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 grape that can be dry, sparkling, off-dry, sweet, and everything in between.    Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople _______________________________________________________________   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 valu

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 things that make it so special. Map: Vins de Bordeaux   After discussing Graves, I take on Pessac-Léognan, the northern area of Graves, just south of the city of Bordeaux. It is the home of the most famous châteaux of the southern Left Bank including Haut Brion, the first growth in the 1855 classification.     As with all "The Greats" shows, I cover the history, terroir, grapes and winemaking, and then discuss key châteaux but afte

I happen to be in Sicily with a group of Patrons (this could be you if you join Patreon!).    While I was in Verona at Wine2Wine, in 2019, I had the honor to speak with Alessio Planeta, President at Assovini Sicilia and Owner at Planeta Winery     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 single-handedly put Sicily on the map as a quality player.   Planeta continues its mission to show what Sicily can do and what it’s forgotten varietals can bring to the world of wine. They are one of the big reasons we have access to excellent Sicilian wine today.     Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople ______________________________________________

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 decanted.    Source: Des Moines Register   The Restaurant: I review every step of wine ordering from perusing the menu to looking at the cork to approving the wine. I discuss the interaction with a sommelier and what to do with large groups, and how to handle a restaurant that serves less than fresh wine by the glass. I touch on giving the waiter a taste of a special wine and some ideas of what to do at a BYO restaurant.      Tasting roo

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 approved between 1997-2019. He is also a noted educator, having lectured at many of the top viticulture and enology schools in the US and he is known for his famed TED talk on the History of Wine.  Image: Wes Hagen. Credit: Wes Hagen   Wes is currently the brand ambassador for Native9 wines, a brand representing the Ontiveros family’s  9th generation of California farmers.   In the show Wes educates us on Santa Barbara geology and c

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 shining stars.                                                                         Photo: Getty Images via Canva   In this show, I go over the DNA and history of the grape and I discuss the many, many names it has. I talk about how it reacts to terroir and its behavior in the vineyard, and why it is so uniquely suited to the special areas in Spain where it thrives. I talk about winemaking and its effect on the grape and then I dive

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 wines grow on the top terroir, but those that do make exquisite, ageworthy wines that are undervalued. Châteaux like Poujeaux, Chasse Spleen, and Maucaillou make top wines for relatively low prices.            I spend most of the show on Moulis but also cover Listrac. Listrac, in my mind is not one of "The Greats" but it is historic and important. I review the commune and try to point out some of the main reasons I think Moulis and Listrac ar

This week I return to The Greats series in which I explore the greatest wines in the world and how they became such big deals.    Photo: Vineyards in Chianti Classico. Credit: Unsplash   Chianti Classico, with its 700+ years of history and ideal terroir, is indisputably one of the great wines in the world. In this episode, I cover the long history of Chianti Classico, its ebbs and flows, and its current leaps in quality. I talk about the terroir of the region and why wines here are different from any other in the world and the best pairing with food you could ask for. I address the new Gran Selezione and Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (UGA) systems, which are signs that Chianti Classico is ever improving.   Several times in the show I make the distinction between Chianti Classico DOCG and Chianti DOCG, so I'll reiterate here -- there is a big difference and it definitely is worth your time to listen and figure out why looking for the Gallo Nero/black rooster on a bottle of Chianti Classico will pay off in the

This week’s show is on South Africa, a much more historic region than many realize, it has been making wine for more than 350 years. Although considered a 'New World' wine region, winemaking and ethos are often more oriented towards the Old World. Its style often straddles the line between New and Old World, offering fruit-driven wines with minerality, earthiness, restraint, and higher acidity.     In this show, I talk about the unique conditions of this country, located between latitudes 27° and 34° south. I discuss the lengthy winemaking history,  and how the Mediterranean climate, old soils, and a unique topography create world class wines of mainly Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, and Merlot.   Photo: South African Winelands/Stellenbosch. Source: Canva/Getty Images     Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople _______________________________________________________________   Check ou

