Food and wine pairing is complex. But as many of us are trying to eat healthier, more plant-based diets it becomes an exercise in frustration. Traditional outlets barely ever talk about how to pair red wine with vegetarian dishes, beyond eggplant and mushrooms.

Wendy Narby, a wine educator and writer in Bordeaux and Sally Evans, a winemaker and owner of Château George 7 (sette) aim to change that. This week they talk about their new site, which  helps us learn to pair the wines of Bordeaux and wines like them with vegetarian dishes. This podcast and their site, Wineand2veg.com, gives great ideas for pairings that prove you don't have to give up bold wine if you decide to eat a plant-based meal.

 

Knowing you can have a meatless day and still have a great wine pairing makes it a little more appealing to try it, no?

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

_______________________________________________________________

Wine Access  is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding!).  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This time we explore the hidden gems of  Bordeaux -- the Côtes de Bordeaux -- which make superb wines that few people know about. With an easy-drinking style, the Côtes de Bordeaux are the hidden, affordable wines of Bordeaux. These historic vineyards are a collection of AOCs around eastern Bordeaux on sunny hillside slopes that grow a majority of Merlot and have similar soil types. These are not second or bulk wines ? rather family-owned, often sustainable wines that are always a good value for money.

 

This group of appellations under the marketing umbrella of Côtes de Bordeaux covers 9 - 10% of the total production of Bordeaux.  

 

Faced with lots of competition from the named communes of Bordeaux (Pomerol, Saint-Émilion, etc), and the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur AOCs, efforts started in 2004 to create the Union des Côtes de Bordeaux (UCB) to create a collective ?brand? of recognition: the AOC Côtes de Bordeaux with 6 terroir:

Côtes de Bordeaux - umbrella appellation Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux Francs Côtes de Bordeaux Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux· Sainte-Foy Côtes de Bordeaux (joined in 2016)

Map: Côtes de Bordeaux

 

 

In 2009, the AOC ?Côtes de Bordeaux? went into effect. They must all use the logo below on the bottle to reinforce the association: 

 

This is the wine we were drinking...

I hope this opens your eyes to some new, fantastic, affordable Bordeaux wines! Take a listen and put this to use -- there is a lot of goodness to discover here (and it won't hurt your wallet)! 

 

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

_______________________________________________________________

Wine Access  is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding!).  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Sources:

http://www.bordeaux-cotes.com/en/home/ https://www.vin-blaye.com https://www.cadillaccotesdebordeaux.com http://www.castillon-cotesdebordeaux.com/en/ "Inside Bordeaux" Jane Anson, 

It's another edition of the "Alternatives to a Fave" series! This time: Grenache/Garnacha.

As an extension of the Grape Mini-series, we come up with lists of wines that lovers of a specific grape can try as alternatives. Grenache/Garnacha comes in many different forms -- as a juicy, cherry-berry standalone grape in Spain, as lighter blender in the Rhône and Rioja, in rosé and fortified wines, and as full, serious wine in places like Priorat (Spain), Châteauneuf-du-Pape (France), and Australia, where old vines make very intense wines.

Photo: Grenache grapes in California. Credit: Getty Images via Canva

This one was a challenge, but we came up with a good list of ideas and most won't burn a hole in your wallet! This show focuses only on the red wines  (not rosé or sweet wines) and our list includes everything from Zinfandel to Nero d'Avola, to Valpolicella and Alentejo blends (Portugal), on the lighter side to Syrah, Amarone, and Aglianico on the heavy side.

 

We hope, as usual, that this show opens some new doors and gives you new ideas of wines to add to your repertoire! 

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

_______________________________________________________________

Wine Access  is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding!).  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

For the first time, we have a Wine For Normal People Patron on the show to share her passion and expertise!

 

This week is a follow-up to last week?s weedier podcast on Greece. This time, long time listener and friend, Lindsey Miller, joins as our first Patron guest, to talk about her passion for and knowledge of Greek wine. She helps bring this topic to life, giving us background on how she fell in love with Greece, got to know its wines, and developed some expertise on the subject.   Lindsey shares tips and tricks on how to get the best Greek wine, talks about the challenges for the country?s wines in English-speaking markets, and makes helpful suggestions on where to start ? from a grape AND region perspective ? with Greece.   I had so much fun with Lindsey and she did a great job ?humanizing? the topic and getting me motivated to explore even more of Greece! Let?s raise a glass (of Greek wine) to her for being the first brave soul to come on the show and share her passion and smarts with us!

Lindsey Miller in Pylos. Credit: Lindsey Miller

As we mentioned in the last show, here is a list of places and grapes we mention:

 

 

Notable Appellations and Grapes we cover...

Xinomavro PDO appellations: Naoussa, Amyndeo

Agiorgitiko appellation: Nemea PDO

Moschofilero: Mantinia PDO/Peloponnese

Assyrtiko appellation: Santorini

Liatiko, Vidiano, Vilana, Kotsifali: Crete

Store shelf Lindsey mentions in the show. Greek wines with Hungarian wines thrown in. Credit: Lindsey Miller

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

_______________________________________________________________

Wine Access  is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding!).  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This show is an update to our previous shows on Greece. We hope to get you (re)started on your exploration of this ancient winemaking nation that has been reborn in recent years. Greek wines are unique, terroir-driven, and they harken back to the nation's ancient past and the very foundations of wine as a major part of the history in western civilization.

 

With recent investments and modernization, the wines are better than ever and are worth exploring.

Map from the Wines of Greece

Although the places and grapes can be hard to pronounce (we did our best ?????), they are easy to love. Take a listen and then seek these out -- you won't regret it! 

 

Here is a list of places and grapes we mention:

Notable Appellations

Xinomavro PDO appellations: Naoussa, Amynteo, Rapsani, Goumenissa

Agiorgitiko appellation: Nemea PDO

Mavrodaphne appellation: Patras/Peloponnese

Moschofilero: Mantinia PDO/Peloponnese

Assyrtiko appellation: Santorini

Liatiko, Vidiano, Vilana, Kotsifali: Crete

 

White grapes: Assyrtiko, Aidani, Moschofilero, Vidinao, Villana, Malagouzia, Roditis, Debina, Malvasia, Muscat of Alexandria, Savatiano, Sauvignon Blanc

 

Red grapes: Xinomavro, Agiorgitko (St. George), Mavrodaphne, Stavroto, Krasato, Limnio, Liatiko, Kotsifali, Mandelaria, Negoska, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc

Xinomavro. Credit: Wines of Greece

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

_______________________________________________________________

Wine Access  is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding!).  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

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Main Sources:

"The Wines of Greece", Konstantinos Lazarakis. Infinite Ideas; January 22, 2018.

https://winesofgreece.org/

This is a baffling story that includes a Napa history lesson, an idea of how the Valley has grown and then a jaunt into intrigue, sting operations, and what appears to be an effort to kill the goose that laid the golden egg by the Napa County government. It seems that the County is going after small wineries in an attempt to bankrupt them out of business. 

Friend of the pod, Stu Smith of Smith-Madrone joins to discuss and explain the situation -- at least the parts that have an explanation! 

If you want background on Smith-Madrone, check out...

Ep 253: Stu Smith of Smith-Madrone Vineyards Talks About 48 Years in Napa Valley

Please support small wineries! Now, more than ever they need our help!!

Stu Smith, Smith-Madrone Vineyard

Lindsay Hoopes, Hoopes Vineyard

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

Wine Access  is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment.  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Thomas Bianciardi is the winemaker for the exceptional Azienda Agricola San Filippo in Montalcino, the famed enclave of Tuscany. I had the honor of meeting him while on the Patron trip to Tuscany this spring and loved the philosophy, the wines, and the way that Thomas explained the region.

Photo: Thomas Bianciardi Credit: Wine For Normal People

Thomas joins to discuss Montalcino, educate us about the region and tell us about how he and owner Roberto Gianneli make these exceptional wines that recently made #3 on Wine Spectators 2020 list of top wines. These wines are a great reflection of the terroir and the people who make them.

 

Photo: Roberto Gianneli, Owner of San Filippo. Credit: San Filippo
 

For info on the Agriturissmo, where you can stay on the property, click here! 

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

Wine Access  is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment.  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This show is listener driven, which makes sense since we have always had a listener focus at Wine For Normal People! We take some amazing questions about the podcast from listeners and reveal some fun facts about the show that you may not know.

 

We cover things like: 

What experience did we have going into the podcast? How do we select guests and plan shows? How should a first-time listener approach 500 episodes? What regions do we like now that we didn't at the outset? What has changed with the show over the years?

 

And much more. Lots of laughs and good fun, with some wine education and entrepreneurial advice to boot!

Thank you to all listeners for being so loyal, kind, and all around awesome over the years -- especially the Patrons! And thank you to Wine Access for its continued support of the show!!

