Podcasts about picpoul

I think people are feeling a bit of a worry about the economy worldwide, so I thought I'd make some suggestions for inexpensive wines that taste like expensive ones! Almost every wine is below $18, although I put under $20 in the title because it seemed punchier!   I did lots of research to make sure these were way below US$20 in markets across the US and around the world. For inclusion in the list they had to be great wines that I would buy even if they weren't such great values (and with tariffs, they will be less good values, but still inexpensive). These are wines I drink regularly. Even though there are inexpensive versions of some wines (Fiano, Chianti, etc), I did not include them because I don't think the inexpensive versions of those are good enough. This list is the cream of the crop below $20.   For each wine I discuss the background, the flavors, and why they are inexpensive (in case you are suspicious!). Some wines included: Picpoul, Crémant de Loire, Côtes de Bordeaux and Argentinean Malbec from Cafayate (different from Mendoza)   Enjoy the list!    Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople _______________________________________________________________   Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access.  They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!    To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes    

Dennis and Denise have a budget-friendly show tonight, with each wine costing less than $10. Also, see if you can catch ten references to different songs.Tonight we will have a Picpoul from the South of France. This is a new wine for us. Picpoul (Pronounced peek–pool) Means "stings the lips" is grown mostly in the Languedoc in southern France around the Mediterranean. It was rewarded its own AOC in 2013, and its popularity has grown considerably in the past 15 years. This wine pairs great with seafood or spicey dishes or for a summer sipper. Our second wine is from the Columbia Valley in Washington. This is the State's largest wine region. It is an arid region that receives lots of sunshine during the growing season (more than Napa Valley). It also has some cooler weather that gives the grapes good acidity.Our final wine is a Le Grand Noir Chardonnay from France. This is a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) wine from the Pays D'Oc. The wine is a 85% Chardonnay and 15% Viognier blend. Unlike other French wines, PGI wines are allowed to list the variety of grape. Tonight, our three wines include:2023 Foncastel Picpoul De Pinet, purchased at Trader Joe's for $8.99. Reverse Wine Snob rated it a buy. It has 13% alcohol. Mostly citrus on the nose. Lemon and lime smell. Palate is more acidic and also has some salinity. 2022 Pacific Rim Riesling, we purchased at Costco for $7.89. The wine comes from the Columbia Valley in Washington. The Wine Enthusiast rated it a 90. The grapes are picked early, so has good acid and then bottled with 25.2 g/l of residual sugar. Pairs well with with spicey Asian or Mexican food. 2022 Le Grand Noir Chardonnay. We purchased this wine from Costco for $9.99. It is made with 85% Chardonnay and 15% Viogneir. 30% of the Chardonnay spends sometime in French and American Oak. The wine maker said they wanted to make a lightly oaked Chardonnay that was drinkable alone and pairs well with food. Pair with seafood or white meats. Wine Enthusiast rated it a 92 and gave it a "Best Buy".Next week we will have something a little different. It's Denise's birthday, and to celebrate, we will have ice wine and birthday cake. The two wines we will taste include: 2023 North Wind Vidal Ice Wine. We purchased it at Costco for $19.99. NV Cooper's Hawk Lux Ice Wine that was purchased at Cooper's Hawk for $29.99.

Picpoul translates to “lip stinger” in the original dialect, and this is not your typical high acid white wine. In fact, we were pretty surprised by this wine overall. It had more body (read: alcohol) than a typical zippy white wine, and more body as well. Although it is often called a summer sipper, this wine felt more like a fall wind-breaker. Picpoul is not a commonly grown wine grape, and does best in Mediterranean climates like where it is from in Languedoc in the south of France. We explore a bit of this wine and wine region's long history, and learn about how this wine is made and a bit about the winemakers themselves. If you are a white wine lover, or even if you are white wine curious, this is a great episode for you to expand your wine horizons. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2022 Domitia Picpoul de Pinet, 2022 Domaine Font-Mars Picpoul de Pinet.Send us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we'd love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us: https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: joe@thewinepairpodcast.com

In this episode, we explore yet another one of our favorite white wines Picpoul or Piquepoul. No matter how you spell it, it is known for its mouth-watering streak of acidity.  Allie fills you in on all you need to know about this unique grape and how it made its way from the south of France to the Central Coast of California. Picpoul finds its home in the region of many firsts, Languedoc-Roussillon.  Julie has many interesting facts about the area and defines why they are both separate and together. There is a lot to unpack from this beautiful coastal wine region. Grab a glass of your favorite lip-smacking wine and join us. Cheers!Support the showCONNECT WITH US: You can follow and message us on Instagram @crushitwinesb You can also reach out via email - Cheers@crushitwineeducation.com If you want to help support the show and get extra content every week, sign up for our Patreon. Join the list to stay up to date on future episodes and featured wines so you can sip alongside us! Finally, we're more than just a podcast! We are a full service wine education company offering an online wine shop, a wine club membership and both virtual and in person classes. Go to www.crushitwineeducation.com to learn more and get 10% off your first order when you sign up for the mailing list! Cheers and thanks for listening!

Wine. Food. Merriment. And a touch of southern French sun.That just about sums up this episode.We're exploring Occitanie - the sun-kissed southern French region that stretches from the western Rhone through Languedoc and Roussillon into South West France.Taken as a whole, it's the world's largest vineyard and makes around 5% of global wine output.In the past, these regions have been criticised for focusing on quantity over quality and being out of touch with the modern wine world.But things have changed significantly in recent decades, as the vineyard has been drastically shrunk and successful producers have focused on quality, innovation, value, indigenous varieties and the future.And that's not all this part of the world is known for. It also boasts a mighty fine gastronomic scene. So yes, you guessed it: we couldn't resist. In this episode we're serving up six dishes inspired by southern French ingredients: mushroom arancini, Mediterranean shellfish stew, cod with beurre blanc and winter ratatouille, Toulouse sausage casserole, duck shepherd's pie and Roquefort.Then we find Occitanie wines to pair with those different dishes, neatly illustrating the diversity of the region in the process, from elegant sparkling wine to lusciously sweet Vin Doux Naturel via a brand new style of Picpoul de Pinet that we didn't know about.Along the way we hear from expert Matthew Stubbs MW plus growers Jean-Claude Mas (Les Domaines Paul Mas) and Pauline Nadal (Domaine Nadal Hainaut).Somehow we touch on manure, fried brians (yes, you read that right), Asterix, bootcamps, touchy-feely labels, wines with soul and a nitrogen generator.Thanks to the Occitanie Region for sponsoring this podcast. Just a few of the wines we feature in this episode are:Sieur d'Arques Crémant de Limoux Blason Rouge Brut NVRoc des Angles Llum 2022, Côtes CalanesLes Vignerons de Florensac Picpoul de Pinet Selection 2020Château Estanilles Vallongue rosé 2022, FaugèresCalmel & Joseph Les Terroirs La Fabrique 2021, Côtes du BrianClos d'Elpis Elpis Route 2021, Côtes CatalanesDomaine de Rancy Rivesaltes Ambré Vin Doux Naturel 1998We love to hear from you so please do get in touch! Send us a voice message via Speakpipe or you can find more details to get in touch on our website (link below).All details from this episode, including full listings of all the wines featured in the show, are on our website: Show notes for Wine Blast S5 E10 - A Southern French FeastThanks for tuning in. Here's to the joy of wine - and cheers to you!Bad Attitudes: An Uninspiring Podcast About DisabilityA less-than-inspiring exploration of disability from someone who is actually disabled....Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

To download the transcript CLICK HERE   Today we have our Part two with wined educator Sam Povey, who begins to uncover the jewels of the Languedoc region in the south of France. Sam shares his experiences and recommendations for the best places to visit and wines to try in this diverse and exciting region. With a rich history in wine production, Languedoc has evolved from being known for cheap wine into a region that's investing in quality, embracing modern practices, and producing wines that compete on the world stage. This episode provides a glimpse into the 220,000 hectares of vineyards, Mediterranean landscapes, historic cities like Carcassonne and Nîmes, and the influence of various winds on the region. Sam highlights the diverse grape varieties found in Languedoc, from Syrah and Grenache Noir to Grenache Blanc and Viognier.  This episode is sponsored by Wickham Wines, A small business themselves focusing on top quality wines. Do yourself a favour, and go check out their online store for their amazing collection! Use the code EATSLEEP10 for 10% off your first order. If you want to skip ahead:   05.08: Down to the Languedoc Region   07.49: Faugères and the geography of Languedoc   09.54: The growing conditions in Languedoc   12.35: Picpoul de Pinet    15.17: Sparkling wine    18.19: Blanquette de Limoux - the traditional method of sparkling wine   22.17: Limoux white oak requirements   24.17: Terrasses du Larzac   25.53: Mas de Daumas Gassac   Any thoughts or questions, do email me: janina@eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk Or contact me on Instagram @eatsleep_winerepeat   If you fancy watching some videos on my youtube channel: Eat Sleep Wine Repeat Or come say hi at www.eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk Until next time, Cheers to you! ------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- THE EAT SLEEP WINE REPEAT PODCAST HAS BEEN FEATURED IN DECANTER MAGAZINE, RADIO TIMES AND FEED SPOT AS THE 6TH BEST UK WINE MAKING PODCAST  

With more than 300 days of sunshine and steady winds off the Mediterranean Sea, Pyrenees Mountains and the Massif Central, the region of Languedoc-Roussillon in southwest France's “Occitania” has a prolific winemaking heritage. AOC Limoux, for example, is the birthplace of sparkling wine. Melanie and David explore a few of Languedoc's 20 AOCs and styles of wine produced, including: Picpoul de Pinet, Corbieres- Boutenac, La Clape, Pic Saint Loup, Limoux, Malepere, Saint Chinian and Cabardès.The Connected Table is broadcast live Wednesdays at 2PM ET.The Connected Table Radio Show is broadcast on W4CY Radio (www.w4cy.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com). The Connected Table Podcast is also available on Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David is joined by the founder of wine bars Diogenes the Dog and Aspen and Mersault, Sunny Hodge, to talk about the uniquely different way that he communicates wine and why natural wine is so often misunderstood. Banfi 2017 Brunello Di Montalcino (silver) Edouard Delaunay 2019 Volnay Santenots 1Er Cru (silver) La Chablisienne Chablis Premier Cru 2019 (silver) Benjamin Darnault 2021 Picpoul de Pinet (silver) Domaine de Cala 2021 (silver) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DIMANCHE 05 FÉVRIER 2023 Olivier Azan - Domaine du Petit Roubié Situé au cœur du Languedoc, le domaine du Petit Roubié domine l'étang de Thau et la mer Méditerranée avec une vue sur la colline de Sète, le Cap d'Agde et la garrigue. La propriété viticole, gérée par la famille Azan, exploite 80 hectares en agriculture biologique depuis 1985. Ils produisent une large gamme de vins rosés, rouges et blancs, frais et fruités, typiques de la région dont un blanc en appellation Picpoul. Le domaine a une salle de réception et un gîte qui permettent aux visiteurs de découvrir les vins et la région languedocienne.      Julien Franclet - Domaine Séailles Julien est œnologue et vigneron au Domaine Séailles en Gascogne où il produit également des armagnacs. Les vins sont en agriculture biologique depuis 1998 et les armagnacs depuis 2002. Julien est également secrétaire adjoint et administrateur de l'association SudvinBio. Cette association, anciennement nommée Association Interprofessionnelle des Vins Biologiques du Languedoc-Roussillon, est aujourd'hui reconnue par l'ensemble des professionnels comme une association active qui contribue à la notoriété des vins biologiques. Près de 500 entreprises engagées dans l'agriculture biologique étaient adhérentes à l'association en 2021. SudvinBio soutient les vignerons au quotidien avec un accompagnement sur la technique, la réglementation, la vente et la communication. Enfin, l'association a créé en 1993 le salon Millésime Bio, un mondial des vins bio, qu'elle organise chaque année.   Jacques Frelin - Jacques Frelin Vignobles  Jacques est un acteur majeur du vin biologique en France, son grand-père étant l'un des premiers à fuir les produits chimiques à son époque.  En effet, c'est depuis 1983 que le vigneron se lance dans l'aventure bio avec la conviction que le vin doit être produit de manière naturelle dans le respect des sols et des Hommes. D'abord producteur de vin, Jacques Frelin devient co-fondateur du salon Millésime Bio puis vice-président de l'association SudVinBio. C'est la fille du vigneron, Carole Frelin, qui a repris la direction du domaine depuis 2020, entourée d'une équipe 100% féminine. Sa volonté est de continuer l'engagement de la famille pour l'environnement avec l'agriculture biologique et également avec un système innovant de réemploi des bouteilles, des bouchons et des étiquettes recyclables.

