Is Sancerre the Rolex of white wine? Are hybrids the antidote to Cali cab fatigue? All this and more in S8 E6 of The Real Wine Show!

Is Sancerre the Rolex of white wine? Are hybrids the antidote to Cali cab fatigue? All this and more in S8 E6 of The Real Wine Show!

California Cab Fatigue, Hybrids vs. Classics, and a Chillable Minervois Red with Roast Chicken on The Real Wine Show (S8E6) In the season eight finale of The Real Wine Show, we thank our sponsor , the Gabriel Group (www.gabrielgrp.com) and introduce panelists Jason Lyons (assistant winemaker at Social Vines), House Alpens’ Midwest sales manager Megan Heinowski, and Red Wagon Rochester Wine Shop wine director Mick Descamps.  Panelists shared their “hot takes,” including boredom with oversaturated California cabernet, appreciating vermouth/oxidative and fortified styles as “wine,” and big suppliers narrowing restaurant lists while accelerating market decline. News topics debate how to position cold-climate hybrids, whether influencer “thirst posting” drives demand, and the Sancerre price/availability pivot to nearby Loire appellations.  Glass checks include Bayernmoor Pinot Noir, J.B. Becker Riesling, Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin, and Leflaive Mâcon-Verzé.  Chef Jason’s Grape to Plate pairs a light Minervois blend from Clos Centeilles with brined roast chicken, potatoes, and kale; Wine Cipher is won by Mick; an emotive blind reveals a multi-vintage Austrian Grüner blend from aged barrels that were left without being topped, and Megan brings home the big prize! 00:00 Season Finale Kickoff 00:17 Sponsor Spotlight Gabriel Group 01:06 Meet Jason Lyons  01:48 California Cab Debate 03:30 Meet Megan Heinowski 04:24 Vermouth Is Wine 06:19 Meet Mick Descamps 07:11 Big Suppliers Backlash 09:52 Glass Check Tasting Notes 13:39 News Segment Hybrids Future 17:00 Selling Hybrids Smartly 20:28 Social Media Thirst Posting 24:04 Influencers Versus Craft 28:43 What Is Carcavelos 30:37 Rare Carcavelos Deep Dive 31:05 Tasting Notes and Rancio 32:01 Taylor Swift Bottle Banter 32:07 Sancerre Solution Debate 36:45 Downselling and Climate Shift 39:45 Glass Check and Score Update 42:29 Mystery Red Wine Analysis 45:28 Roast Chicken Pinot Pairing 48:13 Sides Potatoes and Kale 52:44 Reveal Minervois Blend 53:18 Chillable Red Reveal 53:56 Brining Poultry Practical Hack 55:13 Why Not Brine Steak? 56:41 Wine Cipher Game 57:10 Decoding Tasting Notes 01:00:45 Emotive Blind Setup 01:04:09 Springtime Wine Stories 01:09:39 Scores and Winner 01:10:22 Blind Wine Unveiled 01:12:21 Wrap and Final Toast

America Still Doesn’t Get Wine: Three Wine Biz Owners on Culture, Community, and the Magic We're Missing. (The Real Wine Show S8E5).

