Wine Behind The Scenes

We are all looking forward to what the new year has in store for us. However, now is a good time to reflect on what we have accomplished during this year. What makes the wine industry worthwhile is the people, passion, and experiences that come with the pleasure of tasting, drinking, and enjoying wine.

Laurel Simmons rounds up her top 10 best experiences on today's Wine Behind the Scenes episode.

Here are those that made it to the list:

#10: Wine in Costa Rica #9: Crete #8: I4C – the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Conference #7: Bulgaria #6: Athens and the surrounding area #5: The unnamed grape #4: Aristotle and the vineyard #3: Being a wine judge #2: Off-road and yelling at Gladys #1: The WBTS podcast

Come along with Laurel as she explores wine and vineyard destinations that promise tasting, drinking, dining, meeting people, travel, and experiences worth remembering and visiting.

You'll get enchanted by the beauty of the places, fascinated by the stories of meeting and connecting with people, and captivated by the history coming alive for you.

Also, find out what makes it an amazing year and one of the best ever for Laurel.

Connect with Laurel Simmons:

• Website: winebehindthescenes.com

Passion plays an important role in the success of a winemaking business. Continuous education, further study, and research contribute to consistent innovation. Growing your business is a great opportunity for you to grow as a business owner as well.

As new wineries sprout, you need to stay relevant by continually evolving. That said, doing other businesses related to winemaking can also be considered.

In this episode, Anne Kokotos discusses the ways she followed in developing her business - taking further studies, travelling, and meeting amazing people in the wine industry at events she attended all over the world. This keeps her well-informed about wine, winemaking, and the entire wine business.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Learn about the courses to take for basic knowledge and how far you'd go for research and studies to widen your knowledge.
• Discover potential side businesses from winemaking.
• Find out wine marketing strategies that involve teaching children about winemaking
• Hear how Greeks continue the age-old tradition of making wine a part of their culture and diet.
• Learn how to build a beautiful home and family life while managing a successful winemaking business.

Anne Kokotos was born in London in 1951. She grew up between a London boarding school in Surrey and her country house in Suffolk. In 1972 she came to Greece for a summer job – she's still there!

She got married in 1975 to George Kokotos (civil engineer), and they bought some land in Stamata, Attiki, in 1979, and moved into their house with their baby daughter. In 1980 they planted their vineyard – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Chardonnay.

The year after, 1981, they produced their first wine from the local Savatiano grape – bought in from local vineyards. In 1983, they picked their first crop of C.S., and their son was born, too.

And they have moved on from there, planting more vineyards and now producing 12 different labels from varieties Savatiano, Roditis, Asyrtiko, Malagouzia, Agiorgitiko Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Gewurtztraminer.

Their daughter now lives on the property with her husband and 2 children. Their son lives in London, where he is a partner in a company that imports Greek wines and delicatessen, mostly from small organic producers.

Connect with Anne Kokotos:

• Website: https://kokotosestate.gr/

Topics Covered:

02:41 - Courses she took that were useful for the wine business and how far she traveled for her research

04:41 - Expanding her knowledge about wine due to discoveries of new grape varieties and offshoots of new wineries

06:28 - Already living a fulfilled life that she can't imagine doing anything other than winemaking

07:30 - Organizing activities and events for children that ties back to winemaking and marketing the wines

10:07 - Greek wine laws and how wine is a part of Greek culture and diet

12:05 - Making biscuits and sweets as a byproduct of wine

13:05 - Practicing sustainable living and becoming a grape seed supplier of beauty products and possibilities of more side businesses

Quotes from Anne Kokotos:

"I did go to France for a couple of years running at that time, to the Institute of Masters of Wine, which is based in England."

"I met all sorts of people with whom I stayed in contact for years, from sommeliers to other producers, to oenologists from all over Europe."

"Only by tasting the wines can you build up the memory and the knowledge."

"I did taste at the International Wine Competition. Three or four years in London, which was again a great experience because you get to taste with other people who are very experienced and tasting wines from all over the world."

"If I hadn't taken that flight 50 years ago, who knows?"

"It's so much in the culture, in the diet that Greek children grew up, you know, with a knowledge of wine just sipping occasionally."

"From two years ago, we take the stalk, the skins, and the seeds, which have all been composted by now, and we spread it on the fields as an organic fertilizer."

"In Greece, we make those wonderful dolmades, which are stuffed grape leaves."

Getting on that flight to Greece many summers ago changed Anne Kokotos' life.

