Podcasts about wfnp

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 this show, we finally define OLD VINES with James Lindner and Leigh Woodrow of Langmeil Vineyards! The background, the history, the viticulture, and the first major definition in form of the Barossa Old Vine Charter are all covered. If you ever wondered what "old vines" really means, we have answers!  Langmeil Vineyards has a long and storied history. In 1843, Christian Auricht planted a mixed farm in the heart of the Barossa Valley in Australia. In 1932 Theodor Hanisch, Christian's grandson established the first winery on the property and after a period of disrepair, in 1996, three men, who had strong roots in the Barossa - Richard Lindner, Carl Lindner and Chris Bitter - rejuvenated the vineyard and winery. Photo: Langmeil The Freedom 1843 Vineyard, Shiraz   Today that same vineyard from 1843, The Freedom Vineyard, is still producing grapes for wine and Langmeil, although it makes other lovely wines from normal aged vines, has developed a specialty for caring for and making wine from old vine vineyards. Vineyards include the 70-year-old Orphan Block Vineyard These old vines wines are really something spectacular, and like nothing else you can taste. Photo: James Lindner, co-owner, chief storyteller for Langmeil In this show, I'm joined by James Lindner, sixth generation Barossan, and son of Richard Lindner, runs the family estate with his parents and brother, while overseeing its sales and distribution both domestically and around the world.  He tells us the story of how these old vines got here and the current state of old vines in Barossa. Photo: Leigh Woodrow, Sales Manager for Langmeil, loyal listener and friend of the pod Leigh Woodrow, long time podcast listener, WFNP supporter, Patron, and just all around smart and cool guy is the global and national sales manager for Langmeil and he adds color to the story of Langmeil, and its old vines. A Brit who has lived in Australian now for decades and has much experience in the wine industry, Leigh is humble, kind, funny, and such a great contributor to the Patron community so we need to give a big shout to one of our tribe for bringing this great show and topic to us (Patrons, we may get a bonus on a virtual video tour of the old vines, so stay tuned for that!).   The wines are available in the US and they are spectacular. And I learned a lot from this show about what LEGITIMATE old vines are versus what people may tell us they are.   I hope you enjoy the show as much as I did! And hi to Bette in the Cellar door at Langmeil!   Here are some of the topics we discussed:   We learn about Barossa's wine history, the history of the Australian wine industry, and how Langmeil's old vines survived Map: Barossa Australia We discuss the life cycle of a grapevine and how long they can live, along with what happens to vines as they age and how the wines they make taste. We discuss what grape varieties age well and what don't and the conditions that make good vines   James and Leigh talk about Langmeil's Shiraz vineyard, the oldest Shiraz vineyard in the world – the Freedom 1843 vineyard. We discuss how farming and stewardship of it is different from younger vines.   James talks about a massive project Langmeil undertook to transplant old vines in its Orphan Bank Shiraz Vineyard and how the community pulled together to help make it happen. Although this isn't an ideal situation, it did help save a 70+ year old vineyard. We mention the old vine properties Langmeil has in Eden Valley, a part of Barossa, as well.   James and Leigh describe the Old Vine Charter, why Barossa decided to create the Charter, and the definitions of Old Vines (35-plus years old), Survivor Vines (70-plus years old), Centenarian Vines (100-plus years old) and Ancestor Vines (125-plus years old). We discuss other regions in the world who are looking to Barossa as a model to put more definition around the term “Old Vines” Photo from Cirillo Wine Estates, the oldest Grenache vineyard  We end with a good discussion of sustainability; how old vines are very sustainable for the environment and how investments in the community and the future of wine in Barossa mean that these old vines will have guardians for many generations to come.   A great show with terrific guests! And we finally get some definition around a very squishy term. Thanks to James and Leigh for sharing the Langmeil story!   _____________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our new sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - 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  

