Podcasts about wine spies

Get ready for a peek behind the scenes of how one company offers a different wine every single day of the year to its customers. Join me as I chat with Agent Cru from Wine Spies, one of the masterminds behind Wine Spies' unique daily wine offerings.  Wine Spies stands as a trailblazer in the wine industry, boasting over 16 years of innovation and excellence. Discover how the agents of Wine Spies select wines from around the globe and hear about the challenges and joys of running a wine e-commerce platform.  In this episode you'll be able to learn about:  how Wine Spies has featured one new wine (and more!) every day for the last 16 years the inner workings of Wine Spies how wine tasting involves multiple variables making it a unique and fascinating experience As a partner in Wine Spies, Agent Cru injects joy and excitement into the wine scene. His  approach transforms wine tasting into an adventure, captivating enthusiasts with every sip, and turning enthusiasts into long-time customers.  Tune in now for an insider's look at the fascinating world of wine commerce and how Wine Spies presents a new bottle daily from around the world!  Contact Agent Cru here: Website: https://winespies.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addisonrex/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/winespies/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/winespies Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgbMIWMBAE0Dd5u5wrSQWrw  

There is trouble brewing in the trailer park. Shawn is upset that Estaban's father has arrived with his unannounced 25 year old girlfriend who wears zero clothes and eats all the hot pockets in San Diego County. High Society shows up for Matthews memorial service and it looks like a Dynasty Style ladies fight may happen. A startling call comes in live at the station and then goes dead.  Is this an SOS or has something or someone else gone down? Bottoms up, Trailer Tribe!  Cocktail:  “ROMANCING THE ROSE” - A cold French Rose' from our sponsors at Wine Spies

Vicki drags Shawn to Trailer Park Karaoke. On a not so crowded dance floor, they are both out danced by Sophia until Donna comes in and drops a beat on the madness. In the diary, Karl has a vision about an old sailing ship in colonial India. In the vision a cloaked woman pushes a man overboard. What does this mean and is anyone in danger in the present day? Bottoms up, Trailer Tribe. Cocktail:  “SANGRIA WOULDNT WANT TO BE YA” - Red wine from WINE SPIES, Fruit  - Sparkling soda

Much has changed since our original 2017 episode (199) on Cava and Spanish sparkling wine. It's time for a refresh and an update! Photo: Cava cork. Credit: cava.wine In this episode we fill you in on the roller coaster the DO has been on since 2017 and where it stands today. The story shows how Spain has moved from just being ON the radar of international wine buyers to moving to a level of sophistication that demands its regions have the kind of terroir focus of the other great wine nations of the Old World – France, Italy, Germany, and Austria, to name a few.   We review the regulations, changes, and the strife in the region and discuss what to seek out to get the best of these highly accessible, delicious, and decidedly Spanish wines.   Here are the show notes...   The Basics We start with the statistics on Cava -- it encompasses 38,133 ha/94,229 acres and made 253 MM bottles in 2021 91% of Cava is white, 9% is rosado (rosé) Various zones produce the wine, but Penedés is the heart of Cava production, with more than 95% of total output We discuss the early history of the area, beginning with the first sparkling production in 1872 with Josep Raventós to the point where the DO is formed in 1991 – we leave the modern history until later, as complex and muddled as it is!   Map: The overly spread out regions of Cava. Credit: Cava DO We then get into the grapes and winemaking: Whites: Since most Cava is white, the white grapes dominate. Most important are the indigenous grapes, Macabeo (Viura, the white of Rioja), Xarel-lo, and Parellada. Chardonnay is also authorized, as well as Subirat Parent (Malvasia) for semi-sweet and sweet Cava. Photo: Macabeo. Credit: D.O. Cava Reds: Used for rosado (rosé), native grapes are Garnacha (Grenache), Trepat, and Monastrell (Mourvèdre). The Cava DO authorized Pinot Noir for use in rosado in 1998 Winemaking: We discuss the vineyard requirements for the making of quality Cava, including the importance of gentle picking and transport to the winery to prevent oxidation We briefly review the Traditional Method (Champagne Method) of winemaking, which is how all Cava is made Photo: Riddled Cava, ready for disgorgement.. Credit: D.O. Cava We discuss the aging qualifications for Cava, Cava Reserva, Cava Gran Reserva, and Cava Paraje Calificada that range from a minimum nine months to several years, and what each style yields We review the various dosage levels so you know what to look for: “Brut Nature” - no added sugar Cava Extra Brut – very little sugar Cava Brut: Slightly more added sugar in the dosage, sugar is barely noticeable Cava Extra Seco: heavier mouthfeel, noticeable sugar Cava Seco: Dessert level, very sweet Semi Seco: Even sweeter Dulce – Super sweet     We discuss why Cava is such a big mess, with much infighting in its modern history, and why not all sparkling Spanish wine is created the same:   We talk about the first fissures in Cava, with the 2012 break off of Cava OG producer Raventós i Blanc leaving the Cava DO because the quality standards were too low -Vino de la tierra Conca de l'Anoia (their own site) Photo: Raventós i Blanc Rosado, Vino de la Tierra   We discuss the 2015 formation of The Association of Wine Producers and Growers Corpinnat (AVEC) or Corpinnat. We define the group and talk about its requirements for the small member producers: Mission:  Create a distinguished, excellent quality, terroir-driven sparkling wine based solely on Penedès, rather than far flung regions that make lesser wine. To raise the profile of Cava from cheap shit to good stuff Photo: Corpinnat corks. Credit: Corpinnat Website Corpinnat Requirements At least 75% of the grapes must be from vineyards owned by the winery, wine must be made on the premises of the winery Minimum price paid for livable wages to the growers Certified organic and hand harvested grapes 90% of the grapes must be indigenous varieties: Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada for whites, Garnacha, Trepat, Monastrell, for reds. 18 months minimum aging **By design: Cava's three biggest producers can't meet the requirements: Cordoniu, Freixenet and García Carrión – which is why Corpinnat started in the first place, to raise the quality standard and allow smaller producers a voice Corpinnat members (2022): Gramona, Llopart, Recaredo, Sabaté i Coca, Nadal, Torelló, Can Feixas, Júlia Bernet, Mas Candi, Can Descregut, Pardas We discuss the qualifications of the Cava Paraje Calificado classification, created by the Cava DO in 2017 for single-estate sparkling wines with a vineyard designation, lower yield, and a longer aging period Cava de Paraje Calificado requirements include specifications for: lower yield, manual harvest, minimum fermentation time in the bottle at 36 months. Vines must be at least 10 years old and the wine must be produced locally in the same winery that grows the grapes. Issues: Includes the large wineries' estate vineyards and (originally) some smaller ones but doesn't address the issue of quality or cohesive terroir/flavor. It's like a medal system – here are our best wines! Photo: Paraje Califado Cava -- Can Sala, Freixenet Disastrous conclusion: The Cava Paraje Calificada was the solution to the Corpinnat – it was meant to be more inclusive. But Corpinnat was supposed to be a new small producer/ quality designation within Cava. Because it excludes large producers, the DO wouldn't allow Cava and Corpinnat on the same label, and Corpinnat left the DO. They cannot use Cava, or Gran Reserva on their labels.   Of the 12 wines approved as CPC in 2017, 5 aren't CPC anymore, only Corpinnat We address most recent regulations of Cava in 2020 The Cava Regulatory Council approved new zoning of the Cava DO. We review the subzones that are supposed to create a better delimitation for consumers: Comtats de Barcelona - 95%+ of Cava production Includes Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, the "capital of Cava" – where the first bottles of Cava were produced in 1872 Location: In Catalonia, in northeast Spain. Along the Mediterranean coast near Barcelona Climate: Mediterranean climate, slight variations inland versus coast but mostly long summer, lots of sun, hot summer and spring - easy to ripen grapes, lots of different grapes thrive  Land:  Diverse terrain – various exposures, orientation, altitudes, and microclimates Five Sub-zones (used for Reserva and Gran Reserva Cava, more limited yields, organic viticulture, vineyards 10+ years old): Valls d'Anoia Foix, Serra de Mar, Conca del Gaià, Serra de Prades and Pla de Ponent Each has a slightly different character – some more at elevation, some farther from the sea – slight variations in flavors and what grows where   Map: Detail of the Comtats de Barcelona Cava Zone. Credit: Cava DO   The Ebro Valley area  Northernmost part of the DO, far in the interior, near and influenced by the river Ebro Climate: Temperate, continental climate – summers are hot and dry with cold winters Two subzones (used for Reserva and Gran Reserva Cava, more limited yields, organic viticulture, vineyards 10+ years old): the Alto Ebro around Rioja, Navarra, and the Basque area of Álava and the Cierzo Valley Sub Zone. The Cierzo is near the Aragonese city of Zaragoza in the central area of the Ebro River, with strong regional winds (the Cierzo) to dry out the area Map: Detail of the Ebro River Valley Cava Zone. Credit: Cava DO Smaller zones: Levante: (Eastern Highlands, no official name yet), in interior of Valencia province, with a dry Mediterranean to semi continental climate depending on whether altitude)   Viñedos de Almendralejo (Almendralejo vineyards): Fairly flat, southwestern-most part of the DO. A very dry, hot climate, with warm wind, known as the solano We end with an update of where Cava is today (hint: it's huge and growing, it's trying to improve by moving towards organics, it's still fighting against Corpinnat) and what could be the next step for Corpinnat too.     A fascinating show that takes you on the wild ride that the region and wine has been on since we first discussed it those many years ago. __________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. 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   Sources: www.cava.wine https://www.raventos.com https://www.corpinnat.com https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2019/02/nine-producers-break-with-cava-to-form-corpinnat/ https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/new-breakaway-sparkling-wine-appellation-to-rival-cava-20501/ 

In this show, we cover Aglianico - the best red grape you may have never heard of. Widely considered one of Italy's top three red grapes with Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, many consider the wines of Aglianico some of the world's top bottles too. That said, because Aglianico is a grape of the more obscure regions in southern Italy (Campania and Basilicata, mainly), the wine hasn't gotten its due. It is much less expensive than top Barolos and Barbarescos or Chiantis and Brunellos – although it is slowly catching up. It is a grape well-suited to warm Mediterranean climates, and for the changing climates of once cooler growing areas like regions of California and Australia. Aglianico is historic, yet modern and there has never been a better time to get acquainted with the wines of this beautiful grape. Photo: Aglianico Source: Taub Family Selections, Mastroberardino Page   Here are the show notes: We cover the history of the grape and discuss possible origins. Aglianico is considered to be one of Italy's oldest grapes and it was always thought to be an import from the Greeks who colonized Campania and other parts of southern Italy. Today, Attilio Scienza, the foremost Italian grape scientist, has changed that theory. He believes the grape is native to southern Italy and the name is related to the Spanish word for plains “llano” (ll=gli, both sounds like y sound in canyon). The grape may have been domesticated from grapes growing on the plains We discuss how the grape was nearly extinct after phylloxera, and how Antonio Mastroberardino - preserved and propagated Aglianico to make one of the best red wines in Italian history – the 1968 Mastroberardino Taurasi Riserva. The D'Angelo family revived Aglianico around Monte Vulture in Basilicata around the same time. The success of these two families on the world stage, encouraged others to start making wines from Aglianico, and today there are many great examples of wines from the grape Photo: 1968 Mastroberardino Taurasi Riserva, widely considered one of Italy's best wines   Aglianico Viticulture: Aglianico produces medium to small, compact bunches. The individual berries are small, round, and dark blue-black with quite thick skins. The grape requires a long, warm growing season with a warm fall to fully develop flavors and calm tannins and acidity. It is early budding and late ripening. Overly cool or overly hot conditions don't do good things for the grape. Aglianico is one of the latest harvests in Italy, with Vulture often starting harvest in mid to late November According to Ian d'Agata, the top English-speaking writer on Italian wine, Aglianico has three biotypes (variations of the same grape, but not different enough to be clones): Taurasi, with small berries, less vigorous, and sensitivity to spring weather that may reduce the harvest Taburno (also called Aglianico Amaro -- but not because it's amaro /bitter, rather because it's higher in acidity) is less fertile with big bunches. It is earlier ripening, with higher alcohol and higher acidity del Vulture is most intensely flavored biotype, with strong fruit aromas and flavors, and it seems to have fewer viticultural issues The grape also has clones, the most popular of which are used to create bolder, darker wines     Terroir Aglianico prefers volcanic soils. The Campania DOCGs are on extinct volcanoes or have influence from nearby Vesuvius. The volcanic activity makes these soils rich in nutrients, well-drained, and very complex. The grape loves elevation and it thrives in spots where other grapes can't ripen. Although Aglianico needs dry climates with abundant sun, it must have diurnal temperature swings at night so it can retain its acidity and build flavor slowly   Photo: Mastroberardino's Aglianico vineyards  Source: Taub Family Selections, Mastroberardino Page Styles: Generally, Aglianico has the following characteristics: Very high acidity and tannin. Floral (red roses), red fruit (sour cherries), plum (esp. from Vulture), leather and herbs (esp. from Taburno), smoke, and mineral notes. The wines are always savory. It is capable of long aging. Regardless of where the grape grows, these characteristics seem to be present. Some styles are lighter and more floral with higher acidity, while others are deep, earthy, fuller, and complex with tobacco, licorice, iron ore, and coffee notes. Aglianico needs age. It can be tough in its youth, with harsh tannin and acidity, since the grape has naturally high tartaric acid   Other styles: IGT wines – blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot or other native grapes Passito: Similar to Amarone from Veneto, these wines are made from partially dehydrated grapes. This style is very rare Sparkling: Made in the IGP classification. These wines often display red cherry, strawberries, and spice flavors and aromas     Regions The grape is almost exclusively in southern Italy, mostly in Campania in the provinces of Avellino, Benevento, Sannio, and Caserta. In Basilicata, wines are mainly made around Potenza and Matera. All these areas are in cool, dry, sunny spots in the mountains The three main areas for high quality Aglianico in Italy are:   Taurasi (1993 DOCG), which is near Avellino, is mountainous and therefore at altitude, has volcanic soils and has an ideal climate -- hot, sunny days, and cool nights to slow ripening and build flavor. Up to 15% other red grapes are permitted in the blend to soften Aglianico (often Piedirosso, the native aromatic grape, which is lighter than Aglianico, is used) Flavor profile: Black cherry, raspberry, cigar, coffee, earth, leather. High acidity, high tannin, high alcohol, medium bodied. Riserva: has higher alcohol levels is aged longer Producers: Mastroberardino, Feudi di San Gregorio, Ponte, Terre degli Svevi, Re Manfredi, Quintodecimo, Donnachiara, Antionio Caggiano, Salvatore Molettieri, Perillo, Luigi Tecce, Terrdora, Urciolo The wine we were drinking during the show, 2013 Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi. Here is a link to the show I did with owner Antonio Capaldo, ep 337   Aglianico del Taburno (2011 DOCG) is near Benevento. These wines are less famed than Taurasi because the region was used for bulk wine until the 1980s. The region consists of 14 towns on the eastern side of the Taburno mountain. Rather than pure volcanic or a volcanic mix, soils are clay -limestone. Taburno has bigger diurnals than Taurasi, and is generally cooler than Taurasi leading to higher acidity. Flavor profile: Pepper, black fruit, figs, leather, and herbs. High acidity, high tannin, high alcohol, medium body Producers: Cantina del Taburno, Cantine Tora, La Rivolta   Other Campania DOCS include: Cilento, Sannio, Gallucio, Irpinia, Falerno del Massico     Aglianico Del Vulture (we did a whole podcast on this) is located in Basilicata, just around the province of Potenza in the north. The wine region borders Campania and Puglia. The wine is required to be 100% Aglianico. Aglianico del Vulture DOC and Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCGs are on volcanic, mineral rich, well-drained soils around the extinct volcano. The elevation of Monte Vulture and the rain shadow it creates make perfect conditions for Aglianico – it gets its long, cool growing season, where it can develop flavors and aromas over time Flavor profile: black plum, coffee, dried herbs, smoke, dark chocolate. These wines have lower acidity than the wines of Campania. They still have high tannin, and high alcohol Producers: Cantine del Notaio, Elena Fucci, Pasternoster, Macarico, Basilisco, Cantina di Venosa, Bisceglia, D'Angelo Aglianico can also be found in: Abruzzo & Molise, where it is blended with Montepulciano Lazio, Calabria, Puglia, where it is sometimes blended with Primitivo     New World Regions Australia: Adelaide Hills, Barossa, Langhorne Creek, Mudgee, McLaren Vale, Riverina, Northern Tasmania– cool and warmer regions! The wines are apparently less acidic and tannic, and quite high quality     USA: California: Many regions grow the grape but Caparone in Paso Robles was the first in 1992. It shows promise as the climate warms. Other US: Texas, New Mexico   Argentina and Mexico are also having some success   We end with a discussion of food pairings and encouragement to go out and try this gem!   Main resource: "Native Wine Grapes of Italy" by Ian D'Agata   _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. 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   Bonus: Here's the cat "iron throne" we talked about...

I welcome back Jim Morris, industry veteran, hospitality pro, and hiring manager for major wineries to help me answer the question I get frequently:   “I love wine, how do I get into the industry?”   We address the three main verticals for entry into the biz: the executive/business side, the production side, and the sales/hospitality side. Then we talk briefly about wine education and wine media. Jim's first tip is a really essential one:     “No matter what you do, do everything in wine”   From production to shipping, learning it all will make you understand the entire business. And that is essential because wine is one huge, long supply chain!   Here are the show notes:   The Management Side/Business Side: This is the executive side, where you can enter into the industry from another professional job with a set of skills.   Our tips: Your skills are likely applicable if you are from a related industry (law, logistics, consumer packaged goods marketing or sales, executive management etc.), but go in with eyes wide open — the regulations in wine are a bit crushing. The wine industry is driven by what it CAN'T do - be prepared for a world of regulation and compliance! There are many transferable skills and jobs that could fit if you have an area of expertise on the business side. You will have a learning curve but if you are ok with that it can be a great place. On the downside: none of it pays particularly well!   Photo credit: Unsplash   The Production Side: Winemaking, vineyard management, cellar work, including bottling, etc.   Our tips: This is a very physically demanding part of the business! You don't have to go to school, but you have to work your way up if you don't. Start small, talk to small winery owners and winemakers about what they do. Network with people, get a feel for what is needed in a winery, and what you can or would do if you worked in a winery. Just get out there and talk to people! If you are earnest and serious, and network you will get opportunities to work at wineries —whether it be in the US, Germany, Australia, or Mexico. Learn and absorb as much as you can and then make a decision about whether production really what you want to do, and then you have to convince someone to invest in you. Remember to have humility — you are asking someone to invest in you to teach you this craft, it's important it's a good fit and you go in understanding you are asking someone to take a chance on you.
 Possible career paths: work harvest as and intern for free, become a paid harvest intern, cellar rat, assistant winemaker, winemaker, or vineyard worker/manager, work in logistics, bottling, etc.     Photo credit: Unsplash   Wine Sales and hospitality – retail and restaurant/ Tasting room employee/ Wine club management Sales is the single most important job in wine. It is the most valued – without the sales, even great wineries fold.  Sales is the most common job in wine and the easiest path to get into the industry. We discuss three or four main ways to get into wine sales and hospitality.   Our Tips: We frame all of this by saying that sales and hospitality are skills -- hospitality is dealing with the public, we give tips on how to do that well, but if you don't like dealing with people, these are not jobs for you! In sales/hospitality NEVER fake it ‘til you make it, people know when you are wrong and you're going to get called out on any lies you tell or stuff you make up. Just admit that you are learning – there is a LOT to know! If you get into a hospitality or sales job, you are not above doing things they may ask you to do – cleaning dishes and glassware, serving food, setting up events – it's part of the job. All wine positions — tasting room, wine club, hospitality, wine educator for a winery, etc — all are sales positions. If you don't like selling, this isn't for you!     We discuss the positions available and the paths they could lead to:   Retail: Work in a wine shop. To figure out the best one for you, go to tastings at the shop you'd like to work with. See if you jibe and then express interest in working there with time. Possible career paths: Retail - distributor rep, supplier (large winery) rep, importer, shop owner, work at a tasting room in wine country Photo credit: Unsplash   Tasting room: Tasting room IS sales and service combined. You must always be mindful that your job is sales of wine club. Boxing wine for shipping, cleaning up after messy guests, setting up tables, talking about the wine Possible career paths: Tasting room manager, wine club manager (customer service and marketing), logistics, social media marketing, wine tele-sales, marketing (keeping in mind that it is really hamstrung by regulations!) On-premise (restaurants): This is working in a restaurant with a good wine list. Possible career paths: Wine buyer for restaurant groups or major retailers, see the paths for retail     Other jobs: We briefly address wine educators, wine writers, and wine influencers too and give some advice for people thinking about those paths   Hopefully this sets you on a good path to success or at least answers the questions of how you could break into the industry if you were interested.   If you have questions, contact Jim on Twitter @sonomawineguy and he'll get back to you! You never know, he may be hiring in his tasting room or wine club!   _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. 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

