The Wine Situation

Live from Shaughn's living room! Mixups at UCB led to a home-brewed podcast. This week Shaughn and Ellen welcome Morgan Fox who reps wines from Mosaic and Sacred Thirst. But first Shaughn's hip sip tip is Italian rosé! There is light rosé beyond Provence! Ellen's hip sip tip is about where to find good natural wine--look to producers from Burgundy--they've been making great wines for centuries and...

Welcome to the first of our winemaker episodes! This week Elena Martinez of TOP Winery joins Shaughn and Ellen to share the wine she and her husband Stanley Barrios make in Paso Robles. Before getting into her wine, its the return of Grape of Thrones! This week it is Blaufrankisch. Learn about this grape that excels in Austria. Elena kicks the drinking off with their 2015 Syrah, "Exert". It is eve...

It's season 2--now with more wine! Shaughn and Ellen are back for wine wins, and no more whines! Ellen's Hip Sip Tip is the Penfolds "Grandfather" Tawny Fortified Wine. Shaughn's tip is Chenin Blanc from South Africa. This week's guest is Farley Elliott, editor of Eater LA! Shaughn and Ellen brought a skin-contact natural wine, since that is what Farley is getting into: 2015 Hatton-Daniels Malvasi...

It's the year-end finale episode! The Whine Situation is headed to spring break in Cabo!! Foam parties!! But first Dustin Lancaster (owner of Bar Covell, Augustine, Hermosillo and more!) joins Shaughn and Ellen to whine about people who are chronically late.  The Grape of Thrones is Mourvèdre, aka Mataro aka Monastrell. Get a bottle of Bandol (the place for classic Mourvedre) and give it a try! Th...

This week Augustus Prew (About a Boy, Kickass 2, Pure Genius) joins Shaughn and Ellen to whine about how much we are controlled by corporations!  Ellen's Hip Sip Tip is to buy the bottle! Wine by the glass is fun but try seeing how wine evolves as it remains open. Shaughn's Hip Sip Tip is Schiava, a light red from Alto Adige Erst + Nue! To go with Augie's whine Shaughn and Ellen procured a small b...

The man behind the engineering and recording of our podcast becomes the guest! This week features Cody Ziglar (UCB engineer, Cracked, Funny or Die) who works toooooooooo damn hard! Just so you know Zig will have some sweet bass vocals in your ears!  Before getting into the whine Shaughn and Ellen have some Hip Sip Tips! Ellen wants people to give sweet wine a chance. Shaughn's tip is the Kunin Pap...

This week Megan McIver (Cosmos in the City, bubbleologist) is in the house for whines, wines and bubble talk! Before getting into whine and wines, the Grape of Thrones is Tannat. Originally from France it is deliciously tannic and juicy! Megan's whine is about etiquette at gyms so it is paired with a wine that is lean and strong: 2016 Santo Winery Santorini Assyrtiko! This Greek wine from a volcan...

This week Pete Zias (Groundlings, Cha-Cha Heels, Stand-up) joins the Whine Whisperer and Mademoiselle Palate to whine about the forced recycling program at his apartment building! Ellen's Hip Sip Tip is a well-done classic Daiquiri but with demerara simple syrup! Shaughn's Hip Sip Tip is Transplant IPA infused with CBD!  Since white wine grape skins usually go to waste, Shaughn and Ellen pair Pete...

Amanda Salvatore and Jackie Rae Aubel of the Guilty Pleasure podcast are in the house and here to make sure Shaughn and Ellen stay on track!  Before getting into the whines, this week's Grape of Thrones is Albariño, a scrumptious white wine most known for being from Rías Baixas and Vinho Verde. This week's guests want to whine about passive aggressive notes! When you are passive aggressive you say...

H Michael Croner (Groundlings, Big Bang Theory, What Would Diplo Do, commercials you've probably seen) joins Shaughn and Ellen to whine about his mom's encouragement of a future with wife and kids.  The banter kicks in early but but first Shaughn and Ellen give the Hip Sip Tip. In honor of recording on Women's Day Ellen shouts out Dutcher Crossing, a winery run by a woman! Shaughn pimps a beer: Ma...

Casting Director and acting coach extraordinaire joins Shaughn and Ellen to whine about cars barreling through her neighborhood way too fast!  But first: the Grape of Thrones Grenache Blanc! A frequently blended white grape, it can be full or too flabby but look for it! It can also be delightful. Marci's biggest beef is with people zooming too fast through her puppy friendly hood! A close second i...

This week Cristie Norman (Adulting With Alcohol, sommelier at Spago) makes the trek from her Beverly Hills workplace to share her whines! The hip sip tip from Shaughn is Latitude 50 North, a trocken sekt spatburgunder rosé aka a dry sparkling pinot noir rosé! Ellen got to try some Paso Robles Roussanne and a Syrah from TOP Winery with the winemaker herself! Learn about the ethos behind these Los A...

