Wine Appraiser

After reading about and tasting New York wine, I have a strong desire to visit the Finger Lakes AVA.  Until the 1970s and 1980s, New York was known for producing wine made from the Catawba and Niagara grapes. Many people still have that perception. However, back in the 1950’s, Dr Konstantin Frank started the cultivation of Vitis vinifera (the old world grape varieties people are familier with...

Is price important for Rioja? Tonight we will blind-taste three Rioja wines and find out. Rioja is the leading wine region in Spain. Broken into three parts. - Rioja Alto - Rioja Alavesa - Rioja Oriental Known for its red wine production and aging in oak barrels. (predominately American oak) Tempranillo is the most planted grape and makes up nearly 90% of the vineyards. Garnacha is the second most...

Tonight, we will learn about and taste two wines, made from grape varieties unfamiliar to many of us. First, we will taste a Vignoles (white) and then have a Norton (red). Both wines come from small AVA’s in east central Missouri, along the Missouri River. The first wine we are tasting is a Vignoles from the first AVA in the US. It comes from the Augusta AVA. Vignoles is a hybrid grape originated...

Tonight, our blind-tasting duo will taste three wines chosen by our listeners. We have one white and two red wines. Our first wine is a white wine from Burgundy, France. It is from the Chardonnay grape. Tonight , we taste: 2022 Bourgonge - Maconaise - Macon Villages. Purchased at Costco for $12.79. Stored in stainless steel tanks. This is 100% Chardonnay. Tastes of Citrus, orange, orange peel, app...

Tonight, our blind-tasting duo explore uncharted wine, at least for the show. Shiraz is the most planted and #1 grape from Australia. Shiraz is the same grape and wine as Syrah, but for some reason, Australia and South Africa call it Shiraz. It is a big, bold, full-body wine with high levels of tannin and acid. Because of the tannins, it is normally oaked and is a great pair with red meats. In Fra...

Our wine-tasting duo discuss their favorite wines and why they like them. Do you know your favorite wine and why you like it? Do you know the characteristics of your favorite wines? Why do you like a certain wine? This episode will help you make better buying decisions, find alternative varieties, and understand why you like the wines you do. Tonight , we are tasting: 1. Denise’s favorite wine is...

Dennis and Denise have a budget-friendly show tonight, with each wine costing less than $10. We randomly selected and tasted three white wines. Also, see if you can catch ten references to different songs. See if Dennis and Denise can figure out what wines they are drinking tonight. Tonight , our three wines include: 2022 Bouchard Aine & Fils, Chardonnay, purchased at Costco for $9.99. Wine En...

Tonight, our wine-tasting duo takes part in our first-ever head-to-head challenge. We will examine the differences between the two wines and help you decide which wine is right for you. Pinot Noir is the wine that made Burgundy France famous, but what about Pinot from the New World, specifically, California and Oregon. Oregon is known for its Pinot, and its cooler climate has perfect growing condi...

Tonight, our blind-tasting duo heads down south, way down south to Argentina. Malbec is a Bordeaux grape that has become less popular in France but is king in Argentina. Malbec is the most planted grape by far in Argentina. It produces over half of the worlds Malbec. (According to the Oxford Wine Companion) Malbecs from Argentina are riper and more velvety than those from France. Malbec was a wide...

To honor the start of the Football season (tailgate season). Dennis and Denise are having a canned and boxed wine show. We have never tried a canned wine, so we are excited to see if they are good. These wines are becoming more popular because of their user-friendliness.  See if Dennis and Denise will recommend any of these three affordable wines. One of these may be a great option for your n...

Dennis and Denise have a budget-friendly show tonight, with each wine costing less than $10. We randomly selected and tasted three red wines. Also, see if you can catch ten references to different songs.  We learn some wine terms. We also discuss why we look at the wine before we swirl, smell, and sip. See if Dennis and Denise can figure out what wines they are drinking tonight. Tonight , our...

