Stop Wasting Your Wine

A $17 sparkling wine from Bordeaux challenges the idea that bubbles need to be expensive to be worth it. This week kicks off a value-focused series with a surprising pick.

The wine is the Dulong Crémant de Bordeaux Brut from Bordeaux, France, priced around $17 with 12% ABV. The hosts explore why a region known for red wine is producing sparkling wine and how value plays into buying decisions.

They break down what “Brut” actually means, how region shapes style, and why traditional method sparkling wines matter when chasing quality at lower prices.

The result: a unique, solid value bottle that sparks debate on what makes a wine memorable versus simply enjoyable.

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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 - Bordeaux… But Sparkling? (Cold Open)
00:21 - Best Bang for Your Buck Bubbles
01:59 - $17 Crémant de Bordeaux (Wine Reveal)
04:29 - Why This Pick?
06:05 - First Taste Breakdown (Nose + Palate)
11:17 - What Makes This Wine Different
12:26 - Wine Drops: Brut, Bordeaux, and Sparkling Basics
20:37 - Final Thoughts
21:52 - Ratings: Is It Worth It?
29:56 - Game: Pick Your Poison
33:42 - Final Verdict & Outro

A winemaker challenges Amarone tradition and flips the script. Mariano Buglioni shares how his Il Lussurioso Amarone from Buglioni in Valpolicella Classico (15.5% ABV) is intentionally made to be more drinkable, food-friendly, and approachable.

Instead of heavy, overpowering styles, Buglioni shifted away from barrique aging to large casks and adjusted grape drying to reduce sugar and alcohol intensity. The result is an Amarone designed for a second glass, not just a single sip.

The conversation explores challenging tradition, using hospitality as real-time feedback, and attracting younger drinkers through simpler messaging and experiences.

This episode highlights how small production choices can reshape an entire wine style.

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Learn More About Cantina Buglioni
https://www.buglioni.it/

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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 – Show Intro and Guest Welcome
00:30 – Todays Wine
01:30 – Mariano Buglioni’s Background and Winery Story
03:00 – A New Style of Amarone
05:30 – How the Wine Evolves in the Glass
08:30 – The ‘Accidental Winemaker’ Story
11:30 – Using Hospitality as a Real-Time Wine Lab
14:00 – Winemaking Changes: Drying Grapes and Sugar Levels
19:00 – Organic vs Sustainable Farming Decisions
22:00 – Engaging the Next Generation of Wine Drinkers
28:45 – Review and Final Thoughts
35:15 – PiNope or ChardonnYay (Game)
39:00 – Outro

A celebrity Pinot Grigio that doesn’t look like Pinot Grigio and might challenge what you expect from the category. This week, the crew digs into a unique bottle and debates whether it delivers where it counts.

This episode features the Sun Goddess Pinot Grigio Ramato 2021 by Mary J. Blige from Friuli, Italy. It’s 12.5% ABV and priced around $20.

They break down the Ramato style, why the wine has its copper color, and how it compares to typical Pinot Grigio. The conversation explores drinkability, style choices, and when a wine like this actually works best.

Plus, the final round of the celebrity wine challenge brings some strong opinions and a close comparison.
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Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!
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
The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠⁠

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro and Celebrity Wine Challenge Setup
00:40 - Todays Wine
02:30 - First Sip Reactions
05:10 - Why This Wine Was Chosen
07:08 - Initial Impressions
13:24 - What is Ramato Wine? (Learning Segment)
19:53 - Wine Style Takeaways
20:13 - Review and Final Thoughts
28:56 - Ranking the Celebrity Wines
33:43 - Wine-Themed Lyric Game
39:28 - April Challenge Announcement
40:32 - Where to Follow the Show

Is John Legend’s wine actually worth buying, or are you just paying for the name? The crew tests the 2023 LVE Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon from LVE Wines by John Legend, a North Coast, California bottle priced around $20 with 14.5% ABV, as part of their celebrity wine challenge under $30.

Aaron explains why this bottle stood out among the many celebrity wine options and why the LVE lineup caught his attention. The hosts also discuss the partnership with producer Jean-Charles Boisset and whether that background should raise, or lower, expectations.

Later, the episode shifts into a quick Cabernet Sauvignon lesson in the “Wine Drops” segment, focusing on how tannin shapes the texture and experience of the wine before the group delivers their final verdict.

Subscribe for weekly wine conversations.
Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!

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
The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠⁠

Chapters 00:00 — Celebrity Wine Challenge Returns
00:14 — Show Intro
00:31 — Today’s Wine
02:35 — First Sip Reactions
07:14 — Breaking Down the Wine
15:30 — Wine Drops
18:38 — Revisit After Wine Drops
21:42 — Review and Final Thoughts
25:30 — Pinot or Chardonnay Game
32:30 — Where to Find the Show

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.

Subscribe for weekly wine conversations.
Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!
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
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