Inside Pour: After Hours

Alaina Leech and Kristy McClellan

Inside Pour: After Hours is where wine is just the starting point. We're two women in our 40s, business partners, moms, and best friends for more than 20 years. We own a retail wine shop together, love a good adventure, and aren't afraid to say what we're really thinking. From wine and work to friendship, family, and all the chaos in between, these are the conversations we'd be having whether the microphones were on or not. Pour yourself something good and pull up a chair, we're so glad you're here.

  1. 2h ago

    Who’s Handling the PR Here? | Ep20

    Big things are happening over here. We’re making a wine together, taking a group to Piedmont, Italy and continuing to come up with ideas that create more work for ourselves. Very on brand. But the real question this week is: who the hell is handling the PR around here? Some things have been unfairly judged for years and we’re ready to defend them. Others have convinced everyone they’re incredible and we have questions. We get into wine, food, travel, getting older, things we’ve changed our minds about and a few opinions we’re prepared to stand behind. Consider this our completely unsolicited attempt to fix some reputations. Featured Wine: VP004 Gober & Freinbichler Blaufränkisch, Imported by VomBoden, Distributed by AHD Vintners, Sold at Lake District Wine Co

    Who’s Handling the PR Here? | Ep20

  2. Oct 1

    Apparently We Do Everything Now | Ep19

    Apparently owning a wine shop means doing pretty much everything except standing around selling wine. This week we’re talking about what it takes to keep an independent wine shop going right now. The events, classes, Wine Club, collaborations, travel, podcast, Substack, making approximately one million different pieces of content, social media, endless ideas and all the other things that definitely weren’t in the original business plan. The way people shop for wine has changed, and small shops have had to change with it. We talk about why putting great bottles on the shelf simply isn’t enough anymore, why creating experiences and community matters so much, and what independent shops can offer that you’re never going to get walking down a grocery store wine aisle. It’s a lot of work. It’s also insanely fun. And if tomorrow we come up with another slightly unhinged idea that creates more work for ourselves, there’s an excellent chance we’re going to do that too. Featured Wine: 2024 Fuedo Montoni Catarratto del Masso, Imported by Wilson Daniels, Distributed by Vintage Wine Co, Sold at Lake District Wine Co.

    Apparently We Do Everything Now | Ep19

  3. Sep 18

    Highly Educated, Questionably Qualified | Ep18

    It’s been a week! Three straight days of Wine Club events, plenty of other celebrations mixed in, and an impressive amount of wine consumed in the name of education. Which gets us talking about how we actually learn about wine, from classrooms and blind tasting to traveling, meeting producers, standing in vineyards and our personal favorite, drinking the wine in the place where it comes from. We strongly support field research. We also get into what all those letters after wine people’s names actually mean, the difference between Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, and the fairly major news that Alaina got into the Master of Wine program. Very exciting. Very terrifying. And now she has to decide if she’s actually crazy enough to do it. Then, because the wine world clearly needs another credential, we introduce the WDE: Wine Drinking Expert. We created our own entrance exam and, for once, feel extremely confident in our academic preparation. Turns out we’ve been studying for this one for years. Featured Wine: 2024 L’Ami des Crustacés Pinot Blanc Classique Gustave Lorentz, Distributed by Imperial Beverage, Sold at Lake District Wine Co

    Highly Educated, Questionably Qualified | Ep18

  4. Sep 9

    Beaver Fever & Back To School | Ep17

    Summer isn’t technically over, but we have a lot to catch up on. We’re talking favorite summer moments, a fresh case of Beaver Fever after our trip to Beaver Island, and the kids being back in school, which means we’re all attempting to remember what a routine feels like. We’re also tasting through wines for our upcoming Wine Club pickup party because somebody has to do the hard work. This one feels a lot like sitting down for a glass of wine with your friends after a very full summer: plenty to talk about and nowhere in particular to go with it. Grab a glass and join us!

