Barrels & Roots
Welcome to Barrels & Roots, a journey through the world of wine and food, where every vineyard, kitchen, and cellar holds a story worth telling. Hosted by Sean Trace, this show explores the passion, tradition, and creativity that turn simple ingredients into art and shared moments into legacy.
From the heart of Napa Valley to the tables and tasting rooms of the world, Sean sits down with winemakers, chefs, and artisans who live by their craft. Each conversation dives into the culture, the community, and the human stories that give flavor to what we create and share.
Whether you are a sommelier, a chef, a storyteller, or someone who simply loves the ritual of a good meal and a better conversation, Barrels & Roots invites you to slow down, listen closely, and taste the stories that connect us all.
Episodes
38 episodes
Ride The Wave | Caleb Foster | Barrels and Roots
I sat down with Caleb Foster, a career winemaker who’s spent decades in the craft, and what I thought would be a conversation about wine turned into something much deeper. We got into what it actually means to create somet...
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28:47
The Luxury of Water | Jeremy Chen | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Jeremy Chen, co-founder and CEO of Leveto, to talk about why premium spring water deserves a real place in wine tasting, fine dining, and intentional hospitality.
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36:21
The Art of Sparkling | Kyle Altomare | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with winemaker Kyle Altomare from Gloria Ferrer for a conversation about sparkling wine, winemaking, mentorship, and the deeper craft behind making something truly memorable. <...
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51:13
Taste The Story | Marc R. Kauffman | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with certified sommelier Marc R. Kauffman to talk about what really makes wine special, beyond the label, the price point, and the polished image people often see from the outside.
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45:19
Sip Outside The Box | Serena Harkey | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sat down with Serena Harkey, Food and Beverage Director for the Cowboys Club in Frisco, Texas, to talk about wine in a way that feels real, approachable, and actually fun. We got int...
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45:40
Pour With Purpose | Siphe Mwanza | Barrels and Roots
In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with Siphe Mwanza from South Africa, who is building a wine investment platform designed to democratize access to fine wine as an asset class. We get into why wine can hold val...
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42:12
Cool Kids Drink Wine | Jame Blackmon | Barrels and Roots
In this Barrels and Roots podcast episode, I sit down with Jame Blackmon, a Napa hospitality leader and wine pro who is living a true multi-hyphenate life, director of hospitality at Napa Valley Car Club, involved with Salty Goats and other ...
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54:06
Wine Isn’t Snobby | Lynn Finkbiner | Barrels & Roots
In this episode of Barrels & Roots, I sit down with Lynn Finkbiner, a certified sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, to break down wine in a way that actually makes sense. We talk about how she went from y...
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38:39
Building My Own Label | Jane Jiang | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Jane, the proprietor of Duncan Peak Vineyards and a consulting winemaker at Kale Wine Consulting, to talk about what it really takes to build a wine career from the ground up.
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42:19
Dentist Turned Winemaker | Jessica McDowell | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Jess McDowell, a Napa Valley contract winemaker and the owner of Jess McDowell Consulting, who manages wine production for Kever Vineyards, Rewa Vineyards, and Lindstrom. ...
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41:10
Stop Selling Wine | Ben Salisbury | Barrels and Roots
In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with Ben Salisbury, founder of Salisbury Creative Group, who has spent more than four decades in wine and hospitality and now helps wineries and distilleries accelerate sales, improve execution, ...
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51:45
Lo-Fi Wine Stories | Heather Daenitz | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Heather Daenitz, a Santa Barbara County photographer and marketer who helps small wineries tell the real story of how wine gets from grape to glass, through honest images and smart social...
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52:17
Making Maya’s Vineyard | Maya Dalla Valle | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Maya Dalla Valle of Dalla Valle Vineyards in Napa Valley to talk about what it really takes to grow grapes and make world class wine when you only get one shot per vintage. <...
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47:26
Everyday Luxury Wine | Brooke Delmas Robertson | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Brooke Delmas Robertson of Delmas and SJR Vineyard in the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, Walla Walla Valley, to talk about why staying small can be the secret to making truly unforgetta...
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48:56
Blending The Chaos | Julie Schreiber | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, host Sean Trace sits down with consulting winemaker Julie Schreiber, a chef turned enologist, mushroom forager, and Northern California wine veteran with over 25 years in the cellar. Julie shares her jou...
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39:01
Wine Without The Cringe | Kelsey Gorter | Barrels and Roots
In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with winemaker Kelsey Gorter to talk about how wine really gets made, from vineyards and harvest cycles to the behind-the-scenes reality of bulk wine sales and building wines for places like Trader ...
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38:24
Family Wine Legacy | Denise McKahn | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Denise McKahn, CEO of McKahn Wines, to talk about building a family wine brand, falling into the wine industry from an accounting background, and learning how to sell wine in a world wher...
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38:51
Wine Is Not Precious | Kip Lorenzetti | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Central Coast winemaker Kip Lorenzetti, a guy who went from selling toilets to crafting wines for legacy Paso Robles brands. We talk about what really happens behind th...
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54:50
Janitors Babysitting Yeast | Adam Martinez | Barrels and Roots
In this Barrels and Roots Podcast episode, I sit down with Adam Martinez, winemaker at Uplifted Winery in Rapid City, South Dakota, to talk about what winemaking actually looks like when you strip away the romance and get into the real craft...
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48:47
Cork Pop Romance | Dan Stotesbery | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Dan Stotesbery, managing partner at Ladera Vineyards, a family-owned Napa Valley winery he now runs day-to-day with his wife. We talk about why small, family-run wineri...
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45:53
Master Of Wine | Anne McHale | Barrels and Roots
I’m talking with Anne McHale about what the Master of Wine path really looks like and why it actually matters for everyday wine drinkers, not just industry insiders. We unpack what a Master of Wine does, why the qualificat...
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39:47
Wine Without the Snob | Lailand Flaherty | Barrels and Roots
In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with Napa Valley native Lailand Oberschulte-Flaherty, VP of Marketing at OrderPort, to talk about wine without the intimidation. We get into why wine feels “snooty” to so many ...
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45:12
Not Just Champagne | Philippe Bienvenu | Barrels & Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Philippe Bienvenu, who was born and raised in Champagne and has spent over three decades living inside the culture, history, and craft of the region. We unpack what champagne actually is, no...
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47:07
Wine Isn’t Booze | James Silver | Barrels and Roots
In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with James Silver, a three-decade wine industry executive whose love for wine started by accident in Burgundy and never let go. We get into why wine hits different, not as an alcohol delivery sys...
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51:05
Sparkling Wine Unlocked | David Gibson | Barrels and Roots
In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with David Gibson, CEO and founder of Gibson Wine Consulting in Napa Valley, and this is his 4th time coming back on the podcast, which honestly says a lot because every convo with him somehow ma...
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51:51