America Still Doesn’t Get Wine:  Three Wine Biz Owners on Culture, Community, and the Magic We're Missing.  Discover why South African wine is poised to win, if America has a problem appreciating wine, and find out which Friulian chardonnay gives sunny, Greek beach vibes! (The Real Wine Show S8E5). Episode five of season eight opens with a shout-out to sponsor Gabriel Group (www.gabrielgrp.com [http://www.gabrielgrp.com])  and introduces panelists Tommy York (owner of Ann Arbor wine hotspot and cafe, York), Emily Dorr (Flint community developer and owner of Queen’s Provisions), and Lori Herron (founder of Social Vines Vineyard and Winery in Dexter). Their hot takes include Emily calling for a 2026 “Judgment of Paris” redo with South Africa challenging California, Tommy arguing wine’s “magic” is underappreciated versus beer and spirits, and Lori defending Riesling’s range beyond sweetness.  Glass checks include Lalarge-Peugeot Champagne Tradition, Cartell Serena Prosecco, and a Bayernmoor Cellars Pinot Noir from Puget Sound. They discuss a fake “ancient cellar” story and SV Bank’s wine report on hospitality-driven sales and pricing, plus the perils and benefits of NA wine.  Chef Jason Bertold’s triple-blind tasting leads to a French style, spring-vegetable risotto matched to rare Coloma Alarije Dorado from Extremadura, Spain. The Wine Cipher identifies 2016 Lynch-Bages and Andre Cold Duck! Emotive blind tasting surprises with a delicious 2020 Pierpaolo Pecorari Chardonnay from Friuli, and Lori wins the game! 00:00 Welcome And Sponsor 00:53 Meet Tommy York (York Ann Arbor) 04:23 Meet Emily Dorr (Queens Provisions Flint) 08:56 Meet Lori Herron (Social Vines Dexter) 11:20 Riesling’s Reputation 12:41 Glass Check! 15:11 Fake News: Ancient Cellar 21:30 NA Wine Debate 24:14 Wine Industry Future 36:13 Score Update Segment 37:20 Grape to Plate w/ Chef Jason 40:34 Springy White Wine 41:31 French Style Risotto 42:52 Aged Carnaroli Rice 43:47 Risotto Cooking Plan 44:56 Vegetable Garnish Prep 46:11 Wine Reveal: a Spanish Alarije 47:57 Practical Hack: Blanching 50:01 Wine Cipher: Bordeaux 55:09 Candy Sparkler comes to the Cipher 01:00:03 Emotive Blind Tasting 01:08:25 Reveal: Friuli Chardonnay 01:09:35 Wines Of The Show 01:11:23 Scores And Farewell

Why 3-Star Michelin Restaurants Suck! on The Real Wine Show (S8E4)

Serious boss ladies get into it with Paper Bottles, Fake Wine Trains, and why stickies rule, plus a grenache-to-lamb pairing on The Real Wine Show (S8E4) Special thanks to our sponsor Gabriel Group (gabrielgrp.com) for helping us make another great episode! The show opens with intros to panelists Elisa Weber-Saintin (Little Guy Wine Company, celebrating 19 years; critic of predictable three-Michelin-star dining), Anna Nolan (Russian-born sommelier and co-owner of Vino and Vibes in Utica, aiming to “un-snob” wine), and Kristen Jonna (Michigan wine family royalty and owner of Vinology in Ann Arbor; she follows the moon!). In news debates, they discuss the viability of low-carbon “Frugal Pack” cardboard bottles versus glass, and a (fake) story about Japan’s underground wine trains, prompting talk of Michigan wine trains. Glass checks feature wines including Los Malditos Tempranillo, a Cremant de Loire sparkling wine, and a Slovenian pét-nat. The Wine Cipher note matches Château d’Yquem. On the Grape to Plate segment, Chef Jason Berthold pairs a 2022 McLaren Vale Grenache from Worlds Apart with grilled lamb loin crusted with black trumpet mushroom powder and pomegranate molasses plus chickpeas and grilled onions, sharing a grilling meal-prep hack. An emotive blind tasting generating Sound of Music vibes is revealed as a 2021 Lulu “BB1” Chardonnay/Savagnin blend from the Jura, and a 1975 Rivesaltes dessert wine stands out; Kristen takes home the big win! 00:00 Welcome and Sponsor 01:01 Meet the Panel 02:10 Elisa on Dining Hype 05:09 Anna Unsnobs Wine 07:54 Kristen’s Wine Royalty 10:40 Glass Check Tasting 17:36 Debate Paper Bottles 24:30 Fake News: Wine Trains 31:34 Wine Cipher Challenge 36:12 Dessert Wine Revival 38:22 Grape to Plate  38:44 Chef tastes 40:18 Food Pairing Pivot 42:01 Grilled Lamb Plan 43:41 Mushroom Pomegranate Crust 46:00 Chickpea Ragu Sides 48:09 Bottle Reveal: Grenache 49:07 Practical Hack: Grill Extras 50:22 Second Glass Check 54:20 Somm Slam Event Plug 59:05 Emotive Blind Tasting 01:06:39 Unveiling Lulu BB1 01:08:13 Wines of the Show 01:09:47 Final Scores; Farewell

You Can't Say That! How Wine Words Turn Off Younger Drinkers (S8 E3)

