Sip with Nikki

This week I’m inviting you to pull up a chair with my new friend Sally Srok and I! We are happy hour-ing at one of my favorite restaurants, Willi’s Wine Bar in Santa Rosa, CA enjoying delicious food and wine pairings and talking about ALL of the things including:

• How she came to be the GM of a top-notch winery in Sonoma County
• Why the heck she was in the improv class where we met 
• Her Memoir “The New Jew: An Unexpected Conversion"
• Her second Memoir, "Bonus Round: A Divorce, a Gay-Ex Husband and A Life Reimagined"
• The life-changing Cattle Drive that started her path to self-realization
• Asking What If and the struggle to put herself first 
• What the Dining Room table represented and how she let it go
• Helping others to find themselves in the pages of her books 

Find the White Wines we paired with Ahi Tuna and Scallop Dumplings:

Aperture Sauvignon Blanc 

Domaine Orion Chablis 2022

Find the Red wines paired with Pork Belly Postickers:

Patricia Green Reserve, Willamette Valley  Pinot Noir

Ramazzotti Super Tuscan

Find Sally's Books on Amazon:

1. Bonus Round: A Gay Ex-Husband, A Divorce and a Life Reimagined
2. The New Jew: An Unexpected Conversion

Follow Sally on Instagram!

Follow ME on Instagram!

Check out her website to learn more about her.

If you'd like to Support the Podcast, you can buy me a glass of wine and get a shoutout on a future episode!

Please consider Rating, Reviewing and Following Us on Apple Podcasts!

How? Click Here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with Stars and select "write a review" and let us know what you loved most about this episode! 

If you haven't already, Be Sure to Follow! the podcast!

Looking to be better and understanding wine? Download my Free Wine Tips Cheat Sheet here:.

Questions, suggestions and guest requests? [email protected]

This week’s guest is another fascinating individual that I hoped would be a guest  before I even launched the podcast! 

Tony Smith and I met in 2012 when we were classmates at the Culinary Institute of America’s Wine Program in the Napa Valley.  He and his parter had just purchased a very historic Winery in Portugal and he was in the program to prep him for winery ownership and production.

I was lucky enough to visit the stunning Covela property in 2016 and I knew it was a special the place the moment we drove in. 

We dive into:

• The roller coaster of buying and restoring a winery property that dates back to the 1500’s
• Acquiring the coveted Organic certification and what that means (compared to Biodynamic)
• Does glassware matter?
• Can you taste minerality from the soil in the wine?
• A surprising natural winemaking technique they are using that I've never heard of before
• Our "Sip Spotlight" tasting of 3 of his unique and gorgeous wines made from the rare Avesso grape

Check out how they are blazing the trail in Portugal with their recent international certification for Regenerative Viticulture, which is new and highly regarded.

You can see footage of the beautiful property and purchase Covela wines for shipping to the US (and other countries) here:

Follow them on Instagram!

If you'd like to Support the Podcast, you can buy me a glass of wine and get a shoutout on a future episode!

Please consider Rating, Reviewing and Following Us on Apple Podcasts!

“Delightful and fun. Now I love my Monday Commute” (kpjscarbs). 

Sound like you? I’d love for you to leave your own review!

How? Click Here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with Stars and select "write a review" and let us know what you loved most about this episode! 

If you haven't already, please FOLLOW the podcast! We have so many more exciting episodes coming out, and if you're not following you might MISS then! Click here to Follow! 

Looking to be better and understanding wine? Download my Free Wine Tips Cheat Sheet here:.

Questions, suggestions and guest requests? [email protected]

Whatcha know about Mallorca? I didn’t know a whole lot and it was my first time there! Located just off the coast of Spain, it's 1405 sq miles and just under a million in population and known for its beautiful beaches, mountains, architecture... and you guessed it, wineries!

Listen as we:

• Discover a local Mercado (market) in the capital city Palma
• Eat our way through that market
• Then stumble into the coolest wines shop where we make new friends and learn about the local wines!

Ingrid’s shop is fantastic and I recommend a visit next time you are in the area. Her website is HERE. Their wines can be purchased through their site but international shipping is currently cost prohibitive, so you can find or Sip Spotlight wine from Mallorca at my affiliate site winedotcom, with very reasonable shipping (especially if you sign up for their yearly membership!)