Tonight our blind-tasting pair looks for a wine you can enjoy before summer is over. We will delve into some facts about Rose’ so you can make an informed purchase. We will also talk about wine characteristics, terms, and general rules you may want to follow to make your wine tasting experience the best it can be. We are also changing our format from a double-blind tasting to a single-blind tastin...

Our blind-tasting pair are in for a treat, and so are you if you taste along with them. Garnacha originated in northeastern Spain. It is a heat-loving drought resistant grape.  It spread around the Mediterranean and up into France where it is known as Grenache. Grenache is mostly a blending grape so getting a single variety wine can be difficult. Winemakers love it for blending because of its...

Chardonnay is probably the most loved and hated wine in the world. Have you heard of ABC – (Anything But Chardonnay)? Some people dislike it, but it is still the world's most planted white wine grape. Why is it hated? We will try to find the answer in this episode. If you think you don’t like Chardonnay, maybe you haven’t tried the right one. Chardonnay is grown in nearly all wine regions, and it...

Chianti is a classic Italian wine. It has come a long way from the basket wines found in the checkered tablecloth restaurants of the past century. Tonight, our two blind tasters will pair Chianti with some cheese. Join them as they taste these three wines. 1.       2021 Kirkland Riserva Classico ($8.99) from Costco https://costcowineblog.com/ 2.   &nbsp...

Riesling is a light, high-acid summer refresher and can be a great pairing with the right food. Some people avoid Riesling, believing it is only a sweet wine. While it can be made sweet, most Riesling is bone dry. Today we will taste these three Rieslings. 1.       2023 Joseph Handler Riesling ($5.99) from Trader Joe’s. This wine is off-dry, with notes of Green-apple,...

Dennis and Denise are opting for a budget-friendly approach tonight, with each wine costing less than $10. We chose three refreshing summer wines that won’t break the bank. We taste the 2023 Landkastel Riesling ($6.99) from Aldi, 2023 Kirkland Pinot Grigio ($4.99) from Costco, and the Espiral Vinho Verde ($4.99) from Trader Joe’s. Listen to find out our favorite.

In this episode, Pinot Noir reigns supreme. The grape that made Burgundy famous and produces some of the most expensive wines in the world takes to the tasting ring. Which wine will wear the belt in the blind wine tasting? Unknown to us, tonight we tasted these three Pinots: 2022 Ken Wright Cellars Willamette Valley ($25.99) from our local wine store - Wall to Wall Wine; our second wine was a 2021...

Tonight, Dennis and Denise get marooned on the island of New Zealand where Sauvignon Blanc is number one. We wade through information about Sauvignon Blanc, before casting off on a blind wine tasting journey. Join the pair as they taste a 2023 Kirkland Ti Point Sauvignon Blanc; a 2018 Craggy Range Te Muna; and a 2022 Justin from the Central Coast of California. Three very different wines. Dovee lo...

In this episode of the Wine Appraiser Podcaster, Dennis and Denise blindly taste, learn about, and rate three affordable Cabernet Sauvignon wines. This could be the best wine to pair with a juicy steak. Tonight we taste a 2019 Santa Ema from the Maipo Valley, Chile. We next taste a 2015 Farnito from Tuscany, Italy. Our final wine was a 2018 Clay Shannon from Lake County, California. We had one cle...

Nothing pairs any better with summer than a light and refreshing rose’. In this episode of the Wine Appraiser Podcast, Dennis and Denise blind taste three affordable rose’ wines. Tonight we taste a 2023 Carayon La Rose from the Languedoc in the South of France; 2023 Malene by Chamisole Vineyards; and a 2022 Whispering Angle from Cotes de Provence. One of these wines we will buy again.

In this inaugural episode of the Wine Appraisal Podcast, Dennis the Wine Appraiser, discusses the reason behind the show. He talks of his passion to share affordable wine finds with listeners, and describes how he and his wife and wine-tasting partner Denise will blind taste and score three affordable wines each week.