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PODCAST

Skurnik Unfiltered

Skurnik Wines & Spirits

No reservations required—listening to these conversations feels like you"ve been invited to pull up a chair and share a glass with some of the most remarkable dinner guests, giving you a level of access that was previously gatekept for those in the know.Skurnik Unfiltered is a weekly podcast that curates deep conversations with some of the finest winemakers, distillers, and industry leaders about the world of wines, spirits and hospitality. The show is hosted by Harmon Skurnik of Skurnik Wines &

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All Episodes

29:26

Federico Gambetta is Constantly Evolving

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/10/05

“Every year, the terroir is changing, and we, ourselves, are changing. I’m sure that the Federico of 2026 is not the same Federico as 2022. It’s a way to see ourselves in time, our different vintages. It’s an incredible thing. It’s the magic of wine.” – Federico Gambetta Every vigneron knows that the only constant is change. Federico Gambetta feels this everywhere—in the vineyard, in his wines, and in himself. The tradition of wine in Argentina is also a story of change. In this episo...

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21:55

Pete Stolpman Can't Imagine Running a Vineyard Any...

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/09/28

"The most important thing we've done is establish a soul to everything we do and a why behind each of our cuvées. We want to remind everyone who has a glass of this wine what it's about—it's about the people we're supporting and the quality of our farming. I can't imagine running a vineyard any other way." – Pete Stolpman Much has been said about sustainability practices in the wine business, often focused on clean farming and eco-friendly packaging. Rarely does the term include sustainabil...

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20:27

Matías Riccitelli is on a Mission to Express the...

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/09/21

“I’m very passionate about my country and the potential of Argentina. Everyone was talking about Uco Valley and forgot our roots. It’s not just Malbec for me—I decided to start with traditional places to show old vines, and I want to keep this heritage.” – Matías Riccitelli 70 years ago, Chandon planted Chenin Blanc, of all grapes, in Patagonia, of all places. With hardly any infrastructure or full-time farmers to support the extremely remote vineyard, the project was abandoned after just a...

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20:49

The heritage of Mexico's indigenous spirit with...

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/09/14

"This industry is way more antique than everybody thinks. This is an indigenous beverage, an indigenous spirit. We are using the same techniques as the ancient ones because that's what we learned, and that's what the people who live here know. They don't know how to cut corners." – Javier Jimenez Javier Jimenez can trace his roots back 15 generations in the Tecuane Ravine, a culturally significant canyon in Jalisco that is home to a UNESCO World Heritage site. Before European contact, indig...

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22:21

Catherine Kistler of Occidental Wines

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/09/07

"That's the beauty of working with Pinot Noir: it's an incredibly transparent-to-site wine; it shows where it's grown. A perfect wine for me shows that it could not have come from anywhere else, while still keeping things food-friendly, medium-weight, delicious, and beautiful." – Catherine Kistler When you grow up in Sonoma, the daughter of a living wine legend, you have a knack for noticing things that others tend to miss. Subtle tasting notes among Pinot Noir blocks stand out boldly. Farm...

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16:17

David Skurnik and Oren Simon, President and CEO of...

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/08/31

"We will always seek out handcrafted products that are made by people, by families, that have the greatest quality at every price point. That will always be the ethos of who we are.” – Oren Simon Smooth transitions are crucial to sustaining a family business. Across our portfolio, we champion estates passed on from generation to generation. They last because their work is not just what they do—it’s who they are. They know that the vines they tend will produce the finest wines long after the...

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20:47

English Sparkling Wine: Winemaker Marcus Rayner-Ward...

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/08/24

"It's really exciting to be a part of this new industry that's learning at a rapid pace—and watch out, because there are so many people coming who are making really exciting wines. But what sets Wiston apart is the fact that we're family-owned. We're here to learn and understand and make quality sparkling wine." – Marcus Rayner-Ward Though the increasing prevalence of English wine might feel like a novel side effect of the day's changing climate, Vitis vinifera first took root in the British ...

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27:26

Tasting Lebanon with Sami Ghosn of Massaya

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/08/17

"Massaya means twilight. It's 'el masa.' When you are walking in the street in a village in Lebanon or in Beirut, you say 'masa el-kher,' evening of grace, good wishes, to a passing by person." – Sami Ghosn The story of Lebanese wine is a story of perpetual revival. One of the oldest wine regions in the world, this well-protected and resource-rich section of the Levant has been producing and trading wine for millennia—as a global currency by the Phoenicians, in secret by persecuted Christia...

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37:08

Graham Pirtle and Young Stowe of Unified Ferments

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/08/10

“We use fermentation to help you taste tea in a different way, to refract it into something that can live in the same category as wine or higher-end spirits, where you’re tasting this storytelling that tea can do—of places, of regions, of people around the world.” – Graham Pirtle Fermentation can do many things. It can preserve our produce, rise our bread, give us a buzz, and multiply subtle flavors. That last function is the one that most fascinates Graham Pirtle and Young Stowe, the co-fo...

