Sip with Nikki

All the cool kids are drinking it... are you? Pétillant Naturel (aka Pét Nat) is a fun, delicious style of gently sparkling wine... and can usually be found for a great price, like the $13 Amuse Bouche I found in my local Trader Joe's! I giving you the intel on: What is Pét Nat? How is it made? Why you should be drinking it? What you should be drinking it WITH! Check out more about this week's SIP...

Something SO COOL happened this past week, that I couldn't NOT record a podcast episode about it! Without giving away too much... You'll hear about: 26 years of consistent passion and enthusiasm for ONE THING How being patient paid off this week My curiosity of how YOU think it went and what you would have done differently! Song lyrics referenced in the episode: Oh, how it happened, blew the lid a...

If you've ever wondered if screw cap = cheap wine and why there are different types of wine bottle closures... you are not alone! Listen in as I: Clarify the differences in the types of wine closures Simplify why certain bottles have corks and some do not If and how the closure relates to the wine's quality Answer LISTENER QUESTIONS and give a couple shoutouts! Check out this cool article about co...

As a wine educator hosting tastings, I often get asked  “what got you into wine?” I realized I hadn’t shared this story of my AH HA wine and lightbulb moment with my listeners yet and I thought whether a first time listener or loyal Sip Fan (I see you!), that you’d like to know what brought your gal, Nikki, to wine Country, which eventually led to this very podcast becoming a reality So this...

I'm starting off this episode with a shout out to one of our listeners, Mitchell! Thank you for supporting the podcast, Mitchell and for buying me a glass of...you guessed it… Rosé! (Actually, it’s probably a bottle...) If you'd like to be like Mitchell and Support the Podcast , I’ll give you a shout out too! This week we are making sense of Rosé: Why you should be drinking it How it’s made and wh...

This week I’m inviting you to pull up a chair with my new friend Sally Srok and I! We are happy hour-ing at one of my favorite restaurants, Willi’s Wine Bar in Santa Rosa, CA enjoying delicious food and wine pairings and talking about ALL of the things including: How she came to be the GM of a top-notch winery in Sonoma County Why the heck she was in the improv class where we met  Her Memoir...

This week’s guest is another fascinating individual that I hoped would be a guest  before I even launched the podcast!  Tony Smith and I met in 2012 when we were classmates at the Culinary Institute of America’s Wine Program in the Napa Valley.  He and his parter had just purchased a very historic Winery in Portugal and he was in the program to prep him for winery ownership and prod...

Whatcha know about Mallorca? I didn’t know a whole lot and it was my first time there! Located just off the coast of Spain, it's 1405 sq miles and just under a million in population and known for its beautiful beaches, mountains, architecture... and you guessed it, wineries! Listen as we: Discover a local Mercado (market) in the capital city Palma Eat our way through that market Then stumble into...

To kick of Season 2, I’m sharing highlights from our AWESOME day in Sicily on our recent vacation (July 2024). I’m joined my my partner Michael and my parents Dominick and Susan and I wore a tiny mic to bring you along with us!  On our fantastic 11-night Disney Mediterranean Cruise, we had one day in Sicily and we definitely made the most of it! Listen in as we: Surprise my dad with some stop...

 For any size winery (especially a micro-winery like ours), bottling day is a big deal! Finally getting the wine in the bottle after almost 2 years from the grape harvest, is usually a long and busy day, with many hands "on deck" and a feeling of relief once it’s done! I'm bringing you along on Bottling day of our 2022 Sollevato Sangiovese and you’ll hear: Jon Evino, the bottling line whisperer,...

I recently re-connected with Ben Hartman, who grew up in my same hometown in Central New Jersey.  I was excited to learn that like me, Ben had also chased the dream of making wine... but he's doing it in the Finger Lakes of New York! He and his wife Michelle own and operate Deep Root Vineyard and are doing some really exciting and interesting things, including a surprising wine from 100+ year...

“In matters of taste there is no dispute”... Liz Tagami is a 6th generation Californian, who has been involved in defining and nurturing the Lucero Olive Oil brand for over 16 years. She’s a specialty food and veteran with 4 decades of international business experience. She and her husband, Donald, now own the Lucero Olive oil brand and American Olive Farmer website for all thi...

Liz Tagami is a 6th generation Californian, who has been involved in defining and nurturing the Lucero Olive Oil brand for over 16 years. She’s a specialty food and cooking equipment industry veteran with 4 decades of international business experience. She and her husband, Donald, now own the Lucero brand and American Olive Farmer website and marketplace for all things olive oi...

Holy cow!!! This week I’m interviewing a well known author, wine journalist, teacher and mentor, Karen MacNeil. Not only is she the author of my personal favorite wine reference book,  the Wine Bible (which has sold almost a million copies around the world), she is also the only American to have won every major wine award given in the English language! Annnnnd......This week we’ve got an Inte...

Drinking around the world at Epcot….Have you done it? Head about it? Planning your next trip? It’s Definitely a thing.  This is Part 2 in a 2 part series- Miss part 1? Go back to last week and catch up! My partner Michael and I are taking you on adventure around the world (at Walt Disney World’s Epcot!) In this conclusion to cliff-hanging part 1, find out : If we make it all the way arou...

Drinking around the world at Epcot….Have you done it? Head about it? Planning your next trip? It’s Definitely a thing.  With or without kids (we are without), Walt Disney World can be a playground for foodies and people who like to try “all the things”.  The World Showcase in Epcot has 11 countries represented around a beautiful lagoon, and each stop highlights the people, culture, music...

Not everyone loves wine. I know this. And while it’s hard for me to relate, I can respect it.  My very good friend Heather, who lives in Austin Texas, has never liked wine. In fact, she has even referred to it as “rotten juice” during our decades long friendship. She suggested we do an episode where she shares her past experiences and biases with wine, so that other non-wine drinkers out ther...

The Ramazzotti family has been managing vineyards in Sonoma County since the late 1970s, and they are well-known and respected grape growers and wine producers with a gorgeous new tasting room in Geyserville, CA. (Sonoma County) This week, I'm sitting down with Travis Ramazzotti, who is a second generation member of the family business and he talks about: What it was like growing up surrounde...

In this week's episode, I'm answering this super thought-provoking question: Why is wine Important? Why does wine matter? Karen MacNeil is a very well know wine writer, author of the  Wine Bible  (one of my favorite wine reference books) and an instructor of mine in the Culinary Institute of America's wine program. She recently asked the question, "why is wine important?" to a group of w...

This week I'm sipping and sharing a new (to me) wine that I recently tried and loved! I just couldn't wait to tell you about it because it's an interesting blend of Malbec and Syrah and at a really affordable price. And it's just De-Licious! It's from Tilia, a producer in Mendoza, Argentina with a very cool approach to farming and business. You can read more about this producer here and you can Or...

Do you find yourself wondering if you should be seeking out "low sugar" wines? My social feeds are flooded with brands marketing their wines it this way... Let's breakdown: Do all wines have sugar? If so how much? What's RS in wine? Is low sugar wine a "thing'? What causes the perception of sweetness in wine even it's not? Is all Riesling sweet? Get a super helpful Riesling guide here. Want to try...

Are you in search of that fireworks moment when you combine the right food and wine together? Or are you uninspired or even frustrated by the whole “Perfect Pairing” hype? Wherever you land in the quest for the best combinations… you’re going to want to listen in as I share WHY it can truly make a difference and HOW to approach it in a simple but effective way.  I’ll break down 2 helpful...

Heading to Italy this Summer? Napa? The Finger Lakes? I’ve seen over a decade worth of wine-tasting visitors miss some small details that can get in the way of them having their Best Day Ever of Wine tasting.  If you are planning a day (or week) of tasting in a wine growing region near or far, you’re going to want to listen in for some super-helpful tips on how to get the most out of your win...

If you can’t come up with anything other than “wine” or “yummy” when asked to describe what's in your glass , you are NOT alone! Plenty of people that love wine are the first to admit they stink at identifying what they are smelling and tasting in the glass. Or they question WHY it even matters. I'm giving you a very quick and easy tool to better approach what’s in the glass, so you can be better...

I first met Dr Hoby Wedler when he led my wine education team and I through his signature “Tasting in the Dark” experience. We were blindfolded and tasting the wines  (thought) we knew very well, in a whole new light (or lack thereof).  Dr. Hoby Wedler is a Chemist, Sensory Expert, Motivational Speaker and Entrepreneur who happens to be blind since birth. After your virtual time wit...