When last in Bordeaux, I spent some time with Veronique Sanders-Van Beek, the Director of Chateau Haut Bailly. And as a result, she offered an internship to one of my favorite interns who graced the Wine of the Month Club. The young girl arrives shortly in Bordeaux to start her journey.

I learned from Mdm. Veronique that her husband, Alexander Van Beek, is the Director of Chateau Giscours, a third growth of the famed 1855 Classification. When I heard that Pauline was in town to share the wines...I took the call immediately.

Pauline Wlodarzyck might just be the only person who can make stopping time—if only for a minute—as easy as popping open a bottle of Bordeaux. In this episode of Wine Talks, you’ll discover how Pauline, export manager of the storied Château Giscours in Margaux, sees wine as a passport for both the palate and the mind—a way to travel to Bordeaux, Italy, or even back to your grandmother’s kitchen table. You’ll get an insider’s guide to the new frontiers of wine, exploring what it means to savor an emotional moment, whether you’re uncorking a celebration-worthy champagne or a third-growth vintage with 450 years of roots in its soil. Pauline and host Paul Kalemkiarian delve deep into the challenge of sharing wine’s magic in a distracted, technology-driven world, and debate if there’s such a thing as a bad vintage at all. Listeners are treated to tales of precision in the vineyard, from “sequential harvests” to the surprising role sheep and family play in sustainable winemaking. They examine how modern innovation in Bordeaux isn’t just about new gadgets but about understanding the very DNA of the land and respecting biodiversity—a far cry from the bag-in-box revolution. Whether you’re a seasoned sommelier or just a curious drinker, you’ll hear firsthand how the philosophy behind every bottle—from grape to glass—shapes not just the wine, but the moment you share it. Pour a glass for this one: you’ll come away not just knowing how to taste, but how to remember, connect, and celebrate wine as both a witness to history and a companion in life.

✅ Ever wondered how opening a bottle of wine can transport you across the world—and back in time?
✅ Pauline Wlodarzyck joins host Paul Kalemkiarian on “Wine Talks” to reveal how every sip is a journey of emotion, history, and unforgettable flavor.
✅ From the vineyards of Bordeaux to the heart of Southern California, explore how wine is more than just a drink—it’s a story waiting to be told, shaped by tradition, terroir, and a touch of innovation.
✅ Tune in now and discover why your next glass can spark memories, connect you to the land, and introduce you to new adventures in taste. Cheers to meaningful moments! 🍷✨ #WineTalks #WineJourney

#WineTalksPodcast
#BordeauxWine
#ChateauGiscourt
#WineTasting
#WineEducation
#WineAndEmotions
#BiodiversityInWine
#FrenchWine

I have known the Levys for years. I've known them as restauranteurs and gracious people. They fell in to the restaurant business and it was sink of swim; swim they did, creating an iconic establishment in heart of Southern California. From the restaurant came what one would consider the first of its kind in the San Gabriel Valley...a craft cocktail lounge. No one had heard of such falderall out of downtown Los Angeles, a craft cocktail bar...the idea.

Well, it turns out to be a brilliant idea and the bar 1886 became a destination in itself for lovers of hand made, exotic cocktails.

Enter the RTD market. I mean, they enter the RTD market. At the time of the success of 1886, the Levys brainstormed a premium, in the bottle, cocktail. Focusing on the classics and nothing but the best ingredients, Knox and Dobson was born.

Rob and Leslie Levy never intended to become restaurateurs, much less champions of craft cocktails in a bottle—but as you’ll discover, some of the best ideas come when you’re busy doing something else. In this episode of Wine Talks, you’ll find out how a couple just trying to buy a Pasadena apartment building accidentally inherited an iconic restaurant, survived the baptism-by-fire of the food business, and spun that hard-earned wisdom into revolutionizing the ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail world with Knox & Dobson. You’ll hear tales of kitchen crises, the quirky genius of naming a brand after a childhood Chicago street corner, and what it really means to translate the heart of a five-minute, hand-crafted drink into a shelf-stable bottle that still surprises—and delights—even the most jaded bartender. Paul and the Levys dig into the gritty, exhilarating reality behind building something new: wrangling with distillers for barrels, battling the sneaky complexities of upscaling classic recipes, and learning the hard way that shelf space is gold and distributors want more than just a good story. Along the way, you’ll pick up rare insight into why most canned cocktails are disappointments, the secret advantages of a deep purple apothecary bottle, and the surprisingly emotional connection people make when you pour—literally and figuratively—your passion into a public tasting. Whether you’re dreaming of your own food and beverage business, fascinated by the science and soul of the perfect martini, or just want to know whether you could actually run a bar without losing your hair, this is the episode that will pull back the velvet curtain on both the chaos and the romance of bringing real cocktails to a thirsty world.

