Stop Wasting Your Wine

Celebrity wines can be a minefield. This week the crew kicks off a new challenge to find the best celebrity wine under $30, starting with The Dreaming Tree Crush Red Blend (2023) from Dreaming Tree Wines, a collaboration between Dave Matthews and winemaker Steve Reeder.

The wine comes from California, costs about $15, and sits at 14.5% ABV. The hosts discuss what celebrity wines get right and wrong, why California red blends often surprise drinkers, and who these easy drinking wines are actually made for.

They also break down common misconceptions about “jammy” wines and how warm climate fruit and modern winemaking shape approachable red blends.

Plus a Dave Matthews Band lyric game and the first score in the celebrity wine challenge.

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Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram
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Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠⁠
Chapters
00:00 – New Celebrity Wine Challenge Begins
00:21 – Rules: Finding the Best Celebrity Wine Under $30
03:31 – Upcoming Celebrity Wines (Mary J. Blige & John Legend Picks)
04:10 – Today’s Wine: The Dreaming Tree Crush Red Blend (Dave Matthews)
08:17 – First Impressions and Discussion
17:05 – Learning Segment: What California Red Blends Actually Are
23:26 – Who California Red Blends Are Actually For
25:37 – Review System Explained
26:43 – Review and Final Thoughts
31:39 – Dave Matthews Lyrics Game
37:01 – Wrap Up and Where to Find the Show

From cleaning kennels to crafting Sonoma Cabernet, Chris Louton’s path to winemaking wasn’t planned. A UC Davis class changed everything. Now at St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, he’s shaping wines that stay balanced, affordable, and true to place.

Chris shares how he went from veterinary ambitions to overseeing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Bordeaux varietals in Sonoma County. We talk vintage differences, protecting quality at scale, and why he refuses to “make wine for trends.”

We taste the 2023 St. Francis Merlot and 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon (both around $15–$16, 14.8% and 14.5% ABV). Chris breaks down vineyard strategy, blending across Sonoma County, and how they maintain control from vine to bottle.

If you care about value wine done right, this one’s for you.
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Learn More About the St. Francis
https://www.stfranciswinery.com/

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Buy us a glass!
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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
The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠⁠

Chapters
00:00 – Welcome & Guest Introduction
00:55 – From Veterinary Medicine to Winemaking
05:14 – Luxury Cabernet & Early Career
07:42 – Joining St. Francis & Carrying the Legacy
10:08 – Making Wine for a Wide Audience
15:07 – What St. Francis Wines Aim to Deliver
18:15 – Protecting Quality at Scale
22:06 – 2023 Merlot Breakdown
34:36 – 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Breakdown
42:45 – Review & Ratings
47:25 – Pinot or Chardonnay Game
50:13 – Final Thoughts + Where to Find St. Francis

This week, a behind-the-scenes look at how great Sonoma wine actually gets made. Katie Madigan of St. Francis Winery shares how she went from chemistry student to winemaker, why sustainability is more than farming, and how to keep soul and quality in wines priced around $15–$18.

Katie breaks down St. Francis Winery’s approach to balance, aromatics, and vintage expression, plus what it takes to produce accessible wines at scale without losing identity.

We taste and discuss:
• 2023 Sonoma County Chardonnay – St. Francis Winery – Sonoma County – $15–$18 – 14% ABV
• 2023 Old Vine Zinfandel – St. Francis Winery – Sonoma County – $15–$18

If you care about sustainability, value-driven California wine, or how winemakers think during harvest, this one’s for you.
Subscribe for weekly wine conversations.

Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!
Buy us a glass!
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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
The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠⁠

Chapters
00:00 – Welcome and Introducing Katie Madigan
02:02 – From Chemistry to Winemaking
03:14 – UC Davis Enology Program
04:34 – Early Days at St. Francis
08:28 – Sustainability at St. Francis Winery
12:19 – How Katie Knows a Wine Is Ready
14:16 – Aromatics, Texture, and Wine Accessibility
18:32 – Making Quality Wine at Scale
20:11 – Todays Wine
20:13 – 2023 Sonoma County Chardonnay
26:52 –2023 Old Vine Zinfandel
36:01 – Review and Final Thoughts

A $15 sparkling Gamay from Beaujolais with a sexy label and big wine family backing… and it became the first unanimous drain of 2026. This week, the guys crack open Forbidden Kiss Sparkling Red Wine from the Boisset Collection in Beaujolais.

It’s 100% Gamay, made in the ancestral method, 7.5% ABV, and widely available at Total Wine. On paper, it checks the boxes for a fun, low-alcohol sparkling red. In the glass, things go sideways.

They break down:
What sparkling Gamay should taste like

How the ancestral method works

Why sugar and alcohol matter

And how this bottle missed the mark

Plus: sexy bottle challenge results and the first unanimous drain of the year.
Subscribe for weekly wine conversations.

Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!
Buy us a glass!
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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
The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠⁠

Chapters
00:00 – Sexy Bottle Challenge Finale
02:09 – Todays Wine
04:52 – First Impressions
11:02 – Understanding Sparkling Gamay
13:34 – How the Ancestral Method Works
15:00 – What This Wine Should Have Been
18:49 – Who Is Jean-Charles Boisset?
21:28 – Review and Final Thoughts
26:01 – Challenge Results and Winner
29:01 – PiNope or ChardonnYay
31:27 – Where to Find Us

The Sexy Bottle Challenge rolls on with Colin's Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, the latest contender in the search for the best intersection of great wine and great presentation.

Colin's pick faces off against last week's bottle as the competition tightens and early favorites begin to emerge. The conversation then shifts to Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc as a style: why the region has earned its reputation, and how climate and winemaking choices create a wine that feels instantly recognizable.

With ratings locked in and stakes rising heading into the final week, each pick carries more weight as the leaderboard takes shape.

The episode closes with a fast-paced Spellmelier game built around New Zealand wine terms, adding a competitive jolt before the challenge moves one step closer to crowning a winner.
Pour a glass, listen along, and see where this bottle lands.

Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!
Buy us a glass!
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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
The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠

Chapters
0:00 Welcome and Sexy Bottle Challenge Recap
1:47 Colin’s Wine Pick Revealed
2:10 The Little Black Dress Bottle Theory
3:50 Is the Bottle Actually Sexy?
5:03 Let’s Talk About the Wine
6:35 First Smells and Expectations
7:50 Tasting Notes and Flavor Breakdown
9:42 Acidity and Finish Discussion
11:50 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Explained
14:44 How This Wine Is Made
17:55 Food Pairings That Make Sense
21:25 Final Ratings and Verdicts
25:31 Sexy Bottle Debate Continues
27:19 Rapid Spellmelier Game
34:25 Final Thoughts and Outro