A Cork in the Road

This episode features Yolanda Shoshana, a tastemaker, content creator, brand ambassador, and on-premise representative for wine and spirits based in New York City. She created and performed The Wine Club Monologues, a solo show about wine showcased at the Hartford Fringe Festival and Syracuse Fringe Festival. She has written about wine and spirits for print and online outlets including Huffington Post, Liquor.com, The Village Voice, Black Enterprise, Essence, The Frisky, SheKnows.com, United States Bartenders Guild, and Your Tango. She also because a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier NY in 2020 and is recognized as “one of the most creative influencers” in the wine community who “taps into the broader socio-cultural context and on-going discussions that are fundamental to the well-being of everyone in food, beverage, and beyond.” We talk about the future of combining art and wine, and she provides some helpful tips about finding a story while experiencing wine and press events. We close out the episode with a fun recap of her recent trip to Argentina and discuss our mutual appreciation for the city of Buenos Aires. You can follow @yolandashoshana on social media, and you can learn more about her portfolio of work by visiting www.yolandashoshana.com.  Recorded January 28, 2023

Kaitlin "Jett" Kolarik is a wine professional and photographer in Atlanta, GA. They come to the wine industry from a background in media production and photography, but we talk about how they fell in love with the wine world over the past few years now having experience working in restaurants, wine bars, and currently, one of the friendly faces you’ll see working in wine retail at 3 Parks Wine Shop in Glenwood Park here in Atlanta. Kaitlin is passionate about sustainability and inclusivity in the wine world and loves learning about the people and the producers behind wines, especially in the category of minimal intervention wines. They also relatively recently had the opportunity to attend Pinot Camp in Oregon, so we talk about how that unique experience – and first official visit to a winery! - has further fueled their personal pursuit of wine education and exploration. You can follow @picklesanddishsoap for wine insights on social media, and you can keep an eye on www.kaitlinkolarik.com for their wine and photography projects in the future. Recorded January 16, 2023 This episode is generously sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard: https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines

This episode features Adam Pucillo, currently the Fine Wine Specialist for The Estates Group, the fine wine division of Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC). He was formerly the wine director of Del Frisco's Double Eagle - Atlanta, American Cut and Regent Cocktail Club, and was also part of the opening team at Atlas Buckhead in the St. Regis - Atlanta.  We talk about his time working in these fine dining restaurants and the skills he developed from wine service along the way. Adam is an Advanced Sommelier and winner of the 2017 Taste of Atlanta “Atlanta’s Best Somm” competition and the 2020 "Somm Smackdown" Champion. He also recently passed the Theory portion of the Master Sommelier Diploma exam in July 2022, so we talk about the preparation process and the emotional rollercoaster involved in pursuing this level of wine education. He is a longtime Atlanta resident, where he finished his degrees in engineering at Georgia Tech.  Adam is also the proud father of his 6 year old son, Lucas. The best way to reach Adam is via email, adam.pucillo@gmail.com, and he is always willing to help others who are looking for ways to further their wine education. Recorded December 20, 2022

This episode features Steven Meir, the founder of Bon Vin Selections. He grew up in Atlanta and graduated from the University of Georgia, but he got his start in the hospitality and fine dining industry when he moved to Vail, CO after college. His wine journey later took him to New York City in 2006 where he began working as a sommelier in fine dining restaurants including Babbo, Daniel, and Jean-Georges. With an opportunity to later move into distribution, he worked at Michael Skurnik Wines from 2009-2021 as a Manhattan-based sales rep. We talk about the skills he gained in these various roles and what eventually led him to moving back to Atlanta in 2021 to begin building his own wine distribution brand. Steven officially launched Bon Vin Selections in March 2022, and since then he's been building his brand and connecting with the Atlanta wine community in a very impactful way. We discuss some of the challenges of wine distribution related to laws and regulations in the state of Georgia, but we also talk about why it's such an exciting time to bring new suppliers into the Georgia market. You can follow @bonvinselections on social media to learn more about Steven's wines, producers, and tasting events, and you can check out www.bonvinselections.com for information about his portfolio.  Recorded November 19, 2022 This episode is generously sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard: https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines

This episode features Tiffanie Barriere, a bartender, educator, mixologist, and Tastemakers of the South award-winner who spent 7 years as the beverage director of One Flew South in Atlanta aka the “Best Airport Bar in the World.”  This Louisiana-Texas native now based in Atlanta is the trustworthy mentor of some of the best bartenders and mixologists in the world with a goal of education, service and fun with every pour. As an independent bartender, she is known for creative and innovative cocktail menus for pop-dinners, hosting mixology classes around the nation, and connecting culinary and farm culture with spirits. As a leader, she is a member of the Tales of the Cocktail Grants Committee, the James Beard Beverage Advisory Board, and a member of the Atlanta chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier.  Being “The Drinking Coach” has taken her around the world and to demonstration stages of food and hospitality events such as the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, Charleston Food & Wine Festival, BevCon, Tales of the Cocktail, Savannah Food & Wine Festival, Music to Your Mouth and more. As an author-contributor, Tiffanie’s cocktail recipes can be found in the Southern Foodway Alliance Guide to Cocktails by Jerry Slayter, Jubilee by Toni Tipton Martin, and Road Soda by Kara Newman. Her reputation as a public historian has opened doors for her to speak on panels at such venues as Fire, Flour & Fork, Southern Foodways Symposium, and the Soul Summit, and she has interpreted the cocktails of African American and women firsts in spirits at the James Beard House in New York City.  In 2020, Tiffanie was featured on Food Network's The Kitchen and received the Tales of the Cocktails Dame of the Year award. In 2021, she appeared on the cover photo of Imbibe Magazine for the Top 75 for Imbibe, became a judge for the L.A. Spirits Awards and Ascot Awards with Fred Minnick, spoke in Berlin for Bar Convent, and shared birthday cocktails with Hoda and Jenna on Today Show.  We met at dinner in Rome while visiting Italy with Hello Grappa to learn about this unique category of the wine and spirits industry, and we talk about our key takeaways from the trip and how we see our industries evolving in the future. You can follow her @thedrinkingcoach and visit www.thedrinkingcoach.com to learn more about her work. Recorded November 16, 2022 Photo credit: Gregory Miller This episode is sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard: https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines

This episode features Jacob Gragg, the Ca’ del Bosco & Portfolio Fine Wine Specialist based in Atlanta, GA. Considered the industry standard for Franciacorta (Lombardia), Ca’ del Bosco is of paramount importance to the Santa Margherita family of wines, serving as the example for unwavering commitment to purity and quality. Jacob’s quest for quality, desire to educate, and passion for the finer things in life led him to join the group in 2019, and he's been sharing the love for Franciacorta ever since. His journey in wine, however, began in Georgia many years ago. In 2009, he set the goal of passing the Master Sommelier exam and garnered experience most notably as the Sommelier at Aria Restaurant in Atlanta, and as Sommelier of The Georgian Room at the Cloister in Sea Island. After the intense restaurant experience, Jacob spent five years working as an ambassador for a renown Italian producer. He earned his Advanced Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers at the age of 24, making him one of the youngest to have achieved this certification. In addition, Jacob is a Certified Specialist of Wine, Certified Specialist of Spirits, and was named one of the Best New Sommeliers of 2012 by Wine & Spirits magazine and is the Founding President of the Southeastern Sommelier Society. We discuss the utility of blind tasting, what makes the Atlanta wine community so special, and what he sees for the future of the wine industry as a whole.  You can learn more about the wines he showcases by following @cadelbosco_official on social media or by reaching out to him via email J.gragg@SantaMargheritaUSA.com. Recorded October 26, 2022

