Episode 2 - Interview with Joel Aiken

NAPA VALLEY ACCADEMY
Napa Valley Wine Academy Wine Articles and Podcasts Close-up of a restaurant logo featuring a black and white design, accompanied by a drink bottle and food items.

Episode 2 - Interview with Joel Aiken

In Episode 2 of the Stories Behind Wine we sit down with renowned vintner and winemaker Joel Aiken. Joel shares with us what it was like to be the youngest winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyard (BV) and what it’s like to have worked with legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff and with Michel Rolland. There is more to his story…

Back to Podcasts

D.W.S., AIWS, FWS, IWP, WSET-Certified, Chief Educational Officer

Christian Oggenfuss

Christian Oggenfuss the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Napa Valley Wine Academy is a passionate wine industry spokesman, and educator. He holds the dipWSET, the highest certification from the London based Wine & Spirit Education Trust and is an Associate Member of the Institute of Wine & Spirits. Christian also holds the French Wine Scholar (FWS), the Italian Wine Professional (IWP), and the American Wine Expert (AWE), certification. He is also one of only 64 Bourgogne Wine Ambassadors in the world.

He brings 20+ years of wine experience to the wine education arena as a marketer and brand builder for wine brands including Stags’ Leap Winery, Etude, Beringer Vineyards, Benziger Family Winery, PlumpJack Estate Winery, Odette Estate, CADE Estate Winery, St. Clement, and V. Sattui Winery.

Christian is a born entrepreneur and has successfully launched wine-related businesses in Switzerland and traveled extensively to all major wine regions in Europe and North America. He is fluent in Schwiizerdütsch (Swiss-German) and English. Additionally, he is a Certified Champagne Wine Location Specialist (Champagne Bureau) and a Certified Port Wine Location Specialist (Port Wine Institute).