Good Friends and a Glass of Wine

We taste a couple of sparkling wines, the French: Duval-Leroy Champagne Brut, and the Spanish: Barcino Belle Epoque Cava Brut. We also learn about deciphering wine labels & vintage.
Episode 3 show notes
Wines
French: Duval Leroy Champagne Brut Reserve
Spanish: Barcino Belle Epoque Cava Brut
Useful resources
Interesting facts about the Belle Epoque era
Champagne 101
Why cava is cheaper than champagne
Deciphering old world & new world wine labels
How to read wine labels
Details on what reserve means when used on wine labels
Understanding the meaning behind vintage & non-vintage wine labels
Understanding the difference between table & wine grapes
Glossary
Vinosity:The overall experience of a wine: flavour, colour, texture etc.
Brut: Dry champagne (most common type).
Brut nature: Extremely dry champagne.
Demi-sec: Fully sweet champagne.
Extra dry: Faintly sweet champagne.
Grand Cru: A French wine (or vineyard where it is produced), of superior quality.
Premier Cru: The second highest grade for French wines, just below Premier Cru. There are more appellations within this grading.

Upcoming wines
Episode 4
French: Chateau Laulerie Bergerac Merlot Chilean: Antawara Merlot
Episode 5
French: Chateau de Chemily
Australian: Bleasdale
Episode 6
Italian: I Veroni
Australian: Geoff Hardy Fortified Muscat

We taste a couple of Grenache Blend wines, the French: Les Chiens Catalan Blanc, and Chateau Maris Viognier Grenache Blanc, and the Australian: Schild Estate GMS. We also learn about blended wines & how to start describing wine!
Episode 2 show notes
Wines
French: Les Chiens Catalan Blanc 
French: Chateau Maris Viognier Grenache Blanc 
Australia: Schild Estate GMS 
Useful resources
How blending wine originated and has developed
Further details on the history of wine blending
Intro to why winemakers blend wine & popular blended wines
What are tannins
Glossary
Tannins: A natural occurring compound that acts as a natural preservative. It describes the dry feeling after having a red wine.

Upcoming wines
Episode 3
French: Duval-Leroy Champagne Brut
Spanish: Barcino Belle Epoque Cava Brut
Episode 4
French: Chateau Laulerie Bergerac Merlot Chilean: Antawara Merlot
Episode 5
French: Chateau de Chemily
Australian: Bleasdale
Episode 6
Italian: I Veroni
Australian: Geoff Hardy Fortified Muscat

On this episode, we taste two Cabernet Sauvignon wines, the French: Ardeche Classique, and Argentinian: Finca Amadeo. We also learn how to taste wines!

Episode 1 show notes
Wines
French: Ardeche Classique
Argentinian: Finca Amadeo
Useful resources
Vine distribution facts & general cab sauv details
Info on the Rhone valley appellation
Useful list of terms used to describe wines
Wine tasting tutorial
Wine a Tasting Course, by Marnie Old
Glossary
Appellation: A defined geographical area where wine is grown.
Blended wines: A wine that contains two or more varieties of grape.
Full bodied wines: Wines over 13.5% alcohol, which have a rich texture.
Old world wines: Regions where wine originated, including: Europe, the Middle East, & Northern Africa.
New world wines: Wine growing regions outside of the old world regions, including: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, and the US.
Single varietals: Wines made primarily from one grape variety.
Vintage: The year when grapes were harvested.
Wine aroma kit (mentioned by Stephen): A kit that provides a range of smells and charts to educate you on common scents associated with wine.

Upcoming wines
Episode 2
French: Les Chiens Catalan Blanc
Chateau Maris Viognier Grenache Blanc (Bonus wine)
Australian: Schild Estate GMS
Episode 3
French: Duval-Leroy Champagne Brut
Spanish: Barcino Belle Epoque Cava Brut
Episode 4
French: Chateau Laulerie Bergerac Merlot Chilean: Antawara Merlot
Episode 5
French: Chateau de Chemily
Australian: Bleasdale
Episode 6
Italian: I Veroni
Australian: Geoff Hardy Fortified Muscat