Born in Queens, NY, Joe Campanale, the kid with the Italian name, grew up with a Jewish mother. He attended NYU and studied abroad, where he found his love for Italian wine during a semester in Florence. Joe came back home with the wine bug and jumped right into retail and hospitality. He worked various jobs including Italian Wine Merchants and Babbo, before opening some of downtown NYC’s best Italian restaurants including dell’anima, L’Artusi, and Anfora. He eventually packed all that in to ope...
May 04, 2022•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 216
Jancis Robinson shies away from being called a wine critic, but is truly one of the most respected wine writers in the world. She is an award-winning journalist and author, penning or co-penning “ The World Atlas of Wine 8th Edition ”, “ Wine Grapes ”, “ The Oxford Companion to Wine ” and many others. She writes a weekly column for the Financial Times and knocks out a ton of daily content on her online site JancisRobinson.com . Jancis resides in London, England with her husband Nick Lander, the ...
Apr 13, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 215
Austrian-born Michael Moosbrugger grew up around skiing and his family’s hotel in Lech/Arlberg. Michael jumped into the wine business in 1992 as an apprentice and four years later took over the Schloss Gobelsburg winery. He is now the CEO and winemaker of this storied and historic winery. Michael believes in tradition along with innovation. His wines are a true expression of the terroir of Schloss Gobelsburg and Austria. Michael has received numerous awards for his wines including Wine and Spiri...
Mar 30, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 214
Paul Hobbs hails from upstate NY and grew up with his ten siblings on a farm around orchards. One taste of a sweet Sauterne with his dad at an early age launched his love and interest in wine. His Dad encouraged him to head west and study wine. Paul attended Notre Dame and UC Davis and worked with Robert Mondavi and Opus One, eventually settling in Sonoma County where he opened his own winery. He is now involved with wineries in the Finger Lakes, Argentina, Patagonia, Spain, France, and the birt...
Mar 23, 2022•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 213
Maya Dalla Valle was born in exclusive Napa Valley, grew up in a cult winery, and even had one of those cults named after her. Maya lost her dad at a young age, left town to study international relations, but eventually came back to wine, first receiving two Master's Degrees in wine, from Cornell and Bordeaux Agro Science. She put her boots on the ground and worked at some of the finest wineries around the world, including Petrus, Latour and Ornellaia. Maya returned home to join her mom Naoko at...
Mar 16, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 212
Philly born, Penn State grad Tahiirah Habibi returned to Philly to study wine, eventually heading to Miami to Somm at the St. Regis Bal Harbor and Michael's Genuine. Trying to further her studies with the Court of Master Sommeliers, her frustration with the Court caused her to leave and start Hue Society , a hub for Black wine professionals. Tahiirah Habibi is a Sommelier, Entrepreneur, and Activist. She is also the co-founder of The Roots Fund and founder of the Council of Resources Group. Heri...
Mar 09, 2022•40 min•Ep. 211
From Youngstown, Ohio to Brooklyn, with a stop in DC, Justin Chearno was on the music scene in DC in the early ‘90s with his band Pitchblende and later in NY with Turing Machine . He eventually settled in Brooklyn and was at the forefront of natural wine at retailer Uva and natty wine distributor Zev Rovine Selections . Justin Chearno is now a partner and wine director at the Four Horsemen in Williamsburg with his partners LCD Sound System front man James Murphy, Christina Topsoe, Randy Moon, al...
Feb 23, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 210
Straight outta Poughkeepsie, Lee Campbell did it all, from restaurants, to retail, to wine importing, wine festivals, Sommelier, and Wine Director. Lee is also kind of an OG in natural wine. She now works as a consultant and recently helped open Victoria Blamey ’s new restaurant Mena in NYC. So, the question is, what’s left to do, how about putting Virginia wines and Early Mountain Vineyards on the map? Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Grape N...
Feb 17, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 209
Guillaume Bott and Tomoko Kuriyama are the magical duo behind Chantereves in Savigny-les-Beaune in Burgundy. As a couple in both life and the vineyard, they started their winery in 2011. A true Burgundian, Guillaume studied wine in Beaune, earned a degree in oenology, worked with Gerard Boudot at Etienne Sauzet and Simon Bize. Originally from Japan, Tomoko, headed to Germany where she also received a degree in Oenology and worked at Weingut Altenkirch among others. Her love of Burgundy brought h...
Feb 09, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 208
Elaine Chukan Brown is recognized as one of the world’s top wine communicators and wine educators. As a writer, Elaine contributes to an impressive list of publications including the current 8th edition of the “ World Atlas of Wine ,” the 4th edition of the “ Oxford Wine Companion ” and “ On California ”. You also may know Elaine as wine reviewer Hawk Wakawaka . Elaine is a prolific speaker, and was recently appointed US Executive Editor of JancisRobinson.com , bringing expertise on sustainabili...
