Sip & Grow The Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Ripasso, aka "baby Amarone", is probably one of my favorite go to's when it comes to Valpolicella wine.  It is produced in Valpolicella located in Veneto, Italy.  Bertani has been around since the 1800s and today's ripasso consist of 70% Corvina Veronese, 20% Corvinone and 10% Rondinella. This one was aged 9 months in French oak and 3 months in the bottle.

Not only do I give you guys the spark notes version on how Ripasso is made but also get into the importance of not downplaying your success. Opportunities are always presented to us not only because we are ready for them but also because we have done the necessary work to be open to receiving them.

It is so easy to dismiss our achievements or shrink ourselves when we finally reach a milestone versus understanding the work we put in to get there.  Honor your journey, embrace your accomplishments and most importantly celebrate your successes. 

Tune in now to get all the details in this new episode and sip some Ripasso with me.

2:10 - Intro to today's wine

3:02 - Valpolicella

4:20 - "Baby Amarone"

4:44 - Spark notes on Ripasso

5:35 - Grapes used in this wine

6:45 - Half the price of an Amarone

8:55 - Putting in the work

10:05 - Remind yourself of how far you've come

11:50 - Familiarity is really easy

13:38 - Visual analysis

13:50 - Olfactory analysis

14:45 - Tasting notes

16:24 - Rating of the wine

Today's wine: Bertani Valpolicella Ripasso Valpantena DOC 2022 $27

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

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New Zealand is known for it's intense, zesty, fruit forward wines.  Marlborough is the go to place for sauvignon blanc.  This area is known for having lots of sunshine, cool breezes and stoney river valleys which ultimately aid in bringing vibrant acidity and distinct tropical and herbal notes in the sauvignon blanc.

Yealands is one of the most sustainable wineries in the world and today you get to go on the tasting journey with me. This one is short and sweet, purely tasting notes along with my thoughts on how crazy hot this weather is right now in Florida.  With that said, I figured it would be great to bring on a wine that can help us through this heat.

Hope you guys enjoy this one!

1:10 - Introduction to today's wine

2:40 - Florida people, how we doing?

5:00 - Visual analysis

5:15 - Olfactory analysis

5:35 - Tasting notes

6:40 - It's giving what it needs to give

7:40 - Rating of the wine

8:10 - Happy Mothers Day

Today's wine: Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2024 $17

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

Malvasja Istrijana is a native grape to Istria, Croatia located in the northwestern part of the Istrian peninsula bordering Italy and Slovenia.  As we all know, wine is a product of the soil they come from and this area is known for it's mediterranean style climate aiding the grapes to produce a fresh, crisp, aromatic and mineral wines.

This producer is all about preserving indigenous Istrian varieties honoring the region and heritage. Gianfranco Kozlovic is the largest private producer of Malvasia in Istria and is a stickler for quality. This winery has been in the family for generations and is currently being run by the fourth generation.  They produce around 150,000 bottles of this wine each year.

Tune in now and watch me taste Croatian wine for the first time while I spill all the details on the production, producer and wine.

Cheers!

1:11 - Croatian wine

2:00 - Introduction to the producer

2:44 - Northwestern Istria

3:05 - Indigenous grape

4:20 - Blend 2% fermented in oak

5:30 - Visual analysis

5:45 - Olfactory analysis

6:20 - Tasting notes

8:15 - Rating of the wine

Today's wine: Kozlovic Malvasia 2023 $25

(Plum market Aventura)

GET WINE HERE 

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In the wine world, once we get the grapes in to start fermenting they go through processes called "punch downs" & "pump overs". Today I teach you what these mean… wine terminology, yayy!

The "cap" is basically the top layer of the solids/grapes in the tanks.  When making wine it is important to manage the cap. Cap management basically means extracting the flavors, colors and tannins from the grapes.  It is a super important process in winemaking and I talk about two methods used to manage the cap… punch downs and pump overs.

Pump overs are so important because it helps you keep the cap healthy and ready so that the fermentation process goes smoothly. Also with these pump overs, you're introducing more oxygen to the juice which is ultimately multiplying the yeasts in the juice preparing them for fermentation. Remember, you want to have a good amount of yeasts and need them to be strong and healthy for the fermentation process.