This is an awesome red blend driven by the 2 native grapes you heard us learning about, Called and Mantonegro and a little Syrah for good measure. Use the link to have it shipped to your door!

Anima Negra-a 92 point Wine from Robert Parker!

Want to be an "Angel?" You can Support the Podcast, and buy me a glass of wine to show how much you're enjoying my podcast passion project.

Please consider Rating, Reviewing and Following Us on Apple Podcasts!

“Delightful and fun. Now I love my Monday Commute” (kpjscarbs). 

Sound like you? I’d love for you to leave your own review!

How? Click Here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with Stars and select "write a review" and let us know what you loved most about this episode! 

If you haven't already, please FOLLOW the podcast! We have so many more exciting episodes coming out, and if you're not following you might MISS then! Click here to Follow! 

Trying to make sense of wine? Get my Wine Tips Cheat Sheet here. 

Questions, suggestions and guest requests? [email protected] or DM me on Instagram, @nikkilamberti or Facebook!

To kick of Season 2, I’m sharing highlights from our AWESOME day in Sicily on our recent vacation (July 2024).

I’m joined my my partner Michael and my parents Dominick and Susan and I wore a tiny mic to bring you along with us! 

On our fantastic 11-night Disney Mediterranean Cruise, we had one day in Sicily and we definitely made the most of it! Listen in as we:

• Surprise my dad with some stops in Savoca to see where some famous scenes from the Godfather were filmed
• Eat our way through Taormina where we try traditional Arancini Ragu and power shop for olive oil
• Enjoy a surprising and emotional (for me) wine tasting with lunch at Murgo winery located in the foothills of Mt Etna  (Spoiler alert-Joy falls out of my eyes...)

As you listen, if you wish you could SEE what we are talking about, check out the SICILY DAY highlight bubble on my Instagram page! (and be sure to FOLLOW me while you're at it!)

Get the Wines!

Luckily my affiliate partner WinedotCom carries Murgo wines and ships inexpensively to most states! You can order them here:

Get the Murgo Etna Rosso made from Nerello Mascalese. A delicious light red that brought me to tears!

The Etna Bianco is the super interesting blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc that was unique and fresh.

The Sparkling Brut Rosé is crisp and dry, also made from the Nerello Masacalese grape. It's great on its own and super-versatile as a pairing with so many different dishes!

Our guide for the day, Maurizio, was fantastic and would love to create a custom itinerary for your visit to Sicily! Check them out at BDM Viaggio and tell them Nikki sent you!

Want to be an "Angel?" You can Support the Podcast, and buy me a glass of wine to show how much you're enjoying my podcast passion project.

Check out our friend's/podcast sponsor's website American Olive Farmer and use the code SipWithNikki for $10 off their amazing olive oils, vinegars and gifts!

Have you left a RATING and a REVIEW for the podcast yet?

How? Click Here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with Stars and select "write a review" and let us know what you loved most about this episode! 

Trying to make sense of wine? Get my Wine Tips Cheat Sheet here. 

Questions, suggestions and guest requests? [email protected] or DM me on Instagram, @nikkilamberti or Facebook!

If you missed the Season one Finale last week, I shared that Michael and I are taking short break and we will be back with Season 2 and new episodes on Monday July 15th!

We are traveling to Italy, Greece and Spain... And don’t worry… I have three mics in my carry-on to capture all the food, wine and beautiful people as we travel and will share with  you all that we discovered when we get back!

Regular weekly episodes with resume on MONDAY JULY 15th!

In the meantime, have fun catching up on any MAGIC that you missed and Be sure to FOLLOW the podcast in your favorite platform- and that will make sure our new episode kicking off Season 2 will show up for you automatically and you’ll know we are BACK! 

Our 2021 Sollevato Sangiovese , just received a Gold Medal and 92 point rating in the Orange County Wine Competition! Order online and Use code PODLISTENER for 10% off your order! 

Want to be an "Angel?" You can Support the Podcast, and buy me a glass of wine to show how much you're enjoying my podcast passion project.

Check out our friend's/podcast sponsor's website American Olive Farmer and use the code SipWithNikki for $10 off their amazing olive oils, vinegars and gifts!

Have you left a RATING and a REVIEW for the podcast yet?