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26:02

Vittorio Zoppi of Antica Torino

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/08/03

"Vermouth rosso is like the skeleton in a human body. It keeps the Boulevardier, the Manhattan, and the Negroni cocktails standing. Our goal was to produce Vermouth di Torino, which is the peak of the pyramid of vermouths." – Vittorio Zoppi Growing up in Genoa, Vittorio Zoppi was born with an instinctive appreciation for good food and wine and a passion for all things Italian. As a young man, he made a career out of connecting Italian wine estates with American importers, and by the mid-201...

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19:56

How Gaetana Jacono pioneered the New Sicily wine...

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/07/27

"Wine is a culture of the people. This Frappato represents a link between the past and the future." – Gaetana Jacono Today’s guest is Gaetana Jacono, the woman who pioneered a new style of Sicilian wine in the province of Ragusa. Before she conquered the market with her perfumed, elegant, and enticing wines from Valle dell’Acate, Sicilian wines were typically bold, oaky, Nero d’Avola-based wines pushing 15% alcohol. Her terroir revealed a more delicate and playful expression that redefined ...

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26:15

Climate Change in the Kamptal: Andreas Wickhoff of...

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/07/20

“From an historical point of view, every century has always had a crisis, but wine has always survived. Wine culture will always survive. We still have a bright future ahead. There is no doubt.” – Andreas Wickhoff Climate change has arrived, and weird things are happening in Europe. Hailstorms in March. Bud break in October. Deadly flooding during harvest. Despite it all, Andreas Wickhoff's radiant optimism is rooted in an historical perspective, that wine must survive. At the helm of...

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28:00

Tegan Passalacqua of Turley and Sandlands

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/07/13

"I love the Europeans for believing that their wines can't be emulated, but if that's a truth, Americans need to have that too. Zinfandel is the one grape that California does better than anywhere else in the world. And I'm proud to say that just as a Burgundian should be able to say that about Pinot Noir." – Tegan Passalacqua This week's guest is Tegan Passalacqua, the legendary winemaker for Turley Wine Cellars and founder of Sandlands. As a leading historian on old-vine California viticu...

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29:24

Justin Willett breaks down the Santa Ynez Valley

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/07/06

“I think there’s this moment in wine now where people are being more honest with themselves. I want to make the wines I believe in and that I want to consume, and then I’m going to find my audience; I’m not going to make wine for an audience. For me, it’s more about a job well done.” – Justin Willett When people talk about wines from Santa Barbara, they're probably talking about the Santa Ynez Valley. But the range of varieties and microclimates found here makes the valley perhaps the most ...

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32:57

Matt and Sara Licklider of LIOCO Wines

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/06/29

"We're in the business of making agricultural wines, and I think we need to make a distinction right here between agricultural wine and industrial wine. A lot of these vineyards that have these really amazing histories attributed to them also have people with interesting histories. It's not selling the widgets—it's teasing out the stories about these very authentic places and these interesting people and then being able to share those stories." – Matt Licklider Twenty years ago, LIOCO...

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24:44

Tom Jackson

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/06/22

"Spirits, when they are at their best, are about facilitating joy and connection and building community. If we can be a small part of that in any way, then I think we've done our job." – Tom Jackson June is Pride Month, but Tom Jackson likes to say he's Supergay for 365 days a year. After an advertising career and founding the iconic GAYLETTER magazine, Tom launched Supergay Spirits with a flagship vodka. It was a natural place to start; vodka is known as "gay water" for its popularity amon...

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27:04

Nicola Libelli

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/06/15

“If you want to make exceptional wine, you have to feel at home because it’s about so many little things—little things that you have to observe and feel and catch over the season to make the wine. It’s always important to be there and to feel the place.” – Nicola Libelli Nicola Libelli feels at home in the Pfalz. Though he was born and raised in Northern Italy, a taste of 1992 Merkelbach Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Spätlese completely changed the course of his life, compelling him to move ...

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31:29

Corinne Rich and Katie Rouse

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/06/08

“I think joyful, colorful people can still make beautiful, classically-styled, serious wines.” – Corinne Rich The standard California playbook of Chardonnay and Cabernet often overshadows a rich history of alternative varieties perfectly suited for the modern climate. This week’s episode features two guests: Corinne Rich and Katie Rouse, the partners and winemakers behind Birdhorse. Balancing their own independent label with day jobs at respected wineries, they discuss how they built a bran...

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35:17

Alex Clark

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/06/01

"As a brand, you have to have an identity. It's easy to just make products, but why you exist is much more important that what you produce. The "why" for us is recreating this classic New York rye style that hadn't been around for over 100 years." – Alex Clark The Battle of Brooklyn began over stolen fruit in a neighborhood watermelon patch, a piece of borough history that now inspires one of New York’s most distinctive spirits. In this week's episode, Whiskey Specialist James Pellingra tal...

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26:15

BONUS: What to expect from Skurnik at BCB

Skurnik Unfiltered ·

2026/05/25

The biggest spirits event of the year is right around the corner. Bar Convent Brooklyn is an annual 2-day festival of tastings and seminars from the best in the spirits business. In preparation for Skurnik’s third appearance at BCB, we’re giving you a bonus episode inside our spirits portfolio with Adam Schuman (Spirits Portfolio Director) and Amanda Elder (Spirits Content & Education Manager). In this episode, they survey the beverage landscape from the early 2010s cocktail boom to the s...

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45 results

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