Court of Wine (Tony Notto)

Incredibly fun discussion to kick off the first Court of Wine with amazing panelists:

Liz Barrett - https://whatsinthatbottle.com/

Sarita Cheaves - https://www.vinemeupdc.com/ and https://soundcloud.com/swirl-suite

Sandra Everingham - https://www.risingwinescollective.com/

Recorded 24 August, 2022

We discuss news and topics from the following articles:

Author: W. Blake Gray

Publication: Wine-Searcher

Date: July 18, 2022

Title: Direct Wine Shipping Comes Under Fire

URL: https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2022/07/direct-wine-shipping-comes-under-fire

Author: Paul Vigna

Publication: Pennlive.com

Date: July 15, 2022

Title: Wine Enthusiast decision has more than a few states feeling left out

URL: https://www.pennlive.com/food/2022/07/wine-enthusiast-decision-has-more-than-a-few-states-feeling-left-out.html

Author: Press Release

Publication: Wine Industry Advisor

Date: July 26, 2022

Title: Woodbridge® Debuts First-to-Market Wine Sodas 

URL: https://wineindustryadvisor.com/2022/07/26/woodbridge-debuts-first-to-market-wine-sodas

Author: Harpers Editorial team

Publication: Harpers

Date: July 15, 2022

Title: Friday read: Why bulk is the hot ticket in the face of climate change

URL: https://harpers.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/30467/Friday_read:_Why_bulk_is_the_hot_ticket_in_the_face_of_climate_change.html

This week we are talking about Alexander Valley AVA.  Alexander Valley AVA is a Californian American Viticultural Area located in the northern end of Sonoma County. It is the largest and most fully planted wine region in Sonoma with 14,449 acres of vines out of 32,536 acres of land.

Wine Recommendations

Alexander Valley Vineyards Rose 2017 - priced around $15.

• Bright pink rose wine with aromas of strawberries, watermelon, raspberries and minerality
• It’s dry, unoaked style rose that has a light body, medium plus acidity with flavors similar to aromas - strawberries, watermelon and minerality
• Love the intense aromas and flavors
• This is everything I want in a rose - crisp, fruity, refreshing, takes my mind to summertime

Broc Cellars Carignan 2013 - priced around $30.

• Red wine with aromas of cran-cherries, cloves and dusty earth
• It’s dry with medium acidity, tannins and body with flavors of cherries, mint and leather
• Very approachable, interesting, unique wine - not a lot of old vine Carignan out there in California

Sources

• Wikipedia 
• Alexander Valley Wine Growners 
• Wine-Searcher 
• Book: American Wine by Jancis Robinson and Linda Murphy

Time for us to catch up on some wine news! Check out the links below to read the articles feature in this episode.

• Deadly fires hit wine regions in Spain and Portugal by Amanda Barns from Decanter, October 19, 2017

• Sorting Fact from Fiction: An Important Message from Wine Road Executive Director, Beth Costa, About the Wildfire Situation in Sonoma County Wine Country from the Wine Industry Network, October 18, 2017

• Amazon Dealt a Distribution Blow by W. Blake Gray from Wine-Searcher, September 29th, 2017

• Should City put stopper on tasting rooms? by Jason Walsh from the Sonoma INDEX-TRIBUNE, September 21, 2017

• Tasting room embargo sours over recusals by Jason Walsh from the Sonoma INDEX-TRIBUNE, October 3, 2017

• European vine rules stunt Italian winemakers' ambitions by Isla Binnie
  from Reuters, October 4, 2017

• Study Reveals That Wines Sealed with Cork Are Perceived as 15% Better in Quality Than Screwcap a Press Release from the Wine Industry Network Advisor, September 27, 2017

Thanks to our sponsor Sudio! Check out their website for more information about their amazing headphones and use the discount code WINESHOW15 to receive 15% off your order as well as free shipping worldwide.

This week we are talking about the Wagram wine region which is a viticultural region on the banks of the Danube River in northeastern Austria.

Wine Recommendations

Wimmer Czerny Familien Wagram Roter Veltliner 2017 - priced around $22. 

• This wine has a Pale lemon color white wine with aromas of golden apple, lemon, honeysuckle and minerality
• It’s dry with medium light body, medium plus acidity and flavors similar to aromas - lemon peel, honeysuckle and minerality
• This wine is fruity and crisp with some beautiful floral notes and a nice long finish

Josef Ehmoser “Wagram Terrassen” Gruner Veltliner 2018 - priced around $18. 

• Aromas of lemon, lime, peach, orange blossom and minerality
• It’s dry with medium acidity and flavors of peach, minerality, white flowers and lemon rind on the finish
• Fruit, crisp and a really lovely long finish
•  Food pairings: Appetizers, spring salads, delicate fish and other similarly light dishes

Sources:

• Austrian Wine 
• Wine-Searcher 

This week’s episode features our interview with Wayne Bailey, owner and winegrower at Youngberg Hill.

“Youngberg Hill creates authentic wines and experiences in our tasting room and Inn that will have you fall in love with life again." Oregon’s premier wine country estate and one of Wine Spectator’s favorite locations; set on a 50-acre hilltop surrounded by exquisite vineyards and views. We have an amazing 28-year old vineyard that is farmed organically. We are well known for producing award winning wines. As passionate farmers and winemakers we are thrilled to share, educate, and talk wine. We care for our wine and guests with respect. We are proud of our ‘Green’ approach to wine country living and look forward to sharing it with you.”

Wine featured in this episode: these wines were sent to us for free by Youngberg Hill.

Youngberg Hill Chardonnay 2015

• Light nose of toast, toasted marshmallow and flowers
• It’s dry with medium bodied, medium acidity with flavors of grapefruit pith, cheese, vanilla and a little smoke
• The oak is there but not heavy handed
• Priced around $40

Youngberg Hill Nastasha Pinot Noir 2014

• Beautiful ruby color
• Aromas of black cherry and dusty earth
• It’s dry with light tannins and medium plus, almost high acidity with flavors of black cherry, black plum, earth/dry dirt, dried herbs with a long finish
• To me, this is a real fruit forward, juicy black fruit wine, although a light bodied wine - it’s more ripe Pinot Noir - like Wayne said 2014 was a warmer year in Willamette
• Priced around $50

Youngberg Hill Jordan Pinot Noir 2014

• This block of vineyards is pretty much right next to the Nastasha block.
• Aromas of candied black cherry, sweet baking spice like cloves and star anise and dried earth
• It’s dry, light bodied with light tannins, medium plus acidity and flavors of black plum, black cherry, earth/ forest floor, and mushroom on the finish
• Similar to the Nastasha but more earthy flavors vs. fruit
• Priced around $50

You can learn more about these wines and purchase them here

We’re coming up to our 100th episode and to celebrate, we want to make you part of the show! Call into our new voicemail and tell us how the podcast has impacted you, or a short, fun story from your wine journey, or something you’ve learned about wine that’s made a difference for you. The number to call is 937-889-WINE (937-889-9463).  If you can’t leave a voicemail, you are welcome to email us at weeklywineshow@gmail.com.

Time for us to catch up on some wine news! Check out the links below to read the articles feature in this episode.

• Sonoma’s city council imposes moratorium on new tasting rooms By CHRISTIAN KALLEN in the Sonoma News, December 11, 2017

• Esteemed California Sustainable Winegrowing Program Lodi Rules™ Goes International by Wine Industry Network, January 17, 2018

• Bogle Requires Certification Winery says grapegrowers must abide by Lodi Rules by Jane Firstenfeld, Wines and Vines, January 4th, 2018

• Wine and liquor fraud: NY state fines big alcohol distributor in 'pay to play' scheme by Don Cazentre, Syracuse.com December 20, 2017

• Walgreens is Now a National Drop-off Location for Wine by Liza B. Zimmerman, winebusiness.com December 11, 2017

• A $1,000 bottle of wine grows in Brooklyn on a first-of-its-kind rooftop vine
  by Rene Brinkley, CNBC November 16, 2017

• Calling time on the Champagne flute by Felicity Carter, Meininger's Wine Business International, November 30, 2017

This week we talk recent wines news. Below are the articles that inspired this episode's topics.

California wine's new paradigm: Bright, juicy, translucent reds

Esther Mobley March 21, 2019 San Francisco Chronicle

Southern Oregon growers fight Willamette Valley wine purity proposals

By Pete Danko  – Staff Reporter, Portland Business Journal Mar 21, 2019

Texas wine group wants to keep California grapes out of their bottles

Lynn Brezosky April 25, 2019 San Antonio Express News

Nine Spanish producers to leave the Cava DO

Richard Woodard, February 1, 2019 Decanter

The Danger of Biased Drinking Studies

By Liza B. Zimmerman | Posted Saturday, 02-Mar-2019, Wine-Searcher

The campaign to make alcohol ‘the new tobacco’

by Christopher Snowdon 28th March 2019, Spector Health

Very Good Dogs Sniff Out TCA Taint, Rescue Wine

February 14, 2019 Wine Spectator

Welcome to week two of our Australian wine series. This week we are discovering wines from the state of Victoria.

In this episode we discuss:

• Victoria's has a lot of wine diversity and a lot of wineries
• A little wine history
• Lots of wine zones/regions and a few facts about each area

Wine Recommendation (yes we didn't talk about Shiraz, don't hate on me)

Frisk Prickly Riesling 2017 - priced around $12. This actually a blend of 85% Riesling, 10% Muscat Gordo, and 5% Gewurztraminer. This wine has aromas of pear, white lilies, lemon and wax or lanolin. It's slightly fizzy, off dry with medium acidity and flavors are more citrus driven versus on the nose we thought the pear and flowers were more intense.  All the flavor in this wine are in balance with each other. It has 10% ABV, it’s right on the cusp for pairing with spicy food. We really enjoyed this wine with Mexican food that had green bell peppers and jalapenos which can often be difficult in pairing with wine. I would describe this wine as soft and lovely which is not what people expect from Australian wine.

You can purchase this wine here

The Verdict Shinas Estate 2014 - priced around $25. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine has a medium intense nose of juicy black fruit - blackberries, black plum and black currants, with dusty earth and a herbal quality like fresh fennel. It's dry, with medium plus acidity, medium tannins and flavors of those black fruits but a savory undercurrent of soy sauce and mushrooms with a dried herb finish like bay leaves. If you are a California cab person you will really enjoy this wine - it’s big, bold with lots of juicy fruit flavors. A very affordable option, we thought it was better than a lot of cabs we have had at some higher prices so a great value.

You can purchase this wine here!

Chambers Rosewood Vineyards Rutherglen Muscat NV - priced around $18. Produced from Muscat a Petit Grains, or Brown Muscat as it’s commonly known, this wine has aromas of dried apricots and paypa. It's sweet, with flavors of golden raisins, honey, dried apricots and pecans almost praline like. This wine is dessert by itself and it has 18% ABV but doesn’t taste boozy so be aware and consume responsibly.

You can buy this wine here!

This episode is an introduction to who we are and what is this podcast all about!

This week we are talking about Tokaji wine region in northeast Hungary.

Wine Recommendations

 Kiralyudvar Pezsgő Henye Sparkling 2015 - priced around $29.

• Medium golden colored wine 
• Aromas of golden apples, pears and fresh baked bread
• It’s dry with medium plus to high acidity with flavors of lime pith, toast and apple
• Great with a double cream brie cheese
• Crisp, fruity and bready and even with some age still have quite a bit of acidity

Megyer Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos 2013 - priced around $50.

• Winery Direct selection from Total Wine
• Deep gold hue with aromas of golden raisins, honey, dried apricots and dry hay
• This is a very sweet wine with flavors similar to aromas 
• This is a real treat and great with buttermilk blue cheese or a great dessert on it’s own

Sources

• Wine Folly 
• Wine-Searcher 
• Book: The Oxford Companion to Wine
• Book: The World Atlas of Wine

This week is all about Zin!!!

*Note: If you’re just here looking for that offer link Tony mentioned, feel free to skip to the last paragraph. 

Have you tried any wine clubs? We've tried a couple wine clubs or club-like retailers and were not thrilled but over the last year we've been testing out Naked Wines. If you've wondered whether a wine club could be valuable and worthwhile, Naked Wines might be your answer.

SPOILER ALERT: At the end of this episode, we're going to share an offer from Naked Wines that they give its members to share the service. You'll get a big discount on wine and we get a little bit too if you sign up, so feel free to consider this episode like advertising. That being said, if you've listened to Weekly Wine Show for any length of time, you know we have only accepted advertisements for a couple of episodes. We're extremely picky about what brands we represent and we need to be willing to spend our own money on that item or service if there's a chance our words would influence others to do the same. And in fact, over the last year or so, we've sent over $500 of our own money the way of Naked Wines, and now we're ready to tell you about our experience. 

So what is Naked Wines and how does it work?

Naked Wines is a "customer-funded wine business". Club members, who they call "angels" pay a deposit of $40 per month in their naked wines account. This money sits in the Angels' account as a balance until they use it to purchase wines. But while it's there, Naked Wines uses it to fund winemakers up-front to be able to make wines, many wines which otherwise might never be.

The interesting part of this funding model is many winemakers work for other people and don't get to put their name on the label. They may not have the funds to invest in their own grapes, barrels, storage, and all the other costs involved in making wine, much less their cost of living while those wines are being made.

The situation might be even a bit dire, like the story of winemaker Katie Jones. If you want to hear more about her story check out the video from Naked Wines. 

So far, according to their website, they have funded 159 independent winemakers in 14 countries. These direct relationships with winemakers results in lower costs for us because they benefit from economics of scale for buying wine bottling supplies. Also, since they're the considered the winery, there isn't the markup from a distributor and a retailer. They call it "wholesale prices".

So what do we like about Naked Wines?

First of all, you pick the wine you get, how much, and when (Not like other clubs that send to you on schedule). You order this wine from your house (you don't even have to put pants on) making it super convenient. Second, these are real, top-quality winemakers, some we've actually met or been to their "day job" winery. Also, there are a wide range of wines from all across the globe and pretty affordable prices like a Premier Cru Chablis ($24) and a vintage Champagne ($35). The wines overall have been top quality and of all the wines we've try there has only been a couple of wines we didn't love. They'll also let you know what wines to age so we have several bottles sitting in the cellar waiting for the right time to drink.

Another feature that makes Naked Wines unique is the money-back happiness guarantee.  They will refund you for any wine you didn't love.  We actually haven't taken the initiative to use this for the couple of bottles that weren't to our taste, but even so they proactively gave us an $11 refund to highlight the guarantee and encourage us to use it. They want happy customers. 

Lastly, you're positively impacting winemakers, giving them a chance to make wines with their own name on the bottle or maybe to make something lesser known that wouldn't fit with their day employer's winery. Also, there website allow us to interact with winemakers and read their stories.

What don't we like about Naked Wines?

To start, when we signed up in late 2018, we were required to buy a case of wine in order to join. That first case we bought with the promotional offer was priced at their non-member price. This felt a bit deceptive and we almost didn't join. After a few weeks, they gave us the option to buy a smaller 9-bottle pack so we didn't have to invest as much money just to give them a try. Once we bought that first case, they put us on a "waiting list" to get into the club. We don't remember a believable explanation for why there was a waiting list, it seemed like an attempt to fake exclusivity.

Also, they send emails about promotional packs that feel a bit spammy and over time you learn to give them a glance and archive or delete them. We imagine some people like the promotional packs, they just haven't been appealing to us.

Before deciding to do this episode we also looked up naked wines on the Better Business Bureau. They have an A+ rating from the BBB, but only get 2 out of 5 stars from customer reviews. There were several pages of reviews and the vast majority seem to be people who somehow don't realize they will be charged $40 per month and were unhappy with it despite the fact you can get your money back or people who are unhappy with their wines and didn't take advantage of the happiness guarantee.

What are some tips for getting the most value?

First, if you are struggling to find wine they have wine advisors you can call. Once you start receiving wine make sure you are rating the wines you try because this feeds into their recommendations. It also helps to follow winemakers you like in the app or the website so you can get updates on when they release new wines.

Also, every month they offer a free promotional bottle (one they choose) to compete a case if you order any 11 bottles of your choice. So make sure to buy 11 bottles at a time do you get the free bottle. If the promotional bottle doesn't appeal to you, check the other options in their bottle picker.

If all else fails, use that happiness guarantee. Get you money back and pick out something different. Like I said, they want to make you happy.

If you're in the same boat we were in and want to try out Naked Wines, you can get $100 off $160 purchase for new members using our link. Remember, if you become a member they will be investing $40 a month into Angel account to use to purchase wine. If you sign up we receive $40 in credits to buy more wine and support our hobby. So this is a win - win - win situation. Cheers!

Most of the wines we drink these days are research for the podcast. Not that I'm complaining, but this means that if we try a wine at a tasting or a friend's house, it might not fit into an episode. These wines can be forgotten so we had an idea to switch up the format of the podcast this week to include a few wines we're enjoying right now.

We attended the Annual Wine Bloggers Conference in Lodi, CA this past week. During our time, we met winemakers, farmers and people from the Lodi Wine Commission and it was clear from the beginning that these people have immeasurable passion for wine and the land it comes from. Over the next couple of weeks we hope to highlight some of their stories.

This week we are talking about Bulgaria a country in Southeast Europe.

Wine Recommendations - Big thank you to Grapes & Barley Imports for providing the wines for this episode. All but one of these wines are from the Thracian Valley. 

Bulgariana Rose 2017 - priced around $13.

• This rose wine is made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes
• Aromas of strawberries, raspberries, watermelon and minerality
• Its dry with medium acidity with flavors similar to aromas - lots of berry flavors
• Light in aromas and flavors but everything I want in a rose - fruity, crisp, really refreshing

Rough Day Chardonnay 2016 - priced around $9.

• This is an unoaked style of Chardonnay
• Aromas of tropical fruits like melon and apricots as well as some lemon aromas
• It’s dry with a light to medium body, medium plus acidity with flavors similar to aromas - mostly tropical fruits
• This wine is a light crisp unoaked chardonnay that perfect for summer

Bulgariana Pinot Noir 2014 - priced $15.

• The grapes for this wine come from a subregion of the Danube Plain in North-east Bulgaria
• Aromas of cherry flavored cigars, salmai, and coffee
• Its dry with medium body, medium plus acidity, light tannins with flavors of cherries, tobacco, coffee and dirt
• This pinot is a more fuller body style and less fruit than Pinots from other places. Not your delicate Pinot Noir like Burgundy or Willamette Valley - this Pinot has some teeth

Bulgariana Gamza 2016 - priced around $12.

• Made from the Gamza grape - which is a dark skinned variety used to make red wine found in Central Europe and the Balkan area. It’s also known as Kadarka
• Aromas of dusty earth, spice with a hint of black cherries and black plum
• It’s dry with medium acidity and tannins, full body and flavors similar to aromas - dark fruits, spices and dusty earth
• Very deep full wine that is not very fruity but a great texture to the wine with smooth tannins

Rough Day Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 - priced around $10.

• Aromas of black cherries, blueberries, dusty earth and spice
• This wine is dry with medium acidity and tannins, full body and flavors of earth and dark fruits
• This wine is all about the fruit - its very juicy, really approachable wine with smooth, satin like tannins

Winemaker’s Selection Un Double Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah 2012

• This is a part of Walmart’s private label program
• 50% of each Cab Sav and Syrah
• Aromas of dark fruits like black cherries and black plum as well as pepper
• It’s a dry, full bodied wine with medium acidity and tannins with flavors similar to aromas - dark fruits and spice
• This wine is very juicy, ripe, lush wine that is big and bold
• We pair this wine with an aged cheese and it really shined with some fatty food

Check out the website for Grapes & Barley Imports to learn more about where you can purchase these wines.

Sources

• Wine Folly 
• Bulgian Wine 
• Wikipedia 
• Book: The World Atlas of Wine

This episode is the a first of a handful of interviews from producers in Willamette Valley. We are kicking it off with our interview with Mike Bayliss from Ghost Hill Cellars.

Ghost Hill Cellars is located in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. It’s “a fifth generation century farm and estate vineyard, sustainably tended by the Bayliss family and the ghost of a murdered gold miner.”

Wine Featured in this episode: These wines were provided to us for free

2014 Pinot Noir Blanc - priced around $25. This wine is a beautiful rose gold color made with no skin contact. It has a medium intense aromas of cherry licorice, sweet baking spices like star anise with cherry cola like aromas. This wine is dry with medium plus acidity and medium body with flavors of white flowers, lime pith, cherry, some minerality and a hint of dry hay. Thanks to the crisp, acidity we thought this would make a great food wine with poultry or pork based dishes. 

2014 Bayliss-Bower Pinot Noir - priced around $42. Lots of cherry aromas in this wine but also aromas of dusty earth and sweet baking spices. It’s dry with medium plus acidity and light tannins with flavors of cherry cola, earth and dusty rose of the finish. Tony says he also got flavors of a chocolate colored candied orange peel (Betty not so much). This wine has an understated elegance to it and it’s definitely more of a Burgundy style Pinot Noir.

2014 Prospector’s Reserve Pinot Noir - priced around $55. This very small production (141 cases) is a blend of six barrels selected by the winemaker. It has medium intense aromas of dusty earth, rose and cherry cola. This wine is dry with medium acidity and tannins, with flavors of cherry cola, chalky minerality and a hint of orange. It's elegant and again in that burgundy style but bolder and more complex than the previous Pinot Noir.

We’re coming up to our 100th episode and to celebrate, we want to make you part of the show! Call into our new voicemail and tell us how the podcast has impacted you, or a short, fun story from your wine journey, or something you’ve learned about wine that’s made a difference for you. The number to call is 937-889-WINE (937-889-9463).  If you can’t leave a voicemail you are welcome to email us at weeklywineshow@gmail.com.

This week we’re talking about a wine region in Italy you probably haven’t heard of called Lugana which produces a light, dry white wine of the same name. We were able to get our hands on a couple of bottles and found it to be a perfect addition to our summertime wines. So let’s get into it.

This week we cover:

• Where is the Lugana DOC?
• Geography and climate
• What grape is in Lugana and why is it so confusing?
• Styles of Lugana
• Flavor characteristics and food pairings

Wine Recommendations:

Ca Lojera Lugana 2016 - priced around $20. This wine has aromas of Asian pear, flowers and lime. We experienced a crisp acidity and lighter body with flavors of flowers and lime. We really enjoy the lime flavor and thought this wine served chilled makes a perfect crisp summertime wine to add to your collection.

We purchased this wine at France 44.

Ottella Lugana 2015 - priced around $20. Lovely aromas of wax, slate and a touch of flowers, this wine has lots of acidity and flavors of lemon and arugula. We thought this wine was zippy, crisp, and tart almost lemonade-like making it very appropriate for summer.

We purchased this wine at France 44. 

We continue our summer wines series. Since it’s well into summer, we thought it was a good time to take about the new trend of canned wines. When picking wine to sample for this episode, we only purchased canned wine that was strictly wine. We decided to just stick with straight wine so we could make a fair comparison to other wines.

Wine Recommendations

Tangent Sauvignon Blanc 2016

• Nose of white grapefruit, lime, arugula and a hint of dry hay
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, light bodied with flavors of white grapefruit, lime zest and dry hay
• It’s crisp, light and refreshing - great for light dishes like salads, light cheeses and hot days on the patio
• Priced around $7 for a 375ml can which comes out to be $14 for a bottle of wine
• You can purchase this wine here

Alloy Everyday Rose NV

• This wine has a nose of wet rock and strawberries
• It’s dry, light bodied, medium acidity with flavors of strawberries and cream and grapefruit
• It’s light and fresh tasting, perfect to chill for the patio
• Priced around $9 for 375ml which come out to $18 for a bottle, you can also buy a four pack of this wine for $30 which is a little over 2.5 bottles
• You can purchase a four pack of wine here

Underwood Pinot Noir NV by Union Wine Company

• This wine has a nose of cherry, raspberry with a hint of dusty earth and dried oregano
• It’s dry with medium acidity and light body with flavors of cherry, raspberries, dried oregano, black olives and a hint of earth
• It’s fruity but tastes more savory and it doesn’t has as much acidity as I thought but still enough to pair on it’s own
• Although it’s a red still light enough to pair with you favorite summer dish and warm weather
• Priced around $7 for 375ml which comes out to $14 for a bottle
• You can purcahse this wine here 

The Drop Red Wine NV

• Blend of Zinfandel,  Petite Sirah, Syrah
• It’s dry, full bodied, with medium plus acidity and medium tannins and flavors of blackberries, blueberries, and mushrooms
• Fruit is there but this wine is so savory so this is your fatty, meat grilling wine
• Priced around $5 for a 250ml can which comes out to $15
• You can purchase this wine here

This week we wrap up our series on lesser known Spanish wine regions with the Toro DO. Toro is a Spanish DO for wines in the province of Zamora, which is in the northwest of Castilla y Léon.  If you are looking at a map of Spain this area is in the west central part of Spain. The DO is named after an ancient settlement called Toro which is 40 miles east of the Portuguese border.  Toro means bull in Spanish, although no one really knows why the town was named Toro. The area of Toro DO is about 154,000 acres but only 20,000 acres are vineyards with 14,000 acres registered with the Regulating Body of the DO.

