Wine Enthusiast Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 167: Is the Natural Wine Movement at a Crossroads? May 29, 2024

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In this episode, natural wine importer Jenny Lefcourt shares her response to the USDA's new regulations on organic agricultural products and what it may mean for the wine industry moving forward.

With many leaders in the space left in limbo, we can't help but ask:

How have these changes impacted producers small and large?
What does this mean for the organic wine scene and the consumer moving forward?
And are the new regulations really the issue? Or is there a larger problem at hand when it comes to the prioritization and support of wine as an agricultural product?

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Episode 166: Additives in Tequila Are Hugely Controversial. But Do They Really Matter? May 15, 2024

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With so much tequila being poured—and so much potential profit on the table—the debate around how tequila is made and marketed has never been more pointed.

We caught up with spirits reviewer Kara Newman about the ongoing raid and why additives in tequila are so divisive in the first place. Listen as Newman goes deep on additive use in tequila, how branding a product as "additive-free" has the potential to be a powerful marketing tool and why, for some, it's so concerning.

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Episode 165: Can You Enjoy Wine Culture Without Actually Drinking? May 01, 2024

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Anna-Christina Cabrales, Tasting Director at Wine Enthusiast, delves into the world of sobriety in the wine industry with guest Abe Zarate, known as @sober_somm on Instagram. Together, they examine sobriety and explore the idea of enjoying wine culture while abstaining from alcohol, emphasizing that being "sober" can mean different things for different people.

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Episode 164: What Makes a Private-Label Wine? Apr 17, 2024

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What is a private label, exactly? Think Costco's Kirkland; Trader Joe's Charles Shaw, or Two-Buck Chuck; or Target's California Roots. Sometimes these private labels are easy to pick out, while other times they hide in plain sight.

In this episode, Alison Crowe, vice president of winemaking for Plata Wine Partners, a leading private-label producer in the heart of California, gives us the inside scoop on everything from grape sourcing to wine production, marketing, branding and the pros and cons of the category.

Explore more from Plata Wine Partners here.

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Episode 163: Rex Pickett and the Making of Sideways 20 Years Later Apr 03, 2024

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20 years after the release of the award-winning book, Sideaways, author Rex Pickett reflects on its film adaptation and poignant statement against Merlot producers.

Like Miles Raymond, the main character in the book and film, Pickett was an unpublished author living in L.A. and a devoted disciple of Pinot (which he spent hours talking about with Richard Sanford). Listen as he shares how the success of Sideways launched an unexpected journey into the wine world and the creation of a beloved cinema classic.

And before you ask: No Merlot was consumed in the making of this episode.

Shop Pickett's new release, Sideways: New Zealand, and the complete Sideways collection here.

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Episode 162: What's the Difference Between a Wine Cellar, Fridge and Cooler? Mar 19, 2024

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Find out what happens when two wine drinkers with different levels of experience start getting real about wine storage. Discoveries include, but are not limited to: the most expensive custom wine cellar requests, what someone's wine storage says about them and the hardcore facts one needs to know before making any storage solution purchase.

Starring:

The Wine Collector: Marshall Tilden III, DWS, CSW, Wine Enthusiast Chief Revenue & Education Officer
The Casual Wine Drinker: Dara P. Kapoor, Wine Enthusiast VP of Content

Guest appearance by:

The Wine Enthusiast Wine Storage Consultants. They're waiting by the inbox and phone for you!

This interview was also recorded live at Wine Enthusiast headquarters. You can watch it here—and see some of our previous cellar work!

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Episode 161: The Armenian Wine Renaissance Mar 05, 2024

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Armenia is considered one of the birthplaces of winemaking, with archaeological evidence dating back at least 7,000 years. Tragically, the country's wine culture was decimated under Soviet rule. Things finally started changing about a dozen years ago: Today, more than 200 wineries are operating in the country, and their bottles can now be found in markets and restaurants around the United States and Europe.

In this episode, Writer-at-Large Matt Kettmann speaks with two leaders of the Armenian wine renaissance, father-daughter duo Vahe and Aimee Keushgerian. In 2021, the pair also made the first commercial wine from grapes grown in Iran in more than 40 years.

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Episode 160: Want to Work in Wine? Three Successful Winemakers Reveal What it's Really Like Feb 16, 2024

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On the surface, winemakers appear to lead a glamorous, jet-setting life of international travel, fancy wine dinners and a never-ending supply of enviable bottles. But what is it really like to work in wine?

Wine Enthusiast Writer-at-Large Christina Pickard speaks to three well-respected winemakers from Australia and New Zealand on their entry into the industry. Hear from Paul Pujol, whose early experiences include a too-close-for-comfort experience with toxic chemicals; Jenny Dobson, who punched through the glass ceiling to produce her own wine label; and Helen Masters, who improbably scored a gig at a lauded winery, where years later she became the head winemaker.

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Episode 159: The Drinks We're Loving Right Now Feb 06, 2024

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What drinks trends will reign supreme in 2024? To know our future, we must know our past. Wine Enthusiast's Tasting Director, Anna-Christina Cabrales chats with our spirits reviewer and writer-at-large Kara Newman about the important things like: Will the espresso martini fall out of fashion? Will canned wine continue its reign? Find out where they land with year's predictions after a candid round of "Love Its" and "Hate Its" of 2023.

Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.net. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF the original cover price by subscribing to Wine Enthusiast magazine today! FOLLOW US:

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Episode 158: What It's Like to Be a Sober Sommelier Jan 16, 2024

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Can sommeliers be sober? That's a question we sought to answer recently on Wine Enthusiast. As more people reevaluate their relationships with alcohol, so, too, is a growing contingent of wine industry professionals. Many of them—including sommeliers—are choosing sobriety. But what does that look like in practice? Wine Enthusiast's digital managing editor Rachel Tepper Paley talks with sommelier Laura Vidal about challenging the stereotype of what somms should be. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.net. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF the original cover price by subscribing to Wine Enthusiast magazine today! FOLLOW US:

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