The Wine Centric Show

Madeline Puckette didn't set out to build Wine Folly. She lost her graphic design job in the 2008 recession, followed a boyfriend to Reno, and picked up a stack of wine encyclopedias from a bar owner who needed help on slow nights. None of it was the plan. Nearly two decades later, she's the Co-Founder and Chief Design Officer of one of the most recognizable names in wine education, co-author of a New York Times bestseller and a James Beard Award winner, and the person whose visual framework AI chatbots now use to answer wine questions without crediting her.

That unplanned path runs through a wide-ranging conversation: the bottle that broke her mental model of what wine could even taste like (it smelled like black olives), the flavor cards she doodled behind a wine bar that became the seed of Wine Folly, and why she thinks the wine world's go-to explanation for sandy soil is often wrong.

Madeline is the Co-Founder and Chief Design Officer of Wine Folly under Folly Enterprises, co-author of two books (a New York Times bestseller and a James Beard Award winner), and has appeared in Jason Wise's Somm: Into the Bottle and Somm 3.

In this conversation:

• The vocalist-to-wine comparison game, including her pick for a Whitney Houston wine
• How the 2008 recession led her from a graphic design job to a wine bar in Reno
• The Chateau de Montfaucon 2005 Côtes du Rhône that broke her idea of what wine could taste like
• The flavor cards that became the first version of Wine Folly
• Why AI is now answering wine questions with her own decade of work, uncredited
• Her current obsessions: Slovenia's Goriška Brda region and Hungarian Hárslevelű
• Biking through Alto Adige with sommelier Aldo Sohm
• Hiring a Master of Wine to challenge her own teaching model
• Why sandy soil doesn't fully explain a lighter-bodied Gamay

Presented by InVintory. Manage your wine collection with 3D cellar visualization. Use code WINECENTRIC for 25% off InVintory Premium.

Wine Folly: www.winefolly.com 

Madeline's Instagram: @madelinepuck 

Wine Folly's Instagram: @winefolly

Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini wanted Caparzo. Eleven partners owned it, and getting them all to say yes took four and a half years. She didn't walk away. That patience became the foundation of one of Tuscany's most quietly powerful wine families.

Matt Weiss talks with Elisabetta and her daughter Alessandra about how they built a portfolio that runs from Brunello di Montalcino to Chianti Classico to the Maremma: Caparzo, Altesino, Borgo Scopeto, Doga delle Clavule, and a fifth Montalcino estate still taking shape.

They get into the green label that broke every rule of 1970s wine design, why Montalcino stakes everything on big Slavonian oak, and what it took for a woman to run the deal in a corner of Tuscany that wasn't ready for one. It's a family story, a business story, and a Brunello story all at once.

New episodes of The Wine Centric Show every week.

We’re grateful for the support of our episode partners:
▪️Fearrington House: https://fearrington.com/

THE PREFERRED GLASS OF THE WINE CENTRIC SHOW
▪️Glasvin: Use code WINECENTRIC for 10% off: https://tidd.ly/41vgdSQ

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🔗 Full episode and show notes at winecentricshow.com

Wine tech has a problem nobody talked about until Josh Daiter's father pulled a shelf out of his wine fridge in Florida, watched the bottle he was hunting for roll off and shatter on the floor, and called his son the next morning fed up. That broken bottle became InVintory, now one of the leading platforms in wine collecting.

This is the first episode of The Wine Centric Show to go deep on cellar management and wine technology, and our guest is Josh Daiter, co founder and CEO of InVintory. Josh holds two master's degrees, in entrepreneurship and in AI, and he wasn't even into wine when he started. Over the hour we trace the company from an augmented reality experiment to its 3D VinLocate cellar mapping, its sommelier vetted database of more than 650,000 wines, and Vincent, the AI sommelier that is equal parts beloved and controversial.
We also get into the things most founders won't say out loud: why wine pricing apps are "always suspect" and how InVintory keeps a collection's value honest, the "dumbest, smartest" $100K ad summer that landed 20,000 users, how a team of just 11 competes with the giants, why the wine world resists AI harder than almost any other industry, and where cellar management goes when the app disappears into your glasses and your kitchen speaker.

Whether you track your collection in InVintory, CellarTracker, Vivino, or a battered Excel sheet, this one is about the future of how we collect, store, and actually enjoy wine.
🍷 Download InVintory and drink deliciously.

