The Connected Table Live
Food and beverage industry insiders Melanie Young and David Ransom connect you to leaders and legends in wine, spirits, food and hospitality as they travel the world. Hear from vintners, restaurateurs, chefs, distillers, educators, authors, farmers and more. Melanie and David are the insatiably curious culinary couple who are always in search of a great story to share with their listeners. They bring a fresh approach to spotlighting industry movers and shakers and exploring the pleasures of the palate. Connect and visit www.theconnectedtable.com Instagram@theconnectedtable Like on Facebook@connectedtable
Episodes
April 17, 2024 • 52 mins
Roussillon in SW France produces 80% of France’s vin doux naturels (VDNs). The centuries-old process for making these fortified sweet wines, known as "mutage," occurs when a spirit is added to stop fermentation early, enabling the wine to retain its natural sugars. Roussillon AOP vin doux naturels include Banyuls, Maury, Rivesaltes, and Muscat de Rivesaltes. Eric Aracil, co-director & export manager at the Conseil Interprofessi...
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April 8, 2024 • 49 mins
Looking for an off-the beaten track wine glamping getaway in Italy? Consider Abruzzo. Azienda Agricola Cirelli is an organically farmed winery located in the Gran Sasso Park, home to one of the highest peaks in the Appennine Mountains. Stay in one of two well-appointed cabins surrounded by vineyards, olive trees and jaw-dropping views. Founder Francesco Cirelli is a talented "new generation" Abruzzo producer making amphora-fermente...
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April 3, 2024 • 40 mins
Alabama and Mississippi are both rich in music culture, notably the soulful sounds of the blues. TCT Hosts Melanie Young and David Ransom take you on a driving road trip from The Shoals of Alabama to Tupelo, Mississippi, to the visit the birthplace of Elvis Presley. Then, on to Oxford for a literary and dining stopover before heading to Highway 61's Mississippi Blues Trail. Here, they drive from Clarksdale to Vicksburg and share mu...
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April 1, 2024 • 52 mins
Charles Massoud grew up in a family of fine wine importers in Lebanon and dreamed of making his own wine. When his career brought him to the U.S.A. in the 1970s, he saw the potential of Long Island to make wine. In 1983 Charles and wife, Ursula, founded Paumanok Vineyards in Aquebogue on the North Fork to produce fine wines from estate-grown vinifera grapes. The family-run winery has won The New York Governor's Cup and NY State Win...
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March 27, 2024 • 51 mins
Caterina Dei continues the legacy of her grandfather, Alibrandi Dei, who planted his first vineyard, Bossona, in Montepulciano in 1964. Cantine Dei is now a leading producer of DOCG Vino Nobile di Montepulciano in Tuscany. Cantine Dei is a stunning winery built from travertine marble, conceived by Caterina’s late father, Glauco Dei. Honoring his memory. Caterina created Madonna Della Querce, a single cru wine. She discusses how she...
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January 31, 2024 • 41 mins
The noble Brandolini d’Adda family were respected military leaders serving Venice back to the 1600s. Vistorta, their 19th century country estate and winery in Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, is known for its world-class gardens, Merlot wines and local varietals like Fruliano. Fourth generation family member, Brandino Brandolini, graduated Texas A&M and worked at Château Greysac before taking the reins at Vistorta in 1985. He has oversee...
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January 24, 2024 • 47 mins
Located between the Veneto and Friuli, Casa Paladin is a stately winery born from humble origins. At age 16, Valentino Paladin lost his parents He supported his family by farming, baking bread, and opening a grocery. In 1962 he founded Casa Paladin. Today, the Paladin family also owns Bosco del Merlo, Friuli; Castello Bonomi, Franciacorta; Casa Lupo, Valpolicella; Castelvecchi and Poggio Petroso, both in Tuscany. Export Manager Mar...
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January 18, 2024 • 51 mins
There's a world of wine to enjoy and many choices. As the executive wine editor for Food & Wine and the wine & spirits editor for Travel + Leisure, Ray Isle has access to many wines to recommend for his column “What to Drink Next.” In his book, "The World in a Wineglass: The Insider's Guide to Artisanal, Sustainable, Extraordinary Wines to Drink Now," (Scribner 2023) Isle spotlights independent producers around the word who...
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January 17, 2024 • 18 mins
Transparency is key in what we drink and eat. People want products made with all natural ingredients and no additives that taste great, says KLYR Rum Distiller Lexi Close. Hand-crafted in Pennsylvania, KLYR is the vision of three friends who wanted a clean tasting rum with zero grams of sugar, zero grams of carbohydrates and fewer calories. KLYR rum is distilled 12 times and filtered 18 times with pure reverse osmosis water. Close ...
