In this episode, MS Christopher Tanghe discusses the wines of Chile with Elizabeth Butler, the director of wine at importing company Vine Connections. Lizzy oversees education for Vine Connections' wine portfolio, which focuses on Chile and Argentina. Prior to joining Vine Connections in 2013, Lizzy worked for the Catena family in Argentina and Viña Mayu in the Elqui Valley of Chile. Chris and Lizzy dive deep into all things Chile in this wide-ranging conversation.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!

In this episode, MS Chris Tanghe speaks with Thomas Savre, the director of winemaking and viticulture at Lingua Franca Winery in the Willamette Valley. They discuss reduction, particularly in Chardonnay, unpacking a complex topic that is often oversimplified in wine circles. Chris and Thomas talk about the processes that create aromas such as matchstick, smoke, and flint and outline the distinction between reduction and reductive.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!

In our new tasting episode, GuildSomm Education Director MS Christopher Tanghe talks to Advanced Sommeliers Matthew Dulle and Alexandra Stang about their perspectives on blind tasting. Matt is based in Healdsburg, CA, where he is the director of sales for Rhys Vineyards and Aeris. Alexandra is the beverage director at Seattle’s iconic Cafe Juanita.

Listen in as Matt and Alexandra blind taste the same wine. See if you can guess along with them! We’ll reveal the wine they’re tasting at the end of the episode.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoy this podcast, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!

In our new podcast episode, Christopher Tanghe takes a look back at 2022 with guests Audrey Frick, Jonathan Eichholz, and Samantha Cole-Johnson. They discuss trends in wine and spirits, the state of the hospitality industry, wine law updates, and industry challenges and speculate about what might be ahead in 2023.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!

In our final podcast episode of the year, MS Chris Tanghe interviews Chartreuse expert and sommelier Paul Einbund. Paul is the owner of The Morris and co-owner of Maison Nico in San Francisco. Paul and Chris discuss all things Chartreuse, offering an enthusiastic deep dive on this unique herbal liqueur.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!

In this month’s tasting episode, MS Chris Tanghe talks to Justyna Brewczyk and Michael Markarian about their approaches to blind tasting. Justyna is a Houston-based WSET Diploma graduate and a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. She recently won the Ruinart Sommelier Challenge in Miami. Michael is the sommelier and beverage director for the H2 Collective restaurant group in Washington, DC, overseeing three French bistros. He is an Italian Wine Ambassador through the Vinitaly International Academy and an Advanced Sommelier.

Listen in as Justyna and Michael blind taste the same wine. See if you can guess along with them, and stay tuned until the end of the episode, when we reveal the wine they were tasting.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoy this podcast, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!

In our latest Spanish-language podcast, Elisa Errea speaks with Alberto Gil about all things Rioja. Alberto Gil is a journalist and the coauthor of "Rioja: Vinos Silenciosos." Elisa Errea is a Madrid-based wine educator and consultant.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!

In this month's tasting episode, MS Chris Tanghe speaks with Alyssa Champagne and MS Jim Bube about their approaches to blind tasting. Alyssa is based in Boston and has worked in various capacities in restaurants and retail over the past decade. Jim is a Chicago-based Master Sommelier. He is the national wine director for the Hogsalt restaurant group as well as a board member and the treasurer of Second City Sommeliers.

After their conversations about tasting, listen in as Alyssa and Jim blind taste the same wine. See if you can guess the wine along with them! We will reveal what they were drinking in a future episode.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this podcast, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!

In this episode, MS Chris Tanghe speaks with MW Nicolas Quillé, co-author with MW David Bird of Understanding Wine Technology, 4th Edition. Nicolas was born in Lyon, France, and has worked as a winemaker across the globe. He is currently the chief winemaking and operations officer for the Crimson Wine Group. In this conversation, Chris and Nicholas discuss some of the key technological developments impacting winemaking today.

Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!

In this episode, MS Chris Tanghe interviews Tony Cha, a consultant for Alfred Technologies, about the state of technology in beverage management. Tony, who previously co-founded BinWise, discusses prior technological advancements for beverage management as well as the new tools, including those that harness AI, impacting the industry today.

