Portugal’s Ancient Clay-Pot Reds in Alentejo Are Back. Worth the Hype?

Winemakers in the Alentejo region of Portugal have been bringing back the ancient tradition of making wine in Talha, also known as Amphora, also known as clay pots. In fact, there is a specific designation for wines made in that method in Alentejo called Vinho de Talha. Winemakers are attracted to making wine in clay pots not just because of tradition, but because clay pots, like oak barrels, allow oxygen into the wine, but unlike oak, they do not impart the same heavy, oaky flavors. In addition, making wine in Talha is also usually accompanied by more natural, low-intervention winemaking techniques. In this episode, we dig into this winemaking method, explore the history of winemaking in the Alentejo region, discuss why wine in Alentejo is different from wines made in the more well-known Douro and Dão areas, and give our honest review of two wines from Alentejo made in Amphora. It is an adventure worth taking! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Bojador Vinho de Talha Tinto, 2020 Casa Relvas Art.Terra Amphora RedSend us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we’d love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us:  https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: [email protected]

Sometimes we talk to winemakers who are part of big wineries and big production facilities. Other times we talk to winemakers like Fausto who are, truly, deeply part of the land and the culture and the area where they are from. Fausto is in the Piedmont area of Italy, but he does not make the typical Nebbiolo based wines. He focuses on natural wines, biodynamic farming, and low intervention. The result of this is, as he says, that every wine has a part of him in it. Because he, the wine, and the land are intertwined in this agricultural, scientific, and artistic endeavor. Poderi Cellario is a family-based business. While they sell their wines in many different markets, including the United States, they focus on small, artisanal batches of wines, constant experimentation, and listening to the land. This is winemaking that feels new, but is actually the way wine has been made for thousands of years. We think you will love our conversion with Fausto and his son Simone. Send us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we’d love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us:  https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: [email protected]

Meet a true legend of winemaking. Ever heard of Opus One? How about Château Mouton Rothschild? Pascal Marty, owner and winemaker of Viña Marty in Chile, has a hand in those truly groundbreaking and world-renowned wines and wineries. Beyond that, Pascal is just a delightful, warm, and transparent person. A true pleasure to get to know. In our conversation, we talk about how an experience in a winery as a young man changed the trajectory of his whole life. We also talk about how his stubborn streak led him to not only study enology in Bordeaux, but fly to Napa to do his capstone project despite his professors’ incredulity at his choice because, in the 1980’s, no great French winemakers thought that was a good use of time. Pascal has always a been a trailblazer and an adventurer, making some of the greatest wines in the world in France, California, and for more than 20 years now, Chile. We have done some great interviews with winemakers, but this may be the one that us truly honored and humbled. You will love to get to know Pascal.Send us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we’d love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us:  https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: [email protected]

If you are an aspiring wine nerd, Xinomavro is a wine you just gotta know. Why is that you ask? Well, Xinomavro is often compared to the great Italian wines Barolo and Barbaresco made from the Nebbiolo grape, as well as the great French wines made from Pinot Noir in Burgundy, so that is pretty high praise for a wine you’ve probably never heard of. Xinomavro is known for its powerful structure (that’s wine nerd talk for things like tannins and acidity) and a unique savory aromatic profile (that is also wine nerd talk for aromas and flavors like olive and tomato that you don’t find in just any wine), and so while it is often compared to Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir for its complexity and elegance, it is its own unique and powerful wine experience. The area of Nauossa where Xinomavro is most famously from has its roots in Greek mythology, and in fact it is said to be the mythical birthplace of the Greek goddess Semele who is the mother of Dionysus, who is, of course, the Greek god of wine. Again, this is why this wine is a must-know for wine nerds. We tried two different styles of Xinomavro, one younger and fresher, the other more rich and complex, and we found them both to be more than worth seeking out. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Thymiopoulos Young Vines Xinomavro, 2022 Kir-Yianni Naoussa Cuvee VillagesSend us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we’d love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us:  https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: [email protected]

Have you ever picked up a Portuguese wine, stared at the label, and thought... I have absolutely no idea what this means? Same! And here's the thing: Douro Branco might be Portugal's best white wine value that no one is talking about. So this week, we are fixing that! In this episode, we break down what Douro Branco actually means, why the Douro Valley's brutal climate and ancient vines produce some of the most interesting white wines in Europe, and what the heck "field blends" are and why they make this wine so different from almost anything else you'll find on the shelf. We also give you a quick Portuguese wine vocabulary lesson so you can stop being scared of the words on the label. Then we taste and review two Douro Branco wines, both under $15, to find out if either one earns a spot on your dinner table. Spoiler: one of them made the cut! Wines tasted and reviewed: 2023 Quinta Das Carvalhas Douro White Blend, 2024 Symington Family Estates Rio Belo Douro BrancoSend us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we’d love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us:  https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: [email protected]

