Bottled in China: A Wine & Food Podcast

China’s wine industry is fast paced and always evolving. Today we speak with Alberto Fernandez, General Manager of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa at Familia Torres about his 20 year wine journey in China.  Originally from Barcelona, Spain, Alberto developed a curiosity and passion for wine during his time in Australia. He moved to China in 2000 and was appointed GM at one of the pioneering w...

Can a computer taste wine better than a wine expert?   Today we speak with Katerina Axelsson, Founder & CEO of Tastry, to discuss how technology is refining the way we analyze wines by training a computer how to taste.   Axelsson also shares with us how Tastry’s technology helps wineries use data to identify the wines that will perform best in market.   Tastry is a sensory sciences company that us...

China has its own social media and e-commerce ecosystem. Say goodbye to Facebook and Instagram and hello to WeChat, Douyin and Weibo. Today we’ll be breaking down all you need to know about Wechat and sharing how you can connect with customers in China. Thomas Graziani is a WalktheChat co-founder, WeChat E-commerce & CRM specialist, and WeChat consultant. WalktheChat is a cross-border e-commerce p...

The importance of digital marketing in the wine industry has become significantly highlighted with Covid restrictions preventing in person gathering, as has the lag in the industry of really investing in the digital side of business. But where do most wine brands fall short in their digital marketing efforts and infrastructure?  Shem Swerkes is an innovative thought leader in e-commerce for the wi...

Turn down that busy jazz, in this podcast we discuss how music influences our perception on the structure of a wine. In today’s podcast we speak with Jo Burzynska, Australasia-based wine journalist, author, judge, and multisensory artist and researcher. She is the author of Wine Class: All you need to know about wine in New Zealand and editor of Risonanze di Vino: Exploring the Sensory Terroir of...

In part two of our Ningxia coverage, Christelle discusses why Chinese wines are so expensive. We discover that high taxes on imported winemaking tools and incredibly low yields contribute to higher cost of production.  Christelle Chene is the International Affairs Director at Xige Estate. Xige Estate is one of the most exciting new wine projects in China’s Northwest wine region: Ningxia. After man...

Christelle Chene is the International Affairs Director at Xige Estate. Xige Estate is one of the most exciting new wine projects in China’s Northwest wine region: Ningxia. After many years working for French wine producers as Brand Ambassador and Sales Director in China, Christelle decided to join Xige Estate.   Recently established in 2019, Xige Estate is a new and modern winery with over 1300 he...

Today I will be speaking with Andrew Adams from Wine Vines Analytics. Wine Vines Analytics is one of the most trusted sources for the latest wine data. Each month, they release an in-depth publication called the Wine Analytics Report, which focuses on key trends and insights in the U.S. wine industry. Wine Vines Analytics maintains the most accurate and comprehensive database of North American win...

How difficult is it to navigate cross border state shipments throughout the USA? The answer, very difficult!   Today Alex Koral, Senior Regulatory Counsel at Sovos helps us breakdown everything you need to know about compliance in the  US wine industry. In this podcast we give you an overview about the three tier alcohol system in the USA, we discuss how wineries can stay compliant while growing t...

Vinventions is the most comprehensive provider of wine closure solutions worldwide, and helps wineries and retailers ensure their wines present as intended, delight the consumer, and succeed in the marketplace.  Vinventions strives to provide sustainable, high-performance products, and it's brands span every major closure category. Vinventions’ is committed to sustainability and reducing impact, a...

What if you could finally discover all you need to know about a wine from scanning its label? On this episode we’ll be discussing how Winerytale is bringing consumers on a journey to the winery  Dave Chaffey is the Founding Partner of Winerytale and joins us today to discuss his innovative augmented reality startup in the wine industry. Winerytale promises to change the way we experience wine - th...

During COVID, China’s wine market quickly pivoted to e-commerce while that of South Africa came to a halt. Currently, South Africa has banned the sale and export of alcohol in the country. In this podcast, we speak with Cassidy Dart MW regarding what is happening first hand in these two polarizing wine markets.   Originally from South Africa, Cassidy Dart is a Master of Wine who is currently based...

Amber Xu is leading the bean to bar revolution in China. She imports the finest chocolates from around the world to the Chinese market. Today, she sits down to discusses what the Chinese chocolate market is really like.   Amber Xu is a IICCT level 2 and the Founder of Shanghai ChocBar Trading Co. Ltd. She is the first Bean-To-Bar blogger in China, where you can follow her on  “巧盒ChocBar”.    If...