Feb 02, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 207
Born in LA, David Choi grew up in DC and eventually set roots again, literally, in California. David is proprietor at Magna Carta Cellars and Angel Falls Wines . He came through the ranks in wine retail, import and distribution before making wines. Savvy in social media, David found his way onto TikTok and has now become one of the early wine sensations on the platform with “ Wine with David ”. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Grape Nation by ...
Jan 26, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 206
New Yorker Daniel Eddy jumped into the food scene in 2004. He bolted NYC after 4 years, and hooked up with Daniel Rose at critically acclaimed Spring Restaurant in Paris. He eventually headed back to the States to become the opening Chef at wine-centric Rebelle on the Bowery, where he earned a Michelin star; Walnut St Café in Philly followed. This baguette obsessed Brooklynite opened his own restaurant, Winner , in Park Slope about a week before the Pandemic; yes, he’s still going strong and has...
Jan 20, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 205
Peter Liem is an award-winning author, wine critic, educator and truly one of the world’s great Champagne experts. Peter is the author of “ Champagne: The Essential Guide to the Wines, Producers, and Terroirs of the Iconic Region .” Peter oversees Champagneguide.net , an online comprehensive guide to the wines and producers of Champagne. He is the co-founder of La Fete du Champagne and is a prolific deep-sea diver. Peter has brought himself closer to the region he loves and lives in Champagne an...
Jan 12, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 204
I caught up with Raj Parr at his Phelan Farm in Cambria, CA., where he has devoted his time to preserving and expressing the farm's unique natural slate and growing his favorite varietals. Next we speak with Tom and Peter Stolpman from Stolpman Vineyards in Los Olivos, dedicated to preserving the natural environment via conscious farming and sustainable employment. Finally we talk with Mike Roth and Craig Winchester from Lo-Fi Wines in Santa Maria, embracing the nothing added, nothing taken away...
Dec 15, 2021•47 min•Ep. 203
Josh Greene is the Editor and Publisher of Wine and Spirits Magazine since 1986; the magazine was founded in 1982, and Josh eventually purchased it in 1989. Josh also serves as wine critic at Wine and Spirits for Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Portugal, Italy, and Napa Valley to name a few. You can find Josh’s commentary and long form stories in every issue. Josh and his staff taste over 15,000 bottles annually, and Wine and Spirits Magazine is the only recipient of five James Beard awards for e...
Dec 02, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 202
Christophe Baron’s family dates back to the mid 17th Century in Charly sur Marne in Champagne. He studied viticulture in Champagne and Burgundy. After meeting an American in Burgundy, Christophe was convinced to head west to Oregon and Washington and discovered their stony vineyards. He bought his first vineyard, Cayuse in 1997, now farming biodynamically. Christophe has unstoppable energy, ambition, curiosity, and a respect for the land. His Bionic Wine ’s portfolio is mind-boggling including C...
Nov 17, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 201
Gary Vaynerchuk is the Chairman and CEO of Vayner X , overseeing companies including VaynerMedia , VaynerSports , VaynerNFT , Tracer , Gallery Media Group , to name a few. He is a prolific angel investor with ties to Facebook, Twitter, Uber and Snapchat among others. He is co-founder of Resy , Empathy Wines , VCR Group , and his latest passion VeeFriends . A true entrepreneur at heart, Gary can’t pass a garage sale without stopping and picking up a 15-year-old-Furby. Gary is a five-time NY Times...
Nov 10, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 200
Matthew Conway headed east to NYC in 2003. After three years with Chef Grey Kunz, Matthew hooked up with Marc Forgione, at his eponymous restaurant for over a dozen years as Beverage Director and GM, creating a unique wine program with a nod to the Northern Rhone. Matthew also helped Marc Forgione re-open neighborhood fav Peasant . The Pandemic reunited Matthew with family in Charleston, SC. After too much fishing and helping some friends, Matthew fulfilled a dream and recently opened Tippling H...
Nov 03, 2021•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 199
St. Louis born William Carroll headed east and grew up in Irvington, NY. William literally went from bus boy to Burgundy expert and everything in-between. He did fine wine sales, studied at Le Cordon Bleu, worked at Restaurant Lasserre in Paris, and headed back to NY for a lengthy stint at Dan Barber’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns as Beverage Director. William recently left North Fork Table to become the Beverage Director and Asst. GM at Danny Meyer’s legendary Gramercy Tavern . Heritage Radio Netwo...
Oct 27, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 198
Vermont born Cerise Zelenetz headed to Paris after High School to study at the Parsons School of Design, stayed in Paris for a while and also did a residency in Spain. Cerise makes jewelry, clothing, and is a prolific illustrator. Her work has appeared in the New Yorker, Paris Review, Nylon Magazine to name a few. She has also designed menus and wine labels for numerous clients. Cerise recently published her first book “The Sound of Scrambled Eggs”. So, the question is, with all this going on, w...
