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 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 wineaccess.com/normal to sign up! 

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 after this show I encourage you to seek out a bottle of the larger Graves AOC and Pessac-Léognan to see the similarities and differences between each of these regions. I think you will then understand why Pessac-Léognan is so different, in spite of the fact that it is part of Graves!

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

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 makes Saint Estèphe 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. 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

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 that have significant production.

Photo: Valtellina. Credit: Consorzio Valtellina

I hope you enjoy this look at one of the smaller wine producing areas of Italy and, more importantly, that you can use this info if you ever see these wines on the shelf or (more fun!) find yourself in Lake Garda or Lake Como or Milano with some time and desire to explore the wines of this beautiful place!

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 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 wineaccess.com/normal to sign up! 

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 how it changes with winemaking. I end with where it is grown and food pairing ideas.

This show has a lot of producer names in it because I know that it is hard to find good versions of Pinot Blanc, so I'm trying to steer you in the right direction.

Full show notes with producer names 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 me or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

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!

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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

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 called Come Over October. Troubled by the disconnect in society due to the faster pace of life and the dominance of technology, these three saw a role for wine. They created Come Over October  to encourage friends, family, and colleagues to "come over" during the month of October and share some wine and a personal connection.

The show is mainly about Karen's road to success, and then we wrap with the concept of Come Over October , which I fully support!

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

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. 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

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 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

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: 

1. Follow Francesco on IG, he's a brilliant artist: @francescogalgani
2. 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 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 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 wineaccess.com/normal to sign up! 

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 new ideas of wines to add to your repertoire! 

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 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 wineaccess.com/normal to sign up! 

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.

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

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 rooms: When to make a reservation, what to wear, tasting room fees, spitting, commenting/ask questions, and the most pressing question people have: what to tip tasting room staff. 

I tried to cover everything, but if you still have questions, feel free to reach out! 

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

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 climate, the various Santa Barbara County AVAs and what each grows,  the process of petitioning for an AVA, the  Santa Barbara wine country culture and how the movie "Sideways" affected it, and his reasons for believing that a downturn in the wine industry is "doom and room", rather than "doom and gloom"! You are guaranteed to learn a ton about Santa Barbara in this show! 

Info on how to contact Wes:

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 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 wineaccess.com/normal to sign up! 

Here's something you probably didn't know: Vienna is the only major city in the world where serious wine grown, with its own appellation, DAC Wien. In the green belt surrounding this very green city, wine grapes grow as they have since at least the Middle Ages. And it's not negligible -- 582 ha/1438 acres. It's also not crappy, tourist wine. It's high quality, interesting wine that's tasty and different. It's become such a priority for Vienna and Austria that Viennese state law states that all existing vineyards must remain vineyards protecting valuable viticultural land from real estate speculation!

Standing side by side with the wine and with the Gemischter Satz blend is the unique tradition of the Heurige wine taverns. These are such an important part of Austria's list of UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in 2019.

To discuss this amazing tradition that I bet you had little idea even existed, Alex Zahel joins. He's the 4th generation of the Zahel family and is the GM and winemaker of Zahel.

A great, eye opening show! 

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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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

I welcome to the show my friend Giulio Abrigo of Abrigo Giovanni Azienda Agricola, who focuses on the exquisite Dolcetto in Diano d'Alba in the Barolo zone of Piemonte. Abrigo Giovanni is a small family operation, operating on just 13 ha or 32 acres mainly in Diano d'Alba -- the site of the winery and the family home. Dolcetto Diano d'Alba is one of a handful of DOCG zones for the grape – stricter controls and the top Dolcetto wines are made in this area. Here, the elevation, the soils, and the exposition are ideal for this highly underrated grape.

Abrigo Giovanni focuses on Dolcetto but for the past 11 years they also make a highly rated and awarded Barolo from the site of "Ravello" which has caught the attention of many wine critics, and, although not available in the US, they make the single best nocciole (hazelnut spread) I have ever had in my life. 

This is a fascinating look at the passion behind making a wine that is part of a long legacy and tradition, but frequently flies under the radar...for no apparent reason. After this show, you will want to run out and get Giulio's Abrigo Giovanni Dolcetto wines, and maybe even move to Diano d'Alba (his descriptions of it sound like paradise to me!).

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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

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 Meininger's Wine Business International, 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: https://felicitycarter.com.au/miscellaneous/

Felicity is the foremost authority on wine and health and has information about what is ACTUALLY going on with the "new" data on wine and health…talk about a malevolent hand. HOLY SH&T when you find out what is behind the WHO's recommendation. Your jaw will drop…

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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Wine Access has 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 in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding).  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

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

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 into the aging criteria of Spain (Generico, Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva) before going over the specific regions in Spain, Portugal, and the New World in which this grape does amazing things.

This is one of the most important grapes in the world, and the mini-series is packed with info! Enjoy and go try some different wines, you will be surprised at how different they are based on all the factors I mention in the show. You can test yourself to see if you can figure out if it's the land or the hand of man that has an effect!

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

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, Stu Smith of Smith-Madrone 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 help!!

Stu Smith, Smith-Madrone Vineyard

Lindsay Hoopes, Hoopes Vineyard

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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Wine Access  is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can't find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment.  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

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

I first spoke to Marina Marcarino of Punset in 2017 and I was fascinated by her story and loved her wines. We became friends and I've visited her over the years and keep in touch with her for a pulse on what is happening in the vineyards and wineries of Barbaresco, where Punset is located.

Marina Marcarino of Punset Wines in Barbaresco

As a recap of the first show, when Marina Marcarino was in her early 20s, she took over the family vineyard in Neive, Barbaresco (Piedmont, Italy) and named it Punset. She had a revolutionary idea for the 1980s: to turn the vineyard organic. Marina became the first organic producer in Barbaresco. Her vineyards look different, her practices were strange to most back then and when she started using biodynamic in the 1990s, her reputation as "la pazza" – the crazy, was cemented.

Fast forward to today, and everyone has followed Marina and she has become one of the thought leaders in environmental stewardship of vineyards in Barbaresco. Those who once mocked her, now use the very same practices she pioneered and she has gained the respect of them all.

Photo: The Amazing Punset wines

When I was visiting Piedmont recently, I was able to catch up with Marina and ask her for an update about the region and about Punset. She is such a forward looking person -- this is a real opportunity to hear about what will likely be happening in wine and in Piedmont in the future.

We discuss controversial topics and general ones, and her insightful answers will have you thinking more deeply about the entire region and about farming, winemaking, and a little of life philosophy thrown in. She is the president of Albeisa, a consortium of quality producers who seek to educate and properly market the wines of the Langhe, and she shares some of the things she's done and is doing in that role as well. 

I hope you find her passion and intelligence as awesome as I do! Enjoy this one – you'll learn so much!

Don't forget to listen to Ep 182, the OG with Marina that goes over her story...LINK

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can't find locally. You HAVE to check out our Halloween pack at https://wineaccess.com/wfnp-halloween/  -- Spooky wines for my favorite holiday! GREAT Wines and a ton of fun. Get 10% your first order with my special URL. 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

In this show, I welcome my friend and wine industry guru Daniel Posner, the owner of the prestigious New York retailer, Grapes, The Wine Company.

Daniel joined Grapes, The Wine Company in 2000 and was the managing partner by 2004. For the past 23 years, he has been a wine consultant, with clients from all over the globe. He travels to wine regions to meet with producers, winemakers, winery owners, especially in his favorite areas of Burgundy, Piedmont, Tuscany, and California. He knows the ins and outs of the New York wine scene, and the inside dirt that is pretty fascinating to those of us on the outside.

Daniel also 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. I met him at the NAWR conference, where he and frequent podcast guest Tom Wark were gracious enough to have me.

Daniel has been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wine Spectator, Food & Wine Magazine, Forbes Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal referred to him one of the most influential wine retailers in the United States. 

From how companies in Europe get their wine to the us, to pricing and how the producers and consumers lose out through layers upon layers of markups, to the murky politics of wine and international wine scandals, in the last 20+ years, Daniel has seen it all and he shares it in this show. This podcast will teach you more about the business of wine than almost any other I've done. I often talk about the shady underbelly of wine – here it is, exposed in all its glory!

Check out Daniel's amazing, curated selection and order wine for shipping (where legal!). 

https://www.grapesthewineco.com/

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can't find locally.

Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order with my special URL. Check out Wine Access today! 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Eva Martinelli is a young, innovative, and experienced winemaker from Tuscany. She has a degree in oenology, a deep understanding of terroir of Chianti Classico, and an unrivaled passion for the region. She has worked harvests in New and Old World countries, after which she returned home to follow her dream of being a winemaker in the region she loves most. 

