Wine Enthusiast Podcast

After months of debate over who should win "Best Actor," "Best Actress," and "Best Picture" (and "Best Film Editing," for all you cinephiles out there), the results will finally be announced this Sunday evening at the 98th Academy Awards ceremony, allowing us to finally fill out our Oscars bingo cards. But for many movie stars, the end of awards season means they can ramp up outside business ventures—often of the boozy variety. Over the past decade, we've seen countless celebrities launch spirit brands to great success, like George Clooney's Casamigos tequila and Ryan Reynolds' Aviation gin. Some of this year's Oscar nominees have gotten in on the trend, too. Re-watching Song Sung Blue to feel something? Mix up an espresso martini using "Best Actress" nominee Kate Hudson's King St. Vodka. Giving One Battle After Another a chance to prove its 4.2/5 Letterboxd rating? A Paloma with "Best Supporting Actor" nominee Benicio del Toro-backed Perro Verde Mezcal is the perfect pairing. It's no secret that the

Seb Pradal is a wine Renaissance man—a vin-aissance man, you could say. An acclaimed French sommelier and owner of the Parisian restaurant La Petite Régalade, Pradal also co-owns a wine-importing company that operates in Mexico and Colombia while simultaneously working as a viticultural consultant on estates in Burgundy, Bordeaux, and the Rhône Valley. As if that weren't enough to keep his iCal full, he's also the head wine consultant on the Apple TV series Drops of God. Pradal works closely with the show's writers and actors to ensure that every wine-related scene is accurate and authentic. In this episode, Pradal tells us about how he brought his deep wine industry knowledge to the series, his thoughts on the broader challenges facing the industry, and how working on the show has changed his life. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever y

Supermodel Ashley Graham has already changed the fashion world, and now she's setting her sights on Lambrusco. She joins us this week on the podcast to introduce her newest venture, Lucci: a crisp, fruit-forward Lambrusco. We chatted with the supermodel about the winemaking process, her favorite foods to pair with Lambrusco, Valentine's Day plans, and why the wine world is ripe for disrupting. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF the original cover price by subscribing to Wine Enthusiast magazine today!    FOLLOW US: TikTok: @wineenthusiast Instagram: @wineenthusiast Facebook: @WineEnthusiast

Wine and football have been on the same team for some time now, with notable players like Charles Woodson, Drew Bledsoe, and Dan Marino stepping into the world. Joining that lineup is Will Blackmon, former Super Bowl champion, 12-year NFL veteran, and founder of Blackmon Cellars and The Wine MVP.  Will approached wine the same way he approached football: with total commitment. He immersed himself in education, mastering everything from vineyard farming to the business of wine, and on some days could be found tending vines straight after practice. Now, Will remains deeply focused on education—continuing to learn himself while sharing that knowledge with aspiring enthusiasts. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your

According to Abe Zarate, known as @sober_somm on Instagram, "sobriety" can mean different things for different people. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF the original cover price by subscribing to Wine Enthusiast magazine today!    FOLLOW US: TikTok: @wineenthusiast

From sensory maximalism to heightened drink-flation, we predict the drink trends that could be heading our way in 2026. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF the original cover price by subscribing to Wine Enthusiast magazine today!    FOLLOW US: TikTok: @wineenthusiast

It's officially the best time of the year—and we're not talking about the holidays. We just dropped The Enthusiast 100, the mother of all year-end wine lists. Every year, our reviewers blind-taste 25,000 wines from all over the world. This annual list, ranked from 100 to 1, celebrates the bottles that impressed us the most in 2025. For this episode of the Wine Enthusiast Podcast, we sat down with the writers at large who reviewed the top three bottles on the list. We talked about the visionary winemakers behind them, the history of their regions, and what makes these wines so exceptional and worth seeking out. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF t

