Bottled In China

Today we speak with one of Washington’s leading winemakers about the region’s unique landscapes and the importance leadership plays as winemaker.Today we’re joined by Juan Munoz-Oca, Head Winemaker at Columbia Crest winery based in Washington State. Since it first opened its doors in 1983, Columbia Crest winery produces wine in the acclaimed Horse Heaven Hills AVA. In fact, it’s the only Washington winery to be honored with the Wine Spectator award the “No. 1 Wine of the Year” . Originally from Mendoza, Argentina, Juan discusses the similarities of his hometown to that of Washington’s unique wine landscape. In the second half of the interview, we discuss the importance of leadership as a winemaker and the advice he’d share to those in the industry. Taste the wines: https://www.columbiacrest.comWatch his TED Talk on Youtube: The World of Washington WinesConnect with Juan on Instagram and follow the adventures: @munozocaIf you want to learn more about Washington wines, check out our other episode with Bob Betz:

From launching the nation’s first cannabis-infused nonalcoholic wine; to recently publishing her latest book: “Cannabis Drinks: Secrets to Crafting CBD and THC Beverages at Home”. Author and industry expert Jamie Evans joins us to discuss the latest updates in the Cannabis-infused beverage market.Sales for Cannabis-infused beverages is said to have jumped 40% since 2019. A new beverage category fuelled by the legalization of Cannabis is spilling into wine, beer and even coffee!But what are large corporations getting wrong about CBD and THC wine beverages? While many have focused on the novelty of Cannabis in beverages, Jamie and her team at Herbacée are focused on taste.  Find out more: https://www.herbacee.comFollow Jamie on Instagram @theherbsomm

Walk into any Western grocery store and you’ll find various flavours of Kombucha lined up, but this is not the case in China.You might be surprised to learn that Kombucha’s roots lead back in China and Japan.In this podcast we speak with co-founders Sharon and Cindy about how they overcame challenges and their inspirational journey creating Zestea.  Zestea Kombucha is Shanghai-based Kombucha brand bringing you real, organic, raw and all natural beverage. Every bottle of Zestea Kombucha is crafted from the finest ingredients that are carefully local sourced to deliver a smooth, zesty taste from your first to the last.Find out more: https://www.zesteakombucha.comConnect on Instagram @Zesteakombucha 

German Riesling is certainly amongst a wine lovers favorite wine, yet unlike Pinot Noir from Burgundy, it has not had as recent price hikes. Today, we speak with Konstantin Baum, Master of Wine about all things Riesling. Konstantin Baum became a Master of Wine in 2015 and is the youngest German ever to pass the examination. Today Konstantin heads the innovative online trading company www.meinelese.de, which imports artisanal wines and sells them in Germany. He is the wine ambassador for online retailer BELViNi, heads the wine program of one of the best hotels in the world - the Brenners-Park Hotel in Baden-Baden - and is the ambassador of the California Wine Institute in Europe. In 2019, Konstantin received the WSET & IWSC Future 50 Award. It is his mission to ensure that “the world tastes better” - to shape the selection of wines in retail and gastronomy, and to improve people's ability to taste and appreciate wine.Discover Konstantin’s top picks: https://meinelese.deWatch his YouTube’s:  Konstantin Baum

Taisai Vineyards is nested in the Gobi desert in China’s Xinjiang Province. Farmed organically, it was twice named as China's Best Winery of the Year by RVF. In this podcast we sit down with Martin Shen, General Manager of Tiansai Vineyards about the brand’s story and unique viticultural practices. Located in the northwest of China, Xinjiang province is three times that of France.With its long sunshine hours, low rainfall and almost desert like conditions, wineries rely heavily on irrigation to produce grapes.  Learn more: https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2017/01/uncorked-chen-lizhong-of-tiansai-vineyards/ Bottled in China brings you into the food and drink scene through conversations with the some of the most happening personalities. Hosted by Emilie Steckenborn, the show is your one spot for all things food, beer, wine and spirits from across the world. Follow us on Instagram @bottled.in.china Podcast available on iTunes, Spotify , online or wherever you listen to your episodes!  

