Wine 101

It's a wine podcast, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner, so you know we gotta talk about it. Here is Wine 101's advice on Turkey Day and wine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first time, Vinepair conducted a Zinfandel Round Up for our Buy This Booze section for 2025. Getting to know this variety by tasting such a large amount from a wide spectrum of styles sparked more than a few realizations about one of our oldest Vitis Vinifera transplants. Here are some takes on a favorite grape. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spottswoode is not only a pioneering winery of the Napa Valley, but a forward-thinking property that made a critical decision in the mid-80s Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Silver Oak stands out in the Napa Valley crowd for sticking to a very unique mission statement. Here's Justin and Ray's story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The story of the first American vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of “Wine 101,” Keith sits down with JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery Winemaker Scott Shirley. The duo discuss the brand’s beginnings in Paso Robles, the premier Bordeaux-style wines they produce, and guest experiences at the JUSTIN Estate, spanning a Michelin star restaurant, five-star inn, and tasting room. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exploring one of the most essential wineries in Napa Valley that set the stage for the region’s future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A historic name embedded in California history, and three families that created one of the most loved and polarizing American wines Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did an American wine that retails today for $1500 come to be? H. William Harlan had three dreams, and one of them was to own a vineyard. How did he get there? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most expensive wines in the US is made in the US and filled with mystery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BUY UP NORTH AMERICAN SPARKLER HERE Wine 101's First Live podcast ever! Paul Brady, of Paul Brady Wine in Beacon, New York, has made the first official American Sparkler (we'll explain). He came to the Vinepair offices to share it with us and sat down to chat about all things New York, hybrids, and American Sapklers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's Wine 101 the roller coaster ride this modern American icon has gone through, where it is now, and where it's going. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Wine 101 Podcast has been teaching people the ins and outs of wine for over five years. It's time for a change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RSVP to attend! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I received a unique request and had to chat with Arsen Khachaturyants of Arsenio in Tuscany. He grows olive trees, makes olive oil, and is about to bottle his first wine. In Italy, it is usually the other way around—first the wine, then the olives. But Olives were on the peninsula of Italy before the vine. This was an enjoyable wine adjacent chat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While we get our East Coast wine region series back up and running, here is a post-Labor Day pep talk for wine going into the Fall. It's a great time to explore all the wine in all the ways. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a recent experience with an aged wine, it feels like the time to talk about the potential reality of what's in store Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The term natural wine has no definition and has been confusing consumers for over a decade. This episode discusses the reality and consequences of a trendy, undefined term in the wine-drinking space. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To get to the bottom of the situation of Maryland wine, I need to go to the source. Leslie Frelow has been conducting Maryland Wine tours through her 301 Wine Concierge brand. She is also a member of the Swirl Suite podcast, so I brought Sarita Cheaves back with me to chart everything Maryland wine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brion Cephus is the Certified Wino. His Instagram feed is filled with thoughtful presentations of fashion and wine, and vibes. So it was only natural to sit down with The Certified Wino and talk all things pairing wine and fashion. Sarita Cheaves joins me as I press record and just go. We riffed, it was fun, and we had some breakthroughs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stacey Buchanan has created one of the most exciting wine zines in the space. Pairing wine with heavy metal and 80s comics vibes is a blast in the modern era. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarita Cheaves is the co-host of the popular Swirl Suite Wine Podcast. She is a wine professional, author, producer, and good friend. Her social media presence is all about wine and life, and that includes pop culture. Sarita and I have a chat about wine in modern times. It's just two wine-obsessed friends talking about wine, music, and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we approach wine fashions that we are familiar with, a few things happened to set the stage for the modern wine trends of the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this series, we explore the fashion of wine, wine trends throughout history, and the relationship between wine and pop culture today. We begin, as always, with the Romans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We conclude our list of potential wine label ingredients with the mineral elements from the earth that impact wine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A quick side note about the state of Pinot Noir and the reality of visiting Bourgogne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we move further into the potential ingredients list for a wine label we dive into mineral salts. With one more episode to go, it's becoming clear what components would the items to cause potential concern. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Organic acids contribute to the flavor and stability of a wine. Some can be added to wine and that's where we might see a difference on an ingredients list. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We continue to explore what could be on a wine-label ingredients list. Fixed substances are the elements in wine that remain unchanged. I'll explain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, in our exploration of potential ingredients on wine labels, we examine volatile substances. Last week, we looked at what dissolves into wine; here, we look at what evaporates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What would it look like if we started listing ingredients on wine labels? This series will cover the composition of wine so if it does happen you will be informed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I sat down with Rombauer's senior director of winemaking and viticulture, Richie Allen, to discuss what a role like his means in wine and everything related to Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To wrap up this fun dive into Rosé history we go back to pre-Phylloxera Provance to Marcel Ott and his American plan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The history of Rosé goes domestic with the creation of two different US styles of pink that helped Americans begin to love the hue. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rosé's history enters the modern era from the most unlikely place. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Continuing the search for the history of Rosé, we happen upon a commune called Tavel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this series, I am attempting the impossible. When did Rosé begin? It's a murky journey, but it begins in ancient Marseilles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we wrap our fine wine thought process, the 80s saw the last big boom Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The fine wine idea solidifies in Bordeaux Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is fine wine? Let's begin with a story of a man named Rudy Kurniawan. It's a short episode setting up the scene. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How important is matching food and wine? And where did this phenomenon come from? Let's examine its history and application. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to review a wine? Let's look at the mental space people who review wine need to navigate to communicate a wine's quality to the general public. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few years ago we discussed a new emerging wine category, the Red Blend. It has been a few years now and having done a few annual tastings of the category I am seeing a pattern develop and it's exciting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two terms helped define distinctions in wine style and approach. Do they still matter? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does a person become a winemaker? We have covered a lot of topics in the world of wine over the years but never discussed the transition a human makes when deciding to leave a career to pursue their passion and become a winemaker. I met Greg Brewer, winemaker for Diatom, last year and thought his story was the one to tell when discussing this subject. He came to the VinePair studio and we talked about his journey. It's fascinating stuff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The MGA system in Barolo is fairly new and maybe a bit confusing, but it has a cool historical background. Let's dial in on the MGAs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a time of constant, rapid-fire information the wine space online can be dizzying. In this episode, I address some of them and allay any confusion.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We wrap up the Climate Change and wine series with a look at pest migration and disease threats Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now that we have a sense of climate's influence on the grapevine and wine, let's look at how climate change could do the same. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m not only the host of Wine 101. I am also the tasting director of Vinepair, where my colleague Hannah and I taste hundreds of wines throughout the year. We then publish our favorites on the site. In the episode, I run through some of these lists and highlight some amazing wines. Wine is doing fine.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.