Alternative Wine Packaging with Melissa Saunders MW

In this episode, host and Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe interviews Master of Wine Melissa Saunders about progressive wine packaging. They discuss the use of bag-in-box (BIB) packaging for fine wine, dispelling the stereotype that these containers are only for cheap beverages. For Melissa's Master of Wine Research Paper, the final part of the certification process, she studied alternative wine packaging. What she learned while writing it was so compelling that she founded Communal Brands, a bag-in-box import company that partners with high-quality producers to bring great wine to consumers with a drastically reduced carbon footprint. Melissa lives in upstate New York, runs marathons, and is an attorney specializing in alcohol beverage law. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as it helps us connect and grow the GuildSomm community. Cheers! Read Melissa's 2021 GuildSomm article about her MW Research Paper process and findings: https://www.guildsomm.com/public_content/features/mw-perspectives/b/mw-perspectives/posts/environmental-impacts-of-packaging-retail Learn more about Communal Brands: https://www.communalbrands.com/

In this episode of GuildSomm: Into the Glass, Master Sommelier Maddy Jimerson joins host MS Chris Tanghe to blind taste three white wines. Before the tasting, she explains how she elevated her tasting game to prepare for various levels of certification.    Maddy is the wine director for the restaurant Casa Tua in Aspen, Colorado, and cofounder of Winomad Productions, which makes short films about the regions of Italy. She found her passion for Italian wine while working as a brand ambassador in the Bay Area, representing iconic Piedmontese wineries. Maddy passed her Master Sommelier Exam in 2022.  Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please consider leaving us a review, as it helps us connect and grow the GuildSomm community. Cheers!

In this episode of GuildSomm: Into the Glass, we chat with Kevin Smith and Nelson Daquip of Beast & Cleaver in Seattle about beef, butchery, and non-classic wine pairings. Kevin Smith is originally from London, where he discovered the joy of cooking early in life. He found his way to butchery and in 2019 opened Beast & Cleaver with his wife, Polly. Their latest venture is Little Beast, which is focused on traditional London pub fare, using the whole animal. Kevin was a James Beard nominee for Best Emerging Chef in 2023. Nelson Daquip moved to Seattle from Hawaii and fell into wine while working at Seattle's iconic Canlis restaurant, where he worked his way up from food runner to wine director. He joined the Beast & Cleaver team last year to curate service and beverage for both Beast & Cleaver and Little Beast. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please consider leaving us a review, as it helps us connect and grow the GuildSomm community. Cheers!

In this episode of GuildSomm: Into the Glass, newly minted Master Sommelier David Reuss joins host MS Chris Tanghe to blind taste three red wines. Before David starts tasting, they discuss the experience of passing the exam, the preparation and best practices that helped David reach that milestone, and what he plans to do next. David is the national education director for Jackson Family Wines. He previously worked in some of Colorado's best restaurants, including Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder and Shanahan's Steakhouse in Denver. David passed the Master Sommelier Exam in fall of 2025. Listen in and guess the wines along with David! Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please consider leaving us a review, as it helps us connect and grow the GuildSomm community. Cheers!

In the latest episode of GuildSomm: Into the Glass, Master Sommeliers Chris Tanghe and Jonathan Eichholz reflect on the past year in wine. They cover the trends, major events, challenges, and highlights of 2025 and look ahead to 2026.   Jonathan lives and works in New York City. As an educator for GuildSomm, he maintains the Wine Law Compendium, teaches on a range of subjects, and supports the development of new content. Previously, Jonathan worked at The Modern. Chris is based in Seattle. He is GuildSomm’s director of education and the host of GuildSomm: Into the Glass. Chris spent years working in restaurants across the country and has spearheaded GuildSomm’s seminars since 2016, teaching classes throughout the US and internationally.   Thank you to all of our listeners for the amazing support of the show in 2025! We'll be working hard to bring you more fun and educational podcasts next year. Happy holidays!