✅ Ever wonder how a legendary restaurant sparks a craft cocktail revolution?

✅ Rob & Leslie Levy share their wild journey from owning Pasadena’s iconic Raymond restaurant to launching their own high-end ready-to-drink cocktail brand—on the latest episode of Wine Talks with Paul Kalemkiarian.

✅ Hear how a real estate deal gone sideways led to 18 years in hospitality, and later, to breaking new ground in the premium RTD (Ready-To-Drink) cocktail market with Knox & Dobson.

✅ Takeaway: Want to know how to turn setbacks and industry surprises into flavorful success? Tune in for lessons on innovation, grit, and the secret to a perfect bottled Manhattan. You’ll never look at your next cocktail the same way! 🍸✨

Listen now to Wine Talks!

#ReadyToDrinkCocktails

#CraftCocktails

#DrinkEntrepreneurs

#KnoxAndDobson

#RestaurantStories

#BottledCocktails

#BarInnovation

#WineTalksPodcast

I am halfway through Gerard Bertrands new book: "Multidimensional Wine" and realize it is a must read for wine professionals and novices alike..get it here:

https://academieduvinlibrary.com/products/multidimensional-wine

Gerard Bertrand had not been in Los Angeles for a few years. He comes every 4-5 years to put on a Master Class of the wines of the Provence. You see, he has been a major force in bringing the wines from the South of France to the notice of the wine world. He farms biodynamicaly but keeps his ear to the ground as to what the market place is asking for. I was fortunate enough to catch him with a spare 40 minutes before he was on-stage exposing the virtues of his families heritage.

In this episode of "Wine Talks," host Paul K sits down with renowned French winemaker Gerard Bertrand to explore the philosophy, cultural significance, and future of wine. Bertrand shares insightful stories about growing up in the family wine business and the vital lessons he learned from his father, emphasizing wine as a multi-generational pursuit fueled by passion and patience. The conversation delves into the unique relationship between wine, terroir, and vintage—with Bertrand arguing that good winemaking is about capturing the “footprint of the vintage” and channeling the land’s unique character into every bottle.

A significant portion of the discussion centers on biodynamic farming, which has dramatically increased soil vitality at Bertrand’s wineries and, in his view, has the potential to lead agriculture toward greater biodiversity and planetary health. The pair also reflect on wine’s profound connection to spirituality and cultural identity, exploring how wine brings people together in a shared experience like no other beverage can.

Finally, the episode touches on the challenges and opportunities for wine in a changing world, from shifting generational tastes to the power of storytelling and experiential marketing. Bertrand concludes with optimism, viewing wine as an enduring conduit for connection, culture, and even diplomacy.

One particularly memorable anecdote from Bertrand is his explanation of how biodynamic farming changed the life in his vineyards. He shares a study showing that conventional farming fosters about 1,000 links between microorganisms and bacteria in soil, but biodynamic farming boosts this number to an astonishing 47,000. This, combined with observing new life forms like armadillos returning to the vineyard, affirmed for Bertrand that his approach was truly revitalizing nature. He jokes that while he owns sophisticated books on biodynamics—like Rudolf Steiner’s—he still finds them hard to understand completely, but he follows the principles because he sees the results in the harmony and vitality of his soil and vines.

#WineTalks
#GerardBertrand
#BiodynamicWine
#WinePhilosophy
#SustainableWine
#SouthOfFranceWines
#WineCulture
#WinemakingJourney