You don't have to be a Disney adult to enjoy the growing wine and spirits scene at Disney World. Listen to learn all about Disney's best drinks and all the pro tips you need—including where to watch the fireworks with a martini in hand. We're joined by two professional Disney enthusiasts: AJ Wolfe, author of Disney Adults and the creator of Disney Food Blog, and Shay Spence, a food and travel content creator.  Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF the original cover price by subscribing to Wine Enthusiast magazine today!    FOLLOW US: TikTok: @wineenthusiast Instagram: @wineenthusiast Facebook: @WineEnthusiast X: @WineEnthusiast

Over the past 20 years, Bravo has secured a firm grasp on the reality TV landscape—but it's not just a one-way screen. It's a mirror, too. Drinking culture has evolved dramatically, and that shift is clearly reflected in the Bravo universe. In this episode. Wine Enthusiast and Elissa Halperin (writer, producer and Bravo superfan) explore the history of alcohol on Bravo—and the way it mirrors broader societal drinking trends, from moderation to excess to today's era of "wellness." Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF the original cover price by subscribing to Wine Enthusiast magazine today!    FOLLOW US: TikTok: @wineenthusiast Instagram:

On this episode of the Wine Enthusiast Podcast, we sit down with historian Julia Schifini of Spirits Podcast to discuss the deep roots of spiritual winemaking practices. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF the original cover price by subscribing to Wine Enthusiast magazine today!    FOLLOW US: TikTok: @wineenthusiast Instagram: @wineenthusiast Facebook: @WineEnthusiast X: @WineEnthusiast

It’s hard to stand out in a field of giants, and when it comes to Tuscan wine, the landscape is populated by Titans. But Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, crafted from the Sangiovese grape planted around the tiny town of Montepulciano, has always managed to catch the eye of connoisseurs. From a Renaissance poet who declared it the king of all wines to the 20th-century legislators who named it alongside Brunello, Barolo, and Barbaresco as one of Italy's first four DOCGs, the quiet giant known as the “noble wine of Montepulciano” never fails to impress. In this episode of the Wine Enthusiast podcast, brought to you by Avignonesi Winery, writer-at-large and reviewer for Tuscany Danielle Callegari spoke with the operation's CEO and chief winemaker Matteo Giustiniani. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusias

One of the biggest misconceptions people have about wine is that the more you spend on a bottle, the better it will be. The truth is, there is astounding value to be discovered from wine regions around the world, and you can find great bottles for $20 or less. You just need to know where to look. Wine Enthusiast's recently published 2025 Top 100 Best Buys list featured a high number of wines from Oregon. On this week's episode, Magazine Director Ryan Grim talks to WE Writer-at-Large Michael Alberty about why—and how—the state is churning out so many high-scoring, budget-friendly bottles.  Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF the original cover price

In this week’s podcast episode, we sit down with Wine Enthusiast Writer-at-Large Emily Saladino to talk Trader Joe’s, Costco, Tyler, the Creator, and more. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF the original cover price by subscribing to Wine Enthusiast magazine today!    FOLLOW US: TikTok: @wineenthusiast Instagram: @wineenthusiast Facebook: @WineEnthusiast X: @WineEnthusiast

The way we talk about wine is important. Language is a living, evolving thing that changes to suit shifting whims and needs. That means that some wine terms become less, er, useful over time. In other words, they need to get the axe. There are so many reasons a term could be considered outdated. It might be offensive—for instance, why are some wines described as "masculine" and others "feminine"? But terms may also not be precise enough, or not inclusive enough. Sometimes they just plain evoke weird reactions.  So, too, thinks writer-at-Large Reggie Solomon, our reviewer for a wide range of wines including those from the Loire Valley, Beaujolais, Southern Coastal Spain, Israel, Asia, and more. I caught up with Solomon to talk through terms he considers outdated in wine writing and why.  Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to po

