The Wine Pair Podcast

Known as “little rascal” in the local Piemontese dialect, this unique Italian white wine is elegant, rich, and flavorful. We usually prefer our white wines to be crisp and acidic, but we really enjoyed this rounder wine, and we think that Chardonnay lovers may find this to be a good option. In this episode we explore just exactly what Arneis is, and we found two nice Arneis wines worth seeking out that won’t put a dent in your pock...

Confused by how to tell what is in a Bordeaux wine? We feel you! It’s confusing because there are a wide variety of grapes and blends to be found in Bordeaux wines and they don’t usually tell you on the label, but we have some secrets to share about how you can start to figure it out. Also, we think that, whether you are a Cabernet Sauvignon lover or not, you owe it to yourself to taste and try Bordeaux wines, especially Left Bank ...

With just a few weeks of summer left, we have the perfect wine to ensure that you do not squander those last few precious days. Afterall, there are some wines that just scream summer, and Vinho Verde is at the top of the list. Hailing from Portugal, Vinho Verde is a light, crisp, easy drinking, crowd pleasing little spritzer. Yes, spritzer because it is often also effervescent. Vinho Verde is also pretty easy to find in your local ...

Kira Ballotta not only makes highly rated and sought after wines (her wines have rated at 92+ with Wine Enthusiast), she is a storyteller who focuses on trailblazing women - and we have to admit, she is quite a trailblazer herself. She is a self-made winemaker and entrepreneur who focuses on sustainable wines, and you can hear her fascinating story, including how she went from a background in finance to one of California’s best win...

We can admit when we are wrong, and we have to say that although we are not the biggest fans of oaky Chardonnay, we think we found some wines that even an ABC person (that is Anything But Chardonnay) can enjoy. Chardonnay is the most popular white wine in the world, but it is also a very polarizing wine - some people love it and will drink nothing else, and others won’t even touch it. We are more on the “it depends” end of things -...

A common question we get is just how good are in-house wine brands like Trader Joe’s or Costco Kirkland Signature wines. This week, we tackle the 3rd highest tier of Trader Joe’s in-house wines, the Grand Reserve level, which is usually priced at $12.99 - which is a killer price IF they are any good. This week we also went out on a limb to try wines that we would not normally choose but that we know are very popular for the majorit...

Did you know they make award winning wines in Israel? In this special episode, we have the honor to speak with Victor Schoenfeld, Head Winemaker at Golan Heights Winery and one of the pioneers of modern winemaking in Israel. Victor shares with us his journey and how we combined his love of food and interest in agriculture into a career in wine that started down a very traditional path - working for Mondavi and Champagne house Jacqu...

When most people talk about Rosé wine, they are most likely referring to Provence Rosé. Most people also probably think that Provence Rosé is what all Rosé wine tastes like, but that is not true. In this latest getting serious about Rosé episode, we spend some time talking about why that is. Now, it is true that Rosé from Provence is the most popular, and good ones are crisp and refreshing with good acidity which makes them favorit...

Don’t sleep on Agiorgitiko! You may not be familiar with Greek wines - or know how to pronounce them (we didn’t!) - but this is a wine that deserves to be on your must-learn list! Agiorgitiko is a hidden gem in the wine world - a versatile red that comes in different styles, goes well with tons of foods, and can be found at very reasonable prices. It is a perfect complement with Greek food, obviously, but this is a great wine for e...

Sometimes being old is good. Aged cheddar? Check. Vintage cars? Yep. Antique furniture Fo’ Sho’! Old Vine Zinfandel? You bet your a$$. In this episode, we return to one of our much beloved Kirkland Signature Challenges, and this week we pit the Kirkland Signature Old Vine Zinfandel against similarly priced and easy to find Old Vine Zinfandels to see who wins. And this week, the winner is  . . . well, you need to listen in to find o...

What’s more American than sparkling wine?!? Seriously, we make a lot of sparkling wine in the U.S. and we drink a lot of sparkling wine, too! And we think there is hardly anything better on warm summer afternoons and evenings than a nice glass of bubbly! Don’t save sparkling just for serious occasions. And on July 4th?!? Sparkling wine is perfection! This week, we talk about California sparkling wines and what makes them similar an...

We admit it, we have not always been fair to Rosé, but starting today, we are going to set the record straight! If you think you don’t like Rosé, it may be because you have not yet met a Rosé you like. And the key to finding a Rosé you like is to start with a red wine you like and then finding a Rosé made from that wine. Because, afterall, Rosé is a wine made from red wine grapes - and like any wine, the grapes that are used will m...

From the great wine region of Piedmont, Italy comes the red wine called Dolcetto, which means “little sweet one” - but don’t be fooled, this is not a sweet wine, although it is a red wine with flavors and aromas of crunchy red fruit. In our latest Italian Wine Adventure, we travel back to one of our favorite wine areas to see if Dolcetto should be on your wine list. Sometimes called the sommelier’s secret weapon, this wine is less ...

Summer is here, and that means cookouts with family and friends! If you are wondering what kind of wine would be a crowd-pleaser and pair well with food and fun, we have the perfect answer: Malbec! This juicy, well-balanced wine from Argentina is an inexpensive wine that doesn’t taste or drink like it's inexpensive. You may ask why would a wine from Argentina be a good wine for cookouts? If you didn’t know, Argentina has its o...

We introduce you to the B-FAST method in this minisode so you can become a white wine lover. What’s that you say, you’ve never heard of the B-FAST method? Well, that’s because it is a Wine Pair Podcast original! To love a thing, you have to learn about a thing, and you have to spend time with a thing. You can’t just go with your first impression! You have to put in some effort! Many people just don’t think white wines are as seriou...

When it comes to wine grapes, it’s ok to play the field, but it is a good idea to get to know the Noble Grapes. And the good news is - you may already be really familiar with them. That’s because many of the most popular wines and wine blends, both red and white, are often made of these grapes. But what makes them Noble? We’ll tell you! And does that mean they are better than the other grapes? You should listen in to find out! We w...

Jennie Murphy is, like her grandmothers who she named her winery after, a tough, resilient, and determined woman. After losing her home in the 2017 wine country fires, she started to seriously think about starting her own winery. We learned a ton about the winemaking world in our conversation with her - things that the average wine drinker never thinks about - for instance the importance of “moving the wine” in the cellar, somethin...

Yes, it’s true, they make Grenache is white as well as red! And it’s a great summer wine! Popular in the Catalonia area of Spain where it is known as Garnatxa Blanca, and in the Rhône area of France where it is often used as a blending grape and known as Grenache Blanc, White Grenache is a tasty, complex, and food friendly white wine that deserves more attention! After tasting and reviewing it in this episode, we were surprised tha...

A 10 point wine in this episode! If you want a higher-class alternative to Prosecco at the same price point, then Cava is your wine. Cava is an underrated sparkling wine from Spain that is made in the same way as Champagne, but at a fraction of the cost. Cava is unique among sparkling wines - it is made with native Spanish grapes like Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada which give it a very specific pear + citrus + bitterness that is ...