Wine Enthusiast Podcast
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About
The Wine Enthusiast Podcast takes you on a tantalizing trip into the world of wine, beer and spirits. Drink up engaging, behind-the-scenes stories reported and recorded by Wine Enthusiast's editors. In each episode, we explore emerging trends, provide educational tidbits, and introduce you to the passionate people who craft, shake, ferment, and pour their beverage of choice. Inside every bottle is a story.
Episodes
- Episode 215: Moscato d'Asti Is the Moment
Giacomo Pondini, director of Consorzio dell'Asti DOCG, joins the Wine Enthusiast Podcast to discuss Moscato d'Asti. The conversation aims to reveal why the wine is considered more than just a sweet beverage.
- Episode 214: Is Oregon the Champagne of America?
Wine Enthusiast Magazine writer-at-large Michael Alberty joins the podcast to discuss Oregon
- Episode 213: What's Next for the Wine Importer Who Took Down the Trump Tariffs at the Supreme Court?
Victor Schwartz of VOS Selections discusses successfully challenging Trump-era tariffs on imported wine, taking the case to the Supreme Court and winning. The episode explores this legal precedent for the wine industry.
- Episode 212: After 10 Grammy Wins, Norah Jones' Pivot to Wine Is Hitting the Right Notes
Musician Norah Jones, a ten-time Grammy winner, has partnered with Maison Wessman to create the "This Life" wine line. She discusses her approach to wine, likening it to her music, and shares details about the collaboration with writer Mat…
- Episode 211: Everyone in Hollywood Has a Spirit Brand—But Are They Making Any Money?
This episode discusses the trend of celebrities launching spirit brands, such as those by Kate Hudson and Benicio del Toro, alongside successful examples like Casamigos and Aviation gin. It features insights from Ed Mundy of Jefferies on w…
- Episode 210: Meet the Somm Who Brought Wine to Life in 'Drops of God'
Seb Pradal is a wine Renaissance man—a vin-aissance man, you could say. An acclaimed French sommelier and owner of the Parisian restaurant La Petite Régalade, Pradal also co-owns a wine-importing company that operates in Mexico and Colombi…
- Episode 209: Ashley Graham Upended the Fashion World. Next Up? Wine
Supermodel Ashley Graham has already changed the fashion world, and now she's setting her sights on Lambrusco. She joins us this week on the podcast to introduce her newest venture, Lucci: a crisp, fruit-forward Lambrusco. We chatted with…
- Episode 208: Super Bowl Champion Will Blackmon Proves That Wine and Football Belong Together
Wine and football have been on the same team for some time now, with notable players like Charles Woodson, Drew Bledsoe, and Dan Marino stepping into the world. Joining that lineup is Will Blackmon, former Super Bowl champion, 12-year NFL…
- Episode 207: Sobriety Looks a Little Different for This Sommelier
According to Abe Zarate, known as @sober_somm on Instagram, "sobriety" can mean different things for different people. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@w…
- Episode 206: Our Resident Cocktail Expert Predicts the Biggest Drink Trends of 2026
From sensory maximalism to heightened drink-flation, we predict the drink trends that could be heading our way in 2026. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@…
- Episode 205: We Reviewed 25,000 Wines This Year—These Are the Top 3
It's officially the best time of the year—and we're not talking about the holidays. We just dropped The Enthusiast 100 , the mother of all year-end wine lists. Every year, our reviewers blind-taste 25,000 wines from all over the world. Thi…
- Episode 204: An Insider's Guide to the Best Drinks at Disney World
You don't have to be a Disney adult to enjoy the growing wine and spirits scene at Disney World. Listen to learn all about Disney's best drinks and all the pro tips you need—including where to watch the fireworks with a martini in hand. We…
- Episode 203: Two Decades in, Bravo Is a Window Into How America Drinks
Over the past 20 years, Bravo has secured a firm grasp on the reality TV landscape—but it's not just a one-way screen. It's a mirror, too. Drinking culture has evolved dramatically, and that shift is clearly reflected in the Bravo universe…
- Episode 202: 'Witchy' Winemaking Traditions Date Back Millennia
On this episode of the Wine Enthusiast Podcast, we sit down with historian Julia Schifini of Spirits Podcast to discuss the deep roots of spiritual winemaking practices. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage an…
- Episode 201: You Should All Be Drinking Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
It's hard to stand out in a field of giants, and when it comes to Tuscan wine, the landscape is populated by Titans. But Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, crafted from the Sangiovese grape planted around the tiny town of Montepulciano, has alw…
- Episode 200: Why Is Oregon Producing So Many High-Quality, Affordable Wines?
