In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with the wine writer and educator Karen MacNeil about the state of wine education today. They cover trends, strategies, innovative approaches, the future of wine education, certifications, and much more. Karen MacNeil is a wine writer and educator who is best known for her award-winning book, The Wine Bible, now in its third edition. Karen is an instructor at Stanford University's Continuing Studies program and the...

In our latest blind tasting episode, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with Cokie Ponikvar and Omar Lima. They discuss the importance of blind tasting, the challenges they've faced in their tasting journeys, and how they apply blind tasting skills. Cokie Ponikvar runs the wine education platform @cokiesworldofwine, which has 299,000 followers on Instagram. She began her wine career while studying at the University of Toronto and working as a sommelier at the Four Seasons...

In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with Dr. P.J. Alaimo, a professor of chemistry and the chemistry department chair at Seattle University. Chris and P.J. dive deep into wine chemistry, discussing the chemical components of wine and why different wines taste, feel, and look the way they do. They also provide some great exercises and tips for anyone looking to improve their tasting skills. P.J. Alaimo studied chemistry and philosophy as an undergraduate...

In our latest blind tasting episode, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with Marissa Kipp and MS Tyler Alden. They discuss their blind tasting journeys, the challenges they've faced while honing their tasting abilities, and the role of alcohol in blind tasting. Marissa Kipp is a sommelier at the retail shop Cru & Domaine in Portland, Oregon. She also works as a consultant, with a focus on hospitality and beverage education. Marissa is an Advanced Sommelier and holds the...

In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe interviews Taylor Parsons of Whole Cluster Hospitality and MS Gareth Ferreira of Core by Clare Smyth. They discuss what constitutes good service, how service has changed over recent decades, and the logistics of running restaurants and wine programs that place a high value on service.  Taylor Parsons has worked as a sommelier and beverage director for a range of celebrated Los Angeles establishments, including République,...

In our first blind tasting episode of 2024, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with Clara Klein and Jeremy Schwartz, lead sommeliers with the Frasca Hospitality Group in Colorado. They talk about the role of blind tasting in their work and studies, then tackle the complex topic of minerality in wine. Clara is the lead sommelier at Denver’s Sunday Vinyl, which she helped open in 2019 after working at Frasca Food and Wine and Tavernetta. Prior to these roles with the Frasca...

In the latest GuildSomm podcast, host MS Christopher Tanghe interviews Kelli A. White, director of education for the Wine Center at Meadowood in Napa Valley, author of Napa Valley, Then & Now, and accomplished wine writer. Kelli discusses the history of Napa Valley, its regions, trends, and much more. Prior to her role at Meadowood, Kelli was the senior staff writer here at GuildSomm, where she wrote articles and expert guides on a wide range of topics and received two Roederer Awards...

In the last GuildSomm podcast episode of 2023, Master Sommeliers Chris Tanghe and Jonathan Eichholz address myriad topics related to the past year, from the state of hard seltzer to how to make an interesting wine list for 2024.   Jonathan lives and works in New York City. As an educator for GuildSomm, he maintains the Wine Law Compendium and teaches on various subjects. Previously, Jonathan worked at The Modern. Chris is based in Seattle and is GuildSomm's director of education and...

In our new tasting episode, host Christopher Tanghe speaks with fellow Master Sommeliers Mark Guillaudeu and Chris Gaither. They discuss their tasting journeys; how they recognize texture and, in particular, phenolic bitterness in wine; and the ways they apply blind tasting skills in their current roles. Mark Guillaudeu is a sommelier at the Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix. Previously, he worked at the two Michelin-starred Commis in Oakland. He won the Best Sommelier USA title in June 2022. In...

In the latest GuildSomm podcast, host MS Christopher Tanghe interviews Annie Shi of King and Jupiter restaurants in New York City about her wine program philosophy. Annie discusses key considerations for bottle lists and by-the-glass offerings, how she thinks about pricing, creativity in spirits selection, and the importance of distributor relationships. Annie Shi opened King in 2016 and Jupiter in 2022 with her partners, Claire de Boer and Jess Shadbolt. She is the beverage director at both...

We're back with a new tasting episode! This week, host and Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe discusses blind tasting practices with MS Steven McDonald and Rachael Liggett-Draper. They explore their tasting challenges, how they have calibrated acid and tannin calls, and the ways they apply blind tasting skills in their everyday work. Steven McDonald is the executive wine director for the Pappas Bros Steakhouses in Houston and Dallas. He moved to Houston from New York City in 2011 to join the...

In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe explores the importance of coffee in restaurant beverage programs by tracking it from farm to cup with special guests from the Washington coffee community. Scott Richardson, the co-owner of Herkimer Coffee, explains sourcing and quality, followed by a live roasting session with Herkimer's head roaster, Brian James, and a discussion of coffee grading and service with Ryan Vigil, the co-owner of Carte Coffee. Herkimer Coffee is an...

