Beats Vines and Life

MJ’s guest this week is Chef Michelangelo Wescott. He is the chef and owner of Gypsy Apple Bistro, a French inspired restaurant located in the foothills of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. They were listed as one of Eater’s 38 most important restaurants in New England. Born in Fort Greene, Brooklyn in the early 70s, he and his brother were raised by their parents (both immigrants) in a com...

MJ’s guest this week is Pascaline Lepeltier. Growing up in the Loire Valley and detouring from a master’s in philosophy and a career as a university teacher, Pascaline began her obsession with wine at the two star Michelin-rated L’Auberge Bretonne. Promoted to the position of Beverage Director for the Rouge Tomate flagship in New York, she moved to Manhattan in 2009.  Currently, she is a part...

MJ’s guest this week is Stefan Cartlidge. Stefan comes from an esteemed family of Northern Californian winemakers. His father Tony Cartlidge, co-founded Cartlidge & Browne Winery in Sonoma, CA  in 1980. In 2011, his father sold his share of that winery with a goal to continue working in the wine business but this time with his family. In 2014 his family purchased the 36 acre Dancing Crow...

MJ’s guest this week is one of the world’s foremost authorities on Burgundy and a member of the famed Wasserman family, Paul Wasserman. Paul was just a year old when the Wassermanns moved from Philadelphia to Burgundy. He moved to Los Angeles in 1994 where, because Burgundy was frowned upon at the time, he worked as a sales rep and was eventually hired as the French, German, and Austrian wine buye...

MJ’s guest this week is Eric Asimov. Eric has been the NY Times Chief Wine Critic since 2004 after having covered wine with The Times's tasting panel and in his Tastings column for the Dining section. His weekly column appears in the Food section. He is the author of “How to Love Wine: A Memoir and Manifesto,’’ as well as “Wine With Food: Pairing Notes and Recipes From The New York Times,’’ writte...

MJ’s guest this week is Kerin Auth Bembry. Kerin is co-founder of La Luz Selections based in New York City and LA. A wine broker and veteran in the Spanish wine industry, Kerin has conducted several classes regularly around New York at Murray’s Cheese, the Astor Center and the American Sommelier Association. Kerin has participated many times on the New York Times tasting panel and has been quoted...

MJ’s guest this week is Lyle Railsback. Lyle is co-founder, with his brother Eric, of Railsback Frères Winery in Santa Ynez, California. Named by Wine Enthusiast as a “Top 40 Under 40 Tastemaker”. Lyle did National Sales for legendary Wine Merchant, Kermit Lynch for twelve years. MJ goes deep with Lyle as they discuss the wine, life lessons and of course great bottles that came from working for su...

MJ’s guest this week is Bruno Almeida. Born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal, this rock drummer turned sommelier has worked at legendary NYC restaurants such as Gusto Ristorante, Pao, Inoteca, Corsino, Balaboosta, Locanda Verde and Dirty French. Until the pandemic, he was the Wine Director and Sommelier at iconic Tocqueville. MJ and Bruno discuss the history of colonization and its effect on Portugu...

MJ’s guest this week is Audrey Frick. Audrey worked for famed restaurateur, Bobby Stuckey at Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colorado. She worked her way from the back office and polishing room to the wine team while studying to earn the Advanced Sommelier credential through the Court of Master Sommeliers. She is also a contributing Editor at JebDunnuck.com covering the wines of Italy, specifical...

MJ’s guest this week is John Kapon.  John is the third-generation chairman of Acker, America’s oldest wine merchant, which has sold fine and rare wines since 1820. He led the firm as it became the largest fine and rare wine auction house in the world. A leading fine wine expert and master taster, Kapon is the author of The Compendium: Tasting the World’s Finest Wines (Vol. I), an insider’s gl...

Who would Andre Mack most like to drink a bottle of wine with? What turns Shakera Jones on? James Molesworth’s least favorite word? Amanda McCrossin’s favorite curse word? Jordan Salcito’s favorite sound? (hint, it's adorable!) And will Lee Campbell answer any of these questions for MJ?  This is Before the Pour a super fun BONUS EP that is a mixed tape of candid moments with most of our guest...

