The Wine CEO Podcast

Is Texas becoming America's next great wine region? Two neighboring Texas Hill Country wineries just earned Gold medals at the Decanter World Wine Awards, and today we're talking about what that recognition really means for the future of Texas wine. I'm joined by Kristen from Ab Astris and Andy from Adega Vinho, two producers located right down the road from each other in Stonewall, Texas. We talk...

What if the future of California wine isn't Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay—but grapes like Sangiovese and Vermentino? In this episode of The Wine CEO Podcast, I sit down with Dan Fitzgerald, winemaker at AVIVO Wines in Lodi, California, to talk about how a changing climate could reshape what we grow and drink. AVIVO is taking a different approach to California wine. Their wines are made from cli...

What's actually in your glass of wine — and should wineries be required to tell you? In this episode of The Wine CEO Podcast, I sit down with Michael Honig, President of Honig Vineyard & Winery in Napa Valley, for a fascinating conversation about transparency, sustainability, and the future of wine labeling. Starting with its 2025 Classic Sauvignon Blanc, Honig is taking a major step toward greate...

What does it take to turn an "impossible" piece of Napa Valley land into one of the region's most influential vineyards? In this episode of The Wine CEO Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Jan Krupp, founder of Krupp Brothers Winery and the visionary behind Napa Valley's legendary Stagecoach Vineyard. Jan shares the remarkable story behind his new book, "Forging Eden", including his journey from a succes...

Can Christians drink wine? Is alcohol inherently sinful? And if the Bible speaks openly about wine, why has drinking become such a controversial topic in parts of the American church? In this episode of The Wine CEO Podcast, I sit down with Pastor Randy Frazee for a thoughtful conversation about the spiritual significance of wine and alcohol in Scripture. We discuss what the Bible actually says ab...

What makes Burgundy wine so special—and why does terroir matter so much? In this episode of The Wine CEO Podcast, I sit down with Matthieu Mangenot of Domaines Albert Bichot to explore the philosophy behind one of Burgundy's most respected family-run wineries. With over 20 years of sustainability practices in the vineyards, Albert Bichot is leading the way in organic winemaking, low-intervention t...

Discover why California Chardonnay is one of the most talked-about wines in the world—and why it shouldn't be so polarizing. In this episode of The Wine CEO Podcast, I sit down with Richie Allen of Rombauer Vineyards to break down what truly makes great wine: the right grapes grown in the right place. Richie shares his winemaking philosophy around typicity of region, explaining why understanding w...

What happens when a wine brand focuses on just one wine and does it exceptionally well? In this episode of The Wine CEO Podcast, I sit down with winemaker Tristan Butterfield to explore ETHOS, a newly launched wine brand from Ste. Michelle Wine Estates that is taking a bold, focused approach: crafting a single, high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon that showcases the power and elegance of Columbia Valle...

What would you do if life forced you to stop waiting? In this episode of The Wine CEO Podcast, I sit down with Debra Mathy, Proprietor of Dutcher Crossing Winery, to talk about the deeply personal moment that led her to leave the corporate world and pursue her dream of owning a winery in Sonoma County.  After her father's stage 4 melanoma diagnosis, Deb made a bold decision—to stop putting life on...

In this episode of The Wine CEO Podcast, I sit down with Myisha Moore, Co-Founder and CMO of Saint Enzo—the modern luxury Lambrusco brand that sold out its first release in minutes. With a background leading marketing strategy for global brands like Nike, Ferrari, and Vogue Singapore, Myisha shares how she identified a massive gap in the wine industry—and turned an overlooked category into a cultu...

In this special International Women's Day 2026 episode of The Wine CEO , I sit down with Namratha Stanley — French author, wine merchant, and founder of the Bordeaux wine brand Solicantus — to share one of the most powerful stories I've heard in the wine world. After surviving more than a decade in an abusive marriage in India, Namratha made the courageous decision to leave everything behind and r...

🍷 Inside Kopke: How Port Wine Is Made | Styles of Port Explained | Oldest Port House in Portugal In this exclusive interview filmed in Portugal's Douro Valley, I sit down with the viticulturist and marketing manager at Kopke, the oldest Port wine house in the world, founded in 1638. Together, we break down the basics of Port wine production, including how Port is made, why fermentation is stopped...

