Bottles & Bites Without Borders

By Rob ClarkSociety & Culture Arts Leisure Places & Travel Food Home & Garden

Bottles & Bites Without Borders episodes

September 01 Small Batch to Barrel Proof: Ranking the E.H. Taylor Collection
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This episode, the table's full — my son and two friends joined me for a deep dive into one of bourbon's most iconic names: Colonel E.H. Taylor. We tasted through the entire core lineup — Small Batch, Single Barrel, Straight Rye, and Barrel Proof — comparing notes on nose, palate, and finish across all four.
Before we started pouring, I gave the guys some background on who E.H. Taylor really was and why he's often credited as the father of modern bourbon, including his role in shaping the Bottled-in-Bond Act.
As a bonus, we cracked open a Wyoming store-pick Stagg to see how it measured up against the Colonel's own lineup — and the reactions did not disappoint.
Pour yourself a glass and join us for an honest, unfiltered tasting session.
🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.
🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]
#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee
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1 hr 10 min
August 25 Quiche, Football & Fall Flavors with Chris & Teri Chambers
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Fall has landed on the table, and we're celebrating with a full brunch spread! In this episode of Bottles & Bites Without Borders, we're joined by Chris & Teri Chambers for a cozy autumn feast featuring a hearty meat lovers quiche, a veggie frittata, and French toast topped with homemade blueberry compote.
Between bites, we dig into everything fall: the comfort foods we crave as the temperature drops, our must-have football gameday snacks, and the desserts that make autumn the best eating season of the year. Grab a plate (and maybe a mimosa) and join the table — this one's got something for every kind of fall food lover.
🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.
🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]
#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee
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1 hr 1 min
August 11 Bring Back the Bottle Share (Just Not the Way You Remember It)
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Here's a description ready to drop into YouTube:
Bourbon Bottle Shares Are Dying — Here's How We Bring Them Back
Five or six years ago, there was a bourbon bottle share happening almost every month. Now? They've all but disappeared. The common excuse is "everybody already has the bottles" — but we don't think that's the real reason, and in this episode we're making the case for why.
We trace the timeline: how bottle shares started as bourbon's answer to the hunt for allocated bottles, how COVID pushed them into Zoom tastings and mail-order samples (and somehow made them work), and why they quietly faded once the world opened back up.
Then we flip the script. Instead of mourning the old-school "bring your rarest bottle" format, we're pitching a reboot — new formats built to actually get people back around the table:
🥃 Single Distillery Deep Dive — everyone brings something from one portfolio
🥃 Store Pick Showdown — bring your favorite store pick, defend it
🥃 115+ Proof Battle — high proof only
🥃 100-and-Under Night — the case for the everyday sipper
Because the bottle was never really the point. The table was. Bottle shares aren't just about rare whiskey — they're about building your palate, building community, and getting people talking about bourbon face to face again.
If you used to run or attend bottle shares, we want to hear about it — drop your best bottle share memory in the comments, and tell us which format you'd want to try first.
📺 Subscribe to Bottles & Bites Without Borders for more whiskey, wine, coffee, and food content without the snobbery.
#Bourbon #Whiskey #BottleShare #BourbonCommunity #WhiskeyTasting
🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.
🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]
#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee
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30 min
August 04The State of Bourbon 2026: Has the Bubble Burst?
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The bourbon world is changing... but is that a good thing?
In this episode of Bottles & Bites Without Borders, we're taking a deep dive into The State of Bourbon. Has the bourbon boom finally peaked? Is the allocation craze beginning to fade? Are legacy distilleries still producing the quality that built their reputations, or are rising demand and premium pricing changing the landscape?
We'll discuss the biggest news and trends shaping the industry, including new releases, the cooling secondary market, rising prices, and whether bourbon is finally becoming easier to find on store shelves. We'll also debate which distilleries are delivering the best Quality-to-Price Ratio (QPR) today, which brands are exceeding expectations, and which may be losing momentum.
Along the way, we'll share our hottest takes, favorite value bottles, biggest surprises of the year, and bold predictions for where bourbon is headed next.
Whether you're a seasoned collector, a weekend sipper, or just getting into bourbon, this conversation is packed with insights, opinions, and plenty of spirited debate.
Topics include:
Has the bourbon bubble burst?
Is allocated bourbon still worth chasing?
The best QPR distilleries in America
New releases: innovation or overload?
Are legacy producers maintaining quality?
Is barrel proof still king?
Our biggest surprises and disappointments
Predictions for the future of bourbon
🥃 Pour yourself a dram, join the conversation, and let us know in the comments: What is the current state of bourbon from your perspective? Is the industry headed in the right direction, or is it time for a reset?
Cheers!
🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.
🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]
#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee
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51 min
July 28The Original Super Tuscan: Silvia Vannucci on Piaggia & the Secret History of Carmignano
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Long before "Super Tuscan" became a marketing term, the winemakers of Carmignano were already blending Cabernet into their Sangiovese — a tradition that reportedly dates back to Caterina de' Medici in the 16th century. In this episode of Bottles & Bites Without Borders, we sit down with Silvia Vannucci, proprietor of Piaggia in Poggio a Caiano, Tuscany, alongside John Fodera of Tuscan Vines, to explore one of Italy's smallest and most historic wine appellations.Silvia shares the story of how her father, Mauro Vannucci, bought land in 1975 simply to build a house — and ended up founding one of Carmignano's benchmark estates. We walk through the full Piaggia lineup, from the flagship Carmignano Riserva to the standout Cabernet Franc bottling Poggio de' Colli, talk terroir, evolving winemaking styles, and why Carmignano remains better known abroad than in its own backyard.Whether you're a longtime Tuscan wine collector or completely new to Carmignano, this conversation is your primer on a region with roots stretching back to the Etruscans — and a 1716 legal decree from Grand Duke Cosimo III de' Medici to prove it.In this episode:
The accidental origins of Piaggia
Why Carmignano may be the original "Super Tuscan"
A walkthrough of the Piaggia wine portfolio
Terroir, tradition, and reducing oak in modern winemaking
Food pairings and Silvia's life as Piaggia's global ambassador
🍷 Guests: Silvia Vannucci (Piaggia) & John Fodera (Tuscan Vines)
🎙️ Bottles & Bites Without Borders
🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.
🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]
#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee

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55 min
July 21The State of Tuscany with John Fodera
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Tuscany is one of the most storied wine regions on earth — but is it still delivering the way it used to? On this episode of Bottles & Bites Without Borders, we sit down with wine journalist and Tuscan Vines founder John Fodera for a deep dive into The State of Tuscany.
John has been writing about Italian wine since 1995 and has spent the last fifteen-plus years covering Tuscany in granular detail through Tuscan Vines — plus leading wine lovers through the region firsthand on his Rustic Tuscany Tours. In this conversation, we cover:
🍷 Current vintage releases across Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Bolgheri, and the Maremma
⚖️ Regulatory shifts reshaping the region, including the new Chianti Classico UGA village system
💰 Where the real value is in Tuscany right now — and which sub-regions are overdelivering for the price
🌱 The next generation of Tuscan winemakers stepping into legendary family estates (and one who skipped tradition entirely)
🌍 How Tuscany stacks up against the rest of the wine world today
Whether you're building a cellar, planning a trip, or just love a good glass of Sangiovese, this episode is your insider briefing on where Tuscany stands in 2026.
Find John Fodera: 🔗 johnfodera.com 🔗 Tuscan Vines

🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.
🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]
#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee
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1 hr 23 min
July 14 Buffalo Trace: The Myth, The Mash Bills, and The Mystery Behind the Most Chased Bourbon in America
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You've heard the name. You've probably chased the bottle. But do you actually know the story behind Buffalo Trace Distillery — the one operation in Frankfort, Kentucky that somehow makes the most affordable and the most impossible-to-find bourbons in America at the same time?
In this episode of Bottles & Bites Without Borders, we go deep on the distillery that's become the holy grail of American whiskey. We're talking real history dating back to the 1700s, the four mash bills that power an entire universe of brands, the surprising truth about who actually owns what comes out of those rickhouses, and the real reason a $25 bottle sits next to a bottle people pay thousands for on the secondary market.
Whether you're a seasoned bourbon hunter or just bourbon-curious, this one's for you. Pour something good and let's get into it.
🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.
🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]
#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee
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18 min
June 30 America Turns 250 — We Drank the Anniversary Bourbon
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America turns 250 this 4th of July, and we're celebrating with Evan Williams' brand new America250 commemorative lineup — the 1783 Small Batch and the seriously strong Single Barrel, bottled at 117.76 proof and dipped in blue wax to match the Statue of Liberty on the label.
In this episode, we taste both bottles side by side, break down what makes each one worth (or not worth) the price tag, and dig into the real story behind the name on the label. Evan Williams is marketed as "Kentucky's first distiller" — but the history is way murkier than the bottle wants you to believe. We get into what historians actually say about the man, the legend, and how a 1957 marketing decision turned into one of the best-selling bourbon brands in the world.
Bottles featured:
🥃 Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch (90 proof) — $19.99
🥃 Evan Williams Single Barrel America250 (117.76 proof) — $39.99
Happy 250th, America. 🇺🇸
#bourbon #whiskey #4thofjuly #evanwilliams #america250 #bourbonreview
🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.
🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]
#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee
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22 min
June 23 Chasing Proof: The Truth About Flavor in Bourbon
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For years, bourbon enthusiasts have chased higher proof bottles believing that more proof equals more flavor. But is that really true?
In this episode of Bottles & Bites Without Borders, Rob Clark is joined by longtime friend Chris Chambers for a blind three-pour bourbon tasting and a deep dive into one of whiskey's most debated topics: proof.
We explore why higher proof bourbons often deliver bigger flavors, richer textures, and more complexity—but also why some of the most flavorful bottles on the shelf live comfortably between 90 and 100 proof.
Along the way, we discuss:
• Why bourbon drinkers often chase proof
• The relationship between alcohol content and flavor intensity
• How barrel entry proof impacts the whiskey in your glass
• Why lower proof doesn't mean lower flavor
• The role dilution plays in creating balance
• Common misconceptions about barrel proof bourbons
• Whether proof should influence your buying decisions
And of course, we put our theories to the test with a blind tasting that delivered a few surprises along the way.
Whether you're a barrel-proof fanatic or someone who appreciates a well-crafted 90-proof pour, this episode will change the way you think about proof and flavor in bourbon.
Pour yourself a glass and join the conversation.
🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.
🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]
#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee
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49 min
June 16 Bourbon Basics: Three Guys Walk Into a Distillery...
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Bourbon Basics: Three Young Guys Enter the Bourbon World — and Nothing Goes as Expected
My son Ian and his two best friends Bryant and Evan are 25 years old. They've been drinking bourbon for about two years. And when I started asking them what they actually knew about it… well, let's just say we had some work to do.
In this episode of Bottles & Bites Without Borders, we sit down for a full bourbon education — covering everything from distillery profiles and mashbills to wheated bourbons, high rye, single barrel, small batch, and full proof expressions. The guys ask the questions that most beginners are afraid to ask, and we keep it real, fun, and completely unpretentious.
Then comes the real test. I poured five bourbons completely blind — no labels, no hints — and had Ian, Bryant, and Evan nose, sip, and rank every single one. The conversation is honest, the reactions are unfiltered, and the reveal at the end left everybody surprised.
If you're new to bourbon, this episode is your starting point. If you've been in the game for a while, sit back and enjoy watching three guys discover what's actually in their glass for the very first time.
Pull up a chair. Pour something good. Class is in session.
🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.
🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]
#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee
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1 hr 8 min

About Bottles & Bites Without Borders

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Welcome to Bottles & Bites Without Borders, where the wine flows, the whiskey pours, and the food never disappoints! Hosted by Rob Clark, a WSET-certified wine enthusiast, whiskey…