Wine Enthusiast just released its 2025 Future 40 list, a celebration of emerging talents and tastemakers in the drinks space. On this week's podcast episode, Magazine Director Ryan Grim talks to Future 40 honorees Luke Anderson and Justine Osilla about the state of the wine industry. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF the original cover price by subscribing to Wine Enthusiast magazine today!    FOLLOW US: TikTok: @wineenthusiast Instagram: @wineenthusiast Facebook: @WineEnthusiast X: @WineEnthusiast

Academy Award-wining actress Regina King opens up about her new orange wine label, MianU, the bottles that made her fall in love with wine, how winemaking is like directing and all the ways she's continuing to celebrate with her son, Ian.  Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.com. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF the original cover price by subscribing to Wine Enthusiast magazine today!    FOLLOW US: TikTok: @wineenthusiast Instagram: @wineenthusiast Facebook: @WineEnthusiast X: @WineEnthusiast

When The Bear first premiered, it was widely-hailed for accurately capturing the high-intensity chaos of restaurant life. With each new season, the show has dived deeper into the emotional complexities that come with working in the industry for characters who have made it their life’s work. But, for certain viewers, it felt like the show was missing a crucial component—wine—especially when talking about a restaurant that is aiming for a Michelin star. On The Bear’s fourth season, which premiered on June 25th, wine finally got its time to shine. Though food remains the central focus of the restaurant, wine finally gets its fair share of airtime in multiple episodes this go around.  In episode two, called “Soubise,” Gary “Sweeps” Woods, The Bear’s resident sommelier-in-training, meets with trailblazing former Master Sommelier and restaurateur Alpana Singh. Making a cameo as herself, the Chicago-based industry pro gives the burgeoning somm some hands-on tips. For this week’s podcast, we invited both Singh and

The siren call of a BuzzBall is hard to ignore. The neon sphere at your checkout counter is the $5 (or less) cocktail fueling a $500 million empire. In 2024, RTD sales spiked 16.5% while other booze categories stayed flat, and they show no signs of slowing down.  In the wine world, XXL, the so-called “Moscato without manners” pushes the same boundary with candy-sweet flavors and 15–20% ABV, flipping the script on the sober-curious trend. In this episode, resident spirits expert Kara Newman breaks down what’s driving the RTD boom, with a curated BuzzBallz tasting. Writer-at-large Reggie Solomon brings us a Wine Enthusiast first: a tasting note for BlowPop, plus tips for enjoying XXL—yes, even over your salad. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.net. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and al

The young people, it seems, are usually to blame. In 1998, The New York Times said, “Young people, the 21- to 29-year-olds, are turning away from wine…For the $13-billion-a-year wine industry, the loss of so many potential consumers couldn't come at a worse time.” In 2016, The New York Post ran a headline, “Millennials are ruining the American wine industry.” Fast-forward to the current generational panic in the wine industry—this time, regarding the 13- to 29-year-olds that make up Generation Z. The wine industry is currently facing a mountain of struggles, including shifting consumer preferences, oversupply in many regions, rising costs and tariffs along with a growing—and loud—anti-alcohol movement. Meanwhile, older generations, Baby Boomers specifically, are pulling back from their previous levels of wine consumption.  So, why are the kids—half of whom are underage—getting all the blame yet again? We invited Wine Enthusiast Contributor Kate Dingwall, who has been covering all the latest Gen Z research, a

The May announcement of the first-ever American Pope, Leo XIV, still has the whole world buzzing. While Robert Francis Prevost’s hometown of Chicago has its own distinct wine and spirits culture (Malört, we’re looking at you), his move to Vatican City has landed him in the center of the biggest wine scene no one’s ever heard of. That’s right: The Vatican has a wine scene—and a secretly influential one, too. Surrounded by Rome, the tiny city-state is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and homebase of the Pope. It’s also the biggest wine importer per capita in the entire world, as reported by news and website editor James Bayley of the Drinks Business—making it roughly double that of France and Italy. We invited Bayley onto the podcast to discuss his recent deep-dive into how the Vatican became the world’s most surprising wine powerhouse, and what the future may hold for Vatican-made wine. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at