The Best 5 Minute Wine Podcast

• Liquor Lab’s Aaron Vaccaro Turned Cocktails into Community - Full Interview

  Aaron Vaccaro, CEO of Liquor Lab Former Topgolf exec who helped grow it from 10 to 70+ locations and $1.1B in revenue. 🍸 What You’ll Hear: Aaron’s journey from finance and venture capital to building experience-driven brands The Topgolf transformation—how it evolved from a driving range to an entertainment empire Why Liquor Lab is the “Topgolf of cocktails”—accessible, social, hands-on Cocktail classes: 90 minutes, ~$70, 3 drinks, taught by professionals in Nashville and Louisville Insight into cocktail formulas, mixology tips, and Aaron’s favorite: the Port Manhattan How Liquor Lab is adapting to changing alcohol trends—like low ABV, NA options, and Gen Z habits Why the focus isn’t on drinking—it’s about flavor, education, and connection 🔥 Quotables: “You’re not just mixing cocktails. You’re mixing memories.”“Most cocktails are riffs on six basic templates.”“We want to break down barriers and make aspirational things accessible.” 🥂 Bonus: Learn how Liquor Lab builds brand loyalty through experience Hear how Aaron applies the same strategy he used at Topgolf to transform hospitality at scale 🎧 Learn more: LiquorLab.com Classes in Nashville, TN & Louisville, KY Follow: @LiquorLab | @TheBestWinePod

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• Palm Wine Without Palm Trees? Onye’s Eco-Friendly Revolution Pt. 4

  Topic: Creating palm wine sustainably without harvesting palm trees Guest: Onye, founder of Ikenga Wines Environmental Impact: Avoids traditional palm farming to reduce carbon footprint and forest clearing Production Philosophy: Source-agnostic and rooted in molecular replication of palm sap The Journey: From 2019 epiphany to today’s artistic exploration of flavor and sensory expression Palm Wine Variants: Focus on oil palm chemistry; acknowledges coconut and raphia varietals Wine Styles: Experimental, seasonal, and undefined—exploring a “white space” of winemaking Vision: If money were no object, Onye would open a store with food service and a portfolio of underrepresented global beverages Takeaway: Palm wine is just the beginning of a much bigger adventure in redefining tradition through innovation

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• Harvard to Palm Wine: A Sparkling Journey to West African Terroir Pt. 3

  Onye shares his pivot from Harvard University to launching a palm wine company Discusses exploring Nigeria’s palm wine culture and production methods Explains how palm wine can be preserved and bottled for U.S. markets Insight into their sparkling palm wine labels and West African food pairings Anecdotes about former classmates, including a researcher 3D printing a human heart Talks about filling the beverage gap in fine dining experiences for African cuisines Website sales live now; restaurant and retail distribution coming soon 💡 Fun Fact: Some say palm wine is good for your eyes—just don’t quote Harvard on that (yet)!

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• The Ancient Art of Palm Wine: Onye's Bold Fermentation Breakthrough Pt. 2

  Topic: Palm wine – an ancient, non-grape wine made from palm tree sap What is Palm Wine? Naturally fermenting sap collected from palm trees; typically consumed the same day Traditional Use: Morning (low-alcohol, sweet) vs. evening (higher alcohol); if left too long, it turns to vinegar Innovative Twist: Onye creates a molecular palm sap from plant-based sources, allowing for controlled fermentation Wine Style: Sparkling, pet-nat-inspired, unfiltered and hazy Alcohol Content: Traditional palm wine: ~3–4%, Ikenga Wines: ~8–10% Fun Fact: Palm wine may date back to prehistoric times and is naturally consumed by animals like bats and primates!

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• Sonoma to Stew: Onye Ahanotu Blends Science, Culture, and Wine Pt. 1

  Guest: Onye Ahanotu, founder/winemaker at Ikenga Wines Location: Berkeley, California Origins: Grew up in Sonoma County, inspired by the rise of the local wine industry Educational background: Chemical Engineering (UC Irvine) + Materials Science (University of Michigan) Cultural Influence: Nigerian roots, family meals, fufu, and palm wine traditions Philosophy: Wine as a fusion of science, food, travel, and art Fun Fact: Palm wine can be a breakfast drink in Nigeria!

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