This week's show is about one of the most famous white wines in Italy, the region's/wine's 1000 year history, and its recent comeback in quality and stature. The region? Soave (SWAH-vay) in Veneto, Italy. Map: Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave Located just east of the famed city of Verona (Romeo and Juliet, anyone?), in the foothills of the Lessini Mountains, Soave is a tiny region that packs a punch in reputation and in flavor. Made from one of the oldest known grapes in Italy, the Garganega grape, Soave's cheek coating, almond-flavored, floral, and sometimes waterfall-like notes creates a food friendly, crowd pleasing wine.  Although often maligned by the wine trade, who is woefully behind on this trend, Soave is one for us, normal wine lovers. Surely there is garbage to be had when the grapes are grown on the flats of the region, but on the ancient, steep, volcanic hillsides, worked meticulously by hand, the grapes farmed for these wines create outstanding examples of Italian white at its best. If you haven't had it, go and get an example from the producers we recommend (Gini, Inama, Pra, Pieropan, Suavia – you won't be sorry!) Here are the show notes... Soave is located east of Verona, at 45.45° N latitude It is a small region, with just 6,500 hectares (16,062 acres) planted, but those plantings give a lot of bang for the buck – recent figures show the region makes about 4.4 MM cases   Location, climate, land: The DOC is on a border between flat plains of the Po River Valley in the south and Alpine foothills in the north. Its main towns – Soave and Monteforte d'Alpone lie on the flats – but between them and north there is a large volcanic outcropping that rises up in steep slopes Climate: Because of its proximity to the river, the region is influenced by the mists of the Po Valleyduring harvest, which can produce conditions for mold and disease. The tough Garganega grape can resist disease, but it is still a threat to the vineyards. It can be hot on valley floors in the summer and quite cold in the spring and fall, so slopes are preferred for viticulture. Land: Soave is a series of hills and valleys formed by volcanic activity and the recession of a small sea, along with plate movement. Soils are a mixture but in general: WEST and CENTER AREAs: Calcareous, limestone soils Central-Eastern Areas: Volcanic/basalt based soils   Soave's rolling hills. Photo: Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave Grape varieties:  Garganega is one of oldest white grapes in Italy and represents 88% of plantings. It has grown in the hills of Soave for at least 1,000 years and is one of Italy's oldest varieties. Garganega can crop to high yields, with large bunches so when growers preferred quantity over quality in the 1960s and 1970s, the vine produced. But like all grapes, when overcropped and grown on fertile valleys, Gargenega has no flavor! Characteristics of Garganega: Flavors change based on soil type and winemaking. They range from steely, waterfall-like to peachy with white flowers, citrusy, and like apples. Good Garganega has acidity but a cheek-coating quality and a slightly bitter-almond finish. They are sometimes aged on the lees but not often oak aged, as it kills the freshness/acidity in the wine. The better Soaves are mostly 100% Garganega, but by law, the wine must have 70% Garganega with up to 30% of Trebbiano di Soave (Verdicchio, not crappy Trebbiano)) or, Chardonnay (traditionalists don't approve) with other non-aromatic, local grapes permitted in up to 5% of the blend. The Garganega Grape.. Photo from Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave   Trebbiano di Soave. An exception to some of the low quality Trebbiani, this is the same grape Verdicchio (often from Le Marche). It's a low yielding variety, ripens earlier than Garganega, and it's acidic, floral, and light. It used to be in more frequent use but its sensitivity to mold and rot, it has slowly been replaced by the more vigorous Garganega.     We go through the history, and over the theories of how Soave got its name: The name is from the writings of Dante Alighieri, devised during his exile in Verona. The name is from a Nordic tribe (Svevi) that once inhabited the area.  Or it could be from a Germanic tribe –the Lombards who set up the city of Soave in the 500s     Soave DOCs and their terroir… The Soave DOC and its two subzones (Soave Classico DOC and Soave Colli Scaligeri DOC) make 99.5% of the wine (the rest is sweet Recioto di Soave DOCG and Soave Superiore DOCG).  Most of the wine is dry, still, white wine. A small amount of sparkling is made. There are 33 "Unità Geografica Aggiuntiva” or Additional Geographical Units, similar to the MGA of Barolo and Barbaresco -- single vineyard sites.    Map: https://www.amaronetours.it/wines/soave There are various terroir in Soave, as we discuss earlier in the podcast:   The Hills Soave Classico and Soave Colli Scaligeri (KOH-lee ska-LEE-jah-ree) are in the mountains, as just described. The Colli Scaligeri form a horseshoe around Soave Classico and these are higher elevation areas mainly on limestone but with some basalt. The two areas are the high quality, traditional growing regions of Soave. Volcanic hillsides are in the central to eastern area of Lessini mountains (near Monteforte d'Alpone). These slopes go up to 500 M /328 feet, but slope can go from 10% to 80% grade! These wines can sometimes show a cinnamon note from the benzonoids in the wine. Limestone hillsides in the west (near Soave) have shallow, rocky subsoils. These wines are more variable since the calcareous content varies depending on the place on the hill. Tropical fruit, floral, apple, and citrus flavors are common.     The Plains The Soave DOC includes the flat floor of the three valleys, where the soils are deeper, rich in clay, and the climate is very hot in summer, and frosty in the “shoulder seasons” of spring (during budbreak) and fall (during harvest). This valley area includes all the expanded are discussed in the history review, and it is the reason why people have a bad idea about Soave, despite the fact that it is so historic and delicious when made in the right regions. Volcanic Plains are mainly in the Monteforte Valley, one of the most fertile areas of Soave. These plains are high in clay and volcanic sediment deposited from the hills above. These are simple wines. (Volcanic Park I mentioned is here) The limestone plain contains alluvial valley soils deposited from intense rain along Alpone valley and the foothills around Verona. These are rocky, sandy soils and the wines can be floral, simple, and often overcropped.     Soave Soil Map: https://www.amaronetours.it/wines/soave   The two DOCGs: Recioto di Soave, Soave Superiore These wines are often from the subzones but they are not required to be. They have their own zone of production that overlaps most of the Soave DOC. They must not contain more than 5% Chardonnay and must be at least 70% Garganega and up to 30% Trebbiano di Soave. Recioto di Soave DOCG can be still or sparkling wine. It is made from grapes dried on straw mats outside or in a controlled environment. They must be an minimum of 14% ABV and are an intense golden color, with apricot, floral, and vanilla notes. Soave Superiore DOCG, began with the 2002 vintage. These wines must have lower yields, more alcohol, and undergo longer ageing (they are not released until April versus February for the others).  These wines have a darker color, richer flavors, stronger floral notes, and are weightier. The issue: they aren't representative of the style of Soave, so a lot producers aren't using the DOCG. It's possible this will be the first DOCG that is rescinded – but stay tuned! Soave's hillside vineyards.. Photo from Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave Food Pairings: Soave is lovely with food because it has acidity and delicate aromas. Perfect pairings are simple risottos with parmesan cheese, seafood and vegetable pastas, and grilled white fish and seafood or chicken in herbal or citrus preparations.   Go out and get some Soave – it is AWESOME!! _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. 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 _______________________________________________________________ Sources: Most of the information for this show comes from Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave,  'Soave at the Crossroads' from Meininger's Wine Business Int'l Italian Wine Central -- Soave  

Happy Thanksgiving/Harvest Meal 2022. For this episode, we're discussing wines that will give you great bang for your buck, pair perfectly with the meal, and impress your guests. Photo: Pumpkins & Pais! (c) Wine For Normal People These pairings are really for any traditional western meal – Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any sort of food that celebrates autumn flavors.    Here's the list for 2022... The Welcome Wine Sparkling options: Sekt from Germany (Riesling is best), South African Cap Classique, Lambrusco Sherry: Our favorite type of Sherry is Amontillado. It's great with nuts and generally well liked by people when they try it. Good producers: Hidalgo la Gitana, Valdespino, Lustau, Osbourne, and Bodegas Dios Baco are some great producers. Dry white wines Wines that complement a buttery, savory meal: Grillo from Sicily Pinot Blanc from Alsace Soave from Italy A blend from Lisboa (around Lisbon, Portugal) Verdejo from Spain OR More acidic whites -- better with acidic food with a lot of citrus/acidity or for contrast: Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Tuscany) Australian Riesling from the Clare and Eden Valleys Finger Lakes Riesling Off Dry Whites for dishes with fruit or with sweetness (yams, corn): Mosel Riesling from Germany Off-dry Finger Lakes Riesling Vouvray from the Loire Valley, France   Light Reds and rosé (good with turkey, ham, pork): Frappato from Sicily País from Chile (similar to Beaujolais) Zweigelt from Austria Rosé: Tavel from Rhône, Côte de Provence, or something from your local winery Heavier reds (for non-turkey meals): Bordeaux – general Bordeaux or Bordeaux Superieur for MVP, Right Bank (St. Emilion, Fronsac) and Côtes de Bordeaux for meats or heavier vegetables with more delicate, herbal flavors, Médoc for more robust meats with more charred notes Primitivo for robust meats Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon or Carménere for heavily flavored, braised, charred meat   Dessert: Ruby Port for chocolate desserts Muscat-based wines – Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, Muscat de Rivesaltes for fruit or custard desserts Bring back the off-dry Sekt or Lambrusco from the beginning of the meal to enjoy at the end of the meal. Lambrusco is good with berry or cherry desserts, Sekt with apple and custards   Tips: Don't buy too much wine. If you have a limited number of drinkers, limit the choices for the meal. If you plan to serve dessert wine, don't go overboard with options at the beginning of the meal or you'll have no takers. If your meal has a theme – it's very savory or is very vegetable focused, stick to the wine that will best suit those dishes and don't offer too many choices   Check out the Wine For Normal People book for more tips on pairing!    Have a safe, happy, healthy holiday. We are so grateful to you for listening and for your continued support!!   _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. 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  

For decades, Aldo Vacca has been the Managing Director of the Produttori del Barbaresco, the best and most successful wine co-op in Europe. Through his leadership and guidance, the Produttori has taken its wines, and with it, the wines of Barbaresco beyond Piedmont in northeastern Italy, to world renown. Aldo's job at the Produttori is not just an occupation, it is his family legacy and a professional choice he made that has benefitted all who love Nebbiolo. Photo: www.rarewineco.com Aldo took a degree in Viticulture at the Torino University and worked at the prestigious University of California at Davis, after which he got one of the most coveted jobs in Piedmont – he got a job working for Gaja in 1986. But after 4 years, he realized that rather than fame and modernism, he wanted to do something that celebrated the land of Barbaresco and all it represented. He followed in the footsteps of his great grandfather and used his infinite knowledge of Nebbiolo and his skills at management and hospitality, to transform the Produttori into one of the best-known brands in Italy.   I have spent time with Aldo. He's brilliant, cheeky, and passionate, and after two years, I'm so happy to have finally gotten him on the show. Aldo speaks to groups about the Produttori all the time, has been in lots of media, and he is absolute pro. This is a great show!     Here is a general outline of what we discuss: We discuss the harvest that just was (2022) – what was hard, what was normal, and the changes that the Barbaresco region has endured as climate change has taken hold here.   Aldo discusses his family legacy in Barbaresco and how it ties into the region's development. He tells us about the hard times in the region and how the Cantine Sociali and then the Produttori were formed to address the social and economic challenges of grape farmers in the 1800s and then again in the mid 1900s.   We learn about the structure of the Produttori and how its quality standards, efficiency, and generosity make it so successful. Aldo tells us how the Produttori has managed to hold its members to such high standards. Photo: Bottling at the Produttori del Barbaresco in May 2022 (c)Wine For Normal People  We get into the details on some of the logistics, the management and membership structure, and the winemaking philosophy (to let Barbaresco shine!). We discuss the extras the members get – knowledge sharing, status and prestige by being part of the Produttori, and the incentives to farm for quality not quantity. And why owning great land yields to great results – they own pieces of the best vineyards.   Aldo tells us about the Barbaresco DOCG – the land, factors that make it different from Barolo, and the overview of the style of wine here. He talks about the MGA system (he refers to it as single vineyard, which is what they are) and what it means for the area.   Aldo and I talk about the wines the Produttori makes, we discuss the flagship Barbaresco and how it is made, and the very affordable and delicious Langhe Nebbiolo, an important product to show people who are just getting into Nebbiolo what it can do and be. Aldo also helps us understand their single vineyard wines and why each expresses something so unique and individual, based on site Photo: Aldo Vacca educates Wine For Normal People Patrons(c)Wine For Normal People We end with a conversation of why the new generation of winemakers and land owners in Barbaresco is so great and Aldo's great hope for a bright future for Barbaresco and the Produttori.     Here are links to all the wines the Produttori makes: NEBBIOLO LANGHE D.O.C. BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA ASILI BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MONTEFICO BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MONTESTEFANO BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MUNCAGOTA BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA OVELLO BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA PAJÈ BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA PORA BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA RABAJÀ BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA RIO SORDO Photo: www.rarewineco.com   _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. 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 welcome back Édouard Miailhe, proprietor of Château Siran in the Margaux appellation of the Médoc (he was on Episode 391, as part of our Médoc series, discussing his role as the president of the Margaux appellation and a small bit about the Château). He joins to talk about many things that we didn't cover in the first show, and the exciting things happening now, including the fact that Château Siran's 2018 vintage was named the #1 wine of 2021 by Wine Enthusiast Magazine! Édouard Miailhe, owner of Château Siran, photo by Wine For Normal People After meeting Édouard in person, tasting the wines, and seeing what is happening at Siran, I agree that magazine made the right decision. Siran has some of the most vibrant energy in Bordeaux and some of the best wines. And Édouard is really just getting started.   Château Siran In addition to this, the show covers something we did not at all address in the first show: the role of the Miailhe family as discussed in the book “Wine and War” by Donald and Petie Kladstrup. The book was written two decades ago but is still a fantastic read. In our first conversation, Édouard never mentioned that his family's bravery, sacrifice, and dedication to wine and the essence of being a Frenchman during the war makes them some of the bravest, most empathetic, clever, and principled families in the wine world.   Here are some of the things we discuss in the show: Édouard chronicles his family history in the Médoc, and how they came to manage Château Siran through family ties in 1888, with wine broker Fréderic Miailhe.     We talk about how his great grandfather Édouard Miailhe and great uncle, Louis Miailhe, saved many prestigious Left Bank properties from bankruptcy and ruin -Pichon Lalande, Coufran, Dauzac, and part of Château Palmer in the early 1900s through investments that others were unwilling to make. Château Siran I make Édouard discuss his family story in World War II. We discuss weinführers, the invasive and destructive nature of the German troops in Bordeaux, and how his family saved the lives of two Italian Jewish families by sheltering them at Château Palmer, until they were able to get papers to smuggle them out of the country. We discuss how the continued acts of patriotism through investment and saving French wine properties in Bordeaux led to the signed picture of Winston Churchill that is at Château Siran.   Édouard discusses his aunt, May-Eliane Miailhe de Lencquesaing, who played a role in helping keep the Jewish family alive, became an icon in Bordeaux wine, and later moved to South Africa and started her own brand. Édouard and I discuss his view on women in wine and his family's unflagging support of women through the decades. Marjolaine Defrance, Édouard Miailhe, Charlotte (hospitality manager)   Édouard talks about how the right investments in the vineyard and winery, and the right enologist (a very young, talented, Marjolaine Defrance) led to Château Siran being the number one wine in the world according to Wine Enthusiast Magazine.   Siran's 160th anniversary bottle   Édouard talks about the revival of original art on the labels of Château Siran. His parents began the tradition of picking a theme for the label that reflected the events of that particular year. The bottles were pieces of art, but also were easily recognizable because of the moment in time they represented. Édouard has revived the tradition for the 2020 vintage, with Frederica Matta, the French and Chilean artist representing the difficult year of isolation in Covid, but the uplifting part of reconnecting with nature, and being grateful for its sights and smells. Revival of the artist label with the 2020 vintage. Art by Frederica Matta, photo courtesy of Ch. Siran   We end by discussing some of Édouard's worries about climate change but also about his hopefulness about the ever-improving quality of Margaux wines and how the appellation seems to be working together better than ever before, a great thing for them and for those of us who drink their wines.   My opinion: Château Siran is a very unique and delicious bottle of wine and extremely well-priced for what it delivers. The addition of Petit Verdot in the wine makes it unlike other wines you may have tasted and it is well worth it to buy it, hold it and taste the beauty in the bottle!! _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. 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

This week's show covers the southern part of the Côte de Beaune, south of Meursault. In this part of the Côte de Beaune you will find some of the most famed, stunning Chardonnay on earth. We start with a recap of episode 455 to tie these two shows together. Then we work our way through the southern half of the Côte de Beaune and the most famed Chardonnays in the world from the Montrachet family of vineyards. Like the first show, this is quite a download and we try to provide a structure for understanding this study in terroir, which sets us up well to do deeper dives on other parts of Bourgogne so we can understand the villages even better.   As in the first show, we don't need much in the notes besides this wonderful map from the Vins de Bourgogne site, but I'll throw a few things down here just for recap.   Here are the show notes: We discuss the pricing of Burgundy and why wines are so expensive. We talk about the difference between Burgundy and Napa that was sparked by a conversation on Patreon. Here is the podcast I talk about with Laurent Delaunaywhere we address some of the pricing issues. We talk a bit about the negociant system and the secondary market before moving to the communes.   _____________________________ This show covers the southern communes of the Côte de Beaune only, from Blagny to Marange    Blagny (Blaeh-NE  -- Pinot Noir) Between Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, Blagny is a small village appellation with red wines exclusively of Pinot Noir. The majority of wine is classified as Premier Cru. Whites are permitted to be Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet, but not Blagny – since white is often better here, Blagny is not well-known because the name is only for red Blagny has steeper vineyards than most spots in Burgundy and they are at higher altitudes 340- 400 metres/1,116 -1,312 ft vineyards. In the past, vignerons didn't want to make wine in the village because it was too cool, but with climate change it is becoming more popular Blagny's Pinot is like red fruit, black fruit, sandalwood, and spice. With age which it needs because tannins can be strong, leather, pepper, cocoa, licorice, earthy, gamy notes appear.   St. Aubin: (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) Aubin is between Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet, but it does not lie on the main Côte d'Or escarpment, but rather in a valley west of Chassagne. In warmer years, this cooler climate area does well, especially the top Premier cru En Remilly, Murgers des Dents de Chien (means teeth of the dog -due to the sharp stones there) and La Chatenière Aubin grows a majority of white (Chardonnay), and the best sites arecloser to Puligny and Chassagne. Common notes are white flowers, lime, flint, chalk, mineral, almond, hazelnut, orange, mineral, and cinnamon. St. Aubin blanc can be sharp in youth or can be full – depending on vintage, terroir and producer. With age the wine is more like beeswax and honey and marzipan. Whites can age up to 10 years. The Pinot Noir is has black fruit with spice and cocoa notes. The wine can be tannic in youth but becomes softer and more herbal with 5-8 years.     Puligny-Montrachet & Chassagne-Montrachet (with Meursault, termed the "Côte des blancs" or “the slope of the "whites" Puligny-Montrachet  (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) A very small vineyard area (95 ha/235 acres) of nearly all Chardonnay –the terroir is complex in Puligny. The hillside has many different limestone, marl, and alluvial soils. The slopes face east and southeast. Four Grands Crus of Montrachet are located in the borders of Puligny.  Top Premiers Crus: Le Cailleret, Les Pucelles, Les Demoiselles, Les Combettes, Folatières The Chardonnay is known for floral, mineral, marzipan, hazelnut, lemongrass, croissant, honey, lemon curd, limeade, peach, and green apple aromas and flavors. Producers traditionally use oak fermentation and aging but the flavors are restrained. We discuss the Grands Crus, all in the southern part of the appellation: Bâtard-Montrachet (10.27 ha/25.38 acres, shared with Chassagne) and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet (3.43 ha/8.48 acres, all in Puligny) are lower down the hill from Montrachet. The wines are honeyed and minerally, but less rich than Le Montrachet and Chevalier-Montrachet Le Montrachet (9.59 ha/ 23.7 acres, shared with Chassagne) is considered the best white wine on earth. The Grand Cru is from the ideal mid-slope. The wines are (apparently) elegant with powerful fruit, minerality, smoke, toasty aromas and flavors. Bottles start at about US$600/bottle Chevalier-Montrachet (7.48 ha/18.48 acres, only in Puligny) is nearly as good as Le Montrachet, lying at a higher elevation, with less clay Photo Credit: BIVB  Chassagne (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) Chassagne is one of the largest communes in the Cote d'Or with 761 acres/308 ha – Chardonnay is 70% of production and Pinot Noir is 30%. With complex soils, there is a range of quality and flavor in the village wines. The Chardonnay has pronounced mineral, white flower (verbena, honeysuckle), toasted almonds, toast (from oak), and fresh butter. The wine can be like peach in riper years. They are full but always have a backbone of acidity. The Pinots are fruity with black fruit, strawberry briar, and earth notes. It is soft but has tannin and needs time to mellow. There are 55 Premier crus of varying quality, since most of the steep slopes are for Premier Crus and Grands Crus of Chardonnay, much of the Village wine on the flatter areas is Pinot Noir Grands Crus: Shared with Puligny: Bâtard Montrachet, Le Montrachet Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet: 100% in Chassagne -- 1.57 ha/3.88 acres, very small production   From the Bourgogne Website: To remember their names, here is the story they offer: The Seigneur of Montrachet set off on a crusade, entrusting his virgin daughter to his favorite Chevalier (knight). In his absence, what happened, happened, and a child was born illegitimately. On his return from the Crusades, the Seigneur discovered this Bâtard (bastard), who started to cry when he saw him. The Seigneur then said: “Criots-Bâtard!” (The bastard cries!). But he was a good man, and welcomed the child into the family with these words: “Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet” (Welcome, Bastard of Montrachet).     Santenay  (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) This is the last major village of the Côte d'Or and makes nearly all red wine, only 1/8 is Chardonnay. The orientation is still eastern and southern but here there is a shift to more southerly facing vineyards, still with limestone and clay. Santenay's Pinot Noir is earthy, with dark flower notes like rose petals, violet, red fruit and licorice. It can have lighter tannin, is acidic, and is a great intro to Burgundy that we can sort of afford. The Chardonnay is minerally and floral with great acidity, and a trace of nuts and spice. 