Thank you for 10+ years and 400 episodes. We couldn't do it without you! A VERY special thanks to our Patrons who have kept the show alive since 2018.  In this show we discuss 10 things we've learned over the 400 episodes we've produced over the last 10+ years. Here's a quick summary... 1. Climate change is no longer a BS term. People are taking it seriously and being more positive about what to do about it 2. Change in the New World – confidence, maturity, and even better wine 3. Change in the Old World – a more wine-lover centric attitude 4. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater…wine styles have diversified, so make sure you try many examples before you say you dislike a grape or a region 5. The decline of the wine score…we still use them, but they carry a lot less weight and there are many of us who know they are highly biased and don't give a lot of information to us 6. Balance is more important in wine than any one component 7. Consistency for WFNP (and for wine) is never going away…but changing your mind with new facts is ok! 8. Everything in wine changes, everything in wine stays the same… 9. You can get a great bottle for $9, if you know what to look for 10. A riff on #4 – sometimes wines that are bad sippers are great with food. It's sometimes imbalance in a sipper that makes it perfect with food (yes, it contradicts #6 but this is a special circumstance – food changes a lot of things with wine. And that's wine…full of consistency, full of contradiction!)   Cheers to another 400 episodes -- we'll make them as long as you keep listening!  __________________________ Thanks for our sponsors this week: Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal 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

