In The Drink

This week’s guest on In the Drink is AJ Ojeda-Pons. AJ, sommelier of The Lambs Club, brings a wealth of knowledge and style to all he serves. His passionate enthusiasm for the craft of winemaking is contagious to diners and wine enthusiasts alike. AJ, winner of GQ’s “Best Dressed Sommelier” award, brings his sense of style & his belief that one should “drink champagne every day” everywhere he goes. David Lombardo, wine and beverage director for Benchmarc Restaurants, crafted his own wine education through tasting, reading and traveling to wine regions throughout Europe and the United States and his devotion to the wine experience is evident throughout the famous wine lists he oversees at Landmarc (Tribeca & Columbus Circle), Ditch Plains and Kingside. David and AJ’s bios are attached for your reference. This program was brought to you by Visit Napa Valley. “I like to be able to offer a little bit of everything. Sometimes people aren’t looking to commit to a whole bottle of wine during dinner.” [20:0

This week’s guest on In the Drink is Christophe Hedges. Christophe graduated from the University of San Diego in 2001 with a Business degree and a minor in Theatre Arts. Before joining the family winery, he worked in San Diego as a wine steward for Costco and a wine buyer for La Tavola Kitchen. Christophe’s professional experience extends beyond the wine world: he worked as a stonemason and was a bull rider on the Columbia River Circuit. Christophe returned to the vineyards in late 2001. He purchased land in 2004 and planted his own vineyard in 2005 with his wife, Maggie. Christophe has planted vines for other properties but now devotes his time entirely to Hedges Family Estate. He does not like vacations. This program was brought to you by Visit Napa Valley. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week’s guest on In the Drink is sommelier Jamie Graves. Jamie Graves moved to Japan when he was 22 and quickly fell in love with the food. Over five years he worked in a variety of Western and Japanese restaurants as a cook, studying the language and cuisine. In 2007 he passed the highest level of the Japanese Proficiency Exam for non-native speakers. Since moving back to New York he has worked in service, in 2008 opening Japanese fine dining restaurant Kajitsu as a server then in 2011 moving on to join the opening team of Brushstroke as a manager, a fine dining Japanese restaurant serving exclusively kaiseki style tasting menus. During his time as Service Director Brushstroke received one star from the Michelin Guide several years in a row, and was named as the #2 Best New Restaurant in the US for 2011 by GQ Magazine. In the beginning of 2014 Jamie joined Sakamai as General Manager, excited to develop one of the great sake programs in the US. In September of 2014 Jamie attended the World Sake Sommelier

Learn about soil science, irrigation and deep root vines on a comprehensive episode of In the Drink. Joe Campanale is joined by Brian O’Donnell of Belle Pente Vineyards. Brian and his wife Jill founded Belle Pente in 1992 with the purchase of a 70-acre farm just east of Carlton in what is now the heart of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Vineyards were planted starting in 1994, and their first commercial production of Pinot Noir was in 1996. Since the beginning, the goal has been to craft old world styled wines of impeccable balance and seductive complexity that reflect a strong sense of place. Carefully selected and well managed dry-farmed vineyards, staggered harvesting, meticulous hand sorting, small lot fermentations, 100% gravity processing, indigenous yeasts, finished wine moved directly-to-barrel (no settling), cold cellar temperatures to delay malolactic fermentation, long elevage, moderate use of new oak, and bottling without fining or filtration are among the techniques utilized to achieve this goal. This p

Learn about the invasion of Italian varietals in California Wines on a brand new episode of In the Drink. Joe Campanale is joined by Megan and Ryan Glaab from Ryme Cellars & Sam Bilbro from Idlewild Wines. Find out what happens when Italian grapes are mixed with California soil! This program was brought to you by Visit Napa Valley “For us it’s about making wines we’re excited about.” [02:00] –Meagan Glaab on In the DrinkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on In the Drink, Joe Campanale is joined by Michelle Biscieglia, Wine Director at Blue Hill New York. Like many sommeliers before her, Michelle was steered towards the world of wine by a glass of old, red Burgundy. While growing up just outside of Atlantic City, wine was not a part of her daily culture. Moving to NYC, working as a waiter at Pastis and participating in the “Reserve Wine” staff trainings changed all of that. Her career focus shifted, and Michelle began working as an intern in order to learn how to taste and appreciate wine. From there, she gained valuable “hands-on” experience in the vineyards, spending two sequential harvest seasons (2009 & 2010) in Burgundy. Upon her return to New York, she worked as a sommelier at Bar Boulud and Boulud Sud. In the summer of 2012, Michelle traveled to Piedmont to work in the vineyards of Barolo. Michelle joined Blue Hill in January 2013, bringing her love and passion of wine to the West Village. This program was brought to you by Visit Napa Vall

