Meh

I read the bad reviews specifically about the host. I listened and concur with the bad reviews about the host do doesn’t listen.

Great audio, great guests, but the host cannot stop interrupting his guests. Seems like he knows his stuff, but it also seems like he’s more interested in proving that, than allowing his guests to answer the question.

These podcasts are not to be missed. The best insights on wine you will get on a podcast. Sam is the best. Don’t miss an episode

Great content and guests! But wow, yeah, the host really needs to learn how to listen to the guests and allow them to answer the questions he’s asking. Pretty unbelievable. If it weren’t so infuriating, it’d be comical.

This podcast drives me crazy. Great guests, but constant interruptions by the host make it almost impossible to listen to with any sense of appreciation. The Russell Bevan interview was a classic example. What a great guest, but I kept shouting. “Shut Up” at the host as he had to keep inserting himself into the discourse. The audio for the host was horrible, as well. Had to keep turning the sound up to hear him, while Mr. Bevan was loud and clear. PLEASE let your guests talk. Thank you.

As mentioned in the reviews before, the high level of guests that are brought on to the show is truly awesome. Being able to hear the perspectives of these different wine professionals in the growing world of low intervention wine is what we come here for. Unfortunately, like many others, I am baffled by the hosts lacking ability to truly listen and pay attention to what his guests are saying. Moreover, it seems as though he just wants to be included in the conversation and say that he knows so and so to boost his own ego. It’s honestly extremely cringeworthy and even worse, it has to make the guest feel rather uncomfortable. This is an easy fix and I cannot listen to this show until there is a new host. Let the guests tell their story and try to guide the conversation as you see fit, but you are not the one being interviewed my friend. Also, I noticed there’s going to be a live show with Aaron Ayscough and Jorge Rieta, two people who I respect deeply and I am bummed that this will likely go as well as all of the past shows. They deserve a better host

Wow, this is probably one of the best podcast out there. I have learned so much from Sam and his guests speaker. Love the topic about natural wine and the ‘Wine List’ toward the end. Please keep up the good work and thank you for sharing the same passion about good wind and good food. YOU ARE THE BEST !!!

The guests are fantastic! In earlier episodes he would talk more now I think he is doing more listening and directing which I love.

Interesting guests, let them speak! Host cuts off guests constantly and doesn’t allow any flow with the conversation. Finally had to unsubscribe.

This show has amazing guests who I would love to hear speak. Unfortunately, the host does a phenomenal job of cutting off his interviewees, stifling conversations, and not allowing his own audience of listeners to learn from the show’s guests. What a disappointment.

Couldn’t even listen to five minutes of an episode. Bad mic issues as well.

I have sampled many wine podcasts in Apple podcast, but Sam is one of the few I subscribe to and listen to each one. I love getting the behind the curtain look at many wine professionals. Sam will switch up the format enough to keep it interesting but consistent enough to catch the wine parallels among seemingly different wine professionals. My only complaint is there are some episodes I wish were longer. To keep the show on track it seems like Sam has to cut the guest off a lot when I would love for them to go deeper into what they are saying. However, I understand why time constraints are important. Keep up the great work Sam and team! 👍🏼👍🏼

Just listened to the host completely mischaracterize comments by a recent guest re: diversity. The mischaracterization reflects a fundamental failure to understand both the point that was being made, and the burdens that are unfairly placed upon people of color and women when they are often the only people asked questions about diversity in a given industry. It also reflects a failure to give any thought during the intervening time period to give any thought to the points that were being made. My last episode.

There is the opportunity to learn quite a bit from this podcast, but the host cuts off his guests as they try to speak, and doesn’t allow them to really explain or elaborate their points. For a talk show host, he weirdly seems clueless at times.

Whenever the guest deviates a little from his direct question he has a tendency just to talk over them, sometimes excruciatingly painfully. Also seems to happen more with female guests... Which is unfortunate because he has some of the most distinguished people in wine on his show relative to other podcasts.

Sam ruins an otherwise great podcast by interrupting and talking over every guest. Could be a great show if they just found another host.

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Love guests and content. But the hosts talks way to much cutting off guests often. We want to hear from the guests

It’s been said, I know. I would love this show if it weren’t for the host’s insistence on interrupting his guests mid-sentence. It’s just bad interview etiquette. Other than that, really great guests and good topic selection. A wide array of reasonably familiar topics makes the podcast a great resource.