After 10.5 years of doing the podcast I realized that we have never done an overview of Germany! Details, yes, but never the whole deal. Well, now we have. Photo credit: Pexels We discuss an overview of the most important things to know about Germany so you can buy and try the wines more easily. We begin with an overview of the German wine industry, and a reassurance that most of the stuff for export is pretty darn good. Then we tackle the climate and land, both which are completely unlikely places for great viticulture, but for a few dedicated people and a few quirks in geography.   We talk about the major grapes (spoiler alert: Riesling is huge here) and then we discuss various wine styles before giving an overview of the very rich history here, which is meant to give you context for how long Germany has been in the winemaking game and how significant the country has been in wine.   The second half of the show is an overview of the major regions in Germany and then we wrap with a quick discussion of the classification system, which hopefully makes much more sense once you hear about the history, climate, and terroir of Germany.   I love German wine. I think you could too, if you don't already. I hope that this show (and the Germany section in the WFNP book, which gives a lot of great detail) can convince you to put it in the rotation more often!   Here are the show notes: German wine regions are mainly in the southern and southwestern part of Germany, and are quite northerly, many at around 50-51˚N latitude There are 103,000ha/252,00 acres of vineyards 2/3 of the wine is white, with Germany's wine reputation pinned to Riesling Most people who make wine in Germany are small producers by New World standards. 25,000 cases/300,000 bottles is considered a huge winery, whereas in the US that's on the small side of medium! Photo of Riesling: Canva/Getty Climate and land Germany is a cool climate country, grapes can only grow and ripen because of the Gulf stream from western Europe and the warmer air the comes in from Eastern Europe Rainfall in Germany's wine regions occurs DURING the growing season, not during harvest. There is significant disease pressure on the vineyards but irrigation is not an issue and the long, dry fall enables easier harvesting and allows for late harvest wines to flourish The very steep slopes face south, southeast, or southwest. The slopes experience intense solar radiation, helping ripen the grapes Photo (C)Wine For Normal People: Slate in the Mosel Slate is a preferred soil in Germany because it retains heat and imparts spicy, minerally notes to the wine Grapes of Germany Riesling is about 23% of production Müller-Thurgau is about 12% Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) is 11.5% Dornfelder (a red) is about 7.6% Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) is 6% Weisburgunder (Pinot Blanc) is 5% Silvaner is 4.8% And many other grapes are grown in small percentages all over the country   Wine regions: We review all 13 Anbaugebiete... Map from the Wine For Normal People Book Ahr is the northernmost region. It is small and grows a majority of red wine, mainly spätburgunder Baden is Germany's southernmost region and accordingly it is the warmest, sunniest region. It is close to France, and grows a lot of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc as a result Franken is known for its flagon – a flat, round-shaped bottle called a bocksbeutel. The regions specializes in earthy, white Silvaner from the limestone shores of the Main River Hessische Bergstrasse is a teeny region with Riesling as the lead. You don't see these wines outside of Germany Mittelrhein is in the middle of the Rhine (fitting name, huh!?). It is dominated by Riesling, which grows on steep slate slopes Mosel is the most famed region in Germany and makes what many consider to be the best Riesling in the world. The first winegrowing in Germany was in Mosel and it contains the steepest vineyard: at 65˚ grade, Bremmer Calmont has this distinction. Slate soils are dominant and the wines are known for low alcohol levels, high acidity, pure fruit and floral (jasmine, gardenia) notes, along with strong minerality. They are generally off-dry to sweet, to offset the very powerful acidity the terroir imparts to Riesling. Photo (C)Wine For Normal People Nahe is located around the river Nahe, the volcanic soils create wines with fuller, richer textures than in other parts of Germany. It is a medium-sized area and not all vineyards or wineries are created equal – there are excellent producers and less good ones too! Pfalz is the second largest area after Rheinhessen. It is consumed heavily in the domestic market and can make rich, fuller stules of dry Riesling because the climate is slightly warmer. Red wines are growing here as well, given the warm conditions and the ability to fully ripen red grapes. Rheingau is the home of Riesling, the creator of Spätlese and Auslese, and highest percentage of Riesling (nearly 80%) and the home of Geisenheim University, one of the best viticulture and oenology schools in the world. The wines range in sweetness and in stule but they are subtler than Mosel wines and tend to develop intricate flavors of petrol, flowers, chamomile tea, and herbs with a few years in the bottle. Photo (C) Wine For Normal People Rheinhessen is the largest production area in Germany. It has the dubious distinction of being nicknamed “Liebfraumilch land” from its mass production of the sweet plonk that kind of tanked Germany's reputation. Rheinhessen has tried to shirk that image and focus on quality wine made from Riesling. The areas of Nackenheim, Nierstein, and Oppenheim can produce excellent quality wine. Wurttemberg specializes in red wines that aren't grown in other parts of Germany – Trollinger, Lemberger (Blaufränkisch), and Schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier) are all big here. Saale-Unstrut and Sachsen are in the former East Germnay. Both specialize in dry wine and are at 51˚N latitude. The wines are improving with the help of climate changes and better viticultural practices.   Finally we tackle the levels of German Classification: Deutscher Tafelwein: German Table Wine, consumed domestically Deutscher Landwein: German Country wine like Vins d'Pays in France or IGP in Italy, consumed domestically QbA (actually stands for Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete): Wines from a defined region. It can be blended from a few regions but generally it's from one of the Anbaugebiete, so you'll see Mosel, Pfalz, Rheingau, etc on the bottle Prädikatswein is made from grapes with higher ripeness levels. The levels are: Kabinett: Ripe grapes. Can be dry or sweet Spätelese: Late Harvest wines. Can be dry or sweet Auslese: Select Harvest wines. Can be dry or sweet, very flavorful wines Beerenauslese: Berries of the Select Harvest. Always sweet, generally have experienced the effects of botrytis so the wines are honeyed, waxy, and apricot like. Berries are selected off the vines for the best of the bunch Trockenbeerenauslese: Dried Berries of Select Harvest. Always sweet, very rare. Grapes are very ripe must have been affected by botrytis. The grapes are raisined with very high concentration of sugar. Very expensive and rare wines Eiswein: Grapes are harvested after the first frost. The water in the grapes freezes, the winemakers squeeze out the frozen water and then press the sugar that remains. These wines should not be affected by botrytis   We wrap up with other terms that are good to know: Trocken means the wine is dry Halbtrocken wines are off-dry and can seem very sweet Feinherb wines are sweeter or as sweet as halbtrocken wines The VDP: A private marketing organization of about 200 producers around Germany, with its own standards of quality that it expects its members to live up to. Not all great producers are VDP members but it is a safe bet if you know nothing about the wine VDP Logo Weingut is a winegrowing and wine-producing estate Gutsabfüllung refers to a grower/producer wine that is estate bottled   Much of the data for the podcast was sourced from the Wines of Germany ________________________________________ Thanks for our sponsors this week: Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal To become a member of Patreon go to www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Sofía Araya  - head winemaker of Veramonte, Ritual, Primus, and Neyen Sofía Araya was born and raised in Chile and she has made wine in nearly every high quality valley of the country since she graduated from la Universidad de Chile. After years of working on conventional farms for some big names, she moved to Veramonte. She helped transition the over 500 ha/1,235 acres to 100% ECOCERT certified organic vineyards. Veramonte represents 15% of all organic vineyards in Chile.   Sofía is now the head winemaker and oversees the organic Veramonte and Ritual and the organic and biodynamic properties of Neyen and Primus.  All are under the umbrella of Sherry-based Gonzalez Byass.   Although this may seem like a mega-brand because of its excellent distribution, it actually turns out that Veramonte and its sister brands – Ritual, Primus, and Neyen – make just 200,000 cases of wine a year (2.4 million bottles) combined. That's the size of a medium brand at a big hulking winery!   Two things that are important: 1. Sofía and I jump right in on the geography. It may be helpful to follow along with the WFNP map or to listen to this podcast we did on Chile before you listen. (You can listen to this on the Casablanca Valley, this on Maipo, and this on Rapel if you really want extra credit!) 2. A summary of the brands to keep it all straight: Veramonte: Cool climate Casablanca and Colchagua wines for everyday consumption. Pop and pour! Ritual: Also from Casablanca, and only Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot. These are more food wines, with stronger tannin, and fuller body. They are a bit more terroir driven. Primus: The same idea as Ritual but these wines are bolder reds. There is a red blend and a Carménère from Apalta in Colchagua, and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo. Neyen: The signature, high-end blend, sourced from their top site in Apalta.   Here are the points we cover: Sofia tells us about her life and career. She talks about working for Casa Lapostolle and Luis Felipe Edwards in the Colchagua Valley, and Arestí in Curicó.   We get the history of Viñedos Veramonte and how Sofía was a major part of its transition to organics. We discuss some of the exciting things about the transition and some of the more difficult ones (including a change in mindset. **Sofía mentions Flowers and Quintessa as being brands owned by Augustin Hunneus. Flowers is a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir brand, Quintessa is a Napa-based mainly Cabernet-based brand. Both are biodynamic and both are very pricey).   We discuss the Casablanca Valley at length – its surprisingly cool climate, how it developed through the 1990s and 2000, and the very pure fruit flavors that she is able to achieve in the wines made here: Ritual and Veramonte. We discuss the reds of the region, the different flavor profiles they can achieve in this area, and why they are successful in Casablanca. Sofía discusses Colchagua and why the Carmenére is so good from this area. We discuss the sub areas of Apalta and Marchigue (pronounced mar-Chee-way) from which Primus and Neyen are sourced. We discuss what makes Neyen, their flagship wine, so special.   Since Primus Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the Maipo Valley, we also discuss this beautiful, famed area. We mention the Maipo Alto, Maipo Medio, and Maipo Bajo as being diverse   Sofía schools us on why Chilean wine is an incredible value for the money and why price doesn't always mean quality, especially where Chile is concerned.   ____________________________________________________________ Thanks for our sponsors this week: Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal   To become a member of Patreon go to www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople     To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