This week on In the Drink, Joe Campanale is joined by Ivan MiloÅ¡ of MiloÅ¡ Winery on the PeljeÅ¡ac peninsula in Croatia. Grape and wine production in Ponikve, on the Peljesac peninsula has been a Milos family tradition for generations. They base their production on the autochthonous grape variety of Plavac mali. They have about 15 hectares of vineyards on the finest locations on Peljesac; on the slippery slopes of the Prapratno cove next to Ponikve village. Vineyards have been planted on sandy soil formed on the dolomite rocks. They are now planning to plant an additional 5 hectares of new plantations. Handcrafted vineyards and ecological production show the effort we put into every detail. This program was brought to you by Visit Napa Valley “Most of the wine people try to understand with their brain. we’re trying to produce wine you understand with your heart.” 13:00 –Ivan MiloÅ¡ on In the DrinkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-n

This week on In the Drink, Joe Campanale is joined by wine importer/distributor Philippe “Fifi” Essome. French born & raised, Philippe moved to NYC on Bastille Day 2000 with 1 bad luggage, $1500 & a phone number. He came with the desire to become a mixologist, he loved to mix things up back in France and wanted to explore the cocktail world. But he worked in places that only had wine & beer licenses!!! So he discovered French wine here — his first gig was @ Le Bateau Ivre, then @ Le Père Pinard in the Lower East Side for over 9 years along with Les Enfants Terribles on Ludlow & Canal Street. He got hooked on natural wines in 2005, and got so into it that he opened the first natural wine bar in NYC in 2008, The Ten Bells. 5 years later, he opened a natural wine shop in Brooklyn — Passage de la Fleur, and after 1 year he got rid of the shop and launched his wine importing/distributing company in July 2014. This program was brought to you by Visit Napa Valley. See Privacy Policy at https://art1

This week on In the Drink, Joe Campanale is joined by Giuseppe Ippolito, proprietor of the Du Cropio estate in Ciro Marina (Calabria) & Blake Johnson of Rosenthal Imports. Du Cropio in local dialect means “doctor of agronomy” and reflects the fact that the Ippolito family has long been involved in the growing of grapes in the region. The estate encompasses a total of thirty (30) hectares, eight (8) of which are on the plains immediately inland from and within the confines of the town of Ciro Marina and twenty-two of which are tucked into the hillsides surrounding the village of Ciro, several more miles inland and at a considerably higher elevation. The soil, a mix of clay and limestone, is poor with excellent drainage which is reinforced by the steeply sloped hillside vineyards, conditions that are ideal for producing small crops of highly concentrated fruit. Most of the grapes harvested at the estate are sold either at the time of harvest or as bulk wine thereafter. Then, the finest wines are kept to be

Get an inside look cocktail culture in Brooklyn on a spirited episode of In the Drink as Joe Campanale is joined by Peter Thomas Fornatale, co-author of Brooklyn Spirits: Craft Distilling and Cocktails from the World’s Hippest Borough. Peter has spent a good part of the last two decades drinking in Brooklyn. He’s also been a publishing professional in that time frame at Simon and Schuster and Random House. He took cocktail classes from legendary New York bartender (and author) Dale DeGroff and spent a summer supporting a horseracing habit by bartending at the acclaimed Chez Sophie in Saratoga Springs. Cocktails are literally in his blood: his grandfather, John T. Flynn, was a brand manager at Seagram’s for many decades. He is also a site coordinator at The Park Slope CSA, putting him in close touch with the best local ingredients (and the people who buy them). This program was brought to you by Visit Napa Valley. “Cocktail books can be kind of same-y and I don’t think this one falls into that trap.” [10:30

