A Cork in the Road

This episode features Ashley Buzzy, the artist, printmaker, sommelier, and businesswoman behind Press Shop in Atlanta, Georgia. Press Shop is a thoughtfully-curated gift shop in Summerhill with a strong local and online presence and an emphasis on letterpress stationery, low intervention wines, and impactful books. She talks about how her focus is on connecting the maker with the buyer in a way that feels genuine, nonobligatory, and meaningful. Her goal is to create a unique space where all types of people feel welcome, inspired, and excited to shop - while also educating consumers on products and spending choices that positively impact themselves and their communities. This is a “no crap” space; a shop where every product has meaning and was chosen, not just to fill space on a shelf, but to serve a purpose and to tell a story. We talk about her curiosity for the world of wine and how traveling to the places to meet with the winemakers connects her to family’s influence of teaching her the beauty of gardening at a very young age. We also get a few little exclusive teasers of things ahead for her business, and you’ll also hear some of her advice for other aspiring business owners navigating how to balance multiple priorities and interests. You can visit www.pressshopatl.com to learn more about the business and follow @press.shop on Instagram. Recorded April 15, 2024 ------------------------------------------- This episode is generously sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines⁠⁠⁠⁠ - available for shipping to 11 states

This episode features a live audience conversation with Dan Kosta, the President and Founder of DK Wine Group including Convene, Admire, and Grail wines. Dan grew up in Sonoma County, and he has over 20 years of experience in the wine industry. Dan’s career in the restaurant industry ultimately led him to wine production, but he worked as a back waiter, a waiter, bartender, operations manager, and finally wine director prior to founding a winery. In 1997, he started Kosta Browne winery with his business partner, Michael Browne, and they worked together to grow that project through direct-to-consumer sales and a nationwide distribution network. We talk about his experiences starting a winery from scratch, learning from his mistakes, and building his team along the way. They have since sold that first project, but it has led to opening the doors to this new effort of creating 3 synergist labels with DK Wine Group. We discuss the business and marketing side of his experiences, and he mentions how he is leveraging his network for giving back to community through Convene and his volunteer work. Thank you to Empire Distributors for making this possible, and I hope you can feel a little bit of the energy that was part of this tasting and conversation here in Atlanta. You can learn more about Dan's work at www.dk-convene.com and by following @convenebydankosta on Instagram. ------------------ Recorded with a live audience in Atlanta, GA on March 22, 2024

This episode features Nicole Alvarez, the head Sommelier and Beverage Director at The Alden in Chamblee, GA. She has been working in restaurants since she was 16, but she also recently graduated with her college degree in Political Science last December. Her current focus is to expand the wine list at The Alden to meet the variety and range of the culinary program. Her role includes everything from buying, tasting, staff training, wine list inventory and maintenance, and wine pairings. We talk about her approach to designing wine pairings, her relationships with her wine reps, and how her family and her community continuously inspire her to chase after all her goals and dreams. She will also leave you with some insight on finding ways to relieve some of the stress of working in the service industry, and we may inspire you to drink more Champagne and Nebbiolo going into the spring season. When she is not hitting the wine grind, she says she is an avid gamer, a runner, and a crafter. You can visit www.thealdenrestaurant.com to make a reservation to check out Nicole's wine list and tasting menu pairings, and you can find @the_alden_atl on Instagram. Recorded March 16, 2024 ------------------------------------------- This episode is generously sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard:⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines⁠⁠⁠ - available for shipping to 11 states

This episode features Adam Venable, a Sales Consultant for Winebow based in Atlanta, GA. His family is from Columbus, GA, and he got into wine through working in restaurants (Houston’s, Two Urban Licks, Empire State South, The Spence) starting around 18 years old, with help from his father who had an interest and small collection of wines. We discuss the value of sales incentives while working in these types of roles, and you’ll hear about several trips that he’s been able to take based on his sales success in both restaurants and now in distribution. He mentions that visiting wineries for the first time and even working a harvest out in Napa Valley in 2011 only made him want to learn more about the industry - the realization that it involves a lot of hard work definitely didn’t scare him away from pursuing this career in wine. This is the first podcast episode, though, where there is a major *plot twist* because throughout the whole time that Adam has been developing his passion for wine, he’s also been writing and releasing his own music and touring across the country and working with some pretty high profile mentors, like Chuck D from Public Enemy. He even got to perform at Red Rocks in Colorado opening for Wu-Tang Clan and Big Boi from OutKast the same week he was onboarded at Winebow. He says that his goals for the future are to continue to merge his loves of wine and music, and he may even be performing in Seattle at a national Winebow event later in the summer of 2024. We make some serious podcast history with a live performance of his song about Barolo at the end of the episode. You can follow @mcobeah on Instagram to follow his wine and music adventures. Recorded February 24, 2024

