Wine for Normal People

A podcast for people who like wine but not the snobbery that goes with it. I talk about wine in a fun, straightforward, normal way to get you excited about it and help you drink better, more interesting stuff. About half the shows feature guests and are informal but educational discussions between me and a passionate wine friend –they aren't interviews. All guests are personal friends or friends of friends in wine so like any conversation between friends, we’ll talk back and forth, interrupt each other, laugh and have fun, debate tough questions, voice our opinions, and most of all, enjoy sharing our time together and with you! The Wine For Normal People book is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many local booksellers. Back catalog available on Patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

Ep 560: Wine Tariffs and their Dire Consequences for American Wine Businesses with Ben Aneff, President of the USWTA and Daniel Posner of Grapes The Wine Company 04/16/2025

Ep 560: Wine Tariffs and their Dire Consequences for American Wine Businesses with Ben Aneff, President of the USWTA and Daniel Posner of Grapes The Wine Company Tariffs have been a hot topic in recent weeks, but this issue has been ongoing. During President Trump’s first term, the wine industry was caught flat-footed when, in 2019, the administration put a 25% tariff on still wines from France, Germany, Spain, and the UK (notably, Italy and Portugal were not included) as part of a trade dispute with the EU over subsidies given to Airbus. It was then that my guests – Ben Aneff and Daniel Posner started to organize and get industry leaders together to lobby Congress and try to explain why these tariffs were so harmful to wine. Those tariffs remained in place through 2021, and although there was relief for the last few years, the U which was the body that formed out of the initial tariff crisis, continued to exist with Ben at the helm. In this show, I am honored to have the very busy and very awesome Ben Aneff, a native Texan who now lives in NYC and is the , named one of “America’s Best Wine Shops” by Food & Wine Magazine, and an “Editor’s Favorite” by Wine Spectator. Ben has been actively involved in the fight against wine tariffs – working with all parts of the industry and Congress, and testifying about tariffs’ effects at the International Trade Commission. Ben Aneff, President of & I also have previous guest and Patron Daniel Posner, owner of in White Plains, NY. Daniel 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. He helped form the USWTA. Daniel Posner of & Industry Insider Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. _______________________________________________________________ This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to to sign up! /episode/index/show/winefornormalpeople/id/36143910