This episode features Vas Sanchez, an actor, comedian, and wine sales rep based in Atlanta, GA. He is a 5-year veteran representing the Sour Grapes Wine portfolio, but he also has experience working in service at Empire State South and working in wine retail. Bringing his love for flavor and his chef skills to food pairing in the wine world, Vas has taken his passion for wine and made it his everyday hustle while also pursuing his love for acting and comedy. We talk about his wine philosophy at the end of the episode, and it left me feeling deeply inspired to think about the various ways in which wine continues to metaphorically reflect my own values and principles. We share a joy for hosting bottleshares with fellow wine professionals, and you will hear about his ultimate dream job for the future. You can follow @the_vas_sanchez_ on Instagram for updates about his shows and performances. Recorded October 25, 2022

This episode features Marvella Castaneda. She is a talented wine and art professional who is fairly new to Atlanta and is currently the Wine Director for Lazy Betty, a tasting menu restaurant where you can enjoy either a 6- or 8-course menu as well as the 6- or 8-course wine pairings specially designed for each menu. Since the culinary program at Lazy Betty is culture-diverse and ever-changing, Marvella designs the complimentary wine program to showcase wines from all over the world with the intention of exposing guests to new styles and regions. We talk about her recent trip to Washington wine country and how being in the wine growing region has elevated her appreciation for their wines. We also discuss our mutual love for the versatility of Port pairings and our appreciation for dessert wines. You can follow her adventures on social media @marvellacastaneda, and you can book your reservation to experience her wine pairings by visiting www.lazybettyatl.com. Recorded October 9, 2022 This episode is sponsored by Diane Carpenter and Ross Knoll Vineyard: https://www.dianecarpenter.org/wines

This is the finale episode of a 3-part mini series dedicated to all things Virginia Wine in partnership with The Veraison Project and Oenoverse initiatives. This episode features Chauncey Jenkins, a hospitality professional who passionately believes that diplomatic hospitality, immersive environments, and personal experience are at the core of connecting deeply across boundaries. He is a graduate of the Cornell School of Hospitality, and Chauncey has co-created and led luxury gathering spots, contemporary social clubs, and innovative restaurant concepts. He describes his work as always striving to provide an expansive suite of senses to create immersive environments for executive leadership summits and negotiation spaces. We talk about how he uses his unique skills to teach about building connection across divides, breaking through creative limitations to generate alternative solutions, and communicating empathetically to resonate with stakeholders for in-person, hybrid, and virtual audiences. You can learn more about his upcoming album release as well as his work with The Veraison Project by following his adventures @mrchancefischer on social media. Recorded October 5, 2022

This is the second episode of a 3-part mini series dedicated to all things Virginia Wine in partnership with The Veraison Project and Oenoverse initiatives. This episode features Lance Lemon, a Virginia native and a 2011 graduate of the University of Virginia. Lance double majored in Acting and Studio Art with a focus in Cinematography. Lance is an Actor at heart. He is also the Co-Founder of RichWine RVA and Co-Owner of Penny's - a Jackson Ward Wine spot located in the heart of Richmond. His interest in wine began when he moved to New York to continue his acting career and had the opportunity to bartend at Jean Georges ABC Cocina and Kitchen. Cocina soon led him to a role as a wine sales rep for Frederick Wildman and Sons, where Lance learned a tremendous amount about wine. He moved on to help curate, open, and manage two successful wine shops in BedStuy, Brooklyn: Wine - O and Liquid Assets. Lance is WSET level II certified and is advancing through the levels for the pure joy of it. We talk a lot about how he truly believes that "Knowledge is wealth" and how he is excited to be an integral part of the ever-growing wine scene in Richmond. He describes what it's like to be working part-time at Early Mountain Vineyards in production, learning the beautiful intricate craft of winemaking as a Cellar Technician. The RichWine Motto is "Good Wine. Good People. Good Time" - You can follow his adventures on social at @lancelemon and @richwinerva, and you can learn more about his wine retail business at www.richwineva.com. Recorded October 3, 2022