   Maranges MAHR-ohnjhze (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) This is where a total shift takes place and the Côte de Beaune terroir changes. In Maranges, the hills face south and southwest and the slopes become gentler, soils break down and become more of a patchwork. Gentler slopes, more heat and heavy clay lead to dark, rich wines (they were used as vins de médecin, to beef up the wines of the Côte de Nuits in bad years, so they never focused much on their own quality). Maranges is located in a different administrative department, Saône-et-Loire, where the Côte Chalonnaise lies. It's made up of three villages of Cheilly-lès-Maranges, Dezize lès-Maranges and Sampigny-lès-Maranges The Pinot Noir is fuller and darker with red preserves, black cherry, earth, licorice, pepper, and less nuance. The wines have smooth tannin, medium acidity and are similar to those of the Côte Chalonnaise. The Chardonnay is floral with minerals and honey, it is an easy drinking wine.   We hope you enjoyed the two part series on the Côte de Beaune. Lots to learn and this is just the start.     Photo Credit: BIVB  _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. 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

This week's show is short but extremely valuable! We tell you about one of the best value regions in the wine world: Lisboa, the area around Lisbon in Portugal.   Although it has extensive hills and regional variation in climate, the real action is less in the smaller DOCs (Denominacão de Origem Controlada) and more within the larger Lisboa IPR (Indicação de Proveniência Regulamentada or Protected Designation of Origin). Using the freedom of the larger IPR, winemakers are making spectacular blends of native and international grapes for prices that seem too good to be true.   The city of Lisbon. Photo: Pexels   The pressure is off to feel like you have to age these wines, spend a lot of money, or save these bottles for a special occasion. For less than US$10 you can often get a lovely bottle of red or white that drinks above its price point and is great for weeknight drinking.    Here are the show notes: We give an overview of the Lisboa Region Location: It's the wine region around the capital of Portugal, Lisbon. It extends 150 km/93 miles up the coast, following the Serra de Montejunto, which go north from Lisbon, and divide Lisboa in half. Wines near the Atlantic side in the west are influenced by strong winds, mists, and weather. On the other side of the hills, the climate is warmer and the ripening more predictable (the wines are often better!) One of Portugal's most prolific regions (there are many co-ops here), until recently it was called Estremadura and was relatively unknown until it changed the name of the IPR to Lisboa, making it easier to recognize on the shelf Wine has been made in the region since the Phoenicians and regions around Lisbon became famed in England over the centuries but have lost much of their cachet Map: Wines of Lisboa   Terroir: Lisboa is a large, hilly, varied region with two main soil types: clay-limestone and clay-sand Due to the mountains and Atlantic influence, there are hundreds of microclimates so wines come in many styles The climate is either marked by strong Atlantic influence on the coast with high winds and fall rains OR by a Mediterranean climate, when the vines are protected by the Montejunto   Grapes: More than 30 grape varieties are used, the majority for white wine production. Almost all are blends. The main grapes include: Whites: Arinto, Fernão Pires, Malvasia, Seara-Nova, Vital with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and other international whites. They tend to favor the Arinto grape and can have richness but with balanced acidity to go well with seafood. Reds: Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Castelão, Tinta Miúda (Graciano), Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and other international reds. Reds are known to be quite fruity but with balanced acidity and tannin and no to low oak treatment Arinto grape. Photo: Wines of Portugal    Subregions: There are nine DOCS within a short drive of the capital city South, very close to Lisbon: Bucelas, Colares and Carcavelos Center: Alenquer, Arruda, Lourinhã, Óbidos, Torres Vedras North: Encostas d'Aire   Photo: Courtesy of MC Ice Here is a short summary of the DOCs: Bucelas: “the prince of Portuguese wine” this is the best of Lisboa's regions for white wine and as such, it's delimited only for whites. Arinto dominates and is likely native to here. The wines are like citrus and they have high acidity with salinity, minerality and sparkling Bucelas is also made successfully in the region. This wine was famed during the Age of Exploration, cited by Shakespeare in Henry VI, and a favorite of the royal family in England under King George III   Colares: Very close to Atlantic, northwest of Lisbon, there are only166 acres/67 ha left to this DOC. The area gained fame because it was one of the only places in Europe never touched by phylloxera -- its loose sandy soils allowed ungrafted Ramisco vines to thrive on coastal sand, even while everything else perished. The sandy soils have clay underneath to hold the grapes in the ground. The Malvasia Fina grape makes aromatic whites, and the famed red is the flavorful, tannic Ramisco with Castelão   Photo: Sands of Colares, (c) Wines of Portugal   Carcavelos: A small area of just 47 acres/19 ha, Carcavelos is west of Lisbon and the area is pretty much gone because of urban sprawl, although some producers are reviving the fortified sweet wine of Galego Dourado, Ratinho, Castelão and Arinto. The wine can be vintage or non-vintage, white or red     Center of the Lisboa IPR: Alenquer: The most esteemed of the sub-regions with Bucelas, Alenquer is an inland region on the southeast side of the Serra de Montejunto. The mountains shield Alenquer from cold, Atlantic winds. The warmer climate ensures good ripening of red grapes, although aromatic whites and rosé are also made in Alenquer. The wines are blends of the main grapes (mentioned above)       Óbidos: Located near the Peniche peninsula, west of the Candeeiros mountains, and an hour north of Lisbon, this very windy and cold area is close to the coast and makes top sparkling wines. Cold, wet winds, and high humidity seep in through breaks in the mountains, making viticulture a challenge. The moisture promotes vigor, so it is very hard to make quality dry wine here, although some producers are trying to make red.       Arruda: Behind hills, protected from storms, Arruda makes red and whites (mainly blends) from indigenous and international grapes. The reds are better known than the whites.     Torres Vedras: A bulk wine region of red and white grapes. Most of the wines are designated Vinho de Mesa even though it is a DOC     Lourinhã: Windy and cold, the grapes don't ripen so this area is demarcated for Aguardente or Brandy. The sauce is made from the Tália varietal, which is Ugni Blanc (also used to make Cognac and Armagnac) North Encostas d'Aire: On limestone slopes and hills in the western Candeiros and Aire Mountiains, this DOC makes full, fruity reds, and acidic but ripe whites from traditional grapes. It's the largest DOC in Lisboa.   Lisbon, Photo: Pixabay Bonus: MC Ice was just there so he shares some advice on food and wine pairing!    Lisbon is a great city to visit and it's easy to get to the wine regions. Better yet, it's SO affordable that traveling there nightly through your glass is 100% attainable!   _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. 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    

There are many parts of European and American cultures that have intermingled, some quite successfully, but the jury is still out on whether the vitis vinifera and the American vitis species have created something truly special and lasting. In this show, we break down European-American grapevine hybrids – what they are, why they are more important to the conversation today, their history, how they are made and what some of the more popular and more successful grapes are. We wrap with a conversation of the challenges these grapes face and I give my view on what I think the role of hybrids will be in the future.  Photo (c) Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences   Here are the show notes: What are hybrids? For wine purposes, hybrids are grapes created by crossing two or more vitis species – the European species of grapevine, Vitis vinifera, with any number of native North American grapes. The goal of hybrids is to select for specific, superior traits in each of the grapes to create something that will yield a great wine that will survive in challenging vineyard conditions. They were specifically created in the 1860s and 1870s to fight the phylloxera epidemic (vine killing root louse that nearly destroyed Europe's vineyards). French researchers created more than 500 different plants in the 1860s and research continued in the early 1900s. In the end, the preferred solution was using American roots with Vitis vinifera grafts, but the hybrids were quite popular for a few decades.  Photo (c) Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Today, development of hybrids is still quite active at the University of Minnesota and at Cornell University in New York. Hybrdis are planted all over the US East Coast, Midwest, and the Southern part of the country as well.     Some common American Vitis species with which researchers have crossed Vitis vinifera are:  Vitis labrusca: The grape shows strawberry notes, but it can be challenging because it has a strong musk flavor and aroma that doesn't work well for most wine drinkers Vitis riparia: The grape has more herbal or blackcurrant and is often more subtle than labrusca Others like Vitis rupestris, Vitis amurensis from China, or Vitis rotundifolia (muscadine grapes) can be used too     Why are we talking about hybrids? For a long time, I have resisted doing a show on hybrids. They are not very popular, they are not considered fine wine, and I personally don't enjoy many of them (with big exceptions for the whites that make ice wine, in particular). But in recent years, these grapes have been making more of a mark in the US and the UK and with the rise of climate change, I think these grapes will have a bigger role to play. In addition, people want to make wine and they want to grow things successfully in many different climates. Often, they try to make wines out of Vitis vinifera and fail because of their climate, local diseases and pests, and a bad fit with the European species. I would rather see better wines made from unknown grapes, than people trying to make a product that won't work.   The vine matter for hybrids has improved greatly and given their hardiness -- hybrids made from Vitis labrusca and Vitis riparia can grow anywhere - -and our growing problems with climate change, it is time to give these another look. Researchers trying to offset warming temperatures, new threats like wildfires, drought, and humidity will need to look at hybrids rather than more powerful fungicides and sprays whose financial and environmental costs are becoming untenable.      The grapes... Red Varieties   Chambourcin: Considered one of the best of French-American hybrids, it is a teinturier variety, a red with both dark skin and pulp. It is a dark colored, highly tannic red with dark raspberry, black plum, and cherry notes. It does well with oak aging and is sometimes made in an off-dry style. It is popular in: Ontario (Canada), Missouri, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, New York and New Jersey. Photo (c) Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences   Maréchal Foch: Can be a nice spicy wine with a dark berry note and light body. It is grown in the US Midwest and widely in Canada.     Norton (Cynthiana):  Can create wines that are full bodied, with red berry and spice notes, and strong tannin and acidity. It is grown in the Midwestern U.S., and Mid-Atlantic states, especially Virigina.    Baco Noir: Created by François Baco in France during the phylloxera epidemic, the wine from Baco noir can show cherry, herbal notes with high acidity, and lower tannin. You can find it in Canada, New York, Oregon, and Nova Scotia, as well as in Gascony, France to make Armagnac      Chancellor:  Is known to have a very dark color with prune, raisin, plum, dried fig, and baked apple notes. It has a medium body with medium acidity and some strong tannin. It can be used alone or in blends and is found in cooler regions of Canada and the U.S. (especially in the Fingler Lakes) and Michigan.     Frontenac:  Was released by the University of Minnesota in 1996. It is reportedly dark in color with cherry, perfumey, candied notes, high acidity and high alcohol. It can survive in temperatures as low as -30˚ F, and is found in Minnesota, and the northeastern part of the U.S. and all over Canada.     White Wine Varieties Vidal Blanc: Potentially the top white hybrid, Vidal is a cross of Ugni Blanc and the hybrid variety, Rayon d'Or. It can be very acidic, and taste and smell like grapefruit, or be richer with pineapple and white flower notes. It is made in off-dry to dry styles, but the grape shines in ice wine in Ontario, Canada and the Finger Lakes, New York.  Seyval Blanc: An acidic white grape with citrus, melon, peach, grass notes and a very light body, it often benefits from malolactic and/or barrel fermentation and barrel aging. It can be found in Canada, Englan, and in the US in the Finger Lakes and Midwest.     Chardonel: Is a cross of Seyval Blanc x Chardonnay created for its cold hardiness. It has potential as a base for sparkling wine or barrel aged, dry whites in the future. It is grown in Michigan and Arkansas in the US.    Traminette:  Is a cross: Gewürztraminer x French-American hybrid, Joannes Seyve 23.416. It shows flowers and spice from Gewürztraminer and when allowed the proper amount of skin contact, it can be a refreshing white with good acidity. It is usually an off dry wine from the East Coast and Midwest of the US.     Vignoles:  Is generally an off-dry wine or dessert wine (late harvest) due to its very high acidity, high sugar and susceptibility to botrytis, which can make some very interesting sweet wines. It is found in the Finger Lakes and other parts of eastern North America.      We end with a discussion of the challenges for hybrids: Tannins, acidity, and the flavors are very different from Vitis vinifera (can be musky), so wine drinkers who have a lot of experience with European wines find the flavors unappealing.  Hybrids that grow well in test vineyards in one part of the country may not work well in other parts of the country, even with similar climates. A hybrid could be excellent in acidity, but the flavors may not work – where it succeeds in one area, it may fail in another They aren't all better – they still have issues and may not be that much better than the grafted clones of other Vitis vinifera grapes that are easier to sell and sometimes even to manage in the vineyard. They are not a panacea to climate change   _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. 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   ________________________________________________________ For more information/Sources: Are Hybrid Grapes the Future of Wine?, Smithsonian Magazine A Beginner's Guide to Hybrid Grapes,Wine Enthusiast The Future of Winemaking Is Hybrid, Wine Industry Advisor French-American and Other Interspecific Varieties, Cornell University Here come the Hybrids, The Grapevine Magazine The Grape Growers Handbook, Ted Goldammer The Rise and Not Quite Fall of Hybrid Grapes, Ithaca.com  

In Italy's arsenal of great wines of the world, Brunello di Montalcino may be the most coveted of all. Its small production and terroir-driven style represents the pinnacle of Sangiovese, widely considered Italy's most famed grape. Made in the small and historic Tuscan hilltop village of Montalcino, just south of Siena, the grapes thrive in the climate and soils of this rugged area. Although the youngest of all the Italian greats, Brunello, with its rich flavors, elegant balance of acidity and tannin, and incredible ability to improve with age, is a wine that everyone should experience even if just once in their wine lives. In this show we delve into the nuances of Brunello and talk about just what makes it so special. Photo: Montalcino town & Vineyards, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino   Here are the show notes: Location: The small production zone of Montalcino is centered to the northeast of the namesake village in a wooded, hilly area with the most notable feature being Monte Amiata, the highest peak in Southern Tuscany. The village is Iabout 25 miles/40 km south of Siena, about 40 miles 77 km from the sea, and 62 miles/100 km from the Apennine Mountains, which affects the climate   History I won't give all the detail we do in the show, but the summary is that Montalcino has had a reputation for special wines for about 600 years but the wine as we know it today wasn't created until the late 1800s. This is when first Clemente Santi, and then his grandson Ferruccio Biondi-Santi isolated the clones of Brunello/Sangiovese Grosso at their Il Greppo estate and made a wine of a quality the world had rarely seen from Italy. They began better vineyard work, meticulous cellar work, and extended aging that built the reputation of the area. Despite the accolades, the wine was such small production and Montalcino so obscure, that it wasn't until the 1970s, when others started to recognize the potential in the area and by 1980 the supply of Brunello was adequate for wine lovers to be able to access this wine, created by one passionate family (who sadly no longer owns Biondi-Santi but whose legacy remains!). Photo from Biondi-Santi   Climate Montalcino is marked by a Mediterranean climate: it is dry with some continental conditions. The area gets influences from both the coast and the mountains. Generally speaking it experiences mild summers, that permits gradual ripening of fruit. Although Central Tuscany can experience bad weather,Montalcino is protected by Mount Amiata to South, which blocks from storms and hail from destroying crops   Although everything in the above bullet is kind of true, it's important to recognize that it's a generalization: Microclimates really determine the specific wine's flavor, as does producer sourcing and style. PLACE is so important…   Land Montalcino is unique in that it's elevations and various soil types produce a range of wines that can stand alone or be blended together to create a harmonious wine. The hilly, rugged area is at elevations between 490-1640 ft/150 – 500 m and the slopes have different exposures – south and north facing slopes are used in this area for different styles of wine The soils of Montalcino vary and each impart something different – limestone for elegance, calcareous rock for minerality, galestro soils in the north for aromatic, nuanced wines, clay in the south for heavier, denser Brunello. The general rule of thumb is Northern slopes: fruit ripen more slowly, the wines are more acidic Southern and western slopes: have intense sunlight that can be tempered by cool breezes, to make complex, yet often very fruity wines Top Brunello producers own vineyards on all of the finest terroirs and blend Photo: Montalcino town & Vineyards, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino We discuss the eight sub-zones that have been proposed (but that will be a long time in coming, since it is a political hot potato): Montalcino North, Montalcino South, Castelnuovo dell'Abate, Camigliano, Tavernelle, Bosco, Torrenieri, Sant'Angelo (To see a Subzone Map Click Here) Montalcino (north and south): Known for ageable wines with complexity. These areas have the most famed producers (Biondi-Santi, Barbi, Costanti) Castelnuovo dell'Abate: Powerful wines with a balance of elegance and fruit Bosco: In the northwest is cooler with less tannic, more acidic wines Torrenieri: Clay soils make dense, tannic wines but producers are working on clones and rootstock to tame that Tavernelle: In the southwest is quite warm but has very even ripening and that means the wines are extremely consistent Camigliano: In the south this is the land of fruit bombs – it is hot, dry and wines can have a raisined note if not picked in time Sant'Angelo: The hottest driest part of Montalcino's zones. These are very tannic, very fruity and have much lower acidity. They can have high alcohol and may be accessible sooner because of all the fruit. That said, some producer's versions have high tannins and can age for decades. The upshot? Having vineyards in different subzones helps ensure consistent quality   In the vineyard Brunello, is the local clone of Sangiovese. It is also known as Sangiovese Grosso This clone is extremely site-sensitive, terroir makes a big difference. The DOCG laws require that the grape be planted on hillsides below 600 meters (right now it is believed they cannot achieve ripeness above that height) To get the good wines you need excellent sites with enough sun but cooler nighttime temperatures to maintains acidity. Brunello requires low yields, meticulous vineyard work, and discerning sorting so only the best grapes make it to the cellar.  Photo: Brunello, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino   Winemaking Traditional producers do long aging in large vats, from Slavonian oak to get complex, dry, tannic wines with little oak influence Modernists, who introduced their take on the wine in the 1980s, prefer fruitier styles with less time in barrel and more use of smaller 225-liter French oak barriques to emphasize vanilla notes, tobacco, and toastiness Laws require producers to use 100% Brunello with a minimum age of 2 years in an oak vessel (botte or barrique) and a minimum of 4 months in bottle before release (6 months for the Riserva). Brunello normale cannot be released until the January 5 years after harvest (that allows for 4 full years of aging) and Brunello Riserva cannot be release until the January 6 years after harvest (to allow for 5 full years of aging)  Photo: Botti in a cellar, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino What is the wine like? What can you expect? After all the build-up, we put some descriptors to this glorious wine. The wine is often described as having flavors and aromas of red and black fruit with underlying spice and earthiness. Depending on the style, it can be more like tea, coffee, earth, and mushrooms, balsamic, violets, and graphite, or more modern versions may show more leather, chocolate, and vanilla. The scents together are like nothing else. The key to good Brunello is the blend of fruit, acidity, good tannins (but not over the top). The idea behind Brunello is utterly perfect balance – the acidity and freshness surprise you just as the flavors thrill you. Most Brunellos can be aged for a long time, improving with time – 10 -30 years is not uncommon for these wines. Full bodied with alcohol levels around 14% or 15 percent ABV Buy wine based off producer to get the best stuff, also watch the vintage. Recent top vintages include: 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016   Food pairings ideas: Grilled and roasted red meats, game, truffles (not truffle oil!), mushroom risotto/pastas, Tuscan pecorino, aged Parmesan _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. 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   Main Sources: Consorzio Brunello di Montalcino https://cluboenologique.com/story/behind-the-bottle-biondi-santi-brunello-di-montalcino-wine/ https://www.winemag.com/gallery/making-sense-of-montalcino/ The World Atlas of Wine, 8th Edition https://italianwinecentral.com/denomination/brunello-di-montalcino-docg/ https://wilsondaniels.com/winery/biondi-santi/ 

Lumen is farming this vineyard gone wild and it's making the best Pinot Noir there is... Photo: The Wild King Vineyard, Courtesy of Lumen Be forewarned! This is a pretty dorky and technical show. Some of you say you would like to hear what wine people talk about when we're together: here it is!   Will Henry, co-proprietor at Lumen Wines in the cool climate AVAs of Santa Barbara, returns to the show (he was on Ep 259) to tell us a story about a vineyard he happened upon that is changing his ideas about how viticulture should be approached in California.   Photo: Will Henry and Lane Tanner (not married, BTW, just business partners!) Courtesy of Lumen Will had recently purchased the Warner Henry Vineyard (named after his late father who founded the Henry Wine Group, introducing people all over the US to small, family-owned) up in the Solomon Hills of the Santa Maria Valley AVA. He was focused on that and one of his vineyard contractors mentioned an unpruned, unirrigated, and unattended vineyard that he kept passing as he drove up to Will's property. A few months later, Will got curious. He decided to get out of his car and walk the vineyard in August. What he found defied all conventions in California viticulture: in spite of it growing wild, it was some of the best Pinot Noir he had ever seen or tasted.   It led Will down a path that many in Santa Maria Valley are following, and many more should follow, as he tries to answer the questions: Have we been doing viticulture all wrong? Does nature produce better grapes with less intervention in the vineyard? Will the “Wild King” Pinot from this vineyard, with its bright acidity, vibrant flavors and low alcohol be the best wine Lane Tanner, Will's partner (and acclaimed winemaker) has ever made? This was not the first time Will had seen this phenomenon – could he be on to the next big trend in wine (which is really the oldest way to farm!).   As promised here are the links to the people we discuss on the show: Lumen Wines – Will and Lane's wine Here's the podcast I did with Lane Tanner Storm Wines -- Ernst Storm Story of Soil -- Jessica Gasca Chanin -- Gavin Chanin Seasmoke – Julian Malone Chalky Ridge Vineyard Management– Jason Muscio Randall Grahm Linden Vineyards – Jim Law (Virginia) Ep 432: Agroforestry -- An Answer to Wine's Biggest Environmental Challenges with Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in Moulis-en-Médoc   Thanks for listening! Please go see Will at Pico or The Wine Shepherd!   **All Photos used courtesy of Lumen Wines   _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. 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

Jason Haas is a Partner and the General Manager of Tablas Creek Vineyard. His late father, Robert Haas was a renowned importer who partnered with Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape to scout a perfect site to grow Rhône varieties in California. They found it in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles and built one of the best wineries in California. Jason Haas of Tablas Creek. Photo from Tablas Creek   Jason doesn't just oversee the business, winemaking, and sales and marketing operations, he also is actively involved in the Rhone Rangers (they promote Rhone varieties in California), the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, Family Winemakers of California, and he is a talented and prolific writer. His clear and educational writing has been published in many wine publications as well as the award-winning Tablas Creek blog.      Jason is a big advocate for Paso Robles but also a passionate champion of more sustainable, earth-friendly solutions in the wine industry. He is a pioneer of the regenerative organic viticulture program in California, which we will discuss, and he is the first premium winery in California to put his wine in the sustainable 3 liter bag in box. This is Jason's third appearance on the show and this time he updates us on all the work that he and Tablas Creek have done to push forward in making their vineyard and winery ever more gentle on the environment. They are leaders in California and in global thinking in wine and they are forging a path for the others to reduce their impact on the earth in wine. I'm excited to have Jason on the show again and I think you will love this show.   The wines of Tablas Creek. Photo: Tablas Creek Website   Here are the topics we cover:   We discuss how Tablas Creek moved from organic, to biodynamic and now to regenerative farming. Jason explains the difference between regenerative farming, biodynamics, and organics so we have it all clear.     Jason talks about some of the limitations of organics and biodynamics. He is nice enough to indulge me in a conversation about the famed biodynamic “cow horn” and why the idea behind it and many other biodynamic concepts are great but overshadowed by the more “cosmic” stuff in the philosophy.     We discuss dry farming and the conditions for it to work. We talk about how important it will be in the future.     The sheep of Tablas Creek. Photo from Tablas Creek Jason talks about wine's biggest impact on the environment: Packaging waste and transport. He tells us about his decision to put Patelin de Tablas rosé into box and the positive reception it received. We discuss the many ways packaging and transport can and may evolve to make wine's impact on the earth minimal. We talk about the possibility of everything from bottle washing (We briefly discuss Caren McNamara from Conscious Container) to wine in bladder transport.     Jason shares some other ideas about how we can move to a more sustainable future for wine and some of the important logistical challenges we must face to be successful in the fight against climate change.   Patelin de Tablas Rosé in box Photo from Tablas Creek   Podcasts referenced Ep 414: The Refillable Wine Bottle Revolution to Combat Climate Change with Caren McNamara of Conscious Container Ep 432: Agroforestry -- An Answer to Wine's Biggest Environmental Challenges with Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in Moulis-en-Médoc   Previous shows with Jason Ep 281: 30 Years of Tablas Creek with Jason Haas Ep 162: Jason Haas of Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, CA Documentary on Fungus:   Fantastic Funghi _______________________________________________________________ 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 $10 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

Another energetic, entertaining show with Serge!   Serge Doré with his daughter Gabriele. Photo: JoAnn Actis-Grande Portsmouth Herald Serge Doré, importer of French wine (and American via Quebec…he's a man of many identities and a worldliness we can only aspire to!) and popular podcast favorite, joins us to talk about Beaujolais, one of his favorite regions. Like all the French regions with which he works, Serge has seen the ups and downs of Beaujolais and has stuck around through a lot in working with the producers here. In the show, Serge takes us through the evolution of the region. He details the rise and fall of the Beaujolais Nouveau craze, the aftermath, and the outstanding recent history of the region. He shares stories of producers he imports and gives us inside dirt.   Here are the topics we cover: Serge began working in Beaujolais in 1979. He tells us about the region then and what it was like to meet the famed Georges Duboeuf and learn about Beaujolais from him.  We discuss the phenomenon of Beaujolai Nouveau and how it was the rise and fall of the region (and how the crus are responsible for the rebirth of Beaujolais).   We discuss the three main areas of Beaujolais: the basic Beaujolais AOP in the south, the Beaujolais-Villages AOP, mainly in the north, and the 10 Beaujolais Crus, all in the north. We discuss why soil and location matters so much in this area of the world and give ideas on the character of some of the crus: Regnie, Saint-Amour, Chiroubles, Brouilly, Cote de Brouilly, Fleurie, Chenas, and Julienas, Morgan and Moulin-a-Vent Older map from Beaujolais.com Serge describes the scenery, culture, and people of Beaujolais in a way only he can! It sounds like we all need to get there ASAP!   Serge opines on how Burgundy and Beaujolais are different and the relationship between them.   We discuss Serge's producers in Beaujolais and how they are part of the exclusive Terroirs Originels group (list of producers is here). His portfolio includes: Jean-Michel Dupré, Lucien Lardy, Laurent Gauthier, Pascal Aufranc, and Patrick Tranchand (you can get them in New Hampshire and Massachusetts or order them online) This is a DELICIOUS wine!!!    We discuss the dynamic producers of Beaujolais, how they are coping with climate change, and Serge's advice for enjoying beautiful Beaujolais! Go to Serge Doré Selections to learn more and find out where you can get these beautiful wines! ____________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: 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 $10 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