Stay tuned for our second installment on wine technology!

Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!

In this episode, GuildSomm board member Daniela Frison and Argentinean sommelier Paz Levinson return to provide a recap in English of their conversation on our first-ever Spanish-language episode last month. Listen in as Paz shares her blind tasting experiences and insights.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!

In this episode, we dive into the complex topic of regenerative agriculture with two experts in the field. First, Jenny Hemmer speaks with Meghan Zobeck, the winemaker at Burgess Cellars in the Napa Valley. Next, MS Chris Tanghe talks to Nate Ready of Hiyu Wine Farm in Hood River, Oregon.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review, as this helps us reach and grow our community. Cheers!

In our first-ever podcast in Spanish, GuildSomm board member Daniela Frison and Argentinean sommelier Paz Levinson discuss all things blind tasting. Dani is the founder of Le Vin Nécessaire, a wine consulting business. Paz is the head executive sommelier for Groupe PIC, which has restaurants in France, Switzerland, and the UK.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!

In this episode, GuildSomm Executive Director Jenny Hemmer speaks with Rob McMillan and Philana Bouvier to explore consumer trends in the beverage industry. Rob is the executive vice president and founder of Silicon Valley Bank’s Wine Division, which publishes the annual State of the Wine Industry Report. Philana is a visionary leader and the president of Demeine Estates in Napa Valley.

In this month's tasting episode, MS Chris Tanghe sits down with Mia Van de Water to discuss her approach to blind tasting, why it’s an important skill to hone as a beverage professional, and how she overcame her own "blind" spots. Mia is the head of beverage operations for COTE Korean Steakhouse and became a Master Sommelier in 2018.
 
Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect to and grow the community. Cheers!

In this episode, Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe chats with Amanda Barnes about what's new and exciting in Argentine wine. Amanda’s new book, “The South America Wine Guide,” offers a comprehensive look at the wines of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru. It explores not only regions and producers but also cuisines and places of interest. The book is available in both print and digital versions at southamericawineguide.com.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoy the episode, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Cheers!

In this episode of the Tasting with GuildSomm series, longtime member Ryan Robinson speaks with Emily Nixon about the development of his blind tasting methods, how to find mentors and study groups, and how be became the first Idaho resident to pass the CMS Advanced Exam. Ryan also leads a blind tasting of one wine; can you discern the grape, region, and vintage based on Ryan's description?

We hope you enjoy this new series. Leave us a comment and review wherever you get your podcasts. Cheers!

We're adding a regular tasting series to the GuildSomm podcast! In addition to our monthly wine topics, we'll be releasing monthly podcast episodes devoted to theme of tasting. We'll cover a wide spectrum of tasting subjects, including blind tasting study methods, challenging comparatives, full-length tasting sessions with GuildSomm members, and more.

To kick off the first episode in this new series, Director of Education MS Chris Tanghe introduces GuildSomm's new Executive Director, Jenny Hemmer. They discuss why blind tasting is so much more than a parlor trick and why this skillset is essential for a successful wine career. 

We hope you enjoy this new series. Leave us a comment and review wherever you get your podcasts. Cheers!

In this episode, we continue our Emerging Wine Regions series and explore several states producing wines off the beaten path in the United States. First, Chris Tanghe interviews Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon about the wines produced across Michigan. Madeline is famously the first American woman to pass the Master Sommelier exam, and has witnessed the Michigan wine industry develop since she began her career in the 1970s in Detroit. Then, Chris speaks with Jessica Dupuy, wine journalist and author of The Wines of Southwest U.S.A., about the exciting and unexpected wines being grown in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. 

Blind tasting guest Paula de Pano reveals the wine she and Emily Nixon tasted on the Rum podcast episode. Stay tuned for another blind tasting feature in a bonus episode coming soon. 

To learn more about becoming a GuildSomm member, visit us at https://www.guildsomm.com/about_us/member-benefits.

