The Connected Table Live

Lisbon, Portugal, is a feast for palate. Portuguese cuisine brings flavors of Africa, Brazil, Iberia and the Far East to its dishes. Examples include piri piri chicken, roast pork in red wine, sopa de mariscos, grilled sardines, Bacalhau (dried salted cod) with potatoes and Lisbon’s sweet gift to the world, Pastel de Nata. Portugal produces a range of outstanding wines, from crisp Vinhos Verde to...

Lisbon, Portugal, is a feast for palate. Portuguese cuisine brings flavors of Africa, Brazil, Iberia and the Far East to its dishes. Examples include piri piri chicken, roast pork in red wine, sopa de mariscos, grilled sardines, Bacalhau (dried salted cod) with potatoes and Lisbon’s sweet gift to the world, Pastel de Nata. Portugal produces a range of outstanding wines, from crisp Vinhos Verde to...

Doug Frost's storied career in wine and hospitality began a new chapter in 2018 when he cofounded Echolands Winery in Washington's Walla Walla Valley AVA with fellow Kansan Brad Bergman. Frost is the first individual to attain both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier certification, He discusses his career as an educator, wine director at the American Restaurant in Kansas City and now as vintne...

Established in 1926 by Achille Paltrinieri, family-run Cantina Paltrinieri is located in the heart of Lambrusco di Sorbara D.O.C. in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. One of numerous varieties of the Lambrusco grape variety, Lambrusco di Sorbara produces a crisp, elegant, lighter wine similar to a sparkling rosé. Cantina Paltrinieri produces different styles of Lambrusco di Sorbara. The Paltrini...

Alfredo Bertolani founded his namesake winery on April 27, 1925, in Italy’s Reggio Emilia. 2025 marks the winery's centennial. In Scandiano where Bertolani is located, the family helped establish the D.O.C. Bianco di Scandiano in 1976 to protect Spergola, an ancient native white grape variety often used in sparkling wine. Bertolani also produces Lambrusco sparkling wines and is certified organic a...

Travel the world with Melanie and David to discover sparkling wines for the holidays and every day from price points starting at $18.99 (SRP). With a focus on classic sparkling wines made in the traditional method, discover their recommendations from France, Italy, Spain, Austria, England, South Africa, South America and New Zealand based on their global travels and wines tasted from producers and...

Founded in 1962, Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery's namesake founder planted the first vinifera vines in the Eastern United States, forever changing the course of winemaking in New York. In 1985, Dr. Konstantin Frank became the first winery in the eastern U.S. to release a traditional method sparkling wine made from classic Champagne grapes, setting a new quality standard for the region. Meaghan Frank...

Giulia Di Cosimo oversees Argillae, her family’s winery located in the northwest of Orvieto in Umbria. Argillae was established in 1993 by Giulia’s grandfather who initially found success making distilled spirits and grappa. Argillae is the Latin word for “clay,” which also reflects the link between the winery and its terroir, primarily calcareous-clay soil which contribute to the wines' complexit...

For over 40 years, Drew Nieporent conceived many hit dining concepts under his Myriad Restaurant Group including Nobu, Tribeca Grill, Rubicon, Montrachet, Corton, Bâtard. In his 2025 memoir, “I’m Not Trying To Be Difficult,” Nieporent shares how a kid from New York’s East Side pursues his dream of working in hospitality and, ultimately, delivers customers memorable dining experiences. He shares st...

Produced exclusively in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region between Modena and Bologna, Lambrusco is a versatile, low alcohol sparkling wine. Lambruscos are made in a spectrum of colors, styles and sweetness levels, from pale pink to salmon rosé ("rosato") to deep garnet and almost blackberry red ("rosso"). Styles range from crisp dry and floral to fruity and juicy to semi-sweet – called amabile. A comm...

A third-generation New Orleans restaurateur of the famed Brennan family, Dickie Brennan is Owner/Managing Partner of Dickie Brennan & Co. whose restaurants include Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse, Bourbon House and Tableau (French Quarter), Pascal's Manale and The Commissary Kitchen + Market (Garden District), Acorn Café (Louisiana Children’s Museum) and Audubon Clubhouse by Dickie Brennan & C...

Barberani Winery is located in hills above Lake Corbara in the Orvieto Classico area of Umbria. Family patriarch, Vittorio Barberani, began making wine in 1961. Today there are 55 hectares under vine as well as olive groves for making olive oil. Barberani’s wines are produced from Grechetto and Trebbiano Procanico (whites) and Sangiovese Grosso (reds). Barberani also produces Muffa Nobile sweet wi...

