In this special International Women's Day 2026 episode of The Wine CEO, I sit down with Namratha Stanley — French author, wine merchant, and founder of the Bordeaux wine brand Solicantus — to share one of the most powerful stories I've heard in the wine world.

After surviving more than a decade in an abusive marriage in India, Namratha made the courageous decision to leave everything behind and rebuild her life. In 2017, she moved to Bordeaux, France, where she reinvented herself in the heart of one of the world's most famous wine regions.

Today, she is a wine entrepreneur, brand owner, and author of the memoir Vineyard Melody — a deeply personal story of resilience, reinvention, and finding freedom through wine.

In this episode, we discuss: 🍷 Her journey from India to Bordeaux 🍷 Escaping an abusive marriage and starting over 🍷 Building a wine brand in France as an outsider 🍷 The inspiration behind her memoir Vineyard Melody 🍷 Lessons about courage, identity, and transformation

Her story is a powerful reminder of what is possible when women reclaim their future.

If you enjoy wine stories, inspiring female entrepreneurs, and behind-the-scenes perspectives on the wine industry, you'll love this conversation.

>>>Watch this conversation on my Youtube channel: https://youtu.be/HlHleGdcD3M

📚 Learn more about Namratha Stanley and her memoir Vineyard Melody *Enter a special giveaway before March 31st, 2026 to celebrate the launch of Namratha's new book! You could win a stay at a beautiful chateaux in Bordeaux! https://www.namrathastanley.com/home1#about-nam

------

Subscribe to The Wine CEO Newsletter to get a free guide to food and wine pairings: thewineceo.com

Follow along on Instagram: @thewineceo

🍷 Subscribe for more interviews with winemakers, sommeliers, and wine experts from around the world.

------

#InternationalWomensDay #IWD2026 #WomenInWine #WineIndustry #WineEntrepreneur #BordeauxWine #WineStory #FemaleFounders #WineCEO #WomenEmpowerment #Memoir #WineEducation #WinemakerStory

🍷 Inside Kopke: How Port Wine Is Made | Styles of Port Explained | Oldest Port House in Portugal

In this exclusive interview filmed in Portugal's Douro Valley, I sit down with the viticulturist and marketing manager at Kopke, the oldest Port wine house in the world, founded in 1638. Together, we break down the basics of Port wine production, including how Port is made, why fermentation is stopped early, and how fortification shapes its signature sweetness and structure. If you've ever wondered what actually makes Port different from still wine, this episode is for you. We also explore the main styles of Port wine, from Ruby and Tawny to Colheita and aged Ports, and explain how aging, barrels, and time create dramatically different flavor profiles.

Whether you're new to Port or looking to deepen your wine knowledge, this conversation gives you a clear, approachable foundation. Finally, we talk about what makes Kopke truly special—its legacy as the oldest Port producer, its focus on single-harvest Colheita Ports, and how tradition and innovation coexist in one of Portugal's most historic wine houses.

📍 Filmed on location in Portugal

🎙️ Featuring insights from Kopke's viticulture and marketing teams

🍇 Perfect for wine lovers, students, and anyone curious about Port wine

If you enjoyed this video, don't forget to like, subscribe, and share for more wine education and behind-the-scenes conversations from historic wine regions around the world.

For the best experience, watch this episode on my youtube channel: https://youtu.be/5_TY29L-mnY

------

thewineceo.com

Subscribe to my newsletter for a free wine pairing guide!

------

https://kopke1638.com/store/category/port-wines/

#PortWine #Kopke #DouroValley #PortugueseWine #HowPortIsMade #PortWineStyles #WineEducation #WinePodcast #WineYouTube #SommelierLife #WineTravel #OldestPortHouse #ColheitaPort #TawnyPort #RubyPort #FortifiedWine #TheWineCEO

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the wine lover in your life? In this video, Sarah from The Wine CEO shares her 2025 Holiday Gift Guide featuring elegant wine accessories, must-read wine books, fun wine-themed gifts, and travel-ready wine finds that elevate entertaining at home and on the road. Whether you love cooking with wine, hosting dinner parties, planning wine-focused travel, or simply want smarter gift ideas for the holidays, this curated guide is designed for adults who want to enjoy wine with confidence and style. From decanters and preservation tools to picnic baskets and Champagne-inspired reads, you'll discover thoughtful, experience-driven gifts perfect for every wine enthusiast — plus links to shop the full guide online.

Watch this video on my youtube channel for pictures of each gift: https://youtu.be/ScuiMmea6xc

------

https://www.thewineceo.com/blog/2025-holiday-gift-guide

https://benable.com/thewineceo/2025-holiday-gift-guide

-----

Sign up for The Wine CEO newsletter and get a free guide to Food & Wine Pairing: thewineceo.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thewineceo

------

Episode mentioned in today's podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1g3QCatqEcgO9WEe4cSOwT?si=pBcI8_STRLqwmpbOn9ZbJQ

Want to learn more about wine?

