How to Make the Consumer Right: Your Wine, Your Rules
Release Date: 10/02/2024
How to Discover the Heart of Hungary’s Wine Culture
Wine Behind The Scenes
In this warm and flavorful episode, Laurel reconnects with Csilla Janosi: winemaker, wine tour organizer, and passionate ambassador for Hungarian food and wine culture. Laurel recounts her recent visit to Hungary, where she explored centuries-old cellars, and where she visited Csilla's winery. Together, they dive into Hungary’s unique wine regions, traditional grape varieties, and the cultural richness that infuses each glass of wine. Csilla also shares the story of the winery she has with her joint venture with partner Monica, Molla Winery, and how their mission extends far beyond wine...
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How to Blend Legacy and Passion into Great Wine
Wine Behind The Scenes
In this episode of Wine Behind the Scenes, Laurel Simmons is joined by Andrea Kaiser, founder of Drea’s Wine Co. and daughter of the legendary winemaker Karl J. Kaiser, co-founder of Inniskillin Wines. Andrea shares her incredible journey, from growing up in the vineyards of Niagara-on-the-Lake to launching her own boutique label in tribute to her father. This heartfelt and inspiring episode explores the challenges of building a wine brand from scratch, the evolution of Niagara’s wine scene, and the importance of supporting local producers. Andrea opens up about her career in marketing,...
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It's Halloween: How to Enjoy Wine Behind the Screams
Wine Behind The Scenes
In this special Halloween edition of Wine Behind the Scenes, Laurel Simmons invites you to a hauntingly good time with spooky wine names, haunted cellars, ghost stories, and wine tips that are perfect for your next Halloween gathering. Whether you're curious about “ferocious tannins,” looking to impress your guests with clever wine and candy pairings, or just want to discover some eerie bottles to add to your collection, this episode has something deliciously dark for you. Plus, you’ll get to hear not just one wonky wine term but two! What You’ll Discover: The truth...
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How a Love of Wine Became the Wine Likes App
Wine Behind The Scenes
What starts as a story inspired by a grandfather’s World War II experience with champagne turns into a full-circle journey through fine dining, wine education, and app development. In this episode of Wine Behind the Scenes, Laurel Simmons is joined by Jeff Gillis, a certified sommelier, adjunct professor, and former food and beverage director at luxury hotels in Beverly Hills and Napa Valley. Jeff shares how his upbringing shaped his love of wine and why curating wine lists at five-star hotels prepared him for teaching and innovating. He talks about building his app, Wine...
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How to Find Your Place in a Changing Wine World
Wine Behind The Scenes
In this episode of Wine Behind the Scenes, Laurel Simmons chats with Joel Droogh, whose path to the wine industry started on a dairy farm outside Ottawa. From chasing cows as a kid to crafting low-alcohol wines in Niagara, Joel shares how his hands-on background and entrepreneurial drive led him to a life among the vines. Joel opens up about his transition from brewing to winemaking, why Canadian wineries are facing big challenges (and big opportunities), and how younger drinkers are reshaping the industry. They talk branding, climate change, community engagement, and what it will take for...
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How to Untangle the World of Wine: Questions & Answers
Wine Behind The Scenes
In this episode of Wine Behind the Scenes, Laurel Simmons sits down with her niece, Liesel Meissner, for a fun, informative, and completely unpretentious conversation about wine. Tired of being overwhelmed in wine shops and feeling lost when restaurant lists, Liesel came armed with questions, and Laurel delivered the answers. From understanding residual sugar and decoding trendy terms like "orange wine" and "pet-nat," to what wine to bring to a business dinner, this episode strips away the mystery and seriousness and gets real about what makes wine enjoyable and accessible. If you’ve ever...
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Tannins, Tunnels & Tito: How to Explore Croatia’s Wine Heritage
Wine Behind The Scenes
In this episode of Wine Behind the Scenes, Laurel Simmons reconnects with Kit Pepper, a wine editor, educator, and founder of Cheers Croatia Magazine. Kit, who lives on the island that's a 50-minute ferry ride from the Dalmatian city of Split, returns to dive even deeper into Croatia’s long, complex relationship with wine. From the ancient Greeks and Romans to the shadow of communism and the wars of the 1990s, Kit shares how politics, geography, and culture shaped Croatian viniculture and how the industry is thriving today. The conversation also explores the rise of wine tourism, the...
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Supermarket to Lemberger: How to Uncork the Unexpected
Wine Behind The Scenes
In this episode of Wine Behind the Scenes, Laurel Simmons sits down with wine educator Elaine Peters to explore the vibrant world of Ontario wine through the lens of personal experience, cultural connection, and joyful discovery. Elaine shares how she transitioned from corporate life to the tasting room, from Bell to the LCBO and now to Between the Lines Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Along the way, she embraced her love of wine by diving into WSET courses and finding her voice in the world of wine. Whether she’s guiding visitors through tastings in multiple languages or highlighting...
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How to Make Wine with Grapes, Grit (and Sumac)
Wine Behind The Scenes
In this episode of Wine Behind the Scenes, Laurel Simmons sat down with Yvonne Irvine, a long-time winemaker in Niagara and the co-founder of Maenad Wine Co. Yvonne shares her journey from studying biotechnology and business to launching a brand that’s all about creative freedom, fun, and celebrating women unapologetically. Her wines are low-intervention, playful, and packed with personality from co-ferments with botanicals to pét-nats and piquette blends. They talk about what it means to make wine without the pressure of tradition, why it matters to create space for women in the wine...
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Buying Wine? How To (Maybe) Outsmart Your Brain
Wine Behind The Scenes
In this episode of Wine Behind the Scenes, Laurel Simmons sits down with Dr. Antonia Mantonakis, also known as The Wine Psychologist, to explore how celebrity culture and subtle psychological triggers shape our wine choices, whether we realize it or not. From wine-tasting experiments with Olympic athletes to the endowment effect (a real thing!) and why we’re more likely to buy something we’ve physically touched, Antonia shares her fascinating research into the subconscious forces behind buying and enjoying wine. This is a conversation that’s as playful as it is eye-opening, especially...
info_outlineJoin us on this episode of Wine Behind the Scenes as Priscilla Hennekam shares her passion for changing the wine industry and stopping the global decline in wine consumption. From Brazil to Argentina to Australia, her story is one of determination and inspiration.
Stay tuned as we discuss the need for inclusivity, engagement, and adaptation in the ever-evolving world of wine.
In this episode you will be able to learn about:
- How important it is that innovation and change in the wine industry takes place to engage consumers and stop the global decline in wine consumption.
- The differences in wine culture and consumer engagement.
- The importance of making wine more accessible and inclusive to attract and retain customers.
- How a more open-minded and democratic approach in the wine industry can help it adapt to changing consumer behaviours and preferences.
- How critical it is for wineries to create and maintain a digital presence to stay relevant and appeal to new generations.
Priscilla's unique story and dedication to following her dreams have shaped her approach to the wine industry, emphasizing the importance of engaging with consumers and adapting to the changing landscape of the wine market.
With a focus on innovation, and technology, and bridging the gap between tradition and modernity in the wine industry, Priscilla is a dynamic force driving positive change and inclusivity in the world of wine.
Contact Priscilla Hennekam here: