In this episode of Barrels & Roots, I sit down with Megan Koolmees, DTC Director at Bonovia Winery in Sonoma County, to talk about everything that makes wine approachable, memorable, and genuinely exciting, even if you've never set foot in a tasting room before.

Megan shares how a semester abroad in France at 19 sparked a lifelong passion, and how her palate evolved from funky old-world natural wines all the way to gracious Pinot Noirs. We talk about what "approachable luxury" really means, why the legs in your glass aren't actually telling you what you think they are, and how the best wine experiences are built as much around community and storytelling as they are around what's in the bottle.

What's the wine that made you realize you actually loved wine, and where were you when you had it?

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Kristian Harmston, the founder of Alchemy Asia and one of the most experienced beverage industry leaders in Southeast Asia. Kristian shares how he went from working in restaurants and bars to building a major drinks distribution company across multiple markets, representing global brands like The Macallan, Aperol, Cointreau, Cuervo, Remy Martin, Hennessy, and more. He also talks about creating his own gin distillery in Vietnam and how Lady True was born during COVID as a way to capture the flavors, culture, and energy of Vietnam in a bottle.

What I loved about this conversation is how much it goes beyond drinks. We talk about branding, distribution, hospitality, cocktail culture, consumer behavior, and why some beverage brands take off while others disappear before people ever notice them. Kristian breaks down what distribution really means, why the right restaurant, hotel, airport, or cocktail bar can matter more than simply being everywhere, and why a brand needs a clear reason to exist if it wants to earn its place on a shelf or behind a bar.

We also get into the power of story, taste, authenticity, and occasion. From Vietnamese botanicals and local gin to Jägermeister’s connection with street culture, tequila’s rise in Southeast Asia, beer as a social leveler, and how history shapes what different countries drink, this episode is a deep look at how culture, place, and emotion shape the drinks we love. For anyone interested in wine, spirits, cocktails, hospitality, beverage branding, or the business behind what ends up in your glass, this conversation is full of insight.

What do you think matters more when choosing a drink: the taste, the story, or the moment you are drinking it in?

In this episode of Barrels & Roots, I sit down with Chrissie Smith, viticulturist and founder of Intrepidus Wines out of Canberra, Australia, for one of the most honest conversations we've had on the show.

Chrissie breaks down the real difference between growing grapes and making wine, why Australian cool-climate varieties like Shiraz and emerging Italian grapes are turning heads worldwide, and how her eight-year-old daughter accidentally gave the most perfect explanation of winemaking I've ever heard. We also get into the oversupply crisis hitting Australian growers hard right now, why wine is losing younger drinkers to beer and spirits, and what the industry needs to do to stay relevant.

If you've ever been curious about what it actually takes to grow world-class grapes, this one's for you.

What's the wine experience you'll never forget and what made it so special?