Episode Description (Optimized for Apple & Spotify) Grape geneticist Dr. José Vouillamoz returns to the Vint Wine Podcast with host Billy Galanko for a deep dive into the DNA, history, and origins of iconic French and Swiss grapes. Co-author of Wine Grapes, José has spent decades decoding grape lineages and uncovering where the world’s most important varieties truly come from. In this episode, we spotlight his new book Les Grands Cépages, exploring 12 major French grapes, from Cabernet Sa...

In this episode of Five Questions, host Billy Galanko sits down with Dr. José Vouillamoz, one of the world’s leading grape geneticists and co-author of Wine Grapes. José is internationally known for his pioneering work using DNA profiling to trace the origins of grape varieties, revive forgotten heritage vines, and help wineries plan for a climate-challenged future. Across five questions, José distills decades of research into an engaging look at where wine comes from, where it’s heading, an...

Quality is rising, challenges are mounting, and interest in Canadian wine has never been higher. In this episode, host Billy sits down with Okanagan-based Master of Wine Geoff Moss to explore the regions, grapes, and decisions shaping Canadian wine today. Geoff shares how he moved from political science into winemaking, how production experience informs his work in branding and DTC strategy, and why his négociant label Søren Wines serves as a live test case for the advice he gives wineries. W...

In this episode of Five Questions, host Billy Galanko sits down with Geoffrey Moss, MW, marketing strategist, DTC specialist, founder of Lithica Wine Marketing, and the mind behind his own wine label, Søren Wine, to explore the ideas shaping today’s wine industry. Geoffrey shares how he helps wineries grow direct-to-consumer channels, the climate challenges facing the Okanagan Valley, the surprising magic of Baja California wines, why “organic but not certified” claims drive him crazy, and a ...

Master of Wine Lisa Perrotti-Brown returns to the Vint Wine Podcast with a new chapter in her career. Known for her influential tenure as Editor-in-Chief of The Wine Advocate and decades of reviewing top estates across Bordeaux, Napa, Australia, and New Zealand, Lisa has long blended deep technical expertise with approachable, consumer-focused insight. After co-founding The Wine Independent, she’s now launched TheWinePalate.com, a modern, data-driven platform built to personalize wine d...

In this episode of Five Questions, host Billy Galanko sits down with one of the most influential and trusted voices in the modern wine world: Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW, former Editor-in-Chief of Robert Parker Wine Advocate and founder of the newly launched TheWinePalate.com, a platform designed to help drinkers find wines that truly match their personal palate. In this quick, high-impact conversation, Lisa shares her perspective on the rapidly evolving wine landscape, why communication is the i...

Few wines capture Tuscany’s essence like Brunello di Montalcino, and few estates embody its heritage like Il Poggione. In this episode, winemaker Alessandro Bindocci joins Billy Galanko to explore what makes this corner of southern Tuscany one of the most fascinating wine regions on earth. From four generations of family stewardship to the estate’s modern sustainability drive, Alessandro takes us inside Il Poggione’s vineyards and cellars to reveal how classic Sangiovese becomes one of Italy’...

In this episode of Five Questions, Billy sits down with Alessandro Bindocci, winemaker at Il Poggione, one of Montalcino’s founding estates and a benchmark producer of Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino. From the estate’s roots as a working Tuscan farm to its massage-selection Sangiovese vineyards, Alessandro shares how Il Poggione balances deep tradition with innovation in the cellar. He discusses the influence of Barolo on his winemaking, the adoption of submerged-cap fermentation, the v...

Episode Description (Apple & Spotify) Volcanic wines are among the most distinctive on earth, and no one unpacks their character quite like John Szabo, MS. Author of Volcanic Wines: Salt, Grit and Power, critic at WineAlign, and long-time explorer of lava-born terroirs, John covers what makes a wine “volcanic,” why these bottles often taste more savory and saline than fruity, how regions like Santorini, Etna, Washington, Oregon, Lake County, Moon Mountain, and Tokaj fit into the picture, ...

In this episode of Five Questions, Billy sits down with John Szabo, Master Sommelier, author, and volcanic wine expert, to discuss his journey from restaurant kitchens to becoming one of Canada’s most respected wine writers and educators. John shares insights from his decades exploring global wine culture, from his work co-founding Volcanic Wines International to his advocacy for sustainability and regenerative farming. He highlights the rise of Canadian wines, the rediscovery of Hungary’s hi...