Ep 559: 12 Great Wines Under $20 04/09/2025

Ep 558: The Grape Mini Series -- Sagrantino 03/26/2025

Ep 557: The Greats - Saint-Émilion of Bordeaux 03/19/2025

Ep 556: Back to Basics -- European Classification Systems 03/12/2025

Ep 556: Back to Basics -- European Classification Systems This week I take a fresh look at European Classification Systems, going into detail on the history of how and why they evolved, what the current EU scheme is based on, and what the major wine nations’ systems are structured (and how they differ from what the EU would like them to look like!). I discuss: How Europe classified its wines to protect the names of specific products and link them to their place of origin, to the benefit of consumers and producers. A history of wine classifications from the monks in medieval Burgundy to the winemakers of Tokaj in the 1600s to Chianti, Port, and Bordeaux in the 1700s and 1800s. A detailed look at the evolution of the French classification system. I go through the steps that the French took to prevent fraud, protect the origin of their wines, and ultimately create the system off which the EU system is based. I address the EU system with its two main categories: -Wine without a geographic origin (table wine) -Wine with a geographic origin: Protected Geographical Indication (PGI): At least 85% of the grapes used have to come exclusively from the geographical area where the wine is actually made. These wines cover large areas, and a lot of grapes and winemaking methods are permitted. There is only a minor influence of place of origin Protected Designation of Origin (PDO): Every part of the production, processing and preparation process must take place in the specific region. Grapes have to come exclusively from the geographical area where the wine is made. Origin and terroir are essential to the identity of the wine. Then I review the major countries’ classification categories France: Vin de France=Table wine IGP, indication géographique protégée (PGI) AOP=appellation d’origine protégée, often called AOC (contrôlée) (PDO) Italy: Vino=Table Wine IGP=indicazione geografica protetta, producers frequently use the old IGT = indicazione geografica tipica (PGI) DOC = denominazione di origine controllata (PDO) DOCG = denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (PDO) DOP = denominazione di origine protetta, the new name, conforming to the EU standard that includes DOC and DOCG. DOP is rarely used (PDO) Spain: Vino de España=Table wine IGP / VT = indicación geográfica protegida, usually called vino de la tierra (VT) (PGI) VC = vino de calidad con indicación geográfica (PDO) DO (DOP) = denominación de origen, sometimes called DOP (PDO) DOCa = denominación de origen calificada (PDO) VP = vino de pago (PDO) Germany Deutscher Wein =Table wine Landwein =PGI Qualitätswein (also called Qba from the 13 regions, PDO) Prädikatswein – Prädikat means special attribute and refers to the ripeness of the grapes and the type of harvest. Pradikat levels: Dry or sweet: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese Sweet (expensive and rare): Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Eiswein Other terms: Trocken is dry, Halbtrocken is “Half Dry” or “Off-Dry, “Feinherb” is an unofficial term for off-dry wine The VDP is a German marketing organization that includes many of the country’s top producers. Producers can use the VDP eagle and the VDP classifications WITH “Qualitätswein” or “Prädikatswein” · Gutswein: First wines of a wine year to be bottled and sold, Estate-grown grapes · Ortsweine: Village wines · Erste Lage: Premier Cru wine from first-class vineyards · Grosse Lage: Grand cru or highest quality German vineyards. Dry wines within this category are called Grosse Gewächs or GG Portugal (I don’t discuss in the show because it follows the French/EU model) Vinho=Table Wine IGP = indicação geográfica protegida, often called vinho regional (PGI) DOP = denominação de origem protegida, still sometimes called DOC, denominação de origem controlada (PDO) _________________________________________________ Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. _______________________________________________________________ They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the 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: /episode/index/show/winefornormalpeople/id/35645630

Ep 555: Château Talbot - The Saint-Julien 4th Growth Bordeaux Estate with GM Jean-Michel Laporte 03/05/2025

Ep 555: Château Talbot - The Saint-Julien 4th Growth Bordeaux Estate with GM Jean-Michel Laporte is a 4th Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Julien in the Médoc of Left Bank of Bordeaux. It’s an historic and large property – its vineyards extend over 110 hectares/272 acres in a single block. The story of Talbot is a long and interesting one, but the chapter being written by the current family and management of the Château may be the best yet. With extreme dedication to quality, an eye towards the environment and careful winemaking, Talbot has a focus on making unbelievable wine that overdelivers for the price, vintage after vintage. In this show, General Manager of , Jean-Michel Laporte, joins to discuss Saint-Julien and Talbot. Photo: Jean-Michel Laporte. From . We discuss: Saint-Julien and it's terroir. We talk about how it stacks up to the other communes on the Left Bank and even discuss comparisons with the Right Bank, where Jean-Michel got his start The history and terroir of Talbot. The château is hundreds of years old, but got it's name from an English general who won Bordeaux back from the French in the 1400s! Photo: The Chai of . From the Château site. Winemaking, aging, their amazing chai (barrel room, pic above), spectacular vintages and how long to hold both the Grand Vin -- Chateau Talbot and the second wine, Connetable de Talbot. We also discuss Caillou Blanc, their fascinating white wine! makes excellent wines. They are around US $70 and although that will set you back, it is so high quality and over delivers for the price. If you have some extra money at some point, and want to invest in a wine to age, this is one to seek. I love the floral and dark fruit aromatics, the complexity, the medieval church notes, the earth, and the perfect tannin and acidity. Saint-Julien is indeed, incredibly balanced, and Château Talbot is a great example of the AOC. ________________________________________________________________________ Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. _______________________________________________________________ They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the 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: /episode/index/show/winefornormalpeople/id/35534470

Ep 554:The Wines of Alto Adige, Italy 02/26/2025

Ep 553: The Grape Mini-Series -- Malvasia(s) 02/19/2025

Ep 552: The Greats - Napa Valley 02/12/2025

Ep 551: How to Make Your Wine Shop Work for You with Steve Tocco, Wine Buyer and Retailer 02/05/2025

