I was at my local Mega Spirits and came across a Pinot Noir Rose from Spain in the sale section… we love a sale.  I took a $7.50 gamble and bought this random wine to see if it would be good.  

In today’s episode I get into this particular bodega owned by two brothers, Hugo and Diego Ortega.  Located in central Spain, their vineyard is in the cold section of Ribera del Duero at over 3,000ft of elevation and they primarily plant Pinot Noir.  Their philosophy is to value Pinot Noir, produce wines with their own personality and make sure their wine is a faithful reflection of where they came from.

These brothers inspired me to talk about how all of us are creators because they view winemaking as art, requiring creativity and inventiveness.  Tune in as I get into their story, taste the wine and go over my view points on all of us being creators.

2:25 - Intro to today’s wine

3:07 - Sales section wine

4:00 - They specialize in Pinot Noir

4:40 - Winemaking is art

4:55 - The Creative Act

5:45 - Read a section of the book

7:35 - We are all creators of our life (& in life)

8:15 - Ortega brothers (wine) viewpoint

8:45 - Everything you do is art

9:10 - If you don’t enjoy what you are doing….

9:35 - Mentors

10:30 - Suspicious cork

11:45 - We always have the answers we need

12:40 - Visual and Olfactory analysis

13:05 - Rose theory

14:10 - Wine visuals

15:30 - Taste the wine

17:25 - Rate the wine

Today’s wine: 2018 Pavina Rose

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

I have unlocked the white wine madness… once you start you can’t stop.  I am getting so much more comfortable with tasting different white wines and today I get into Godello, a grape varietal from the northwestern part of Spain in Galicia.  This area is known as the gateway to Galician lands.  It is filled with granitic soils which ultimately pushes the roots of the vines deeper into the ground causing them to probe for nourishment which can result in the vines being more resistant to extreme conditions (ex. heat & drought). 

Today’s wine producer is located on the slopes of Valdeorras, among the mountain along the passage of the river called Sil. Tune in as I get into tasting this delicious white wine while talking about my entrepreneurship journey update, letting go of control and riding the wave of where life takes you. Ultimately, you always end up being exactly where you need to be.

3:08 - Deep clay soils + granite rocks

4:45 - High on acidity

6:00 - No cork, no problem

6:25 - Only be part of positive environments

6:45 - Let go of control

7:05 - Ride the wave of life

9:10 - Everyone is in your life when they need to be in your life

10:15 - No encounter is random

10:40 - Visual Analysis of the wine

11:30 - Taste the wine

12:35 - What foods I would pair with this wine

14:25 - I rate this an 8.7/10

Today’s wine: O Laura do Sil Godello Pago de los Capellanes $22

LINK TO TODAY'S WINE 

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

Uruguayan red wine from a family who’s been producing wine since the early 1900s.  Around 1870 Francesco Pisano arrived from La Liguria, Italy to Uruguay.  In 1914 his son, Don Cesare Secundino Pisano, moved to Progreso and planted vineyards.  It took them about 10 years to produce wine and in 1924 the first family vintage was created.

Currently, the vineyard is run by the 4th generation of three brothers: Gustavo (the winemaker), Eduardo (Argonomist) and Daniel (export manager). I love this family story because they are all about loving what they do and I feel their passion through their story and expressed in their winemaking process. In this episode I go over their wine making practices and their entire process from vine to glass.  Also, I touch on the subject of how our passions will always be tested and when we are truly passionate about something success is always waiting on the other side… it’s just up to us to trust and show up every day continuing to do what we love.

Today’s wine is a red blend made of 55% tannin, 40% Syrah and 5% Viognier. I hope you enjoy this episode (and wine)!

1:25 - A wine I have never tried before

2:00 - History on the producer

3:20 - 1914 vineyard was planted

4:15 - 4th generation running the show

5:25 - Family-size of the vineyard

6:30 - Next winemaker to take over the family business

7:15 - Biodynamic and organic

7:25 - IPM (Integrated Pest Management)

8:20 - Random grass fun facts

9:30 - Red wine blend %

10:15 - Your passions will always be tested

11:35 - When something doesn’t go your way

12:05 - Nothing is random

13:05 - Deep conversations 

14:25 - It’s up to us to notice the signs

15:18 - The perfect timing

16:20 - Olfactory & visual analysis

18:15 - I prefer this with food

19:20 - Rating the wine (not my favorite)

Today’s wine: 2021 Red Blend Pisano $19

LINK TO BUY TODAY'S WINE 

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

The most popular white wine from Spain…. Albariño.  Today’s wine is located in the Rias Baxias part of Galicia in the Salnes valley (also known as the “capital of Albariño).  It is home to an annual festival called “Festa Internacional do Albariño”.

I dive into talking about the misconception behind red wines for people who are just getting into wine and tell me they only like white wines because they taste “sweet” and red wines are “dry”….spoiler alert most wines are “dry” wines but it’s about finding the ones you like.  This involves understanding the components of wine and what flavor profiles meet your taste buds.  It’s ok to have a specific wine palette but ultimately you don’t know what you like until you try different types of wines.  

Tune in to learn more about this region, the wine and how acidity and tannins are important for you to see what you do and don’t want in the wines you drink.  Let me know what you think and if you get to try it, tell me if this wine is the right fit for you.

1:25 - Intro to today’s wine

2:15 - Galicia location

2:50 - Salt river bed history

3:35 - 66% of Albarino produced in Salnes valley

4:00 - Open the bottle

4:20 - Story time about new wine drinkers

5:30 - The two most important components when drinking wine

6:10 - Acidity vs. Tannins

7:20 - It all depends on the situation

8:16 - I love pairing wine with my food

9:45 - Visual analysis

11:45 - Taste the wine

13:15 - Sour apple lollipops 

14:25 - Rating on the wine

Today’s wine: 2022 Albariño Mar de Frades $26

Mar de Frades - Total Wine  

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

Let’s talk Tempranillo, one of the most popular grape varietals in Spain.  Why is Rioja one of the best wine regions in Spain? I get into this in this episode because as one of the most popular wine regions in Spain, Rioja’s climate and soil is optimal for grape vines to thrive in.  The clay like soil allows the vines to thrive and not only gives them hydration when needed because of the easy water retention within these soils but also can easily drain water when there is an excess amount within the soils. We get into soils, potassium and why all these factors aid in creating a delicious wine.

Soils high in potassium = lower acidity. When calcium is thrown into the mix it signifies higher acidity in the grapes because it over powers the potassium present in the grapes.  Another positive thing about calcium is that it protects the berries from diseases and creates a protective barrier within the cell wall of the berry…. aka it aids in berry health. This creates an overall great acidic and tannic structure within the grapes.

Tune in as I open a 2007 vintage from one of the most popular wine producers within the Rioja region.  It’s a go to producer if you aren’t too familiar with Spanish wines.  I am excited to hear your thoughts!

2;30 - Grape varietals 

3:10 - Regulated Spanish wine

4:00 - Soil explanation 

4:45 - My favorite soil for grape vines

5:10 - Water retention

6:10 - Soils high in calcium

6:45 - Highly acidic wine

7:25 - Good cell structure within the grape

8:20 - My favorite soil

9:00 - Open the wine bottle

10:00 - Hectares to acres 

10:30 - Aging process

11:25 - Age is just a number

12:35 - Olfactory analysis

13:50 - Try the wine

16:00 - Rate the wine

16:15 - What food I would pair this with

Today’s wine: 2007 Herders del Marques de Riscal Rioja (Reserva) $48

https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/marquis+de+riscal+rsrv+doca+rioja+alavesa+spain/2007/usa-fl-y

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

I was inspired to talk about my historic wine cave experience when I visited a bodega in a small town in La Rioja back in 2022.  The bodega is called Lecea. The coolest part is that their cellar is all under a cave and we had a detailed tour explaining all of their winemaking practices and traditions. I even get into talking about how they used goat skins to transport the wine in the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries.

The wine I open today is a white wine from Asua (the producer) in the northern part of Rioja made of 100% Viura grape varietal.  As a 5th generation family of winemakers, Asua is known to stick with tradition, quality and innovation… they wouldn’t have it any other way.  I get into the history behind the small town called Haro, the capital of the region Rioja. They celebrate the territorial dispute that happened way back when between Haro and the surrounding villages as a yearly festival every July 29th called “La Batalla del Vino”… aka they throw a bunch of liters of wine at each other.

Tune in to learn more about this white wine and I hope you grab the bottle at your local total wine to taste along with me! Trust me this one is delicious and worth it.

2:15 - Bodega Lecea

3:20 - Wine transportation in a goat

4:30 - Explore a cave… filled with wine

4:50 - Intro to the Viura grape varietal

6:00 - Spanish classification

6:55 - Today’s producer… Asua

8:05 - When the Phoenicians took over…

8:35 - Territorial disputes = modern festivals

9:30 - Tradition, quality & good wine

10:30 - Visual analysis of the wine

10:50 - Calcareous soils 

11:45 - Olfactory analysis

12:40 - High acidity with a touch of sneaky tannins

13:10 - If Chardonnay & Riesling had a baby…

13:55 - Wine rating

14:20 - Food pairings for this white wine

Today’s Wine: 2020 Asua White Wine Rioja $17

https://www.totalwine.com/wine/white-wine/viura/asua-rioja-blanco/p/349544750 

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

About 5 years ago, I visited Quebec, Canada and had the pleasure of going to a vineyard in Quebec City called Vignoble Les Murmures.  Daniel and Monique are this lovely couple who own this vineyard and are super passionate about winemaking.  Crop management, wine production, bottling, etc. they do it all and run the whole vineyard themselves.  Overall, I talk about the hospitality I experienced during my visit in their space and how I even got to try some smoked salmon and pork Daniel makes on property in his own smoker.

With Burgundy-like climate, they grow about seven different grape varieties on their land. The wine I review today is made of 100% Ste-Croix grape varietal which tends to be on the more tannic side and it happens to be a 2013 vintage…tune in to see if the wine still tastes good after so many years.

