Wine for Normal People

On the heels of the tariff show last week, and news that wine consumption is at its lowest point in 60 years, I thought it may be interesting to revisit the US industry structure in more depth.    As I say in the freshly recorded intro (the show is edited for relevancy too, so it's not a straight re-release) I wanted to carve out the issues for small wineries that are every bit as relevant today as they were when I launched this show in 2018 with Oded Shakked of Longboard and Jim Morris, the Sonoma Wine Guy and frequent pod guest.   Oded Shakked (left) and Jim Morris (right)   As I point out in the intro, the biggest change since 2018? The environment around wine has gotten gloomier: Wineries are closing and being bought up, and small family wineries that aren’t financially viable are done – there are tons of wineries for sale or that are just going out of business. It’s hard to compete in this environment.    After the tariff show, this show offers another perspective on the wine business – fake brands, ego

Tariffs have been a hot topic in recent weeks, but this issue has been ongoing. During President Trump’s first term, the wine industry was caught flat-footed when, in 2019, the administration put a 25% tariff on still wines from France, Germany, Spain, and the UK (notably, Italy and Portugal were not included) as part of a trade dispute with the EU over subsidies given to Airbus. It was then that my guests – Ben Aneff and Daniel Posner started to organize and get industry leaders together to lobby Congress and try to explain why these tariffs were so harmful to wine. Those tariffs remained in place through 2021, and although there was relief for the last few years, the US Wine Trade Alliance, which was the body that formed out of the initial tariff crisis, continued to exist with Ben at the helm.  In this show, I am honored to have the very busy and very awesome Ben Aneff, a native Texan who now lives in NYC and is the Managing Partner of Tribeca Wine Merchants in New York City, named one of “America’s Best

I think people are feeling a bit of a worry about the economy worldwide, so I thought I’d make some suggestions for inexpensive wines that taste like expensive ones! Almost every wine is below $18, although I put under $20 in the title because it seemed punchier!   I did lots of research to make sure these were way below US$20 in markets across the US and around the world. For inclusion in the list they had to be great wines that I would buy even if they weren’t such great values (and with tariffs, they will be less good values, but still inexpensive). These are wines I drink regularly. Even though there are inexpensive versions of some wines (Fiano, Chianti, etc), I did not include them because I don’t think the inexpensive versions of those are good enough. This list is the cream of the crop below $20.   For each wine I discuss the background, the flavors, and why they are inexpensive (in case you are suspicious!). Some wines included: Picpoul, Crémant de Loire, Côtes de Bordeaux and Argentinean Malbec from

In this grape miniseries, I cover one of the greatest yet little known red grapes of Italy: Sagrantino. Photo: Sagrantino. Source: Arnaldo Caprai   This grape is likely native to Umbria in Central Italy, although there is speculation that it is from more far-flung parts of the globe. Nevertheless, most of the world’s plantings are in Montefalco and the surrounding areas and it is firmly rooted (literally and figuratively) there.     With outrageously high polyphenols, Sagrantino is dark in color, high in tannin,  and needs lots of heat to ripen. Its brambly berry notes contrast with savory herb, smoke, tobacco, and baking spice aromas and flavors to give this wine a sweet yet savory profile that you’d be hard pressed to find in any other bottle.     In the show I review the history of the grape, its behavior in the vineyard, its flavors and aromas, and the various regions in which it is grown, including Australia, warmer parts of the US, Argentina, and Brazil.     Although it requires age to live up to its t

As part of the series on the greatest wines in the world, I cover Saint-Émilion on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. With its legacy of winemaking, its unique terroir, and its small producers who are constantly innovating and improving, this region is indisputably one of the top in the wine world.   As with all the regions in "The Greats" series, I go in depth on the fascinating history of Saint-Émilion, the complex terroir, the (convoluted) classification, and the grapes and flavors that are possible from this outstanding "Great."   As promised, here are the Premiers Grands Crus Classes A & B from the 2022 Classification... PREMIERS GRANDS CRUS CLASSES AChâteau Figeac Château Pavie  PREMIERS GRANDS CRUS CLASSES B Château Beau-Sejour Becot Château Beausejour Heritiers Duffau Lagarrosse Château Belair Monange Château Canon Château Canon la Gaffeliere Château Larcis Ducasse Château Pavie Macquin Château Troplong Mondot Château Trottevieille Château Valandraud Clos Fourtet La Mondotte   Sources used: "Inside Bor

This week I take a fresh look at European Classification Systems, going into detail on the history of how and why they evolved, what the current EU scheme is based on, and what the major wine nations’ systems are structured (and how they differ from what the EU would like them to look like!).    I discuss: How Europe classified its wines to protect the names of specific products and link them to their place of origin, to the benefit of consumers and producers. A history of wine classifications from the monks in medieval Burgundy to the winemakers of Tokaj in the 1600s to Chianti, Port, and Bordeaux in the 1700s and 1800s. A detailed look at the evolution of the French classification system. I go through the steps that the French took to prevent fraud, protect the origin of their wines, and ultimately create the system off which the EU system is based. I address the EU system with its two main categories: -Wine without a geographic origin (table wine) -Wine with a geographic origin: Protected Geographica

Château Talbot is a 4th Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Julien in the Médoc of Left Bank of Bordeaux. It’s an historic and large property – its vineyards extend over 110 hectares/272 acres in a single block. The story of Talbot is a long and interesting one, but the chapter being written by the current family and management of the Château may be the best yet. With extreme dedication to quality, an eye towards the environment and careful winemaking, Talbot has a focus on making unbelievable wine that overdelivers for the price, vintage after vintage.   In this show, General Manager of Château Talbot, Jean-Michel Laporte, joins to discuss Saint-Julien and Talbot. Photo: Jean-Michel Laporte. From  Château Talbot.    We discuss: Saint-Julien and it's terroir. We talk about how it stacks up to the other communes on the Left Bank and even discuss comparisons with the Right Bank, where Jean-Michel got his start The history and terroir of Talbot. The château is hundreds of years old, but got it's name from an English ge

Alto Adige, in the far northeast of Italy,  is a small wine region that makes incredibly high quality reds and whites. In this episode I discuss the unique terroir, grapes, and mixed culture of this region, with its heavy Germanic and Austrian influences.    I cover: The long history of Alto Adige wine The varied soil types and geology The range of climates and growing conditions The unique grapes (including Kerner, Schiava and Lagrein) The DOCs and subzones of Alto Adige   A truly beautiful and unique Italian wine region, and one I hope I've convinced you to explore!    Copyright: Wines of Alto Adige         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 s

This is a grape mini-series like no other! This time I untangle Malvasia, which I share is not a single grape at all, nor is it even a family of grapes. This ancient grape has unknown origins and, in many respects, is more of a brand name than a grape.    I cover the history of how the many Malvasias got their single name, discuss some commonalities in growing conditions (they are at least all Mediterranean!), and then call out the specific Malvasias of quality from Friuli, Tuscany, and Sicily in Italy; in Madeira, Douro, Dão and Colares in Portugal, and in the Canary Islands and Rioja in Spain.    Photo: Malvasía de Rioja. Credit: Rioja DOCa     I wish I could say this was a straightforward grape mini-series, but this will take many twists and turns -- hopefully I served as good enough navigator to help the ride be a little less bumpy!   ______________________________________ Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople __________________

Napa Valley is unquestionably one of the great wine regions of the world. Located about 50 mi/80 km north of San Francisco, Napa is renowned for its decadent Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay and its glamourous, fancy and expensive tasting rooms. Napa only represents 4% of California’s wine grape harvest, but it holds the highest reputation among all US regions.   But the region isn’t all show – it has excellent terroir to make world class wines. Photo: Napa Valley Vineyard. Source: Pixabay Napa Valley stretches southeast to northwest for approximately 35 miles (60 km) from just north of the San Pablo Bay to the northern reaches of Calistoga. Nestled between the Vaca and Mayacamas mountain ranges, the Valley is about 4 miles wide at its widest point. It contains half the soil types in the world and its mountains, benchlands, and valleys have so much diversity that each wine made here reflects a different character.   In this show I go over the history, the geology and terroir, the main grapes and wine style

This week, I'm joined by Patron and friend Steve Tocco is the wine buyer and manager of a fine wine store near Boulder, Colorado -- Atlas Valley Purveyors (yes, I've been there!). He is great at what he does -- creative, community oriented, great palate -- basically he is the wine guy we all want!   I asked him  to come on the show to share tips on how to best work with a local wine retailer to create great relationships that lead to better wines.  We discuss: How to figure out your shopping style How create a relationship with your wine shop person How to glean what someone knows so you can decide if you want to go back to the store Corporate buying v. small retail Important questions to answer before you go into a shop (and if you don't ask those quesitons, what the wine shop person should ask you!) How to take advantage of discounts and special things the store may offer   It's a fun show and a great checklist of things to look for to make sure you find the right local shop for you!    Full show notes a

This show features an overview of an essential place in the wine world: South Australia. There is much to learn here but I try to break it down into what is important to know. The show is somewhat heavy on history, since that is an essential part of why South Australia is important today.    South Australia is an Australian state located in the central south of the continent that refers to itself as Australia’s “Wine State”, and rightfully so: it produces 50% of all bottled wine and about 80% of the country’s premium wine. Most large wine companies (8 of the 13 continuously operating wine companies in Australia are here), many small wineries and almost all the official wine trade organizations, including Wine Australia, the government body responsible for regulating and promoting Australian wine, and the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), which plays a crucial role in wine research, are based in South Australia.   South Australia consists of 18 regions, and although I address most of them, I also poin

Touriga Nacional is, beyond a doubt, the most important, praised, and discussed red grape in Portugal. An essential part of Port and the dry wines of the regions of Dão and Douro, this powerful grape has spread throughout Portugal and has captured the imagination of winemakers from Australia to South Africa to California and more. Photo: Touriga Nacional. Credit: Unsplash   In this show, I go through the highlights of this beautiful grape and talk about how it went from near extinction to the Queen grape of Portugal. I review the origins, vineyard habits, aromas and flavors, and then discuss the specific places the grape grows and why it thrives where it does.    Touriga is not just a fantastic grape, it will be an important factor in dealing with our changing climate. Take a listen to the show and see why this grape is so outstanding.    _______________________________________________________________   Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornorm

Bandol is arguably the most important appellation in Provence at the southeastern tip of France. Although it makes white, this very small region is known for its ageworthy reds and rosés made mainly of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Cinsault.   In this show I review the long history of Bandol from the Greeks to the real estate agents of today, and talk about the various terroirs in this appellation. I talk about the grapes, why Mourvedre makes such a big difference in allowing the reds and rosés to age, and some ideas of flavors, producers, and how long to age these wines. From the Rosés of Southern France by Liz Gabay, MW and Ben Bernheim   Since these are rosés that can age and ones that have more robust flavors, I wanted to do this show in the winter. I think it’s good for us to think about different ways to look at pink wine, especially high-quality pink wine! And considering Bandol a multi-season wine is a great step in that direction!     ________________________________________________________________ Ful

I start by asking for a big favor!! I haven’t asked in about 10 years – but if you get a moment, could you drop a positive review for WFNP on iTunes, or a good rating on Spotify, or tell a friend who you think would like the show? Thank you in advance!   This show is part of the effort to refresh the WFNP catalog, based on the ideas of Patron Chris C, who did a ton of work to help me come up with a list of things he thought I could re-do, given that it’s been 14 years since I covered some of this stuff. If you have any ideas, please drop a DM on Patreon or send me ideas through the site!   This show has my recommendations for filling a case of wine with classics from around the world. These wines will give you a great idea of what these regions represent and why they are so famed. Even for experienced wine drinkers, I think it’s good to go back to the basics and try stuff you haven’t had in a while to remind ourselves why they are so good!   The list contains 12 still wines (no sparkling or fortified this tim

