In 2019, I had determined that the podcast world lacked an exploratory, fresh voice on wine. Honestly, I was completely bored with wine conversation in every direction. The traditional, “here’s a region and here’s what the wines taste like,” feels overdone. The influencer approach with highlight reels of world travel, living in high end resorts and devouring expensive wine/food pairings feels unreachable in a world with high inflation and, let’s face it, continuous work deadlines. And while I love talking with winemakers on how they make wines, I’m a place in my life where I find myself listening to winemakers give presentations and thinking, “the context behind why he/she is making wine this way is completely lost.”
Plus, I really like to talk about science, especially related to wine, to help reveal how complex wine really is.
My life has weaved a complex web lead by the interest in a beverage that has been made for thousands of years. There are so many components of my life that circulate around wine that I rarely get to talk about.
And, so, last year, “Voices of the Vine” finally debuted to bring to life new topics regarding wine.
What is “Voices of the Vine” with Denise Gardner and Virginia Mitchell?
Podcasts, digital audio files that can be instantly streamed through internet programs or podcast apps, are a unique way to discuss various topics of interest that act like continuous radio programs. While some podcasters are turning to video footage, too, most podcasts exist as standard audio and can be listened to through a smart phone and streaming app.
In 2023, award-winning winemaker and friend, Virginia Mitchell, and I decided to throw together a bunch of our ideas regarding what we would like to hear people talk about with regards to wine. Then in 2024, we spent the entire year maintaining idea boards, recording options, post-production editing software, and just figuring out how to bring a podcast to your smart phone. To be frank: we were busy!
The result has been “Voices of the Vine,” a podcast that explores the wine industry’s layered system of professionals: winemakers, grape growers, coopers, engineers, writers, tasters, and much, much more.
While we are just starting to release our library of episodes, we’re hoping to disrupt the everyday conversation about wine. Yes, we’ll explore standard wine topics like tasting wines, getting to know winemaking regions that are primarily discussed amongst sommeliers and wine tasting experts, and winemaking techniques. But we also want to highlight the professions that have contributed to the history, science, and culture that goes into each glass of wine. We want to bring to life some of the details, secrets, and daily moments of working in the wine industry to your ears.
This is will not be your snooty wine podcast!
Our goal is to bring a refreshing take on wine, generating intrigue for wine lovers and winemakers alike, covering topics rarely discussed by other wine experts. Listeners will have themselves saying, “I never knew that!” even if they tasted the wine before. If you have ever wanted to know more about wine, and the people that make it, this is your podcast.
What’s in the Line Up?
If you follow the DGW Sip & Swirl, you will follow the monthly Sip & Swirl newsletters that focus on wine appreciation.
And you will also find the “Voices of the Vine” show notes. This cellared archive is steadily growing and we plan on growing even more through 2025.
We’ve previously released several episodes that explore:
- Our origin stories into the wine industry. (Denise, Virginia)
- A 360-view on when to pick wine grapes from the perspective of a winemaking consultant (yours truly) and a winemaker (Virginia Mitchell).
- Our favorite wines for holiday gifts.
- The history of the New Year’s Eve [Champagne] toast – why did we choose Champagne for this annual event?
- The history behind mulled wines. (This is a great episode if you make and sell a mulled wine through your winery. Here’s why they are so popular.)
- The science and history behind the use of wood in winemaking.
- Us tasting and discussing specific wines (English sparkling, PA Cabernet Franc). If you’ve needed someone to lead you through tasting new wines, we give all of the information on wines we select to taste and discuss. This is a great way to expand your palate!
Here’s what to come in the year ahead:
- More about oak in wine.
- Tasting more wines and discussing them.
- Our favorite wines that exude or use oak in creative ways.
- Details and tastings about rosé wines.
And we’re hoping to start introducing industry members to talk about their perspectives and professions in the wine industry.
There are a lot of ideas we’re floating around as we move forward, so please, help us change the ongoing wine narrative and follow this new podcast series. Here’s how:
How to Follow “Voices of the Vine”
Show Notes for “Voices of the Vine” are getting published via the DGW Sip & Swirl, and will get housed in “The Cellar” (the archive for the Sip & Swirl). 😉
Subscribers to the Sip & Swirl will know when each new episode drops and have access to all of the notes and links made available for each episode.
Otherwise, you can subscribe to “Voices of the Vine” on your favorite podcast platform. (Note: we are currently not enrolled in Spotify-hosting sites and do not have plans to join the Spotify network. However, you can find us in most other platforms including Apple, Amazon, iHeart, and more!)
We welcome ideas for future episodes as well as honest reviews. Please feel free to engage with us via reviews and/or email us directly at info@dgwinemaking.com if you have ideas you would like for us to explore in future episodes.
We are excited for this release and hope that our growing wine loving community will grow with us as we develop this podcast series. Cheers to new journeys in the wine world!
The views and opinions expressed through dgwinemaking.com are intended for general informational purposes only. Denise Gardner Winemaking does not assume any responsibility or liability for those winery, cidery, or alcohol-producing operations that choose to use any of the information seen here or within dgwinemaking.com.