In this episode we discuss:

• History of the Toro wine region
• Climate and Terroir
• Grapes and the wine
• Food pairings

Wine Recommendations

Teso la Monja Romanico 2013 - priced around $19. This 100% Tempranillo wine has been aged for six months in 100% new French oak.  It has a aromas of blackberry, red plum, black cherry, dusty leather and beef jerky - smoky and sweet. It’s dry, with medium acidity and tannins and flavors of blackberry, mushrooms, coffee and leather. We thought it was a very balance wine and the nose is very fruity but the flavor not so much. This is a very savory tasting wine and I loved it.

You can purchase this wine here

Numanthia Termes 2014 - priced around $28. This wine is also 100% Tempranillo but aged much longer in oak, 20 months in fact.  It has aromas of blackberry, vanilla and sweet baking spices. It's dry, with medium acidity and tannins with flavors of black plum and blackberries, vanilla, tobacco, and baking spices. This wine is also very balanced but more fruity than the previous wine.  Both these wines benefited from fatty foods that cut through the acid.

You can purchase this wine here

Sources

• Wikipedia 
• Wine-searcher
• Toro DO
• openingabottle.com
• Kitchn.com 

Burgundy is all about two grapes: pinot noir and chardonnay, which is the only aspect of Burgundy that is simple. Everything else can be complex and confusing to the average wine lover but we are using the next two episodes to break down some of that confusion. Burgundy has such a long history of wine and vine cultivation so we are only going to scratch the surface. We hope you enjoy this episode.

In this week's episode we discuss:

• Early history of Burgundy wine
• Climate, Geography and grapes
• Red Burgundy flavor characteristics
• Red Burgundy food pairings

Every couple of months we talk recent wine news. Below are the new stories feature in this episode so click on the title if you want to learn more.

• California's Cabernet Cult Keeps Growing by Liza B. Zimmerman Posted Wednesday, 04-Apr-2018 on wine-searcher.com
• Wine Industry Under Attack in Napa by Dawn Dolan, March 23, 2018 from Wine Industry Network
• Battle for Napa Valley’s future: Proposed curb on vineyards divides county by Esther Mobley, April 8, 2018 in the San Francisco Chronicle
• How environment changes the taste of wine, Friday, 23. March 2018 in the Meininger’s Wine Business International
• Total Wine & More Sharpens Focus on Winery Direct by Cyril Penn, March 22, 2018 from Winebusiness.com
• New Polls Shows Broad Support for Laws to Protect Against Misleading Wine Labels Press release by The Wine Origins Alliance, March 5th, 2018 published in Wine Industry Network

This is week three of our Spanish wine series and this week we are talking about the Valencia DO. The City of Valencia is Spain’s largest port and third largest city, located in the center of the Spain's east coast. It's also the name of one of five DOs located in the region of Valencia, which is the DO we are focusing for this episode. The Valencia D.O. was established in 1957 and is one of the largest in the Valencia region with around 45,000 acres of vines.

In this week's episode, we discuss:

• History of wine in Valencia
• Climate
• Sub-regions, their differences and their wine

Wine Recommendations

Celler del Roure Cullerot 2016 - priced around $17.

• Certified Organic White wine blend of all native Spanish grapes: Pedro Ximénez, Macabeo, Tortosina, Malvasía, Verdil, Merseguera, and others
• The nose of this wine has a lot of clean, steely minerality aromas as well as lemon and white lilies.
• It’s dry with medium high acidity, medium body and flavors of lemon and white flowers
• The acidity is lively and dancing on your palate - like pop rocks but with burst of brightness instead of candy
• We were surprised by the floral aspect of this wine, we expected more fruit - reminding us of freshly washed laundry with floral scented fabric softener.
• You can purchase this wine here

Atance Bobal 2015 - priced around $15.

• This is a red wine blend of organic grapes - 85% Bobal & 15% Tempranillo
• The nose is interesting with aromas of cherry, dust, black pepper and black olive. With the cherries and dust I thought it was going down the Pinot Noir roadbut then you get hit with this pepper aromas. The once you taste the wine the  flavors are completely different from that of a Pinot Noir.
• It’s dry with medium tannins, medium acidity, and medium body with flavors of blackberry, leather, light drip coffee, olives
• It's a very Interesting combination of aromas and flavors - it’s savory but not in a mushroom, earthy way but more rustic in nature - definitely a Spanish Tapas wine, just don’t pair it with anything too vegetal.
• You can purchase this wine here

Sources:

• Wikipedia 
• Wine-Searcher
• Valencia DO
• Cellar Tours 
• Lens Gourmand Food and Wine 
• Valencia Wine Consulting 

This week we are talking about our recent trip to the tasting room at Breathless wines in Healdsburg which is in Sonoma County

Breathless wines was started by three sisters and focuses on making high quality sparkling wines using Méthode Champenoise. We visited their tasting room and got an opportunity to chat with Sharon Cohn one of the founders.

We really enjoyed our time at Breathless and we think it’s worth a visit if you are in the area. We had the opportunity to taste four of their wines at the winery and below is one of our favorites.

Breathless Wines Brut NV - priced around $25.  With an almost rose color this wine smelled like baked apples and toast. It has flavors of citrus, pink grapefruit (got some bitterness) and apple with a pleasant finish that lingers.
We thought this wine was light, refreshing, crisp, with a hint of tartness, it's not over the top and great with food or on it’s own.

We’re coming up to our 100th episode and to celebrate, we want to make you part of the show! Call into our new voicemail and tell us how the podcast has impacted you, or a short, fun story from your wine journey, or something you’ve learned about wine that’s made a difference for you. The number to call is 937-889-WINE (937-889-9463). 

The holidays is a great excuse to drink Champagne (as well as a Tuesday) but buying Champagne can feel overwhelming; it’s expensive and you might often feel like you're going to mess something up. Not to worry, we have three recommendations that you can’t go wrong with and something for everyone.  We want to give you some options to take with you to holiday time with friends and family (or for just yourself is ok too).

In this week's episode we discuss:

• Why is Champagne is expense?
• How it Champagne made?
• About the blend (mostly)
• Classifications

Wine Recommendations:

Bonnet-Ponson Brut Premier Cru NV - priced around $40. This wine has a deep golden color with aromas of sweet earth, a sweet apple, pear skins and a hint of chalkiness. It has high acidity with flavors of lemon, grapefruit, apple, white lily, and yeast with a long finish.

Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée - priced around $50. This wine is a medium golden color with medium intense aromas of brioche, floral and golden apple. It has medium plus acidity with flavors of yeast, floral, green apple and lemon rind with a medium finish. This wine went amazing with salty and nutty cheese like an aged manchego cheese.

Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé 2007 - priced around $80. A wine with a medium golden color and aromas of toast, almond, golden apple and pear. It has high acidity with flavors of floral, apple and lemon pith with a medium finish. This wine has the potential for long aging and a great option for a special occasion.

We’re coming up to our 100th episode and to celebrate, we want to make you part of the show! Call into our new voicemail and tell us how the podcast has impacted you, or a short, fun story from your wine journey, or something you’ve learned about wine that’s made a difference for you. The number to call is 937-889-WINE (937-889-9463).  If you can't leave a voicemail you are welcome to email us at weeklywineshow@gmail.com.

We visited the Red Mountain AVA as part of the Wine Bloggers conference. We had the opportunity to learn a lot of Red Mountain as well as taste some amazing wines. We would like to say a big thank you to the Red Mountain AVA Alliance for hosting us and all the wineries involved in making this a wonderful experience. If you ever have the opportunity to visit the area, we would recommend it. The scenery is beautiful, the people are warm and friendly and the wine is amazing.

Also thank to JJ Williams for hosting us a Kiona Vineyards and Winery and Richard Holmes  of Ciel du Cheval Vineyards for the vineyard tour.

Wine Recommendations

Tapteil Vineyard Grenache 2014 -p priced around $38. We received this wine free from the Red Mountain AVA Alliance

• Nose: Strawberries, raspberries and fennel
• It’s dry with medium body, medium acidity and tannins and flavors of raspberries, cherries, slightly vegetal with a hint of mushroom savoriness
• Great balance of tannins and acid. A very fruit forward wine but with this wonderful savory component making it complex but still approachable
• You can purchase the 2015 which is the current release here

Mansion Creek Cellars VIÑA ESPAÑOLA 2014 - priced around $37.

• This wine is a blend of Tempranillo, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Counoise 
• Nose: Black fruit and cedar
• It’s dry, full bodied, medium acidity and tannins with flavors of black plum, basamic, black olives, mushrooms and a hint of spice on the finish.
• Very unique blend, less fruit driven and more savory which is not what we expected
• You can purchase this wine here

Mansion Creek Cellars Red Dog 2015 - priced around $47. 

• A blend of 70% Tinta Cão, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Grenache-Syrah
• Nose is very floral with violets and rose a hint of black fruit
• It’s also dry, full body with medium acidity and medium plus tannins and flavors of black plum, leather and violets
• The texture of this wine is amazing, the tannins are very smooth and refine
• It's very complex and powerful in intensity but with these beautiful floral notes.
• We have not had a wine quite like this before, unique and special
• You can purchase this wine here

This episode starts a series focused on California wine regions. We spent most of the summer learning about wines from Europe and now we are looking to explore wines from the state that produces about 85% of US wine, and we’re starting with the Russian River Valley.

The Russian River Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Sonoma County, California. There are more than a million acres of land within Sonoma and the region produces twice as many grapes as Napa. With such a diverse landscape, it’s difficult to make generalizations about the region so we are going to focus on just one of its 12 AVAs.

This week's episode we discuss:

• Where is Russian River Valley and what's its impact?
• History of wine in the region
• Climate and geography in the Russian River Valley and its impact on the grapes grown
• What to expect from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines in the Russian River Valley

Wine Recommendations:

Frei Brothers Reserve Chardonnay 2015 - priced around $20. This wine is definitely a bridge between what you would expect from California and Burgundy style Chardonnay. This wine has a beautiful lemon color with aromas of baked apple and a touch of baking spice and reminds me of fall.
It's medium bodied with quite a bit of acidity so pair it with food like soft/young cheeses and dishes with cream or butter sauces. We experienced flavors of baked apples, almost like apple pie with a nuttiness to it. The malolatic fermentation is evident in the smooth and creamy texture. The oak flavors are there but it’s not heavy handed - there's a real finesse to the wine.

Kenwood Vineyards Pinot Noir 2014 - priced around $18. This wine has aromas of cherry cola, star anise, and dusty earth. Beautiful balanced wine with medium body and medium acidity. It tasted so savory, with flavors of mushrooms and smooth, soft tannins that gave us a velvet texture on the tongue. This wine can pair with all kinds of food, especially with mushroom or meaty dishes, or enjoyed on its own just sipping.

Thanks to our sponsor Sudio! Check out their website for more information about their amazing headphones and use the discount code WINESHOW15 to receive 15% off your order as well as free shipping worldwide.

This week's episode we discussed the floral, aromatic white wine that originated in Argentina, Torrontes.

Below are the articles we reference in this week's episode.

   TTB Publishes NPRMs to Repeal Standards of Fill for Wine and Distilled Spirits

Bordeaux Vintners Convicted of Fraud, but Fellow Winemakers Cry Foul

France Is Changing Key Wine Regulations

Food colouring found in blue wines

Winery Lawsuit Ramps Up the Drama

The day this episode is being released, March 15, 2019, is the 3rd year anniversary of this podcast. On March 15th 2016 is when we launched the first three episodes of the podcast. We’ve tried a lot of wine and learned a ton along the way. So we thought we would take a trip down memory lane and reflect on some of our favorite moments and learning from the past three years.

We did an episode similar to this way back in episode 43 if you want to go back and listen.

This episode we are talking about a wine area unknown to most of us in the Northern Hemisphere, Western Australia.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Western Australia's wine impact
• The three major wine region of Western Australia: Swan Valley, Great Southern, and Margaret River
• Tasty wine recommendations - you might have a difficult time finding several options from this wine if you live outside of Australia.

Wine Recommendations

Vasse Felix Filius Chardonnay 2016 - priced around $25. This 100% Chardonnay wine has aromas of spice, stonefruit, pineapple, yeast and lemon curd.  It has medium plus acidity, it’s dry with flavors of strong lemon and a hint of vanilla. Such a great balance between fruit and oak - the oak is there but not a buttery style chardonnay. It’s fresh, crisp and we really love the acidity in this wine, it’s not flabby at all.

You can purchase this wine here

Madfish Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 - priced around $18. This wine is actually a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Syrah, and 1% Petit Verdot. This wine has aromas of blue and blackberries, herbal liqueur and a hint of cedar. It’s dry, full bodied with medium acidity and medium tannins with flavors of dark chocolate covered berries, dried herbs and bitter coffee on the finish. We loved how balanced this wine was between acid and tannins but you will want to decant - the flavors really open over time.

You can purchase this wine here

This week's episode, Betty interviews Jim Laughren, CWE to talk about his book; 50 Ways to Love Wine More: Adventures in Wine Appreciation. I had a chance to read Jim's book before we talked and really enjoyed it. I've been studying wine for the last couple of years and I found this book to be entertaining and informative. Also, I think this would make a great gift for someone who is just starting their wine journey.

Check out Jim's website to learn more and download a free aromas wheel!

You can also purchase the book through our Amazon Affiliate link and throw a few bucks our way.

In this episode, we explore the wild world of sweet red wines. We'll discuss what makes a red wine sweet, why do red wine lack strong tannins but are still red in color, and food pairings.

Clarissa Nagy is the winemaker and founder of Nagy’s wines. She has been making wine through her own label since the early 2000’s in Santa Maria Valley which is located in Santa Barbara County, California. We’ve discussed her 2012 Pinot Noir on episode 50 of this podcast and we look forward to sharing the rest of her wines on upcoming episodes. We got a chance to interview Clarissa recently and learn more about her wine journey.

This week we demystify the topic of aging wine. Check out the links below to read more about aging wine.

Sources used for this episode:

• Wine Enthusiast: What Really Happens as Wine Ages? 
• Vinepair Guide to Aging Wine
• The Wine Cellar Insider: Complete Guide to Properly Cellaring Wine and Aging Wine 
• Wine Folly: Deciding How long to Age Wine 
• Wine Folly: Four Traits of Wine that Age Well 
• Wine Spectator: Is It Worth It to Age Wines Anymore? 
• Wikipedia: Aging Wine

Also check out Ep 095 to hear our interview with Steve Lutz of Lenne’ Estate. He talked about is thoughts on aging Willamette Valley

It's time for us to recommended so amazing wines we recently tasted. Cheers!!!

Hunky Dory Tangle 2016 - priced around $15. 

• This wine is a white blend of 58% Pinot Gris, 38% Gewurztraminer and 4% Riesling
• Aromas of peaches and apricots, white flowers and a hint of lychee
• It’s dry with medium acidity, light body and flavors similar to aromas - stonefruit, white flowers and lychee
• Dry aromatic, light white wine for summer with enough acidity to pair with dishes like Pad Thai, curries or seafood dishes.

Unculin Bierzo Tinto 2017 - priced around $19. 

• This deep red wine has aromas of candied cherries, raspberries and strawberries almost like red licorice and dusty earth
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, light to medium tannins, full bodied with flavors of red fruits, black pepper, mushroom and earth
• Very sweet smelling wine but it’s a dry, rich and more savory tasting wine

Famille Perrin Gigondas La Gille 2016 - priced around $24. 

• We received this wine as a press sample
• From Gigondas which is one of the nine Crus in Southern Rhone area of France
• Reds from this area are sometimes referred to as a cheaper alternative to Châteauneuf-du-Pape
• Famille Perrin is one of the leading organic wine growers of the Southern Rhône Valley
• Blend of Grenache and Syrah
• This wine has aromas of dark fruits like black plum and blackberries as well as earth and baking spices
• It’s a dry, full bodied wine with medium acidity and tannins with flavors of black fruits, vanilla, earth and dark coco
• If we would have found this at a wine tasting, we would have totally purchase this.
• Very complex, well made and great balance and harmony between those velvety tannins and acidity
• Pair with dishes like meaty stews, braised dishes and lamb shanks, as well as burgers and sausages

Coturri Carignane 2016 - priced around $29. 

• It’s technically a blend of mostly Carignane with Syrah and  Petite Sirah
• Aromas black cherries, black plum and baking spices
• It’s a dry, full bodied wine with medium plus acidity and tannins with flavors of black cherries, black plum, blueberries and  vanilla
• Loved the depth of fresh fruit flavors with great balance and complexity that keeps you coming back for another sip
• Recommended Food pairings: Roasted meats. Miso glazed tofu steaks.

This week we rediscover a once beloved wine in America, Lambrusco!

This week we are going to talk about Slovenian wine. There are some amazing and interesting wines coming out of this country. Since we are talking about a country instead a wine region, we are going to do a brief over but in the future we hope to circle back someday and cover specific regions from this up and coming wine country.

Wine Recommendations - all of these wines are from the Drava wine region!

Kobal Ptuj Sauvignon Blanc 2015 - priced around $18.

• Nose - Fruity and floral, tropical and crisp - Passion fruit, white grapefruit, floral like linen
• Dry, light body, medium plus acidity, flavors really match aromas
• It has light body but has teeth to match the flavor - as in intensity of flavors and aromas
• Wasn’t expecting the passion fruit
• We weren't expecting the passion fruit aromas and flavors and it has a tiny touch of tannins from skin contact.
• It’s absolutely delicious and very pleasant on it’s own or pair with light seafood in citrus sauce
• We purchase this wine from France 44

Kobal Penina Rumeni Muskat Brut 2016 -priced around $23. 

• Yellow Muscat made in Charmat method
• Nose - fresh papaya, citrus and ripe peach
• This wine is dry with high acidity and flavors of lemon, papaya, mango, peach and a nice minerality
• This wine was very tart and unique and we love all the tropical flavors -
• Although the aromas and flavors are very ripe it still has lots of acidity
• Food pairing: pasta with a creamy sauce, salads, light appetizers made from vegetables and white meat, fish carpaccio
• We purchased this wine from France 44 

Pullus Pinot Gris 2017 - priced around $17. 

• Cooper colored rose wine 
• Lots of minerality in the nose like stainless steel but also orange blossom, it smells like springtime
• It’s dry with medium body and  acidity with flavors of melon, citrus  and a hint of stonefruit with a long finish
• This wine has a really pleasure creamy texture thanks to fine lees contact 
• We really struggle to find a Pinot Gris that doesn’t taste like flavored water but this wine has depth and complexity the really made it an enjoyable experience and had us coming back for more
• You can get information on where to purchase this wine here

Sources:

• The Wine Atlas
• Oxford Companion to Wine
• Wine Tourist Magazine 
• Wikipedia 
• Vino Slovenija 

This week we are talking about Getariako Txakolina or also known as Txakoli de Getaria.

Wine Recommendations

Gaintza Txakolina 2014 - priced around $20. 

• This is the traditional wine of the region
• Slightly fizzy wine with aromas of green apple, lime and crushed granite
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, medium light body and flavors similar to aromas
• Crisp, tart, fruity and refreshing wine
• We loved this wine and it would pair great with seafood, salads, sushi  and light vegetable dishes

Ameztoi Rubentis 2018 - priced around $22.

• Very light salmon color Rose with aromas of strawberries and pink lady apples
• It’s dry with a medium light body with medium plus acidity with flavors similar to aromas plus lemon
• This rose is its own style of rose - more tart, less floral, very crisp
• It’s like a Rose influenced white wine

Sources:

• Getariakot Txakolina
• Wine-Searcher
• Jorge Ordonez Selections
• Wikipedia

Every couple of months we take a pause on our normal format and talk about four wine we’ve enjoyed recently and want to share with all of you. 

Wine Recommendations

Seaglass Unoaked Chardonnay 2017 - priced around $12.

• Fermented in stainless steel tanks, this Chardonnay did not undergo malolactic fermentation
• Light golden color wine with aromas of pineapple, apple, white flowers and tangerines
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, light body and flavors similar to aromas
• Crisp, light and refreshing wine great with light pastas, grilled fish or salads.

Perticaia Umbria Rosso IGT 2016 - priced around $15.

• This wine is a blend of Sangiovese, Colorino, and Merlot with aromas of sour cherries with a hint of earthiness
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity and tannins with flavors of sour cherries, earth and black tea
• The tannins give a lovely smooth texture to the wine with a pleasant finish
• Great food wine to pair with salami, cold cuts and pasta

Las Nietas Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013 - priced around $25.

• This wine has aromas of cherries, baking spices a hint of earth
• It’s dry, light bodied with light tannins, medium plus acidity and flavors of cherries, red berries and rose
• This wine is delicate but needs a little time to open up with some oxygen for the flavors to really shine
• The new oak was perfectly done with just enough to give it some complexity but not overwhelm the wine and keep all those lovely red fruit flavors.

Les Lunes Wine Zinfandel 2016 - priced around $30.

• From Venturi Vineyard in Mendocino County California
• These vines were planted in 1948.
• This wine has aromas of red fruits and baking spices
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity and tannins and flavors of red fruits like cherries and cranberries as well as a little earth
• This is a leaner style Zin than what you would get from other places in California like Lodi.
• Really fresh tasting, fruit forward wine with bright acidity

We continue with week three of our month of Spanish wines. The Garnacha grape has its origin in the Argon region of Spain (part of the Calatayud DO and makes some beautiful, low tannin, easy drinking wine. Spanish Garnacha was the first red wine we really fell in love with. It was only a matter of time before we dedicated an episode to these wines.

Listen to this week's episode to learn about Moscato grape facts and origin, food pairing, three major styles of Moscato wines, and how to serve Moscato wines.

In this episode, we discuss Côtes du Rhône AOC and red wine it produces, history of wine in the Rhône region, differences between north and south Rhône, Côtes du Rhône classifications and food pairings

This week we continue our summer wine series with one of our favorite white wines for summer, Albariño. We covered Albariño way back in episode 15 which was published June 15, 2016, so click here if you want to listed to learn more about this region and it's wine.

Here are this week's wine recommendations - the first two wines were sent to us by Rias Baixas Albariño as press samples.

Serra da Estrela 2017 - priced around $16.

• This wine has a nose of lemon and white flowers
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, light bodied with flavors of unripened peach, pear, lime, lemon and a hint of grass and white flowers
• Very refreshing and crisp wine

Paco & Lola 2017 - priced around $20.

• This wine has light aromas of orange blossoms, beeswax, apricot and apple
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, light bodied and a strong lime flavors but also flavors of orange blossom, starfruit and it’s a little saltiness
• You can purchase this wine here

Martin Codax 2016 - priced around $13.

• This wine has a nise of white flowers, bosc pear and tropical fruit
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, light bodied with flavors of apples, tropical fruits and white peach
• Less floral and more fruit driven than the other wines recommended
• You can purchase this wine here 

Nora 2016 - priced around $17.

• This wine has a nose of pear, white flowers like fresh linen, lemon zest and white peach
• It’s dry with medium acidity, light bodied with flavors of pear, white flowers and lemon
• This is a soft, delicate wine - flavors and aromas lighter than the other wines we recommended
• You can purchase this wine here

Sources:

• Wine Folly
• Rías Baixas DO

This week is the final week of our Greek wine series and we are talking about the area of Central Greece.

Wine Recommendation

Hermes White Dry Wine - priced around $11.

• Light aromas of lemon, peach and minerality
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity and flavors of lemon rind, white peach and minerality
• This wine is a light crisp simple patio wine, if you are looking for something fruity and light on a hot summer day, this is your wine
• Pair with lighter seafood and vegetable dishes
• You can purchase this wine at Total Wine 

Sources

• Wine-Searcher
• Wine Folly 

This week features our interview with David Eakle of Pope Valley Winery out of Napa Valley.

Wines featured in this episode - these wines were sent to us as samples.

2018 Sauvignon Blanc - a really wonderful representation of a warmer style SB with lots of stonefruit and tropical aromas and flavors, and is also a refined and delicate wine - so a great pairing with light seafood dishes.

2016 Sangiovese - great crowd pleader wine. This is your pizza pairing wine. Sangiovese is the grape of Chianti, and although this wine is not a Chianti, it tastes like it would pair with similar foods. We enjoyed it best when it was decanted for about an hour.

2016 Petit Verdot - This is a very intense, bold and savory wine with a lot of complex flavors and aromas going on.

This week we are talking about the Orvieto DOC which is an Italian wine region located in western side of Umbria in Central Italy.

Wine Recommendations

La Carraia Orvieto Classico 2017 - priced around $11.

• Light lemon color with light aromas of lemon, minerality and stonefruit
• It’s dry with medium acidity and medium intense flavors that are very similar to aromas
•  This wine is light fruity and crisp 
• So refreshing and great for a hot summer day which we’ve seen more and more of this summer

Rocca Delle Macie Orvieto Classico 2018 - priced around $9.

• Light lemon color with medium intense aromas of lemon, bee wax, white flowers and minerality
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity and medium intense flavors of lemon, grapefruit, and peach
• This wine is very fruity, crisp and just a really delicious wine

Sources:

• Wine Folly 
• Wikipedia 
• Italian Wine Central 
• Winebow 
• Orvieto Consortium
• Vinepair 
• Umbria Tourism 
• Book: Oxford Companion to Wine

This week we are talking about Cannonau di Sardegna which is a DOC covering the entire island of Sardina.

Wine Recommendations

Cantina Santa Maria La Palma Le Bombarde 2016 - priced $14.