Photo: Eva Martinelli, Credit:Wine For Normal People

I met Eva in May 2023, while on the tour of Tuscany with a group of Patrons. She works for a very historic winery in Chianti Classico, giving tours and managing the sales and tourism for that winery. The Patrons and I loved her and learned so many new things about Chianti Classico from her.

In this show we discuss the terroir of Chianti Classico from a more geological standpoint, the history of the region, and the honest truth about the struggle of young, talented winemakers in Chianti Classico and other parts of Italy. 

Here is her list of her three favorite wineries in Radda in Chianti (Patreon show notes have an expanded list):

This is an eye-opening show and a great one to learn general info about Chianti from an objective expert who has no brand agenda or marketing angle to put forward! 

Cheers to Eva and all the young winemakers of Chianti Classico! 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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Big news! Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, just gave a haircut to the price of my wine club with them! Now it's juts $150 for 6 bottles of amazing wines that I select, write about, and record videos on!  Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my wine club with Wine Access and get 10% your first order. 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This episode is all about the Leelanau Peninsula AVA of Michigan (a state in the midwestern US, on the Canadian border). Drew Perry, head of Production for Simpson Family Estates, a family business located on the peninsula, joins to educate us about this very unique area, which has been making wine since the 1970s. We discuss the land, the climate, and the history of this region, which is an essential part of the terroir here.

Photo: Drew Perry of Good Harbor Vineyards & Aurora Cellars. Credit: Simpson Family Estates

Drew tells us about his time in the industry and about being head of Production at Simpson Family Estates, which owns the award-winning brands Good Harbor Vineyards and Aurora Cellars. They make delicious sparkling, whites and reds from this unique terroir. These are great wines and definitely worth checking out (they ship!). I mention my favorites in the show!

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can't find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Agathe Bellanger from Le Brun de Neuville Champagne joins to discuss the Chardonnay-centric Côte de Sézanne, the role of growers and smaller co-ops, the terroir of this small sub-region, and the beautiful wines her group makes. I LOVE these wines, which focus on longer lees aging.

Agathe Bellanger, Champagne Le Brun de Neuville. 

Here are the lines of wines from Le Brun de Neuville: 

The Côte : This is their house style, representing 80% of production. The goal of these wines is to express the terroir and the essence of Chardonnay. They are aged 3 to 4 years on the lees (the mandatory minimum is 15 months, and they go above and beyond). There are several wines in this line including a Demi-sec.

Les Chamins: Three wines in this line -- a blanc de blancs, rosé, and a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blend -- are all single vineyard wines that represent specific plots and villages. In a nod to the historic methods, this wine is aged under cork instead of a crown cap. This method allows more oxygen transfer, and produces more complex flavors. Aged 4-5 years on the lees, this wine is excellent with food -- it is more gastronomic. 

Autolyse: Made only in best years, these wines show what the top wines that have excellent aging potential can offer. These wines are aged 10-14 years on the lees. The blanc de blancs, rosé, a cuvee with 86% Pinot Noir (their only wine with a Pinot lead) are wines of terroir but also exhibit Champagne's characteristic breadiness from long aging. These wines are dedicated to people who like older wines

Vintage – MILLÉSIME. These wines are only released in top years.  Right now 2008 and 2009 are available in the market with 2012 for rose. These wines age for a long time and show the best of the best years. 

Seek these out! They are unbelievably delicious! 

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can't find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Campania was one of the most famous wine regions of antiquity. The pedigree of Fiano, Greco, and Aglianico are well documented in literature of the time (including Pliny the Elder's Naturalis Historius)! These wines have a legacy of cultivation for more than 2000 years on this land, and since the 1700s, the Mastroberardino family have taken the lead in protecting and elevating the region and its wines. This family kept these ancient grapes alive when all others abandoned them, and have been tireless champions of the grapes, the wines, and the region for centuries.

Mastroberardino has been called the "guardian" of the wine history of Campania and they are the most historically significant winery in southern Italy.

Photo: Piero Mastroberardino. Credit: Kellogg Wine Selections

This show features the brilliant Piero Mastroberardino, whom I had the honor and pleasure of meeting when I was in Campania. He makes one of the single best wines I have ever had (Stilèma Taurasi) and all of these wines are fantastic.

Here's a link to the wines of Mastroberardino, most of which we discuss in the show! 

Photo: The vines of Taurasi. Credit: Wine For Normal People

Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can't find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

When we were on our last day of the Patron trip in Tuscany, we had our final dinner in Bolgheri at a fairly new winery, Le Vigne di Silvia. This farm is owned by a family that was as kind as they could be. It was everything you could hope for when visiting an Italian family -- great food, welcoming hospitality, homey vibe, and great wine! 

Photo: Stefania Fuselli, left. Silvia Fuselli, right. Credit: Le Vigne di Silvia

Le Vigne di Silvia was started by Silvia Fuselli, famed former pro footballer (soccer player), her brilliant sister Stefania, the star of this podcast, and her parents. 

Photo: From left to right Silvia Fuselli, Carlo Fuselli, Stefania Fuselli, Lavinia Fuselli. Credit: Le Vigne di Silvia

There's nothing better than finding a family-owned winery where the wines are great and the people making them as wonderful. The Vermentino (Giochessa) was outstanding, the Artemio (Cab/Cab Franc blend) silky and lovely, and the Itinerante (all Cabernet Franc) nuanced and layered. 

Stefania shares her family's story, how the winery got started, and shares great information about Bolgheri.

The show is such a great look at what it takes to start a winery (and about the history of immigration in Italy too!). This upstart has a huge future. The only downside --as of the release of this show,  they aren't imported into the US yet, so if you know anyone, contact me or them! I know many people who will pre-order -- me included! 

For details and full show notes go to Patreon. Become a member today!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can't find locally. If you want to find small, family-owned brands, this is the site for you! They scour the globe looking for awesome wines you can't get anywhere else. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. 

Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order.

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Alert: David is so awesome that he has offered us a discount on your purchase of GlasVin! Use code: WINEFORNORMALPEOPLE  for 10% off (Patrons, please see Patreon for a deeper discount!)

We have never before had on a glassware producer because, in the past, it has been a very limited field. One company dominated and sometimes their products made no sense because, like many things in wine, there were too many options and not enough differentiation for normal wine drinkers. 

https://glas.vin/

But in recent years new glassware companies have burst onto the scene. I've tried many, many of those glasses, but the only one that actually captured my attention and that I decided to use as more than a sample was GlasVin. They are very light, very thin, and yet more durable than some of their competitors.

GlasVin was founded in 2020 by David Kong, who left his job at a hedge fund to start the company and today, his mission is to deliver handcrafted glasses at affordable prices. He was a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient in 2022 and today he joins to tell us about the glassware industry and how he created what I think are the best new glasses to hit the market.

David Kong, CEO of GlasVin

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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection.  Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today! 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This episode presents our first ever producer on from the northern Rhône – Aurelien Chirat from Vignobles Chirat.

Photo: Aurelien Chirat. Credit: WFNP

Located in the steep terraced slopes overlooking the Rhone, in the village of Saint Michel sur Rhône, Vignobles Chirat began in 1925 when Benoit Chirat harvested his first Syrah at the Domaine. In 1948, his son George joined and worked with Benoit until 1970. Viognier was planted on their site in Condrieu in 1980 and the real changes to the domaine happened when, in 1984, Gilbert Chirat took over the domain. Within 6 years of his taking the reins, he stopped all the polyculture on the estate and focused only on Syrah and Viognier.

The family moved from focusing on Condrieu, to the wines of Saint Joseph, and then added Côte Rôtie. Aurelien Chirat joined his father in 2012, after completing his studies and working in New Zealand, Burgundy and the south of France. We welcome Aurelien, who I had the pleasure of meeting and spending a lot of time with last year, at the Domaine, learning, and discovering all sorts of things about the northern Rhone I didn't know.

As always, we discuss, land, winemaking, history, and tradition. For full show notes, join our membership community, Patreon.

Here are the wines we discuss:

• From Condrieu: Clos Poncin, Les Chays , Sous L'Eglise, Viognier "Or Piste"
• From St. Joseph: Soliste, La Côte, Syrah "Or Piste "
• Côte Rôtie

Photo:  Chirat Condrieu. Credit: WFNP

In the US, many of the wines are available in Total Wine because Chirat works with the negociant business of Laurent Delaunay, who has been on the podcast.

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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. This time we have the WFNP/Wine Access Wine Club! Sign up today to get 6 bottles I select once a quarter. Excellent wines that represent classic examples of the wine region from which they hail.

Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. Wine Access is a class act -- check them out today! 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, full show notes, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

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 are so very different, with Moulis earning top billing over Listrac.

This is the final in the Médoc Greats! We have covered Margaux, Saint Julien, Pauillac, Saint Estèphe, and now Moulis. We will move to Graves and Pessac-Leognan next, before ending where we began this series, on the Right Bank! 

