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
59 episodes
Wine Cool Climate Wine Wins | Shawn Phillip | Barrels & Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Shawn Phillip, General Manager and Winemaker at Lykan Estate and Brago Cellars in Anderson Valley to talk about what it really takes to make world-class Pinot Noir in one of California's ...
Shut Up and Drink the Wine | Barbara Gross | Barrels & Roots
In this episode of Barrels & Roots, I sit down with Barbara Gross, co-owner of Cooper Mountain Vineyards in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Barbara breaks down what biodynamic farming actually means, why the Willamette Val...
Trust Your Taste | Robert Cavanaugh | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Robert Cavanaugh, CEO of Adventure Wine, to talk about how beginners can start enjoying wine without feeling overwhelmed or embarrassed. Robert has spent decades te...
Wine’s Hidden Step | Adam Halsey | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Adam Halsey of Halsey Bottling to explore one of the most overlooked but important parts of the wine industry: the bottling process. Adam shares how his family’s mobile bottling business ...
Sip The Story | Janell Harris | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Janell Harris, creative director for Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Col Solare, Antinori Napa Valley, and the Marchese Antinori portfolio in the U.S. We talk about how wine became more than just ...
Grapes Got Wisdom | Felix Egerer | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Felix Egerer, a viticulturist farming vineyards on Vancouver Island for Unsworth Vineyards and Blue Grouse Estate Winery. We talk about how a kid from beer country in Germany ended up buildi...
Stop Overthinking Wine | Tim Gaiser | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser for a conversation about making wine feel less intimidating and more human. We talk about why so many people feel overwhelmed by wine language, restaurant lists, ...
Dirt, Deals, and Dollars | Mike Hansen | Barrels & Roots
I sat down with Mike Hansen, founder of the Hansen Vineyard and Winery team under Sotheby's International Realty, and this one pulled back the curtain on a corner of the wine world most people never see. Mike isn't just a ...
Drink This Instead | Ryan Rech & Taylor Harris | Barrels and Roots
In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Ryan and Taylor, the winemakers behind Polemonium Wines, to unpack what’s really happening inside the wine industry and why so many things need to change. We get into t...
More Than Beverage | Clark Smith | Barrels and Roots
I sat down with Clark Smith to explore why wine is not just something you drink, but something that connects people to land, culture, history, and the human soul. We went deep into the evolution of American winemaking, from the early days of tr...
Precision, Pesticides, and Puzzles | Linsi Luckett | Barrels & Roots
In this episode of Barrels & Roots, I sit down with Linsi Luckett, lead horticulturalist, agronomist, licensed pest control advisor, and FAA-certified drone pilot at Sunridge Nurseries - the largest grapevine-producing nursery in North A...
Made Not Born | David Natali | Barrels and Roots
I sat down with David Natali, and what stood out most is that great winemakers aren’t born, they’re built through experience, instinct, and time in the cellar. From starting with no traditional path to becoming a Napa Vall...
Chasing Imperfect Circles | Adam Edelman | Barrels & Roots
I sat down with Adam Edelman, the mind behind Nisi Wines, and what started as a conversation about winemaking turned into something much deeper. Adam's journey into wine began completely by chance when he moved from Connec...
Santo Diablo Rising | Junio Vargas Ojeda | Barrels & Roots
I sat down with Junio Vargas Ojeda, winemaker at Cali Custom Crush and founder of Santo Diablo Wine Company, to hear how a kid from a farming family ended up making some of the most interesting wines in Paso Robles. Junio ...
Soil, Story, Soul | Josh Trowbridge | Barrels and Roots
In this episode, I sat down with Josh Trowbridge, the general manager of Benovia Winery, for a conversation about wine, storytelling, and what gives something lasting value. From discovering wine in college to building a career acro...
Merlot Slushies Forever | Molly Bossardt | Barrels and Roots
I sat down with Molly Bossardt, a boutique wine marketing strategist who traded New York tech startups for Italian wine country, and we got into everything the wine industry doesn't want to admit out loud. Molly runs her agency from Torino, ...
Terroir Is A Love Language | Vicki Tomiser | Barrels and Roots
In this episode, I sat down with Vicki Tomiser, a wine consultant, hospitality veteran, and self-described "winosaur" whose love affair with wine started not in a cellar but in a buying room full of middle-aged men in gray suits.
Grapes, Gis & Gut Instinct | Dennis McCarter | Barrels and Roots
I sat down with Dennis McCarter, founder of McGregor McCarter's Cellars, and honestly this conversation hit different. Dennis left a 13-year career in insurance after the Tubbs Fire reshaped his world, and instead of starting over in somethi...
Sip Happens: Rebranding Tradition | Stephanie Wycoff | Barrels and Roots
I sat down with Stephanie Wycoff, the General Manager of Gary Farrell Winery, to pull back the curtain on an industry that often feels too polished to be real. As a video editor and storyteller, I’m always looking for those "faked it till I ...
Napa’s Gilded Gatekeeping | Mallory McEligot | Barrels and Roots
I sat down with Mallory McEligot, the force behind Bang Wine Country, to pull back the curtain on why the wine industry feels so inaccessible right now. As a fifth-generation local, Mallory saw the literal roots of the valley before it becam...
Celebrity Wine Challenge | David Gibson & Lynn Finkbiner | Barrels and Roots
I sat down with Lynn Finkbiner and David Gibson and we ended up going down one of the most unexpected rabbit holes I’ve had on the show, matching celebrities to wines and breaking down why it actually makes sense. From Ped...
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...
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.