Wine Access Unfiltered

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Wine Access Unfiltered episodes

September 24 The Wine Trip Research Playbook: A Sommelier's Guide to curating the perfect wine getaway
A year ago, packing tips for my mother-in-law's first wine trip to Europe turned into a full episode. So when Amanda found she was heading to Sicily herself for her first-ever visit, we decided a follow-up episode was in order. And this time, we're shifting gears to help give you a little insight into how the research actually gets done: hunting down the nicest hotel in a neighborhood to find the good, cheaper options nearby, mining wine lists at restaurants for producers worth chasing, and handing an entire photographed closet over to AI for itinerary-based outfit planning. There's also a wine-world catch-up on Champagne's earliest harvest on record, a rare one-time bump to its legal alcohol ceiling, and the case for a marathon that trades water stations for wine and food. Pour a glass of the Maison Chanzy Bourgogne Rouge and get ready to over-research a place not yet visited.

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52 min
September 11The Wine Lover's Case for Portugal featuring Nicole Muscari
Portugal has been on the docket for a while, and it finally gets the right guest: Nicole Muscari, the wine educator and content creator behind Grape Chic, who has made the trip 22 times since 2019 and now owns a place in Porto. We're digging into the friendly Porto-vs-Lisbon rivalry — Porto's grit and cobblestones read like New York, Lisbon's sprawl and beaches read more L.A. — then heads into the Douro Valley to make the case for its dry reds and mineral whites, not just port. There's also a detour to Colares, a DOC so small its vines still grow ungrafted in sand. Pastel de nata debates, football pride, and a real argument for booking that direct flight all make an appearance.
This Week's Wine: 2022 Altitude by Duorum Douro

Mentions and Links
Wines & Producers
Altitude by Duorum — the episode's featured Douro red, a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Cão.

Alvarinho (Vinho Verde) — worth seeking out in its age-worthy, lees- or barrel-aged styles, not just the light spritzy version.

Arinto — coastal, salty white from the Lisbon region, sometimes given Chardonnay-style oak and lees aging.

Colares DOC (Malvasia whites, Ramisco reds) — a roughly 22-hectare appellation near Cascais growing pre-phylloxera vines in sand.
Restaurants & Bars — Porto
de Lima's Wine Bar — opened by Rafael de Lima in the historic center.

Blind Pony — speakeasy right next door.

Fauno — small tasting-menu spot with wine pairings.

Cozinha das Flores — strong wine list with rare back-vintage Portuguese bottles.

Prova — wine bar with deep, well-curated allocations.

Casa Guedes — go-to for the roast pork and Serra da Estrela cheese sandwich.

Arco das Verdades — cliffside wine bar with natural/biodynamic small-producer bottles and river views.

Pedro Lemos — Michelin-starred restaurant with a standout cellar.

Taylor's — Port house recommended for its educational tour.

Casa de Chá da Boa Nova — two-Michelin-star restaurant on the water.

Fábrica da Nata — favorite pastel de nata.

Taberninha do Manel (sister restaurant Adega do Manel) — riverside Gaia spot for amêijoas à Bulhão Pato and francesinha.

Gazela — the cachorrinhos (Porto-style hot dogs) spot Anthony Bourdain once featured.

Bomfim 1896 — Michelin-recommended.

Libatio — Nicole's pick for the city's best wine bar.
Douro Valley
The Vintage House — hotel in Pinhão, a good base for exploring the valley.
Vinho Verde
Town of Amarante — medieval town with an old bridge, worth the detour.

Monverde Wine Resort — modern wine hotel with floor-to-ceiling views over the vines.
Lisbon
Black Sheep — favorite wine bar

Pastéis de Belém — the original pastel de nata bakery.

Bar Alimentar

Imprensa Cocktail Bar

Prado Wine Bar

Bifanas do Afonso — for the classic Lisbon bifana sandwich.

