Stop Wasting Your Wine

There’s crisp, and then there’s this. But is that a good thing?

A $15 Hermes Assyrtiko splits the table as Colin, Joel, and Aaron kick off their Greek wine challenge. Aaron calls it a winner from the first sip. Joel enjoys the intensity. Colin wonders whether the acidity is throwing punches the rest of the wine can’t keep up with.

The mission: find the best Greek wine they can each get their hands on for under $20. This first contender brings citrus, floral notes, and more weight than you might expect. We unpack why “crisp” and “light” aren’t the same thing, debate when acidity becomes too much, and decide whether this bottle deserves a spot in your white wine rotation.

Then it’s Grape Guesses: Greek edition, with questionable geography, strategic guesses, and an ancient drinking game that sparks a disputed finish.

Wine Featured
Wine: Hermes Assyrtiko
Vintage: 2025
Grape: 100% Assyrtiko
Region: Peloponnese, Greece
Style: Dry white
ABV: 13%
Price: Approximately $15

Chapters
00:00 Greek Wine’s Underdog Moment
00:21 The Greek Wine Challenge: Under $20
03:59 Meet the Bottle: Hermes Assyrtiko
05:25 First Sips: Aaron Calls a Winner
07:57 Floral Notes, Big Acidity, and Unexpected Weight
12:38 “Crisp” and “Light” Aren’t the Same Thing
16:48 How to Recognize Acidity and Body
18:34 Can a Wine Have Too Much Acidity?
20:36 The Verdict: Does This Bottle Find Its Balance?
25:47 Would We Pick This Over Our Usual $15 White?
28:29 Joel Teases His Greek Wine Pick
29:55 Grape Guesses: Greek Edition

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Pinot Noir doesn’t have to be red. And there’s a whole festival ready to prove it
.
Our friend Adam from Saffron Fields joins us for a bonus preview of our upcoming interview. We’re sharing the White Pinot Fest details early so you have time to check it out before October 17. Our full conversation, including our tasting of Saffron Fields White Pinot Noir, is coming in a later episode.

In this excerpt, we talk about what white Pinot Noir is, how the event came together, and what to expect when wineries across Oregon’s Willamette Valley bring their versions together for an afternoon of tasting.

Expect still and sparkling wines and a chance to explore beyond your usual Pinot.

October 17, 2026 | Noon to 4 p.m.
Saffron Fields Vineyard | Yamhill, Oregon
Tickets: $45 per person
Event details and tickets:
https://saffronfields.com/product/white-pinot-fest

We’re not being paid to promote this event. We’re helping a friend spread the word about something we think our listeners would enjoy.

Would you spend $23 on a grape you’ve never tried, or reach for your usual bottle?

This week, Colin, Joel, and Aaron open the 2023 Valle Reale Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, an Italian white that gets us talking about everything from its round texture and bright finish to floral aromas and a surprising flinty note. It’s a bottle some of us admit we probably would have walked right past. Would that have been a mistake?

We discuss taking a chance on unfamiliar grapes, why the producer matters, and how checking the importer on the back label can help you find your next bottle. Then we deliver our verdicts before an Italy edition of Grape Guesses tests our knowledge and our ability to be slightly less wrong than each other.

Wine reviewed: 2023 Valle Reale Trebbiano d’Abruzzo
Price discussed: Approximately $23 | ABV: 12.5%

Thank you to Winebow for providing this bottle for review.

