This Week Uncorked

This week we unpack the Clarke County DRC wine theft and the suspect who vanished overseas, why 2025 wasn't as bleak for California wine as the headlines suggested, and a look back at Wine-Searcher's most-read stories of the year that defined the industry's biggest themes.

Our features include Galante Vineyards, the Hatzidakis Skitali Assyrtiko 2019, and dining at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant with a $50 corkage fee and no bottle limit.

Get 10% off your first purchase at The Caubleist using the code CORK10 at checkout!

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ Serbian National Wanted in Clarke County Wine Theft

♦️ It Was a Tough Year for California Wine

♦️ The Most-Read Stories of 2025

♦️ Arrival of GLP-1 Weight-Loss Pill Creates New Headache

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Galante Vineyards in Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA

♦️ Hatzidakis Skitali Assyrtiko 2019

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Eiffel Tower Restaurant in Las Vegas, NV

♦️ Corkage Fee is $50 Per Bottle / No Limit

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/february-2-2026-weight-loss-pills-could-be-the-next-threat-to-alcohol-sales/

👇SUBSCRIBE👇

️ ♦️ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIe5rOLf18ZllnhaZWWQt9A?sub_confirmation=1

️ ♦️ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CorkandJourney/

️ ♦️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Twitter - https://twitter.com/corkandjourney/

💰 RESTAURANT CORKAGE FEES 💰 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/listings

🍷 WINE REVIEWS 🍷 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/wines/

🏠 WINERY REVIEWS 🏠 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/travel/wineries/

🍽️ RESTAURANT REVIEWS 🍽️ ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/category/food/restaurants/

This week we cover Canada's rush to buy boycotted U.S. liquor stockpiles, a new American Heart Association report linking moderate drinking to heart health, and how Costco has become an unlikely destination for serious wine buyers—plus a look at Saudi Arabia quietly lifting its decades-long booze ban.

Our features include Rombi Wines, the 2021 Viognier from Happy Canyon's Jack McGinley Vineyard in Santa Barbara, and dining at La Bottega del 30 and Masseria with a $75 corkage fee.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ Canadians Rush to Buy Stockpiles of Boycotted U.S. Liquor

♦️ Alcohol Use and Cardiovascular Disease

♦️ How Costco Won Over Wine Snobs

♦️ A Booze Ban Since the '50s Is Being Quietly Lifted in Saudi Arabia

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Rombi Wines in Carmel Valley, CA

♦️ 2021 Voignier Happy Canyon/Jack McGinley Vineyard Santa Barbara

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ La Bottega del 30 in Villa A Sesta, Chianti

♦️ Masseria in Washington, DC - $75.00 Corkage Fee

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/january-26-2025-canadas-u-s-liquor-selloff-sparks-buying-frenzy/

👇SUBSCRIBE👇

️ ♦️ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIe5rOLf18ZllnhaZWWQt9A?sub_confirmation=1

️ ♦️ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CorkandJourney/

️ ♦️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Twitter - https://twitter.com/corkandjourney/

💰 RESTAURANT CORKAGE FEES 💰 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/listings

🍷 WINE REVIEWS 🍷 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/wines/

🏠 WINERY REVIEWS 🏠 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/travel/wineries/

🍽️ RESTAURANT REVIEWS 🍽️ ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/category/food/restaurants/

This week, we cover the quiet dumping of Washington's flagship winery, how Gen Z is reshaping wine buying habits, and the biggest fine wine auctions of 2025—plus a look at Napa County's new pilot program allowing vineyard tastings without on-site wineries.

Our features include Bellante Family Winery, the Clos Saint-Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus Ex Machina 2021, and dining at Born 8 and Prime 88 with a $30 corkage fee.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ Washington Flagship Winery Dumped for Nothing

♦️ How Gen Z Is Quietly Rewriting the Rules of Wine

♦️ The Biggest Fine Wine Auctions of 2025

♦️ Napa County Launches Pilot Program Allowing Vineyard Tastings Without On-Site Wineries

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Bellante Family Winery in Mission Viejo, CA

♦️ Clos Saint-Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus Ex Machina 2021

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Born 8 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain

♦️ Prime 88 - $30.00 Corkage Fee

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/january-19-2025-napa-county-approves-vineyard-tastings-outside-traditional-wineries/

👇SUBSCRIBE👇

️ ♦️ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIe5rOLf18ZllnhaZWWQt9A?sub_confirmation=1

️ ♦️ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CorkandJourney/

️ ♦️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Twitter - https://twitter.com/corkandjourney/

💰 RESTAURANT CORKAGE FEES 💰 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/listings

🍷 WINE REVIEWS 🍷 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/wines/

🏠 WINERY REVIEWS 🏠 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/travel/wineries/

🍽️ RESTAURANT REVIEWS 🍽️ ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/category/food/restaurants/

In this week's episode, we discuss how fine wine demand grows in Latin America, bulk wine shows unexpected strength, and a major debate emerges over whether the U.S. wine industry deserves a government bailout.

This week's features include Truffle Pig Winery in Temecula, the 2021 Saxum "G2 Vineyard," and Il Refettorio on the Amalfi Coast.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ Fine Wine Demand Surges In Key Latin American Markets

♦️ 13 Things That Might Surprise You About Prohibition

♦️ Bulk Wine Defies Market Downturn

♦️ Should the Government Bail Out the Wine Industry?

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Truffle Pig Winery in Temecula, CA

♦️ 2021 Saxum "G2 Vineyard"

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Il Refettorio in Conca dei Marini, Italy

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/january-12-2025-american-wine-industry-is-dying-will-the-government-step-in/

👇SUBSCRIBE👇

️ ♦️ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIe5rOLf18ZllnhaZWWQt9A?sub_confirmation=1

️ ♦️ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CorkandJourney/

️ ♦️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Twitter - https://twitter.com/corkandjourney/

💰 RESTAURANT CORKAGE FEES 💰 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/listings

🍷 WINE REVIEWS 🍷 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/wines/

🏠 WINERY REVIEWS 🏠 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/travel/wineries/

🍽️ RESTAURANT REVIEWS 🍽️ ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/category/food/restaurants/

In this week's episode, we discuss how disease-resistant grapes spark hope for a Florida wine renaissance, Vinarchy slashes 60 brands to appeal to younger drinkers, and France pledges $150 million to aid vine uprooting efforts.

This episode also features Weisinger Family Winery in Oregon, the 2022 Rutherford Hill Merlot from Napa Valley, and Hostaria Baccofurore on Italy's Amalfi Coast.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ First Successful Harvest of Disease-resistant Grapes

♦️ Vinarchy To Axe 60 Wine Brands

♦️ France To Help Wine Industry With $150 Million In Aid

♦️ Texas 2025 Tasting Report

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Weisinger Family Winery (Ashland, Rogue Valley AVA)

♦️ 2022 Rutherford Hill Merlot (Napa Valley)

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Hostaria Baccofurore in Furore, Italy

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/january-5-2025-disease-resistant-grapes-offer-hope-for-florida-winegrowers/

👇SUBSCRIBE👇

️ ♦️ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIe5rOLf18ZllnhaZWWQt9A?sub_confirmation=1

️ ♦️ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CorkandJourney/

️ ♦️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Twitter - https://twitter.com/corkandjourney/

💰 RESTAURANT CORKAGE FEES 💰 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/listings

🍷 WINE REVIEWS 🍷 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/wines/

🏠 WINERY REVIEWS 🏠 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/travel/wineries/

🍽️ RESTAURANT REVIEWS 🍽️ ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/category/food/restaurants/

In this week's episode, we discuss how millennials have officially overtaken Baby Boomers as America's largest wine‑drinking generation, Wine Enthusiast's 2025 Top 100 list is out, and rising alcohol duties are making Europe—especially the UK—one of the most expensive places in the world to drink wine.