Ep 550: South Australia - An Overview of Australia’s “Wine State" 01/29/2025

Ep 550: South Australia - An Overview of Australia’s “Wine State" 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 operating wine companies in Australia are here), many small wineries and almost all the official wine trade organizations, including Wine Australia, the government body responsible for regulating and promoting Australian wine, and the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), which plays a crucial role in wine research, are based in South Australia. South Australia consists of 18 regions, and although I address most of them, I also point out that there are a handful that are essential to truly knowing about South Australia: Barossa, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra, and McLaren Vale. Map: Wine Australia This is a bit of a whirlwind show, but hopefully it gives you a flavor for this famed, and essential corner of the wine world. My hope is that heard one or two things I said that you may not have known and that you seek out those wines. Australia is under appreciated in the US, especially, and when you get a good one, it is usually unbelievably good! Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. _______________________________________________________________ They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the 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: /episode/index/show/winefornormalpeople/id/35042960

Ep 549: The Grape Mini-Series --Touriga Nacional 01/22/2025

Ep 548: Bandol - The Ageworthy Reds and Rosés of Provence, France 01/15/2025

Ep 547: Back to Basics...12 Bottles to Learn About Some of the Classic Wine of the World 01/08/2025

Ep 547: Back to Basics...12 Bottles to Learn About Some of the Classic Wine of the World 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 site! This show has my recommendations for filling a case of wine with classics from around the world. These wines will give you a great idea of what these regions represent and why they are so famed. Even for experienced wine drinkers, I think it’s good to go back to the basics and try stuff you haven’t had in a while to remind ourselves why they are so good! The list contains 12 still wines (no sparkling or fortified this time!), whites, reds, and one rosé. The wines are: Whites: White Burgundy, which is Chardonnay. I recommend the wine especially from the Hautes Côtes de Beaune or Hautes Côtes de Nuits, Côte d’Or Blanc, or Chablis 2. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc – with a twist. Look for wines from the Awatere or Wairau Valleys. 3. German Riesling from the Mosel (for off-dry wines) or Rheingau. I also mention Pfalz for great dry wines. 4. Portuguese Alvarinho – Vinho Verde, specifically from sub-regions of Monção and Melgaço Rosé 5. Tavel from the Rhône Reds 6. Bordeaux – especially from the Médoc or Côtes de Bordeaux for Merlot-driven wines (Pomerol and St. Émilion) and for bolder, more ageworthy wines with more Cabernet -- Haut-Médoc or Saint-Estèphe or for spendier versions – Graves, Margaux, Saint Julien, Pauillac 7. Rioja from Spain 8. Italian reds either Chianti Classico (have food with it!) or Roero/Langhe Nebbiolo/Nebbiolo d’Alba/Barbaresco 9. California – Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir (or more specifically Santa Maria Valley or Sta. Rita Hills) 10. Barossa Valley Shiraz (take another look if you haven’t in a while!). For more restraint, you can look for Shiraz from Eden Valley, a sub region of the Barossa Valley 11. Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, especially Maipo Andes/ Alto Maipo is best, due to the higher altitude in this area 12. Argentinean Malbec, more specifically from Gualtallary, Tupungato, Altamira or, more generally the Uco Valley and Lujan de Cuyo Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. _______________________________________________________________ They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the 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: /episode/index/show/winefornormalpeople/id/34768455

Ep 546: The Rioja Series - the Rioja Oriental Zone with Raquel Perez Cuevas of Bodegas Ontañón 12/11/2024

Ep 546: The Rioja Series - the Rioja Oriental Zone with Raquel Perez Cuevas of Bodegas Ontañón 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 regarded and best wineries in Rioja. The family started as growers that sold to large companies but in the 1980s, they started making their own wines, breaking with tradition and most of their neighbors in Oriental at the time. The family are unique in that they 250ha of vineyards, in around the village of Quel (which Raquel discusses a lot in the show). Their vineyards are also unique because they sit very high in the mountains, even higher than the vineyards of Alta in Alavesa. In this show, Raquel tells us about Oriental, the differences between the region and Alta and Alavesa, the grapes that grow here (they are different from the other regions – there is much more diversity), and her perspective on what is happening in the region right now. This series has been so eye opening and this show shines yet another light on this very complex region, which is undergoing a major transition right now. Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. _______________________________________________________________ They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the 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: /episode/index/show/winefornormalpeople/id/34370145

