#44 Kelli White: Wine Confidence Is a Superpower

Kelli White has spent her career translating the mystique of wine into something real, personal, and alive. From working the floor at Veritas to writing for GuildSomm and publishing monumental books, she’s seen every side of the industry, and she’s tired of seeing people feel small around a glass of wine.

This episode dives deep into the psychology of taste, the myth of “right and wrong” pairings, and the subtle power that comes from understanding the world’s most romantic beverage. Kelli shares stories from her early days running a wine shop filled with musicians, lessons from Napa’s vineyards, and how one simple glass of Châteauneuf-du-Pape changed her life.

Whether you’re a sommelier, a server, or just someone who wants to love wine without the pressure, this is your guide to doing it with grace, intelligence, and joy.

Expect to Learn:

• Why smell drives the majority of flavor (and how to train it)
• How to tell the difference between preference and quality
• The truth about wine “rules” and which ones to ignore
• Why your wine glass obsession might be pointless
• How to explore wine systematically without getting lost
• The mindset shift that turns wine knowledge into real-world power
• What “fine wine must be grown” really means
• How choosing wine can reveal character, leadership, and social awareness

Links:

• Wine Confident by Kelli White
• Napa Valley, Then & Now
• GuildSomm Articles by Kelli White (Free Access)

Service starts now.

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I talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠my blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.

Classic Episodes You May Like:

-#22:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Doug Frost MW MS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#23:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeffrey Morgenthaler⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#31:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#38:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#39:⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication⁠⁠⁠⁠

As always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.

Cheers