Reaching out to Polly to have a chat about coming on Wine Talks, was like a breath of fresh air. Podcasting takes great effort and a conscious effort to be better and to look for guests that can add to the entertainment and education value of the show. I could have just as easily recorded our pre-call and published that as a podcast. I think you will find Polly intriguing, inspiring and knowledgable. 

Polly Hammond would be the first to admit she never gets nervous on podcasts—until, of course, she landed on Wine Talks with Paul K., reminiscing about youthful memories in Hermosa Beach and realizing just how close to home a conversation about wine could truly feel. In this episode, listeners are in for much more than a stroll down California’s scenic, wine-soaked memory lanes. You’ll dive deep with Polly, CEO and founder of Five Forests Wine Consultancy, as she shakes up entrenched ideas about what keeps wine regions—and the wider wine business—buzzing and relevant. Expect lively debate about the value of tradition and typicity, a behind-the-scenes look at loyalty and wine clubs in the digital age, and a wake-up call about the risks of letting marketing run on autopilot. Polly challenges brands to not just hand down goals to marketers, but to invite them into the boardroom, making a compelling case for why the future of wine depends on personal, empathetic connection with consumers instead of faceless macro-data. Along the way, you’ll pick up eyebrow-raising stories—like how middle-aged moms became surprising champions of 19 Crimes, or why a thriving direct mail business in the ’90s can teach us crucial lessons for today’s digital dilemma. Whether you’re a wine lover wondering how your own preferences evolve, or an industry stalwart trying to keep pace with Gen Z’s changing tastes and the existential threat of e-commerce to the old wine club model, this episode peels back the curtain on the emotional, psychological, and practical realities facing wine today. When Polly finishes, you’ll find yourself equipped—not just with fascinating wine stories, but with a new lens for viewing the wine world’s challenges and possibilities, one disruptively practical insight at a time.

 

1. Five Forest Wine Consultancy Website: https://fiveforests.com

2. Ottomany Global (sometimes spelled as "Areni Global" in industry contexts; it's a wine think tank) Website: https://areni.global

3. Alexander Valley Vineyards Website: https://www.avvwine.com

4. Hope Family Wines (Trecini/Treana Wines) Website: https://hopefamilywines.com (Triana/Treana is a brand under Hope Family Wines)

5. SC (University of Southern California, USC) Website: https://www.usc.edu

6. Napa Valley Wine Academy Website: https://napavalleywineacademy.com

7. Wine of the Month Club Website: https://www.wineofthemonthclub.com

8. Gallo (E. & J. Gallo Winery) Website: https://www.gallo.com

9. Coca-Cola Website: https://www.coca-colacompany.com

10. Wine Warehouse Website: https://winewarehouse.com

 

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