The Wine Pair Podcast

Oh wow! This wine, that you’ve probably never heard of, is a revelation! For many years this wine was known as Napa Gamay, but it was a case of mistaken identity that took several experts and eventually DNA testing to reveal the truth. And the truth is that Valdiguié is delicious and tragically little known. Nearly extinct today in France where it is originally from, it is now becoming a bit of a darling in California in the natural wine and low intervention winemaking circles. In the past, Valdiguié, which is a prolific grower, was used as blending wine, and was not appreciated as a single varietal. Today, it is finding its place among adventurous winemakers who know how to tease out its wonderful qualities. If you like Gamay or Pinot Noir and you like chilled red wines, Valdiguié needs to be on your list. One of these wines we rated a 9 out of 10! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Cruse Wine Co. Rancho Chimiles Vineyard Valdiguié, 2022 Optik French Camp Valdiguié

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No matter how you feel about Champagne, it’s damn expensive. So, what if we told you that there is a French sparkling wine that hits like Champagne but doesn’t have nearly the same price? We think you’d probably thank us. And that’s why we’re talking about Crémant this week. You’re welcome. And not just any old Crémant (because there are several versions which we talk about in this episode), but specifically one of our favorites: Crémant de Loire made with the grape Chenin Blanc which is very unusual for a sparkling wine, and very delicious. If you have never heard of, or never tried, Crémant, then we need to talk. Seriously. Crémant is one of the world’s great sparkling wines, and what is so fun about it is that there are so many different varieties to choose from, and they are all very reasonably priced. We also want you to know that you do not need to drink sparkling wine from wine flutes. That is over. Just use a nice white wine glass, and you will be more than fine. Plus, you can have bigger pours. IKR?!? Wines reviewed in this episode: Gratien Meyer Crémant de Loire Brut, Langlois Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé

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If beer ain’t your jam for Oktoberfest, then maybe the great Bavarian German wine called Sylvaner (or is it Silvaner?!?) is the wine you should be enjoying with your pretzels and bratwurst this season. Yes, there are two spellings of Sylvaner, and yes it matters because the style of Silvaner spelled with an “i” is the German version, and it is a crisp, acidic wine that goes well with German foods, while the version with the “y,” most famously from Alsace, France, is a different, richer wine. The other thing to know is that there is a classic bottle shape for Silvaner from Franken, Germany that is just, frankly, odd. The bottle shape is called Bocksbeutel, and let’s just say the name is for a body part that is, well, delicate. But you have to listen to the episode to learn more. We had a lot of fun getting “exposed” to this different type of wine and wine bottle, and we think you will enjoy it, too. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2022 Domaine Mann Vignoble des 3 Terres Mouton Bleu Sylvaner, 2023 Hans Wirsching Iphofer Silvaner

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We know you’ve seen Decoy wines around with their famous duck on the label, but the real question is - have you ever tried Decoy wine? Before you answer that question, we want to tell you what we think. Before we do that, we’re going to tell you a bit about the parent company that Decoy comes from called Duckhorn Wine Company started by, and this is not a joke, Margaret and Dan Duckhorn. Then we are going to tell you more about Decoy wine itself, its history, its purpose, and its winemaker. And then we are going to do a real, honest, tasting and review of two Decoy wines to let you know if you should buy it (and, as always, we bought these wines with our own money, so you know we are being real). We also have some things to say about the inevitable AI apocalypse and what wine has to do with it, wink, wink. And we even have a listener interview for our tribe name this week. So, look, it’s time to get your ducks in a row, put down your ducking phone, and listen to this episode so we can tell you what the duck to do. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Decoy California Cabernet Sauvignon, 2025 Decoy Sauvignon Blanc

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If your impression of Beaujolais is that super light fruity wine called Beaujolais Nouveau that comes out in November right around Thanksgiving, you are really missing out on what Beaujolais has to offer. Cru Beaujolais is often compared to Pinot Noir from Burgundy, and they are neighbors in the region. And, for many years, Cru Beaujolais was considered to be on par with Burgundy. So what happened? A bunch of crappy Beaujolais Nouveau flooded the market, and really hurt the reputation of Beaujolais. But, it is making a comeback! Made from the grape Gamay, Beaujolais is a medium bodied red that can be chilled, and is often called a bistro wine, meaning it is fantastic with casual meals. Cru Beaujolais comes from 10 specific villages in France, and each has its own AOC and flavor profile, and we may even have a mnemonic device to help you remember them because sometimes the labels just mention the village, not Beaujolais. Look, if you don’t know Gamay or Beaujolais, the first thing you need to do is listen to this episode and learn more, and then you need to buy some Cru Beaujolais and find out for yourself. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Domaine Gilles Coperet Morgon, 2024 Moulin-a-Vent Cru Beaujolais Les Michelons

