The Wine Pair Podcast

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...

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 the...

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 d...

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 t...

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 anythi...

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...

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 adventur...

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...

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...

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 fa...

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 sa...

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 Ba...

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 swe...

Sangiovese is the classic example of how a wine can taste completely different depending on where it is from and how it is made, and this episode demonstrates that fact in spades. Sangiovese is one of the great Italian wine grapes, but because of its strong association with the wine Chianti, it has a bit of a mixed reputation. In its defense, Chianti is really a food wine which is where its acidity really shines. But Sangiovese itself is an amazing wine grape that can vary from light and fruity like a Gamay to velvety and smooth like a...

You may think you know Pinot Grigio, but do you know Pinot Gris? Pinot Gris is the same grape as Pinot Grigio, but in taste, body, and just about every other way that matters, they can feel worlds apart. And, on a very interesting side note, Pinot Gris is also a color mutation of Pinot Noir, but that’s another story. In this episode, we focus specifically on Pinot Gris from Alsace, France, a region famous for its white wines. And of all the white wines made there, Pinot Gris is one of the biggest and richest, which may su...

Not only do they make great wine  in Lebanon, the country has one of the oldest winemaking traditions in the world! The ancient Phoenicians produced wine there thousands of years ago and helped spread it throughout the Mediterranean. In this episode, we dig into Lebanon’s remarkable wine history and explore how it continues today despite many challenges and repeated threats to its survival. It is a story of extraordinary grit and perseverance. We also taste and review two Lebanese wines, including one from the internationally renowned Château Musar. And, as a bonus, this week’s “Wine in the News...

Sake is not a beverage we often cover on the podcast, but when we had the chance to talk to one of the great sake makers in the world, we jumped at the chance. In this episode we introduce you to Jun Kono of Sohomare, one of the world’s premier sake makers, and Leo Lê Sommelier of the great Kappo Sono in New York City and Momoya. What a treat to meet these two leaders in their respective businesses, and get to know them. As you know, sake is often called “rice wine,” but that is not the best de...

We KNOW you are curious! No matter what you think about Trader Joe’s Two Buck Chuck, AKA Charles Shaw wine, you want to know. If you love Two Buck Chuck or have been avoiding it like the plague. If you drank it in college but now wonder if your tastes have changed. Or, if you are trying to elevate your wine game and want to see if you should bother. We know you have questions and feelings. And we want you to work out those feelings and get those questions answered. So, on your behalf, we put together th...

You may not know Malvasia wine, but it’s time to introduce you to this “kaleidoscope” white wine! Malvasia is a really interesting varietal because, depending on who you believe, there are somewhere between 80 and 290 different versions of the grape and wine, some of which are genetically distinct. Woah. The reason it is called a kaleidoscope wine is because it can be made into so many different versions depending on the region and winemaker, everything from a sweet wine to a dry wine to a sparkling wine to an Orange wine. In this episode, we tasted and reviewed two Malvas...

Of course you can chill red wine! But, not just any red wine, though. There are specific fruity and juicy red wines that are amazing when they are chilled, and one of the very best is Frappato. Frappato comes from Sicily, and for a long time it was used as a cheap blending grape. But no longer! Over the past several decades, winemakers in Sicily have been making beautiful, fun, food-friendly Frappato that are perfect for a picnic or summer cookout. And people in the know are really starting to pay attention. If you want to be counted among...

It may be shocking to find out that there is such a thing as White Rioja, but what may be even more shocking is that a wine this good is hardly known outside of Spain! In this episode we focus on Rioja Blanco made solely from the grape Viura, known as the Queen of White Rioja, and we are here to tell you that while it is probably not on your radar today, it should be. Talk about an underrated wine! Often compared to White Burgundy, people in the know consider it a great value alternative to those much...

After more than 200 episodes, we are doing something we have never done before. We are doing a head-to-head comparison of two wines that are from the same grape, same year and the same region and have high ratings from reputable wine reviewers, but one is twice as expensive as the other. And we want to know - can we actually tell the difference between these two wines that have such different price points. Does a more expensive wine taste better or bring you more joy? We will let you know! We also talk about why wine reviews can be...

