Wine Access Unfiltered

Episode 17 May 11, 2023 Mendoza: A Wine Lover’s Guide to the Region featuring Robert Vernick Mendoza is the world’s 5th largest wine producer, home of multiple 100 point wines, and the adoptive birthplace of Malbec. Yet, it’s a region that still manages to fly under the radar, especially when it comes to wine tourism. Amanda is joined by XChateau podcast host Robert Vernick, whose wine-savvy Insta...

Episode 16 April 27, 2023 The MICHELIN Chef Series Featuring Minh Phan from Phenakite, Los Angeles On this absolutely can’t-miss episode, Amanda and Eduardo are joined by Michelin-starred Chef Minh Phan from Phenakite—who the Los Angeles Times named their Restaurant of the Year in 2021—to talk about Asian food and wine pairings. A wine’s “texture is really important in Asian food,” Chef Minh tells...

Episode 15 April 13, 2023 The MICHELIN Chef Series Featuring Emma Bengtsson from Aquavit, New York The MICHELIN Chef mini-series continues with Chef Emma Bengtsson of 2 Michelin-starred Aquavit in New York. She began at Aquavit as a Pastry Chef before becoming Executive Chef and the first female Swedish Chef to be awarded two Michelin stars—and only the second female Chef in the United States to d...

Episode 14 March 30, 2023 The MICHELIN Chef mini-series continues with Chef (and Owner) Val Cantu of Californios, the first and only Mexican restaurant in North America to earn two Michelin stars. From squab al pastor tacos to a grilled banana with Caviar, he has taken Mexican cuisine to a whole new level and we got the scoop on how to capture those flavors at home. Plus, Master Sommelier Sur Luce...

Episode 13 March 16, 2023 The MICHELIN Chef Series Featuring Troy Jorge from Temporis, Chicago We’re kicking off a four-episode mini-series featuring chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants with Executive Chef Troy Jorge from Chicago’s one Michelin-starred Temporis. The MICHELIN Guide describes Troy’s food as “the epitome of subtlety, serenity, and sophistication” and when the chef coat comes off,...

Episode 12 March 2, 2023 The Many Paths of Pinot: To Stem or Not to De-Stem with Luisa Ponzi Pinot Noir is nicknamed the heartbreak grape—because there’s so much that can go wrong. Winemaker Luisa Ponzi joins us to talk about all the factors that go into making Pinot Noir, from the terroir to the winemaking. We hope this episode gives you a whole new appreciation for how much goes into making Pino...

Episode 11 February 16, 2023 Master Sommelier Sur Lucero was the fourteenth Krug Cup winner, passing all three levels of the Master Sommelier Exam on his first attempt while earning the highest score. He honed his palate working at The French Laundry, The Little Nell, Cyrus, Meadowood Resort, and Daniel Boulud Las Vegas. Sur joins the Podcast to share his tips on how to assess wine, which is a gre...

Episode 10 February 2, 2023 Washington’s Booming Wine Scene Featuring Drew Bledsoe So many people reached out to request we have ex-NFL star Drew Bledsoe on the podcast and we totally understand why. Now an accomplished vintner, Drew first got into wine doing blind tastings with his Patriots teammates. He’d slide wines from his home state of Washington into the lineup and they would always beat th...

Episode 9 January 19, 2023 “Was there a fear that going plant-based would affect your 3-Michelin star status?” we ask Sommelier Gabriel Di Bella of Eleven Madison Park, which has been recognized as the world’s best restaurant. “Hundred percent for sure,” he tells us on this episode of Wine Access Unfiltered. Join us as Gabriel recounts Chef Daniel Humm’s big announcement, how he approaches wine pa...

Episode 8 January 5, 2023 When David Stern announced “With the 10th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers select CJ McCollum from Lehigh University,” CJ didn’t yet know there was wine in Oregon. Join us as we dive into the rise of Oregon wine and get the scoop on CJ’s wine journey, from Carmelo Anthony introducing him to White Burgundy to launching his own wine label and purchasin...

Episode 7 December 22, 2022 Winemaking Techniques featuring Dan Petroski Many consider Chardonnay “the winemaker’s grape” but how much does winemaking really affect the outcome? Our friend Dan Petroski of Massican joins us to discuss the many paths to Chardonnay. How does terroir, harvest and picking date impact the outcome? What is malolactic fermentation? Should all Chardonnay be oaked? What can...

“What type of glassware should I use for different wines?” “What’s the best way to store my wine if I don’t have a wine fridge or a cellar?” “Are wine gadgets actually worth the money?” “When should I decant a wine and for how long?” “Once I open a bottle, what’s the best way to keep it fresh?” We’re tackling all your questions about how to store, service, and save your wine on this episode with a...

