Cara Morrison has the recipe for winemaking success oozing out of her pores; passion, enthusiasm and time tested knowledge of wine. Did we also mention the “Cara Coolness” factor? Cara is the driving force behind the magic of chardonnay at Sonoma-Cutrer. Todays podcast will take you on the journey of Cara around the world that led to her landing this prestigious role of producing world class chardonnay at Sonoma-Cutrer. Enjoy the podcast and cheers, cheers to Cara and Chardonnay!

Carrie Wynkoop loves Oregon wine and she came up with the idea of discovering and sharing great Oregon wine. She kept wondering, "How come there's not a single wine club that will just send me great stuff from all over Oregon?" Say hello to Cellar 503! Cellar 503 is a wine club featuring unique, high quality, affordable wines that represent the full range of great Oregon wine. If you love Oregon wine and you're ready to explore, this is the club for you. Enjoy the conversation and get your...

A glass of wine is just a conversation waiting to happen as I always say, and today's conversation is with Jennifer Wall, Barefoot Wine Head Winemaker. We are sipping some Barefoot Wine spritzers, rose and brut rose bubbly to cool off on a hot day and get the conversation going! Barefoot wines carry the honor of being the most-awarded still and sparkling wines in U.S. competitions. All said, the wines have received over 2,000 medals, countless accolades, and – best of all – the support of...

A glass of wine is just a conversation waiting to happen as I always say, and today's conversation is with Eric Himel, Celebrity Stylist, Fashion Expert and Media Personality. Eric has been hailed as one of the most diverse and uniquely qualified stylists in the industry. Known for his discerning eye, constructive candor, and knowing instinctively what looks best on literally anyone make him the Go-To Style Guy for both on and off the camera for men, women and even teenagers alike. We sipped...

A glass of wine is just a conversation waiting to happen as I always say, and today's conversation is with Jenn Dieas, the Founder and CEO of Glowout Salons, a unique one stop shop for all your beauty essentials.  We sipped the bright and lively Mirabeau Pure Rose 2016 from the Cotes de Provence to get the conversation started! 

A glass of wine is just a conversation waiting to happen as I always say, and today's conversation is with Chandon California Head Winemaker Pauline Lhote. We are sipping the 45th anniversary special edition of Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine. Pauline grew up on a farm in Champagne where bubbles were always part of her path. After she earned her National Diploma in winemaking at Reims, she worked at Moët & Chandon and Nicolas Feuillate. Pauline came to the United States for a three-month...

A glass of wine is just a conversation waiting to happen as I always say, and today's conversation is with Celebrity Trainer Joey Thurman. Joey was named the best trainer in Chicago by the Chicago Sun Times in 2015 and NEWBEAUTY.com's top 3 favorite celebrity trainers. Joey has appeared on CBS, WGN, FOX, ABC and WCIU sharing his insights as a celebrity fitness trainer, published author and nutrition expert. We sipped the Skouras Zoe Rose 2016 to get the conversation started!

A glass of wine is just a conversation waiting to happen as I always say, and today's conversation is with Alicia Driskill, the Founder & CEO of EvolveHer, Chicago's first creative workspace designed for women.  EvolveHer serves as a catalyst to start, incubate or grow your business and connect with a diverse community of women.  We sipped some Trefethen Dry Riesling 2016 to get the conversation started!

Austria and Red wine may not shack up together in your imagination, unless you’re a wine geek like me. I don’t blush to say that you got to get up close and personal with that crisp Grüner Veltliner. It’s like jumping in the ocean for the first time all year during spring break. An Austrian Jaw Dropper. But let that crisp sip introduce you to the seduction of Austrian wines. Right now---put Red Austrian Varietals on your shopping list. Everyone drinks Pinots and Syrah’s with springtime BBQ’s....

A glass of wine is just a conversation waiting to happen as I always say, and today's conversation is with Marci Hughes, a television producer, restaurateur, beer brewer by night, and mom 24/7. She is a former thirteen-year veteran with The Oprah Winfrey Show and is currently Vice President of Content Marketing with Intersport. We are sipping Frogs Leap Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2016, which is filled with some racy citrus and peach blossom aromas, and has a bright yet minerally finish, to...

It’s not every day that you can get NBA players to talk sunlight and soil. Meet Baxter Holmes. His recent article on the NBA’s Secret Wine Society had me dialing his number before I could finish the article. Based in Los Angeles, Baxter Holmes is a national NBA writer focusing on features, projects and other enterprise stories for ESPN.com and ESPN Magazine. He previously covered the Lakers for ESPN, the Celtics for The Boston Globe and a variety of subjects as a staff writer for The Los...

Today’s conversation is with Evan Siegfried, a Republican political strategist and commentator, and equally important, a passionate NYC wine lover and dog owner. Evan is the author of GOP GPS: How to Find the Millennials and Urban Voters the Republican Party Needs to Survive. When he’s not writing for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post or other publications, he’s busy building his wine collection. I get the conversation started while sipping an exceptional new release,...

When you meet Alan Johnson, the new President and CEO of Potbelly, you know right away that there’s going to be lots of laughter, conversation and stories to require at least one bottle of great wine and a few sandwiches.  Join me for a conversation that takes us on a ride from South Africa, working for Michael Eisner, being the CEO of BevMo! and why Alan loves going to the grocery store for hours and not always hitting the Amazon Prime button.  Join me and Alan for an “award-winning” sips...

