Ep 587: The Thanksgiving Show 2025 - Two-Wine Strategies to Rule the Feast
Wine for Normal People
Thanksgiving is one of the most difficult meals to pair with, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try! Source: Canva This year, for one of our weekly discussion questions I asked the Patrons how many wines they would be serving with their Thanksgiving/holiday feasts and the answer was overwhelmingly 2-3. Given that, in this show I talk about combinations of two wines you can purchase for your table that will pair with many types of Thankgsivings. Some examples: If your dishes tend to be on the sweet side… honey glazes, marshmallow sweet potatoes, candied sweet...
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Ep 586: The Five Paths to Bubbles - The 5 Sparkling Production Methods & Styles to Try
Wine for Normal People
Just in time for the holiday season, I review the five ways to get fizz in a wine (on purpose) -- and the wines that result. I discuss regions and styles of different wines in each of the three major categories: Ancestral Method/Pétillant Naturel, Méthode Champenoise/ Metodo Classico, and the Martinotti/Charmat/Tank Method. From Col Fondo to Method Cap Classique to German Sekt, I offer you new possibilities and sparkling wine types you may not know or think of off the top of your head, but which are all great in their own right and many which are ridiculously affordable (and...
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Ep 585: Ten White Wines for Winter
Wine for Normal People
At the suggestion of Patron John D., in this show I give you a list of 10 great winter whites and review each in detail! I discuss the varied styles, since most regions have multiple versions of these wines, and how to get the bone warmers, not the light sippers. I offer food pairing ideas to boot! From white Burgundy to Poşip to Savienníeres and Fiano, I've suggested a great white bottle for almost every week of winter! I hope you find the list useful. Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. ...
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Ep 584: The Grape Miniseries Refresh - Riesling
Wine for Normal People
This time in the grape miniseries -- a refresh on one of my all time favorite grapes -- Riesling. This versatile grape has a long history of quality, and is highly misunderstood by most people. I review the long and noble history of the grape, starting in 1435 and talk about how it wound up in places like the US and Australia, where it makes world class examples. I cover Riesling in the vineyard, in the cellar, and what makes a wine sweet or dry. I even explain a bit about the International Riesling Foundation scale! I hope this overview gives you a new apprecaition for this...
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Ep 583: The Greats of Bordeaux - Graves and Pessac-Léognan
Wine for Normal People
Lying just south of the city of Bordeaux is one of the oldest winemaking regions in the Bordeaux AOC -- Graves. Graves, along with it sub appellation of Pessac-Leognan are covered in this show as two of the great of Bordeaux. Graves has a wine history stretching back to 100 BCE when the Romans first settled this area and realized that its gravelly (graves=gravel) soil was excellent for viticulture. That was the start and Graves has been continuously making wine for more than 2000 years. I discuss this wonderfully historic area, some of the challenges that it has faced, and the...
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Re-release of Ep 306: Planeta and the Story of Modern Sicilian Wine with Alessio Planeta
Wine for Normal People
I happen to be in Sicily with a group of Patrons (this could be you if you join Patreon!). While I was in , in 2019, I had the honor to speak with Alessio Planeta, President at Assovini Sicilia and Owner at For five centuries and through seventeen generations, Planeta has been active in changing and improving agriculture in Sicily. Alessio Planeta has spent his life dedicated to the study of Sicily and figuring out how to make it a significant force in world wine. With his family, Alessio now has six wineries around Sicily, and they have almost...
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Ep 582: Back to Basics – Wine Etiquette
Wine for Normal People
This time I revisit a show from long ago on Wine Etiquette. In this Back-to-Basics episode, I cover the three main places you would use etiquette - a dinner party, a restaurant, and a tasting room. I address: The Dinner Party: What to bring a host, a good welcome drink, whether or not to open a bottle that a guest brings, the etiquette of what to do with the last glass in the bottle, and the point in the night to serve your best wine. I also talk about the proper way to pour, how high to fill a wine red or white wine glass, and whether or not to display a bottle you have...
