Barrels & Roots

What if wine was never really about what's in the glass?

In this episode of Barrels & Roots, I sit down with Yannick Benjamin, a New York City sommelier and founder of Wine on Wheels, to explore the deeper meaning of wine, hospitality, and human connection.

We talk about how wine culture has evolved, why the wine industry is struggling to connect with younger generations, and why the stories behind every bottle matter more than ever. From the ancient history of winemaking to the unique experiences that shape our favorite wines, Yannick shares a perspective that goes far beyond tasting notes and expensive bottles.

One of the most powerful moments in our conversation is hearing how Yannick rediscovered his passion for wine after a life-changing car accident, and how that experience eventually inspired him to help others through Wine on Wheels.

We also explore wine regions, unforgettable bottles, and how a simple glass of wine can bring back memories, connect people, and make ordinary moments meaningful.

What's one wine that brings back a special memory for you, and what's the story behind it?

I sat down with Aaron Pott, a Napa Valley winemaker with over three decades of experience and Food & Wine's 2012 Winemaker of the Year.

After earning his degree at UC Davis, Aaron worked in Bordeaux at Château Troplong-Mondot and Château La Tour Figeac, then returned to Napa to lead winemaking at Beringer Wine Estates and Quintessa Estate.

Today he makes his own Pott Wine and serves as Consulting Winemaker for Pestoni Family Estate Winery. Aaron shares how a glass of wine at nine years old in a Paris bistro started his journey, and why forcing a style onto a vineyard is the biggest mistake a winemaker can make.

If you could make your own wine anywhere in the world, where would you plant your first vineyard, and why?

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with wine marketing consultant Aliye Melton to talk about what the wine industry may be getting wrong about marketing, luxury, hospitality, and connection. We explore why great wine alone is not enough to build a memorable brand and why authentic storytelling matters more than polished drone shots, perfect tasting rooms, or expensive bottles.

Aliye shares her journey into the wine industry and explains why wineries need to focus less on transactions and more on relationships. We talk about direct-to-consumer wine marketing, tasting room hospitality, Napa and Sonoma, wine industry pretension, and why making customers feel seen can create far more loyalty than simply pushing a wine club membership. For me, the biggest takeaway is that luxury isn’t always about price. Sometimes it’s the story, the people, the time, and the experience behind the bottle.

What makes a wine experience feel genuinely special to you?

I’m still learning about wine, and one of the things I love about Barrels & Roots is getting the chance to sit down with people who understand wine at a completely different level than I do. In this episode, I’m joined again by Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser for a conversation about how we actually learn to taste wine and why becoming a better wine taster has far less to do with having some magical palate than most people think.

Tim has spent decades in the wine industry, and we get into his own journey from classical music and restaurant service to becoming a Master Sommelier. What I found especially interesting is that even Tim admits tasting didn’t come naturally to him at first. He had to learn it, practice it, develop his sensory memory, and eventually understand what his brain was actually doing when he smelled and tasted wine.

We talk about how smell and taste work together, how our brains connect aromas with memories, why certain smells can be difficult to identify even when they feel familiar, and how repetition can dramatically improve your ability to recognize what’s happening in the glass. Tim explains why wine tasting is a skill that can be trained much like learning a musical instrument, If you’ve ever thought, “I like wine, but I have absolutely no idea what I’m supposed to be tasting,” this conversation is for you.

What’s one aroma or flavor you can instantly recognize in wine, and what’s one you still can’t seem to figure out?

Wine tasting doesn't have to be complicated! Join Sean and Chang on Barrels & Roots as we taste our way through Albariño, rosé, Italian Lambrusco, and Pinot Noir, sharing honest reactions, a few laughs, and some surprising discoveries along the way.

From discovering the fun of sparkling red wine to testing whether a decanter really changes the taste of Pinot Noir, we're keeping wine tasting simple, entertaining, and approachable. We even throw in a few games and food pairing challenges.

Whether you're new to wine or have been enjoying it for years, grab a glass and join us!

I sat down with Kristina Filippi, the winemaker at Wilson Creek Winery and Vineyards in Temecula, California.

We talk about why Temecula’s hot days and cool nights make it a surprisingly great wine region, which Mediterranean varietals thrive there, and why Petite Sirah deserves way more love. Kristina walks me through regenerative viticulture, from cover crops and no herbicides or pesticides to treating a vineyard like a living community instead of a single crop.

We also dig into slow food, the microbiome, food as medicine, and why a messy-looking vineyard might be a healthier one.

Have you ever had a wine that felt different in your body, and what do you think made the difference?

I sat down with Mike Anderson, the owner and winemaker behind MTGA Wines and Blair Patent Wines in St. Helena, to talk about growing up in a Napa Valley wine family and why he swore he'd never get into the business.

Mike shares how a punk rock kid who wanted out of Napa found his way back through Raymond Vineyards and the community behind every bottle. We get into why he built MTGA around Merlot when everyone said it was the wrong move, why Syrah is his one mental block, and how a small team of two makes wine feel less intimidating.