Getting heard in Chicago, the “Windy City” is not for the meek and mild. And just in case you are not familiar with why Chicago is called the Windy City, here you go: "If you had always assumed that Chicago earned its nickname as the Windy City from the chilly gusts coming off Lake Michigan, you would be wrong. The city is windy, according to most local legends, because of the hot air bellowing from politicians."- J. Zeleny- NY Times. Meet Mika Stambaugh; an Emmy award winning journalist...

The Super Bowl calls for stepping up your pregame meal options and making sure you are in the right state of “hydration and celebration”. Men—you can be lucky twice on game day. Win the big game and dump the beer from your fridge. The last thing women want is a beer bloat belly. I know more than a few white and red wines that won’t break the bank and will match up perfectly with your fave wings and dip. And, you can wow the women with the right type of mineral water to serve for the big game....

Chicago. Steak. Wine. If you play in this game, you better have the “chops” to walk and talk with the best in the Windy City. Join Jessica as we talk how to win the wine and steak game in Chicago with Adam Sweders Wine Director at the DineAmic Group and head sommelier for Prime and Provisions restaurant in Chicago. Prime and Provisions is a 12,000-square-foot steakhouse, which seats 279 inside and another 54 on an outdoor patio, is the latest project from the team behind Siena Tavern, Public...

Are you looking for a change of pace from those big chewy reds in the middle of winter ? Or are you just a white wine sipper no matter the climate? Pinot Grigio is the solution, always there to provide you with a refreshing break. For me, it’s the perfect anytime sipper. Like a slice of sunshine on a gray day, drinking pinot Grigio gives me a glimmer of winter hope. Rich holiday meals pile up like snow banks at my place, and sometimes a gal just needs an escape. Pinot Grigio delivers. For...

Join Jessica as she gets down to the bare facts with Chicago's most sought after private dining and catering service, specializing in art of eating well and feeling sexy. It's the Nude Dude Food private chefs! Seth Bradley and Ryan Van Voorhis have been friends since childhood and both had a passion for food, so they started Nude Dude Food. Seth is a former trader turned musician turned hospitality expert, while Ryan is social worker and passionate home cook. They introduce us to FODMAP - a...

Welcome to “The Taste Of Snow with Svalbarði Polar Iceberg Water”, located just 1,000km from the North Pole at 79° north It’s the world's northernmost bottled water and is recognised by the Fine Water Society as the world's best tasting super low mineral water. In 2013, Norwegian-American Jamal Qureshi collected meltwater as a gift for his wife while travelling in the Norwegian island territory of Svalbard – one of Europe’s last great wildernesses.. The pure water would make for a delicious...

Lauren's CLAIM TO FAME is she was the Female Vocalist of the Year for the 2015 Midwest Music Awards. Lauren released her first, full-length CD titled, "Truly Me" in August 2015. And two singles, recorded in the legendary Ocean Way Nashville Studios, in 2016. Shortly after these releases she finally made the leap into becoming a full-time musician and moved to Nashville in February 2017. Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/@winechanneltv, http://www.instagram.com/bestsipever Twitter:...

Winter in my eyes means it’s time to “BEAR” hug your favorite partner in crime. But, don’t stop there, winter wines need partners too. Winter is THE PERFECT time to learn HOW to pair Wines with food. Red wines and red meat- come on, that’s a no brainer. Winter calls for some bodacious pairings for “wine-ing” and dining your friends and family in style. Take a listen to some great big, bold winter wines and pairings to warm you up all winter long. Instagram:...

Any true wine aficionados will remember this quote- “If ANYONE orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any f-ing Merlot!” This classic line from Paul Giamatti’s character in the movie Sideways may have put a damper on Merlot sales, but it didn’t last long! That old curmudgeon. Merlot should be on your radar as a PERFECT winter wine. Let me give you a SNAPSHOT of Merlot from my eyes. Merlot’s bitch slap from Sideways only prodded winemakers to improve its quality. This made so-so...

On any given night, Armando Vasquez, co-owner of La Scarola Italian Restaurant in Chicago, is cooking up great food for guests like Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp, Eminem, Katie Holmes or Colin Farrell. How do you get your picture on the wall of your restaurant; not so easy. Listen and find out what Armando told “Superman” about getting his picture on the “Walls of La Scarola”.   Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/@winechanneltv, http://www.instagram.com/bestsipever Twitter:...

Where does one get the passion to create a $3K bottle of wine. Join Jessica with legendary Penfolds Chief Winemaker, Peter Gago and discover the magic and the man behind this iconic wine brand. And yes, even Jessica can make him laugh; it involves a Cubs hat and the color red. Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/@winechanneltv, http://www.instagram.com/bestsipever Twitter:...

What was it like to be close to Playboy icon Hugh Hefner? Meet Candace Jordan, Playboy Cover Girl and now a Chicago media icon; aka “Candid Candace columnist for the Chicago Tribune”. What was it like sharing some wine with “Hef” in the Playboy Mansion and being on the set of Risky Business with Tom Cruise? What was the original playboy mansion like here in Chicago? Candace shares all that and more with Jessica for this special wine conversation. Holler at me if you need more… Instagram:...