MJ’s guest is seasoned sommelier, wine educator and founder of Volcanic Selections, Jeff Porter. Jeff has been featured in numerous major food and wine publications, such as The New York Times, Los Angeles Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Eater and The Financial Times. Jeff’s sommelier career began in Napa Valley, where he worked at Tra Vigne Ristorante in St. Helena. He joined the Bastianich Hospitality Group in 2009 at Osteria Mozza under the auspice of James Beard Award winning chef Nancy Silverton. 

Jeff is back! On this week’s episode, he and MJ talk all about turning a passion for wine into a successful career. Jeff details making the move from LA to NYC, and the differences in wine culture that he discovered once he arrived. Jeff shares about the process of making Sip Trip, his web series about wine life and culture that aims to show anyone can get be passionate about wine. He reflects on starting an import and distribution business just before the pandemic hit, and opens up about what’s next for him and his business. 

A huge thank you to Jeff Porter! 

Follow him on IG @jeffporterwine

Check out Volcanic Selections

https://volcanicselections.com/ 

Follow them on IG @volcanicselections 

This episode’s in studio wine: 2019 Natte Valley Stellenbosch Cinsault

Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers and wine drinkers! 

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at 

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy 

Thank you to our sponsor: Paso Robles Wine Country. Paso Robles is a region with so many diverse microclimates that allows for a stunning array of grapes to thrive in. It’s made up of over 200 family-owned wineries, making a beautiful variety of wines.

Learn more at https://pasowine.com/

Tune in to their podcast Where the Wine Takes You - which explores the people, places and wines of Paso Robles Wine Country! 

https://pasowine.com/where-wine-takes-you/ 

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media. 

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MJ’s guest is Founder of Booker Vineyards, one of Paso Robles Legendary Artisanal Cult Wineries, Eric Jensen. Eric and his wife Lisa Jensen purchased 100 acres of  property in Paso Robles, CA in 2001 with the intent of growing the best fruit for some of the best wineries in the area. After making wine with Justin Smith (of Saxum) for five years and Stephan Asseo (of L'Aventure Wines) for two years, the Jensens decided it was time to create their own expression with Booker Vineyard. The 2005 Vintage was Booker Vineyard's first release with the wines being made by Eric himself. The vineyard received organic certification in April of 2021. 

In this episode, Eric is fresh in the studio after a big night of celebrating in NYC  - and he and MJ quickly jump into discussing the bottles. This conversation is unscripted and full of heart. The opinions about wine and winemaking are candid and real. From Eric’s humble beginnings in San Dimas, CA to his early days of cold calling to his absolute love of Paso Robles and its winemakers - make sure your ear pods are charged, you don’t want to miss a minute of this one! 

A huge thank you to Eric Jensen 

Follow him on IG at @bookerbadger

Keep up with all he has going on at Booker Winery: 

https://www.bookerwines.com

Follow them on IG @bookervineyard

This episode’s in studio wine:

2016 Booker White 

2015 Booker Oublie 

______________________________________________________________

Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers! 

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at 

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy 

Thank you to our sponsor: Paso Robles Wine Country. Paso Robles is a region with so many diverse microclimates that allows for a stunning array of grapes to thrive in. It’s made up of over 200 family-owned wineries, making a beautiful variety of wines.

 Learn more at https://pasowine.com/

Tune in to their podcast Where the Wine Takes You - which explores the people, places and wines of Paso Robles Wine Country! 

https://pasowine.com/where-wine-takes-you/ 

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media. 

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MJ’s guest is JJ Redick, the famous Duke University basketball player, where he still holds several records including “all time leading scorer.” JJ’s professional basketball career began in 2006 when the Orlando Magic selected him with the 11th pick overall. Over the course of his 15 year NBA career he has played with Milwaukee Bucks, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Orleans Pelicans, and finally the Dallas Mavericks. He is the creator and host of the podcast The Old Man and the Three. In 2020, he founded the podcasting company ThreeFourTwo Productions. He is an enthusiastic wine collector, JJ has assembled a cellar of diverse vinous selections, which he recently discussed in “All Starts Uncorked” a digital event sponsored by Acker Wines. JJ is a devout Christian, husband, and father, an ESPN sports corresponder and… a household name. 