What's one drink you enjoyed way more than you expected once you stopped worrying about what you were supposed to like?

I sat down with French-born winemaker Julien Fayard to talk about something I think the wine world desperately needs more of enjoying wine without overthinking it. Julien grew up around wine in France before building his career in Napa Valley and Sonoma, and what I loved about this conversation is how quickly we moved beyond scores, price tags, and all the rules people think they need to know.

We talked about why a great bottle can cost $15 or $300, why some overlooked wine regions offer incredible value, and why your own palate matters more than somebody else's rating. Julien also shared why beginners shouldn’t be intimidated by wine, how tasting more varieties helps you understand what you actually enjoy, and why the people, place, and moment surrounding a bottle can matter just as much as what’s inside it.

For me, wine has always been about connection, curiosity, and slowing down enough to enjoy the experience.

What’s one bottle of wine you loved because of the memory attached to it rather than the price?

I sat down with Napa Valley winemaker and organic farmer Steve Matthiasson to explore what really happens before a bottle of wine ever reaches the table. We talk about Steve’s journey from wanting to become an organic farmer to building a winery in Napa, and why he believes healthy soil, biodiversity, and traditional farming practices can lead to better grapes and ultimately better wine.

Steve explains why soil is essentially the original microbiome, how organic farming can restore vineyards that have been depleted by years of conventional agriculture, and why many of Napa Valley’s most respected wineries quietly farm organically. We also get into terroir, regional wine traditions, forgotten grape varieties, and the idea that a great wine can literally carry the aromas and character of the place where it was grown. For Steve, wine isn’t just something you drink, it's agriculture, culture, history, food, and a way to travel through a bottle.

Do you think knowing how and where a wine was grown changes the way you experience it?

What’s the real difference between Champagne and sparkling wine?

It turns out Champagne isn’t simply a type of bubbly, it’s a place. In this episode of Barrels & Roots, I explores what separates Champagne from California sparkling wine, what Blanc de Blancs actually means, and how relationships between winemakers can shape what ends up in the bottle.

And somehow, Kevin Bacon is involved.

I starts with the idea of “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” before connecting it to the surprisingly small and interconnected world of wine. That trail leads to winemaker Jeff Plant of Round Pond Estate and a 2023 Blanc de Blancs from the Russian River Valley.

Then we put that last idea to the test by pairing sparkling wine and Champagne with Vietnamese street food, plastic chairs and all.

Because wine doesn’t have to be intimidating.

Sometimes you just need good wine, good food, and good people.

🥂 Cheers from Barrels & Roots.

I sat down with Kelly Mantel, director of marketing at Harney Lane Vineyards in Lodi. We got into why so many people freeze up in a wine shop, paralyzed by choice, convinced they'll pick the wrong bottle.

We talked about finding your brand's "vibe" to find your "tribe," why family wineries lose when they copy their competitors instead of leaning into what makes them different, and how personalization and CRM data can actually make people feel seen instead of sold to.

Kelly also poured his dream flight for a wine newbie, picked sparkling over still, and told me who he’d share a glass with from his own family history.

What's the moment that made you fall in love with wine? Drop it below.

Wine can be complicated, but does enjoying it really need to be? In this episode of the Barrels and Roots Podcast, I sit down with Erin Kirschenmann, managing editor of Wine Business Monthly and WineBusiness.com and founder of Novel Pairings, to talk about why wine culture has become so intimidating and how we can make it more approachable.

We explore wine education, tasting notes, wine myths, elitism in the wine industry, and why younger generations may feel disconnected from traditional wine culture. We also talk about drinking what you actually enjoy, whether that means expensive Cabernet, White Zinfandel, frozen pizza with wine, ice in your glass, or turning a great bottle into sangria.

Erin shares why the wine industry needs to meet consumers where they already are instead of expecting everyone to enter through the traditional tasting room. At its core, this conversation is about making wine fun, personal, accessible, and less about following someone else’s rules.

What’s one wine “rule” you think people should stop worrying about?

I just got back from filming my Napa harvest documentary, and after spending time around vineyards, winemakers, harvest crews, and grape varietals I had never even heard of, I realized something pretty quickly: I don’t know a damn thing about wine.

So I’m fixing that one bottle at a time.

Today I’m trying Cava, the Spanish sparkling wine, and talking about a bigger question: what actually makes wine good?

Is it the score? The vintage? The region? The terroir? The tannins? What some wine critic says about it?

Or is good wine simply the wine you actually enjoy drinking?

I try a Cava Clos XV Brut Nature Premium Cuvée and immediately start getting green apple, sparkling apple cider, high acidity, and a really light, easy-drinking feel. And honestly? I freaking love it.

The more wine I taste, the more I’m realizing that wine doesn’t have to be intimidating. You don’t need to know every grape varietal, understand terroir, memorize wine regions, or have the vocabulary of a sommelier to know whether you like what’s in your glass.

I’ve had highly rated wines that did absolutely nothing for me, and I’ve had cheap bottles with friends that created memories I still think about years later.

For me, that’s what makes wine good.

A good bottle makes the moment better.

