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
Give People Rosé | Barbara Gorder | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Barbara Gorder, a Sonoma Mountain based marketing consultant and the force behind the Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium, for a wide ranging conversation about why wine marketing keeps missing the moment and what it will take to bring people back without talking down to them.
Barbara shares the origin story that made her fall in love with wine, an art history trip to Chateauneuf du Pape, a 2000 year old cave, and a single glass that flipped a switch, then connects that sense of wonder to the practical reality wineries face today, more competition, higher acquisition costs, and outdated communication habits that still show up on websites and in tasting rooms. We talk about why wine should stop trying to control the language consumers use, why age based targeting is lazy compared to psychographics, and how the industry can rebuild connection through experience, hospitality, better storytelling, smarter media, and collaboration instead of repeating the same tired tropes.
We also dig into what DTC really means when you strip away the tech stack, how wineries can expand the tent with more accessible pathways like second labels and organic positioning, and what Barbara is most focused on heading into the DTC Wine Symposium in Monterey, January 20 to 22, from actionable sessions to hands on boot camps designed to help real operators build the future.