ENCORE Presentation: Ep 396 - A Tasting of Halloween Candy Pairings (and why candy and wine don't mix)
Release Date: 10/29/2024
Wine for Normal People
This is a grape mini-series like no other! This time I untangle Malvasia, which I share is not a single grape at all, nor is it even a family of grapes. This ancient grape has unknown origins and, in many respects, is more of a brand name than a grape. I cover the history of how the many Malvasias got their single name, discuss some commonalities in growing conditions (they are at least all Mediterranean!), and then call out the specific Malvasias of quality from Friuli, Tuscany, and Sicily in Italy; in Madeira, Douro, Dão and Colares in Portugal, and in the Canary Islands and...
info_outlineWine for Normal People
Napa Valley is unquestionably one of the great wine regions of the world. Located about 50 mi/80 km north of San Francisco, Napa is renowned for its decadent Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay and its glamourous, fancy and expensive tasting rooms. Napa only represents 4% of California’s wine grape harvest, but it holds the highest reputation among all US regions. But the region isn’t all show – it has excellent terroir to make world class wines. Photo: Napa Valley Vineyard. Source: Pixabay Napa Valley stretches southeast to northwest for approximately 35 miles (60 km) from just...
info_outlineWine for Normal People
This week, I'm joined by Patron and friend Steve Tocco is the wine buyer and manager of a fine wine store near Boulder, Colorado -- (yes, I've been there!). He is great at what he does -- creative, community oriented, great palate -- basically he is the wine guy we all want! I asked him to come on the show to share tips on how to best work with a local wine retailer to create great relationships that lead to better wines. We discuss: How to figure out your shopping style How create a relationship with your wine shop person How to glean what someone knows so you can decide...
info_outlineWine for Normal People
This show features an overview of an essential place in the wine world: South Australia. There is much to learn here but I try to break it down into what is important to know. The show is somewhat heavy on history, since that is an essential part of why South Australia is important today. South Australia is an Australian state located in the central south of the continent that refers to itself as Australia’s “Wine State”, and rightfully so: it produces 50% of all bottled wine and about 80% of the country’s premium wine. Most large wine companies (8 of the 13 continuously...
info_outlineWine for Normal People
Touriga Nacional is, beyond a doubt, the most important, praised, and discussed red grape in Portugal. An essential part of Port and the dry wines of the regions of Dão and Douro, this powerful grape has spread throughout Portugal and has captured the imagination of winemakers from Australia to South Africa to California and more. Photo: Touriga Nacional. Credit: Unsplash In this show, I go through the highlights of this beautiful grape and talk about how it went from near extinction to the Queen grape of Portugal. I review the origins, vineyard habits, aromas and flavors, and then...
info_outlineWine for Normal People
Bandol is arguably the most important appellation in Provence at the southeastern tip of France. Although it makes white, this very small region is known for its ageworthy reds and rosés made mainly of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Cinsault. In this show I review the long history of Bandol from the Greeks to the real estate agents of today, and talk about the various terroirs in this appellation. I talk about the grapes, why Mourvedre makes such a big difference in allowing the reds and rosés to age, and some ideas of flavors, producers, and how long to age these wines. ...
info_outlineWine for Normal People
I start by asking for a big favor!! I haven’t asked in about 10 years – but if you get a moment, could you drop a positive review for WFNP on iTunes, or a good rating on Spotify, or tell a friend who you think would like the show? Thank you in advance! This show is part of the effort to refresh the WFNP catalog, based on the ideas of Patron Chris C, who did a ton of work to help me come up with a list of things he thought I could re-do, given that it’s been 14 years since I covered some of this stuff. If you have any ideas, please drop a DM on Patreon or send me ideas through the...
info_outlineWine for Normal People
This show is the final in a multi-part, in-depth series on the Rioja DOCa in which we have looked at the three major zones of Rioja through the eyes of top producers to tell us about their areas and the challenges they face. Photo: Raquel Perez Cuevas. Credit: Bodegas Ontañón Facebook Page This time, Raquel Pérez Cuevas, 4th generation family member of joins to tell us about Rioja Oriental (formerly Rioja Baja). Raquel is an agricultural engineer and oenologist, and has traveled the world presenting the beautiful wines of Ontañón. Ontañón is one of the most highly...
info_outlineWine for Normal People
This is the second installment of an in-depth series on the Rioja DOCa, where I do a close look at the three major zones of Rioja. I host top producers in each show to tell us about their areas and the challenges they face. In Episode 544, we heard about the Rioja Alta zone and this week we hear from Tao Platón of Rioja Alavesa, who presents a completely different perspective on the region. Tao Platón graduated in Enology from the University of Valladolid, holds a WSET Diploma and is an Master of Wine (MW) candidate. He has made wine in Bordeaux, Burgundy, New...
info_outlineWine for Normal People
This show kicks off a multi-part, in-depth series on the Rioja DOCa. We will look at the three major zones of Rioja in the podcasts that follow. In each, I host top producers to tell us their perspectives on their zones and on Rioja at large. To get you up to speed before my conversation with Guillermo de Aranzabal Bittner, the Deputy General Director and Director of Public Relations for I start out the show with a quick primer on Rioja. I cover everything from climate and terroir, the grapes, the aging criteria, and the terroir driven designations that were introduced in...
info_outlineFrom the archives, I am relaunching the funniest show I've ever done: Ep 396 -Halloween Candy Pairings with Patrons Kelsey and Colby Eliades.
We scoured the internet to find commonly recommended pairings, so we could actually try them and tell you if any of these things actually work. The news isn’t great (candy and wine are HORRIBLE together), but we did find a few diamonds in the rough, including an extremely surprising combo that I thought could be lethal!
Here are the combos we tested…
-
Pop rocks with Prosecco
-
Candy corn with Prosecco and Moscato d’Asti
-
Gummy worms with Rosé
-
Sour Patch Kids with off-dry Riesling
-
Starburst and Moscato d’Asti
-
Twizzlers, and Swedish Fish with Beaujolais
-
Kit Kat with Pinot Noir
-
Peppermint Patties with Syrah
-
Reese’s Peanut Butter cups and Reese’s Pieces with Lambrusco
-
Hershey's bars and Whoppers with Zinfandel
-
Port-style Zinfandel with M&Ms, Snickers, Twix, Heath bar
And, so concludes my attempt at pairing wine with Halloween candy. We did the encore, I am so thankful for Kelsey and Colby for participating, and now I'm never doing this again 😂😂😂!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
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