In this episode, Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe explores the vast world of rum. First, he interviews Shawn Martin, Distillery Manager of Papa's Pilar Rum in Key West, who discusses the production methods used to make myriad styles of rum. Then, Chris speaks with Ian Burrell, the Global Rum Ambassador, about rum's origins in the Caribbean, how the colonial power of the Royal Navy informs the legacy of rum, and how the category continues to evolve, and more.

In this episode, we explore two wine regions in the northeastern United States. While Vermont and northern New York State are both located in the extremes of viticultural viability, both regions have emerged as hubs of quality wine production. GuildSomm's Chris Tanghe interviews Master Sommelier David Keck about his winemaking venture in northwestern Vermont and then speaks with Meaghan Frank about her family's multi-generational winemaking legacy at Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery in New York's Finger Lakes.  

This month’s blind tasting segment with Emily Nixon features Kelly Coggins. Can you determine the wine purely based on Kelly's description? Additionally, Thatcher Baker-Briggs reveals the wine he presented in last month’s Rosé & Orange Wines episode.

In light of Becky Wasserman’s passing last month, we are rereleasing this 2019 conversation Becky had with our staff writer, Bryce Wiatrak. Becky had a profound impact on the careers, palates, and personal lives of wine professionals across the globe. She will be remembered as a champion of the underdog and a pioneer who opened wine industry doors for small producers, for women, and for Burgundy. At the end of the episode, Bryce will share some thoughts about the impact Becky’s friendship had on his life, including his memories of the first time they met.

In this episode, the GuildSomm team delves into rosé wines and white wines made with skin contact. First, Bryce Wiatrak interviews Master of Wine Elizabeth Gabay about all things rosé. They discuss rosé's varied and often misunderstood production methods, whether a rosé's color connotes quality, and Elizabeth's recommendations for emerging rosé-producing regions. Later, Chris Tanghe interviews Mitja Sirk, a young winemaker from Friuli who made his first vino macerato at the age of 11 and continues to hone his expertise making lightly macerated wines in northern Italy. 

In this episode, we discuss wine pairings on multiple dimensions. First, Bryce Wiatrak interviews Master of Wine Susan Lin about her career as a classical pianist and how her first passion inspired the topic of her MW Research Paper: pairing Champagne with classical music. Then, Bryce and Chris Tanghe dive into a friendly debate to settle the question of whether wine and food pairings are all they’re cracked up to be.

This month’s blind tasting segment with Emily Nixon features sommelier Jonathan Eichholz. Are you able to recognize the wine based on Jonathan’s description alone? Wanda Cole-Nicholson also reveals the wine she tasted in last month’s Managing New & Old Vines episode.

In this episode, we discuss managing a vineyard from the perspective of two winemakers. Bryce Wiatrak interviews Morgan Twain-Peterson of Bedrock Wine Co. about the benefits and challenges of working with old vines, and Chris Tanghe speaks with Matt Crafton of Chateau Montelena about the technical, environmental, and financial considerations behind repainting a vineyard to new vines. 

This month’s blind tasting segment with Emily Nixon features sommelier and wine consultant Wanda Cole-Nicholson. Can you guess what they're drinking based on Wanda’s description of the wine’s appearance, nose, palate, and structure?  

For more information on this episode, visit GuildSomm’s podcast page. 

In this episode, GuildSomm Interim Executive Director Chris Tanghe interviews two entrepreneurs who specialize in east Asian beverages. Master Sommelier Kyungmoon Kim discusses how his company, KMS Imports, is creating a market for Korean soju and other artisanal beverages in the US. Later, Todd Bellomy describes the production process and styles of sake and the vision behind Farthest Star Sake, his forthcoming sake brewery in the Boston area. 

Emily Nixon continues the blind tasting series with Master of Wine candidate and trade liaison for Hispanics in Wine, Ivonne Nill. Can you guess what they're drinking based on the description alone?

For more information on this episode, visit GuildSomm's podcast page. 

For our fourth and final episode in the series, GuildSomm Director of Strategic Partnerships Emily Nixon interviews Kevin Shaw, founder of Stranger & Stranger, a packaging design and branding company specializing in alcoholic beverages. They discuss the importance of design in making a wine or spirit stand out on a shelf, the jobs that contribute to the production of a label, and Kevin's vision for innovation in wine packaging.

Toward the end of this podcast, they discuss Kevin's cameo in an episode of the BBC show "Britain's Really Disgusting Drinks." Watch the clip here. 

To accompany the careers series, GuildSomm is offering a membership discount to all first-time GuildSomm members. While we work hard to always keep GuildSomm membership affordable at $100, first-time members can now sign up for one year of GuildSomm membership for $79 using the partner code PODCAST79. Register for a year of membership here: https://www.guildsomm.com/new-member-join.

This offer is valid through June 10, 2021 for all listeners who have never previously had a GuildSomm membership. GuildSomm members have access to all of GuildSomm’s educational content, including e-learning courses, study guides, review quizzes, our compendium of wine law, wine seminars, and more. 

For our third episode in the series, GuildSomm Director of Operations & Editor Stacy Ladenburger speaks with Marie Keep, founder and Director of the fine wines departments at Skinner Auctioneers. They discuss the operations behind assessing, appraising, and cataloguing a wine cellar for auction, how the secondary market differs from the retail market, the effect of the pandemic on the wine auction business, and more. Marie also offers advice to wine professionals who are interesting in transitioning into the auction space for the first time. 

To accompany the careers series, GuildSomm is offering a membership discount to all first-time GuildSomm members. While we work hard to always keep GuildSomm membership affordable at $100, first-time members can now sign up for one year of GuildSomm membership for $79 using the partner code PODCAST79. Register for a year of membership here: https://www.guildsomm.com/new-member-join.

This offer is valid through June 10, 2021 for all listeners who have never previously had a GuildSomm membership. GuildSomm members have access to all of GuildSomm’s educational content, including e-learning courses, study guides, review quizzes, our compendium of wine law, wine seminars, and more. 

 

This offer is valid through June 10, 2021 for all listeners who have never previously had a GuildSomm membership. GuildSomm members have access to all of GuildSomm’s educational content, including e-learning courses, study guides, review quizzes, our compendium of wine law, wine seminars, and more. 

For our first episode in the series, GuildSomm Staff Writer Bryce Wiatrak interviews Alex Schrecengost about her career in wine public relations and learns what it's like to represent some of the best-known producers and regions in the world (how many people can say they've done PR for DRC?!). They also discuss how the challenges of Covid led her to define a new, entrepreneurial path by founding her own company in the virtual events space. 

To accompany the careers series, GuildSomm is offering a membership discount to all first-time GuildSomm members. While we work hard to always keep GuildSomm membership affordable at $100, first-time members can now sign up for one year of GuildSomm membership for $79 using the partner code PODCAST79. Register for a year of membership here: https://www.guildsomm.com/new-member-join.

This offer is valid through June 10, 2021 for all listeners who have never previously had a GuildSomm membership. GuildSomm members have access to all of GuildSomm’s educational content, including e-learning courses, study guides, review quizzes, our compendium of wine law, wine seminars, and more. 

In this episode, the GuildSomm team explores wines made from fruit other than grapes. Stacy Ladenburger interviews Michael Terrien about his Maine blueberry wine label, Bluet, and co-fermentation projects at his Sonoma Winery, Obsidian Ridge, and Chris Tanghe speaks with Alyson Schramm Naeger about her family's meadery in Ferndale, Michigan. The episode closes with another opportunity for listeners to practice blind tasting, in a conversation between Emily Nixon and GuildSomm member Hai Tran.

In light of Steven Spurrier's passing last week, we are rereleasing this 2018 conversation he had with our interim executive director, Chris Tanghe. We remember Steven as a humble leader in the industry, whose passion and curiosity for the world of wine inspired countless others in their careers. We hope you'll enjoy hearing Steven's insights about the UK's wine history and its influence on several of Europe's major wine regions. 

GuildSomm Staff Writer Bryce Wiatrak interviews Jasper Morris about all things Burgundy.