Punch downs are basically "punching down" the cap into the juice during fermentation.  The cap has all the "solids" aka the color, flavors, tannins, etc. so it's important to do this during fermentation to make sure it has all the flavors, aromas and tannins you want for your vintage in order to create the best wine possible from that batch of grapes.

Today we try a vignobles red wine (vignobles means vineyard in french). It is a red blend of 50% Carignane, 25% Syrah and 25% Petite Syrah.  This vintage is not yet out but today we get the first sneak peek here on the podcast!

1:15 - Intro to punch downs & pump overs

2:20 - Destemmer

4:45 - Cap management

5:30 - What is a pump over?

6:40 - Why the cap shouldn't dry out

7:30 - Strong & healthy yeasts

8:35 - Organic nutrients

9:20 - Evenly distribute the yeast

9:35 - Punch downs

10:15 - Why punch downs are important 

11:15 - Temperatures rise during fermentation

13:00 - Introducing today's wine

17:30 - Visual & olfactory analysis

19:55 - Taste the wine

Today's wine: 2020 Peterson Vignobles red wine (this vintage is not out yet but I linked the 2018 vintage below, please note that the blend in the 2018 vintage is different than the 2020 vintage.)

https://www.petersonwinery.com/product/Vignobles-2018--Dry-Creek-Valley 

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

In episode 13, we talked about Chianti (this region is near and dear to my heart because I studied abroad in Florence)…. today I get into Chianti Classico. One of the biggest differences between the two is that a Chianti has to be made with at least 70% of the Sangiovese grape and a Chianti Classico has to be made with at least 80% of the Sangiovese grape. Diego Finocchi (today's producer) went to school to be a winemaker and at age 24 bought twelve acres from a local farmer (aka he bought land in a prime location - the historic part of Chianti) in 2006 and created his own wine label (AMAZING).

I get into the different classifications of Chianti Classico (it's taken very serious in Italy) and the grapes used to finish the Chianti Classico blend (keep in mind some can be made from 100% of the Sangiovese grape). Today's Chianti Classico falls under the third classification called annata classification which means it has to be aged a minimum of 12 months.  The second classification is called Chianti Classico Riserva which means it has to be aged a minimum of 24 months. Lastly, the top tier classification is called Chianti Classico Gran Selezione (I mistakingly say Gran Reserva a couple of times throughout the episode… please know I meant to say Gran Selezione) in which the requirements are that it must be single vineyard grapes or the best grapes available and it must be aged a minimum of 30 months.

I open the 2020 vintage from this producer and let me tell you, it didn't disappoint at all.  I gave it a 9/10….. so you must check this one out!

Hope you enjoy the episode… and a glass of Chianti Classico.

1:35 - Difference between Chianti & Chianti Classico

3:30 - Details about today's producer

4:10 - L'erta di Radda; name of the vineyard & label

5:10 - 2009 Diego creates his first Chianti Classico

5:40 - Chianti Classico classifications

6:10 - 5 grapes used to finish the Chianti Classico blend

7:20 - Chianti Classico Annata

7:40 - Chianti Classico Riserva

7:55 - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione* 

9:20 - Chianti Classico stamp

10:30 - Open up the bottle for tasting

12:50 - Typical color for Chianti Classico's

14:30 - Olfactory Analysis

15:15 - Where the tannins come from usually

15:55 - Taste the wine

Today's wine: 2020 L'erta di Radda Chianti Classico $37 (Check your local wine stores to see if they sell it at a lower price, this was the best online deal I found)

https://ny.eatalyvino.com/wines/L-Erta-di-Radda-Chianti-Classico-2020-w5666689id 

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

The first Spanish wine of the podcast!  We are getting into one of the greatest grape varietals in Spain…. Tempranillo.  Did you know there are a ton of synonyms for this grape?! My favorite is "Tinta de Toro", learning all these synonyms will help you understand that you are probably looking at the same varietal at the store… it just has SO MANY different names. 

Vatan happens to be the classic expression used for Spain's oldest clone of Tempranillo which happens to be one of the few clones in the world that actually survived the phylloxera breakout.  Since it survived the outbreak, this wine we try today is one of the few that are still grown on the original rootstock of the vines.