On this week’s episode, MJ and his guest discuss in detail JJ’s legendary journey from an uneven backyard basketball court full of obstacles to numerous records at Duke University, his spectacular professional career, and of course, his love affair with wine. JJ reminisces on his earliest athletic experiences, balancing baseball and basketball before ultimately embarking on the path that would seal his place in basketball history. He reflects on his decision to complete his four years of college, where he was just hours before the draft, the contract celebration that sparked his curiosity about wine, what it was like to bond over a bottle during the NBA pandemic bubble, and what it means to be a compassionate human being.

A huge thank you to JJ Redick

Follow him on IG at @jjredick

Check out his podcast, The Old Man and the Three, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and his website www.threefourtwo.com

This episode’s in studio wine:

2019 Joseph Drouhin Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru

______________________________________________________________

Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers! 

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at 

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy 

Thank you to our sponsor: Paso Robles Wine Country. Paso Robles is a region with so many diverse microclimates that allows for a stunning array of grapes to thrive in. It’s made up of over 200 family-owned wineries, making a beautiful variety of wines.

 Learn more at https://pasowine.com/

Tune in to their podcast Where the Wine Takes You - which explores the people, places and wines of Paso Robles Wine Country! 

https://pasowine.com/where-wine-takes-you/ 

Huge shout out to our sponsor: 56 Degree Wines. Are you looking for extraordinary new wines that have been tasted and approved by professionals with over 40 years combined experience? Then you have to check out 56degreewine.com. Joe Bembry and his grand crew at the shop do all the heavy lifting for you by vetting every wine on their shelves. Authentic, Artisanal wines. Use the Code:MJ when you checkout to get 10% OFF your first oder.

https://www.56degreewine.com/

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media. 

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MJ’s guest is a cellar’s worth of degrees and experiences in wine, and service, and is currently the wine director of Gary’s Wine and Marketplace, please welcome Brooke Sabel. Brooke has been featured in Real Simple Magazine, Travel + Leisure Magazine, Forbes Magazine, CondeNast Traveler Magazine, SOMM Journal and More! Along with the James Beard Foundation, Brooke has participated in Star Chefs Somm Slam, New Jersey Wine & Food Festival and is one of sommelier luminaries for Nantucket Wine & Food Festival. Brooke was Assistant Wine Director for Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa where she developed wine lists for culinary masters Bobby Flay, Wolfgang Puck, and Michael Mina. Brooke also developed a wine program for Sir Richard Branson and New Jersey developer Bob Wojtowicz to develop the wine program at Natirar and its award-winning restaurant Ninety Acres, where she held the position of opening Wine Director. It was her focus on sustainable, organic, biodynamic and small-production wines that garnered high accolades amongst her peers and the press.

On this episode, MJ and Brooke pull back the curtain on what’s nothing less than an amazing career that started in college! Brooke dishes on her initial foray into wine during a wine class; leaving a potentially lucrative job with the PGA Tour to drink and eat her way through Spain with her class; being recruited to Borgata after just 3 months with 56 Degrees Wine where she worked as the top Sommelier working alongside Bobby Flay (and one particular special night, where he never let her out of his sight again!). Phone call, after phone call, changed Brooke’s career path again and again, and each time, for the better. From Sir Richard Branson to Robin Williams and Billy Crystal - Life doesn’t get much sweeter than this, Kid. Grab a long stem and a cabernet sauvignon, and get ready for a good time. 

A huge thank you to Brooke Sabel! 

Follow her on IG at @brookesabel

Follow Gary’s Wine and Marketplace @garys_wine

Get more of Gary’s Wine at garyswine.com  

This episode’s in studio wine:

1989 Corison Cabernet Sauvignon

______________________________________________________________

Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers! 

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at 

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy 

Thank you to our sponsor: Paso Robles Wine Country. Paso Robles is a region with so many diverse microclimates that allows for a stunning array of grapes to thrive in. It’s made up of over 200 family-owned wineries, making a beautiful variety of wines.