Enjoy!! 

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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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

Jean Pierre Foubet is the managing director of and chief communicator for Château Chasse-Spleen, the best estate in Moulis appellation of the Médoc. His wife, Celine Villars-Foubet is the owner of the estate, and together they have brought this château to new heights in quality and prestige. 

Photo: Jean Pierre Foubet. Credit: ROLAND COIFFE & ASSOCIÉS

According to Jane Anson, in her book "Inside Bordeaux":

"One of the star estates of Moulis, Chasse-Spleen is one of only two that I can think of that would have a fair chance of being recognized if the 1855 ranking were to be carried out today"

With their modern outlook, but respect for tradition, they have kept the wine on a path of constant improvement. They have transformed their château into a natural and man-made paradise, one that marries tradition with modernity in the form of art. From the barrel room, to the grounds, to the art gallery, and the accommodations for guests, Chasse-Spleen is a model for how to bring a château into the 21st century.

Céline and Jean-Pierre's personalities, hospitality, and passion show through and it makes the experience of the wines so special, as I found out when I had the pleasure of staying there and spending an evening sipping the unbelievable wine, eating a delicious meal, and having so much fun and many, many laughs with the two of them in 2022.

Jean Pierre joins to tell us about Moulis, Chasse-Spleen, and explains some things to me that I always wanted to ask!

Photo: Jean Pierre Foubet and me, June 2022. Credit: WFNP

Here are some of topics Jean-Pierre and I discuss:

Jean-Pierre talks about the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation, of which he is the head:

• The unique location at "elevation" in Médoc, 17 meters
• The soil diversity with gravel, clay, and composite soils, and how that yields a variety of wine styles
• How practices must be altered in the vineyard, not in the cellar to handle climate change
• How Listrac and Moulis differ, and why it makes sense that they eventually join as one appellation – and how there are three very strong Chateaux ("locomotives" as Jean-Pierre calls them –Chasse-Spleen, Grand Poujeaux, Maucaillou) which are famed all over Europe and carry the reputation for the 34 other châteaux)

Map: AOC Moulis

Then we discuss Chasse-Spleen, an unofficial Grand Cru of the Médoc.

• Jean-Pierre tells us about the early history of Chasse-Spleen, the English origins of its name and its history of women ownership. We discuss some of the harder times in Bordeaux and touch on the difficulties of upkeep of a château.

• We talk about the terroir of Chasse-Spleen – its size (175 ha) and its large percentage of gravel in the vineyard, and how it plants to the soil (it is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon because that reflects how much gravel they have, and 30% Merlot on clay-limestone soils).

Chateau Chasse-Spleen, Credit: Moulis.com

• Jean Pierre tries to explain the difference between second wines and other cuvees to me. He does it successfully for Chasse-Spleen (L'Ermitage de Chasse Spleen is an Haut-Médoc "other" cuvee, and L'Oratoire de Chasse Spleen is a true second wine). We leave with the conclusion that I may never know what is actually a second wine from other chateau because no one really knows!

• In the spirit of asking every question I've ever had about how Bordeaux works 🤣🤣, I ask about Chasse-Spleen's consultant, Eric Boissenot. He is very well respected and known to be a champion of terroir, but I ask Jean Pierre how difficult it is to make sure that Eric helps them to make wine that represents their land and doesn't taste like the other properties for which he consults. We also discuss the famed consultant, Michel Rolland, who is famed for helping chateaux and wineries devise wines that would get 100-point scores from Robert Parker.

• We discuss Chasse-Spleen's wine and why it is so ageworthy. We talk about the 1855 classification, what it represents and what it doesn't and how Chasse Spleen, despite being out of the ranking, sells far better than 5th growth Château Camensac, which the Villars -Foubet family also own. The conversation incorporates the decision for Chasse-Spleen to leave the Cru Bourgeois classification as well (many top châteaux left after the last round).

• We discuss their refreshing, lively white wine (mostly Sémillon) and Jean Pierre expresses skepticism about a potential Médoc Blanc appellation (I still think it's a great idea!)

• We end my talking about Céline and Jean Pierre's love of art and how they have incorporated it into Chasse-Spleen in creative and magical ways – from the life-like 3 meter high boots outside the Château, which help them remember that workers make the Château what it is, to the eclectic art collection, to the 3-D perspective painting in the chai (barrel room). If you are interested in staying at the Château, contact them here.

The Chai (pronounced shay) at Chasse-Spleen. Credit Chasse-Spleen

This was a great conversation with one of the top château of the Médoc. Once you try Chasse-Spleen, you'll see why it is such a special wine, that rivals top Medoc wines.

A special thanks to Jean Pierre and Céline for their hospitality and again to the Wines of Médoc and Carole Vidal for the trip there last year, where I was able to visit Chasse Spleen.

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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can't find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

For decades, Aldo Vacca has been the Managing Director of the Produttori del Barbaresco, the best and most successful wine co-op in Europe. Through his leadership and guidance, the Produttori has taken its wines, and with it, the wines of Barbaresco beyond Piedmont in northeastern Italy, to world renown. Aldo's job at the Produttori is not just an occupation, it is his family legacy and a professional choice he made that has benefitted all who love Nebbiolo.

Photo: www.rarewineco.com

Aldo took a degree in Viticulture at the Torino University and worked at the prestigious University of California at Davis, after which he got one of the most coveted jobs in Piedmont – he got a job working for Gaja in 1986. But after 4 years, he realized that rather than fame and modernism, he wanted to do something that celebrated the land of Barbaresco and all it represented. He followed in the footsteps of his great grandfather and used his infinite knowledge of Nebbiolo and his skills at management and hospitality, to transform the Produttori into one of the best-known brands in Italy.

I have spent time with Aldo. He's brilliant, cheeky, and passionate, and after two years, I'm so happy to have finally gotten him on the show. Aldo speaks to groups about the Produttori all the time, has been in lots of media, and he is absolute pro. This is a great show!

Here is a general outline of what we discuss:

• We discuss the harvest that just was (2022) – what was hard, what was normal, and the changes that the Barbaresco region has endured as climate change has taken hold here.

• Aldo discusses his family legacy in Barbaresco and how it ties into the region's development. He tells us about the hard times in the region and how the Cantine Sociali and then the Produttori were formed to address the social and economic challenges of grape farmers in the 1800s and then again in the mid 1900s.

• We learn about the structure of the Produttori and how its quality standards, efficiency, and generosity make it so successful. Aldo tells us how the Produttori has managed to hold its members to such high standards.

Photo: Bottling at the Produttori del Barbaresco in May 2022
(c)Wine For Normal People 

• We get into the details on some of the logistics, the management and membership structure, and the winemaking philosophy (to let Barbaresco shine!). We discuss the extras the members get – knowledge sharing, status and prestige by being part of the Produttori, and the incentives to farm for quality not quantity. And why owning great land yields to great results – they own pieces of the best vineyards.

• Aldo tells us about the Barbaresco DOCG – the land, factors that make it different from Barolo, and the overview of the style of wine here. He talks about the MGA system (he refers to it as single vineyard, which is what they are) and what it means for the area.

• Aldo and I talk about the wines the Produttori makes, we discuss the flagship Barbaresco and how it is made, and the very affordable and delicious Langhe Nebbiolo, an important product to show people who are just getting into Nebbiolo what it can do and be. Aldo also helps us understand their single vineyard wines and why each expresses something so unique and individual, based on site

Photo: Aldo Vacca educates Wine For Normal People Patrons
(c)Wine For Normal People

• We end with a conversation of why the new generation of winemakers and land owners in Barbaresco is so great and Aldo's great hope for a bright future for Barbaresco and the Produttori.

Here are links to all the wines the Produttori makes:

NEBBIOLO LANGHE D.O.C.

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G.

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA ASILI

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MONTEFICO

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MONTESTEFANO

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MUNCAGOTA

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA OVELLO

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA PAJÈ

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA PORA

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA RABAJÀ

BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA RIO SORDO

Photo: www.rarewineco.com

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If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

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Tom Wark is a wine writer, wine public relations company owner (Wark Communications), and our trusted resource for figuring out what is going on with the US wine industry and how it affects us, as wine drinkers. In his role as the executive director of the National Association of Wine Retailers, he manages and helps direct lobbying, litigation, and membership strategy and management for the retailers in the US and in that role has really helped dissect and expose some of the logistical and really cultural issues around wine in the US. He is the author of "Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog".

Photo: Tom Wark.
Source: "Fermentation Blog"

In this show we discuss a variety of topics, including the recent threat to US interstate wine shipping from the Uniform Law Commission. The bulk of our conversation revolves around the historical legacy of alcohol Prohibition in the US and the damage it caused to the way alcohol is sold, marketing and viewed in the United States.

