Episódios

  • Ep 582: Back to Basics – Wine Etiquette
    Oct 15 2025

    This time I revisit a show from long ago on Wine Etiquette. In this Back-to-Basics episode, I cover the three main places you would use etiquette - a dinner party, a restaurant, and a tasting room.

    I address:

    The Dinner Party: What to bring a host, a good welcome drink, whether or not to open a bottle that a guest brings, the etiquette of what to do with the last glass in the bottle, and the point in the night to serve your best wine. I also talk about the proper way to pour, how high to fill a wine red or white wine glass, and whether or not to display a bottle you have decanted.

    Source: Des Moines Register

    The Restaurant: I review every step of wine ordering from perusing the menu to looking at the cork to approving the wine. I discuss the interaction with a sommelier and what to do with large groups, and how to handle a restaurant that serves less than fresh wine by the glass. I touch on giving the waiter a taste of a special wine and some ideas of what to do at a BYO restaurant.

    Tasting rooms: When to make a reservation, what to wear, tasting room fees, spitting, commenting/ask questions, and the most pressing question people have: what to tip tasting room staff.

    I tried to cover everything, but if you still have questions, feel free to reach out!

    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: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    46 minutos
  • Ep 581: Wes Hagen - Santa Barbara Expert & Native9 Wines Brand Ambassador
    Oct 7 2025

    You will get no better primer on Santa Barbara wine country than in the show. Wes Hagen comes on to school us on his region.

    Ask anyone in Santa Barbara wine about Wes Hagen and they'll tell you he is a legend. He has worked in Santa Barbara wine for 30+ years as a vineyard manager, winemaker, hospitality specialist, wine educator, and sommelier. He has run prestigious vineyards , made wine in amazing wineries (Clos Pepe, J. Wilkes Wines, Miller Family Wines), and then became the go-to guy for creating American Viticultural Areas in Santa Barbara, writing and getting four AVAs approved between 1997-2019. He is also a noted educator, having lectured at many of the top viticulture and enology schools in the US and he is known for his famed TED talk on the History of Wine.


    Image: Wes Hagen. Credit: Wes Hagen

    Wes is currently the brand ambassador for Native9 wines, a brand representing the Ontiveros family’s 9th generation of California farmers.

    In the show Wes educates us on Santa Barbara geology and climate, the various Santa Barbara County AVAs and what each grows, the process of petitioning for an AVA, the Santa Barbara wine country culture and how the movie "Sideways" affected it, and his reasons for believing that a downturn in the wine industry is "doom and room", rather than "doom and gloom"! You are guaranteed to learn a ton about Santa Barbara in this show!

    Info on how to contact Wes:

    Wes Hagen is available through to help guide you through planning a Santa Barbara Wine Adventure: wes@native9.com or text him at 805-450-2324. Wes's web site: www.weshagen.com Learn more about Native9 Wines at www.native9.com Vineyard Tours and 'Deep Dive' tastings with Wes are available at Native9 by appointment: BOOK A TOUR - https://www.exploretock.com/native9

    Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!

    www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

    _______________________________________________________________

    This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    53 minutos
  • Ep 580: The Grape Miniseries (refresh) -- Tempranillo
    Oct 1 2025

    It’s been 13 years since I’ve done a grape miniseries on Tempranillo, so it was high time! This grape has come a long way in a decade +, proving that it has more nuance, terroir driven finesse, and versatility than it gets credit for.

    Tempranillo is now the third most widely planted wine grape in the world, at 231,000 ha/570,000 acres. It is not widely grown outside of Spain but there are growers in 17 countries making a go of it. That said, 88% of Tempranillo’s vineyard area is in Spain and most of it is in the northern central parts, with Rioja and Ribera del Duero as the shining stars.


    Photo: Getty Images via Canva

    In this show, I go over the DNA and history of the grape and I discuss the many, many names it has. I talk about how it reacts to terroir and its behavior in the vineyard, and why it is so uniquely suited to the special areas in Spain where it thrives. I talk about winemaking and its effect on the grape and then I dive into the aging criteria of Spain (Generico, Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva) before going over the specific regions in Spain, Portugal, and the New World in which this grape does amazing things.

    This is one of the most important grapes in the world, and the mini-series is packed with info! Enjoy and go try some different wines, you will be surprised at how different they are based on all the factors I mention in the show. You can test yourself to see if you can figure out if it’s the land or the hand of man that has an effect!

    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: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    52 minutos
  • Ep 579: The Greats of Bordeaux - Moulis with Listrac
    Sep 24 2025

    This week I finish up the communal appellations of the Médoc for our "Greats of Bordeaux" series with Moulis!

    Map: Wines of the Médoc

    Although the communes of Moulis and Listrac are often seen as one in the same because both are inland and neither is adjacent to the Gironde River/Estuary, this grouping is a mistake.

    The wines of Moulis, especially from the Grand Poujeaux plateau next to Margaux, can rival or exceed the quality of the wines from the big name communes on the river -- Margaux, St-Julien, Pauillac, and Saint-Estèphe. Moulis is varied and not all the wines grow on the top terroir, but those that do make exquisite, ageworthy wines that are undervalued. Châteaux like Poujeaux, Chasse Spleen, and Maucaillou make top wines for relatively low prices.