This week Shaughn and Ellen welcome Zora Bikangaga (Drunk History, improv, This American Life) to whine about the lack of manners particularly in respect to elevators and hosting. The "Grape of Thrones" is Zinfandel: the group hug of wine! Learn the roots of this American variety. It's not a pink drink! To counteract Zora's mannerly whines, Ellen and Shaughn sourced a wine from England, where prop...

Joel Spence (Big Little Lies, Mouth Feelings podcast) joins Shaughn and Ellen to whine about customer service reps getting to personal! Before getting into the whine they cover the Grape of Thrones/Grape of the Week: Melon de Bourgogne aka Muscadet! Everyone has had the person working at the store ask them what they are doing that day or why they need quarters; Shaughn and Ellen have to concur wit...

This week Brendan Hines (Lie to Me, Suits, The Tick) joins the Wine Whisperer and Mademoiselle Palate to whine about televisions being everywhere. The Grape of the Week/Grapes of Thrones is Tempranillo! AKA...a lot of other names. Get the lowdown on this grape and it's spiritual home of Rioja. They also go over some of the mailbag responses. Hear what pricy wines podcast fans are sipping! Before g...

Shaughn and Ellen welcome Johnny Meeks (Upright Citizens Brigade, Mouth Feelings, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) to the show to hear his whines about looking for things he lost. First though they tackle their Grape of the Week/Grapes of Thrones: Viognier.  Johnny reveals that he goes nuts when things are not where they are supposed to be. He tends to be staring right at things that he thinks are missing, so...

Erin Gibson (Throwing Shade, Feminasty) joins Shaughn and Ellen to whine about how fake everything/everyone is on Instagram.  The grape of the week/grape of thrones is Torrontes, an Argentinean delight. It CAN be delicious. Just don't think about soap! Before getting into Erin's whine the three bond on a love of funky wines and footy cheese. They cheers it with a drink Erin says a "yacht widow" wo...

Maggie Lawson (Psych, Angel from Hell, Santa Clarita Diet) joins Shaughn and Ellen to whine about having celiac and how popularity of gluten-free diets has affected how seriously people take the disease. The Grape of the Week is Pinotage! A South African hybrid that has some...interesting tasting notes. After that everyone digs into both celiac disease. The gluten-free movement has made it easier...

Why don't we drink at lunch? That is the whine of Karl Hess (Food Fact or Fiction on the Cooking Channel, Yelling About Paté podcast, stand-up) who shows up to challenge Shaughn with his sultry bass tones. Ellen moderates as best she can.  The grape of the week is Sangiovese! Do you enjoy a Tuscan red wine like Chianti? Well--boom! You are probably enjoying Sangiovese. There is a new mailbag assig...

This week Jen Curcio (storyteller, Cara and Jen's Sleepover Party) joins Shaughn and Ellen to complain about day jobs! Before getting into the whine and wine Shaughn and Ellen launch a new segment, Grape of the Week! This week they cover Sauvignon Blanc--from what it tastes like to classic regions and stellar pairings. They also reveal more mailbag results: the listeners have been writing in with...

This episode gets a sultry start before welcoming guest Jeffery Self (30 Rock, You're Killing Me, A Very Very Bad Thing) joins to whine about the plethora of attention given to terrible famous men when there are so many fabulous women to be honored! They pair it with a wine that is associated with women that deserves respect: a fantastic 2013 Chardonnay by Deovlet Santa Maria Valley Solomon Hills...

Betsy Stover (Why Mommy Drinks, Teacher's Lounge) joins this week to whine about the terrible etiquette surrounding iPhones. Because new-school tech needs old-school etiquette they pair this with a wine from sponsor Gregory Condes that is a collar between an old-school wine family and a new scholar of enology: 2015 Domaine du Roncée Chinon. Ellen's hip sip tip is actually a cocktail book, Kara New...

Shaughn and Ellen strike a power-pose to hold up the man with a plan, the man behind the wine! Gregory Condes the wine importer dugout, joins for more fun wine talk than whines and that is okay.  The hip-sip-tip from Ellen is a Nebbiolo from Mexico. Shaughn hip-sip-tips a holiday coffee specialty from Go Get Em Tiger that is a cross up between toffee nut coffee and cup o' noodles. The hippest, qui...

Anthony Hines (Producer/writer of Sacha Baron Cohen productions) joins us for some freeform whines! And since he rebelled against telling us his whine in advance, we paired it with a rebel wine aka a Super Tuscan (Cab/Sangiovese Tuscan vino) from sponsor Gregory Condes. The wine is "La Massa" which is a Super Tuscan! A wine that stepped outside the rules of Tuscany. The hip sip tip from Ellen is g...

Jason Booth (Wine for Sophisticated Homies , ImprovSchrimprov) and his wife Bree (wine enjoyer) join Shaughn and Ellen to whine about bad parents and their obnoxious babies. They give it a couple of pairings: a Beaujolais Nouveau in honor of the whine's youth and the Quintodecimo Falanghina d'Irpinia Via del Campo from sponsor Gregory Condes Wines is cracked just to drink.  The hip sip tips are no...