Along with meeting a Greek husband, she fell in love with Greece. Soon, she began learning the language, which led to a life spent in vineyards, winemaking, and running her own business.

Despite not knowing much about winemaking at the start, she and her husband have kept it going with much passion and dedication to grow it to what it is today.

Anne tells the story of how she made her way to Greece, stayed and found her place, married a Greek, and raised a family while building a successful wine business.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Find out what made Anne go to Greece decades ago and never uproot herself since.
• Discover what drove Anne and her husband to get into the winery business despite it being hard work and demanding much of one's time.
• Hear of beautiful memories created within and around the vineyard and winemaking.
• Get a peek into the culture and tradition of Greek families, including little children, where vineyard and winemaking are concerned.
• Learn interesting facts and surprising discoveries surrounding the centuries-old wine industry.
• Know the challenges of winemakers and farmers in the wine industry and the passion displayed, struggles notwithstanding.
• Find out creative ways of learning a foreign language, like Greek.

Anne Kokotos was born in London in 1951. She grew up between London boarding school in Surrey and her country house in Suffolk. In 1972 she came to Greece for a summer job – she's still there!

She got married in 1975 to George Kokotos (civil engineer), and they bought some land in Stamata, Attiki, in 1979, and moved into their house with their baby daughter. In 1980 they planted their vineyard – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Chardonnay.

The year after, 1981, they produced their first wine from the local Savatiano grape – bought in from local vineyards. About the same year, in 1983, they picked their first crop of C.S., and their son was born, too.

And they have moved on from there, planting more vineyards and now producing 12 different labels from varieties Savatiano, Roditis, Asyrtiko, Malagouzia, Agiorgitiko Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and Gewurtztraminer.

Their daughter now lives on the property with her husband and 2 children. Their son lives in London, where he is a partner in a company that imports Greek wines and delicatessen, mostly from small organic producers.

Connect with Anne Kokotos:

• Website: https://kokotosestate.gr/

Topics Covered:

02:18 - Making a home life side by side with her family's business in the vineyard for decades now

02:44 - A transplanted English girl in Greece

03:03 - Falling in love with Greece many summers ago and never looking back since [what completely drew her in]

04:16 - Sharing the vineyard's geographical location and the weather conditions

05:22 - What inspired her to start a winery despite it requiring a lot of work

07:12 - Taking professional advice and furthering education as they continued on after their first crop [plus sharing her husband's beautiful memories of the vineyards being a part of his life early on in childhood]

10:43 - Continuous new wine variety discoveries despite Greek's wine industry in existence for thousands of years

11:19 - Speaking fluent Greek despite facing difficulty learning it

13:20 - From a side hustle to a full-scaled business [running a winery is an all-year-round full-time job]

17:01 - Melding the different roles of wife, mother, and entrepreneur [ building winery business alongside a family and home life ]

18:44 - Relating a devastating phenomenon that she considered one of the most challenging times for the vineyard

Quotes from Anne Kokotos:

"I came out to Greece in 1972 when I was 21."

"A friend of a friend rang me up and said, how would you like to spend the summer on a Greek island?"

"We're at an altitude of 420 meters, and we get snow more or less every year."

"We leapt into winemaking without thinking at all."

"The municipality we live in is called Dionysus (the god of wine)."

"George turned me one day and said, why don't we plant a vineyard? And I said, why not?"

"We've taken professional advice because we had no idea what we were doing."

"In 1980, when we were starting out, some of the Greek varieties, which are extraordinarily popular nowadays within Greece, people didn't know them."

"We're in a country where they've been making and drinking wine for thousands of years, yet we're still discovering new grape varieties."

"Every time I go to the Greek wine fair, which happens every year in the spring, there are not only new wineries but new wine varieties that I'd never heard of."

"One of the difficulties with Greek, of course, is that it's a different alphabet. So you can't just look at a word and pronounce it."

"We planted our vineyard in 1980 and made our first wine in 1981, not by some miracle from our own vineyard, but by buying grapes from the neighbors."

"In 1981, we had a guaranteed market for our wine just sending it to our own hotel."

"From 92 onwards, we started winning prizes abroad."

"When you own a winery, you hardly ever take a holiday."

"Now we have our grandchildren growing up here... They can give you a tour of the vineyard, probably better than I can."

"Every day is different; every season is different. So there's no routine about it."

"The most disappointing thing ever was in 2016 when our entire crop was destroyed by hail."

Most of us overlook our sense of smell, but not for those in the wine industry. Learning what something tastes and smells like takes a great deal of practice. And that is something of importance to sommeliers.