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57 min
August 27The Santa Cruz Mountains Have Been Hiding in Plain Sight featuring Cole Thomas, Madson Wines
The Santa Cruz Mountains have been growing exceptional wine since the 1860s, and somehow the wine world still barely talks about it. This episode heads south of San Francisco to sit down with Cole Thomas, owner and winemaker of Madson Wines, who traded a marine biology track at UC Santa Cruz for grape stems after meeting Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard's Jeff Emery at a campus seed exchange. The conversation digs into why fog-slowed wind — not fog itself — keeps the west side cool enough for savory, high-acid Pinot Noir, how the same appellation ripens Cabernet on its sun-baked east side, and where to eat, surf, and taste on a weekend in town.
This Week's Wine: 2024 Madson Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir
My free guide to Santa Cruz Substack 🗞️
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Wines & Producers
Ridge Vineyards — the region's most recognized name, known for its Monte Bello bottling

Mount Eden Vineyards — historic estate on the former Martin Ray property

Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard — Jeff Emery's winery, where Madson's earliest vintages were made

David Bruce Winery — replanted one of the original 1860s Jarvis Brothers vineyard sites
Restaurants & Bars
Duarte's Tavern, Pescadero — 1800s Highway 1 roadhouse; order the cioppino and a Bloody Mary

Manresa Bread, Santa Cruz — bakery near Madson's downtown tasting room

Home, Soquel — recommended by Cole

Hook & Line, Santa Cruz — downtown sustainable-seafood spot

Mentone, Aptos

Bantam, Santa Cruz — wood-fired pizza

Bad Animal, Santa Cruz — bookstore, wine bar, and restaurant in one

Tanuki Cider, Humble Sea Brewing, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery, Verve Coffee, Cat & Cloud Coffee — the westside "Wine Ghetto" cluster right around Madson's tasting room

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42 min
August 14How to Be in Two Places at Once (Italy & California Edition) featuring Shelley Lindgren and Kitty Oestlien of A16 and Tansy Wines
What does it take to run one of the Bay Area's most beloved Italian restaurant groups while also building a wine label from scratch — in the middle of a pandemic, no less? A16 founder Shelley Lindgren and her Tansy Wines business partner Kitty Oestlien join to talk about bridging California and Italy, from A16's 20th-anniversary cookbook reprint and upcoming Chicago and Ferry Building openings to the six vintages of Tansy, a Northern California label built on organically farmed Italian varieties. The conversation digs into winemaker Megan Glaab's light-touch approach, the ancient Piedmontese grape Ruché that shows up in Tansy's Red Field Blend, and why an open mind is the best tool for navigating an Italian wine list. Pour a glass of Tansy and settle in for two friends talking flowers, farming, and why food always belongs next to the bottle.
This Week's Wine: 2022 Tansy Red Wine Field Blend California
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Mentions
Wines & Producers
Tansy Wines – Shelley Lindgren and Kitty Oestlien's Northern California label focused on organically farmed Italian grape varieties
Ryme Cellars – Sonoma winery from winemaker Megan Glaab, known for Vermentino and other Italian varieties

Sandlands Chenin Blanc – Tegan Passalacqua's label

Ciro Picariello Fiano di Avellino – the bottle poured at Tavernetta in Denver
Restaurants & Bars
A16 – Shelley Lindgren's Italian restaurant group, with locations in San Francisco's Marina, Oakland, Napa, Japan, and soon Chicago (fall 2026); certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana since 2004

Lucania – A16's upcoming Southern Italian restaurant opening at San Francisco's Ferry Building

Tavernetta (Denver)

