Wine for Normal People
- Autor: Vários
- Narrador: Vários
- Editora: Podcast
- Duração: 84:15:37
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Sinopse
A podcast for people who like wine but not the attitude that goes with it. We talk about wine in a fun, straightforward, normal way to get you excited about it and help you drink better, more interesting stuff. Back catalog available at http://winefornormalpeople.libsyn.com.
Episódios
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Ep 528: Yakima Valley AVA, Washington
17/07/2024 Duração: 46minWashington State is the second-largest wine producing state in the US with about 1,050 wineries making over 17 million cases of wine. In this show I cover the largest sub region of the Columbia Valley AVA, Yakima Valley AVA (and its sub-AVAs). Map: Yakima Valley Tourism Yakima is in south-central Washington, at 46˚ N latitude. In 1983 it became Washington State’s first federally-recognized AVA. Responsible for nearly 1/3 of Washington’s total planted land, the major grapes in Yakima Valley are the American standards: Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, plus Riesling and Syrah. Photo: Vineyard in Rattlesnake Hills AVA Source: Washington Wine Commission Yakima is on what locals call the ‘dry side’ of Washington state, the high desert east of the Cascade Mountains, which consists of irrigated farmland and sagebrush-covered wild land. The area is known for a handful of very large wineries but is dominated by small family run operations. Photo: Snipes Mountain AVA Source: Washington Wine Commiss
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Ep 527: Vermouth
10/07/2024 Duração: 39minWait, I thought you only covered wine in this podcast? I do! And guess what? Vermouth is wine. Vermouth is an aromatized, fortified wine flavored with botanicals like roots, herbs, barks, flowers, seeds, and spices. Although aromatized beverages have been around for millennia, vermouth's origins lie in the Kingdom of Savoie in the 1700s, first in Torino, Italy and then in Chambéry, France. Photo: Botanicals. Credit: Unsplash First offered in apothecaries for the healing properties of wormwood, the main botanical in Italian vermouth, royal courts and then high society took a shine to vermouth in Torino, and its medicinal image was shed and it the wine was served as an aperitif in cafés. Simultaneously, in France, dry vermouth took off and cafes from Lyon to Paris. Although served neat or on ice in Europe, vermouth took off in the Americas and found a place in the bars of the US as a major ingredient in cocktails like the Manhattan, the Americano, the Rob Roy, Negroni, and, of course, the Martini.
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Ep 526: Wines to Beat the Summer Heat -- 12 of the most refreshing bottles you can drink
03/07/2024 Duração: 46minRight now, it’s so hot in much of the country, it’s hard to get creative about anything, let alone a new wine that may provide some refreshment. That’s what I’m here for! Ok, maybe not just me…this is a list that comes from the Patrons in answer to our weekly discussion question about what they drink when the weather gets hot. I added a few in for good measure, but this is the list of what the best and smartest community in wine has in their glasses when the sun beats down! In order of popularity… 1. Rosé: Provence, New World, Tavel, Bandol, Rhône, and everything in between 2. Sparkling wine in many forms: Cava, Crémant, sparkling rosé 3. Albariño/Alvarinho -- and the comparison between the Spanish and Portuguese versions 4. Vinho Verde: Look for something beyond just the $8 bottle and you will be surprised at how much this region has to offer – Quinta da Raza, Soahleiro, Quinta da Lixa 5. Riesling – off-dry, dry from Finger Lakes, Australia, Mosel, Rheingau, Alsace a
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Ep 525: The Grape Miniseries -- Cinsault
25/06/2024 Duração: 40minCinsault or Cinsaut is a grape you’ve probably rarely heard of, but if you drink Provence or southern French rosé you have it all the time! The grape is planted widely in the south of France, but the grape’s biggest champions are in the New World, where Cinsault is getting new attention for making light, acidic, refreshing reds. This is a warm-climate grape, that actually thrives in dry and hot places. This grape is essential to our changing climate -- it retains acidity with low sugars even in the hottest conditions, providing a lifted, bright note to reds and rosés. Photo: Carignan. Source: Vins-Rhone ___________________________________________________ With typical aromas of ripe red berry fruit, like raspberry, strawberry and cherry, warm spice, and violet or dark flower notes and floral, strawberry, peach, and tea leaf notes in rosé, this is a lovely grape if made well. Where can you find Cinsault as a varietal wine or a big player in a blend? France: Southern Rhône, Provence and the Languedoc hav
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Ep 524: The Top 12 Grapes Saved from the Brink of Extinction
18/06/2024 Duração: 01h15sThere are a seemingly endless number of wines made from grapes from all over. But, surprisingly, what remains in the world is just a fraction of what once existed. Before downy mildew, powdery mildew, phylloxera, and the World Wars of the 20th century hit the shores of Europe, destroying vineyards of native vines, there were likely hundreds of thousands of grape varieties with millions of clones. The biodiversity and possibilities for great wine were even greater than they are today. But there is a movement afoot to revive grape varieties that are nearly extinct. It started in Portugal, spread to Spain and Italy, and now is a badge of pride for regions that are able to bring these grapes back from the brink. In this show I cover 12 grapes with interesting stories of near extinction and revival: Italy Whites: Arneis - (Bianchetta), Timorasso, Nascetta, Fiano Red: Schioppettino Greece: Malagousia Spain Whites: Godello, Verdejo Red: Graciano Photo: Godello Source: Food and Wine From Spain France
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Ep 523: Tales from a Trip to Sicily
11/06/2024 Duração: 51minThis show chronicles my recent trip with a group of Patrons to Sicily with my travel partner tour with Tourissimo. I take you through our odyssey, which had us traversing the entire island from west in Palermo to the center of the island to the southeast in Vittoria to Mount Etna. I discuss the themes I noticed throughout like interesting climatic quirks that the quality regions share, the amazing culture and hospitality, and the uniqueness of the wines on this beautiful island and more. I hope you enjoy this recap and it gives you a flavor for what Sicily is like and how awesome it is from a wine, people and place perspective! A special thanks to the Patrons who went on this trip, and to my amazing travel partners, Heather and Beppe, the owners of Tourissimo for making this journey so special! Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople _______________________________________________________________ Check out my exclusive
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Ep 522: 8 Top Wine Movies with Patron Bevis S.
04/06/2024 Duração: 01h06minThis week I welcome long-time Patron and listener, Bevis Sydney, who is not only a wine educator in the UK, but also a movie buff. He and I give our views on the top 8 wine movies, according to a poll of the Patron community and general consensus from the press on the top wine movies. We discuss: · Sideways (2004) · A Good Year (2006) · Wine Country (2019) · Bottle Shock (2008) · Somm (2012) · A Year in Burgundy (2013) · Sour Grapes (2016) · Mondovino (2004) Remember – movies, like wine, are subjective. You don’t have to agree with us, but you do have to be respectful in your comments! You can always skip to the next movie if you don’t like what we’re saying. It’s just wine and it’s just a movie. Here are some links that we discuss in the show: Smithsonian video on the Judgement of Paris from 2016 Somm: Elite Wine Group Suspends Master Sommeliers Six Master Sommeliers Can Be Terminated After Sexual Assault The Wine World’s Most Elite Cir
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Ep 521: The Greats -- Tokaji Aszú
21/05/2024 Duração: 57minAs part of the series on the The Greats (the great wines of the world), I cover the complex world of Hungarian Tokaji. As with all dives into “The Greats,” I spend the first half of the show delving into the history of Tokaj and then discuss winemaking, the grapes, and the complex way in which this wine is made. Some notes that may be hard to understand (since I obviously know no Hungarian!): The main grapes in the wine are: Furmint (Foor-mint) 60-70% of Tokaj plantings Hárslevelű (Harsh-level-loo) -- 19% of plantings Sárgamuskotály (Sharga-moose-kah-tie) - 9% of plantings (Muscat Lunel, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) Secondary grapes are: Zéta (Oremus), Kabar and Kövérszőlő (Koo-ver-sue-loo) And just a few words on the wines: Tokaji Szamorodni (sam-or-od-nee) can be dry or sweet. It is made from bunches of grapes with a high proportion of botrytized grapes. These are bunches, not individual berries. Tokaji Aszú is the world-famous sweet wine. Aszu contains exclusively all botrytized grapes,
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Ep 520: The historic, urban wines of Vienna (yes, the city!) with Alex Zahel of Weingut Zahel
14/05/2024 Duração: 57minHere’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,
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Ep 519: A Year in the Vineyard in Sonoma with Brian Callahan of Crux Winery