We’re grateful for the support of our episode partners:
▪️Fearrington House: https://fearrington.com/

THE PREFERRED GLASS OF THE WINE CENTRIC SHOW
▪️Glasvin: Use code WINECENTRIC for 10% off: https://tidd.ly/41vgdSQ

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into wine culture.
🎧 Listen now on YouTube + all podcast platforms
🔗 Full episode and show notes at winecentricshow.com

#WineCentricShow, #MattWeiss, #InVintory, #JoshDaiter, #WineTech, #CellarManagement, #WineCollecting, #WineCellar, #WineApp, #AISommelier, #VinLocate, #CellarTracker, #Vivino, #LiveX, #WinePricing, #WineData, #WineStartup, #WineTechnology, #WineCollection, #FineWine, #WineInvestment, #WineStorage, #Sommelier, #WineTrade, #WineIndustry, #WinePodcast, #Wine

Paul Michael didn't plant his first vines by choice. He was seventeen years old, on a family holiday in California, when his father climbed out of a rented Cadillac in the middle of Knights Valley and announced they were coming back to plant. That was 1982. What followed is one of the great origin stories in American wine.

Paul and his wife Emily join Matt Weiss to talk about the multigenerational vision behind Peter Michael Winery, the accidental tasting that started it all, how a five-year-old waking up above the fog line named one of their most celebrated wines, and what it means to build something designed to outlast you.

They also reveal the four bottles Paul would open for someone who had never heard of Peter Michael — vintage specific. Write them down.

Recorded at Fearrington House, Pittsboro, North Carolina.

We’re grateful for the support of our episode partners:
▪️Fearrington House: https://fearrington.com/

THE PREFERRED GLASS OF THE WINE CENTRIC SHOW
▪️Glasvin: Use code WINECENTRIC for 10% off: https://tidd.ly/41vgdSQ

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into wine culture.
🎧 Listen now on YouTube + all podcast platforms
🔗 Full episode and show notes at winecentricshow.com

Pepe Raventós is a 21st generation winemaker who walked away from the appellation his grandfather helped build. Cava had become a commodity. The name carried the wrong story. So he left.

What followed was a decade-long fight to prove that Penedès — a poor, rural corner of Catalonia with more than 3,000 years of winemaking history — deserves its own appellation and a seat at the table with the greatest sparkling wines in the world.

Along the way, Pepe planted the wrong grape in the wrong place, discovered an abandoned farm nearly converted to a chicken factory, and built a winery in a garage underneath his bed. He paid farmers twice the going rate. Moved his family to New York for five years. And found an almost extinct grape called Sumoll that he believes will one day rival Nebbiolo on the world stage.

This is not a conversation about Cava. It's about what happens when a rebel with deep roots decides to start from scratch.

We’re grateful for the support of our episode partners:
▪️Fearrington House: https://fearrington.com/

THE PREFERRED GLASS OF THE WINE CENTRIC SHOW
▪️Glasvin: Use code WINECENTRIC for 10% off: https://tidd.ly/41vgdSQ

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into wine culture.
🎧 Listen now on YouTube + all podcast platforms
🔗 Full episode and show notes at winecentricshow.com

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Pepe Raventos and His Journey
04:54 Leaving the DO: A Family Decision
10:33 The Philosophy of Natural Winemaking
15:47 Exploring the Unique Characteristics of Charello
21:19 Cultural Influences: From Penedes to New York
27:11 The Economic Impact of Kava on Farmers
33:50 Reviving Abandoned Vineyards and Local Communities
41:03 Balancing Passion and Business in Winemaking
50:01 The Future of Penedès Wines and Recommendations
54:29 Wine_Centric_Show_v1 Linked Comp 05.mp4

Tags:#PepeRaventós, #RaventósIBlanc, #SpanishWine, #WineCentricShow, #Penedès, #CanSumoi, #Xarello, #Sumoll, #WinePodcast, #Sommelier, #WineInterview, #Winemaker, #NaturalWine, #SparklingWine, #CavaAlternative

 Bobby Stuckey has spent twenty years telling Americans that the most important wine region in Italy isn't Tuscany. It isn't Piedmont either.

It's Friuli.

As co-founder of Frasca Food and Wine and one of the most respected Master Sommeliers in the country, Stuckey has watched food journalists question whether fine dining still has a place in American culture. He has a clear answer: they don't know what they're talking about.

This conversation covers the wines and producers that put Friuli on the map, the real story behind orange wine, why Merlot and Chardonnay belong in Friuli just as much as Ribolla Gialla, and what it actually takes to build a restaurant culture around a region most Americans have never heard of.

One question runs through all of it: how long does a grape need to grow somewhere before it becomes part of that place?

We’re grateful for the support of our episode partners:
▪️Fearrington House: https://fearrington.com/
▪️Glasvin: Use code WINECENTRIC for 10% off: https://tidd.ly/41vgdSQ

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into wine culture.
🎧 Listen now on YouTube + all podcast platforms
🔗 Full episode and show notes at winecentricshow.com

When the most powerful man in the world imposed tariffs that threatened to put his business under, Victor Owen Schwartz did what almost no one else was willing to do. He sued. And he won.