País, known as Criolla Chica in Argentina, and Mission in the US,  was brought by the Spanish conquistadores and was South America's most planted grape for centuries until an economic boom in Chile and waves of migration in Argentina brought new and interesting grapes to these nations. Argentina has plantings of the grape, California now barely any, so Chile is the epicenter of the grape, where it is thought of as the locals' grape – something low quality and common that has been around forever but has never made more than cheap, bulk wine or wine for local consumption.  País (a.k.a., Criolla Chica or Mission), "Mission Grapes" by Hey Fritters is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.   But in 2007, the 200+ year old vines caught the attention of Europeans who were making wine in Chile and they began experimenting. The grape was made into sparkling wine and then into funky natural wines, which gained a following in France and in the capital city of Chile, Santiago. Today, there is revived interest in this grape, and it is making everything from Beaujolais Nouveau-like styles to some more complex, spicy, herbal yet fruit wines with great tannins and acidity. In this episode we explore the origins of this grape and what makes it so fascinating.    Here are the show notes: We discuss the overview of the grape – it's called Criolla Chica in Argentina, Mission in California, and it is grown in Peru where it is distilled into Pisco and makes some natural wine, as well as Bolivia where it is called Missionera. We will refer to the grape only as País because Chile is the epicenter of growing!   We discuss the styles of wine that País makes: rosé, sparkling, lighter and easy drinking wine, and a fortified wine called Angelica, that can last for decades     The Grape Origins: País was probably the first vitis vinifera grape to come from the Old World, we tell the alleged story of Hernán Cortes hating the native grapes and demanding that better grapes be brought. He mandated that sacramental wine be made using grapes grown from cuttings from the Old World, so the high yielding Listán Preto was brought from Castilla-La Mancha and the Canary Islands where it had been growing to make wine to restock ships for the journey across the sea.   In the vineyard País is a big cropper with big, irregular berries. It has a lot of water in the grapes which can result in a low concentration of flavor The grape is easy to cultivate, is drought resistant, and has very deep roots, especially when grown on well-drained, granite rich slopes. It likes hot, dry climates. For these reasons it deserves our attention – it could have a bright future with climate change, although it needs careful management to be good. There are many 200+ year old vines in Chile, trained in bushes. Many of them have potential to be great.      Winemaking:  Winemakers must grapple with the fact that the wine lacks concentration of fruit flavor, and that it has a rustic, rough mouthfeel due to the types of tannins in the grape. It can also have low acidity or, if picked too early, too much acidity.  Techniques to manage the grape include carbonic maceration to increase fruitiness, saignee to increase intensity, and gentle pressing and traditional winemaking to keep the balance in the wines.  Terms we discuss: Zaranda – a bamboo mat that sits over the fermentation vat. Winemakers apply gentle pressure for less tannic, more acidic wines. Grapes are then crushed by foot and left to ferment in the traditional winemaking method Pipas — large pipe-shaped vats made from native beechwood. Used for short-term aging   País Wine/Flavors País is very light in color, and light in body. Depending on how the tannins are managed, the wine can be balanced or have really rough tannins The aromas and flavors range. The wines can be spicy and complex, with earthy, herbal, black pepper, and red fruit notes. It can also be simple with red fruit notes like pomegranate, and floral notes. It's often compared to Beaujolais     Food Pairings:  Mediterranean origin food. Think about Spanish tapas or Greek meze. Lentils, black beans burgers, beans, tacos, Spanish rice     Regions Chile Today, about ~7,250 ha/17,915 acres of País grow all over Chile -- from the Atacama Desert in the north to the southern regions of Maule, Bio Bio, and Itata, where the majority of plantings lie Was a much larger part of Chile's plantings until the mid 1800s when the mining boom made some Chileans very wealthy, and they used that money to set up vineyards and winemaking operations to make French varietal wine – Cabernet usurped País.  The grape was relegated to poor regions,  especially Maule, Bío Bío, and Itata where it was kept alive by the traditional local wine, Pipeño – fizzy, light, often sweet red made of País. The grape was so cheap and undervalued that growers and winemakers have no incentive to work with it  In 2006-2007, producers like Miguel Torres of Spain and young winemaker, Louis-Antoine Luyt who was trained in Beaujolais and is a natural wine advocate began making impressive sparkling and red of País. As the wine improved in quality, others became interested in making País and blends using the grape – Bouchon, Roberto Henriquez, and Concha y Toro are some examples One of Luyt's wine labels   Argentina  According to Amanda Barnes, author of the “Wines of South America”,  “Criolla” means a person or thing of Spanish-descent, born or developed in the Americas. Music, food, people, and grapes can be Criolla. Criolla grapes are a family of grape varieties that include the first vines, and part of that is Criolla Chica.  Producers that are experimenting: Cara Sur in Barreal, San Juan  Rocamadre in Paraje Altamira (Mendoza) from old vines Vallisto in Salta     California Called Mission grape  -- Established in 1769 with the Franciscan missions, Junipero Serra Died with Prohibition, today about 400 acres left, some producers in Amador, Calaveras, Santa Barbara, and Lodi still grow the grapes and some make early drinking, natural wine of it A traditional wine and the one that was esteemed at the time was Angelica, a sticky sweet wine that apparently tastes like molasses, dried figs, caramel, and nuts. The Mission Grape, growing in Lodi, CA. Photo: Lodi Growers Assoc It's an interesting time for País. I think this is the beginning of a journey with this grape and we'll keep you posted on new developments!  Maule, Itata and Bío Bío are in southern Chile. Map (C) WFNP   Sources to learn more: SouthAmericaWineGuide.com, Criolla Grape Varieties, Amanda Barnes País - Decanter China – great article by MW Julien Boulard Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pais Quench: The epic tale of País, the people's grape Wines of Chile: País  ____________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week:   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 $10 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

Agent Cru and I talk about what really goes on in the wine business, what it's like running an online wine company, and how Wine Spies has been able to grow to the best online wine retail site. About Agent Cru Agent Cru cut his teeth as a "cellar rat" scrubbing barrels at my family's winery, eventually working my way up to General Manager. I started my own brand, Jurassic Wines before going on an epic mission here at Wine Spies to reinvigorate a well-established company with little growth, but massive potential. About Wine SpiesFounded in 2007, Wine Spies brings one incredible - and sometimes exclusive - wine each day. Wine Spies' featured wine sales last 24 hours, or until a wine sells out. After 15 years in the wine trade, Wine Spies is the oldest wine merchant in their category. As the Old Guard, they're proud of their ever strengthening relationships with customers and around the entire wine industry. Their connections run deep, and they're very grateful for the trust that is placed in them each and every day, with each and every wine that they sell. How they select wines Wine Spies convenes weekly tasting panels where their Agents taste as many as 40 wines - all to find the seven wines that make up a week of wine offers. If they don't love a wine, they won't ever offer it to you. How Wine Spies is different They are not a wine club. There's no subscription. You simply buy what you want, when you want it. You can even build a case over time, using their industry exclusive Locker feature. Add a single bottle - or as many as you want - to your Locker, and they'll keep your wine safe and cool in our secure temperature and humidity-controlled wine chamber. And they will ship it to you on your schedule. For free when you fill up each Locker case of twelve SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE!Over 17,200 listeners and counting EPISODE LINKS: WineSpies PODCAST INFO: Apple Podcasts: EDGE on Apple Podcasts Spotify: EDGE on Spotify  YouTube Channel: EDGE on YouTube Website: EDGE Podcast RSS Feed: EDGE's RSS Feed SUPPORT & CONNECT EDGE's Weekly NewsletterJoin over 17,200 listeners and sign up to receive bonus content. It's free.  Sign up here >>> Please Support this Podcast by checking out our Sponsors: Mad River Botanicals 100% certified organic CBD products. The product is controlled from seed to end product by it's owners. Use code: EDGE22 to get 10% off all your orders. Shop here>>> EDGE Podcast. A top podcast for entrepreneurs!

Patron Serl Z asked: What are wines other than Pinot Noir for those for whom that is the only red wine they will drink? Photo: Pinot Noir grapes, Canva photos Join the conversation: Become a Patron on Patreon Pinot has so many different faces depending on where it's grown – terroir is everything with the grape. But if we're talking about medium-bodied, more acidic styles that are food-friendly, then this podcast answers that question!   Italy: Schiava or Teroldego from Alto Adige Bardolino or lighter styles of Valpolicella from Veneto Nebbiolo from Piedmont, alternately Grignolino, a light, acidic wine The reds of Mount Etna (Etna Rosso), Sicily Frappato, Sicily   France: Poulsard and Trousseau, the reds of the Jura region (specifically Arbois, which is often blended in with Pinot) Gamay from Beaujolais – Beaujolais-Village or lighter to medium styles from the Crus of Saint-Amour, Régnié, and Fleurie Reds from the Loire Valley. based on Cabernet Franc, especially St-Nicholas de Bourgeuil Côtes du Rhône red and white (yes, this white is big enough to be a red alternative). If you can find a wine with Cinsault in the blend (Rasteau and Cairanne Cru are good bets!), you'll be in for a light style that will scratch your Pinot itch! Photo: Jura vineyards in France, Canva photos Austria: Laurent, some Zweigelt (again, watch alcohol levels) Greece: Agiogitiko and some Xinomavro The US and Canada: Finger Lakes or Virginia: Cabernet Franc in the US Eastern Canada: Cabernet Franc   The Iberian Peninsula: Spain: Mencía from Bierzo or Ribeira Sacra Portugal: Blends of the Dão Photo: Vineyards in Ribeira Sacra, home of great Mencía. Canva photos. Most New World countries make excellent Pinot Noir but don't have a lot of alternative lighter wines, given the climate. Also, as they were starting their industry, winemakers imported grapes they felt would be successful, and Pinot was the winner of the light to medium-bodied category!   So, those are my picks, but you may have others! Feel free to share.   _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week:  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 $10 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

Elizabeth (Liz) Gabay, Master of Wine, is the world's foremost expert on rosé and a big part of her career has been studying, writing about, and understanding rosé. Ben Bernheim, her son, is now learning from her wisdom and and is a specialist in his own right. The two of them have just completed the excellent book “Rosés of Southern France” (which is now available on Amazon for purchase. Liz is largely responsible for shifting the tide on rosé and helping people to understand that this wine is its own serious category that deserves thought, study, and consideration. In addition to the new book, Liz is the author of “Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution,” and she is also a contributor on rosé in Decanter, The Drinks Business, The Buyer, SevenFiftyDaily, Meiningers, and many more prestigious publications. Photo: https://www.elizabethgabay.com/about/   The wisdom these Liz and Ben have on the subject of rosé is vast, and they are so fun, engaging, and real, that they make it all so interesting and accessible. This is an incredible education on rosé and will enjoy every minute of listening to these fantastic humans. Photo: Ben Bernheim, taken by me when we were partners in a Beaumes de Venise mini-class in the Rhone Valley 4/22 Here are the things we discuss in the show: Liz talks about her background and how she got into wine. She discusses how, when she took the MW, it was a professional certification, and how it has changed dramatically over time. She discusses how she got into rosé, and how Ben got involved in it as well. Then we get into the nuts and bolts of rosé Liz and Ben define rosé (harder than you think!). We discuss he book's intro and what rosé is really about: “We love rosé. We love its diversity, its complexity, and the infinite combinations of terroir, grape variety, vintage variation and winemaking that we find around the world. Many people think we're crazy. They see rosé as a pale pink lightly alcoholic swimming pool tipple that somehow tastes better if you're wearing a bikini. That isn't what this book is about. “ Photo credit: Canva Liz and Ben tell us about rosé winegrowing: Grapes that are commonly used(red AND white!) The role of terroir in rosé The picking decisions and harvest parameters that matter in making rosé Climate change and how it is affecting grapes for rosé We talk next about rosé winemaking We discuss the various ways to make rosé – direct press, limited maceration and saignée We talk about some of the key factors in rosé winemaking: Time on the skin Yeast strains Co-fermenting with whites Fermentation vessel (oak v. stainless) Temperature control in fermentation Malolactic fermentation vs. no MLF Aging/storage vessel and time – oak, cement, glass, amphora, etc Photo credit: Canva  Liz and Ben tell us why rosé, can be ageworthy and why most isn't. We also talk about lightstrike and why clear bottles are the worst thing for rosé.   We cover the wines of the southern Rhône -- Tavel, Luberon, Ventoux, the rosés of Provence and Bandol and the wines of the Languedoc-Roussillon. We have an interesting conversation about Costieres di Nimes, which really drives home how certain regions can be outstanding but if they don't send in samples to writers, or market their wines, they remain unknown.   Liz and Ben help us understand how to buy better rosé. They provide some shortcuts for finding better wines – like looking for sub regions in Cotes de Provence such as Ste. Victoire and La Londe. We talk about how using Google maps to see where the winery is located can help you get better wines (e.g., If it's in a cool mountain area, it may be crisp, if it's nearer the ocean the wine may be fatter). They discuss how essential it is to find out about the producer, since often producers want you to see the name “Provence” and buy the bottle…if you poke around a bit you may get a better idea about what you are getting so it's not a surprise or disappointment   Liz and Ben tell us about the trends in rosé – why it has become so popular, and what are great regions we should keep an eye on. Liz's recommendations for countries/regions that have been making intresteing rosé (besides France!): Austria, Greece, Sicily (Etna especially), Spain (Clarete from Sigales, Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Navarra), Portugal (Douro, pink Port), Israel.   We end with a conversation on the future of rosé and what Ben and Liz hope for the category.   This is a fantastic conversation about a category of wine that is experiencing a big paradigm shift. Liz and Ben are some of the most normal, kindest, smartest people I've met in wine in a long, long while and the show is sprinkled with a ton of industry information – insider things that can help shed light on what goes on with producers, negociants, and writers.  I hope you enjoy and you are motivated to buy their wonderful book! Reach out to them at https://www.elizabethgabay.com/about/   Photo credit: Canva   ________________________ From our Sponsors... 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! You can get some awesome deals on rosé!   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

Vinho Verde, the DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin) Region, has made wine since Roman times. This region is one of the largest DOCs in Europe but within its boundaries there are vast differences between the nine sub regions. In this show,  Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and Pedro Campos, winemaker clear up a lot of the misconceptions about Vinho Verde. We learn about the terroir of this old and complex region, the various subregions, and how serious, and sometimes ageworthy wine is being produced here.   Photo: Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and Pedro Campos, winemaker (c)Wine For Normal People  In September 2021, I visited the region and I just loved the wines of Quinta da Raza, I adored Mafalda and Pedro, and I thought they were perfect representatives to tell us about their corner of this big region, in Basto, and what they are capable of making in this unique terroir.   Here's what we discuss in the show: The diversity of Vinho Verde, it's 9 sub regions and how proximity to the sea, position in the mountains, and soil type make big differences in the grapes you can grow and the resulting wines. Map: Vinho Verde Commission   Pedro tells us about the Basto subregion, where Quinta da Raza is located. It is inland, on granite, schist, and clay soils. The location is a bit more continental with warmer summers and cooler winters than places near the coast, meaning grapes can get fully ripe and quite flavorful.   To understand Vinho Verde, you must understand the nuance between the granite terroir v. the schist terroir. Pedro tells us what the differences are and why they matter.   Mafalda shares the history of the estate and how it was passed down to her husband Diogo, who she manages things with today. Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and her daughters, (c)Wine For Normal People  Pedro tells us about the main grapes of the region: Azal, Alvarinho, Avesso, Arinto, Trajadura, and the reds Padeiro and Vinhão. He tells us about the various brands of Quinta da Raza Dom Diogo is the traditional brand that is sold mainly in the Portuguese market Quinta da Raza is a more international style, and where you'll find those more serious whites like Alvarinho, Avesso, and Gouveio Raza is the very traditional, fizzy Vinho Verde of Arinto, Trajadura, and Azal, with the Rosé made of Vinhão, Padeiro and Espadeiro Nat their line of Pet Nat (Petillant Naturel), sparkling wine made in the ancestral method with a single fermentation happening in the bottle from which you drink it   We discuss some of the important techniques they use to get high quality wine – traditional things like hand harvesting grapes and foot treading in stone lagares, and then more modern things like using stainless steel tanks and modern winemaking techniques. Hand harvest at Quinta da Raza (c)Wine For Normal People  Pedro tells us Alvarinho and Avesso are good candidates for aging, with Gouveio as a possible third.   We finish the conversation by talking about Quinta da Raza's commitment to sustainability and the bright future for the Vinho Verde region and for the winery.   Quinta da Raza's wines are fantastic. Seek out the basic Raza, but try to find the single varietals, they are inexpensive and drink way above their price point!   ________________________ From our Sponsors... 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! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.    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

Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation on the Left Bank of Bordeaux is revolutionizing the entire Médoc with a novel approach to farming and adapting to climate change: Agroforestry. This show talks about the practice and the unbelievable results that can be achieved by farming in this way. It will inspire hope that there is a future for viticulture, even in areas where there is great climate change.   Photo: Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier Château Anthonic Château Anthonic is in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation on the Left Bank of Bordeaux. It is owned and operated by Jean-Baptiste and Nathalie Cordonnier. They make very classically styled, delicious (and relatively low alcohol) red wine from mainly Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and some Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Château Anthonic Since 2016, Jean-Baptiste and his team have practiced agroforestry –trying to mimic the soils and conditions of the forest to enrich soil health and encourage the vines to return to a state where they are part of an eco-system, with fungi, trees, wildlife, and healthy micro-organisms. Using very specialized cover crops, they have managed to lower soil temperatures and keep sugar levels under control by practicing the tenets he discusses.   May people claim to do great things, but Jean-Baptise is the real deal. If there is anything that will inspire hope that human ingenuity and nature may help us out of bad times to come, this show is it.   Here are the topics we discussed:   Jean-Baptiste tells us about his very different educational background, which led him to tackle environmental issues in the way he does today. Forestry, not viticulture, was the foundation of his education (and we should all be grateful for that!)   We get a good background on Moulis-en-Médoc – the terroir, the diversity, and where Château Anthonic is located. We discuss the blue clay, which makes up 70% of his vineyard Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Blue Clay Château Anthonic  Then we get into the details of just how we have gotten into the predicament in farming that we have today. Jean-Baptiste explains the phases that humans have gone through to deplete the earth through farming (inadvertently and through a series of bad decisions). He addresses how “the new guest in the dance”, climate change has sped up the need for a solution. Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Château Anthonic  We get into the nuts and bolts of agroforestry and how hedges, trees, and grasses in the vineyard are the keys to bringing back fungi and mico-organisms that are vital to making the land healthier and, ultimately, to maintaining the style of Bordeaux that many of us love. He also addresses the economics of the vineyard, and how planting trees has actually given him 2% MORE yield in his vineyard, despite the trees taking out two rows per hectare.     Jean-Baptiste shares the results of his years of agroforestry practices: lower alcohol and more acidity in his grapes, less water stress, and more balanced wines. He is too modest to really brag, but he has trained first and second growth chateaux on the practices of agroforestry, as well as many other prestigious chateaux in the Médoc and beyond. Many are implementing his methods in their vineyards.   Jean-Baptiste leaves us with a message of hope – viticulture is not doomed, Bordeaux is a phoenix, and the rapidity with which change has come means the future is bright for this warming and changing climate, regardless of what nonsense naysayers may spout. Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Château Anthonic    ________________________ From our Sponsors... 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! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.    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