07/05/2024 Duração: 55minFor this show I ask my friend with Brian Callahan, small vineyard farmer and co-owner of Crux Winery in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma (the Middle Reach though – the warmer part, so they do Rhône varietals) to tell us what a year in a Sonoma vineyard looks like. He takes us through what he has been doing for the last 18 years in his vineyard, a three acre plot that produces the beautiful fruit that turns into Crux wine. This is a real look at what happens in the vineyard over the year to ensure a healthy harvest. We discuss what he can do and what Mother Nature gives or takes away that he may have to deal with! ___________________ 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 Norm
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Ep 518: Biodynamic, Organic, Sustainable, Regenerative Wine (and more) -- the Update
01/05/2024 Duração: 50minThese categories of "better for the earth" wines are technical, tricky, and ever-evolving, so I felt that it was time to do a comprehensive update! In this show, I do best to break it all down in as simple a way as possible…I cover: Biodynamics Organics Sustainable farming Regenerative agriculture And then, quickly, the loose ends – vegan wine and natural wine I start with an overview of the Pre- and Post- Industrial Revolution types of farming: Traditional farming is original agriculture, by the industrial revolution introduced inorganic sprays, applications, etc -- most of which were not well developed and had serious side effects. This type of farming is called Conventional farming. All current eco-methods of farming are reactions to conventional farming ______________________________________ Biodynamic Wine I discuss Rudolf Steiner's philosophies and the main principles of biodynamic agriculture – essentially that the farm is a single, self-sustaining organism and the farmer must encourage and
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Earth Day Encore: Ep 440: Jason Haas of Tablas Creek on Regenerative agriculture, alternative packaging, & improving the environmental footprint of wine
22/04/2024 Duração: 01h11sThis is a special re-release of this very relevant and important show on Earth Day. Jason Haas, perhaps the greenest guy in in wine, joins to discuss the challenges the wine industry faces in becoming gentler on the earth. From regenerative agriculture (which is way less woo woo than biodynamics!) to sustainable transport and packaging, we cover the latest thinking of how to make the wine industry greener and better. Happy Earth Day all! 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:
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Ep 517: Wines that are worth the splurge
16/04/2024 Duração: 52minTax Day in the US has come and gone. Many of us are getting a refund, so if you have a little extra change, here are some great wines to consider. A few on the list are... Burgundy in red and white: Pinot and Chard Pomerol in Bordeaux Syrah from The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater in Walla Walla Washington Old Vine Zinfandel from Sonoma, Napa, and Amador County Châteauneuf-du-Pape BLANC I offer descriptions and explanations of each wine in the show. I hope you enjoy and find a way to spend your tax money! _______________________________________________________________ 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
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Ep 516: Celebrity Wines Explained
09/04/2024 Duração: 01h57sThis week friend, listener, Patron, and wine diva @wineshenanigans and the wine game show @Wineopardy Monica G. joins to talk with me about wines made by celebrities, aka Celebrity Wines. We run through what they are, how many of them are made and then we discuss specifics. We wrap with our analysis of whether or not we would recommend buying these wines. We make two caveats: 1. These are our opinions about these wines – don’t sue me! 2. Some of these brands are impossible to obtain, so we haven’t had many of them – distribution is spotty Then we define, explain, and then categorize these wines -- those that are legit and those that are not. Some of the legit celeb wine brands we discuss are: Francis Ford Coppola, Fess Parker, Brad Pitt/Miraval, Dave Matthews with Blenheim and Dreaming Tree, Pink's Two Wolves, Drew Bledsoe's Doubleback wines, Kyle MacLachlan's Pursued by Bear wines, Kylie Minogue's wines, and Mary J. Blige's Sun Goddess wines. A fun show! Don't forget to follow Monica on Ins
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Ep 515: The Origin Story of Oak Barrels -- (plus how barrles are used, reused, and how sustainable they really are)
02/04/2024 Duração: 42minInspired by a question from friend and Patron Amy Payton, this week I cover the history of oak barrels. I go from animal skins in Mesopatamia to modern day barrels, talking about how winemakers decided that oak was the best vessel for wine. I answer her follow up questions too -- How are barrels obtained by winemakers? What happens to them after they are used and are oak barrels sustainable? I learned so much in this show and I thank Amy for the idea. ______________________________________________ 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 cl