Grape varieties vary widely from region to region and country to country, so it pays to practice and train a lot. And this is where work and fun come together. The more you learn about your craft, the better you are at what you do. As Jose Obregon's case illustrates, furthering his education and studies took him to different resorts and countries in the world.

How fun would it be to work and experience life at the same time? You can taste and enjoy different wines and explore other countries' cultures and traditions while expanding your knowledge.

For Jose, it takes a lot of dedication and hard work to be a sommelier. However, when you help create an enjoyable experience for guests and see that in their faces, that makes it more rewarding.

Let's join Jose as he shares with us what his journey was like, initially working in his father's restaurant all the way to making a name for himself as a sommelier in his own country, Costa Rica and exploring other resorts and countries to hone a craft he is passionate about.

What you'll learn from this episode:

• Find out the educational and travel opportunities tied to being a part of the wine industry
• Discover how being a sommelier is not so much about selling wine but about selling beautiful experiences and memories.

• Learn how being a sommelier opens up endless opportunities to learn and improve your craft.

• Know about practices and processes for growing grapes and producing natural wine without pesticides.

• Hear exciting and fun stories carved out of a life lived enjoying wine.

Jose Obregon dreamt of becoming a chef, and coming from a family who owned a farm and a restaurant, he got his training there and went to work with other restaurants. And finally, he got his chance to work at one of the biggest resorts in Costa Rica, where he met his mentor, who introduced him to the world of wine. And from there, he learned everything from food and which wine goes with what food. His career as a sommelier started soaring from there and continues as he furthers his education and plans to take a master's degree anytime soon.

At this time, he lives in La Fortuna, Alajuela, Costa Rica with his wife and two-year-old son. He works as head sommelier at Nayara Resorts.

Connect with Jose Obregon:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joseobregon171/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-obregon-0b223821a/

Topics Covered:

01:54 - Sharing an interesting description of where he works, how he got started there, educational and travel opportunities that come with his job

04:03 - His journey into the world of wine and the beautiful memories created by enjoying wine

10:59 - Exploring a different but exciting world of wine in another country

15:22 - What the training looks like to prepare for wine blind tasting

22:42 - The clients' open mindedness that comes when getting into the resort's wine bar

26:25 - Wine, for you to enjoy and not to get drunk

28:35 - Looking back at his life, is there something he wants to change?

Quotes from Jose Obregon:

"I don't sell wine; I sell experiences or create memories."

"You can find the same variety from different countries, and it [the wine] tastes different."

"When you are in a wine bar, you must be open-minded, trying different stuff because if you tried once years ago and it wasn't good, that doesn't mean all the same kind of variety tastes the same."

"People in Costa Rica they're starting to learn and also start to understand what wine is for; it's not to get drunk. It's to enjoy it, having a nice dinner with nice company."

It's interesting to note that in the process of making wine, grape vines planted within a meter distance of each other taste differently. Which means winemaking can be as fascinating as growing grapevines.

This week is the story about the origin of a place, Prince Edward County and how it came out to be what it is now, telling a unique story, land found nowhere else in the world.

The story of one of its wineries, Closson Chase wouldn't be complete without mentioning its topography, soil structure, climate pattern, weather conditions, and passionate people who care about it; all of which combine into one captivating tale of mother nature's beauty captured in a bottle poured into a glass to be shared, loved, and enjoyed by everyone.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Find out about winemakers' struggles and challenges and how they overcome them and learned to manage expectations; and know their responsibility for business sustainability and the environment.
• Understand the different seasons, climate changes, weather conditions, soil structure and the problem they bring to the vines and what solution is the best.
• Become aware of the different factors contributing to a wine's taste and outcome and appreciate the process and the unique story it tells that comes with producing it
• Learn about the valuable lessons of what it takes to be a winemaker
• Recognize nature's role in growing and harvesting grapes and ensuring to approach each process with a humble attitude.
• Hear of significant considerations to think about in becoming a winemaker fulfilling a goal of producing wine enjoyed and loved by many around the world.

Until the 1990s Prince Edward County was best known as an important fruit and vegetable-growing region. Closson Chase was just one bold idea when a group of intrepid wine industry pioneers rediscovered the region. After two years spent analyzing County soils, celebrated winemaker Deborah Paskus settled on a plot of land at the intersection of Closson and Chase Roads in Hillier Township. She fell in love with an old dairy farm owned by early Prince Edward County settlers, the Clossons. The site, approximately five kilometres inshore from Lake Ontario, had a perfect six-degree southern slope, good drainage, and gravelly calcareous soil on a limestone base—ideal for cool climate chardonnay and the perfect location for her dream vineyard.