    I spend most of the show on Moulis but also cover Listrac. Listrac, in my mind is not one of "The Greats" but it is historic and important. I review the commune and try to point out some of the main reasons I think Moulis and Listrac are so very different, with Moulis earning top billing over Listrac.

    This is the final in the Médoc Greats! We have covered Margaux, Saint Julien, Pauillac, Saint Estèphe, and now Moulis. We will move to Graves and Pessac-Leognan next, before ending where we began this series, on the Right Bank!

    Enjoy!!

    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: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    36 minutos
  • Ep 578: The Greats - Chianti Classico
    Sep 17 2025

    This week I return to The Greats series in which I explore the greatest wines in the world and how they became such big deals.


    Photo: Vineyards in Chianti Classico. Credit: Unsplash

    Chianti Classico, with its 700+ years of history and ideal terroir, is indisputably one of the great wines in the world. In this episode, I cover the long history of Chianti Classico, its ebbs and flows, and its current leaps in quality. I talk about the terroir of the region and why wines here are different from any other in the world and the best pairing with food you could ask for. I address the new Gran Selezione and Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (UGA) systems, which are signs that Chianti Classico is ever improving.

    Several times in the show I make the distinction between Chianti Classico DOCG and Chianti DOCG, so I'll reiterate here -- there is a big difference and it definitely is worth your time to listen and figure out why looking for the Gallo Nero/black rooster on a bottle of Chianti Classico will pay off in the glass!

    Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!

    www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

    _______________________________________________________________

    This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    53 minutos
  • Ep 577: The Wines of South Africa - Refresh
    Sep 10 2025

    This week’s show is on South Africa, a much more historic region than many realize, it has been making wine for more than 350 years. Although considered a 'New World' wine region, winemaking and ethos are often more oriented towards the Old World. Its style often straddles the line between New and Old World, offering fruit-driven wines with minerality, earthiness, restraint, and higher acidity.

    In this show, I talk about the unique conditions of this country, located between latitudes 27° and 34° south. I discuss the lengthy winemaking history, and how the Mediterranean climate, old soils, and a unique topography create world class wines of mainly Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, and Merlot.


    Photo: South African Winelands/Stellenbosch. Source: Canva/Getty Images

    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: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    50 minutos
  • Encore of Ep 448: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Terroir with Dr. Kevin Pogue, PhD
    Sep 3 2025

    In this ENCORE presentation, Dr. Kevin Pogue, PhD, professor and geologist educates us on terroir. This podcast is like taking a terroir class: it debunks so many things that people spout in reference books, at wineries, and in mainstream press about the topic! He explains things brilliantly and he is one of the first people I've ever met who actually has answers to my really dorky questions about terroir.

    Photo: Kevin Pogue. From Vinterra.net

    Kevin is one of the most famous people in the field of terroir. He's considered the foremost terroir expert on Washington State wine and he’s known around the world - his work has been featured in both national and international journals. He's a licensed geologist and professor of geology at Whitman College in Walla Walla. Kevin has a doctorate in geology from Oregon State University, and decades of college teaching and research experience. He has authored books, articles, and done extensive research on the terroir of the Pacific northwest, with a good portion of this time spent on investigating the deposits of the Missoula floods, which were the pivotal event that formed the geological base of the region.

    Kevin’s research today focuses on terroir. He owns a consulting company, Vinterra, through which he assists wineries in choosing the best vineyard sites, matching grape to site, and educating winery owners and winemakers and their customers on why their specific terroir leads to the style in their wine.

    This is a great show and well worth a listen -- whether it's your first time or it's an encore for you, you will definitely learn something (again!).

    Remember that this and ALL back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today and help the show continue! I can't do it without your support!

    ____________________________________________________

    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: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    1 hora
  • Ep 576: The Greats of Bordeaux Saint Estèphe
    Aug 27 2025

    Saint Estèphe is the northernmost of the six communal appellations of the Médoc. 50 kilometers/30 miles north of the city of Bordeaux, this red wine only appellation borders Pauillac to the south and a part of the Haut-Médoc in the north. This commune is very different from the others I’ve covered and the wines are amazing, but of a completely different ilk (they are also much more affordable!).

    Photo: Château Cos d'Estournel. Credit: Cos d'Estournel photo library

    The largest of all the major, prestigious Médoc communes, Saint Estèphe is varied but its diversity, which has been a hinderance in the past, has become a great asset with climate change and better viticulture. Today the wines have gone from tough wines requiring long aging to softer, tasty wines that are approachable earlier. This is not the most prestigious commune (it has no first growths) but it is unique and probably the one which I have the most of in my cellar! I love these wines and the people who make them.

    In this show, I cover what makes Saint Estèphe so unique. As in the other Greats of Bordeaux shows, I review the history, terroir, climate, and then discuss the top Châteaux.

    For reference, Here is a link to the 1855 Classification

    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: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    34 minutos