• Blend of Cannonau and Monica di Sardegna
• This wine has aromas of cran-cherry, dusty earth and black plum
• It’s dry with medium acidity and tannins and medium body with flavors of red fruits and earth
• This is a juicy, fruity wine with the right balance of acid, tannins and body
• Food pairings: ideal with red meats, game and mature cheeses.

Costera Argiolas 2016 - priced around $17.

• Aromas of red fruit, dusty earth and a touch of flowers
• It’s dry with medium acid and tannins with flavors of cherries, raspberries and earth
• Lighter in flavors and aromas than the previous wine but still very fruity

Sources

• Wine Folly 
• Wine-Searcher 
• Decanter 
• Italian Wine Central 
• Grape Collective 
• Book: Wine Grapes: A Complete Guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, Including Their Origins and Flavors 

This week we are talking about Southern Greece which is defined by its hot Mediterranean climate so most of the vineyards in these areas are grown on the sides of mountains in higher elevation. Southern Greece includes the Kefalonia, Peloponnese and Crete areas. 

Wine Recommendations

Lyrarakis Plyto Psarades Vineyard 2017 - priced around $20.

• Aromas of lemon, nectarine, minerality and white lilies
• It’s dry with high acidity and flavors very similar to aromas
• This wine needs food so this is your summer food wine and stands up really well to a salad with vinaigrette
• Once we added food to the mix this wine became amazing
• Also could pair with cream sauces, seafood and cheese

Boutari Moschofilero 2017 - priced around $14.

• Medium intense aromas of melon, clementine,  jasmine with a hint of salinity
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity with flavors similar to aromas
• Another great summer wine - light and crisp
• Paired great with roasted corn and tomato salad
• Also great with pairs with delicate dishes such as sushi, salads or fresh fish

Sources:

• Wine Folly 
• Wine Searcher 

Four Wines is our chance every couple of months to share recommendations with you for wines we’ve recently enjoyed but weren’t for an upcoming episode. This week is all about California wines and we have four tasty and affordable options.

Belle Glos Pinot Noir Blanc Oeil De Perdrix 2016 Sonoma - priced around $22. In France, this wine is traditionally known as oeil-de-perdrix, which translates to ‘eye of the partridge’ and refers to its pink and copper color. This is a Rosé wine with berry aromas almost like strawberry rhubarb as well as fresh mineral  with hints of floral notes. This wine is fruity, light, and crisp with a strong strawberry flavor, with a touches of vanilla-cream and floral notes. The vanilla cream comes from the winemaker using French oak to ferment part of the juice before bottling. Serves as a refreshing break from heavier wines of the cold season.

Church and State Wines Lost Inhibitions 2014 California White - priced around $20. This wine has a fairly aromatic nose of stone fruit, minerality, melon, and rose. A blend of Chardonnay, Muscat of Alexandria and Sauvignon Blanc, it tastes rich with flavors of white peach, citrus, intense floral notes, plus hints of dried grass on the finish. It's round and complex and although this wine is intensely aromatic, it’s still light enough to pair with lighter dishes - seafood, fresh cheese, or buttered popcorn - or sip on its own.

Carmenet Reserve Pinot Noir 2015 - priced around $9. Typical California Pinot Noir aromas of cherry cola with dried herbs like fennel seed and sage. This wine is so savory with a strong mushroom flavor but still has light cherry and dusty notes. We thought this wine was not as acidic as I would expect from a Pinot Noir and it's not jammy and flabby either, nicely put together.

Michael David Freakshow Red Blend 2014 - priced around $20. This deep, dark wine has aromas of dark fruit, spice, pepper and smoke. It's full bodied with medium velvety tannins and medium acidity that striking a nice balance of textures. This wine has flavors of black plum, blackberry, pepper/spice and jammy fruit. It's high in alcohol with 15.5% ABV making it a jammy, ripe wine but not too overpowering. There is a lot of hype around red blends currently, and this lives up to that hype.

We’re coming up to our 100th episode and to celebrate, we want to make you part of the show! Call into our new voicemail and tell us how the podcast has impacted you, or a short, fun story from your wine journey, or something you’ve learned about wine that’s made a difference for you. We’ll even throw in a weekly wine show sticker for the first 20 people who call in. The number to call is 937-889-WINE (937-889-9463).

May is Finger Lakes Wine Month and to celebrate, this episode is all about Finger Lakes!

New York state makes more wine than any other US state after California, and it's centered around the Finger Lakes AVA, which was established in 1982 and includes 11,000 acres of vineyards. It's the largest wine-producing region in New York State, located in Upstate New York, south of Lake Ontario and is home to 130 wineries producing about 90% of the state’s wine.

This week we discuss:

• The History of Finger Lakes wine region
• Climate and Geography of Finger Lakes
• Diversity of wine grapes in the Finger Lakes

This week we are talking about Montefalco Sagrantino . Montefalco Sagrantino is a wine and one of two DOCGs in the Umbria region, which is located in central Italy.

Wine Recommendations

Raìna Campo di Raìna 2013

• Hand harvested grapes
• Ageing: 24 months in large oak barrels, 12 months in stainless steel, 12 months in the bottle.
• Very ripe and juicy dark fruit aromas as well as anise and cigar
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, medium plus bordering high tannins that hit in the front of your mouth but are smooth and flavors of dark berries and a slight savoriness like mushrooms
• This is a young, very fruity, intense wine that I would recommend pairing with food
• Also decant this wine for at least a couple of hours. We did not like this wine at first taste but with some oxygen it really opens up and become something special
• Priced around $39

Colpetrone 2010

• Aged for 12 months in French oak and then another 26 months in the bottle before release
• Aromas of jammy dark fruits like blackberries, black currants and plum as well as anise and dry dusty herbs
• This wine is dry with medium acid and tannins some dark fruit flavors but not as intense as the aromas and flavors of leather and mushroom
• We thought this wine was perfect aged, still some fruity flavors and aromas and the time has smoothed out the acid and tannins enough to drink without food but still can stand up for bold food choices
• I couldn’t stop drinking this wine and this is a situation in which patience pays off.
• Right now you can get the 2011 vintage for around $27

Sources:

• Wikipedia 
• Wine Folly
• Forbes 
• The World Atlas of Wine
• Tenute del Cerro 

In this episode we discuss the six step process that the pros use to drink wine and common wine terms used. Of course there is no wrong or right way to taste wine but the formal way used by the pros can reveal more about the wine in your glass.

This week's episode is unique. We had the privilege of viewing the film Decanted A Winemaker's Journey a few weeks ago which is being shown at this year's Napa Film Festival. This episode features an interview with Nick Kovacic, director of the film and Steve Reynolds, winemaker at Italics winery. 

it’s time for another four wines. Every couple of months we dedicate an episode to talk about four wines that we’ve really enjoyed recently that don’t fit in our upcoming episodes.

In this episode, we highlighted a couple of listeners as a way of saying thanks for all the support.  Follow wine4fridays and uncoakingenglish on Instagram. They are awesome!

Wine Recommendations

Marques de Gelida Brut Gran Reserva Cava 2009 - priced around $20.

• Nose: toast, marigold flowers, pear and apple
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity with similar flavors as aromas - pear, apple, toast and marigolds.
• It’s fruity and floral and there is a hint of funk that adds to the charm of this wine
• This wine is smooth with no hint of bitterness.
• It’s a great value, definitely worth more than the $20 price tag
• The 2009 isn’t available but you can currently pick the 2012 up and drink it now or age up to 2020.
• You can purchase this wine on Wine.com

Laurent Cognard Les Bassets Montagny Premier Cru 2014 - priced around $38.

• This is a white Burgundy so this is made with Chardonnay
• Nose: vanilla, toasted bread and a hint of white flowers
• It’s dry with medium acidity, and medium body with flavors of vanilla, nectarine and lemon curd
• It’s got great balance of acid and fruit
• There is definitely oak used in making this wine but it’s not over the top. This is a great bridge between stainless steel Chardonnay and those big full bodied oaked Chardonnays from parts of California
• Food Pairings: white fish and shellfish, cream-based sauces. grilled fish, starches, butter, and toasted nuts
• You can purchase this wine from Wine.com

Pannonica Rose 2017 - priced around $14. 

• This rose is a blend of Blaufränkisch, Pinot Noir, St. Laurent grapes all harvested by hand
• It’s a pale orange/pink color
• Light nose of raspberries, pear, lychee and minerality
• It’s dry with medium acidity and light body with flavors of strawberries and grapefruit
• It’s very fresh tasting, great for warm weather, delicious
• This blend of grapes are unique together so if you love Rose but you are looking for something a little different this is a great option.
• Food pairings: pasta, fish and chicken
• Priced around $14
• You can buy this wine on Vivino.com

Hunky Dory Pinot Noir 2016 - priced around $17. 

• More intense in color than most PN we’ve seen with a medium intense ruby hue
• Nose: cherries, raspberries, black olive and mushrooms
• It’s dry with medium acidity and light tannins with flavors that match the aromas - cherries, mushrooms and black olives
• This wine tasted very fruity and soft - at first sip we thought it might be a little sweet but it still has the earthiness we come to expect from PN
• If you are looking for something affordable that is a good showing of the typical NZ PN style this would be a great option
• Food Pairings: lamb, beef, duck confit and anything to do with porcini mushrooms
• You can purchase this wine on Wine.com

We have 36 Episodes behind us, and if you’ve been with us from the beginning or listened to any of our early episodes, you know we started this podcast because we decided to get serious about wine and we wanted to invite you to learn along with us. That’s 36 episodes learning about wine regions, grape varieties, taste characteristics, and pairing those wines with food. Focusing on pairing wine with Thanksgiving dinner is an opportunity to review some of what we’ve learned, and it gives us a chance to apply it.

Time for another Wine in the News episode! Below are links to the articles feature in this episode.

• Napa's Measure C Is Dead; the War Over Hillside Vineyards Has Just Begun
• French winemakers say warning labels will ruin ‘the soul of France’
• How rosé became the most obnoxious drink in America
• MILLIONS OF BOTTLES OF SPANISH ROSÉ SOLD AS FRENCH
• Here’s why wine makers are ageing their bottles under the sea

This week, it’s all about Chianti!

This week we discussed the highly aromatic wine, Gewürztraminer!

This week features our interview with Fin du Fresne the winemaker at Chamisal Vineyards and Malen Wines out of the Central Coast area of California.

Wine Recommendations - We received these wines as samples but the tasting notes and opinions are ours.

Malene Wines

2017 Rosé - priced around $22.

• A blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Rolle, and Syrah
• Aromas of strawberries, watermelon, minerality and a touch of flowers
• Dry, fruity and crisp with flavors similar to aromas with a creamy texture

2018 Old Vine Rosé of Grenache - priced around $35.

• Light salmon colored wine with aromas of red berries like strawberries and cherries as well as minerality and a touch of lavender
• This wine is dry with medium plus acidity with flavors similar to aromas - red berries, minerality and lavender
• Everything we want in a Rose - intensely fruity, crisp and delicious

2018 Rosé of Mourvedre - priced around $35.

• Aromas and flavors of minerality, strawberry, watermelon and lavender
• A dry style Rosé that is very light in aromas and flavors

Chamisal Vineyards

2017 Stainless Chardonnay - priced around $18.

• Medium golden colored wine with aromas of pineapple, golden apples and apricots
• it's dry with medium acidity and flavors of lemon, minerality and apricots
• A really great options for summer - fruity, ripe, crisp wine

2017 Monterey County Chardonnay - priced around $24.

• Light lemon color
• aromas of toasted oak, lemon and melon
• It's dry with medium body and acidity with flavors of lemon meringue pie, pineapple and apple
• Rich and creamy texted wine
• Although it's oaked and some of those flavors are there, the fruit is the star of the show

2017 Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay - priced around $35.

• Light lemon colored wine
• a light nose of lemon, white flowers and pear
• it's dry with medium acidity and flavors of toasted oak, pear and apple
• Subtle aromas and flavors with a lovely creamy texture

2017 Edna Valley Pinot Noir - Priced around $45

• Garnet colored wine with aromas of fresh cherries, a little earth and sweet baking spices
• It's dry with medium plus acidity with flavors of cherries, earth, baking spice and a bitter note on the finish
• very juicy, vibrant tasting wine with a fair amount of complexity.

In this episode, we talk about general facts about Sauvignon including its origins, food pairings, and Sauvignon Blanc grown in New Zealand

This week we are continuing our series on Greek wine regions by talking about the Aegean Islands wine area.

Wine Recommendations

Domaine Sigalas 2017 - priced around $20.

• Aromas of peach, minerality and Lemon
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, light body with flavors of white peaches and lemon rinds
• Tony thinks there is a touch of tannins but I disagree
• Crisp and fruity very appropriate for summer and reminds me of Verdicchio wine from Italy
• Food pairings: Shellfish, Crab and Lobster and of course Mediterranean dishes

Gavalas Winery Santorini 2010 - priced around $25.

