The Wine Pair Podcast

Oh wow! This wine, that you’ve probably never heard of, is a revelation! For many years this wine was known as Napa Gamay, but it was a case of mistaken identity that took several experts and eventually DNA testing to reveal the truth. And the truth is that Valdiguié is delicious and tragically little known. Nearly extinct today in France where it is originally from, it is now becoming a bit of a darling in California in the natural wine and low intervention winemaking circles. In the past, Valdiguié, which is a prolific grower, was used as blending wine, and was not appreciated as a single varietal. Today, it is finding its place among adventurous winemakers who know how to tease out its wonderful qualities. If you like Gamay or Pinot Noir and you like chilled red...

No matter how you feel about Champagne, it’s damn expensive. So, what if we told you that there is a French sparkling wine that hits like Champagne but doesn’t have nearly the same price? We think you’d probably thank us. And that’s why we’re talking about Crémant this week. You’re welcome. And not just any old Crémant (because there are several versions which we talk about in this episode), but specifically one of our favorites: Crémant de Loire made with the grape Chenin Blanc which is very unusual for a sparkling wine, and very delicious. If you have never heard of, or never tried, Crémant, then we need to talk. Seriously. Crémant is one of the world’s great sparkling wines, and what is so fun about it is that there are so many different varieties to choose from...

Why does Sylvaner sometimes come in that strange, flattened wine bottle? It’s called a Bocksbeutel, the iconic wine bottle of Franken, Germany. And the possible origins of the name are even stranger than the bottle itself.

If beer ain’t your jam for Oktoberfest, then maybe the great Bavarian German wine called Sylvaner (or is it Silvaner?!?) is the wine you should be enjoying with your pretzels and bratwurst this season. Yes, there are two spellings of Sylvaner, and yes it matters because the style of Silvaner spelled with an “i” is the German version, and it is a crisp, acidic wine that goes well with German foods, while the version with the “y,” most famously from Alsace, France, is a different, richer wine. The other thing to know is that there is a classic bottle shape for Silvaner from Franken, Germany that is just, frankly, odd. The bottle shape is called Bocksbeutel, and let’s just say the name is for a body part that is, well, delicate. But you have to listen to the episode t...

Decoy has serious Duckhorn pedigree and a price that makes it easy to find just about anywhere. But does that actually make it worth buying? We tasted and rated two Decoy wines, and “perfectly fine” pretty much sums it up.

We know you’ve seen Decoy wines around with their famous duck on the label, but the real question is - have you ever tried Decoy wine? Before you answer that question, we want to tell you what we think. Before we do that, we’re going to tell you a bit about the parent company that Decoy comes from called Duckhorn Wine Company started by, and this is not a joke, Margaret and Dan Duckhorn. Then we are going to tell you more about Decoy wine itself, its history, its purpose, and its winemaker. And then we are going to do a real, honest, tasting and review of two Decoy wines to let you know if you should buy it (and, as always, we bought these wines with our own money, so you know we are being real). We also have some things to say about the inevitable AI apocalypse an...

Here’s the simple version: Beaujolais is a French wine region, Gamay is its signature red grape, and lighter Gamay wines can be absolutely delicious chilled. Learn more @thewinepairpodcast

If your impression of Beaujolais is that super light fruity wine called Beaujolais Nouveau that comes out in November right around Thanksgiving, you are really missing out on what Beaujolais has to offer. Cru Beaujolais is often compared to Pinot Noir from Burgundy, and they are neighbors in the region. And, for many years, Cru Beaujolais was considered to be on par with Burgundy. So what happened? A bunch of crappy Beaujolais Nouveau flooded the market, and really hurt the reputation of Beaujolais. But, it is making a comeback! Made from the grape Gamay, Beaujolais is a medium bodied red that can be chilled, and is often called a bistro wine, meaning it is fantastic with casual meals. Cru Beaujolais comes from 10 specific villages in France, and each has its own A...

English sparkling wine is no longer a punchline. This vintage Henners is made from the classic Champagne grapes, grown in similar soils, and produced using the same traditional method as Champagne. With climate change, believe it or not, the temperature in Southern England is the same as Champagne 50 years ago. And yes, the result is good enough that the comparison with Champagne doesn’t sound nearly as ridiculous as it used to.

Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are the same grape, but they don’t always make the same kind of wine. If Pinot Grigio feels a little too light for you, Pinot Gris, especially from Alsace, can be richer, fuller, and a lot more interesting. Four lessons about Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir you need to know!

Two Buck Chuck has been the punchline of cheap wine for years. But is it actually better than people give it credit for? We tried the Charles Shaw Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon to find out.

We know what you’re thinking. There’s no way they can make wine in England. We thought the same thing too, but here’s the deal. They are making some killer wine, especially sparkling wine, in England. Don’t believe it?!? Then you must listen to this episode. Once the butt of jokes, British wine is getting a reputation for excellence that is surprising both professionals and regular drinkers all over the world. There are a few factors that play into this rise of British bubbly that we discuss, including the impact of climate change, and the common soil they share with Champagne. Yes, that Champagne! While not the cheapest option, which is why we only tasted and reviewed one wine in this episode, you may be very surprised to find what a great option it is. Plus, in o...