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48 min
July 30Champagne Is a Place, Not Just a Drink: A Sommelier's Guide to Navigating the Region
Champagne is more than something poured at a toast — it's a place you can actually visit, and this episode finally delivers on months of hints about a long-awaited spring trip there. Sommelier Lara Koffer joins Amanda to unpack the region's biggest split: house Champagne versus grower Champagne, and how roughly 16,000 growers keep the famous marques stocked with fruit. Grab your wine club wine, the Grumier Réserve Perpétuelle, a rare solera-style non-vintage blend dating back to 2005 and join us for stories from Reims and Épernay — Bollinger's hand-disgorged prestige cuvées, a Michelin-starred "Mysteries of Champagne" tasting menu, and hard-won advice on hiring a driver instead of renting a car. Pour a glass and settle in for a trip report worth the wait.
Featured Wine: NV Maurice Grumier Réserve Perpétuelle Extra-Brut Champagne
Find all of our mentions for restaurants, wineries, and hotels in Amanda's Guide to Visiting Paris and Champagne
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55 min
July 16Wine Cities, Round Two: A German Importer's Passport featuring Jenna Fields and Zack Musick
One solo episode wasn't enough to settle the debate over the world's best wine cities — so this time, two frequent flyers weigh in. Jenna Fields and Zack Musick of the German Wine Collection, who log more travel miles promoting German wine than almost anyone in the industry, join to build their own list using the same four-part framework from the last episode: selection, people, variety, and identity. London tops it (officially "Germany-adjacent"), followed by a New York walking tour through Michelin-starred dining rooms, a surprise nod to Phoenix's under-the-radar sommelier scene, and a park-bench cheesesteak in Philly washed down with Frappato from a plastic cup. Pour a glass of the Meyer-Näkel Illusion Blanc de Noir — this month's wine club pick — and settle in for round two.
Featured Wine: 2023 Meyer-Nakel "Illusion" Blanc de Noirs
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Mentions & Links
Wines & Producers
Domaine Tempier Rosé, Bandol — grabbed at Cru in Nantucket

Frédéric Savart Champagne, Écueil — paired with ahi tuna and caviar at 53

G.D. Vàjra, Barolo — on the by-the-glass list at 53

Weingut Salwey Eichberg Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Kaiserstuhl — paired with truffled hazelnut soup at Oiji Mi

Muskattrollinger Rosé — the German rarity poured at the Nantucket seminar
Restaurants & Bars
Cru, Nantucket

Mezcaleria Alma, Denver — Michelin-starred, all-Mexican-wine list

COQODAQ, NYC — the champagne-and-caviar-chicken-nugget spot

Oiji Mi, NYC

53, NYC — dim sum spot

Aldo Sohm Wine Bar, NYC

Zarella Pizzeria & Taverna, Chicago

Restaurant Progress, Phoenix

Angelo's, Philadelphia — cheesesteak

Di Bruno Bros., Philadelphia — wine shop

Noble Rot, Mayfair (London)

Devonshire, London

Satan's Whiskers, London — cocktail bar

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55 min
June 20Four Cities. No Vineyards. All Wine.
We're going solo this episode, and we're going global. After months of logging serious miles across cities and continents, we wanted to revisit a format we love — not the wine regions, not the châteaux, but the cities themselves. The places that aren't necessarily making wine, but are doing it better than almost anywhere else in the world. We're breaking down our top four wine cities right now — London, Copenhagen, Tokyo, and New York — what makes each one stand out, how we navigate them for wine when we get there, and the specific spots that completely won us over. Along the way, we're also tasting the Zuccardi Polígonos Cabernet Franc from Mendoza — our wine club pick and a perfect tie-in to our earlier episode on the most exciting wine regions to visit. Pour a glass and come along.
Featured Wine: Zuccardi Polígonos Cabernet Franc, Uco Valley
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Mentions & Links
Restaurants, Wine Bars, and Recs — London
Hedonism Wines, London — hedonismwines.com

Noble Rot, Soho — noblerot.co.uk

The Eagle Bar at Chancery Rosewood — rosewoodhotels.com

Mountain, Beak Street, Soho — mountainsoho.com

Mayfair Townhouse (hotel) — themayFairtownhouse.com
Restaurants & Wine Bars — Copenhagen
Rossforth & Rossworth (bridge wine) — wine importer + outdoor wine bar; rossforthandrossworth.com

Bar Vitrine

Fiskebar — former Noma head sommelier; seafood focused

Esse — Michelin starred; tasting menu + à la carte lounge; natural wine and French-leaning list

La Banchina — natural wine; waterside cove café; labanchina.dk

Poulette and Pompette — order on the app; skip the line

Kinyobi — sushi from former Geranium chefs; great sake selection

Bird — exceptional cocktail program; great non-alcoholic options

Sanchez — tacos from a former Noma chef

Hotel Sanders (hotel) — hotelsanders.com
Restaurants & Wine Bars — Tokyo
New York Bar, Park Hyatt Tokyo (Lost in Translation bar) — park.hyatt.com; Dom Pérignon by the glass at $45

