Wine Spectator's Straight Talk

Episode 35: Sashi Moorman and All Things Pinot Noir

Wine is always changing, and few people are thinking about that evolution more deeply than Sashi Moorman, the winemaker behind Domaine de la Côte in Santa Barbara County.

34: Cindy Pawlcyn on Defining Napa Valley Cuisine

Very few chefs have shaped Napa Valley dining quite like Cindy Pawlcyn. Over a career spanning more than four decades, the chef and restaurateur behind Mustards Grill, Ci

33: Sam Kaplan’s Moment

Napa Valley-based winemaker Sam Kaplan might just be having a moment these days as his Memento Mori, Vida Valiente, Arkenstone and Maxem projects are enjoying notable suc

32: Drops of God's Fleur Geffrier

Drops of God, the Apple TV series about a quest to identify some of the world’s rarest wines, won the International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series this past year, and s

31: The Top 10 Wines of 2025, and the Man Behind No. 1

It's time to count down Wine Spectator's Top 10 Wines of 2025! And we're talking to the man behind our 2025 Wine of the Year—both before and after he heard the big news.

30: It's Not About Michael Silacci. It's About Opus One

Few California wineries can match Opus One for global prestige. A famous partnership between Napa's Robert Mondavi and Bordeaux's Baron Philippe de Rothschild, the winery

29: Christian Seely and the '61 Palmer to Go

He's the man behind some of the most prestigious names in wine, including Bordeaux's Pichon Baron and Portugal's Quinta do Noval, and now AXA Millésimes managing director

28: Growing Up Kistler … And Coming Home to Occidental

Occidental winemaker Catherine Kistler grew up with an in-house wine legend: California Chardonnay icon, and also her dad, Steve. But Catherine came home to make Pinot No

27: Counting Down the Top 10 Wines of 2024

It's our season 2 finale and we're counting down Wine Spectator's Top 10 Wines of 2024! But before James reveals this year's 10 most exciting wines, including Wine Spect

26: Harvest Reality Check with Thomas Rivers Brown

Napa Valley is in the thick of harvest 2024, the busiest time of year in wine country, and Napa Cabernet superstar Thomas Rivers Brown took a break to tell us about the r

25: Crushing It Softly at Kistler Vineyards

When it comes to California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, few names command as much respect as Sonoma's Kistler Vineyards. Kistler president and winemaker Jason Kesner joine

24: Chef Daniel Boulud on Legacy, 'The Bear' and Being an American

Straight from the cover of Wine Spectator and the season 3 premiere of hit TV series The Bear, legendary chef Daniel Boulud invites us into the Daniel dining room for an

23: Farming 'Promiscuously' with Napa's Meghan Zobeck

A few days after winemaker Meghan Zobeck started her new job at Napa's historic Burgess Cellars, the winery burned down in the 2020 wildfires. With the help of owner Gayl

22: Patz & Hall's James Hall Buys It Back

Patz & Hall co-founder James Hall is still pinching himself: After selling the iconic California Chardonnay brand in 2016, Hall was able to buy it back earlier this year.

21: Salvestrin's Natalie Winkler, Plus … the World's Strongest Wine Thieves?

Salvestrin Family winemaker Natalie Winkler struck a chord when the 2018 Salvestrin Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon earned a spot among Wine Spectator's Top 10 Wine

20: The Blocking and Tackling of Wine with Dan Petroski

Winemaker Dan Petroski made news when he sold his boutique California white wine brand Massican to Gallo late last year. But that was just the latest step on a wine journ

19: Paul Hobbs on Making Opus One, a South American (Mis)Adventure … and Dixie Cup Yquem?!

From his teetotaling childhood home to Opus One's debut vintage to putting Argentine Malbec on the map, winemaker Paul Hobbs opens up to host James Molesworth about

18: Wine Spectator's Top 10 Wines of 2023 and Year in Review

It's our season 1 finale and our year-end roundup of the most exciting wines of the year! In this episode, host James Molesworth is joined by senior editor Bruce San

17: Bernard Arnault and Holiday Champagnes

What's in the cellar of the world's second-richest man? Wine Spectator senior editor for news Mitch Frank tells us all about LVMH founder, chairman and CEO Bern

Bonus Mini Episode: Dr. Vinny's Thanksgiving Wine Pairing Tips

What wine pairs best with turkey and sides? Straight Talk podcast director Rob Taylor made an emergency appointment with Wine Spectator advice columnist Dr. Vinny (aka se