This show is the final in a multi-part, in-depth series on the Rioja DOCa in which we have looked at the three major zones of Rioja through the eyes of top producers to tell us about their areas and the challenges they face. Photo: Raquel Perez Cuevas. Credit: Bodegas Ontañón Facebook Page   This time, Raquel Pérez Cuevas, 4th generation family member of Bodegas Ontañón joins to tell us about Rioja Oriental (formerly Rioja Baja). Raquel is an agricultural engineer and oenologist, and has traveled the world presenting the beautiful wines of Ontañón.   Ontañón is one of the most highly regarded and best wineries in Rioja. The family started as growers that sold to large companies but in the 1980s, they started making their own wines, breaking with tradition and most of their neighbors in Oriental at the time. The Perez Cuevas family are unique in that they 250ha of vineyards, in around the village of Quel (which Raquel discusses a lot in the show). Their vineyards are also unique because they sit very high in

This is the second installment of an in-depth series on the Rioja DOCa, where I do a close look at the three major zones of Rioja. I host top producers in each show to tell us about their areas and the challenges they face.   In Episode 544, we heard about the Rioja Alta zone and this week we hear from Tao Platón of Rioja Alavesa, who presents a completely different perspective on the region.   Tao Platón graduated in Enology from the University of Valladolid, holds a WSET Diploma and is an Master of Wine (MW) candidate. He has made wine in Bordeaux, Burgundy, New Zealand, and Rioja and in 2016 he joined Península Vinicultores as head winemaker and technical director. Photo: Tao Platón. Credit: Península Vinicultores He leads the production of a new generation of terroir-driven wines from Rioja Alavesa at Bodega Bideona. Bideona cultivates hundreds of individual parcels and makes wine in the Burgundian model – terroir-driven, vineyard specific wines. He joins us as a representative of the zone of Alavesa and

I wasn't sure I was going to do a Thanksgiving episode this year, but last minute, I felt inspired (and was encouraged by some of you -- thanks especially to my dear friends and your fellow patrons Claudette C and Tina K) so I decided to make it happen.   This one is short, sweet, and to the point! I offer seven main wine types and give examples of each. I hope at least one of these ideas will work for your table! __________________________________ This year, I'm sticking with the theme I did for the Wine Access Club and recommending blends for your meal. The list: Photo: Getty Images via Canva 1. Sparkling -- whether you pick Champagne, Crémant, Cava, Cap Classique, Franciacorta, American sparkling wine, or anything else, you will likely have a mix of grapes. A great blend for the whole meal.     2. Acidic white blends are fantastic pairings. White Bordeaux blends are my top choice.     3. Full, white Rhône blends, especially with a big Viognier component are always on my Thanksgiving table. Blends like Côt

This show kicks off a multi-part, in-depth series on the Rioja DOCa. We will look at the three major zones of Rioja in the podcasts that follow. In each, I host top producers to tell us their perspectives on their zones and on Rioja at large. To get you up to speed before my conversation with Guillermo de Aranzabal Bittner, the Deputy General Director and Director of Public Relations for La Rioja Alta S.A.,  I start out the show with a quick primer on Rioja. I cover everything from climate and terroir, the grapes, the aging criteria, and the terroir driven designations that were introduced in 2017-2018.   Then I get to my lively conversation with Guillermo de Aranzabal Bittner. Guillermo is a descendent of one of the founding families of La Rioja Alta and is part of the 6th generation in the business. He educates us on the Rioja Alta zone - its terroir, history, and the grapes in which it specializes.    Guillermo then tells us about La Rioja Alta, which was formed in 1890 as a partnership of 5 quality-consc

With the holidays coming, I thought it would be a good time to do a show on a different kind of sparkling wine, so this time I cover Italy’s premier traditional method sparkling wine, Franciacorta. Map: Consorzio per la tutela del Franciacorta   Franciacorta is a high quality Italian sparkling wine made in the area of Brescia in Lombardy (the Italian region where Milan is located).  Franciacorta, as a sparkling wine, came into being in the 1960s but it didn’t take long for it to gain a favorable reputation, which still holds today. With very distinctive geographical features and a unique microclimate, the wines here are marked by a balance of excellent acidity and lovely aromas of fruit, flowers, nuts and more.   The thing that makes Franciacorta stand out among other sparklers from Italy is that wines from this region can only be produced using the traditional method (like Champagne, unlike Prosecco) and must be made primarily from the French grapes – Chardonnay, Pinot nero (Pinot noir), and Pinot bianco (P