In our latest podcast, Seattle wine professionals Erin Lyman and James Lechner discuss blind tasting with host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe. They explore the value of blind tasting, their personal tasting challenges, and how they use blind tasting in their current positions. Erin Lyman is the owner of the long-standing Seattle wine shop Champion Wine Cellars. She took over the business from its founder in 2017. Erin has completed WSET Level 3 and the French Wine Scholar program....

In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe interviews Steven Thompson, the cofounder of Analemma Wines. Chris and Steven discuss the history and approach of Analemma Wines and its home, the Columbia Gorge AVA, then dive into a conversation about the requirements, ideals, and challenges of Demeter Biodynamic Certification. Steven Thompson and Kris Fade founded Analemma Wines in the Columbia Gorge in 2010. They received biodynamic certification from Demeter in 2017 and...

In our latest podcast, Advanced Sommeliers Matthew Crawford and Cara De Lavallade discuss blind tasting with host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe. They discuss whether blind tasting is useful outside of the exam setting, how they use this skill in their jobs, and the greatest challenges in their tasting journeys. Matthew Crawford is the director of operations for Rocket Farm Restaurants, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Matthew lives in Houston, Texas, where Rocket Farm operates another...

In our latest podcast episode, Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe interviews Fred Merwarth of Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Fred is the co-owner, head winemaker, and vineyard manager for the estate. Chris and Fred discuss the history of Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, the grapegrowing opportunities and challenges in the Finger Lakes, and all things Riesling.  Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with...

In our latest blind tasting episode, host MS Christopher Tanghe speaks with New York City sommeliers Andrea Morris and Jonathan Eichholz. Andrea and Jonathan share their blind tasting challenges and strategies before tasting the same red wine. Andrea Morris is the beverage director at Essential by Christophe. Before this role, she managed the beverage programs at Union Square Cafe, Intersect, and Nix. Jonathan Eichholz is currently an educator at GuildSomm, where he oversees the Wine Law...

In our latest podcast, MS Christopher Tanghe interviews Ruinart Chef de Caves Frédéric Panaïotis. They unpack the effects of climate change in Champagne and discuss the ways that Ruinart and other Champagne houses are adapting and pursuing sustainability in light of these changes. Applications for the Los Angeles and San Francisco Ruinart Challenge events will be open through Wednesday. All GuildSomm members are eligible to apply. Find more details on the GuildSomm website. Thanks for...

In this episode, MS Christopher Tanghe speaks with New Zealand expert MS Cameron Douglas. They cover all things New Zealand, including the country’s winemaking regions, the still-important role of Sauvignon Blanc, and the wide range of styles being produced today. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!

Our blind tasting bonus episode is back! In this month's installment, GuildSomm Education Director MS Christopher Tanghe speaks with sommeliers Chuck Nix and Lindsay Thomas about how they approach blind tasting. Chuck is the sommelier and service manager at BRAVO! Italian Restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi. Lindsay is the director of wine and beverage at River Oaks Country Club in Houston, Texas. Listen in as Chuck and Lindsay blind taste the same wine, and see if you can guess along with...

In this episode, MS Christopher Tanghe speaks with Nick Gislason, director of winemaking and viticulture at Screaming Eagle and co-owner and brewer at Hanabi Lager Company, about tannin management in wine. Chris and Nick discuss how tannins in wine are derived from both grapes and wood, and they explain how a range of viticultural and winemaking decisions impact their presence in a finished wine. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us...

In this episode, MS Christopher Tanghe discusses the wines of Chile with Elizabeth Butler, the director of wine at importing company Vine Connections. Lizzy oversees education for Vine Connections' wine portfolio, which focuses on Chile and Argentina. Prior to joining Vine Connections in 2013, Lizzy worked for the Catena family in Argentina and Viña Mayu in the Elqui Valley of Chile. Chris and Lizzy dive deep into all things Chile in this wide-ranging conversation. Thanks for listening. If...

In this episode, MS Chris Tanghe speaks with Thomas Savre, the director of winemaking and viticulture at Lingua Franca Winery in the Willamette Valley. They discuss reduction, particularly in Chardonnay, unpacking a complex topic that is often oversimplified in wine circles. Chris and Thomas talk about the processes that create aromas such as matchstick, smoke, and flint and outline the distinction between reduction and reductive. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave...

In our new tasting episode, GuildSomm Education Director MS Christopher Tanghe talks to Advanced Sommeliers Matthew Dulle and Alexandra Stang about their perspectives on blind tasting. Matt is based in Healdsburg, CA, where he is the director of sales for Rhys Vineyards and Aeris. Alexandra is the beverage director at Seattle’s iconic Cafe Juanita. Listen in as Matt and Alexandra blind taste the same wine. See if you can guess along with them! We’ll reveal the wine they’re tasting at the end...

In our new podcast episode, Christopher Tanghe takes a look back at 2022 with guests Audrey Frick, Jonathan Eichholz, and Samantha Cole-Johnson. They discuss trends in wine and spirits, the state of the hospitality industry, wine law updates, and industry challenges and speculate about what might be ahead in 2023. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as this helps us connect with and grow our community. Cheers!