One of the biggest misconceptions people have about wine is that the more you spend on a bottle, the better it will be. The truth is, there is astounding value to be discovered from wine regions around the world, and you can find great bot…
- Episode 199: In Defense of Grocery Store Wines
In this week's podcast episode, we sit down with Wine Enthusiast Writer-at-Large Emily Saladino to talk Trader Joe's, Costco, Tyler, the Creator, and more. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to…
- Episode 198: It's Time to Retire These Wine Terms
The way we talk about wine is important. Language is a living, evolving thing that changes to suit shifting whims and needs. That means that some wine terms become less, er, useful over time. In other words, they need to get the axe. There…
- Episode 197: How the Wine Industry Can Appeal to Gen Z, According to Future 40 Pros
Wine Enthusiast just released its 2025 Future 40 list, a celebration of emerging talents and tastemakers in the drinks space. On this week's podcast episode, Magazine Director Ryan Grim talks to Future 40 honorees Luke Anderson and Justine…
- Episode 196: Regina King's New Orange Wine Tells a Deeply Personal Story
Academy Award-wining actress Regina King opens up about her new orange wine label, MianU, the bottles that made her fall in love with wine, how winemaking is like directing and all the ways she's continuing to celebrate with her son, Ian.…
- Episode 195: How the Fake Somm on 'The Bear' Learned Real Skills
When The Bear first premiered, it was widely-hailed for accurately capturing the high-intensity chaos of restaurant life. With each new season , the show has dived deeper into the emotional complexities that come with working in the indust…
- Episode 194: Out With Low-Alc? BuzzBallz and XXL Lead a Growing Trend
The siren call of a BuzzBall is hard to ignore. The neon sphere at your checkout counter is the $5 (or less) cocktail fueling a $500 million empire. In 2024, RTD sales spiked 16.5% while other booze categories stayed flat, and they show no…
- Episode 193: Will Gen Z Ever Drink Wine?
The young people, it seems, are usually to blame. In 1998, The New York Times said, "Young people, the 21- to 29-year-olds, are turning away from wine …For the $13-billion-a-year wine industry, the loss of so many potential consumers could…
- Episode 192: What Does the Pope Drink? Inside the Vatican's Quietly Influential Wine Scene
The May announcement of the first-ever American Pope, Leo XIV, still has the whole world buzzing. While Robert Francis Prevost's hometown of Chicago has its own distinct wine and spirits culture ( Malört , we're looking at you), his move t…
- Episode 191: The Next Great Nation of Wine Lovers? India, Says the Country's First Master of Wine
Sonal Holland, India's first-ever master sommelier, had a feeling that wine would be big business on the subcontinent back when she first entered the wine scene nearly 20 years ago. "I could see that it was going to grow, and there were no…
- Episode 190: In 'Blood Vines,' a Tale of Wine Fraud, White Zinfandel and Murder
While rosy-hued bottles of White Zinfandel were fixtures on dinner tables and at parties in the 1980s, the seemingly buoyant beverage sparked an infamous dark story, one involving fraud and the killing of one of California 's most famous g…
- Episode 189: Actor Kyle MacLachlan and Dan Wampfler are Pursued by Bear
Actor Kyle MacLachlan didn't just want to slap his name on a bottle of wine, the quality is the most important thing to him. He and his partner/winemaker, Dan Wampfler, join this week's Podcast to discuss their Washington winery, Pursued B…
- Episode 188: Cannabis Beverages Are Actually Really Good Now
Interested in trying cannabis-infused drinks but not sure where to start? This week's episode follows two conversations between Digital Managing Editor Sara Ventiera and two leaders in the cannabis beverage space for expert tips and insigh…
- Episode 187: A New Generation in Thailand Is Falling in Love with Wine
This week's episode follows two conversations between writer-at-large Danielle Callegari and an American somm working in Thailand and a Thai somm working in Brooklyn to discuss the burgeoning wine scene in Thailand. While the rest of the w…
- Episode 186: Are $30 Margaritas the Future? The Spirits Industry Reacts to Tariffs
In this installment of the Wine Enthusiast Podcast, spirits reviewer Kara Newman reveals what industry insiders are whispering about as Trump's tariffs take hold. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We…
- Episode 185: Decoding the Vintage Chart in an Age of Climate Chaos
Every year, Wine Enthusiast releases a new edition of the vintage chart , a tool that's long been critical to collectors. Vintage charts help pinpoint bottles peaking in quality—and those that may be past their prime. The most recent versi…
- Episode 184: The Big Problem with Anti-Alcohol Studies
Wine's impact on health has been under the microscope for the past few years, with numerous headlines citing its cancer-causing potential. Sales are down across the industry and consumption has dropped substantially. These stories certainl…
- Episode 183: Is Water Ruining Your Wine?
It's likely that in many people's minds, water resonates as a neutral, possibly the ultimate neutral. However, water does contain quite a bit of nuance—everything from tasting notes to mouthfeel. Knowing that means understanding that the w…
- Episode 182: Is a Neo-Prohibitionist Agenda Shaping Alcohol Policy in Oregon?