Our main topics for the show:

• The latest news from the Uniform Law Commission, a body of lawyers from all 50 states who try to create laws that states can adopt and adapt based on common principles. We discuss the misguided nature of their proposals, and how it could potentially affect wine shipping in the United States
  
  
  
• The history of Prohibition in the United States – how it came about based on the events and culture of the 1910s and how, during the repeal, systems were set up that are now outdated but have enormous ripple effects in how wine is sold, distributed, and ultimately viewed in the US

The Crusaders were a group that fought to repeal Prohibition in the 1930s.
Photo: Smithsonian Institute

• We touch on the active temperance movement of today and why the temperance lobby has a big problem fighting against wine, in particular. We mention marijuana as well, and the coming reckoning for that new industry. Here is the Washington Post article we reference: "From Dry January to Fake Cocktails, Inside the New Temperance Movement"

• Tom tells us what the US market would look like without a three-tier distribution system (Hint: pretty awesome) and the multitude of choices it would open up for producers and retailers.

I highly recommend that you subscribe to Tom's very well-written blog, which is full of excellent and novel thinking. Click here to sign up.

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Thanks to our sponsors this week:

 Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you'll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Elizabeth (Liz) Gabay, Master of Wine, is the world's foremost expert on rosé and a big part of her career has been studying, writing about, and understanding rosé. Ben Bernheim, her son, is now learning from her wisdom and and is a specialist in his own right. The two of them have just completed the excellent book "Rosés of Southern France" (which is now available on Amazon for purchase.

Liz is largely responsible for shifting the tide on rosé and helping people to understand that this wine is its own serious category that deserves thought, study, and consideration. In addition to the new book, Liz is the author of "Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution," and she is also a contributor on rosé in Decanter, The Drinks Business, The Buyer, SevenFiftyDaily, Meiningers, and many more prestigious publications.

Photo: https://www.elizabethgabay.com/about/  

The wisdom these Liz and Ben have on the subject of rosé is vast, and they are so fun, engaging, and real, that they make it all so interesting and accessible. This is an incredible education on rosé and will enjoy every minute of listening to these fantastic humans.

Photo: Ben Bernheim, taken by me when we were partners in a Beaumes de Venise mini-class in the Rhone Valley 4/22

Here are the things we discuss in the show:

• Liz talks about her background and how she got into wine. She discusses how, when she took the MW, it was a professional certification, and how it has changed dramatically over time. She discusses how she got into rosé, and how Ben got involved in it as well.

Then we get into the nuts and bolts of rosé

• Liz and Ben define rosé (harder than you think!). We discuss he book's intro and what rosé is really about:

"We love rosé. We love its diversity, its complexity, and the infinite combinations of terroir, grape variety, vintage variation and winemaking that we find around the world. Many people think we're crazy. They see rosé as a pale pink lightly alcoholic swimming pool tipple that somehow tastes better if you're wearing a bikini. That isn't what this book is about. "

Photo credit: Canva

• Liz and Ben tell us about rosé winegrowing:
  • Grapes that are commonly used(red AND white!)
  • The role of terroir in rosé
  • The picking decisions and harvest parameters that matter in making rosé
  • Climate change and how it is affecting grapes for rosé
    
    
    
• We talk next about rosé winemaking
  • We discuss the various ways to make rosé – direct press, limited maceration and saignée
  • We talk about some of the key factors in rosé winemaking:
    • Time on the skin
    • Yeast strains
    • Co-fermenting with whites
    • Fermentation vessel (oak v. stainless)
    • Temperature control in fermentation
    • Malolactic fermentation vs. no MLF
    • Aging/storage vessel and time – oak, cement, glass, amphora, etc

Photo credit: Canva 

• Liz and Ben tell us why rosé, can be ageworthy and why most isn't. We also talk about lightstrike and why clear bottles are the worst thing for rosé.

• We cover the wines of the southern Rhône -- Tavel, Luberon, Ventoux, the rosés of Provence and Bandol and the wines of the Languedoc-Roussillon. We have an interesting conversation about Costieres di Nimes, which really drives home how certain regions can be outstanding but if they don't send in samples to writers, or market their wines, they remain unknown.

• Liz and Ben help us understand how to buy better rosé.
  • They provide some shortcuts for finding better wines – like looking for sub regions in Cotes de Provence such as Ste. Victoire and La Londe.
  • We talk about how using Google maps to see where the winery is located can help you get better wines (e.g., If it's in a cool mountain area, it may be crisp, if it's nearer the ocean the wine may be fatter).
  • They discuss how essential it is to find out about the producer, since often producers want you to see the name "Provence" and buy the bottle…if you poke around a bit you may get a better idea about what you are getting so it's not a surprise or disappointment

• Liz and Ben tell us about the trends in rosé – why it has become so popular, and what are great regions we should keep an eye on. Liz's recommendations for countries/regions that have been making intresteing rosé (besides France!): Austria, Greece, Sicily (Etna especially), Spain (Clarete from Sigales, Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Navarra), Portugal (Douro, pink Port), Israel.

We end with a conversation on the future of rosé and what Ben and Liz hope for the category.

This is a fantastic conversation about a category of wine that is experiencing a big paradigm shift. Liz and Ben are some of the most normal, kindest, smartest people I've met in wine in a long, long while and the show is sprinkled with a ton of industry information – insider things that can help shed light on what goes on with producers, negociants, and writers.  I hope you enjoy and you are motivated to buy their wonderful book! Reach out to them at https://www.elizabethgabay.com/about/  

Photo credit: Canva

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If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Vinho Verde, the DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin) Region, has made wine since Roman times. This region is one of the largest DOCs in Europe but within its boundaries there are vast differences between the nine sub regions. In this show,  Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and Pedro Campos, winemaker clear up a lot of the misconceptions about Vinho Verde. We learn about the terroir of this old and complex region, the various subregions, and how serious, and sometimes ageworthy wine is being produced here.

Photo: Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and Pedro Campos, winemaker (c)Wine For Normal People 

In September 2021, I visited the region and I just loved the wines of Quinta da Raza, I adored Mafalda and Pedro, and I thought they were perfect representatives to tell us about their corner of this big region, in Basto, and what they are capable of making in this unique terroir.

Here's what we discuss in the show:

• The diversity of Vinho Verde, it's 9 sub regions and how proximity to the sea, position in the mountains, and soil type make big differences in the grapes you can grow and the resulting wines.

Map: Vinho Verde Commission

• Pedro tells us about the Basto subregion, where Quinta da Raza is located. It is inland, on granite, schist, and clay soils. The location is a bit more continental with warmer summers and cooler winters than places near the coast, meaning grapes can get fully ripe and quite flavorful.

• To understand Vinho Verde, you must understand the nuance between the granite terroir v. the schist terroir. Pedro tells us what the differences are and why they matter.

• Mafalda shares the history of the estate and how it was passed down to her husband Diogo, who she manages things with today.

Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and her daughters,
(c)Wine For Normal People 

• Pedro tells us about the main grapes of the region: Azal, Alvarinho, Avesso, Arinto, Trajadura, and the reds Padeiro and Vinhão. He tells us about the various brands of Quinta da Raza
• • Dom Diogo is the traditional brand that is sold mainly in the Portuguese market
  • Quinta da Raza is a more international style, and where you'll find those more serious whites like Alvarinho, Avesso, and Gouveio
  • Raza is the very traditional, fizzy Vinho Verde of Arinto, Trajadura, and Azal, with the Rosé made of Vinhão, Padeiro and Espadeiro
  • Nat their line of Pet Nat (Petillant Naturel), sparkling wine made in the ancestral method with a single fermentation happening in the bottle from which you drink it

• We discuss some of the important techniques they use to get high quality wine – traditional things like hand harvesting grapes and foot treading in stone lagares, and then more modern things like using stainless steel tanks and modern winemaking techniques.

Hand harvest at Quinta da Raza (c)Wine For Normal People 

• Pedro tells us Alvarinho and Avesso are good candidates for aging, with Gouveio as a possible third.

• We finish the conversation by talking about Quinta da Raza's commitment to sustainability and the bright future for the Vinho Verde region and for the winery.

Quinta da Raza's wines are fantastic. Seek out the basic Raza, but try to find the single varietals, they are inexpensive and drink way above their price point!

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From our Sponsors...

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you'll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written. 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation on the Left Bank of Bordeaux is revolutionizing the entire Médoc with a novel approach to farming and adapting to climate change: Agroforestry. This show talks about the practice and the unbelievable results that can be achieved by farming in this way. It will inspire hope that there is a future for viticulture, even in areas where there is great climate change.