Today we dive into China’s up and coming wine region: Xinjiang with Martin Shen, GM of Tiansai Vineyards.Located in the northwest of China, Xinjiang province is three times that of France.With its long sunshine hours, low rainfall and almost desert like conditions, wineries rely heavily on irrigation to produce grapes.In this episode we dive into the wine region of Xinjiang and discuss climate, geography and key varietals being grown.Taisai Vineyards is nested in the Gobi desert where they farm organically. It was twice named as China's Best Winery of the Year by RVF.Learn more: https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2017/01/uncorked-chen-lizhong-of-tiansai-vineyards/ Bottled in China brings you into the food and drink scene through conversations with the some of the most happening personalities. Hosted by Emilie Steckenborn, the show is your one spot for all things food, beer, wine and spirits from across the world. Follow us on Instagram @bottled.in.china Podcast available on iTunes, Spotify , online or wherever

In this podcast I speak with Belinda Chang, James Beard award-winning Sommelier about how you can bring your virtual wine event to life! Belinda Chang has been dubbed THE “global virtual wine experience guru” by the Wall Street Journal. She specializes in making epic moments everyday occurrences and is a leader in powerful virtual engagement that connects, comforts, and amplifies. Founder of Studio 8h Productions and the Virtual Boozy Brunch, Belinda is a sought-after lifestyle expert, business mentor, and innovator. Before setting out as an entrepreneur, Belinda managed the legendary 26,000 bottle cellar at Charlie Trotter’s, the wine lists at Laurent Gras' The Fifth Floor, and Danny Meyer's The Modern. Along with a myriad of other accolades over her 20 year career, she is a James Beard award-winning Sommelier, and is the first and only BIPOC woman to win a drinks award to date. Find out more: https://www.belindachang.comFollow her on Instagram @belinda_chicago Bottled in China brings you into the food and d

COVID has forced many restaurants and bars to shut down, but for Chef, Cookbook Author and Entrepreneur Matt Dean Pettit, he’s found a way to pivot and grow his businesses.From his first job as a busboy at the young age of 13 to line cook at 14, Matt’s passion for the food industry started early. In 2011,  Chef Matt Dean Pettit founded Canada’s famed Rock Lobster Food Co Restaurants. The Rock Lobster brand has since grown into a hugely successful grocery retail line focusing on proudly Canadian, sustainable award winning seafood dishes under the name brand Matty's Seafood Co which is sold across all Canada & The USA and Asia. In 2014, Chef MDP launched his first award winning Best-Selling cookbook, The Great Lobster Cook Book published by Appetite by Random House. In spring of 2018, MDP he published his second book titled The Great Shellfish Cookbook.He co-stars in the Food Network Canada TV Show: Super Snack Bros, where he showcases iconic snack foods made with crazy culinary twists. You’ll also see him

With so much noise and content online, how does one find their “voice”?Today we speak with Natalie MacLean, one of the most influential wine personalities, about her tips on navigating the digital wine world and connecting with your audience.Natalie MacLean offers wildly popular online wine and food pairing courses at www.nataliemaclean.com. She’s offering ourlisteners a free copy of her Ultimate Guide to Wine and Food Pairing. where you can download it for free at nataliemaclean.com/china.  In addition, She's the host of Unreserved Wine Talk, selected as one of the best drinks podcasts by The New York Times.Natalie's first book Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass and her second book Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World's Best Bargain Wines were both selected as one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year.She was named the World's Best Drinks Journalist at the World Food Media Awards, and has won four James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards.Learn more:  https://www.natali

Netflix’s Original documentary: Seaspiracy, sparked an awakening amongst us regarding the destruction of our marine ecosystem.  In this podcast we speak with Tom Johansson, Co-Founder & CEO of Hooked Foods, about their new plant based “Toona”. Tom discusses the negative impacts of overfishing and addresses speculations about how plant-based products are highly processed and unhealthy.Hooked Foods is on a mission to lead the transition to a healthier seafood ecosystem by serving delicious plant-based seafood for everyone to enjoy. This spring (2021) they launched their first product, a plant-based tuna called Toona, made of sustainable soybeans, sun flower oil, and algae.Follow them on Insta @HookedfoodsVisit their website to learn more: https://hookedfoods.comIf you loved this podcast then you’ll also want to check out our other fascinating  conversations below:How to create the worlds best tasting diary free ice cream with Eclypse FoodsLab-grown, animal-free protein: defining the future of food with Thom