In 1998, Deborah and partners started to build a winery to craft world-class wines. The first vines were planted just one year later in 1999. From then on, Closson Chase has been at the forefront of the Prince Edward County wine industry, producing award-winning Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

In 2015 Keith Tyers took the lead as Head Winemaker, moving the winery in a new and exciting direction with a focus on careful cultivation of the land. Firmly believing the crucial work is done in the vineyard to produce exceptional wine, Keith has carried on the traditions of high-density planting, careful canopy management, and low yields. It is Keith's philosophy that quality fruit will create the purest expression of place.

Connect with Keith Tyers:

• Website: http://www.clossonchase.com/
• Email: [email protected]

Topics Covered:

01:04 - Consistently living up to the goal of producing wine people love and appreciate and which help them replicate a beautiful experience

04:35 - Understanding the Prince Edward County topography and soil type giving rise to the uniquely excellent wines produced in each area

09:22 - Producing more costly wine at Closson Chase [and the interesting story behind it]

14:22 - The challenges a winemaker faces and the three weather climates that impact the grape vines

21:21 - What you should know about grafted vines and the wines being produced from them

24:09 - Factors that go into winemaking and how they affect the outcome of the wine

27:23 - Keith shares valuables lessons for one to consider when contemplating getting a full-time career in the wine industry

32:41 - What you should understand about being a winemaker [and the greatest source of one's gratification]

Quotes from Keith Tyers:

"I think sustainability is key for everything that we do in respecting the land, the people, the place, and the business." - Keith Tyers

"When you start to manipulate the environment, you start to tell a different story." - Keith Tyers

"When you're involved with the land as much as you are in grape growing, you can't help but have a connection to the place. And you feel it when stuff is not going the way it should, you feel it when things are going right. It's about trusting your instinct." - Keith Tyers

"Even when you do make a mistake, owning your mistakes and learning from your mistakes is the biggest thing and knowing that the gratification for what you've done comes with a smile on somebody's face when they open up the wine." - Keith Tyers

If you were told you could never be an expert, and you are never enough, how would that make you feel?

Instead of feeling disheartened, our podcast guest this week, Keith Tyers, felt challenged. Despite being told he can't do anything, he rose above it.

And all that doubt? He proved them wrong. Let's join him in this episode as he shares his journey into his deep fascination with food and wine, from being a sommelier to becoming a quality winemaker producing wines people all over the world love and enjoy.

What you will learn from this episode:

Realize how wine is one natural product that gives one a memory recall of a fantastic time and place in your life that you want to be replicated. Learn how becoming a sommelier and winemaker gives you leverage in your wine business. Hear about systems and processes to be put in place and an innovative mind to go with it in growing grapes and producing quality wines

Keith Tyers grew up in Kingston, Ontario where he developed a keen interest in wine and food. A move to Toronto further fueled his passion for wine and led him to take the International Sommelier Guild program at Humber College. After a few years in the big city restaurant scene, Keith decided he wanted to be closer to home and enjoy a quieter lifestyle. His journey brought him to Closson Road in Prince Edward County, where he settled with his wife Cassandra to raise their young family. Soon after his arrival in the County, Keith began his winemaking career as a vineyard hand at Closson Chase in 2003. This quickly led to a position as Assistant Winemaker, where he worked under Head Winemaker Deborah Paskus until 2009. Keith stepped away from Closson Chase for a few years to grow his winemaking knowledge. He embraced the opportunity to work alongside Ron Sparanzini at Oak Heights Winery in Warkworth, while also consulting for other grape growers in Prince Edward County. With a desire to return home and work among friends, Keith rejoined the team at Closson Chase in 2012 and was promoted to Head Winemaker in 2015. His time working in the fields led to a deep understanding of the soils and climates that make up the Closson Chase estate vineyards, and this understanding has allowed him to create wines that truly reflect a sense of place. Keith has continued the Closson Chase tradition of excellence in Chardonnay while also following his passion for producing exceptional Pinot Noir. His philosophy is to capture what Mother Nature grows in a bottle, creating the best possible expression of terroir. Connect with Keith Tyers:

Website: http://www.clossonchase.com/ Email: [email protected]

Topics Covered:

01:35 - Vividly describing the place he lives in and the vineyard that he tends to

02:54 - Sharing his journey to becoming a winemaker [how an opportunity presented itself at the same time overcoming a challenge that makes everything a part of his success story]

11:25 - Being a sommelier and winemaker and how it has leveraged his business

17:57 - Interesting thought about what winemaking at Closson Chase all boils down to

Quotes from Keith Tyers:

"The one thing that I truly embrace is wines that tell you a story of a place."