Studio Mule — hidden second-floor wine bar; hi-fi music system; rotating rare bottles by the glass including Gravner and Paolo Bea; no signage, look for the green door

Badu, Kyoto — natural wines; sister restaurant to Monk (featured on Chef's Table)

Isetan Department Store — basement food hall; great sake selection to take home
Restaurants & Wine Bars — New York
Coqodaq — fried chicken and champagne

Clemente Bar, above Eleven Madison Park

La Tete d'Or by Daniel

Aldo Sohm Wine Bar — aldosohmwinebar.com

La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels — downtown + new Flatiron location

Le Chene — great Burgundy and Champagne; splurge-worthy

Union Square Cafe

Gramercy Tavern

Claude, East Village — reportedly excellent wine list

Roscioli — wine list by Ariel Arcé, formerly of Ariel's Champagne Parlor
Wines Referenced
Gravner — famous orange wine producer; served by the glass at Studio Mule Tokyo

Paolo Bea, Arboreus — Italian white; served by the glass at Studio Mule Tokyo
Also Mentioned
Toyama — day trip from Tokyo for Sake (IWA)

Kalaya, Philadelphia — James Beard Award Outstanding Restaurant

Levi Dalton — I'll Drink To That podcast; Noble Rot recommendation

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1 hr 3 min
June 05We Need to Talk About Bordeaux featuring Jonathan Cristaldi
Bordeaux has a reputation problem — and we're here to fix it. In this episode, we sit down with Jonathan Cristaldi, North America Regional Editor at Decanter Magazine and fellow theater kid, to make the case for a region that the wine world has been too quick to dismiss. We just got back from our first trip there together and we're talking about all of it: the left bank vs. right bank divide, why the best Bordeaux you'll ever drink might cost you 25 euros, what it's actually like to navigate the city of Bordeaux as a visitor, and a surprisingly fascinating detour into the science of corks. Pour yourself something from the Haut-Médoc and open your mind — Bordeaux is better than you remember.
Featured Wine: Château de l'Église Vieille, Haut-Médoc
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Mentions & Links
Guest
Jonathan Cristaldi — Decanter Magazine, North America Regional Editor; @jcristaldi
Wineries
Château de Pressac — chateaudepressac.com

Château La Gafellière — gaffeliere.com

Château Carbonnieux — carbonnieux.com

Château Larose Trintaudon — chateau-larose-trintaudon.fr

Château Kirwan — chateau-kirwan.com

Château de Malleret — chateau-malleret.fr

Château Pontet-Canet — pontetcanet.com (prior visit, referenced in episode)
Restaurants & Dining
Chez Dupont, Bordeaux

Gina Rooftop, Bordeaux

Brasserie Vinatier, Bordeaux

La Côte à l'Os, Saint-Émilion

Le Jardin de Collioure

Casa Léon, Collioure
Also Mentioned
Cité du Vin, Bordeaux — laciteduvin.com

Diam Bouchage (our trip host and technical cork producer! Thank you Diam! — diam-cork.com

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46 min
May 22How to Drink Wine the Italian Way featuring Jessica Dupuy (Italianity)
Italy is one of those places that feels instantly familiar the moment you arrive — and yet the more you learn about it, the more you realize how much you've been missing. In this episode, we sit down with Jessica Dupuy, James Beard Award-winning author and self-described outsider-turned-insider, to talk about her new book Italianity — a collection of essays and stories that captures what it actually means to drink Italian wine the Italian way. We get into the concept of Italianità, why the best way to plan your Italy trip is to start with the grape you love, and what Antica Bottega del Vino in Verona looks like at 9:30 in the morning when the locals still have the place to themselves. Pour yourself a glass of Franciacorta and let this one transport you.
Featured Wine:
NV Le Marchesine Franciacorta Nitens Brut
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Featured Guest
Jessica Dupuy, co-author — Italianity

Regions Discussed
Tuscany / Montalcino — Brunello, Sangiovese; the entry point for many Italy-first-timers

Valpolicella / Verona — Amarone, Valpolicella Superiore; Andrea's home region

Piedmont (Piemonte) — Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Alta Langa sparkling; French-border swagger