It sounds crazy, right?!? Wine is not supposed to smell like glue or kerosene or gasoline, is it? Well, friends, when you are talking about classic German Riesling, one of the great aromatic white wines in the world, airplane glue is exactly what you can expect. And trust us, you’ll like it. But, hold on, German Riesling is a delicious wine with other flavors and aromas like apple, pear, white peach (what the hell is a white peach?!?) and a steely, stone ending that the wine nerds call minerality. You should also know that, despite its reputation for be...

Pét-Nat has a “reputation.” Some people love it, and some people think it is a revival of an ancient technique that should have stayed ancient. But, did you know that the Pét-Nat style of making sparkling wine, more broadly known as Méthode Ancestrale, is hundreds of years older than the Méthode Champenoise? The origins of Pét-Nat probably came about by accident when wine that wasn’t quite done fermenting yet was bottled, and so carbon dioxide, which is produced when yeast turns sugar into alcohol, was trapped in the bottle, producing bubbles that people found to be...

Winemakers in the Alentejo region of Portugal have been bringing back the ancient tradition of making wine in Talha, also known as Amphora, also known as clay pots. In fact, there is a specific designation for wines made in that method in Alentejo called Vinho de Talha. Winemakers are attracted to making wine in clay pots not just because of tradition, but because clay pots, like oak barrels, allow oxygen into the wine, but unlike oak, they do not impart the same heavy, oaky flavors. In addition, making wine in Talha is also usually accompanied by more natural, low-intervention...

Sometimes we talk to winemakers who are part of big wineries and big production facilities. Other times we talk to winemakers like Fausto who are, truly, deeply part of the land and the culture and the area where they are from. Fausto is in the Piedmont area of Italy, but he does not make the typical Nebbiolo based wines. He focuses on natural wines, biodynamic farming, and low intervention. The result of this is, as he says, that every wine has a part of him in it. Because he, the wine, and the land are intertwined in this agricultural...

Meet a true legend of winemaking. Ever heard of Opus One? How about Château Mouton Rothschild? Pascal Marty, owner and winemaker of Viña Marty in Chile, has a hand in those truly groundbreaking and world-renowned wines and wineries. Beyond that, Pascal is just a delightful, warm, and transparent person. A true pleasure to get to know. In our conversation, we talk about how an experience in a winery as a young man changed the trajectory of his whole life. We also talk about how his stubborn streak led him to not only study enology in Bordeaux, but fl...

If you are an aspiring wine nerd, Xinomavro is a wine you just gotta know. Why is that you ask? Well, Xinomavro is often compared to the great Italian wines Barolo and Barbaresco made from the Nebbiolo grape, as well as the great French wines made from Pinot Noir in Burgundy, so that is pretty high praise for a wine you’ve probably never heard of. Xinomavro is known for its powerful structure (that’s wine nerd talk for things like tannins and acidity) and a unique savory aromatic profile (that is also wine nerd talk for aromas and flav...

Have you ever picked up a Portuguese wine, stared at the label, and thought... I have absolutely no idea what this means? Same! And here's the thing: Douro Branco might be Portugal's best white wine value that no one is talking about. So this week, we are fixing that! In this episode, we break down what Douro Branco actually means, why the Douro Valley's brutal climate and ancient vines produce some of the most interesting white wines in Europe, and what the heck "field blends" are and why they make this wine so different from almost anything else you'll...

Valpolicella Ripasso is one of the most fascinating wines we have ever had. It’s not just the flavor, which slaps, but also the process and history behind it. We don’t want to spoil it before you listen, but the Ripasso method is a totally unique approach to wine making that aspiring wine nerds absolutely need to know! Hailing from the beautiful area around Verona, Italy (yes, the place where Romeo and Juliet hung out), Valpolicella is known for not just one, but four different styles of red wine which we dig into because each has an important plac...

If sparkling wine feels like it's either too expensive, too pretentious, or just not your thing... you haven't had Sekt. German sparkling Riesling is the fruity, zippy, under-$20 bubbly that sparkling wine lovers, especially Prosecco drinkers, have been sleeping on, and in this episode, we are here to fix that. Discover why Germany is the world's largest sparkling wine market, and why the controversial Charmat method actually makes a superior sparkling Riesling versus doing it in the traditional or Champagne method. Hint: the Charmat method helps preserve Riesling’s signature floral aromatics and stone fruit and orchard fruit flavors in...