From the fortified Port wines of the Douro Valley to the bright, crispy whites of Vinho Verde, Portugal is one of the most diverse and interesting wine regions of the world—yet still remains under-the-radar. Having just returned from a month-long trek through the region, Amanda is downloading everything she gathered, including some of the surprising techniques used to make Port, unusual dishes lik...

Episode 4 November 10, 2022 What Grows Together Goes Together Just as the fog, or nebbia, creeps down the hillsides of the Langhe each October, Nebbiolo grapes finish ripening and truffles begin their own ripening cycle in the woods nearby. In this episode we’ll explore the process of finding, harvesting, and preparing truffles, and talk about how to pair this region’s iconic wines with truffle cu...

Food and Wine Pairings Bryan Callen is a wine lover, stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and co-host of the hit podcasts The Fighter and The Kid and Conspiracy Social Club. He started his career on MADtv and has appeared in many hit TV shows and movies including Frasier, Sex and the City, The Goldbergs, and The Hangover Series. Bryan recently released an episode of his YouTube series, Best Of, on st...

Episode 2 October 13, 2022 Wines made under NDA have developed a bit of a cult following at Wine Access and, in this episode of Wine Access Unfiltered, we’ll be pulling back the curtain. No, we can’t tell you which vineyards we’re sourcing from—but we will discuss how NDA wines are different from second labels, the economics of wineries, and how things like blending and barrels play a role in thes...

We’ve been known to say that Champagne doesn’t require an occasion—that it IS the occasion—but when we have an occasion to celebrate, we’re drinking Champagne! So drink along as we kick off season 2 by joining the Unfiltered Wine Club, a completely new wine-education experience. We’re kicking things off by going deep into where Champagne is grown, how Champagne is made, how to read a Champagne lab...

Supermodel, entrepreneur, Broadway star, and vintner Christie Brinkley is helping us close the curtain on Season 1. That million-dollar smile that made Clark Griswold go weak in the knees decades ago is as charming and electric as ever. Christie goes back in time to regale us with tales from drinking wine as an artist in France, how she kept the Champagne cold in her Broadway dressing room, and wh...

Celebrated food journalist, #1 New York Times bestselling author, and former columnist for the New York Times, Mark Bittman has been on the forefront of the food movement for 50 years, chronicling the evolution of how we eat. On today’s episode we bring wine into the fold to discover where the parallels exist and where they don’t.  And while the six-time James Beard Award winner claims to not have...

Sasha Grey burst into the spotlight with her role as Vincent Chase’s girlfriend on HBO megahit Entourage, and she hasn’t stepped out of the limelight since: An actress, model, writer, musician, and early adopter of Twitch, Sasha’s impressive wine knowledge was no shock to us—even though she calls herself a beginner. Join Sasha, Amanda, and Vanessa to learn about an undersung Burgundian variety, ve...

Ken Levine has written, produced and directed some of television's most iconic shows, including M*A*S*H, Cheers, Frasier, The Simpsons, Everybody Loves Raymond and many more. When he is not writing for Hollywood, he has done play by play Major League Baseball for The Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Today, he sits down with Amanda and Vanessa to talk...

This week, comedian Anna Roisman dishes the dirt on what it’s like to serve Champagne to celebrities, including members of Green Day after their Grammy win. Plus, we reminisce over waiting tables with bottles from our exclusive Michelin subscription, and how restaurants made Anna fall in love with Riesling. Wines from the show: 2014 Kuentz-Bas Riesling Geisberg Alsace Grand Cru NV Paul Launois Bla...

Atlanta Braves pitching phenom Ian Anderson and his twin brother Ben throw Amanda and Vanessa a curve this week, proving they’re anything but wine rookies despite being just 22 years old. “I wish more people would take advantage of wine as a way to get close to people,” Ian told us between stories of growing up with great bottles on the table, and how wine continues to tie this MLB family together...

This week, we sit down with legendary perfectionist and Grammy, Emmy, Oscar, Tony winner AND vintner John Legend. Needless to say, we had a lot to talk about, from the musicality and balance inherent in wine to innovative pairings for Chrissy Teigen's favorite foods, and how rose just "goes with life." Plus, the inside intel on John's partnership with legendary Burgundy vintner Jean Charles Boisse...

This week, we sit down with MLB star Will Clark for stories involving “quite a bit of profanity,” and quite a few laughs. From spraying Champagne to giving public apologies, “Will the Thrill” talks about everything from America’s pastime and our favorite pastime, with grand slam wines like Orin Swift’s powerhouse 8 Years in the Desert.  Wines from the show: 2015 Coho Merlot Michael Black Vineyard...