Fun Facts About This Episode: 1. Los Angeles County was a major agricultural area for vines with almost 200,000 acres planted in 1893, and it was even featured on the city seal. 2. Moraga Vineyard in Bel Air has a unique terroir with various elevations and exposures, with maritime influence from Santa Monica Bay. 3. The winery at Moraga focuses on producing just one white and one red wine, modeled after a French house's approach to winemaking. 4. Despite being in the heart of LA, Moraga...

"Wine Talks with Paul K" dives into the vibrant world of wine with the featured guest, Wanda Mann, who brings her extensive knowledge and passion to the conversation. In this not-to-be-missed episode, the main points covered are: 1. **Demystifying Wine Talk**: Paul K and Wanda Mann tackle the complexity of wine terminology, deliberating on how it can sometimes alienate new wine enthusiasts. They discuss the importance of simplifying wine language to make the experience more accessible and...

In this episode of Wine Talks, we delve into the noble tradition of wine in the corridors of the White House. With the aid of Frederick J. Ryan, whose impressive tome "Wine in the White House: A History" serves as our guide, we explore the nuanced role of wine in American presidential history. Here are 7 points I pulled out of the conversation. 🍷 The White House has long held a tradition of presidential involvement in selecting wines for state affairs. This responsibility demonstrates the...

Our latest episode of Wine Talks features the discerning Rodolphe Frerejean Taittinger, CEO of French Bloom, and co-founder of Frerejean Frere Champagne. A scintillating conversation that dives into champagne history, non-alcoholic wine innovation, and the passion driving the family's legacy in winemaking. Here are your 3 key takeaways: - 🏰 **Artisanal Legacy**: Discover the meticulous craftsmanship that goes into building a champagne house from the ground up. Rodolphe discusses the...

In the latest episode of 'Wine Talks,' host Claude Rouquet is joined by guest Paul K to delve deep into the world of viticulture, exploring the nuanced journey from grape to glass. The conversation opens with a glimpse into Claude’s background, which was not traditionally rooted in the wine industry as his family came from the medical field. However, his early exposure to fine wines cultivated a passion that, along with his wife, led them to pivot their successful careers to pursue their love...

Welcome back to another episode of Wine Talks! In today’s conversation, we uncork the fascinating story of Vito La Fata, a man whose winemaking roots are as deep and rich as the vineyards of his Sicilian heritage. With the clink of glasses and the pour of a vintage, Vito takes us on a journey through his family's tumultuous history, from wars and the mafia to love, legacy, and pasta factories that have all infused the essence of every bottle they produce. Join us as we unravel the tapestry...

George Walker III, a recipient of the Roots Fund scholarship, shares his incredible journey and the impact it has had on his education and career in the wine industry. The Roots Fund, founded in 2020 by Carlton McCoy, Aikimi Dubeau, and Tahir Habibi, aims to provide opportunities for black individuals in the wine industry. George expresses his gratitude for the support he has received from mentors like Matt Nauman and Carlton McCoy, who have helped shape his education and career. George...

He calls himself the Black Wine Guy....but never has been too happy with that name. And Wine Talks gets it. MJ Towler has covered virtually all the bases when traversing the wine industry landscape. He has a rounded viewpoint on all things wine. And his take on the plight of BIPOC in the world of wine is pragmatic and right on.  Having worked the floor at what would be one of the most celebrated wine retailers in America, MJ moved on to wholesale and hospitality. He discovered a knack for...

When you have sold some of the most luxurious brands in the world, what does adding Chateau Angelus to the list mean? Actually, it means quite a bit.  Chateau Angelus was awarded Premiere Cru Classee "A" when the Right Bank of Bordeaux began classifications in 1955. This puts the Chateau at the top of the region's rankings, which is a significant achievement. Yves de Launay, who has promoted brands such as Sotheby's, Louis XIII Cognac, LVMH, and Cartier, would seem to be a natural fit for...

The late, great, George Mardikian was restauranteur extraordinaire, philanthropist, and an inspiration to his family and employees. Hear from his nephew/son Haig Mardikian wine, Ohmar Khayyams, immigration and philanthropy.  George Mardikian represents all that is good as an American immigrant. He fled Turkey ahead of the Armenian genocide and made his way to San Franciso to start a new life. Fell in love with an American girl only to have her shunned by the family. He sets up shop on Powell...

The Association of African American Vintners started in 2002 with 4 vintners; now there are over 200 members. Thanks largely to the efforts of Angela McCrae and her associates.  Diversity is an important subject in the wine trade. The industry is light on BIPOC and women in the workforce; both labor and executives. But that is all actively changing.   In fact, there is a large event in the Napa Valley at the CIA Napa Copia campus entirely committed to black-owned wineries and black wine...

In the wine trade there is a lot of idle talk.  Opinions on the longevity of the industry, opinions of consumerism, opinions of packaging trends...let's face it Wine Talks has it's opinions too.  But it takes fortitude to stay the course; pick a philosophy and run with it. Talley Farms does just that.   Guests come on this show to tell their stories. Typically, Wine Talks will bring in a couple of vintages to show its support for the brand and the story telling. It was a first here that we...

