I'll Drink to That! Wine Talk

Jun 04 2024 501 ep. 3.3k

I'll Drink to That! Wine Talk Podcast artwork

A former sommelier interviews incredibly famous and knowledgeable wine personalities in his tiny apartment. He gets them to talk candidly about their lives and work, and then shares the conversations with you. To see new episodes sooner and to see all of the hundreds of back episodes in your feed, it is important to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE the show. It is free to do either, the show is free.

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Email [email protected] for advertising, consulting, speaking, or guest inquiries

Instagram @leviopenswine

Website illdrinktothatpod.com

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500: Richard Sanford and the Hot Tub Time Machine Wine Fermenters

Jun 04 2024 117 mins

Richard Sanford co-founded the Sanford and Benedict Winery and planted the Sanford and Benedict Vineyard. He founded the Sanford Winery, and he also founded the Alma Rosa Winery, all in Santa Barbara County, California. Richard discusses his sailing career, working in the merchant marine, racing boats recreationally, and as an officer in the United States Navy. He talks about h

499: David Rafanelli on Four Generations Making Wine in California

May 10 2024 80 mins

David Rafanelli and his family own the A. Rafanelli Winery in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma County, California. David relates the story of his Italian grandmother arriving in California in 1903, and beginning to make homemade wine in San Francisco. He explains how the family bought farm land in the Dry Creek Valley in the 1920s, thus beginning a 100 year stretch of working wit

498: A Rush of Blood to the Wine Glass from Dan Keeling

Feb 08 2024 87 mins

Dan Keeling is a co-founder and partner in the Noble Rot restaurants and Shrine to the Vine retail shops in London, "Noble Rot" Magazine, and Keeling Andrew and Co., an importer of wine into the United Kingdom. He co-authored "The Noble Rot Book: Wine From Another Galaxy". Dan admits to some of his obsessions, namely food and music. He describes how a friend's accident allowed

497: Robert Drouhin Is From A Good Vintage

Jan 07 2024 103 mins

Robert Drouhin and his family own Maison Joseph Drouhin in the Burgundy region of France, as well as Domaine Drouhin in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Robert describes moving to Burgundy as a child, and his experiences around Beaune during World War 2. His adoptive father, Maurice Drouhin, owned the Maison Joseph Drouhin winery, and began instructing Robert in the specifics o

496: Sandy Block's Shot at Redemption

Dec 24 2023 81 mins

Sandy Block was a Master of Wine who was also the Vice President of Beverage at the Legal Sea Foods group of restaurants, and an Adjunct Professor at Boston University in Massachusetts. Sandy passed away in November of 2021. Sandy talks about his rollercoaster relationship with academics: doing very well in school during some periods of his life, and almost flunking out of scho

495: Steve Doerner and the Burgundian Bicyclists

Nov 13 2023 139 mins

Steve Doerner is Winemaker Emeritus at Cristom Vineyards in Oregon. Steve discusses his shift from being a Biochemistry Major at UC Davis in the mid-1970s to his first Job working for Josh Jensen at Calera Wine Company. Steve arrived at Calera for the 1978 harvest, the first vintage for Pinot Noir at Calera. Josh had begun making wine at Calera in 1975, first planting a Pinot N

494: Alicia Towns Franken's Wine Life

Aug 16 2023 69 mins

Alicia Towns Franken is a Co-Founder of Towns Wine Co. and the Executive Director of Wine Unify. Alicia discusses her upbringing in Chicago and her introduction to wine in college. She then segways into describing her role as the Head Sommelier at Grill 23 & Bar in Boston, Massachusetts during the 1990s and early 2000s. Alicia talks about the bigger themes of her career, in

493: Neil Empson Shifted Gears Into Wine

Aug 08 2023 100 mins

Neil Empson is the founder of Empson & Co., an exporter of wines from Italy and other countries. Neil, who was born in New Zealand in 1939, recounts his youthful days driving fast, reselling Ferraris, and meeting with intelligence officers. He talks about meeting his wife Maria, who convinced him to move to Italy and take up the wine business there, founding a company for w

492: Jean-Emmanuel Simond Does Not Like Your White Wine

Jul 01 2023 90 mins

Jean-Emmanuel Simond is a writer and wine critic for "La Revue du vin de France", covering the Côte de Nuits of Burgundy and Alsace. He is also a co-owner of wine importer Oenotropie. He is based in Paris, France. Jean-Emmanuel describes a chance introduction to fine, old wine and the subsequent revelation he had about wine. He discusses a key period for his wine experience th

491: Ukraine, Wine and Terror

May 22 2023 59 mins

Levi Dalton speaks with three Ukrainians about the struggles faced by winemakers and winery owners amongst the warfare in Ukraine. Alla Plachkova discusses fleeing Kyiv as bombs begin to fall on the city in 2022. She talks about rescuing her mother and fleeing south inside Ukraine as warfare stretches across the country. She shares the fears she felt as a mother trying to prote