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We know what you’re thinking. There’s no way they can make wine in England. We thought the same thing too, but here’s the deal. They are making some killer wine, especially sparkling wine, in England. Don’t believe it?!? Then you must listen to this episode. Once the butt of jokes, British wine is getting a reputation for excellence that is surprising both professionals and regular drinkers all over the world. There are a few factors that play into this rise of British bubbly that we discuss, including the impact of climate change, and the common soil they share with Champagne. Yes, that Champagne! While not the cheapest option, which is why we only tasted and reviewed one wine in this episode, you may be very surprised to find what a great option it is. Plus, in our wine in the news this week, we tell you what happens when a wasp, a badger, and a goose walk into a vineyard. Wine reviewed in this episode: Henners 2018 Vintage Sparkling Blend

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You hear claims about zero-sugar wines, low sugar wines, and clean wines and you think, hey, that sounds like a good thing. But, what does it really mean? The truth is, not much. We dig into the facts to give you the skinny. Turns out, much of that no-sugar  language is just fancy marketing speak for stuff that has always been true about wine. Guess what? In the fermentation process, sugar gets turned into alcohol, and in most cases, very little residual sugar is left behind. Even more, there are no regulations or laws in the U.S. that dictate what can or cannot be stated in these claims. In other words, brands can say anything they want about low sugar or zero sugar or clean. So, what are we supposed to do now? Listen to this minisode to find out. And relax. It’s just wine.

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When you take a great red wine grape like Aglianico and you make a Rosé from it, do you know what you get? That’s right. A great Rosé! In this episode we explore Rosé made from Aglianico, the King of Southern Italian red wines, which also happens to make a great Rosé. If you think you don’t like Rosé, it probably just means that you haven’t had one made from a red wine grape that you love. And in Italy, they are starting to make some fantastic Rosé wines, also known as Rosato in Italian. So, if you see the term Rosato, don’t be confused. Unlike the typical Provence-style Rosé, which dominates the market, Aglianico Rosé wines have more structure and more complexity. We also talk about a study that found people who know a lot about wine tend to be of higher intelligence. We couldn’t agree more! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2024 San Salvatore Vetere Rosato, 2025 Feudi di San Gregorio San Greg Rosato

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Chillable red wines are a thing right now, and we think we may have found the perfect chillable red wine for you to not only enjoy but wow your hipster friends, family, and coworkers with. In fact, this wine is becoming a darling of in-the-know sommeliers! Schiava comes from the Alto Adige region of Italy, and it has everything you are looking for in a chillable red wine: crunchy red fruit flavors, light body, low tannins, and moderate alcohol. And while the wine is sometimes called “weightless” don’t confuse that with being bland or boring, because it is anything but that. Look, you are not going to drink this wine with a big steak, but there’s more to life than big steaks, right?!? Sometimes also called Trollinger and Vernatsch, this is the perfect wine for a summer afternoon, for appetizers and charcuterie, poultry, spicy and sweet barbecue, and, yes, even fish. Red wine and fish?!? Crazy, but true. Often called the white wine drinker’s red wine, Schiava is a wine you need to know, especially if you want to be counted among the trendy. Or not. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2024 Alois Lageder Schiava, 2022 Elena Walch Schiava

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Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the world’s great wines, but many people haven’t tried it because it can be darn expensive. So, when Costco drops their Kirkland Signature version of the wine, the natural question is “should I buy it?” Well, we are here to help you make that decision. Châteauneuf-du-Pape has a rather remarkable history, harkening back to a time when the papacy was in France, not Rome, and even a period when there were two popes for a longer period than you might expect. We talk about that history, as well as some of the rules and restrictions around Châteauneuf-du-Pape. But, what you really want to know is “should I buy it?!?” and that is what we will help you decide in this episode. And just to make sure we are giving you good advice, we compare the Costco Kirkland version to a well regarded and highly rated version of the wine just to make sure. We don’t want to spoil it, but the Kirkland version compares very well. As an extra bonus, we talk about the hot new wine trend called blouge. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2024 Costco Kirkland Signature Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2023 Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

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