In this ENCORE presentation, Dr. Kevin Pogue, PhD, professor and geologist educates us on terroir. This podcast is like taking a terroir class: it debunks so many things that people spout in reference books, at wineries, and in mainstream press about the topic! He explains things brilliantly and he is one of the first people I've ever met who actually has answers to my really dorky questions about terroir.  Photo: Kevin Pogue. From Vinterra.net   Kevin is one of the most famous people in the field of terroir. He's considered the foremost terroir expert on Washington State wine and he’s known around the world -  his work has been featured in both national and international journals. He's a licensed geologist and professor of geology at Whitman College in Walla Walla. Kevin has a doctorate in geology from Oregon State University, and decades of college teaching and research experience. He has authored books, articles, and done extensive research on the terroir of the Pacific northwest, with a good portion of t

Saint Estèphe is the northernmost of the six communal appellations of the Médoc. 50 kilometers/30 miles north of the city of Bordeaux, this red wine only appellation borders Pauillac to the south and a part of the Haut-Médoc in the north. This commune is very different from the others I’ve covered and the wines are amazing, but of a completely different ilk (they are also much more affordable!). Photo: Château Cos d'Estournel. Credit: Cos d'Estournel photo library   The largest of all the major, prestigious Médoc communes, Saint Estèphe is varied but its diversity, which has been a hinderance in the past, has become a great asset with climate change and better viticulture. Today the wines have gone from tough wines requiring long aging to softer, tasty wines that are approachable earlier. This is not the most prestigious commune (it has no first growths) but it is unique and probably the one which I have the most of in my cellar! I love these wines and the people who make them.    In this show, I cover what

This week I cover Lombardy/Lombardia, one of the smaller wine production areas of Italy.  Lombardy, home to the cities of Milan, Bergamo and Brescia is known far more for its fashion, its industry, and osso bucco and risotto alla Milanese than it is for its wines, but there are some gems to be discovered.  Photo: Lugana Credit: Consorzio Lugana   Because there is limited availability of these wines, I only cover the major regions that you may encounter and discuss the terrain of Lombardy and the terroir of each of the fine wine regions.   Lombardy is known in the wine world primarily for Franciacorta, the sparkling wine made in the Champagne method, which has been called the best sparkling wine of Italy. But Lombardy is is more than just Franciacorta. There are exceptional sparkling, sweet, and still wines of Oltrepò Pavese in the southwest of the region, complex reds from the Alpine area of Valtellina on the Swiss border, tasty, refreshing whites from Lugana near Lake Garda, and  other interesting regions t

In this week's show, I cover Pinot Blanc as part of the grape miniseries.   Pinot Blanc is a white color mutation of Pinot Noir, native to Burgundy/Bourgogne. It creates refreshing light- to medium-bodied wines that run the gamut from simple sippers to much more complex, oak-aged versions, to excellent sweet and sparkling wines. Photo: Pinot Blanc.  Credit: Wines of Austria   This lovely grape is often described as a “workhorse” and not treated with much reverence, partially because it is often seen as inferior to its cousin Chardonnay. But a handful of producers these days are showing that Pinot Blanc can be a lot more than a light sipper. When grown on the right sites and treated well, this grape can create beautiful, complex wines. With its high acidity and medium sugars, it is also extremely versatile -- making great still, sparkling, dry, or sweet wines.   In the show, as I always do with the grape miniseries, I cover the history of the grape, how it behaves in the vineyard, the aroma and flavors and ho

In this unique episode, Kerith Overstreet of Bruliam Wines in Sonoma returns to give us an update (she was on Ep 269 in 2019). Kerith/Bruliam is a boutique producer of vineyard-designated wines, mainly of Pinot Noir and she gives us a full education on the differences between some of the main Pinot regions of California.     The cool thing about this show? The last third of the podcast is a business discussion about something she and I are always discussing – how to get our kids’ generation – Gen Z – to appreciate wine. Kerith’s daughter Amelia (the AM in BruliAM), a 21-year-old Gen Z’er, joins to help us analyze the situation and give some advice (she’s a smart cookie and has some great insight!). For anyone who has young people in their lives and is wondering how to turn them on to wine, this should be an interesting perspective.   Photo: Kerith Overstreet in her vineyard. Courtesy of Bruliam Wines   Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!   __________________________

