Wine Talks with Paul K.

Latest Episodes:

Dr. Gavin Sacks, canned wine and much more. Meet the Dr. forging new ways to package wine. Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

So fascinating. Dr. Gavin Sacks took a momemt from his research and teaching schedule to sit with Wine Talks and discuss the intersection of art, science and the environment as it relates to wine.

We don't think of the academic reqiurements when we disuss wine. Talking wine is usually about swriling and sniffing; maybe a story of the winemaker. We can often get into the weeds on what we taste or sense in a wine. And that might have a whole lot to do with what Dr. Sacks is working on.

The advent of environmental concerns around the carbon footprint of all the packaging we consume on a daily bases has found its way into the wine industry. Dr. Sacks spends his research and class time, experimenting with and teaching the value of alternative wine packaging choices that could reduce the carbon footprint of wine in the future.

Wine Talks was honored and inspired to have Dr. Sacks on the show.

Emilia Nardi is one of a kind. Gracious, elegant and a force of Italian wine women. Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

To sit with Emilia is like sitting with the Queen...but somehow even queen sounds almost diminutive for her role. Makes her sound like she is sitting on a throne handing out directives. Nothing could be further from the truth.

When you visit Napa, you cannot help but be struck by the magnanimous structures and opulent wineries. This is not the case when you drive to Silvio Nardi in Montalcino. Quite the opposite. A 17th century building with understated details houses this humble and elegant winery. Emilia is that too; humble and elegant. After the tour, she sat for lunch and took the time to explain in further detail the history and the vision of Silvio Nardi wines.

Have a listen to this woman of Montalcino.

Port wine is history in a bottle. Rupert Symington and family created some of that history. Oct 26, 2023

Show notes

Port wine is really quite fascinating. It is like history in a bottle. And wine really is about history. This concept all comes together when listening to Rupert Symington of Grahams Port house.

The Symington family has not only seen the best and the worst of being involved with such an important side of the wine industry, they shaped much of how the Portugese wine stage is being played out.

So often we see success in an company and that is all we see. In other words, we are blinded by the perserverance it took to earn the success. Afterall, how would we know the history, the story, the hard times to get to that success. And you know that this tough path exists; nothing comes easy.

Hear the story of near collapse of the Grahams port house and the recovery period that brings us to this podcast. The facility was amazing, the history intrigueing and the wine wildy good.

Enjoy.

From fashion to wine, Alberto gets it. Alberto Moretti Cuseri from Sette Ponti on deck. Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

The world of Tuscan wine is more complicated than it might seem. From a fiasco (straw bottle) of Chianti to the most coveted Brunello Di Montecino's, you can find a diverse and sophisticated genre of wines.

As with most of the world wide wine scene, each family comes to the proverbial wine table with their own story as to what drew them in. In the case of the Moretti family, fashion turned to wine. Having designed and created the shoe line "Car Shoes" the Moretti family was poised to enter the passionate fray of being winemakers. And why not, both industries are not only driven by passion, but a keen marketing sense needs to prevail as well. Once the wine is in the bottle, decisions are made as to who gets access to it and how to make that happen.

Alberto sat with us at the winery to share his interpretation of the past and his vision of the future (he gave us a couple of restaurant recommendations long the way). You will hear some clapping at the end of the show...we had a small audience!

To learn Italian wine, listen to the pro. I speak with Cristina Mariani-May of Banfi Wines Oct 20, 2023

Show notes

What you will learn about the wines of Tuscany and Piemonte will only be out down by what you will learn about the wine life. Raising 3 children while becoming a million miler in the air, Cristina Mariani-May keeps it all together.

I caught up with her in Irvine in the middle of her whirlwind tour of the West Coast promoting the wines of Banfi. She is elegant, engaging and funny all at the same time. And let's not forget her flat out wine knowledge and wine wisdom.

We discuss raising kids, the ethereal wine experience, the challenges of the industry and much more. Had she not had to move from out impromptu studio into a vendor lunch...we could have spoken for another hour.

Have a listen...and learn.