Here?s to 500 more episodes! 

Episodes referenced:

Ep 149: Wine Gifts So Bad They're Great! Ep 396: Halloween Candy and Wine Pairings Revisited with Kelsey and Colby Ep 353: Women in Wine and the Subtle Symphony of Quiet Misogyny Ep 158: Did I drink wine when I was pregnant? Our story Ep 391: Édouard Miailhe - Dynamic leader of the Margaux AOC & 5th Generation Owner of Château Siran AND Ep 447: Édouard Miailhe from Château Siran Returns Ep 434: The World's Foremost Authorities on Rosé -- Elizabeth Gabay, Master of Wine, & Ben Bernheim, Co-Author Jim Morris Episodes (just click here for a list! ) Ep 478: Piero Mastroberardino -- the Soul of the Wines & Vines of Campania Antonio Capaldo: Ep 337: Feudi di San Gregorio and the Unrivaled Wines of Campania, Italy AND Ep 482: Antonio Capaldo of Feudi San Gregorio Returns Ep 333: Richard Betts, Former Master Somm, Shows What Moral Fortitude REALLY Looks Like

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

We couldn't have gotten to 500 episodes without my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. The holidays are almost upon us -- don't forget to stock up for your holiday feasts and get a Wine Access gift card for everyone in your life!  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Professor Thomas Collins (yes, his name is Tom Collins) is a foremost authority in the US on smoke in the vineyards. After a long career in research and enology at large wineries in New York and California, and a Ph.D. at UC-Davis, Dr. Collins became an assistant professor of grape and wine chemistry in the Viticulture and Enology Program at Washington State University in 2015.

Photo: Dr. Tom Collins, Credit: WSU

 

He manages a research program in grape, wine and spirits aroma and flavor chemistry, and teaches courses in grape and wine chemistry and winery operations. In this show we talk all about wine and fire -- topics like:

Why are there so many fires and will this trend continue in the future? Who is studying fire and what has been discovered so far? What parts of the vine are affected by fire and what actually damages the grapes? What are the remedies and what can we expect to happen in the future with fire research?

A great show with a really smart and easy to understand guest -- important when it's such a complex topic!

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. The holidays are almost upon us -- don't forget to stock up for your holiday feasts and get a Wine Access gift card for everyone in your life!  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

 

This is a special update and recap of Episode 327 with Barnaby Eales on Wine ingredient & nutrition labeling. I refreshed and edited that (very short) episode and then MC Ice and I added the details of the new law.

We did the original episode in 2020 and at that time it was unclear whether or not Europe would go through with the plan, but they executed it and now we may be seeing back labels with a WHOLE lot more info about the wine! Listen to the update to learn what you NEED to know! 

 

This new system goes live on December 8, 2023. There are still a lot of uncertainties, but all European wine lovers should know what the changes are so this is a must listen!

 

Here are a few useful links for further reading...

https://wineinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Wine-Institute-EU-Nutrition-Ingredient-Labeling-FAQ.pdf

https://www.decanter.com/learn/eu-wine-labelling-the-changes-explained-507553/

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. The holidays are almost upon us -- don't forget to stock up for your holiday feasts and get a Wine Access gift card for everyone in your life!  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

 

 

Thanksgiving is a hard meal to pair wine with but we've got you covered. After a little bit of wine advice about glassware, serving temps, and my annual "Aunt Gertrude" warning, we get into the pairings for traditional (and some variations on traditional) Thanksgiving fare. 

 

We begin with suggestions for wines to welcome your guests, and then move on to:

Wine and food pairings for Thanksgiving appetizers/ hors-d'?uvre Wine and food pairings for the meats and main courses of Thanksgiving (my favorite part)  Wine pairings for traditional Thanksgiving side dishes

From the traditional suggestions of rosé and Riesling to more adventurous things like Amontillado Sherry and Xinomavro, we give you plenty to think about when picking wines for your holiday gathering! 

Photo credit: Unsplash

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. The holidays are almost upon us -- don't forget to stock up for your holiday feasts and get a Wine Access gift card for everyone in your life!  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This week we cover the unsung red of Central European wine ? Blaufränkisch. This Central European red grape was planted widely in throughout the Habsburg Empire, and today the biggest plantings aren?t too far from its birthplace ? right on the Austria-Hungary border.

Photo: Blaufränkisch. Credit: Austrian Wine

Blaufränkisch translates to ?blue wine of the Franks?, and it is known as Lemberger in Germany and the US, Kékrankos in Hungary, Franconia in Italy, and various Burgundy-related names elsewhere in Central Europe. We discuss the origins of all these names, how the grape performs in the vineyard, its flavors, food pairings, and more. Whether it?s from Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Finger Lakes of New York, Washington State, Italy or Spain,  this grape is versatile, multifacted and a perfect medium bodied red that?s perfect for many foods and all sorts of weather --  it can be chilled in the summer in one version and warm your bones by a fire in another. 

 

*Note, we mentioned the Austrian anti-freeze scandal. For more on that and Austria in general, check out an old but still accurate show: Ep 051: Austria

© Austrian Wine / Austrian Wine

 

Go get yourself a bottle and you?ll see what we mean!

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

Most information for the show from Austrian Wine, Wines of Germany, Wines of Hungary, Wine Grapes (Book, Jancis Robinson)

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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. The holidays are almost here -- don't forget to stock up for your holiday feasts and get a Wine Access gift card for everyone in your life!  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Sherry is a complex wine with lots of terroir, tradition, and winemaking possibilities. In episode 495, we go over the stats on the region, the history, the terroir, and details on winemaking, including the solera system. We then describe the biologically aged wines ? Fino and Manzanilla. 

 

This show is a continuation of episode 495 but after listening to the show I did with MC Ice, I realized it was too meandering, so I recorded this version on my own.

 

This second part of the Sherry refresh has many aspects to it, and I do my best to be as clear as possible with it all. Here are the topics we cover:

First, I give a 5 minute review of Sherry winemaking. I explain, anew, the biological aging process and then explain the Oxidative aging process of Olorosos and other wines I explain, in greater detail, the ?in between? styles ? Amontillado and Palo Cortado, which have been made by a combination of biological and oxidative aging but are slightly different

Photo: Different types of Sherry. Source: Vinos de Jerez

I talk about the three categories of Sherry styles:

Vinos Generosos: the dry styles of Sherry ? Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso Vino dolces Naturales: Pedro Ximénez, Moscatel Vinos Generosos de Licor: Pale Cream, Medium, Cream Sherries

I discuss the aging categories, which have been effect since 2000:

VOS: Vinum Optimum Signatum or Very Old Sherry that has been in a solera for 20 years VORS: Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum or Very Old Rare Sherry that has been in a solera for 30+ years

Photo: Legal age statements in sticker format from the Consejo Regulador

 

I wrap with some small changes to the DO that happened this year, sent to me by Patron Chaim G (thanks to Chaim!).

 

I give a thanks to the mixologists for keeping Sherry alive and then sign off!

 

Here is the show with Tio Pepe I mentioned...

Ep 249: Revisiting Sherry with Andrew Sinclair of Tio Pepe

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

Most information for the show from the Jerez DO

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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. The holidays are almost upon us -- don't forget to stock up for your holiday feasts and get a Wine Access gift card for everyone in your life!  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

It's been 11 years since we discussed Sherry, so it's time to do a refreshed show. This time, Sherry is much more mainstream and we're revisiting this fascinating wine that has so much history, and has experienced a renaissance in recent times.

 

We discuss:

Where Sherry is and its defining terroir, including the terroir of the bodegas The grapes of Sherry The 3000 year history of the region Winemaking and the complex system of criaderas, soleras, and fractional blending The biologically aged wines (under flor): Fino and Manzanilla

Part 2 will include all the other types of Sherries from sweet to the numerous oxidative styles.

Here's a link to the show with Grammar Girl we referenced...

Map: Sherry Wines DO

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

Most information for the show from the Jerez DO

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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. You HAVE to check out our Halloween pack at https://wineaccess.com/wfnp-halloween/  -- Spooky wines for my favorite holiday! GREAT Wines and a ton of fun. Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

 

After a very, very hot summer where we live, the weather has broken and we are ready for wines that can warm us up and pair with the smells of crisp fall air and falling leaves, as well as heartier food. In this show, we talk about wines for fall from around the world and why they are going on our wine shopping list this season.

 

We break it down country by country (and give some special attention to Piedmont and Champagne, where I just visited) and hopefully give you some great ideas of new wines you can try out this fall to enjoy the season.

