A Cork in the Road

This episode features a conversation with the 2024 Champion of our "Unusual Suspects" Blind Tasting Competition that was hosted by the Oenophile Institute at the beginning of August in Atlanta, GA. This was the second annual session of this competition format where we have two rounds of blind tasting flights – 3 white wines followed by 3 red wines - and then the two highest scores from each round move on to a final round to crown a winner. The wines, however, are all just on the fringe or technically not typically testable in wine certification exams, so the wines can be from basically anywhere in the world. And this year, we had to have a second bonus final round because the top four competitors all scored so evenly on the first wine – but what happened in the "final final" round was truly impressive because our 2024 Champion, Joe Herrig, basically called that wine 100% correctly to walk away with the trophy and cash prize. On this episode, you’ll hear from our winner, Joe, as he breaks down his thought process and logic for each of his calls from the competition. Joe was first on this podcast in June of 2022 (Episode 78) and he is still the Director of Education for Georiga Crown Distribution Company. He has since earned his Diploma through the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, so he now holds one of the highest honors in the world of wine education. You'll hear how he approached the process of identifying these wines and how he connects his palate skills to his theory knowledge. You can follow him @suburbanwino on Instagram.

Recorded August 25, 2024

Episode 134 not only features the first repeat guest for an episode of the show, but also, we very likely make podcast history for the number of wine bottles that were opened during a recording with our live audience in Atlanta. Sam Coturri of Winery Sixteen 600 in Sonoma, CA joined an incredible group of Atlanta wine, food, and media professionals to lead a wine tasting and open it up to an audience Q&A session at the end of the episode. Sam first joined as a guest on the show for Episode 7 of Season 5 – recorded in November 2021 – and it was the first unedited podcast in honor of the style of his own podcast, The Wine Makers Podcast. Sam is such a great friend, and he was visiting Atlanta this summer representing his Sixteen 600 wines that are now available in Georgia thanks to Empire Distributors. They were in town to host an innovative wine dinner in honor of Jerry Garcia’s birthday with a Grateful Dead themed menu and music pairings. You can follow @grapeswithaview and @sixteen600 on Instagram to learn more about Sam and his wines, and you can listen to @winemakerspod wherever you listen to your podcasts.

-----

Recorded LIVE at The Vine Club in Atlanta on July 30. 2024 - thanks, Taylor! @thevineclubatl

This episode features Shauna Rosenblum who joined Ridge Vineyards in 2022 as their Lytton Springs Winemaker. She oversees all winemaking at the Lytton Springs facility in Healdsburg, CA, and she brings a lifetime of winemaking experience with her to Ridge. Her father, Kent Rosenblum, of Rosenblum Cellars, introduced his winemaking passion to Shauna at an early age. Kent taught her to read brix on a refractometer at the age of three, she started working on the bottling line at the age of twelve, and by the age of sixteen, she attended blending sessions with the winemaking team. Always enamored with fine art, Shauna received a scholarship to California College of Arts and Crafts, then pursued her Master’s Degree at San Francisco Art Institute. During her ceramics studies, she took chemistry classes where she noticed that the process for creating glaze compositions was the exact same process as blending wine. This led her to the epiphany that winemaking was art. She completed the UC Davis Master’s Wine Executive Program and in 2008, Rosenblum joined Rock Wall Wine Company as Winemaker. Her lifelong wine training coupled with her philosophy of winemaking as fine art led her to seek out treasured old-vine field blend sites and esoteric varieties like tannat, teroldego and ciliegiolo. She directed a portfolio of over fifty grape contracts around California and oversaw all aspects of production on every lot of wine from crush to bottling. During her 14-year tenure at Rock Wall Wine Company, she rose to the rank of President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors. We talk about what it’s been like to like to step into her role as part of the Ridge legacy since 2022, and we open a very special bottle on air together that she sent to Atlanta that hadn't been released yet representing her first vintage in this lead role. You can visit www.ridgewine.com to leard more about Ridge and Shauna's work, and you can follow @ridgevineyards on Instagram.

