In this week's episode, we discuss the $99 million Bordeaux Cellars Ponzi scheme, the murky legal ethics behind re-labeled Champagne, and how AI is helping wineries fight back against rising DTC labor costs. We also feature Alma Rosa Winery in Solvang, CA, their 2021 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir "El Jabali," and Orla at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV, with a $50 corkage fee.

Find Restaurant Corkage Fees on Cork & Journey

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ British man extradited to US to face federal charges in alleged $99 million wine scam

♦️ Two Winemakers' Hunt for Champagne's Forgotten Bottles

♦️ Tech Tools for Wineries to Take on DTC Challenges

♦️ When It's OK to Send Wine Back (and When it's Not)

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Alma Rosa Winery in Solvang, CA

♦️ 2021 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir "El Jabali"

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Orla at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV

♦️ Corkage Fee is $50.00 Per Bottle / Max 2

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/july-28-2025-the-bordeaux-cellars-ponzi-scheme-just-hit-u-s-courts/

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

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

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

A Michigan court's landmark ruling in favor of small wineries is setting the stage for a legal showdown in Napa Valley, while Washington's tasting room expansion and a new book debunking minerality keep the wine world buzzing. We also highlight Lucas & Lewellen in Solvang, their 2020 Hidden Asset Red Blend, and Anthony's Prime Steak and Seafood in Henderson, NV with a $25 corkage and award-winning wine list.

Find Restaurant Corkage Fees on Cork & Journey

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ Michigan Wineries Beat Back the Bureaucrats: A Victory for the Little Guy

♦️ Napa's Ag Preserve Law at Risk

♦️ Washington's Wine Tasting Rooms Have a New Flavor

♦️ Books: Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate by Alex Maltman

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards in Solvang, CA

♦️ 2020 Hidden Asset Red Blend

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Anthony's Prime Steak & Seafood in Henderson, NV

♦️ Corkage Fee is $25 Per Bottle at All Restaurants in the M Resort

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/july-21-2025-will-michigans-winery-win-blow-the-cork-off-napa/

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🍷 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 the WHO's push to regulate alcohol like tobacco leads this week's top stories, followed by California's new "click to cancel" law making it easier to drop wine club memberships, and a surprising trend toward embracing smoke-tainted wines. We also feature Irvine & Roberts Vineyards in Ashland, Oregon, their 2019 Wädenswil Block Pinot Noir, and Sgrizzi Ristorante & Bar by Chef Marc in Las Vegas with a $35 corkage and no bottle limit.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ The WHO's 'Tobacco Playbook' Targets Alcohol

♦️ Click to Cancel Bill Now Law in California

♦️ 10 Bucket-List Chef's Tables for Wine Lovers

♦️ Where There's Smoke, There's … Wine?

♦️ California Wrote off this Red Wine. But Now It's Staging a Comeback

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Irvine & Roberts Vineyards in Ashland, OR

♦️ 2019 Irvine & Roberts Vineyards Wädenswil Block Rogue Valley Pinot Noir

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Sgrizzi Ristorante & Bar by Chef Marc in Las Vegas, NV

♦️ Corkage Fee is $35 Per Bottle // No Limit

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/july-14-2025-the-who-wants-alcohol-regulated-like-tobacco-what-happens-next/

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🍷 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 are discussing how winemakers may fudge alcohol levels more than you think, Gen Z's drinking habits may be shifting, and Oregon oak barrels could reshape American winemaking. This week's features include Sanger Family Wines in Solvang, the 2022 Marianello Cielo Rubio, and Hank's Fine Steaks & Martinis in Henderson, NV.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ Winemakers Are Fibbing About Alcohol Content — Here's Why They're Getting Away With It

♦️ Gen Z Not Shunning Alcohol As Much As Thought, Says Survey

♦️ 50% off SOMM TV Monthly Subscription for One Year👉 https://bit.ly/somm_tv_50

♦️ Oregon Oak: Wooden It Be Nice?

♦️ 2025 Tasting Room Survey Report

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Sanger Family Wines in Solvang, CA

♦️ 2022 Marianello Cielo Rubio

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Hank's Fine Steaks & Martinis in Henderson, NV

♦️ Corkage Fee is $35 Per Bottle / Max 2 / Can't be on their Winelist

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/july-7-2025-are-winemakers-lying-about-alcohol-content/

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🍷 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 Silicon Valley Bank's 2025 DTC Wine Report reveals vital trends for small wineries, New York updates its alcohol laws to support on-premise businesses, and a new benchmark wine region report highlights shifting global tastes. This week we feature Flying Goat Cellars in Lompoc, the 2016 Pinot Gris Grand Cru "Florimont," and In Bloom in Paso Robles, CA.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ 2025 Direct‑to‑Consumer Wine Report is here

♦️ Legislature Approves Retail-To-Retail Alcohol Sales

♦️ Find Restaurant Corkage Fees on Cork & Journey

♦️ Navigating Wine's New Benchmark Regions

♦️ Will Gen Z Ever Drink Wine?

