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.
Barrels & Roots
Find Your Bottle | Matt Reid | Barrels and Roots
In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with Napa Valley winemaker and general manager Matt Reid of Benessere Vineyards to talk about wine the way real people actually experience it, not as a test, not as a flex, but as a shared, soulful, analog thing in a digital world.
We get into Matt’s path from environmental economics and the EPA to UC Davis viticulture and enology, then into harvest life and the mentor and peer community that shapes winemakers over time. He explains his reactive winemaking style, paying attention to what the fermentation and the grapes are asking for, and I connect it to how I used to teach English, how no two students need the same approach, and how the best results come from being present, flexible, and paying attention. We also unpack why wine still matters, how it differs from beer and spirits because it is not built for perfect consistency, every vintage, vineyard, and winemaker is its own expression, and that difference is the point. If you feel intimidated by wine, this conversation is your reset, you cannot really do it wrong, you do not need perfect tasting notes, and you do not need to pronounce everything perfectly. Matt shares a simple mindset for new wine drinkers, build relationships with a great local wine shop, explore with intention, and learn your preferences through experience, and we talk about younger wine drinkers moving beyond big Napa Cabernet brands toward curiosity, variety, and personal taste.
If you want wine to feel more accessible, more fun, and more human, this episode will help you relax, trust yourself, and actually enjoy what is in your glass.