The Wine Pair Podcast

Sometimes we talk to winemakers who are part of big wineries and big production facilities. Other times we talk to winemakers like Fausto who are, truly, deeply part of the land and the culture and the area where they are from. Fausto is in the Piedmont area of Italy, but he does not make the typical Nebbiolo based wines. He focuses on natural wines, biodynamic farming, and low intervention. The result of this is, as he says, that every wine has a part of him in it. Because he, the wine, and the land are intertwined in this agricultural, scientific, and artistic endeavor. Poderi Cellario is a family-based business. While they sell their wines in many different markets, including the United States, they focus on small, artisanal batches of wines, constant experimentation, and listening to the land. This is winemaking that feels new, but is actually the way wine has been made for thousands of years. We think you will love our conversion with Fausto and his son Simone. 
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Meet a true legend of winemaking. Ever heard of Opus One? How about Château Mouton Rothschild? Pascal Marty, owner and winemaker of Viña Marty in Chile, has a hand in those truly groundbreaking and world-renowned wines and wineries. Beyond that, Pascal is just a delightful, warm, and transparent person. A true pleasure to get to know. In our conversation, we talk about how an experience in a winery as a young man changed the trajectory of his whole life. We also talk about how his stubborn streak led him to not only study enology in Bordeaux, but fly to Napa to do his capstone project despite his professors’ incredulity at his choice because, in the 1980’s, no great French winemakers thought that was a good use of time. Pascal has always a been a trailblazer and an adventurer, making some of the greatest wines in the world in France, California, and for more than 20 years now, Chile. We have done some great interviews with winemakers, but this may be the one that us truly honored and humbled. You will love to get to know Pascal.
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If you are an aspiring wine nerd, Xinomavro is a wine you just gotta know. Why is that you ask? Well, Xinomavro is often compared to the great Italian wines Barolo and Barbaresco made from the Nebbiolo grape, as well as the great French wines made from Pinot Noir in Burgundy, so that is pretty high praise for a wine you’ve probably never heard of. Xinomavro is known for its powerful structure (that’s wine nerd talk for things like tannins and acidity) and a unique savory aromatic profile (that is also wine nerd talk for aromas and flavors like olive and tomato that you don’t find in just any wine), and so while it is often compared to Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir for its complexity and elegance, it is its own unique and powerful wine experience. The area of Nauossa where Xinomavro is most famously from has its roots in Greek mythology, and in fact it is said to be the mythical birthplace of the Greek goddess Semele who is the mother of Dionysus, who is, of course, the Greek god of wine. Again, this is why this wine is a must-know for wine nerds. We tried two different styles of Xinomavro, one younger and fresher, the other more rich and complex, and we found them both to be more than worth seeking out. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Thymiopoulos Young Vines Xinomavro, 2022 Kir-Yianni Naoussa Cuvee Villages
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Have you ever picked up a Portuguese wine, stared at the label, and thought... I have absolutely no idea what this means? Same! And here's the thing: Douro Branco might be Portugal's best white wine value that no one is talking about. So this week, we are fixing that! In this episode, we break down what Douro Branco actually means, why the Douro Valley's brutal climate and ancient vines produce some of the most interesting white wines in Europe, and what the heck "field blends" are and why they make this wine so different from almost anything else you'll find on the shelf. We also give you a quick Portuguese wine vocabulary lesson so you can stop being scared of the words on the label. Then we taste and review two Douro Branco wines, both under $15, to find out if either one earns a spot on your dinner table. Spoiler: one of them made the cut! Wines tasted and reviewed: 2023 Quinta Das Carvalhas Douro White Blend, 2024 Symington Family Estates Rio Belo Douro Branco
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Valpolicella Ripasso is one of the most fascinating wines we have ever had. It’s not just the flavor, which slaps, but also the process and history behind it. We don’t want to spoil it before you listen, but the Ripasso method is a totally unique approach to wine making that aspiring wine nerds absolutely need to know! Hailing from the beautiful area around Verona, Italy (yes, the place where Romeo and Juliet hung out), Valpolicella is known for not just one, but four different styles of red wine which we dig into because each has an important place in the production of Valpolicella Ripasso. The result of the amazing process of Ripasso is a wine that is both complex and food friendly, rich yet acidic, and an underappreciated wine that punches well above it’s weight in terms of value to price. They don’t call it baby Amarone for nothing. And, if you don’t know what that means, you need to listen so you can learn more about these unbelievable wines. And, as an extra bonus, in our Wine in the News This Week section we discuss how wine was at the center of the Supreme Court decision to strike down the Trump Administration’s tariffs. Bet you didn’t know that. Do yourself a favor and dive in! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2018 Guerrieri Rizzardi Pojega Ripasso della Valpolicella, 2019 Michele Castellani San Michele Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore
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Visit our website, leave a review, and reach out to us:  https://thewinepairpodcast.com/
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Send us an email: [email protected]