This episode features Norie Chinea, the Southeast Regional Manager for Laurent-Perrier Champagne. Norie is considered a specialist in the Champagne category, but she has more than 15 years of marketing and sales experience in the wine & spirits industry. Originally from Puerto Rico, her passion for wine has led her to earn certifications from the International Wine Guild and the Court of Master Sommeliers. In pursuing her real-world experience for French wines, she worked with winemakers at various wineries she represented in Alsace, Nantes, Montpellier, Bordeaux and most recently in Reims, where she had the opportunity to work with some of the top Champagne producers of our time. Now, as a Regional Manager for "LP", Norie is responsible for growing the brand’s business in her territory. She manages all commercial sales activities including customer and distributor relationships, marketing program execution and local brand activations. You can follow her adventures at @noriechinea on Instagram, and you can also follow @champagnelaurentperrier. Recorded January 24, 2024 ------------------------------------------- This episode is generously sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard:⁠⁠ https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines⁠⁠ - available for shipping to your door in 11 states

This episode features Braxton Parr, the Supervising Video Producer at Wine Enthusiast. He manages the Wine Enthusiast video department and leads digital media strategy, so he plays a key role in filming, editing, and directing content that is published across Wine Enthusiast platforms. We talk about how his wine education has impacted his ability to generate content ideas, and we also talk about his creative process and what inspires him these days in the world of wine-related video production. Hailing from the greater area of Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia, Parr grew up influenced by video and music production throughout his entire life. He has produced content for companies including Nike, Fiverr, TV One, and more. Prior to Wine Enthusiast, he held an esteemed role in directing political content for The White House and government officials. His primary career goal is to upligft and inspire others to pursue their dreams with whatever creative medium they see fit. Outside of his video production passion, Parr is a huge foodie with a love for tasting wine and creating cocktail recipes. You can follow @wineenthusast to see his featured work, and you can connect with him @braxtonzparr to see the content he is creating for his personal brand. Recorded January 25, 2024 ⁠⁠⁠⁠TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE HERE⁠⁠⁠

This episode features Jane Lopes, an accomplished wine professional who was born in Napa, California and graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in Renaissance literature and a love for food, wine, and spirits. After college, Jane began to pick up shifts at nationally acclaimed cocktail bar, The Violet Hour, and in August of 2011, Jane moved to Nashville to be the opening beverage director at The Catbird Seat. In 2013, Jane worked as a sommelier at Eleven Madison Park in NY, where she was part of the team that got the restaurant to number one on the San Pellegrino World's 50 Best List. In 2017, she was recruited to run the beverage program at Attica, widely considered Australia's best restaurant. In September of 2018, Jane passed the prestigious Master Sommelier exam, becoming the only woman in Australia to do so. Her first book, an educational and personal guide to the world of wine, was published in September of 2019. In 2020, Jane returned to the United States to start her own wine imports company with her husband, Jonathan Ross. Their newest book, How To Drink Australian: An Essential Modern Wine Book, offers insights on all aspects of Australian wine, including inside scoops, pressing concerns and current events in each region. We talk about why she feels so passionate about these wines, and she shares what excites her about being in the wine industry right now. You can follow @janeymaxine and @auswinelegends on Instagram, and you can visit www.janelopes.com to learn more about her work and www.legendaustraliacom to learn more about her import portfolio. Recorded December 18, 2023 ⁠⁠⁠TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE HERE⁠⁠ ------------------------------------------- This episode is generously sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard:⁠⁠ https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines⁠⁠

