Wine 101

The fine wine idea solidifies in Bordeaux Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is fine wine? Let's begin with a story of a man named Rudy Kurniawan. It's a short episode setting up the scene. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How important is matching food and wine? And where did this phenomenon come from? Let's examine its history and application. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to review a wine? Let's look at the mental space people who review wine need to navigate to communicate a wine's quality to the general public. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few years ago we discussed a new emerging wine category, the Red Blend. It has been a few years now and having done a few annual tastings of the category I am seeing a pattern develop and it's exciting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two terms helped define distinctions in wine style and approach. Do they still matter? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does a person become a winemaker? We have covered a lot of topics in the world of wine over the years but never discussed the transition a human makes when deciding to leave a career to pursue their passion and become a winemaker. I met Greg Brewer, winemaker for Diatom, last year and thought his story was the one to tell when discussing this subject. He came to the VinePair studio and we talk...

The MGA system in Barolo is fairly new and maybe a bit confusing, but it has a cool historical background. Let's dial in on the MGAs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a time of constant, rapid-fire information the wine space online can be dizzying. In this episode, I address some of them and allay any confusion.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We wrap up the Climate Change and wine series with a look at pest migration and disease threats Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now that we have a sense of climate's influence on the grapevine and wine, let's look at how climate change could do the same. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m not only the host of Wine 101. I am also the tasting director of Vinepair, where my colleague Hannah and I taste hundreds of wines throughout the year. We then publish our favorites on the site. In the episode, I run through some of these lists and highlight some amazing wines. Wine is doing fine.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Continuing with the holiday vibes let's talk about visiting US wine country in 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taking a quick break from the norm for the holidays and riffing on what I have experienced in wine this year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's take a step back and talk about just how climate effect the quality of wine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Take a step back and look at historical climate-changing events and their effect on the grapevines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Climate change is not new but more relevant than ever, especially in wine. We begin with an overview and then start to incorporate the grapevine into the story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's talk about this year's Vinepair's 30 Best Thanksgiving Wines of 2024, a last-minute hack, and an intro to a new series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Southwest France to the obscurity of post-prohibition California to a new lease on life, what is this variety we see more and more on wine labels and in blends? It's hard to pronounce and easy to drink. Let's talk about Valdiguie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now that we understand clones and clonal selection, let's look at mass selection, with the story of Italy's newest prestigious wine region to help guide us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When winemakers say they use certain clones for making wine what do they mean? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have been hanging out in Northern Italy a bit lately, so why not talk about the country's most northern wine region? The wines of Valle D'Aosta are some of the most unique Italian wines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Nebbiolo grape gets further north its characteristics change and show off even more awesomeness. Let's talk about Carema and Valltellina! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The fame and recognition of the wines of Barolo and Barbaresco are undeniable but what about the wine regions due north? They use the same grape, sort of, and express a completely different personality. Get ready to explore the wines of Alto Piemonte. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They rose. They fell. They are rising again. They are here. Let's talk about hybrid grapes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.