Sophie Barrett recently returned to her home state of North Carolina after spending a decade in New York City.  A member of the wine trade since 2005, Sophie is currently the general manager of <a href='http://www.hawriverwineman.com/'>Haw River Wine Man</a>, which is a wine distributor in the Carolinas. Sophie shares thoughts about many matters, including: *her wine career path from retail to distribution, with a number of enviable stopovers *what irresistibly drew her back home *a breakdown of North Carolina’s geography *what Wegman’s tells you about North Carolina’s explosive growth *erroneous perceptions of the South *wine pairings with NC’s famous vinegar-based BBQ Sophie finds hope in the power of wine as a connecting force.

Episode 17.5 - Michael's Thoughts on Independence Day

The American Tributaries podcast will explore the vast and various currents of people in the United States of America, like a modern-day Lewis & Clark journey, talking with...learning from...and being amazed by...people of all stripes from all places doing all sorts of things.  Although a broad mission, the podcast will focus on a particular and very important niche: cultivating hope in – and celebration of – America.