Bottled in China: A Wine & Food Podcast

Today, leading Sake expert Timothy Sullivan joins us to discuss the fascinating world of Sake. Timothy is a Sake Samurai, an educator with the Sake School of America, and an SSI International Sake Sommelier. He also founded UrbanSake.com and is the founding president of the American Sake Association.  As well as being the Global Brand Ambassador for Haikkaisan I Brewery, he also shares his knowled...

Alaya Tea is a women-owned tea company that sources organic and biodynamic loose-leaf teas directly from people and planet friendly farms in India. Their tea is picked fresh and sent in small batches without preservatives and packaged using biodegradable materials.   Today, we’ll be speaking with co-founders Esha Chhabra and Smita Satiani about the world of tea and what got them started on this jo...

We’re taking a leap forward today and discussing crickets and insects as an alternative and sustainable food solution We’ve got to ask ourselves: can our current food system successfully carry the weight of an increasing hungry population? Are we limiting ourselves with sourcing protein from only meat and is the what other sustainable protein solutions available? Today we speak with Kate Stoddard,...

In today's podcast we'll be discussing data and the importance of measuring what matters.   Paul Mabray, the CEO of Emetry joins us to discuss how wineries can leverage data analytics to better answer questions and understand their consumer. Emetry is analytic software for the wine industry that provides unique insights aimed to drive business revenue and more informed decision making. In this pod...

Today we speak with Randy Ullom and Maggie Curry from the Kendall Jackson-Winery team about how COVID-19 is shifting the way we engage with our customers online. Randy Ullom is the Winemaster at Kendall-Jackson Winery and shares his best practices on how to bring the winery experience to your doorstep. We also speak with Maggie Curry, Director of Marketing at Kendall-Jackson Winery about the vario...

Laiba is China’s first handcrafted bottled cocktail brand. In today’s podcast, we speak with Alexander Petersen, Co-Founder and CEO of LAIBA Beverages about the untapped potential of bottled cocktails.   We also discuss how COVID-19 has created unimaginable growth and demand across Asia.   Check them out on Instagram @laibabeverages  Find out more: https://laibabeverages.com  Follow the latest sto...

Have you ever wondered what are the shifting consumer behaviors towards alternative protein in Asia?  Today we speak with industry leader and expert Sonalie Figueiras about  plant-based, cultivated and whole food meat, seafood and dairy alternatives in Asia. Sonalie Figueiras is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Green Queen, Hong Kong's largest eco wellness media platform. She is also the Founder...

Peter Marks MW is one of America's leading wine educators. He is currently a Partner and Vice President of Education for the Napa Valley Wine Academy. Today, he joins us to discuss his journey becoming a Master of Wine and his tips on what skill sets are needed to become a top wine educator.   We also discuss how COVID-19 is fueling  the rise of online wine education. The pandemic has impacted eve...

With nearly half a billion people over the legal drinking age of 25, India most certainly seems like an attractive market for wine brands. However, with its high wine taxes and its complicated and fragmented regulatory landscape, India remains a difficult market to enter. Today, Ruma Singh, Wine Writer and Founder of Between the Vines, gives us a glimpse into the Indian market. We discuss the curr...

Globally, we buy millions of plastic bottles per minute, yet 91% of plastic bottles are not recycled. Today, we speak with Cassia Patel, Program Director at Oceanic Global Foundation about cost effective options to support a plastic free hospitality. Oceanic Global launched The Oceanic Standard, an easy step-by-step guide for restaurants, event spaces, hotels, bars, nightlife venues and more to ad...

New Zealand is leader in sustainability, low alcohol wines and expressive Sauvignon Blanc, but that's not all!   In today's podcast we speak with Charlotte Read, GM of Marketing, and Natalie Potts, Market Manager for Asia at New Zealand Winegrowers about the countries latest innovations.   Show notes 05:50 -- NZ & Sustainability 07:50 -- Low alcohol wines 15:00 --  What are China's consumer view o...

Pillitteri Estates Winery is a family owned winery in the heart of Niagara, Ontario. They are the world’s largest estate producer of Icewine and the official wine supplier for Team Canada. Pillitteri Estates Winery has been working in the Chinese market since 1999, establishing itself as the world’s premier brand of Icewine. In this podcast we sit down with Richard Slingerland, VP of Sales to disc...