How? Click Here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with Stars and select "write a review" and let us know what you loved most about this episode! 

Trying to make sense of wine? Get my Wine Tips Cheat Sheet here. 

Questions, suggestions and guest requests? [email protected] or DM me on Instagram, @nikkilamberti or Facebook!

To wrap up Season 1 of the podcast (28 episodes), I’m sharing highlights from ALL of them so you can remember your favorites or discover things that you’ve missed and want to check out!

We're taking a short break to travel to Italy, Greece and Spain (sitting in the San Francisco airport as I write this…) and don’t worry… I have three mics in my carry-on to capture all the food, wine and beautiful people as we travel and will be excited to share with you all that we discovered when we get back!

Regular weekly episodes will resume on MONDAY JULY 15th!

Be sure to CLICK FOLLOW on the podcast in your favorite platform- and that will make sure our new episode kicking off Season 2 will show up for you automatically and you’ll know we are BACK! 

A special Thank You to all my guests from the Inaugural Season who kicked things off with me!

Our previous vintage, the 2021 Sollevato Sangiovese , just received a Gold Medal and 92 point rating in the Orange County Wine Competition! Order online and Use code PODLISTENER for 10% off your order 

Want to be an "Angel?" You can Support the Podcast, and buy me a glass of wine to show how much you're enjoying my podcast passion project.

Check out our friend's/podcast sponsor's website American Olive Farmer and use the code SipWithNikki for $10 off their amazing olive oils, vinegars and gifts!

Have you left a RATING and a REVIEW for the podcast yet?

How? Click Here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with Stars and select "write a review" and let us know what you loved most about this episode! 

Trying to make sense of wine? Get my Wine Tips Cheat Sheet here. 

Questions, suggestions and guest requests? [email protected] or DM me on Instagram, @nikkilamberti or Facebook!

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out americanolivefarmer.com and use code SipWithNikki for $10 off your order!

For any size winery (especially a micro-winery like ours), bottling day is a big deal! Finally getting the wine in the bottle after almost 2 years from the grape harvest, is usually a long and busy day, with many hands "on deck" and a feeling of relief once it’s done!

I'm bringing you along on Bottling day of our 2022 Sollevato Sangiovese and you’ll hear:

• Jon Evino, the bottling line whisperer, share the super-fun story of how he acquired their unique bottling line
• The process of Bottling, corking, hand labeling and waxing close to 900 bottles (with love and laughter)

Our previous vintage, the 2021 Sollevato Sangiovese ,just received a Gold Medal and 92 point rating in the Orange County Wine Competition! Order online and Use code PODLISTENER for 10% off your order 

Want to be an "Angel?" You can Support the Podcast, and buy me a glass of wine to show how much you're enjoying my podcast passion project.

Please consider Rating, Reviewing and Following Us on Apple Podcasts!

“Delightful and fun. Now I love my Monday Commute” (kpjscarbs). 

Sound like you? I’d love for you to leave your own review!

How? Click Here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with Stars and select "write a review" and let us know what you loved most about this episode! 

If you haven't already, please FOLLOW the podcast! We have so many more exciting episodes coming out, and if you're not following you might MISS then! Click here to Follow! 

Trying to make sense of wine? Get my Wine Tips Cheat Sheet here. 

Questions, suggestions and guest requests? [email protected] or DM me on Instagram, @nikkilamberti or Facebook! and Please message me your vote on the name "On location" or "In the Field" for my new series of episodes recorded in fun and exciting places!

I recently re-connected with Ben Hartman, who grew up in my same hometown in Central New Jersey.  I was excited to learn that like me, Ben had also chased the dream of making wine... but he's doing it in the Finger Lakes of New York! He and his wife Michelle own and operate Deep Root Vineyard and are doing some really exciting and interesting things, including a surprising wine from 100+ year old vines from their property.

We have really cool conversation about:

• Giving it a shot and chasing a passion
• The uniqueness of grape growing in this Northern region
• Some recent trends we’ve both noticed in wine consumption
• Changes in the Finger Lakes region
• This week's “Sip Spotlight” wines, where we taste 2 of their small lot creations (and they are like nothing I’ve tasted before!)

Check out their website here and visit their tasting room in Hammondsport, NY to meet them and try some of their wine and jarred sangria!

