From iPods and GarageBand to Wine: Xander Soren's Foray into Pinot Noir and Japanese Cuisine, Ep. 108
New Sip Sip Hooray! podcast episode
On today's show, when you think of Japanese cuisine, what beverage comes to mind? Maybe sake or a Japanese beer? What about an elegant Pinot Noir? Our guest today is out to prove that Pinot is the perfect complement to umami-rich Japanese dishes.
Xander Soren has spent his career blending technical expertise with a passion for music and creative expression. He helped launch iTunes, the first iPods, and he co-created GarageBand, which opened the world of music production to creators everywhere, inspiring indie music makers around the world. Today Xander's focus is wine.
His latest venture is Xander Soren Wines, a boutique wine label with wines that truly sing. Xander certainly brought the Apple design sensibility to his wines in the packaging and in the elegance of the Pinot Noir made with one of our favorite winemakers, Shalini Sekhar. We've never met a vintner or winemaker who counts top Japanese sushi masters as friends. Nor have I ever heard a reaction to a wine where a friend who I recently shared a bottle of Xander's Olivet Lane Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley say it slides into sushi and takes the place of soy sauce. We'll explore Xander's decidedly different approach to wine, which includes his personally curated playlist to help you get in the groove to enjoy wine.
Xander’s playlists
• Dream pop:
• French modern pop:
Wines tasted in this episode:
• 2019 Olivet Lane Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
• 2020 Sanford & Benedict Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County
• 2020 LUDEON, Central Coast, California