This week also features Belle Fiore Winery in Ashland, Oregon, the 2022 Cline Family Cellars Ancient Vines Zinfandel, and a dining stop at Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Florence, Italy.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ The Wine Industry is Worrying About the Wrong Age Cohort

♦️ The Enthusiast 100: The Best Wines of 2025

♦️ Wine prices: Which is Europe's most expensive country?

♦️ Theft Of $24,000 Wine Bottle Spurs High-Speed Chase Through Virginia Countryside

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Belle Fiore Winery in Ashland, OR

♦️ 2022 Cline Family Cellars Ancient Vines Zinfandel

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Florence, Italy

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/december-29-2025-millennials-take-the-lead-as-americas-top-wine-drinkers/

👇SUBSCRIBE👇

️ ♦️ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIe5rOLf18ZllnhaZWWQt9A?sub_confirmation=1

️ ♦️ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CorkandJourney/

️ ♦️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Twitter - https://twitter.com/corkandjourney/

💰 RESTAURANT CORKAGE FEES 💰 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/listings

🍷 WINE REVIEWS 🍷 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/wines/

🏠 WINERY REVIEWS 🏠 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/travel/wineries/

🍽️ RESTAURANT REVIEWS 🍽️ ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/category/food/restaurants/

In this week's episode, we discuss how a 416-year-old Tibetan grapevine earns a world record, Napa Valley leaves thousands of acres of grapes unharvested, and the wine industry asks if it's finally hit rock bottom. This week's featured winery is Barton Family Wines in Paso Robles, alongside a 2020 Domaine du Grand Tinel Châteauneuf-du-Pape and a spotlight on Forma restaurant in Civitavecchia, Italy.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ 416-year-old grapevine in Tibet is officially the oldest in the world

♦️ Napa Valley Grapes Were Left On The Vine This Harvest, While Acres Of Vineyards Have Been Pulled Over The Past Year

♦️ Are We There Yet? Wine's Search for Rock Bottom

♦️ In Oregon's Star Wine Region, Climate Change Is Challenging Pinot Noir's Dominance

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Barton Family Wines in Paso Robles, CA

♦️ 2020 Domaine du Grand Tinel Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Forma in Civitavecchia, Italy

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/december-22-2025-2025-becomes-the-year-of-abandoned-grapes-in-napa-valley/

👇SUBSCRIBE👇

️ ♦️ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIe5rOLf18ZllnhaZWWQt9A?sub_confirmation=1

️ ♦️ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CorkandJourney/

️ ♦️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Twitter - https://twitter.com/corkandjourney/

💰 RESTAURANT CORKAGE FEES 💰 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/listings

🍷 WINE REVIEWS 🍷 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/wines/

🏠 WINERY REVIEWS 🏠 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/travel/wineries/

🍽️ RESTAURANT REVIEWS 🍽️ ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/category/food/restaurants/

In this episode, we discuss how AI is reshaping wine writing, Michelin is stepping into global wine scoring, and the debate over why wine ratings still matter continues alongside the release of Wine Spectator's Top 100 list. This week's features spotlight the historic Gordon's Wine Bar in London, the 2019 Siboney Cellars "Storm Breaker" Merlot, and Steak & Company in London for a perfect food‑and‑wine finish.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ How a (very) Few Number of Humans Can Stay Employed As Wine Writers in the Age of AI

♦️ Michelin's next course: rating the world's wines

♦️ No S**t! - Why Scores Matter to Wine

♦️ Wine Spectator's Top 100 Lists

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Gordon's Wine Bar in London, England

♦️ 2019 Siboney Cellars "Storm Breaker" Merlot

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Steak & Company in London, England

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/december-15-2000-michelin-goes-global-with-its-own-wine-scores/