2020 has been unlike any other, so we are recommending some different things for this year’s annual Thanksgiving show. This year has been tough for everyone, but small, family-owned wineries have been hit pretty hard by fires, lack of tourism, and in some cases, rough harvest conditions. Thanksgiving is the quintessential American holiday, so for this year, especially, we’re recommending that we show support for great American, family-owned wineries and their wines that pair perfectly with any kind of Thanksgiving food you decide to eat.   We start out with a few important announcements: The Wine Resources section of the WFNP site is now live. Check it out!  This year I’m running the holiday book offer again! Details here:   Here are the show notes: Regardless of where you are or who you are with, our #1 Thanksgiving tip this year (in this kind of sucky and restrictive year without our loved ones in many cases): Drink something really fantastic – haul out the wine that you’ve been saving and have it now. Celebrate that you are here, that you are ok, that you will make it through this tough time.   We then spend the show traveling the country from west to east, recommending wines from all the top quality regions: California Santa Barbara: The Pinot is perfect for the meal and really goes with anything. Lumen, Holus Bolus, Ampelos, Dragonette, and Marimar are a few I like Paso Robles: We’re a broken record on this one – Rhône style red and white blends from Tablas Creek, Italian varietals from Giornata, and for red meat fuller “meaty-style” veggies: Hearst Ranch and Halter Ranchfor hefty red blends. Sonoma: The Underground Wine Events Winery list will suffice but we specifically mention excellent rosé of Pinot Noir from Bruliam, tasty sparkling from Keller Estate and Longboard, and, as I mentioned in my piece with the Splendid Table on NPR – ACORN Winery’s Cabernet Franc. Napa: Bearing the brunt of the wildfires this year, we recommend supporting producers who have been affected if you can. Here is a list, but we mention Smith-Madrone (their Riesling is perfect for TG), Cain Winery, Chateau Boswell, and Fairwinds Estate – all whose properties were completely destroyed in the fires. Sierra Foothills: Andis is always my pick and the Semillon is perfect with the herbs of the Thanksgiving feast. The Zin is powerful but nuanced and would be great if you are grilling Oregon Also affect by fires this year and chockful of family owned producers (but make sure you check the big, hulking winery list in the Wine Resources part of the site to avoid buying from a conglomerate), Oregon makes great Pinot Noir, unoaked Chardonnay, and Gamay – all great with every part of a traditional, savory Thanksgiving meal. Some favorites: Bergström, Torii Mor, Cristom, Lingua Franca Washington With more body, power, and alcohol, the wines of Washington are fantastic for grilled foods, beef stews, meatloaf, and hearty food you may decide to have in lieu of traditional TG food. Walla Walla, Yakima, and the larger Columbia Valley AVAs are great. I mention Pepper Bridge, Amavi, Sleight of Hand, Saviah, Hightower, and Delille Texas Hands down, the winning wine in Texas right now is Tempranillo. A bolder, higher alcohol version than the original Spanish wine, these wines will be great with Spanish cheeses (Manchego) and the same foods we mention for Washington wines. Spicewood, Perdenales are mentioned.    We mention Michigan for its Riesling, New Mexico for its large sparkling brand, Gruet, and Colorado for some of its emerging wineries as well   Finger Lakes, New York Riesling, Riesling and more Riesling is my recommendation. Dry, off-dry, sweet, dessert – all work with herbs, spices, butter and fat. Riesling is an MVP – it can also handle curry, Chinese food, Indian spices, and any food with heat. And Finger Lakes, with the traditional peachy, white flower, mineral bouquet, its stupendous acidity and lower alcohol make it a complete must-have. Anthony Road Wine Company’s Late Harvest Vignoles is the dessert wine of the century – a native/hybrid grape made in a sweet style, also noted in the Splendid Table segment.   Long Island, New York From my native land, M.C. Ice and I wax poetic on sparkling wine from Lieb and Sparkling Pointe, and then mention great medium bodied Cabernet Franc and Merlot from these gorgeous island wineries. With these kinds of profiles and more moderate alcohol (make sure to check that’s the case before you buy), you will have reds that can weave their way in and out of hard-to-pair dishes – from green beans to creamed spinach to fried turkey. And the sparkling may be an even better match for all that – but you be the judge.   Virginia It has been a terrible year for the wineries of Virginia. Terrible frost settled at the beginning of the growing season, killing off the vines before they had a chance to form. The tiny harvests were fine but there won’t be much wine to sell from 2020, an unfortunate occurrence in the time of Covid. We mention the fabulous Albariño from Afton Mountain (I mentioned their sparkling, Bollicine, in the Splendid Table segment) and unoaked Chardonnay from Pollak, which are our seafood picks, as well as the versatile whites and reds of Linden and Glen Manor. We highly recommend dessert wine from VA – it’s a perfect end to the meal!   We are so grateful for you and we hope you open something fantabulous to celebrate that you are making it through this year, no matter how hard it has been!   Elizabeth and M.C. Ice   _______________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Access  Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!  I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).  They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops. Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps. Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!  Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal    Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople   And to sign up for classes (now for UK and Euro time zones!) please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes! 