"They are quite expensive their top wines" - Master Sommelier surprised this producer made this wine When not one but TWO Master Sommeliers are discussing this bottle of wine you know you're on to something! Picpoul De Pinet from Moulin De Gassac has all the markers for the grape variety but can it live up to it's fellow producers top shelf options? Follow our Instagram for more hints, tips and teachings: Got Somme Become a member of our Patreon where exclusive content, unedited 20+ minute episodes and the chance to join us in studio awaits! Check out our Patreon Watch this episode with captions on our Youtube Page  Buy this bottle where we got ours: Dan MurphysThis podcast proudly presented by Grays.com: https://www.grays.com/search/wine-and-more?tab=itemsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cette semaine, les Méchants Raisins s'affrontent dans un combat. On déguste, on argumente, on compare, et puis on vote. Qui a apporté le meilleur vin? Et aussi, on vous fait nos suggestions!  Combat des bouteilles: Domaine Capelanel, Petitou 2020, Cahors, France  18,85 $ - Code SAQ 14977891 – 13,5 % - 2,4 g/L – Bio  Christian Bonfils, Côtes du Rhône Villages Sablet 2019, Cuvée Clémence, Domaine de Boissan, France23,60 $ - Code SAQ 712521 – 14,5 % - 2 g/L   Suggestions:  Patrick  Vieille Voye Chablis 2020 Domaine Laroche  36,75 $ - Code SAQ 14923869 – 12,5 % - 1,6 g/L  La Colombière, Coste 2016, Fronton, France  26,15 $ - Code SAQ 14959351 – 12,5 % - 1,6 g/L  Nadia La Croix Gratiot, Picpoul de Pinet 202119,40 $ - Code SAQ 14726945 – 12,5 % -1,6 g/L Desprat Saint-Verny, Côtes d'Auvergne 2019, Gamay 348, the Lost Vineyard21,65 $ - Code SAQ 14038616  Mathieu Joël Delaunay La Voûte Chenonceaux 2020, France 21,15 $ - Code SAQ 13900956 - 13,5 % - 4,2 g/L Les Éclats du Branas Grand Poujeaux Moulis-en-Médoc 2016, France 27,50 $ - Code SAQ 14805011 - 13,5 % - 2,5 g/LPour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr

Season 3 Episode 10 It's August 10th. Which means it's hot, and it's Seán's Birthday! Woooo!! So in honor of this special hot day, Bottled Up! a wine podcast of sorts would like to introduce you to one of Seán's favorite summer sippers-- Picpoul de Pinet. This white wine from the south of France is a real treat. Bright fresh acid and incredible citrus motes make for the perfect zipper summer time wine. Grab a bottle and Drink-A-Long with Jenn and Seán This week's wine: Domaine de la Madone Picpoul de Pinet

Aujourd'hui, on s'ouvre une petite quille ! Enfin, plutôt 2. En effet : Je vous propose une dégustation comparative de 2 Picpoul de Pinet, ce vin blanc méditerranéen dont je vous ai parlé récemment. Nous avions vu sa localisation, son climat, ses terroirs, son cépage ... Il est maintenant temps de déguster ce vin, en suivant les différentes étapes : Oeil, nez, et bouche. Comme toujours, quand je vous fais une vidéo de dégustation, le but est aussi de : Voir ou revoir les automatismes à avoir lorsque vous dégustez un vin, Acquérir du vocabulaire pour mieux le décrire, Et, dans ce cas particulier, comprendre la diversité du cépage picpoul. A vos verres ! Recevez votre kit du dégustateur : https://www.lecoam.eu/kit MES FORMATIONS ---------------------------------------- Formez-vous au vin sur http://www.lecoam.eu Recevez la 1ère BOX pour se former au vin ici : https://www.masterclass-degustation.com Rejoignez d'autres passionnés de vin dans mon groupe Télégram ! C'est ici : https://t.me/lecoam J'y partage des astuces de dégustations, des schémas, des vidéos ... (Si vous ne connaissez pas Telegram, c'est un peu comme WhatsApp, en plus sécurisé. Vous pouvez l'installer gratuitement sur votre smartphone ou tablette sur https://telegram.org/ )

This podcast was recorded after my trip to the Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône, a wine trade fair that I was invited to by Inter-Rhône. It was a wonderful learning experience and I stayed on for a few days afterwards to explore Hermitage, Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, St. Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and in the south, Beaumes de Venise with Claude Chabran of Rhonéa, Gigondas with Elisa Cheron from Familie Cheron of Domaine du Grand Montmirail, and a self-guided tour of vineyards in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It was a fantastic trip and I am grateful to the people at Inter-Rhone for the opportunity. Photo: Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône at Palais des Papes in Avignon, Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People   If you are curious about some of the people I mention as partners in crime in the show: Matt Walls, Rhône expert, Decanter's Rhône contributor, author of Wines of the Rhône Adam Lechmere, editor of Club Oenologique and prominent wine writer Elizabeth “Liz” Gabay, MW – Rosé goddess (and the world's foremost rosé expert) Jamie Goode of Wine Anorak and author or several books Also, not mentioned by name (with apologies, but MC Ice had me thinking of Brits – these guys are fantastic), Kurtis Kolt, a great writer and consultant from Vancouver, Canada and Gurvinder Bhatia, Editor-in-Chief of Quench magazine Photo: The Rhône in Bloom! by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People   Côtes du Rhône percentages are PLANTINGS, not blend percentages in Côtes du Rhône wines. So if the requirement is 40% Grenache for a Côtes du Rhône, that is how much Grenache must be plantedin a vineyard for Côtes du Rhône, not how much has to be in the blend. Case in point: I had a 99% Syrah that was a Village wine.   The producer is a big part of whether you like a wine or not, but you should still learn region before you learn producer. Producer can make or break your experience. It's hard to learn but once you understand what the region has to offer, the next step is finding the producers you like. Great producers: Familie Cheron of Domaine du Grand Montmirail, Gigondas   About white grapes in rosé wine…it's a-ok! I mentioned Elizabeth “Liz” Gabay, MW – goddess of pink wine and her son Ben. Look them up. White wines are allowed to be used in rosé as long as those grapes are fermented with the juice from red grapes. Whites Clairette, Picpoul, and Bouboulenc are used to lighten up one of my absolute favorite rosés, the Rhône cru, Tavel.   Roussanne grows really well in the southern Rhône and there is more of it than ever before. The is distinctive when you taste it in a blend and there are more whites from Côtes du Rhône and the Villages planting and growing this awesome grape to make it a bigger part of blends. Check out the pod we did on this wonderful grape.   Clairette is another a grape that no one talks about it but is awesome – acidic, refreshing, can be like Sauvignon Blanc, lighter style Rieslings, zippy, and green fruit notes. It is used in large proportions in Côtes du Rhône blanc from the south.   Cairanne, the cru of the southern Rhône, is light on its feet and a completely different wine than the rest of the cru. Because of the larger proportion of Cinsault, the lighter soils, the Mistral wind, and the terroir, the wines have a lighter touch than many of the other southern Rhône cru. Cairanne makes pretty and elegant wine still with great fruit.   An important point from the trip: Please STOP SENDING ME COMMENTS ABOUT MY FRENCH.Even when I tried to say names of regions and wines, I was not understood by folks in the Rhône or other parts of the south. It often took Google translate to communicate. If I tried to pronounce things in French it would have a terrible effect – neither French speakers nor English speakers would understand me and it would be futile. WFNP is an English language podcast and I need to pronounce things so that English language speakers (most of whom speak no French) understand what wines and regions I am saying so they can seek these wines out. After this trip, I will no longer be answering these comments and if you find that offensive, you can feel free to turn off the show. I'm sorry to see you go, but I'm no longer going to be apologetic for anglicizing French. Photo: Dentelles du Montmirail in Gigondas, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People   Gigondas is NOT a baby Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in my opinion. Some is very tannic and harsh, some is just beautiful but it is all about skill and terroir. The best producers aren't trying to mimic Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They are their own expression of mainly Grenache in a hot, mistral effected areas of the Dentelles du Montmirail. Moulin de la Gardette and Domaine de Longue Toque are exquisite examples of terroir-driven Gigondas wines that are not trying to emulate Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Photo: Condrieu, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People Condrieu has a lot more to it than you may think. First, it has two different parts, In the north where the wines are almost Sauvignon Blanc like – herbal, lime-like, lightly floral (jasmine) with higher acidity and a lighter body. In the south the wines are more like a traditional Viognier – peachy, sweet lemon, apricot notes with a fuller body but still with more acidity than New World Viognier Condrieu has some rows of vines that, because of the undulation of the hills, face north or northeast. These north facing rows are not considered Condrieu and are declassified into IGP Viognier, according to Aurelien Chirat from Vignoble Chirat. Finally, whole bunch fermentation can be used to add texture to wines but also to dilute or absorb alcohol. The stems have water in them that will dilute alcohol, they also can absorb some of the alcohol into their wood. Aurelien Chirat of Vignoble Chirat in Condrieu Most winemakers use outside labs as required by the AOC laws. There is use of technology as a check on the health of the wine, but analysis is not a decision making tool unless there is a problem. This is a very different philosophical bent than the New World. Photo, Côte Rôtie, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People  Two things on Côte Rôtie… Despite what I have heard and read in recent times, Côte Rôtie has have Viognier in it – I didn't find a producer who made a wine without at least a little. Most had 3-5% Viognier in their Syrah wine. The only wines that didn't have Syrah were special old vine plots or from designated vineyards, from which the winemakers wanted to showcase the Syrah for that particular wine. The plateau of Côte Rôtie has high quality, even though wine people malign it. I loved some of the wines from there – they are softer and easier to drink younger. Some of the wines smelled like manure and carnations – there are several theories as to why, which we discuss in the show.   Photo: Hermitage, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People  A few things on the very small appellation of Hermitage Books say producers are permitted to blend in Marsanne and Roussanne into the Syrah. That is true, but there isn't one producer who is doing that. The style is 100% Syrah and although that is for flavor, it's also because producers need white grapes for the white wine of Hermitage, which represents 30% of what is grown and made. If you haven't had a white Hermitage, that should be your next investment! This is rare wine and it's a bargain for how little there is in the world.   Crozes-Hermitage has two parts around the base of the hill of Hermitage each makes different wine styles. The northern side is on uniform granite. This is the old part of the appellation before it was expanded many times into southern flatter areas after World War II. Crozes Hermitage makes 50% of all the wine of the northern Rhone and the flat, southern part is less expensive than any other part of the Rhone, so younger producers have a chance to move in and get established. This is a good thing, even if it means the wine can be variable. Photo: St.Joseph, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People  St. Joseph is a tannic wine and it is not similar to Crozes-Hermitage, as many books will tell you.The appellation is varied, with many different types of granite (it really should be broken up into pieces). Although the wines from farther north are a little softer, I found them to be so harsh in tannin I could barely drink them. The verdict is out on if they will mellow with time, but to drink the young wine was nearly impossible for me. If you love harsh tannin, this is your wine.   Châteauneuf-du-Pape is bigger than the entire northern Rhone combined. It is VERY varied in terroir, farming, and quality, so caveat emptor!     There are a million other little tidbits woven into this show. If you want to explore Rhône beyond study guides and generalizations, this show will get you far in understanding how different reality is from what may be published in books.   I hope you enjoy our “myth-busters, Rhône edition”! ___________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you'll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today! If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople   To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

In 2019 Markus and Liz Bokisch celebrated 20 years of making award winning Spanish wines at Bokisch Vineyards. Markus pioneered the planting of Spanish varieties in California by bringing over budwood from Spain and planting it in Lodi soil in 1999. Inspired by his Catalan heritage and driven by a passion for organic and sustainable farming, he became one the most prominent grape growers and authorities on Spanish grapes in all of the United States. Markus Bokisch has also drawn attention to the diversity and uniqueness of Lodi wine country by spearheading the committee to create the 7 Lodi sub AVA's. Bokisch Vineyards produces wine from 5 of those 7 AVA's, continuing Markus's passion to showcase the uniqueness of the Lodi growing regions. In 2000 they made their first vintage of Bokisch wine and have continued to grow their Spanish wine portfolio ever since. Bokisch Vineyards is now producing 11 bottlings of 7 different Spanish varieties across 6 different vineyards. Featuring Albariño, Garnacha Blanca, Verdejo, Garnacha, Tempranillo, Monastrell, and Graciano. Since its inception in 2000, Bokisch Vineyards has been featured in numerous wine publications including Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, and Sunset Magazine. In April, 2018 Bokisch Vineyards was the first American winery to win a gold medal for their Garnacha Blanca in the International Grenaches du Monde Competition held in Gandesa, Spain. In December of 2018, Markus and Bokisch Vineyards was featured in Wine Spectator, highlighting Markus's vision for Spanish wines and wines made in Lodi. In 2014 they moved into a brand new winery facility located in the rolling hills of Lodi, and hired their winemaker Elyse Perry, giving them full control - grape to glass. For all of these reasons and more, Bokisch Vineyards has been a leading force in establishing Lodi as a destination for wine lovers. Their tasting room is located in the oak studded rolling hills of eastern Lodi and is known for the fantastic views, delicious wines, picnic areas and fire pits. Wine Club members are treated to 4 exclusive events per year which are themed to match each new wine release. Liz Bokisch uses her exquisite culinary skills to create specific recipes to pair with the wines. Bokisch Vineyards is also making hand crafted, small lot wines from other varieties under their Tizona label. Showcasing the skills of their winemaker Elyse Perry, they produce an additional 8 vineyard designated wines including Malbec, Old Vine Carignane, Syrah, and Picpoul.

Hannah and Abbie discuss Picpoul, Crocs, and Memoir Names.

For Episode 22 Mike - back from vacation and back in the Bombay Room at Nicholson Ranch Winery in Sonoma -  chats with Larry "Sharpie" Sharp! Larry worked at such iconic Seattle radio stations as KISW and KZOK, and programmed stations all over the west coast! Now He makes his home in Napa, so it was obvious for him to show up in the Bombay room at Nicholson Ranch and sit for a podcast session. The guys chat about the ups and downs of the radio bizz, Larry explains the moniker "Captain Sharpie", and of course they sip a couple of delicious wines. See behind the scenes on Mike's Instagram @tallmikewine! Email Mike to request coasters, ask a question, or just make a comment: tallmikewine@gmail.com. Tell a friend, give a rating and review! Follow or like, or subscribe! Wines discussed this episode:2020 Les Costières de Pomérols Picpoul de Pinet Guillaume de Guers2012 Castelgiocondo (Marchesi de' Frescobaldi) Lamaione Toscana IGT

Au bord de la Méditerranée, en bordure d'un lac salé, s'étend le vignoble du Picpoul de Pinet. C'est la plus grande région de vin blanc du Languedoc. Pour les crustacés, les huîtres et les coquillages, ce vin un peu salé voir iodé va très bien faire l'affaire. Même les Sashimis vont trouver un compagnon idéal. Maintenant nous avons la chance d'avoir chez-nous quatre maisons de Picpoul et en voici deux formidables à un très bon prix.

Riches can not always be measured by money, Napoleon Hill says. Furthermore, it is the riches of the heart - building meaningful, deep and lasting connections that are our true riches. Mat Boggs shares with us the five Relationship Conflict Resolution Techniques.  These are appropriate for our workplace, spouse, significant other - even our children. Listen also to this Cracking the Man Code webinar by Mat. https://go.lifemasteryinstitute.com/i/?p=Vahail&w=EVG-BreakFree-WebReg Kundalini Yoga - Hariprakaash is teaching a special class at 9:00 AM May 26 Full Blood Moon  Lunar Eclipse. Embrace Change is her theme. www.hariprakaash.com VIRTUAL class live. Wine- Three unusual summer whites- GrunerVeltliner Austria, Picpoul de Pinet France and JJ Prum German Riesling. Heaven in a bottle

Find out why Riesling is the wine of choice for people in the wine industry, as well as where to buy it from, how much to pay, how to age it, and what to eat with it.   What Meg's drinking: Picpoul de Pinet.  Wine bar discussed: The Hills in Surry HillsWines Tasted: Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling ($19) https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_43615/pewsey-vale-eden-valley-rieslingDopff Au Moulin Riesling Grand Cru Schoenenbourghttps://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_904452/dopff-au-moulin-riesling-grand-cru-schoenenbourgSchloss-Vollrads Qualitatswein Riesling ($28)https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_347988/schloss-vollrads-qualitatswein-riesling

It is the five year anniversary of the Vacation Mavens podcast! To celebrate, we are talking about one of our favorite topics -- wine (and travel)! This week we are joined by Mary Jo Mazanares, from Traveling with MJ, to talk about how to go wine tasting and some of our favorite wine regions. About Mary Jo Mazanares Mary Jo is an avid traveler with over 16 years of digital publishing experience. She publishes at Traveling with MJ with a focus on value luxury travel, luxury for real people, not celebrities, and is currently working on Secret Seattle, to be published by Reedy Press in 2021. She and her husband Tony own Leeward Media, LLC, and publish six travel and lifestyle sites. You can follow Mary Jo at @travelingwithmj on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Wine Tasting and Wine Travel Tips If you are new to wine tasting, it helps to start with smaller wineries where you will get more personalized service because they aren't as busy rushing around and serving other customers. Don't be afraid to tell the pourer that you are a newbie and let them help you choose which wines to try. They will often ask some questions about what you like and then get feedback on what you taste to go on from there. When doing virtual wine tastings, you also want to keep it to a small group where you can have a more intimate conversation. See more about MJ's virtual wine tastings with Washington wines or get ideas for other virtual wine tastings. When going wine tasting for a day, make sure you either hire a driver or set a designated driver. If you are going to be just sipping and tasting, not drinking the full pour, you can probably get to three to four wineries a day. However, if you really want to leave yourself time to take a tour or really engage with the staff, two to three might be a better number. If you are tasting with someone else, you may be able to share a pour. Don't be afraid to use the dump bucket for wines you don't enjoy or if you just don't want to drink too much. If you drink a full tasting pour each time, by the end the wines might blend together and you may have a harder time differentiating between them and identifying what you enjoy. In some regions like Walla Walla, the downtown have a number of tasting rooms within walking distance to each other, making it easier to visit a few without needing a designated driver. You can also find this in Napa, Carmel, Sonoma, and Santa Rosa. Be sure to plan who and when you are going to eat during your wine tasting day. Either make a lunch reservation or plan a wine and food pairing tasting. Many wineries will also sell charcuterie boards that you can enjoy with your tasting or after. Three big things to consider when doing a tasting are how does the wine look? How does it smell? And how does it taste? For looks -- swirl the wine, hold it up to the light, see how it clings to the side of the glass, is it dark/light/opaque? For smell, put your nose in the glass and breathe in. Can you pick up any particular aromas? Does it change over time or after you swirl? For taste - take a small sip and see how it feels on your tongue and your palate. Give some time to see what flavors might linger or where it hits you in your mouth. Taste again after a few minutes to see if it has changed at all. To learn a bit more, you can purchase a wine wheel (this is an affiliate link. If you click and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission.) Just remember that wine tasting and wine preference is a personal thing and there is no "best wine" just the best wine for you. Favorite wine regions: In Europe, MJ is a fan of Tuscany and sangiovese-based wines In Northern California, MJ loves downtown Napa Her home state of Washington is MJ's favorite, especially Walla Walla If you are planning a trip to Tuscany, Tamara had a terrific wine tour with Tuscan Organic Tours. It is nice to know what varietals wine regions are known for and plan a trip based on wines that you enjoy. It will also help to have that knowledge before you do tastings. Oregon is well-known for Pinot Noir. Wineries in the south tend to specialize in sweeter wines or whites. The Finger Lakes region in New York is known for Dry Reislings. The South of France, including Languedoc and Provence, are known for rosé, among others. Don't be afraid to try something new when you are traveling, especially if that is the dominant varietal in the region. It can be very different at the source from what you may have had at home. When you are traveling, you can't always ship home. Some wineries are limited to certain states where they can ship and some countries, like France, charge so much that it just isn't worthwhile. So you may want to leave some space in your luggage to wrap up a couple of bottles and bring them home that way. Keep in mind that your tastes will change over time. It is a journey and the object is to enjoy it along the way. Just be willing to experiment. Wine tastings can range from free to $30 per tasting, depending on the region and the winery. Typically if you buy a bottle or a certain dollar amount, your wine tasting fee will be credited. If you ask questions, show interest, and build a relationship with the pourer, they are likely to share some wines that aren't typically on the tasting menu because they see true interest. Full Episode Transcript [00:00:00.120] - Kim Tate Cheers to five years. Today, we're talking about wine.   [00:00:16.100] - Announcer Welcome to Vacation Mavens, a family travel podcast with ideas for your next vacation and tips to get you out the door. Here are your hosts, Kim from Stuffed Suitcase and Tamara from We 3Travel   [00:00:31.100] - Kim Tate Tamara. Happy Anniversary podcast partner. Woohoo! Five years we've been doing this together. We're so lucky.   [00:00:39.530] - Tamara Gruber We're so lucky that we found each other and that we've, you know, managed to pull this off for five years. And we've developed such a special friendship through it. And I'm so glad I'm very thankful for you. I'm thankful for our podcast listeners. It's just been a great experience.   [00:00:54.050] - Kim Tate I agree. I think it's funny because our podcast, if any of you, our fellow podcasters, you'll know it's you know, we'll be very upfront, there's not a lot of money in podcasting. But Tamara and I always say there's just something about getting to chat with your best friend weekly and have people listen to you and get to know you. And, you know, when you guys email us or message us on Facebook or on Instagram, it means so much to us.   [00:01:17.810] - Kim Tate It makes us happy. We'll take screenshot and share it with people. And it's really good. So it's nice that we've created kind of a little community here and it means a lot to us.   [00:01:26.780] - Tamara Gruber And can you just imagine this last year? I know we're doing fewer episodes a month. But if I didn't have you to reach out and talk to, it would have been even worse this past year.   [00:01:37.400] - Kim Tate Agreed. It's great. I mean, technology is so awesome that even though we've been separated by a country, we're still going strong.   [00:01:45.020] - Kim Tate We just need to get back to our trips because we've had some pretty epic trips. And I know today we are going to be talking all about winetasting, kind of some tips and then also a few destinations. But, you know, I thought it'd be good time before we get talking to Mary Jo all about some of our, you know, memorable trips together, maybe to celebrate our five years. I'm sure a lot of our longtime listeners will have heard of most of these, but might be kind of fun. Do you have any trips that stand out to you?   [00:02:13.310] - Tamara Gruber Well, you know, the nice thing is that all of them have involved some wine. But, you know, I love when we go wine tasting together because while we may have very different opinions or tastes, I should say in some things like you love coffee and I hate the smell of it, you know, you're an early riser and I'm a late riser. But like we we seem to hit the similar notes when it comes to wine.   [00:02:35.510] - Tamara Gruber I'm so glad that we're both like, no, no, we want the dry. We don't want the sweet. No, we don't want to oaky Chardonnay. Like, there have been things like that.   [00:02:43.430] - Tamara Gruber And I've always been very impressed by your wine knowledge when we do go to tastings and it always makes for like a nice conversation with whoever's pouring or if we get to talk to the winemaker. And so you're very good travel partner when it comes to visiting wineries.   [00:02:58.520] - Kim Tate Oh, that's so nice. I have actually the same feeling about my experience with you because I feel like we're kind of on the same level of awareness and we both enjoy the same things. And so I agree. I think that's funny. I just had this funny trip memory pop up and this will show people like how much we love wine and being like with each other. We took a trip to Clearwater, Florida for a conference and Tamara got in earlier than me and I was letting her know that I was like in the Uber almost at the airport or I mean, almost at the hotel. And she ran out to some like I don't even remember where you went.   [00:03:32.750] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, a grocery store.   [00:03:34.400] - Kim Tate Yeah. It was like she's like, I'm getting a bottle of wine. We need to chat. And so literally, I came in from, you know, the airplane and everything, and we popped open a wine and poured ourselves a glass and sat down. And it was an awesome start to just kind of a, you know, a work trip with your best friend is pretty awesome.   [00:03:51.050] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we've tasted wine in Texas. Remember Texas.   [00:03:57.830] - Kim Tate Grapevine. Right. That's I mean, literally called Grapevine for a reason.   [00:04:02.300] - Tamara Gruber It was funny because I remember being I don't know if we were together at this part of the trip, but I was at one place where we're doing a tasting and everyone got super excited about, like the chocolate tasting red wine, I'm like, oh, yeah, no, that's OK.   [00:04:18.380] - Kim Tate It is funny about the South because that was that experience that we had in New Mexico with El Paso as well. Was it was what was it like? Chili flavored that was really bad.   [00:04:29.330] - Tamara Gruber And that was the one where I'm like, OK, I could have a glass of this or like a half a glass. But I'm not like going to have more than one. I was actually just talking to some friends recently and I had said, like, clearly I will admit that I'm not usually a person to have one glass.   [00:04:47.470] - Tamara Gruber And so therefore if I'm going to have more than one glass, it's going to have to be something that I want more than one glass of, because we have this winery that's kind of down the road from us. And I made the mistake of going there when I first moved in here, not knowing that it was all like fruit wine and we were the only ones in there tasting. So I felt really bad to just like walk out that.   [00:05:06.950] - Kim Tate Yikes. Yeah. I'm not into the flavored wines. Like the grapes have enough.Well I guess they flavor, I mean there are flavored wines, people add stuff   [00:05:15.920] - Tamara Gruber But I do like that New Mexico one though because it was the we had a chance to talk to the wine maker, the wine he was from Chile. And so he kind of said like, look, this is not like I also make these like big Chilean reds. But I also I do this to satisfy, like, you know, a slice of our audience, like he knows where he is and what people are looking for. But then he also kind of did some of the wines that he loved, too.   [00:05:41.540] - Kim Tate Yeah, well, and I was also remembering when we were in Santa Rosa and we got to do I love the wine tastings that go along with like food or snacks with it. And I think that's really fun. And I know Paul and I did one of those in Northern California, I guess it was more close to central California as we were leaving the redwoods once. And it's kind of fun to see how much it can really change the flavor of stuff. So, yeah, it was a fun experience with you.   [00:06:05.300] - Tamara Gruber Glenn I did one of those in Mondavi once and it was, you know, completely different, you know, when he's like, OK, you know, have a bite of this now taste it again. We're like, whoa, totally different. Although I did learn when we went to where was it, Kendall Jackson together the year. You're not quite as into cheese as I am.   [00:06:23.390] - Kim Tate Yeah, no, I'm not a cheese person and I shouldn't be really a dessert person either.   [00:06:27.580] - Tamara Gruber Yeah and I have lactose issues, but I still love them.   [00:06:31.310] - Kim Tate But yeah, I don't.   [00:06:32.770] - Tamara Gruber What is wrong with, you know, cheese and dessert, this is why you stay healthy.   [00:06:36.860] - Kim Tate Yeah. I don't know, I yeah. I'd much rather eat a bunch of vegetables or nuts   [00:06:41.630] - Tamara Gruber But yeah I'm like bring me the fried stuff in the cheese.   [00:06:45.320] - Kim Tate There's some fried stuff I like but yeah. So I think you know, some of those memories are so awesome. I'm excited that we've had five years of experiences together   [00:06:54.920] - Tamara Gruber So we'll have to talk to Mary Jo and get some ideas and where we're winetasting next. Maybe it's up by you.   [00:07:01.700] - Kim Tate I definitely think. Yeah, we definitely need to. Washington wine tasting. I also would love to do the Willamette Valley in Oregon. I've never really spent time there and I think we're due for a trip there. But I know somewhere I'm definitely due for a trip with you. And that is Italy, because you know a lot about Italian wine and I know very little. So and I also would love to go get a champagne tasting and learn more about champagne. So I have some international wine tasting trips I need to do with you.   [00:07:29.330] - Tamara Gruber Well, let's talk to Mary Jo all about wine tasting and hopefully we can inspire some of our listeners to plan their next trip.   [00:07:36.350] - Tamara Gruber Sounds great.   [00:07:45.930] - Tamara Gruber So this week, we're here with Mary Jo Manzanares, and she is an avid traveler with over 16 years of digital publishing experience. You can see her traveling with M.J. where she focuses on value luxury travel, which is luxury for real people, not celebrities, and is currently working on Secret Seattle, which is going to be published by Readers Press in 2021. Congratulations on that. And she actually publishes six different travel and lifestyle sites. So welcome, Mary Jo.   [00:08:13.380] - Mary Jo Mazanares Welcome. I'm so glad to be here.   [00:08:16.050] - Tamara Gruber Well, we are always happy to talk about wine because we probably have been enjoying a little too much of it in the last year. But it's nice when you cannot just, you know, knock it down in, you know, but you're actually doing it with a purpose. And that's one of the things I always love about wine tasting when we are traveling. And even some of the virtual things that are available now is to to really sit back and enjoy the experience.   [00:08:40.830] - Tamara Gruber And I know that you've actually hosted a few virtual wine tastings over the last year. And so we thought it'd be nice to talk to you.   [00:08:49.010] - Mary Jo Mazanares Well, it's always nice to talk wine with friends.   [00:08:51.680] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, I wish we were drinking it right now, but it's a little bit early, is a little early for you. But before we get into it all, I have to ask, do you have a favorite varietal?   [00:09:01.850] - Mary Jo Mazanares Well, OK, so this is like asking a parent to choose their favorite child and every winemaker will tell you their favorite is the one that's currently in their glass. So with those caveats in mind, you know, I'm a fan of the big reds, so I lean toward the the cabs and the merlots that are big and juicy. And when you take that first sip, they just explode in your mouth.   [00:09:27.320] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, I like those too. Sometimes I'm just like, really in the mood for, like, I'm all back or something, actually.   [00:09:32.000] - Mary Jo Mazanares With a good steak.   [00:09:33.110] - Tamara Gruber Yes, of course.   [00:09:35.420] - Kim Tate Sounds amazing. So we thought we would kind of talk to you and just, you know, winetasting is such a huge part for Tamara and I when we travel. We love it. And neither of us have amazing you know, we don't have credentials, we're not experts, but we've come to realize that you can enjoy wine even if you aren't an expert. So what do you think for people who are kind of considering wine tasting or wine region or visiting wineries near them?   [00:10:01.300] - Kim Tate What tips do you have when they choose, like what wineries to go into or try a tasting at?   [00:10:07.750] - Mary Jo Mazanares I think it's really easy to start with smaller wineries. It just feels a little bit less intimidating. And you really have that direct connection with whoever happens to be running the tasting room. Sometimes it's the winemaker or a family member of the winemaker.   [00:10:25.120] - Mary Jo Mazanares And just there's nothing wrong with saying I'm a newbie at this. I don't know what I like. I don't know what I don't like. And they are generally thrilled to help you with that path of discovery.   [00:10:37.810] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, I have found that sometimes people gravitate towards like the name brands. And whenever you go into those, it's like a factory in there. You know, it's very busy. The pourers don't have time to really spend with you. It's kind of really here's our five. You know, here's my little recitation of what the description is. But when you go into those smaller ones, I end up like spending a lot of time and usually a lot of money, but it's so fun.   [00:11:06.040] - Tamara Gruber And those are the ones where, you know, if you really enjoy something, they're always like, you know, if you like that, let me show you this, too. And it gets you know, it just turns into a whole experience.   [00:11:15.760] - Mary Jo Mazanares And it's it's not it's a journey, not a destination. And sometimes that means finding that you don't like a whole bunch of stuff, a whole bunch of flavors that just don't suit you. And then you find the one that you just love.   [00:11:31.630] - Mary Jo Mazanares And the one thing I found visiting small wineries is when you meet the winemaker or the family and there's the winery, dog or cat, there's something about falling in love with the experience that I think has a direct influence on how you feel about the wine.   [00:11:47.590] - Kim Tate Oh, 100 percent absolutely agree.   [00:11:50.140] - Kim Tate I think you gave a great tip about look for those smaller wineries, because I you know, it's the same thing I've had some of the best experiences have been when either I'm almost all alone in there or, you know, there's one person pouring for when people come in and it's just it feels more focused on you versus the larger ones that are going to attract a lot of people. You know, like you said Tamara, it's almost like you're on an assembly line and you got them running and they're like, OK, which one are you at?   [00:12:17.920] - Kim Tate And they don't even remember where your tasting is at and they're just pouring you another one. And so I think I think that's a good tip because like you said, you can kind of end up in this relationship and really discover things you wouldn't have considered before. And I think when people are starting out with wine tasting, that's one of the, you know, most, I guess, joyous parts of it is when you discover a varietal or you discover something and you can actually put words to it and go, oh, yeah, OK, that's what I like. That's what I don't like. And I think that's cool.   [00:12:47.710] - Mary Jo Mazanares And I think when you visit a smaller winery, or especially one that's not really busy, it's it is about a relationship, as you said, and you have that time to actually enjoy and learn and taste. And that's just all part of the experience. Yeah.   [00:13:04.930] - Tamara Gruber And, you know, I'm just kind of thinking and transitioning of the to the virtual world that some of us are in now. And I think it goes hand in hand, like I joined the virtual wine tasting. I think it was like through wine enthusiast. And, you know, of course, there's thousands of people. You're just listening in. You're not actually interacting. And it was more about like, let's use this celebrity name to try to get a lot of attention. And sell a lot of wine. And it wasn't as much about what are we really tasting. You know, it was more about like, let's just impress you with this, like, name and back story. So I think it must go hand in hand, like when you're doing the virtual tastings where you can get a little bit more of an intimate experience.   [00:13:48.490] - Mary Jo Mazanares Well, and I've kept my virtual tasting small. I don't want more than ten people because that does simulate if you were actually at the winery and you have direct interaction with the winemaker to ask questions and get information. So I've really enjoyed keeping it far more intimate than that because that's the experience I prefer. Now, that's not for everyone. I get it. But I really do prefer small, intimate group when I'm enjoying my wine.   [00:14:16.150] - Kim Tate Yeah, I think the virtual wine tastings have become, you know, kind of a really neat thing that has evolved because of, ah, you know, what am I trying to say because of the pandemic, because it wasn't as popular then. But some of these wineries have done amazing things where, you know, you can order the wine, you know. Three bottles, six bottles or whatever, and they'll ship it to you and you, you know, sit down one night and you can taste it with the winemaker.   [00:14:42.840] - Kim Tate And again, like you said, Tamara, the smaller wineries, sometimes you're almost one on one with the winemaker, and it's really fun. So I highly recommend people who are interested to look into that. And it's a great way to support an economy, you know, that's definitely struggling, especially Mary Jo. You and I know on the West Coast, our wineries are really, you know, they need our help as much as possible. So I think it's a great way for people to buy and help them out. I mean, I think people need to realize that there are a lot of great virtual opportunities.   [00:15:13.470] - Kim Tate But let's start and consider that in the future we are all able to travel again and we are going to be going on a wine tasting trip.   [00:15:21.810] - Kim Tate Why don't you start with some tips like how many wineries should you plan to visit a day? Because, yeah, you don't always consider that the big question.   [00:15:31.320] - Mary Jo Mazanares And first of all, I think any time you talk about alcohol, you have to make really clear that, you know, don't drink and drive, have a designated driver, all of those kind of things, because that's just part of the prudence of wine tasting.   [00:15:47.340] - Mary Jo Mazanares I usually can do three, sometimes four.   [00:15:52.170] - Mary Jo Mazanares However I taste, I don't drink. And I think that you need to decide if you're going to taste, which really means, you know, taking a few sips of a variety of wines or if you're going to actually enjoy a full pour for my husband and I, you know, if we will, one full pour of a taste is more than enough for both of us to decide if we like it or not.   [00:16:16.380] - Mary Jo Mazanares Plus dump in the bucket so so we can do three, four if they're if we really have to. But any more than that, it just all blurs together. And we don't know what we've tasted and what we'd like to what we didn't like.   [00:16:32.230] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, I agree. We've sometimes done that where it's like, you know, OK, this one I think I really want to taste my own if we have different opinions. But other times we will sometimes split a tasting flight and and do it that way, although I will say, you know, a good plug so that you're both enjoying it and you can do whatever you like is he could hire a driver? Definitely. I mean, we've done some wine tours, actually.   [00:16:54.220] - Tamara Gruber We did a wine tour in France and one in Italy. And it was just amazing. You know, it's just so nice to have it all taken care of for you because they're also making the appointments and setting everything up in advance for you.   [00:17:06.120] - Mary Jo Mazanares Well, you know that you you want to totally indulge and drink a full pour of several at several locations, just find some that are close together and easily walkable from one to another. If you're in an urban setting, you can like downtown Walla Walla. You can easily walk from tasting room to tasting room. And you don't need to worry about driving if you're going someplace farther, farther out than you do need to think about either an Uber or a car and driver for the whole time.   [00:17:34.590] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, I like that idea that some of the towns, you know, we'll have tasting rooms. So some of the times the wineries will have their own tasting room at the vineyard. But like in town, they'll have a little tasting room. And I know, like in Carmel we did that we had like a little wine passport and we just kind of walked around town. And that was it was great. But sometimes I definitely love that winery experience.   [00:17:54.360] - Mary Jo Mazanares And downtown Napa, it has the same thing. You can taste a number of the tasting rooms downtown rather than drive out to the wineries, which are so spread apart.   [00:18:04.200] - Kim Tate Yeah, and I think another thing to consider is food during that time. And, you know, if they offer any charcuterie boards and things on that line, it's always good to make sure. Do you balance a little bit of food with the drinking?   [00:18:16.140] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. Like you can schedule a lunch or you can do a you know, like you said, sign up for a food and wine pairing kind of tasting or cheese and wine.   [00:18:25.140] - Kim Tate Like you and I did when we were in Sonoma. I was remembering that when we went they had a big Mary-Jo, they had a big festival. What was that? It was like the Winemaker's Awards. I can't remember the name of it now in Santa Rosa. And Tamara and I, it was nice, you know, to Uber from her hotel over.   [00:18:42.300] - Kim Tate And while we we certainly drank a lot that night and they had an Uber back.   [00:18:49.020] - Tamara Gruber Not as much as some of those, not as much as some of the people.   [00:18:51.480] - Kim Tate It was funny. I mean, people watching at that event was quite you know, you walked in and everything seemed normal, but by, you know, two hours in, it was quite the show.   [00:18:59.880] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. Once I saw some some shoving going on, I'm like, yeah, it's time to go.   [00:19:05.370] - Tamara Gruber Well, I mean, that's kind of covers, you know, some things to think about when you're planning a, you know, planning your day, when you're planning a wine tasting day. But when you're actually, you know, sitting down or standing up to taste your wine, do you have any tips or someone like what should they look at? What is your method for tasting wine? You know, what should they be looking for in terms of like taste or appearance or, you know, just without getting too fancy? But I think a little bit of understanding, you know.   [00:19:35.500] - Mary Jo Mazanares Well, everyone will tell you that there are three things to consider when you're doing a tasting are, you know, what does it look like? What does it smell like? How does it taste? And that's way oversimplifying the whole science and art of wine tasting.   [00:19:51.370] - Mary Jo Mazanares But I try to follow that at a novice to intermediate kind of level.   [00:19:56.920] - Mary Jo Mazanares I mean, I look at what it looks in the glass. I swirl it. I put my nose deep into the glass and see what it smells like. What does that what does that do to my senses?   [00:20:06.850] - Mary Jo Mazanares And then I sip and I have never been able to master that art of somehow breathing in and sipping and making that noise as you're tasting. I mean, I can't do that.   [00:20:20.500] - Mary Jo Mazanares I give that up to the experts and the Soms who really know what they're doing. I just take a sip and see what that first sip feels like in my mouth and what my reaction to it is. And then I take my second sip to really see how it it lingers on the palate.   [00:20:36.760] - Tamara Gruber You know, it's funny, my husband does that little gargle kind of thing. I'm like, I can gargle mouthwash without choking. So that's not going to happen.   [00:20:45.400] - Tamara Gruber But I really like to do that, you know, nice, good sniff and like, see what I'm picking up then and then see like when you taste it, are you catching those same things, you know, are you tasting something different? And then it's really, truly amazing how much wine changes, you know, when it's had time to breathe or if you just had something else on your palate. Sometimes I love doing those tastings where it's like, OK, take a taste now, take a bite of this and taste it again. You're like, oh my gosh, it's a completely different thing. You know, it makes you realize, like, the differences there.   [00:21:18.900] - Mary Jo Mazanares And we found that when we started doing some tastings and wanting to learn a little bit more about it, we purchased a wine wheel and I think we just got it from Amazon or something. And to help us identify what we were tasting. And the other thing we learned was there are some flavors I will never be able to recognize because I don't know what they are.   [00:21:42.300] - Mary Jo Mazanares And some people just can't taste certain things and some people can.   [00:21:46.770] - Mary Jo Mazanares I always pick up the leathery, earthy mushrooms, the smoky kind of flavors and wine, and my husband rarely notices those.   [00:21:57.420] - Mary Jo Mazanares He picks up the dark cherries and the stone fruit. And those are just really sort of, you know, I don't even notice. So it's like, yeah, yeah, there they are. So very much it's a personal thing, which is why there's not really a best wine. It's just the best wine for you.   [00:22:14.400] - Kim Tate Yeah, I think that's a good thing to consider. And I mean, I think people will learn that as they taste. And the more you do it, you'll soon start to see like, oh, you know, that's a that's a lighter in appearance. You know, maybe that's a pinot noir, you know, and OK, this is the color I'd expect from it versus OK, now they're pouring me a, you know, Malbec. And it's going to look very different. And and I think, like you said, it's fun, I mean, I love when I smell wine and then I taste it. I love those moments when it's not what I expect because I'll pick up, you know, a lot of that. Earthy, leathery, very. Yeah. Earthy tone in the smelling. And then I'll taste it. And it's so jammy on my tongue and I'm like, whoa, that was not what I was expecting at all, you know? So it's kind of funny how you can have those experiences.   [00:22:59.250] - Tamara Gruber I always love, like the blind taste test, too, you know, when they do like the black glass or something. And and you need to to guess and I know some people are doing that with virtual wine tastings, too, but it adds like that fun element to it and almost like little competition element. You know who got it right? My husband, he's he loves wine.   [00:23:16.110] - Tamara Gruber And he I think one of the first times he went to Napa, he was like, this is what I would like to do when I retire is like go work in one of these places. So he actually he has gotten is like level one WSET, but then he never had time to go pursue number two. And I was it sounds terrible, but he now that we've been home so much, I'm like, oh, if only you could have done it online. Like now you have all this time to do it because before he's always traveling and never able to, you know, go to the actual class.   [00:23:47.430] - Tamara Gruber But he it's funny, he doesn't have the same palate that I do, not just in differences of taste, but he has a lot of trouble picking up on some of it. And I always pick on him. I tell him it's because he drinks so much coffee. It's like deaden his taste buds. But who knows? Like, people are like you said, they're just very different.   [00:24:03.660] - Mary Jo Mazanares Well, you can do a couple of levels of the WSET at home because I was looking into it thinking, well, you know, I've always wanted to do it, but with travel, I've never been able to make the commitment maybe I should do it for from home so it can be done.   [00:24:20.160] - Tamara Gruber I'm going to have them look into it because, you know, it's it's been his dream. He's wanted to do it. And so we'll see. Maybe now would be a time to to get that next level.   [00:24:28.770] - Kim Tate I have a friend who retired and she's a pourer in a local little winery here in Washington State. So she loves it. It's fun because she gets to say social and she works very part time hours and just enjoys it.   [00:24:41.880] - Mary Jo Mazanares So, yeah, well, and it's not uncommon with family owned wineries that you'll have multiple generations working at the the winery, whether it's doing the book, serve the tasting room or or some of the consumer facing activities. So it's a multigenerational.   [00:25:01.470] - Kim Tate Yeah, I think that's fun when you you sit down on some of those, like you said, the smaller wineries, and you find out like, oh, you're the winemaker. Oh, OK.   [00:25:09.390] - Kim Tate Is it totally different than when it's just you're just a hired hand who's pouring and, you know, isn't as emotionally connected to the wines as a winemaker is.   [00:25:20.610] - Kim Tate Well, we've talked about kind of some tips for what people should look for and taste and what you know, let's imagine that we're all ready to book a wine trip and we're all safe to travel again. Do you have some favorite wine regions that you just love traveling to?   [00:25:37.430] - Mary Jo Mazanares Oh, now you're just going to be breaking my heart.   [00:25:40.800] - Kim Tate No, I mean, we've got to come in again. We'll just, you know, pretend we're going to be imagining where we're booking our next trip.   [00:25:48.990] - Mary Jo Mazanares Oh, well, I think I'll give three of my favorites. So I'm not offending too many people in Europe. I'm really a fan of Tuscany dominantly because I like the big super Tuscans Brunello Sangiovese is.   [00:26:05.160] - Mary Jo Mazanares And that's just, you know, where to go to the source. And I just I just loved wine tasting there. And we always wind up shipping wine home. So, you know, a. It's also a very expensive trip, so in Europe, that would be one of my recommendations outside of Washington because my home state is obviously my favorite. I really like downtown Napa. And the reason is that you can stay close in, you can walk everywhere.   [00:26:34.960] - Mary Jo Mazanares You don't need a car. It's easy to get to from a variety of airports, San Francisco, Oakland or Sacramento, the latter. I think it's the easiest to fly in. And you can really get a lot done both tasting and having fun without having to have a car and worry about driving.   [00:26:53.550] - Mary Jo Mazanares And there's some great wines there and locally. Oh, it's hard to choose a favorite, but my favorite locally here in Washington would probably be Walla Walla.   [00:27:03.570] - Mary Jo Mazanares The given that they have several different districts, you can really focus on a district without having to do too much driving and really get some great flavors plus there downtown. So if you stay close in to downtown, you don't have to drive everywhere. So those would be my three recommendations.   [00:27:24.930] - Tamara Gruber Well, I'm going to give a little plug and a shout out to someone that we had a great time with when we were in Tuscany a couple of years ago, and that's Tuscan organic tours. So they focus on like small, organic, biodynamic type of wineries.   [00:27:37.290] - Tamara Gruber And we worked with their owner, Giacomo, and it was like one of the best days of our lives. It was so, so wonderful. Like all the little like family run kind of wineries that we visited had an amazing lunch in a tiny village, you know, learned so much about kind of the local agritourism. And, yeah, it was fantastic. So if anyone is going to go to Tuscany, definitely check them out.   [00:28:00.390] - Kim Tate I think one of the things, Mary Jo, that you mentioned that I think is good for people to realize, especially I mean, people who are not novices will know this, but for people who are kind of not as into it, but want to get into wine tasting, it's good to know that a lot of times regions definitely have certain varietals or certain wines that they're known for.   [00:28:19.470] - Kim Tate And so if you know that you really like, you know, bold reds, then a Tuscany trip might make sense.   [00:28:25.530] - Kim Tate And of course, Tuscany, I mean, they've got everything. But, you know, you might want to choose based on wines you really like, whereas, you know, Tamara and I, it's kind of funny to even mention this, but we were in El Paso and they drove us over the border. And do you even remember where that was to in New Mexico? Yeah, but I mean, I don't remember the winery. But anyways, they drove us over the border to New Mexico to do a wine tasting.   [00:28:49.380] - Kim Tate And it was very you know, Tamara and I are not into sweet wines. And they were a lot of sweet whites. And part of the reason they said, you know, they're down south and people are really, you know, they're craving a kind of cold and quenching drink as opposed to, you know, if you live in the north, a big, big red isn't that big of a deal because you're not going to be in sweltering hot weather.   [00:29:10.770] - Kim Tate So I think, you know, that's something to keep in mind when you're planning a trip or thinking of doing a trip that's going to do some wine tasting is figure out maybe what that region is known for. I mean, there are areas, of course, all over California and Washington state, even we've become quite, you know, known what used to say Oregon would be the home of Pinot Noir. But, you know, some regions definitely have a few varieties, but it's a good thing to keep in mind.   [00:29:36.840] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, definitely. I mean, we you know, I'm thinking here on the Northeast, you know, in New York state, the Finger Lakes very well known for their dry Rieslings, like their German style dry Rieslings. And just thinking about when we were in the south of France, like the Languedoc in the Provence, very well known for their roses, you know. So definitely that's something good to keep in mind.   [00:29:59.460] - Tamara Gruber And I find, like a lot of the newer regions that are still developing, you know, their vines are not as old. So, you know, the flavors are probably going to still continue to develop. But a lot of those regions tend to kind of have a sweet and a dry like tasting menu.   [00:30:16.860] - Tamara Gruber Even I think they know that their audience is, you know, may be new to it as well. And so they're like, well, what do you like? And they kind of direct you one path or another.   [00:30:26.430] - Mary Jo Mazanares The other thing that we found is that certain choices that we might avoid at home that we try on when we're traveling are totally different now and we're predominantly red wine drinkers. But at home, we would never go buy a bottle of Chablis. It is just not anything that would ever occur to us.   [00:30:47.610] - Mary Jo Mazanares We were on a barge cruise in France and actually went to Chablis and visited the Chalbis' there. Totally different experience. Not at all. But we would find here at home, at the store. So, yeah, you have to be willing to to do a little bit of experimenting when you travel and and realize that things aren't necessarily the same when you're at the source. As when you're you're in your home region.   [00:31:15.600] - Kim Tate That's such a good point. I was just going to quickly say, like Chardonnay, California chardonnays, I would normally run screaming from the brand before they put a California Chardonnay in front of me. But, you know, it's kind of fun because as they've evolved, you know, the tasting rooms have learned because some winemakers are like, OK, we want to reclaim Chardonnay for California. And they'll be like, no, you have to taste this. It's not your traditional California Chardonnay.   [00:31:37.470] - Kim Tate And sure enough, they've you know, it's not as oaky and buttery. They put it in a steel barrel and stuff. So it's just kind of fun to, like you said, to be able to do a tasting because it can you wouldn't want to spend, you know, thirty bucks on a bottle when you're trying something out. But yet, if you're at a tasting, you you know, it's a minor fee to just try something.   [00:31:58.350] - Tamara Gruber That's one of the things I love and miss about travel, too, is that, like you said, Mary Jo, like you're in a particular region, they're known for something. And maybe it's something that you didn't think you like or maybe something you never heard of before and you would have never ordered because you had no idea what it was.   [00:32:14.550] - Tamara Gruber But when we were in France, I fell in love with the Picpoul de Pinet. It's like a white wine that has like a lot of minerality in it, you know, because it comes from the coast and I just. Now, I'm, like, obsessed with it in the summer. I'm like, let's get oysters and Picpoul, you know, like it makes me so happy when I can find it at home. But it just brings back those travel memories to, you know,   [00:32:35.510] - Mary Jo Mazanares You have to go back and send some home.   [00:32:38.510] - Tamara Gruber You know, I will say when we talk about shipping home, when we were in Tuscany, it was very easy to ship home a lot of times if you bought enough, they included the shipping. They took care of the shipping. It was all good. It was not outlandish.   [00:32:51.440] - Tamara Gruber When we were in France, the wine was so cheap, but you could not ship it home like nobody shipped. And if you tried to find, like, one that shipped, it was going to definitely cost as much as the wine. And so it really made it not worth it.   [00:33:04.130] - Tamara Gruber It was so disappointing because we found so many that we fell in love with. So now, you know, we just made sure we brought back a list to our local wine shop and, you know, try to get them to get what they can. A lot of these smaller wineries just don't distribute that much, you know. So it's enjoy it while you're there.   [00:33:19.880] - Mary Jo Mazanares I guess, to you know, when we find a small winery that we always figure we'll put a bottle in our our checked luggage coming home and we've never had a problem with breakage. Yeah. And then if there's someplace that'll ship, we try to take advantage of that. But you're right, some of the small places, they're just mom and pop operation, then you just have to grab it and be willing to carry it home.   [00:33:43.380] - Tamara Gruber Yeah, exactly. Or carry it and drink it the next day.   [00:33:50.210] - Kim Tate So do you have any final wine tasting tips that you could share with our listeners if they're considering, you know, getting into wine tasting and checking this whole, like, passion of ours?   [00:34:01.790] - Mary Jo Mazanares Well, yeah. I mean, it's it's a journey. And what I like 10 or 15 years ago is not what I like now. And that's because I've explored and learn new things and leave your preconceptions at the door. Don't bring them to the bottle and be willing to try something, even if you think you won't like it, because you know you might be right. It might be. Oh yeah, no, don't like this one.   [00:34:27.620] - Mary Jo Mazanares Or you might be pleasantly surprised, but generally speaking, you will still learn something sometimes the path to finding your favorite wine or your favorite wine for the week or the month, it's just learning what you don't like.   [00:34:41.600] - Mary Jo Mazanares So my biggest thing is just be willing to try to experiment and, you know, don't be a jerk. Don't try to impress people with everything that you know or think you know about wine. Just it's community. It's family. Just go and have a good time.   [00:34:56.240] - Kim Tate That's a really great advice. Yeah, I was going to also mention for people who are novices with this, maybe we could also talk about really quickly pricing so people understand, like, you know, you buy a wine tasting, but normally that's credited if you buy a bottle.   [00:35:11.750] - Kim Tate So what do you see as the average tastings that you're used to?   [00:35:15.350] - Mary Jo Mazanares I mean, well, right now it's just all over the board. And I think that it changes based on the region in California. When I started wine tasting there, it was always free. And there may be a fee if you were getting a premier, you know, wine or something from, you know, the seller that was more spending. Now, pretty much every place is is fee based around Washington. You know, it's really hit or miss.   [00:35:46.550] - Mary Jo Mazanares Some places are fee based. Some are not. Sometimes it's rebated against the wine if you buy it. Sometimes it's if you buy three bottles, they'll rebate it. It really is all over the board.   [00:35:57.380] - Mary Jo Mazanares And during covid, I think the the differences in what people are doing is even greater. So just just check the wine winery or the wine tasting rooms website and hopefully they'll have have updated it.   [00:36:12.380] - Mary Jo Mazanares But if I'm going to spend, you know, more than a nominal amount, it it has to be one superb tasting. I know there were a few tasting rooms in California that were charging twenty five dollars for a flight of three wines and yeah, that's that's it.   [00:36:30.110] - Tamara Gruber It better be tasting real premium wines and that better be the reserves.   [00:36:34.770] - Mary Jo Mazanares Yeah, exactly. Exactly.   [00:36:37.100] - Mary Jo Mazanares Or they're their club wines or something. Limited edition. Absolutely agree.   [00:36:41.970] - Kim Tate I would say I mean, most often I see five five dollar tastings is kind of pretty common, especially in Washington. But like you said, sometimes they're not even going to charge it and especially the smaller ones are just so happy to talk to you. And then you almost always end up finding something you like and walking out of there with a bottle. So it works well.   [00:36:59.940] - Mary Jo Mazanares But I've what I've found is, is that sometimes when you're talking with them and they really know that you're interested and you want to make some purchases and you want to learn more, you know, they break out some stuff that maybe wasn't on the tasting list or they add something in because you're not there just to get that cheap drunk on.   [00:37:18.420] - Mary Jo Mazanares You're actually there to learn about them and and to discover something.   [00:37:22.590] - Tamara Gruber Exactly.   [00:37:23.400] - Kim Tate I think that's a good tip. I think the good that, you know, pulling that out a little more is make a relationship with the person doing the tasting with you, you know, actually be interested, actually try and learn. And like you said, I think, you know, you might be surprised by some stuff that you might get a sneak peek at.   [00:37:39.750] - Tamara Gruber Yeah. Ask them questions. You know, talk about how you you know, what you're thinking of the different ones. Like, definitely it's I've seen that happen many, many times because they just get excited and they're like, yeah. And you would like this one.   [00:37:51.870] - Kim Tate Yeah. Great. Well, we will wrap up and ask you our question that we ask all of our guests, and that is, what do you wear when you travel? Do you have a favorite brand of clothing or shoes or anything? That's a go to travel gear item for you?   [00:38:05.490] - Mary Jo Mazanares Well, I'm a comfort girl, so I want I want comfortable clothes. Nothing too short, too long, too tight. So I, I tend to pretty much stick with, you know, leggings and an oversize top. And I'm not particularly brand loyal in that regard. If I know that I'm going to be doing a lot of walking, you know, my feet are where I probably pay a little bit more attention. I really like Skechers. They give me lots of support. They have a variety of styles from a true trail or walking shoe to something that I can easily wear yet cobblestone streets in in Europe without standing out. So I'm all about the comfort.   [00:38:48.660] - Tamara Gruber We are right there with you.   [00:38:49.890] - Kim Tate Yeah, I was going to say Tamara and I are with you.   [00:38:52.290] - Mary Jo Mazanares Good. Well, can you remind our listeners where they can find you online anywhere in lots of places, but maybe give a few.   [00:38:57.930] - Mary Jo Mazanares I'll give you my primary sites. I met traveling with MJ that's traveling with MJ Dotcom. And you can find me at all the social channels at traveling with MJ as well. Great. Thank you so much. Oh, ladies, it's so good talking wine, and I just can't wait till we can get together and do this in person.   [00:39:17.260] - Kim Tate I agree, especially, you know, now that we're we're semi local, so once we can socialize it, be easy for you and I to meet up and Woodinville or something and do some tastings, pick a winery.   [00:39:26.860] - Mary Jo Mazanares I'll meet you there. Yeah, sounds good.   [00:39:29.080] - Tamara Gruber You guys can face time, me in. Sounds good. Well, enjoy. Thank you so much.   [00:39:39.010] - Tamara Gruber OK, so we are back and I just want to give a shout out to one of our listeners, Heather Hill. She sent in a message. We were talking about places to go this summer that were good for the outdoors. And she had suggested Michigan, which I've actually thought about a lot, because there's so many places there that you wouldn't really think that you're in the northern part of the country.   [00:39:57.820] - Tamara Gruber You know, the water is so beautiful or there's sand dunes. You know, there's just so much there. So she had mentioned the national parks and Mackinac Island and Traverse City. So I may not be pronouncing that entirely correctly, but so that was, you know, a suggestion. And she also was looking for some episodes about other kinds of vacation rentals. So we're going to look into that as well. But I just want to say thank you, Heather, for writing in to us and for giving us the suggestion.   [00:40:25.330] - Kim Tate Yeah, that's a great one. I know Michigan's really popular with, you know, like cabins and lake getaways and stuff. So it sounds like a good episode we should check out.   [00:40:36.100] - Kim Tate Well, if you guys are joining again in two weeks because we're still on our biweekly schedule, we are going to be talking all about tips for finding hotel deals. And we've got something kind of cool interviewee.   [00:40:48.340] Talk to you then.  

Après les interview, partageons quelques coups de coeur! Laurent Delsaux est venu avec un Riesling Grand Cru Sommerberg de Christian & Véronique Hebinger, l'occasion de (re)parler de l'Alsace et de la révolution qui agite cette magnifique région, entre tradition mettant en avant le cépage et modernité privilégiant la promotion des terroirs. Patrice lui répond par un PicPoul de Pinet du collectif Les Équilibristes, qui développe des cuvées spéciales en collaboration avec des domaines dans toute la France. Une nouvelle façon de faire et promouvoir des Vins! Et pour bien finir l'année, cap sur Rasteau et le Vin Doux Naturel d'Helen Durand au Domaine du Trapadis. Ou comment le Grenache se prête délicieusement à la gourmandise: idéal pour finir un repas de Fête! Joyeux Noël et belle fin d'année à tou.te.s!

This episode is answering specifically a question asked by one of my listeners: What are good wines to buy for a wedding? The wine suggestions I mention are great for any event if you are trying to stick to a budget but certainly do not have to be for just group gathering but information you can apply to your next trip down to the wine shop. I am focusing on Crémant (A traditional method style of sparkling wine) and also a white wine called Picpoul de Pinet.   If you want to jump ahead to any part:   1m01: Winery of the Week - Rustenberg, a South African winery. (Learn about the South African winery crisis and see how you can help)   6m: Answers to the Question: Does a more expensive wine mean it is better? Also a full breakdown of what we are paying for in a bottle of wine, so you can understand the markups, the taxes and how much of your money is for the juice inside.   8m30: Learn about the additives and yukky stuff in your bottle of wine.   10m41: Your sparkling wine options: I am focusing on Cremant.   18m: Your white wine options: I am focusing on Picpoul de Pinet.   21m11: Your red wine options: I give you a selection.   24:19: Answering your questions on the size of a bottle and the punt in the bottom: Do these things make the wine better?    Do leave me your comments and ask me some questions for another episode and perhaps I will spotlight your question. Contact me: janina@eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk or on Instagram: @eatsleep_winerepeat   Also, come visit me on my website www.eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk or if you want to watch some wine videos and get to know more grape varieties you can find me on Youtube Eat Sleep Wine Repeat   Have a great week. Cheers to you! 

