Wine Face

It's not goodbye... it's more like a case of see you later! With great thought and some sadness, I have decided to suspend the production of Wine Face. I do believe in my heart that it will come back in another form in the future. It has given me so much joy to talk to amazing people and educate people about wine. It's a special world and I am grateful to have existed in it. Talk to everyone...

When I was in Austin, Texas for Dear Media IRL — my friend Pia Baroncini took me to an incredible restaurant and I was just blown away by the space, the service model, and the wonderful co-owners, Arjav Ezekiel and his wife Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel. So when I got the call Arjav was in LA, I had to get him on the podcast to talk about his vision for Birdie's, his hospitality philosophy, and his...

The gorgeous Mediterranean coastline of Liguria, Italy isn't just one of the most special places on the planet. It's one of the most intricate wine regions in the galaxy. The grapes are hand-picked, the approach is natural, and the terroir is... daunting to say the least. Let's talk about my dream trip to the region and which winemakers I want to meet when I visit. Hosted and Execut...

I am thrilled to sit down with the head winemaker for the iconic Abruzzo winery — Emidio Pepe. Chiara Pepe is following in her iconic grandfather’s footsteps in innovative farming and OG naturalistic wine making techniques. every time we stock Emidio Pepe in Helen's Wines, we sell out. That's how incredible their biodynamic, hand-harvested, and perfectly aged wine really is!!!  Hosted and Exe...

We’re digging back through the Wine Face episode cellar to revisit a few of my favorites — like this one: It's time to get to know France one step at a time- starting now! A twenty-minute crash course into the primary wine-making regions in France that you need to know and loads of juicy tidbits about each place. Get jiggy with it & BONJOUR!! Hosted and Executive Produced by Helen Johannesen....

Every person should know what Loom in Los Angeles is because it's genius and should know Erica Chidi Cohen who is the co-founder and CEO. It's about women's health but there is information for everyone. I invited Erica to come talk about Wine & Women & Wine & Sex & Wine & Your Partner. It's lit. We talk all about Bear skin rug wines. I brought three wines to discuss but sadly o...

We’re digging back through the Wine Face episode cellar to revisit a few of my favorites — like this one: Wines from the Jura in France are unique and absolutely their own. The style and traditions, grape varietals, flavors, and energy in the bottle are amazing. I was lucky to go a few months ago and here is a little 411 intro takeaway for your mind’s eye! Hosted and Executive Produced by Helen Jo...

We’re digging back through the Wine Face episode cellar to revisit a few of my favorites — like this one: Jon Gray from Ghetto Gastro came by the studio to talk about his Bronx-based food collective Ghetto Gastro which is taking the world by storm. We tasted through some fall entertaining wines, talked about growing up in New York, swapped ideas  &  explored his extensive travel note...

Ryan Bailey is a real deal somm. He’s a Boss Somm. He’s a business, man. But also: a businessman. From the living in the Bay Area, to doing wine tastings in Sonoma with a fake ID, opening some serious restaurants in New York with real wine chops, to being head somm of the Nomad, sorry mic drop! He is now partnered in the Michellin-starred restaurant Kato here in Los Angeles where reserva...

Is it just me or is everyone in Sicily this summer? Well, whether you are there or not — you can drink like you are. Let’s talk about Sicily’s growing regions, flavor profiles, and my favorite recommendations. Hosted and Executive Produced by Helen Johannesen. Produced by  Dear Media . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#d...

When a Topanga Canyon shaman told Rocky Xu to stop drinking coffee during the pandemic, who knew it would have been the catalyst for a whole new life purpose? Since then Rocky Xu has been developing and perfecting his new matcha brand, Rocky’s Matcha. And the overlap between wine terroir and matcha terroir is fascinating! So today, we’re tasting outrageous matcha and diving deep into exactly how t...

Loria Stern is here to help us all start our flower-eating journey. I have known Loria for years and have watched her take foraging and edible flower cookies to an insane level. Her amazing edible flower food business is the first of its kind. And you can order from her website, pick up her cookbook, and even catch her on Shark Tank getting a deal! But today’s wine and flower tasting is just divin...

