The Wine Pair Podcast

All the cool kids are talking about wines from Jura, but should you believe the hype? Well, when it comes to the red wine Trousseau, we say a resounding YES! If you have never heard about the Jura wine region in France, it’s time to let you in on the secret so you can be part of the hip “in” crowd. And if you are a Pinot Noir or Gamay lover, we have a wine that we think is going to be a new go-to for you. Tucked away in a little corner of France between Burgundy and Switzerland is Jura, and one of the signature wines is Trousseau which is a fruity, elegant, juicy gem ready to be discovered. This is the perfect wine for our podcast listeners - delicious, under-the-radar, reasonably priced, and a wow-your-friends wine. Join us as we uncover the mystery! We also talk about an international wine scam in our Wine in the News this Week section, and we have another listener interview on the name for our wine tribe this week. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2020 Frederic Lornet Charles Rouget Cotes du Jura Trousseau, 2023 Domaine Ligier Arbois Trousseau

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We know what you’re thinking: how different could two of the same wines from different vintages taste really?!? We’re here to tell you, they were vastly different. Not even close. This week, we put Costco Kirkland Signature head to head with itself. Same wine: Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Riserva, but different vintages - 2020 vs. 2022 - and two different producers. And hands down one was a winner. We expected it to be closer, but it just wasn’t. We also dig into what the different designations of Chianti mean - Chianti vs. Classico vs. Riserva vs. Gran Selezione. And we talk about why Chianti can be a bit of a polarizing wine. We also dared to try the Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Chardonnay. There is only one way to describe it, and it rhymes with ducking spitty. You’ll definitely want to hear our reaction on that one. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2020 Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Riserva, 2022  Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Riserva

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Jake Busching is a bit of a legend around Virginia winemaking, so who better to be the first winemaker we talk to as part of our Virginia Winemakers series! Jake has a really cool background, one that is surprisingly not as common as you think, because he came to winemaking as a farmer, rather than as a scientist or being from a long family of winemakers. From that came some great quotes like “my heart is in the dirt” and his admonition to young winemakers to “Put the boots on first and get in the dirt.” In our interview, he talks about how as a winemaker you have to embrace the chaos of nature, because nature doesn’t care what you are trying to do. He also talks about his take on the science and art of winemaking and where he leans (he’s a former musician, if that gives you any hint), and his simple approach that the grape is the most important of the wine, which is why he is 100% vintage driven - whatever nature gives him that year. We also loved his take on Virginia winemaking being “cowboy country” meaning there are a lot of people learning how to do things along the way. Please join us in our wonderful conversation with Jake Busching. 

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When you think of red wine from Piedmont, you likely think of Nebbiolo or Barbera, but did you know that for a long time, Grignolino was the preferred red wine from the region? Wait, you’ve never heard of Grignolino before?!? Well, that is the perfect reason to go on this Italian Wine Adventure! A light red wine from maybe the most revered wine region in Italy, Grignolino is a wine some are saying is the hidden gem of Piedmont. The name of the wine comes from the fact that it has more seeds than most wine grapes, which doesn’t sound important but actually is when you consider that tannins and some flavors come from the seeds themselves. It is a great red wine to chill, and the combination of crunchy red fruit and grippy tannins is an experience to help you stretch your wine horizons. We also talk to listener Justin about his name for our wine tribe and we talk about wine in French prisons in our Wine in the News This Week section. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2021 Marchesi Incisa della Rocchetta Grignolino d'Asti, 2022 Braida Limonte Grignolino d'Asti

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Summer is almost over, but we found a great end of the summer wine that is chillable, quaffable, and easy drinking. In fact, this may be the wine that convinces your non-wine drinking friends that wine can be awesome. Most often used as a blending grape to add fruity aromas and softness to more tannic wines, on its own, Cinsault is a light, fruity, thoroughly enjoyable wine that belongs on your wine list. Perfect for cookouts and parties! Cinsault is also a wine known by many different names and is grown all over the world, and you probably have had it more than you know because of how often it is blended into red wine. And, evidently, if you are a big escargot fan, this is the wine for you! We also have a great conversation with one of our listeners, and we talk about the end of the controversy over the foil on Champagne wine bottles - and we bet you didn’t know there was a controversy about it. We also, unfortunately, ran into another corked wine in our tasting portion of the episode, but that’s ok because it helps you know that it does happen and what you might experience when you run into a corked wine. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2024 Lubanzi Cinsault,  2021 Domaine des Homs L'Amandier Cinsault

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Have you ever wondered why American Chardonnay tastes like oaky butter-bombs? Well, you can blame the French! The American style of Chardonnay is not our favorite, but it is super popular, and we explore why, and how it got to be the way it is. We also pit the 2022 Costco Kirkland Signature Sonoma County Chardonnay against some other easy to find and reasonably priced American Chardonnays to see who we think is the best bet for your hard-earned money. In our tasting, we also talk about what foods will pair with this style of Chardonnay, but we’ll be honest, American oaky Chardonnay is not really a great food wine; you sort of have to pick and choose what foods you can have with it. Rather, they are as they say “cocktail wines” meant to be drunk on their own due to their lack of acidity and overpowering structure. We also have a great conversation with listeners the East Idaho Foodies who gave us a name for our wine tribe this week. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2022 Kirkland Signature Sonoma County Chardonnay,  2022 Chateau Ste Michelle Indian Wells Chardonnay, JaM Cellars Butter Chardonnay

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Ok, in this episode, all hell breaks loose! It starts out innocently enough - an introduction to the Spanish wine Mencía, a quick interview with a real listener, some wine in the news this week, but once we hit the second tasting, pure chaos. Proof that our tastings are real, and that our podcast is unrehearsed and, frankly, when we get to the tasting section, unpredictable. You have to listen to the very end to get the full experience. But, we digress. If you don’t know the wine Mencía from the Galicia region of Spain, then it’s time to get on board. Often compared to Pinot Noir, Gamay, or Cabernet Franc - which it was originally thought to be a clone of until DNA tests proved otherwise - it is a medium bodied, fruity, gastronomic wine (a fancy way of saying that it is meant to be drunk with food). Listen in to find out more about this wine, and lots of other crazy stuff. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2021 Vinos de Arganza Lagar de Robla Premium Mencía, 2019 Losada El Pájaro Rojo Mencía

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This crowd-pleasing wine from Southern Italy’s Puglia region we think is underappreciated and not well-enough known - kind of like Puglia. Genetically identical to Zinfandel, Primitivo can be a rustic red, but when done well, it is fruity, juicy, and wonderfully balanced. There is a reason why Primitivo does so well in the heat of Southern Italy, and it’s the same reason why Zinfandel does so well in California. It is an early ripening grape that needs to reach high sugar levels so that it can create the high alcohol required to balance the fruit and tannin. Primitivo is a fantastic wine for your next cookout, barbecue, or elegant dinner. We also spend a little time talking about 25 cent one ounce pours available from Olive Garden. There is no other reason to go to Olive Garden, but we can’t blame you if you head there for the samples. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Masseria Le Veli Orion Primitivo, 2023 Castello Monaci Pilùna Primitivo

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Chablis is a wine we absolutely adore, and we think too many people are just unaware of what a beautiful and fantastic wine it is. If you are thinking, wait, I thought you guys hated Chardonnay, well, you’re not wrong, but specifically, we dislike super oaky Chardonnays. However, we love, love, love Chablis, and we can’t believe we have not done an episode on it before today. It is hard to put into words how much we love Chabils. If you are unsure about what all the hubbub is, or if you think we are exaggerating, we implore you: try some Chablis and drink along while you listen to this episode, and you will quickly change your mind about what a Chardonnay can be. Fruity, complex, elegant, crisp yet smooth, with wonderful minerality, Chablis is a wine almost without parallel, and should be at the top of everyone’s wine list. Whether you are a Chardonnay lover or a Chardonnay doubter, this wine will make you a believer that there is so much more to Chardonnay than oak and vanilla. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Le Vieux Clocher Chablis, 2023 Thomas Labille Chablis.

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South America may not be the first place you think of for high quality Pinot Noir, but it is definitely time to start putting it on your list, especially because, as wine prices shoot up due to tariffs, these lower cost options are going to be in higher demand. Pinot Noir in places like Chile and Argentina is still relatively new, and they are making exciting Burgundian-style wines in areas you would not expect. Despite most of the wine growing areas in South America tending to be warmer weather spots, they are discovering cooler climate oases where Pinot Noir can really shine. One of the wines we tasted and reviewed this week really knocked our socks off. And, as an extra bonus, we’ll dig into just what the eff rosorange wine is - and you can decide if you want to try it. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2020 Sur de los Andes Reserva Pinot Noir, 2021 Leyda Las Brisas Pinot Noir

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