In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with David Gibson, CEO and founder of Gibson Wine Consulting in Napa Valley, and this is his 4th time coming back on the podcast, which honestly says a lot because every convo with him somehow makes wine feel both smarter and more relaxed.

We break down sparkling wine in a way that actually feels fun and usable, starting with why champagne is only champagne if it comes from Champagne, France, and how the traditional method works, including secondary fermentation in the bottle, aging on lees for those brioche and yeasty notes, and what disgorgement really means. David walks me through the main sparkling wine styles people see in the wild, Prosecco and the Charmat method, Cava from Spain, French cremants, and the wild-card world of pet nat, plus how sweetness levels like brut nature, brut, extra dry, demi-sec, and doux change what you taste. I also share a real-life story about celebrating the end of a brutal day, why bubbles can make regular people feel fancy for a minute, and how I’m trying to bring wine culture back to something lighter, less intimidating, and more human.

We get into the best glassware myths, food pairings like champagne with fried chicken, easy sparkling wine cocktails like an Aperol spritz, New Year’s resolutions we actually might keep, and the bigger point, you don’t need perfect tasting notes or a perfect setup to enjoy great wine, you just need a reason to celebrate being here.

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Barbara Gorder, a Sonoma Mountain based marketing consultant and the force behind the Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium, for a wide ranging conversation about why wine marketing keeps missing the moment and what it will take to bring people back without talking down to them.

Barbara shares the origin story that made her fall in love with wine, an art history trip to Chateauneuf du Pape, a 2000 year old cave, and a single glass that flipped a switch, then connects that sense of wonder to the practical reality wineries face today, more competition, higher acquisition costs, and outdated communication habits that still show up on websites and in tasting rooms. We talk about why wine should stop trying to control the language consumers use, why age based targeting is lazy compared to psychographics, and how the industry can rebuild connection through experience, hospitality, better storytelling, smarter media, and collaboration instead of repeating the same tired tropes.

We also dig into what DTC really means when you strip away the tech stack, how wineries can expand the tent with more accessible pathways like second labels and organic positioning, and what Barbara is most focused on heading into the DTC Wine Symposium in Monterey, January 20 to 22, from actionable sessions to hands on boot camps designed to help real operators build the future.

Today, I had the awesome luck to sit down with Jeff Arnold, a SOM and the founder of Vines of Napa and the Vine Pass, a Napa Valley wine passport built to help people discover boutique wineries, hidden gems, and truly great tasting experiences.

This was a fun one, because we got to explore Jeff’s journey from working in the Finger Lakes and building wine ventures there, to eventually relocating to theNapa Valley. Along the way, we talk about a wide range of topics, from what makes Napa’s terroir so special, to how we can make wine more accessible for Gen Z and newer wine drinkers, without losing what makes it meaningful.

We also dive into Jeff’s current favorite varietals, including Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Sangiovisi, and why he thinks Cabernet Franc might be the next big thing.

If you love Napa, Sonoma, wine travel, and wine tasting, and you want to learn more about wine without all the extra snobbery, this is a really fun conversation for you.

In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with Napa Valley winemaker and general manager Matt Reid of Benessere Vineyards to talk about wine the way real people actually experience it, not as a test, not as a flex, but as a shared, soulful, analog thing in a digital world.

We get into Matt’s path from environmental economics and the EPA to UC Davis viticulture and enology, then into harvest life and the mentor and peer community that shapes winemakers over time. He explains his reactive winemaking style, paying attention to what the fermentation and the grapes are asking for, and I connect it to how I used to teach English, how no two students need the same approach, and how the best results come from being present, flexible, and paying attention. We also unpack why wine still matters, how it differs from beer and spirits because it is not built for perfect consistency, every vintage, vineyard, and winemaker is its own expression, and that difference is the point. If you feel intimidated by wine, this conversation is your reset, you cannot really do it wrong, you do not need perfect tasting notes, and you do not need to pronounce everything perfectly. Matt shares a simple mindset for new wine drinkers, build relationships with a great local wine shop, explore with intention, and learn your preferences through experience, and we talk about younger wine drinkers moving beyond big Napa Cabernet brands toward curiosity, variety, and personal taste.