Recorded July 22, 2024

This episode features winemaker and viticulturist, Mark Neal, the Founder and Owner of Neal Family Vineyards. Growing up in Napa Valley’s Rutherford region as the son of a farmer, Mark was learning about viticulture from a very young age - he says farming is the only job he's ever had. It was Mark’s maternal grandmother whom he credits with instilling the family with their early adoption of biodynamics. A native of Crete, she was critical of any other way of farming than the ancient, organic, lunar-based model she absorbed growing up. Mark is now best known as one of the first grape growers to practice and farm biodynamically in Napa. In 1968, Mark entered his father’s business, Jack Neal and Son (JNS) Vineyard Management and the duo helped establish some of the most storied estates in Napa Valley, including continuous vineyard management with Heitz, Martha’s Vineyard. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, demand started to grow for his expertise in developing everything from orchards to vineyards, especially after Napa won the French Tasting in 1976. He went on to conduct ground preparation on vineyards such as BV, Beckstoffer, Cuvaison, Duckhorn Schramsburg, Screaming Eagle, Three Palms, Coppola, Dominus Estates, Ink Grade Vineyards, Vine Hill Ranch. Starting in the mid-1990s, he spent years consulting for Gallo Vineyards, building and prepping the company’s vineyard estates throughout California. Today, Mark still runs JNS in addition to Neal Family Vineyards. Of the 40 or so vineyard management companies in Napa, JNS is the second oldest, and Mark proudly still has clients on handshake contracts from the 1970s that were secured by his father. In 1997, Mark developed a dual varietal trellis system to combat a palpably warming Napa Valley and plant white grapes like Sauvignon Blanc and Vermentino (as well as other experimental varieties) in his Rutherford Dust vineyard. His innovation doubled up production on the same acre without sacrificing quality, without using any additional water, and without expending any additional carbon footprint. you’ll hear about the various benefits of all his practices. He highly values and respects the role of his people in all aspects of cultivating a vineyard as well as maintains a priority to fight against climate change on a global scale. Get ready for a Napa Valley history lesson and learn about aspects of grape farming that you may have never heard of before. You can follow @nealvineyards on instagram and visit www.nealvineyards.com to learn more about his estate wines.

Recorded July 9, 2024

-------------------------------------------

This episode is generously sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines⁠⁠⁠⁠ - available for shipping to 11 states

This episode features Randy Bennett, the Winemaker and General Manager at Sojourn Cellars in Sonoma, California. We recorded this conversation in front of a live audience of wine professionals and enthusiasts while Randy was visiting Atlanta, so you’ll also hear a few wine pours as guests were tasting Sojourn wines throughout the show. Randy started as Sojourn’s Assistant Winemaker in 2008, but he is now responsible for making all the Sojourn wines and overseeing cellar operations and vineyard management activities. He works closely with their growers and cellar crew while also running the day-to-day operations of the winery’s production, marketing, and business operations. We talk about his career before entering the wine business as he holds a degree in Business Information Systems from Cal Poly and worked for 13 years at Accenture leading large-scale business transformation projects for major financial services firms. He describes how that experience prepared him to pursue his passion for wine and to overcome challenges each vintage. At the end of the show, we made a little bit of podcast history because guests in the audience came up to the mic to ask Randy questions as well, so for the first time, we have some live Q&A action from fellow atlanta wine professionals. You can see some photos of the live recording event posted on @acorkintheroad on Instagram, and make sure you give us a rating or review wherever you are listening to the podcast today. You can follow @sojourn_cellars for more info on the wines and planning your vists.

-------------

This whole experience was sponsored by Tower Beer Wine and Spirits, a family owned business for 76 years, who continue to elevate the Atlanta wine scene creating access to craft beverages, and all of Sojourn wines we taste on this episode are available for purchase at the Piedmont location in Atlanta (@toweratl)

www.towerwinespirits.com/buckhead

---------------

Recorded June 2, 2024 with a LIVE audience at Vine Club in Atlanta, GA.

You can follow @thevineclubatl and visit www.thevineclub.wine for more info on their wine-driven social club memberships and events.

This episode features Alice Tétienne, the Cellar Master and Vineyard Director at Maison Henriot, and as of October 2023, she was also appointed to be the Deputy General Manager. You'll hear her passion for viticulture, aiming to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the vineyards. She grew up in Champagne. so she has a deep connection to the region, but she has since earned a BTS in Viticulture and Enology, a Bachelor's degree in Vine Science, and a Master's in Vine and Terroir. We talk about how she has collaborated with various wine estates and research centers, thus developing expertise in both practical and scientific aspects of wine production. Her background in communication helps to promote and enhance the image of Champagne, and she has also obtained the National Diploma of Oenologist, where she is distinguished with the award for oenological innovation and a prize for her thesis. In 2014, Alice joined the Centre Vinicole Nicolas Feuillatte, then moved to Maison Krug in 2015 as the Head Winemaker responsible for vineyard relations and a member of the tasting committee. She shares how this comprehensive expertise in the production of Champagne wines has helped her appreciate the impact of raw materials and the art of blending. This conversation highlights the collective mindset approach in Champagne for how to communicate about their practices and tap into consumer knowledge in the global market. Keep an ear out for her take on Champagne food pairings and don’t be surprised if you are inspired to book a trip to France after this conversation

Recorded June 3, 2024

-------------------------------------------

This episode is generously sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines⁠⁠⁠⁠ - available for shipping to 11 states

-------------------------------------------

VINEXPO AMERICA DISCOUNT:

Use code CVINEXPO20 for a 20% discount on tickets when you register for Vinexpo America, the premier wine and spirit trade event, coming to New York City on June 24-25, 2024. REGISTER HERE

This episode features Sommelier and Wine Director, Steven Grubbs, who currently manages four wine programs in Georgia. His longest role is with Five and Ten in Athens, where he got his start in the industry, to the newest now being Commune, a listening room and wine bar in Avondale estates which conveniently combines his love for wine and music as he is also a musician. You’ll hear about his approach to this wine list, which is a little different than programs he has designed in the past for several reasons, and you’ll also hear a bit about his previous experience opening Empire State South here in Atlanta, which was a hub of the wine community for many years. He talks about how ESS served as an incubator of sorts for so many talented people who continued on to have successful careers in food and beverage. Steven has a wealth of knowledge about the evolultion of the wine industry here in the Southeast, and he shares some interesting perspectives on the changes in Georgia’s supply chain over the years. We also analyze how he continues to find joy in multiple passions, from wine to music to making furniture, and he also offers some insight for how to navigate the current wine market. You can find him @risingtidesdrinkingservices on Instagram to learn more about his work, and you can check out @commune_atl for his newest wine program.

Recorded May 21, 2024

-------------------------------------------

This episode is generously sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines⁠⁠⁠⁠ - available for shipping to 11 states

This episode features winemaker Rajat Parr, a sommelier turned farmer, published author, and mentor to many. He speaks of people, places, and wines with such a wealth of knowledge, and he is one of those people who is making an impact far beyond what he himself may even know.. His focus these days is his property in Cambria, on California’s Central Coast, taking care of the vineyards of Phelan Farm. He talks about how this is unlike any project he’s been involved with in the past because it is not a just a project, it’s his life, his home. He is using farming practices specifically dedicated to soil health, and you’ll hear about his dedication to these efforts. Speaking about these wines puts Atlanta and the Southeast market frequently on his travel map – as well as his appreciation for the Atlanta restaurant scene. We talk about his role as a mentor in this industry and why it continues to be a priority in his life. He accepted the Hue Soceity's "Winemaker of the Year" award at the Wine and Culture Fest in Atlanta in 2023. You can learn more about his work at www.phelanfarm.com and you can follow @rajatparr on Instagram.

Recorded April 21, 2024

This episode features Ashley Buzzy, the artist, printmaker, sommelier, and businesswoman behind Press Shop in Atlanta, Georgia. Press Shop is a thoughtfully-curated gift shop in Summerhill with a strong local and online presence and an emphasis on letterpress stationery, low intervention wines, and impactful books. She talks about how her focus is on connecting the maker with the buyer in a way that feels genuine, nonobligatory, and meaningful. Her goal is to create a unique space where all types of people feel welcome, inspired, and excited to shop - while also educating consumers on products and spending choices that positively impact themselves and their communities. This is a “no crap” space; a shop where every product has meaning and was chosen, not just to fill space on a shelf, but to serve a purpose and to tell a story. We talk about her curiosity for the world of wine and how traveling to the places to meet with the winemakers connects her to family’s influence of teaching her the beauty of gardening at a very young age. We also get a few little exclusive teasers of things ahead for her business, and you’ll also hear some of her advice for other aspiring business owners navigating how to balance multiple priorities and interests. You can visit www.pressshopatl.com to learn more about the business and follow @press.shop on Instagram.

Recorded April 15, 2024

-------------------------------------------

This episode is generously sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines⁠⁠⁠⁠ - available for shipping to 11 states

This episode features a live audience conversation with Dan Kosta, the President and Founder of DK Wine Group including Convene, Admire, and Grail wines. Dan grew up in Sonoma County, and he has over 20 years of experience in the wine industry. Dan’s career in the restaurant industry ultimately led him to wine production, but he worked as a back waiter, a waiter, bartender, operations manager, and finally wine director prior to founding a winery. In 1997, he started Kosta Browne winery with his business partner, Michael Browne, and they worked together to grow that project through direct-to-consumer sales and a nationwide distribution network. We talk about his experiences starting a winery from scratch, learning from his mistakes, and building his team along the way. They have since sold that first project, but it has led to opening the doors to this new effort of creating 3 synergist labels with DK Wine Group. We discuss the business and marketing side of his experiences, and he mentions how he is leveraging his network for giving back to community through Convene and his volunteer work. Thank you to Empire Distributors for making this possible, and I hope you can feel a little bit of the energy that was part of this tasting and conversation here in Atlanta. You can learn more about Dan's work at www.dk-convene.com and by following @convenebydankosta on Instagram.

------------------

Recorded with a live audience in Atlanta, GA on March 22, 2024