In this episode, host and Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe interviews Master of Wine Natasha Hughes about the modern winemaking landscape in Beaujolais. Tune in to hear them discuss winemaking techniques, generational turnover, stylistic shifts, and more.   Natasha passed her Master of Wine exam in 2014 and writes for Decanter, World of Fine Wine, Jancis Robinson, Imbibe, and other publications. Her new book on Beaujolais was published this fall by Académie du Vin Library.   Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review, as it helps us connect and grow the GuildSomm community. Cheers!   Read the latest article on GuildSomm, Natasha's in-depth explanation of winemaking techniques in Beaujolais, excerpted from her new book: https://www.guildsomm.com/public_content/features/articles/b/natasha-hughes-mw/posts/winemaking-complexities-beaujolais   GuildSomm members receive a discount on Académie du Vin Library books: https://www.guildsomm.com/about_us/member-discounts/

This week on GuildSomm: Into the Glass, Master Sommelier Jesse Becker joins host MS Chris Tanghe to blind taste three red wines. Before he starts tasting, Jesse discusses his career and tasting journeys, including the challenges he faced as he was honing his blind tasting skills prior to passing the Master Sommelier exam. Jesse is the US sales manager for Veritable Wines & Estates, an importer of premium German and Austrian wines, and brand owner at ROCKWERK Grüner Veltliner. Over the last two decades, he has worked in nearly every facet of the wine and hospitality industries. Listen in and guess the wines along with Jesse! Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please consider leaving us a review, as it helps us connect and grow the GuildSomm community. Cheers! Check out our tasting study guide to brush up on the basics of tasting: https://www.guildsomm.com/learn/study/w/study-wiki/2683/tasting Discover more tasting resources: https://www.guildsomm.com/learn/blind-tasting/ Learn more about ROCKWERK Grüner Veltliner: https://veritable-usa.com/rockwerkwine

In our latest podcast, host and Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe speaks with David Pearson of Joseph Phelps Vineyards. They discuss the history of the winery, its role in Napa Valley's development, and the origins and future of the brand's flagship wine, Insignia. David is the executive chairman of Joseph Phelps Vineyards. Prior to this role, he served as the CEO of Opus One for 16 years. He has also held leadership roles at Robert Mondavi and Meadowood Estate. David has a BS in fermentation science and enology from UC Davis and an MBA in international business from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please consider leaving us a review, as it helps us connect and grow the GuildSomm community. Cheers! Learn more about Joseph Phelps Vineyards: https://www.josephphelps.com/ Read our Joseph Phelps Producer Profile: https://www.guildsomm.com/research/wiki/ca/i/cabernet/joseph_phelps

In the latest blind tasting episode of GuildSomm: Into the Glass, sommelier Tori Testa discusses her tasting journey with host MS Chris Tanghe before blind tasting three red Italian wines. Tori is a beverage manager at Grill 23 & Bar in Boston. She graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, holds the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, and is working toward her Advanced Sommelier certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas. Listen in as Tori shares her tasting challenges and tips, then guess along with her as she tastes blind! Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please consider leaving us a review, as it helps us connect and grow the GuildSomm community. Cheers! Read our Tasting Study Guide: https://www.guildsomm.com/learn/study/w/study-wiki/2683/tasting Explore more tasting resources: https://www.guildsomm.com/explore/w/tasting 

In the latest episode of GuildSomm: Into the Glass, host and Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe chats with MW Sarah Jane Evans about what’s new and exciting in central and southern Spain. They discuss trends in Spanish wine, developments in Jerez, improvements in Spain’s sparkling wines, and more. Sarah Jane recently released a new book on central and southern Spain, a follow-up to her previous book on Spain’s northern regions. She is a contributing editor for Decanter magazine and resides in the UK. Keep an eye on the GuildSomm website for an excerpt from Sarah Jane’s book, coming later this week! Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, please consider leaving us a review, as it helps us connect and grow the GuildSomm community. Cheers! GuildSomm members receive 25% off Académie du Vin Library publications, including both of Sarah Jane’s books on Spain, using the discount code on our Member Discounts page: https://www.guildsomm.com/about_us/member-discounts/ Preview The Wines of Central and Southern Spain: https://academieduvinlibrary.com/products/the-wines-of-central-and-southern-spain-from-catalunya-to-cadiz-sarah-jane-evans-mw Preview The Wines of Northern Spain: https://academieduvinlibrary.com/products/the-wines-of-northern-spain Explore all Classic Wine Library books from Académie du Vin Library: https://academieduvinlibrary.com/collections/classic-wine-library Read Sarah Jane’s work in Decanter: https://www.decanter.com/author/sarahjaneevans/