One of America’s best wine writers says most wine writers write for each other, plus listeners ask why wines don’t have a bitterness measure like beer, how to store wine for decades to give to kids from their birth year, and what wines are good pairings with Super Bowl junk food.

A new study shows wine drinking is healthy for older folks. Naturally, Paul is thrilled. Also, a professor in pharmacology and microbiology says our genes, germs and environment affect our tastes in food and drink. Wine snobs have no effect. Plus listeners ask what’s the definition of a dry wine, is there a difference between fume blanc and sauvignon blanc, and why the back label of a wine is so useless in helping you choose. And listeners sent us some horrible wine writing, and it is very horrible.

We look at how things are going in general in the wine world (Hint: Just fine with the same touch of snottiness), listeners ask how the 2018 vintage seemed to turn out, how long wine can sit on a shelf, and whether wine taste different in the high mountains, and our Horrible Wine Writing is proof some (bad) things never change.

We talk about the wonders of Sparkling Wine while listeners ask about flying corks and the number of bubbles in a bottle of Champagne. Plus, we have some historic history about sparkling wine and Horrible Wine Writing is full of froth.

We’re talking holidays and wine gifts and how to avoid the jerk at the holiday parties. Plus listeners ask about when they should decant wine, and whether it’s OK to hide the good wine at a party. We also have some of the dumbest Horrible Wine Writing ever – the holidays seem to bring that out.

We make Paul match wine descriptions with their scores from the same critic – which seem completely unconnected. Also, listeners ask about barrel tastings and steel tanks and one person tells a story of very confusing wine service. Plus, in our horrible wine writing, we think a sommelier is making up words.

We hear from a few somm who actually understand why people can be intimidated by them, plus listeners ask what it means when a wine is closed, what’s a “firm” wine, and about dealing with the massive amount of wine choices in a store. And our horrible wine writing is a careful embroidery of snobbiness.

We talk turkey about wines with turkey and the rest of the Thanksgiving table. Listeners ask whether wine helps digestion and wonder what to do with the uncle who gives way-to-long toasts. Plus our Historic History Moment sends the Wayback machine to visit the Pilgrims.

Two of the world’s least sexy guys – us – talk about Pinot Noir, one of the world’s sexiest wines. Plus listeners ask about those big, wide Pinot Noir glasses and whether a wine’s vintage really matters. And our wayback machine has some history about Pinot Noir, which is also one of our oldest grapes.

We have a study that says couples who drink together are happier and another that says touching something with your hand affects the taste of the wine. Also, listeners ask about big displays of wines in supermarkets and whether restaurants want us to order a glass or a whole bottle, plus our horrible wine writing goes well with a lamb chop.