All these wine brands are talking about zero sugar, and we tell you why you should just ignore it. Most dry wine, which is most wine you buy anyway, is already very low in sugar because yeast converts the grape sugar into alcohol. So “zero sugar” may be accurate, but it may not mean what the marketers want you to think it means.

You hear claims about zero-sugar wines, low sugar wines, and clean wines and you think, hey, that sounds like a good thing. But, what does it really mean? The truth is, not much. We dig into the facts to give you the skinny. Turns out, much of that no-sugar  language is just fancy marketing speak for stuff that has always been true about wine. Guess what? In the fermentation process, sugar gets turned into alcohol, and in most cases, very little residual sugar is left behind. Even more, there are no regulations or laws in the U.S. that dictate what can or cannot be stated in these claims. In other words, brands can say anything they want about low sugar or zero sugar or clean. So, what are we supposed to do now? Listen to this minisode to find out. And relax. It’s ...

If rosé has never really clicked for you, start with a red wine grape you already like. Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Aglianico... the grape still matters, even when the wine is pink. This week we’re tasting Aglianico Rosato and talking about why choosing rosé by grape might be one of the easiest ways to find one you actually like.

When you take a great red wine grape like Aglianico and you make a Rosé from it, do you know what you get? That’s right. A great Rosé! In this episode we explore Rosé made from Aglianico, the King of Southern Italian red wines, which also happens to make a great Rosé. If you think you don’t like Rosé, it probably just means that you haven’t had one made from a red wine grape that you love. And in Italy, they are starting to make some fantastic Rosé wines, also known as Rosato in Italian. So, if you see the term Rosato, don’t be confused. Unlike the typical Provence-style Rosé, which dominates the market, Aglianico Rosé wines have more structure and more complexity. We also talk about a study that found people who know a lot about wine tend to be of higher intellige...

Looking for red wine you can drink chilled? Schiava, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Valpolicella, Frappato, Grignolino and Cinsault are great chillable red wines to know.

Chillable red wines are a thing right now, and we think we may have found the perfect chillable red wine for you to not only enjoy but wow your hipster friends, family, and coworkers with. In fact, this wine is becoming a darling of in-the-know sommeliers! Schiava comes from the Alto Adige region of Italy, and it has everything you are looking for in a chillable red wine: crunchy red fruit flavors, light body, low tannins, and moderate alcohol. And while the wine is sometimes called “weightless” don’t confuse that with being bland or boring, because it is anything but that. Look, you are not going to drink this wine with a big steak, but there’s more to life than big steaks, right?!? Sometimes also called Trollinger and Vernatsch, this is the perfect wine for a sum...

Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine has one of the strangest names in wine. Here's how the Avignon popes, Pope John XXII and a medieval castle became part of its history, right down to the papal symbols still embossed on many bottles today.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the world’s great wines, but many people haven’t tried it because it can be darn expensive. So, when Costco drops their Kirkland Signature version of the wine, the natural question is “should I buy it?” Well, we are here to help you make that decision. Châteauneuf-du-Pape has a rather remarkable history, harkening back to a time when the papacy was in France, not Rome, and even a period when there were two popes for a longer period than you might expect. We talk about that history, as well as some of the rules and restrictions around Châteauneuf-du-Pape. But, what you really want to know is “should I buy it?!?” and that is what we will help you decide in this episode. And just to make sure we are giving you good advice, we compare the ...

There’s a lot more to American wine than Napa. We talk with Brian and Jessica of Wendelin Vines about Kansas wine, its surprising history, and why grapes like Chambourcin, Seyval, Traminette and Chardonel may be exactly what Kansas should be growing.

Meet Brian and Jessica, a husband and wife winemaking team from Kansas. Yes, you heard that right - Kansas! It’s not as crazy as it sounds. In fact, did you know that in the 1800’s, Kansas was one of the top wine producing states in the country? Brian and Jessica are one of a group of winemakers bringing back winemaking in Kansas through their new winery Wendelin Vines. And, you won’t believe the story of how they got here, but you have to listen in to get the full story. All we’ll say is that their adventure started on a beach in Maui drinking Mimosas at 10 AM in the morning, and today, they are in Kansas making wine. Enough said. We had a wonderful time getting to know Brian and Jessica, and you will, too. They are what happens when curiosity, passion, and DNA co...

Vermentino is a great summer sipper, but it’s not the only one. Learn what makes a crisp summer white wine work, then add Vinho Verde, Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, Picpoul, Txakoli, Verdejo, and Sauvignon Blanc to your list. For affordable wine recommendations and honest reviews, listen to The Wine Pair Podcast.

Nothing says summer like a nice, crisp white wine, and in this episode, we cover one of the greats that you may never have heard of called Vermentino. Vermentino is a fabulous wine most famously from the island of Sardinia that is a perfect summer sipper. Vermentino is also likely to be a wine that you start seeing more often because it comes from a grape that creates these crisp, high acidic wines, but can take the heat in warmer climates and keep its acidity. In addition to digging into Vermentino and tasting and reviewing a couple of great wines you should be on the lookout for, we also talk about the criteria that make a great summer sipper and we give you a short list of some other wines to look out for. Summer isn’t over yet! Enjoy it while it’s here! Wines r...