John Griffin connects with Jean-Claude Mas and they quickly cover a variety of topics in this short interview episode.Born into a long line of Languedoc grape growers, Jean-Claude Mas became the first in his family to emerge as a formally-trained winemaker. His initial memory of wine came when he was three-years-old, defiantly escaping his Mother’s watch to run two miles into the countryside to meet his grandfather in the vineyard (!!!) during harvest.From that point forward it was game on.As a young man, Jean-Claude went about creating Domaine Paul Mas in 2000 using the family’s existing 86 acres of holdings. In short time he began to purchase underpriced but strategically situated Domaines throughout the region, in the process turning their vineyards and cellars into well-known regional standouts.Fast forward twenty years and Jean-Claude is operating 15 separate chateaux and domaines – A diverse collection of terroirs spanning the kaleidoscope of topographies that makes Languedoc-Roussillon one of Europe’s most dynamic regional appellations: From mountainside terraces in Limoux used for some of the best sparkling wines you’ll find in France outside of Champagne, to salty coastal plots of Picpoul destined for local shellfish consumption, to vineyards set atop clay plateaux producing pale Grenache-driven examples of rosé and vin gris, to moonscape settings near the Spanish border responsible for intense examples of both dry and fortified Carignan.

We begin a new series on the great wines of the world. Every so often we will profile one of the greatest wines on earth, talking about the history, the terroir, and why these wines are so special. We begin with the Southern Rhône gem: Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Here are some of the notes from the show: The Greats: Chateauneuf du Pape Variable Appellation in southern Rhone that makes about 1 MM cases per year Expensive and great because: tastes great, limited supply, and expensive winemaking techniques  Profile: Rich spicy, full-bodied reds – product of Warm-climate viticulture. Can be tannic or jammy, White and (rare) rose are made too The new generation in Châteauneuf-du-Pape is ambitious, quality minded and eager to show that their wines are worth the money. They keep some traditional ways of making the wine but are not afraid to use modern techniques as well. The wine is consumed relatively young -5-6 years after bottling    Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Location In southeastern France/Southern Rhône about 2 miles/3 km east of Rhône river and 12 km/7.5 miles north of Avignon Communes: Bedarrides, Courthezon, Orange, Sorgues History: “Pope’s new castle” is translation Pope Clement V Bertrand de Got, was elected pope in 1305. He transferred the papacy to Avignon in 1309. Successor John XXII credited with developing papal vineyard in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, also developed Papal palace in Avignon Following schism -- CndP and Avignon went back to countryside, wine was not important here until the 18th c (1700s) Popes left, castle passed to the archbishop of Avignon, but it was too large and too expensive to maintain La Nerthe or La Neste first in 1785 had an estate bottling 1787 Thomas Jefferson was in the region and didn’t taste the wines – not relevant at that point Phylloxera hit CndP right after it hit Gard in the Languedoc – devastating. Production not up to pre-phylloxera levels until the 1950s Grapes 90% is red wine, used to add white to add freshness to red Today typical blend: 50-70% Grenache 10-30% Mourvedre Up to 20% Syrah Cinsault Counoise and Vaccarese Up to 10% Clairette, Picpoul, and Bourboulenc (whites) Reds: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Counoise, Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Picpoul noir, Terret noir Whites: Roussanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Picardin Others: Clairette Rosé, white and pink Picpoul and Grenache)   The Land: Variation – soils, mix of grapes, mesoclimates, differences in vinification  Soils: Some large pebbles – galets –in many vineyards. Retain heat, good for low, bush-trained vineyards (gobelet). Mainly varied soils –some calcareous, some rocky Most own parcels in varied areas – blending Climate: Hotter sites – tough when young, concentrated. South facing slopes can be too hot, especially with heat retaining pebbles. Blends from different subzones – work best, some single vineyards (can be too big)     Top producers: Chateau Rayas Chateau de Beaucastel (Hommage à Jacques Perrin, Roussanne Vieilles Vignes Domaine Henri Bonneau (Réserve des Célestins and Cuvee Marie Beurrier) Domaine de Marcoux – 2 sisters run it (Cuvée Vieilles Vignes), biodynamic Clos de Papes Domaine de Pegaü – classically styled wines (Cuvee Laurence) Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Les Cailloux (Cuvee Centenaire)   Recent great vintages: 2005, 2007, 2010, 2015, 2016   Please support our (delicious) sponsor, HelloFresh: A meal kit delivery service that shops, plans and delivers your favorite step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients so you can just cook, eat and enjoy! Delivered right to your door, with a variety of chef-curated recipes that change weekly, this is a new way to eat and cook! We love it!  For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com and enter WINE30. You won't regret it!     