Ep 545: The Rioja Series - the Rioja Alavesa Zone with Tao Platón of Península Vinicultores 12/03/2024

Ep 545: The Rioja Series - the Rioja Alavesa Zone with Tao Platón of Península Vinicultores 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 Zealand, and Rioja and in 2016 he joined Península Vinicultores as head winemaker and technical director. Photo: Tao Platón. Credit: Península Vinicultores He leads the production of a new generation of terroir-driven wines from Rioja Alavesa at Bodega Bideona. Bideona cultivates hundreds of individual parcels and makes wine in the Burgundian model – terroir-driven, vineyard specific wines. He joins us as a representative of the zone of Alavesa and as a passionate advocate for the system of terroir-driven, single vineyard wines, a system which Rioja approved in 2018. We discuss: The Rioja Alavesa overview -- terroir, the history of the region, and how Alavesa is made up of many small, family owned wineries. The strengths of Alavesa, which are old vines, mainly of Tempranillo. Wineries of Alavesa don’t blend grapes from elsewhere so the wines are very terroir-driven and local in Alavesa. We discuss the various styles of wines, including the production of whites in the region. We get to some of the very hard questions regarding Alavesa and its Basque identity. We fill you in on the political independent movement in the Basque Country, the various ideologies and how those are playing out in the politics of the Rioja DOCa. The differences between business models (traditional model versus newer, terroir driven producers) in the Rioja DOCa, as well as the tension is between quality producers and those who look to make cheap wine that they can sell quickly, regardless of quality. The potential future for Rioja and the DOCa and various scenarios that could exist for Alavesa in the future. ____________________________________________________ This show represents a totally different perspective from Rioja Alavesa versus Rioja Alta! Just wait until the next show with Raquel of Bodegas Ontañón from Rioja Oriental! Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. _______________________________________________________________ They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the 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: /episode/index/show/winefornormalpeople/id/34257205

Ep 544: The Rioja Series - the Rioja Alta Zone with Guillermo de Aranzabal Bittner of La Rioja Alta S.A. 11/26/2024

Ep 544: The Rioja Series - the Rioja Alta Zone with Guillermo de Aranzabal Bittner of La Rioja Alta S.A. 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 2017-2018. Then I get to my lively conversation with Guillermo de Aranzabal Bittner. Guillermo is a descendent of one of the founding families of La Rioja Alta and is part of the 6th generation in the business. He educates us on the Rioja Alta zone - its terroir, history, and the grapes in which it specializes. Guillermo then tells us about La Rioja Alta, which was formed in 1890 as a partnership of 5 quality-conscious growers focused on getting the wines of their remote region to the masses. They achieved this by supporting the construction of a rail link from Haro to Bilbao and thus, opened the world to these marvelous wines. They have a laser focus on quality and on maintaining tradition -- the dedication is admirable! The brands of La Rioja Alta S.A. that Guillermo discusses are: Gran reserva 890, Gran Reserva 904 Seleccion Especial, Viña Arana, Viña Ardanza, Viña Alberdi : Finca Martelo, Finca San Martin Crianza Guillermo and I then discuss some of the challenges currently facing Rioja, and we get deep into the analysis of what is working and what isn't. It's a great discussion! As promised, here is the list of producers in the Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. _______________________________________________________________ They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the 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: /episode/index/show/winefornormalpeople/id/33998627

