This episode is a shorty to ease you into the new year! It’s been a couple weeks since we last talked, so I’m doing a little holiday recap with some wines I drank and food we ate this month. Stay til the end though for a very special guest: my little brother Nico! It’s the first ever interview with a second grader about wine lol. We chatted about how wine is made and he asks some of the hard hitting natty wine questions. He might know more about fermentation than some of the natty bros… Enjoy this episode and if please share, follow and rate on Spotify! It really helps me out :) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit masvinoplease.substack.com

Today, I bring you an inspiring interview and episode. Brittany Banda is the Founder and winemaker of Xochitl Wines, making wine out of Paso Robles. She’s also a mother, a Latina, a businesswoman and all around inspiration. I credit a lot of my early wine education and experience to her— she was such an incredible resource for me when I first started on my wine journey. Brittany and I went to our small high school together but we never really hung out. The universe is funny though, and reconnected us 10 years later over something that was barely on our radar in 2007: wine. In this episode, we share a bottle of her very first vintage, Xochitl Syrah (2020), a deeply beautiful and complex Syrah. We talk about changing careers, her inspirations, being a Latina in wine, creating space in wine for BIPOC folks and creating a legacy for her daughter. I left this interview feeling full of inspiration, pride and gratitude for knowing such badass women in wine. Brittany is a pioneer in many ways and I can’t wait to for you to listen and know her story. Be sure to check out Xochitl Wines on instagram to follow her journey and new vintages. Her wines are available for purchase on her website. Thanks for listening and be sure to like, share, review, follow etc etc etc ;) Your support keeps this pod going! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit masvinoplease.substack.com

A BONUS EPISODE for you to enjoy during the long holiday weekend! What better way to start prepping your Thanksgiving feast than by opening a bottle of Como La Flor and listening to our special, behind the scenes episode where I chat about the process of creating and collaborating on CLF and a live tasting and blending sesh with Andy and Issamu. In this episode, I share a bit about how the collaboration came to be, what Como La Flor means to me and why we think it’s kind of a game changer in the natural wine space :) Plus, Andy schools us on some wine science and shows us how to precisely measure and blend our tincture. At the very end, we do a little rapid fire with the Wonderwerk dudes and try the blended wine for the first time! Pretty cool, huh? If you haven’t already listened to the Wonderwerk episode, I highly recommend! It will help give some context about some of the things I discuss here. And also, it’s just a really great episode and they’re really cool dudes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit masvinoplease.substack.com

Andy and Issamu of Wonderwerk are wine making legends in my eyes. Their wine journey kind of started at rave parties in LA. Two friends from the East Coast, making natural wine in California in really cool, elegant and unexpected ways. You may know them from their iconic Free Your Mind wine or other disco-inspired bottles, or perhaps you learned about them through our collaboration wine, Como La Flor this month (which is sold out!!)— but did you know every single bottle is inspired by the way music makes you feel?Their philosophy and approach to wine is unique: they want to innovate, intervene (naturally) and bring the market something new that reminds you of a moment on the dance floor. I’m lucky enough to call these dudes friends and collaborators and I can’t wait for you to learn more about their winemaking philosophy, their origins in the LA warehouse rave scene, and how they feel about high intervention winemaking. ;) At the time of recording this episode’s intro we had a couple of bottles of Como la Flor left, but shortly after we sold out!! So thank you to every person who purchased and supported this collab! We love you! Wines from our vertical flight: Kickflip by VDC, Bomba Wines, and It’s a Fine Day by Wonderwerk. 3 Rielslings picked from from 2021 Zabala Vineyards. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit masvinoplease.substack.com

She’s baaaaack! The podcast is back with more amazing eps from interesting wine folks from across the industry. And to ease us (me) back into podcast mode, I decided to dive back in with my first solo episode! Today’s episode catches us up on all the things that have been going on since the last episode (in August? July? idk but timing is flyyyyying). I ramble a bit about what’s been going on with me, give you a crash course on the history of natural wine (the movement), share the Mas Vino Please origin story, answer some of your questions —ANDDDD I’ve got some cool news to share! So pour yourself a glass of vino and let’s get into it :) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit masvinoplease.substack.com