For more than a year now, Wine Enthusiast Writer-at-Large Michael Alberty has been tracking a story about the Oregon Health Authority and some questionable PSAs it ran at the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024. At that time, the spots—r…
- Episode 181: How Will Wine Fare Under Trump?
With Donald Trump set to take office in January, many wine industry folks are wondering what tariffs the president-elect might impose and how they could affect the industry. This time around, we have the benefit of experience—Trump's first…
- Episode 180: The Art of Spiked Baking with Cookbook Author Jessie Sheehan
Incorporating alcohol into baked goods can happen a handful of different ways, says our latest podcast guest, Jessie Sheehan, a food writer, recipe developer and the author of cookbooks including Snackable Bakes , The Vintage Baker and Ice…
- Episode 179: Going Deep on Our 2025 Drink Predictions
Like it or not, there are a multitude of reasons behind why we drink what we drink. What may at first seem like an expression of personal preference is, in fact, a result of the complex interactions between financial markets, social and po…
- Episode 178: How Do You Find Balance When Consuming Alcohol Is Your Job?
Professional wine tasting is an extreme sport. Like an athlete, a wine pro's body goes through a lot. And while the recommended guidelines for alcohol consumption are murky and ever-changing, we know one thing for sure: nothing about drink…
- Episode 177: Scary Stories From Haunted Wineries
Do you believe in ghosts? If the answer is no, these wine-soaked stories might change your mind. In this episode, we explore spooky tales from some of wine country's most well-loved destinations. First, we take a trip to Trefethen Family V…
- Episode 176: The Calling Winemaker James MacPhail on the Ripple Effect of Many Passionate People Working Together
In this episode, sponsored by Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits , MacPhail—the winemaker of The Calling and a Wine Star Award nominee for 2024 Winemaker of the Year—talks about how winemaking became his calling. Is there a guest you want us to…
- Episode 175: Is the Canned Wine Industry Turning Its Corner?
Wine that is canned and bottled is the same, but packaged in different vessels. Right? Not quite. In the episode, we explore the state of the canned wine industry and whether it's turning a corner. We also dig deeper into the differences b…
- Episode 174: MJ Towler (a.k.a. @BlackWineGuy) Takes Over the Wine Enthusiast Podcast
In this episode, podcaster MJ Towler chats with iconic NYC couple Robert Dentice and Renee Patronik about everything from terroir to pairing DRC with New Haven pizza. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover?…
- Episode 173: In Today's T.V. and Film Landscape, Product Placement Isn't Always What You Think It Is
Have you ever noticed a bottle's label prominently displayed during a pivotal scene in a favorite television show or film, and wondered: "Was that on purpose?" It just might be. That's increasingly thanks to people like Anastasia Tarasova,…
- Episode 172: The Magic of Aperitivo: How Drinking Like an Italian Can Enhance Your Well-Being
On the surface, aperitivo is a pre-dinner ritual centered around small bites and a sensible amount of booze. But the true meaning runs deeper. In this episode, we talk with Stef Ferrari, author of Stuzzichini: The Art of Italian Snack , to…
- Episode 171: Can Unsnobby Wine Books Save the Industry? 'Rebel School of Wine' Is Trying
In this episode, we sit down with Tyler Balliet, aothor of the new wine book Rebel School Of Wine: A Visual Guide to Drinking with Confidence, to discuss his mission to make wine more fun and introduce more drinkers to it. Whether you're a…
- Episode 170: Why Wine-Lovers (and Everyone Else) Are Obsessed With Italy
In this episode, we explore the concept of "Italianality" with newly minted Master of Wine Andrea Lonardi and journalist Jessica Dupuy. The pair are writing a book that explores and explains the subject and why it has never been more impor…
- Episode 169: What's Trending in the Wine World, According to Dave Rudman of WSET Americas
In this podcast episode, Wine Enthusiast's Chief Education Officer Marshall Tilden III sat down with the Global Business Development Director and Executive Director of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET for short) of the Americas, D…
- Episode 168: Two Years Into the Russian Invasion, Ukrainian Nightlife Is Thriving
Two years into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, nightlife goes on. Investigative reporter Adam Robb has been traveling into the country to talk to locals and document everyday life for everyday citizens who have been living amongst the backdr…
- Episode 167: Is the Natural Wine Movement at a Crossroads?
In this episode, natural wine importer Jenny Lefcourt shares her response to the USDA's new regulations on organic agricultural products and what it may mean for the wine industry moving forward. With many leaders in the space left in limb…
- Episode 166: Additives in Tequila Are Hugely Controversial. But Do They Really Matter?
With so much tequila being poured—and so much potential profit on the table—the debate around how tequila is made and marketed has never been more pointed. We caught up with spirits reviewer Kara Newman about the ongoing raid and why addit…