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Ep 581: Wes Hagen - Santa Barbara Expert & Native9 Wines Brand Ambassador
Wine for Normal People
You will get no better primer on Santa Barbara wine country than in the show. Wes Hagen comes on to school us on his region. Ask anyone in Santa Barbara wine about Wes Hagen and they'll tell you he is a legend. He has worked in Santa Barbara wine for 30+ years as a vineyard manager, winemaker, hospitality specialist, wine educator, and sommelier. He has run prestigious vineyards , made wine in amazing wineries (Clos Pepe, J. Wilkes Wines, Miller Family Wines), and then became the go-to guy for creating American Viticultural Areas in Santa Barbara, writing and getting four AVAs...
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Ep 580: The Grape Miniseries (refresh) -- Tempranillo
Wine for Normal People
It’s been 13 years since I’ve done a grape miniseries on Tempranillo, so it was high time! This grape has come a long way in a decade +, proving that it has more nuance, terroir driven finesse, and versatility than it gets credit for. Tempranillo is now the third most widely planted wine grape in the world, at 231,000 ha/570,000 acres. It is not widely grown outside of Spain but there are growers in 17 countries making a go of it. That said, 88% of Tempranillo’s vineyard area is in Spain and most of it is in the northern central parts, with Rioja and Ribera del Duero as the...
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Ep 579: The Greats of Bordeaux - Moulis with Listrac
Wine for Normal People
This week I finish up the communal appellations of the Médoc for our "Greats of Bordeaux" series with Moulis! Map: Wines of the Médoc Although the communes of Moulis and Listrac are often seen as one in the same because both are inland and neither is adjacent to the Gironde River/Estuary, this grouping is a mistake. The wines of Moulis, especially from the Grand Poujeaux plateau next to Margaux, can rival or exceed the quality of the wines from the big name communes on the river -- Margaux, St-Julien, Pauillac, and Saint-Estèphe. Moulis is varied and not all the...
info_outlineBarbecues are fun, but having wine at them…not so much! The food at barbecues ranges but the theme is that even though they generally occur in the dead of summer, the food is heavy and served warm so the wines we needed for pairing aren’t necessarily the same ones we’d have for sipping on the porch. In this show, we go over the main foods we eat at BBQs and break down some of their constituent components so we can find the best wines for them.
Photo: Unsplash
It turns out that, as we talked through it all, there are some wines you just can’t do without at a barbecue – we tell you the details of great pairing and hopefully convince you that with just a few key wines, you can have bottles that pair as well with food off the grill and the sides, as a cold, frosty beer.
Condiments we discuss:
- Ketchup (and its ingredients)
- Mustard (and its ingredients)
- Mayo
Photo: Pexels
Sample foods we use to explain pairing and offer some ideas with explanations:
- Hot dogs and popular toppings like sauerkraut, slaw, ketchup, and mustard
- Burgers with popular toppings
- Sausage
- Pork and various preparations
- Steak
- Chicken
- Veggies
- Seafood and fish
- Corn
- Watermelon
- Pasta salad
- Cole Slaw
Photos: Unsplash
Ribs and rubs: ketchup based sauces, sugar and fruit based sauces, smoky flavors, tandoori or hot spice notes, garlic and lemon marinades
MVPs (most valuable players – meaning best wines):
- Rosé: heavier styles from Tavel, Bandol (both in France) or those with higher alcohol levels, therefore a heavier body
Photos: Pixabay
- Whites: Grüner Veltliner, fruity Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling (off dry and dry), Chenin Blanc (off dry and dry), Albariño, Verdejo, Fiano, Etna Bianco
- Reds: Gamay, fruity Pinot Noir (California, New Zealand, Chile), Grenache/Syrah/ Mourvèdre blends (GSM) – either Côtes-du-Rhône or from warmer places in Australia or the US, Shiraz from Australia or earthier Syrah in some cases, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, right bank Bordeaux
- Sparkling – have to have it, even if it’s cheap (Cava. Prosecco)
Don't forget to chill your whites, rosés, and especially your REDS!! Happy grilling!
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