Check out my podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaeQnNyqq1s_WqHWYojfrwB3a777U12Ey

#WineEducation #WineLovers #WineGifts #HolidayGiftGuide #GiftsForWineLovers #FoodAndWine #EntertainingAtHome #WineTravel #CookingWithWine #LuxuryLifestyle #TheWineCEO #AdultLifestyle

Have you ever thought about starting a podcast? Or maybe you've just listened to my show for months now and you want a behind the scenes look into why I started @thewineceo? Then today's episode is for you! With over 4.5 years of podcasting and 200 episodes, I'm sitting down for the first time on the show to not talk about wine! I'm sharing the biggest lessons I've learned in my podcasting journey and some helpful tips that may help you if you are starting any big project in life ;) You can still grab a glass while you listen to me open up about some honest learnings from this journey!

-----

Sign up for The Wine CEO newsletter and get a free guide to Food & Wine Pairing: thewineceo.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thewineceo

------

Episode mentioned in today's podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5AHlwv9YxcauWdWtlKLbVe?si=FllxUxV5R3SFDLgWAblA-Q

Did you know that Portugal is only 1/4 the size of California, but has over 250 indigenous grape varieties? This country is most known for the production of the fortified wines Port and Madeira, but there's so much more to this amazing wine region! Watch the full video to learn everything you need to know about Portugal and the amazing wines coming from this region!

-----

Sign up for The Wine CEO newsletter and get a free guide to Food & Wine Pairing: thewineceo.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thewineceo

------

#portugal #visitportugal #portugaltravel #winetravel #wineeducation #wine #wineries #wineregions #winery #port #fortifiedwine #winetravels #sommelier #travelvlog #portuguesewine #winestudies #winestudent

This last week I traveled to Miami for one of North America's largest wine conferences and I got to speak with over 50 winemakers, producers, and industry professionals in 2 days. Today I'm sharing 5 interesting things I learned from the conference! Don't forget to hit subscribe so you don't miss my travel content as I explore a new wine region this summer!

------

Watch this episode on YoutTube: https://youtu.be/kq5pWTHbi28

-----

Sign up for The Wine CEO newsletter and get a free guide to Food & Wine Pairing: thewineceo.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thewineceo

Is there really a difference between a $10 bottle of wine and a $100 bottle of wine? Or what about a $40 bottle of wine? And if there is a difference, what determines price point for a wine? Join Sarah as she dives into this hot topic that makes every wine consumer curious!

Watch this episode on YoutTube: https://youtu.be/5mDP6-5JmYw

-----

Sign up for The Wine CEO newsletter and get a free guide to Food & Wine Pairing: thewineceo.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thewineceo

Bordeaux Episode mentioned in today's show: https://youtu.be/L1c7mmRhwwA

Thinking about becoming a sommelier? Or maybe you are just really into the wine world? I've been in the beverage industry for 15 years and a sommelier for almost 8, so in today's episode I'm share about the top 5 things I wish I had known at the start of my journey. Hopefully these tips will help you as you begin studying wine and enjoying this world of vino! Press play now and don't forget to subscribe to my channel for more wine & travel content.

This episode is best enjoyed on my YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/2sR3gTxL0ZE

-----

Sign up for The Wine CEO newsletter and get a free guide to Food & Wine Pairing: thewineceo.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thewineceo

If you love wine and massages (who doesn't, right?) then today's episode is for you! Today, I'm sitting down with Kelly Lewis, CEO of The Wine Spa - America's first vintherapy spa. Kelly has curated treatments that integrate the healing antioxidants and medicinal properties of the grape vine with modern practices of massage, facials, and more. Vintherapy spas are common around the world, but this concept is new to the US and Kelly has big plans to expand while staying true to the local wine regions where she partners with wineries to upcycle discarded wine. So grab your favorite glass of wine and press play on this new episode!

This episode is best enjoyed on my YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/r8sdUQNylQI

-----

Sign up for The Wine CEO newsletter and get a free guide to Food & Wine Pairing: thewineceo.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thewineceo

------

Today's Guest: Kelly Lewis

The Wine Spa Website: https://thewinespapdx.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/winespa_pdx/#podcast

If you are only drinking sake with sushi (or not at all), then today's episode is for you! Join me as I chat with Ben Bell, co-founder of Origami Sake, an American craft sake company out of Arkansas.....and yes, you heard that right - AMERICAN sake. Ben actually moved to Japan for 2 years to learn how to make sake and then came home to open an outstanding craft sake business in the heart of America's rice land. So grab your favorite glass of wine and learn about sake and why you need to be drinking it this spring!

This episode is best enjoyed on my youtube:

https://youtu.be/XbC9xQWNQcQ

------

Sign up for The Wine CEO newsletter and get a free guide to Food & Wine Pairing: thewineceo.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @thewineceo

------

Today's Guest: Ben Bell, Co-Founder Origami Sake

Origami Website: https://drinkorigami.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/origamisakeco/