In this episode, we explore two wine regions in the northeastern United States. While Vermont and northern New York State are both located in the extremes of viticultural viability, both regions have emerged as hubs of quality wine production. Christopher Tanghe interviews Master Sommelier David Keck about his winemaking venture in northwestern Vermont and then speaks with Meaghan Frank about her family's multi-generational winemaking legacy at Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery in New York's Finger Lakes.
This month’s blind tasting segment with Emily Nixon features Kelly Coggins. Can you determine the wine purely based on Kelly's description? Additionally, Thatcher Baker-Briggs reveals the wine he presented in last month’s Rosé & Orange Wines episode.
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Master Sommelier David Keck discovered his love for wine while pursuing a career—and traveling the world—as an opera singer. He passed his Master Sommelier exam in 2016 and,shortly after, co-founded Goodnight Hospitality in Houston. The first project with Goodnight was the honky-tonk Goodnight Charlie’s in 2017, followed by retail shop Montrose Cheese and Wine and the critically acclaimed Rosie Cannonball in 2019.
In 2020, David returned to his home state of Vermont where he leased the vineyards at Boyden Valley to produce organically grown, low-intervention wines from hybrid grape varieties, simultaneously working as Wine Director for VT Wine Shepherd, an independent distributor.
David was named one of Food & Wine’s Sommeliers of the Year in 2016. He has a Master of Music Degree from Rice University, an undergraduate degree in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University and attended The Juilliard School for Diploma Studies.
Meaghan Frank is the fourth generation of her family to manage Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and two post-graduate degrees: one in Wine Business from the University of Adelaide, Australia and one in enology from Cornell University. Since she joined the winery in 2013, some of Meaghan's notable achievements include adding unique visitor experiences and creating a super-premium line of wines paying tribute to the women of the Frank Family.
Kelly Coggins has worked in wine for 17 years as a sommelier, beverage director, sales rep, and even in retail. He enjoys rainy days, good books, and baking. He can often be found travelling and laughing with his husband over a bottle of Sherry, Champagne, or Riesling.
Early in the episode, Thatcher Baker-Briggs returns to reveal the wine he tasted with Emily in last month's podcast episode, Rosé & Orange Wines. If you haven't yet heard Thatcher's tasting description yet, listen to the final 13 minutes of that episode. You can find the wine here.
Thatcher Baker-Brigg's career began in restaurant kitchens in Canada, but he began to focus on wine and moved to front-of-house positions shortly after his 21st birthday. He worked as a sommelier at San Francisco restaurants Saison and Angler before launching his wine consulting business, Thatcher's Wine Consulting, in 2019.