Photo: Old Champagne. Credit: Wine For Normal People

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. You HAVE to check out our Halloween pack at https://wineaccess.com/wfnp-halloween/  -- Spooky wines for my favorite holiday! GREAT Wines and a ton of fun. Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

I first spoke to Marina Marcarino of Punset in 2017 and I was fascinated by her story and loved her wines. We became friends and I?ve visited her over the years and keep in touch with her for a pulse on what is happening in the vineyards and wineries of Barbaresco, where Punset is located.

Marina Marcarino of Punset Wines in Barbaresco

As a recap of the first show, when Marina Marcarino was in her early 20s, she took over the family vineyard in Neive, Barbaresco (Piedmont, Italy) and named it Punset. She had a revolutionary idea for the 1980s: to turn the vineyard organic. Marina became the first organic producer in Barbaresco. Her vineyards look different, her practices were strange to most back then and when she started using biodynamic in the 1990s, her reputation as ?la pazza? ? the crazy, was cemented.

 

Fast forward to today, and everyone has followed Marina and she has become one of the thought leaders in environmental stewardship of vineyards in Barbaresco. Those who once mocked her, now use the very same practices she pioneered and she has gained the respect of them all.

Photo: The Amazing Punset wines

 

When I was visiting Piedmont recently, I was able to catch up with Marina and ask her for an update about the region and about Punset. She is such a forward looking person -- this is a real opportunity to hear about what will likely be happening in wine and in Piedmont in the future.

 

We discuss controversial topics and general ones, and her insightful answers will have you thinking more deeply about the entire region and about farming, winemaking, and a little of life philosophy thrown in. She is the president of Albeisa, a consortium of quality producers who seek to educate and properly market the wines of the Langhe, and she shares some of the things she's done and is doing in that role as well. 

 

I hope you find her passion and intelligence as awesome as I do! Enjoy this one ? you?ll learn so much!

 

Don't forget to listen to Ep 182, the OG with Marina that goes over her story...LINK

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. You HAVE to check out our Halloween pack at https://wineaccess.com/wfnp-halloween/  -- Spooky wines for my favorite holiday! GREAT Wines and a ton of fun. Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

This week, my close friend, web guru, and the best digital marketer in the wine biz -- Polly Hammond of 5Forests -- discusses some fascinating topics in wine. We have a great conversation about the state of wine marketing, it's disconnection with normal people (and reasons for it), and how there is more to some trends than clickbait would have you believe! 

Polly is very different in the world of wine. She is actually a regular person, who understands how normal people think about and drink wine. She is the Founder and CEO of 5forests, where she works with wineries around the world to help them understand how to reach  normal people, and bridge the gap between the wine industry and the people it?s supposed to serve.

If you love winefornormalpeople.com, it?s Polly?s work (and if you need help with a company web site, she doesn?t just do wine stuff, so contact her to help you).

She is launching ?Head Training? this month, her third podcast/web series on wine to help educate winery owners and others in the wine business on good marketing practices. It?s a weekly YouTube Series that is focusing on in depth topics, some are interviews, and some are recaps. Check it out on the 5Forests YouTube channel! 

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally.

Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. The holidays will be here before you know it -- plan ahead and order great wines for the season today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Pinot Noir is a challenging grape. It?s hard to grow, hard to work with in the cellar, and the style varies drastically based on where it?s made, who is making it, and when it was grown (vintage).

 

We haven?t covered Pinot in a decade, so we decided to do a reboot on the grape mini-series and add all the new information and insights I?ve gathered over the last 10+ years since the last one. From clones to climate change, we give the full story on Pinot and talk about how no two wines are alike and the many reasons they differ.

We cover the main growing regions in the Old World ? Burgundy, Germany, Italy, etc ? and the New World ? California, Oregon, New Zealand, Chile, Australia and more ? and discuss the style differences between the major regions.

This show is packed with information (and it?s got my opinions too, which may not be yours?don?t be offended!). If you love Pinot, check regularly on winefornormalpeople.com/classes for the Pinot Noir Around the World class, taught twice a year, and the Wines of Burgundy class, which is an intensive look at the birthplace of Pinot.  Enjoy!

 

Podcasts Referenced:

Ep 296: Boundary Breaks of the Finger Lakes, Where Terroir Reigns Supreme Ep 269: From Doctor to One Woman Winery--Kerith Overstreet of Bruliam Ep 464: The Côte de Nuits of Bourgogne (Burgundy), Part 1 Ep 465: The Côte de Nuits of Bourgogne (Burgundy) Part 2 Ep 445: Côte de Beaune of Bourgogne (Burgundy), Part 1 Ep 446: Côte de Beaune of Bourgogne (Burgundy), Part 2

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally.

Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. The holidays will be here before you know it -- plan ahead and order great wines for the season today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This week we cover Australia?s coolest and most southerly region, Tasmania. This island, which is 240 km/150 off the mainland has had some starts and stops in wine, but the recent past has seen it on an upward trajectory for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, sparkling made of those grapes, plus Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Syrah, and Pinot Gris, among others. We give an overview of this very distinct Australian region, discuss terroir and climate, the sub areas, and then talk about the bright future of these high-acidity, elegant wines.

Photo: Vineyards in Tasmania. Credit: Getty Images/Canva

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally.

Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. The holidays will be here before you know it -- plan ahead and order great wines for the season today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

 

Main Sources: 

https://winetasmania.com.au

https://winecompanion.com.au/wineries/tasmania#:~:text=Tasmania%27s%20sparkling%20wines%20are%20globally,make%20it%20across%20the%20strait.

https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/wine/australia-tasmanian-wine/

https://www.wineaustralia.com/getmedia/c5183d77-1006-4028-9744-9d6dbd99e2a1/AWD_Tasmania_FacilitatorGuide.pdf?ext=.pdf

As suggested by patron Keith S, this week we take a detailed look at Madeira, the Portuguese island that makes a unique and delicious fortified wine! We discuss the very important history (it?s why the wine is made the way it is, so even if you hate history, don?t skip that part!), the geography and climate of this far-flung island, the grapes that thrive here, and the unbelievable way this fortified wine has been made for centuries.

Photo: Frasqueira Madeira, Boal 1977. Source: Getty Images (canva)

From the single varieties, to dryness levels, to aging levels, we give a broad overview of this complex wine. We share the facts about the wine and sprinkle in commentary about why we love it so much. There is always a bottle around here for a reason (and part of that reason: you can open it and it won?t spoil for months and months?!).

 

Ditch your idea of cheap cooking versions, this is the real Madeira and we hope this inspires you to try it!

 

As promised here is a list of the Madeira brands:

HM Borges, Henriques & Henriques, J. Faria & Filhos, Justinos, Don Pablo, Pereira d?Oliveira, Barbeito, Broadbent, Madeira Vintners, and Madeira Wine Company (owns Blandy?s, Cossart Gordon, Miles Madeira, Atlantis)

Photo: The HM Borges Sercial and the Caracol from FitaPreta, DOC Madeirense.
Credit: WfNP

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally.

Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. The holidays will be here before you know it -- plan ahead and order great wines for the season today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

In this show, we share our best tips for traveling to wine regions. We cover planning and research, the best time of year to visit, and important factors once you?re on the ground. From getting a shipper so your wine is ready to check or ship, to stocking up on gas and provisions, to traveling with kids, we?ve got you covered.

Photo: Château Phelan-Segur. Credit: Wine For Normal People

 

Some key resources we mention: The WFNP podcast catalog is a great resource for finding wineries I recommend: www.winefornormalpeople.libysyn.com

 

The information on getting wine home, as published on the US Customs & Border Site: https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-212?language=en_US

 

I hope you enjoy this show and it makes wine travel more fun and relaxing! Happy trails!

 

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

 

 

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally.

Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

How can it be that we have never done an overview on New Zealand? We decided to remedy that this week. This is a sweeping look at the two-island nation that has a huge wine reputation, even though it only accounts for 1% of the wine made in the world.

In this show, we give an overview of the wine history of New Zealand, which is probably longer than you think, and then go through the regions to tell you how they differ from one another, why they are unique and the top wines you should look for. Although Marlborough represents 70% of wine made, we encourage you to look beyond it and try some of the other regions, which may just revive your love for the place with the most southerly wine regions in the world!

 

Check out the show notes for the podcasts that we've done that focus on specific areas of New Zealand with Happy Wine Woman , Simone Madden-Gray and Jeff Clarke of O:TU

Here are the podcasts we reference in the show:

Ep 192: Hawke's Bay, NZ with Correspondent Simone Madden-Grey Ep 212: Central Otago, NZ with Simone Madden-Grey
Ep 223: North Canterbury, New Zealand's Hidden Gem with Simone Madden-Grey Ep 235: The Rebirth of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with Simone Madden-Grey Ep 288: Martinborough, NZ and the Glory of Wellington Wine Country with Simone Madden-Grey Ep 475: Jeff Clarke of O:TU Wines - The Evolution of Marlborough, New Zealand Wines

 

Materials for the show from and the podcast referenced above:  https://www.nzwine.com/en/

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

 

 

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally.

Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

In this show, I welcome my friend and wine industry guru Daniel Posner, the owner of the prestigious New York retailer, Grapes, The Wine Company.

Daniel joined Grapes, The Wine Company in 2000 and was the managing partner by 2004. For the past 23 years, he has been a wine consultant, with clients from all over the globe. He travels to wine regions to meet with producers, winemakers, winery owners, especially in his favorite areas of Burgundy, Piedmont, Tuscany, and California. He knows the ins and outs of the New York wine scene, and the inside dirt that is pretty fascinating to those of us on the outside.

 

Daniel also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Wine Retailers, a national trade organization founded in 2006, for which he served as President from 2011 to 2019. I met him at the NAWR conference, where he and frequent podcast guest Tom Wark were gracious enough to have me.

 

Daniel has been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wine Spectator, Food & Wine Magazine, Forbes Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal referred to him one of the most influential wine retailers in the United States. 

 

From how companies in Europe get their wine to the us, to pricing and how the producers and consumers lose out through layers upon layers of markups, to the murky politics of wine and international wine scandals, in the last 20+ years, Daniel has seen it all and he shares it in this show. This podcast will teach you more about the business of wine than almost any other I?ve done. I often talk about the shady underbelly of wine ? here it is, exposed in all its glory!

 

Check out Daniel's amazing, curated selection and order wine for shipping (where legal!). 

https://www.grapesthewineco.com/

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally.

Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This time we dive into one of the three main grapes of the Northern Rhône: Marsanne. Related to Roussanne, the grape with which it is almost always blended, this grape reaches its heights in the wines of Hermitage in northern Rhône and does exceptional things around the world from Victoria and South Australia, to the US, to New Zealand and South Africa.

Photo: Chante-Alouette from Chapoutier, the wine we mention in the show.
Credit: Wine For Normal People

 

Although not a grape you will encounter as a standalone varietal that often, its contribution to the great whites of the Rhone can?t be underestimated. This grape is vital to understand if you are interested in diving deeper into the world of Rhône whites (which you definitely should do!).

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally.

Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

 

Sources used in the show:

Wines of the Rhone, Matt Walls (also listen to Episode 458 with Matt Walls) Wine Grapes, Dr. José Vouillamoz, Jancis Robinson, and Julia Harding Grapes & Wines, Oz Clarke and Margaret Rand Tablas Creek Blog (Also, episodes 162, 281, 440 with Jason Haas of Tablas Creek) Tahbilk Winery Site The Wine Cellar Insider

After reviewing some of the basics about Riesling (possibly my favorite white grape!), we talk about some other wines that may be interesting to try.

Photo: The Riesling grape. Credit: Getty Images, Canva

We start out with the ones on everyone?s list ? Chenin Blanc, Torrontés, Albariño, Gewürztraminer, and Grüner Veltliner ? but then venture deep into other territory, giving you some very different wines to consider!

 

From Pecorino to Malagouzia, this show will give you some great ideas for wines to try if you love Riesling but want to change it up a bit!

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally.

Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This show is a recap of the wine experiences that we had while spending three weeks in Portugal and tasting through as much of the wines from that country as we could!

 

Our itinerary included:

 

The Algarve in the southern part of the country ? a beautiful, dramatic seaside area with sandstone and limestone cliffs, which drop into the sea. There, we stayed in Lagos, a lovely town with excellent food and some fantastic wine bars including Mosto (the best!), Taninos (also quite good), and Barbosa restaurant.

 

Other great restaurants were Pomo Italian and La Piazzetta Pizzeria Italiana in Odiaxére near Lagos (both run by real Italians with good Italian wine!), and Saffron Indian Restaurant.

Mosto Wine Shop in Lagos

 

Although we found that the native wines of the Algarve weren?t for us, we did have great bottles from Peninsula de Sétubal, Dão, and Douro, and some great Madeira and Port.

 

 

Then we spent a week in Cascais, outside of Lisbon. We visited the wine regions of Colares and Évora, a sub region of the Alentejo region.

 

I loved the wines of the oldest co-op in Europe in Colares ? Adega Regional de Colares, which has helped keep winemaking alive in this small region and in Évora/Alentejo, the magical wines of Fitapreta.

 

This pod is full of travel tips and our recommendations of specific wines if you happen to be heading to central and southern Portugal. Enjoy!

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

While I was in Irpinia, Campania (southern Italy) earlier this year, I got to spend an afternoon and dinner with Antonio Capaldo, Chairman and mastermind behind Feudi di San Gregorio, the largest and one of the highest quality producers in the region. This episode recaps a lot of the really interesting conversations we had about the steady traction the region has gained in terms of reputation, the culture of art and how it connects with the wine, the bond of this region to its incredible past, and the challenges of being in a region that not enough people know about. 

 

We discuss the potential for Irpinia to be known as a top white wine region in the world and how it will get there. 

Photo: Antonio Capaldo, Feudi di San Gregorio

For all the background on Antonio and Feudi, please listen to Episode 337 and then come back to this show to dig into some of the fascinating issues producers face when they have everything going for them, and yet still have a hard time getting their wines to us. This should be an eye-opener!

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

Eva Martinelli is a young, innovative, and experienced winemaker from Tuscany. She has a degree in oenology, a deep understanding of terroir of Chianti Classico, and an unrivaled passion for the region. She has worked harvests in New and Old World countries, after which she returned home to follow her dream of being a winemaker in the region she loves most. 

Photo: Eva Martinelli, Credit:Wine For Normal People

I met Eva in May 2023, while on the tour of Tuscany with a group of Patrons. She works for a very historic winery in Chianti Classico, giving tours and managing the sales and tourism for that winery. The Patrons and I loved her and learned so many new things about Chianti Classico from her.

 

In this show we discuss the terroir of Chianti Classico from a more geological standpoint, the history of the region, and the honest truth about the struggle of young, talented winemakers in Chianti Classico and other parts of Italy. 

 

Here is her list of her three favorite wineries in Radda in Chianti (Patreon show notes have an expanded list):

-Fattoria di Montemaggio -Podere Capaccia -Il Barlettaio 

 

This is an eye-opening show and a great one to learn general info about Chianti from an objective expert who has no brand agenda or marketing angle to put forward! 

 

Cheers to Eva and all the young winemakers of Chianti Classico! 

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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Big news! Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, just gave a haircut to the price of my wine club with them! Now it's juts $150 for 6 bottles of amazing wines that I select, write about, and record videos on!  Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my wine club with Wine Access and get 10% your first order. 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

This episode is all about the Leelanau Peninsula AVA of Michigan (a state in the midwestern US, on the Canadian border). Drew Perry, head of Production for Simpson Family Estates, a family business located on the peninsula, joins to educate us about this very unique area, which has been making wine since the 1970s. We discuss the land, the climate, and the history of this region, which is an essential part of the terroir here.

Photo: Drew Perry of Good Harbor Vineyards & Aurora Cellars. Credit: Simpson Family Estates

 

Drew tells us about his time in the industry and about being head of Production at Simpson Family Estates, which owns the award-winning brands Good Harbor Vineyards and Aurora Cellars. They make delicious sparkling, whites and reds from this unique terroir. These are great wines and definitely worth checking out (they ship!). I mention my favorites in the show!

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Agathe Bellanger from Le Brun de Neuville Champagne joins to discuss the Chardonnay-centric Côte de Sézanne, the role of growers and smaller co-ops, the terroir of this small sub-region, and the beautiful wines her group makes. I LOVE these wines, which focus on longer lees aging.

Agathe Bellanger, Champagne Le Brun de Neuville. 

 

Here are the lines of wines from Le Brun de Neuville: 

The Côte : This is their house style, representing 80% of production. The goal of these wines is to express the terroir and the essence of Chardonnay. They are aged 3 to 4 years on the lees (the mandatory minimum is 15 months, and they go above and beyond). There are several wines in this line including a Demi-sec.

Les Chamins: Three wines in this line -- a blanc de blancs, rosé, and a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blend -- are all single vineyard wines that represent specific plots and villages. In a nod to the historic methods, this wine is aged under cork instead of a crown cap. This method allows more oxygen transfer, and produces more complex flavors. Aged 4-5 years on the lees, this wine is excellent with food -- it is more gastronomic. 

 

Autolyse: Made only in best years, these wines show what the top wines that have excellent aging potential can offer. These wines are aged 10-14 years on the lees. The blanc de blancs, rosé, a cuvee with 86% Pinot Noir (their only wine with a Pinot lead) are wines of terroir but also exhibit Champagne's characteristic breadiness from long aging. These wines are dedicated to people who like older wines

 

Vintage ? MILLÉSIME. These wines are only released in top years.  Right now 2008 and 2009 are available in the market with 2012 for rose. These wines age for a long time and show the best of the best years. 

