Wines We Drink: Turning a passion into a podcast

When Dr. Keith Herndon and Charlotte Norsworthy started their podcast “Wines We Drink,” it actually began as a project for Herndon’s certification as a wine educator. 

The pair had worked together on audio projects before, namely “The Lead,” a James M. Cox Jr. Institute for Journalism Innovation, Management and Leadership podcast. 

They even won two gold medals for an eBook that they created together, which was based on “The Lead.” Given their success in previous collaborative works, Herndon knew from the start that he wanted Norsworthy to be part of this new project.

“When it came time to do this podcast, I knew exactly who I wanted as my co-host and partner,” Herndon said.

The goal of “Wines We Drink,” is to make the topic of wine more accessible and more fun, especially for people who are just beginning their wine journey, Herndon said.

“I think that my vision for it was that I wanted it to be a podcast about wine, but I didn’t necessarily want it to be a wine podcast, if that makes sense,” Herndon added. “I was thinking of it as a lifestyle podcast.”

Both Herndon and Norsworthy wanted to make sure that their podcast was not intimidating and that it was instead an opportunity for listeners to learn and engage with different types of wine in a fun way.

“Keith and I are both storytellers at heart, and this added layer of fun just continues to expand on that, but we always tie it back to that greater meaning,” Norsworthy said.

In pursuit of that greater meaning, the pair has put in a lot of work on the backend. Herndon writes the script for each episode and Norsworthy does the production.

“We didn’t want it to feel inauthentic, so we really wanted it to be textural, you know, we wanted to have giggles in there and thuds on the table,” Norsworthy said. “We really wanted people to feel like they had a seat at the table with us.”

Norsworthy added that combining audio storytelling and wine felt incredibly natural to her.

“Audio in general is such an intimate medium and I always like to say that your voice is like your thumbprint—it’s intrinsically linked to who you are as a person,” she said. “I think that audio creates a better sense of community and empathy, and sharing a glass of wine also creates a sense of community.”

Through “Wines We Drink,” Herndon and Norsworthy have also found ways to get more involved in the local and national wine communities.

Herndon is certified as a sommelier, wine educator and wine specialist through the Asia Pacific Wine and Spirit Institute. He was a judge in the James Beard Awards last year and he has given a number of instructional classes at Tapped Athens. 

The co-hosts have become good friends with Todd and Angela Hurt, the proprietors at Tapped, and they often work together and help to promote each other’s brands.

Recently, “Wines We Drink” was selected as a finalist in two categories for the 14th annual TASTE Awards: Best Drink or Beverage Program and Best Lifestyle Podcast.

Both Herndon and Norsworthy were very excited and appreciative to be finalists in these prestigious awards. Their podcast was listed right along with some of Herndon’s favorite podcasts, such as “V is for Vino.” 

The duo was especially happy to see that they had been selected in the Best Lifestyle Podcast category.

“It meant that somebody had recognized that that’s what we were after,” Herndon said.

“It’s really rewarding to know that people get it and that they understand it in the truest way,” Norsworthy added. “It’s about finding your slice of community, and how we have found ours is through this wine journey that we find ourselves on.”

Herndon and Norsworthy are excited for season three to come out this summer. They have already started brainstorming and planning out some of the things they want to include in the upcoming episodes.

Norsworthy said that opportunities like this one don’t come around often, but Herndon has invited her to take part in his passion project, and for this, she is eternally grateful.

“It’s been really fun to engage with material in this way that has no deadlines associated with it—it doesn’t feel like work,” she said. “It’s rare in life that you are afforded those types of opportunities unless you create them.”