Icy Liu, Founder of Ungrafted Podcast and Asian Wine Professionals (Beaune, France)

Years in Industry
I moved to the wine industry in 2015 after an unsatisfying career in finance. I worked in retail (Crush Wine and Spirits & Eastside Cellars), distribution (Bonhomie), and auction (Acker Merrall). I moved to Burgundy in 2018 for my Wine MBA at the Burgundy School of Business and Enology Diploma at the University of Burgundy. I worked in the vines at Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux in Vosne Romanée and Domaine Chanterêves in Savigny-lès-Beaune. I am currently working for Becky Wasserman & Co.

Climate change, #metoo, and the Black Lives Matter Movements all affected me profoundly and inspired me to launch Ungrafted, a podcast about wine, humanity, and the planet in October 2020. I also helped found Vines4Votes, a wine auction that raised over $50k for the ACLU of Texas to fight voter suppression. Lastly, I am starting a group called Asian Wine Professionals, whose directory and articles are additional resources for diversity and inclusion in the wine trade.

My Top Three Challenges to Wellness
Without question, my top challenge is facing my own inner critic. Chinese culture loves to honor accomplishments and portray a perfect image, so my whole life I have tried to achieve academically or professionally to prove my worth. I also struggled with an eating disorder when I was young, so being surrounded by people who comment about their weight and mine is very hard for me. It’s so hard but I’m trying to learn that I am great just the way I am and to let go of judgement.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer last October. I have learned that there is a link between alcohol and cancer, so now I am cautious about overindulging. Yet, I still want to attend wine dinners and tastings; I take a thermos to use as a spittoon so I can still have fun!

Trying to do everything.

How I Keep It Together to Stay Well:
I am obsessed with dogs and seek them out wherever I go. They’re my happy place. My good friend Drew said “If you take the best qualities from 10 different people it would amount to one dog.”

I am currently in Taipei and I’ve found a dog park where I can start playing with dogs! I also watch @whataboutbunny and @goldie.swag on Instagram daily.

To stay grounded and positive, I listen to podcasts such as “On Being with Krista
Tippett”, “Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations”, and “Unlocking Us with Brene Brown.”

I have been an athlete since young and physical exercise has always been very important to me. I spin, weight lift and practice yoga.

What Inspires Me:
People: specifically wine growers who are stewards of the land and work so incredibly hard for the promise of a moderate return: Mimi Casteel, Tomoko Kuriyama, Steve Matthiasson, Yoshi and Kyoto Sato, to name a few…

Pamela Busch at the Vinguard and all my fellow volunteers who are helping craft the Wine Industry Equity and Justice Pledge.

Nature: nothing makes me more awestruck about the wonders of the Universe than standing next to a California redwood, a Patagonia glacier, or a beautiful and fragrant rose bush.

Animals: not only are they cute and furry, they remind us to take care of the Planet that we inhabit together.

A Quote I Love
“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” Friedrich Nietzsche

You can connect with Icy on Instagram @ungraftedpodcast , @asianwineprofessionals , Facebook and online at Ungraftedpodcast.com and asianwineprofessionals.com