Stop Wasting Your Wine

This week, we're putting another listener recommendation to the test and the pressure is on. After last week's surprise Australian wine win, our community is looking to go 2-for-2 with a Barossa Valley Shiraz from legendary winemaker Chris Ringland. Can a $24 bottle from one of Australia's most respected names really deliver? We dive into bold dark fruit, pepper, herbs, oak, and one ta...

This week, we're kicking off our Australian wine challenge with a bottle recommended by you, our listeners. After our infamous Yellow Tail review stirred up plenty of passionate responses from Australia, we knew we had to come back with an open mind. Enter the 2022 Penfolds Max's Cabernet Sauvignon from South Australia (14.5% ABV, $18-22). Along the way, we explore why it's a mistake t...

What happens when two Midwesterners fall in love, start making wine in a Los Angeles apartment bathroom, and eventually plant their own vineyard in Oregon? John and Megan Adams of Wildsound Wine share their journey from home winemakers to farming and producing wine in the Willamette Valley. The conversation explores vineyard life, organic farming, whole-cluster fermentation, amphora aging, and why...

Can a Bordeaux-style Napa blend close out the Napa Wine Company series on a high note? In this episode, we review the Oakville Winery Napa Valley Red Wine, an estate-grown blend from Oakville, Napa Valley. The conversation explores how the wine evolves with air, why decanting may make a difference, and what stood out to each host after spending more time with the bottle. We also take a closer look...

Can a $25 Napa red really deliver a premium wine experience? This week on Stop Wasting Your Wine, we're heading from Ghost Block to its sister label, Elizabeth Rose, to find out. In the glass is the 2023 Chockablock Red Blend, a Napa Valley blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec that surprised us from the very first sip. What started as a savory, herbal, and unexpectedly salty wine tr...

A Napa Valley Cabernet that challenged expectations. This week the team explores the 2022 Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville, Napa Valley, and finds a wine that delivers freshness, balance, and complexity without the overpowering oak and alcohol often associated with big California Cabernets. Along the way, they discuss how oak aging really works, the difference between oak flavor and ba...

Priyanka French of Ghost Block Estate Wines joins the show to talk about her path from India to Bordeaux, Burgundy, New Zealand, and Napa Valley, plus how those experiences shaped her approach to vineyard-driven winemaking. The conversation covers organic farming, women in wine, mentorship programs like Batonnage and Wine Unify, and the legendary ghost story behind the Ghost Block vineyard in Youn...

Sutter Home Chardonnay surprised the crew by being less offensive than expected, but the real shock was how little separation there was between a $9 1.5L bottle and the $15.99 Olema California Chardonnay. The episode dives into why Chardonnay gets such a bad reputation, how oak and climate shape the wine, and why people shouldn’t give up on the grape after one bad experience. Featured wines: Sutte...

Barefoot Moscato vs. Rivata Moscato d'Asti - Does a jump in price mean a jump in quality? Week two of the  Drink This, Not That  challenge, and Colin steps up as the sacrificial lamb. The Barefoot Moscato gets a fast, ugly, unanimous verdict. Think thick Sprite with a side of nickels. But the substitute, a DOCG-certified Moscato d'Asti from Italy, opens up a real conversation about what th...

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...