Sémillon used to be the most planted white grape in the world. From its native home in France to Australia, Chile, South Africa, Argentina, and beyond, it was planted en masse to pump out large quantities of flavorless bulk white wine. The problem was that Sémillon doesn't cooperate when it's forced to high yields. It loses acidity and it lacks flavor unlike some other grapes that can still muster some umph when over-cropped (Chenin blanc, Sauvignon blanc, Colombard, to name three).  For this reason, plantings were replaced and the grape became unpopular. Photo: Sémillon, Bordeaux.com  Today it is grown in limited quantities but two distinct areas– Sauternes/Barsac and Pessac-Leognan in Bordeaux and the Hunter Valley of Australia --  create wines that are incredibly specific and unique. Demand and fascination with these iconic wines means that cultivation of this grape is not doomed!   Here are the show notes: The origins of the grape Although we don't know the parentage, we do know the grape is from southwestern France. It is likely from Bordeaux Until the 1700s, producers were only using the grape in Sauternes (at this point it was already a sweet wine, as records from 1717-1736 at the local abbey show) Later, it was found in St-Emilion, from which it derives its name. The name most likely comes from Selejun – the local pronunciation of Saint-Emilion     Sémillon in the vineyard A thick-skinned grape, part of the reason it was so widely planted was that this feature makes Sémillon pretty resistant to molds and mildews (although, thankfully not botrytis). This feature of the grape helps make it easy to grow and it can be quite vigorous, which is why it was so used and abused in the past! The grape buds later and ripens earlier than its blending partner, Sauvignon blanc, and this short growing window means it is not as susceptible to spring or autumn frosts The grape is versatile on soil types – it can thrive on gravel, calcareous clay, sand, and other types making it incredibly adaptable Fully ripe Sémillon will have big yellow to nearly copper colored berries Low yields are best Château d'Yquem, the most famous Sauternes producer in the world, allegedly makes one glass per vine. The rest of Sauternes yields about 24hl/ha, and lower quality regions yield 80 -100 hl/ha. Hunter Valley in Australia – 60 hl/ha **M.C. Ice and I fully acknowledge that we have no idea what a hl/ha looks like but we use the numbers for comparison sake – ratios are still helpful, right? ** Photo: Australian Semillon, courtesy Wine Australia Climate can vary enormously and the grape can still perform: In Sauternes, special climate conditions must exist (we discuss later) Top dry white areas of Graves and Pessac-Leognan have warmer sites for Sémillon, which allows it to get fully ripe, adding lushness to the blend with Sauvignon blanc In Hunter valley, humidity with tropical storms are best! Because the area has strong cloud cover there is less direct sun so it slows photosynthesis, despite heat. The humid afternoons somehow help build acidity. The light, sandy soils that contain some loam and iron have good drainage, during rain     We discuss the growing regions for most of the remaining part of the show France: Bordeaux France grows more Sémillon than any other country and most of the plantings are in Bordeaux, specifically – Graves, Pessac-Leognan, and Sauternes 50 or so years ago, half the production in Bordeaux was white, mostly from Semillon, which traditionally made up 4/5 of any white wine in the area, sweet or white, but now has taken a backseat to Sauvignon Blanc, which offers more acidity to the wine in a warming climate  Photo: Bordeaux vineyard, Getty Images via Canva subscription   Sauternes, Barsac In Sauternes, Barsac (please see episode 369 for more info) and the sweet appellations of Cadillac, Ste Croix du Mont, Loupiac, and Cerons Sémillon is always partnered with Sauvignon blanc, which also receives botrytis well but maintains its acidity. Wines are hand harvested, with several passes through the vineyard to get the right level of botrytis, which can be patchy and can be grey rot if it developed poorly on the grapes Botrytis is a fungus that affects the grapes right when the fruit forms. It concentrates sugar and creates honeyed, apricot, mango flavors with a viscous mouthfeel from the glycerol it produces. Alcohol levels range in the region -- the minimum in Sauternes is 13% but it can well over 20% ABV For botrytis to form, a region needs foggy nights and early morning, followed by warm and sunny days. This is essential in the autumn, and is a very consistent weather pattern in the sweet wine regions of Bordeaux, which botrytized wine can be made nearly every year These wines are aged for long periods in oak barrels Some, like Chateau Climens in Barsac, are 100% Sémillon   Dry white appellations In Graves and the lighter, sandier regions of Pessac-Leognan, Sémillon is often the biggest percentage of the blend. The best versions – Haut-Brion Blanc and La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc (different Châteaux, owned by the same group = confusing, I know) – are hundreds of dollars a bottle and often have Sémillon as the main component, but it's vintage dependent In Pessac-Leognan, 25% of blend must be Sauvignon Blanc, and the trend is to favor that grape over Sémillon both because it's easier to grow, and because it has acidity. From good producers, these wines can age for decades The grape can be in Côtes de Bordeaux blancs and in basic Bordeaux blanc from better producers Sémillon adds fullness to the texture and when it is aged in oak (as is the case with Sauternes, Barsac and in Graves and Pessac-Leognan), it can have peach, mango, nuts, and toast flavors, which contrast well with Sauvignon blanc's more “green” aromas. If Sémillon is not aged in oak, it can have citrus, grass, notes without much flavor. When it is fully ripe and aged in oak, it is fat in texture with lemon and tropical fruit and has lower acidity.   Other places in France Sémillon grows... Southwest France has the sweet wine of Monbazillac (like Sauternes) and dry white of Bergerac Provence and the Languedoc, but not of any quality     Australia Makes the most distinctive dry white in Australia and was first planted in the Hunter Valley where it gained popularity for its ease to grow, high yields, and resistance to disease It went from being the workhorse grape in the 1980s, to accounting for only 3.1% of the total Australian crush today More than half of Australia's Semillon comes from the bulk New South Wales region of Riverina Hunter Valley in New South Wales The warm, humid climate of the Hunter Valley isn't conducive to most grapes but Semillon (no accent on the “e” in Australia!) changes from a grassy, lemony acidic wine into a dark yellow, nutty, honey and straw-scented viscous wine if grown and made under certain conditions To achieve this, growers pick early, before the summer rains and the grapes have very high acidity. Alcohol levels are around 10-11% ABV, and most of the wine spends no time in oak for fermentation nor for aging – it is put in stainless, fermented cold, and bottled. Wines in their youth are like Sauvignon blanc – citrus, green herbs, and straw flavors persist, with high acidity. After 5-10 years of storage the wine darkens and tastes like honey, toasted, grilled nuts and seems like it has been in an oak barrel (hasn't) – a total odd ball. Although the grapes can have some botrytis, this phenomenon is just a result of the rainy, tropical growing conditions To learn more about Hunter Valley and the Semillon, listen to ep 309, with the amazing Connie Paur Griffiths of Tranquil Vale, an excellent small producer located there Tyrells is the famous producer here (especially Vat 1 Semillon). Also Brokenwood, Silkman, Andrew Thomas    Photo: Hunter Valley Vineyard, credit Wine Australia   Western Australia: Margaret River: Popular for blends of Semillon and Sauvignon blanc You will see Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon on the bottle, the first name indicates which grape dominates the blend These wines can be made in a juicy, fruit style with no oak, or oak fermented and/or oak matured to last longer Producers: Vasse Felix, Cullen, Cape Mentelle, Leeuwin   South Australia Adelaide Hills: Wines are like white Bordeaux in that they are picked early and blended with Sauvignon Blanc to avoid oiliness, too much ripeness. They sometimes use oak, sometimes not. Charlotte Dalton is the big producer here. Barossa: Sometimes makes varietal versions that show the purity of the grape, sometimes use big oak and can be toasty and Chardonnay-esque. Producers: Torbreck, Peter Lehmann, Henschke in Eden Valley Clare Valley: Can be more refined than Barossa but still peachy with apple and citrus and fuller body. Oak influence is common. Producers: Mount Harrocks, Pauletts Riverina: Is notorious for low quality bulk wine but a pocket of it develops botrytis easily and makes high quality sweet wines: McWilliams, De Bortoli     New Zealand has a small amount of Semillon in Marlborough, Hawkes Bay, and Gisbourne   South Africa Semillon was once so important it was called “greengrape” because of its bring green foliage By 1822, 93% of the vineyard land planted was Semillon. Then it was commonly just called “wine grape” but by the 1900s it began its sharp decline It is grown now in Stellenbosch, Swartland, and Franschhoek. Some areas have older bush vines. Producers like: Cederberg, Steenberg, Vergelegen , Mullineux are using more Semillon in blends with Sauvignon Blanc (some sweet, some dry versions)   United States   California Barely uses Semillon but vines that were imported in the 1880s to the Livermore Valley in northern California, were allegedly from Château d'Yquem Vines that live in the Monte Rosso vineyard in Sonoma date from 1886 and can make excellent wines. Morgon is an example Sierra Foothills: Some here, notably my friend Lorenzo Muslia of Andis makes the Bill Dillian Semillon that has great acidity but silkiness and hay, herb, and melon notes (for the podcast with Lorenzo click here) Photo: Andis Wines   Washington State Big decline in plantings and they usually a blend with Sauvignon Blanc Popular from Walla Walla producers: L'Ecole 41 – lemon curd, nut and toast notes with a pretty full body, Amavi (episode with Amavi here) – slightly more acidic and less full with more citrus and grass notes but still with a rich body     Others countries that use Sémilllon Chile: Because of the Bordeaux link, has Semillon and usually uses it for blends or Sauternes-like sweet wines. Semillon used be 75% of white vines in Chile! Argentina, Uruguay have some nice examples Canada     Food Pairing Ideas Sauternes/dessert styles: blue (Roquefort) cheese, foie gras, scallops, fruit based-dessert Lighter styles: Oysters, shellfish, white fish or chicken dishes with citrus or herbal sauces or creamy sauces, salads, goat and sheep's milk cheeses _____________________________________________ Research Sources: “Wine Grapes” by Jancis Robinson, Dr. José Vouillamoz, Julia Harding “Grapes & Wines” by Margaret Rand and Oz Clarke https://www.bordeaux.com/us/ https://www.wineaustralia.com/ Fiona Beckett – Matching Food & Wine As always, talking to people about the grape who grow it, and drinking a lot of the wine itself – Sémillon is awesome! __________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ From our Sponsors... 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! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.    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 a recent trip to the Médoc (the left bank of Bordeaux), I came away with a whole new appreciation for the region. In this show, I share what I learned and my main takeaway is simple: when we are thinking about Médoc, never forget that there are real people behind the bottle you drink and they care what you think about the wine! It's a place of wonder, great modesty, kind people, and exceptional wine.  Here is the list of SOME of the things I learned!  Bordeaux is not “over”, “done”, “hopeless” or “doomed” for wine and we need to stop talking about that possibility (me, included). Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier from Château Anthonic in Moulis, and his ideas around agroforestry is proof of that (the podcast with him is forthcoming). As wine lovers, we need to stop buying into the clickbait and know that the Bordeaux many of us know and love will remain. There are people addressing how to adjust to the environment.   Real people live and work in the châteaux! For many of the smaller or medium chateaux, homes have been passed down over generations. Although these people have generational wealth, the chateau are their homes and they run the business from these houses. For Château owned by wealthy people or banks, the homes are more showpieces for the trade or public, but the people who head up the wineries are real people (and they are employees – like working there is their job – so they are regular, working people. Magali Guyon of Château La Cardonne and Anne Lanaour of Château Meyney – are outstanding, fun and very normal people who I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with and could talk about kids, inflation, and culture with easily). There are quite a few families that moved to Bordeaux after Algerian gained its independence from France. You can read more about that time here. The way they were treated when they came back was not great and some of their families had been in Algeria for more than 100 years, so they missed their homeland. That said, the success many had in Bordeaux was a result of hard work and determination that still shows. Château d'Arsac and Château Fonreaud/Lestage are both owned by people who came from French Algeria and both owners are highly engaged   At Château d'Arsac, Phillippe Raoux started over after being raised in Algeria   There are abandoned Châteaux in the Médoc – even in very nice places! People (generally from outside of France) either invested, thinking growing grapes was easy, or at one point had a family home but could no longer afford the upkeep so they have left the vineyards and the homes to nature.     What is a technical director? The conductor of the Orchestra (or winery! A technical director is in charge of the vineyards and the cellar. They must know everything that is going on both worlds. There is a cellar master and a vineyard manager, but the technical director is in charge of final product, and must coordinate all parts of making the wine. Magali Guyon, Technical Director at Château La Cardonne   The Chateaux owners are frustrated by their image and they care what normal people think about their wines! They want us to connect with the wines and understand that there are people behind the wines. They are not always savvy with marketing, but they want you to feel welcome to come and visit! (it isn't snooty, at least where I went but still make sure you wear nice clothes and make appointments ahead of time).   Bordeaux is right near the BEACH! You could easily plan a trip to do wine and beach. Although no one ever discusses it, it's something to think about. It's worth visiting! There's also a forest for hiking.   The FOOD is amazing, especially the seafood. But the veggies are amazing too. Fresh foods, excellent preparation.   Every appellation makes a fantastic wine that is unique. Terroir matters a lot and it varies greatly. There were 10 million year old fossils in the vineyard at Chateau st. Come in Saint-Estèphe, which used to be covered by the sea.   Vintage variation is a real thing – the place has weather and I saw some of it in action.   Related podcasts: Ep 354: A New Look At Bordeaux's Médoc -- with Château La Cardonne's Magali Guyon   Ep 389: Chateau Doyac and the Diversity of Terroir in the Haut-Medoc of Bordeaux   Ep 391: Édouard Miailhe - Dynamic leader of the Margaux AOC & 5th Generation Owner of Château Siran   Links:  Margaux visitor site Medoc visitor site   My visits: Château Anthonic, AOC Moulis en Médoc Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier   Château Siran, AOC Margaux. With Edouard Miailhe, owner Podcast:   Château d'Arsac, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Margaux, Philippe Raoux, owner.     Château Chasse Spleen, AOC Moulis en Médoc. Jean-Pierre Foubet and Céline Villars Foubet, owners.   Château Fonréaud, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Listrac-Médoc. Jean and Marie-Hélène Chanfreau        Château Meyney, AOC Saint-Estèphe With Anne le Naour, Director     Château Livran, AOC Médoc Edwige and Olivier Michon, owners.   Château La Cardonne, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, AOC Médoc. With Magali Guyon, technical director   Château Phélan Ségur, AOC Saint-Estèphe With Véronique Dausse, director   Château Mouton Rothschild, 1er Grand Cru Classé en 1855, Pauillac.   Château Lagrange, 3rd Grand Cru Classé en 1855. Château de Côme, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, AOC Saint-Estèphe Guy Velge owner, José Bueno Director, and Maud Essertel commercial director.   Château Doyac, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur Haut-Médoc Astrid and Max de Pourtalès, owners and Clémence their daughter.   Château Gadet Terrefort, Cru Artisan, AOC Médoc Anaïs Bernard, owner   Thanks to Carole Vidal and Vins du Médoc for sponsoring my trip and for putting up with me for 5 days!    ____________________________________________________ From our Sponsors... 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! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.    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  

Giovanni Correggia of Matteo Correggia. Photo ©Wine For Normal People This podcast was extra special for me, as I was able to record live with Giovanni Correggia of Matteo Correggia in Roero, a part of the Piedmont in Italy that I love and that I try to champion as much as possible. I met Giovanni several years ago and loved his wines and his family story. This podcast is so many things all at once: A great education on the Roero region, by the most famed producer there The story of a grape that was reborn in this place A lesson in the politics of the Piedmont and how some simple choices have brought fame to Barolo and Barbaresco and kept Roero down A fascinating family story that includes a talented champion of Roero, horrible tragedy, triumph of a widow who had nothing to do with wine and her unbelievable strength of character and perseverance for the legacy of her kids, and the current generation (Giovanni) with its shining positivity, great vision and promise of a great future for the Correggia family and its wines. I truly love the wines of Matteo Correggia and I believe that the Nebbiolos he makes  (just called Roero on the bottle) are the exact style of wine so many of us love – elegance, minerality, balance with none of the heaviness or the tannins that we sometimes get from Barolo. The Arneis, it goes without saying, is a white for the ages – a minerally, floral, saline wine with real gravity and the Barbera also has a lighter touch than some of the versions from over the river. Although hard to find, Giovanni's Brachetto is as tasty as he will describe as well.   I have to say that in interviewing Giovanni and then in editing this show, I laughed and teared up many times. I felt indignant on his behalf, and also triumphant. I hope the conversation we had evokes the same emotions in you. If nothing else, it's a great story and a great education on an underestimated region.   Here are the show notes: We discuss Roero, its location across from Barberesco and Barolo, and what that means for the climate of the area versus the other famed Nebbiolo areas of Piedmont Giovanni describes the soil types and how a small sea that once existed here, as well as the changing course of the Tanaro River, created a terroir with seashells, a canyon, and steep slopes covered in sandy soil that imbues the wines with a unique minerality that only exists in Roero Val dei Preti Vineyard, Matteo Correggia. Photo ©Wine For Normal People Once Roero was criticized for having multiple crops, but Giovanni talks about how this is now a distinct advantage Giovanni gives us a history lesson on Roero through his single vineyards on which he has great records: La Val dei Preti and Roche d'Ampsej and Marun. We discuss some of the modern history of Roero and some of its challenges Matteo Correggia wines. Photo ©Wine For Normal People We learn about the history of the Correggia family and of his father, Matteo, who started the winery in 1985 at age 23. We talk about Matteo's early relationship with the founder of Slow Food, Carlo Petrini, and how that led to great opportunities for the winery and the philosophy around organics. Giovanni tells us about his father's “membership” in the Barolo Boys as the only non-Barolo producer and how those relationships with Elio Altare and Roberto Voerzio were pivotal to early success Giovanni shares with us the tragedy around his father's death and how his mother Ornella, brought the winery to new heights with great vision and the help of winemaker Luca Rostagno, and the Barolo Boys We talk about the wines and specific vineyards: Giovanni talks about how different vineyards -- La Val dei Preti, Roche d'Ampsej, make different Nebbiolos and how they make wines that are more elegant, less tannic, and more aromatic and minerally than the Nebbiolo of the Langhe. We discuss the biggest problem for Roero, which is that Barolo and Barbaresco producers make excellent wines from the region and label them Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba instead of Roero, thus keeping the region from being recognized We discuss Correggia's Barbera, and the funny story of the Marun vineyard. Giovanni gives me a great lesson on Barbera and its challenges in the vineyard We discuss Brachetto, the special clone from Roero, and why it is such a unique grape that, when made dry, is great for summer drinking Giovanni Correggia with Brachetto. Photo ©Wine For Normal People We wrap with a discussion of Matteo Correggia's leadership on screw cap in the region, and a discussion of the challenges and opportunities for Roero, and how Arneis is just the beginning for this undervalued region   Definitely check out Giovanni's wines – they are so inexpensive for what they are! Saratoga Wine in the states has almost the entire line, as does Tannico in the UK.   _________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week:  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! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.      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

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  

Inspired by a question from a Patron, we give you an original list of wines that are true alternatives to Cabernet if you love the OG and you want to branch out. We come up with 7 solid ideas that are similar but different enough to make them interesting.   The original idea for this list was from Patron Serl Z. and Leigh W. gets credit for naming this series.  People were so excited for these new ideas, we may just make it into a series! We begin by discussing the main characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon: Flavors: Black fruit –especially blackcurrant, black cherry, black plum, blackberry -- earth in Old World versions, fruit in New World versions. The wine occasionally shows mint, eucalyptus, thyme, or green pepper notes. With oak Cab smells and tastes like tobacco, pencil shavings, cigar box, leather Generally tannic with good acidity. Some can be age-worthy if they have good tannin structure and acidity (backbone) Flavors depend on terroir, winemaking, oak aging   Alternatives: Mourvèdre/Monastrell/Mataro (Bandol in France, Monastrell from southern Spain, and GSM blends from the US and Australia) – dark fruit, intense flavor, long aging Douro Tinto/ Touriga Nacional (Portugal)– dusty tannins with sweet fruit, violets, leather, tobacco, big tannins Alentejo/Alentejano (Portugal) – for people who like juicy, fruity Cabs with soft tannins. These wines are a blend of Alfrocheiro, Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Castelão, Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, and, not surprisingly, Cabernet Sauvignon Sagrantino di Montefalco (Umbria, Italy)-- Sagrantino grape is full bodied, tannic with earth, cherry, smoke and sometimes spicy notes that evolve into leather and tobacco with time. Similar to Cabernet, Sagrantino is astringent in youth and mellows with time Malbec (Cahors, France, Argentina) -- Not all Malbec is created equal. If you want wines that are similar to Cabernet, choose Cahors, which is earthier, heavier, stronger, more tannic and often more terroir-driven. For Argentina, look for wines from sub-regions of Mendoza with older vines and elevation. These areas make wines with stronger tannin, darker fruit, and more acidity. They aren't as plush as many Malbec. In the Luján de Cuyo valley of Mendozalook for Vistalba and Las Compuertas. In the Valle de Uco, Tunuyán, which includes Paraje Altamira and   Petit Verdot (Virginia, Napa, and many other New World regions make varietal Petit Verdot, it's native home is Bordeaux, where it is part of the Bordeaux blend). Although known for what it brings to the Bordeaux blend, varietal Petit Verdot can be a great Cab alternative. The grapes are thick skinned, and the wines have black fruit, herbs, spice, and dark flower notes. The wine has high acidity and tannins, making it a great sub.   Tannat (Madiran, Uruguay, Virginia, Texas, Paso Robles and Santa Cruz Mountains in California other parts of the US. Also Argentina, Brazil, Australia). John S. – this one's for you! Tannat is often blended with with Cabernet Sauvignon to tame its tannins! In Madiran the wine is far harsher than Cab but in Uruguay, it is more like blackberry, plum, dark raspberry, earth, and spice. It has soft tannins, high alcohol, and is pretty delicious. It resembles a lighter style Cabernet from the North Coast of Sonoma   Cabernet Franc (on the list with lots of caveats so this is like a 7.5!). Cabernet Franc is the parent of Cabernet Sauvignon but it's much earthier, tea-like, and has a lot of red fruit notes. It is nowhere near as tannic as Cabernet and its flavors are really different. Still, it's not as soft as Merlot and because it can exhibit the herbs and pyrazine (green pepper) of Cabernet Sauvignon, I'm adding it to the list   At the end of the show I mention some cheat regions – good places to get blends with a healthy hit of Cabernet in them: Bordeaux, South African Bordeaux Blends, Hawkes Bay from New Zealand are three I mention!   Please let me know if you like this theme. If so, we'll do more shows like this! _____________________________________________________ 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

Denise Marrone comes from a long line of wine growers and winemakers in Barolo. Starting in 1910 when Pietro Marrone, at age 23, asked his father in if he could improve vineyard practices, the family has had a dedication to producing the highest quality grapes and wines  possible from the Langhe, specifically Barolo and Barbaresco.  The family's legacy, dedication to the land, and their unbelievable hospitality at the winery in La Morra (you have to visit), is such a joy to learn about. Denise Marrone, Courtesy of Marrone Denise and her sisters run Marrone with their father, Gian, today. Denise is a fireball of energy, and her outlook on wine, her candor, and her genuine kindness make this show one of the best I've done! I hope you love her as much as I do!   Here are the show notes: Denise tells us about her life in Barolo and a bit about her family's history in the region, as well as about what life used to be like there, during her grandparents' time We discuss how young Barolo is as a region, and why it's important to realize that although it has made wine for a long time, really Barolo is at the beginning of its journey versus regions like Chianti Marrone Barolo Bussia, Courtesy of Marrone Denise gives us a full education on the terroir of Barolo, the most important thing behind the wine. FINALLY I get an excellent definition of the MGA (menzione geografica aggiuntive) system: a mapping of soil types that give some indication about the types of wines you may expect from that area. It's very similar to the system in Burgundy, but without the cru classifications. Within this conversation with discuss the importance of things like exposure, altitude, position on a slope, wind, rain, and more   Denise talks about her various vineyards in Madonna di Como and her family rents land to farm in some of the MGAs to make their Barolo (her family prefers to do this versus buying grapes because then they have total control over the farming, which is mainly organic and all sustainable)   We hammer out the differences in Nebbiolos – Langhe, Nebbiolo d'Alba, Barolo, and Barbaresco – all of which Marrone makes masterfully. We talk truthfully about how some Langhe Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo d'Alba may be better than Barolo, even if it can't get the same price for the wine.   Denise talks about her beautiful Barberas, finnicky Dolcettos (and I confirm, it IS an insider's wine! I love it, I'm biased!), and Marrone's expansive white wine selection. Marrone's production is 40% white – Arneis, Chardonnay, and Favorita (Vermentino) – are excellent and their focus on whites shows in the wines. Denise talks a bit about the history of Arneis, specifically, and how difficult it was to make before there was good technology.   We discuss the role of women in Barolo, and how normal it has become for women like Denise and her sisters Serena and enologist/vigneron Valentina, to take the reins from their fathers today. Denise makes an incredibly astute point that now that technology has made work in the vineyards easier, men and women are much more on equal footing and it's more a mind thing than a physical thing (BRILLIANT!!). Denise Marrone, Courtesy of Marrone Denise is the QUEEN of hospitality. Our conversation tries to do justice to how good it really is (but you have to go there to understand). Perhaps her last statement about always striving to do more and better explains it best – the attitude of a winery like that has one way to go – and that's UP!!   You can find Marrone's wines in the US, Canada, and the UK! They are wonderful, as is she! _______________________________________________________________ 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