Welcome to Podcast Friday! We made it!Today’s episode of Mas Vino Please is a conversation with Brock Larsson, co-founder of Fiky Fiky Wine. I met Brock in the park one Sunday while drinking wine, which seems fitting because the wines he makes are the kind of wines you want to drink during a casual, but chic picnic or around a beautiful table setting with your friends. His preference for European-styles of wine influence the wine making process, but the vibe is still very California Noir. The final product is very sexy, very sunset drive along the coast, very chic. I’m excited for y’all to tune in and meet Brock! While we recorded we sipped a classic Beaujolais: Gamay Sans Frontière. Delightfully light and juicy. Perfect for sipping with small bites and good convo! After you listen to the pod, check out the brands namesake video. Don’t forget to share the pod with your friends and subscribe to Mas Vino Please on Spotify :) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit masvinoplease.substack.com

We’re back! A week later than planned but here we are with a brand new episode for you This week’s episode brings me a lot of joy! I was lucky enough to sit down with one of my wine boss inspirations: Kate Vourvoulis of Good Luck Wine Shop in Pasadena. She and her husband opened their shop peak pandemic and have grown it into an incredible community wine space and are curating some of the most interesting wines in the area. Their wine club is UNMATCHED (ships nationwide!) and an great place for new or advanced wine drinkers explore. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend you pop in to check out their selection, or have a glass of wine in their tasting room! (They also own the winery next door: Vin De California). In this episode, Kate shares about her own journey to wine, what it takes to open a shop and the truth about Post Malone’s wine! Give it a listen and be inspired—and don’t forget to share this podcast with 2 friends for a little **good luck** ;)The vino we sipped in this episode is was Cara Cara by Vin de California, available at their shop and in their tasting room!ps. I encountered a little bit of audio issue, so if you’re an audio geek and you notice, sorry lol. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit masvinoplease.substack.com

In short: Kristin Olszewski is a badass. She went from Harvard Med School to realizing that wine is life and very quickly learned the ropes, then became a sommelier and wine director around the US. Eventually (and very quickly), she started her own sustainable canned wine company: Nomadica Canned Wines and is adding Founder/CEO to her very long and impressive resume. In this episode, we chat about her journey to wine, somm life, and the tools to becoming a successful CEO. She’s been such a great friend and guide in my own wine journey, so I’m really excited to share her perspectives with you all and hopefully she can inspire some of you to start something amazing!Oh and don’t call her a “female founder”. She’s a FOUNDER and she’s ready to show you the ropes. We enjoyed a beautiful bottle of Sotto Banco Bianco by Andrea Occhipinti. A spectacular white wine from Sicily, very light skin contact. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit masvinoplease.substack.com

Episode 2 is here! Are you ready?I’m so excited to share this episode with Ben Shmikler, a photographer turned sommelier and the wine director of LA’s coolest hidden gem: Bar Restaurant in Silverlake. Ben is single handedly building out one of the most interesting wine lists I’ve seen in a minute. He’s an adventurous wine enthusiast, always looking for new and unique producers from around the world. His enthusiasm is so inspiring and I lovedddd this conversation with him. We went on a fun roller coaster of tangents from pop-ups, to sustainability in food & wine, pouring wine for guests and… cookies? Trust me, it all makes sense once you listen! I hope you enjoy this episode! Please let me know your thoughts on our convo and be sure to like, share, comment, rate, subscribe, etc etc ALL THE THINGS hehe. Your engagement helps me continue to build this community! The wine we sipped and chatted about in this episode: Say When Piquette made with rehydrated skins of Grenache Noir and Riesling. Be sure to order from and support local winemakers! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit masvinoplease.substack.com

Episode 1: Piquette Party with Rachel from Say When WineRachel and I met last year at the beginning of my Tik Tok career and connected over our love of wine (of course), the flower market, and living in Downtown LA! She’s an incredibly talented winemaker that places a strong emphasis on sustainable and regenerative farming. Rachel and her husband created Say When Wines to create experimental wines that bend the rules of traditional wine making, while still being extremely elegant and beautiful. Each of their wines tells a story that goes beyond the bottle and their thoughtful attention to detail is unmatched! I am so honored and excited to have Rachel as my first guest on Más Vino Please: The Podcast! I hope you enjoy this very first episode!!! Please be sure to share with your friends and leave a comment with your review! Your feedback and reviews are alwaysss appreciated! The wine we shared in this episode was Dawn by Neighborhood Winery/Pali Wine Co, a skin-contact wine of Pinot Gris/Chardonnay! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit masvinoplease.substack.com