Wine book from two Grady faculty members earns Silver Award

A recently published wine book from two Grady faculty members earned a silver award in the Nonfiction Book Awards sponsored by the Nonfiction Authors Association.

“Wine Conversations: Exploring Meaning, Mystery and Myth” was produced by Keith Herndon, author and interviewer, along with Charlotte Varnum, editor. The book, featuring 16 interviews with prominent wine industry experts, grew out of the award-winning “Wines We Drink” podcast, a summer series Herndon and Varnum created in 2021.

Described by the award reviewers as “a beautifully presented compilation,” the book was released in January by Innovative Ink Publishing, an imprint of Kendall Hunt.

“Herndon, a journalism professor with wine in his veins and a podcast mic in hand, doesn’t just talk about wine. He cracks it open, lets it breathe, and invites you to taste the stories inside. This isn’t a textbook; it’s a backstage pass to the messy, beautiful, sunburnt world of winemakers, sommeliers, and salt-of-the-earth shop owners who’ve forgotten more about terroir than most of us will ever know,” wrote one of the award’s reviewers.

Another added, “Charlotte Varnum, his partner-in-crime on the ‘Wines We Drink’ podcast, sharpens these conversations into something urgent and relatable. Together, they dismantle the ivory tower of wine culture.” 

Herndon, who has developed courses in food journalism, is also a certified wine sommelier and certified wine educator. He has described the book as a “deeply personal project,” which resonated with the reviewers.

“But here’s the kicker: Herndon never loses sight of wine’s soul,” wrote one reviewer. “He reminds us that the ‘best bottle’ isn’t the one with the fanciest label or the heftiest price tag. It’s the next one you crack open with a friend, laughing over takeout, because wine—at its core—is about connection. Not tasting notes.”

Herndon and Varnum will continue their wine journey on June 11 with the season five launch of “Wines We Drink.” The podcast, which reaches tens of thousands of listeners, won twice in the 2024 Taste Awards as the people’s choice for Best Food or Drink podcast and Best Lifestyle podcast. It was a finalist again in the 2025 judging category for Best Drink or Beverage Program.

Herndon, who has also served as a judge in the James Beard Awards, said the new season of the podcast will use content from the book to inspire its 12 episodes.

“These projects work in tandem and also have the added benefit of providing us with a working lab to engage with content creation as we demonstrate for our students how to engage in storytelling across platforms,” said Varnum, who is executive director of The Red & Black Publishing Co. and an instructor of Grady’s journalism podcasting course.

Author: Keith Herndon, klhern@uga.edu