Wine Talks with Paul K.

Latest Episodes:

Literally wine royalty, meet Patrick d'Aulan. Sep 27, 2022

Show notes

His family started the famed Champagne house Piper-Heidseick in 1789...meet Parirck d'Aulan of Alta Vista winery in Argentina.

You will learn French history, Champagne history, cultural history, and the incredible wine movement in Argentina.

Argentina has amazing terroir that is just now being discovered as the vineyards head up the Andes. Vineyard designate wines are becoming a movement in the Argentinian wine industry and it is clearly successful in expanding the mystique of these wines.

Patrick followed his dad's advice and took up looking for premium vineyard land in the Uco Valley. They struck proverbial gold in finding vineyards with vines over 100 years old.

Have a listen to the passion and history of Patrick d'Aulan.

Wine Influencer from Lithuania?! You bet, meet Urté. Sep 19, 2022

Show notes

This was fascinating….not only are their wine influencers in Lithuania, the food and wine culture is quickly growing and becoming European. Urté saw the need for wine and food eductions in her native Lithuania. The Soviet era stifled food creativity and clearly corralled wine production. In fact, during the Soviet era, each country had its role in the production of various alcohol products. Lithuania didn't get much of the action and the food and wine culture was depressed.

Now, with their new found freedom, avenues for food and wine appreciation are exploding. Urté began studying the value of proper wine service and food pairing and is now doing a turn away business as a consultant.

Have a listen….she is quite compelling.

Medical Professor turned Japanese beverage expert. Meet Stephen Lyman Sep 19, 2022

Show notes

A young man gives up his profession in the medical field to become the worlds leading expert on Sochu (Japanese distilled beverage). In this episode, you will learn about Sochu, Japanese Whiskey, Grappa, Koji mold, Saki, and more.

Stephen Lyman is on an exciting journey as he now lives in Japan and travels introducing the world to the wonderment of not only Sochu...but all types of Japanese beverages.

He also has an affinity for fine Bordeaux.

This is one fantastic conversation.

Have a listen.

Filmmaker turned wine educator. Meet Federica Zanghirella. Sep 15, 2022

Show notes

Learn what Enogastronomy is... a new word for me too!

It happens to all of us. We can point to a time in our lives when our head was turned toward a career in wine. Federica is no exception. Hear the story from Federica as she was chasing a career in film and oops, caught the wine bug.

Now the VP of the UK Sommelier Association, Federica lectures and shares her passion for wine through tastings and food pairings.

She has a keen outlook on the trade of wine and the teaching of the value of a great glass of wine.

Have a listen.

She is a lyricist and she is VP at Finca Decero. Meet Steph Morton Small Sep 07, 2022

Show notes

Stephanie Morton Small write music; not the notes but they lyrics. Oh, and she is the VP of a compelling winery in Argentina; Finca Decero.

One theme that comes out of Wine Talks is the value of international experience in not only making wine but marketing wine. The passion that comes from these cross country experiences only further solidifies the mystique and intrigue the business of wine brings.

Stephanie Morton Small has worked around the world in some of the great wine districts; Bordeaux, South Australia, Aix de Provence and more.

Interestingly, she has landed in Argentina. Tasting Tuesday at the WIOMC has always been a temperature gauge as to what is happening on the street in the wine business of Los Angeles. If Tuesday is any indication of the popularity of wines at the moment, Argentina is hot right now. And for good reason.

The wines of Finca Decero seem to transcend the norm. They seem to break our of the mold and have created a complexity and terroir that I have not seen before.

Enjoy this conversation with Stephanie Morton Small.

He moved from France to Oregon to make wine. Why? Meet Guilliaume Large Aug 25, 2022

Show notes

The famed Burgundy house, Maison Louis Jadot became enamoured with the idea to start operations in Oregon (considered prince Pinot Noir and Chardonnay land). Since 1988, McMinnville college has been playing host to the International Pinot Noir Festival (we attended in 1989).

In those days, there were only a handful of wineries and driving the wine trail in the Williamette Valley, you would find sporadic at best, vineyards to visit. Now, the industry is flourishing and the Resonance Vineyard is part of that success.

It takes a certain passionate person to up root a family to come to the US to make wine. You must be all-in and ready to make a difference to the wine world. Guillaume Large is one of these types.

Hear him here.

His mother was the first woman in wine in Argentina. Meet Jose Lovaglio Balbo Aug 23, 2022

Show notes

The women in wine movement is in full swing. The influx of women to the various enology schools throughout the world is prolific. But Susana Balbo had to forge her own way. Not only is Argentina a patriarchal society, the wine industry was that much more.

It was a natural that Jose, her son, would enter into the family fray but he too needed to make his own mark. After attending UC Davis for viticulture and enology, he returned to Argentina to refine his craft. A short stint at another family owned winery, Jose made his way to the family business in 2011.

Since he has learned the nuances of Mendoza and the many micro-climates throughout the region. He started his own brand. Vaglio, in 2012 to experiment with freedom.

Have a listen to his trek.

Does the wine glass really matter? Oh, yes, meet Maximilian Riedel - World Leading Wine Glass Maker Aug 18, 2022

Show notes

You should hear his reaction when I mentioned the tasting glass we use at the Wine of the Month Club!

Riedel, The Wine Glass Company, is synergistic with fine wine and the proper glassware to enhance the experience. Wine is experiential and the glass matters. Listen to the passion of Maximilian Riedel, 11th generation glass maker and CEO of Riedel Glassware.

The glass matters, and he will tell you why. It is fairly obvious to sense that drinking a fine wine from a plastic amber tumbler in a diner can't match the experience of tasting a wine in fine Austrian crystal in a fine restaurant. It seems as though there would be two different wines when tasting side by side. Hear why this is and get it from the man himself.

Riedel was founded in 1756, 11 generations ago, to create fine glassware. Today, Riedel is the leading authority on varietal specific glassware. The story is fascinating.

She left her day job for wine. Meet Georgie Fenn - Wine Influencer Aug 16, 2022

Show notes

The kind of story you only read about; when she started receiving more emails regarding her passion (wine) than her job, the clues were obvious: Quite your day job.

Georgie Jenn taught me a new term; drink out of your comfort zone. I supposed one could take that as a quasi insult..."who is she to tell me what I am drinking" but in reality. it is great approach and descriptor of most wine drinking habits.: We drink what we know and are reluctant to try other things. It is so true. I see it everyday in my wine shop. In fact, I have been crafting new approaches to explain wine to folks to peak their interest in trying them.

Georgies approach is very conversational and her writing conveys a developed sense of trust. You want to believe her when she promotes a Rose or an Albarino. Her travels solidify her reference point on these the wines she touts.

Have a listen to a very interesting wine education and influencer.

She is a pistol. What a warm and interesting conversation. Meet Ryan Kemp of Adelaida Vineyards Aug 11, 2022

Show notes

You are going to be intrigued by her personality and wit. Meet Ryan Kemp of Adelaida Vineyards.

Adelaida Vineyards is set a vineyard one might consider historical in Paso Robles. HMR was an early force in getting Paso on the radar and the Adelaida has proudly accepted the torch. It is no wonder they are gaining traction with the likes of Ryan Kemp in the winery.

Once dreaming of coming to California to be in the film industry, Ryan quickly found her calling in wine. After working a harvest at Eberle, she decided to abandon the Hollywood dream and attack a career in wine.

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