 Learn more at https://pasowine.com/

Tune in to their podcast Where the Wine Takes You - which explores the people, places and wines of Paso Robles Wine Country! 

https://pasowine.com/where-wine-takes-you/ 

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media. 

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MJ’s Guest today is one of the most influential and widely-read American voices on wine and food and Managing Editor of RESY, acclaimed journalist and author, Jon Bonne. In Jon’s 20 + years as a journalist he has been a Senior Contributing Editor for PUNCH. He spent nearly a decade as the Wine Editor and Chief Wine Critic of The San Francisco Chronicle, where he co-edited its Food & Wine section, and won two James Beard awards and numerous other accolades.He is also author of The New California Wine and The New Wine Rules, and is currently finishing his next book, The New French Wine. 

In this episode MJ and Jon discuss his early beginnings in media at MSNBC where he first pitched the idea of doing a wine column. From that momentum he eventually landed in California, as wine critic at the SF Chronicle which jokingly Jon calls “not awkward” as big California wines had not “been his thing”. MJ and he discuss his journey of discovering California wines “that spoke to him”, writing now iconic books, the love story of meeting his wife and his deep appreciations of Burgundy, the wine and the region. The opinions are strong and the wines are delicious! Cheers! 

A huge thank you to Jon Bonne! 

Follow him on IG at @jbonne

Check out his website: jonbonne.com

Read his current writings @resy.com 

This episode’s in studio wine:

2018 Domain De La Pepiere Planquette

Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers! 

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at 

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy 

Thank you to our sponsor: Paso Robles Wine Country. Paso Robles is a region with so many diverse microclimates that allows for a stunning array of grapes to thrive in. It’s made up of over 200 family-owned wineries, making a beautiful variety of wines.

 Learn more at https://pasowine.com/

Tune in to their podcast Where the Wine Takes You - which explores the people, places and wines of Paso Robles Wine Country! 

https://pasowine.com/where-wine-takes-you/ 

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media. 

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MJ’s guest is writer and research journalist J’nai Gaither. She has worked vintages as a cellar hand at Ferrari-Carano Winery in Geyserville, CA, and Indevin New Zealand Winery in Gisborne, NZ. She has done WSET Level 3 and is currently studying for her Master of Champagne through the Wine Scholar Guild. Additionally, J’nai was one of four research journalists working on Karen MacNeil’s upcoming third edition of The Wine Bible. 

In this episode J’nai has literally just returned from Burgundy after receiving the Becky Wasserman scholarship. MJ and she discuss her early days growing up in Chicago and how her innate ability to “zig while other people zag” has defined her journey to become a celebrated food and wine author. The discussion touches on everything from her new discoveries in Burgundy to California cult wines. J’nai shares her past experiences with racism in the tasting rooms of Napa Valley and her current  joy of being an editor at Wine Enthusiast magazine. The humor, the realness and the wine banter is all at 100. Enjoy!  

A huge thank you to J’nai Gaither 

Follow her on IG at @champagneandreservations

Read her writings at: winemag.com 

This episode’s in studio wine:

Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers! 

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at 

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy 

Thank you to our sponsor: Paso Robles Wine Country. Paso Robles is a region with so many diverse microclimates that allows for a stunning array of grapes to thrive in. It’s made up of over 200 family-owned wineries, making a beautiful variety of wines.

 Learn more at https://pasowine.com/

Tune in to their podcast Where the Wine Takes You - which explores the people, places and wines of Paso Robles Wine Country! 

https://pasowine.com/where-wine-takes-you/ 

Huge shout out to our sponsor:  56 Degree Wines.  Are you looking for extraordinary new wines that have been tasted and approved by professionals with over 40 years combined experience?  Then you have to check out 56degreewine.com.  Joe Bembry and his grand crew at the shop do all the heavy lifting for you by vetting every wine on their shelves. Authentic, Artisanal wines. 

https://www.56degreewine.com/

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media. 