Grape Nation continues to impress because the host is able to invite great guests while maintaining a consistent posting schedule, unlike other previously informative podcasts that don't post anymore at all. Recently, he's interviewed distinguished wine professionals (Piero Antinori, Olivier Krug, and Lettie Teague) who I haven't heard on other podcasts. I hope more listeners are able to find Grape Nation. I appreciate Sam Benrubi's enthusiasm.

The guests are interested and great. Ben is not.

exceptional show

Awesome guests and great wine recommendations.

Really enjoy this show. Great guests and host is clearly passionate about everything and anything wine. Does he talk a lot? Of course, he's a New Yorker, but comes across as genuine interest and interplay. Show feels like an oenophile version of sports talk radio and he’s a hardcore grape fan And I’ll take lively interaction and a sense of humor over bland conversation any day. Like a good wine, show and host seem to be aging well with time. So I’ll keep tuning in and sipping away (and then, sipping some more).

Broad range of very knowlegeable guests. Focus on affordable wines, which is helpful. Interesting mix of roles across guests - producers, sommeliers, etc. Specific recommendations have guided me to purchase some varietals I had not previously tried.

Been following since the inception of the show. This is such a great podcast for both amateur wine lovers and serious connoisseurs. The guests Sam brings on are incredible; true stars of the food and wine world. I also love that you can tell how knowledgeable and passionate the host is about wine. Each episode I look forward to hearing each guest’s all-time favorite food and wine pairing!

As someone who is an amateur wine lover wanting to learn more, this show could not be more perfect! The show's content and guests are incredibly knowledgeable and extremely infomative, all while being casual and interesting to listen to, the wines and people who make them that are highlighted are riveting. And, the best part: the HOST! Sam Benrubi is funny and engaging to listen to and he always seems to ask questions that are on point and directs the conversation in unique and interesting ways, like from his last podcast with Beth from Spottswoode...I too wanted to know the value of an acre of land from then and now in Napa. YES! Keep it coming Sam, the wine, the guests and YOU are all amazing and top notch and we can't wait for your show this week! WE LOVE THE GRAPE NATION and will share with all our friends! YOU ROCK WINE!

I can’t stand to listen to this podcast. The host is loud, dumb, and comes off as the Donald Trump of the wine world. He interrupts his guests with pointless and worthless repetitions of their points. Oversimplifies and badly summarizes what they’re saying while they’re trying to say it. He’s crass and annoying and I couldn’t even finish the Peter Leim episode.

The host has some wonderful guests on. The latest one that I really wanted to love was Krug (Oliver Krug) / champagne related. I listened to the first 10 minutes of the podcast, and as usual, Sam keeps interrupting, like the mole from the arcade game Whac-A-Mole. Why would you interrupt Oliver Krug? I don't get it. If you feel that you have something as important to say as Oliver, why can't you be polite and wait your turn? Why ask your guest a question then answer it yourself, before actually allowing him to answer? Like many of the previous reviewers have said, either make your podcast about your guests, or just interview yourself. Unfortunately, after subsribing for months, I have clicked "unsubscribe". I hope to check in a year from now and see if there is an improvement in your interview style.

Agree with the other reviews here. The guests The Grape Nation is able to attract are phenomenal and the topics are timely, but the host almost ruins the show. Continuously interrupts his guests, speaks too much, over qualifies nearly every question and tries to guide the discussion in an overbearing manner. This is particularly frustrating because the host isn’t all that knowledgeable about wine and because the guests are so interesting. Recommend the host try to speak less and learn to be a better interviewer for the podcast to improve.

Why would you invite accomplished guests on, ask them questions, and them preempt their answers for them? The guests are great, the topics and setup are well thought out, but the host needs to know when to stop talking. I want to hear from the guests and it's beyond infruriating when their answers are cut off.

Could be interesting but the host is unbearable. He interjects all the time and actually cuts off his guests from speaking. Pretty rude and obnoxious to listen to. A shame because he somehow manages to continue to attract interesting wine industry professionals. More like talk radio for wine an not well constructed or engaging interviews.

Although I love the guests, most interesting, I wish the host would not do so much talking. Many times he interrupts the guest. It's not necessary to summarize what the guest says in short periods. He needs to listen more. Let the guest lead more please, and I think the show would be so enjoyable.

Great guests, interesting topics. Host needs to stop talking over guests and learn to flow with the conversation instead of shutting them down all the time and saying "save that for later" or " we'll get back to that." Either make the show about you, or the guests, not both.