As lead plaintiff in VOS Selections v. Donald Trump, this 40-year wine importer took the fight from the Court of International Trade all the way to the Supreme Court — winning at every stop. 3-0. 7-2. 6-3.

On the morning this episode was recorded, his tariff refunds hit his bank account for the first time.

We get into what IEEPA tariffs actually did to an importer running on 5% margins, why Amazon blinked while Victor didn't, how a brunch he almost skipped changed everything, and what it feels like when justice stops being theoretical and shows up in your bank account.

📩 Subscribe to the biweekly Wine Centric Newsletter at winecentricshow.com
We’re grateful for the support of our episode partners:
▪️Fearrington House: https://fearrington.com/
▪️Glasvin: Use code WINECENTRIC for 10% off: https://tidd.ly/41vgdSQ
🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into wine culture.
🎧 Listen now on YouTube + all podcast platforms
🔗 Full episode and show notes at winecentricshow.com

Bruwer Raats planted his flag in the Polkadraai Hills when nobody else wanted to be there. The soil was granite, the land was cheap, and the two varieties he chose — Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc — were widely considered the least exciting grapes a winemaker could possibly champion. His colleagues called him a mad hatter.

That was 2000. Today, Polkadraai Hills is a declared ward on the label of one of the world's most consistently decorated wines.

Matt goes deep with Bruwer on the full arc: growing up in post-apartheid South Africa and the democratic shift that shaped his entire career; training stints in Bordeaux, Napa, Germany, and Tuscany; why granite soils and a south-facing slope were worth more to him than prestige real estate in the Golden Triangle; the braai conversation with his friend and partner Mzo that gave birth to MR de Compostela — South Africa's first 50/50 black-white wine company, not by mandate but by friendship and shared ambition; and the discipline it takes to declassify your only wine in 2010 and again in 2019 because the vintage simply wasn't good enough.

There's also a cars-and-wine pairing game to open, the now-legendary Ferrari traffic cop story, and Bruwer's four-bottle prescription for anyone who wants to understand South African wine.

First South African guest on The Wine Centric Show. Long overdue.

We’re grateful for the support of our episode partners:
▪️Fearrington House: https://fearrington.com/
▪️Glasvin: Use code WINECENTRIC for 10% off: https://tidd.ly/41vgdSQ

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into wine culture.
🎧 Listen now on YouTube + all podcast platforms
🔗 Full episode and show notes at winecentricshow.com

#BruwerRaats, #RaatsFamilyWines, #MRdeCompostela, #SouthAfricanWine, #StellenboschWine, #PolkadraaiHills, #CheninBlanc, #CabernetFranc, #CapeClassics, #WinePodcast, #WineInterview, #WineEducation, #SouthAfrica, #Pinotage, #FineWine, #OldVineProject, #WineAndFoodPairing, #TheWineCentricShow, #Stellenbosch, #WineTasting

Fifty years ago, a 25-year-old with no money, no connections, and a lot of nerve showed up at an office on the 18th floor of the World Trade Center every single day for two and a half weeks until someone finally let him in. That someone was Barbara Kafka. The place was Windows on the World. And what Kevin Zraly built there over the next 25 years became the greatest restaurant wine program this country has ever seen.
On this episode of The Wine Centric Show, Kevin joins co-host Inez Ribustello, former Assistant Cellar Master and Beverage Director at Windows on the World, for a conversation that covers all of it. How a kid from Pleasantville, New York hitchhiked to California in 1972 when there were only 24 wineries in Napa. How Joe Baum told him to build the biggest and best wine list New York had ever seen and not to worry about what it cost. How 30,000 people have passed through the Windows on the World Wine School. How his book, Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, has sold four million copies and never gone out of print.
And what it felt like to dance alone on the roof of One World Trade Center on July 4th, 1976, above the fireworks, king of the world.
Inez brings her own stories from the 107th floor including a Krug 1976 mistake that became a masterclass, a phone call with Kevin that changed how she leads, and a girls weekend in August 2001 that she will never forget.
This one stays with you.
Kevin’s autobiography, A Glass Half Full, is coming soon. His 50th anniversary celebration of the Judgment of Paris takes place May 26th at City Winery in New York City. Details at citywinery.com.
Inez Ribustello’s book, Life After Windows, is available now.

