Stop Wasting Your Wine

Did the wine industry push away a generation of drinkers by making wine too expensive, intimidating, and inconvenient?

This week, we sit down with Los Cuernos founders Zeke Blattler and Cory Assink to discuss why they believe wine has a consumer trial problem and how they plan to fix it. Their solution is premium California wine served in single portion cans and kegs, designed for places where quality wine is often missing.

We taste three wines from the Los Cuernos lineup: Sauvignon Blanc, Sparkling Rosé, and their flagship Petite Sirah based Red Blend. Along the way, we discuss stale restaurant pours, the value of nonvintage wine, the science behind canning, and why breweries, burger bars, golf courses, hotels, and outdoor venues could become the next frontier for wine.

Can canned wine break through the traditions holding the industry back, or will consumers struggle to look beyond the package?

Wines tasted:
Los Cuernos Sauvignon Blanc
Los Cuernos Sparkling Rosé
Los Cuernos Red Blend

Learn more about Los Cuernos through their Instagram, LinkedIn, and online store.
Website: https://loscuernos.com/
Online Store: https://loscuernos.com/shop/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loscuernoswine/

Support the show!
Buy us a glass!
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/cheers3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!
Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠

Chapters 00:00 Did the Wine Industry Ruin Itself?
00:15 Introducing Los Cuernos
02:25 Why the Wines Are Nonvintage
03:42 Should You Drink Wine From the Can?
05:30 The Idea Cory Initially Rejected
11:28 When Wine Became Too Precious
14:42 Wine Has a Consumer Trial Problem
22:53 Tasting the Sauvignon Blanc
26:37 A Sparkling Rosé Built for the Can
29:47 Meeting Winemaker Gerardo Espinosa
34:13 Is This the Future of Accessible Wine?
38:07 Is Canned Wine Inevitable?
39:29 Tasting the Sparkling Rosé
43:06 The Flagship Red Blend
47:04 Why Zeke Almost Rejected Wine Spectator
54:28 Can Los Cuernos Help Wine Grow Again?
57:41 Reviewing the Los Cuernos Lineup
1:02:11 Pick Your Poison
1:05:37 Where to Find Los Cuernos
1:07:31 Outro

Viognier came dangerously close to disappearing. By 1965, only about eight hectares, or roughly 20 acres, remained worldwide. Today, the grape is experiencing a comeback, and Yalumba played a major role in establishing it in Australia.

This week, we taste the 2022 Yalumba Samuel’s Collection Viognier from Eden Valley. At around $24, it delivers lime, stone fruit, melon, vanilla, minerality, and a rich texture that keeps evolving in the glass.

We explore why growers nearly abandoned Viognier, how a handful of producers kept it alive, and whether this bottle proves that the difficult grape was worth saving. Then we finish with our ratings and another round of Grape Guesses.

Wine featured:
Yalumba Samuel’s Collection Viognier
Vintage: 2022
Region: Eden Valley, Australia
Grape: 100% Viognier
ABV: 13.5%
Price: Approximately $24

This bottle was provided by Winebow Fine Wine + Spirits. Our opinions remain our own.

Winebow Website
⁠https://www.winebow.com/⁠
Winebow Yalumba Information Page
https://www.winebow.com/our-brands/yalumba
Winebow on Instagram
⁠https://www.instagram.com/winebow/?hl=en⁠

Support the show!
Buy us a glass!
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/cheers3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!
Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠

Chapters
00:00 The Wine Grape That Almost Disappeared
00:20 Welcome and This Week’s Wine
01:32 Yalumba Viognier Details
03:22 First Sips
03:51 Lime, Stone Fruit and an Oily Texture
06:10 Colin Detects the Oak
07:22 What Makes This White Wine Different?
09:11 A Mix of Familiar White-Wine Styles
10:54 Was Viognier Worth Saving?
12:01 Why Growers Abandoned the Grape
13:15 How Yalumba Helped Bring It Back
16:20 Final Ratings: A Triple Must Share?
21:57 Grape Guesses29:46 Outro

Tokaji may be famous for dessert wine, but this bottle shows a completely different side of Hungary’s historic wine region.

This week, we taste the 2020 Préselő Tokaji Furmint, a bone-dry white packed with sharp acidity, green apple, citrus, minerality, and a petrol note that transforms as the wine opens. We explore why dry Furmint has struggled to escape Tokaji’s sweet reputation and whether it could follow Riesling’s path from misunderstood grape to white-wine favorite.

At around $30, can this unfamiliar Hungarian wine earn a place at your next dinner?