"The vineyard and the winemaking is definitely what calls me home. Although it is hard work. I don't consider it; I do enjoy it every day, even on the days that I don't want to be here. But I think that's the reason why we do it is because it's just part of who we are, and how much we love it. And it's just our expression of the time, the energy, effort and the love that goes into making great wine."

"It was truly an innovative time on how to grow things. I think first and foremost, we needed to grow grapes. And then we needed to learn how to make wine. And by reversing it, [ becoming a sommelier first ] I think it helped me become a better winemaker."

Can you imagine being 17 years old, standing on a stage in your hometown, and being named a Wine Princess? And not having a clue what you're doing?

That's the experience of today's guest, Sabine Wagner, who was not only a Wine Princess for two years but ultimately became her town's Wine Queen.

From there, Sabine never looked back. She found her calling and realized that the wine business was where she wanted to build her career. So build it she did - from getting a Bachelor of Science degree in International Wine Business to a Master's degree in International Wine Marketing. She interned in Italy and the US and ultimately ended up working in Germany.

She had lots of adventures along the way - including learning English in the school of real life in the United States.

Find out how Sabine did it... here at Wine Behind the Scenes.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Find out how wine and culture relate together and how they celebrate these two in Germany.
• Learn about a course that delves more into marketing and sales, including international wine selling aspects of the wine business.
• Discover the various jobs and exciting opportunities that await you in the wine industry suited to your passion and inclinations.
• Be awed and get inspired at how you can have a one-of-a-kind experience in wine tasting, meeting wonderful people, traveling to gorgeous places, and getting a feel of each place and country's culture.
• Hear about the perspective of selling wine not with its price but with stories.

Our guest Sabine Wagner was born in Mainz, Germany. Currently, she is the Key Account Manager at Remy & Kohlhaas GmbH Eltville, Germany . She used to be a Product Manager at Grands Chais de France Mainz, Germany.

She spent one of the highlights of her professional experiences in marketing, sales, and export at Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz, Deutschland.

Her university degrees include a BSc in International Wine Business specializing in Marketing, Sales, and Viniculture at Hochschule Geisenheim University, Geisenheim, Germany. And also she has an M Arts in International Wine Marketing at Hochschule Burgenland, Eisenstadt, Austria.

A host of other course-related internships and language courses experiences were spent in the US, Italy, England, China, and Japan.

And she's also held honorary titles as the Wine Princess and Wine Queen in Germany's regional and national arena.

Connect with Sabine Wagner:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bine_chrissy/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabine-wagner

Topics Covered:

01:32 - Which lovely city is she residing in Germany?

02:52 - How her career in the wine industry started [accidentally becoming the wine princess of her hometown and ultimately the queen]

03:48 - Celebrating wine and culture in Germany [choosing wine princesses and a queen from among the wine regions in Germany]

07:07 - Studying international wine business [what the whole course covers]

08:54 - Big international markets for Italian and German wines

10:35 - What her job entailed after getting a degree in international wine selling [internships, work exposures, and experiences]

14:03 - Having a good command of the English language

16:10 - Jobs she took in between internships

16:35 - Describing her role working as a product manager

17:47 - Talking about the marketing and sales part of the wine business [ wine design, flavor profile, pricing, creating different portfolios of wine suited to one's choice and preference]

21:18 - Painting a romantic view of the wine business

23:46 - What she would tell now, her younger self then, being the wine queen once upon a time

25:15 - Valuable thoughts[challenges and wins] on her stepping stone to the career she loves

26:08 - Amazing work opportunities and great experiences you can have in the wine industry

29:52 - One great thing she loves about her work in the wine business

30:31 - Selling wine based on stories [winemakers philosophies]

31:23 - A career many aspire to be in

Quotes from Sabine Wagner:

"I more or less by accident became a Wine Princess of my hometown."

"There are 16 German wine growing regions, and each of those has a Wine Queen."

"I think my English was pretty good when I went to the States, but I remember the first two or three days when I was talking to local people, I was like, oh my gosh, do I even, can I even speak English?"

"I was responsible for the German wine portfolio, and we did everything from product development to labels."