It's almost Easter and you know what that means… Bank Holiday Boozing! This episode, we're specifically talking about Lambrusco– where it comes from, what it is, and whether you can (and should) bring it along to your spring and summertime BBQs. **WINESUP:** Jon Bon Jovi and his 23 year-old son, Jesse, have released a rosé called [Diving Into Hamptons Water](https://jezebel.com/its-your-life-its-now-or-never-to-pour-yourself-a-gl-1823404062). Dive into your own bottle and enjoy it whilst wearing a leather jacket for A++ Bon Jovi imbibing vibes! **WANKIEST WINE REVIEW OF THE WEEK:** This week's WWROTW drives home one undeniable truth: Mindless drinking is _not_ the drinking you do before a meal. It's the drinking you do three hours _after_ a meal. DUH! **THE DRINKING:** We drank an absolutely beautiful Picpoul de Pinet that Caro's mum bought for us in France and we'll probably never be able to find again. Alas. We also drank a [Lambrusco](http://www.marksandspencer.com/lambrusco-case-of-6/p/p60070311?OmnitureRedirect=lambrusco&pdpredirect) that we picked up from M&S for £9.00. This Bottle Bitches episode was produced by Producer Paul (PP) of Dark Horse Digital who, like Jon and Jesse Bon Jovi, also thinks he looks cool in a leather jacket.

This is  our Four Wines episode for January 2018, our chance every couple of months to share recommendations with you for wines we’ve recently enjoyed but weren’t for an upcoming episode.   Wines featured in this episode: Alvarez de Toledo Roble 2009 100% Mencia grape and aged for 10 months in American and French oak barrels Deep purple color Medium intense nose of black plum, blackberries, pepper and a hint of floral and smoke It’s dry, full bodied with medium plus acidity, light tannins and flavors of black plum, fennel, leather, and a little smoke This is a food wine and pair well with cured meats like hard salami With the amount of acid we think this could probably be aged longer Priced around $10   Domaine de l'Espigouette Vieilles Vignes Côtes du Rhône A blend of 70% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, 5% Carignan, 5% Cinsault This wine has a nose of black cherry, blackberry, dried prunes, dusty earth and a hint of floral like lavender It’s dry, with medium plus acidity, medium - tannins and medium bodied with flavors of blackberry, lavender, dried bay leaf, pepper and a hint of wood Really nice blend - complex but not overpowering Fruit forward and lots of acid but still can be enjoyed on it’s own. Great with a red pasta sauce or pizza Priced around $14   Smithereens by Skinner 2015 White Blend This wine was given to us for free at the WBC This is a blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 21% Viognier, 19% Roussanne, 9% Picpoul and 3% Marsanne It was aged for 11 month, 60% in neutral french oak and 40% in stainless steel Aromas of white peach, white flowers, and golden apple It’s dry with medium acidity and body Flavors of crisp apple, flowers, and yeast The texture and body of this wine is perfect for colder months and has a beautiful balance between acidity and body We think this would pair well with lots of food - roasted root vegetables or Greek food but can still be enjoyed on it’s own Priced around $18 you can purchase this wine here    G.D. Vajra Langhe Rosso 2014 From Piedmont Blend: Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Barbera, Albarossa, Freisa, and Pinot Noir This wine smells like a bouquet of flowers - mostly rose with a hint of sweet dried fennel/black licorice- almost like the Good and Plenty candies! The label features a bouquet of flowers. It’s dry with medium acidity, light tannins and ripe juicy red plum and blackberry flavors, candied orange peel and rose This wine is also fruit forward and floral and we loved the complexity in flavors this wine brings. It’s a little lower in acid compare to the other reds wines featured in this episode so if you are looking for a sipping wine to drink on it’s own, this is the wine Priced around $16   We’re coming up to our 100th episode and to celebrate, we want to make you part of the show! Call into our new voicemail and tell us how the podcast has impacted you, or a short, fun story from your wine journey, or something you’ve learned about wine that’s made a difference for you. The number to call is 937-889-WINE (937-889-9463).  If you can’t leave a voicemail, you are welcome to email us at weeklywineshow@gmail.com.  

Continuing to feature Texas wineries during Texas Wine Month, we welcome on Jennifer McInnis, general manager of Bending Branch Winery. We have a great conversation about some of the varieties that Bending Branch champions, Tannat and Picpoul at the top of the list. They also use some innovative winemaking techniques, such as Cryo-maceration and Flash Detente. Check out what it's all about!

When the weather is cold, I often just want to reach for a red. It’s got higher alcohol, is served at a warmer temperature, and it’s great with hearty food.   But I’m here to tell you that there’s this underbelly of whites that few know about that you need to get on right away. They are usually a great price, often as satisfying as a red, and can pair perfectly with rich food (especially spicy food). The common theme is that they feel fuller and softer in your mouth and have good flavor. If you put them in a black glass and you’d swear they were red wines!   In the summer and with summer foods, we all want sippers that are refreshing and bright: Wines that are best colder and have high acidity are best (Sauvignon Blanc, unoaked Chardonnay/Chablis, Albariño or Verdejo from Spain). But as the temps go down, you need a bone-warming white. The three keys to finding one:   Lower acidity and softer, rounder textures, which mean these wines are from warmer, sunnier climates where the grapes get fully ripe and aren't as tart. 13.5% alcohol is probably the minimum you’d want for the right body.   Wines that are better served at 50˚F+ -- not ice cold. You'll need to leave these out of the fridge to warm up.    Fuller flavored wines that have enough umph to stand up to richer foods -- soups and stews, poultry with herbs, pastas with richer sauces.   For me, the genre of grapes and blends that fit the bill are those from Alsace, , the Rhône Valley, and Southern Italy, and places that have similar climates to those areas.    Alsace Whites: Take your pick! Any of the great grapes of Alsace are full, soft, rich, and great for warmer weather.  The Riesling is opulent and almost oily in texture but still dry with peach, apple, pear, and mineral (think of being near a waterfall) notes. The wine has acidity but it's fuller in body than many dry German versions. The Pinot Gris is not so aromatic, but it's spicy -- like coriander or mild ginger -- with smoke, orange, apricot, pear notes and a rich texture. Good stuff and affordable.  I’ve actually had some awesome Pinot Blanc of late. Although it can be insipid and thin, the right producer in the right year makes it fat, round, and pear-like in flavor. Great versions can be had from $18 on up to hundreds of dollars.   Rhône Whites: For Southern Rhône, Costieres di Nîmes Blanc, Côtes de Rhône Blanc, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape blanc are my favorites. The main grapes for these wines vary -- some are Grenache Blanc, some Marsanne, some Viognier, some Roussanne or Picpoul, but good versions share the same character: soft, luxurious textures that roll around in your mouth with enough acidity to keep them from feeling heavy or imbalanced. The flavors will range from peachy to honeyed to herbal, but the textures are consistent so they fit the criteria above. Outstanding versions of Costieres de Nîmes and Côtes de Rhône Blanc can be had for US$15 to $20. I’ve even had some great Picpoul for around $15 that has this same quality.   Châteauneuf-du-Pape will set you back at least $US40, but it’s well worth it, especially with halibut in butter herb sauce (the best pairing I’ve probably ever had!). You'll find similar wines from great producers in Priorat just south of Barcelona, Spain. These wines are often a better value than CdP and have a Grenache Blanc lead (and they are awesome with Spanish tapas!). You can get a great one for around $US25.   Northern Rhône wines are similar but they are more refined and much more expensive! Viognier from Condrieu is soft, and like a bouquet of flowers or bowl of peaches or apricots, and dry but decadent in texture. The white versions of Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph are made with Marsanne and Roussanne grapes and may be the fullest whites you'll find -- like eating a honey comb, but not sweet, with lots of earthy, waterfall/stream smells and flavors.   Before I go move from the Rhône to Southern Italy, I should point out that California does some great whites with Rhône grapes too. I’ve had some Viognier from Santa Barbara that’s full of fruit flavor but with a touch of acid -- great with food and delicious on its own. Our friends at Tablas Creek in Paso Robles make a few outstanding white Rhône blends in the Rhône style. And one of the tastiest Rhône wines I've had out of Lodi was a Picpoul by Acquiesce Winery -- full, rich, soft, but with enough acidity to keep it from sitting heavy in your mouth. All of these will run you more than $20, not a great value but tasty nonetheless!   And to complete our tour of cold weather whites, on to Southern Italy... The two amazing grapes of Southern Italy -- Fiano and Greco -- make rich, full, soft whites. Another warm, Mediterranean climate, these wines share a lot in common from a texture standpoint with the wines of the southern Rhône, especially. The difference is the flavors. Fiano tastes like honey with tangerine, cardamom, and hazelnut notes and floral notes-- like being outside in a garden where the bees can't get enough of the white flowers (gardenia, jasmine -- that kind of stuff). Greco is soft, but the best version is Greco di Tufo from Campania, and it tastes like pears and almonds with a ton of mineral/chalk note and a good acidity.    Don’t worry, as with all audio blogs, all this info is at winefornormalpeople.com. Bookmark the post, make your shopping list, (maybe even get a black glass to fool your buddies) and drop a comment to let me know what you thought!

Daniel Brunier is a partner in the Vieux Télégraphe and Domaine la Roquète wineries in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Les Pallières in Gigondas, and Château Massaya in Lebanon.

Ron Siegel of Anaheim Hills CA, Robert Mott of La Quinta CA and Rosalie Puleo of Newport Beach CA discuss current events, financial markets, politics, and even poking fun at the rest of the media in a live radio broadcast from Anaheim CA. Ron, Robert and Rosalie will discuss: What is Picpoul de Pinet; Why is cologne / perfume detrimental to Wine Tasting; The Difference Between Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplements; Should Medicare beneficiaries be concerned about state health care exchanges; What do we need to know about Prescription Drug Plans; Tips for Selling an Unusual Home; A New Challenge for Veterans who Want to Buy a Home; Why Retirement Ain't what It Used to Be; Mortgage Minute; Your Credit Matters; Real Time Real Estate; Word on Wealth; and so much more. Ron Siegel, consumer advocate and mortgage lender, discusses anything that affects the roof over your head, your bank account or other items that will benefit you / your family. Reach Ron at                   800.306.1990 Ron@RonSiegelRadio.comwww.RonSiegelRadio.comwww.SiegelLendingTeam.comTwitter: @RonSiegelwww.Facebook.com/RonSiegelRadio         

Laurence Feraud oversees Domaine du Pegau, as well as Chateau Pegau and Selection Laurence Feraud in the Rhone Valley of France. Also in this episode, Erin Scala discusses the wines buried beneath our feet.