Stop Wasting Your Wine

Some of the most popular wines in America are also some of the cheapest and most criticized. So the guys decided to put that reputation to the test. This week launches the brand new “Drink This, Not That” challenge, where each host tries to replace a widely available bottom shelf wine with something noticeably better without asking people to spend much more money. First up: Yellow Tail Shiraz vs P...

A winemaker with 90+ scores and even a perfect 100 set out to solve a simple problem: how to enjoy one great glass of wine without opening a whole bottle. Preston Thomas shares how Tirage brings premium wine into cans without sacrificing quality. The wines come from Lake and Sonoma counties and land at 12% ABV, built for real-life moments. The episode explores: His path from Tennessee to professio...

Is Crémant just “cheap Champagne”… or are you being sold the wrong story? In the final round of our Best Bang for Your Buck Bubbles Challenge, we put a Crémant de Bourgogne to the test and things get controversial fast. A surprise price jump turns this bottle into a debate about value, expectations, and what actually makes sparkling wine worth buying. Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: • Wh...

A Spanish sparkling wine producer walked away from Cava on purpose. They wanted more control. In this episode, we break down: • Why Raventós left the Cava designation • What stricter farming and lower yields are aiming to do • And whether this Spanish sparkling wine is just “better Cava”… or something different We’re reviewing Raventós Blanc de Blancs (2023), a traditional method sparkling wine fr...

A $17 sparkling wine from Bordeaux challenges the idea that bubbles need to be expensive to be worth it. This week kicks off a value-focused series with a surprising pick. The wine is the Dulong Crémant de Bordeaux Brut from Bordeaux, France, priced around $17 with 12% ABV. The hosts explore why a region known for red wine is producing sparkling wine and how value plays into buying decisions. They...

A winemaker challenges Amarone tradition and flips the script. Mariano Buglioni shares how his Il Lussurioso Amarone from Buglioni in Valpolicella Classico (15.5% ABV) is intentionally made to be more drinkable, food-friendly, and approachable. Instead of heavy, overpowering styles, Buglioni shifted away from barrique aging to large casks and adjusted grape drying to reduce sugar and alcohol inten...

A celebrity Pinot Grigio that doesn’t look like Pinot Grigio and might challenge what you expect from the category. This week, the crew digs into a unique bottle and debates whether it delivers where it counts. This episode features the Sun Goddess Pinot Grigio Ramato 2021 by Mary J. Blige from Friuli, Italy. It’s 12.5% ABV and priced around $20. They break down the Ramato style, why the wine has...

Is John Legend’s wine actually worth buying, or are you just paying for the name? The crew tests the 2023 LVE Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon from LVE Wines by John Legend, a North Coast, California bottle priced around $20 with 14.5% ABV, as part of their celebrity wine challenge under $30. Aaron explains why this bottle stood out among the many celebrity wine options and why the LVE lineup c...

Celebrity wines can be a minefield. This week the crew kicks off a new challenge to find the best celebrity wine under $30, starting with The Dreaming Tree Crush Red Blend (2023) from Dreaming Tree Wines, a collaboration between Dave Matthews and winemaker Steve Reeder. The wine comes from California, costs about $15, and sits at 14.5% ABV. The hosts discuss what celebrity wines get right and wron...

From cleaning kennels to crafting Sonoma Cabernet, Chris Louton’s path to winemaking wasn’t planned. A UC Davis class changed everything. Now at St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, he’s shaping wines that stay balanced, affordable, and true to place. Chris shares how he went from veterinary ambitions to overseeing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Bordeaux varietals in Sonoma County. We talk vintage...

This week, a behind-the-scenes look at how great Sonoma wine actually gets made. Katie Madigan of St. Francis Winery shares how she went from chemistry student to winemaker, why sustainability is more than farming, and how to keep soul and quality in wines priced around $15–$18. Katie breaks down St. Francis Winery’s approach to balance, aromatics, and vintage expression, plus what it takes to pro...

A $15 sparkling Gamay from Beaujolais with a sexy label and big wine family backing… and it became the first unanimous drain of 2026. This week, the guys crack open Forbidden Kiss Sparkling Red Wine from the Boisset Collection in Beaujolais. It’s 100% Gamay, made in the ancestral method, 7.5% ABV, and widely available at Total Wine. On paper, it checks the boxes for a fun, low-alcohol sparkling re...