If you are looking for a complex, tannic Spanish medium bodied wine with a longer finish, this one is for you.  Overall, this isn't my favorite grape varietal this is why my rating was on the lower side for this wine but for the price point and grape style I would say this is a good option.

1:45 - Introducing today's wine, Tempranillo

3:00 - Gladiator juice

3:33 - Oldest clone of Spain

5:00 - Original rootstock still in place

5:50 - 3rd most planted grape in the world

6:20 - Open the bottle for tasting

9:50 - Olfactory analysis and tasting

11:33 - Floral components

14:15 - Foods I would pair this with.

Today's wine: 2019 Triton Tinta de Toro Bodegas Vatan $22

https://www.totalwine.com/wine/red-wine/tempranillo/bodegas-vatan-triton-tinta-de-toro/p/113639750?glia=true&cid=plia:Shopping+US+None+ENG+SPART:::google&s=912&&pid=cpc:Performance+Max%2BUS%2BFLOR%2BSTANDARD+PRIORITY::google::&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAm4WsBhCiARIsAEJIEzUzFhEpqtBE7Rn8FJw0kRTgDtlB5-ZfkvyaPVt3FfCMuM7LqNCHrFMaAtUQEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds  

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

A greek, vegan, unfiltered, organic white wine.  Today's wine is one of the most important varietals in Greece that originated in Santorini called Assyrtiko.  This one definitely surprised me because it was well balanced, had good length and was persistent. Makes me want to be by the water eating some fresh seafood for sure. I get into details regarding the fermentation process and turbidity of the wine.  I also discuss the process of racking the wine and how winemakers sometimes add fining agents that help break down the left over sediments in wine to ultimately achieve the desired finish they want for their wine.  If you are vegan, you should definitely give this one a try… this one was delicious.

1:25 - Introduction to today's wine

2:15 - Assyrtiko

5:10 - Fermentation process 

6:30 - Turbidity range

7:50 - Racking wine

11:00 - Sediment residue isn't necessarily bad

11:40 - Why winemakers filter or rack wine 

12:30 - What happens if wine spoils in the bottle

13:05 - Originated in Santorini

14:35 - Open the bottle to taste wine

16:25 - Visual analysis of the wine

17:20 - Olfactory analysis

18:50 - Taste the wine

21:10 - 8/10 white wine

Today's wine: 2020 Assyrtiko Anatolikos Vineyards $25

https://bottlebarn.com/products/2020-anatolikos-vineyards-fine-assyrtiko 

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Montepulciano D'Abruzzo for the win today!

Rule of thumb: the wine is good if you enjoy it… that's all that matters. Today's wine falls within the DOC category (check out my Italian wine guide below).  Barone Cornacchia (today's producer) practices organic farming and the family has been in the wine industry for 5 generations! Fun fact, their great great grandfather played a major role in helping restore all of the vineyards in the Abruzzo region after the phylloxera breakout.

One thing that guides this family to continue running their vineyard is what their father taught them which is "loving the land will always bring out the best." I love that, their passion for viticulture and their love for the land is definitely a key factor to their success throughout all their generations.

Not only do I get into the history behind this producer but also into a deep topic…spirituality. I truly believe love is the solution to many problems and it all starts within.  Once you truly understand yourself and love yourself you can start living a life filled with joy and help others do the same.  Don't miss out on this today, let me know what you think!

2:22 - Introducing today's producer

3:45 - History on the family vineyard

4:10 - Explaining the phylloxera breakout

5:05 - Restoring the vines after the breakout

7:45 - Spirituality; God, frequencies, energies, the Universe

9:11 - The Power of Now

10:50 - Challenging religions

11:22 - God is love, we are love

12:10 - Work on your self love

13:15 - Love is the solution

15:25 - Always be in the present moment

16:30 - YOU are the solution to your problem

18:15 - Open wine for tasting

20:20 - Olfactory analysis

25:55 - Rating the wine a 6/10

Today's wine: 2020 Barone Cornacchia Montepulciano D'Abruzzo

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

My first official guest on the show, Ms. Dakota Wallace….who also happens to be one of my best friends. We get into the story of how we met studying abroad in Florence, Italy where we were randomly assigned as roommates. We have some juicy dating stories while we were abroad and get details on Dakota's dating story with a man named Nico while tasting another great Pinot from Longboard Vineyards in Sonoma County. Between night clubs in Florence to a night at the hospital with Italians to Dakota getting a ring, our abroad experience was definitely a memorable one.

