A Cork in the Road

Aaron Monu and Jamila Janneh created Wine(s) for the Culture during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown after a few bottles of wine in their Brooklyn apartment. They've since moved to live, work, and play in Atlanta, and we discuss what makes Atlanta's wine scene so unique. They share how their lives were intertwined with wine from the beginning of their relationship and how they were often the friends that people associated with wine. Their goal with Wine(s) for the Culture is to change the stigma that wine is always “fancy” or reserved for special occasions, and instead they want to open their friends' and followers’ eyes to a world and culture (with many sub-cultures) that has space for anyone to enjoy. We chat about how they both use their unique skill sets, experience, and wine knowledge to create aesthetically pleasing, educational, and sensory wine content and experiences for brands and individuals alike. Atlanta is lucky to have such a dynamic duo dedicated to normalizing the enjoyment of wine (and spirits) for the community and spreading a simple message: Wine is a lifestyle. You can follow their wine content and adventures at @winesfortheculture on social media, and you can visit www.winesfortheculture.com to learn more about their scope of work. Recorded November 7, 2021

This episode features Sam Coturri, and family legend holds that at the age of three, Sam went around a party his parents were having with a tray full of Dixie cups proudly serving “ ‘turri Wine” to the guests. So, despite his first career in politics and public relations, he really has been slinging the family hooch since he was first able to keep that tray upright. Sam was the 4th generation in his family to be born in San Francisco, but he was raised in what we now call the Moon Mountain District, first at the top of Lovall Valley Road and from the age of six on, at 16600. He is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno, where he studied Journalism and Political Science and tells us that he got as far away from wine business as he could muster, working for a lobbying and PR firm.  In the Spring of 2011, however, he came back to the family business to create Winery Sixteen 600, launching the first vintage to feature Stanley Mouse label art later that year. We talk about how he discovered his place in continuing a multi-generational winegrowing community and realized that no matter what he had done in the past, this was really what he was doing his whole life. When not waxing poetic about wine on The Wine Makers podcast, you can find Sam in the garden of their Sonoma home with his wife Alice, daughter Althea and dog Curry. Follow @Sixteen600 @Grapeswithaview & @winemakerspod for all his social media adventures, and you can visit www.winerysixteen600.com to learn more about his wines. Recorded November 8, 2021 

This episode features Jean-Wesley "Wes" Michel of @WineWithWes. He's currently a Global Brand Ambassador based in Washington D.C. for Michael Lavelle Wines, but he is also finishing up his degree in Business Administration with a focus on Small Business and Entrepreneurship while also studying wine as a WSET (Wine Spirits Education Trust) Level 2 student. We talk about how his road to food and wine started in his kitchen with his dad who was a chef and his mom who was always cooking, but it was his travels all over the world, from Egypt to Montreal, that sparked his pursuit of wine more deeply in 2019. As Head of Consumer and Community Engagement for Michael Lavelle, he is getting a front row seat to what goes on in the wine community, and he is also chair of The Gathering Spot's Wine Club called “Cork Club” - they discuss and deduce wines and regions from around the world every two weeks. He says that being able to teach and discuss wine to a new audience has become his latest passion, and #WineWithWes has become his platform to encompass all his love for food, wine, and photography. You can follow his “your palate will find you” adventures on social media at @winewithwes, and you can check out his blog and merchandise at www.winewithwes.com. Recorded November 1, 2021

Ryan Mullins is an Atlanta Native with 15 years as a Certified Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Ryan currently works as a Sales Consultant with Winebow Imports where he manages winery relationships as well as sommelier relationships in Georgia. He’s a three-time winner of Vino Venue’s blind tasting competition as well as one of the founding and longest tenured members of the Atlanta Sommelier blind tasting group. Ryan has traveled extensively throughout Europe, South America, and North America and has worked a harvest in Alexander Valley, Sonoma. We talk about the utility of blind tasting, the joy of being a mentor for so many aspiring wine professionals, and his vision for the future of the wine industry in Georgia. You can follow his bottle shots and wine adventures at @ryansmullins on social media. Recorded November 5, 2022  

Sedale McCall is the owner of Untold Wine Stories, a brand that believes "Storytelling is Social Justice'' and in the power of highlighting a wide variety of wine stories. I ask him to describe the type of stories he likes to uncover, and we talk about his dedication to an academic approach to wine exploration. A Virginia native, Sedale's wine journey started in Virginia wine country, including winery tastings, harvest internships, and more. We chat about his experience working the 2021 harvest for Early Mountain Vineyards and what makes him excited about the future of Virginia wine. Sedale received his WSET Level 2 with Distinction with plans to continue his studies in American Wines and additional WSET coursework. You can follow all of his adventures on social media at @untoldwinestories. Recorded October 27, 2022.