• Aromas of pear, minerality and honeysuckle
• This wine is dry, medium plus acidity, medium body and flavors of honeysuckle, pear, minerality and lemon rind on the finish
• This wine is older for a white wine and has a deep gold color. If you get an older vintage of this wine you need to decorate it for a while. The first day we tried this wine we didn’t like it and had some weird flavors. But the second day and some exposure to oxygen we ended up loving this wine.
• It still has quite a bit of acid and you can’t tell by tasting this wine that it’s eight years old
• Food pairings: seafood, white meat and light cheese

Sources

• Wine-Searcher 
• Wikipedia 
• Greek Wine Insider 
• Vineyard's Greek Wine Map 
• Wine Folly 
• Book: Oxford Guide to Wine

In this episode, we discuss Bordeaux as the one of the largest of most prestigious wine region in the world, about the geography and climate and how it affects the wine, the early history of Bordeaux, the importance of Bordeaux to Britain, and white Bordeaux: grapes, styles, flavor characteristics and food pairings.

It’s time for another four wines episode. Every couple of months we talk about four different wines that we really enjoyed and we're excited to share with all of you.

Pehhcora Pecorino IGT Terre di Chieti 2015 - priced around $12.

• Aromas of oranges, geraniums and minerality
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity and flavors of orange oil, white flowers and wet rocks
• Really delicious, crisp, fruity and floral wine
• Complex but not too serious and great for lighter foods
• Food pairings: grilled fish, fresh cheeses and white meats.

Mansion Creek Cellars White Blend 2015 - priced around $28. 

• Aromas of jasmine, apricots and orange blossom
• This wine is dry with medium body, medium acidity with flavors of grapefruit pith, apricot, and orange blossom
• A real lovely blend with a slightly creamy texture

Quinta do Ataíde Douro 2015 - priced aorund $26.

• We received this wine as a press sample
• Aromas of stewed blackberries, black plums and black currants, dusty earth and black licorice
• This wine is dry, fully body with medium tannins and acidity with flavors similar to aromas with a hint of prunes on the finish
• This wine is dark and luscious wine
• Really fantastic wine for sipping or pairing with red meats and strong cheeses, as well as Portuguese Wild Boar Stew  (if you can’t find boar, pork will do)

Massolino Barolo 2014 - priced around $53

• This was also provided as a media sample to us
• This wine has aromas of plum, stewed black cherries, and dried Italian herbs
• It’s dry, light body, with medium acidity and tannins and flavors of of dark fruits, dried herbs and a bitter wood on the finish
• The tannins give this wine a lovely texture
• There is a lot of complexity in this wine and we think this wine either needs to be aged or enjoyed with food
• Pairing Option: Creamy truffle risotto, medium-mature cow’s milk and goat’s milk cheeses and red meats

Recently we attended the Cold Climate Conference held yearly in Minnesota. This conference is geared towards grape growers and wine makers. During the conference we learned a ton about cold climate grapes, challenges in wine-making and tried some excellent wines.

You might ask, why do cold climate or hybrids grapes need to exist? Grapes like Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon have been tried and failed in areas like Minnesota even when the vines were buried during the wintertime. It’s simply too cold. Even in places like Vermont and parts of New York state, the large swings in winter temperatures can easily damaging those vines, making it extremely risky to grow and profit from.

Much to our surprise, the cold climate wine industry is starting to boom. A 2014 study found that the cold-climate grape-growing and winery industry is estimated to have a $401 million economic impact nationwide. That number will continue to grow so it's only fitting that we dive a little deeper into this up-and-coming wine industry.

In this episode we discuss:

• Brief History of American Hybrids
• Where Northern Hybrids came from
• Challenges in wine-making with cold-climate hybrids
• Wine Characteristics and Styles
• Our biggest take-aways from the conference

This week is part two of a two part series on Burgundy. This week we continue our journey and talk about one of the best wines we ever had, ever.

In this week's episode we discuss:

• Modern History of Burgundy
• Wine regions and wine classifications
• Flavor characteristics of white Burgundy
• Food pairings

Vinho Verde is not a grape or a blend, It's a region! Listen as we discuss region and history, grape growing and winemaking, quality levels, characteristics of Vinho Verde wine, and food pairings.

This week kicks off a series of episode exploring Greece. This episode is an introduction to Greece and Greek wine history. In the following weeks, we will dive into some of the major wine areas of Greece.

Source for this episode:

Book: The Oxford Companion to Wine

The Canary Islands is a collection of islands and an autonomous community of Spain in the North Atlantic Ocean. It’s located 70 miles off the west coast of Morocco making it the most tropical wine region in Europe. This week we learn a little more about this wine region and talk about some unique wines from the Islands.

Wine Recommendations

Viñátigo Gual 2013 - priced around $30.

• White wine from 100% Gual grape or also know as Malvasia Fina
• Deep golden color wine with strong aromas of wet rock, tropical fruits like honeydew melon and pineapple with hint of spice
• It’s dry with medium acidity and body and flavors similar to aromas - pineapple, melon with a little salinity that comes from the grapes being grown close to the coast.
• Very tropical, ripe wine but the acid is still there, it’s not a flabby wine.
• Food Pairings: Fish served in sauces and white meats.
• You can purchase this wine here 

Envínate Táganan Tinto 2016 - Priced around $32.

• This red wine has a nose of cherries, raspberries and cranberries, wet rock and tar
• It’s dry with medium acidity and tannins and medium minus body and flavors of red fruits, lavender and salt
• People who like chanti will probably like this wine
• Food pairings: roasted meats, spicy foods, wild game
• You can find information on where to purchase this wine here 

Sources

• Wine Searcher 
• Vinepair 
• Wikipedia
• Baccos Wine and Cheese 
• Wine Folly

We are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to interview several producers from Willamette Valley in Oregon. So over the next handful of episodes we will be share those interviews and some great wines with our listeners.

This is all thanks to Carl Giavanti from Carl Giavanti Consulting who we met at last year’s Wine Bloggers Conference in Lodi, CA who connected us to these producers and provided us with an opportunity to sample their wines.

If you are a long time listener you know we’ve done a few interviews in the past and it’s been a goal of ours to feature more interviews on this show. We are always interested in learning why people decide to get into the wine business and learn more about this journey and what inspires them. But before we start those episodes, we wanted to release this episode to give our listeners a short introduction to Willamette Valley.

We’re coming up to our 100th episode and to celebrate, we want to make you part of the show! Call into our new voicemail and tell us how the podcast has impacted you, or a short, fun story from your wine journey, or something you’ve learned about wine that’s made a difference for you. The number to call is 937-889-WINE (937-889-9463).  If you can’t leave a voicemail you are welcome to email us at weeklywineshow@gmail.com.

Sources:
Willamette Wines

Wikipedia

Wine Folly

This week we take a trip back to Loire to talk about Vouvray. Vouvray is both a place and a rich aromatic white wine in the middle Loire Valley area made from Chenin Blanc grapes.We did cover Chenin Blanc from South Africa in a previous episode, so if you are looking to learn more about New World and warm climate style Chenin Blanc wines check it out.

Time for another edition of Four Wines! If you're new to our show, every couple of months we like to pause and take an episode to talk about wines we love that do not fit into an upcoming episode. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed researching for it!

Côtes de Bordeaux is a subregion of the larger Bordeaux region in Western France. We covered Bordeaux in two previous episodes. This area of Bordeaux is on the hillsides of the right banks of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers and responsible for some amazing Merlot based red wines.

Check out episode 38 and episode 39 to learn more about Bordeaux

Château Puyanché Blanc 2015 - priced around $13.

• Nose: wax and apricots
• It's a dry wine with medium plus acidity and medium body with flavors of pineapple, white grapefruit, apricot and a touch of lime
• This wine has great acidity and very fresh and fruity but still some complexity
• We think most people are going to want to pare this with food because of the acidity - Bordeaux wines are elevated when paired with the right food
• You can find out where to purchase this wine here 

Château Peybonhomme -Les-Tours Le Blanc 2016 - priced around $20.

• Nose: beeswax, golden apple, golden pear, bread and spice
• It’s dry with medium acidity, medium body and flavors of toasted marshmallow, pineapple and mango
• All these different techniques - the oak and lees stirring paired with the Semillon gives the wine roundness
• Even with some of the oak flavors coming through there is still that  crisp, fruitiness with a little hint of spice
• You can purchase this wine here 

Château Hyot 2015 - priced around $15.

• Nose: cherries, mushroom, and forest floor
• It’s dry with medium acidity, full body and medium firm tannins
• Flavors this wine is so savory with earthy mushroom flavors but still some dark fruit like blackberries and black plum
• Love this wine and it continued to open up and evolved with time so we would recommend decanting or open a little early to expose some oxygen
• You can find out where to purchase this wine here 

Château Couronneau 2015 - priced around $19.

• Nose: very ripe dark fruits, vanilla and dust
• Dry with medium plus acidity, full body, medium plus grippy tannins with flavors similar to aromas - blackberry, black plum and vanilla
• Expected this wine to be a little bitter with the high level of tannins but it wasn’t and the with those tannins - the texture of the this wine is intense but a really enjoyable tasting experience
• Find out where to purchase this wine here 

It’s time for another four wine episode! Since the holidays are right around the corner, this episode is all about sparkling wine.

We are no stranger to talking about sparkling wine on the show. Sparkling wine pairs well with many different types of food so it’s the perfect wine for bring to a holiday get together. We had a sparkling wine episodes last holiday season. 

Wine Recommendations

Paringa Sparkling Shiraz 2013 - priced around $16. 

• It’s a dark ruby red sparkling wine
• Nose of dark fruit, black pepper and a hint of soy sauce
• This wine is off dry, full body with light tannins and medium acidity with flavors similar to the aromas - black fruit, black pepper, and savoriness like soy sauce
• We’ve never had a sparkling wine like this before, there are not a lot of full bodied red wines make into sparkling wines
• You want to serve this wine cool but not cold
• If you want to purchase this wine click here 

These next three wines were samples sent to us.

Côté Mas Crémant De Limoux Brut NV - Priced around $16.

• A blend of 60% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin, 10% Pinot Noir, 10% Mauzac that is made in the traditional method
• Nose: minerality, golden apple, golden pear, and a hint of yeast
• This wine is dry with medium plus acidity with flavors similar to aromas with the addition of some white flowers
• it’s really refreshing - it’s mineral driven and smells like a fresh breeze on a warm day
• The finish on this wine is delicious, refreshing and lingering that leaves you wanting more and make me so happy
• For more information on where to purchase this wine click here 

Altemasi Trentodoc Brut NV - priced around $24. 

• 100% Chardonnay wine made in the traditional method
• Light nose of pink lady apples (tart and sweet) and white flowers
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity
• And flavors of lemon peel, white flowers and crisp apples
• Very crisp, fresh, delicious wine that cups through fried food with intense flavors
• Check out the distributor's website here 
• Learn where you can purchase this wine here 

André Jacquart Rosé de Saignée Experience Brut Nature NV Premier Cru - Priced around $59.

• This is a grower’s champagne
• Nose of strawberries and cream as well as cherries with a hint of bready notes
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, light body with flavors of strawberries, rhubarb, and minerality
• Fruity, fresh, and crisp - this wine gives you what you expect from Champagne and a rose and delivers on the promise of an delicious and amazing wine
• Food pairing suggestions from the producer: pair a shrimp salad with paprika, goat cheese, cheesecake, strawberry cake.
• Learn more about where to purchase this wine here 

Over the next couple of weeks we’re changing pace from summer whites and trying some delicious red wines that can be enjoyed in warmer weather. Cinsault is a red wine grape mostly used in blends like the reds of the Southern France and there is a lot of it! As of 2010, there were about 90,000 acres of vines making it the 25th most grown grape.

This week's episode we discuss:

• Where it's grown?
• What climate is best?
• Flavor characterisitics
• Food pairings

This marks week three of our Australian Wine series and for this episode we focus on the state of South Australia. South Australia produces more than half of all Australian wine and some of the most  prominent wine regions in the country.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

• When did grape growing and winemaking start in South Australia
• South Australia's many zones and regions
• Some awesome wine recommendations

Wine Recommendations

D’Arenberg The Hermit Crab 2016 - priced around $15. Lovely white blend of Viognier and Marsanne with aromas of chalky minerality, grapefruit pith, flowers and stone fruit. This wine is dry with medium acidity and medium body and flavors of toasted oak, white flowers and grapefruit. A nice nod to Rhone with just the right amount of oak to add flavor, texture and complexity but the oak doesn't define the wine.