Photo: Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier Château Anthonic

Château Anthonic is in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation on the Left Bank of Bordeaux. It is owned and operated by Jean-Baptiste and Nathalie Cordonnier. They make very classically styled, delicious (and relatively low alcohol) red wine from mainly Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and some Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Château Anthonic

Since 2016, Jean-Baptiste and his team have practiced agroforestry –trying to mimic the soils and conditions of the forest to enrich soil health and encourage the vines to return to a state where they are part of an eco-system, with fungi, trees, wildlife, and healthy micro-organisms. Using very specialized cover crops, they have managed to lower soil temperatures and keep sugar levels under control by practicing the tenets he discusses.

May people claim to do great things, but Jean-Baptise is the real deal. If there is anything that will inspire hope that human ingenuity and nature may help us out of bad times to come, this show is it.

Here are the topics we discussed:

• Jean-Baptiste tells us about his very different educational background, which led him to tackle environmental issues in the way he does today. Forestry, not viticulture, was the foundation of his education (and we should all be grateful for that!)

• We get a good background on Moulis-en-Médoc – the terroir, the diversity, and where Château Anthonic is located. We discuss the blue clay, which makes up 70% of his vineyard

Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Blue Clay Château Anthonic 

• Then we get into the details of just how we have gotten into the predicament in farming that we have today. Jean-Baptiste explains the phases that humans have gone through to deplete the earth through farming (inadvertently and through a series of bad decisions). He addresses how "the new guest in the dance", climate change has sped up the need for a solution.

Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Château Anthonic 

• We get into the nuts and bolts of agroforestry and how hedges, trees, and grasses in the vineyard are the keys to bringing back fungi and mico-organisms that are vital to making the land healthier and, ultimately, to maintaining the style of Bordeaux that many of us love. He also addresses the economics of the vineyard, and how planting trees has actually given him 2% MORE yield in his vineyard, despite the trees taking out two rows per hectare.

• Jean-Baptiste shares the results of his years of agroforestry practices: lower alcohol and more acidity in his grapes, less water stress, and more balanced wines. He is too modest to really brag, but he has trained first and second growth chateaux on the practices of agroforestry, as well as many other prestigious chateaux in the Médoc and beyond. Many are implementing his methods in their vineyards.

• Jean-Baptiste leaves us with a message of hope – viticulture is not doomed, Bordeaux is a phoenix, and the rapidity with which change has come means the future is bright for this warming and changing climate, regardless of what nonsense naysayers may spout.

Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Château Anthonic 

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From our Sponsors...

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you'll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written. 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Giovanni Correggia of Matteo Correggia. Photo ©Wine For Normal People

This podcast was extra special for me, as I was able to record live with Giovanni Correggia of Matteo Correggia in Roero, a part of the Piedmont in Italy that I love and that I try to champion as much as possible. I met Giovanni several years ago and loved his wines and his family story. This podcast is so many things all at once:

• A great education on the Roero region, by the most famed producer there
• The story of a grape that was reborn in this place
• A lesson in the politics of the Piedmont and how some simple choices have brought fame to Barolo and Barbaresco and kept Roero down
• A fascinating family story that includes a talented champion of Roero, horrible tragedy, triumph of a widow who had nothing to do with wine and her unbelievable strength of character and perseverance for the legacy of her kids, and the current generation (Giovanni) with its shining positivity, great vision and promise of a great future for the Correggia family and its wines.

I truly love the wines of Matteo Correggia and I believe that the Nebbiolos he makes  (just called Roero on the bottle) are the exact style of wine so many of us love – elegance, minerality, balance with none of the heaviness or the tannins that we sometimes get from Barolo. The Arneis, it goes without saying, is a white for the ages – a minerally, floral, saline wine with real gravity and the Barbera also has a lighter touch than some of the versions from over the river. Although hard to find, Giovanni's Brachetto is as tasty as he will describe as well.

I have to say that in interviewing Giovanni and then in editing this show, I laughed and teared up many times. I felt indignant on his behalf, and also triumphant. I hope the conversation we had evokes the same emotions in you. If nothing else, it's a great story and a great education on an underestimated region.

Here are the show notes:

1. We discuss Roero, its location across from Barberesco and Barolo, and what that means for the climate of the area versus the other famed Nebbiolo areas of Piedmont
   
   
   
2. Giovanni describes the soil types and how a small sea that once existed here, as well as the changing course of the Tanaro River, created a terroir with seashells, a canyon, and steep slopes covered in sandy soil that imbues the wines with a unique minerality that only exists in Roero
   
   
   Val dei Preti Vineyard, Matteo Correggia. Photo ©Wine For Normal People
3. Once Roero was criticized for having multiple crops, but Giovanni talks about how this is now a distinct advantage
   
   
   
4. Giovanni gives us a history lesson on Roero through his single vineyards on which he has great records: La Val dei Preti and Roche d'Ampsej and Marun. We discuss some of the modern history of Roero and some of its challenges
   
   
   Matteo Correggia wines. Photo ©Wine For Normal People
   
   
5. We learn about the history of the Correggia family and of his father, Matteo, who started the winery in 1985 at age 23. We talk about Matteo's early relationship with the founder of Slow Food, Carlo Petrini, and how that led to great opportunities for the winery and the philosophy around organics. Giovanni tells us about his father's "membership" in the Barolo Boys as the only non-Barolo producer and how those relationships with Elio Altare and Roberto Voerzio were pivotal to early success
   
   
   
6. Giovanni shares with us the tragedy around his father's death and how his mother Ornella, brought the winery to new heights with great vision and the help of winemaker Luca Rostagno, and the Barolo Boys
   
   
7. We talk about the wines and specific vineyards:
   • Giovanni talks about how different vineyards -- La Val dei Preti, Roche d'Ampsej, make different Nebbiolos and how they make wines that are more elegant, less tannic, and more aromatic and minerally than the Nebbiolo of the Langhe. We discuss the biggest problem for Roero, which is that Barolo and Barbaresco producers make excellent wines from the region and label them Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba instead of Roero, thus keeping the region from being recognized
   • We discuss Correggia's Barbera, and the funny story of the Marun vineyard. Giovanni gives me a great lesson on Barbera and its challenges in the vineyard
   • We discuss Brachetto, the special clone from Roero, and why it is such a unique grape that, when made dry, is great for summer drinking

Giovanni Correggia with Brachetto. Photo ©Wine For Normal People

1. We wrap with a discussion of Matteo Correggia's leadership on screw cap in the region, and a discussion of the challenges and opportunities for Roero, and how Arneis is just the beginning for this undervalued region

Definitely check out Giovanni's wines – they are so inexpensive for what they are! Saratoga Wine in the states has almost the entire line, as does Tannico in the UK.

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Thanks to our sponsors this week:

 Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you'll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written. 

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Denise Marrone comes from a long line of wine growers and winemakers in Barolo. Starting in 1910 when Pietro Marrone, at age 23, asked his father in if he could improve vineyard practices, the family has had a dedication to producing the highest quality grapes and wines  possible from the Langhe, specifically Barolo and Barbaresco.  The family's legacy, dedication to the land, and their unbelievable hospitality at the winery in La Morra (you have to visit), is such a joy to learn about.

Denise Marrone, Courtesy of Marrone

Denise and her sisters run Marrone with their father, Gian, today. Denise is a fireball of energy, and her outlook on wine, her candor, and her genuine kindness make this show one of the best I've done! I hope you love her as much as I do!

Here are the show notes:

• Denise tells us about her life in Barolo and a bit about her family's history in the region, as well as about what life used to be like there, during her grandparents' time
  
  
• We discuss how young Barolo is as a region, and why it's important to realize that although it has made wine for a long time, really Barolo is at the beginning of its journey versus regions like Chianti
  
  Marrone Barolo Bussia, Courtesy of Marrone
  
  
• Denise gives us a full education on the terroir of Barolo, the most important thing behind the wine. FINALLY I get an excellent definition of the MGA (menzione geografica aggiuntive) system: a mapping of soil types that give some indication about the types of wines you may expect from that area. It's very similar to the system in Burgundy, but without the cru classifications. Within this conversation with discuss the importance of things like exposure, altitude, position on a slope, wind, rain, and more

• Denise talks about her various vineyards in Madonna di Como and her family rents land to farm in some of the MGAs to make their Barolo (her family prefers to do this versus buying grapes because then they have total control over the farming, which is mainly organic and all sustainable)

• We hammer out the differences in Nebbiolos – Langhe, Nebbiolo d'Alba, Barolo, and Barbaresco – all of which Marrone makes masterfully. We talk truthfully about how some Langhe Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo d'Alba may be better than Barolo, even if it can't get the same price for the wine.

• Denise talks about her beautiful Barberas, finnicky Dolcettos (and I confirm, it IS an insider's wine! I love it, I'm biased!), and Marrone's expansive white wine selection. Marrone's production is 40% white – Arneis, Chardonnay, and Favorita (Vermentino) – are excellent and their focus on whites shows in the wines. Denise talks a bit about the history of Arneis, specifically, and how difficult it was to make before there was good technology.