This episode features Candace Lynn, a former elementary teacher from Pennsylvania who decided to take a chance on herself and pursue her love of wine. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, she is currently living in Napa working the 2021 harvest. We talk about what the California wine community is like compared to the East Coast, and she provides excellent insight on why she wanted to make this big move into the wine industry along with how support for wine education through the Roots Fund has propelled her studies. Candace's goal is to connect people to delicious, affordable wine all while making it approachable for everyone. She shares how she uses social media to communicate with people and spark further exploration. You can check her out during her "Wine It On Me Wednesday" wine reviews or chatting it up with other wine lovers during her "Talking Tasting Tuesdays" on her Instagram page @WineItOnMe. She shares some of her big goals for the future, and she encourages everyone to enjoy the journey of building their own wine vocabulary. Keep an eye out for her the next time you visit Napa! Recorded October 24, 2021

This episode features winemaker Cabell Coursey of Coursey Graves in California. Originally from Atlanta, GA, Cabell talks about how he first cut his teeth in the vineyards and cellars of Burgundy, New Zealand, and Willamette Valley before establishing his California career making benchmark wines in the Napa and Russian River valleys. He talks about why he believes in wines that have a sense of place and how he strives to make wines with transparency, revealing not only the character of the vineyard and vintage, but also the history and potential of his craft. We discuss how his care and attention dedicated to each growing season transcends from the vineyard to the cellar. The Coursey Graves 40-acre estate is surrounded by the rugged terrain of Bennett Mountain with southwestern exposure and a volcanic soil composition of red clay, basalt boulders, and shattered rock. Even after two dozen harvests, Cabell recognizes how each one still shapes him as a vintner and winemaker. He also shares what he likes most about coming back to visit his family in Atlanta and how exciting it is to see the Southeast wine scene continue to evolve. Follow @courseygraves to see updates from their estate and learn more about their wine portfolio by visiting www.courseygraves.com. Recorded October 25, 2021

We kick off Season 5 with Katie Rice, owner of VinoTeca in Inman Park. She moved to Atlanta in 2001 after graduating from Miami University (the Ohio one) and found her first fine dining job with Van Gogh’s in Roswell, GA. The wine program was stellar, the staff was seasoned and well-educated, and they took her under their wing. This experience planted the seed for hospitality and wine that would lead to other opportunities managing restaurants furthering her interest in wine. Fast forward to 2014, Katie partnered with Gretchen Thomas of Barcelona Wine Bar to develop VinoTeca - a boutique shop with a tasting component that strives to not only sell great bottles, but also to educate through weekly tastings, monthly classes, and supper club.  In 2019, Katie was given the opportunity to take over the shop and split from the restaurant only to continue the mission of finding a wine into everyone’s palate. Follow @shopvinoteca for events, photos, and "Casual Friday" IG Lives. You can also check out www.shopvinoteca.com to browse their inventory and shop online. Recorded October 20, 2021

For this episode, we time-travel across the ocean to chat with Charly Fatien of Maison Fatien who has been making wine in Burgundy for over 15 years. After starting his domaine with a small parcel of Gevrey-Chambertin “Bel Air” that was handed down to him through his family, he has progressively grown his portfolio. The wines of Maison Fatien are produced from almost 4 hectares of vineyards, worked exclusively by Charly, and the parcels are spread over prestigious appellations of the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits: Gevrey-Chambertin, Beaune, Pommard and Volnay. We talk about his philosophy working in the vineyards and the stylistic decisions he makes along the way. He is also a négociant and regularly purchases additional grapes through a very judicious selection process. Charly’s impressive Cistercian cellars are all underground within the old walls of central Beaune - such a beautiful spectacle to see in person! It was an honor to have Charly on the show. His wines are available for purchase through direct shipments - visit https://maison-fatien.com/en or email maisonfatien@wanadoo.fr to inquire. You can also follow @maisonfatien on Instagram. Recorded May 16, 2021

This episode features winemaker Will Hamilton, founder of Violin Wines located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. He's been working in the Oregon wine industry since the 2005 vintage when he moved to the West Coast from the DC area to explore the production side of wine. We chat about those early days and what it was like to work with such a wide variety of wineries and vineyards. Over the following years, he had the opportunity to vinify fruit from more than 25 vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills, and more than 100 total in the Willamette Valley, Umpqua Valley, Southern Oregon, and Eastern Washington. His skillset led to roles in the service and technical sales side of the industry, but he was simultaneously able to carve out time to begin Violin in the 2013 vintage. We talk about the importance of decision-making in the vineyard as well as how he adjusts for the uniqueness of each growing season to best express the land he works with in the glass. He also provides great insight on the beauty of Oregon as a whole - you'll probably want to plan a trip after listening to this episode. Check out violinwine.com to order his incredible wines, and you can follow his adventures @musicinyourmouth on Instagram. Recorded May 5, 2021