They are Master Somms, married and taking on Aussie wines. Meet Jane Lopes and Jon Ross. Oct 17, 2023

Show notes

Between the two of them, it took 21 years to earn their Master Sommelier status; obviously, no easy task. Lest we forget, while studying for this accolade, one has to earn a living. They met while working at the 2017 Best Restaurant in the World, 11 Madison and it was off to the races between them to carve out a niche in the wine world.

Yes, having the moniker of a Master Sommelier opens doors in the wine and hospitality world, but it takes perseverance to see a need, develop a solution, and execute the solution. In their case, bring the boutique expressive wines of Australia to the table of the American wine consumer.

This task is not for the faint of heart. The myriad of laws in the US is enough to cause hours of head-scratching let alone educating the consumer on the intricacies and geography of Australia. it is what we call in the industry a "hand sell."

You can feel their passion for this project right here.

Clear and articulate about the Italian wine trade. Meet Dr. Cristian Maddalena. Oct 16, 2023

Show notes

We could have spoken for hours. In fact, after I turned off the recording system, he stayed for another 20 minutes wrapping up the previous hour.

With a Ph.D. in history, Cristian is able to add a level of depth to the conversation about wine and its history. Wine is everywhere throughout history and as a matter of academia, represents so much about history, that it is hard to separate one from the other.

When you consider the wine to be a sense of time and place, a background in history would set you apart in the discussion about wine....and you will see...this idea is entirely real.

I know that we will sit again one day and continue where we left off, but as a listener to the podcast, you will find Cristians insight into the origins and story of wine fresh and inspiring.

The wine history you will hear, cannot be written ever again. Meet Arthur de Lencquesaing. Oct 16, 2023

Show notes

This was serendipitous. The fact that Mr. Lencquesaing was in Los Angeles at the very time I began reading his grandmothers book (albeit it very slowly, it is written in French) and that the vendor called and mentioned she was with him...there had to be a reason.

The name "de Lencquesaing" is synonmous with wine. Bordeaux in particular. Madame May-Eliane Lencquesaing is 95 years old but has vivid recollection of the war years if Bordeaux. Her story was partially documented in the book Wine and War by the Kaldstups and now in a more granular form "Les Vendanges d'un Destin: de Bordeaux a l'afrique"

Her grandson, Arthur was not destined to be in the wine trade, he wasn't necessarily drawn to it. It is hard to imagine that resistance exists, but it is the story of many 3rd,4t and 5th generation wine families; but somehow, as with Arthur, they are called back.

Arthur travels the world educating wine consumers on the intracacies of Spanish wine, namely Rioja. He has a love affair with Marques de Murrieta. Certainly his family history rounded his viewpoint on wine and it is eveident through his eyes, the passion involved in representing this winery and famliy.

Have a listen for his French, English, and spanish accent...

Only 3 people in the wine world like him. David Frost is a Master of Wine and a Master Sommelier. Oct 16, 2023

Show notes

There can only be one explanation (maybe two) for someone to want, study, test and pass both the Master of Wine curriculm and the Master Sommelier curriculm. So rare it is that there are only 3 people in the world that have done it. One reason could be the pure academia of them; the study, the knowledge, the challenge to learn more. And another reason is the passion for wine. For David, it is a lot of both.

He is clear, articulate and funny...and maybe a little crazy; after all this study and understanding of the wine industry, he goes off and starts a winery in Walla Walla Washington. Who does this?

But you will here the commitment and passion it takes to do this very thing. Wine Talks is proud to have tracked him down in Washington as they are preparing for harvest.

Have a listen....you will be inspired

Love at first site and other crazy notions about wine. Meet Kenny Kahn. Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

Reading Kenny's website www.bluerockvineyard.com, you will learn that the night he met his wife it was love ar first sight...for him. Tongue tied the rest of the night, the story ends well with solid marriage; let's face it, it would have to be if she stuck around through the creation of a winery.

The story behind Blue Rock winery is storied. You don't just buy a dilapidated farmhouse with a collapsed roof on land that many might have said will never work..but sometimes ignorance is bliss and the Kahn's bought it regardless.

You might think that Kenny and his wife were Californians who had anticipated this lifestyle all along, no, they are from memphis (the hotbed of the American wine trade) and knew little more that barbecue...but had a hankering of fine food.

Have a listen and you too will be mesmerized and inspired by the story.

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