Sommlight is an interview series that says, Wine is a human experience.

Too often, all we see is the serious suit-side of somms, but they also wear pajamas and have their own version of lazy Sundays. This series disrupts the average definition of “sommelier.” Hosted by Washington Wine’s Marketing Director David Flaherty, Sommlight is a conversation series that unveils the other side of somms and wine professionals. Join us as we pull apart the archetype and see what makes somms feel most alive. But also, how they like their eggs, their favorite 90s song, and their favorite guilty pleasure food and wine pairing.

Latest Episode

Ep. 41 – Jackson Rohrbaugh, Founder/President, Crunchy Red Fruit, Seattle

Jackson Rohrbaugh has devoted his life to understanding and elevating the mechanics of hospitality, but also unearthing the deeper mission behind it. From his decade spent at Canlis, to now being at the helm of his own wine company, he approaches his work with a sense of curiosity, a commitment to principle, and a playfulness that is infectious. And despite his many impressive professional accomplishments, it’s his values around family and moments of connection with others that fuel him most. Join us as we discuss: how does one evolve their movements to be less ‘pro wrestler’ and more ‘elegant dancer’? What’s the secret to cooking Chef David Chang’s Bo Ssam in your home kitchen? And when all your efforts at hospitality are failing, what rip cord do you pull to save the relationship?

Sommlight: two ways.

If you’re new to our Sommlight series, welcome! We’re so glad you made it here. There are two ways to experience this series: our 15-minute video versions, which is the main channel (and what we post on our social media platforms), and our 45-minute podcast versions. So yes, this is both a video series, edited down to 15-minute episodes, as well as an in-depth podcast, with full-length, 45-minute conversations! You’ll even see 90-seconds teasers if you are following us on Instagram, like the one below featuring Erik Segelbaum, which was our very first episode back in May 2020.

It’s a “Choose Your Own Adventure” style of experience: pick an episode, choose a format, and enjoy! If you like what you hear in the 15-minute video version, give the full-length podcast a listen! You’ll see both versions far below, as well as on our Stories column.

We talk with some of the most inspiring personalities in wine.

Black and white image of five people over a dark background. From left to right, man with glasses and a tie and jacket, woman smiling wearing a white sweater, woman smiling with dark long hair in a jean jacket, man in a suite and bowtie with a short beard and wire-framed glasses, and a man with short cropped hair wearing a floral shirt, jacket, and plaid tie.
Nelson Daquip, Kim Cavoores, Annette Alvarez-Peters, Aaron Wood-Snyderman, and Arthur Hon

These are some of Washington Wine’s biggest advocates on the national stage. They work around the clock to make our hours happy, and this — showcasing their true natures, learning about their journeys into wine, and getting to hear about what they’ve learned and how they see the world — feels like the least we could do. It’s been such an incredible adventure interviewing these deeply talented humans, and we hope you’ll take the time to listen to these episodes, either the 15-minute video versions, or if you are a podcast person, then the whole 45-minute episodes. Either way, you won’t be disappointed: the humor, wit, grace, and humility is on full display here.

Archive

The Sommlight Archive

We’ve sat down with over 41 of the world’s top wine pros. Who were those early somms that helped us launch this brand new kind of conversation? To see the full Sommlight archive, click the below link, tap the “Watch” tab, and then select “Sommlight” from the drop down. You”ll have access to all 41 (and counting) episodes! We can’t wait for you to get to know these voices.