The Connected Table Live

Co-founder of acclaimed DAOU Vineyards & Winery in Paso Robles, CA, Daniel Daou shares his family’s story which began in Beirut, Lebanon. After surviving a missile attack on their home during the nation’s civil war, the family moved to France. Brothers Daniel and Georges pursued engineering degrees in the U.S. and established DAOU Systems, a leading technology company. The brothers invested in lan...

The offspring of Mexican immigrants and eldest of 15 children, Joe Reynoso dreamed of owning his own vineyard after delivering a piano to Napa Valley as a young man. After finding success as a trader in Chicago, eventually running his own firm, Reynoso invested in 500 acres in Sonoma to grow grapes. In 2015 he and wife, Elena, launched Crescere Wines to produce small lot Bordeaux blend reds and wh...

Did you know more than 90% of Napa Valley's vintners are family-owned? Hear from two renowned family winery owners: Janet and John Trefethen oversee Trefethen Family Vineyards (est.1973) on their family estate. Daughter Hailey has worked on renovation of the winery's historic 1886 building. Bill Phelps and son Will, Joseph Phelps Vineyards (est. 1973), discuss the legacy of Founder Joseph Phelps,...

The Ricasoli family castle, Brolio, located in the Chianti hills, dates to 1141 and served as a fortress during many wars. Ricasoli is documented as the oldest winery in Italy and the fourth oldest family business in the world. Francesco Ricasoli, family steward and company president since 1993, discusses the Ricasoli family history and its role in creating the original formula to make Chianti Cla...

New Orleans is home to iconic bars, cocktail museums and signature drinks, such as the Sazerac, Ramos Ginn Fizz and French 75. New Orleans native and drinks historian, Elizabeth Pearce, founder of Drink and Learn, leads tours and talks on New Orleans cocktail culture & history. She is author of “Drink Dat New Orleans.” Bryan Dias, host / producer of “The NOLADrinks Show,” discusses where to imbibe...

Founded in 1997 by Francesco Illy, of the renowned Illy coffee family, Podere Le Ripi produces prestige, terroir-driven wines from Montalcino, including IGT, Rosso di Montalcino and Brunello di Montalcino. CEO & Winemaker Sebastian Nasello discusses Podere Le Ripi's decision to farm biodynamically and how the location of its vineyards in both the east and west of Montalcino impact the nuances of t...

Technology is changing how the publishing industry conducts business, yet some print magazines still flourish. Jacqueline Strum, President & Publisher of Wine Enthusiast Media, explains why hobby & niche publications (e.g., wine) are still popular, and how consumers' growing interest in learning about, buying and collecting wine has fueled demand for more and better designed wine storage, wine acc...

The term "terroir" is used in the wine world to describe how climate, soil, topography elevation, and other environmental factors deliver a unique expression to the final product. Veteran wine and spirits industry pro, Mark Reynier, is applying terroir to whisky with the 2021 introduction of Waterford single farm origin, barley-based Irish single malt whisky. Waterford sources barley from 97 farme...

Sommelier Yannick Benjamin opened 40-seat Contento NYC in East Harlem in June 2021 with a vision of inclusivity and acceptance. A wheelchair user since 2004 after a devastating car accident, Benjamin and his partners designed Contento to better accommodate customers living with disabilities. Benjamin discusses how he turned a tragedy into triumph and reveals the mentors who inspired him. Committed...

Vintner, physician, mom and "the face of Argentine wine" all refer to Dr. Laura Catena, managing director for her family's winery, Bodega Catena Zapata, and founder of the Catena Institute of Wine. She talks about her dual life on two continents both as a preeminent wine producer and working as an emergency room doctor. Catena discusses the family's approaching to selecting vineyards, researching...

Take notice of this black-woman-owned winery because the wines are exceptional! Theodora Lee leads a dual life as a lawyer and owner of Theopolis Vineyards in Mendocino County's. A native Texan used to farm life, Lee acquired land to plant vines in 2001 and released her first estate bottled wines in 2014. Theopolis Vineyards' Petite Sirah and Pinot Noir have received awards and top ratings, earnin...

American-born Alexander Lobrano has spent much of his life in Paris writing about its restaurants for major media outlets. He discusses the Paris dining scene and his memoir, “My Place at the Table: A Recipe for a Delicious Life in Paris.” Emmy Award-winning television producer, David Page originated and produced 11 seasons of the hit series “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” (Food Network). He discusses...

Dinner at The Barn at Blackberry Farm® in Walland, TN is a sensory experience drawn from seasonal products, many grown on-site. Executive Chef Cassidee Dabney discusses Blackberry Farm’s signature Foothills Cuisine® and some of the special people who make visiting unique such as John Coykendall, Master Gardener and heirloom seed saver; Jim Sanford, trainer of the Lagotto Romagnolo “truffle dogs;”...