Alto Adige / Trentino (Tre Venezie) — Alpine Nebbiolo, German-speaking, former Austro-Hungarian influence; Jessica's current favorite region

Sicily — Nerello Mascalese, Etna; deeply historical, layered cultural influences

Franciacorta — Champagne-method sparkling wine; 85% Chardonnay + Pinot Nero + Pinot Bianco

Alta Langa — Piedmont-based traditional-method sparkling; historical rival to Champagne

Roero — Sandy-soil Nebbiolo; lighter expression outside of Barolo/Barbaresco

Valtellina — Alpine Nebbiolo north of Lake Como

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56 min
May 07Paso Robles: Inside the Wine Region That's Quietly Doing Everything Right featuring Maggie Tillman, Alta Colina
If Paso Robles isn't already on your must-visit list, this episode will change that. Maggie Tillman, co-owner of Alta Colina and self-described "co-first-generation" winery founder, joins us to dig into what makes Paso one of the most exciting — and most underrated — wine regions in the country right now. From why the east side vs. west side divide isn't quite as "divided" as you might think, to the magic of Tin City, we're giving you an all-access pass as to why Paso rewards the traveler who puts in the effort to get there. Plus, Maggie shares her personal list of wineries, restaurants, and not-to-miss experiences — including the outdoor art installation that simply cannot be captured on your phone (don't even try). Pour yourself a glass of the Peachy Canyon Zinfandel and let this episode and wine talk you into booking your trip.
Featured Wine:
Peachy Canyon Zinfandel
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Featured Guest
Maggie Tillman, co-owner — Alta Colina Winery, Paso Robles
Amanda's Paso Robles Guides
Substack

Paso Robles Guide

Itinerary
Wineries
Tablas Creek Vineyard — deep west side Rhône producer, partnership with the Perrin family of Châteauneuf-du-Pape

L'Aventure Winery — Bordeaux-meets-Rhône style, founded by Stephan Asseo

Hubba Wines — lighter-touch, vineyard-driven wines by a female winemaker in Tin City

Royal Nonesuch Farm + Lopai — joint tasting room, York Mountain AVA area; newer, worth seeking out

Niner Wine Estates — great tasting experience with a stunning culinary garden and winery lunch
Giornata Winery — Italian variety focused wines owned by the Turrizzi family who also run Etto Pasta
Restaurants & Food
Finca — elevated Mexican in a Victorian house; Maggie's go-to for lunch

Grace and Rose — seasonal comfort food, great pasta; owned by Justin and Julie Fisher

In Bloom — cocktail program + fried chicken and caviar

LPC / Les Petite Canailles — French fine dining, son of L'Aventure's Stephan Asseo; ask about the secret menu (bougie tots with caviar)

Il Cortile — Italian; one of Paso's originals

Parchetto — Il Cortile newer sibling restaurant

Fish Gaucho — high-energy, great pozole and margaritas; good for groups

Etto Pasta — official restaurant for the makers of fresh and dried pastas + Italian boutique grocery in Tin City; Turrizzi family
Coffee & Bakeries
Spearhead Coffee

Black Sheep Bakery — sourdough cinnamon buns
Cocktails & Nightlife
Alchemist Garden + The Remedy (speakeasy) — reservation required for The Remedy; best cocktail program in Paso

Eleven Twenty Two — speakeasy behind the Irish pub; no phones, great drinks, open until ~11pm/midnight
Hotels
Ava Hotel — newer boutique, great downtown location

Hotel Cheval — downtown Paso, across from Ava
Other Experiences
⁠⁠Tin City⁠⁠, Paso Robles — urban winery/food/drink hub south of downtown

Mighty Cap Mushrooms — mushroom tour experience in Tin City

Sensorio — large-scale outdoor light installation by artist Bruce Munro; arrive before dark;

Pasolivo — olive oil tasting

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55 min

About Wine Access Unfiltered

From the publisher's feed

Wine Access Unfiltered—The Official Podcast and Wine Club of Wine Access—goes deep into what we really love about wine: the intimate moments, unforgettable occasions, and hilarious stories that a great bottle brings about. Hosted by former PRESS wine director and Napa Valley insider Amanda McCrossin with appearances from our team of unrivaled experts, we’re popping our favorite bottles and sharing them with you.