Today’s guest on In the Drink is Laura di Collobiano, the woman behind Valgiano, an acclaimed vineyard in Tuscany. Since 1994 Valgiano has been in the hands of Moreno Petrini, his wife Laura di Collobiano and oenologist Saverio Petrilli, a trio that has defined a totally new era for the production of this particular microclimate, with an eye on tradition and another on producing wines that can compete on the international stage. After flirting with organic agriculture for many years, the Tenuta di Valgiano converted to biodynamic agriculture in 2001, and has not looked back since. Valgiano produces around 80,000 bottles from its 25 hectares, a number that can vary significantly depending on the harvest. The labels are divided between a red and white both called Palistorti after the crooked poles in the vineyard and a red reserve made from a selection of the farm’s very best grapes. Valgiano’s wines have been recognised nationally and internationally. This program was brought to you by Michter’s See Privacy P

Today’s guest on In the Drink is wine legend Bruno De Conciliis. The Cilento region in southern Campania is not exactly known for winemaking. Bruno De Conciliis is one of those pioneers who set up vineyards in the beautiful coastal landscape. The vineyard’s founding year is 1995 and Bruno De Conciliis, supported by his father Alessandro, succeeds in giving the wines of the Domaine a very clear profile during the very first decade of its existence. De Consiliis chooses the two main varieties of the best-known wine region, the Avellino province in Campania, which is situated at the foothills of the Apennine Mountains, to plant them in the milder climate of the coastal region. The talented winemaker succeeds in making spicy, warm white wines from the variety Fiano. From the variety Aglianico he produces both a fruity, light red table wine (“Donnaluna”) and a storage type that is full of character (“Naima”). This program was brought to you by Visit Napa Valley. “[Wine] is only a matter of the mood of the wine g

This week on In the Drink, Joe Campanale is talking about Italian wine with Jeff Kellogg, Beverage Director at Maialino. Jeff was naturally drawn to the restaurant industry and began waiting tables at the age of 18, which laid the foundation for his role at a restaurant group called 131 Main in Charlotte, NC, where he helped open four new restaurant locations and a wine bar. From there, Jeff strengthened his wine knowledge by working as a sommelier at the historic Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV. He then moved to Napa in 2011 to work the harvest and served as a sommelier at the Michelin-starred restaurants Redd and La Toque. While there, Jeff passed the Advanced Exam of the Court of Master Sommeliers, receiving the prestigious Rudd Scholarship for the highest scoring candidate. After a stint working the harvest at Gramercy Cellars in Walla Walla, WA he relocated to San Francisco to become a sommelier at RN74. In June 2013, he moved across the country yet again to become Maialino’s new Beverage

Joe Campanale kicks off the new year in style on a brand new episode of In the Drink. He’s joined by one of the most important New York wine figures, Jeff Porter, Beverage Director at B&B Hospitality Group. Jeff was born and raised in Texas. He became interested in wine at his first restaurant job in Austin. To learn all that he could about wine, Porter eventually took a stocking position at one of Austin’s best wine shops. He excelled there and was soon buying wine for the shop and traveling throughout Europe. Porter then moved to the West Coast where he first worked for a wine distributor in the Bay Area and then served as Wine Director at Tra Vigne Ristorante in St. Helena, where his passion for wine and hospitality took off. Most recently, Jeff held the positon of Beverage Director at Osteria and Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles. He moved to New York City in March of 2011 to head up the beverage program at Del Posto. He is recognized as an “Advanced Sommelier” by the Court of Master Sommeliers and is cur