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January 11, 2024 • 43 mins
The name Biondi-Santi is synonymous with the Brunello wines of Tuscany’s Montalcino. At Biondi-Santi family estate, Tenute Il Greppo, Ferrucio Biondi Santi first barrel-aged 100% Sangiovese Grosso in 1888, naming it “Brunello di Montalcino.” In 2017 family owner, Jacopo Biondi-Santi, sold the winery to French firm EPI. Many wondered what would change. Biondi-Santi CEO Giampiero Bertolini is a wine industry veteran committed to main...
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December 21, 2023 • 51 mins
Stevie Kim is Managing Director of Vinitaly International, the world’s largest wine expo held in Verona where she's based. A self-proclaimed Italian Wine Evangelist, her impact spreading the gospel of Italian wine is widespread. Stevie has helped evolve Vinitaly from a trade fair to a global brand spearheading the Vinitaly International Academy, Wine2Wine Business Forum, Italian Wine Podcast and Opera Wine. Her many wine publishing...
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December 20, 2023 • 22 mins
Champagne Palmer was established in 1947 by seven grower families passionate about quality and sharing a vision to create a Grande Marque. Based in Montagne de Reims, Champagne Palmer encompasses 500 acres of Premier and Grand Cru vineyards throughout 40 crus. Champagne Palmer’s elegance and richness are enhanced by consistent blending and longer sur lie aging says Oenologist and Managing Director Rémi Vervier, who discusses a few ...
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December 7, 2023 • 21 mins
The Kautz family settled in California in 1926 from Germany to farm, eventually expanding into grape growing in the Lodi and Sierra Foothills appellations. Their Ironstone Vineyards located in Calaveras County is considered “the Queen of the Sierras” for its volcanic soils, optimum growing conditions and many grape varieties cultivated from Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to Cabernet Franc and Zinfandel. The family is recognized for...
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December 6, 2023 • 52 mins
Tor Kenward founded TOR Wines in 2001 after a 27-year career with Beringer Estates where he established Beringer's School for American Chefs with Madeleine Kamman and the American Institute of Wine & Food with Julia Child and Robert Mondavi. Kenward's memoir, "Reflections of a Vintner," spans his 50 -career from the 1970s when Napa had less than 50 wineries to today with more than 400 wineries and 1000 brands. TOR Wines embodie...
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November 30, 2023 • 19 mins
The Murúa of Bodegas Muriel is a venerable Rioja family. José Murúa founded his winery in 1926 in Elciego (Rioja Alavesa), an area known for exceptional terroir. His elegant, complex Rioja Reservas gained renowned. Bodegas Muriel, a compound of “ Murúa” and “Elciego,” is now run by 2nd and 3rd generations, Julian Murúa and son Javier Murúa Ganguitia. In the 2000s the family expanded, acquiring Conde de los Andes (Rioja Alta) and Lu...
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November 29, 2023 • 50 mins
Want to learn the hottest trends in food, drink, dining, and hotels for 2024? Each year hospitality marketers, AF&CO and Carbonate, issue an annual trends report, and 2024 is jam-packed with a few "aha!" topics. Culinary cocktails, chilled red wines, invasive species cooking, sea ingredients like algae, kombu and uni, mortadella and meringue desserts are a few examples. Korean cuisine reigns, and Philadelphia is a top dining ci...
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November 23, 2023 • 47 mins
The Connected Table went to Italy to visit family-owned wineries in the Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie DOC production areas of Veneto, Trento and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, collectively known as Triveneto. 82% of Italy's Pinot Grigio is produced here in four different styles: still, frizzante, sparkling and ramato. Learn what distinguishes Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie DOC and discover producers to try, including Maso Poli, Rechsteiner, Casa ...
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November 20, 2023 • 14 mins
Founded in 1880 as California’s 29th bonded winery, Geyser Peak has been at the forefront of quality wine production. Since 2020, the Kreps family of Quintessential have been stewards of this storied brand, continuing to reach for winemaking peaks. Geyser Peak sources its grapes from some of Northern California’s best vineyards for their AVA-specific and California- appellated wines which are acclaimed for being consistently fresh ...
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November 16, 2023 • 50 mins
Narrow, winding roads lead to the hilltop vineyards of Le Ragose, a family-run estate in Valpolicella Classico (Negrar comune) in Italy’s Veneto. In 1969, Oenologist Arnaldo Galli, and his wife Marta began to research and experiment with new techniques in viticulture and winemaking. Their sons, Paolo and Marco, now run Le Ragose with Paolo’s daughter, Marta, involved. All fruit is estate grown. Wines include Valpolicella Classico D...
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November 8, 2023 • 21 mins
"Quintessential" means “the best of its kind.” For Steve Sr. and Dennis Kreps, it meant focusing on small, family-owned wineries to establish Quintessential in 2003. Based in Napa, this family owned/operated import, marketing and sales company represents independent multi-generational winemaking families around the world. That’s currently 30 families and 41 wineries in 11 countries. The cofounders share the company’s quintessential...
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