Stop Wasting Your Wine

This week, we're putting another listener recommendation to the test and the pressure is on.

After last week's surprise Australian wine win, our community is looking to go 2-for-2 with a Barossa Valley Shiraz from legendary winemaker Chris Ringland. Can a $24 bottle from one of Australia's most respected names really deliver?

We dive into bold dark fruit, pepper, herbs, oak, and one tasting note none of us saw coming (fruitcake?!), while tackling a bigger question:

Do great winemakers only make expensive wine?

Turns out, the answer might change the way you shop for wine forever.

Plus:
Why affordable wines aren't just "cheap versions" of luxury bottles
A chaotic round of Grape Guesses featuring kangaroos, Shiraz exports, and Australia's oldest vines
Colin discovers new sound effects... and maybe a little too much power

Wine Reviewed:
2021 Ringland Barossa Shiraz (Barossa Valley, Australia)

Have a wine you think we need to try? Send us your recommendation—you might pick our next winner.

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Chapters
00:00 - Ushwin Wine Experience Announcement
01:38 - Our Australian Wine Challenge Continues
04:15 - First Impressions of the Ringland Barossa Shiraz
05:45 - Breaking Down the Aromas and Flavor Profile
10:15 - Do Our Tasting Notes Match the Producer's?
13:40 - Wine Drop: Why Great Winemakers Make Affordable Wines
20:55 - Final Ratings
27:20 - Grape Guesses: Australia's Shiraz, Vineyards & Kangaroos
34:25 - Close

This week, we're kicking off our Australian wine challenge with a bottle recommended by you, our listeners.

After our infamous Yellow Tail review stirred up plenty of passionate responses from Australia, we knew we had to come back with an open mind. Enter the 2022 Penfolds Max's Cabernet Sauvignon from South Australia (14.5% ABV, $18-22).

Along the way, we explore why it's a mistake to judge an entire wine region by a single bottle, why Cabernet and Shiraz can taste dramatically different even when they're grown in the same country, and how understanding the grape can be just as important as understanding where it came from.

Most importantly, we ask a bigger question: are we finally discovering the sweet spot for value wines, or is finding great wine under $17 still just a game of chance?

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Chapters
00:00 Australia Wants Redemption
03:18 Todays Wine
13:42 Wine Drops
14:40 Cabernet vs. Shiraz: Same Country, Different Wines
18:35 Buying Wine by Region vs. Grape
21:14 Review and Final Thoughts
27:37 Is Great Wine Under $17 Still a Gamble?
32:30 Australian Challenge Week One Wrap-Up

What happens when two Midwesterners fall in love, start making wine in a Los Angeles apartment bathroom, and eventually plant their own vineyard in Oregon? John and Megan Adams of Wildsound Wine share their journey from home winemakers to farming and producing wine in the Willamette Valley.

The conversation explores vineyard life, organic farming, whole-cluster fermentation, amphora aging, and why they believe great wine starts in the vineyard. The team also tastes and reviews the 2023 Gamay Noir from Wildsound Wine, discussing the winemaking choices that shape the wine and what makes Oregon such a unique wine region.

Wine: 2023 Gamay Noir
Producer: Wildsound Wine
Region: McMinnville, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Price: $35

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Check out Wildsound Wine and buy a case...or two!
Wildsound Wine Website
https://www.wildsoundwine.com/

Wild Sound Wine on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundwine

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Buy us a glass!
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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction and Meet John & Megan Adams
02:25  - Falling in Love With Wine
04:00 - From Apartment Winemaking to Oregon Vineyard Owners
07:20 - The Reality of Farming and Growing Grapes
11:30 -  Why Vintage Variation Matters
14:40 - Farming First, Make It Delicious
17:30 - Whole Cluster Fermentation and Traditional Winemaking
24:00 - Learning the Craft of Wine
28:30 - Why the Willamette Valley Is So Special
31:20 - What Wildsound Wants People to Remember
33:30 - Todays Wine
44:45 - Review and Final Thoughts

Can a Bordeaux-style Napa blend close out the Napa Wine Company series on a high note?

In this episode, we review the Oakville Winery Napa Valley Red Wine, an estate-grown blend from Oakville, Napa Valley. The conversation explores how the wine evolves with air, why decanting may make a difference, and what stood out to each host after spending more time with the bottle.

We also take a closer look at what "estate grown" actually means, why it matters, and why it isn't necessarily a guarantee of quality. Plus, the debut of a new game, Grape Guesses, leads to some surprising facts about Napa Valley vineyards and wineries.

Today's Wine
Producer: Oakville Winery
Region: Oakville, Napa Valley, California
Blend: 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 12% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot
ABV: 14.1%
Price: Approximately $50
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Chapters
00:00 Introduction & Final Napa Wine Company Stop
00:53 Wrapping Up the Napa Wine Company Series
02:51 Todays Wine
04:13 First Impressions
06:33 Tasting Discussion
11:23 Wine Drops
11:46 What Does Estate Grown Mean?
17:15 Why Estate Grown Doesn't Guarantee Quality
18:44 Review and Final Thoughts
23:43 Introducing Grape Guesses
25:22 Napa Valley Trivia Challenge
30:42 Series Wrap-Up & Thanks to Napa Wine Company
31:22 Where to Find and Follow the Show

Can a $25 Napa red really deliver a premium wine experience?

This week on Stop Wasting Your Wine, we're heading from Ghost Block to its sister label, Elizabeth Rose, to find out. In the glass is the 2023 Chockablock Red Blend, a Napa Valley blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec that surprised us from the very first sip.

What started as a savory, herbal, and unexpectedly salty wine transformed dramatically as it opened up, revealing layers of dark fruit, oak spice, vanilla, and structure. Along the way, we explore why winemakers blend grapes in the first place, how small percentages of Merlot and Malbec can completely change a wine's personality, and why some of the world's greatest wines are blends rather than single varietal bottlings.

In this episode, we discuss:
• Why this wine tastes so different from a typical Napa Cabernet
• The role of blending in creating balance and complexity
• How decanting completely changed our experience with this bottle
• Whether a $20 to $25 Napa blend can compete with wines costing far more
• Why this might be a bottle worth buying by the case and aging for years

Plus, a Pick Your Poison scenario that puts your wine pronunciation skills and your relationship with your boss to the ultimate test.

Wine Featured:
2023 Elizabeth Rose Chockablock Red Blend
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Malbec
Napa Valley, California

Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!
Buy us a glass!
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00:00 Cold Open and Intro
00:50 Meet the Chockablock Blend
03:00 First Sip Impressions
04:58 Aromas, Herbs, and Salinity
08:40 The Mystery Flavor Everyone Notices
15:53 Wine Drop: Why Winemakers Create Blends
22:58 Final Reviews After an Hour of Air
30:20 Pick Your Poison: Correct the Boss?
35:24 Next Week's Wine Preview