Fifty years after the Judgment of Paris, is the wine world ready for another revolution? The panel dishes on world class Oregon Chardonnay, the chef dishes up buttery roasted oyster with hijiki seaweed, and we get into the growing movement for "Honest Wine" and label transparency, and why, despite the buzz, non-alcoholic wine stills falls short.
Season 8, Episode 1 of The Real Wine Show opens by thanking sponsor The Gabriel Group (www.gabrielgrp.com), a Midwest hospitality equipment supplier with showrooms and test kitchens.
The panel introduces Rebecca Waldron (Bush’s beer/wine/spirits buyer and Michigan Craft Beverage Council member), Dr. Matthew Horkey (wine writer and YouTuber), and Domenico “Mimmo” Musumeci (West Michigan farmer-winemaker behind wine projects including Wine Pirati, emphasizing transparency and ingredient labeling).
They debate whether the old world–new world rivalry still matters ahead of the Judgment of Paris 50th anniversary, discuss sommelier culture and blind tasting, and assess expensive no/low-alcohol wines. The group tastes wines including a Riesling pét-nat made with West Michigan oak barrels.
On Grape to Plate, Chef Jason pairs an Abruzzo sparkling blend with aromatically baked oysters and hijiki-butter.
Segments include a “wine cipher” game, an emotive blind tasting revealed as Amarone, Michigan wine event announcements, the Glass Check, Grape to Plate, and Rebecca winning the episode scoring.
00:00 Season Eight Kickoff
00:15 Sponsor Spotlight: Gabriel Group
01:12 Meet Rebecca Waldron
02:05 Currant Flavor Debate
03:16 Meet Matthew Horkey
04:04 Oregon Chardonnay Case
05:20 Meet Domenico "Mimmo" Musumeci
06:41 Honest Wine Transparency
09:30 News Segment Begins
09:42 Judgment of Paris Revisited
10:32 French Versus American Today
16:23 Glass Check
17:37 Michigan Oak Barrels
20:09 Sommelier Reality Show Talk
24:57 Blind Tasting Mythology
28:59 Luxury Non Alcohol Wines
35:33 Low Alcohol Alternatives
36:57 Michigan Wine Month Events
38:12 Dates and Show Notes
38:36 Grape to Plate w/ Chef Jason Berthold
39:58 Texture and Pairing Ideas
42:22 Oyster Pairing Blueprint
45:49 Hijiki Butter Broiled Oysters
48:10 Wine Reveal and Wrap
51:25 Wine Cipher Funky Note
54:59 Cipher Redemption Round
57:13 Emotive Blind Tasting Game
01:04:09 Blind Wine Reveal: Musella Amarone
01:05:35 Wine of the Show, Final Scores, and Farewell