The Wine Makers – The Rebel School of Wine with Tyler Balliet & Morgan First

About this episode

Tyler Balliet and Morgan First discuss their innovative approach to making wine more fun and accessible, reflecting on their experiences in the industry.

For a long time, it was easy for some to dismiss the wine world that Tyler Balliet and Morgan First have spent the last 20 years carving out for themselves as frivolous or unserious. Second Glass, the zine Tyler started while working one of her first wine jobs, was a far cry from the glossy or stodgy wine publications that ruled the day. Their blockbuster tasting events, Wine Riot, sold out cities across the country but were often overlooked by the wine establishment in favor of posh Food & Wine festivals or a leading critic’s “master class.” Their Rosé Mansion pop-up experience was packed day in and day out by an audience much of the wine world didn’t realize it needed… until it was almost too late. Now, fresh off Tyler’s James Beard Award nomination for her book The Rebel School of Wine, mainstream wine is finally listening. We sat down with Tyler and Morgan during a California tour that included speaking engagements at the DTC Wine Symposium (perhaps you’ve heard of it) and the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, along with a party with friend of the pod Stacy Buchanan of Blood of Gods fame. We talked about how they’ve been working to make wine more fun, more colorful…

People in this episode

Hosts: The Wine Makers, Sam

Guests: Tyler Balliet, Morgan First

Topics covered

• wine culture
• accessibility in wine
• wine events
• fun in wine
• wine education

Keywords

• wine
• Second Glass
• Wine Riot
• The Rebel School of Wine
• DTC Wine Symposium
• Unified Wine & Grape Symposium
• Stacy Buchanan
• Blood of Gods

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Second Glass, Food & Wine, DTC Wine Symposium, Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, Blood of Gods, Winery Sixteen 600

Books & works: The Rebel School of Wine, Stanley Mouse

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