Wine Talks believes in the story of wine. There is a colloquialism in the wine trade "Every bottle tells a story" which on the surface is correct....but sometime seems too trite. What is in the bottle is not just an expression of terroir (soil, weather, environment) but also an an expression of the accumulation of the winemkars experiences, passions, lifestyle and what he or she thinks the proper melange of all these elements should be. Stephanie learned this the hard way (but the proper way). The school of hard knocks is just that...take you lumps, learn from the expereince and move to the next adventure and she has had plenty. Have a listen to her trek to the wine industry and her experiences on the inside. Meet Stepahine Cool.

So fascinating. Dr. Gavin Sacks took a momemt from his research and teaching schedule to sit with Wine Talks and discuss the intersection of art, science and the environment as it relates to wine. We don't think of the academic reqiurements when we disuss wine. Talking wine is usually about swriling and sniffing; maybe a story of the winemaker. We can often get into the weeds on what we taste or sense in a wine. And that might have a whole lot to do with what Dr. Sacks is working on. The advent of environmental concerns around the carbon footprint of all the packaging we consume on a daily bases has found its way into the wine industry. Dr. Sacks spends his research and class time, experimenting with and teaching the value of alternative wine packaging choices that could reduce the carbon footprint of wine in the future. Wine Talks was honored and inspired to have Dr. Sacks on the show.

There can only be one explanation (maybe two) for someone to want, study, test and pass both the Master of Wine curriculm and the Master Sommelier curriculm. So rare it is that there are only 3 people in the world that have done it. One reason could be the pure academia of them; the study, the knowledge, the challenge to learn more. And another reason is the passion for wine. For David, it is a lot of both. He is clear, articulate and funny...and maybe a little crazy; after all this study and understanding of the wine industry, he goes off and starts a winery in Walla Walla Washington. Who does this? But you will here the commitment and passion it takes to do this very thing. Wine Talks is proud to have tracked him down in Washington as they are preparing for harvest. Have a listen....you will be inspired

This was serendipitous. The fact that Mr. Lencquesaing was in Los Angeles at the very time I began reading his grandmothers book (albeit it very slowly, it is written in French) and that the vendor called and mentioned she was with him...there had to be a reason. The name "de Lencquesaing" is synonmous with wine. Bordeaux in particular. Madame May-Eliane Lencquesaing is 95 years old but has vivid recollection of the war years if Bordeaux. Her story was partially documented in the book Wine and War by the Kaldstups and now in a more granular form "Les Vendanges d'un Destin: de Bordeaux a l'afrique" Her grandson, Arthur was not destined to be in the wine trade, he wasn't necessarily drawn to it. It is hard to imagine that resistance exists, but it is the story of many 3rd,4t and 5th generation wine families; but somehow, as with Arthur, they are called back. Arthur travels the world educating wine consumers on the intracacies of Spanish wine, namely Rioja. He has a love affair with Marques de Murrieta. Certainly his family history rounded his viewpoint on wine and it is eveident through his eyes, the passion involved in representing this winery and famliy.       Have a listen for his French, English, and spanish accent...  

Betweent the two of them, it took 21 years to earn their Master Sommelier status; obviously, no easy task. Lest we forget, while studying for this accolade, one has to earn a living. THey met while working at the 2017 Best Restaurant in the World, 11 Madison and it was off to the races between them to carve out a niche in the wine world. Yes, having the moniker of a Master Sommelier opens doors in the wine and hospitality world, but it takes perserverance to see a need, develop a solution and execute the solution. In their case, bring the boutique expressive wines of Australia to the table of the American wione consumer. This task is not for the faint of heart. The miriad of laws in the US is enough to cause hours of head scratching let alone educating the consumer of the intricacies and geography of Australia. it is what we call in the industry a "hand sell." You can feel their passion for this project right here.

Some of you might know that Disneyland has a private club; Club 33. But did you know of the club named 21 Royale? In what was to be Walt Disney's apartment? and could be the most expensive restaurant in the country...and by all accounts, an experience worth the expense.

Sandra and I recently had dinner with famed director, David Zucker and all we did was laugh and talk about the future and what is in store. As he is preparing to release a new book, on the making of the movie Airplane, I thought it would be nice to get a glimpse of David from our last podcast. Sometimes we only see celebrities as they are after success,  but they are just as human as you and I with compelling stories to tell. You will find it entertaining, interesting, and eye-raising. Enjoy.