Everyday Sommelier - Wine Stories with Kristi Mayfield

Everyday Sommelier - Wine Stories with Kristi Mayfield

Ever found yourself staring in the wine aisle at your local grocery store or sitting at a restaurant, totally clueless about which wine to choose? You know what you like when you taste it, but when it’s time to pick a bottle for your next dinner party or match it with a meal, you’re scanning labels, Googling wine pairings, and still second-guessing every choice. But here’s the thing: You don’t need to be a sommelier to enjoy wine confidently. With the right knowledge and a little guidance to understand wine lingo and unlock your own palate, you’ll be able to order at a restaurant without asking for a recommendation or walk into a wine shop and pick a bottle to pair with a meal like a pro. I’m your host, Kristi Mayfield, a certified sommelier who used to be the one staring at the shelf, swapping the bottle I chose for the one someone else recommended because I didn’t trust my own taste. But over the past 5 years, I’ve turned that confusion into expertise, teaching thousands of wine lovers and professionals how to cut through the pretentiousness and complexity of wine so they can confidently choose and enjoy wines they love. In each episode of the podcast, we’ll break down wine into simple, easy-to-understand terms. From regions and styles to winemaking techniques, tasting tips, and wine stories, you’ll get insights from a wine expert, an industry pro, or a wine educator to help you grab a glass and learn wine your way. #Wineeducation #winepodcast #Winetips #Winetasting #Wineregions #Winepairing #Wineknowledge #Wineexperts #Winestories #Wineindustry #Wineculture

Episodes

January 27, 2026 42 mins

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Unlock wine mastery as your hidden leadership skill and social capital advantage! In this episode, I join Cheryl Fischer, host of Mind Your Midlife, to share her journey from defense sales exec to founder of Sip Society Collective, revealing how high-impact women can leverage wine as a strategic power skill. This episode bursts open the gates to accessible wine fluency, breaking free from the elitist, intimidating tradit...

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Are you curious about non-alcoholic wine but skeptical of the taste, mouthfeel, and overall quality? Wondering why alcohol-free wines seem pricier and how they compare to traditional wines? 


This episode of Everyday Sommelier dives deep into the world of low- and no-alcohol wines—answering the burning questions wine lovers have and busting the most common myths.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the exact scienc...

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Struggling with the pressure of Dry January or feeling stuck between social trends and your love of wine? This episode relaunch of Everyday Sommelier with Kristi Mayfield empowers you to rethink restrictive trends like Dry January and Sober October. Dive deep into practical, approachable strategies for creating mindful wine habits—without sacrificing the joy and connection wine brings.

Explore the rise of counter-movement...

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Hybrid grapes are unlocking new frontiers in American wine, revolutionizing what’s possible from sparkling and dessert wines—especially from cold climate regions. 

Join me as I uncork the secrets behind high-acid, aromatic varietals like La Crescent and Frontenac, with winemaker Mark Wedge and wine professional James, at the innovative Dancing Dragonfly winery.

Discover how these "new kids on the block” are shaking up...

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Wave goodbye to wine intimidation—this episode of Everyday Sommelier uncorks a future where hybrid grapes and cold climate winemaking take center stage. Yes, you should try them. Now!

Join me as I sits down with James Peterson and Mark Wedge at Dancing Dragonfly Winery in Wisconsin, unlocking the secrets behind critically acclaimed Midwest wines made from grapes like Marquette, Frontenac, La Crescent, and more.

Uncover why...

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Forget what you know about Champagne and mass-produced bubbly—Texas is rewriting the rules with grit, creativity, and uncompromising passion. In this episode, Kristi Mayfield goes deep into the real story inside a bottle of Torr Na Loch’s traditional method sparkling wine.

If you’ve ever questioned why some sparkling wines are $10 and others command triple digits, you’ll uncover the true, labor-intensive journey that crea...

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Ever felt Champagne prestige was out of reach or reserved only for special occasions? This episode dismantles the intimidation factor and reframes Champagne as an approachable drink for any day of the week. Kristi Mayfield is joined by David Aferiat, luxury Champagne importer, who reveals why you should enjoy bubbles with pizza, chips, or even burgers—not just weddings and milestones. 

Dig into the secrets behind grower C...

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What does "Old Vine" on a wine label really promise? Is “Old Vine Zinfandel” truly better, or is it just marketing? In this wine stories episode of Everyday Sommelier, host Kristi Mayfield uncorks the truth about old vine wine, decoding industry buzzwords and cutting through the confusion surrounding one of wine’s most romantic—yet undefined—labels.

Explore why “Old Vine” isn’t a globally or legally defined term...

