Send us a text

Travel is the ultimate educator. Nothing replaces first-hand experience—being there, boots on the ground, engaging with the people, the land, and the story. When you walk the vineyards, talk with the makers, and stand among old vines, everything changes. It stops being academic—it becomes real.

For the first time, I set foot on the hallowed hills of Clarendon, nestled in the higher reaches of McLaren Vale. I’d known the wines, and admired the reputation. But until recently, my understanding was purely theoretical. That changed this past weekend—thanks to a generous invitation and the most unreasonable hospitality from Nicky Gameau of Jackson Family Wine and Chris Carpenter, the world renowned wine maker who makes the wines for Hickinbotham.

Nicky welcomed me to the McLaren Vale. Chris then took me to dinner, where we talked everything from Chicago sports to jazz, the Jackson Family Estates, the state of the wine trade, and, of course, the majesty of Clarendon. The next morning Chris gave me a tour of the vineyards. We had discussed saving our interview for another day. But in the moment, while dialed into Chris’s master class, surrounded by beauty and story, I couldn’t resist. I reached into my bag, pulled out a mic, and hit record.

So today, I bring you what was a rather spontaneous recording.

We’ll have a follow-up episode soon, where Chris and I dive deeper into some broader topics. But for now, I invite you to imagine yourself standing beside us atop Clarendon—overlooking majestic sun lit hills, breezes rustling the vines, history rooted deep in the soil—as we talk about place, passion, and perspective.

Here’s my conversation with Chris Carpenter. A huge thanks to Chris for joining me.

Support the show

Send us a text

Welcome to CDP Insights, a Cellar Door Podcast initiative where we stay up to date with market trends and get sharp industry insights. My guest is Joe Fattorini and in this episode we discuss the concept of product placement and its relevance to brand growth

Support the show

Send us a text

I have the fondest memories of sitting beside my dad on the couch, both of us completely captivated by the film Somm. It tells the story of four friends who take on one of the most grueling academic challenges in the world—the Master Sommelier exam, administered by the Court of Master Sommeliers. This film isn’t just about wine; it’s about the pursuit of excellence. It feels more like a sports movie than a documentary, filled with intensity, anxiety, fear, and hope as these candidates inch closer to an exam that only 282 people have passed since 1969.

Somm quickly became a personal favorite and was pivotal in igniting what would become my deep passion for the wine industry. To me, it was a work of genius—an eye-opener, a motivator, and something that made the idea of joining the wine world feel thrillingly possible.

That’s why it was such an incredible honor to sit down with the man behind it all—Jason Wise. A Cleveland-born, sports mad and ambitious filmmaker, Jason stumbled into the company of four aspiring Master Sommeliers and uncovered a story that would go on to redefine how we see the world of wine. His Somm series has since become iconic, culminating most recently in The Cup of Salvation—a film that poetically places wine at the cross roads of religion, politics, culture and family.

In this episode, I speak with Jason for nearly an hour and a half about his filmmaking journey and what drives him to keep telling stories that elevate and humanize the world of hospitality. I absolutely loved this conversation, and I hope you will too. A huge thanks to Jason Wise for joining me.

Support the show