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Ep 514: The Grape Miniseries -- Fiano
26/03/2024 Duração: 41minThis week I explore one of my favorite grapes of all time, Fiano! The grape makes some of the most exquisite wines you could imagine -- whites with layered complexity, age-ability, and unadulterated deliciousness. I discuss all aspects of the grape: The historical overview of the grape and how Mastroberardino saved it from obscurity (Check out my podcast with Piero Mastroberardino here) A discussion of Fiano in the vineyard and how adaptable it is Some thoughts about winemaking and its effect on the grape The aromas and flavors of the grape Where it grows: Italy: Campania (65%), specifically Irpinia, and within that area the Fiano di Avellino DOCG, with sizable quantities in Sicily and Puglia as well. Listen to my show on my trip to Campania here... New World places: Australia, Argentina, the US Photo: Fiano in Irpinia (Campania). Source: Consorzio Vini di Irpinia I hope I convince you to try the grape if you haven't had it before. It is truly one of my "desert island wines" -- it's very hard not to lo
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Ep 513: The Divine Dolcetto of Diano d’Alba with Giulio Abrigo of Abrigo Giovanni
19/03/2024 Duração: 57minI 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
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Ep 512: Volcanic Wines
12/03/2024 Duração: 52minIn recent years, there has been a lot of buzz around “volcanic wines.” The term makes it sound as if these are wines that are spawned from a volcano, but in reality these are wines that many people believe have special qualities because they grow on volcanic soils. In this show, I define the types of volcanoes before discussing the ecosystems they form.Here is the list of wines/places I discuss in the show: Italy Mount Etna, Sicily: Reds (Rosso of the Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio grapes), whites (Bianco, mainly of the Carricante grape) Soave, Veneto: Whites grown on specific hillsides (Garganega, Trebbiano di Soave grapes) Photo: Mount Etna. Source: Pexels Campania Vesuvius: Whites of Coda di Volpe, Caprettone, Falanghina, Greco. Rosés and reds of Piedirosso, Aglianico, Sciacinoso Irpinia: Taurasi DOCG and Aglianico del Taburno DOCG: Reds of the Aglianico grape. I mention Feudi di San Gregorio Fiano di Avellino: May or may not be affected by the volcanic soil Greco di Tufo DOCG: White o
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Ep 511: The Greats-- Semillon of the Hunter Valley, Australia
05/03/2024 Duração: 39minThe Hunter Valley is the OG -- the first place where Australian grape growing took place. For 200 years there has been continuous winegrowing and winemaking among the rolling hills and green valleys, which are peppered with iconic wineries, many of which have been around for more than 100 years. Although other types of wines are made, the Hunter has one crown jewel -- Semillon. In this show I give detail on the history, background and terroir of the Hunter before discussing the Semillon and why it is so special and is truly a GREAT!! I give an overview of the Hunter Valley, which is one of Australia’s most popular wine destinations. It is just over a two hours' drive north from Sydney in New South Wales – about 160 km/100 mi north. It is very near UNESCO World Heritage National Parks, which are popular tourist destinations. With its low latitude (32°S), viticulture would not be possible without some mitigating factors The Hunter Valley is SMALL - it's 2% of Australian vineyard area. The region focuses on q
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Ep 510: Virginia’s Iconic Barboursville Vineyards with Winemaker & GM Luca Paschina
27/02/2024 Duração: 01h04minI welcome to the show, again, and this time for a much longer and more thorough conversation, Luca Paschina, the head winemaker and GM of Barboursville, the historic property in the Monticello AVA of Virginia. Luca was on the show in 2016, originally on episode 162. Barboursville has a long history, which starts around the same time as its current owners’ wine history -- the Zonin family of Veneto (found 1821). We discuss Thomas Jefferson and his role in trying to get Virginia wine started. Luca tells us about Gianni Zonin, who purchased Barboursville in 1976 and created the first world class winery in Virginia. He is still the owner today. Luca has been the head winemaker of Barboursville since 1990. He gives us an excellent retrospective on what he has learned in these decades and the key terroir points about the Monticello AVA. tell us the . We also touch on some of the challenges and the advantages of the region and we are pretty honest about separating the wheat from the chaff. This is a very honest