Wine provided by Winebow! Learn more about Winebow and Bodega Garzón!
Winebow Website
⁠https://www.winebow.com/⁠
Winebow Valle Reale Information Page
https://www.winebow.com/our-brands/valle-reale
Winebow on Instagram
⁠https://www.instagram.com/winebow/?hl=en⁠

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Chapters
00:00 An Italian White Worth Discovering?
00:20 Meet Valle Reale and Abruzzo
02:11 The Bottle: Vintage, Price, and ABV
04:34 First Sips: Round, Full, or Bright?
05:35 Citrus, Flint, and a Surprising Texture
11:32 Where Is That Weight Coming From?
12:47 Would You Buy an Unfamiliar Grape?
18:20 Check the Importer on the Back Label
19:58 The Verdict: Solid Pour or Must Share?
26:15 Grape Guesses: The Italy Edition
34:34 The Tiebreaker: Italy’s Share of World Wine
36:27 Wrap Up and Stay in Touch

Love Pinot Noir but ready to try something different? This week, we head to Sicily with the 2024 Ayunta Nerello Mascalese Rosso, a $33 red that brings bright cherry, earthy spice, and some familiar Pinot vibes with an Italian twist.

We explore what makes this grape worth a look for fans of lighter reds, how the wine changes in the glass, and whether it earns its price tag. Plus, what does growing wine on the slopes of Mount Etna actually change? We dig into volcanic soil, test our knowledge with Grape Guesses, and finish with our verdicts.

Wine: 2024 Ayunta Nerello Mascalese Rosso
Region: Sicily, Italy
Grape: 100% Nerello Mascalese
ABV: 13%
Price: About $33

Thank you to Ushwin at Unpinned for providing this week’s bottle.

You can see everything the Unpinned Bottle shop has to offer at the website: https://unpinnedwineclub.com/collections/bottle-shop

You can scoop up a bottle for you self on the Unpinned wine shop. https://unpinnedwineclub.com/products/ayunta-terre-siciliane-nerello-mascalese-bianco-2023

Follow us on Instagram @stopwastingyourwine.
Questions, bottle suggestions, or guest inquiries? Email cheers@stopwastingyourwine.com.

Chapters:
00:00 A Red Wine from Mount Etna
00:20 Meet Ayunta: Is It Worth $33?
02:26 The Grape, Vintage, and Bottle Details
03:54 First Sips: “Freaking Italian”
05:36 Cherry, Spice, and Pinot Noir Vibes
08:01 A Little Chill and a Finish That Keeps Going
10:27 Does Volcanic Soil Change the Wine?
12:00 Grape Guesses: How Rare Are Volcanic Wines?
14:19 What Soil Actually Does to the Vine
18:58 Grape Guesses: The Etna Blend Question
21:25 Final Reviews: Must Share Material?
26:27 Joel’s Wine Fridge Shakeup

What makes a Sauvignon Blanc worth $75?

Brian Mondavi Borger returns to Stop Wasting Your Wine with the 2024 Sentium, a Sauvignon Blanc led blend from the fourth generation of the Mondavi family. We taste it together and explore why winemaker Chiara Mondavi looked beyond Napa to old vineyards in Mendocino.

From Robert Mondavi’s Fumé Blanc legacy to Chiara’s approach in the cellar, Brian shares how the family’s history informs something new. We dig into the wine’s bright acidity, creamy texture, and the decisions behind what ends up in our glasses. Then comes our verdict: does Sentium deserve a spot in our wine fridges?

Plus, Brian takes on Grape Guesses. Does a lifetime around wine give him the edge, or can Colin and Aaron pull off an upset?

Pour a glass and find out whether Sentium belongs on your splurge list.
Learn More About Sentium Wine
Website: https://www.sentiumwine.com/

Also be sure to check out Continuum Estate
Website: https://www.continuumestate.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/continuumestate/

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Chapters:
00:00 The Next Generation of Mondavi Wine
01:59 Introducing Sentium and the Story Behind Its Label
05:11 Robert Mondavi and the Fumé Blanc Legacy
09:36 The $75 Bottle: What We’re Drinking
11:50 Old Vines and the Search Beyond Napa
15:57 First Sips: One Word Each
17:42 Why Use Oak, Concrete, and Stainless Steel?
23:39 Bright Acidity, Creamy Texture, and Sémillon
29:27 Minerality and Brian’s Vineyard Quartz
33:21 Our Ratings: Does Sentium Make the Wine Fridge?
40:04 Brian on Food Pairing and Aging Potential
42:59 Grape Guesses: Can We Beat a Mondavi?