Cork Supply founder & CEO Jochen Michalski joins Billy Galanko to unpack 40+ years of cork innovation, how the industry tackled TCA (cork taint), why oxygen transmission matters, and when to choose natural, technical, synthetic, or screwcap. Jochen explains Legacy (Cork Supply’s premium natural cork) and its X100 imaging, AI-assisted electromagnetic scanning that screens individual corks for TCA and internal structural risks to reduce bottle-to-bottle variation. We also dig into manufactu...

In this episode of Five Questions, Billy sits down with Jochen Michalski, Founder and CEO of Cork Supply, one of the world’s leading suppliers of premium natural corks, barrels, and closures to wineries around the globe. From founding the company in California in 1981 to expanding across Europe, Australia, and South Africa, Jochen shares insights from over four decades at the intersection of craftsmanship, sustainability, and innovation. He discusses the future of cork, the challenge of decli...

Renowned Champagne expert Peter Liem returns to the Vint Wine Podcast for a deep dive into the evolution of Champagne, its changing climate, the role of dosage and lees aging, and what defines true quality today. Peter shares decades of insight from living and tasting in Champagne, exploring how styles, vintages, and viticulture have evolved in real time. Along the way, he also offers a glimpse into La Fête du Champagne 2025, the US-based celebration of the world’s finest Champagne producers....

In this episode of Five Questions, Billy speaks with Peter Liem, James Beard Award-winning writer and one of the world’s foremost Champagne experts. Peter discusses how climate change is reshaping the region, the rise of new subregions, his balanced take on natural wine, and even shares details from a remarkable deep-sea dive to recover 19th-century Champagne. Episode highlights: • The biggest issue facing the wine world today • How warming temperatures are changing Champagne • Emerging subre...

Winemaker Alban Debeaulieu of Abbott Claim joins Billy to share how a historic 1855 Oregon land claim became one of the Willamette Valley’s most distinctive estates. Alban details his path from France’s Rhône Valley and Burgundy to Oregon, the marine-sandstone soils of Yamhill-Carlton, and how his team farms organically and ages wines 18 months on gross lees for depth and longevity. He explains his low-intervention philosophy, whole-cluster choices, and why Oregon deserves its own identity ap...

In this episode, host Billy Galanko talks with Alban Debeaulieu, head winemaker at Abbott Claim, about crafting site-driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Oregon’s Yamhill-Carlton and Eola-Amity Hills AVAs. Alban shares how his Burgundian training informs his approach to expressing terroir, why 2019 and 2024 stand out as benchmark vintages, and what early signs suggest about the 2025 growing season. He also previews new high-elevation plantings and multi-clone field blends at Lily Springs, de...

In this episode of the Vint Wine Podcast, host Billy Galanko sits down with Brenna Quigley, geologist and terroir specialist, to explore how what lies beneath the vines shapes what’s in your glass. Brenna shares her path from UC Santa Barbara to working with mentors like Raj Parr and Seth Kunin, and with producers such as Quintessa, Flowers, and Hirsch. She explains how geology helps wineries understand vineyard character, canopy choices, and grape health. Together they discuss what terroir r...

In this episode of Five Questions, host Billy Galanko sits down with Brenna Quigley, terroir specialist and host of Roadside Terroir. Brenna brings a unique perspective to the wine world, mapping vineyards through geology, soils, and climate, and connecting those details to the deeper story of wine. In this conversation, she shares her thoughts on farming, natural wine, overlooked California regions, and a personal story that brought her back to the heart of why wine matters. Key Topics: Bren...

Napa Valley icon Tor Kenward joins host Billy for a wide ranging conversation spanning five decades of wine, food, and culture in the Valley. Tor traces his journey from a 1970s arrival when Napa had fewer than 50 wineries through the post Judgment of Paris boom, his culinary collaborations with Julia Child, Thomas Keller, and the American Institute of Wine & Food, the founding of the School for American Chefs with Madeleine Kamman, and the creation of TOR Wines, a Burgundy minded, single...

In this of episode of Five Questions, Tor Kenward of Tor Wines reflects on nearly 50 years in Napa Valley. From Oakville’s Beckstoffer Dr. Crane and Vine Hill Ranch to Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay, Tor shares his philosophy on single-vineyard Cabernet, the vintages that have defined his career, and the global producers who continue to inspire his palate. For those who live and breathe wine, this conversation offers a concise yet insightful look at one of Napa’s great interpreters of terroir, and ...