 

Seek these out! They are unbelievably delicious! 

 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

Campania was one of the most famous wine regions of antiquity. The pedigree of Fiano, Greco, and Aglianico are well documented in literature of the time (including Pliny the Elder?s Naturalis Historius)! These wines have a legacy of cultivation for more than 2000 years on this land, and since the 1700s, the Mastroberardino family have taken the lead in protecting and elevating the region and its wines. This family kept these ancient grapes alive when all others abandoned them, and have been tireless champions of the grapes, the wines, and the region for centuries.

Mastroberardino has been called the ?guardian? of the wine history of Campania and they are the most historically significant winery in southern Italy.

Photo: Piero Mastroberardino. Credit: Kellogg Wine Selections

This show features the brilliant Piero Mastroberardino, whom I had the honor and pleasure of meeting when I was in Campania. He makes one of the single best wines I have ever had (Stilèma Taurasi) and all of these wines are fantastic.

 

Here's a link to the wines of Mastroberardino, most of which we discuss in the show! 

Photo: The vines of Taurasi. Credit: Wine For Normal People

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

 

 

When we were on our last day of the Patron trip in Tuscany, we had our final dinner in Bolgheri at a fairly new winery, Le Vigne di Silvia. This farm is owned by a family that was as kind as they could be. It was everything you could hope for when visiting an Italian family -- great food, welcoming hospitality, homey vibe, and great wine! 

Photo: Stefania Fuselli, left. Silvia Fuselli, right. Credit: Le Vigne di Silvia

Le Vigne di Silvia was started by Silvia Fuselli, famed former pro footballer (soccer player), her brilliant sister Stefania, the star of this podcast, and her parents. 

Photo: From left to right Silvia Fuselli, Carlo Fuselli, Stefania Fuselli, Lavinia Fuselli. Credit: Le Vigne di Silvia

 

There's nothing better than finding a family-owned winery where the wines are great and the people making them as wonderful. The Vermentino (Giochessa) was outstanding, the Artemio (Cab/Cab Franc blend) silky and lovely, and the Itinerante (all Cabernet Franc) nuanced and layered. 

 

Stefania shares her family's story, how the winery got started, and shares great information about Bolgheri.

 

The show is such a great look at what it takes to start a winery (and about the history of immigration in Italy too!). This upstart has a huge future. The only downside --as of the release of this show,  they aren't imported into the US yet, so if you know anyone, contact me or them! I know many people who will pre-order -- me included! 

 

For details and full show notes go to Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. If you want to find small, family-owned brands, this is the site for you! They scour the globe looking for awesome wines you can't get anywhere else. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. 

 

Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order.

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

First, if you haven?t checked out my new site ? shout out to Polly Hammond, my dear friend and a complete rockstar at www.5forests.com!

 

This time, we decided to do this show as a good set up for next week?s show with Stefania Fuselli, one of the sisters who runs Le Vigne di Silvia, an outstanding family winery that the Patrons and I visited while in Bolgheri. I am so excited to share that winery with you, but I felt it would be a better experience if we first explained what Bolgheri is, since as MC Ice points out, it?s still a little obscure to many people.

 

Map: Wikipedia

The bottom line: Bolgheri is the birthplace of the ?Super Tuscan? movement

 

Bolgheri is a small DOC on the Tuscan coast in the province of Livorno, where the hills taper off to the sea. Bolgheri itself is a tiny village (blink and you may miss it!), famed for a cypress-lined avenue that is one of the most photographed sites in Italy! Bolgheri is home to the OG ?Super Tuscan? wine ? Sassicaia (Tenuta San Guido), which now has its own DOC ? Bolgheri Sassicaia (the only monopole in Italy).

Photo: Bolgheri Mountains. Credit: Wine For Normal People

 

For details and full show notes go to Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Jeff Clarke has been a winemaker in Marlborough New Zealand for decades, starting at one of the companies that pioneered the Sauvignon Blanc of the region, Montana Wines. Jeff is an award-winning, world famous winemaker who is now at OTU Wine Estate in the Awatere Valley and I discovered his wines through Wine Access ? his Sauvignon Blanc was unlike any other Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc I?ve had! I had to have him on to discuss this unique style and what is going on in the region.

Jeff Clarke, head winemkaer at O:TU Wines. Credit: O:TU Wines

 

Jeff is an expert in the wine of Marlborough and at OTU, he makes very terroir specific wines, which represent the evolution of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and the other wines of this region. 

 

If you like the general style of these Sauvignon Blancs but you want to taste a more refined, elegant, herbal, and nuanced version ? here is your shot! After you hear the show, you'll want to seek O:TU wines immediately.

Credit: O:TU Wines

Full show notes and all trip details are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. I found O:TU Wines on Wine Access and even included them in my co-branded wine club with Wine Access  www.wineaccess.com/normal

If you want to find other wines like O:TU go to my page at www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

You?ll be able to tell how much I loved Campania/Irpinia by how  enthusiastic I am in the show. If you don?t know the wines of this underrated region, you need to begin your exploration immediately. Fiano, Greco, and Aglianico make some of the best wines in the world, and yet for various reasons, they don?t get the credit they deserve. Maybe if we, as wine lovers, show more interest, the mainstream and retailers will get the idea that these are significant wines that need more attention. Grass roots wine love! Let?s change things for Campania!

Here is a list of the producers I visited:

DiMeo

Petilia

Feudi di San Gregorio

Mastroberardino

 

Full show notes and all trip details are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

This show is a recap of a the recent trip through Tuscany that my travel partner, Tourissimo, and I organized for a group of 19 Patrons (join Patreon so you can make the next one!). We go through the major DOCGs/DOCs we visited and I share some interesting things I learned and observed. A great one for armchair travel!

Here are the DOCGs we explored:

Vernaccia di San Gimignano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Chianti Classico Brunello di Montalcino Morellino di Scansano

And the DOCs Maremma and Bolgheri

 

My big takeaway from the trip: I am more optimistic than ever about Tuscan wines, which just keep getting better and better. If you don?t have experience with these wines, I would recommend checking them out (especially if you like Italian food since what grows together, goes together!).

Chianti Classico, view from Castello Brolio, Ricasoli 1141.
Credit: Wine For Normal People

 

A few shout outs! 

To Heather, Beppe, and Silvia from Tourissimo, for being the best partners ever!  
To Wine Access for hooking us up with some great visits to Castello Romitorio and San Filippo

3. Hotel della Fortezza and Fidalma -- go see them in Sorano for a great stay and a great meal! 

Full show notes and all trip details are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Alert: David is so awesome that he has offered us a discount on your purchase of GlasVin! Use code: WINEFORNORMALPEOPLE  for 10% off (Patrons, please see Patreon for a deeper discount!)

We have never before had on a glassware producer because, in the past, it has been a very limited field. One company dominated and sometimes their products made no sense because, like many things in wine, there were too many options and not enough differentiation for normal wine drinkers. 

 

https://glas.vin/

But in recent years new glassware companies have burst onto the scene. I?ve tried many, many of those glasses, but the only one that actually captured my attention and that I decided to use as more than a sample was GlasVin. They are very light, very thin, and yet more durable than some of their competitors.

 

GlasVin was founded in 2020 by David Kong, who left his job at a hedge fund to start the company and today, his mission is to deliver handcrafted glasses at affordable prices. He was a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient in 2022 and today he joins to tell us about the glassware industry and how he created what I think are the best new glasses to hit the market.

 

David Kong, CEO of GlasVin

 

 

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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

 

This week we see if there are any wines that can stand up to Mexican food. As with all our episodes like this, we ordered a lot of traditional Mexican and TexMex dishes that included common ingredients. Then we paired up wines that are most commonly recommended, plus a few that I think may be good options that most people don't talk about. 

Photo credit: Canva

 

As we always do, we went through lots of wine and food combos and some really nasty pairings to get the results. True to form, conventional wisdom mostly failed us and what worked really well sort of surprised us.

 

Although we all have different preferences and palates, this show may give you an idea of what works with Mexican and the reasons why. I always find it particularly interesting to sit down and test these recommended pairings because often I think the people recommending them are pairing based on theory, rather than on reality. Take a listen, test it out, see for yourself. 

 

Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

One of the confusing things about wine is that often we can identify a wine and the basic facts about it -- we may have even tasted it -- but because it?s not obvious, we don?t know the grapes behind the wine. Although I bet you've heard of Tokaji, the great sweet wine of Hungary, you may not be familiar with Furmint, the main white grape that makes the wine sing and that usually makes up 85-90% of the blend of Tokaji.

 

What you also may not know is that this grape is not just for sweet wines. Starting around the year 2000, ambitious, creative producers began a quest to make quality dry wine from the grape and have had a quite a lot of success over the last 20+ years.

