Barrels & Roots

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Kristian Harmston, the founder of Alchemy Asia and one of the most experienced beverage industry leaders in Southeast Asia. Kristian shares how he went from working in restaurants and bars to building a major drinks distribution company across multiple markets, representing global brands like The Macallan, Aperol, Cointreau, Cuervo, Remy Martin, Hennessy, and more. He also talks about creating his own gin distillery in Vietnam and how Lady...

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Shawn Phillip, General Manager and Winemaker at Lykan Estate and Brago Cellars in Anderson Valley to talk about what it really takes to make world-class Pinot Noir in one of California's most underrated wine regions. Shawn shares how he walked away from a career in tech and telecom at AT&T to chase something that actually lit him up, trained in Champagne with an eighth-generation wine family, and came back to California with a co...

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Robert Cavanaugh, CEO of Adventure Wine, to talk about how beginners can start enjoying wine without feeling overwhelmed or embarrassed. Robert has spent decades teaching wine, leading staff training, hosting live events, and representing wine regions from around the world, and his approach is refreshingly simple: trust your palate and have fun with it. We talk about why wine can feel intimidating, how regional names and grape names confus...

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Janell Harris, creative director for Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Col Solare, Antinori Napa Valley, and the Marchese Antinori portfolio in the U.S. We talk about how wine became more than just a drink for her and evolved into a passion centered around storytelling, creativity, food, travel, and human connection. Janell shares how she transitioned from television and design into the wine industry, why wine should feel more approachable a...

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser for a conversation about making wine feel less intimidating and more human. We talk about why so many people feel overwhelmed by wine language, restaurant lists, grape varieties, regions, and tasting notes that do not always connect with real life. Tim breaks down wine in a way that makes it easier to understand, comparing it to music, cars, food, memory, and personal experience. We also get into how beginners c...

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Ryan and Taylor, the winemakers behind Polemonium Wines, to unpack what’s really happening inside the wine industry and why so many things need to change. We get into their journey from working inside massive legacy brands to breaking out on their own, driven by a belief that wine should be more transparent, more human, and more connected to the people who actually drink it. What stood out to me most was how much the industry has shi...

In this episode of Barrels & Roots, I sit down with Linsi Luckett, lead horticulturalist, agronomist, licensed pest control advisor, and FAA-certified drone pilot at Sunridge Nurseries - the largest grapevine-producing nursery in North America. Linsi breaks down the side of wine most people never think about: what it actually takes to grow a healthy vine before it ever reaches a vineyard. We get into the science of grafting and rootstock, why Vitis vinifera can't survive in American...

I sat down with Adam Edelman, the mind behind Nisi Wines, and what started as a conversation about winemaking turned into something much deeper. Adam's journey into wine began completely by chance when he moved from Connecticut to Napa Valley for a harvest internship over a decade ago, bringing with him a background in neuroscience and philosophy that most winemakers don't have. His brand name, Nisi, comes from a Latin term meaning "unless," representing the constant conditions and adap...

In this episode, I sat down with Josh Trowbridge, the general manager of Benovia Winery, for a conversation about wine, storytelling, and what gives something lasting value. From discovering wine in college to building a career across sales, harvest, cooperage, and executive leadership, Josh shared a journey that eventually brought him back to the heart of wine country. We talked about Russian River Valley terroir, the importance of expressing place, and why the real power of wine is no...

In this episode, I sat down with Vicki Tomiser, a wine consultant, hospitality veteran, and self-described "winosaur" whose love affair with wine started not in a cellar but in a buying room full of middle-aged men in gray suits. Vicki takes us deep into the world of terroir - the idea that the soil, sun, fog, and stress a grapevine experiences shapes everything about the wine in your glass, and she explains it in a way that finally made it click for me. We talked about her wild career ...

I sat down with Stephanie Wycoff, the General Manager of Gary Farrell Winery, to pull back the curtain on an industry that often feels too polished to be real. As a video editor and storyteller, I’m always looking for those "faked it till I became it" moments, and Stephanie’s journey from a part-time tasting room gig to leading a premier Russian River Valley brand is exactly that. We dive deep into the Sonoma County wine scene, exploring why Pinot Noir and Chardonnay still dominate the ...

I sat down with Lynn Finkbiner and David Gibson and we ended up going down one of the most unexpected rabbit holes I’ve had on the show, matching celebrities to wines and breaking down why it actually makes sense. From Pedro Pascal as a spicy Chilean red to Beyoncé as a top-tier vintage champagne, the conversation turned into this mix of wine expertise, pop culture, and pure chaos in the best way. What stood out to me is how much personality and storytelling exist in both people and win...

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Jeremy Chen, co-founder and CEO of Leveto, to talk about why premium spring water deserves a real place in wine tasting, fine dining, and intentional hospitality. We get into how naturally alkaline water can cleanse the palate, balance tannins, and actually enhance the wine experience between sips, while also exploring the bigger idea of ritual, presence, and why the smallest details can completely change how a meal or tasting feel...