This is going to be a delicious episode! In today’s podcast we discuss wine and food pairings with James Lloyd, Head Sommelier at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.  Starting his career in wine in 1999, James has over 20 years experience from working with importers, wine producers and as a Sommelier for some of the world's greatest chefs. It all started in a hotel in South London moving to Gordon's flagship, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay (3* Michelin) in 2002 as a Commis Sommelier where he moved to Assistant Head Sommelier and remained until a move to New York as part of the opening team for Gordon and stayed for a year.       After 5 years with the group, a move to Italy beckoned, in Piedmont, where he worked as an intern for Cantina Ceretto assisting in the production of their Barolo's, Barbaresco's and international blends, learning the ropes of wine making first hand. Once the harvest was complete he relocated to Lake Garda to take on a Sommelier position. Moving back to London in 2008, James initially became Head Somm

In this podcast we dive into what makes a masterful sommelier with James Lloyd, Head Sommelier at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.Starting his career in wine in 1999, James has over 20 years experience from working with importers, wine producers and as a Sommelier for some of the world's greatest chefs. It all started in a hotel in South London moving to Gordon's flagship, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay (3* Michelin) in 2002 as a Commis Sommelier where he moved to Assistant Head Sommelier and remained until a move to New York as part of the opening team for Gordon and stayed for a year.       After 5 years with the group, a move to Italy beckoned, in Piedmont, where he worked as an intern for Cantina Ceretto assisting in the production of their Barolo's, Barbaresco's and international blends, learning the ropes of wine making first hand. Once the harvest was complete he relocated to Lake Garda to take on a Sommelier position. Moving back to London in 2008, James initially became Head Sommelier for Marcus Wareing before mo

In this podcast we’ll discuss how to keep wine fresh for weeks after opening, argon gas preservation vs. other preservation technologies, and bringing Winesave to the Asian market.Today we are joined by Alex Longman, Executive Director of Innert Pte Ltd.Winesave is world's first hand-held canister containing high-quality, 100% food-grade argon gas. When argon gas is dispensed into an opened bottle of wine, it preserves the wine by forming an inert barrier that stops spoilage from oxygen, without affecting the characteristics of the wine. This allows wine lovers to enjoy any wine one glass at a time at home, and gives wine professionals an easy and affordable way to eliminate wastage when serving wines by the glass. Winesave's goal is to let every person in the world who will ever pour a bottle of wine know that they have the ability to enjoy that wine a glass at a time, easily, safely, and affordably.  Bottled in China brings you into the food and drink scene through conversations with the some of the most ha

In this podcast we dive into how Eclipse Foods created the best tasting dairy free ice cream on the market.Eclipse Foods, often called the Beyond Meat of dairy, is a Y Combinator-backed startup making plant-based dairy products that are indistinguishable in flavor, texture, and functionality from conventional dairy. Eclipse's mission is to create a more sustainable, healthy, and humane food system by making amazing plant-based foods that require no sacrifice for consumers.  Today we are joined by Aylon Steinhart, Founder and CEO of Eclipse Foods. Aylon has spoken regularly on food innovation at Harvard, MIT, Yale, Berkeley, and Stanford, and has worked with companies such as Kraft Heinz, Nestle, and Kellogg’s. In his work at the Good Food Institute, the leading non-profit in the alternative protein space, Aylon incubated dozens of startups and advised investors and strategic partners on alternative proteins. Aylon has co-founded two startups and studied at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business.Grab a pint : h

Today we are joined by Brigid O'Reilly, co-founder of Distaff wine, to hear her story of navigating the wine world. Brigid discusses some of the barriers for young people and for women in the industry and shares her aspirations for the future. She also tells us about founding Distaff during COVID, some common misunderstandings when it comes to PET glass (Distaff bottles their wine in PET), and she offers advice to fellow young entrepreneurs interested in wine and the wine industry. Distaff Wine is the work and passion of women – a team consisting of a mom and four sisters who have been in the wine industry for the majority of their lives. After being constantly overlooked by the male-dominated wine industry, they started Distaff to share their story, be a voice for women in the wine industry, and to highlight women in other industries. Their first line of wines, Nomen, features women from various work fields on each label, and is packaged in eco-friendly PET bottles that are lightweight, shatterproof, and shi