Valpolicella Ripasso is one of the most fascinating wines we have ever had. It’s not just the flavor, which slaps, but also the process and history behind it. We don’t want to spoil it before you listen, but the Ripasso method is a totally unique approach to wine making that aspiring wine nerds absolutely need to know! Hailing from the beautiful area around Verona, Italy (yes, the place where Romeo and Juliet hung out), Valpolicella is known for not just one, but four different styles of red wine which we dig into because each has an important place in the production of Valpolicella Ripasso. The result of the amazing process of Ripasso is a wine that is both complex and food friendly, rich yet acidic, and an underappreciated wine that punches well above it’s weight in terms of value to price. They don’t call it baby Amarone for nothing. And, if you don’t know what that means, you need to listen so you can learn more about these unbelievable wines. And, as an extra bonus, in our Wine in the News This Week section we discuss how wine was at the center of the Supreme Court decision to strike down the Trump Administration’s tariffs. Bet you didn’t know that. Do yourself a favor and dive in! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2018 Guerrieri Rizzardi Pojega Ripasso della Valpolicella, 2019 Michele Castellani San Michele Valpolicella Ripasso Classico SuperioreSend us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we’d love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us:  https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: [email protected]

If sparkling wine feels like it's either too expensive, too pretentious, or just not your thing... you haven't had Sekt. German sparkling Riesling is the fruity, zippy, under-$20 bubbly that sparkling wine lovers, especially Prosecco drinkers, have been sleeping on, and in this episode, we are here to fix that. Discover why Germany is the world's largest sparkling wine market, and why the controversial Charmat method actually makes a superior sparkling Riesling versus doing it in the traditional or Champagne method. Hint: the Charmat method helps preserve Riesling’s signature floral aromatics and stone fruit and orchard fruit flavors instead of burying them under yeasty, toasty notes. In this episode, we taste two Mosel Sekt bottles side by side, and tell you if either of them is worth buying. And we make lots of cringy jokes about Sekt. What else would you expect from us?!? If you are curious to find a new sparkling wine to try, or just haven’t found a sparkling wine that you love yet, then this is the episode for you! Wines reviewed in this episode: Loosen Bros. Dr. L Sparkling Riesling, Ulrich Langguth 12 Degree Sparkling Riesling Sekt.Send us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we’d love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us:  https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: [email protected]

If you think the only great wine coming out of Bordeaux is red, you’ve got it wrong! When most people think of Bordeaux wine, they think of red wines that are anchored by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. But, did you know that White Bordeaux AKA Bordeaux Blanc may be the white wine you have always loved but didn’t know, because it is anchored by Sauvignon Blanc? That’s what we are exploring in this episode, and we are going to find out just what makes it so fabulous. Spoiler Alert! Although you may not have heard about White Bordeaux, you need to add it to your wine list because this wine slaps. And we found two great wines that are reasonably priced that we think you should buy! We'll also teach about some of the fun facts surrounding the wine. For instance, did you know that prior to 1956 60% of the wine made in Bordeaux was white? We bet you didn’t! Like a lot of French wines, White Bordeaux is a blend, and the magical blend in Bordeaux Blanc is Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle. So, we’ll also tell you why the art of blending is part of the wonder of this wine. Plus we have some wine in the news and a listener interview, so this is an episode you do not want to miss! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2024 Château Graville-Lacoste Graves Blanc, 2024 Château La Freynelle Bordeaux BlancSend us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we’d love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us:  https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: [email protected]

Forget that boring Provence Rosé everyone else is grabbing for Valentine’s Day. We are exposing a secret from the Loire Valley that offers amazing flavor and higher value for your money, and will impress your significant other. It might help you spice things up a bit, too! If you think all pink wine is created equal, think again... because not all Rosés are born the same. In this episode, we dive into Rosé d’Anjou, a "tender" style of wine that is perfect for those who want a hint of sweetness. You’ll learn how the Grolleau Noir grape creates a unique experience that pairs perfectly with spicy Asian cuisine or even a Galentines cheese board. We also get into the "mad scientist" side of winemaking, discussing how some producers use reverse osmosis to concentrate their juice and to make a top quality wine. We put two affordable bottles to the test to see if this Loire Valley underdog is the ultimate QPR (Quality to Price Ratio) win for your next date night. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2024 LaCheteau Soupçon de Fruit Rosé d'Anjou and 2024 Famille Bougrier Rose d'Anjou.Send us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we’d love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us:  https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: [email protected]

Valentine’s Day is coming, and if you are feeling stuck in the same old chocolate and roses rut, we have the perfect solution to win over your sweetie! Sherry as the ultimate dessert wine flex, especially if your goal is not striking out this V-Day. Inspired by a listener tip and Carmela’s unwavering love of ice cream, this episode dives headfirst into Sherry and vanilla ice cream as a surprisingly elite pairing. We know what you’re thinking . . . isn’t Sherry that syrupy stuff that your weird uncle drinks? Oh no, friends. It is a winner. In this episode, we explore this Spanish fortified wine from Jerez and tell you why the hype is real. We break down what Sherry actually is, how fortified wines are made, and why the Solera and Criadera System matters in keeping consistency from year to year. We also unpack the key differences between different types of Sherries like Medium, Cream, and Pedro Ximénez, and why different types of Sherries can give very different experiences. We also cover how the temperature can make or break the experience, because too cold or too warm can absolutely ruin the moment. Finally, we put theory into practice, tasting and rating two affordable Sherries with and without vanilla ice cream and giving you our honest take on which one actually delivers the Valentine’s Day win. Wines reviewed in this episode: Williams & Humbert Dry Sack Medium Sherry, Hartley & Gibson’s Cream Sherry.Send us a Text Message and we'll respond in our next episode!Contact The Wine Pair Podcast - we’d love to hear from you!Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us:  https://thewinepairpodcast.com/Follow and DM us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinepairpodcast/Send us an email: [email protected]