This episode features Dannielle Thomas, a wine sales and events professional and a WSET L3 candidate currently working at Dom Beijos wine shop in Atlanta, GA. Prior to wine, for over a decade, Danielle was working in the human rights and humanitarian sector with a focus on women's health, social and political power, and child advocacy, so we talk about how her wine journey now intertwines and overlaps with these types of interests. Dannielle discovered her love of wine while living abroad as a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa, where she learned to speak Portuguese and Kriolu. Dannielle eventually spent years traveling through West and East Africa, the Middle East, and Europe working with national and grassroots organizations and leaders. One of her main goals is to support people in wine education through accessible language and learning environments, so her work in wine typically highlights the connection between people, the land, their stories, and that’s exactly the energy she brings to the wine shop but also to her wine and charcuterie company that adds the perfect amount of flair to client events and gatherings. She is also the secretary of the Hue Society's Atlanta chapter and a Roots Fund Scholar, so you’ll hear about her own personal wine education goals in this episode as well. Hopefully we inspire you to explore a few more Portuguese wines with our mutual enthusiasm for that country and its wine culture. In her non-wine working hours, she is the COO for a Liberatory research and evaluation firm specializing in supporting local and national organizations to utilize data and narrative to move the needle on social justice issues, organizational change, and equity. She is also the co-founder of MAMA Fund, one of the largest mutual aid networks in the US Southeast, and sits on multiple nonprofit boards that center well-being and community care. Dannielle loves spending time in Portugal and Spain and has curated trips and events for donors for various causes, including creating and managing a Global Gender Justice conference that allowed her to create her first bespoke wine trips for advocates and funders throughout Costantia and Stellenbosch, South Africa. While her life is filled with wine, food, travel, and community-building, her grounding is in her advocacy, love of sci-fi books and film, and with her family especially her curious and bright 5-year-old child. You can follow @dazzlingdestinia and @giw_getintowine for her insights on Instagram. Recorded December 3, 2023 ⁠⁠TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE HERE⁠ ------------------------------------------- This episode is generously sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard:⁠ https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines⁠ - now shipping to 11 states!

This episode features Francis Coligado, the Beverage Director for Nooshe Jan Group which currently consists of both locations of Del Bar and Bibi. Francis has worked in the service industry for close to 17 years and bartended for 15 of those years while obtaining a business degree from GCSU and a law degree from Florida Coastal Law School in Jacksonville, FL. He worked at Rumi’s Kitchen when he moved to Atlanta, and that is where he met Fares, the owner/CEO of Nooshe Jan Group. After leaving Rumi’s in 2018, he worked at Cooks & Soldiers before joining the team to open Del Bar in 2020. We talk about the aspects of management that he really enjoys and how he is continuously learning new skills every day while also fostering creativity among his team and prioritizing not only physical health but also mental wellbeing. They recently received recognition in Atlanta’s first Michelin Guide, so we explore how this might impact the beverage program scene here in Atlanta going forward. And while known widely and nationally recognized for their cocktail program, I have always been impressed by their wine list, so it was fun to talk with Francis about his process for designing a menu that complements and highlights their Persian dishes and such a wide variety of herbs and spices. We speak a similar language when it comes to flavors, textures, and the concept of balance. A cocktail specialist’s palate is trained to notice nuances in similar ways to those of us who study wine, so I loved hearing Francis tell me how be approaches making cocktail recommendations to someone who typically drinks wine. You can follow @delbaratl and @foligado23 on social media to learn more about his work. -------------- Recorded November 27, 2023 ⁠TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE HERE

This episode features an in-person conversation with winemaker Pepe Raventós recorded live in Atlanta, GA. He is the 21st generation of the family to work the same land since 1497 in Spain, and Pepe is passionate about the world of wine and viticulture. Raventós i Blanc, his family’s winery, was actually the very first appointment I booked for my itinerary when I visited Spain in September - I wanted to better understand Spanish sparkling wine, and Pepe’s family offers a point of reference known around the world. We start by discussing his family’s history, but it leads us into a discussion about his experiences being part of the family business for the past 20 years and how he is envisioning an innovative future as well as pursuing his newest project that has a clear respect for sustainability, organic agriculture, the recovery of abandoned vineyards, and the protection of biodiversity called Can Sumoi. Thank you to Steeven Meir of Bon Vin Selections for bringing these wines to Atlanta and for making this interview possible. You can follow @cansumoi and @raventosiblanc on Instagram to learn more about Pepe's wines and winemaking practices. Recorded October 22, 2023 (transcript coming soon) ------------------------------------------- This episode is generously sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard:⁠ https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines⁠. Check out the 2023 ⁠Holiday Offering⁠ - now shipping to 11 states!