Barrels & Roots

Sean Trace
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  • FOOD

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.

  1. 2D AGO

    Stop Selling Wine | Ben Salisbury | Barrels and Roots

    In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with Ben Salisbury, founder of Salisbury Creative Group, who has spent more than four decades in wine and hospitality and now helps wineries and distilleries accelerate sales, improve execution, and win in today’s brutal market. We talk about the biggest misconceptions wineries still cling to, especially the idea that great wine, great packaging, luxury branding, and a beautiful estate will magically carry the business.  Ben breaks it down in plain terms, that is table stakes now, and the real game is understanding your customer, serving their needs, and adapting fast because the wine industry has changed dramatically. We get into the unsexy realities of distribution and the three tier system, why relying on distributors to “sell it for you” is a trap, and why “more accounts, more states, more placements” can actually be the wrong strategy. Ben shares the behind the scenes truth about what keeps restaurant and retail accounts, consistent supply, logistics, trust, and dependability, not a fancy pitch or a perfect origin story.  I connect it to content and media, because the same shift is happening everywhere, your product can be excellent, but if you do not learn modern selling, focus on the right buyers, and go narrow and deep instead of wide and thin, you get buried.  If you are a winery owner, founder, sales leader, or anyone trying to grow in a crowded market, this conversation is a straight up reset on wine sales strategy, customer empathy, and what it actually takes to sell through in 2026 and beyond.

    52 min

  2. 6D AGO

    Lo-Fi Wine Stories | Heather Daenitz | Barrels and Roots

    In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Heather Daenitz, a Santa Barbara County photographer and marketer who helps small wineries tell the real story of how wine gets from grape to glass, through honest images and smart social media.  We talk about why the most powerful visuals are not the perfectly staged sunset vineyard shots, but the gritty, human moments, the dirty hands, the chaotic desks, the half-finished plates, the lipstick on the glass, and the bottles with drips down the label. Heather breaks down what wineries get wrong when they try to market themselves, why people are craving analog again, film photography, digicams, texture, grain, and why overly polished content can instantly feel like an ad. We also get into how TikTok and the rise of AI imagery are pushing people back toward real, lo-fi storytelling, and why wine carries emotion in a way most products do not, because it’s alive, vintage-driven, and tied to memory, place, and people.  Along the way, we connect the idea of film light leaks to life, how plans go sideways, how imperfections can turn into art, and why the best wine moments are the ones where you forget the wine completely because you’re finally present with the person in front of you.

    52 min

  3. FEB 2

    Making Maya’s Vineyard | Maya Dalla Valle | Barrels and Roots

    In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Maya Dalla Valle of Dalla Valle Vineyards in Napa Valley to talk about what it really takes to grow grapes and make world class wine when you only get one shot per vintage.  We get into how she found winemaking after studying international relations and chasing a diplomat path, why wine is a living piece of history, and what it feels like to taste legendary bottles like 1911 Chateau Latour and 1945 Chateau Lafite and realize you are literally drinking a moment in time. Maya breaks down the behind the scenes reality of vineyard work, the skill and decision making in pruning that impacts not just this year but next year too, and the high stakes pressure of blending when you cannot uncouple the lots once they are combined. We talk about her years living in Bordeaux, what she learned from European multi generational wine families, biodynamic farming, old vines, and how Napa can stay authentic while still connecting with younger wine drinkers through transparency, sustainability, and stories that make wine feel less intimidating.  We also have some fun with it, comparing grape varieties to horse personalities, calling out Cabernet Franc for its chaotic energy, and ending on a real note about slowing down, staying present, and building a legacy that still tastes like a place, a season, and a family 20 to 30 years from now.

    47 min

  4. FEB 2

    Everyday Luxury Wine | Brooke Delmas Robertson | Barrels and Roots

    In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Brooke Delmas Robertson of Delmas and SJR Vineyard in the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, Walla Walla Valley, to talk about why staying small can be the secret to making truly unforgettable wine. Brooke breaks down what makes the Rocks District so distinct, an AVA defined by its soil, with volcanic basalt cobbles and gravels that create a signature salty, savory, umami-like character in the wines.  We dig into Rhône varieties like Syrah, Viognier, Grenache, and field-style blends, and she explains how Rocks District Syrah can be so site-specific that once you taste it, you can spot it across a table for the rest of your life. We also get real about the wine world’s gatekeeping, the “no soup for you” scarcity vibe, and why critics and scores are just one person’s opinion on one day, not a rulebook for how I’m supposed to enjoy a bottle. Along the way we riff on everyday luxury, why a hundred dollar bottle is allowed to be a Tuesday bottle, and how the best wine experiences are the ones that feel like a lifestyle, not a once-in-a-lifetime performance. Brooke shares the story behind her BDR blend, how vintage variation and climate shape the final wine, and why making wine by listening to the year matters more than forcing a recipe.  We close with where to find Delmas wines online, their limited production Viognier and Grenache, a magnum-only Syrah, and their first tasting room opening in downtown Walla Walla in February 2026.