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Flying Goat Cellars in Lompoc, CA

♦️ 2016 Pinot Gris Grand Cru "Florimont"

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ In Bloom in Paso Robles, CA

♦️ Corkage Fee is $40 Per Bottle / 2 Max

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/june-30-2025-direct-to-consumer-wine-sales-surge-for-small-wineries/

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🍷 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 a new push for interstate wine shipping freedom takes center stage, alongside a sobering look at how poor marketing dooms great winemakers and a major consulting shake-up at famed Tuscan producer San Felice. This week we visit Ampelos Cellars in Lompoc, sip their 2020 Syrah Gamma, and grab dinner at 888 Japanese BBQ in Las Vegas.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ The Fight for Wine Freedom

♦️ Wine Chronicles: Making Wine Is Great. Selling It Is a Nightmare.

♦️ Find Restaurant Corkage Fees on Cork & Journey

♦️ San Felice and Thomas Duclos: A Strategic Collaboration to Elevate the Winery's Three Tuscan Estates

♦️ UC Davis Launches Small-Batch Wine Label

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Ampelos Cellars in Lompoc, CA

♦️ 2020 Ampelos Syrah Gamma

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ 888 Japanese BBQ in Las Vegas, NV

♦️ Corkage Fee is $40 Per Bottle / No Limit

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/june-23-2025-how-middlemen-are-controlling-your-access-to-wine/

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

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

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

Roederer Estate earns the first-ever 100-point score for a U.S. sparkling wine, tariffs crush American wine exports abroad, and Sicily's Mount Etna erupts just miles from local vineyards. This episode features Dark Water Winery in Lompoc, their 2017 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Happy Canyon, and Corner Restaurant in Austin, Texas.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ The World's 50 Best Restaurants Recognizes Healdsburg's SingleThread

♦️ The Latest Victim of Trump's Tariff War? American Vintners

♦️ Find Restaurant Corkage Fees on Cork & Journey

♦️ Roederer Estate Receives First Ever 100-Point Score Awarded to U.S.-Made Sparkling Wine

♦️ Why Etna's eruption was not as bad as it looked

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Dark Water Winery in Lompoc, CA

♦️ 2017 Dark Water Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Happy Canyon

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Corner Restaurant in Austin, TX

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/june-16-2025-wine-enthusiast-awards-roederer-a-perfect-100-for-lermitage/

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

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

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

This week, we explore how government staff cuts could put AI in charge of wine labeling, Bernard Arnault's defiance of investment freezes in the US, and the debate over pairing wine and ice cream. Plus, we're featuring Bridgeview Vineyard & Winery in Oregon, the 2014 Meteor Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Perseid, and Martini's Seafood House in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ Opolo Vineyards Officially Introduces "Vranac" To American Wine Industry

♦️ Cuts Could Leave AI in Charge of Wine

♦️ Find Restaurant Corkage Fees on Cork & Journey

♦️ Arnault Rejects Macron's Call To Freeze Investment In Us

♦️ Wine and Ice Cream Are a Terrible Pairing, So Why Are Bars Selling Them Side By Side?

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Bridgeview Vineyard & Winery in Cave Junction, OR

♦️ 2014 Meteor Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Perseid

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Martini's Seafood House in Fredericksburg, TX

♦️ Corkage Fee: $60.00 Per Bottle / No Limit

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/june-9-2025-government-staff-cuts-leave-ai-in-charge-of-your-wine-labels/

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💰 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 Texas wine country faces boozy challenges as tourism booms, the global wine industry finds hope in a bottoming-out market, and America's wine industry reveals jaw-dropping economic impacts. This week we feature the Crush Pad Wine Bar in Las Vegas, NV, the 2016 Ferretti Brunello di Montalcino, and Hill & Vine in Fredericksburg, TX.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ "What's the Most Expensive Wine You've Ever Sold?" 9 Sommeliers Spill

♦️ Texas Wine Country Confronts the Challenges of Its Boozy Boom

♦️ Find Restaurant Corkage Fees on Cork & Journey

♦️ Guess What? There's Actually Good News for the Wine Industry

♦️ 2025 US Economic Impact Study

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Crush Pad Wine Bar in Las Vegas, NV

♦️ 2016 Ferretti Brunello di Montalcino

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ Hill & Vine in Fredericksburg, TX

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/june-2-2025-texas-wine-tourism-grows-and-locals-sound-the-alarm/

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🍷 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 private equity is flowing into California wineries, Japan's Asahi CEO blames digital entertainment — not health fears — for declining alcohol sales, and New Jersey blocks a bill that would have helped winery events. This week's highlights include Montemar Winery in Lompoc, the 2022 Laguna Canyon Due Viti TWO-POINT-O Reserve, and The Cave restaurant inside Ventura Wine Co. in Ventura, CA.

Wine News Round-Up:

♦️ A New Type Of Investor Is Buying Up California Wineries

♦️ Alcohol Sales Hit More By Screen Time Than Health Fears, Asahi Head Says

♦️ Find Restaurant Corkage Fees on Cork & Journey

♦️ Top Wineries in Sonoma County

♦️ New Jersey Governor Vetoes Bill to Ease Rules for Winery Events

Wine & Winery of the Week:

♦️ Montemar Winery in Lompoc, CA

♦️ 2022 Laguna Canyon Due Viti TWO-POINT-O Reserve

Restaurant & Corkage of the Week:

♦️ The Cave / Ventura Wine Co in Ventura, CA

♦️ Corkage Fee: $20.00 Per Bottle / No Limit

📄 SHOW NOTES 📄

Read all the stories discussed on the show

♦️ https://corkandjourney.com/may-26-2025-private-equity-pours-into-california-wine-country/

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

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

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