Chianti is only one expression of Sangiovese. The same grape is behind Brunello and appears in Tignanello, and its bright acidity is exactly what makes it such a great wine with food.

Moscato d’Asti gets dismissed for being sweet, but plenty of popular wines are not nearly as dry as people assume. You may like sweet wine more than you realize.

Xinomavro is often compared to Nebbiolo, the grape behind Barolo and Barbaresco. Alpha Estate winemaker Angelos Iatridis thinks we may have that comparison backwards. Here’s why this Greek red wine grape belongs on your radar if you love Barolo, Pinot Noir, or wines that come alive with food. Listen to the full interview on The Wine Pair Podcast.

Angelos Iatridis has a philosophy that stuck with us: if you want to be a better man, you make better wine. That's the kind of thoughtful conversation we get into in this special episode, a deep dive into PDO Amyndeon and PGI Florina, two of Greece's protected wine designations, with Angelos from Alpha Estate. He talks about Xinomavro, the region's signature red grape, which is often described as sitting somewhere between Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir, but shaped entirely by Amyndeon's high altitude, its ring of three mountains, and two nearby lakes that keep the climate in balance. He explains why the sandy, limestone soil left behind by an ancient lake gives the wine its acidity, and how that same acidity lets Xinomavro age for decades, slowly turning from red fruit in...

Pauillac and Saint-Julien are not exactly the Bordeaux names you expect to see on Kirkland Signature labels. We tasted both 2023 Costco wines to see whether they were actually worth the hype. Spoiler: they were.

Verdejo is a Spanish white wine from Rueda with tropical fruit, citrus, and peach flavors. See why fans of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio may want to try it.

Do you love Châteauneuf-du-Pape but are bummed because it’s out of your price range and you’re like OMG how do you know me like that and it's because we get you. So, here’s the skinny. Gigondas is a lot like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, it is a classic GSM or Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre blend, but Gigondas is a little rounder, a bit more elegant, less oaky, and generally much less expensive. And you’re like can this be real and the answer is yes. Sometimes called Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s little brother, Gigondas is a wine that will impress your friends, pairs amazingly with steak frites, and makes it seem like you have your life much more together than you actually do.

Are you a fan of powerful red wines like Châteauneuf-du-Pape but don’t love the price tag? Then Gigondas may be the wine you’ve been waiting for. Gigondas is often called the “little brother” of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and shares many of the same characteristics including hailing from the southern Rhône in France and containing the same GSM or Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre grapes in its blend. And while it is a powerful wine that is the perfect companion to steak frites, it is also extremely balanced and elegant. We’ll explore the history and techniques behind this fabulous wine, but more importantly, we’ll give you our honest review of two Gigondas wines to let you know if either or both are worth your hard-earned money. And as we do every week, we’ll round out our ...

If you are stuck in a Sauvignon Blanc rut, then Verdejo is here to come to your rescue. This great white wine from Rueda Spain is very similar to Sauvignon Blanc, in fact it is sometimes called the “love child” between Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio, and it combines many of the wonderful tropical fruit and citrus smells and flavors of Sauv Blanc with just a bit more mouthfeel. This is a lovely wine from Spain’s most important white wine region. Verdejo is a fantastic summer wine, great for sipping outdoors, and awesome with fish and shellfish, fried and salty foods, as well as chicken and charcuterie. It still flies a little under the radar, which is why now is the perfect time to be the one to introduce Verdejo to your family and friends and be considered the co...

We all know that Costco wine moment when you see a Kirkland Signature wine and you wonder, should I get it? Well, we are here to tell you that you should snatch up these two beauties if you see them. The Costco Kirkland Signature 2023 Pauillac and 2023 Saint-Julien are great Bordeaux wines that you will not be able to find at this quality at this price anywhere else. But wait, are you confused by French wine and don’t know what kinds of grapes go into Pauillac and Saint-Julien? You are not alone, and we will help decode these Left Bank red Bordeaux wines from Haut-Médoc. Did we lose you already? Don’t worry. Just know that these are going to be Cabernet Sauvignon heavy blends, and the rest we’ll tell you about in this episode. Also know that we do not usually love ...

When asked, most people say they like dry wines rather than sweet wines, but is that really true? Based on the most popular wines in the United States, it doesn’t seem like it. At all. One of the most popular wine varietals in the US is Moscato, and the sweet wine Moscato d’Asti is one of the most well known, and well loved wines in the world. Just ask Costco who sells a ton of the stuff. And there are some obvious reasons why. First, it’s delicious, and second, humans are hard wired to be attracted to sweet. So, why do sweet wines get a bad rap? Some of it is for health reasons, frankly, but some of it is because wine snobs tend to look down their nose at sweet wines, and that’s not really fair. For much of the world’s history, sweet wines were the preferred wines...