1:20 - Quebec, Canada

2:20 - Daniel and Monique’s story behind their wine journey

3:05 - Agronomists

3:55 - Wine amateurs

5:15 - Le Chenepan

6:05 - Smoked salmon and pork experience

7:25 - Wine tour in Quebec

8:15 - Ste-Croix fun facts

8:50 - Did the wine go bad?

10:10 - Rebranded

10:40 - Tasting notes

11:40 - Nicely saying this wine was not it

13:05 - The tour is totally worth it

Today’s Wine: 2013 Vignoble Les Murmurs Le Chenapan

(linked below is the 2019 vintage)

https://lesmurmures.ca/boutique/le-chenapan/ 

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

Today we get into something that is super popular in the wine world…Beaujolais Nouveau.  This wine is made of 100% Gamay grape.  What makes this wine so popular is that the grapes are harvested, bottled right after the fermentation process and sold in the stores the same year it is harvested.  It is meant to be a young wine that you can drink right away.  Traditionally, it is meant to celebrate a successful end of the harvest.

The way this wine is made is through a process called carbonic maceration.  In the carbonic maceration process, a closed vat (allowing no oxygen in) is used with whole grape clusters for fermentation adding in carbon dioxide as needed.

They always release this wine around November (around thanksgiving time) in the US.  Try it out, let me know what you think!

1:35 - Intro to today’s wine

2:30 - Young wine you drink

3:40 - Carbonic maceration vs. semi-carbonic maceration

4:11 - Semi-carbonic maceration

6:20 - Visual analysis of the wine

7:15 - What happens after the first fermentation

7:45 - Pressed wine

8:15 - Adding in stems for some tannins

9:00 - Olfactory analysis

9:45 - Malolactic fermentation

11:30 - Rating on this wine

Today’s wine: 2023 Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau $16 (since the season passed for it, its now on sale for half the price through this link below)

Get my Beaujolais now

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

My last episode filmed in the west coast (for now hehe) and it’s bitter sweet. I decided to cheers to my wine harvest experience with a sparkling red wine… aka Lambrusco.

This is an Italian dry red sparkling wine and my go to for friends who don’t necessarily drink red wines. In my opinion, Lambrusco is the perfect intro to red wines if you are a white wine/sparkling wine drinker wanting to start venturing into the red wine world.

Fun facts about Lambrusco is that it is the main grape grown in the region of Modena (this region is also known for it’s balsamic vinegar and being the home of Ferrari). Today we try this delicious sparkling red wine while reflecting on my wine harvest experience as it comes to a close.

Tune in for all the details and cheers to another day sippin’ and growing with you!

1:24 - Last week in Sebastopol

2:20 - Reflecting on my experience

2:45 - What is Lambrusco

4:00 - Background on today’s producer

5:00 - Well balanced Lambrusco

5:50 - Fun facts about Modena

6:50 - Open bottle for tasting

7:35 - Great introductory to red wines

8:50 - Olfactory analysis

9:45 - Thoughts on the taste of this wine

12:15 - Reflection on my wine harvest experience

13:30 - Make the right connections

14:35 - Feeling of fear

15:55 - Surround yourself with the right people

16:25 - My biggest takeaway

17:45 - Just learn and make mistakes

Today’s wine: 2022 Bruno Zanasi Lambrusco 

(The cheapest I found online is $20, I got it for $16 at Bottle Barn)

https://www.thewinecrush.com/products/bruno-zanasi-2022-lambrusco-grasparossa 

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

Finally getting into French wines today.  I’m pumped because this is a little out of my comfort zone (currently learning more about them and how the French wine system works). I know French wines have a delicious reputation and well, as wine experts would say, historically are some of the best wines out there.

Today I open up a Chateauneuf du Pape aka the pope’s wine.  Back in the 13th century, Pope Clement V moved from Rome, Italy to France to the region Chateaunef du Pape.  He loved wine and was the first person to actually make wine in that region… which technically makes him the first winemaker ever in that area.

Chateauneuf du Pape (located in southeastern France) is a wine area in Rhone Valley near Avignon. Grenache is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. Chateauneuf du Pape only permits 13 types of grapes where the Grenache grape is always the base in the blend. In this bottle I open today, it is made of 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 15% Mourvèdre.

Here you will learn some history on the wine region, the terroir and my overall thoughts on this specific wine. I hope you enjoy this episode and get yourself some ‘vin du pape’ (pope wine)!

1:30 - Intro to today’s wine

2:45 - History on the region

3:05 - Pope Clement V moves from Rome

4:44 - 13 different grape varietals can be used for this wine

5:45 - Quartzite and the alpine glaciers

6:45 - Grenache grape oxidizes easily in wood

7:25 - Grenache is vinified in cement tanks

8:05 - Foudre aka large barrels 

9:40 - Open the bottle for wine tasting

10:20 - Climate/Seasons in the Chateauneuf du Pape region.

11:25 - Olfactory analysis

13:30 - Wine description after tasting it

14:05 - Rating for today’s wine

Today’s wine: 2020 Domaine de la Charbonniere Chateauneuf du Pape $42

https://vinonueva.com/products/domaine-de-la-charbonniere-chateauneuf-du-pape-2020 

Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 

Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale