Episode 156 - The Art of Wine Communication with Chicago-Based Marketer, Award-Winning Writer, and Wine Culture Expert, Chasity Cooper

This episode features my conversation with Chicago-based marketer, award-winning writer, and wine culture expert, Chasity Cooper. She recently attended Riesling Camp in the Finger Lakes region of New York with some good friends from the Atlanta wine industry, and I was excited to learn more about how she has nurtured her voice for communicating about wine. As a wine professional, she says she strives to make wine more accessible and relatable through storytelling, education, and unique tasting experiences. In 2024, Chasity was named a 2024 Wine Enthusiast Future 40 Tastemaker and currently serves on the board of directors for Batonnage Forum and The Veraison Project. We talk about how she navigates her wine-related experiences in a way that allows her to welcome more people into conversations about wine. We also talk about the book that she published last year that is dedicated to sparking wine conversations and encouraging communication about wine. Given her unique skillset and variety of wine travels, we also dive into why the culture of wine is so important to her and how her own life continuously intersects with wine. You can follow @bychasitycooper on Instagram visit www.chasitycooper.com to learn more about her work.Recorded June 23, 2025

This episode features a conversation with Scott Neal, the winemaker and owner at Coeur de Terre Vineyard in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Along with his wife Lisa, they crafted a humble 57 cases in their inaugural 2002 vintage but have grown to making over 6000 cases a year of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Syrah, and Sparkling wines from grapes grown on their estate vineyard in the McMinnville AVA. We talk a lot about geology in this episode because his wine style is focused on reflecting the time and place from which the grapes were grown by employing a gentle hand and allowing the grapes to express in their voice. In the vineyard, organic growing practices have been followed from the beginning in 1998 with a concentration on regenerative farming. The fun connection we discovered was that we both have roots in Minnesota - Scott grew up on a southern Minnesota farm from which he learned a strong work ethic as well as gained respect for the land and for the whims of Mother Nature. Scott, Lisa and their daughters, Abigail and Tallulah, live on the estate vineyard along with their dog Cici. You can visit www.cdtvineyard.com to learn about and order their wines, and you can follow @cdtvineyard on Instagram. Thank you to the Willamette Valley Wineries Association for connecting us when Pinot in the City came to Atlanta!Recorded June 9, 2025

This episode features our live audience conversation with members of FORTH Club in Atlanta, GA and Nicola Lenci, the co-owner of Fattoria di Magliano, a winery located in the Maremma region of Tuscany. Nicola has been working at the estate since 2010, first in the vineyards and later in the cellar. He became an AIS Sommelier and started traveling, mainly North America, Germany and the UK, as the National Sales Manager of Fattoria di Magliano. Additionally, he currently is the Export Manager of the company and also the assistant winemaker. Nicola brought a flight of 4 of his family’s wines to share with us while talking about his family’s history, their experience starting a winery business, and their dedication to hospitality in the wine industry. We dive deep into what makes the region so unique, and you’ll hear some interesting insights about Italian wine classifications and the estate’s specific growing conditions. In 1996, Nicola’s father, Agostino Lenci - a fashion professional - turned his passion for wine into a business by investing in a 97-hectare property. At the time, Maremma was not recognized for producing high quality wines, but Lenci endeavored to bring notoriety to this little-known wine-producing region situated a mere 10 miles from the Tyrrhenian coast in southeastern Tuscany. His vision was realized a few years later when Maremma Toscana was granted DOC status by the Italian government. Now at the estate, there is a restaurant serving local cuisine as well as a boutique inn with 30 guest rooms and a swimming pool overlooking the rolling hills. Our audience brought such a great energy of curiosity to this episode, and there was a line that formed behind the mic when we opened it up for the live Q&A at the end of the episode. Recorded May 13, 2025-----------------Our presenting sponsor for May is The Monticello Wine Trail in Virginia. The Monticello Wine Trail proudly announces Monticello Wine Week, an immersive celebration of Virginia’s premier wine region, taking place from June 5-8, 2025. With events spanning Charlottesville, Nelson, Orange, and Greene counties, this annual series highlights the exceptional wines, winemakers, and vineyards that define the Monticello American Viticultural Area (AVA). Nestled in the heart of Virginia’s wine country, the Monticello Wine Trail is home to more than 40 acclaimed wineries, all within a short drive of Charlottesville, VA. Click ⁠HERE⁠ for info about all Monticello Wine Week events!“Monticello Wine Week is a time to celebrate the remarkable wines being produced in our region and to share the passion and dedication of our winemakers with both locals and visitors,” said Stephen Barnard, President of the Monticello Wine Trail and Winemaker at Keswick Vineyards.

This live audience episode features winemaker Blair Guthrie of Stewart Cellars located in Yountville of Napa Valley in California. We gathered at The Vine Club in Atlanta, GA with 20 Atlanta wine professionals and friends of the wine industry thanks to Aaron Cooper of @trickingoffainteasy who conspired with Blair to create a memorable weekend showcasing the entire portfolio of Stewart wines around Atlanta. Aaron even surprised all of the guests with a luxury spread of delicious food at the end of the recording thanks to friends at Bovino After Dark, and essentially this turned into a pretty epic evening of wine-ing and dining with incredible people. You’ll hear a little bit about Blair’s upbringing in New Zealand, playing rugby, basketball, and cricket, while pursuing an interest in graphic design. He says that the skills he developed in those areas do contribute to his skills as a winemaker today with what he describes as an athlete’s competitiveness, a creative eye, and an artist’s enthusiasm for winemaking. He takes us back to stories from 2009 when we worked as a harvest intern at Paul Hobb’s Crossbarn in California, where he met his wife, Caroline Stewart. They now are running Stewart Cellars together, a multi-generational, family-owned and operated winery that has been producing premium-quality wines since its inception in 2000. We talk about their farming practices and philosophies as we taste through the wines with the audience, and we even open it up for a live Q&A at the end of the episode. Thank you to Aaron and Blair for dreaming this up, thank you Taylor at The Vine Club for hosting us, and thanks to everyone who joined us for this pretty epic evening celebrating the wine community in Atlanta. You can visit www.stewartcellars.com to learn more about these wines and follow @stewartcellars and @guthriefamilywines on Instagram.Recorded April 25, 2025-----------------Our presenting sponsor for May is The Monticello Wine Trail in Virginia. The Monticello Wine Trail proudly announces Monticello Wine Week, an immersive celebration of Virginia’s premier wine region, taking place from June 5-8, 2025. With events spanning Charlottesville, Nelson, Orange, and Greene counties, this annual series highlights the exceptional wines, winemakers, and vineyards that define the Monticello American Viticultural Area (AVA). Nestled in the heart of Virginia’s wine country, the Monticello Wine Trail is home to more than 40 acclaimed wineries, all within a short drive of Charlottesville, VA. Click HERE for info about all Monticello Wine Week events!“Monticello Wine Week is a time to celebrate the remarkable wines being produced in our region and to share the passion and dedication of our winemakers with both locals and visitors,” said Stephen Barnard, President of the Monticello Wine Trail and Winemaker at Keswick Vineyards.

This episode features a live audience conversation at The Vine Club in Atlanta, GA with Sam Bilbro, the founder and winemaker for Idlewild WInes in California. Sam grew up hanging out in a winery converted from an old cow barn, walking vineyards, and tasting blends with his dad who founded Marietta Cellars. While ultimary continuing the family legacy, Sam definitely took some detours and explored other industries, but it was while he was working in the restaurant industry that he was exposed to wines from across the globe and was especially struck by the wines of Piedmont in italy. Founded in 2012, Sam’s creation, Idlewild Wines, focuses on making wines from Italian varities grown in Califonia by sourcing grapes from old vineyard sites across Sonoma and Mendocino. The wines we tasted during this live audience session were so thoughtful, and the wines offer nuanced deliciousness - which you’ll hear is a perfectly acceptaable tasting note. You can follow @idlewildwines on Instagram.Recorded April 16, 2025-------------Our presenting sponsor for April is Vinexpo America 2025, a premier international trade event heading to Miami for the first time ever on May 7-8, 2025 at Miami Beach Convention Center. Vinexpo America has long been the go-to destination for industry leaders—and now, its expansion to Miami will offer new opportunities for producers, importers, distributors, and hospitality professionals across North, Central, and South America. From fine wine tastings and cutting-edge spirits to trend-driven panel discussions and unmatched networking opportunities, Vinexpo America is where the business of wine and spirits thrives.⁠REGISTER HERE⁠ - Use code VAMERICA25 to claim your free badge!With 280+ exhibitors from 25 countries and more than 3,000 visitors from 40 countries, Vinexpo America 2025 will be a vital industry event for anyone looking to expand their network and discover the latest trends.