We haven't done a show on this topic for a long time, so here's the 2020 update. We cover what to look for in glassware, decanters, wine fridges, wine openers, preservation systems and more. This is the skinny on what you need and what you don't (and why!).   Our picks are all on the Wine For Normal People store (where I make a tiny bit through affiliate money), but here's the list with some buying tips: Glassware picks, well, I'll make you read this article from epicurious.com ( I wrote it so I believe in it!) Decanters: they are good for removing sediment, aerating a full bottle, and heating up a too-cold wine. Make sure you get one that is easy to wash (forgot to mention that in the show) Aerators: still a no-go for me. If you don't have the time to wait for a wine to unfold, drink something else. Wine openers: the WFNP one, the electric one Wine ice cubes: We like the thin plastic ones because we are the weight and color of stainless steel or rock can mess with the glass (break it) and the wine (discolor it) Wine fridges: The fewer bells and whistles, the better. Make sure you think about how much wine you WILL consume in the future, as opposed to what you drink now. If your wine habit is growing, buy a slightly bigger fridge. The Corksicle: This also serves as an aerator, but you would ignore that function if you take our advice. The main purpose of the device is to chill down the wine quickly. You put it in the freezer and the plastic icicle reaches down through the bottle to chill the wine. I'm not sold on it, but this is the only one that at least ONE of us thinks has promise.  Yeti Wine tumbler: the only stemless that gets my ok, this keeps the wine at a perfect temperature every time. GREAT for the beach or any outdoor drinking! Vacu-vin or other vacuum sealer: It will give you a day or three more with fresh wine, so it's a yes!  Press-n-Seal for sparkling wine -- seriously. Coravin: If you live alone or like drinking different things from your partner, or different things every night, this is worth the $200 - $400 plus the $50 refill cost a few times a year. The money you'll save in wine down the drain is well worth it! Make sure you always remove the foil and you don't use it on synthetic cork. Also, let the bottle stand upright for a few hours so it doesn't leak -- the cork will "heal" but it doesn't do so right away and that can leave a mess in your fridge. Funnel and filter combo: Perfect for getting rid of floating cork, sediment, tartrate crystals -- the filter is a must. I know this may not happen to you, but occasionally you want to go to bed and you didn't finish all the wine in your glass. That's a good time to use the funnel! Are there other gadgets that are fine? Absolutely, but this is our best of the best -- the ones that we find useful and necessary! Let us know if you have additions. _______________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Access  Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!  Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!    Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople  

Adam Teeter is Co-Founder of VinePair Inc, the huge online magazine that tells it like it is in the world of wine, spirits, and beer. Adam is a true normal wine person, he is obsessed with wine and trying to remove the elitism often associated with the industry. In this awesome conversation we discuss Adam’s transition from music to wine (and its similarities), and how he built VinePair to truly disrupt wine media.   Show notes: We discuss Adam’s background and how he and Elizabeth are like the same person.   Adam talks about the striking similarities between the record industry and wine. He talks about how his first successful venture in joining wine and music springboarded him to build VinePair.   We talk nitty-gritty industry stuff – certifications in wine, Millennials and wine, the wine industry and how it’s so bizarre from a business perspective, and the goals of Vinepair to break down alcoholic beverages for normal people.   Adam tells us about upcoming trends in the wine industry and media and we discuss how VinePair and WFNP are the beginning of the wine revolution in media.   Thanks to our sponsors this week:  YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople    Last Bottle I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines: Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines. Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay. Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.  

After a few listener questions on what WFNP was, is, and will be, we hit restart. We talk about: What if you or a friend were new to wine? How should they approach the subject? Where should they start? We answer & then add a few words from our 1st listener, Douglas Trapasso.   Here are the show notes:  1. We answer:  What is Wine for Normal People? Who are our listeners? How did WFNP get started and where is it going? The climate of wine now v. when we started   2. We then shift gears and address the topic of introducing wine novices to wine appreciation. Phase one of the intro involves:  Do a little research before you drink. Mainly on yourself - figure out what kinds of foods you like to eat. NOT For pairing – for finding wines that fit your profile. Go by fruit groups, start with wines that taste like fruit, Don't start sweet Buy the best version you feel comfortable buying (a tier or two above normal) Have them with cheese or food Take note of what you like. Explore that grape from different places. Then find things that are similar  3. Phase 2 involves: Listen to the podcast on topics you like. Read or listen in digestible bits. Do you like history? Do you like food? Do you like travel? Architecture? Science? What do you like to read about or know about? Wine has it all. Start with whatever topic is fascinating vis a vis wine. Read Wine Folly or Vine Pair to get digestible bits of info Remember: what grows together, goes together Be an explorer – keep pushing yourself into new wines, don’t get hung up on 1 wine type because you like it. If you don’t like a wine or a region, keep at it. Try at least 1 a year from various classic regions – BTG or buy a bottle. Just to check in on your palate evolution. Keep reading, keep listening, take WFNP classes, which will soon be online   Contest!! If you bring two friends who want to know more about wine, and have them like the page and listen to the podcast. I'll pick one of these groups and reward them with a free online live chat on any wine topics they wish. Post on Social Media with their names and I'll select a winning group!   