• We discuss the role of women in Barolo, and how normal it has become for women like Denise and her sisters Serena and enologist/vigneron Valentina, to take the reins from their fathers today. Denise makes an incredibly astute point that now that technology has made work in the vineyards easier, men and women are much more on equal footing and it's more a mind thing than a physical thing (BRILLIANT!!).

Denise Marrone, Courtesy of Marrone

• Denise is the QUEEN of hospitality. Our conversation tries to do justice to how good it really is (but you have to go there to understand). Perhaps her last statement about always striving to do more and better explains it best – the attitude of a winery like that has one way to go – and that's UP!!

You can find Marrone's wines in the US, Canada, and the UK! They are wonderful, as is she!

_______________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!

Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It's not a club and there's no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you'll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!

If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! 

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Château Siran is an historic and innovative estate on the Left Bank of Bordeaux, in the commune of Margaux. Once owned by the painter Toulouse-Lautrec's great-grandmother, in the mid-1800s Siran was purchased by ancestor of Édouard Miailhe's family and today he is the 6th generation to run Siran.

Miailhe, like many of the most interesting people in the wine industry, had an entire career doing something other than wine (in his case finance and real estate in the Philippines) until his mother and father retired about 15 years ago and he decided to move back to France to run the Château. He likes to stay busy (and take on challenges) because in addition to being the leader of Château Siran in 2018, he took the difficult job of running the winegrowers association of Margaux, a post that was held by his predecessor for decades!

Photo: Team at Château Siran, Marjolaine Defrance, oenologist on the left, Édourard Miailhe center, Jean-Luc Chevalier, vineyard manager, right.

In this show Édouard does double duty – telling us first about Margaux and then about the spectacular, very classic wines of Château Siran, which are an insane value and should be sitting in your cellar to age right now!

• We discuss the Margaux AOC: the location, the climate, the (slight) elevation, the soil and the typical style of Margaux, plus how it differs from its close neighbors like Pauillac, St-Julien, Listrac, Moulis, and parts of the Haut-Médoc
  
  

• Édouard shares a bit of the political landscape of the Margaux appellation, its long history (he is amazingly and refreshingly honest about this – Margaux hasn't always been fancy, glitzy and glamorous!) and talks about how Bordeaux was a very different place 35 years ago.
  
  
• We talk about the grapes in Margaux and what each brings to the blends in the appellation (with special attention given to Petit Verdot).
  
  
  

Then we discuss Château Siran …

• We learn the history of the château and how the property wound up in the Miailhe family's hands in 1859.
  
  
• Édouard tells us about the fine gravels and subsoils of the region, the proximity of Siran to the river and its unique place in the Labade commune.

• The blend and the role of Petit Verdot is featured -- they use up to up to 11% of the grape in some years. We also discuss Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
  
  
• We discuss the importance of sustainability – Édouard's father never sprayed chemicals in the vineyard so it has been free of pesticides for more than 40 years. His vines are old, healthy and full of character.
  
  
• We talk about the Grand Vin – Château Siran – the blending, vinification, and aging. Then we discuss the other wines:
  • S de Siran, the second wine
  • Château Bel Air de Siran (Haut-Médoc)
  • Château Saint-Jacques (Bordeaux Superieur)

• We really get into the limitations of classifications and why Siran originally opted out of the 1855 Classification and why they recently decided to opt out of the Cru Bourgeois classification.
  
  
  
• We close talking about how Château Siran is one of the few estates in the Médoc that people can visit. Let's visit!!!

Photo credit: Château Siran

Other notes...

• Chateaux mentioned: Château Giscours, Château Dauzac, Château Prieure-Lichine, Château Pichon-Lalande, Château Palmer, Château Margaux
  
  
• Édouard also mentions Professor Denis Dubourdieu as wine consultant from St.-Émilion
  
  
• Here's a link to the video of Marjolaine Defrance, the enologist at Chateau Siran

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Thanks for our sponsors this week:

Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal

To become a member of Patreon go to www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Anne Le Naour is the technical and managing director for Château Meyney of St-Estèphe in the Médoc of Bordeaux. She also manages the other properties of CA Grands Crus. The company is owned by the top bank that supports wine in France, Crédit Agricole Group (sometimes referred to as "la banque verte" due to its historical connections with farming). Its current portfolio includes Chateaux Meyney, 5th growth Grand Puy Ducasse in Pauillac, and Santenay in Burgundy.

Le Naour is a trained oenologist with global experience and since she began at Meyney in 2016, she has transformed the Château, restructuring vineyards, improving viticulture, and moving towards organics. She has introduced better winemaking – less extraction, less obvious oak, and more care in handling vine and wine. Her deep knowledge of wine and winemaking, plus her unwavering dedication to quality has meant that the wines of Meyney are attracting more attention than ever.

These are exquisite wines, underpriced for what they are (Meyney is right next to second growth, Montrose, incidentally, even though it was unfairly omitted from the 1855 classification) and Anne joins to tell us about her outstanding career, the underappreciated area of St-Estèphe on the Left Bank, and the beautiful wines of the historic Château Meyney. Here's my quick tasting video for a review.

Here are the notes from our conversation:

• We open with a discussion of Meyney and its heritage first an ecclesiastical property, then as a woman-owned property (that was, at that time, conspicuously left out of the 1855 classification), to the more recent family ownership and then to Credit Agricolé, the current owner.
  
  

Photo: Château Meyney

• Anne gives an overview of her outstanding career, where she worked at chateaux and domaine in Champagne (Mumm), Burgundy, Loire, Bordeaux (at Château Beychevelle) --some of the biggest names in French wine. She discusses her time in the Yarra Valley of Australia (Yering Station), and the US working with David Abreu. We discuss how her curiosity and a bit of innocence about how hard it would be to break into the industry helped her excel, and how going to Australia gave her an education of a lifetime.
  
  
• We discuss what it means to be of Generation X and in a management role in wine, and how our generation differs from others.

We move on to St-Estèphe, and why it is not as esteemed as it should be…

• Anne posits that St. Estèphe's distance from Bordeaux city – it takes 1.5 hours to travel St-Estèphe vs. 40 mintues to Margaux, may make it less desirable.
  
  
• We discuss the terroir – the traditional ability for wines to get riper in Margaux and St-Julien (those wines were known for elegance) vs St-Estèphe (called rustic). With better decisions in the vineyard and with winemaking the wines of St-Estèphe are often full and elegant – the best of all world due to the presence of gravel on the top soils to help ripening and clay beneath to keep soils wet during periods of drought.

Map: Bordeaux.com, Vins de Bordeaux

The we discuss the specifics of what Anne has done to improve the vineyards and wines of Meyney. This is a great education session on what actually matters in the vineyard and why. We discuss some specific improvements that have been made at Meyney to boost wine quality:

• Switching Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon sites to improve quality of the wine dramatically
• Using better grape material – quality over quantity is now the priority
• Improving canopy management and increasing vine density
• Watching extractions and over-use of oak
• Creating a unique style for the second wine, Prieur de Meyney
• Organic and sustainable practices to improve soil health

Photo: Wine.com

We wrap up with a discussion of how we need to keep terroir in mind, but be flexible about our ideas of the appellations.

Here is a link to the video with the soil and plantings map, that is so very well done: Meyney Video

This was an excellent conversation from one of the best people working in wine today! I learned more than I can express, and I think you will too. Take a listen!

_____________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes! 

Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today! 

Wine Access 

Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal for a special deal on your order!

I'm so excited to work with Wine Access and you should definitely try them out. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).

• Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
• They have REAL brands, REAL people picking the wines, and the deals and service are outstanding. Try their wine club out -- it's one of the best ways to get quality wines you may never have tried! 

Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal 

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 glass!

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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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 wineaccess.com/normal to sign up! 

Riccardo Sobrino, of Cascina delle Rose, runs a small estate in Barbaresco that produces elegant, perfumed and complex wines and has been in his family for more than 70 years. This 5 ha/12 acre vineyard is a family operation – he and his brother inherited the property from their parents, who are still involved in major decisions of the winery.

Cascina delle Rose was started by Riccardo's mother, Giovanna Rizzolio, in 1992 on this ideal site – steep vineyards with calcareous soils on the Tre Stelle vineyard side and clay soils on the Rio Sordo side to yield two equally wonderful but very different Barbarescos. Since its inception, Giovanna insisted on biodiversity, organic viticulture, and making wines that represent the elegance and grace. Made to highlight terroir, these wines represent the elegance and grace that is inherent to the wines of this region.

Photo: Courtesy Cascina delle Rose, Riccardo is second from the right

The estate is run by Davide, Riccardo's older brother and Riccardo, who I welcome and who I have had an opportunity to visit and learn from in the vineyards and in the winery.