👇SUBSCRIBE👇

️ ♦️ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIe5rOLf18ZllnhaZWWQt9A?sub_confirmation=1

️ ♦️ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CorkandJourney/

️ ♦️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Twitter - https://twitter.com/corkandjourney/

💰 RESTAURANT CORKAGE FEES 💰 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/listings

🍷 WINE REVIEWS 🍷 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/wines/

🏠 WINERY REVIEWS 🏠 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/travel/wineries/

🍽️ RESTAURANT REVIEWS 🍽️ ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/category/food/restaurants/

In this week's episode, we discuss Master Sommelier Ian Cauble launching The Caubleist, a new daily wine club with deep storytelling roots, as the wine world debates the meaning of minerality, vine age, and a bribery scandal involving shelf space and Super Bowl tickets. This week's featured winery is Manousakis in Crete, the wine is a 2023 Gundlach Bundschu Dry Gewürztraminer, and the restaurant is Cucina del Teatro in Rome.

Get 10% off at The Caubleist with promo code CORK10 - Visit: https://thecaubleist.com/

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ Master Sommelier Ian Cauble Launches the Caubleist: A Daily Journey Through the World's Great Wines

♦️ Why No One In Wine Can Agree On The Meaning Of This Word

♦️ Is Older Better? The Great Vine Debate

♦️ Super Bowl tickets and a gift card 'bank': How wine producers allegedly bribed California stores

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Manousakis Winery in Crete, Greece

♦️ 2023 Gundlach Bundschu Dry Gewürztraminer

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Cucina del Teatro in Rome, Italy

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/december-8-2025-master-sommelier-ian-cauble-launches-the-caubleist-wine-club/

👇SUBSCRIBE👇

️ ♦️ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIe5rOLf18ZllnhaZWWQt9A?sub_confirmation=1

️ ♦️ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CorkandJourney/

️ ♦️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Twitter - https://twitter.com/corkandjourney/

💰 RESTAURANT CORKAGE FEES 💰 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/listings

🍷 WINE REVIEWS 🍷 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/wines/

🏠 WINERY REVIEWS 🏠 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/travel/wineries/

🍽️ RESTAURANT REVIEWS 🍽️ ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/category/food/restaurants/

In this week's episode, we discuss Port wine's uncertain future, a flight attendant's global quest for Domaine des Miroirs, and Sonoma County's denial of a wine country pool club lead this week's top stories. This episode features Robert Renzoni Vineyards in Temecula, their 2021 Fiori di Fano wine, and a visit to Mama Rosa's Trattoria.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ 'It'll be a shrinking category until it's rediscovered': predicting Port's future

♦️ 2 Years, 10 Cities, and Countless Wine Shops: A Flight Attendant's Relentless Hunt for Domaine des Miroirs

♦️ This Wine Brand Wanted To Open A Wine Country Pool Club. Here's Why You Won't Be Swimming In It

♦️ Lifting Earth's Burden With Lighter Wine Bottles

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Robert Renzoni Vineyards in Temecula, CA

♦️ 2021 Fiori di Fano – Robert Renzoni Vineyards

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Mama Rosa's Trattoria at Robert Renzoni Vineyards

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/december-1-2025-sonomas-no-pool-rule-shuts-down-new-wine-club-vision/

👇SUBSCRIBE👇

️ ♦️ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIe5rOLf18ZllnhaZWWQt9A?sub_confirmation=1

️ ♦️ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CorkandJourney/

️ ♦️ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/corkandjourney/

️ ♦️ Twitter - https://twitter.com/corkandjourney/

💰 RESTAURANT CORKAGE FEES 💰 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/listings

🍷 WINE REVIEWS 🍷 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/wines/

🏠 WINERY REVIEWS 🏠 ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/travel/wineries/

🍽️ RESTAURANT REVIEWS 🍽️ ♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/category/food/restaurants/