Ian returns as a co-host, talking about his latest venture -- starting an independent wine shop. We discuss the work that goes into this process, what you should look for in a indie shop, & economics of bottle pricing. Fascinating behind the scenes look!   Visit his site jadedpalates.com to see his selection and, if you're in the UK, to get the free shipping he's offering to WFNP listeners!! 

This is a podcast to accompany the 9 wines we have posted on the Vinport.com/WFNP page. It details the wines and wine types and serves as a tasting guide for you to decide what to order and then what to look for when you are drinking the wines. It's a great one to listen to even if you can't order since you can probably find many of the wines types and taste along with the podcast!   Wines are available at www.vinport.com/wfnp  Free shipping on 6 bottles or more!    Enjoy! 

This week listener Jenn Y and I interview Tomomi Muraki Duquette, a sake sommelier from Niigata City who schools us in everything sake! We cover everything you need to allow you to explore the world of sake! Thanks to Tomomi and Jenn for a great lesson! We cover things like: What is sake? How much like beer is it versus like wine? How is sake made? What flavors should we expect from different kinds of sake? What are the different kinds of sake? What should we look for on the bottle? As promised, here are the types of sake that Tomomi discussed: junmai honjozo Junmai ginjo, gingo Junmai daiginjo, daiginjo  For more good reading on the topic, please visit this site: http://boutiquejapan.com/sake101/   Enjoy this very cool, different WFNP special!    And for more info on Tomomi's group, see her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/niigatasakelovers?fref=ts

Gord and Kev ain’t afraid of no ghosts!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 52 Gord and Kev are back! This time they’re arguing about who would win the greatest movie villain battle royal of all time.

Gord and Kev realize the Easter Bunny was a hoax.

Gord and Kev recall childhood memories of the happiest place on earth.

Two mental patients yammer on for a half hour, discussing a bunch of random things they can’t stand.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 51 Oh yes! Gord & Kev are BACK for a special 1-hour-plus review of 2010! After listening to the show, check out our Episode 51 YouTube Playlist!

Ho Ho Ho! Happy Holidays from 3BD! A Brand New 2010 IN REVIEW show will be posted before the end of they year! Be sure to subscribe to 300 Bucks Damage on iTunes, Zune, or whatever your RSS reader of choice happens to be! Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, it’s the greatest podcast on [...]

Let’s all give thanks for family and food!

Halloween is right around the corner. Get your costume on and snag some sweets.

Summer’s over, folks. Get your books in your bag and strap it to your back.

During our hiatus, I felt like revisiting some classics from season one. This show really stands out as one of my favorites, so feel free to give it a listen if you haven’t already. How much would we pay to have the powers of Superman for a single night? Download and find out!

It’s hot out there. So when you’re sick of going outside and actually doing things, hang out in the air conditioning and listen to our “Summertime” episode.