"The important question is, who is my customer? Where do I want to sell it? What does the customer want?"

"I do remember that day when I was standing on the stage becoming the Wine Princess. And I was standing there, and I was so nervous, and I was like, what the hell am I doing here? Like, why am I doing that?"

"There are so many different aspects and so many different opportunities for jobs in the wine business."

Can you imagine being only 11 years old and already know that you want to have a career in the wine industry? That's the experience that Danielle Coetsee had as she watched her uncle work in the vineyard and the winery.

And when she got older and applied to university as an engineering student, she realized that she was making a mistake - wine was still calling her. So Danielle took the big step of pulling her engineering application back and going for what she wanted to do, which was learning how to make wine.

Now, as a wine-maker who specializes in white wine and who has also been responsible for sparkling wine production, Danielle is looking forward to many years of creating wine that delights consumers at Boschendal Winery in South Africa.

Listen in as Danielle talks about her favourite parts of being a wine-maker and just how all-encompassing working in the wine industry can be... here at Wine Behind the Scenes.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Learn about the fundamental elements that make up the wine industry, the ethics, good practices, and the system you should account for so you continuously foster a trust relationship with your clients, customers, and all stakeholders in the wine industry.
• Find out the most rewarding experience of being a wine-maker that inspires you always to hold the highest quality standard in wine production.
• Discover how infusing art into the science of winemaking makes all the difference in the taste of wine and the character, personality, and style of a particular vineyard and winery.
• Hear about travel opportunities you can have being a wine-maker and brand ambassador at the same time.
• Know how female representation makes waves in the industry and what valuable contribution they bring to the wine space.

For a lucky few, there is a definitive moment when the world quietly slips away, and all that remains is an inspired instant between you and the wine that leaves you awestruck. For others, it's a special memory that confirms your love for wine. For Danielle Coetsee, White Wine Winemaker at Boschendal, it was a combination of both. At just 11 years old, Danielle's uncle inspired her to be a wine-maker with his tales of studying winemaking and viticulture from Elsenburg. Yet, it was not until Danielle's first harvest and tasting through some particularly memorable wines that a deeper love for winemaking blossomed: "Reaping the reward after months of hard work is a profound moment for any wine-maker. I've also been majorly influenced by some incredible wines I've had the privilege of trying, including a 2010 Château de Myrat Sauternes Grand Cru, a 2007 Costers del Siurana Priorat Miserere, a 2013 AA Badenhorst White Blend, and of course, the 2008 Boschendal Jean Le Long".

While studying viticulture and oenology at Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute, Danielle had her first encounter with the camaraderie and openness that exists within the wine world. This spirit of community and willingness to share knowledge motivated her to continue with her vocation. Before Boschendal, Danielle was the wine-maker and farm manager at a boutique winery for several years, and it was during this formative time that Danielle cemented her approach to winemaking. "It may sound super cliché, but it still rings true - you need good grapes to make good wine. You can make bad wine from good grapes, but you cannot make good wine from bad grapes," she explains. Beyond that, she believes that meticulous attention to detail and a "kick-ass palate" are cornerstones to sound winemaking.

Get in touch with Danielle Coetsee:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boschendalwines/

Topics Covered:

01:59 - Describing the beautiful place she lives in South Africa

04:31 - An exciting story of what piqued her interest in wine and winemaking, when and how it started

08:53 - A university in South Africa that gives training and qualifications to become a wine-maker

09:41 - Talking about female representation and what contribution they bring to the wine industry

12:07 - What her career path in the wine industry was like after earning her degree in winemaking

15:23 - Getting through all the three different areas of winemaking and now focusing on the white wine winemaking

17:04 - Foundational elements of the wine industry and the critical system around it that accounts for the trust relationship

20:07 - What she considers the most rewarding part of being a wine-maker

22:07 - How is winemaking a blend between Science and Art?

24:22 - Travel opportunities brought about by her work as a wine-maker and brand ambassador

26:48 - One thing that draws her most to winemaking and how she sees herself staying long-term in the wine industry

28:42 - What awaits you at the Boschendal vineyard and winery other than the wine you can enjoy

30:07 - Looking forward to talking about blending wine in a future episode

Quotes from Daniell Coetsee:

"My initial first selection for university was engineering because that's the appropriate kind of adult decision to make, but I just couldn't."

"I became interested in wine-making before I was even legally allowed to drink wine. So I didn't drink wine at that stage. I was 11 years old."

