Wine for Normal People
A podcast for people who like wine but not the snobbery that goes with it. I talk about wine in a fun, straightforward, normal way to get you excited about it and help you drink better, more interesting stuff. About half the shows feature guests and are informal but educational discussions between me and a passionate wine friend –they aren't interviews. All guests are personal friends or friends of friends in wine so like any conversation between friends, we’ll talk back and forth, interrupt each other, laugh and have fun, debate tough questions, voice our opinions, and most of all, enjoy sharing our time together and with you! The Wine For Normal People book is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many local booksellers. Back catalog available on Patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Episodes
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 sh...
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 wor...
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...
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 (convolu...
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 Euro...
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 th...
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 an...
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...
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 t...
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 ...
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 so...
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.
Read more
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 terro...
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 w...
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.
Read moreThis 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 per...
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 Aranzab...
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...
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
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