300 Bucks Damage Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure Commentary! Gord and Kev watch Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 50 Gord and Kev ride the monorail to Springfield.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 49 Gord and Kev improvise for a surprisingly entertaining episode.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 48 Gord and Kev contemplate the greatest movie star battle royal of all time. Check out their tough guy qualifications in the final YouTube Playlist of the season!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 47 Gord and Kev declare Schwarzenegger the Heavyweight Champion of Action Films. Arnold Schwarzenegger

300 Bucks Damage Episode 46 Gord and Kev talk about nothing.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 45 Gord and Kev realize the Easter Bunny was a hoax.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 44 After these messages, Gord and Kev will be right back. Check out the massive youtube playlist after the show!!!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 43 Gord and Kev hate snakes.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 42 Gord and Kev head to the nudie bar.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 41 Gord and Kev pick winners in several fantastic, fictitious fights.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 40 Gord and Kev pose absurd scenarios, trying to determine what’s worth the most moolah.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 39 Gord and Kev board the Starship Enterprise.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 38 Gord and Kev enjoy their sugar-rush before heading off to school.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 37 Gord and Kev revisit the accurate (and inaccurate) technological speculations from yesteryear and hypothesize about tomorrow. NOTE: Apologies for the poor audio quality — everything will be back to normal next week.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 36 Gord and Kev have a super secret story that they know for sure is true.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 35 Gord and Kev wrap up the Metropolis discussion

300 Bucks Damage Episode 34 Gord and Kev arrive from Krypton

300 Bucks Damage – Episode 33 Gord and Kev go over random memories from their first decade on this planet.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 32 Gord and Kev visit better days. The YouTube playlist is back!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 31 Gord and Kev rehash the past decade.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 30 Gord & Kev blow up the death star.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 29 2009 year in review shows are so 2009.

Best of 300 Bucks Damage Gord & Kev select some of their favorite clips from 2009. Happy New Year!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 28 Gord and Kev have been nice this year.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 27 Gord and Kev visit Hoth, Dagobah, and Cloud City.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 26 Gord and Kev enjoy pizza and ice cream cake.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 25 Gord and Kev roll the dice, pick the cards, and keep score. When you’re done listening to the show, check out the episode’s YouTube playlist!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 24 Gord and Kev have plenty to be thankful for.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 23 Gord and Kev aren’t the droids you’re looking for. After listening to the show, check out our Star Wars video playlist on YouTube!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 22 Gord and Kev get annoyed way too easily.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 21 Gord and Kev walk door to door in search of candy.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 20 Gord and Kev trade cards and stickers.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 19 Gord and Kev talk Rocky Balboa and all of his movies.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 18 Gord and Kev turn the dial back to the 1990s. After listening to the show, check out our Episode 18 video playlist on YouTube!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 17 Gord and Kev turn the dial back to the 1980s. After listening to the show, check out our Episode 17 video playlist on YouTube!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 16 Gord and Kev request that you stay off the phone for the next few minutes while they dial into the interweb.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 15 Gord and Kev ain’t afraid of no ghosts.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 14 Gord and Kev play games on the street and in the schoolyard. After listening to the show, check out our Episode 14 video playlist on YouTube!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 13 Gord and Kev head back to school after summer vacation.

300 Bucks Damage Episode 12 Gord and Kev share their favorite summertime memories. After listening to the show, check out our Episode 12 video playlist on YouTube!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 11 Gord and Kev keep their televisions on even after the cartoons are over. After listening to the show, check out our Episode 11 video playlist on YouTube!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 10 Gord and Kev turn back the clock to when cartoons were everything. After listening to the show, check out our Episode 10 video playlist on YouTube!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 9 Gord and Kev travel through time once again. After listening to the show, check out our Episode 9 video playlist on YouTube!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 8 Gord and Kev go Back to the Future! After listening to the show, check out our Episode 8 video playlist on YouTube!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 7 Gord and Kev chat about great Nickelodeon shows from the 80s + 90s. After listening to the show, check out our Episode 7 video playlist on YouTube!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 6 Gord and Kev dissect memorable Nickelodeon (+ MTV) game shows. After listening to the show, check out our Episode 6 video playlist on YouTube!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 5 Gord and Kev talk classic game shows. After listening to the show, check out our Episode 5 video playlist on YouTube!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 4 Gord and Kev recall childhood memories of the happiest place on earth. After listening to the show, check out our Episode 4 video playlist on YouTube!

300 Bucks Damage Episode 2 Gord and Kev wax nostalgic over the great video games of the 1990s. After listening to the show, check out our Episode 2 video playlist on YouTube!