What are top wine trends experts are seeing in 2021? How is Decanter judging natural wine in competition?  How does Decanter China differ from their other media strategy?Today, we’ll be diving into the world of wine with Alex Layton, Decanter’s Head of Marketing. Decanter is the world’s leading wine media brand with a total monthly organic reach in excess of 2.2 million, covering the whole media ecosystem through digital, print & social media in addition to a world-leading global events and awards programme.This includes:· Decanter Magazine, founded in 1975 and Europe’s best-selling wine magazine read in over 100 countries· Its websites Decanter.com – home of Decanter Premium, an online resource providing full access to exclusive scores and tasting notes on more than 1,000 wines every month. Alex provided our listeners with a 25% discount on your Decanter Premium by using the code BIC21 · DecanterChina.com - a bilingual website dedicated to the ever-growing audience of wine lovers in China· The Decanter W

Vinified APP is disrupting the Californian wine industry by bringing wineries closer than ever to their consumers. It has a simple and intuitive mobile interface that allows you to buy wines you’ll love at affordable prices. The platform also features appealing visuals to guide users in finding and discovering new wines.Today we are joined by Corentin Chon, co-founder of Vinified, to discuss his inspiration for founding the platform.Vinified is the first platform to bridge the gap between distributors and final consumers. It allows them to instantly list and sell their wines to consumers across California (and a couple of other states), making great wines more affordable!In the Vinified Wine App, consumers can rate and review wines they've tried, and are offered suggestions based on their tasting preferences. They can also discover new wines, learn about their unique flavor profile, and receive information about wines directly from the winemakers.Learn more: Download the Vinified APPIf you liked this podcast

Embracing a plant-based diet is becoming easier than ever.Top Tier Foods Inc. has created a plant-based wagyu beef and a seaweed based fish roe that would make you second guess that your not eating the real thing!In this podcast, we are joined by Blair Bullus, Founder and President of Top Tier Foods Inc., to discuss the dynamic plant-based industry and how he’s created one of the best tasting waygu beef alternatives.Top Tier Foods Inc. is a Vancouver, Canada based company who garnered international headlines earlier this year when world renowned sushi chef Hidekazu Tojo claimed their plant-based alternative to wagyu beef was comparable in flavour and texture to the real thing.Now working with many of the largest sushi chains in the world, including Advanced Fresh Concept (AFC) Sushi, Top Tier Foods has developed a catalog of products that range from seaweed based alternatives to fish roe, to sticky quinoa for sushi, and of course plant-based wagyu beef.Founded in 2013, Top Tier Foods has been making it their

Today we are joined by Carlos de Jesus Veneno, Director of Marketing and Communications for Amorim Cork to discuss the world of cork closures.In this podcast we discuss the latest breakthroughs in closure development including NDtech and Amorim’s new closure technology: Naturity® and Xpür®. We also share common closure issues you might have come across in your cellar: a leaking bottle, a risen cork, etc.   Corticeira Amorim, based in Portugal and founded in 1870, is the world’s largest player in the cork industry. Amorim's responsible approach to raw materials and sustainable production illustrates the remarkable interdependence between industry and the vital cork ecosystem - one of the world’s most balanced examples of social, economic, and environmental development.Find out more: https://www.amorimcork.comFollow them on Instagram @amorimcorkBottled in China brings you into the food and drink scene through conversations with the some of the most happening personalities. Hosted by Emilie Steckenborn, the show

Wine without using grapes? Bourbon without grains?Molecular wine and spirits have made it to shelves near you and you're probably wondering if this is the beginning or end of the world? Today we are joined by Alec Lee, co-founder and CEO of Endless West to discuss the world of molecular wine and spirits. Endless West is a technology startup using scientific methods to create the world's first molecular wine and spirits - alcoholic beverages that are crafted 'note-by-note' using pure flavor and aroma molecules extracted from efficient sources in nature. A small, independent team of scientists, sommeliers, writers, chefs, and grad school dropouts, their mission is to use science to create food and drink of unparalleled quality, value, and heart. The company was founded in 2015 by Alec Lee and Mardonn Chua, and sommelier, Josh Decolongon. It is headquartered in San Francisco and has raised $30 million in total funding to date.Find out more: https://endlesswest.com/Want to try it out for yourself?  Order Gemello,