If you think the only great wine coming out of Bordeaux is red, you’ve got it wrong! When most people think of Bordeaux wine, they think of red wines that are anchored by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. But, did you know that White Bordeaux AKA Bordeaux Blanc may be the white wine you have always loved but didn’t know, because it is anchored by Sauvignon Blanc? That’s what we are exploring in this episode, and we are going to find out just what makes it so fabulous. Spoiler Alert! Although you may not have heard about White...

Forget that boring Provence Rosé everyone else is grabbing for Valentine’s Day. We are exposing a secret from the Loire Valley that offers amazing flavor and higher value for your money, and will impress your significant other. It might help you spice things up a bit, too! If you think all pink wine is created equal, think again... because not all Rosés are born the same. In this episode, we dive into Rosé d’Anjou, a "tender" style of wine that is perfect for those who want a hint of sweetness. You’ll learn how the Grolleau Noir grap...

Valentine’s Day is coming, and if you are feeling stuck in the same old chocolate and roses rut, we have the perfect solution to win over your sweetie! Sherry as the ultimate dessert wine flex, especially if your goal is not striking out this V-Day. Inspired by a listener tip and Carmela’s unwavering love of ice cream, this episode dives headfirst into Sherry and vanilla ice cream as a surprisingly elite pairing. We know what you’re thinking . . . isn’t Sherry that syrupy stuff that your weird uncle drinks? Oh no, friends. It is a winner. In this epi...

Meet the wonderful René Barbier Meyer, head winemaker at Clos Mogador winery in Priorat, Spain. René is a winemaker who believes in being close to the land, the grapes, and juice so that he can make unique, artisan, gastronomic wines. In our interview, he shares his philosophy of winemaking, which is very similar to the way that a musician would describe making music - it is about feel, technique, and adaptation. René practices very low intervention winemaking because he wants the people to experience the wine as it was meant to be. He comes from a long line of win...

Every once in a while a wine comes along that makes us say, “What the f*&k is this $h&t?!? Meiomi is such a wine. Sometimes described as diabolical, this wine is still, somehow, the best selling Pinot Noir in the United States. And so, we decided to see if we could figure out why. Meiomi makes what we call “California-ized” wine. By that we mean big, bold, sweet, and lush wines that are as subtle as a mule kick to the head. More like cocktails than wine, they are not really made to be paired with food. In fac...

Wow! That’s about all we can say about this zippy, electric, and super tasty white wine from the slopes of Mt. Etna. Etna Bianco is a white wine lover’s dream. Great with food, great without food, and so good we describe this wine as dangerous. And to think that this was a wine that almost went extinct! Like its sister wine Etna Rosso, Etna Bianco comes from a long history or winemaking in Sicily that dates back to at least the Greeks, but in the 20th century, a reputation for cheap bulk wines and migration away from farm...

Etna Rosso is sometimes referred to as the “Burgundy of the Mediterranean” and for good reason. This wine, made on the slopes of Mt. Etna in Sicily from the grape Nerello Mascalese, is a serious gastronomic wine, loved by sommeliers and wine nerds for its complexity, depth, acidity, and firm tannic structure. While it is not quite at the level of demand as Barolo, Brunello, or Aglianico, just give it some time. Nerello Mascalese is an up-and-coming grape whose parentage includes Sangiovese - that’s right, the same grape in Brunello and Chianti - and it makes powerful wines that h...

Welcome to our very own version of Spotify Wrapped! In this episode, we review the best and worst wines we drank this year, and share with you why we thought they were so good or so bad. In 2025 we drank 80 wines from 12 different countries and 3 different states in the US, interviewed 8 winemakers from all over the world, and released 5 minisodes on a variety of subjects. Listen in to learn about how many downloads we got this year, in how many countries our podcast was downloaded in, and how much money we spent on wine for the podcast this year...

Sometimes known as the “other” white wine of Burgundy, Aligoté is the bargain white from one of the world’s most famous wine regions. It is the child of Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc, the latter of which is a wine that many think is now extinct because French nobility hated it so much they burned and banned it. Aligoté is often used in sparkling wine, and as a standalone varietal, it is often described as acidic and neutral, making it a very good food wine. We agree with that description. It is not a complex wine, but it is a win...