A Cork in the Road

This episode features Vanessa Raymond, a wine-loving socio-technologist and entrepreneur. Working in tech since 2012, she is committed to software that solves real world problems, improves people’s lives, and makes for a more equitable and just world. She was first introduced to the wide world of wine as an assistant cook on the S.V. Steven Taber from co-owner and wine professional, Jane Barrette Barnes. She went on to work as the assistant to Michael Dorf during the startup phase of City Winery. After leaving New York to join the Peace Corps as a volunteer in Bulgaria, she fell in love with Bulgarian wines and wine traditions for homemade wine and small scale family vineyard. She then spent six months living (and tasting!) in Santa Barbara, and fell in love with wine towns, vineyard landscapes, and great wines. We talk about how these multiple experiences have led to her current project as the founder of an online wine event platform called Telesomm. At Telesomm, customers meet a hand-picked group of sommeliers and wine professionals with a passion for sharing their knowledge, telling the stories of wine, and making wine accessible. We also talk about our shared goal of using wine in ways that brings people together and the ways in which the wine industry continues to evolve. You can connect with her on Instagram at @telesomm.app and learn more about booking wine experiences by checking out https://telesomm.app/. Recorded March 24, 2021

This episode features winemaker Hardy Wallace of Dirty and Rowdy Family Winery. After living in Atlanta, GA while publishing his Dirty South Wine blog, Hardy followed his passion to pursue a career opportunity in the wine industry that moved him out to California. He gained experience and mentorship that led to starting the D&R label in 2010 with one wine while also working for several iconic producers in Napa and Sonoma. The original focus was on producing single vineyard Mourvèdre, and the brand quickly gained a core of true fans. We talk about his winemaking philosophy, how he stays inspired, and what makes his brand unique in the world of wine. He now works with vineyards stretched from Santa Barbara to N. Mendocino (450mi). The winery is in Santa Rosa, CA, but he has found so many innovative ways to strengthen connections with his customers all over the country even during the most challenging times. You can check out www.dirtyandrowdy.com for merch and wine, and you can find him on Instagram at @dirtysouthwine and @dirtyandrowdy.  Recorded March 4, 2020

Jordan is a California native, an internationally-trained chef, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate, and a sommelier. She began her culinary career in Sorrento, Italy learning a global perspective on the nuances of food and wine pairing. She is now a WSET 3 and a Spanish Wine Scholar candidate with her own small luxury catering company in Atlanta. She has also been teaching food and wine pairing classes at The Atlanta Wine School for the past few years. Prior to her current role as a Private Wine Sales Advisor for a luxury winemaking estate in Burgundy, she also has worked as a Private Chef and Cellar Consultant for athletes in the NFL and the NBA along with an elite list of celebrity clientele for many years. We chat about her path to wine discovery as well as what she loves most about hosting her in-person and virtual cooking classes, wine pairings, and tastings for producers all over the world that always focus on the marriage of food and wine. You can connect with her on Instagram at @wandering_wino_ and stay up to date on the latest news about her new wine, recipe, and travel blog coming this spring. Recorded on March 1, 2021

This season premiere episode features Jaclyn Fiola, a PhD student and soil scientist in Virginia Tech's School of Plant & Environmental Sciences. She collaborates with vineyards all over the state researching how soil impacts grapevines, fruit, and wine. We chat about the Virginia wine industry, how she got started in this field of study, and how she collaborates with winemakers to support the state's vineyards. The ways in which soil ultimately impacts the wine in our glasses is complicated, but Jaclyn breaks down some helpful insights that shine light on the constant exploration that continues to inspire her research and her fascination with terroir. You can follow her adventures @jaclynsoilsomm on Instagram, and you can learn more about her soil science specialty by checking out www.soilsomm.com. Recorded February 28, 2021

This episode features the husband-wife duo of Limoges Cellars - an up and coming vineyard on 37 acres in Cleveland, Georgia, projected to open in 2023. The vineyard will showcase an initial 5 acres of vines as well as an orchard, edible garden, farm animals, and a small market featuring estate grown produce and various seasonal goods. Dan and Kristina aim to make world class wine from their locally grown vinifera and offer unique interpretations on traditional European wine making styles with a focus on food and wine pairings. Dan hails from Iowa, has an engineering background, and is a project manager by day for an international bottling equipment supplier. Kristina, who grew up between Florida, Germany, and Spain, has an international affairs degree but went on to pursue fulfillment in the food world as a personal chef, caterer, condiment manufacturer, cooking class instructor, and is currently fully immersed in the world of food styling. Along the way at some point, they started teaching themselves about wine and by default, wine and food pairings. We talk about all the professional and personal twists and turns that have led up to this most recent career path of vineyard owners. They say that this newest endeavor perfectly combines each of their unique skillsets while simultaneously challenging them immensely and pushing their fields of expertise beyond any limits they could’ve imagined. You can follow their winemaking journey on Instagram @limogescellars and check out their blog at www.limogescellars.medium.com for all the updates. Recorded December 14, 2020