MJ’s guest this week is fellow New Jersey native, Madeline Maldonado. Madeline was the manager and sommelier for James Beard Award winning Chef, Jonathan Waxman’s Restaurant, Jams. From there, Eataly called and she served as Beverage Director for a 400+ bottle wine list.  She is currently bringing her journey through beverage, wine, and hospitality as Beverage Director to the fine Italian res...

MJ’s guest this week is Lee Campbell. Lee is an ardent supporter of sustainable vine-farming and traditional, non-interventionist winemaking techniques. After working in some of Washington, D.C. 's and Manhattan’s top culinary and vinous establishments, she hopped the East River to Brooklyn, and became the Wine Director for the Tarlow Restaurant Group - which included Diner, Marlow and Sons, Roman...

MJ’s guest this week is seasoned wine expert, importer and hip hop lover Robert Bohr. Robert runs Grand Cru Selections which is based in NYC and works with some of the most passionate winemakers on the planet. MJ and Robert discuss his journey from a small, working class town in New Jersey to a multi hyphenated success story throughout the wine and restaurant business. These two Jersey natives als...

MJ’s guest this week is Maverick extraordinaire André Mack! André is the former sommelier at Thomas Keller’s world renown restaurant French Laundry. After that he was head sommelier at Keller’s Per Se in New York City. In 2007, André started Maison Noir Wines. He and his wife started & Sons Hospitality Group which includes & Sons Ham Bar, & Sons Buttery and Vyne Yard in Prospect Leffer...

MJ’s guest this week is Jordan Salcito. Jordan is a sommelier and was manager at Eleven Madison Park. Her wine program at Momofuku had been named a James Beard Foundation semifinalist multiple times. In 2017 it was awarded “Most Original Wine List in the World” from World Of Fine Wine . She is the host of the podcast “Opening Up with Jordan Salcito”. Jordan is the Founder of RAMONA, an organic Ita...

MJ’s guest this week is Amanda McCrossin - Amanda is a sommelier, media personality and host of the Wine Access Unfiltered podcast. She is also the creator and host of the IG/ YouTube Channel show SOMMVIVANT. As the former Wine Director at PRESS restaurant in Napa  - Amanda worked with the world’s largest collection of wines from the Napa Valley. She shares her insights from working in the ep...

MJ’s guest this week is Senior Editor at Wine Spectator Magazine, James Molesworth. He’s a lead taster for California Cabernet, France’s Bordeaux and Rhone Valley regions and Port. James is a Negroni aficionado. James gives a first hand account of the California wildfire devastation from his recent trip to Napa Valley. They discuss the benefits of blind tasting, wine scores and why James has...

MJ’s guest is Dustin Wilson, Master Sommelier who is best known for his position as Wine Director of the 3 Michelin-starred restaurant, Eleven Madison Park. MJ has a lively discussion with Dustin about everything from his big decision to leave the restaurant business to an insane 75 wine vertical tastings and the controversies currently facing the Court of Master Sommeliers. So many brilliant wine...

MJ’s guest is Shakera Jones of BlackGirlsDinetoo.com, Somm TV personality and is featured in the upcoming Somm 4 film. This is a must listen as MJ and Shakera discuss how a Michael Jackson Pepsi commercial moment led to her very own show on SOMM TV, her issue with some celebrity wines and why it matters whose palates are considered valid.  They drink champagne, share fried chicken recipes and...

MJ’s guest is Mary Tayor of Mary Taylor Wines. Mary runs a modern day wine import company that is all about bringing broader awareness of the history and culture of incredible European wines to the masses at reasonable prices! They have a lively discussion about everything from her early days as a cheesemonger to her passion for working with small, organic, sustainable growers. There are literary...

Hello! I am MJ Towler aka the Black Wine Guy. Welcome to my podcast.  This is a show for those who thirst. Thirst for greatness in themselves, thirst for knowledge of how to be, live and think better. And those who thirst for that intangible something more  … Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.