Ep 543: The Thanksgiving Episode 2024 11/19/2024

Ep 543: The Thanksgiving Episode 2024 I wasn't sure I was going to do a Thanksgiving episode this year, but last minute, I felt inspired (and was encouraged by some of you -- thanks especially to my dear friends and your fellow patrons Claudette C and Tina K) so I decided to make it happen. This one is short, sweet, and to the point! I offer seven main wine types and give examples of each. I hope at least one of these ideas will work for your table! __________________________________ This year, I'm sticking with the theme I did for the Wine Access Club and recommending blends for your meal. The list: Photo: Getty Images via Canva 1. Sparkling -- whether you pick Champagne, Crémant, Cava, Cap Classique, Franciacorta, American sparkling wine, or anything else, you will likely have a mix of grapes. A great blend for the whole meal. 2. Acidic white blends are fantastic pairings. White Bordeaux blends are my top choice. 3. Full, white Rhône blends, especially with a big Viognier component are always on my Thanksgiving table. Blends like Côtes du Rhône blanc, Châteauneuf du Pape blanc, Laudun, Lirac, and Rhône blends from California and Australia work well. 4. Fruity red blends have softer tannins but good acidity. Côtes du Rhône, Châteauneuf du Pape, and Valpolicella are some examples 5. Flavorful red blends with a fuller body are a fantastic alternative to varietal Cabernet or Zinfandel, which are often recommended. Rioja, Bordeaux (with more Merlot than Cabernet), and Cerasuolo di Vittoria are my suggested blends. 6. Rosés like Tavel, Bandol rosé, Côtes du Rhône rosé, and heavier styles of Rioja rosado. 7. Finally, SAUTERNES is great with grilled food or anything with a char. It can also handle the sweet foods on your table, including dessert. I hope you this was helpful and gave you a new idea or two! Happy Thanksgiving -- I'm grateful to you for listening! Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. _______________________________________________________________ They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the 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: /episode/index/show/winefornormalpeople/id/34168240

Ep 542: Franciacorta -- Italy's Elite Sparkling Wine Region 11/13/2024

Ep 542: Franciacorta -- Italy's Elite Sparkling Wine Region With the holidays coming, I thought it would be a good time to do a show on a different kind of sparkling wine, so this time I cover Italy’s premier traditional method sparkling wine, Franciacorta. Map: Consorzio per la tutela del Franciacorta Franciacorta is a high quality Italian sparkling wine made in the area of Brescia in Lombardy (the Italian region where Milan is located). Franciacorta, as a sparkling wine, came into being in the 1960s but it didn’t take long for it to gain a favorable reputation, which still holds today. With very distinctive geographical features and a unique microclimate, the wines here are marked by a balance of excellent acidity and lovely aromas of fruit, flowers, nuts and more. The thing that makes Franciacorta stand out among other sparklers from Italy is that wines from this region can only be produced using the traditional method (like Champagne, unlike Prosecco) and must be made primarily from the French grapes – Chardonnay, Pinot nero (Pinot noir), and Pinot bianco (Pinot blanc). Photo: Consorzio per la tutela del Franciacorta Despite the similarities with their French counterpart, the terroir in Franciacorta presents weather patterns that include a lake effect, Alpine breezes, and ample wind. The entire area was formed by glacial movement – no by a small sea receding and leaving a bed of chalky limestone as was the case in Champagne. Priced at a premium, these wines are ideal if you love Champagne or sparkling wine but want something fruitier, fuller, and with less piercing acidity. Photo: Consorzio per la tutela del Franciacorta In this show I cover the history, terroir, grapes, winemaking, and the three types of Franciacorta: nonvintage, rosé, and saten and the overlying classifications of millesimato and riserva. ________________________________________ Main information sources: Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. _______________________________________________________________ They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the 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: /episode/index/show/winefornormalpeople/id/33907022

Ep 541: Top Tips for Attending a Wine Event with Patron Monica G. 11/05/2024

ENCORE Presentation: Ep 396 - A Tasting of Halloween Candy Pairings (and why candy and wine don't mix) 10/29/2024

Ep 540: Chile Overview -- The Update 10/22/2024

Ep 539: The Grape Mini-Series -Sauvignon Blanc Refresh 10/09/2024

Ep 539: The Grape Mini-Series -Sauvignon Blanc Refresh This is the third in the series of Grape Miniseries Refreshes to complete the trifecta of Cabernet Sauvignon and parents – Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. The short of it: Sauvignon blanc has character!! Love it or hate it, you know what you’re getting when you have a wine made from this grape. Whether it be citrusy, acidic, and minerally from Loire, fruitier and sometimes oak aged from Bordeaux, or pungent, spicy, and grapefruit-noted from New Zealand, this grape makes and impact wherever it goes. Photo: Sauvignon Blanc. Credit: Grown in more than 30 countries, Sauvignon blanc is the 11th most planted wine grape in the world. (. One third of Sauvignon blanc is in France, with New Zealand a close second. As with every grape, Sauvignon blanc has its quirks, but the grape is all about purity, rather than winemaking magic. With specific soils and sites this grape’s beauty shines through in its crystal-clear flavors. Sauvignon is appreciated for its simplicity, its ease of drinking and its versatility – the grape makes dry whites, oaky whites, simple whites, more complex ones, Sauternes and other botrytis affected wines. Whatever it’s used it, it makes a mark with great acidity and strong flavor. In this show I cover: The origins and DNA of the grape Sauvignon Blanc in the vineyard Aromas and flavors Main Regions: France: Loire (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé), Bordeaux Spain, especially Rueda Italy: Piedmont, Friuli, Alto Adige Austria, especially Styria New Zealand!!! Synonymous with Sauvignon Blanc Chile South Africa United States: Especially California's North Coast -- Napa, Sonoma, and Washington I cover food pairings and serving temperatures too. Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. _______________________________________________________________ They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the 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: /episode/index/show/winefornormalpeople/id/33386682

Ep 538: The Grape Mini-Series - Cabernet Franc Refresh 10/02/2024

Ep 538: The Grape Mini-Series - Cabernet Franc Refresh The Cabernet Sauvignon refresh was episode 535, so I thought that on the heels of that it was time to do a refresh Cab Sauv's parents. This week is the Cabernet Franc refresh and next week will be Sauvignon Blanc, so you can have the full picture of the parents and the offspring. Cabernet Franc is an underrated grape and things seem to be changing rapidly with it these days. In the past, it has often been used purely as a blending grape, except in the Loire Valley, but today it’s taking center stage. Producers and wine drinkers have realized that if the best wines of Château Cheval Blanc on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, have a higher proportion of Cabernet Franc, maybe there is something to this grape that should be explored. Although Cab Franc still doesn’t have widespread popular acclaim, it is extremely important in the wine world. Today –it grows everywhere from France, Italy, the United States, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Hungary, Washington State, Croatia, Israel, South Africa, Turkey, Slovenia, Uruguay, and more. Plantings are growing and I see a bigger future for this grape. In this show I cover: The origins and DNA of the grape Cab Franc in the vineyard Aromas and flavors Regions: France: Loire, Bordeaux, Southwest France Italy: Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Bolgheri Hungary: Villány Canada United States: Finger Lakes, Long Island, Virginia, and a little bit on Napa, Sonoma, and Washington South America: Argentina, Chile I cover food pairings and serving temperatures too. Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. _______________________________________________________________ They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the 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: /episode/index/show/winefornormalpeople/id/33291552

Ep 537: 10 Outstanding White Wines for Fall 09/24/2024

Ep 536: Cinsault Master Alex Milner of Natte Valleij - A winning breakaway for South African Wine 09/17/2024

Ep 536: Cinsault Master Alex Milner of Natte Valleij - A winning breakaway for South African Wine In this show I host Alex Milner from He is my first South African guest and the first Cinsault-focused producer I've had on the show. Photo: Alex Milner. Credit: I first learned about from a local importer who presented the wine as an option for a wine dinner I put together with a restaurant partner. Among all the wines I tasted that day, the Cinsault from this South African producer stood out and it performed beautifully with the food at the dinner, as well. The wine inspired me to do a Grape Miniseries show on Cinsault (episode 525), and the interest among the Patrons in this grape was very high, so I knew I had to have Alex Milner on the show to discuss his wines and his Cinsault passion. Alex is doing something unusual in South Africa and he is a bit of a wine adventurer, finding old vineyards through is other passion -- cycling! He is energetic, funny, cool, smart, and determined. By pursuing this unsung hero of a grape, Alex has created a small movement of Cinsault rediscovery in South Africa. To use cycling parlance, he has staged the winning breakaway in South African wines: Cinsault! We discuss the importance of Stellenbosch University in the South African wine industry, the history of Cinsault, the differences between the vineyards Alex sources from, and his beautiful . Photo: Natte Valleij Wines Credit: Seek out these wines! They are terrific, as is Alex!! (PS -- the show is marked explicit because Alex drops an F bomb, but it's necessary to his point...) ___________________________________________________ Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. _______________________________________________________________ They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the 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: /episode/index/show/winefornormalpeople/id/33086302

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Wine for Normal People

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