Oct 20, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 197
Jersey Boy Raj Vaidya has been grinding in the wine business for over 20 years at some of the best restaurants in the country. His longest tenure was with legendary chef Daniel Boulud in NYC where he served as beverage director. Like many Somms, Raj left the floor to join Daniel Johnnes as Director of Operations of Gracie Events, the people behind La Paulee, La Fete du Champagne, La Tablee, and Pressoir wine. Raj is also a fine wine consultant. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonp...
Oct 13, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 196
Straight out of DC, Rachel Signer attended college in Virginia, headed to New York to get her Master's at the New School and an intensive writing program at CUNY. She settled into freelance writing gigs, while waitressing at various outlets including Vice , Vogue , Eater , The Guardian , and Wine and Spirits before starting her own wine publication, Terre , eventually becoming Pipette . Pipette is on its 9th issue and is an ode to natural wine. Rachel just published “ You Had Me at Pet Nat: A Na...
Oct 06, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 195
New York born Audrey Frick headed west to pursue music and become a Buff at the Univ. of Colorado. She got the hospitality and wine bug in Boulder at Bobby Stuckey’s Frasca, working her way to the opening team at Tavernetta in Denver. She has worked harvests around the world, found a love for Italian wines, and has an advanced certification from the CMS. The real question is, how do go from playing French Horn to slinging wine? Audrey writes extensively about Italian wines and is now the Wine Di...
Sep 29, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 194
Jersey boy James O’Brien attended the Institute of Culinary Education after college, and worked his way through Danny Meyers Union Sq. Hospitality Group at Tabla and Maiolino where he met his eventual partner, Chris McDade. How do two guys with Irish sounding last names open one of the most admired Italian restaurants in New York? James O’Brien is the Co-Founder/Owner and GM of Popina in Brooklyn. Popina, along with great food serves up a wine list of unique depth and value. Heritage Radio Netwo...
Sep 22, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 193
New York’s own Annie Shi attended private school, Yale University, and moved to London to work in Finance at JP Morgan. So, the question is, and I am sure her parents asked many times, what the hell are you doing in the restaurant business? Annie is a partner, the GM, and Beverage Director at Soho restaurant King . King is run and staffed by all women, critically acclaimed, and has achieved near cult status. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Gr...
Sep 15, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 192
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Eliza Christen and family made their way to the United States. Eliza attended the Univ. of Illinois and found her love for hospitality and wine in culinary mecca Champaign Urbana. She traveled the world to work harvests in Italy, Australia, and Oregon and is studying for her wine certifications. Eliza has worked at the Meadowood Resort and Momofuku Ko before meeting Sean Feeney of Grovehouse . Eliza Christen is now the Beverage Director of Chef Missy Robbin’s and Sean Fee...
Sep 09, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 191
Tiffany Britton is the proprietor and winemaker at Brainstorm Cellars in West Richland in Washington state. She started Brainstorm with her partner Eric Williams in 2020. Their goal is to do wine differently, making it fun, easy, and delicious. Tiffany is also the President of the Alliance of Women in Washington Wine, an organization dedicated to advocating for women in the Washington wine industry. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Grape Natio...
Aug 19, 2021•53 min•Ep. 190
Poet turned sommelier turned poet, Amanda Smeltz left Pennsylvania to study at Marquette in Milwaukee. She stayed in Milwaukee, one of the world’s great food and wine capitols to learn hospitality before returning to New York. A longtime Brooklynite, Amanda worked at groundbreaking Roberta’s in Bushwick, Daniel Boulud’s Bar Boulud and Boulud Sud, and eventually Estela and Café Altro Paradiso with Iggy Mattos. Amanda is a published writer and poet and just packed everything in, we’ll explain. Her...
Jul 01, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 189
Camille Riviere was raised in Paris and the Loire Valley. She fell in love with wine at an early age, so like any good mom, she enrolled Camille in wine classes. She interned, worked, and studied her way through France. Camille made her way to the United States working at Morrell and Frederick Wildman learning the business side. Her realization and gravitation towards natural wines convinced her to start her own wine Import business, Camille Riviere Selections in Brooklyn. Camille travels back a...
Jun 23, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 188
After growing up around a restaurant family and finishing college in Maryland, Jaimee headed west to pursue the arts. Jobs at Locanda and RN74 in SF changed her course, where she found her love for wine. Jaimee traveled to intern in Europe, went on to assist Pax Mahle, started her eponymous wine label, and was made winemaker of storied Stony Hill Vyd in 2020. Jaime makes serious but drinkable wine avoiding chasing any trends. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast netwo...
Jun 17, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 187