Wine Details:
Producer: Préselő
Wine: Tokaji Furmint
Vintage: 2020
Region: Tokaj, Hungary
Grape: 100% Furmint
ABV: 11.5%
Price: About $30
Provided by: UNPINNED Bottle Shop

Learned more about and sign up for the UNPINNED Wine Club and Bottle Shop!
Website: https://unpinnedwineclub.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unpinnedwine/

Support the show!
Buy us a glass!
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/cheers3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!
Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:22 - Tokaji’s Unexpected Dry Side
02:02 - Préselő Tokaji Furmint Wine Details
03:51 - First Sips and First Impressions
05:00 - Apple Cider, Petrol, and Acidity
12:12 - Why Hasn’t Dry Furmint Broken Through?
19:41 - Our Final Reviews
24:53 - Exploring UNPINNED’s Wine Picks
25:51 - Hungarian Grape Guesses
32:44 - Final Thoughts and Outro

Albariño usually means Spain or Portugal. This week, we travel much farther south to see whether the grape has found a legitimate second home in Uruguay.

We taste the 2025 Bodega Garzón Reserva Albariño, a coastal white wine packed with grapefruit, green apple, floral aromas, bright acidity, and a salty finish. Does Uruguay bring something new to the grape, or has Bodega Garzón recreated the Spanish Albariño experience for around $20?

We also explore why Uruguay’s Atlantic coast suits Albariño, reveal how heavily the country is investing in the grape, and play a Uruguay-themed round of Grape Guesses.

Wine details
Wine: Bodega Garzón Reserva AlbariñoVintage: 2025Region: Maldonado, UruguayGrape: 100% AlbariñoAlcohol: 13% ABVPrice: Approximately $20

Wine provided by Winebow! Learn more about Winebow and Bodega Garzón!
Winebow Website
https://www.winebow.com/
Winebow Bodega Garzon Information Page
https://www.winebow.com/our-brands/bodega-garzon
Winebow on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/winebow/?hl=en
Bodega Garzon Website
https://bodegagarzon.com/en/
Support the show!
Buy us a glass!
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/cheers3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!
Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠

Chapters
00:00 Intro: Albariño From Uruguay?
00:58 Can Uruguay Compete With Spain?
02:02 Aaron’s First Experience With Bodega Garzón
03:45 Wine Details and Price
04:19 First Sips: Salty, Breezy, and “Acidy”
05:34 Grapefruit, Green Apple, and Coastal Character
07:57 What Defines Spanish Albariño?
08:55 Does Uruguay’s Version Taste Different?
09:41 Why Albariño Works in Uruguay
11:27 Availability and Value
13:03 The Final Reviews
17:17 A Must-Share Because of the Story?
19:33 Grape Guesses: Uruguay Edition
22:49 The Rise of Albariño in Uruguay
27:34 How Many Uruguayan Producers Grow Albariño?
30:33 Outro and Where to Find Us

This week, we explore two sides of white Burgundy through two very different expressions of Chardonnay from Louis Jadot.

First, we taste the bright and unoaked 2024 Mâcon-Villages. Then we move to the warmer and fuller 2024 Pouilly-Fuissé, aged for six months in French oak. Tasting them side by side gives us a clear look at how oak, place, and appellation shape what ends up in the glass.

We also explore why the Mâconnais offers some of Burgundy’s best value, debate which style we prefer, and close with a Chardonnay edition of Grape Guesses.

Two wines. One grape. Two completely different sides of white Burgundy.
Wines Reviewed
2024 Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages Chardonnay
Region: Mâconnais, Burgundy, France
Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Style: Unoaked
ABV: 12.5%
Price: Approximately $16
2024 Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé
Region: Pouilly-Fuissé, Mâconnais, Burgundy, France
Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Style: Aged six months in French oak
ABV: 13.5%
Price: Approximately $30

Buy us a glass!
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/cheers3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!
Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine

Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:39 Meet the Two Louis Jadot Chardonnays
05:59 First Sips
07:13 Tasting the Unoaked Mâcon-Villages
12:02 Tasting the Oaked Pouilly-Fuissé
18:29 What Does Oak Actually Change?
21:52 Is the Mâconnais Burgundy’s Value Region?
25:05 Mâcon-Villages vs. Pouilly-Fuissé
27:03 Rating the Two Wines
34:04 Our Final Verdict on Louis Jadot
36:10 Grape Guesses: Chardonnay Edition
42:52 The Judgment of Paris Tiebreaker
46:10 Outro