"When I found I had a permanent position I was just over the moon."

"We want people to know that and feel comfortable with the fact that what they're having in their glass is produced well and in the right manner and that they can trust what information is given to them."

"When it's harvest time, and you're going in on a Sunday afternoon. And it's quiet, and you get into the winery and a lot of the wines fermenting, and you get those fermentation smells, and you're checking the fermentations. They just look amazing and show all these aromatics; I think when it goes from juice to wine stage, it is a very special moment in between."

"A moment that I most enjoy is when you are with a group of people, either doing a tasting or seeing people taste the wines, and you see that enjoyment. And I think nothing really compares to that."

"I think at the end of the day, your kind of internal compass always points true north. And I think that is, and will probably always be winemaking."

"There's never a dull moment. It's always exciting. There's always something happening."

Today's guest, Rob Statham, is as funny as he is articulate about wine, beer, and why he's doing what he's doing. Rob loves to share his knowledge and make whatever event he's hosting – be it live or virtual – fun, educational, and interesting.

Our conversation ranged from how you put on virtual wine tastings (which Rob believes must be an engaging and entertaining experience) to the latest offerings of Retsina from Greece. Then there was beer, Trappist ale, the power of California wineries... the list of topics goes on and on.

And you really do have to hear Rob compare moving a case of wine around the world to moving a hip of beef. It made me laugh!

Rob also explains what he does on his YouTube channel, which is really cool - but you'll have to listen to find out what's going on... here at Wine Behind the Scenes.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Learn how to deal with territorial shipment barriers of wine and beer products.
• Find out how to put up virtual wine and beer tasting parties with people from different places or countries.
• Know how to structure your wine and beer tasting parties [that goes with fixing the food courses to match with wine and beer] and create a successful tasting event.
• Hear of ways to keep wine and beer tasting events fun and exciting and the presentation freewheeling and flowing.
• Discover how to make wine and beer tasting parties truly an experience worth celebrating, filled with fun, laughter, joyful and fascinating conversations on varied subjects of business, arts, culture, people, places, and history, among other things.
• Find about certifications and education you can obtain to become more in-depth and knowledgeable about the wine and beer world.

Rob Statham got his start in the world of wine and beer from his late father's advice some 11 years ago while having dinner at his house. He grew up with him making wine and beer, and he was quite well-versed on the subject as a home winemaker and brewer who read a lot about the subject. He was at a crossroads after he left an IT business due to a shady partner and was seeking to study project management. It was his father who convinced him to pursue the world of wine, spirits, and beer instead. From there, he took courses, got certified in wine and beer, which is rare to have both, and branched out to build his own events and marketing business, The Drunken Grape® (www.thedrunkengrape.com). Get in touch with Rob Statham:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamrobstatham/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedrunkengrape/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedrunkengrape
• YouTube Channel (The Happy Hour with The Drunken Grape®): https://www.youtube.com/c/TheDrunkenGrape or https://www.youtube.com/c/TheDrunkenGrape

Topics Covered:

02:03 - Transitioning from the world of wine to the world of beer

05:37 - Whom he caters to when it comes to his wine and beer virtual tasting business

08:01 - How he manages logistics for a virtual wine, or beer tasting for the same product with people coming from different places

10:31 - Dealing with provincial and interterritorial barriers to shipping wine and beer products

13:14 - Fixing the right food to match the wine or beer

16:00 - Thinking of your business in one word

16:23 - How people associate with wine, beer, and spirits even in ancient times

18:48 - Talking a bit of History about Greek winemaking

21:38 - Rob on him getting passionate every day about what he's doing

22:14 - What Rob means with 'the wine world being an endless field'

24:38 - Credentials under Rob's belt and the certifications and education you can get to hone your skills in the wine and beer space

29:16 - Beer education in relation to winemaking

31:29 - How he came out with a 'The Drunken Grape' YouTube channel

33:54 - Interesting topics tackled inside 'The Drunken Grape' YouTube channel

35:46 - A backstory of how he got the name 'The Drunken Grape'

Quotes from Rob Statham:

"So you've got cut, compliment and contrast, and then you have balance."

"You start with an intro drink, get them in the mood of drinking, you talk about the spirit and the joy of wine and beer, the fun facts of history. Then you really get the fun stories about the wineries, the breweries, or the distilleries."

"Food is a much easier product to shift around than alcohol. Alcohol is right up there with firearms."

"The presentation has to be freewheeling and flowing. That has to be fun. You do not want rigidity in that, but you want rigidity in the structure."

"Describe your business in one word. Most people fumble that, but in ours, it's really quite simple. It's joy."

"You're tasting a part of history. You're tasting antiquity moved into the modern age."

Mount Olympus? The Aegean Sea? History and culture going back thousands and thousands of years? Wine that's fit for the gods?

That's what we're talking about in my conversation with Alexandra Anthidou, who is the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Association of Northern Greek Winemakers.

Alexandra has what many would see as a dream job - she gets to travel to over 30 wineries in her region of Northern Greece, she travels to many countries representing her association, she works with winemakers and world-class chefs to create mouth-watering meals and tasting events that would make travelling to Greece worthwhile just for an event alone!

It's obvious that Alexandra has great respect for the vine, the grape, and the wine-making process - find out more about her day, her month and her journey here at Wine Behind the Scenes.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Discover exciting and fun-filled wine-related events and activities you can organize for any occasion and celebration.
• Learn how to create a delectable food menu with wine tasting.
• Find out why each bottle of wine differs from another and what experience it speaks of every time you taste it.
• Know about the exciting events, fun-filled activities, travels, occasions, and celebrations that can fill your everyday schedule to promote the wine and a place's culture.
• Hear fascinating stories of gorgeous Greek places, great and beautiful wineries, grape varieties, and cherished experiences with wine.

Alexandra Anthidou was born (1965) in Thessaloniki, the 2nd largest city in Greece, located in Macedonia, in Northern Greece. It's a beautiful seaside town, full of history (2.330 years old), overlooking Mountain Olympus. She was always active, creative, and dreamy, passionate about everything she was involved. And she's never changed! In the wine industry, she had been working indirectly since 1987 but directly since 2001 when she got a job in the association "Winemakers of Northern Greece" as director of marketing and communication. Her job is to constantly invent new ways to promote wine, mainly as a product of culture and through a series of different actions, like wine exhibitions, thematic wine tastings, wine and dine events, educational seminars, wine tourism projects, articles, and interviews. She is also a free launcher food and wine writer. She is fascinated by the wine industry and she believes that wine is a living organism that evolves. One of her favorite things to do, and part of her job (fortunately), is to visit wineries. Even if she has visited the same winery many times, each time is special, each time has something different to give her. And definitely, the wine is different. Because if it is aged, it grows, if it is fresh, well, each vintage is different. Her other favorite hobby is the food and wine pairing game. Each pairing is a window to the universe of flavors, taste, and pleasure. She also very much likes to travel (travels include wine tourism, if possible), swim (all year long), cook, and enjoy parties or dinners with family and friends. To make the long story short, she is a happy mother of two grown daughters and honored to consider herself a wine lady and a life lover.

Get in touch with Alexandra Anthidou:

• Email Ad: [email protected] [email protected]
• Website (Winemakers of North Greece): www.winemakersofnorthgreece.gr

Topics Covered:

01:15 - Which beautiful Greek city does she live in?

02:11 - Sharing interesting facts about the city, beautiful people, and the remarkable wineries surrounding the city where she lives

03:12 - Talking about her involvement and affiliation with the Greek wine industry

06:01 - Always welcoming every day with great pleasure

06:443 - Interesting subject she talks about: great wineries and places, grape vineyards, and exciting activities to do

07:50 - Look at how her month-long schedule is filled with exciting and amazing events and activities

10:10 - Coming up with creative ideas to organize events for any occasion and celebrations

12:12 - How come the Greek wine industry is still in its infancy stage despite its 7,000 years of history?

14:55 - Coming up with a great food menu that goes with the best wine

17:18 - The challenge with organizing events and fixing the food menu to match the right wine

18:35 - Going back to the time she started to get involved with the wine industry

19:47 - The first thing she learns about wine

20:52 - How come each bottle of wine is different from the others, and all else in the wine world

22:05 - Amazing facts about wine, its characteristics, and the experience with it

23:44 - What she would tell someone wanting to follow her path

24:21 - Talking to Alexandra of years ago, when she just started

25:07 - The importance of enjoying the journey

Quotes from Alexandra Anthidou:

"My job is to create, to invent new ways to promote wine, not as a product, but as a product of culture."

"Every day is a new challenge, the beginning of a new challenge for me. And that's why I have never been bored."

"One day I woke up, I said, okay, we have to invent a special day for our special grape variety."

"We know that we have a wine history of about 7,000 years. "

"They were talking about wine with great respect. That was my very first feeling that I had for wine, the respect."