Purchase this wine here

Mitolo Jester 2015 Shiraz - priced around $22. A 100% Shiraz wine that's aged in used French oak for 18 months. This wine has a nose of berries, a strong black pepper aroma, and a hint of meatiness. It’s dry with medium acidity, medium tannins and full bodied with flavors of black plum, black pepper, and black olives. The tannins are really silky and give this wine a lovely texture and the finish lingers for a long time and we thought this was fruity, complex but still easy to drink on it’s own.

Purchase this wine here

Tait Family Winery’s The Ball Buster 2014 - priced around $25. This wine has aromas of dark fruits, earth and herbal liqueur. It’s dry with medium acidity and medium tannins with flavors of stewed dark fruits, dusty earth and a hint of dark chocolate. This wine is intense, it’s not trying to be subtle (hence the name). We thought this wine was refine and the winemaker did an excellent blend - the Cab brings tannins and structure and the Merlot brings fruit and roundness to the wine.

Purchase this wine here

If you are a listener of the show for any length of time you know we love to talk about rare or unknown grape varieties and regions. This week is no exception with the rare and mysterious grape from Austria known as Saint Laurent. It’s a highly aromatic dark-skinned wine grape variety used in blends and varietal wines. As of 2013, there are about 5,000 acres of St. Laurent vines with major plantings in Austria, Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Many compare it to Pinot Noir but to us, that is a short-sighted comparison. St. Laurent is unique and therefore we believe it should stand alone in it's critique.

In this week's episode we discuss:

• St. Laurent's grape lineage
• Why it's a challenging grape
• What does St. Laurent wine taste like?
• Food pairings

Port is the most famous wine from Portugal. It's a sweet, rich, and delicious fortified wine that is meant to be sipped and savored. We like port because it goes well with a lot of desserts making it a nice fit for this time of year. In this episode we discuss the history of Port, the Douro Region, how Port is made, styles of Port, flavor characteristics, and food pairings.

Priorat is a Spanish DOQ (translates to “Qualified Appellation of Origin”), located in the north-eastern part of Spain, in Catalonia. This is on the Mediterranean side of Spain, only about 10 miles from the Mediterranean sea. DOQ (also called DOCa outside of Catalonia) is the top “qualification level” for Spanish wine regions, and Priort is one of only two DOQ wine regions in Spain, along with Rioja .

Although Priorat is a small region, with 4,700 acres of vineyards from about 600 growers and 100 wineries, their wines are big, bold and known as some of the best red wines that Spain has to offer. This week we dive into the region to learn what makes Priorat such a special place.

In this week's episode we discuss:

• Where is Priorat?
• What grapes are grown?
• Wine history of this area
• Climate and geography
• Flavor characteristics and food pairings of red Priorat

Wine Recommendations

Black Slate Porrera 2011 - priced around $20. This one needed to breathe - nose wasn't so great at first… so we put it through the aerating decanter and it still took an hour to open up.
Black slate is an apt name, it'll stain your teeth and it had that dusty minerality you'd expect from the name.  The nose is sweet and pungent with plum, raisin, black pepper, and pipe tobacco. It tastes is dry, with medium acidity and medium plus tannins. This wine is fruity and savory at the same time, with flavors of dark berries, leather and dark chocolate.

Clos Mogador Nelin Priorat Blanco 2010 - priced around $60. This is a white Priorat so it's special because there are so few white Priorat wines. This six year old wine has a deep golden color. The smell of this wine is intoxicating with aromas of fresh apples, baking spices like vanilla and star anise and it has a nutty quality as well. It has medium acidity with intense flavors of apples, vanilla, minerality and baking spices. We loved this wine and though it had a beautiful balance between the fruit and other flavors and we really didn’t taste the age, in fact it tasted very fresh to us. This is well worth the price for a special occasion.

This week we are talking about Côtes du Rhône white wines and the Grenache Blanc grape. In the cold weather months we tend to focus on lots of full bodied red wines and sometime we needs a break from the reds. We love white wines and winter is the perfect time to talk about medium to full bodied whites which is why we are talking about whites from Côtes du Rhône.

Check out episode 31 and episode 44 to learn more about Côtes du Rhône and for more great wine recommendations.

Wine Recommendations

Domaine de la Présidente Cotes du Rhone Grands Classiques Blanc 2015 - priced around $13.

• Nose of white flowers, paypa and minerality
• It’s dry with medium body, medium plus acidity and flavors of white flowers, lime and pineapple
• This wine is bordering on high acid so best to pair with food
• If you are looking for a white wine to showcase white Cote du Rhone wines this is it. It’s got ripe fruit, floral aromas and flavors, balance of body and acid - rich, not too light but not fat and flabby
• You can purchase this wine at Total Wine by clicking here

Domaine de la Présidente Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne Blanc Prestige 2015 - priced around $15.

• Nose of mango, apple and orange blossom
• It’s dry with medium body, medium plus acidity with flavors very similar to aromas - white flowers, tropical fruits, apple
• The nose of this wine is intoxicating smells very fruity and fresh given its age
• Plus, it has a great texture and weight to it without being too heavy, the blending with Viognier keeps this wine from becoming flabby.
• This wine can age 3-5 years after release so if you pick up a younger vintage and are willing to wait it will continue to develop and transform for the better over time
• You can purchase this wine at Total Wine by clicking the link here 

Sources:

• Book: Wine Grapes
• Wikipedia 
• Rhone Wines 
• Wine Folly 
• The Wine Collar Insider 

Time for another Wine in the News! Check out the articles below that inspired the topics for this episode.

• Wine producers and US importers delay price increases - by Leslie Gevirtz, October 25th, 2019
• Dan Berger, On Wine: The imminent glut: The state industry is facing a major wine surplus - by Dan Berger, Sep 26, 2019
• California Wineries Plan Price Hikes - By W. Blake Gray. October 7th, 2019
• Carbonic Maceration Breaks Out of Beaujolais - By Vicki Denig, October 28th, 2019
• Sustainable Packaging Likely to Become Battleground for Premium Alcohol Producers, Says GlobalData - By Press Release - October 21, 2019
• The sommelier cheating scandal just won’t go away - by Wine Curmudgeon, September 12th, 2019

This week we are talking about summer food and wine pairings. We were brainstorming ideas for episodes and we came up with the idea of picking four different foods we eat mostly in the summertime and pair with some past favorite wines.

Food and Wine Featured in this episode:

Hamburgers

• Tony's Pick: Harney Lane Old Vine Zinfandel, Lizzy James Vineyard
• Betty's Pick: Isabel Mondavi Cabernet Rose

Grilled Veggies

• Betty's Pick: Pierre Sparr Crémant D’Alsace Brut Rose - NV
• Tony's Pick: Shaya Arindo Rueda

Brats

• Tony's Pick: Domaine J. Laurens Les Graimenous Brut Crémant de Limoux
• Betty's Pick: Cartograph Wines Green Ranch Riesling 2017

Corn on the Cob

• Betty's Pick: Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay 2016  
• Tony's Pick: Medeiros Branco 2016

Sources:

• Wine Folly Tutorial on Burger and Wine Pairings
• The Kitchn's 5 Tips for Pairing Wine with Vegetables
• Serious Eats Ask a Sommelier: Best Wine to Pair with Sausage
• Chicago Tribune's How to Pair Wine 
• Montreal Gazette's Pairing up Ketchup and wine 

This week is another four fabulous wines that we loved! Check out the tasting notes and details. 

This week's episode is about Albariño! 

This week we are talking about the Dogliani DOCG and the Dolcetto grape.

Wine Recommendations:

Poderi Luigi Einaudi 2017 - priced $26.

• This wine is from a blend of Dolcetto grapes from the vineyards of the Einaudi estates which surround Dogliani
• Aromas of red licorice and spice
• It’s dry with medium acidity and medium tannins with flavors of red fruits, earth and a bitter almond note on the finish
• The aromas of this wine are almost candy like and we love the mix of complex fruit, earth and spice flavors in this wine.
• This wine gave us Beaujolais vibes but still it’s own unique thing.

Anna Maria Abbona Sorì dij But 2016 - $17.

• This dark violet wine has aromas of dark cherries and blueberries and earth 
• It’s dry with medium acidity and tannins with flavors of dark fruits, earth and that bitter note on the finish that Dolcetto is known for.
• This wine is deeper more intense and complex than the first wine we talked about
• Both of these wine do not see any oak which was a surprise to us
• Recommended food pairing: marinated grilled skirt steak

Sources:

• Italian Wine Central 
• Piemonteland 
• Wikipedia 
• Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani 
• Somm Select 

This week we are talking about the lesser known and grown Piquepoul grape and the area it predominantly comes from.

Wine Recommendations

Richemer Piquepoul Cotes de Thau 2016 - priced around $6.

• Nose -  chalky minerality, citrus - like lemon drop candy and a hint of honeysuckle
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, full body and
• Flavors -  lemon and white flowers
• For a full bodied wine it very crisp and refreshing which allows you to enjoy during hot weather although it does have 12% ABV
• Not very complex in flavor but more complex in the nose and this wine really shined when paired with food

 Félines Jourdan 2016 - priced around $13.

• Nose - lemon, tropical fruits, white peach and white flowers
• It’s dry with medium acidity, fully body
• Flavors - lemon, white flowers and melon
• The flavors of this wine are pretty subtle but it’s not a one note wine, it’s complex with lots of different fruit flavors going on. It’s really delicious!
• You can find information on where to purchase this wine here

Domaine Condamine l'Evêque La Dent 2015 - priced around $13.

• Estate bottled wine
• Nose -  lemon, flowers a hint of minerality and spice
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, full body 
• Flavors -  lemon, white flowers and melon
• Delicious, crisp wine - probably the most acidic of the three wines
• You can find information on where to purchase this wine here

Sources:

• Wikipedia
• Picpoul de Pinet AOC 
• Wine Folly
• Wine-Searcher
• That Useful Wine Site 
• Washingtonian 
• Vinepair 
• Oxford Guide to Wine

This week we continue of series on our favorite types of wine for summer with Riesling. Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany but it's grown all over the world.

We covered Riesling way back in March 2016 in episode four. Click here if you want to take a trip down memory lane.

Wine Recommendations

2016 Hogue Late Harvest Riesling - priced around $10. 

• This wine has an intense nose of apricot, tangerine and lanolin
• It’s sweet, with high acidity and medium body with flavors of apricot, peach and tangerine
• 12.5% ABV but with the high amount of acidity and sweetness you can get away with pairing this with spicy food

Schlink Haus 2017 Riesling Kabinett Nahe - prcied around $12.

• This wine has a nose of peach, orange zest, and a hint of wax
• It’s medium sweet with medium plus acidity and medium minus body with flavors of candied orange and peach, apricot and honey
• This wine is sweet with ripe fruity flavors but not a flabby wine still lots of acidity with a long finish

Boundary Breaks Vineyard 2016 - priced around $19. 

• This wine has a nose of Beeswax, nectarine, lime and green apple
• It’s medium dry so just a touch of sweetness, light body and medium plus acidity with flavors of peach, lime and green apple
• Because it’s medium dry with 12% ABV, we won’t recommend spicy food but lighter dishes or pair with cheeses
• This wine is light, soft and sophisticated with such a beautiful balance of flavors.

Nik Weis St Urbans-Hof Riesling 2016 - priced around $19. 

• This wine really confused us at first. The nose starts with a burnt matchstick aroma and as it opens up you then get those fruity aromas of green apple, peach a little slate with we expected of the Mosel area
• It’s light bodied, medium sweet and medium plus acidity with flavors of green apple, minerality and light peach
• It has 10% ABV so this could be pair with spicy foods
• It’s sweet but lighter than the other German Riesling we talked about both in body in flavors

Sources:

• Wikipedia
• Wine Folly
• Bacchus Importers LTD

This episode we bring you interesting wine news for Spring 2017, plus our reactions and opinions. Articles we cover:

• “Ignore the Snobs, Drink the Cheap, Delicious Wine” by Bianca Bosker. New York Times. 
  • Summary: Bianca Bosker says mass-produced, committee-designed wines deserve love too.

• “Wine Legislation Roundup: A Consumer's Guide to 2017 State Politics” by Emma Balter. Wine Spectator.
  • Summary: We touch on bills being considered in Indiana regarding a tax break for beer made with locally grown ingredients, and labeling standards in Texas

• “Minnesota wineries challenge state law requiring use of homegrown grapes” by David Chanen. Star Tribune. 
  • Summary: Two Minnesota wineries are suing the MN Department of Public Safety over a law that says 51% of a MN winery's production must come from grapes grown in MN.

• “How a biotech start-up is making expensive wines without grapes“ by Chris Morris. CNBC
  • Summary: Ava Winery, a start-up out of San Francisco, is making wine without grapes. They analyze the molecular profile of a famous wine and recreate it by combining “amino acids, sugars, ethanol and other elements.”