    Beaver Fever & Back To School | Ep17

  5. Aug 27

    Good Wine. Good People. Guilty as Charged. | Ep16

    This week we're recapping an unforgettable Traverse City Food & Wine Festival weekend and talking about why community events are some of the best investments we can make. Great food and wine are only part of the story—the real magic is what happens when people get out, try something new and support the places they call home. Then we're debuting a brand-new segment: Wine Court. The wine crimes are petty, the opinions are strong and the verdicts are final. Court is officially in session. Featured Wine: Pazo Cilleiro Albariño 2024, Distributed by Imperial Beverage, Sold at Lake District Wine Co Additional mentions: Traverse City Tourism, Traverse City Food & Wine Festival

    Good Wine. Good People. Guilty as Charged. | Ep16

  6. Aug 13

    Flash Forward to August 2031 | Ep15

    This week we're fast-forwarding to August 2031. What does Lake District Wine Co. look like? Where are our families? What kind of women have we become? We're putting it all out there and talking about the future we hope we're creating. But this isn't manifestation in the woo-woo sense. It's about getting clear on what you want and asking yourself, What do I need to do today to make that future possible? What habits do I need to build? What risks do I need to take? What kind of person do I need to become? At the same time, we're talking about striking the right balance between dreaming big and living the life happening right now. It's easy to get so focused on the next goal, the next promotion, the next chapter, that you miss the ordinary days that make up your life. We believe your future is built by today's actions, but today's moments deserve to be enjoyed, too. Pop the cork on a bottle you've been saving and join us as we dream about the next five years, celebrate where we are today, and talk about the small decisions that turn big dreams into reality. Cheers! Featured Wine: La Spinetta Timorasso Colli Tortonesi Derthona 2024, Imported by Skurnik Wines, distributed by Imperial Beverage and sold by Lake District Wine Co Additional mentions: Mackinac Island

    Flash Forward to August 2031 | Ep15

  7. Aug 6

    The Long Game | Ep14

    This week we're pulling back the curtain on what it really looks like to run an independent wine shop. From the outside, it might seem like we spend our days tasting wine and chatting with customers (and yes, there's plenty of that), but behind the scenes we're constantly making decisions about where to invest our time, energy, and budget. We're talking about the balance between short-term revenue and long-term growth, why every season has a different purpose, how we plan inventory months in advance, and why saying "yes" to one opportunity often means saying "no" to another. We also get into the things that don't always show up on a profit and loss statement but are essential to building a successful business, education, customer relationships, community, and creating an experience people want to come back to. Whether you're a business owner, thinking about starting something of your own, or just curious about what goes into stocking the shelves at your favorite local wine shop, this episode is an honest conversation about the decisions, tradeoffs, and long game of building a business. Pour yourself something good and come hang out with us. Featured Wine: 2025 Quinta do Ermízio, Vinho Verde, Imported by Jose Pastor Selections and distributed by AHD Vintners and sold at Lake District Wine Co. Additional Mentions: BOS Wines Raduno Golden Hour Outdoors Shady Lane Cellars Mari Vineyards Maria's Hot Sauce EB2 Vintage Cherryland Humane Society Crooked Tree Arts Center Vom Boden

    The Long Game | Ep14

  8. Jul 27

    Worth Every Penny | Ep13

    This week we're talking about the purchases that have made our lives better because they've given us more life to live. From travel and ski passes to wine education, five-star dinners, childcare, and a few unforgettable bottles, we're sharing the things we'd happily spend the money on again. Is it worth spending your Saturday cleaning your house if hiring someone means you spend the day making memories with your kids? Is the cheaper option really cheaper if it costs you hours of your life? There was a time when we optimized for productivity. Now, we're trying to optimize for living. The older we get, the more we realize the best investments are the ones that get us out into the world, around a table with friends, on the ski hill, on a plane, or simply more present with the people we love. The laundry will always be there. The dishes will always be there. Your kids won't always be little, and your friends won't always be free on a random Tuesday. Life has a funny way of happening while we're busy trying to catch up. Pour yourself something good and come hang out with us as we talk about what was worth every penny, what absolutely wasn't, and why we're spending less time chasing stuff and more time investing in experiences, connection, and buying back time. Because the best things we've ever bought weren't really things at all. They were the moments that made our lives richer. Featured Wine: Wolf & Woman Grenache Blanc 2024, Distributed by Eagle Eye Brands, sold at Lake District Wine Co Additional Mentions: Anavery Farm, Local's Yokels Farm

    Worth Every Penny | Ep13
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Inside Pour: After Hours is where wine is just the starting point. We're two women in our 40s, business partners, moms, and best friends for more than 20 years. We own a retail wine shop together, love a good adventure, and aren't afraid to say what we're really thinking. From wine and work to friendship, family, and all the chaos in between, these are the conversations we'd be having whether the microphones were on or not. Pour yourself something good and pull up a chair, we're so glad you're here.

Information

  • Creator
    Alaina Leech and Kristy McClellan
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Alaina Leech and Kristy McClellan
  • Show Website
    Inside Pour: After Hours

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