Set to open to the public in mid-2020, World of Wine will be a massive cultural complex with a collection of experiences dedicated to the history and development of the industries that have shaped the city and region – including wine, cork and fashion and design.   Expected to attract over 1 million visits each year, World of Wine will incorporate a series of museums, restaurants, artisan and hand...

Step aside brunch, dinner is here to take over as your favourite meal of the day.   Today we speak with cooking instructor, recipe developer, and cookbook writer Molly Stevens about her new cooking book.   All About Dinner: Simple Meals, Expert Advice, was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award, was one of The Atlantic’s Top 5 Cookbooks of 2019, and was a finalist in the IACP 2020 Cookbook A...

In this podcast we discuss how one couple is crafting their Gin to express China through locally sourced botanicals and ingredients.   Helena Kidacka and David Munoz are am expat couple living in Shanghai. In 2017, upon a trip back to her homeland of England, Helena noticed a huge resurgence in the craft gin scene. David, who having worked in the spirits industry for years, and was not one to miss...

Cha McCoy is the Founder of Cha Squared LLC, a consulting company with a focus on tourism, gastronomy, and hospitality experiences as well as wine education and training.   Cha is known for connecting and democratizing the wine industry. She hosts various events online and offline where she brings together wine experts to discuss wine regions and food unique food pairings.   In this podcast we dis...

"Chicken" nuggets or "cream" cheese made from a petri dish? We recently had the opportunity to chat with Thomas Jonas, the CEO &  Co-Founder of revolutionizing food company Nature's Fynd. In this podcast we discuss how they discovered a fungus based protein-rich microorganism in one of the hidden geothermal springs of Yellowstone. Find out more at https://www.naturesfynd.com/   Bottled in China br...

As we continue our discussion about Entomophagy, we speak with Josh Galt about his philosophy regarding health and nutrition.  Josh is a health advocate who shares his experience living off a vegan and insect diet, a term he coined as “Entovegan”.  In this podcast he helps us break down the idea of  Entomophagy, and the many environmental and health benefits associated with eating insects. We also...

Baia’s Wine is a small family winery in Obcha Village in Georgia. Today we speak with sisters Baia and Gvantsa Abuladze, fourth-generation winemakers who grew up on the family farm. In this podcast we discuss their winemaking philosophy from skin contact white wines, maturing wines in qvevris and farming according to the cycles of the moon.    Georgia has a long winemaking history and many produce...

Porto Protocol is one of the key industry events where people in the wine industry don’t just talk about issues regarding climate change, but commit to finding solutions that inspires action. Today, we speak with Adrian Bridge, Leader of The Porto Protocol & CEO Taylor's Port regarding climate change in the wine industry.  About the Porto Protocol: The Porto Protocol Foundation is a non-profit cor...

Shana Clarke is a wine writer and consultant who reports on both wine culture and the business side of the trade. Her work has been published in CNN Travel, Wine Enthusiast, NPR and many more. In this podcast, we speak with Shana about her views on how COVID is impacting wine businesses and restaurants in the US.   Find out more: https://www.shanaspeakswine.com Follow Shana on Instagram @shanaspea...

Today we speak with Rumiko Obata, from Obata Sake Brewery and producer of famed Sake brand: MANOTSURU. Rumiko is the fifth generation of sake brewing family located on Sado Island, Niigata, Japan. Niigata region is recognized for its  “micro-brewed” sakes and considered one of the top Sake producing regions in the Japan thanks to its cooler climate and access to pure mountain water.  Niigata is re...

Did you know that women only represent 10% of winemakers in California? Today, we'll be stirring up the conversation about women in wine. Katie Canfield and Rebecca Johnson  join us today to discuss the upcoming Batonnage Forum taking place on June 16th 2020.  What used to be an  annual one-day event originally scheduled to take place in Sonoma, California, is now online for all to join!  This is...

When wineries receive customers at their cellar door, they go out of their way to provide a tailored customer experience. With the rise of e-commerce, how can wineries deliver this same experience to customers shopping online? Today we speak with Zach Kamphuis, General Manager of Commerce 7 about improving your customers e-commerce experience. Commerce 7 offers a range of tools such as point of sa...