So whether you’re completely new to wine, learning about Cava and sparkling wine, getting into wine tasting, or you already know way more about this stuff than I do, come taste some wine with me.

And tell me in the comments: What’s a wine you absolutely love, regardless of the price, score, or what anyone else thinks about it?

Riley Sanchez almost became an Amazon researcher studying leaf-cutter ants before a mentor nudged her toward winemaking, and ten years later she's running secondary fermentations most people don't even know exist.

We got into the wild technical side of sparkling wine, the riddling, the disgorging, the yeast cultures kept alive year after year, and why harvest days that start at 1am somehow feel more like camp than chaos.

Riley explained why positive attitude matters more than talent when you're 12 hours into a shift, and how patience shapes a career that takes a full decade to actually see its own results reach the market.

What's the most surprising thing you learned about how your favorite drink is actually made?

Philippe Bienvenu has spent 35 years in the champagne world and helped create Armand de Brignac, the Ace of Spades, working directly with Jay-Z and Beyoncé to build one of the most recognized bottles on the planet.

We get into why "champagne is champagne" is a myth, why non-vintage is actually the smartest place to start, and why the most expensive bottle in the room isn't always the one you'll love the most.

Philippe also breaks down why champagne might be the most food-friendly wine in existence, from Indian curry in Singapore to sushi nights gone wrong.

If you've ever stood in a wine shop paralyzed by champagne labels, this one's for you.

What's the wine you thought you were supposed to love but just didn't?

In this episode of Barrels & Roots, I sit down with wine industry veteran Vicki Tomiser to talk about what makes wine memorable beyond what’s inside the bottle. We dive into terroir, how soil, climate, sunlight, and location can completely change the expression of the same grape, and why learning about wine doesn’t have to feel intimidating.

Vicki shares her journey from working with Gallo to sourcing wines for major airlines and eventually helping small, family-owned wineries strengthen their brand stories and direct-to-consumer experiences. We also talk about hospitality, storytelling, scent memory, wine tasting, and why wineries need to stop telling people what they’re “supposed” to taste. For Vicki, every bottle of wine carries the story of the vineyard, winemaker, family, and decisions that brought it to life.

Most importantly, we explore a simple idea: wine should be welcoming, personal, and fun.

Has the wine industry made wine more complicated than it needs to be?

I sat down with Linsi Luckett, lead agronomist and drone-flying pest advisor at Sunridge Nurseries.

We got into rootstock and why almost every vine you've ever tasted is actually two plants grafted into one, a survival trick born from a disaster that nearly wiped out European wine over a century ago.

Linsi broke down why cloning grapevines isn't some mad-scientist thing but has been happening for generations, why seeds are basically a genetic lottery ticket, and how an entire hidden ecosystem of fungi and bacteria works underground before a single grape ever forms.

What's one thing you had no idea affected the taste of your wine until now?

In this episode of the Barrels and Roots Podcast, I sit down with winemaker Dennis McCarter to talk about what it really takes to leave a familiar career behind, start over, and build a life around wine. Dennis takes me from his early days making small batches in a garage to launching his own winery, navigating stuck fermentations, earning awards, and learning how humbling the winemaking process can be.

We get into the side of the wine industry people don’t always see: self-doubt, adversity, feeling like you don’t belong, dealing with difficult customers, and choosing to keep showing up anyway. Dennis also shares how judo shaped his mindset, why he believes you have to attack a new business with intent, and why wine is essentially history and geography captured in a bottle.

Of course, we also talk about Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Merlot, Sonoma, wine pairings, underrated grapes, and the bottles Dennis actually loves drinking.

If you had to start over in a completely new career tomorrow, what would you be willing to bet on yourself to pursue?

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Jennifer Cossey, General Manager of Brooks Wine in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, to talk about what makes Oregon wine so special and why the wine industry needs to become more approachable, inclusive, and fun.

Jen has spent nearly 30 years in the wine industry, but what I loved about this conversation is how little it was about memorizing tasting notes or knowing the “right” way to drink wine. We talk about Oregon Pinot Noir and Riesling, the incredible community behind Oregon wineries, and why traditional tasting rooms can sometimes make new wine drinkers feel like they don’t belong.

Jen also shares how Brooks Wine is experimenting with experiences like wine and sound, collaborations, outdoor tastings, and more human ways of introducing people to wine. We even dive into the remarkable story of the Oregon winemakers who came together to support Brooks after the sudden passing of founder Jimmy Brooks.

What would make the world of wine feel more fun and welcoming to you?

I sat down with Corné van Nijhuis - the world's first "vinosopher" for an episode that started as a casual glass of wine and turned into one of the deepest conversations I've had on this show.

Corné spent years in finance before walking away to chase what actually lit him up: wine, metaphysics, and hospice work.

We got into it all: the illusion of the ego, why we identify so strongly with our bodies and minds when neither is really "us," and how a single sip of wine can dissolve that illusion for a moment.

What's one moment in your life where you felt completely present, ego gone, just fully there? Drop it in the comments, I'd love to hear it.