In the show we cover:

• The history of Barbaresco and of Riccardo's family in the area
• We discuss his AWESOME mother, Giovanna Rizzolio, who saved up money working at a job she hated in textiles to buy the winery from her family and create outstanding wines that she made working in concert with the land. Riccardo shares her story and what it was like to be a woman in the early 1990s owning a winery on her own (hint: she is amazing)
• Riccardo talks about the roles everyone in his family plays in the business – his brother as head of the vineyards, Riccardo as a co-winemaker and businessman.

Barbaresco

• Riccardo gives us an excellent view into the terroir of Barbaresco, the MGA system and then we go into detail on his beautiful vineyards, Rio Sordo (heavier soils, a bit bolder in flavor) and Tre Stelle (lighter soils, a bit more elegant in style). Riccardo teaches us about the importance of aspect, elevation, slope, and soil – it's a great dork out and so well explained.
  
  
  
  
• We discuss, in detail, the differences between Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto. And how Riccardo and Davide work hard in the vineyard to achieve the elegance that typifies Cascina delle Rose.

We wrap with a very useful discussion of how long to age Barbaresco (we both prefer it around 10-15 years, but agree it's personal preference) and Riccardo gives us his word that tradition at Cascina delle Rose, is sacrosanct, so we can expect these wines to stay in their beautiful style for years to come.

Photo: Courtesy Cascina delle Rose, View of property

___________________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors:

Wine Access     

Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more! 

Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).

• They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
• Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
• Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!

Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal 

Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

Feudi di San Gregorio is the largest winery in Campania region of Southern Italy. The winery has fought to bring the region to prominence in the minds of wine drinkers looking for reds and whites unlike any others in the world (that you HAVE to try!).

Campania was the premier winemaking region in Italy in Ancient Roman times, but after the fall of Rome the producers chose to be grape growers/merchants, rather than winemakers. Although some made headway, it was after a large earthquake hit and destroyed much of Campania in 1980, that reinvestment in wine truly began.

To support local industry, along with another family, the Capaldo family began Feudi di San Gregorio in 1986 in the town of Sorbo Serpico in the province of Avellino. One son of the family, Antonio Capaldo grew up around wine but then he pursued business, leaving Campania to obtain a Masters in Management and Economics at the London School of Economics and a PhD in Economics and Finance from a joint program between LSE and University of Rome. By age 32, he was working at McKinsey (a top consulting firm) and made partner. On that very day, he quit consulting and got to work for his family's winery in Campania, putting his skills and vision to work.

To my great delight, Dr. Antonio Capaldo, with his brilliance and razor-sharp humor, joins me to discuss the beautiful wines of Campania, one of my all-time favorite regions in Italy. He is the Chairman of Feudi di San Gregorio and shares his insights on the region, its appellations, what makes the land and grapes special, and the bright future Campania has ahead of it.

Some of the areas we mention:

• Fiano di Avellino (I love this wine!)
• Greco di Tufo
• Lacryma Christi (white is Coda di Volpe, red is Piedirosso, Aglianico, Scianscinoso)
• Irpinia
• Aglianico – Taurasi, Irpinia, Aglianico del Vulture (in Basilicata)

Check out the beautiful wines (with their beautiful, mosaic labels) of Feudi di San Gregorio. They are everything we describe and more!

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Wine Access 

Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more! 

Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it! 

Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

This bonus episode is sponsored by Wine Access.

Founded by wine lovers and searchers in 2007, each day, they write stories about wines they discover, taste, and evaluate in the cellars where they were made. They negotiate prices on their membership's behalf, then arrange to have bottles shipped directly from the source — right to your door.

They stake their reputation on every bottle they select, and it shows! Wine Access offers some wines on their site and their email offers are amazing, so sign up today. 

Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!

This episode is with Vanessa Conlin, Master of Wine, and the Head of Wine for Wine Access. She has had a wonderful and unexpected career: While pursuing a career in opera, she discovered a love of food and wine and pursued wine education while continuing her music studies.

Eventually, she chose wine over music working in wine in New York. She has been the head of sales and marketing for several prestigious Napa wineries including Arietta Wines, Dana Estates, and Realm Cellars.

Vanessa holds the WSET Diploma, and was the recipient of the Niki Singer Memorial Scholarship from the International Wine Center. She is a newly minted Master of Wine!! 

Some of the topics we cover: 

• The career transition Vanessa made from a completely different field into wine 
• The connection between wine and music
• Vanessa's path to becoming a Master of Wine and the difference between the MS and MW programs
• The things that make Wine Access so special --
  • Meticulous selection and excellent, original notes done by Vanessa and her team
  • The guarantee of provenance (where the wine came from -- always directly from the winery)
  • A Napa-based service team that can help with shipping and selecting wine, and if any bottle is not to your liking, they'll refund your order.

We wrap up by discussing the changes in the industry and how important direct to consumer channels like Wine Access are!

Check out Vanessa's favorite picks on www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!

Connie 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! 

Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!

_______________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes! 

Anthony Road Wine Company is a legend in the Finger Lakes Region of
New York. It's one of the pioneering wineries of the area, and it makes wines that reflect the soils and climate of the Finger Lakes. Their wines are made from grapes grown in vineyards owned or managed by the Martini Family and carefully selected by Peter Becraft, the head winemaker. Anthony Road is a family run, family owned, and family operated winery that makes outstanding Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, blends, and a variety of reds and rose, as well as some skin contact wines.

This week I speak with Peter Becraft, a man of many talents. He started out his career as a Fine Arts Masters student, working as a casting director for a famed fashion photographer in Manhattan. As with many of our generation, Peter found himself at a crossroad after September 11, 2001. He realized he needed to do something more fulfilling with his life. Previously finding more common ground and excitement in the folks his pastry chef wife Cary hung out with, he pursued a wine shop job in lower Manhattan and immersed himself in the world of wine. Today, he is the head winemaker at the iconic Anthony Road Wine Company in the Finger Lakes on Seneca Lake.

 Here are the show notes: 

• Peter tells us how John and Ann Martini moved from Baltimore in 1973 and set up their farm. He gives us a great lesson on the history of Finger Lakes – what it was like when the Martinis came, and how things have evolved over the last 45 years.

• We learn about the role of hybrid grapes and why they are different from and similar to the grapes we know and love (vitis vinifera)

• Peter tells us about the climate and the differences between the Martini Family Vineyard and the Nutt Road Vineyard and why microclimate is so essential to winemaking In the Finger Lakes. Peter gets into really nerdy detail, including glacial movement, silt-loam soils, and how the depth and width of Seneca Lake influences the vineyards

• Peter then shares his incredible journey from sculptor to winemaker. He tells us how he went from student in Virginia to fine arts Masters student in New York City to winemaker at one of the premier wineries in New York

• Peter tells us how he learned winemaking, the importance of mentorship from former head winemaker Johannes Reinhardt and how he approaches winemaking

• We discuss the variety of wines in Anthony Road's portfolio – Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Vignoles (a hybrid), Lemberger, Pinot Noir, Cab Franc, Merlot

• We wrap with Peter's view on what makes the Finger Lakes so special – its unity, vision, and collegiality

Peter and Anthony Road will be at the Underground Wine Event on 11/9/19!

You can meet Peter and try his wines at the Underground Wine Event in Washington, D.C. on November 9, 2019! 

Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!

_______________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes! 

Last Bottle   

I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:

• Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
• Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
• Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.

Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they'll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.

Boundary Breaks is located in the Finger Lakes in Central New York. It's the consummate cool weather growing region, where Riesling and aromatic whites reign supreme. Bruce Murray, the founder and creative force behind Boundary Breaks, tells us how he went from newspaper man, to working with Elon Musk, to running a winery so focused on terroir, they don't even have a dedicated winemaker.

Boundary Breaks was founded in 2007 by Bruce on the East side of Seneca Lake. It focuses on Riesling, which range in style from dry and complex to lightly sweet to a true Riesling Ice Wine. In addition to Riesling, small amounts of Gewurztraminer, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are grown on the estate. The wines are spectacular with a purity of flavor, and excellent terroir expression. Bruce's life is fascinating and Boundary Breaks, indeed, has broken some boundaries in what can be done in the wine world! 

Here are the topics we discuss: 

• Bruce tells us how his life unfolded to bring him back to the area in which he grew up. He tells me how the Donnhoff Riesling from Nahe, Germany in a Thai restaurant in Vegas changed the course of his life. 
  
  
• We talk about the Finger Lakes, how they were formed, why they
  are so unique and why the east side of Seneca Lake produces such excellent grapes. We get extra dorky, discussing Boundary Breaks' unique drainage system and why "wet feet" are bad for grapes

• We discuss Riesling and how vineyard management is so pivotal to getting pure flavor. We detail each style Boundary Breaks makes -- dry, off-dry, ice wine plus aromatic whites like Gewurztraminer.

