Everyone said local radio was dying. Will Marcencia decided it was worth fighting for.

The man behind Napa Valley’s KVYN The Vine, KVON MegaMix, and Wine Down Media finally steps out from behind the microphone to talk community, representation, entrepreneurship—and why local voices matter now more than ever.

Local radio. Local voices. One big Napa heart. 📻🍷

🎙️ Go With Your Palate: Will Marcencia | Local Radio, Big Heart & Keeping Napa Connected

This week, we’re keeping it local with one of Napa Valley’s own Local Legends—Will Marcencia, owner and operator of hometown radio stations KVYN The Vine & KVON MegaMix, and co-founder of Wine Down Media alongside his wife, Julissa. In a world becoming more digital by the day, Will has built his career around something refreshingly human: making sure local stories, local businesses, and local voices still have a place to be heard—in both English and Spanish.

We turn the microphone around on the guy who’s usually running the show and dive into Will’s journey through radio, entrepreneurship, and the community he calls home. He shares the story behind expanding Spanish-language radio in Napa Valley and recognizing just how important representation and accessible local information can be—especially when a community needs it most. It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes radio isn’t just entertainment; it’s a lifeline and a neighbor.

We also get a peek behind the curtain at what it takes to keep local media thriving in the age of streaming, social media, podcasts, and AI—and why Will continues betting on the power of community when so much of the world seems to be betting against it. From supporting local businesses and nonprofits to amplifying the people who make Napa Napa, his philosophy is pretty simple: community still matters.

And because this is Go With Your Palate, Will certainly didn’t show up empty-handed—literally. Let’s just say he brought a couple of very Napa-approved surprises to share, and somewhere along the way we also discovered that if this whole radio thing doesn’t work out, Will may have a suspiciously good future narrating true-crime podcasts. 🔪🎙️😂

It’s local entrepreneurship, representation, media, community, plenty of laughs, and a great conversation with someone who’s spent years giving everyone else a voice.

Now it’s Will’s turn.

Tune in, pour something local, and meet one of the people helping keep the heartbeat of Napa Valley on the air. 🍷📻❤️

Everyone said local radio was dying. Will Marcencia decided it was worth fighting for.

The man behind Napa Valley’s KVYN The Vine, KVON MegaMix, and Wine Down Media finally steps out from behind the microphone to talk community, representation, entrepreneurship—and why local voices matter now more than ever.

Local radio. Local voices. One big Napa heart. 📻🍷

🎙️ Go With Your Palate: Will Marcencia | Local Radio, Big Heart & Keeping Napa Connected

This week, we’re keeping it local with one of Napa Valley’s own Local Legends—Will Marcencia, owner and operator of hometown radio stations KVYN The Vine & KVON MegaMix, and co-founder of Wine Down Media alongside his wife, Julissa. In a world becoming more digital by the day, Will has built his career around something refreshingly human: making sure local stories, local businesses, and local voices still have a place to be heard—in both English and Spanish.

We turn the microphone around on the guy who’s usually running the show and dive into Will’s journey through radio, entrepreneurship, and the community he calls home. He shares the story behind expanding Spanish-language radio in Napa Valley and recognizing just how important representation and accessible local information can be—especially when a community needs it most. It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes radio isn’t just entertainment; it’s a lifeline and a neighbor.

We also get a peek behind the curtain at what it takes to keep local media thriving in the age of streaming, social media, podcasts, and AI—and why Will continues betting on the power of community when so much of the world seems to be betting against it. From supporting local businesses and nonprofits to amplifying the people who make Napa Napa, his philosophy is pretty simple: community still matters.

And because this is Go With Your Palate, Will certainly didn’t show up empty-handed—literally. Let’s just say he brought a couple of very Napa-approved surprises to share, and somewhere along the way we also discovered that if this whole radio thing doesn’t work out, Will may have a suspiciously good future narrating true-crime podcasts. 🔪🎙️😂

It’s local entrepreneurship, representation, media, community, plenty of laughs, and a great conversation with someone who’s spent years giving everyone else a voice.

Now it’s Will’s turn.

Tune in, pour something local, and meet one of the people helping keep the heartbeat of Napa Valley on the air. 🍷📻❤️

What if knowing more about wine actually made you take it LESS seriously?

Marshall Tilden III—President of Wine Express and Wine Education at Wine Enthusiast—joins us to break down Old World vs. New World, how to taste and recognize the qualities of a good wine, and why making wine more approachable might be exactly what the industry needs.

Serious wine knowledge. Zero wine snobbery. 🍷

🎙️ Go With Your Palate: Marshall Tilden III | Serious Wine Knowledge Without the Serious Wine Attitude

This week, we’re joined by Marshall Tilden III, DWS, CSW—President of Wine Express and Wine Education at Wine Enthusiast, longtime wine educator, writer, and one of those rare people who can bring some seriously impressive wine credentials to the table without making you feel like you need a dictionary just to order a glass. With nearly two decades at Wine Enthusiast, a WSET Diploma, CSW certification, and a career dedicated to helping people better understand—and actually enjoy—wine, Marshall is exactly the kind of voice the industry needs right now.

We dive into Marshall’s journey from an upbringing that was a little English by name, Italian by experience, to discovering his passion for wine and eventually becoming an influential leader and educator in the industry. Along the way, we pull back the curtain on Wine Enthusiast, the work happening behind the scenes to educate and welcome the next generation of wine lovers, and Marshall’s own mission to help take some of the pretentiousness out of wine culture.

Then we get properly cork-dorky: Old World vs. New World, why Americans tend to talk about wine by grape while Europeans often talk about place, wine scores, regions, varietals, and what actually matters when choosing a bottle. Because with all the rules, ratings, terminology, and traditions surrounding wine, sometimes the most important question is still the simplest: Do you actually enjoy what's in your glass?

And because this is Go With Your Palate, education never means taking ourselves too seriously. Marshall brings the knowledge, Joe brings the winemaker perspective, Fat Mario brings... whatever Fat Mario brings—and somewhere along the way, a wine masterclass turns into exactly the kind of conversation we love having.

Whether you're a seasoned vino geek, an aspiring cork dork, or someone who still picks a bottle because the label looks cool, there’s a seat at the table for you.

Pour what you like, ask the questions, and leave the wine snobbery at the door. 🍷🤓

📍 Follow Marshall: @westchesterwine