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…

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