• Click these links to Follow them on Instagram and Facebook
• If you are in update New York you can find them at the Rochester Public Market  (but not in January!)

You can purchase my perfect pizza pairing Sollevato Sangiovese and Use code PODLISTENER for 10% off your order 

Want to be an "Angel?"-You can Support the Podcast, and buy me a glass of wine to show how much you're enjoying my podcast passion project.

Please consider Rating, Reviewing and Following Us on Apple Podcasts!

“Delightful and fun. Now I love my Monday Commute” (kpjscarbs). 

Sound like you? I’d love for you to leave your own review!

How? Click Here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with Stars and select "write a review" and let us know what you loved most about this episode! 

If you haven't already, please FOLLOW the podcast! We have so many more exciting episodes coming out, and if you're not following you might MISS then! Click here to Follow! 

Get my Wine Tips Cheat Sheet here: 

Questions, suggestions and guest requests? [email protected] or DM me on Instagram, @nikkilamberti or Facebook!

“In matters of taste there is no dispute”...

Liz Tagami is a 6th generation Californian, who has been involved in defining and nurturing the Lucero Olive Oil brand for over 16 years. She’s a specialty food and veteran with 4 decades of international business experience. She and her husband, Donald, now own the Lucero Olive oil brand and American Olive Farmer website for all things olive oil related!

In our continuation from last weeks' awesome conversation, join us as we sip both wine and olive oil with HOMEMADE PIZZA (Best.Interview. Ever!). We chat about:

• Different Pairing combos with pizza and olive oil
• What's Cold-pressed and is it better?
• Differences in types of olives around the world
• Tips on what to look for on Olive Oil Labels to ensure quality
• Parallels between wine and olive oil tasting

You can follow Liz @lucerooliveoil and@merchantadventurer

While you're at it... are you following me @nikkilamberti and @sollevatowines ???

Visit https://americanolivefarmer.com/ and use code NIKKI$10 for $10 off your order though June 30, 2024. Grab the highly aromatic and unique Ascolano and the fresh and green Arbequina oil...and you can even subscribe and save!

Purchase my perfect pizza pairing Sollevato Sangiovese and Use code PODLISTENER for 10% off your order 

If you'd like to Support the Podcast, you can buy me a glass of wine to show how much you're enjoying my podcast passion project!

Please consider Rating, Reviewing and Following Us on Apple Podcasts!

“Delightful and fun. Now I love my Monday Commute” (kpjscarbs). 

Sound like you? I’d love for you to leave your own review!

How? Click Here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with Stars and select "write a review" and let us know what you loved most about this episode! 

If you haven't already, please FOLLOW the podcast! We have so many more exciting episodes coming out, and if you're not following you might MISS then! Click here to Follow! 

Get my Wine Tips Cheat Sheet here: 

Questions, suggestions and guest requests? [email protected]

Liz Tagami is a 6th generation Californian, who has been involved in defining and nurturing the Lucero Olive Oil brand for over 16 years. She’s a specialty food and cooking equipment industry veteran with 4 decades of international business experience. She and her husband, Donald, now own the Lucero brand and American Olive Farmer website and marketplace for all things olive oil related!

This week, as we sip both wine and olive oil (Best.Interview. Ever!) we cover:

• What does extra virgin really mean???
• The hot topic of the health benefits of olive oil
• How to store your olive oil

Be sure to Tune in next week for your Olive Oil 102!

Visit American Olive Farmer Here and use code NIKKI$10 for $10 off your order though June 30, 2024

Purchase the Juicy and jumping from the glass 2021 Sollevato Sangiovese that made Liz’s would be socks roll up and down! Use code PODLISTENER for 10% off your order! 

If you'd like to Support the Podcast, you can buy me a glass of wine with your donation and get a shout out on a future episode. Please and Thank you!

Please consider Rating, Reviewing and Following Us on Apple Podcasts!

“Delightful and fun. Now I love my Monday Commute” (kpjscarbs). 

Sound like you? I’d love for you to leave your own review!

How? Click Here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with Stars and select "write a review" and let us know what you loved most about this episode! 

If you haven't already, please FOLLOW the podcast! We have so many more exciting episodes coming out, and if you're not following you might MISS then! Click here to Follow! 

Get my Wine Tips Cheat Sheet here: 

Questions, suggestions and guest requests? [email protected]