GuildSomm Podcast

In our latest blind tasting episode, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with Braithe Tidwell and Sam Bortugno of Brennan's Restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana. They talk about their experiences with blind tasting and how they employ blind tasting skills in their current roles. Braithe Tidwell is the corporate beverage director for the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Grou

In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with the wine writer and educator Karen MacNeil about the state of wine education today. They cover trends, strategies, innovative approaches, the future of wine education, certifications, and much more. Karen MacNeil is a wine writer and educator who is best known for her award-winning book, The Wine Bible,

In our latest blind tasting episode, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with Cokie Ponikvar and Omar Lima. They discuss the importance of blind tasting, the challenges they've faced in their tasting journeys, and how they apply blind tasting skills. Cokie Ponikvar runs the wine education platform @cokiesworldofwine, which has 299,000 followers on Instagram. She beg

In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with Dr. P.J. Alaimo, a professor of chemistry and the chemistry department chair at Seattle University. Chris and P.J. dive deep into wine chemistry, discussing the chemical components of wine and why different wines taste, feel, and look the way they do. They also provide some great exercises and tips for

In our latest blind tasting episode, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with Marissa Kipp and MS Tyler Alden. They discuss their blind tasting journeys, the challenges they've faced while honing their tasting abilities, and the role of alcohol in blind tasting. Marissa Kipp is a sommelier at the retail shop Cru & Domaine in Portland, Oregon. She also works as a con

In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe interviews Taylor Parsons of Whole Cluster Hospitality and MS Gareth Ferreira of Core by Clare Smyth. They discuss what constitutes good service, how service has changed over recent decades, and the logistics of running restaurants and wine programs that place a high value on service. Taylor Parsons has worked as

In our first blind tasting episode of 2024, host and Master Sommelier Christopher Tanghe speaks with Clara Klein and Jeremy Schwartz, lead sommeliers with the Frasca Hospitality Group in Colorado. They talk about the role of blind tasting in their work and studies, then tackle the complex topic of minerality in wine. Clara is the lead sommelier at Denver’s Sunday Vinyl, which she

In the latest GuildSomm podcast, host MS Christopher Tanghe interviews Kelli A. White, director of education for the Wine Center at Meadowood in Napa Valley, author of Napa Valley, Then & Now, and accomplished wine writer. Kelli discusses the history of Napa Valley, its regions, trends, and much more. Prior to her role at Meadowood, Kelli was the senior staff writer here at GuildSo

In the last GuildSomm podcast episode of 2023, Master Sommeliers Chris Tanghe and Jonathan Eichholz address myriad topics related to the past year, from the state of hard seltzer to how to make an interesting wine list for 2024. Jonathan lives and works in New York City. As an educator for GuildSomm, he maintains the Wine Law Compendium and teaches on various subjects. Previou

In our new tasting episode, host Christopher Tanghe speaks with fellow Master Sommeliers Mark Guillaudeu and Chris Gaither. They discuss their tasting journeys; how they recognize texture and, in particular, phenolic bitterness in wine; and the ways they apply blind tasting skills in their current roles. Mark Guillaudeu is a sommelier at the Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix. Previously,