Champagne Semantics, Vibe Vocabulary, and Howell Mountain Vineyards Zin Pairing on The Real Wine Show (S8E3) In episode three of season eight of The Real Wine Show, the hosts thank sponsor Gabriel Group (gabrielgrp.com [https://gabrielgrp.com]) and introduce panelists Arturo (Mexico-born wine enthusiast pursuing WSET Level 3 with the hot take that there’s no bad champagne), Taylor Johnson (wine director/sommelier in Ann Arbor who rejects seasonal drinking), and journalist/filmmaker Mark Kurlyandchik (arguing wine jargon turns off new drinkers).  In glass checks they discuss Lambrusco, a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and a Côte des Bar vintage Champagne. A debate explores replacing technical wine terms with “vibe vocabulary,” emphasizing meeting drinkers where they are while preserving expertise. Another story covers biodynamics and EMF-shielding products, leading to discussion of spirituality, labeling, and consumer information. Wine Cipher and an emotive blind tasting follow, plus Chef Jason Berthold’s Grape to Plate pairing a 2019 Howell Mountain Vineyards Zinfandel with charcoal-grilled dry-aged ribeye, beef-tallow potatoes, and black-garlic chimichurri; the blind wine is revealed as 2019 Von Winning Sauvignon Blanc, and Arturo wins the game! 00:00 Welcome and Sponsor 01:10 Meet Arturo Champagne Take 03:49 Meet Taylor No Seasons 06:44 Meet Mark Storytelling 09:04 Glass Check What’s Pouring 12:52 Vibe Versus Vocabulary 22:18 Biodynamics and Spirituality 31:04 Wine Cipher Tasting Game 35:55 Grape to Plate Setup 36:46 Color and Aromatics 37:26 Tannin and Fruit Structure 38:18 Red Wine Temperature Talk 40:47 Grill Pairing Vision 41:40 Dry Aged Beef Breakdown 44:17 Salt and Seasoning Sidebar 46:04 Wine Opens Up Notes 47:26 Black Garlic Chimichurri 50:19 Bottle Reveal Zinfandel 52:21 Live Fire Cooking Hack 53:37 Emotive Blind Tasting Returns 58:57 Reveal Von Winning Sauvignon 59:44 Wines of the Show and Wrap Thanks for listening, and be sure to Like, Follow, & Subscribe, please! It really helps! :)

The Future of Michigan Wine & The "Third Wave" of Viticulture (S8 E2)

Stop playing it safe—it's time for Michigan to find its unique identity through small, thoughtful production. The "Grape to Plate" segment is a masterclass on slow-rendering duck breast with lavender, and we learn the tells of "tasting room theatre". In episode two of season eight of The Real Wine Show, hosts Chaad Thomas and Matt Kuhr announce show sponsor Gabriel Group (www.gabrielgrp.com [http://www.gabrielgrp.com]) and introduce panelists Alan Collins (Michigan vineyard project advocating risk-taking for a uniquely Michigan wine identity), wine traveler/judge Bobby Frank, and chef/winemaker Jason Berthold (promoting aging high-acid white wines). They discuss three news topics: billionaire winery acquisitions and their impact on wine’s “soul,” proposed 2026 U.S. ingredient-label transparency and consumer reactions to additives, and AI-driven wine recommendations in tasting rooms versus human sommeliers. During glass checks they taste wines including aged Muscadet and other bottles. The new “Grape to Plate” segment sees Chef Jason conjure a slow-rendered duck breast and swiss chard pan sauce from blind tasting a 2022 Famille Gras Côtes du Rhône. The show includes a Wine Cipher game, the popular emotive blind tasting (revealed as an Italian Ciliegiolo), and ends with Jason taking home the prize! 00:00 Welcome and Sponsor 01:05 Meet Alan Collins 03:42 Meet Bobby Frank 06:02 Meet Chef Jason 07:27 Glass Check 09:54 Billionaires Buying Wineries 15:51 Ingredient Label Transparency 21:14 AI Sommelier Debate 27:28 Grape to Plate Pairing 37:27 Duck Resting Plan 37:49 Chard Wine Pan Sauce 38:41 Jam And Duck Sauce 39:42 Wine Reveal Cote Du Rhone 41:51 Practical Hack: Low And Slow 42:44 Blind Notes Game Begins 42:54 Big Red Guess Chateau Pavie 45:39 Second Cipher Debate 49:56 Riesling Notes Too Easy 52:43 Glass Check #2 55:13 Michigan Wine Collaborative Events Update 56:33 Emotive Blind Tasting 01:03:12 Reveal Italian ciliegiolo 01:05:15 Favorite Wines And Scores 01:07:50 Final Wrap And Thanks May is Michigan Wine Month: Visit www.michiganwinecollaborative.com for event details.