The Winemaker Who Refused to Quit | Dennis McCarter | Barrels and Roots

In this episode of the Barrels and Roots Podcast, I sit down with winemaker Dennis McCarter to talk about what it really takes to leave a familiar career behind, start over, and build a life around wine. Dennis takes me from his early days making small batches in a garage to launching his own winery, navigating stuck fermentations, earning awards, and learning how humbling the winemaking process can be.We get into the side of the wine industry people don’t always see: self-doubt, adversity, feeling like you don’t belong, dealing with difficult customers, and choosing to keep showing up anyway. Dennis also shares how judo shaped his mindset, why he believes you have to attack a new business with intent, and why wine is essentially history and geography captured in a bottle.Of course, we also talk about Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Merlot, Sonoma, wine pairings, underrated grapes, and the bottles Dennis actually loves drinking.If you had to start over in a completely new career tomorrow, what would you be willing to bet on yourself to pursue?