 

In this show we discuss Furmint, the white grape native to Tokaj-Hegyalia wine region of northeastern Hungary, that makes everything from simple bone-dry wine to complex oak-aged versions, to sparkling wine, to the classic botrytized sweet wines, Tokaji.

 

Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

Photo: The Furmint grape. Credit: Wines of Hungary

 

Podcast Sources:

https://winesofhungary.hu https://tastehungary.com/journal/furmint-forever/ http://furmintusa.com https://www.austrianwine.com/our-wine/grape-varieties/white-wine/furmint https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/furmint-grape-february https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/feb/15/wine-is-furmint-the-tastiest-grape-youve-never-heard-of https://fps.ucdavis.edu/fgrdetails.cfm?varietyid=682 https://www.decanter.com/sponsored/furmint-the-journey-continues-474688/

_______________________________________________________________

I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can?t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

 

 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Bruno Corneaux is the proprietor at Domaine Divio in the heart of the Ribbon Ridge AVA in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. 

Bruno Corneaux of Domaine Divio. Photo credit: Domaine Divio

 

As it is in his native home outside of Beaune in Burgundy, Bruno is a true vigneron at the Domaine? caring for both the vineyards and the cellar. His wines are among the best I have tasted from Willamette, with a combination of elegance, fruit, and earthy, spicy notes in both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wines are distinctly Oregon in character, but with a nod to the acidity and structure of the wines of Burgundy.

 

We discuss his history, his philosophy, Oregon, and his lovely wines. A great show, pretty dorky, with some good controversial topics (you may know my feelings on Oregon...) Domaine Divio is not distributed in the US, so you can get the wines at domainedivio.com and you won?t regret it!

 

Photo: The sign of Domaine Divio outside the tasting room. Credit: Wine For Normal People

Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

 

_________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  The best, wine the best selection ? this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access ? their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

Comté is an ancient cooked and pressed cheese made from raw milk. It's made using special breeds of cows, and in designated places with historic and cultural significance. The high quality is well regarded, as evidenced by the fact that Comté is the most consumed AOC/PDO cheese in France.

I welcome communications director for Comté, Aurélia Chimier, and Jean-Louis Carbonnier of Carbonnier Communications who does communications for Comté in the US, along with other clients ? he has been on the show before talking about (Chateau Palmer).

 

We dig into this wonderful cheese that has striking similarities to wine in terroir, craftsmanship, and cultural significance. This was a nice stroll into another, related part of the culinary world. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Please visit https://comte-usa.com/ for more information

 

Here is a link to the podcast I did with the cheese master that I mention in the show.

 

 

Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

 

_________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  The best, wine the best selection ? this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access ? their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!

 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

Hailing from the southern Côtes du Rhône, Tavel is a 100% rosé AOC and is one of the only rosé only AOCs in France. It is the darkest rosé made and it is in a different class of wine, more similar to the clairets of old (light reds) than the rosés of the modern day.

Photo: Chateau de Trinquevedel, Credit Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Importer

 

Located across the Rhône from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, just north of Avignon this small region makes what many writers have called a fourth type of still wine. These wines are dark in color, and bold in flavor with bright minerality, a touch of tannin, a round body, and intense fruit and herbal notes.  Using a blend of uniquely Rhône grapes, it relies not just on reds but on whites, which are co-fermented to generate complexity and maintain acidity. Unlike many rosés, these wines can age for years or decades and improve with time.

 

With multiple soil types, and a legacy that dates back to the Avignon Popes, this wine is no ordinary rosé. It deserves its place among the greatest wines in the world, and after you hear this (and taste the wine) you?ll be sure to agree!

Photo: Vins-Rhone

 

Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

 

Sources used:

Rosés of Southern France by Elizabeth Gabay and Ben Bernheim

Vins-Rhone

Syndicat Viticole de l?Appellation Tavel Elizabeth Gabay MW on what makes Tavel rosé so different, The Buyer

Wines of the Rhône by Matt Walls

 

_________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  The best, wine the best selection ? this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access ? their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

This week we explore the Mencía grape of northwestern Spain, and northern Portugal, where it is called Jaen. This is a grape variety that hasn?t strayed far from home, as almost all plantings of it are in this corner of the Iberian Peninsula.

 

Although it is likely native to Portugal, Spain grows more than three times what Portugal grows and the grape has become the flagship of a number of revived regions that are building back their international reputations for exceptional wine from this singular grape that tastes a little like a lot of things but nothing like anything you?ve ever had ?.

 

Silky, fruity, earthy, refreshing, yet perfumed and elegant, Mencía is an unbelievable grape and one that you will have you clamoring for more once you give it a try! 

 

Photo credit SanchoPanzaXXI - CC BY-SA 3.0 Mencia in Ribeira Sacra, Spain

 

Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

_________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  The best, wine the best selection ? this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access ? their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

This week?s show covers the southern part of the Côte de Nuits, south of Gevrey-Chambertin. In this part of the Côte de Nuits you will find some of the most famed, expensive and coveted Pinot Noir on earth. We start with a recap of episode 464 to tie these two shows together. Then we work our way through the southern half of the Côte de Nuits. Like the first show, this is quite a download and we try to provide a structure for understanding this study in terroir, and what matters most when thinking about Burgundy's Pinot Noir. 

 

The Côte de Nuits lies between the city of Dijon in the north and hamlet of Nuits-Saint-Georges in the south (from which the Côte takes its name). In this small area, you will find most famed, expensive, and best Pinot Noir on earth. Most producers make less than 1,000 cases of wine a year and the prices boggle the mind.

Map: Vins-Bourgogne

 

This time we jump right in and cover the communes south of Gevrey-Chambertin. These regions include vineyards that produce some of the most famed and expensive wines in the world. We cover:

Morey-Saint-Denis and its Grands Crus Chambolle-Musigny and its Grands Crus Vougeot and its Grand Cru Flagey-Échezeaux and its Grands Crus Vosne-Romanée and its Grand Crus Nuits-Saint-Georges

 

We reference these podcasts in the show:

Ep 464: The Côte de Nuits of Bourgogne (Burgundy), Part 1 Ep 445: Côte de Beaune, Part 1 Ep 446: Côte de Beaune, Part 2 

Here's a map of the Côte de Nuits to reference during the show

 

Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

_________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  The best, wine the best selection ? this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access ? their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

Sources:

The Vins de Bourgogne site The Oxford Encyclopedia of Wine, Jancis Robinson, et al The World Atlas of Wine, Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson The Wines of Burgundy, Clive Coates, MW

This week?s show covers the Côte de Nuits: the northern part of Côte d?Or, the famed ?golden slope? of Burgundy.

Map: Vins de Bourgogne

 

The Côte de Nuits lies between the city of Dijon in the north and hamlet of Nuits-Saint-Georges in the south (from which the Côte takes its name). In this small area, you will find most famed, expensive, and best Pinot Noir on earth. Most producers make less than 1,000 cases of wine a year and the prices boggle the mind.

 

Like the Côte de Beaune, this is a big topic with so much nuance. Because you can never be reminded enough times, we review the history, geography, and climate of the Côte d?Or, with an emphasis on the Côte de Nuits. After this, we start our way down the Côte de Nuits (and don?t make it too far!) we cover: 

Haute Côte de Nuits Côte de Nuits-Village Marsannay Fixin Gevrey-Chambertin and its Grand Crus Link to a map of the Grands Crus of Gevrey Chambertin

 

We reference these podcasts in the show:

Ep 445: Côte de Beaune, Part 1 Ep 446: Côte de Beaune, Part 2 Ep 227: Derek Van Dam, CNN Weatherman on Weather and Wine Ep 424: David Morrison, PhD, of the Wine Gourd (wine and health

 

Here's a map of the Côte de Nuits to reference during the show

Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

_________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. And join my wine club. Click here to sign up!

 

 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

Sources:

The Vins de Bourgogne site The Oxford Encyclopedia of Wine, Jancis Robinson, et al The Wines of Burgundy, Clive Coates, MW

Our antipodean correspondent, Simone Madden-Grey joins the podcast again (man, scheduling over the last few years has been hard!)!  She gets us up to speed on one of the exciting trends in Australian wine right now: alternative varieties (like Fiano, Vermentino, Tempranillo, and more!)

 

We define alternative varieties, discuss the impetus for this movement, and the proof points for the movement being more than a fad.  We discuss the importance of the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show.

We cover:

Current forces challenging Australian wine in general ? China, difficulties in the US market, and some challenges with alternative varieties with Italy, specifically

 

Key regions (GIs ? geographical indications) that are making great alternative varieties ? Riverland, Murray-Darling, and Beechworth, among others.

 

 

Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!

_____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again.  Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. And join my wine club. Click here to sign up!