Besides these fun stories abroad, we also get deep into being in a transitional phase. Dakota shows us how it's important to share your journey when you are in the "messy" "transitional" phase in order to inspire and help others. When Dakota was going into college, she actually wanted to be a Chef but ended up studying Hospitality & Events instead.  The experiences she has had in the events industry up until today have led her back into transitioning into what she always wanted to do from day one at college. Taking over her family business, Bitter Sweet, in 2024 she has big plans for the food industry to really shine light on the importances of eating whole foods with creative recipes while creating an environment that supports health, wealth and longevity.

Tune in now as we get into deep conversations involving doing what you love, joy, spirituality, self-development and surrounding yourself with the right people.

1:11 - Intro to Dakota Wallace

2:20 - How we met studying abroad in Italy

5:00 - Dakota was scared of me before we met

6:10 - Intro to today's wine

6:45 - Story behind the wine we are drinking

7:35 - Tasting notes with back story on our wine expertise

9:30 - Phenomenal Pinot, persistent but not overpowering

10:50 - Nico, an Italian dating story

13:30 - Nicole dates Leo, an Italian Albanese man

16:50 - 2am at a club in Italy

17:45 - Jaw dropping moment for Dakota

20:45 - Nico saves Dakota's life

22:25 - Nico give Dakota a ring

25:45 - Random woman texts Dakota about Nico

28:00 - Sugar momma status

30:15 - Plot twist, the ring is returned

33:00 - Transitional phases & importance of sharing the "mess"

34:55 - Food makes people happy

37:22 - Landing a "dream job"

39:20 - Having it all doesn't mean you "have it all"

43:35 - Everything makes sense in reverse

45:45 - Elevating your circle can change your life

47:25 - Becoming an Herbologist 

49:00 - Dakota's tea company is created

51:25 - You don't have to do everything alone

54:45 - Events company was born by word of mouth

58:00 - PCOS and reevaluating lifestyle

1:02:45 - Taking over her father's company Bitter Sweet

1:04:40 - Creating an amazing company culture for the people

Today's wine: 2021 Pinot Noir "Meant to Bee" Longboard Vineyards $64

https://www.longboardvineyards.com/xe/xe.asp?page=viewitem&p=1025&cat=wine 

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

High quality wine does not necessarily mean high price tags. Chianti is special to me because I studied abroad in Florence which happens to be a part of the Tuscany region. What is the difference between a Chianti and a Chianti Classico? I touch on this today and get into fun facts about Chianti wine. The Chianti we try today is within the DOCG Italian Classifications in which there are a lot of regulations, like controlling the yield amount of the grapes, in order to be considered or accepted under this classification.  Overall, DOCG is the top tier of the four classifications where you are guaranteed top quality wines. Also, I get into an update on where I am at in harvest and open the bottle to give this $10 Chianti a try!

If you'd like to sip while you listen, I grabbed this bad boy at my local whole foods… the link is down below for you to buy yourself this wine before getting into the episode and taste along with me!

2:05 - Introduction to today's wine (Chianti)

3:00 - Studying abroad in Florence

4:10 - Castello della Paneretta 

5:00 - Difference between Chianti & Chianiti Classico

5:55 - Classico stamp on bottle

6:40 - Italian wine guide

7:10 - DOCG classification

8:20 - Rules & regulations within the DOCG

9:05 - Highest quality wine produced from Italy

10:08 - Anatta = vintage in Italian

11:20 - Open the bottle of wine

12:15 - Update on my harvest internship

13:50 - Fun facts with Nicole

16:00 - Olfactory analysis on the Chianti

18:05 - Taste test & analysis

21:22 - Good weekly wine at great price point

Today's Wine: Diflora Chianti 2021

https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/product/diflora-chianti-750-ml-b07pqqvdtp 

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale