Wine Talks with Paul K.

In 1988, my father visited England to explore the wine route and I have his notes to prove it. Back then, the wine trade was sparse and the wines were average at best...climate change has changed enough in the past 30 years that a world-class sparkling wine trade has emerged. Laura Rhys is a Master Sommelier who heads up the program at Gusbourne in Kent, England. It is quite surprising what they a...

I hear "this wine is sustainable" regularly from the wineries and vendors....what does that mean?  Hear the answer...from Beth Vukmanic....and by the way, this girl is cut...we talk about her exercise regiment as well.

I had Garen and his daughter on the show weeks ago discussing the winery and marketing. Only a few months later, the winery became a spoil of the war in favor of the Azeris. A scary proposition to say the least as the local partner lost his son in the battle. Hear the history and the recovery.

Sexism, racism, and grape supremacy could have derailed Aaliyah from making a dream a reality. Hear how she overcame the headwinds and was able to license a shipping container as a winery! That is a feat.

Her work has led her to be named one of "The 2017 Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink" by Fortune, as well as one of "The 50 Most Influential French People In The World In 2017" by Vanity Fair. Isabelle Legeron earned the coveted Master of Wine and founded the RAW wine movement. Fascinating conversation.

His passion for winemaking comes through his heritage and the quality of his wines. We had some laughs and spoke of his winemaking and farming philosophy.  

The Aroma Wheel was invented in 1990 to help consumers get in touch with their senses to understand describing the smell of wine. Her extensive work with one of the largest soda manufacturers in this field has primed her to go on her own and build a program around the very subject. Have a listen.

Piero Selvaggio opened the famed Valentino's in Santa Monica in 1972 and began a food revolution in LA that is the basis for today's food movement. Piero is also known for his wine knowledge and for being one of the first (if not the first) Wine Spectator wine list reward recipient.

Mark Williamson, a brit by birth opened Willi's Wine Bar 40 years ago in the Premiere Arrondissement. He just released Immovable Feast; forty years of feeding the French. The brasserie is a must stop when visiting Paris and the owner Mark Williamson sat with us to tell the tale.

I was blindsided by winemaker Phillip Titus....he makes wine at Chappellet, Acumen, and is the consulting winemaker at his own winery, Titus. Furthermore, a wealth of Napa history comes to light with our bantering.  Really interesting conversation.

After reading The Hotel at Place Vendome, I dug to find her contact information and after 3 minutes of speaking with her, I told her "I must have you on the show!"  My copy of Widow Clicquot is on its way. Enjoy this insightful conversation with Tilar Mazzeo.

As a college student, Thane removed his clothes from his closet and turned it into a winery and became the most popular guy on campus. The bug bit and he landed himself in the Napa Valley and worked his way up to head winemaker at Raymond Vineyards. Listen to the trek.

With a storied background in the Napa Valley, Karen Cakebread forged her way through headwinds to land herself with Ziata wines. Here the stories; hear the commitment.

Bruce Neyers is a quintessential story teller. Listen to the growth of Napa, the changes in the culinary arts, and the passion it takes to make wine. He tells how he would load up the station wagon with wine and drive to LA hoping to sell it all before returning (hint: he would stop at Palos Verdes Wines and Spirits).  

My first European visitor since Covid hit and we had a blast speaking on wine, Spain and the Rioja. Sergio Serrano got the bug and never looked back. El Coto wines are of very high value and quality.

Joanne DePuy was an influential player in the Judgment of Paris...but that is not the most inspirational part about her. Wait until you hear her the rest of the story.

The Caucuses have long been known as ancient wine growing regions. The latest re-birth is from Artzakh.  Garen Bagdasarian and daughter Emilia are spearheading a new wine experience all together for the region. Hear their story.

I sat with Chef Ken Frank to peel back his career through the LA food scene and his ultimate stop at the famed La Toque. Hear his insights into the plight of a chef and being at the forefront of nouvelle cuisine.

I took a trip to Forestville 2 days before the evacuation to sit with Rickey Trombetta to hear her story of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The mother daughter team makes some formidable wines.

The Omen and Oro Bello wines are all Alexandre Remy. As a matter of transparency, he will tell you how much it costs to make each bottle and what it should sell for...plain and simple.

CoVid has wreaked havoc in the wine and food industries. Though on-line sales of wine are up, the industry itself is in a crippling phase.  Ed Masciana, author of Short Cuts on Wine explains the devastation with the restaurant crowd.  

I met Stetson about 12 years ago as he brought my first video winemaker interview ever produced...a father son combo from Slovenia. A wealth of knowledge and passionate about wines from the region. A very interesting chat.

We are joined by Molly Hill of Sequoia Grove Winery to talk all about Natural Wine. We discuss the importance of attentive farming and harvesting in natural wine, dry farming vs. wet farming, and the natural value scale.   

Everyone knows Mario in Napa Valley...everytime I mentioned I did a podcast with him (restaurants and other wineries) everyone was like "we love Mario." You will quickly learn why.

The Wine Cask restaurant in Santa Barbara was iconic in its day and was innovative on all fronts; food, wine and service. When Doug Margerum walked in for out podcast and we began the conversation...the light went on...this is the guy from The Wine Cask.