    49 min

  5. JAN 26

    Blending The Chaos | Julie Schreiber | Barrels and Roots

    In this episode of Barrels and Roots, host Sean Trace sits down with consulting winemaker Julie Schreiber, a chef turned enologist, mushroom forager, and Northern California wine veteran with over 25 years in the cellar. Julie shares her journey from culinary school to UC Davis, breaking down how food, science, and creativity collide in modern winemaking. They explore how great wine is built like jazz, giving each element space to breathe, how blending is part science and part intuition, and why controlled chaos often leads to the most memorable bottles. Julie opens up about vineyard tasting, fermentation decisions, barrel aging, and the subtle art of crafting balance between acidity, tannin, alcohol, and aroma. The conversation also dives into wine consulting, building brands, teaching clients to define the story behind their label, and why imperfection and funk can sometimes be the secret ingredient. Along the way, they connect wine to music, storytelling, and even life lessons in embracing unpredictability. If you love Napa and Sonoma winemaking, wine blending, vineyard life, food and wine pairing, or the behind the scenes reality of crafting a bottle from grape to glass, this episode is for you.

    39 min

  6. JAN 23

    Wine Without The Cringe | Kelsey Gorter | Barrels and Roots

    In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with winemaker Kelsey Gorter to talk about how wine really gets made, from vineyards and harvest cycles to the behind-the-scenes reality of bulk wine sales and building wines for places like Trader Joe’s and Costco.  We get into how she went from teaching high school chemistry to working harvests in California and the Southern Hemisphere, and why winemaking is a long-game craft that rewards patience, presence, and having a clear vision years ahead. Kelsey breaks down why wine feels intimidating for a lot of people, especially younger drinkers, and what the industry needs to do to make wine more accessible, less stuffy, and more authentic. We also talk about choice paralysis in the grocery aisle, why marketing often feels fake, the rise of non-alcoholic wine, and how quality can show up at a wide range of price points.  Along the way we nerded out on Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, sparkling wine, and the challenge of Zinfandel, plus the idea that wine is a story in a glass because of the sheer human labor and farming behind every bottle. If you want a grounded, real conversation about modern wine culture, winemaking careers, and how the wine industry can find balance again, this one’s for you.

    38 min

  7. JAN 21

    Family Wine Legacy | Denise McKahn | Barrels and Roots

    In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Denise McKahn, CEO of McKahn Wines, to talk about building a family wine brand, falling into the wine industry from an accounting background, and learning how to sell wine in a world where the market is shifting fast. Denise shares the moment that sparked her son Chuck’s winemaking journey, a bottle of Cabernet opened at Sunday dinner that basically set his whole career in motion, and how that passion eventually led them to focus on Rhone varietals like Viognier and Syrah.  We get into why Rhone-style wines deserve more love, how harder-to-find grapes like Syrah create real sourcing challenges in Napa, and what it looks like to run a small winery during the current wine industry slowdown. We also talk about legacy, family business boundaries, women in wine leadership, wine tasting without intimidation, and why you do not need an estate vineyard to make great wine.  If you care about Napa Valley, Sonoma wine, Livermore roots, Rhone varietals, small winery survival, or the real behind-the-scenes of wine sales and marketing, you’re going to like this one.

    39 min

  8. JAN 19

    Wine Is Not Precious | Kip Lorenzetti | Barrels and Roots

    In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Central Coast winemaker Kip Lorenzetti, a guy who went from selling toilets to crafting wines for legacy Paso Robles brands.  We talk about what really happens behind the scenes of winemaking, from brutal harvest labor to the patience it takes to taste a wine that is still finding itself. Kip breaks down how winemakers taste through young, aggressive wines to see their future, why most people misunderstand how wine is made, and why enjoying wine has nothing to do with being sophisticated. We get into entry-level wines, evolving palates, loud versus subtle flavors, and the truth that great wine is less romance and more grit, teamwork, and timing.  If you’ve ever wondered how wine actually goes from vineyard to glass, or felt like wine culture was too intimidating, this conversation brings it back to earth where it belongs.

    55 min
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Sean Trace
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Barrels & Roots
  • Show Website
    Barrels & Roots