoir and Manifesto,’’ as well as “Wine With Food: Pairing Notes and Recipes From The New York Times,’’ written with recipes by Florence Fabricant. Since creating the 25 under $25 column in the Times in 1992 Eric has been a passionate voice celebrating often overlooked-by-the-mainstream cuisines and wines with his readers. Eric shares colorful stories from his early career in journalism up to the recent backstory behind one of his more controversial columns re: supermarket wines. This episode is full of magic from a true New York icon, do not miss.

A huge thank you to Eric Asimov!

Follow him on IG @ericasimov

Read his columns: The Pour and Wine School + additional writings at: https://www.nytimes.com/

This episode’s in studio wine:

Durst 2017

Portugieser

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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 Acker Wines! Listeners of the show will receive $25 off purchases of $100 or more with code WINEGUY25 at checkout. (Retail store only)

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.

Then She Did … Spanish Wine Expert and La Luz Selections Co-Founder, Kerin Auth Bembry’s Ritual de lo Habitual Unpacked. Mar 15, 2021

Show notes

MJ’s guest this week is Kerin Auth Bembry. Kerin is co-founder of La Luz Selections based in New York City and LA. A wine broker and veteran in the Spanish wine industry, Kerin has conducted several classes regularly around New York at Murray’s Cheese, the Astor Center and the American Sommelier Association. Kerin has participated many times on the New York Times tasting panel and has been quoted in other magazines such as Wine and Spirits, Fine Cooking and Culture. MJ and Kerin go off the rails in this incredible interview that only just skims the surface of the exquisite rich history of Spanish and Portuguese wines. With a combined 50 visits to both countries, Kerin knows a thing or two and is here to share her passion with MJ. Grab a glass, pop a cork and get cozy for this one folks.

A huge thank you to Kerin Auth Bembry!

Follow La Luz Selections on IG @laluzselections

Discover La Luz Selections producers and partners at: https://www.laluzselections.com/

This episode’s in studio wine:

Blanc D’Orto Brisat

La casilla

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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 Wine Spies! Get a discount for being a listener of the show by going to: www.winespies.com/blackwineguy

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_

From our supporter: The Conaway Fund (a component fund of The Prosperity Foundation) supports cultural and heritage events, scholarships, mentoring programs and more. Go to https://www.theconawayfund.org/ and see how you can donate and make a difference in underserved communities.

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

Here. There and Everywhere. Celebrated Wine Expert and True Renaissance Man Lyle Railsback Discusses the Art of Looking Where Others Are Not. Feb 26, 2021

Show notes

MJ’s guest this week is Lyle Railsback. Lyle is co-founder, with his brother Eric, of Railsback Frères Winery in Santa Ynez, California. Named by Wine Enthusiast as a “Top 40 Under 40 Tastemaker”. Lyle did National Sales for legendary Wine Merchant, Kermit Lynch for twelve years. MJ goes deep with Lyle as they discuss the wine, life lessons and of course great bottles that came from working for such an icon. There is much to geek out on in this episode including a discussion about “the grapes of the future” Counoise. A true Renaissance man, Lyle shares his passion for craftsmanship of all kinds, but especially bespoke clothing which has led to a new business venture, creating 1970’s Hollywood inspired cowboy shirts. The freshness is real in this episode.

A huge thank you to Lyle Railsback!

Follow him on IG @lylerailsback

Follow Railsback Frères on IG @railsbackfreres

Discover and purchase Railsback Frères wines at: https://www.railsbackfreres.com/

This episode’s in studio wine:

Les Matheny

Vin Jaune 2012

The Cheese: 24 month old Comte