Ep 309: Tranquil Vale of Hunter Valley, Australia on Boutique Wine, Bushfires, and Climate Change
Release Date: 01/21/2020
Ep 509: Felicity Carter Exposes the Jaw-dropping Truth of Who is Guiding Global Wine & Health Policy
Wine for Normal People
My guest Felicity Carter is probably the most brilliant journalist in wine, and certainly one of the only ones doing vital investigative work in the field of wine, health, and the neo prohibitionist movement. From 2008 to 2021, she was editor-in-chief of , a global, English-language magazine, one of Germany’s oldest publishing houses. She reported from 22 countries in that position. She writes for Decanter, The Guardian, and pretty much every major prestigious wine publication out there. Photo: Felicity Carter. Credit: Felicity is the foremost authority on wine and health and...
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Ep 508: Armenian Wine - Ancient Grapes, Modern Innovation, True Excellence with Aimee Keushguerian of Zulal & Keush
Wine for Normal People
In this show we explore the world of Armenian wine, which has roots in the ancient world and may be the oldest winemaking region in Europe. To tell us about these wines, the terroir, and the regions, I welcome Managing Director & Founder, Aimee Keushguerian. Aimee educates us on Armenian wine and tells us about the projects she and her family are undertaking to shape the modern Armenian wine industry, which is definitely getting noticed for its high quality and interesting grape varieties. Aimee Keushguerian, founder of Managing Director of Armenia is...
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Ep 507: Innovative Pairing with Plant-based Food with the founders of Wineand2Veg.com
Wine for Normal People
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 (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, , gives great ideas for pairings that...
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Ep 506: The Wines of the Côtes de Bordeaux -- The Secret Best Value Wines of the Region
Wine for Normal People
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 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%...
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Ep 505: Alternatives to a Favorite -- Grenache (Garnacha)
Wine for Normal People
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...
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Ep 504: A Normal Wine Person Perspective on Greek Wine -- Patron Lindsey Miller Shares Her Love and Knowledge of Greece
Wine for Normal People
For the first time, we have a on the show to share her passion and expertise! This week is a follow-up to This time, long time listener and friend, Lindsey Miller, joins as our 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...
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Ep 503: Greek Wine -- The Updated 10,000 Foot Overview
Wine for Normal People
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...
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Ep 502: Stu Smith of Smith-Madrone -- Why Napa County is Strangling Small Wineries
Wine for Normal People
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, joins to discuss and explain the situation -- at least the parts that have an explanation! If you want background on Smith-Madrone, check out... Please support small wineries! Now, more than ever they need our...
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Ep 501: Winemaker Thomas Bianciardi of San Filippo - Award-Winning Wines of Brunello di Montalcino
Wine for Normal People
Thomas Bianciardi is the winemaker for the exceptional , the famed enclave of Tuscany. I had the honor of meeting him while on the 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 list of top wines. These wines are a great reflection of the terroir and the people who make them. Photo: Roberto Gianneli, Owner of...
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Ep 500: Listeners Ask About 500 Episodes of WFNP
Wine for Normal People
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...
info_outlineConnie Paur Griffiths is winemaker and vigneron at Tranquil Vale Vineyards in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia joins to educate us about this fascinating region, discuss the bushfires that have threatened it, and to talk about the challenges facing wine and climate in Oz's future.
Connie shares how her parents found Tranquil Vale advertised in an Australian paper, while living in London, and took a chance on a total lifestyle change. From there, they moved their lives and two kids, including then 8 year old Connie to the hot Hunter Valley, 2.5 hours from Sydney to begin their adventure. They learned to make wine and grow grapes and have won multiple awards for their Semillon, Chardonnay, and Shiraz.
Tranquil Vale makes 3,000 cases of wine and is a family-owned and run boutique producer.
Connie tells us about this unlikely place, which is the oldest wine region in Australia. Hunter Valley characteristics include:
- A subtropical climate with maritime breezes in some areas, but also with humidity that can cause rot
- Temps that get above 40˚C/ 100˚F on a regular basis
- Great diurnal temperature swings that allow for the three main grapes to maintain good acidity and keep alcohol levels lower
- Gently sloping hills with lower altitude
- 3 big subregions: Upper Hunter Valley, Broke Fordwich (we discuss how many producers will not harvest in 2020 due to smoke taint), Pokolbin, which has many of the famed wineries and is in foothills of Brokenback Range.
The main grapes of the area are:
- Semillon – which miraculously, with time, turns into something like Oak aged Chardonnay in spite of the fact that there is no oak and no malolactic fermentation ever done in the winemaking process
- Chardonnay -- a lightly oaked, lower alcohol versio
- Shiraz -- which in spite of sometimes punishing heat, still keeps a lighter style, lower alcohol, and a peppery note that is often "baked out" of other styles of Shiraz in regions of Australia
The second half of our conversation focuses on the bushfires of 2019-2020 and the havoc they have wreaked, but also on the endemic climate, infrastructure and land management issues that Australia will likely need to deal with to prevent the kind of historic fires we have seen this year. A fascinating perspective, and a thought-provoking conversation!
Thanks to Connie for reaching out to us and sharing her story!
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