French Impressionist Artist Edgar Degas lived at his maternal family's home in New Orleans on tree-lined Esplanade Avenue from 1872 to 1873 and produced more than two dozen paintings, drawings and letters. Now part of the French Ministry of Culture's network of Maisons des Illustres (Houses of the Illustrious), Degas House serves as a museum to the artist, a bed and breakfast inn and a wedding ven...

Raleigh, North Carolina is a hot dining destination for the culinary curious. An example is Cheetie Kumar's Garland, whose Indian-Asian seasonally inspired menu hits all the high notes of textures, colors and flavors, drawing upon Kumar's youth living in India and also in the Bronx when her family moved to the U.S. A self-taught chef, Kumar was first drawn to Raleigh through the music scene. She i...

Gianfranco Sorrentino is Managing Partner of top-rated restaurants in New York City serving exquisite southern Italian cuisine. Each has historic significance. Il Gattopardo is located in the Rockefeller family's Beaux Art townhouse. The Leopard at Des Artistes is located at Hotel des Artistes, a former artists’ coop, home to playwright, Noel Coward; dancer, Isadora Duncan and artist, Norman Rockw...

Founded in Rioja in 1970 by Enrique Forner, Spain’s Marqués de Cáceres has become a global leader in wine. Since joining her father in 1983, Cristina Forner has overseen the expansion of the company brand to include wines from Rías Baixas, Rueda, and the Penedès. CEO since 2007, Forner continues to build on the legacy of Marqués de Cáceres with the family’s most recent acquisition, in 2019, of Bod...

Are you a fan of pecan pie, pecan cookies or butter pecan ice cream? Meet Alex and Staci Willson, members of family-run Sunnyland Farms, a grower and manufacturer of pecans and pecan products located in Albany, the capital of Georgia pecan production. Family-run since 1948, Sunnyland Farms has 1760 acres with 600,000 pecan trees. Alex and Staci share how this meaty nut is cultivated, pecan history...

Virginia is home to over 300 wineries and eight designated AVAs, making it an ideal destination for wine aficionados looking for a road trip combining beautiful scenery with great wine and food. Frank Morgan, Host of Virginia Wine Chat, discusses Virginia’s different appellations and a few standout grapes, including Petit Manseng, Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. We taste sel...

Ehlers Estate is a picturesque 42-acre vineyard in Saint Helena, CA dating to the 1800s with a rich history. Run by the Leducq Foundation, a trust established in 1996 by French Entrepreneur, Jean Leducq and his wife Sylviane, Ehlers Estate was modeled after a traditional Bordeaux chateau. The vineyards, all planted to Bordeaux varietals, are certified organic. Winemaker and General Manager Laura D...

A leading woman of wine in Spain and the world, Cristina Forner continues the legacy of Marqués de Cáceres in Rioja founded by her father, Enrique Forner, in 1970. She joined Marqués de Cáceres in 1983 and was named CEO in 2007. Forner has overseen the company's impressive global expansion, extended brand production into Rueda, Rías Baixas and Penedès and in 2019 acquired Bodegas Finca La Capilla...

Bella Union Winery in Rutherford, Napa Valley was founded in 2012 by the partners of Far Niente and Nickel & Nickel. The winery is located on a 25-acre Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard that runs along Bella Oaks Lane, known as the Bella Union Roadway in the late 1800s. Brooke Bobyak has worked with Far Niente since 2018 and was appointed Bella Union winemaker in 2021. She discusses Bella Union’s signat...

Elizabeth Williams is President of the National Food & Beverage Foundation and Founder of the Southern Food & Beverage Museum in New Orleans, which houses food and beverage exhibits from every southern state, the Museum of the American Cocktail and an extensive library of cookbooks, culinary ephemera and more. Born and raised in New Orleans, Williams was always fascinated by the crossroads of food...

In 2013, James Sinegal, co-founder/former CEO of Costco, and son, David, a Costco wine buyer, established Sinegal Estate in St. Helena to produce iconic Bordeaux blend Napa Valley Cabernet wine. In 2020, they launched DETAILS by Sinegal Estate, sourcing grapes in Sonoma Valley and using a 1,403-step production process. David Sinegal explains DETAILS’ brand mission to make a Cabernet Sauvignon blen...

Magnolia Bakery in NYC's West Village drew legions of fans after a spotlight episode in the hit TV series "Sex in the City." Magnolia Bakery's Chief Baking Officer, Bobbie Lloyd, oversees recipe development and management of this beloved bakery which, under her stewardship has expanded to multiple locations. In her cookbook, "The Magnolia Bakery Handbook" (Harper Design) she provides 150 recipes a...