This episode features a conversation with Kevin OSullivan, the Director of Sales at Prime Wine & Spirits. He has almost 20 years of experience working in the Atlanta wine industry, so we take a walk down memory lane to discuss his "wine origin story" and what led to his passion for wine. He has a wealth of knowledge about being a sales consultant, so we talk about his approach to building relationships at all points within the supply chain. You’ll find out what he would be doing for wine if he wasn’t working in distrution, and you'll also hear a beautiful analysis of how wine relates to style and fashion. Kevin earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Language and Literature, which ultimately contributes to his passion for wine in more ways than one. Keep an ear out for his “Desert Island Champagne” selection that he reveals at the end of the episode, and you'll love the advice that he highlgihts for anyone starting out in the wine industry these days along with his encouragement for everyone to hone their voice in this business. You can follow @kevin_osulli_vin and @primewineandspiritsga on Instagram.Recorded March 23, 2025-------------Our presenting sponsor for April is Vinexpo America 2025, a premier international trade event heading to Miami for the first time ever on May 7-8, 2025 at Miami Beach Convention Center. Vinexpo America has long been the go-to destination for industry leaders—and now, its expansion to Miami will offer new opportunities for producers, importers, distributors, and hospitality professionals across North, Central, and South America. From fine wine tastings and cutting-edge spirits to trend-driven panel discussions and unmatched networking opportunities, Vinexpo America is where the business of wine and spirits thrives.REGISTER HERE - Use code VAMERICA25 to claim your free badge!With 280+ exhibitors from 25 countries and more than 3,000 visitors from 40 countries, Vinexpo America 2025 will be a vital industry event for anyone looking to expand their network and discover the latest trends.

This "bonus" episode was recorded live at The Vine Club in Atlanta, GA the Tuesday evening before the annual High Museum Wine Auction. Our friends from WInery Sixteen 600 were in town, and we threw a "Tie Dye Before the High" bottleshare and vinyl party to celebrate a bunch of people who make the Atlanta wine industry community so special. We sat down with Sam Coturri from Winery Sixteen 600, one of the co-hosts of the Wine Makers Podcast; Eric Crane, the Director of Training for Empire Distributors; and Taylor Sublett, the owner of The Vine Club who has offered his club space for our live podcast recordings over the past couple of months. We recorded this show while drinking a magnum of 2019 Sixteen 600 Syrah, and in true wine makers podcast fashion, it will begin with a cold opening and proceed with no editing, so you’ll just have to jump right in and join us. We talk about the occasion that brought Sam and his mom and dad to Atlanta this time, and we listen to Eric and Sam debate over what the wines sound like...we also celerbate the fact that this is Taylor’s first ever podcast appearance. You can follow @grapeswithaview and @sixteen600 and @chauneuf and @thevineclubatl on Instagram.Recorded LIVE at The Vine Club on March 18, 2025

