Barrels & Roots

Sip The Story | Janell Harris | Barrels and Roots

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Janell Harris, creative director for Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Col Solare, Antinori Napa Valley, and the Marchese Antinori portfolio in the U.S. We talk about how wine became more than just a drink for her and evolved into a passion centered around storytelling, creativity, food, travel, and human connection.  Janell shares how she transitioned from television and design into the wine industry, why wine should feel more approachable and less intimidating, and how some of the best wine experiences come from simply sharing a bottle with great people. We also dive into wine and food pairings, Napa harvest season, sparkling wine, Vietnamese and Mexican cuisine, and the artistry behind winemaking itself. From late-night grape picking in Napa to the social experiences that make wine special, this conversation explores why wine is ultimately about people, place, and creating memorable moments together. What is the one wine experience you will never forget?

Grapes Got Wisdom | Felix Egerer | Barrels and Roots

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Felix Egerer, a viticulturist farming vineyards on Vancouver Island for Unsworth Vineyards and Blue Grouse Estate Winery. We talk about how a kid from beer country in Germany ended up building a life in wine, why vineyard work is so much more than growing grapes, and what it really means to listen to the land. Felix breaks down the hidden world beneath every great bottle of wine, from living soil and microbes to regenerative farming, biodiversity, pruning decisions, and the way vines respond when something is out of balance. What I loved most about this conversation is how much it moved beyond wine and into life. We talked about slowing down, paying attention, respecting nature’s cycles, and remembering that harvest is not the only part of the season worth celebrating. This is a conversation about wine, soil, farming, patience, and the deep connection between people, place, and the land. Whether you love wine, care about sustainable agriculture, or just want to understand what really happens before the bottle reaches your table, this episode gives you a whole new appreciation for the vineyard. What do you think we can learn from vineyards about slowing down and paying closer attention to life?

Stop Overthinking Wine | Tim Gaiser | Barrels and Roots

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser for a conversation about making wine feel less intimidating and more human. We talk about why so many people feel overwhelmed by wine language, restaurant lists, grape varieties, regions, and tasting notes that do not always connect with real life. Tim breaks down wine in a way that makes it easier to understand, comparing it to music, cars, food, memory, and personal experience. We also get into how beginners can start building their palate, why tasting different styles side by side helps you understand what you like, and how simple things like acidity, tannin, alcohol, sweetness, and smell memories shape your wine preferences. Tim shares practical advice for walking into a wine shop with more confidence, choosing approachable wines, pairing wine with food, and learning how to taste with more attention. Beyond the technical side, this conversation is really about why wine still matters. Wine can slow us down, bring people together, connect us to a place and time, and turn a simple meal into a memory. Whether it is a legendary bottle or an affordable everyday wine, the best glass is often the one shared with the right people. What is one wine, meal, or memory that made you slow down and really enjoy the moment?

Dirt, Deals, and Dollars | Mike Hansen | Barrels & Roots

I sat down with Mike Hansen, founder of the Hansen Vineyard and Winery team under Sotheby's International Realty, and this one pulled back the curtain on a corner of the wine world most people never see.  Mike isn't just a broker, he's also a grower farming 14 acres of Chardonnay, and that dual lens changes everything about how he reads a property. We got into what actually makes a vineyard valuable, from soil type and vine age to buyer category and contract structure, and why water is less a price driver and more a deal killer. Mike walked me through the full farming cycle, start to finish, in a way I honestly hadn't heard explained on this show before.  We also talked about what institutional buyers want versus what a winery wants, why caves without temperature control are basically just expensive warehouses, and why buying a vineyard with no grape contract right now is one of the riskiest moves you can make. If you've ever romanticized owning land and growing grapes, this episode is a necessary reality check - and an inspiring one. If you could only ever own one acre of vines, what would you plant and where?

Drink This Instead | Ryan Rech & Taylor Harris | Barrels and Roots

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Ryan and Taylor, the winemakers behind Polemonium Wines, to unpack what’s really happening inside the wine industry and why so many things need to change.  We get into their journey from working inside massive legacy brands to breaking out on their own, driven by a belief that wine should be more transparent, more human, and more connected to the people who actually drink it. What stood out to me most was how much the industry has shifted. People don’t just want a label anymore, they want a story, a face, and something real behind the bottle. We talk about why social media and conversation matter more than polished marketing, how smaller producers are navigating distribution challenges, and why “clean” wine and transparency are becoming non-negotiable for the next generation of drinkers. This conversation also dives into how to actually choose a good bottle, what most consumers are missing when they walk into a store, and why wine should still be about connection, not status. It really made me rethink how I look at wine, not as a luxury or a flex, but as a shared experience that brings people together in a way almost nothing else can. So here’s the question I keep thinking about after this one… when you pick up a bottle of wine, are you choosing the label or the story behind it?