{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":300,"width":600,"title":"Orange Wine Is Not a Fad: Digging Up Ancient Flavors in Modern Bottles; Meet Stetson Robbins.","description":"I met Stetson years ago. Orange wine was not a thing. But he was making it a thing. I was intrigued by his commitment to the sector and the develpment of Georgian wine in the US, particularly in Los Angeles. Bringing Stetson Robbins onto this show is like popping the cork on a bottle you\u2019ve never heard of, from a country you can barely pronounce, and finding it\u2019s the most fascinating taste you didn\u2019t know you craved. Forget everything you thought you knew about wine, because this conversation isn\u2019t about chasing the next California cab or French pinot\u2014this is about tracking the wild, unfiltered edge of the wine world through the forgotten vineyards of Eastern Europe, where tradition, culture, and rebellion ferment side by side. The conversation focused on peeling away the comfort (and sometimes the snobbery) of the usual wine stories and diving deep into what it means for a wine to actually taste like where it\u2019s from\u2014right down to the hands, palates, and histories of the people making it. One concept discussed was the big secret of \u201cterroir\u201d\u2014not just dirt, weather, or latitude, but the food, the local tradition, and even the pressures of the market itself. These are wines born not just from grapevines, but from migration, resistance, and centuries of culinary survival. You\u2019ll learn how post-Soviet countries like Slovenia, Croatia, and Georgia have turned their backs on cookie-cutter commercial varietals, instead resurrecting their own native grapes and bringing ancient techniques\u2014like wild fermentation in massive underground clay qvevris\u2014right to the glasses of skeptical sommeliers and thirsty Brooklynites alike. A key theme that emerged was that true winemaking is messy, unpredictable, and profoundly human. The discussion explored not only what orange wine actually is (spoiler: it\u2019s not fruit salad in a glass), but why it\u2019s shaking up wine scenes from coast to coast, frustrating purists and delighting experimenters. Several points were raised, including how even the act of importing these bottles is a full-throttle exercise in grit, luck, and sometimes chaos. This episode will have you questioning everything you thought made a good wine\u2014and craving an adventure, not just a drink. \ud83c\udf7e How the culture, cuisine, and quirks of a region become liquid in your glass \ud83c\udf7e Why \u201corange wine\u201d is the oldest new thing in the wine world\u2014and why it\u2019s taking over \ud83c\udf7e The radical differences between Eastern European winemaking and Western obsessions \ud83c\udf7e What really happened when ancient amphoras met modern Brooklyn bars \ud83c\udf7e How grape genetics, wild fermentation, and centuries-old mistakes are now marketing gold \ud83c\udf7e Why, after this hour, you might never look at a wine label\u2014or a waiter\u2014the same way   Stetson Robbins is a dynamic force in the world of wine, fusing a theatrical background with a passion for exploring wine\u2019s deepest roots. His journey began in college, majoring in theater and delving into Greek studies, where the Dionysian tradition first sparked his fascination with the cultural significance of wine 03:06. Waiting tables at Walt\u2019s Wharf in Seal Beach introduced him to the nuanced world of wine service, and fueled his desire to learn more. Encouraged by a wine-focused restaurant culture, he pursued sommelier training, including the Court of Master Sommeliers\u2014a path that led him from Walt\u2019s Wharf to Napa Rose at Disneyland, a renowned training ground for aspiring sommeliers 06:10. Despite this foundation, Stetson Robbins\u2019s real intrigue lay in the stories of winemakers and the diverse cultures shaping wine across the globe. His move into retail at shops specializing in value-driven French wines connected him with import specialist Peter Mann, opening the doors to heritage tastings in Bordeaux and Burgundy 08:07. The true turning point came with Blue Danube Wine, where he championed unique Eastern European wines\u2014particularly from regions overlooked in the U.S. market, including Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, and Georgia. Over more than a decade, Stetson Robbins was instrumental in building Blue Danube\u2019s portfolio and expanding its footprint to markets like New York and Los Angeles 22:46. Today, Stetson Robbins is co-founder of Black Lamb, a California-based boutique wine importer run alongside his wife. Black Lamb specializes in sourcing wines from the Slovenian-Italian border and the Republic of Georgia, focusing on traditional, \u201cancient\u201d winemaking techniques such as skin-fermented whites (\u201corange wines\u201d) and wines fermented in Georgian qvevris. His mission is equal parts education and adventure: introducing curious American drinkers to the diversity, culture, and terroir that make these wines unforgettable 01:06:30. ","author_name":"Wine Talks with Paul K.","author_url":"https:\/\/www.winetalkspodcast.com","html":"