Episode 276 of I’ll Drink to That has been released, and features Ryan Mills-Knapp of Le District, a restaurant and retail outlet in Lower Manhattan.

Ryan Mills-Knapp is the Beverage Director of the restaurant and retail complex Le District in lower Manhattan, and really this is a pivotal, generational interview in a couple of senses because Ryan is at that point age -wise where he remembers and worked with the previous, much smaller group of sommeliers who came before him, and has witnessed a blooming of interest in the field from a younger generation that has followed him. At the same time he has seen trends ebb and flow, and he is a part of what could be said to be the rebirth of the Financial District, which saw tremendous devastation in the wake of 9/11 and is now flourishing with new restaurants and offices. If you are curious about the real life of a sommelier, and how the job has changed over the last decade, this is a good interview to listen to.

Listen to the stream above, or check it out in iTunes.

I’ll Drink to That is the world’s leading wine podcast, hosted by Levi Dalton. Levi has had a long career working as a sommelier in some of the most distinguished and acclaimed dining rooms in America. He has served wine to guests of Restaurant Daniel, Masa, and Alto, all in Manhattan. Levi has also contributed articles on wine themes to publications such as The Art of Eating, Wine & Spirits magazine, Bon Appetit online, and Eater NY. Check out his pictures on Instagram and follow him on Twitter: @levi_opens_wine