Today we speak to industry expert Jamie L. Evans about the world of cannabis in F&B. In this podcast we break down Jamie’s journey from wine to cannabis and what are the similarities between the two. We also discuss her latest book: The Ultimate Guide to CBD: Explore The World of Cannabidiol.  Jamie Evans is the founder of The Herb Somm, a cannabis blog and lifestyle brand that is focused on the g...

Hannah Williams is the Beverage Director at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, a two star Michelin establishment. As a Certified Sommelier and named one of Wine & Spirits Magazine’s Best New Sommeliers of 2019, Hannah shares her thoughts on what skill sets are needed to become a great Sommelier.   With the recent global pandemic of COVID-19, there’s no doubt that hospitality and all businesses are getting...

Molly Troupe, America’s youngest female master distiller discusses how she found her passion for creating small batch gin and whiskey at Freeland Spirits. Based in Portland, Oregon, Freeland Spirits is one of the very few woman owned and operated distilleries in the US. In this podcast we discuss what steps you can take to find your passion and what it takes to become a Master Distiller. Molly als...

Wine bottles are heavy, spatially inefficient, and generally not made from recycled materials. In fact, the biggest portion of a wine bottle’s carbon footprint is a result of its packaging, not its production or transport. If we are to build a sustainable industry, the vast majority of wine packaging needs to innovate. In this episode we speak with Santiago Navarro, CEO & Co-Founder of Garçon Wine...

As a dynamic and growing segment of the overall alcoholic beverage market, the wine industry attracts a range of talented people yet appears to struggle in cultivating top female talent in middle management and executive positions. Deborah Brenner wants to change that. In this podcast we speak with Deborah Brenner, Founder and CEO of Women of the Vine & Spirits. WOTVS is an organization dedicated...

Today we discuss making Sake in one of the most unlikely of places. Sake is a Japanese alcoholic beverage made from polished rice. It's a complex and delicate beverage that is making its way in trendy bars and restaurants around the world. William Stuart, CEO & Brewer of Colorado Sake Co. speaks with us on how he had to change Colorado laws to make sake... and history. We discuss how they leverage...

Karen MacNeil is one of the most celebrated personalities in wine. She is the author of the best-selling wine book: The Wine Bible, which has sold over one million copies. She is the only American to receive all major wine awards given in the English language. TIME Magazine called Karen “America’s Missionary of the Vine” and she also received an Emmy for her PBS television series Wine, Food and Fr...

In 2019, Gus Jian Zhu earned the prestigious title of Master of Wine (MW) making him the first Chinese national to earn the title. With only 389 members around the world, the MW is one of the most rigorous examinations in wine. In fact, he passed all the exams on his first attempt! Gus is a wine educator and holds a  Master of Science in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis. Today, he helps those...

Claudia Masueger encapsulates the energy needed to thrive in wine retail in China. Originally from Switzerland, Masueger came to China in 2008 with little more than suitcases full of wine to discover if the Chinese market was interested in wine. Today, CHEERS Wines has over forty locations across China.  In today’s podcast, we sit down with Claudia to discover her inspiring journey in the industry...

Today we sit down to discuss two very different wine making countries: Australian and Austrian.  Campell Thompson is the Founder of The Wine Republic and one of the pioneers of cool climate and craft wines into China. He started importing Pinot Noir from Yarra at a time when the market was only focused on big and bold Barossa Shiraz. He was also one of the first to import Austrian wines in China,...

Today we speak to cult status producer Sasa Radikon. Based in Friuli Italy, Sasa’s family was the region’s pioneer of “orange” wines. Today, Sasa joins us to demystify natural wines, how it’s made and how to serve them. Orange wine is simply white wine made using a red wine method. This means that the white grape skins are used during the winemaking process to extract aromas, flavours and texture....

Baijiu is the most sold spirit in the world, yet people typically don’t know much about it outside China. On today’s podcast we sit down with William Isler, CEO of Ming River Baijiu to discuss China’s flagship spirit. Isler shares his story on how we fell in love with Baijiu and how it prompt him to open one of the most famous Baijiu bars in China: Capital Spirits. We also discuss the creation of...

Today we talk about your favorite spread: nut butter, but also how NAKED Nut Butters is spreading support to local communities. In 2016, Founders Katie Tarrant and Meredith Sides turned an obsession into a business. They created high-quality nut butter that not only tastes great but supports the local community. They work alongside a Chinese NGO called Paradise Foundation backed by Alibaba's CEO J...