In 1988, Paul K Sr. featured a Romanian wine in the Original Wine of the Month Club. The wine was Premiat Sauvignon Blanc and was $2.50/bottle on reorder. It was a very nice wine.  Turns out, according to Marinela, that wine was purchased from Romania during the USSR rule. Long before the value and complexity of freedom was real. It is so interesting that the Original Wine of the Month Club was ahead of its time in 1988...finding a Soviet block wine worthy of the American palate. Now, as...

Off the main highway that runs through Napa Valley and specifically through Saint Helena, one can make a hard left turn after passing the cute gas station that doubles as a coffee shop (yes, new meaning to the question "leaded?". Make the next right and travel a block or two and you will find a hidden gem of a tasting room. Understated and doubling as an office, Chris Phelps and his son Josh hole up here to create their wine magic. Chris's path to this quaint tasting room/office has taken...

Chateau Lagrange was in Los Angeles. Matthieu Bordes presiding.   On a recent visit to the WIne Talks studios, we caught up with all things Bordeaux.   Matthieu considers it a dream job. Maybe "job" isn't the best adjective. When you love to do something and have the passion to do it every day at the best you can offer, maybe it is no longer a job. This is clearly Mattieu Bordes as the Director Général of the Chateau. Chateau Lagrange is owned by the Japanese conglomerate, Suntory Group,...

In his new book "Facing the Heat; From my grand mother's kitchen to cooking on the line." Chef Castan has peeks around just about every corner of the chef business. After all, he has worked for some of what would be considered the best restaurants in France to being head Chef at one of the largest hotel chains in America and just about everything in between; including but not limited to an absolute failure with his mexican restaurant in Nice, France. This path is hard and the difficulty for...

The Areni Global group is on a mission. They want to protect the flanks of fine wine. What is fine wine? Pauline Vicard defines it here. Areni Global was named after the famed Areni-1 cave found in Aremia; the oldest known in-tact winery ever unearthed. The founding of the group was to create a think tank of industry leaders who, well, maybe not predict the future, but consider the future of wine wine on a world wide basis. There are so many moving parts in producing wine and getting it to...

Michael Higgins is quite unique in the world of wine. He has published three photo journals on three popular wine-growing regions of the world. Starting in Argentina, he sets out to bring to the readers a comprehensive view of the region, people and wineries. But he adds an important twist to his books. He explains where, who and what each winery is; what to look for there, where to eat, and provides amazing photos to support his viewpoints. These are not your regular travel books.  Since he...

Unaware he was creating the $3B Direct to Consumer wine industry, Paul Kalemkiarian Sr. explains how the idea evolved and his thoughts on business.   In 1969, a time where California wine was barely recognized to the world. a pharmacist who was born in Cairo, bought a liguor store in the quaint beach town of Palos Verdes Estates. As a good merchant would do, he wanted control of the quality of the merchandise and insisted he taste every wine that was brought to him to consider. This was...

Just when you thought the Napa Valley was going the way of its French counterparts by steeping itself in the tradition...along comes Jean Charles Boisset. You will be fascinated, intrigued, and dumbfounded. Jean-Charles not only comes from one of the most famed Burgundian families, he married a Gallo. And I think you can surmise, they are a power wine couple in the Napa Valley scene. One might think that there is a utopia in the Napa Valley. The scenery, the wineries, the people, the...

Paul McSharry wasn't originally destined for the wine business, he had other plans. Let's face it, Ireland is not necessarily the hotbed of the wine culture.   Life has a way of redirecting our focus and Paul has bitten off an idea that seems to be resonating with want to be winemakers and curiosity seekers all the same. Because of the expense and the bureaucratic headwinds that clog up the wine trade, it is virtually impossible or too expensive to venture into it alone. One mistake, and....

The Smithsonian Institute wanted to know about Jerry Eisterhold. So much so, the featured an article on what one might say is a long shot at best. The idea to repropagate vines of yesteryear in America would be fruitless (pun intended). But it is quite the opposite.  In this episode, you will hear the history of wine grapes in America that I would easily put down even money that the most advanced academics in the world of wine would not have a notion of the significance. It was so...

Of all the sectors of wine, retail has to be the toughest. Tough meaning you need to understand not only wine, but POS systems, merchandising, event planning, inventory systems, the gift of gab, employee relations, internet marketing, subscription marketing, and many more facets.  And Jeff and Kathy did not set out to be a multi-store wine shop "chain" nor did the set out to get married. But, as the romance of wine would have it, both of these events occurred.  Wine Talks caught up with the...

The Nazis destroyed her parent's Chateau, and she was there to witness. You just know it. Humans have a sense about who and what they are. and when you sit in the presence of pure elegance, pure knowledge, and pure humility, you just know it.  Though May-Eliance Lencquesaing spoke for over 75 minutes (she took a couple of breaths), it took 15 seconds to realize that this conversation was going to be epic.  She started with "Hello Paul, good to see you again"...because she had remembered a...