Crafting the perfect wine list is a creative endeavor that I don’t always look forward to but damn, does it feel good when it’s done. Let’s talk about deciding what to put on the list, how to design it, and the philosophy of ‘less is more’. Hosted and Executive Produced by Helen Johannesen. Produced by  Dear Media . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at h...

When I was visiting Austin, Texas a few weeks ago, the greatest meal I had was at Nixta Taqueria . So I had to get Nixta’s co-owner & operator Sara on the show to talk about the James Beard Award-winning restaurant’s minimalist approach to wine lists, her Persian background, the magical Oaxacan corn & farmers they support, and how she and her husband are serving some of Austin’s greatest n...

We are geeking out on a perfect summer wine but really, it's great all four seasons. But because rosé is so popular, sometimes it gets overlooked when we’re talking about exceptional winemaking. I’m here to break down just how the pressing process works, what your rosé's tint means, and all the ways a great bottle can blow your mind.  Check out our rosé selection over at Helen's Wines . Hosted and...

Geologist Brenna Quigley and I are talking terroir. This is a super deep dive into the science of winemaking and how we have rocks, soil, and Mother Earth to thank for the dynamic textures and flavors of wine. Hosted and Executive Produced by Helen Johannesen. Produced by Dear Media . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-...

I am super into Alpine wines these days, dare I say a hot trend this summer? I sure hope so! Alpine refers to the elevation these wines are grown at — making them fresh, and bright, and those reds are light, light, light. And that’s what I want in the warmer weather. So, let’s break down the countries growing this insane high-elevation wine and how to best enjoy a bottle. Helen’s Alpine recommenda...

Juliana might be the coolest person I know. Is she LA's IT Girl? I think so. She's a creative director. But beyond that she is style, she is grace, she is taste and she is STANDARDS! She's had her hands in so many major brands and trends that we can't even know about it because she's humble like that. She’s insanely smart, talented, well-read, and has a lust for life that is inspiring. Featured Wi...

We’re being wine-trend psychics today. Maybe setting some new trends right here in this very podcast. What’s hot? What’s not? And what pairs best with your spring vegetables? Hosted and Executive Produced by Helen Johannesen. Produced by Dear Media . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Top Chef and Food Network’s ‘Tournament of Champions’ alum and mastermind behind LA’s Playa Provisions, Brooke Williamson is in the studio! We’re talking about the many avenues her career has traveled down and how she’s now making wine. She really does it all, y’all! Featured wine: Jolie-Laide, Rancho Coda, California, Gamay, 2022 Hosted and Executive Produced by Helen Johannesen. Produced by Dear...

Today, we are being wine psychics and predicting the new drink of summer. And I’m being bold and saying it’s this beautiful, orangey-copper Italian wine, Ramato. Now, Ramato is not the varietal, but instead, the method of winemaking used on Pinot Grigio grapes only . It’s crushable, Instagrammable, and ready for its moment!   Hosted and Executive Produced by Helen Johannesen. Produced by Dear Medi...

When Justin Pichetrungsi took over his father’s Sherman Oaks Thai restaurant — the family’s casual approach to service and ambiance became a breeding ground for Justin’s creativity to push Thai food into new realms. And in 2022, Anajak Thai was named Best Restaurant by the Los Angeles Times and Justin made Food and Wine Magazine’s Best New Chef’s list. But this is still only the beginning. Let’s t...

I don’t talk a lot about my personal life in my work but today, we are diving deep into building my career and how it harmonizes with my life as a mother. Let’s talk hospitality, marriage, divorce, parenting, and what it has meant to me to do it all. Hosted and Executive Produced by Helen Johannesen. Produced by Dear Media . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy No...

How did designer Jon Buscemi go from sneakers to sandwiches, to delicious wine collabs? Jon is a mental mentor for me and a dear friend. So when he collaborated with the iconic California Winemaker Chad Melville — I knew it was going to be great.  Check out Helen's Wines' current red-burgundy offerings here. Hosted and Executive Produced by Helen Johannesen. Produced by Dear Media . See Privacy Po...

Orange wine is one of the latest wine trends — and with good reason! This skin-contact white wine is full of texture, flavor, and history. Let’s break down how it’s made, what the color means, and which varietals make the best orange wine. Oh, and word to the wise, let’s stop calling orange wine ‘funky.’ Head to helenswines.com to check out which orange wines we're recommending. Hosted and Executi...