This episode features Dr. Nadeen White, a physician and award-winning travel blogger who has been practicing medicine for over 20 years while also traveling all over the world. Her blog, The Sophisticated Life, covers the intersection of luxury travel, food, and wine as well as health and medical topics related to travel. We talk about her philosophy and advice related to finding life balance as a content creator, Amazon bestselling author, speaker, travel inspirer, and oenophile who believes in living life to the fullest. Based on the success of her travel guides, she talks about her vision for eventually organizing travel experiences to take small groups along with her to destinations while also providing education about nearby wine regions. She holds a WSET 2 wine certification, is an O, The Oprah Magazine Brand Ambassador, a Board Member of the Black Travel Alliance, and one of the first members of Atlanta's Chapter for The Hue Society. We talk about our feelings of hope for the future, breaking down barriers to wine education equity, and the importance of pursuing your passions as a creative outlet. Check out www.thesophisticatedlife.com for all her blog content and follow @thesophislife on social media for her latest updates. Recorded December 10, 2020

This episode features Fermented Wine Boutique in Alpharetta, GA, which was founded by Adam Danielson in May 2018 as a space to introduce amazing people to amazing wines. They support family-owned brands with an emphasis on sustainable farming, low additives, and unique family stories. Adam began his restaurant career at the age of fifteen, from which his interest in wine grew. Throughout his restaurant career, Adam was given opportunities to manage the wine programs of many reputable dining establishments in Amelia Island, FL; Santa Barbara, CA; and Austin, TX. While in Santa Barbara, Adam volunteered often during harvest at local vineyards and learned the process of winemaking. He moved to Atlanta in 2014 where he continued to work in top restaurants until taking a job with the National Distributing Company. We talk about how the culmination of all of these experiences was the "dream come true" of opening Fermented! Wine consultant Aleah James came to Fermented from a professional background in corporate learning and a Masters education in Art History. Her years of passion for wine and wine education, including a 2-year side hustle selling wine to benefit charitable organizations, culminated in the decision to dive head-long into wine retail in 2019 when she joined the Fermented team. You can sign up for their newsletter at www.fermentedatl.com and follow @fermentedwineboutique and connect with Aleah at @pinotandpeach on Instagram. Recorded December 3, 2020

This episode features Leslie Wilson, a passionate and seasoned hospitality professional looking to educate and excite beginning wine enthusiasts as they start their journey into learning, loving, and understanding the world of wine. We talk about why she loves learning about wine and translating it in a way that makes it less intimidating for people who want to dive into tastings and understand more about wine. She started in the industry working part-time on weekends at a private City Club in Roswell, GA and some Sundays at the owner's vineyard in Dahlonega, GA (Wolf Mountain Vineyards). That opportunity then turned into a full-time job managing events and their fine dining restaurant all while sparking more interest in the world of wine. We explore how wine and hospitality intertwines and also why she later transitioned to working as a bartender for almost a decade before making a return to restaurants currently serving at The Optimist in Atlanta for the past five years. It's this current role that has played an integral part of supporting her pursuit of wine education, and the restaurant even paid for her to take the Level 1 Sommelier exam. She is now teaching a weekly wine class to help the staff understand the wines on their list - so I ask her to suggest wines to me based on "what I currently drink" as a way to showcase her skills in helping people explore just outside their comfort zones.  Recorded November 29, 2020

This episode features Chelsea Young, AKA The Winey Redhead, who is an Atlanta native and a wine education enthusiast. After a long career in hospitality, she has recently made the switch to wine distribution with her goals set on education and increasing accessibility. She currently helps to organize a weekly blind tasting group in Atlanta held both virtually and in-person focused creating opportunities for all levels of wine professionals with a lens for supporting diversity in the industry. We talk about the most enjoyable - and the most challenging - aspects of her current role, and we also explore how her skills from working in restaurants have transferred to her customer service skills for her clients. She describes differences among several formal wine education programs, and we have an insightful conversation all about the value of blind tasting. Her perspective on what makes the Atlanta wine community so special is encouraging, and she will continue to bring people together as part of a growing industry in the Southeast. You can follow her @winey.redhead on Instagram for all the latest updates on her upcoming projects.  Recorded November 21, 2020

This episode features Kieran and Kristie Robinson of R Five Wines. Both natives of Philadelphia, they are in the process of opening up a tasting room soon in Downingtown, PA. Winemaker Kieran realized his passion for wine while attending college in Upstate New York and later had the opportunity to learn from the challenges of making wine in a nontraditional wine region--the Philadelphia countryside. This interest in winemaking eventually took them both to Côte-Rôtie in Northern Rhone for an opportunity to work for Domaine Pierre Gaillard where Kieran further fostered an appreciation for the deep-rooted French viticulture and winemaking philosophies. We talk about our mutual love for the magic of the Rhône Valley and how they both then made a big move to Napa Valley where Kristie managed historical societies and museums while Kieran immersed himself in California wine country. After his tenure at Cakebread Cellars, Kieran moved to Sonoma to work under the tutelage of Paul Hobbs. Refining his skills at Jericho Canyon Vineyard with famed winemakers Aaron Pott and Michel Rolland, R Five Wines launched in the 2009 harvest focusing on Rhône varietals. Kieran continues to produce exquisite wines that are true to their time and place, and together, they are bringing a whole new frontier to the east coast wine scene. Seek out these wines for direct shipment, visit www.kieranrobinsonwines.com, and follow @r_five_wines on Instagram for all the latest updates. Recorded November 12, 2020