“The history of wine. I’ve always been taken aback by how wine is so prominent in thousands of years of human history,” says Dr. Keith Herndon. “You’ve got this beverage that has so much around it–the history, the culture, the science–and I’m just fascinated by it.”
This response to the age-old question, “Why wine?” makes sense once you know his story. Long before he was pairing fried chicken with grower champagne and explaining their chemistry to eager listeners, he built a career on translating complexity–first in business journalism, then in the classroom. Wine came later. But the instinct to analyze, understand, and dissect did not.
Now, when not in the classroom and discussing a vintage with those around him, he does so with context, memory, and care. Since his “wine epiphany” at a winery in Napa in 1990, Dr. Herndon has made it his personal mission to understand wine.
The Journalist, The Professor, The Lifelong Learner
Growing up in rural Northeast Georgia, in the small town of Elberton, Dr. Herndon did not have any wine influence. His path was quite the opposite. After graduating from the University of Georgia, he began his career as a reporter and, through client dinners and interviews, developed an interest in wine.
After spending several years as a journalist dabbling in business and agriculture, then transitioning to editing, Dr. Herndon, a lifelong learner, decided to continue pursuing his education. After obtaining his Master’s degree and while working on his PhD, he was invited to teach part-time at Kennesaw State University, where he discovered a new passion for teaching. He now teaches at the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications, his alma mater, which has been his full-time home since 2016.
“Teaching was the encore to my industry career, and wine will be the encore to my teaching career.”
Dr. Herndon plans to retire in the summer of 2027 and direct more of his attention to his passion for wine.
The Many Shades of Wine (Even Behind the Mic)
Like many of us who began creative endeavors whilst stuck at home during the 2020 pandemic, Dr. Herndon decided to turn his amateur passion into something meaningful by beginning his journey to become a certified sommelier. But, in true professor and life-long learner fashion, he didn’t stop there.
“By the time the pandemic was waning, I had completed the certifications to be a wine educator and sommelier, but I continued to take wine courses for different regions of the world, like South Africa, Portugal, and more.”
The road to becoming a wine educator was a lot more than just completing a few online courses. As part of the program of study, Dr. Herndon had to complete industry projects to demonstrate his qualifications as an educator. And thus was the birth of The Wines We Drink podcast, where Dr. Herndon and his co-host Charlotte Varnum dissect a bottle of wine each episode, down to the viticulture and oenology–the coolest combination of agriculture and chemistry, and one of Dr. Herndon’s favorite things to learn about in wine. If you’re dying for a step-by-step breakdown from a professional sommelier like we are, we’d absolutely recommend listening to a few (or all) episodes. The podcast has been nominated for, and won, many Taste Awards, and his media creation doesn’t plan to stop there. After retirement, Dr. Herndon plans to write another book on wine. Yes, another– you can find his Taste Award-winning e-book “Wine Conversations: Exploring Meaning, Mystery, and Myth” here.
These days, when he’s not in the classroom, he frequently hosts or puts together dinners and pairings and is the director of a robust wine club at a local retirement facility. You might also find him hanging out with Todd and Angela Hurt, owners of Tapped Athens Wine Tasting Market, a gem in the heart of the college town that features twenty-four rotating wines on tap that you can purchase by the glass. Dr. Herndon notes them as an important part of his wine journey and frequently runs tasting sessions and appears as their guest sommelier.
Pairings that Dance and the Beauty of Sharing
When wine is paired well, it sings.
“When I do a tasting, we always talk about and feature a cheese pairing, then we talk about the foods we pair. Wine and cheese are natural. But, not all cheese pairs with wine the same way.” Dr. Herndon recommends a tempranillo with a Spanish manchego, a merlot with blue cheese, and a bold cabernet sauvignon with a nice aged cheddar, to name a few.
“I rarely sit around by myself and drink a glass of wine. It’s a beverage I like to share, and when I share it, I like to have a story to tell.” As someone who also likes to share wine with friends, family, and anyone else who wishes to grace my table, I asked Dr. Herndon to share some pairings that he may feature in a tasting. And, in true Modern South style, he shared a beautifully written collection of Southern wines he has tasted, and what he’d serve with them:
Virginia:
Virginia wineries are crafting world-class wines, and few are doing it better than DuCard Vineyards, located in the Monticello American Viticulture Area (AVA) in the beautiful foothills near Shenandoah National Park.
Virginia is winning in the wine market with impressive versions of Cabernet Franc, and this winery’s take on the varietal is expressive. The DuCard 2023 Cabernet Franc Vintner’s Reserve is known for its black cherry and plum profile, complemented with notes of clove and earthy undertones. Pair this wine with roasted pork chops in a cherry reduction, and you’ll see why it was selected for the Virginia Governor’s case last year as one of the state’s best wines. This wine reminds us of a Cabernet Franc from France’s Loire Valley. Its dryness (there’s hardly any residual sugar) and nice acidity make DuCard’s Cabernet Franc a natural pairing with Chèvre, a tangy French goat cheese.
For white wine lovers looking for a Virginia treat, stay with DuCard Vineyards to enjoy its 2023 Signature Viognier. This wine finishes with bright acidity after reflecting all the wonderful flavors we expect from this varietal: apricot, pear, and notes of honeysuckle. This Southern wine recently found friends on the West Coast, capturing a gold medal in the prestigious 2026 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Pair this wine with a semi-soft Fontina cheese, which will harmonize with the wine’s stone fruit flavors. And use those stone fruit notes to your advantage again by pairing this wine with roasted chicken glazed with apricot.
North Carolina:
When considering wine from North Carolina, the JOLO Winery & Vineyards has emerged as one of the state’s best producers. Located in the Yadkin Valley AVA, JOLO has been making award-winning rosé wines for years. It’s 2024 “Pink” is crafted from three grapes suited well to the North Carolina climate and soils: 60% Chambourcin, 25% Traminette, and 15% Vidal Blanc. A glass of this refreshing wine reveals flavors of strawberry and raspberry bathed in lemon citrus. Pair this wine with a simple field greens salad dressed in a raspberry vinaigrette, and, if you want to amp up the salad with a cheese pairing, toss on some salty Feta, which will help bring out hints of melon in the wine.
JOLO’s Golden Hallows is an excellent label that demonstrates this winery’s skill in blending. The 2023 and 2024 vintages were wonderful, and now the winery is touting its recently released (early January) 2025 Golden Hallows wine. The tasting notes call it an elegant white blend made from 52% Traminette and 48% Vidal Blanc. Like the rosé, this wine promises plenty of stone fruit notes, especially pear, but this one revs up the tropical vibes with pineapple and orange blossom. This is a great wine to enjoy with a pesto linguine or simply sipping with some salty crackers topped with smoked gouda, a savory pairing that works well with the wine’s acidity and tropical fruit notes.
Georgia:
Vineyards in North Georgia must contend with more heat and humidity than their peers to the north, but the Boegner family behind the Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery found success with their estate plantings at 1,800 feet in the Dahlonega Plateau (AVA). This winery is known for its expertly crafted sparkling wines, including a 100% estate Chardonnay “Blanc de Blancs Brut,” which has captured a Gold Medal in the Los Angeles International Wine Competition. Made in the traditional Champagne method, the wine aged on its yeast sediment for nearly a year, imparting wonderful bready notes the French would likely call “brioche.” With its lemony finish and bright acidity, this is a wonderful brunch wine that pairs nicely with an eggy quiche Lorraine made with rich, nutty Gruyère cheese. The winery suggests pairing with crab cakes, which would make for a great combination, especially if the crabs are sourced from the Georgia coast.
Another popular choice from this winery is the Howling Wolf Red, a full-bodied red wine with bold tannins. It is a non-vintage wine that allows Wolf Mountain to blend from its best Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon harvests. A blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, the winery explained that the varietals are aged separately in American oak for 10 months, then blended and re-barreled for another 6 months. The result is a wine with rich fruit notes of strawberry jam, raspberry, and cherry with undertones of cocoa and tobacco. This wine pairs well with grilled beef brisket and is a wonderful companion to a semi-sharp, aged cheddar.
Of course, after all these pairings, I would have been remiss not to ask Dr. Herndon what his favorite pairing was, and, in true Southerner fashion, he had the best response: “For me, and I can’t say I came up with this, sparkling wine – preferably a grower champagne – and fried chicken! It’s my favorite, most unusual pairing. The bubbles and the acidity in a traditional sparkling work with the coating and the greasiness of the fried chicken – it cuts through the grease and creates a wonderful connection.”
Maybe it’s time to revive our copycat Raising Cane’s fried chicken recipe and give this a try. Although I’m sure it won’t quite compare to the Southern fried chicken made by his Aunt Myrtle, he so fondly remembers.
Most sommeliers have mottos and opinions about wine culture and enjoyment. Dr. Herndon appreciates the variety of wines that are offered.
“What’s amazing about wine is that there is something out there for everyone. Whether you prefer oaky, buttery, sweet, or crisp and clean, it’s out there. People have to be true to themselves. Do what you like. Drink what you like. Eat what you like. Don’t let other people tell you. Even if that means going against the grain–so what! Don’t let someone else dictate what you should and should not enjoy.”
And don’t forget, “the best wine to drink is the one that has a story to tell.”
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