When You Just Want A Glass Of Wine – Details, episodes & analysis

Are you a cool climate stainless Chardonnay drinker? Or do you want a little buttered toast in your glass? Find out the ABCs of Chardonnay and why the "Anything But Chardonnay" crowd needs to give this amazingly versatile varietal another try.

When You Just Want a Glass of Wine is a podcast dedicated to making wine drinking more approachable and inclusive. Hosts Zena Polin and Renée Gentry decode the language and unlock the customs of wine drinking with warmth, humor, and zero pretension.

Hosted by Zena Polin, owner of Beauty Champagne & Sugar Boutique, and Renée Gentry, an attorney and WSET Level 2 wine aficionado-in-progress, the podcast launches on April 22, 2025, following Beauty's RAMMY nomination for Wine Program of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.

Weekly episodes include a mix of styles: 🍷 Light Flights – where they explore fun, breezy topics like “When you're at the beach, but it’s a wine desert.” 🍇 Deep Dives – educational episodes focusing on specific grapes, regions, and traditions. 👩‍🎓 "When I Don't Know What I Don't Know" – navigating the awkward but relatable questions about wine. 👠 "When You're the Only Woman in the Room" and "Guy Talk" – conversations around gender, culture, and inclusivity in wine spaces. 🍽️ On-location episodes from restaurants and wineries – including how to order wine without feeling intimidated and how to make the most of a winery visit.

Other short episodes, include a fast-paced, two-minute segment called "What’s in Renée’s Glass?" — a fun speed round designed to help Renée prep for her next level of wine certification.

Whether you're a total beginner or a budding connoisseur, this podcast is your new favorite pairing.

A Light Flight into some common areas of intimidation in drinking wine.

In this first installment of What's In Renée's Glass, Zena gives her quite a unique wine to taste, giving new insights into terroir and the effect of geography on your wine.

Bedell Cellars

Small Batch Coquillage 2023

Join us for our first episode of Guy Talk with Jimi - the companion to When You're the Only Woman in the Room - Conversations around gender, culture and inclusivity in wine spaces. In our first episode, join Jimi, along with special guest Ben Wright, in a free-ranging discussion being guys that drink wine.

Do we have something special in store for you in season 2!

What does it really take to get your WSET Level 3. Find out in Season 2!

In this episode of Guy Talk, we’re sipping bold Amarone and getting real about wine. What do guys love about it? What do guys hate? We break down the stereotypes around men and wine drinking—because wine isn’t just for swirling and sniffing, it’s for enjoying. From boxed wine to pricy favorites, we talk about how wine culture is shifting and share tips on making it less intimidating for guys who just want a glass of wine. Plus, we share easy tips to help guys feel more confident around wine, whether ordering at a restaurant or bringing a bottle to a playoff game.

Forget the snobbery. Just sip, talk and learn with us. Hit play, grab a glass, and join the conversation.

Cheers to: Geoff Hartman, Begali 2020 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico.

Pinot Noir is a diva in the vineyard but a rockstar in the glass. In this episode, we take a "deepish" dive into the history, mystery and sheer drama of this beloved grape. From its Burgundian roots to surprising New World hotspots, we explore why Pinot is both a winemaker’s heartbreak and a wine drinker’s joy. What are you looking for tonight? Old world? New world? Mushrooms and forest floor or strawberries and raspberries? "God made Cabernet Sauvignon, the devil made Pinot Noir".

Cheers to: Drappier Brut Nature, 2021 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Drouhin 2023 Rose Rock, 2023 Belle Glos Balade, Elk Cove, Archery Summit, Brooks Wine.

Dry champagne or DRY champagne? Do you want a "brut" wine or a feminine wine? When does half sweet actually mean more sweet? Why are the French so brilliant and challenging! Join Zena and Renée along with the amazing Andrew Stover of Siema Wines for this light flight as we decode the language of wine, starting with wine labels and ending with winemaking techniques.

Cheers to Siema Wines, Brimoncourt, Bedell Cellars, Ondarre, Moet & Chandon, Veuve Cliquot, Drappier, Steininger, Caduceus Cellars, Merkin Vineyards, Pinino, Chateau Verdignan, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Chateau Beaucastel.