Taste Like You | Stacy Briscoe | Barrels and Roots

In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with Sonoma based wine journalist, editor, speaker, and WSET educator Stacy Briscoe to talk about making wine accessible without killing the magic. We get into how she went from fitness and food writing to falling down the wine pairing rabbit hole, and how asking “beginner” questions, like what new oak actually means, turned into a full on career in wine media and education. We unpack why tasting notes can be weirdly intimidating, why you should never force flavors you do not actually taste, and how your own references, like cherry coke instead of tobacco, are valid because wine is personal. Stacy shares what she teaches at Napa Valley Wine Academy across WSET levels, how to spot quality without acting like a snob, and why the perfect pairing is the wine you like with the food you like with the people you like, in the moment you are in. We also go into wine storytelling from the human side, from winemakers and vineyard crews all the way to the unsung heroes like tasting room glass washers and the literal floor of the cellar, and I share a real moment where a Riesling became the exact reset I needed in a heavy, high status room. If you want wine education that feels fun, honest, and actually usable, this conversation is your permission slip to sip, experiment, and stop overthinking it.