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MJ’s guest is a winemaker and the founder of Massican Wines, Dan Petroski. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY where he went on to play football at Columbia. He went on to work for Time Inc. while also studying for his MBA at NYU, both ingredients for a promising future in magazine publishing. Dan began his wine education literally winning and dining clients around Manhattan’s best restaurants. He set off for Sicily, where he interned at Valle dell’Acate for a year. Dan originally intended to return to NYC to sell wine, but later received a harvest invitation in 2006 in Napa Valley. Not long after that, Petroski was hired as cellar master, ultimately claiming the Larkmead winemaker title in 2012. In 2009, Dan launched his own wine business called Massican, which specializes in Italian inspired white wines. Massican is a one-man operation where Dan manages all winemaking, sales and marketing. In July of 2020 Dan went back to his digital media roots launching Massican Magazine online. Petroski's approach and ability to craft wines as diverse as Cabernet Sauvignon and Tocai Friulano has earned him the recognition as San Francisco Chronicle’s Winemaker of the Year in 2017

On this episode, MJ and Dan enjoy a beautiful bottle of Fiorano Boncampagni Ludovisi, while discussing Dan’s unlikely start to a decorated and fulfilling career in wine, his once in a lifetime winemaking education in Sicily, his time at Larkmead, starting his own business at Massican, and fighting climate change on the front lines! Period. Cheers!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MJ’s guest is wine specialist and salesperson, consultant, and educator, Kelly Mitchell. Kelly was named on Wine Enthusiast’s 2021 40 Under 40 Tastemakers list, and named a “Rising Black Voice in Wine” by Wine & Spirits Magazine, appearing on its October 2020 cover. Kelly is a sales representative for Skurnik Wines & Spirits.

In 2016, Kelly founded her consulting company, Kelly Mitchell Wine to focus on the wine needs of consumers. She has been an event sommelier at the James Beard House. In April 2020, Kelly launched Kelly Selects, in partnership with online wine retailer, Wired for Wine. She is currently completing her WSET Level 3 Advanced in wine education from the International Wine Center. Kelly is a member of Black Wine Professionals and a mentor for Wine Unify. She has been featured in Sevenfifty Daily, Cosmopolitan, Martha Stewart Living, Forbes, Wine Enthusiast, NBC News, Vine Pair and has appeared as a guest on several podcasts.

On this episode, MJ and Kelly don’t only enjoy a beautiful bottle of German Riesling but discuss Kelly’s childhood in Somerset, New Jersey; college life at Spellman and Stanford, and what’s going on in the wine industry today: the celebrity culture around wine, the importance of exploring wine via tasting, and mentorship in the wine industry, including the work she has done and continues to do for Wine Unify. Settle into this fun episode of reminiscing and love for wine. Period. Cheers!

A huge thank you to Kelly Mitchel! 

Follow her on IG at @kellymitchellwine 

Get more of Kelly Mitchell at https://www.kellymitchellwine.com/ 

This episode’s in studio wine:

Von Winning Grainhubel Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2018

______________________________________________________________

Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers! 

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at 

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy 

Thank you to our sponsor: Paso Robles Wine Country. Paso Robles is a region with so many diverse microclimates that allows for a stunning array of grapes to thrive in. It’s made up of over 200 family-owned wineries, making a beautiful variety of wines.

 Learn more at https://pasowine.com/

Tune in to their podcast Where the Wine Takes You - which explores the people, places and wines of Paso Robles Wine Country! 

https://pasowine.com/where-wine-takes-you/ 

Huge shout out to our sponsor:  56 Degree Wines.  Are you looking for extraordinary new wines that have been tasted and approved by professionals with over 40 years of combined experience?  Then you have to check out 56degreewine.com.  Joe Bembry and his grand crew at the shop do all the heavy lifting for you by vetting every wine on their shelves. Authentic, Artisanal wines. 

https://www.56degreewine.com/

Use the code “MJ” when you check out to save 15% off your first order. 

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media. 

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Born and raised in Manhattan, Drew started down his road to restauranteur as a young man in the 1960s. He went on to earn a degree from the School of Hotel Management at Ivy league, Cornell University while working on cruise ships. By 1985 he had opened his first restaurant, Montrachet, which earned three stars from the NYTimes and a coveted Michelin star, keeping its rating for decades. Drew formed his first of many celebrity partnerships in 1990 when he opened Tribeca Grill in 1990 with Robert DeNiro. The now NY landmark restaurant attracted an all star roster of investors including Bill Murray, Sean Penn, and Mikhail Baryshnikov. 