 

 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

 

This episode presents our first ever producer on from the northern Rhône ? Aurelien Chirat from Vignobles Chirat.

Photo: Aurelien Chirat. Credit: WFNP

Located in the steep terraced slopes overlooking the Rhone, in the village of Saint Michel sur Rhône, Vignobles Chirat began in 1925 when Benoit Chirat harvested his first Syrah at the Domaine. In 1948, his son George joined and worked with Benoit until 1970. Viognier was planted on their site in Condrieu in 1980 and the real changes to the domaine happened when, in 1984, Gilbert Chirat took over the domain. Within 6 years of his taking the reins, he stopped all the polyculture on the estate and focused only on Syrah and Viognier.

 

The family moved from focusing on Condrieu, to the wines of Saint Joseph, and then added Côte Rôtie. Aurelien Chirat joined his father in 2012, after completing his studies and working in New Zealand, Burgundy and the south of France. We welcome Aurelien, who I had the pleasure of meeting and spending a lot of time with last year, at the Domaine, learning, and discovering all sorts of things about the northern Rhone I didn?t know.

 

As always, we discuss, land, winemaking, history, and tradition. For full show notes, join our membership community, Patreon.

 

Here are the wines we discuss:

From Condrieu: Clos Poncin, Les Chays , Sous L'Eglise, Viognier ?Or Piste? From St. Joseph: Soliste, La Côte, Syrah ?Or Piste ? Côte Rôtie

 

Photo:  Chirat Condrieu. Credit: WFNP

In the US, many of the wines are available in Total Wine because Chirat works with the negociant business of Laurent Delaunay, who has been on the podcast.

 

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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. This time we have the WFNP/Wine Access Wine Club! Sign up today to get 6 bottles I select once a quarter. Excellent wines that represent classic examples of the wine region from which they hail.

 

Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. Wine Access is a class act -- check them out today! 

 

 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, full show notes, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

Here's the of Alternatives to Chardonnay list from the show! 

Photo: Chardonnay grapes. Credit: Getty images via Canva

Chablis-Influenced ? other cool climate wines

Alsace Pinot blanc or Alto Adige Pinot bianco Dry Chenin Blanc from Loire ? Savennieres (more than Vouvray) Sancerre (same soils) Muscadet ? lees aging Godello from Valdeorras or Ribeira Sacra

 

 

Bourgogne style ?More floral, fuller, neutral to medium oak, malolactic fermentation -- full or part, mineral driven, herbal

Pecorino ? Marche, Abruzzo Soave Fiano Avesso from Vinho Verde Lisboa blends ? Fernao Pires blends White Rhône blends ? especially with Roussanne or Marsanne as the lead (viognier is too peachy, Grenache blanc too herbal) Gamay ? Beaujolais New world Chenin Blanc ? old vine from CA or South Africa

 

Heavier ? oak, fuller bodied, peachy, tropical, bready (lees influence)

White Rioja White Priorat and CndP ? big wines Aged Hunter Valley Semillon (Australia, New South Wales) Possibly Grüner Veltliner because of the melon, tropical notes, smooth body but a little too ?green? for a Chardonnay substitute

Sparkling  (hard to find a substitute!) we recommend:

Crémant de Loire (Chenin) Crémant de Alsace (Pinot Blanc)

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Thanks to our sponsors:

 

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can?t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!

 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please consider virtually buying us some bottles by becoming a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

Map: Sonoma County AVAs. Sonoma County Winegrowers 

Over the last 12 years we?ve done so much on Sonoma but I realized that we?ve never done a podcast outlining the areas of Sonoma to give form to this wine paradise that has 18 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) and covers more than a million acres of land (405,000 ha) of which more than 60,000 acres are planted to grapes.

 

Sonoma is still full of small, family-owned vineyards. It?s estimated that at least 85% of Sonoma County?s vineyards are family owned and operated and 80% of vineyards are less than 100 acres (40% are less than 20 acres). The Sonoma landscape incorporates coastal ranges, valleys, mountains, flats, benchlands, and innumerable soils and microclimates, including a multitude of producers with different styles and ideas of what to grow.  

 

In this show, we try to compartmentalize the areas of Sonoma, to help you figure out the big areas and their specialties.

 

Here are the show notes:

We start with generalities?

Climate: There are sunny days and almost no rain from May through September with most areas cooler near the coast and warmer inland. The Pacific Ocean/Petaluma Gap and San Pablo Bay serve as cooling influences for the western and southern regions of Sonoma County Land: Elevations and slopes slow ripening, provide poor soils with excellent drainage, and create complex wines. Wines from valley floors are simpler. Matching grape to site is important given soil, elevation, and climate diversity. Grapes: Everyone grows everything! You?ll find dozens of varieties growing in Sonoma.

Moon Mountain AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers 

Most of the show is spent detailing the valleys. Here is the quick and dirty on each area:

 

Sonoma Valley

Sonoma Valley AVA: Centers on the Sonoma Valley in the southeastern part of the county. It gets cool air from the San Pablo Bay in the south, and protection from the cool influence of the Pacific in the west from Sonoma Mountain. There are dozens of different soils from very fertile on the valley floor, to well-drained and poor on the hills and mountains

 

Sonoma Valley has 4 AVAs within it: Moon Mountain, Sonoma Mountain, Bennett Valley, Carneros

Moon Mountain District AVA is on the steep western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains. It has the famed Monte Rosso vineyard and specializes in Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Sonoma Mountain AVA is at high altitude, with steep vineyards on eastern exposures. The vineyards rise above the fog line, allowing grapes to ripen more fully in the sunlight. Basalt soils make good Cabernet Sauvignon. Other grapes are: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel

 

Bennett Valley AVA is Sonoma Valley?s smallest AVA. It?s a series of small vineyards in the slopes, hills, and ridges between Taylor Mountain, Sonoma Mountain, and Bennett Peak. In the moderately cool climate, with a long hang time, Rhône varieties do well as does Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and grapes like Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier with acidity. Pinot Noir acreage is increasing.

 

Los Carneros AVA straddles Napa and Sonoma counties. It hugs the San Pablo Bay, and is one of the coolest AVAs in the area, with moderately cool and windy days and early morning fog. The soil is compressed clay and very consistent, this and the weather limits vigor. Chardonnay is 50%, Pinot 43%. Merlot makes excellent wine on the clay soils.

Bennett Valley AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers 

Town to stay in if visiting the area: Sonoma

 

** Sonoma Valley is a discrete part of the larger Sonoma County. When producers use a general AVA for grapes from a combined region, it?s Sonoma County.

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COASTAL APPELLATIONS (mainly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir areas)

 

Sonoma Coast AVA: Goes from the San Pablo Bay to the border of Mendocino County in the north. This appellation is too large to have meaning ? it can be cold and rugged near the coast or warm and sheltered inland, producing very different styles of wine. The expectation is that the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that have the ?Sonoma Coast? label are actually from coastal vineyards, but that?s not true. We tell the story of how this AVA got to be so muddled and then talk about the 3 AVAs that were set up to rectify the issue:

 

Petaluma Gap AVA: 25 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, the AVA runs from the Pacific Coast at Bodega Bay, southeast to San Pablo Bay, and has a mild Mediterranean climate. The defining feature is the wind gap in the coastal range, which funnels in cool coastal marine air bringing fog and cool afternoon breezes. The cool climate lower yields and help Pinot Noir (75% of plantings), Chardonnay and Syrah the grapes retain acidity. The West Sonoma Coast AVA (got it in 2022): Stretches from the Mendocino County border to the northern coastal border of the Petaluma Gap AVA. The area includes ONLY areas where coastal influence reaches ? it is remote with cooler marine temperatures and much fog at elevation. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the main grapes. Fort Ross-Seaview AVA: Located on the outskirts of the Pacific Ocean, with major coastal influence, and high elevation, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay have excellent acidity.

 

Towns to stay in: Petaluma, Jenner, Bodega Bay

West Sonoma Coast AVA,  Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers 

 

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RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY AVA (Pinot Noir, but Rhône and Italian varietals are great too in certain regions)

 

Russian River Valley AVA is known for Pinot Noir. The constant cooling fog from the Pacific Ocean, coming from the Petaluma Wind Gap creates big diurnal swings, so grapes have a long growing season to develop flavor in the western part of the AVA.

 

The reality is that the Russian River Valley encompasses warm and cool areas. There are 5 Neighborhoods within Russian River Valley, which are used to discuss the cooler places that are more suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (Laguna Ridge, Sebastapol Hills, parts of the Middle Reach) and those that are suited to warmer climate grapes like Rhône varieties, Zinfandel, and Italian varieties (parts of the Middle Reach, Santa Rosa Plains, Eastern Hills)

 

Green Valley of Russian River Valley SUB AVA of Russian River is in the southwestern part of the Russian River Valley, surrounded by Sebastopol, Forestville and Occidental. It is very cool, foggy, with heavy coastal influences and produces acidic, less extracted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling wines on its Goldridge (yellow, sandy) soil

 

 

Chalk Hill AVA is in the northeast part of Russian River Valley and has less marine influence and fog. It has rocky, chalk soils so they do grow Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, but they also grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

 

Town to stay in: Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, or Windsor

 

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DRY CREEK VALLEY AVA (Zinfandel central)

 

Dry Creek is the easiest valley to visit (2 roads, 5 stop signs!) and probably the easiest to understand. It is known for exceptional Zinfandel. It?s in northern Sonoma County, 20 miles/32 km east of the Pacific Ocean. The Coastal Range blocks a lot of the cooler air from flooding the Dry Creek, giving it hotter days and slimmer diurnal swings at night. The vineyards lie on hillsides, benchlands, and the valley floor at different elevations and on different soils ? from loam to clay to gravel. Zinfandel is 30% of plantings and is more elegant, and ?old school? (especially from producers like Nalle or Peterson ? friends of the pod!). The flavors are less like black fruit and more like raspberry, pomegranate with acidity and moderate alcohol. Other varieties grown are: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay very good Italian and Rhone Varieties, Bordeaux varieties grown too

 

 

Rockpile (Dry-Creek Adjacent, great Zin!): On the northern part of Dry Creek Valley, at high elevations beyond the fog, the AVA is great for rich, dense reds ? Zin especially is famed (Bruliam does a great job and a friend of the show!)

 

Town to stay in: Healdsburg or Windsor

 

Dry Creek AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers  

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ALEXANDER VALLEY (known for Cabernet Sauvignon)

Alexander Valley AVA: In northeastern Sonoma County, north of Healdsburg, the Russian River flows through h the Alexander Valley. It gets some cool marine air from the Pacific Ocean, and wind can cool mornings and evenings. Daytime heat spikes will ripen the grapes, but the cool wind will preserve the acidity in the classic Cabernet Sauvignon, which is so coveted, that many Napa wineries grow Cab here for top cuvees.

 

 

Pine Mountain ? Cloverdale Peak (Alexander Valley adjacent) AVA: This small area overlaps the northernmost portions of the Alexander Valley AVA. It is steep with high elevations and grows a number of grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Alexander Valley AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers  

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Less visit-able places (yes, I know that?s not a word)?

 

Knights Valley AVA is right next to Mount St. Helena, and has well-drained soils, but very warm temperatures with no Pacific or San Pablo Bay influence. Elevation is the only cooling factor in this area that has volcanic and alluvial gravel and focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon (2/3 of plantings) and other Bordeaux varietals. Kendall Jackson owns most of Knights Valley.

 

 

Northern Sonoma AVA: Too huge for any meaning ? most producers use Sonoma County AVA. It includes Chalk Hill, Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, and most of Green Valley.

 

 

Fountaingrove AVA (2015) ? mostly growers, few wineries. Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals, some Rhône varietals ? Syrah, Viognier, Petite Sirah plus smatterings of everything. It?s too hot for Pinot and Chard except in a few key north-facing sites

 

So much to explore! Sonoma is a place you can need get enough of, but hopefully this episode gives some form to exactly what you want to do when you finally make it out there! 

 

Some of my favorite people mentioned: @sonomawineguy on Twitter and other Social Media, Nalle Winery, Crux Winery, Bruliam Winery, Keller Estate, Inman Family, Kieran Robinson Wines, Truchard Winery, (and I forgot to mention...Longboard Vineyards in Russian River!).

 

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Thanks to our sponsors:

 

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can?t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!

 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please consider virtually buying us some bottles by becoming a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

Sources for this show:

https://sonomawinegrape.org/scw/sonoma-county-territory/ www.sonomavalleywine.com https://petalumagap.com/ russianrivervalley.org www.wdcv.com www.greenvalley-russianriver.com www.bvgg.org www.carneros.com www.alexandervalley.org

 

Jean Pierre Foubet is the managing director of and chief communicator for Château Chasse-Spleen, the best estate in Moulis appellation of the Médoc. His wife, Celine Villars-Foubet is the owner of the estate, and together they have brought this château to new heights in quality and prestige. 

Photo: Jean Pierre Foubet. Credit: ROLAND COIFFE & ASSOCIÉS

 

According to Jane Anson, in her book ?Inside Bordeaux?:

?One of the star estates of Moulis, Chasse-Spleen is one of only two that I can think of that would have a fair chance of being recognized if the 1855 ranking were to be carried out today?

 

With their modern outlook, but respect for tradition, they have kept the wine on a path of constant improvement. They have transformed their château into a natural and man-made paradise, one that marries tradition with modernity in the form of art. From the barrel room, to the grounds, to the art gallery, and the accommodations for guests, Chasse-Spleen is a model for how to bring a château into the 21st century.

Céline and Jean-Pierre?s personalities, hospitality, and passion show through and it makes the experience of the wines so special, as I found out when I had the pleasure of staying there and spending an evening sipping the unbelievable wine, eating a delicious meal, and having so much fun and many, many laughs with the two of them in 2022.

 

Jean Pierre joins to tell us about Moulis, Chasse-Spleen, and explains some things to me that I always wanted to ask!

Photo: Jean Pierre Foubet and me, June 2022. Credit: WFNP

 

Here are some of topics Jean-Pierre and I discuss:

Jean-Pierre talks about the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation, of which he is the head:

The unique location at ?elevation? in Médoc, 17 meters The soil diversity with gravel, clay, and composite soils, and how that yields a variety of wine styles How practices must be altered in the vineyard, not in the cellar to handle climate change How Listrac and Moulis differ, and why it makes sense that they eventually join as one appellation ? and how there are three very strong Chateaux (?locomotives? as Jean-Pierre calls them ?Chasse-Spleen, Grand Poujeaux, Maucaillou) which are famed all over Europe and carry the reputation for the 34 other châteaux)

Map: AOC Moulis

 

Then we discuss Chasse-Spleen, an unofficial Grand Cru of the Médoc.

Jean-Pierre tells us about the early history of Chasse-Spleen, the English origins of its name and its history of women ownership. We discuss some of the harder times in Bordeaux and touch on the difficulties of upkeep of a château.

 

 

We talk about the terroir of Chasse-Spleen ? its size (175 ha) and its large percentage of gravel in the vineyard, and how it plants to the soil (it is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon because that reflects how much gravel they have, and 30% Merlot on clay-limestone soils).

 

Chateau Chasse-Spleen, Credit: Moulis.com

 

Jean Pierre tries to explain the difference between second wines and other cuvees to me. He does it successfully for Chasse-Spleen (L?Ermitage de Chasse Spleen is an Haut-Médoc ?other? cuvee, and L?Oratoire de Chasse Spleen is a true second wine). We leave with the conclusion that I may never know what is actually a second wine from other chateau because no one really knows!

 

In the spirit of asking every question I?ve ever had about how Bordeaux works ??, I ask about Chasse-Spleen?s consultant, Eric Boissenot. He is very well respected and known to be a champion of terroir, but I ask Jean Pierre how difficult it is to make sure that Eric helps them to make wine that represents their land and doesn?t taste like the other properties for which he consults. We also discuss the famed consultant, Michel Rolland, who is famed for helping chateaux and wineries devise wines that would get 100-point scores from Robert Parker.

 

 

We discuss Chasse-Spleen?s wine and why it is so ageworthy. We talk about the 1855 classification, what it represents and what it doesn?t and how Chasse Spleen, despite being out of the ranking, sells far better than 5th growth Château Camensac, which the Villars -Foubet family also own. The conversation incorporates the decision for Chasse-Spleen to leave the Cru Bourgeois classification as well (many top châteaux left after the last round).

We discuss their refreshing, lively white wine (mostly Sémillon) and Jean Pierre expresses skepticism about a potential Médoc Blanc appellation (I still think it?s a great idea!)

 

 

We end my talking about Céline and Jean Pierre?s love of art and how they have incorporated it into Chasse-Spleen in creative and magical ways ? from the life-like 3 meter high boots outside the Château, which help them remember that workers make the Château what it is, to the eclectic art collection, to the 3-D perspective painting in the chai (barrel room). If you are interested in staying at the Château, contact them here.

The Chai (pronounced shay) at Chasse-Spleen. Credit Chasse-Spleen

 

This was a great conversation with one of the top château of the Médoc. Once you try Chasse-Spleen, you?ll see why it is such a special wine, that rivals top Medoc wines.

 

A special thanks to Jean Pierre and Céline for their hospitality and again to the Wines of Médoc and Carole Vidal for the trip there last year, where I was able to visit Chasse Spleen.

 

_______________________________________________________________

I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can?t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!

 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes