Winervana

Akhil Reddy is a second-generation grape grower and winery owner living and working on 400 unlikely acres in the Texas panhandle.  We talk about his family's journey, the challenges he faces, and his unique circular vineyard. 

Chrishon Lampley is the founder of Love Cork Screw and The Lampley. She is also one of the less than 1% of wine industry negociants, vineyard owners, or winery owners who are black females in the traditionally Euro-centric, white, male-dominated world of wine. 

Jim Laughren is a Certified Wine Educator, a member of the Society of Wine Educators, and the award-winning author of 50 Ways to Love Wine More and A Beer Drinker's Guide to Knowing and Enjoying Fine Wine. He is known for his irreverent approach and abiding enthusiasm for all things fermented. He is founder of Chicago-based WineHead Consulting and a former importer and distributor of fine wines from around the world.

Paul Wagner has dedicated his life to wine as an educator, award-winning author, competition judge, guest lecturer, owner of a wine-marketing firm, consultant, magazine columnist, and public-radio personality.  In this episode he discusses his teaching approach, and provocatively debunks a major myth about wine.

One of a growing number of women in the world of wine, Nicole Walsh is both the winemaker and owner of Ser Winery near Santa Cruz, California.

Brian Carter is one of the pioneers of the Washington State wine industry, having worked there for over 40 years.  He is a champion of the art of blended wines, as well as sustainability.

Brandy is one of the world's oldest distilled spirits.  Learn about what it is, plus what distinguishes its best-known subgenre, Cognac, and Cognac's lesser known country cousin, Amagnac.

My second guest on the Winervana podcast is me! My long-time friend Rob Young sits in the host's chair, and we talk about varietal-specific stemware made by Riedel, and why you should consider buying some of these glasses.

Few products of human labor are as old as wine.  With such a rich history, quite a lot of facts and foibles have come to be associated with it.  I touch on just a few of those in this episode.

The wine universe is huge, and goes way beyond the usual varieties.  Some creative winemakers don't even use grapes at all!  Learn more about some wines you've probably never heard of in this episode.

Beer and wine are readily available for purchase at a full range of quality and price points.  But some people choose to make their own.  My first-ever guest Pat Helmers explains why you might want to do the same.

Chardonnay is great, of course, but when the weather is warm, it's not often the best choice.  You want something crisp and refreshing.  You want ABC: Anything But Chardonnay.  In this episode, I discuss grape varieties and some specific suggestions from around the world for perfect summer sippers.

Canned Wines are Exploding in Popularity In this episode Stephen shares the making, history, pros and cons of canned wines. Cans have been around for many decades but recent innovations have sky rocketed their popularity, with quality wines!   Production of Habanero Media 

Old World Wine vs New World Wine In this episode Stephen discusses the differences between new world wines vs old world wines. The old world is Europe and the Middle east. The New World is elsewhere in the world e.g. the Americas, Australia, etc... Geography and differences in climate have a significant impact on the vineyards. Terroir places an emphasis on the land, vintner, earth and weather. The terroir of Europe differs vastly from the rest of the world. Why?  Production regulations vary from nation to nation. Some places there are more, some less. Plus the temperatures are cooler in Europe. There is a lean quality to Old World wines vs fruit forward wines commonly found in the New World. Tasting contests between the New and Old World have been game changing.  At the 1976 Paris Wine tasting, a California wine was chosen as the winner for the  first time. The judges were French. Not surprisingly this was an earth shattering event for the wine industry. It was a wake up call to the world that the New World had arrived. Stephen admits his preference for New World younger wines and no longer ages wines. We all have our preferences.    Production of Habanero Media 

Wine and Robbery at Restaurants Ordering wine in a restaurant can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Stephen shares some tips on approaching the wine list, and how to get help if you’re uncertain.  But mainly, he rants about the wine price gouging far too many restaurants are guilty of.   Podcast Produced by Habanero Media 

Welcome to Winervana Stephen introduces the Winervana podcast. He explains his point of view on wine and how it frames the podcast. He shares his story on how he became interested in wine. And, reviews a Chardonnay. Cheers!   Podcast Produced by Habanero Media