Making 1994 a defining year in Nieporent’s decades long success story, he once again partnered with Robert DeNiro and renowned sushi chef, Nobu Matsuhisa, to open Nobu NYC, Next Door Nobu, and Nobu Fifty-Seven - all of which earned a three star rating from the NYTimes. And of course, Myriad's excellence in wine service is widely acknowledged and its only restaurant group to earn three coveted Grand Awards from Wine Spectator Magazine. In 2005, Myriad opened Crush Wine & Spirits, which was named the best new wine shop by Food & Wine Magazine. ​​

MJ and Drew discuss Drew’s early years and how going out to dinner frequently in NYC with his father, a lawyer for the NYC State Liquor License Department, as a kid helped hone his eventual career path. Drew shares some of what it takes to have so many successful restaurants still open and thriving globally. This episode is packed with tales from a life lived truly without parallel. 

A huge thank you to Drew Nieporent! 

Follow him on IG at @drewnieporent

Check out Myriad restaurant group at https://www.myriadrestaurantgroup.com/ 

This episode’s in studio wine:

Albarino

Corsica

2018

______________________________________________________________

Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers and wine drinkers! 

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at 

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy 

Thank you to our sponsor: Paso Robles Wine Country. Paso Robles is a region with so many diverse microclimates that allows for a stunning array of grapes to thrive in. It’s made up of over 200 family owned wineries, making a beautiful variety of wines.

Learn more at https://pasowine.com/

Tune in to their podcast Where the Wine Takes You - which explores the people, places and wines of Paso Robles Wine Country! 

https://pasowine.com/where-wine-takes-you/ 

Shout to our sponsor:  56 Degree Wines.  Are you looking for extraordinary new wines that have been tasted and approved by professionals with over 40 years combined experience?  Then you have to check out 56degreewine.com.  Joe Bembry and his grand crew at the shop do all the heavy lifting for you by vetting every wine on their shelves.

https://www.56degreewine.com/

Use the code “MJ” when you check out to save 15% off your first order. 

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media. 

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The BYOB King! How Mark Iacono built Lucali's into an NYC institution brick by brick and bottle by bottle

MJ’s guest is a chef and owner of the one of the most sought after pizzerias in all of Brooklyn, Mark Iacono. Born and raised in Carroll Gardens, Mark Iacono grew up fully immersed in Italian American culture. He was a regular neighborhood kid. He enjoyed his grandmother’s cooking, playing centerfield, and trips to the local candy shop with his father. Then in 2006 without any experience in the culinary arts or restaurant business, Mark opened his now iconic pizzeria, Lucali - its location in the very same storefront of the candy shop his father had taken him to throughout his childhood. Lucali has become a B.Y.O.B. destination for wine collectors — the front window is lined with empty Burgundy bottles, including a 1971 La Tâche. Mark's clientele include the likes of Jay-Z and Beyonce, Paul McCartney, and David Beckham. Mark has appeared in New York Magazine, Insider, the Today Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers and Netflix’s Ugly Delicious. He hosted (3) seasons of Thrillist’s Really Dough? series.

Mark and MJ discuss the possibilities of unexpected culinary education and running a business in your childhood neighborhood. 

A huge thank you to Mark Iacono

Check out his restaurant at www.lucalibrooklyn.com 

Follow them on IG @lucali_bk

This episode’s in studio wine:

Le Redini

2017 Tenuta degli Dei Dei Le Redini

Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers and wine drinkers! 

Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.

For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at 

Blackwineguy.com

Follow MJ @blackwineguy 

Thank you to our sponsor Paso Robles, that region of wine country with many diverse microclimates that allows for a stunning array of grapes to thrive in. It’s made up of over 200 family owned wineries, making a beautiful variety of wines. 

Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media. 

www.necessarymediaproductions.com

@necessary_media_

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.