The Wine Pair Podcast

Love Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, or other zippy white wines? Then you are going to really love this white wine from Sicily. In fact, it had us asking “where have you been all our lives”?!? Grillo is a wine grape that was once grown all over western Sicily, but then in the middle of the 20th century began to fall out of favor as there was a movement towards making bulk wine in Sicily. Thankfully, some winemakers in the 1990s decided to bring back this indigenous Sicilian grape, and we are all lucky that they did. You may not know Grillo now, but we think you will soon. It is one of the rare white wine grapes that can stand up to the intense heat of Sicily and not lose its acidity, and so we expect to find it in more and more places as temperatures across the globe warm. It is also a wine becoming a darling of sommeliers, and we even found it in a local grocery store. Join us to learn more and find out how we rated it this week! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2025 Poggio Anima Uriel Grillo - Sicilia, 2023 Brugnano Vinovanta V90 Grillo

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The creators of Juliet wine sought to make a wine that was chic, beautifully packaged, and reasonably priced. Which they did. But did they forget about the wine? Knowing that north of 80% of people choose a wine based on the label, you can hardly fault a hot, upstart wine brand for focusing on the thing that most people make decisions on: how the packaging looks. However, our job is a little different. We taste and review wine to see if it’s worth your hard earned money. And although our tasting is our opinion and not fact, it is interesting that Juliet offers almost no information about how the wine is made or who it is made by. It’s almost like the wine is secondary. Did that show up in our tasting and review?. Listen to us, and then we’d love to hear what you think about Juliet wine. Wines reviewed in this episode: Juliet 2022 Sauvignon Blanc, Juliet 2023 Pinot Noir

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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 wines, Valdiguié needs to be on your list. One of these wines we rated a 9 out of 10! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Cruse Wine Co. Rancho Chimiles Vineyard Valdiguié, 2022 Optik French Camp Valdiguié

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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, and they are all very reasonably priced. We also want you to know that you do not need to drink sparkling wine from wine flutes. That is over. Just use a nice white wine glass, and you will be more than fine. Plus, you can have bigger pours. IKR?!? Wines reviewed in this episode: Gratien Meyer Crémant de Loire Brut, Langlois Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé

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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 to learn more. We had a lot of fun getting “exposed” to this different type of wine and wine bottle, and we think you will enjoy it, too. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2022 Domaine Mann Vignoble des 3 Terres Mouton Bleu Sylvaner, 2023 Hans Wirsching Iphofer Silvaner

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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 and what wine has to do with it, wink, wink. And we even have a listener interview for our tribe name this week. So, look, it’s time to get your ducks in a row, put down your ducking phone, and listen to this episode so we can tell you what the duck to do. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Decoy California Cabernet Sauvignon, 2025 Decoy Sauvignon Blanc

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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 AOC and flavor profile, and we may even have a mnemonic device to help you remember them because sometimes the labels just mention the village, not Beaujolais. Look, if you don’t know Gamay or Beaujolais, the first thing you need to do is listen to this episode and learn more, and then you need to buy some Cru Beaujolais and find out for yourself. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Domaine Gilles Coperet Morgon, 2024 Moulin-a-Vent Cru Beaujolais Les Michelons

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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 our wine in the news this week, we tell you what happens when a wasp, a badger, and a goose walk into a vineyard. Wine reviewed in this episode: Henners 2018 Vintage Sparkling Blend

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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 just wine.

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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 intelligence. We couldn’t agree more! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2024 San Salvatore Vetere Rosato, 2025 Feudi di San Gregorio San Greg Rosato

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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 summer afternoon, for appetizers and charcuterie, poultry, spicy and sweet barbecue, and, yes, even fish. Red wine and fish?!? Crazy, but true. Often called the white wine drinker’s red wine, Schiava is a wine you need to know, especially if you want to be counted among the trendy. Or not. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2024 Alois Lageder Schiava, 2022 Elena Walch Schiava

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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 Costco Kirkland version to a well regarded and highly rated version of the wine just to make sure. We don’t want to spoil it, but the Kirkland version compares very well. As an extra bonus, we talk about the hot new wine trend called blouge. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2024 Costco Kirkland Signature Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2023 Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

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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 combine into something pretty wonderful.

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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 reviewed in this episode: 2024 ColleMassari Melacce Vermentino, 2022 Tommasi Poggio al Tufo Vermentino

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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 into notes of dried tomato and olive paste. Angelos also opens up about how climate change has actually helped ripening in Amyndeon over the last 30 years, why he believes the best winemaking technology should be invisible in the glass, and how his own daughter's research helped preserve the purest expression of the grape for the next generation. By the end, he's picked the exact bottle he'd bring to a big Sunday family dinner, one he says carries both place and memory. It's a warm, generous conversation with someone who clearly loves what he does, and you'll come away wanting to track down a bottle of his Xinomavro for yourself.

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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 conversation with some “wine in the news this week” fun as well as random side conversations like the names of the two main characters in Revenue of the Nerds. It’s hard to explain. You just have to listen. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Notre Dame des Pallieres Gigondas Les Mourres, 2023 Crous St Martin Gigondas Les Espaliers

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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 cool kid dropping wine knowledge! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2024 Marques de Riscal Rueda Verdejo, 2024 Bodegas Vatan Nisia Old Vines Verdejo

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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 Cabernet Sauvignon, so we were really pleasantly surprised by how much we liked these wines. Join us for a fun learning adventure! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Costco Kirkland Signature Saint-Julien, 2023 Costco Kirkland Signature Pauillac.

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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, and based on sales of popular wines today, which we will cover in this episode, it seems quite obvious that they are still preferred by many, many consumers. So, we’ll let you know what we think, and if either of the wines we reviewed today are worth checking out. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2025 Kirkland Signature Moscato d’Asti, 2024 Saracco Moscato d'Asti

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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 Merlot. On that note, it may surprise you to know that about half of all of the Sangiovese grown in Italy is not grown in Tuscany, and regions like Puglia, Emilia-Romagna and Marche are making fantastic versions of it. In this episode, we taste and review two wines made from 100% Sangiovese from Umbria and tiny Molise, and without spoiling it too much, we can tell you that they are very different wines, almost hard to tell they are from the same grape, and are different than Chianti. In a good way. Join us to find out more! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2022 Cantina Roccafiore Melograno, 2021 Di Majo Norante Terre degli Osci Sangiovese

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