Looking for everyday white wines that please your palate and don’t drain your wallets? Melanie and David went to Trader Joe’s to find 12 white wines all under $10 (total cost under $100). They discuss their selections and share their favorite picks and pairings. Eat, Drink & Explore with The Connected Table. The Connected Table is broadcast live Wednesdays at 2PM ET and Music on W4CY Radio ( w...

Ranked among the most popular vacation destinations in the U.S.A. the island of Maui dazzles with stunning natural beauty, sunny skies, turquoise ocean and Hawaiian culture. Melanie Young and David Ransom travel to Maui frequently and share their list of restaurants to try and tips to navigate the island. Though the historic town of Lahaina is still recovering from the devastating 2023 wildfires,...

Volcanic soils account for only around one percent of the earth’s surface, but they produce some of the world’s most alluring wines explains John Szabo MS in his award -winning book, “Volcanic Wines- Salt, Grit and Power.” Szabo became Canada’s first Master Sommelier in 2004. He is a partner and principal critic for WineAlign.com, Canada’s largest wine publication, and a buyer for the WineAlign Ex...

Siblings Bill and Debbie Shore founded the nonprofit Share Our Strength in 1984 to help combat global hunger and poverty. Forty years later, the organization has raised more than $1 billion to provide hunger relief. Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign launched in 2010 works to connect kids in the U.S.A. to effective nutrition programs. In 2024 No Kid Hungry’s local partners served more tha...

The name Scacciadiavoli means “chase the devil,” referencing a story from the 14th century about a woman possessed by the Devil who was exorcised by drinking the local wine. Scacciadiavoli’s history is as storied as the wines are outstanding. In 1884 Prince Ugo Boncompani Ludovisi built the winery, inspired by the chateaux of France. Since the 1950s Scacciodiavoli has been under the stewardship of...

Az. Ag. Bocale di Valentini was founded by Giuseppe Valentini in the 1950s in Montefalco (Umbria) "Bocale" is local dialect for the two-liter wines jugs used before the family's wines were sold in bottles (starting in the 1990s). Bocale produces the signature wines of Montefalco: Trebbiano Spoletino, an aromatic white, Montefalco Rosso DOC, a medium red and Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG, an earthy ta...

The Frescobaldi family dates back more than 30 generations in Italy and owns several grand estates in Tuscany including Castello Nipozzano in DOC Chianti Rufina. This historic castle and former fortress produces world class red wines and olive oil. But the family is also tied to a famous prison located on the Island of Gorgona off the coast of Livorno. Here, the Frescobaldi is teaching prisoners t...

The area of Decugnano, formerly owned by the clergy during the Middle Ages, sits high on a hill in northeast Orvieto. In 1973 Claudio Barbi acquired the land to plant vineyards, naming his winery Decugnano Dei Barbi. He embraced modern winemaking and was the first vintner in Orvieto to produce both metodo classico sparkling wines and Pourriture Noble, the first wines in Italy made from botrytis-af...

Historic documents of grape cultivation on Mt Vesuvius in Campania date to 5th century B.C. Here, volcanic soils result in exceptional wines unique to Vesuvio DOC. Cantina del Vesuvio was founded in 1930 by the Russo family. Located on the southern slopes of Vesuvius with views of the sea, Cantina del Vesuvio is the ideal setting to taste Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio DOC ("Tears of Christ"), wines...

Kenneth Dunn transitioned from working on food insecurity issues with the United Nations to creating premium food experiences for culinary curious travelers through Eating Europe, the company he founded in 2011. What started as a single experience in Rome quickly expanded to Florence and beyond. Eating Europe now offers food tours in 20 cities and has welcomed over 450,000 guests and earned more t...

Gaetana Jacono is the 6th generation family member overseeing Valle Dell’Acate, a wine estate in southern Sicily's Ragusa province. Valle Dell'Acate produces organic wines made from local varieties including Frappato di Vittorio DOC and Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, Nero D'Avola, Grillo and Vermentino. Valle Dell'Acate offers tours, wine and food tastings and cooking classes. Gaetana highlights Frap...

Sicily is ablaze with a new generation of dynamic winemakers who aspire to respect the biodiversity in a region and produce wines that uniquely express their local terroir. An example is Arianna Occhipinti who started her namesake winery at age 22 in 2004 in Fossa di Lupo (Vittoria). She calls it "a magical place." Occhipinti has become a leading voice for biodiversity and a top producer of biodyn...

Charlotte Voisey has helped redefine how spirits brands connect with the hospitality industry, notably as longtime global brand ambassador for William Grant & Sons. In 2025, Voisey stepped into a new role as Executive Director for the nonprofit Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, where she oversees strategic planning and initiatives to support the evolution of the industry. Voisey shares how her...