Although one of the most prestigious white grapes of the Rhône Valley, Roussanne is relatively unknown given its penchant for making aromatic, complex, full yet acidic wines. Often used as a blending partner with Marsanne or even with Syrah in its native northern Rhône, the grape shines alone in certain versions from Châteauneuf du Pape, California, Australia, and a handful of other places around the world. In this show we examine the majesty of this grape, which makes extraordinary wines that you should be drinking! Photo credit: Roussanne - Geshem winery.jpg, CC BY-SA 4.0   Here are the show notes Roussanne was named for “roux”, the French word for “russet” – which describes the grapes' reddish golden color when they are fully ripe Likely native to the northern Rhône, Roussanne is related to Marsanne, its blending partner for the famed northern Rhône whites in Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, and Saint-Joseph Although it has verged on extinction a few times because it is so challenging in the vineyard, Roussanne continues to be an important part of whites (and reds) in the northern Rhône and elsewhere because few grapes can rival the combination of structure and aromatics   Roussanne Flavors Roussanne has aromas and flavors of pear, honey, and herbal tea (Chamomile or lemon verbena). It can be like jasmine, iris, honeysuckle and other white flowers. The wine is distinctly minerally with green herb notes and some are more like apricot and peach Roussanne is distinctive because it has a mouth-filling, oily, fuller body but always exhibits characteristic acidity. With age appears softer and shows nutty, marzipan, and creamy notes. The wine can age 15 or more years and still be excellent Roussanne in the vineyard and cellar Roussanne is a real challenge to grow – the people who make wine from it are often small producters who treat it as a passion project – demand for the wines isn't high and growing it can be an exercise in frustration Yields are irregular, ripening can be uneven, the grape is susceptible to mildew, rot and pests, and according to Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, California, who grows a large proportion of the grape in the United States, the grape can shut down as it is ripening, lose leaves and turn yellow, never to recover from this issue The grape does well on poor, stony calcareous-clay soils that are well-drained but it can't take wind or drought. Too much heat can cause the sugar to spike and make the resulting wine too alcoholic without balanced acidic. On the flip side, picking too early leads to excessively acidic wine that lacks balancing body Roussanne needs a long, consistent season – it demands it to make the best wines In the cellar, Roussanne is pretty easy going and versatile. It can make great wine when fermented in any type of vessel and with limited oak aging, its textures can be even smoother and the wines can be more complex   Roussanne regions... France Northern Rhône: The native home of the grape, Roussanne is used as a blending partner with Marsanne in the whites of Hermtiage, Crozes Hermitage, and Saint-Joseph. It can also be blended into the reds (Syrah) of those areas but is usually a small percentage of those wines (no more than 10-15%), if used at all. Roussanne is also used in the still and sparkling wines of Saint-Péray. There is much more Marsanne than Roussanne planted in the northern Rhône because it is so much easier to grow, but Roussanne continues to play a big role in the wines because it is so high quality Southern Rhône Roussanne shines in Châteauneuf du Pape blanc. Marsanne is not permitted in the appellation, so Roussanne shines on its own or when blended with Grenache Blanc, Bourbolenc and other grapes. The most famous example of a pure Roussanne in the region is the white of Château de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages whites, Costières de Nîmes, Luberon, Ventoux and many other appellations use Roussanne in blends Other French areas Roussanne is used in blends in the Languedoc and Roussillon, the Loire, and in Provence   Savoie In this Alpine region the grape is called Bergeron and its wines are from the appellation Chignin Bergeron. The wine is peppery with fresh aroma of green mountain herbs, and although it has higher acidity and lower alcohol than other French versions, the wine still has excellent aroma and a soft, cheek-coating texture Outside of France Italy: Liguria, Toscana Portugal: Alentejo Canada Israel South Africa Australia: Came to the continent in 1882 and is used in blends in both whites and reds The US Growing in Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington state (shows great potential) In California: Came in the 1870s but it was hard to grow so acreage declined, and it wasn't revived until the 1990s when Tablas Creek (a partnership with Château de Beaucastel, so clippings were easy to come by) and Alban propagated new cuttings of Roussanne. Today there are over 300 acres planted in California, mainly in the Central Coast, with some in Napa, Lodi, and some other spots. Wineries producing Roussanne in blends or alone are: Alban Vineyards, Anglim Winery, Acquiescece in Lodi, Bonny Doon Winery, Cass Winery, Halter Ranch Vineyard, , JC Cellars, McCrea Cellars, Qupe, Stolpman Vineyards, Tablas Creek, Truchard Vineyard, Zaca Mesa   Credit to Tablas Creek for providing so much information on their blog. Links from their blog: 1. Tablas Creek blog: Grapes/Roussanne 2. Tablas Creek blog: A Symposium on Roussanne   Other Sources: Truchard Vineyards Wine Grapes, by Jancis Robinson Grapes & Wine, Margaret Rand, Oz Clarke The Wine Cellar Insider _____________________________________________________ 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 a $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

April Nalle from Nalle Winery, who make brilliant Zinfandel (also great Pinot noir, blends, Cabernet and more) in an old-school style, is a good friend with whom I speak often. April has had some really big moments lately, where she's gone from just being concerned about climate change to being inspired to be a change agent. She's at the beginning of her journey and I wanted to get her at this point to tell us how it all starts.   In this show we talk about how to make a vineyard more environmentally friendly, so we are joined by vigneron Whitney Hopkins of Hopkins River Ranch in the Russian River, who farms the land mainly organically . April and her husband Andrew Nalle buy Pinot Noir from Whitney and her father, who farm the ranch together. Whitney Hopkins of Hopkins River Ranch, Left. April Nalle, of Nalle Winery, Right   This show should give you insight into where the wine industry needs to make improvements in the fight against climate change and where it's already doing a pretty good job. Warning: This is a dorky discussion!!!   Here are the notes: April discusses a revelation moment she had after reading the book “Under the Sky We Make: How to Be Human in a Warming World” and why she feels it is so important to take bolder action in the wine world to help ameliorate the impacts of climate change. We discuss the lack of water in California and some of the impacts of that in farming.   We discuss the ways small wineries like Nalle and smaller vineyards like Hopkins River Ranch are already planet friendly: April talks about Nalle's living roof, dry farming, dust mulching, and how living where you farm makes a huge difference in how you treat the land. Whitney discusses the use of organic products, using manual labor to avoid the use of pesticides and herbicides, and new innovations like electric mowers/tillers that get under vine rows without gas emissions. The Nalle Family: 5 Generations of Farming. Photo courtesy of Nalle   We talk about why a small winery or vineyard often can't afford the time or money it takes to go through and maintain an organic or biodynamic certification. Hopkins Ranch is farmed almost all organically but Whitney doesn't have time to add certification paperwork to her workload. In addition, in areas with wet weather, it can be very hard to commit to only organic practices when doing so may mean that you lose an entire crop. Sustainability is a pyramid – social, economic, and environmental concerns are all part of it. Losing a crop could mean losing a business so flexibility with the goal of being as gentle as possible with your land has to be the way for many small wineries.   We get to the brass tacks: Whitney and April address the question of how much the vineyard really contributes environmental issues? It turns out that although refinement and changes need to continue – we need to use more electric vehicles in the vineyard and to drive around, to find products that can deal effectively and gently with vineyard hazards (mildew, mold, insects), and to continually adjust – the biggest ecological issues in wine are on the winery and sales side.   Hopkins Ranch, Russian River Valley, Photo courtesy of Nalle    We talk about the list of things that April wants to do for now (it's a wish list, again small wineries have fewer resources): use only refillable bottles for Nalle, change the labels, use electric vehicles for transport, do less tilling and more manual work in the vineyard, and add solar panels to the winery. Whitney discusses how water and drought are such issues that the Hopkins are working with the local government to tap into the recycled  water program. Nalle's traditional label may need to change when refillable bottles are the norm   We wrap with some tips on how tell if a winery is giving you marketing BS about being green or whether they are the real deal.   Thanks to Whitney and April for their candor. I love that I got some answers on the impacts of the vineyard. As we turn our focus to the winery, we'll make sure to track April's changes in the winery at Nalle and tracks the outcomes of doing better for the planet. ____________________________________________________________ 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 $10 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  

Sicily has a long history, and all of it is tied up with the evolution of wine and food in the Sicilian culture. In this show, we look at how this huge Mediterranean island played a major role in every major civilization from indigenous tribes to the current generation of young winemakers who seek to carve out a niche for Sicily and its unique wine culture. Here's a brief timeline of what we talk about:  Sicilian Wine Timeline... 10,000 years ago: Natural grapevines on Etna Indigenous groups – Siculi, Socani, Elymi (Greeks who brought wine to Sicily) Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art 8th – 3rd century BCE: Greeks arrived, introduced grapes and planted a lot of vineyards. They introduced pruning, varietal selection, bush training, and techniques to make great wine. Wine became an economic essential, as Sicily's strategic position allows Greeks to export wine all over the Mediterranean. Inzolia, Zibibbo, Lucido/Catarratto were brought from Greece. 3rd century BCE: Roman Republic wins control of Sicily over the Greeks. The Roman Empire reigns afterwards. During both eras, the Romans planted more grapes, refined viticulture and winemaking techniques and traded Sicilian wine throughout the Roman empire, enriching wine merchants on Sicily. Mamertino, Julius Caesar's favorite wine was made in Sicily. Wine vessels from Sicily have been found in France and other parts of Europe. Photo: National Gallery Open Access 535 AD –826 AD: After the chaos that ensued after the fall of the Roman Empire, Byzantines conquered Sicily and used it as their base in the Mediterranean to take over other parts of Italy. The church revived viticulture and make wine for religious purposes and for trade around the Mediterranean.   826 AD –1061 AD: Muslim rule -- not great for wine, as it is against the law to consume alcohol. Viticulture did not prosper, but it didn't die. A few people still drank, and Z'bīb, Muscat of Alexandria, thrived as a table grape. The food and spices introduced during this time had a lasting impact on the cuisine of Sicily.   1061 AD –1189 AD: The Normans, Christian descendants from Vikings conquered Sicily and brought wine back to the table in full force. The rulers expanded vineyards and wine became an economic mainstay for the Normans – they traded it and it was part of life for the aristocracy so Sicilian wine had status. Rather than throw out the influence, the Normans incorporated Arab spices and cooking in their food. Vermicelli (pasta) likely was made here in 1154 AD, 100 years before Marco Polo was born.   1189 AD – 1266 AD: Norman rule ends and Henry VI of Swabia claims the throne.   1266 AD: Pope Clement IV puts Charles, Count of Anjou and Provence, on the throne in Sicily but in 1282 a French soldier insults a Sicilian girl on her way into a church for Vesper services. This sparks the uprising called the Sicilian Vespers, ending French rule.   1282: Peter II of Aragón (Spain) took control of Sicily. Wine was an important economic commondity as it was traded to northern winemaking areas to beef up their wines with color, flavor, and alcohol. Photo: Wikipedia 1400s-1500s: Guilds of wine merchants and growers flourished under the Aragón rule. Tomatoes, chocolate, squash, cactus, and other items were brought on Spanish ships from Mexico, revolutionizing the Sicilian cuisine.   1700s: The House of Bourbon, a power family from Spain who ruled in Sicily, invested in local wine again.   1773: John Woodhouse makes Marsala on the western side of the island, ships it out to England and the American colonies. Marsala was the first Italian wine to be exported America. Marsala was a major contributor to the Sicilian economy and to the islands prestige Photo credit: Dedda71, CC-BY-SA-3.0 1816: Naples and Sicily were united under the Aragón crown in the Kingdom of two Sicilies.   1861: Giuseppe Garibaldi claims Sicily as part of the Italian Republic, ending Aragón rule. The Risorgimento, Italian unification, was not beneficial to Sicily. They found it difficult to integrate into continental Italy.  The economy suffered, and the first great emigration out of Sicily, occurred, spreading of the cuisine and wine traditions around the world – to America, Australia, the UK, and other places.   Late 1800s: Mass plantings of vineyards became necessary to supply Europe with wine in the wake of phylloxera. This was a prosperous time for wine in Sicily until phylloxera hit the island. Due to economic restrictions, poverty, and the level of destruction from phylloxera, Sicily took about 60 years to properly recover from the aphid.   1950s: Sicily finally recovers from phylloxera. Vineyards mechanize, but in the post-World War II – global demand dropped for Sicilian wine.   1960s and 1970s: Again, Sicilian wines exported to bulk wines up from northern areas. Sicily's reputation for quality suffered.   1980s –1990s: Some older families on the island planted international grapes to garner international attention from critics, and build a reputation for good wine. Consultants were hired, and Sicily gained global recognition for its wines made of Syrah, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and other international grapes. 1990s – Native grapes were introduced to the world to a positive reception.   Today – the new generation is ready for smaller production and higher quality from native grapes, continuing the 3000+ year legacy of quality wine.   Don't forget to check out the LIVE class on Thursday or watch it on my YouTube Channel if you can't catch it live. Thank you to the Wines of Sicily DOC for the opportunity to offer this class for free!     ___________________________________________________________ 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 $10 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   _______________________________________________________________ Main Sources for the podcast: https://cantinebarbera.it/en/cookie/47-myblog-marilena-barbera/154-history-of-sicilian-wine-culture.html   https://www.umass.edu/journal/sicilyprogram/sicilianfoodhistory.html   Others: https://www.myguidesicily.com/usefulinfo/wines-of-sicily-and-their-history https://www.britannica.com/place/Sicily https://www.winemag.com/2019/04/16/beginners-guide-to-the-wines-of-sicily/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Sicily

To truly understand Italian wine, you have to understand its integral ties to Italian culture. In Italy, food and wine tell the story of a region's cultural identity, history, and the character of its people. With my recent seminars on Sicilia (on YouTube if you missed them), and an impending trip to Piedmont with a group of Wine for Normal People listeners, the interplay of Italian wine, food, and culture has been top of mind. It was in this context that I invited the famed New York restaurateur, and Italian cultural advocate, Gianfranco Sorrentino, on the show.   Gianfranco is originally from Naples in southern Italy and after many years of managing restaurants all over Europe and Asia, he settled in New York. He learned the ropes, working for some of the most prestigious restaurants in Manhattan and then opening the first fine dining establishment in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).   He opened his first venture, Il Gattopardo, in New York in 2001 (a very difficult time to open!). In 2011, he opened The Leopard at des Artistes, his restaurant in the New York landmark Hotel des Artistes and, in 2014, Mozzarella e Vino opened directly across from MoMA.     Gianfranco is a passionate advocate of Italian food, wine and culture and he is also the founder of Gruppo Italiano (GI), an evolution from the original Gruppo Ristoranti Italiani (GRI), which was established in 1979. The group works to promote awareness of Italian wines, cuisine, and products and to help people in the US understand and appreciate the beauty of the Italian culture and its unbreakable tie to wine and food. Although he is based in the US, Gianfranco has a global view and everyone can learn  from the discussion Gianfranco and I have about the landscape of Italian food, wine, and culture, and the special importance of supporting small producers and keeping traditions alive.     All Gianfranco's restaurants use authentic ingredients to that highlight the traditions of Italian culture and hospitality. The three are in Manhattan: Il Gattopardo (ilgattopardonyc.com, 13-15 West 54th Street) serves traditional Southern Italian food with a contemporary twist. It is Gianfranco's original restaurant and is award winning and a New York institution. The Leopard at des Artistes (theleopardnyc.com, 1 West 67th Street) is in the famed Hotel des Artistes. The Leopard emphasizes food from “The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies'-- the regions of Campania, Basilicata, Calabria, Puglia, Sardinia, and Sicily. The dishes are a balance of rural elements from these regions and include pasta, vegetables, cheese, and fresh seafood. Mozzarella & Vino (mozzarellaevino.com, 33 West 54th Street) is across from MoMA on 54th Street, is a more casual dining experience and, as the name suggests, ingredients focus on Mozzarella di bufala, and on wines from family estates and independent Italian winemakers. Also, if you are interested, here is the book we discussed in the show, “The Leopard” Grapes we discuss: Fiano, Greco di Tufo, Pallagrello Bianco, Piedirosso/Per'e Palummo, Aglianico   I hope the show gives you a new appreciation for how wine and food are more than just nutrition and libation for Italians! ___________________________________________________________ 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 $10 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

Caren McNamara founded Conscious Container in 2017 to bring the refillable glass bottle marketplace to the wine industry (pre-WWII, we re-used most packaging. Other countries kept doing it, but in the US that stopped). The goal: reduce single use packaging waste and turn glass bottles into multi-use vessels by setting up an infrastructure for collection, cleaning, inspection, and re-use. Caren was a project and change management manager for a major tech company but she left that behind when she saw a hole in the marketplace for refillable and reusable glass, and the opportunity to make a big impact on the beverage industry.   In the show we talk about we talk about how we wound up throwing away assets like glass, rather than re-using them, and how things like lightweight packages (reduce) and recycling are less effective than the third “r” – reuse - which is usually the most efficient of the three.   Caren discusses the opportunities for Conscious Container to do good, what it will take for her operation to become full-scale, and offers ideas of things we can do to help Conscious Container's mission, like asking at tasting rooms about refillable bottle programs, requesting that wine clubs look into using refillable bottles, and keeping up to date on new developments which would allow us to participate in the re-use economy.   Shout out to April Nalle of Nalle Winery for being an innovator,  using this program and for introducing me to Caren and all the cool stuff she's doing!    Here are some links to things Caren mentions in the show:   CC Refill-My-Wine website -  this link goes directly to the Support Us! page for wineries to work with Conscious Container   ReLoop 'Reusables vs Single-Use Packaging.  A combination of 32 Life Cycle Assessments on the topic with a clear "win" for refillable glass bottles, Caren used these numbers in the podcast   “The Message in a Reusable Wine Bottle: Combat Climate Change” a New York Times article about refillable bottles and the Gotham Project.   The Porto Protocol   Diana Snowden Seysses -  who is working on bottle reuse with the Porto Protocol, and who is winemaker at Domaine Dujas- Snowden Winery and Ashes & Diamonds Winery   Go to Conscious Container to learn more. _______________________________________________________________ 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 $10 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 episode, Alberto Tasca d'Almerita, part of the 8th generation of the Tasca d'Almerita family, the CEO of Tasca d'Almerita winery, and one of the directors of the Sicilia DOC joins the show. This is an excellent complement to the Wines of Sicily class (part 1 now on the YouTube Channel!). Photo: Courtesy of Tasca d'Almerita The Tasca d'Almerita family got into wine in the 1830s with the purchase of Tenuta Regaleali in the center of Sicily, with a range of altitudes that rise up to nearly 3000 ft/900 m, a variety of exposures, mixed soils, and elevations. The varied terrior and strong diurnals means that so many grapes grow well here – the winery grows 25 red and white varietals and the wines are fresh, fruity and honor the Sicilian tradition.   In the early 2000s, Alberto took over the business side of Tasca d'Almerita. He shook things up and modernized the winery, improving the wines but staying true to tradition. Alberto grew the winery to four other Sicilian winegrowing regions: Tenuta Capofaro on the Aeolian island of Salina; Tenuta Tascante on Mt. Etna; Tenuta Whitaker on the Phoenician island of Mozia; and Tenuta Sallier de La Tour in the DOC Monreale. To say that Alberto understands the ins and outs of Sicily and what it has to give is an understatement. Photo: Courtesy of Sicilia DOC I found that one of the most altruistic and interesting things about Alberto Tasca d'Almerita, is that he doesn't only focus on his own business. He helped create SOStain – a sustainability registry for Sicilian viticulture created in 2010 and in concordance with VIVA (sustainability in Italian viticulture) – which allows measurement and certification of sustainability initiatives through rigorous scientific indicators to protect the land for future generations. He is a director of the Consorzio di Tutela Vini Doc Sicilia, which promotes Sicilian wine, its area of production and takes an active role in the winemaking and growing of its members, sharing best practices and trying to improve Sicilian wine.
 He gives back to the wine community of Sicily.   He joins the show to talk about his own business but mainly as a director of the Sicilia DOC.   In the show we cover: Alberto Tasca d'Almerita's  family history in Sicily The cultural differences and similarities of Sicily and mainland Italy. The close connection between Sicilians and Sicilian Americans Alberto gives us an overview of the entire terrain of Sicily – its climate, various terrains, and how incredibly diverse this huge island really is. We discuss the variety of grapes here, focusing on the indigenous grapes of Sicily like Lucido, Nero d'Avola, Perricone and others Alberto tells us about his role in starting the SOStain Sicilia Foundation and about the importance of real sustainability in wine We discuss the Sicilia DOC – why it was formed, the goals of the appellation, and why it is so important to the future of Sicilian wine. Photo: Courtesy of Tasca d'Almerita For more information, visit the winesofsicily.com and https://www.tascadalmerita.it/en/ and don't forget to watch the Wines of Sicily Part 1 Class on YouTube! _______________________________________________________________ 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 $10 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  

Valpolicella is a famed red wine region in the foothills north of the city of Verona. This area has been making wine since the time of the Ancient Greeks, whose legacy is kept alive by the common practice drying grapes to concentrate the flavors in the finished wines. Photo: Valpolicella, from Unsplash We covered this with Filippo Bartolotta in episode 317, but after a conversation with M.C. Ice it became clear to me that he needed to hear the info again. It's an important wine region and it's complex, so we decided to do our version and get anyone up to speed who may also still be a little confounded about these wines!    There is much to uncover about this region, the “Valley of Many Cellars”, as it translates. The huge area makes so much wine under so many different sub-regions and areas, but not all are created equally. Even the famed and rather new wine, Amarone della Valpolicella, which has enjoyed enormous popularity in the last 20 years, isn't all amazing. In this show, we will take you on the full tour of the region – examining what is here, the essential components of terroir, and how to get the wines you like from this multi-faceted, diverse, and very confusing Italian region.   Here are the show notes: We give an overview of the region: Valpolicella borders Lake Garda/Bardolino to the west, abuts the Lessini Mountains (part of Venetian Pre-Alps) in the north, and opens to a wide valley in the east. The historical area of Valpolicella winemaking is in the Monti Lessini hills but the area is much bigger due to an enlargement in 1968   Climate Because the region spans so much land, the climate varies depending on the valley. In general it is a mild to cool continental or sub-continental region but hillsides are markedly cooler than lowland areas, and valleys, where the air is more stagnant are far hotter than those at elevation that experience breezes from the PreAlps. Lake Garda keeps the western region cool in the summer and warm in the winter, as you move away from the water towards the east, that is not the case. The winds from the southern, humid Sirocco to the Föhn, a dry northern wind, to those from cold humid ones the northeast all affect particular vineyard sites as well.   Geography In general, you will find vineyards in three big areas: mountainous limestone foothills, at elevation in the Lessini Mountains (the Classico region), hill areas on gentle slopes (th majority of vines planted) with limestone and volcanic soils, and the fertile, alluvial, eastern valley floor. Photo: Corvina, from Conzorzio Valpolicella      Grapes Three main grapes are used with some supporting players Corvina Veronese (Corvina, Cruina) is the backbone of the blends, providing structure, aromas of cherry and red berry, with flowers and baking spice, and softness. It must be 45-90% of the blend Corvinone an unrelated grape with a similar name, provides black cherry, spice, color, tannin, acidity, and elegance to the blend. Corvinone can replace Corvina up to 50% of the blend Rondinella is a vineyard champ – it's very disease resistant and and its contribution is ripe red fruit, tobacco, and spice notes. It can be 5-30% of the blend     OTHERS…can be 25% of the blend, but no more than 10% per grape variety Molinara: Used to be a mandatory part of the blend, but producers often find it too aromatic and savory, and its lack of structure has made it fall out of favor. Oseleta: Is the new darling of Amarone especially. It dark skin and strong tannin with blueberry, black cherry, minerals, and herb notes. It is powerful and a little goes a long way. The plantings are small but growing Others that are permitted and used for hardiness, color, and body are Croatina, Dindarella, and Spigamonti   Every producer makes the decision about what is best within the allowable parameters Photo: Valpolicella, from Conzorzio Valpolicella  Valpolicella Production Regions The production regulations divide the Valpolicella into three distinct zones. Classico was the OG. In 1968 grew to include Valpantena valley near the river, and Valpolicella Orientale – Eastern Valpolicella. The DOCs can have Superiore as a distinction if they age the wine for 1 year and have 1% more alcohol than the normale.   Valpolicella DOC - In eastern Valpolicella (Orientale), the area reaches north into the hills above Verona for approximately ten miles, and east to west for 20 miles. The area is varied,so the wines can be simple when grown on fertile soils or interesting at a bit of altitude with cooling breezes, rocky soils.   Valpolicella Subzone 1: Classico Located in the west near Lake Garda, Classico consists of five high quality areas that make up the traditional places where grapes had been cultivated for Valpolicella before 1968 enlargement. About 30% of Valpolicella from here and the better terroir yields bolder, riper wines with a fuller body and more tannin. The five areas of Classico are Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella, Negrar Valley, San Pietro in Cariano, Fumane Valley, Marano Valley,     Valpolicella Subzone 2: The Valpantena Located in the central part of Valpolicella, halfway between the Valpolicella Classica and the eastern zone, this area is located in a narrow valley that has big diurnal swings leading to long ripening periods and very good wines with lovely acidity. These are considered nearly as good or as good as Classico. 20% of Valpolicella is grown here     Wine Styles: DOC/G ***It's important to note that all the DOC and DOCG wines can be from the Classico, Valpantena OR standard Valpolicella (indication of the growing ZONE) zones and will indicate that on the label   The DOC/Gs are: Valpolicella DOC Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG   Valpolicella DOC These wines are dry reds with red berry, sour cherry, cinnamon, and pepper notes. They are unoaked, simple wines with light color and high acidity. They have no aging requirements and are often good with a slight chill in the summer. Other versions: Valpolicella Superiore DOC – wine has been aged 1 year, and has 12% v 11% ABV. It has more flavor and body Also: Valpolicella Classico, Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Valpolicella Valpantena, Valpolicella Valpantena Superiore are permitted to be used and fall under the DOC.   Photo: Appassimento -- drying grapes, courtesy Conzorzio Valpolicella  Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG This is a sweet red wine made from dried (passito) grapes. It is the original, historic wine of the region – the Greeks brought the production method to these parts. The name comes from recie, which in the local dialet means ears – which is what the top of a grape cluster looks like. The wines are made in the appassamento method where producers dry grapes in indoor warehouses called Fruttai, and use the half-raisined berries to make high alcohol (14.5% - 15.5% ABV), full bodied sweet wines. These wines are aged for at least 2 years before release. They can be Classico and Valpantena as well Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Made just like Recioto, only fermented nearly dry after a very long fermentation, these wines have strong red berry, prune, raisin, cinnamon, chocolate, and tobacco notes. Because the sugar of the dessicated grapes is so high these wines must be at least 14% ABV, can be 15.5% or more. They must age for 2 years in any vessel before release, except in the case of Riserva, where the requirement is 4 years. These wines are made in all three zones, although Classico is considered best.     Valpolicella Ripasso DOC The ultimate sustainability solution, ripasso means re-passed, and in this case rather than discarding the pomace from Amarone and Recioto, up to 15% Amarone lees and grape skins are added to basic Valpolicella during fermentation. This kicks off a second 10-15 day fermentation that boosts tannin, alcohol, fruit flavor, and glycerine in the wine. It gives more candied, jam notes, a higher alcohol level and if aged in oak, flavors like mocha, spice, and leather. These wines can be made in all zones, e.g., Valpolicella Valpantena Ripasso, Valpolicella Ripasso Classico, Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore _______________________________________________________________ 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 $10 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 Sources: Ian D'Agata, “Italy's Native Wine Grape Terroirs” Conzorzio Valpolicella https://www.consorziovalpolicella.it/en/ https://italianwinecentral.com/region-province/veneto/ Independent Wine, Edinburgh, UK: https://www.independent.wine/denominations/guide-to-amarone-and-valpolicella/

