Wine Without The Cringe | Kelsey Gorter | Barrels and Roots

In this Barrels and Roots episode, I sit down with winemaker Kelsey Gorter to talk about how wine really gets made, from vineyards and harvest cycles to the behind-the-scenes reality of bulk wine sales and building wines for places like Trader Joe’s and Costco. We get into how she went from teaching high school chemistry to working harvests in California and the Southern Hemisphere, and why winemaking is a long-game craft that rewards patience, presence, and having a clear vision years ahead. Kelsey breaks down why wine feels intimidating for a lot of people, especially younger drinkers, and what the industry needs to do to make wine more accessible, less stuffy, and more authentic. We also talk about choice paralysis in the grocery aisle, why marketing often feels fake, the rise of non-alcoholic wine, and how quality can show up at a wide range of price points. Along the way we nerded out on Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, sparkling wine, and the challenge of Zinfandel, plus the idea that wine is a story in a glass because of the sheer human labor and farming behind every bottle. If you want a grounded, real conversation about modern wine culture, winemaking careers, and how the wine industry can find balance again, this one’s for you.