In this episode I'm joined by author and American wine icon, Karen MacNeil. We discuss her amazing career trajectory in wine from food stamps to international fame, and her new initiative, Come Over October, which is having enormous success in encouraging people to get together over a bottle of wine!   Karen is one of the foremost wine experts in the United States. She's the author of the award-winning book, "The Wine Bible," which has been recognized as "the most comprehensive and authoritative book on wine written by an American author."  Karen is the only American to have won every major wine award given in the English language -- the James Beard award for Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year, the Louis Roederer award for Best Consumer Wine Writing, and the International Wine and Spirits award as the Global Wine Communicator of the Year.   Recently, Karen teamed up with public relations and communications veterans Gino Colangelo and Kimberly Charles (the three are pictured above) to begin a program c

Sandwiched between the famed Médoc AOCs of Margaux in the south and Pauillac in the north, Saint Julien has one of the highest concentrations of classified growths from the 1855 Classification in Bordeaux. This red wine only AOC is just 910 ha/2,250acres, which is 6% of the Médoc vineyard. It is one-sixth the size of Pauillac. It makes an average of about 6 million bottles a year. Image courtesy of Château Léoville Barton  But this densely planted appellation may be small but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in quality. Saint Julien is considered the most consistent of the Médoc communes and it is known for Cabernet Sauvignon dominant wines with the perfect balance of tannin, flavor, and acidity year after year.   In this show, I cover what makes Saint Julien so unique. As in the other Greats of Bordeaux shows, I review the history, terroir, climate, and then discuss the top Châteaux.   For reference,  Here is a link to the 1855 Classification   Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Be

In this episode, I discuss eight refreshing red wines that are lighter, fresher, and perfect for sipping on a warm day. I give you ideas for wines that go easy on the oak, tannin, and alcohol, and focus instead on the freshness and lightness. These wines have a multitude of flavors and are from around the world but all of them go beyond the bold and heavy.   The wines pair well with light meals, can take a chill, and are perfect for when you want something easy-drinking.   Think all red wines are bold, heavy, and best served with steak? Nope! From Frappato to Listán Negro, these wines are something totally different.   Image: Pixabay   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 Peopl

Last fall, I met Francesco Galgani and tried his wines and I was completely blown away. I always think of Vernaccia as a more historical Pinot Grigio -- light on flavor, boring, and not anything to get excited about. But then I visited Cappella Sant'Andrea. HOLY CRAP!! This is the BEST Vernaccia on earth. Francesco and Flavia, the owners and winemakers, are truly the Masters of Vernaccia di San Gimignano. You will never taste Vernaccia like this.    In the show Francesco and I discuss the long history of Vernaccia, wine in San Gimignano, why there is so much crappy Vernaccia, and how they do it right. Their Rialto and Prima Luce, especially are stunning. I can't sing their praises more.   Two things mentioned in the show:  Follow Francesco on IG, he's a brilliant artist: @francescogalgani If you want to order directly from Francesco, and have the wine shipped from Italy, please visit their website: https://www.cappellasantandrea.it/chi-siamo1 and you can contact them for orders and pricing!      Full sho

It's another edition of the "Alternatives to a Fave" series! This time: Sauvignon blanc. As an extension of the Grape Mini-series, for this series I come up with lists of wines that lovers of a specific grape can try as alternatives. Sauvignon blanc is not a one note! It has so many different styles -- from the acidic, minerally, citrus and flinty notes of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé to the tropical fruit, peach, grass, green pepper, and sauteed herb aromas in New Zealand and the blends with Semillon in Bordeaux, there are many, many iterations of this very popular grape.    Photo: Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa. Credit: Getty Images from Canva   After a brief refresh on the Sauvignon blanc grape, in this show I come up with a list of eight wines that are alternatives -- things like Chablis for the more minerally, flinty substitutes for Sancerre, and then fruity alternatives like Vermentino to stand in for Chilean or New Zealand Sauvignon.    I hope, as usual, that this show opens some new doors and gives you

Stephanie Duboudin, CEO of Wine Victoria, joins to educate us on this state at the southern end of Australia that has a ton of diversity and makes all styles of wine. A boutique winery heaven, Victoria is something you need to know about!    Wineries mentioned: Tahbilk Seppelt Mount Langhi Wild Duck Creek Yeringberg Yarra Yering Brown Brothers Pizzini Campbells Chalmers Chambers Rosewood Stanton & Killeen Giant Steps Bindi Wines _________________________________________________________ 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 gi