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When even seasoned wine experts and collectors are fooled, how can everyday wine lovers, like you, feel confident that the bottle in their cart (or on their table) is real? This episode of Everyday Sommelier with Kristi Mayfield exposes the unsettling rise of wine fraud—from multimillion-dollar counterfeit scandals to fake wine labels infiltrating mainstream shelves and online retailers. 

Learn how major wine regions are ...

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Tired of letting half-open bottles of wine go to waste—or waiting years to open a special bottle, only to find it’s past its prime? Wine preservation becomes exhilarating as Coravin inventor Greg Lambrecht joins Kristi Mayfield to reveal the transformative power of this breakthrough wine gadget.

Uncorking more than preservation, Greg and Kristi dig deep into wine technology and the freedom to taste, explore, and savor eve...

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Ever wondered if that special bottle in your wine rack is destined to become legendary—or just flat? Let Kristi Mayfield, certified wine expert, arm you with everything you need to confidently answer, “Should I age this wine, or pop it tonight?” Learn why only 1-5% of wines truly benefit from aging, and unravel the confusing myths surrounding vintage dates, price, and label claims.

Kristi reveals the 3 (three) invisible b...

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Ever wondered if your prized bottles are safe on that decorative wine rack? This episode of Everyday Sommelier reveals the biggest wine storage mistakes most collectors make (hint: that gorgeous spot on top of your fridge is a disaster for your wine) and gives you the wine storage strategy you need—no cellar required. Kristi Mayfield breaks down how to choose the best wine storage solutions for every type of bottle, from...

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Ever feel overwhelmed when handed the wine list at a business dinner, worried about making the wrong choice—especially when it comes to tannin in wine? This episode of Everyday Sommelier with Kristi Mayfield dives deep into what tannins really are, why they’re not the enemy of great wine, and how understanding them can become your superpower at any table. Kristi shatters the myth that high-tannin wines are best avoided a...

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Ordering wine at a restaurant is changing fast, and traditional glass bottles are no longer the only option on the table. This episode of Everyday Sommelier dives into the hottest restaurant wine trend: alternative wine packaging—from wine on tap and kegs to cans, Bag-in-Box, and eco-friendly recycled bottles. 

Kristi Mayfield explores what’s driving this seismic shift, including sustainability, lower costs, and fresher w...

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Cringe at the sight of boxed wine at a party? Think twice. Episode 41 of Everyday Sommelier breaks down everything you know—and don’t—about alternative wine packaging. Host Kristi Mayfield pulls back the curtain on why glass bottles aren’t the only (or best) way to store and enjoy your favorite wines.

Explore the facts behind boxed wine, canned wine, Tetra Pak, paper bottles, lightweight glass, and even reusable bottle pr...

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Wondering why the Sauvignon Blanc wine style you pick never tastes the same twice? If you’ve ever grabbed a bottle expecting vibrant citrus and got stone fruit—or vice versa—this episode is for you. Kristi Mayfield, host of Everyday Sommelier, unpacks the three major Sauvignon Blanc styles: New Zealand’s zesty citrus, a lush oak-aged warm climate version, and France’s mineral-driven Sancerre.

Unravel how key factors like ...

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Struggling to enjoy wine without feeling lost or out of place? Dive into this episode as Kristi Mayfield and sommelier Hennex Vigo confront wine’s intimidation factor and reveal how to make wine approachable for Millennials, Gen Z, women professionals, and curious drinkers. Learn why traditional wine education feels outdated and discover actionable strategies that empower you to discover new wines, trust your palate, and...

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Feeling overwhelmed the moment someone starts talking about “lemons, limes, or wet rocks” in your wine glass? You’re not alone. Wine tasting can seem like learning a foreign language—especially if you struggle to put words to what you taste or smell. In this episode of Everyday Sommelier, Kristi Mayfield is joined by neurodiversity educator, Russell Van Broecklen, to reveal revolutionary, science-backed techniques to hel...

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Feeling intimidated by the idea of solo travel or dining out alone? Episode 37 of the Everyday Sommelier podcast is your go-to guide for transforming solo wine tasting into a gateway for genuine connection and cultural immersion. Host Kristi Mayfield welcomes seasoned solo traveler Tsvety Roo, who shares her real-world experiences leveraging wine tasting as an effortless “ice breaker” on journeys across Spain, Portugal, ...

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Is your favorite red wine suddenly undrinkable when you pair it with dessert? You’re not alone. Sugar in wine and food is one of the biggest sources of wine pairing fails—and most people have no idea why! 

In this episode of Everyday Sommelier, expert Sommelier, Richard King, joins host Kristi Mayfield. The goal? To decode the complexities of sweet wine pairing and how sugar changes everything you thought you knew about e...

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