Wine Talks with Paul K.

Latest Episodes:

Wines from Sardegna? Yes, please. Meet Antonella Mancini & Claudio Salvador of Cantina Pedres Jun 20, 2022

Show notes

The wines of Sardinia have always fascinated me. The savory character from the Mediterranean Sea, the wild varietals and the neighboring islands all combine to create unusual wines of character that cannot be duplicated anywhere on earth.

Antonella Mancini and Claudio Salvador, a husband and wife team, have combined their talents to bring to the US a line up of Sardinian wines that make you stop and think after each taste.

The conversation takes many turns to stitch together an inspiring story of wine from Mediterranean.

I was told when I inked Antonella that she was stunning…and she was, in her wine story telling as well as her Italian good looks.

Have a listen.

Bulgarian wine? Yes, and here is how that happens. Meet Robert Hayk and Anush Gharibyan O'Connor Jun 15, 2022

Show notes

Wine in itself represents history. And wine from the caucus states have had wine for 1000's of years…and Bulgaria is no exception.

I taste 100's of wine each month and I went back to see how many Bulgarian wines I had tasted since I started using a database to keep track…..8 prior to these Rough Day versions.

Roberto Hayk had a vision and a dream to bring a new world version of an old world place to America…and Rough Day wines are here! Such an interesting story and true thought and passion have gone into these wines and the value is through the roof.

I sat with Robert and his US Ambassador and Armenian Somm, Anush Gharibyan O'Connor.

Since 1859, there has been Maison Louis Jadot. Learn the story from David Stephan Jun 09, 2022

Show notes

Learning about Burgundy wines feels like rocket science...but the more you hear from people like David Stephan who live it everyday, the more you begin to decipher the code.

Having worked in New York for over 16 years, David has a unique perspective on wine in America and Burgundy France.

Maison Louis Jadot is one of the great negociants of Burgundy wine and has also acquired Chateau along the way to make a balanced approach to representing wines of the region. M

My personal fascination in the wine biz is Burgundy....so I am thrilled to have David studio to try and gleen more nuances of the wines and region.

Have a listen.

Sicilian wines are the bomb. Hear why from Donnafugata's Giovanni Masucci. Jun 07, 2022

Show notes

Understanding the wine of Sicily are not as complicated as Italian wines in general. They are fascinating non the same and my intrigue is always around the grapes most associated with Sicily; Cattarato, Inzolia, Nero d'avola, Grillo and my favorite Nerello Mascalese.

In my opinion, the intrigue of Sicilian wines comes from two primary sources. The soil and the Mediterranean sea. The soils are diverse but the volcanic soil of Mount Etna adds such a complexity to the wines that they keep you asking for more. The Mediterranean Sea provides an amazing savory character that can only come from on-shore winds.

Have a listen to Giovanni Masucci or Donnafugata wines.

Pio Cesare is a mainstay of all wines Nebbiolo (and more). Meet Cesare Benvenuto Jun 03, 2022

Show notes

Wine is about the story. And this is one interesting story.

In 1981, my father featured the 1977 Pio Cesare Dolcetto d'Alba. 41 years later, the great nephew of the founder visited with the current line-up from Pio Cesare...and did he get emotional when I presented him with an original copy of my fathers newsletter from 1980.

These an other stories is what separates wine from all other beverages. It is like history in a glass that is waiting to be explored through the senses.

Piemonte in the north west of Italy is rife with history and stories. The famed region, like most Italian wine regions, plays host to local grapes that flourish in various terroir. Each terroir contributes something different to the complexity of the wine.

Pio Cesare is a stalwart of the area and produces some of the most elegant wines in the region.

Join me on a fabulous podcast with great nephew Cesare Benevenuto.

Learn Burgundy From The Family Albert Bichot. Meet Matthieu Mangenot Jun 01, 2022

Show notes

The Albert Bichot winery in Beaune France dates back to the 13th Century. I would consider that a fair amount of experience in what one might consider the most coveted wine region in the world.

Burgundy is complicated on the surface. It seems to require some semblance of the french language and certainly a resaonable understanding of the concept of terroir. But what does simplify it a bit, and the difference between Burgundy and Bordeaux is only one red grape is allowed to be grown there....Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir is considered to be a conduit to the soil. And this is what makes the region so fanscinating....neoghboring vineyards, with the same faming and wine making techniques can produce such differeing wines.

Hear from Matthieu Mangenot of Albert Bichot.

Tenuta Carretta Is Pure Piemonte. Meet Enzo Argesta. May 19, 2022

Show notes

Want to learn about Piemonte and the home of Nebbiolo? Pull up a chair and have a listen.

Piemonte is in the top two appellations for wine production in Italy…naturally, there is Tuscany and its darling grape Sangiovese and then there is Piemonte. To me, Piemonte is bit more complicated than Tuscany, but the Piedmontese are just as proud and stubborn as the Tuscans.

It has taken awhile for me to appreciate the complexities of Nebbiolo, particularly with the nuances of the appellations buried deep into the landscape.

If you are anywhere near Milan, a quick 1.5 hour drive could land you in the middle of this prolific wine country and take you back 100's of years.

Learn what makes it such a special place in the world of wine and the passionate history that one assumes when growing grapes and making wine there.

Who You Know In Napa Is Important. Just ask Jamey Whetstone May 18, 2022

Show notes

You will learn that sometimes that who you know can help....like that is a stretch. I always tell my kids..."after what you know, it is who you know" and the reason I say that is evident in this podcast with Jamie Whetstone.

As if coming from South Carolina to be in hospitality in the Napa Valley wasn't taking enough of a life risk, Jamie Whetstone found the lifestyle of wine so intriguing, he switched gears to venture into wine making.

His latest venture is Fresh Vine wines....wines of celebrities Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough. The latest segment of the wine market are low carb and low sugar wines; wines that have a perceived health value. As well, Jamie is making wines under his own brand; Whetstone Cellars.

Come on this journey with me...he is quite articulate and wise with all things wine.

This is one important woman in wine. Intriguing. Meet Nicole Rolet May 12, 2022

Show notes

Virtually every response that Nicole gave during this podcast, taught me something. She is the human expression of the moment we all decide that we want to spend the rest of our lives pursuing the knowledge of wine.

And I don't mean this to be a "wine geek" moment. The motivation to do what she does comes from passion and no matter what endeavors you take on in life, you can learn from this conversation.

As she sat in cafe with a frenchman who was describing his dream to be in the wine business and particularly in the Cotes Du Rhone... something clicked, something moved her to give up her investment banker career and run with the dream of this total stranger. Who does that? Only a well heeled and driven woman.

Join Nicole and I on an intellectual conversation about wine and life (the intellectual part was tough for me).

One of the great LA wine celebrities; always a laugh. Meet Ed Masciana May 10, 2022

Show notes

Learn from Ed. Ed Masciana is one of the great wine personalities in Los Angeles. Author of the book Shortcuts on Wine, lecturer, taster, winemaker and disrupter, Ed has worked in all aspects of this great industry.

You will find satisfactorily annoying, truly entertaining, and mostly really knowledgeable about wine.

When I was working in my fathers wine shop in the '70's, I met Ed as he was trying to sell my father space in the local newspaper. A novice to wine, Ed got the wine bug hanging out at Palos Verdes Wines and Spirits and he and my father organized tastings, dinners and the local chapters of Les Amis Du Vin together.

Have a listen to some good ol wine humor.

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