This week we explore the "other, other" red grape of the Piedmont (after Nebbiolo and Barbera) -- Dolcetto. This grape can be a challenge in the vineyard and in the cellar, but it is capable of producing some of the most satisfying, tasty, and unique wines you can have. Photo: Dolcetto, Consorzio Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani Dark fruit, spice, herbs, flowers, and almond are common in this medium bodied, slightly tannic wine that is a dream with everything from pizza to burgers to mushroom-based dishes. The ability to drink it now, without havng to lay it down is another enormous feather in the cap of this hidden stunner!   Once you try the different styles of Dolcetto, and learn more about the regions that produce it, I have no doubt that you'll be incorporating this lovely and totally underappreciated red into your wine rotation!   Show notes are forthcoming with the region names we referenced. ________________________________________________________________ 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 $10 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

Cahors is the best-known appellation in Southwest France, likely because the wine of the region is based off a grape everyone knows: Malbec.  Source: https://vindecahors.fr/ Made around the town of Cahors, 160km/100 mi east of Bordeaux, this region hugs the river Lot, and stretches over slopes with such varied soil, each wine is a story of terroir in a bottle. The unique land, combined with an ideal climate, and a history of winemaking that goes back to the Romans contributes to the special combination that creates this earthy, dark fruited, herbal, and powerful red. If you haven't tried this Old World style of Malbec, after this show, you will be excited to see what you may be missing! Here are the show notes: Here Malbec is AKA -- Auxerrois, Côt (COE). It must be 70% of the blend – the balance is made up with Merlot, or less commonly Tannat. Any white or rosé made in the region is categorized IGP Côtes du Lot   The planted vineyard area is 3,323 ha/8,211 acres but it stretches across 21,700 hectares/53,622 acres over 45 communes along a section of the River Lot around the town of Cahors   Most of the winemakers here are independent, private wineries (75%) with just 25% members of the co-op, an impressive breakdown in a smaller region! 75% of the winemakers are working sustainably, with 31% converting to organic or already certified organic. The climate of Cahors represents a combination of influences, as the region is about the same distance from Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pyrenees Mountains. The summers are hot, the fall is dry, and the lack of rain means the roots dig deep to look for nutrients, giving more character to the wine. The Massif Central to the east occasionally blows cold air in the winter, which can cause deep freezes (we go into the endo and eco dormancy, very dorky!). Source: Getty Images via Canva The terroir of Cahors is, to me, the most interesting thing about the area. Most vineyards lie in terraces that are carved out by the river Lot. We discuss the two main areas – the Lot Valley alluvial terraces and the limestone plateau known as the Causses. The Lot Valley, representing 60% of the wine made, has several terraces with gravelly, sandy deposits that range in age from 20,000 years old to 1 million years old. These wines tend to be fruitier, more floral, and lighter in style.  The Causses is at elevation and represents slopes covered in clay, limestone, and marl with red, iron-rich soils in some spots. They represent ~ 40% of the vineyard and these wines are more tannic, complex, and age worthy. Styles of Cahors: Given the varied terroir, some styles are fruitier and some are earthier. Many have flavors and aromas of fruits and flowers, spice, herbs, and cedar, with underbrush and licorice. They can be dark in color and higher in alcohol. Some are quite tannic, especially those with Tannat as a component. Softer versions have a bigger component of Merlot.   We end the podcast with a comparison of Argentinean Malbec, noting that Argentina's Malbec is fruitier, more plummy with soft tannins, higher alcohol, and fine to drink on its own because of its easy to drink profile. Cahors, on the other hand is more tannic, earthier, with more acidity, and may pair better with food because the tannins are firmer, acidity higher. Source: Getty Images via Canva   If you've never tried Cahors, hopefully this will convince you to get a bottle and see what the Malbec of the Old World has to offer!   Much of the information for this podcast is from: https://vindecahors.fr/   ________________________________________________________________ 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 $10 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

How to start your own wine business with CEO of the Wine Spies, a wine e-tailer and eCommerce technology company. People around wine country know him by codename Agent Cru. That's because he's undercover as CEO of the Wine Spies, a wine e-tailer and eCommerce technology company. Since 2007, they've featured a brand-new wine on their site every single day at the best price on planet Earth for a 24 hour window.   His real name is Addison Rex, and he cut his teeth as a "cellar rat" scrubbing barrels at his family's winery, eventually working my way up to General Manager. He started by own brand, Jurassic Wines before joining Wine Spies to reinvigorate a well-established company with little growth, but massive potential.

Who would have thought that choosing a good deal without compromising quality (a real estate strategy) can be applied to wine selection?In this video, we are joined by Agent Cru himself, Addison Rex, CEO of Wine Spies.Wherein we talked about how you can taste and experience exceptionally tasting wine without costing much.It's experiencing luxury without ripping your pocket off.Depending on the kind of wine you choose!Come and sip with us! Visit simplepassivecashflow.com/club See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Who would have thought that choosing a good deal without compromising quality (a real estate strategy) can be applied to wine selection? In this video, we are joined by Agent Cru himself, Addison Rex, CEO of Wine Spies. Wherein we talked about how you can taste and experience exceptionally tasting wine without costing much. It's experiencing luxury without ripping your pocket off. Depending on the kind of wine you choose! Come and sip with us! Visit simplepassivecashflow.com/club

In this episode of PixlFeed Radio, I have the pleasure to interview Addison Rex who is a wine industry professional and entrepreneur based in Sonoma County, California. He is the CEO of The Wine Spies, an online wine retailer that features a different deal every day, and founder of Jurassic Wines, a négociant wine company and producer of brands TORN and Blanc Y Blanc. He was the General Manager of his family business Deerfield Ranch Winery, where he started his career as a cellar rat.We go over how to increase ecommerce sales and how to use flash sales to increase sales by leveraging your email list and followers.You can follow Addison Rex Here:

Wine Spies founder, Jason Seeber joins the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest is Agent Cru (aka Addison Rex) CEO of Wine Spies, an online retailer. Their team  goes deep undercover to […] The post The Wine Spies – Top Secret Deals on the World’s Best Wines appeared first on TripCast360.

Our guest is Agent Cru (aka Addison Rex) CEO of Wine Spies, an online retailer. Their team  goes deep undercover to find the best deals on the best wines. These deals run as much as 65 percent off. If you see something you like, hurry and buy it that day, because the next day there will be another for you to choose from. Deals last just 24 hours. From Red Blends to Zinfandels, Cabs to Rieslings, to Pinot Noir to Pinot Grigio, they are sure to have something to soothe your palate.They operate from their spy headquarters, in the heart of California's Wine Country. They only accept the mission if it's a wine that they love. Their Agents work up a detailed dossier, compiling a top secret file that only our Wine Spies Operatives (that's you) have clearance for.They've cultivated relationships with wineries and vintners from all over the world. The deals they secure are exclusive to Wine Spies. CLICK HERE to get your favorite wines at a great price delivered to your home.

A wine industry professional and CEO of Wine Spies--Agent Cru aka Addison Rex, who has a mission to secure special, top-secret deals on the world's best wines, takes you to a perceptive discussion of sharing his experiences as a veteran entrepreneur. Learn all and more now! On the Finally, Marketing That Works Podcast. Highlights of This Episode [01:16] Wine country Sonoma [02:05] So many wineries. It's insane [02:31] Muscadine grapevines [03:16] Wine Connoisseur [04:06] People's attitude towards wine [06:03] Differentiates a $3 bottle wine to a $1000 or $25 [06:20] Scale of the production [08:11] Literally added some basic flavoring [08:33] Wine Spies, internet flash sales [10:53] "We kiss a lot of frogs to find the prince on your behalf" [11:27] "42 hundred licensed wineries in Napa and Sonoma alone" [12:30] "A warehouse just for wines" [13:17] Interesting marketing case study [16:58] Creating excellent sales funnels [17:56] "Badass!" [18:30] August 2, next-generation launch party [19:31] "Whenever anyone asked me about getting into the wine industry, my very first advice is don't!" [24:27] Cross-market and pollen [25:18] Large fortune [28:10] Secrets of our success YouTube Vidoe Podcast Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV6J7046sew

Guest: South Carolina State Representative, District 89, Micah CaskeyWines: 2020 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc, Gallo Family Chardonnay, 2015 Dept 66 GrenacheWe are joined by S.C. State Representative, Micah Caskey, to discuss the changes made to South Carolina's alcohol licensing regulations as part of the deal that landed what will be the East Coast hub of one of the most well known and largest winemakers in the United States.The majority of Gallo's sales are on the Eastern Coast of the United States. To streamline bottling and distribution operations, they determined an East Coast location was needed. Listen to learn how South Carolina had the competitive advantage over other areas of consideration and what changes to South Carolina State law were needed to finalize the deal.As we taste and rate 3 of their wines, learn about the history of Gallo's worldwide wine empire, the quirks of South Carolina's rules regarding alcohol consumption and distribution as well as why some may have opposed the changes. A fun and informative episode for anyone that loves wine, history and politics!*****************************************************************************Wines To Find Podcast,  Finalist in the 12th Annual TASTE AWARDS  in  four categories. -Best Drink or Beverage Program-Best New Series-Best Single Topic Series-Best Food or Drink PodcastWe have been listed in the Top 30 wine podcasts! https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_podcasts/********************************************Last Bottle:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Last Bottlehttps://www.lastbottlewines.com/invite/69ca77776720dff22ac0.htmlWine Spies:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Wine Spies. www.winespies.com/invites/JoSCw95jDry Farm Wine: Use this link to get an extra bottle of wine for a PENNY, http://dryfarmwines.com/winestofind.SOMM Blinders Gamehttps://bit.ly/3jiyrQIUse Code: WTF20 to get 20% off******************************************************Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)

Guests: 3 Ladies on a Vine's Ayanna and Niambi & Cappy Sorentino of Cappy ShakesWine: Pearls and Kicks RoséTo kick off summer sipping season, we are joined by the blogging team of 3 Ladies on a Vine, sisters Ayanna and Niambi and Cappy Sorentino of Cappy Shakes.Cappy is another success out of Covid-times story. As a bartender in Sonoma, he was faced with the challenge of lockdowns - but didn't let that slow him down. He pivoted to offering his delicious craft cocktails "to-go" and the popularity of having those drinks at home led to the canned cocktail sensation that is Cappy Shakes. Ayanna and Niambi's blog, 3 Ladies on a Vine, features FABULOUS wine based cocktails and we thought what better way to kick off summer sip season than to have them join us to share some fun cocktails and stories of sisterhood. We taste the Pearls and Kicks Rosé during our chat with Ayanna and Niambi.Listen today to hear some fun summer cocktail ideas for your next pool party, boating trip, vacation or just because it's five o'clock somewhere!*****************************************************************************Wines To Find Podcast,  Finalist in the 12th Annual TASTE AWARDS  in  four categories. -Best Drink or Beverage Program-Best New Series-Best Single Topic Series-Best Food or Drink PodcastWe have been listed in the Top 30 wine podcasts! https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_podcasts/********************************************Last Bottle:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Last Bottlehttps://www.lastbottlewines.com/invite/69ca77776720dff22ac0.htmlWine Spies:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Wine Spies. www.winespies.com/invites/JoSCw95jDry Farm Wine: Use this link to get an extra bottle of wine for a PENNY, http://dryfarmwines.com/winestofind.SOMM Blinders Gamehttps://bit.ly/3jiyrQIUse Code: WTF20 to get 20% off******************************************************Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)

Guest: Kathy Clancy of The Natural Wine SchoolWines: Illahe 2019 Grüner Veltliner and 2018 Pinot NoirWe are joined by Kathy Clancy of The Natural Wine School to discuss natural wines. Learn about many of the current wine "buzzwords" such as natural, biodynamic, organic. Kathy shares what to look for on a wine label when searching for natural wines, why natural wines are gaining in popularity and how the farming practices are just as important as the winemaking process in determining just how "natural" a wine is. An interesting lesson on a hot topic, this episode is chock full of information for the wine enthusiast looking to enhance their knowledge of natural wines.Wines To Find Podcast,  Finalist in the 12th Annual TASTE AWARDS  in  four categories. -Best Drink or Beverage Program-Best New Series-Best Single Topic Series-Best Food or Drink PodcastWe have been listed in the Top 30 wine podcasts! https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_podcasts/********************************************Last Bottle:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Last Bottlehttps://www.lastbottlewines.com/invite/69ca77776720dff22ac0.htmlWine Spies:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Wine Spies. www.winespies.com/invites/JoSCw95jDry Farm Wine: Use this link to get an extra bottle of wine for a PENNY, http://dryfarmwines.com/winestofind.SOMM Blinders Gamehttps://bit.ly/3jiyrQIUse Code: WTF20 to get 20% off******************************************************Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)

Guests: Kerith Overstreet of Bruliam Wines, Laura Barret of Clif Family Wines, & Wesley Steffens of Correlation WinesWines Tasted: 2018 Starmont Rosé and 2018 And Why am I Mr. PinkTaped on #NationalRoséDay, this Rosé focused episode shares clips from interviews with three different winemakers on the different processes of making rosé, food pairings and more.  Rosé is often a fun, zippy wine full of flavor and this episode packs the same punch! Fast paced and full of information, this is a great episode to learn more about rosé.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wines To Find Podcast,  Finalist in the 12th Annual TASTE AWARDS  in  four categories. -Best Drink or Beverage Program-Best New Series-Best Single Topic Series-Best Food or Drink PodcastWe have been listed in the Top 30 wine podcasts! https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_podcasts/********************************************Last Bottle:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Last Bottlehttps://www.lastbottlewines.com/invite/69ca77776720dff22ac0.htmlWine Spies:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Wine Spies. www.winespies.com/invites/JoSCw95jDry Farm Wine: Use this link to get an extra bottle of wine for a PENNY, http://dryfarmwines.com/winestofind.SOMM Blinders Gamehttps://bit.ly/3jiyrQIUse Code: WTF20 to get 20% off******************************************************Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)

White wine in cans: a white trash nightmare of alcoholic proportions or the next revolution in fine wine enjoyment? With summer upon us, I found four white wines in cans (well, three whites and one Rosé) and found out for myself. Well, myself and all of you, because I’m assuming that people actually listen to this podcast. The results? Kind of surprising, to be honest. And honesty is the key here: if the wine is dickwash, we call it as such. So grab your beach umbrella, pop the top, and let’s keep this summer rolling! What would a wine podcast be without the wine? Get all the amazing wines we drink on the podcast for up to 70% off retail price! Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin’ the podcast? Then you’re going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

White wine in cans: a white trash nightmare of alcoholic proportions or the next revolution in fine wine enjoyment? With summer upon us, I found four white wines in cans (well, three whites and one Rosé) and found out for myself. Well, myself and all of you, because I'm assuming that people actually listen to this podcast. The results? Kind of surprising, to be honest. And honesty is the key here: if the wine is dickwash, we call it as such. So grab your beach umbrella, pop the top, and let's keep this summer rolling! What would a wine podcast be without the wine? Get all the amazing wines we drink on the podcast for up to 70% off retail price! Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

Guest: Laura Carpenter    Wines: 2028 Semillon, 2020 White Zinfandel and 2018 Sonoma Coast Pinot NoirWe are joined by Laura Carpenter of Carpenter Wines to taste three of their offerings. Laura shares her journey from her beginnings in hospitality, to earning her Level Two Certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers to creating her own wines and label.While Carpenter Wines are Laura's baby, it is not a one-woman operation. Her husband, Jake Hawkes, is the winemaker. Sourcing grapes from their family farm in Alexander Valley, Carpenter Wines harkens back to a by-gone era of California wine country - before it became a massive tourist destination and was simply a community of farmers making and sharing excellent wine.Everything about Carpenter Wines screams authenticity, love of land, family and a true desire to share that love with others through the craftsmanship of making wines that showcase the terroir of the land they cherish.Carpenter Wines, known for their Pinot Noir, represent exactly what we love to share - wines with a story that will please the palate and heart! Listen to hear more - especially about Carpenter's take on that 80's classic - white zinfandel -- it's not what you're thinking!Learn more about Carpenter Wines by visiting their website: www.carpenter wines.com------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wines To Find Podcast,  Finalist in the 12th Annual TASTE AWARDS  in  four categories. -Best Drink or Beverage Program-Best New Series-Best Single Topic Series-Best Food or Drink PodcastWe have been listed in the Top 30 wine podcasts! https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_podcasts/********************************************Last Bottle:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Last Bottlehttps://www.lastbottlewines.com/invite/69ca77776720dff22ac0.htmlWine Spies:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Wine Spies. www.winespies.com/invites/JoSCw95jDry Farm Wine: Use this link to get an extra bottle of wine for a PENNY, http://dryfarmwines.com/winestofind.SOMM Blinders Gamehttps://bit.ly/3jiyrQIUse Code: WTF20 to get 20% off******************************************************Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)

Guest: Sam Parra & Palmetto Wine Sellers Rocky "The Wine Guy"Wines tasted: 2020 Parra Albariño & 2018 Rego Do Sol Albariño  We are joined by Parra Wine Company's owner and winemaker, Sam Parra, to discuss his Willamette Valley Albariño and Palmetto Wine Sellers owner, Rocky "The Wine Guy" to taste an orange Albariño.Listen to learn about the Albariño varietal growing in Oregon, why Sam chose Willamette Valley as his winemaking base (as opposed to his native Napa Valley) and hear how he's turned his one-man, boot-strapped operation into a success.Have you had an orange wine? What are your thoughts on them? Wines To Find has been on the hunt for them! Hear about the orange winemaking process from Rocky Menge, "The Wine Guy".   Do you have any orange wine suggestions? Share them with us!Learn more about Parra Wine Company & Palmetto Wine Sellers  by visiting their websites: parrawineco.com &  www.palmettowinesellers.comWines To Find Podcast,  Finalist in the 12th Annual TASTE AWARDS  in  four categories. -Best Drink or Beverage Program-Best New Series-Best Single Topic Series-Best Food or Drink PodcastWe have been listed in the Top 30 wine podcasts! https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_podcasts/********************************************Wine Spies:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Wine Spies. www.winespies.com/invites/JoSCw95jDry Farm Wine: Use this link to get an extra bottle of wine for a PENNY, http://dryfarmwines.com/winestofind.SOMM Blinders Gamehttps://bit.ly/3jiyrQIUse Code: WTF20 to get 20% off******************************************************Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)

Well, here’s a bit of a touchy subject. Race. So, why is it a touchy subject? Because we don’t talk about it the way it needs to be discussed? Because the events of the last few years have brought long-suppressed problems bubbling to the surface? Or do we simply not know how to start a conversation about race? To jump-start a conversation about race, I enlisted the help of Derrick Johnson, We sat down in front of the mic, did our best to put the slime behind us (listen and you’ll understand what I mean), and start this dialogue from the very beginning: I’m white, you’re black, what does that mean and where do we go from here? What would a wine podcast be without the wine? Get all the amazing wines we drink on the podcast for up to 70% off retail price! Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin’ the podcast? Then you’re going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

Well, here's a bit of a touchy subject. Race. So, why is it a touchy subject? Because we don't talk about it the way it needs to be discussed? Because the events of the last few years have brought long-suppressed problems bubbling to the surface? Or do we simply not know how to start a conversation about race? To jump-start a conversation about race, I enlisted the help of Derrick Johnson, an administrator at Florida College and current Doctoral candidate at the University of South Florida. (He's also a wine guy, and you should follow him on Instagram @100Wines4U). We sat down in front of the mic, did our best to put the slime behind us (listen, and you'll understand what I mean), and start this dialogue from the very beginning: I'm white, you're black, what does that mean, and where do we go from here? What would a wine podcast be without the wine? Get all the amazing wines we drink on the podcast for up to 70% off retail price! Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

Michelle and Sandy are joined by Paul Doroussay of Pierre Clos Imports. Paul grew up in Burgundy, France,  farming and making wine on his family vineyard, Domaine Coteaux des Margots, located in Mâcon , which is in the southern most area of Burgundy, near Beaujolais. The Mâconnais region of France is best known as a great value area for white wines. Being in Burgundy, those white wines are mostly made from Chardonnay varietals.It was always the family plan that he take over the vineyard one day. As part of that plan,  he traveled to the U.S. after finishing wine school for an internship. While in the U.S. he met his future wife and that changed all those plans! Now, he is an importer of French wines, living happily in California wine country. A treat for WTF listeners, this is an insider's perspective of winemaking from two of the world's most renowned wine growing  regions. As they taste two of his family's wines, a Chardonnay and a Gamay, Paul shares first-hand accounts of the recent freeze in France, how that impacted not only his family's vineyard but so many across France, the difficulty in being a small producer anywhere in the world and the differences between the U.S. and French winemaking industries. Listen today to hear more!!Wines To Find Podcast,  Finalist in the 12th Annual TASTE AWARDS  in  four categories. -Best Drink or Beverage Program-Best New Series-Best Single Topic Series-Best Food or Drink PodcastWe have been listed in the Top 30 wine podcasts! https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_podcasts/********************************************Wine Spies:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Wine Spies. www.winespies.com/invites/JoSCw95jDry Farm Wine: Use this link to get an extra bottle of wine for a PENNY, http://dryfarmwines.com/winestofind.SOMM Blinders Gamehttps://bit.ly/3jiyrQIUse Code: WTF20 to get 20% off******************************************************Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)