The Sexy Bottle Challenge rolls on with Colin's Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, the latest contender in the search for the best intersection of great wine and great presentation. Colin's pick faces off against last week's bottle as the competition tightens and early favorites begin to emerge. The conversation then shifts to Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc as a style: why the region has earned...

Big changes are coming to Stop Wasting Your Wine! In this episode, Colin, Joel, and Aaron unveil an exciting new format: monthly wine challenges. Each month, the hosts will pick wines based on a specific theme, with three weeks of competitive tastings followed by a wildcard week featuring interviews with wine industry pros or special features. For February's inaugural challenge, the crew tackl...

Rosé does not usually top the list when it comes to gift wines. This week, that assumption gets challenged. In this episode of Stop Wasting Your Wine, the crew wraps up their Gift Wine Series with a deep dive into a Provençal rosé that aims to stand out in a crowded category. They explore what makes rosé a smart and often overlooked choice for gifting, especially when the weather heats up and expe...

This week we ask a simple question. Is a fifty dollar white wine actually worth it? We head back to Umbria with the Rigogoli 2022 from Tenuta di Salviano. A fifty fifty blend of Viognier and Grechetto di Todi. An IGT wine built on freedom and intention. Named for the winemaker’s grandfather, Rigogoli brings real story to the glass. We also kick off a new yearly tradition. The wine fridges are offi...

This week we open our gift wine series with Pighin Collio Pinot Grigio 2024. This is Italian Pinot Grigio with ambition. 14.5% ABV means it brings more power than you expect. We explore the Collio region in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, where ponca soil, mountain air, and coastal warmth shape wines with edge and depth. This bottle shifts the narrative. It asks you to rethink the Pinot Grigio category. We...

Kicking off 2026, the Stop Wasting Your Wine team dives into the vibrant world of orange wine with a review of the Pierre and Antonin Petite Sauvage Orange Wine. Far from being just a passing fad, this 100% Souvignier Gris natural wine proves to be a bottle that perfectly balances high quality winemaking with an approachable price of $17 to $20. Throughout the episode, the hosts explore what truly...

Cheers to a spectacular wrap on 2025! In our final episode of the year, the "Stop Wasting Your Wine" crew is popping a bottle of Poema Brut Cava to ring in the new year without breaking the bank. At just $15, this traditional method sparkler from Spain brings the "tiny bubbles" and crisp acidity you crave for a celebration, but is it the best value we’ve found in our sparkling wine mini-series? Be...

Sparkling wine season rolls on and this week we pop open the Alta Vista Brut Rosé from Mendoza, Argentina. It is a tank method sparkling wine made from an unexpected blend of Malbec and Pinot Noir, and it lands right in the middle of holiday drinking season. On this episode, we talk about why bubbles take over this time of year and how easy it is to lose track of what you are pouring between famil...

Sparkling wine season is here, and we are kicking it off with one of our favorite styles for everyday bubbles. This episode dives into Crémant and puts the focus on Bouvet Ladubay Crémant de Loire, a Loire Valley sparkling wine that delivers serious quality without the Champagne level price tag. This week, we talk about why Crémant is such a smart value play, how it compares to Champagne, and what...

This week the Wine Guides step into the world of Port and discover how deep this style really goes. Colin, Aaron, and Joel taste Fonseca Bin 27 and Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Tawny side by side. The shift from bold fruit to warm caramel sparks real reactions and a few childhood flashbacks. They break down what makes Port a fortified wine from the Douro Valley, why the British shaped its history, and...

Adam Wolf is back, and he brings a whole new story with him. Since his last visit, he packed up his life in LA and moved to Oregon’s Willamette Valley to work at Saffron Fields. We talk about that jump, what pulled him into the region, and how different the wine world feels when you live inside it instead of tasting from a distance. Adam walks us through his new role, the tasting room culture, and...

Thanksgiving sets the stage, but the wine drives the mood. This episode follows the shift from classic family dinner to Friendsgiving energy and asks a simple question. What bottle actually earns its spot on the table? The hosts spotlight Castello de Titignano Turlo, a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot from Umbria. They break down why this lesser talked about region delivers stea...

This week the crew kicks off a new Table Wine mini-series with a surprise twist. Joel, Aaron, and Colin open not one but two bottles from Bollini: a 2024 Pinot Grigio and a 2023 Merlot. The goal is simple. Find affordable, crowd friendly wines you can set on the holiday table without overthinking a thing. The trio talks through what makes a true table wine, why ABV matters more than you think, and...