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Joe Fattorini shares some secrets on how to maximize your entertainment value as a presenter during a wine tasting!

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Ladies and gentlemen, he’s back — Michael Juergens: Orange County finance consultant, wine industry pioneer, and one of our most colourful guests. Michaels back to share an update on the current state of the US wine economy and the progress with the Bhutan Wine Co., with updates on their very first auction and fresh insights that highlight just how exciting this project has become.

As always, it’s a rollercoaster of a conversation with Michael, and I’m thrilled to have him back on the show. A huge thanks to him for joining me.

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I first came across Unico Zelo almost a decade ago, in a wine shop in Kansas City. The owners poured me a skin-contact white from South Australia, a wine I’d never seen before. I was immediately struck by its vibrant label, its unusual blend, and its perfectly fitting name: Esoterico. That was my first introduction to Brendan Carter and his work at Unico Zelo.

Since then, I’ve watched in awe as the brand has expanded, pivoted, adapted, and expanded again - a cycle that has become part of its DNA. What began as a cult label is now much more: an international presence, with Bottle Shock TV bringing stories, insights, and entertainment to a global audience, and a wine bar experience that is immersive, unpretentious, and undeniably fun.

At the heart of it all are Brendan and his wife, Laura, who has been alongside him since the very beginning. But Brendan isn’t one to keep the spotlight for himself. He consistently highlights the next generation of talent - Henry, Noah, Simon, and the wider Bottle Shock and Unico Zelo teams - emphasising them as an integral part of the future.

Brendan’s leadership, vision, and infectious energy have left a clear mark both in Australia and abroad since the inception of Unico Zelo in 2012. After nearing a record two-hour conversation on the Cellar Door Podcast, I can honestly say Brendan is a confident, thoughtful visionary with the track record to prove that whatever he’s doing, it’s working.

It was an absolute privilege to speak with him and hear his insights. A huge thanks to Brendan Carter for joining me.

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Joe Fattorini shares some secrets on how to maximize your entertainment value as a presenter during a wine tasting!

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Patrick White is the lead Somm and Cellar Master at the Adelaide Club. With a resume like his, it's no wonder he has the trust of both the Club and the wider industry. An Adelaide local, Patrick has been a somm since 2001, working his way across the country, from top end restaurants in Sydney to the Penfolds Maggill Restaurant and the Mt Lofty House Estate in the Adelaide Hills where he was nominated for both wine list and somm of the year. Patrick also was a participant in the 2010 Len Evans Tutorial. So with his credentials firmly established, my goal was to identify the interrelationship between a formal education and training and the practical skills a hospitality professional uses day to day to create incredible experiences for patrons. Patrick’s experience is apparent and it was a real pleasure to host him on the CDP. A huge thanks to Patrick for joining me.

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Today’s guest is Adam Coward, someone who’s worn a lot of hats across his career, from tourism in the Top End, to retail and fast-moving consumer goods, and now, to helping wineries unlock growth through Vin Creative and Uno Vino.

Adam’s journey is fascinating because he’s not from a wine background originally, yet he’s bringing in ideas and lessons from other industries that could reshape how wineries think about sales, marketing, and customer experience. We talk about the tough realities small wineries face, why intimacy with customers matters more than ever, and how technology can be used without losing the human touch.

This is a big-picture conversation that still comes back to the cellar door, that pivotal moment when someone walks in, tastes your wine, and decides whether they’ll come back for more.

A huge thanks to Adam for joining me.

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Milly Hoffmann, or Miss Hoffmann to the students at Nuriootpa High School, has been working tirelessly with her class on a remarkable mission: raising the funds to travel to their sister city, Grapevine in Texas, USA. At its heart, this connection is about more than a trip; it’s about cultural exchange, shared experiences, and building relationships that last.

Milly also plays a leading role in the school’s Vines and Wines Program, a certificate-based course designed to create real pathways into the wine industry. The students aren’t just learning theory: they’re hands-on, producing 12,000 bottles of Barossan wine each year. Programs like this one, and the similar initiative run by Marcus Cook at Upper Yarra Secondary College, who first connected me with Milly, are where the next generation of the wine industry is cultivated, nurtured, and inspired.

So in this episode, I invite you to hear Milly’s passion, discover the impact of her students’ work, and maybe even find a way to support their incredible mission. A huge thanks to Milly for joining me.

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Mike Madaio loves history, sandwiches, and above all, wine—and the industry that brings it to life. A respected wine writer, his long-form pieces have featured in Wine Enthusiast and on his own blog, Life at Table. While Mike has a deep appreciation for traditional forms of media and communication, he is equally attuned to the modern world of user experience (UX)—a factor that can make or break a business.

Mike believes UX is one of the most overlooked elements of the wine industry, and he’s made it his specialty, writing passionately about how it shapes everything from the cellar door to a winery’s website and online presence. In this conversation, we explore his unique perspectives on UX, its role in building meaningful wine experiences, and—of course—his definitive take on the best Philly sandwich.

A big thanks to Mike for joining me on the podcast.

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