In case I haven't mentioned it a few hundred times, summer is my favorite time of year. Last week, Carrie Flaspohler and I talked about our favorite summer wines. This week, DJ White Chocolate drops by to talk about the best music for summer. I produced this episode so you can listen to the music in its entirety with minimal talking, so it's perfect to crank up and chill to with a glass of Hawk and Horse Petite Sirah. Here's to the vibes (and the wines) of summer! What would a wine podcast be without the wine? Get the Hawk and Horse Petite Sirah for 50% off retail price! Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

In case I haven’t mentioned it a few hundred times, summer is my favorite time of year. Last week, Carrie Flaspohler and I talked about our favorite summer wines. This week, DJ White Chocolate drops by to talk about the best music for summer. I produced this episode so you can listen to the music in its entirety with minimal talking, so it’s perfect to crank up and chill to with a glass of Hawk and Horse Petite Sirah. Here’s the vibes (and the wines) of summer! What would a wine podcast be without the wine? Get the Hawk and Horse Petite Sirah for 50% off retail price! Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin’ the podcast? Then you’re going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

Hosts Sandy and Michelle are joined by Jeff Cohn of Jeff Cohn Cellars and Anthony Yount of Kinero Cellars in this special episode. With each winemaker interview, WTF always asks - what wines  can be found on YOUR kitchen table at night? This episode is an in-depth look into what these two winemakers look for in a wine, whether they are making it OR tasting it. As they taste through 2 of each other's wines, hear the admiration and respect each has for the other. Learn how Jeff Cohn approaches making wine from the 100+ year old zinfandel vines at St. Peter's Church Vineyard and why the Zinfandel from that vineyard is one of the only zins Anthony truly appreciates.  In turn, Jeff enthuses over Anthony's approach to all things winemaking from the labels on his bottles to the complex delicacy found inside.Filled with warm stories of mentorship, family and the wine-making process, this episode reflects the love of wine and mutual admiration winemakers have for each other. Like a great glass of wine,  it will put a smile on your face and warmth in your heart - listen today!Wines To Find Podcast,  Finalist in the 12th Annual TASTE AWARDS  in  four categories. -Best Drink or Beverage Program-Best New Series-Best Single Topic Series-Best Food or Drink PodcastWe have been listed in the Top 30 wine podcasts! https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_podcasts/********************************************Wine Spies:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Wine Spies. www.winespies.com/invites/JoSCw95jDry Farm Wine: Use this link to get an extra bottle of wine for a PENNY, http://dryfarmwines.com/winestofind.SOMM Blinders Gamehttps://bit.ly/3jiyrQIUse Code: WTF20 to get 20% off******************************************************Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)

Summertime and the living is easy. And what makes it easy? Wine. Summer is the turbo-charged Cleveland V-8 of seasons, and wine is its high-octane fuel. Better still, this summer we don't have to drink through a mask, and we can go back to invading each other's personal space. On this episode, I am once again joined by Friend of The Pod Carrie Flaspohler to count down the top four wines of summer and our favorite summer activities to pair with them. The best wines for summer are always the wines you choose, but just in case you're looking for something new, exciting, refreshing (and probably cheap), have a listen and stock up. What would a wine podcast be without the wine? Get all the amazing wines we drink on the podcast for up to 70% off retail price! Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

Summertime and the living is easy. And what makes it easy? Wine. Summer is the turbo-charged Cleveland V-8 of seasons, and wine is its high-octane fuel. Better still, this summer we don’t have to drink through a mask, and we can go back to invading each other’s personal space. On this episode, I am once again joined by Friend of The Pod Carrie Flaspohler to count down the top four wines of summer and our favorite summer activities to pair with them. The best wines for summer are always the wines you choose, but just in case you’re looking for something new, exciting, refreshing (and probably cheap), have a listen and stock up. What would a wine podcast be without the wine? Get all the amazing wines we drink on the podcast for up to 70% off retail price! Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin’ the podcast? Then you’re going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

MJ’s guest this week is Jane Lopes and Jonathan Ross, the creators of LEGEND Imports. Jane and Jonathan share a combined six years of work in Australia’s most renowned restaurants, and nearly 40 years in the wine industry. Jane has worked at many prestigious restaurants and bars, such as The Violet Hour (Chicago), The Catbird Seat (Nashville), Eleven Madison Park (New York) and Attica (Melbourne).In 2018, Jane passed the Master Sommelier exam, becoming one of only 35 women in the world to do so. Jonathan was a member of the award-winning wine team at Eleven Madison Park starting in 2012, and held the title of Head Sommelier from 2015. In Australia, Jonathan took on the role of Beverage Director for the premium restaurants of the world-renowned Rockpool Group. In 2020, Jane and Jonathan returned to the U.S. and started LEGEND Imports, a new wine import and wholesale company that brings the very best of Australian wine to the American market. MJ dives deeper into the artisanal Australian wine scene during his conversation with Jane and Jonathan, including the sampling of a 100 year old Port by Seppeltsfield that was absolutely gob smacking delicious!Grab a glass, pop a cork and get cozy for this one folks. A huge thank you to Jane Lopes and Jonathan Ross!Follow LEGEND Imports on IG @auswinelegends Discover LEGEND Imports producers and partners at: https://legendaustralia.com/ This episode’s in studio wine:2012 Henskens Rankin of Tasmania1920 Seppeltsfield Centennial Collection___________________________________________________________Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers and wine drinkers! Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at Blackwineguy.comFollow MJ @blackwineguy Thank you to our sponsor Wine Spies! Get a discount for being a listener of the show by going to: www.winespies.com/blackwineguy Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media. www.necessarymediaproductions.com@necessary_media_ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hosts Sandy and Michelle are joined by one of Last Bottle Wines' owners, Stefan Blicker,  to discuss their TEN YEAR anniversary, selection process and how online retailers such as Last Bottle add value to the wine consumer.In TEN years of searching the globe for great value wine, one tends to accumulate some incredible stories. Listen to hear how Last Bottle Wines last buying trip at the beginning of the pandemic turned out (hint, it involves only 36 hours in France, 129 bottles of wine and a mad dash to Paris).Stefan also shares his wine story and how the mission of Last Bottle Wines to select great wines to share at an awesome value was born. For anyone looking for a resource for value wines, this is a great listen - check it out today!Wines To Find Podcast,  Finalist in the 12th Annual TASTE AWARDS  in  four categories. -Best Drink or Beverage Program-Best New Series-Best Single Topic Series-Best Food or Drink PodcastWe have been listed in the Top 30 wine podcasts! https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_podcasts/********************************************Wine Spies:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Wine Spies. www.winespies.com/invites/JoSCw95jDry Farm Wine: Use this link to get an extra bottle of wine for a PENNY, http://dryfarmwines.com/winestofind.SOMM Blinders Gamehttps://bit.ly/3jiyrQIUse Code: WTF20 to get 20% off******************************************************Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)

Weed growers have rejoiced ever since cannabis was legalized in 2016. Since then, a new kind of Gold Rush has come to Northern California. The pot industry has boomed, resulting in nearly $2B of additional tax revenue to the state annually. But does this windfall come at a cost for California's grape growers and wineries? How much farm property can be bought up as grow lots? And are the risks that weed farms pose to some of California's finest appellations a cautionary tale to other states considering legalization? We talk to wine writer, marketer, and friend of the pod Kathleen Wilcox, whose recent article in Wine Searcher exposed the risks that grape growers and wineries face. As more weed growers stake their claim in prime agricultural land, will vineyards be affected by smell and terpene drift? I also continue my dive into springtime wines with the delicious 2019 JACK Winery Two Old Dogs Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Get it from The Wine Spies using this link. Pairs With Life - The Novel - is now available in HARD COVER! Get it here!

Weed growers have rejoiced ever since cannabis was legalized in 2016. Since then, a new kind of Gold Rush has come to Northern California. The pot industry has boomed, resulting in nearly $2B of additional tax revenue to the state annually. But does this windfall come at a cost for California’s grape growers and wineries? How much farm property can be bought up as grow lots? And are the risks that weed farms pose to some of California’s finest appellations a cautionary tale to other states considering legalization? We talk to wine writer, marketer, and friend of the pod Kathleen Wilcox, whose recent article in Wine Searcher exposed the risks that grape growers and wineries face. As more weed growers stake their claim in prime agricultural land, will vineyards be affected by smell and terpene drift? I also continue my dive into springtime wines with the delicious 2019 JACK Winery Two Old Dogs Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Get it from The Wine Spies using this link. Pairs With Life – The Novel – is now available in HARD COVER! Get it here!

Hosts Sandy and Michelle are joined by Tank Garage Winery's Ed Feuchuk while tasting three of Tank's offerings: Forever Baby Rosé, Little Secrets Beaujolais and the Self Love Red Blend.Tank Garage Winery is one of Napa's more unique wineries with a fresh take on the traditional tasting atmosphere. Located in a vintage gas station, focused on multiple small batch releases per year with pop-culture inspired labels and giving back to the community, Tank sets themselves apart in every aspect of their business. Hear from Ed how Tank got started,  how they fulfill their mission on a daily basis and why they call themselves Dreamers.Tank Garage Winery's commitment to giving back is what brought them onto the Wines To Find radar as a portion of the proceeds  from sales of the Self Love Red Blend are being donated to a mental health cause. May is Mental Health Awareness month so it is the perfect time to shine a light on Tank's commitment to giving back while highlighting an issue that needs more attention. Listen today to learn more.Wines To Find Podcast,  Finalist in the 12th Annual TASTE AWARDS  in  four categories. -Best Drink or Beverage Program-Best New Series-Best Single Topic Series-Best Food or Drink PodcastWe have been listed in the Top 30 wine podcasts! https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_podcasts/********************************************Wine Spies:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Wine Spies. www.winespies.com/invites/JoSCw95jDry Farm Wine: Use this link to get an extra bottle of wine for a PENNY, http://dryfarmwines.com/winestofind.SOMM Blinders Gamehttps://bit.ly/3jiyrQIUse Code: WTF20 to get 20% off******************************************************Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)

MJ’s guest today is German wine lover, expert, avid vinyl fanatic and best known to listeners by his IG handle Soil Pimp, Robert Dentice. When not toiling away during the day financing Biotech companies he can frequently be found visiting the world’s greatest vineyards and winemakers - particularly in Germany. His wine collection is primarily focused on Germany and could easily be one of the largest and deepest collections of German wine in the U.S. Robert formed Source | Material to share and awaken fellow wine lovers to all that is German viticulture. MJ gets the inside scoop on all the things that bring Robert joy - playlists, wine pairings and epic tasting parties. Robert’s in studio wine choices - all three bottles - sets the stage for this epic master class in German wines. A huge thank you to Robert Dentice!Follow him on IG @soilpimpLearn, discover and purchase world class, curated German wines at: https://sourcematerialwine.com/Follow them on IG @sourcematerialwineThis episode’s in studio wine:KellerG-MaxRiesling, 2015SteinWeihwasserRiesling Feinherb, 2019Fritz Ekkehard HuffNierstein, 2019_______________________________________________________Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers and wine drinkers! Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at Blackwineguy.comFollow MJ @blackwineguy Thank you to our sponsor Wine Spies! Get a discount for being a listener of the show by going to: www.winespies.com/blackwineguy Love this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media. www.necessarymediaproductions.com@necessary_media_ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hawk and Horse Cabernet? Pairs with the shit you wanna say. That’s right, grab yourself a glass of Hawk and Horse Cabernet Sauvignon, compose your thoughts for a two-minute gripe, and get on the soapbox. There have been things on my mind as of late, so I decided to do a marathon session on the soapbox. Don’t worry, each grievance is still only two minutes long, so if one offends your delicate sensibilities, you can fast-forward to the next. Oh, and my cat gets in on the action, too, ’cause everyone’s got something to bitch about around here, though some of us are less concerned about Cat Chow vs. Iams. Want to get your hands on this amazing 2012 Hawk and Horse Cabernet Sauvignon? Get all the amazing wines we drink on the podcast for up to 70% off retail price! Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. The HARDCOVER edition of the book is now available! Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

Hosts Sandy and Michelle are joined by the co-hosts of the popular podcast Music in the Bottle, Darryl Matthews and Jamele Favorite, to discuss the impact music has on the taste of wine. Many studies have been conducted to prove and understand the correlation between music and wine tasting. Listen to learn what music harshens certain elements of wine and what music enhances the experience of a tasting.Follow along as four wines are tasted: two German Sekts (a Riesling and an Elbling) and two Cru Bourgeois while discussing the various studies, impacts of music on wine tasting and the curated playlist Darryl and Jamele created for another Wines To Find "experiment" experience. For your own experiment, the playlist is available on Spotify, iTunes and Tidal -- search Wines To Find x Music in the Bottle to listen.Wines To Find Podcast,  Finalist in the 12th Annual TASTE AWARDS  in  four categories. -Best Drink or Beverage Program-Best New Series-Best Single Topic Series-Best Food or Drink PodcastWe have been listed in the Top 30 wine podcasts! https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_podcasts/********************************************Wine Spies:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Wine Spies. www.winespies.com/invites/JoSCw95jDry Farm Wine: Use this link to get an extra bottle of wine for a PENNY, http://dryfarmwines.com/winestofind.SOMM Blinders Gamehttps://bit.ly/3jiyrQIUse Code: WTF20 to get 20% off******************************************************Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)

Hawk and Horse Cabernet? Pairs with the shit you wanna say. That's right, grab yourself a glass of Hawk and Horse Cabernet Sauvignon, compose your thoughts for a two-minute gripe, and get on the soapbox. There have been things on my mind as of late, so I decided to do a marathon session on the soapbox. Don't worry, each grievance is still only two minutes long, so if one offends your delicate sensibilities, you can fast-forward to the next. Oh, and my cat gets in on the action, too, 'cause everyone's got something to bitch about around here, though some of us are less concerned about Cat Chow vs. Iams. Get all the amazing wines we drink on the podcast for up to 70% off retail price! Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. The HARDCOVER edition of the book is now available! Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

MJ’s guest this week is Chef Michelangelo Wescott. He is the chef and owner of Gypsy Apple Bistro, a French inspired restaurant located in the foothills of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. They were listed as one of Eater’s 38 most important restaurants in New England. Born in Fort Greene, Brooklyn in the early 70s, he and his brother were raised by their parents (both immigrants) in a community surrounded by food culture. In 2016 he overcame a battle with stomach cancer and is currently on a major upswing from a rare tick-bourne blood infection. Chef and MJ have been friends for years. In this lively, overdue reunion they discuss everything from Chef’s beginnings in Fort Greene, BK to his many cooking jobs and the often larger than life characters that have shaped his career. There is passionate, real talk about racism, bingeable Hulu recommendations and inspirational tales of triumph over adversity. So “do the right thing” and take a listen! A huge thank you to Chef Wescott!Follow him on IG @chefwescottCheck out his acclaimed restaurant Gypsy Apple Bistro at: https://www.gypsyapplebistro.com/ Follow Gypsy Apple Bistro @gypsyapplebistroThis episode’s in studio wine:Robert Biale VineyardsZinfandelBlack Chicken Napa Valley, 2007___________________________________________________________________Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers and wine drinkers! Don’t forget to subscribe and be sure to give The Black Wine Guy Experience a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show sign up at Blackwineguy.comFollow MJ @blackwineguy Thank you to our sponsor Wine Spies! Get a discount for being a listener of the show by going to: www.winespies.com/blackwineguyLove this podcast? Love the cool content? Get a producer like mine by reaching out to the badass team at Necessary Media. www.necessarymediaproductions.com@necessary_media_ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hosts Sandy and Michelle discuss returning to tastings with the five wines served at their Red Carpet Party Tasting Event celebrating their being finalists in four categories of The Taste Awards. The five wines were:  Mas Fi Cava Brut NV, Les Pouches Saumur Chenin Blanc 2018, Les Hauts de Plateaux Rosé 2019, Centopassi Giato Rosso 2018, Terranoble Gran Reserva Carmènére 2017. Listen to learn which was the overall crowd favorite.They are joined by David and Laurie Fortunato, creators of the SipperParty which features a kit and smart-phone app for at home tasting parties - with a twist. Learn about their invention and how they created a way to "win" at a wine tastings while hearing about David and Laurie's LEGENDARY tasting events - 100 bottles of Bordeaux say what?!?Also learn about the smart phone apps that will help you choose that winning wine, catalogue your cellar, or know the perfect time to taste that bottle aging in your cellar.Special thanks to all who joined the Wines To Find cru at their Red Carpet Tasting Event, especially The Haven for providing the space and the listeners who joined the celebration.Wines To Find Podcast,  Finalist in the 12th Annual TASTE AWARDS  in  four categories. -Best Drink or Beverage Program-Best New Series-Best Single Topic Series-Best Food or Drink PodcastWe have been listed in the Top 30 wine podcasts! https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_podcasts/********************************************Wine Spies:Use this link to get $10 off your first purchase at Wine Spies. www.winespies.com/invites/JoSCw95jDry Farm Wine: Use this link to get an extra bottle of wine for a PENNY, http://dryfarmwines.com/winestofind.SOMM Blinders Gamehttps://bit.ly/3jiyrQIUse Code: WTF20 to get 20% off******************************************************Music from https://filmmusic.io "Night In Venice" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) .Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/winestofind)

Earlier this month, Yao Family Wines in Napa became the first winery in history to release a wine online with an NFT (a non-fungible token). Will this revolutionary new way of releasing and marketing wine be the wave of the future? Are blockchain and cryptocurrency the next step for serious wine collectors? This week, I sit down with Yao Family’s Director of Marketing, Bill Sanders, to talk about how NFTs and the blockchain may not only mean the end of counterfeit wines, but be the beginning of an entirely new way of buying, selling and collecting wine. The incredible DRNK Chardonnay I sip on this episode will be available April 24th through The Wine Spies. Avoid the FOMO and sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies by clicking here. Diggin’ the podcast? Then you’re going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

Earlier this month, Yao Family Wines in Napa became the first winery in history to release a wine online with an NFT (a non-fungible token). Will this revolutionary new way of releasing and marketing wine be the wave of the future? Are blockchain and cryptocurrency the next step for serious wine collectors? This week, I sit down with Yao Family's Director of Marketing, Bill Sanders, to talk about how NFTs and the blockchain may not only mean the end of counterfeit wines, but be the beginning of an entirely new way of buying, selling, and collecting wine. Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies by clicking here. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

Actually, you're not supposed to drink Chateau Diana Zinfandel (or any other wine for that matter) when you get your vaccine shot. But the mere fact that I'm finally getting the shot is reason to celebrate...so why am I feeling so anxious? In this episode, I take you along on my First Shot Journey, and figure out in real-time why I'm panicking about something for which I should feel nothing but excitement. I also interview Kathleen Wilcox and Robin Shreeves, two amazing wine writers who have formed a new company, Thinking Outside The bottle. We discuss how this innovative business uses storytelling to provide content for small wineries, and what the post-COVID wine world may look like. Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

"Am I the asshole?" AITA questions are a moral conundrum. But when you've got questions, we've got answers. Carrie Flaspohler, better known as the Instagram Wine Queen @drinkwithcarrie, joins me to wrap up this 2-part series on AITA questions submitted by listeners. Am I the asshole? Well, I'm not, but you certainly might be, especially if you don't buy this week's incredible wine. It's the 2018 "UN" Uva Nocturna Garnacha, and like everything from the Wine Spies, it rocks. Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

We've all had that situation where we've made a tough call in a personal situation and are left asking, "wait a sec...am I the asshole?" In fact, it's what I love most about the original Star Trek. Captain Kirk, exhausted from screwing aliens from one side of the galaxy to the other, inadvertently puts the fate of an entire civilization at risk, then at the end of the show asks, am I the asshole? Self-reflection. It's what separates us from cats. For this episode (and the next), I am joined by East Coast Wine Maven Carrie Flaspohler, known far and wide throughout Instagramland as @drinkwithcarrie. Together, we pass judgment both righteous and flawless on four AITA scenarios sent in by listeners. Throughout the episode, we put our Doctorates in Psychology to the test, and we fail horribly. Because neither of us have a PhD. Duh. But we do have wine surging through our veins, which means we must be smart, wise, and incredibly funny. Want to get the delicious 2016 Sebastiani Gravel Bed Red I'm drinking on this week's episode? Get all the amazing wines we drink on the podcast for up to 70% off retail price! Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

While tasting this amazing 2016 Janzen Cabernet, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Not with the wine—it's another spectacular find from The Wine Spies—but with me. Something empty. Something angsty. I realized I'd been at this desk and in the house and in my head for so many months now, I lost something. So I went to go find it... Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

Wine and sex have been a winning combination for the last 8,000 years. Turns out some guy in South Caucasus decided the Best Date Night Ever would be to dig up the grape juice he buried the winter before and drink it under the stars. And what do you know? He totally got laid and the rest is history. On this week's episode, we look at the mystique of wine and sex through the lens of research and science. The result? Three of the most fascinating facts about two of the world's favorite pastimes. So, put on some Barry White, pour yourself a glass of this delicious 2017 Skinner Vineyards Grenache, and let the (grape) juices flow. Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

For me, there's nothing like a glass of 2016 Dow Port Wine to get the music-juices flowing. So when I got to pop open a bottle of this amazing 98-Point vintage, I knew it was time to start spinning. Spinning records, that is. In this week's episode, I play some of the best new music I've been listening to. Songs by Pinegrove, The Sevs and the incredible Mayer Hawthorne. Then it's time to turn the Wayback Machine to the 90s for some of my faves you may have never heard of: Mary Carves The Chicken, Holy Toast, and this one-hit-wonder Seattle band called Reality Star. Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies by clicking here. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

Stories from the edge: Wasted. Wasting time. Wasted days and wasted nights. In this first part of a four-part series, we listen to stories from the edge centered around a common theme: Wasted. I am joined by storytellers Stuart Jacobson and Miyo Yamauchi, as well as a visit by my brother Dave Taylor. We discuss all things associated with that altered state of mind and feared (or embraced?) state of life. Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies by clicking here. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

Everybody's got one: the super weird neighbor who says super weird stuff and does super weird things. My fossilized-dog loving, babyless baby carriage-strolling neighbor is mine. And things just get even weirder from there... I also have a few big announcements to share, and a Soapbox to get on, and an awesome new website to talk about! Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies by clicking here. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.

On October 29th, 2020, an article appeared in the New York Times reporting on widespread sexual harassment of Master Sommelier candidates and other women affiliated with the Court. Unfortunately, most women saw this as just another day in the wine business, if not corporate American in general. On this week's episode, I have a conversation with Melanie Ofenloch, wine writer for the blog Dallas Wine Chick, about how widespread sexual harassment is in the wine industry and how it managed to reach the most upper echelons of our business. Get all the amazing wines we drink on the podcast for up to 70% off retail price! Sign up for daily, no-obligation offers from The Wine Spies. Click here to sign up. Diggin' the podcast? Then you're going to love the book. Check out Pairs With Life, the debut fiction novel by host John Taylor.