Joe Campanale is joined by a real powerhouse in the wine world this week on In the Drink — Frank Cornelissen. Frank is one of the most renowned winemakers from Mount Etna. His farming philosophy is deeply rooted in the acceptance of the fact that man will never be able to understand nature’s full complexity and interactions. His “hands off” approach of letting nature take its course without imparting chemistry has led to the creation of some of the most unique, profound, and terroir-driven wines. This program was brought to you by Michter’s. “There is something [existentially] bigger. You see this in the growing process in the wine. When you see a vine grows, it brings you fruit and then the fruit changes into the wine. Everything is there. It’s something very special which makes you very humble.” [14:00]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on In the Drink, Joe Campanale is joined by Grant Reynolds, Wine Director at Charlie Bird. Grant began his career working in restaurants in his hometown of Lake Placid, New York. His passion for wine took him to Piemonte, Italy, where he lived for a year before returning to the United States to attend the University of Colorado. While in school, Grant worked in various restaurants and eventually found himself at to the renowned Frasca Food and Wine where he spent three years working on the floor as a sommelier under the influence of wine greats Bobby Stuckey and Matt Mathew. During Grant’s tenure, the wine team was nominated three times for Outstanding Wine Service by the James Beard Awards. After graduating, Grant went on to pass the Advanced exam with the Court of Master Sommeliers, worked harvest at Domaine Dujac in Burgundy, and spent a few months at Noma in Copenhagen. In January 2013, Grant moved to New York City and began working for Grand Cru Wine Consulting under the leadership of Robert Bo

If Sicilian wine piques your interest – today’s episode of In the Drink is for you! Hear from wunderkind wine guy George Hock, Wine Director and General Manager of the newly opened Barchetta. Barchetta, Italian for ‘little boat’ captures the charms of the Mediterranean seaside. An Italian seafood trattoria, Barchetta is a partnership between Esca’s acclaimed Chef & Partner Dave Pasternack and John Meadow’s LDV Hospitality. Pasternack brings his passion of sourcing the freshest ingredients of the sea and expertise of Italian cuisine to Barchetta’s intimate yet bustling atmosphere inspired by the communal charm of the rustic trattoria experience. This program was brought to you by Michter’s “We’re encouraging people to step out of the box.” [21:30] “All of Italy is esoteric if you think about it – every region and town has its own grapes meant to go with its own food.” [28:00] _–George Hock on In the Drink_4>See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art

Dane Campbell, Head Sommelier at The Musket Room in New York City. A Long Island native, Campbell’s passion for wine developed from his love of food, which he pursued at the Culinary Institute of America. While studying there, Campbell expanded his culinary proficiency under Professor and close friend Pierre LeBlanc. Since then, Campbell has focused on studying wine and is currently preparing for advanced certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers, while already holding an advanced certificate from BarSmarts. Campbell gained experience working with sommeliers at several of New York City’s top restaurants, including Gotham Bar & Grill, where he was hired as Captain and Cellar Assistant in 2009. He has since gone on to work with Leonard LoRusso at Convivio and under Catherine Gerdes at ‘Inoteca, where he was the Assistant Wine Director. Campbell was honored to be a part of The Nomad opening team in 2011, and most recently, helped develop the wine list at Saxon + Parole. In addition to his restauran

Tune in to this week’s episode of In the Drink as Joe Campanale is joined by Rachel Ford, the National Brand Ambassador for Tanqueray gin, affectionately known as Lady Tanqueray. She is a spirits educator, contributing cocktail writer, and media personality, who has appeared on Spike TV’s Bar Rescue. They chat about her career, life as a brand ambassador and the current state of gin in the beverage world. This program was brought to you by Michter’s. “I believe you bring to yourself what you want. We’re always going for the next thing.” [38:00] –Rachel Ford on In the DrinkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Celebrate Oktoberfest on a brand new episode of In the Drink as Joe Campanale is joined by Neil Witte, the Training and Technical Support Manager for Duvel USA, Boulevard Brewing Co. and Brewery Ommegang. Neil began his career in the Kansas City brewpub industry, moving to Boulevard Brewing Co. in 1997 as a brewer. In 2001, he took over field quality and training responsibilities and continues that role today with the new Duvel family of beers. With quality and education as a main focus, he works closely with the national sales and marketing teams on all technical and training matters. He also does extensive distributor and retailer training on all manner of beer related topics, including the brewing process, beer styles, draught systems and beer and food. He is BJCP Certified and is currently one of 7 Master Cicerones. He is co-author of the Brewers Association Draught Quality Manual, Draught Beer Quality for Retailers and a contributing author to the MBAA Beer Steward Handbook. This program was brought to y