Wine Talks with Paul K.

Wine Talks with Paul K.

I am pretty sure you didn't catch the article in the Somm Journal written by David Schulner. And if you did, you were not as jealous as I was. Well, let's call it inspired. Trading the glitz of Hollywood for the chaos of the restaurant floor, David Schulner doesn’t just pour wine—he pours gasoline on the genteel myths swirling around it. You’ll hear what happens when a successful TV showrunner, fresh off the picket lines of the 2023 writers’ strike, crashes headfirst into the closed ranks of Michelin-star restaurants. Forget those dreamy drone shots over gleaming vineyards; David...

Wine Talks with Paul K.

I first met Patrick at our favorite steak house in Manhattan Beach; the Arthur J.  The wine list there is one of the most thought out I have seen in all my travels. It was Patricks first day there. We had an intriguing conversation and returned a week later to continue our discussion. Serendipitously, by me eavesdropping on a conversation, I learned that Patrick had authored a book: The Last Days of Haute Cuisine.  I was seriously taken by this accomplishment and immediately found the book on Amazon and voraciously read it cover to cover. A stroy of food in America that had been...

Wine Talks with Paul K.

When you meet Jessica Kogan (in-person or virtual), it takes exactly 2/3's of a second to realize she is a force of nature...marketing nature as it were. Perhaps the most frequent guest on Wine Talks, each episode has had a unique viewpoint on the latest in wine marketing, data mining, and outside pressures. I welcome back, Jessica Kogan. If you think Napa is just for tuxedoed snobs or that wine tastings only happen in picturesque châteaus, wait until Jessica Kogan shakes up your tired assumptions. Jessica Kogan is the industry disruptor who believes the heart of wine isn’t bottled in...

Wine Talks with Paul K.

You have not heard it all, contrary to the American colloquialism "Now...I've heard it all." I've seen many professionals trade in their shingle for the wine trade. Attorneys, eye doctors, MDs, and others. Most of the time they are seeking the lifestyle that is purported to belong to winemaking. For sure, this type of career move will test your resolve; many find out that it wasn't and isn't what they were seeking. Enter Dr. Jan Krupp, a celebrated Internist who got the calling. Can you imagine? Solid career, solid practice, helping others all tossed to the side of the road to enter the wine...

Wine Talks with Paul K.

It is official. Not a soul can visit the Napa Valley without witnessing the fingerprints of Jean-Charles Boisset. They are everywhere, and not because he is trying consume the entire valley, but because he earnestly believes in the soulfull value of an honest glass of wine. I consider Jean-Charles a friend, though he may not remember my name, he makes you feel like the only person in the room. Jean-Charles Boisset descends on the wine world like a storm in Baccarat—disruptive, dazzling, and unapologetically bold. He doesn’t just challenge conventional wisdom; he shatters it, glass by...

Wine Talks with Paul K.

I was walking on Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach and I spied some activity in what was a small French inspired restaurant which had closed months earlier. I decided to poke my head in a find you what was going on.  Greeted by a smiling, pleasant woman, I sat at the new wine bar named Malendrina. And the conversation ensued as I was completely taken by Amanda Azar and the story of her and her husbanc, Chuck and their venture into enrtrepreneurship. Amanda Azar may be the only person who can make “torturing” her partner with bad wine sound like a priceless education, but that’s just...

Wine Talks with Paul K.

I am fascinated with the idea of luxury brands like Dior, LVMH and Armani. It is clearly more than just diversification or trying to find new revenue streams. It is and has become part of the brand On a recent trip to Beverly Hills, I was invited to lunch with the group from Chateau Y'quem. I moved the entire schedule around (duh), to be there. And though I was remiss in remembering who fronted the hospitality, I was taken by the hospitality just the same. Now I am taken by the woman of was at the helm that day. Meet Fahara Zamorano. If you think the wine world is just swirling glasses and...

Wine Talks with Paul K.

When you travel to the south end of Bordeaux, you enter a different feel, a different approach, a proud regional group. What was once just called the Graves district, now has su-appelations and this one is Pessac-Leognon. Home of some amazing Chateau that seem to be understanding and coming to grips with the changing consumer landscape.  The region is steeped in tradition, and it should continue to be, but is working hard to attrack and speak to younger consumers. One of the methods spoke about in this part of Bordeaux is enhancing the experience; how can we as a group of wineries,...

Wine Talks with Paul K.

Armenia is a hot bed of tech. It is a think tank for AI, NVIDIA is building a plant and IT is taught to elementary aged children. I was looking for certain types of guests for the show; people in unusual circumstances, fighting a social battle or just following thier heart into the unknown. Well, that spells L-U-I-Z-A! A Phd turned passionate wine advocate, hear here story here. It’s not every day your podcast guest goes from debugging algorithms to bottling award-winning wine, but that’s what makes this episode unforgettable. Our guest, the founder of Musa Wines and a leading tech...

Wine Talks with Paul K.

When I mentioned a good friend I was heading to Portugal, he says "look up Rupert, he has an interesting story."" And I did...but because I was travelling, I did not spend the time researching the upcoming guest, a mistake I have never made again; you see, Rupert Symington is literally wine royalty...and I had no clue. Rupert Symington is the kind of guest who could convince you that the real secrets of port wine are hidden not in the bottle, but behind family names, fortified histories, and backroom deals struck centuries ago. If you think port is just a sweet afterthought or a dusty bottle...