If you want wine to feel more accessible, more fun, and more human, this episode will help you relax, trust yourself, and actually enjoy what is in your glass.

In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with Sonoma based wine journalist, editor, speaker, and WSET educator Stacy Briscoe to talk about making wine accessible without killing the magic.

We get into how she went from fitness and food writing to falling down the wine pairing rabbit hole, and how asking “beginner” questions, like what new oak actually means, turned into a full on career in wine media and education. We unpack why tasting notes can be weirdly intimidating, why you should never force flavors you do not actually taste, and how your own references, like cherry coke instead of tobacco, are valid because wine is personal. Stacy shares what she teaches at Napa Valley Wine Academy across WSET levels, how to spot quality without acting like a snob, and why the perfect pairing is the wine you like with the food you like with the people you like, in the moment you are in. We also go into wine storytelling from the human side, from winemakers and vineyard crews all the way to the unsung heroes like tasting room glass washers and the literal floor of the cellar, and I share a real moment where a Riesling became the exact reset I needed in a heavy, high status room.

If you want wine education that feels fun, honest, and actually usable, this conversation is your permission slip to sip, experiment, and stop overthinking it.

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Ed Feuchuk, General Manager of Tank Garage Winery, a direct-to-consumer Napa Valley winery that lives in a 1930s gas station, releases limited-edition one-off wines, and treats every bottle like a creative drop, not a traditional vintage repeat.

We talk about how Tank’s marketing and winemaking come from obsession and compulsion, not committee decisions, from their James Bond style restaurant run video to the Black Market release and Cyber Hack concept for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Ed breaks down why wine still matters culturally, how it complements real life moments like music, food, and connection, and why the future of wine depends on more niche brands and more authentic segmentation, not forced Gen Z campaigns. We also get into the creative chaos behind ambitious projects, the line between provocative and contrived, and the wines that changed our perspective, from Beaujolais Nouveau to an unexpected Riesling moment.

If you want Napa and Paso Robles wine culture that feels alive, modern, and unapologetically fun, this conversation is for you, and you can find Tank Garage Winery online at tankgaragewinery.com and on social at Tank Winery.

In this episode of Barrels & Roots I sit down with Napa Valley wine pro David Gibson to tackle something we all secretly dread, holiday family drama.

From Uncle Bob’s 30 minute political monologues and conspiracy theories to body shaming, money fights, crypto disasters and long running family grudges, we walk through the wildest Thanksgiving and Christmas table moments and pair each one with the perfect wine. I share my own stories from Napa to Vietnam, talk about using Gamay, Pinot, Riesling, rosé, Prosecco, Champagne, Merlot, Shiraz and big Napa Cab as “social lubricants” to soften tensions, and we keep coming back to one thing, how to stay in the middle, protect your peace, and still enjoy the people you love.

If you want real talk on family, mental health, and smarter holiday wine choices, all wrapped in one honest conversation, this is the episode to pour a glass to.

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Jeffrey Plant, estate winemaker at Round Pond Estate in Rutherford, right in the heart of Napa Valley, to talk about why wine is really a people game. We go back to our shared roots growing up in St. Helena, talk about bikes on vineyard roads, mustard blooms, and how harvest turns the whole valley electric with energy, forklifts, and that crush-time aroma in the air.

Jeff shares how he went from a mildly lost college kid to falling completely in love with winemaking during one harvest, mentored by Napa legends who taught him not just how to make wine, but why each decision matters. We get into his Captain America approach to leadership, why collaboration beats secret recipes, and how a rising tide of better wine lifts every winery in Napa Valley. We break wine education down to three simple things, fruit, acid, tannin, and one easy trick for telling the difference between a 50 dollar and a 150 dollar bottle by the finish alone, making this a super approachable listen for anyone who wants to actually understand wine. We talk about wine as terroir, time capsule, and social glue, why prices finally need to be more approachable, and how younger drinkers can start with a 10 dollar bottle, ask questions at a local wine shop, and slowly level up.

Jeff leaves us with his cellar mantra, that we will never make our best bottle of wine, because next year is always a chance to make it better, and invites listeners to come taste at Round Pond, say they heard him on Barrels and Roots, and come geek out about Napa Valley wine in person.