This episode features a live audience conversation recorded at The Vine Club in Atlanta, GA with Christian Wylie, the Managing Director for Bodega Garzón in Uruguay. Christian is responsible for the entire winery and all aspects of its operations – production, winemaking, viticulture, marketing, sales management, hospitality, and tourism activities. He brings nearly 25 years of wine industry experience along with additional business management skills. Wylie has an impressive track record with family-owned and managed businesses, including senior leadership roles at Carolina Wine Brands in Chile and Establecimiento Juanicó from Uruguay. He holds an agricultural engineering degree with a specialization in fruiticulture and enology from the Catholic University of Chile. He also studied at the University of California at Davis, and completed a post-graduate senior management program at the ESE Business School in Chile. One of Wylie’s passions is traveling the globe. Bringing food, wine, and different cultures together is the epitome of his new role at Bodega Garzón as the winery leads the charge for the emerging Uruguayan wine industry. Christian was honored as ‘Wine Executive of the Year’ in Wine Enthusiast’s 2023 Wine Star Awards. This honor recognizes and celebrates the innovation of the individuals and companies that have significantly contributed to the success of the wine and alcohol beverage world. We enjoyed Albariños and Tannats during this recording session, and we hope it sparks your curiosity to learn more about what is happening for wine in Uruguay. You can follow @bodegagarzon on Instagram and visit www.bodegagarzon.com to plan your visit.Recorded February 24, 2025-------------Our presenting sponsor for March is Blenheim Vineyards in Charlottesville, VA. They ship to 40 states, and shipping is free on orders over $100, so you can enjoy Blenheim wines no matter where you are. Use code CORK10 for 10% off your purchase online or in person. Follow @BlenheimVineyards and visit www.blenheimvineyards.com to plan your visit!SHOP WINE & MERCH: https://shop.blenheimvineyards.com/Wines/All-Wines

This episode features a conversation focusing on community connections and craft beer with Jen Price, a beer educator, a Cicerone Certified Beer Server, and the author of The Chick’s Guide to Beer: 7 Simple Rules for the Beer Novice. Jen grew up in Decatur, GA, and her work is dedicated to fostering inclusivity, education, and meaningful connections through beer. As the co-founder of Craft Women Connect, she has created a space for women and beer professionals to learn, collaborate, and thrive within the industry. In 2020, Jen also launched Crafted for Action, an event and experience curation company that centers diversity, equity, and inclusion in the craft beverage space. This company is built on the pillars of craft, community, and culture, and we talk about some ways that these efforts have sparked conversations that extend beyond beer. Their flagship event, coming up this June in Atlanta, is the first craft beverage conference founded by a BIPOC woman, providing a platform for robust discussions and real solutions to drive progress in the industry. In 2025, they have expanded beyond beer to include all craft beverages including an entire track at this year's conference dedicated to wine. Through Crafted for Action, Jen continues to create impactful experiences that challenge the status quo and open doors for underrepresented voices in craft beverage. Outside of beer, Jen is an AICP-certified urban planner specializing in active living planning, community impact assessments, environmental justice, and stakeholder engagement. Her expertise in community-focused planning fuels her commitment to making beer spaces more welcoming and inclusive. You can visit www.craftedforaction.com for details and tickets to the upcoming conference, and you can follow @craftedforaction on Instagram.2025 Crafted for Action Tickets: https://craftedforaction.tix.page/Recorded February 19. 2025-------------This episode is generously sponsored by Blenheim Vineyards in Charlottesville, VA. They ship to 40 states, and shipping is free on orders over $100, so you can enjoy Blenheim wines no matter where you are. Use code CORK10 for 10% off your purchase online or in person. Follow @BlenheimVineyards and visit www.blenheimvineyards.com to plan your visit!SHOP WINE & MERCH: https://shop.blenheimvineyards.com/Wines/All-Wines------------Friday Uncorked! tickets (March 21, 2025): https://high.org/event/friday-uncorked-2025/

This episode features a conversation with Desiree Harrison-Brown, a wine educator, content creator, and entrepreneur based in Maryland dedicated to making wine approachable, engaging, and fun. She has built a dynamic career that blends education, storytelling, and community-building—proving that there’s no single path to becoming a wine professional. As the founder of WINO NOIRE, Desiree has created a platform that not only highlights Black and women-owned wine brands but also makes wine more inclusive and accessible to diverse audiences. She also runs The Wino Shop, an online boutique for modern wine lovers. Beyond entrepreneurship, she’s an instructor at Napa Valley Wine Academy, helping to bridge the gap between wine education and real-world enjoyment. Her expertise recently earned her recognition on Wine Enthusiast’s Future40 list, and she has collaborated with renowned brands such as Wines of Germany, Brown Estate, McBride Sisters, and Piper-Heidsieck. We talk about how she believes that wine is an experience—one that should be explored and enjoyed on your own terms, with a focus on discovery, community, and the simple joy of sharing a great glass. We also discuss her WSET Diploma journey and highlight what she has learned from visiting wine regions around the world. You can follow @winonoire and @thewinoshop on Instagram.Recorded February 16, 2025