• “The Contrarian Cellar” by Matt Kramer. Wine Spectator
  • Summary: Opinion Piece. Matt begins with a story about an experienced trophy-wine-drinking friend he tries to impress with little-known wines when they get together and how the latest attempt was amazing. He says it was a triumph of the “Contrarian Cellar”, that you too can have one because it’s feasible and affordable. You need to be willing to do a bit of research and drink w

It's time for another four wines episode! Every couple of months we talk about four different wines that we've been enjoying and want to share with all of our wonderful listeners.

Wine Recommendations

Domaine Bourgogne-Devaux Hautes Côtes de Beaune 2015 - priced around $25.

• These Pinot Noir grapes come from 50+ year old vines on average and is aged in barrel (10% new)
• Light garnet hue with aromas of cherries, earth a d a hint of baking spice
• It's dry with a light body, medium acidity and light tannins with flavors of cherries with a strong damp earthiness and rose notes
• What I would expect from a red burgundy - complex, not as fruity as New World Pinot

Broc Cellars Amore Rosso 2017 - priced around $28. 

• 100% Sangiovese wine
• Light garnet hue with aromas of red fruits of cherries and cranberries
• It's dry with medium acidity, light tannins and flavors similar to aromas.
• We would describe this wine as light, fresh and fruity
• There are pizzas on the label so their taken the guesswork out of food pairing.

Browne Family Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2015 - priced around $32.

• This wine comes from the Columbia Valley in Washington state
• 100% Cab Franc, Aged: 22 Months in 35% New French Oak
• This wine has aromas of dried black fruits, dried sage and star anise
• It's dry, full body, medium plus acid and medium tannins with flavors of blackberry fruit leather, cedar and forest floor
• This wine is deep, intense, and bold.
• Not very fruity but lots of complex, interesting flavors
• Pair with food off the grill, beef stews or chili

Camins del Priorat 2016 - priced around $20.

• From producer Alvaro Palacios 
• The wine is a blend of Garnacha, Carignan, Cabernet and Syrah.
• Aromas of blackberry, black plum and vanilla
• This wine is dry, full body, medium acidity, medium tannins and flavors of black cherry, black plum and vanilla
• Deep, intense wine that would be great for cool weather

This week starts a new series on Spanish wine regions. A couple of summers ago we did a series on Spanish wines which we really enjoyed. We love Spanish wine and wanted an excuse to drink more and learn about lesser known regions within Spain. So this week we are kicking things off with Ribera del Duero.

On this week's episode we discuss:

• Where is Ribera del Duero?
• Brief wine history of the area
• Climate and geography
• Grapes grown and the amazing wine it makes
• Wine classifications
• Food pairings

Wine Recommendations

Convento Oreja Crianza 2014 - priced around $25. This wine has aromas of black cherry, spice, vanilla and a hint of tobacco. It's dry with medium acidity, medium plus lush, smooth tannins with flavors of black plum, blackberries, vanilla and leather with a long finish. We love the texture of this wine, not as fruity as we were expecting but it has a lovely, long finish. 

You can purchase this wine here

Quintana de Cue Crianza 2011 - this wine is a Winery Direct selection from Total Wine and is priced around $20. This wine has a nose of black cherry and a hint of red berries and dried fennel seeds and vanilla. It's dry with medium acidity, medium plus tannins and flavors of chocolate covered cherries and raspberries. We loved this wine, it's intense, fruity and complex.

You can purchase this wine here

Valtravieso Reserva 2011 - priced around $32. This is actually a blend of 90% Tinto fino, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot that spent 18 months in barrel and another 18 months in the bottle. This wine has aromas of black cherries, forest floor with a meaty undertone. It's dry, medium plus tannins, medium acidity and black plum and flavors of dark chocolate covered espresso beans. This wine has such a beautiful texture - satin like tannins and it's less rustic and more refined than the other two wines. 

You can purchase this wine here

This week is all about the unique grape that is Nebbiolo. Since it's light in color people often mistake it for a tame wine but this wine is anything but tame. It's big acid and tannin structure require some serious aging and don't even think about drinking this wine without some serious decanting or at least opening the bottle a couple hours before enjoying. Although it might not provide instant gratification, this wine is a must try if you are looking for a serious food wine.

In this week's episode we discuss:

• The History of Nebbiolo grape
• How's it's grown and where it thrive's
• Italian Nebbiolo Regions
• Wine Flavors and Characteristics
• Food Pairings

This week we are talking about Santa Barbara County and it’s wines.  We touched on this area in a couple of past episodes, specifically episode 50 on Central Coast Pinot Noir and episode 53 that featured our interview Clarissa Nagy of Nagy wines.

Wine Recommendations

Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay 2014 - priced around $28

• Deep golden color with with aromas of stonefruit, melon, ripe bananas and vanilla cream
• This wine is dry, full bodied with medium acidity and flavors similar to aromas - tropical and stonefruits and that creamy vanilla flavor
• Very cream, soft texture and the oak flavor is there put not strong which we appreciated - it’s just the right amount
• Also, you can tell this Chardonnay comes from the cooler climate that other parts of California because it has that acidity to balance out the fuller body and texture of the wine.
• Priced around $ 28
• You can purchase this wine at Total Wine 

Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 - priced around $25.

• This wine was given to us as a sample
• Aromas of dark fruits - blackberry, black cherry and black plum as well as some green pepper notes
• It’s dry with medium acidity and medium silky, smooth tannins with flavors of dark fruits, vanilla and a hint of a vegetal notes
• Love the tannins in this wine - provides a great sensory experience
• You can also tell this wine is from a cooler part of california but the fruit aromas and flavors are ripe but don’t have a cooked or jammy quality to them.
• You can purchase this wine from Mucas & Lewellen's website 

Sources

• Santa Barbara Vintners 
• Book: American Wine
• Wine Searcher 
• GuildSomm 
• Los Olivos AVA 

This week we discuss Monastrell (or you might know it but it's French name Mourvèdre). This wine is the third most grown red grape in Spain and makes a big, bold, meaty wine meant to be enjoyed with food. Since it's origins are Spanish, it's only fitting that we included in this series. We hope you enjoy. Cheers!

This week features our interview with viticulturist and winemaker Philippe Langner of Hesperian Wines our of Napa Valley. 

Wines from Hesperian Wines - note that these wines were provided as samples to us but the opinions below are our own.

Anatomy No. 1 Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 - priced around $33

• Bordeaux-style blend of mostly Cab with a little Merlot and Syrah
• Aromas of black currents, red plum, blackberries, earth and leather
• it's dry with medium plus acidity and tannins with flavors similar to aromas - dark fruits, leather, with a little vegetal note on the finish
• This is a big, bold wine with structure bout a lot of juicy, ripe fruit

2015 Hesperian Cabernet Sauvignon - priced around $100.

• 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
• Deep purple color with strong aromas of fennel and dark fruits
• it's dry with medium acid and tannins with flavors of fennel, dark fruits and a herbal quality
• it's a less fruity cab and more herbal and mellow
• drink now through 2035

2015 Hesperian Cabernet Sauvignon Kitoko Vineyard - priced around $150

• 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Aromas of dark fruits, violets and dusty earth
• it's dry with medium acid and tannins and flavors of dark fruits, leather and a hint of baking spices
• Bold but refined Cab that is good to drink now or if you're willing to wait will continue to evolve until 2035

Central Coast is a huge wine region spanning 250 miles down the coast from southern San Francisco to the tip of Santa Barbara County. Central Coast is a series of valleys running east to west leaving it open to coastal fog and afternoon breeze. Normally I hear California and visions of hot weather and big wines come to mind, but Central Coast's cool climate gives us wines reminiscent of Old World Burgundy. With high acid and refined fruit, Central Coast Pinot Noir is the ultimate expression of terrior and the winemaker's artistry.

This week's episode we are talking wine news. The articles listed below are featured in this week's episode:

• Rioja Grapples With How to Define Its Best Wines By Eric Asimov New York Times May 25, 2017

• P.F. Chang's Created Two Wines to Pair with your Favorite Asian Food By Sarah Whitten of CNBC June 8, 2017

• For Total Wine, it’s total war against alcohol regulations By Dan Adams Boston GLOBE MAY 20, 2017

• Record number of English and Welsh wine companies launched in 2016 By Rob Davies, The Guardian Monday 29 May 2017

• “Getting Really Good at Wine Tasting Can Help You Learn How to Trust Yourself” By Melissa Dahl New York Magazine May 11, 2017

It's time for another Wine in the News episode. Below are the news articles we feature in this episode.

A new study shows that wine experts differ by geographic region

Public Release from Concordia University, January 14, 2019

Organic Grape Growing Harms Vineyard Soil, Says A Consumer Advocacy Group

by Thomas Pellechia, January 6, 2019

Somm Cheat Probe Going Nowhere

By Liza B. Zimmerman on December 5, 2018

A New Era for U.S. Wine-Labeling Laws

by Katherine Cole, November 26th, 2018

In this episode we discuss the Piedmont region of Italy, it’s geography and climate, the history of the barbera grape, where the barbera grape grows and how it thrives, flavor characteristics of Italian barbera wine, and food pairings.

This week we continue our summer wine series with white blends. A blend is really a wine containing two or more grapes which means there is an unlimited amount of options. Some regions are famous for their white blends and we’ve covered quite a few of them in previous episodes.

• Ep 068 – Soave
• Ep 044 – Winter Whites From Southern Rhone
• Ep 014 – Any Day is Special when you’re Drinking Cava!

Wine Recommendations

Anne Amie Vineyards 2015 Cuvee Amrita - priced $15.

• Blend of Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, Pinot Blanc, Viogner, Gewurtztraminer, Chardonnay
• This wine has a nose of Wet rock, lime, peach, starfruit and wax
• It’s off dry, a little fizzy with medium acidity and flavors of elderflower, honey, tangerine zest and lime
• This blend gives an interesting and complex fruit and floral aromas and flavors, it has a lot going on in terms of flavor but still light and with enough acidity to pair with food
• You can purchase this wine here

Field Recordings Hock 2017 - priced around $15.

• Blend of Gewurztraminer,  Pinot Gris, and Riesling.
• The smell of this wine is intoxicating - an intense nose of lychee, lemon zest, apricot and pear
• It’s off dry with medium acidity, light bodied with flavors similar to aromas - Lychee, lemon, pear but lighter in intensity than the nose
• Love all the fruity flavors
• You can purchase this wine here

Höpler Pannonica Blanc 2016 - priced $12.

• Blend of Chardonnay, Gruner Veltliner, and Pinot Blanc
• Aromas of white flowers, lime and hay
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, light body, slightly fizzy and flavors of lime, white flowers and a hint of apricot
• Drier and crispy than the previous two wines, refreshing and very fruity with a touch of floral notes

Ares de Medeiros Branco 2016 - priced around $12.

• Grapes of this blend of Viognier, Verdelho,  and Arinto de Bucelas
• Nose of white flowers, minerality, lemon and peach
• It’s dry with medium plus acidity, light body and flavors of lime, lemon and white flowers
• This wine is light, crisp - more floral than the other wines - but still refreshing and perfect for pairing with foods
• You can purchase this wine here

This week's episode is all about sparkling wine!!! We cover Champagne, Cremant, Cava, Prosecco, and Moscato d'Asti. 

This week we explore Mendocino County, California. Mendocino County is an appellation that makes wine from grapes grown mostly in Mendocino County, California and is a part of the larger North Coast AVA to the west of Lake County . Mendocino County is huge covering 2.4 million acres and almost 19,000 acres have is grapevines, which accounts for about 1% of the land use in the county.

In this week's episode we discuss:

• History of wine in the region
• AVAs of Mendocino County
• What makes this place so special (aka climate)
• Grapes grown

Wine Recommendations

Roederer Estate Brut NV - priced around $24. This wine was aged a minimum of two years on the yeast and that aging is apparent in the nose with aromas of toast, pear, minerality and golden delicious apples. It has medium plus acidity so it's a great pairing with food like sushi, cheese, appetizers or potato chips (one of our favorite pairings). It’s light, clean and crisp with flavors of green apple skins, lime and white lily. It was amazing and sadly, we only purchased one bottle.

Toad Hollow Vineyards Chardonnay 2016 - priced around $14. This is 100% unoaked Chardonnay with a very light nose of melon like honeydew, mango and some minerality. It has a medium acidity and medium bodied with flavors of melon, mango and green apple skins. This wine isn’t the CA Chardonnay style that we’ve come to expect but it’s also not Burgundy, it’s kind of it’s own thing. We thought it was light and crisp, with a pleasant finish - inviting you to sip this wine over and over again.

If you tuned into the news, you know about the fires devastating parts of the North Coast including areas of Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino County. The Community Foundation of Mendocino County has set up a fund to provide disaster relief and recovery services in the aftermath of the wildfire that is affecting that part of California. You can go to their website to donate.