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the wine lover in your life? In this video, Sarah from The Wine CEO shares her 2025 Holiday Gift Guide featuring elegant wine accessories, must-read wine books, fun wine-themed gifts, and travel-ready wine finds that elevate entertaining at home and on the road. Whether you love cooking with wine, hosting dinner parties, planning wine-focused travel, or sim...

Have you ever thought about starting a podcast? Or maybe you've just listened to my show for months now and you want a behind the scenes look into why I started @thewineceo? Then today's episode is for you! With over 4.5 years of podcasting and 200 episodes, I'm sitting down for the first time on the show to not talk about wine! I'm sharing the biggest lessons I've learned in my podcasting journey...

Did you know that Portugal is only 1/4 the size of California, but has over 250 indigenous grape varieties? This country is most known for the production of the fortified wines Port and Madeira, but there's so much more to this amazing wine region! Watch the full video to learn everything you need to know about Portugal and the amazing wines coming from this region! ----- Sign up for The Wine CEO...

This last week I traveled to Miami for one of North America's largest wine conferences and I got to speak with over 50 winemakers, producers, and industry professionals in 2 days. Today I'm sharing 5 interesting things I learned from the conference! Don't forget to hit subscribe so you don't miss my travel content as I explore a new wine region this summer! ------ Watch this episode on YoutTube: h...

Is there really a difference between a $10 bottle of wine and a $100 bottle of wine? Or what about a $40 bottle of wine? And if there is a difference, what determines price point for a wine? Join Sarah as she dives into this hot topic that makes every wine consumer curious! Watch this episode on YoutTube: https://youtu.be/5mDP6-5JmYw   ----- Sign up for The Wine CEO newsletter and get a free guide...

Thinking about becoming a sommelier? Or maybe you are just really into the wine world? I've been in the beverage industry for 15 years and a sommelier for almost 8, so in today's episode I'm share about the top 5 things I wish I had known at the start of my journey. Hopefully these tips will help you as you begin studying wine and enjoying this world of vino! Press play now and don't forget to sub...

If you love wine and massages (who doesn't, right?) then today's episode is for you! Today, I'm sitting down with Kelly Lewis, CEO of The Wine Spa - America's first vintherapy spa. Kelly has curated treatments that integrate the healing antioxidants and medicinal properties of the grape vine with modern practices of massage, facials, and more. Vintherapy spas are common around the world, but this...

If you are only drinking sake with sushi (or not at all), then today's episode is for you! Join me as I chat with Ben Bell, co-founder of Origami Sake, an American craft sake company out of Arkansas.....and yes, you heard that right - AMERICAN sake. Ben actually moved to Japan for 2 years to learn how to make sake and then came home to open an outstanding craft sake business in the heart of Americ...

Why are wine trade shows important? Join me today in an interview with the Marketing director of Vinexposium, one of the largest providers of wine industry events around the globe! In early May I'm attending the Vinexposium event for North and South America in Miami and I'm so excited to network with over 3,000 brands and beverage professionals. Press play now to learn more about this awesome even...

Have you ever tried to purchase wine from a winery but the minimum to ship prohibited you from completing the sale? Winemakers and distributors are limited by shipping costs, import taxes, and fees that make it impossible to sell single bottles to consumers around the globe. BUT, one tech company is looking to change that. Join me as I sit down with WINEing Co-founder, Moshe Weizman as we discuss...

If you have been shopping for single serve wine options recently then you may have noticed that they're mostly in cans, boxes, or plastic bottles. Packaging not only has marketing impact on buyer perception, but it also impacts the taste of the wine! That's why Dana Spaulding created Wander + Ivy, a luxury single serve wine brand with sexy glass bottling for her high quality, sustainably sourced w...

Even if you know nothing about wine, you've probably heard of Napa Valley. This region is by far one of the most well known wine regions in the United States, but did you know that it only makes up for 4% of the wines coming out of California? There's so much to discover about Napa Valley and in today's episode I'm sharing top grapes you need to know, sub regions, travel tips and more! So grab a g...

This episode was one of my original podcasts from way back in 2021! but the pairings are just as delicious now as 4 years ago. If you love chocolate - this episode is for you! Listen now and don't forget to subscribe to my channel for more wine content! https://youtu.be/H_HlrHHlfiA   ------ Sign up for The Wine CEO newsletter and get a free guide to Food & Wine Pairing: thewineceo.com Email: Sarah...