We’re grateful for the support of our episode partners:
The preferred wine glass of Matt and the Wine centric show
▪️Glasvin: Use code WINECENTRIC for 10% off: https://tidd.ly/41vgdSQ

▪️Fearrington House: https://fearrington.com/

Episode Highlights

• Kevin Zraly’s journey from bartender to world-renowned wine educator
• The rise and influence of Windows on the World
• How wine education evolved in America
• The philosophy behind simplifying wine for everyone
• Mentorship, leadership, and building iconic wine programs
• The lasting impact of 9/11 on the wine community
• Kevin’s perspective on the future of wine

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into wine culture.
 🎧 Listen now on YouTube + all podcast platforms
 🔗 Full episode and show notes at winecentricshow.com

Chapters:

00:00 Celebrating Windows on the World: A Legacy in Wine Education
 02:43 Kevin Zraly's Journey: From Bartender to Wine Educator
 05:21 The Evolution of Wine Culture in America
 07:49 Teaching Wine: Simplifying Complexity for Everyone
 10:44 The Birth of Windows on the World: A Restaurant Icon
 13:29 Building a Wine Program: The Art of Selection
 16:23 Mentorship and Leadership in the Wine Industry
 19:05 Navigating Challenges: Lessons from the Beverage Director
 21:47 The Impact of 9/11 on Windows on the World
 24:21 Legacy and Recognition: Balancing Career and Personal Life
 33:35 The Legacy of Windows on the World
 36:26 Innovative Concepts in Dining
 39:14 Reflections on 9/11 and Its Impact
 45:14 The Evolution of Windows on the World
 48:53 Wine Buying Strategies and Experiences
 55:20 Memorable Moments and Personal Stories
 01:02:33 Looking Ahead: Celebrations and Future Events

The full episode is available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and at winecentricshow.com.

Kevin Zraly, Windows on the World, wine education, wine history, Inez Ribustello, sommelier, wine podcast, judgment of Paris 1976, Joe Baum, Windows on the World Wine School, complete wine course, New York restaurants, World Trade Center, American wine history, wine for beginners, hospitality, iconic restaurants, Wine Centric Show

A UC Davis professor once told Cathy Corison she would never be a winemaker in the Napa Valley. As a woman, it simply wasn't done.
She didn't argue. She just went and did it anyway.
Nearly five decades later, Cathy is one of Napa's most respected voices — and her daughter Grace Corison Martin has come home to build on what her mother started.
Matt talks with both of them about Kronos Vineyard, planted in 1959 on St. George rootstock and never replanted — through phylloxera, through the Parker era, through every stylistic wave the valley has ridden. They cover Grace's path from a BFA in acting to Union Square Cafe to coming home during COVID and discovering she'd been a winemaker all along. And they dig into the philosophy behind 40 vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon built for the table — wines defined by restraint, benchland fruit, and yields so low they'd make any business school professor wince.
This one covers a lot of ground: old vines, family succession, organic and regenerative farming, the broken three-tier system, and what it actually takes to build something meant to last.

Join the the list for a Bi-weekly newsletter with loads more wine insights and Matt's picks--
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The official wine glass of the Wine Centric Show is Glasvin.
Use code WINECENTRIC for 10% off at https://tidd.ly/41vgdSQ
We’re grateful for the support of our episode partners:

📍 What You’ll Learn:
Old vines and their impact on wine complexity
Benchland terroir between Rutherford and St. Helena
Kronos Vineyard and its historical significance
Sustainable and organic farming practices
Cabernet Sauvignon winemaking philosophy at Corison
Building a winery from purchased fruit to estate
Family legacy and generational transition in wine
Napa Valley’s stylistic evolution and market pressures
Chapters:
00:00 - The Legacy of Corazon Winery
02:44 - Old Vines, Great Wines
05:32 - Breaking Barriers: A Woman's Journey in Winemaking
08:09 - The Family Business: Succession and Passion
10:40 - Finding Home: Grace's Return to Napa
11:17 - Miracles of the Kronos Vineyard
13:08 - The Financial Journey of Winemaking
15:26 - The Evolution of Napa Valley's Wine Industry
29:10 - The Mythical Roots of Wine
30:30 - Balancing Winemaking and Motherhood
32:27 - The Small Scale of Winemaking
32:56 - The Importance of Hospitality in Wine
34:21 - The Evolution of the Sommelier Community
35:17 - Direct-to-Consumer Sales Strategy
36:37 - Stylistic Choices in Winemaking
37:24 - The Unique Characteristics of Rutherford Fruit
40:13 - The Vision for Future Wines
42:57 - Sustainability in Winemaking Practices
45:31 - The Future of Chorus & Winery
47:36 - Adapting to Climate Change in Winemaking
51:59 - Exploring New Varietals
54:59 - The Role of Regenerative Agriculture
59:19 - A Surprise Guest Joins the Conversation
01:01:43 - Exploring New Wine Varieties

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into wine culture.
🎧 Listen now on YouTube + all podcast platforms
🔗 Full episode and show notes at winecentricshow.com

We’re grateful for the support of our episode partners:
▪️Fearrington House: https://fearrington.com/