• We talk extensively about the challenges of growing reds in the climate of the Finger Lakes and how quality has been spotty over the years, but is improving by leaps and bounds.

You can meet Bruce and try his wines at the Underground Wine Event in Washington, D.C. on November 9, 2019! 

Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!

_______________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes! 

Last Bottle   

I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:

• Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
• Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
• Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.

Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they'll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.

Sleight of Hand Cellars is the fulfillment of two dreams. Jerry Solomon was a real estate attorney in San Diego who longed for a small town life and wanted wine to be part of it. Trey Busch was a Walla Walla winemaker who had insane talent but needed a partner to make his dream winery a reality.

The two created Sleight of Hand 12 years ago to create exceptional, terroir driven wines that reflect the unique land of Walla Walla and Columbia Valley. Jerry takes us on a journey of the winery, the land, and the beautiful wines they produce!

They will be at Underground Wine Event on November 9, 2019 – don't miss it! www.undergroundwineevents.com/events

Here are the show notes:

• Jerry tells us how he and his wife Sandy made the move from San Diego Real Estate attorney to Director of Winemaking at the coolest winery in Walla Walla
• He talks about the wonderful friendship and partnership between him and Trey Busch, an Atlantan who became a skilled Walla Walla winemaker after working for several excellent wineries
• We talk about the special role of music at Sleight of Hand and how the winery got its name from a Pearl Jam song
  
  
• Jerry explains why the Columbia Valley, and Walla Walla, in particular, are so special for winemaking. We talk soil (loess, which the Walla Walla folks pronounce "luss" and basalt), sun exposure, latitude and why these wines are so different from those from California
• We talk about the variety of Sleight of Hand wines from Riesling, Chardonnay, Syrah, and red blends and what makes each so special
  • We discuss why Syrah, in particular, is such a standout in Walla Walla ad why Milton-Freewater Rocks District is so insanely good
• I ask Jerry if he thinks Washington gets the respect it deserves on the world wine scene and why scores work against Washington wines
  
  
• We discuss why Sleight of Hand wants to stay small
• We close with how Neil Patrick Harris wound up on the Conjurer label!

Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today too!!

 ____________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes! 

Last Bottle   

I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:

• Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
• Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
• Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.

Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they'll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.

Coravin 

Coravin is the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what's left of the bottle for weeks, months of even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too. For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more!

If you had no interest in Riesling or in Rheingau previously, this show will change your mind completely and make you jump out of your seat to try Georg Breuer's exquisite wines.

Theresa Breuer is a young woman who found herself (sadly, earlier
than she expected) at the helm of one of the most respected, highest quality Riesling producers in the Rheingau region of Germany.  I had the pleasure of spending the day with her a few years back and she is brilliant, poised, kind and a genius vigneron and cellar master, but more than anything, at 30-something, she is one of the best fresh faces and ambassadors for what Rheingau wine is, was, and should be. 

This show should give you a perspective on why Rheingau is so special and make you understand why a dork like me loves this place so much! 

Here are the show notes: 

HISTORY

• Theresa shares Weingut Georg Breuer's nearly 140 years in wine -- from her great grandfather Peter's involvement in the business side of wine, to her grandfather after whom the Weingut is named, to her dad, Bernhard, and then to her.  
• We discuss Bernhard Breuer's obsession with quality, bringing the reputation of Rheingau back from a less than stellar period, and her involvement in the business. 
• Theresa shares her (beautiful) philosophies about wine and why it means so much to her.

Rheingau Education!

• I have rarely found anyone who can educate on a region as well and succinctly as Theresa Breuer and we are lucky to have her explain stuff like: 
  • Where is Rheingau and what makes it so unique for wine?
  • The parallels with Burgundy in terms of Grand Cru, Premier Cru, Village, Regional sites and why it is so easy in Rheingau
  • Why Riesling is so dominant in Rheingau and why it does so well here (hint: reflection from the river, slate/quartzite soils, slopes!)
  • How climate change has affected the region, what a hot year like 2019 means for the wine, and what really matters to vintage
  • How oak is used in Rheingau (and it is used, a LOT!)

Theresa gives us the deep dive into site specific info. It's fascinating: 

• Theresa shares detailed and excellent information about George Breuer's sites and the why and how behind the differences in the wines. We discuss their beautiful Grand Cru sites in Rüdesheim – Berg Schlossberg, Berg Roseneck and Berg Rottland and their wholly owned site, Nonnenberg in Rauenthal (in the eastern part of Rheingau
• Theresa talks about her commitment to organic viticulture and her vision for the wines -- to let the vineyard produce the best wines and to let the Riesling show its home in the glass! 
• We talk about what makes Theresa's wines elegant and age worthy.
• We discuss the generational shift in Rheingau and what it does and will mean for wine in the future.

Theresa unveils big news: Weingut Georg Breuer bought some land in the (very different, Mittelrhein-type) wine area of Lorch, to the west of their Grand Cru vineyards. They will be learning more about the sites, and making wine from them soon! 

Check out the videos on my YouTube Channel -- you will love Theresa even more! 

Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today too!!

 ____________________________________________________

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes! 

Last Bottle   

I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:

• Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
• Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
• Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.

Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they'll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.

Coravin 

Coravin is the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what's left of the bottle for weeks, months of even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too. For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more!

 This episode is sponsored by Coravin, the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what's left of the bottle for weeks, months or even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too.

Although sponsored by Coravin, this is the same as any other interview show! Don't miss it!

Greg Lambrecht is the inventor, founder and board member of Coravin™ along with a number of other medical device companies. Greg holds a Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He holds numerous patents in the fields of gynecology, general surgery, cardiology, and orthopedics. 

Greg is one of those great minds you come across every now and then -- creative, structured, smart, unhindered by things that seem impossible. You'll love learning about Coravin and how he made an enormous difference in the wine industry by taking off the guardrails of staid industry thinking and solved a problem wine drinkers the world around grapple with -- sometimes you just want one darn glass without opening a bottle! 

 Here are some of the topics we cover:  

1. We talk about how a guy like Greg was as a child, and what it really means to be "mission-driven"

1. Greg tells us about his journey into wine and how, while the rest of the dads of the world just drank too much or drank skunky wine while their wives were pregnant, he got busy inventing Coravin!
2. Greg tells us all about the development process and some awesome stories about stuff that happened as he was developing today's Coravin
3. Greg and I talk about the weird quirks of the wine industry and how being outside of it helped inspire his enormous creativity
4. We get geeky on the details of how Coravin works. Greg sets me straight on Argon gas and why it doesn't work when I spray the stuff in the bottle but DOES work in Coravin.
5. We talk about the next frontier for Coravin: screwcaps and sparkling! 

For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more.

This week I speak with Lorenzo Muslija, the co-owner and National Sales Manager for Andis Wines in the Sierra Foothills of California. I had the honor of meeting him and getting to know him when he joined our November 2018 Underground Wine Event and I adore both him and his wines.

Opened in November of 2010, Andis Wines is a boutique winery located in historic Amador County in California's Sierra Foothills. They source from the best vineyards in the Sierra Foothills, hand sort and ferment their wine in small lots and the result is well-balanced, food friendly, terroir-driven wines.  Lorenzo recently became a co-owner of the business and we talk about his fascinating personal story, his love of Sierra Foothills, and what makes Andis unique.

Here are the show notes:

• Lorenzo tells us about his early years growing up in Albania and Italy, his university life as a civil engineer, and how became owner and founder of one of the most popular (French-inspired) restaurants in Florence.
• We discuss how his love of his children brought him to California and why he felt it was the right choice to study Wine Business Management rather than enology or some other path in the higher education vis a vis wine.
• We discuss why Lorenzo, the international man of culture, taste, and cuisine, found excitement in working with one of the least developed wine regions of California (Sierra Foothills)
• Lorenzo gives us the dish on the Foothills and why it's great and not so great, as well as how Andis is able to do things well in their region. We also discuss how Lorenzo's Italian sensibilities have helped shape Andis Wines.
   

• We wrap by talking about Lorenzo's latest venture – how he has become a partner in Andis and what that means for the winery and for this dynamic, wonderful guy!

Thanks to our sponsors this week:

Patrons on Patreon 

Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes! 

Last Bottle

I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:

• Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
• Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
• Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.

Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they'll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.

The Citizenry

The Citizenry is a socially conscious home décor brand bringing time-tested craftsmanship to the modern home. They travel around the globe, partnering with master artisans to create designs with a soul, story, and a purpose. With pieces crafted in over 15 countries, their collections are designed to highlight the unique materials and craft traditions of each destination. And even better -- every dollar you spend supports fair wages, safe working environments, and is a direct investment into artisan entrepreneurs.

For a special offer, go to CitizenryPodcast.com and enter WINE.