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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Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

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The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website

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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.

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Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

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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.

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Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

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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

From cleaning kennels to crafting Sonoma Cabernet, Chris Louton’s path to winemaking wasn’t planned. A UC Davis class changed everything. Now at St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, he’s shaping wines that stay balanced, affordable, and true to place.

Chris shares how he went from veterinary ambitions to overseeing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Bordeaux varietals in Sonoma County. We talk vintage differences, protecting quality at scale, and why he refuses to “make wine for trends.”

We taste the 2023 St. Francis Merlot and 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon (both around $15–$16, 14.8% and 14.5% ABV). Chris breaks down vineyard strategy, blending across Sonoma County, and how they maintain control from vine to bottle.

If you care about value wine done right, this one’s for you.

Subscribe for weekly wine conversations.

Learn More About the St. Francis

https://www.stfranciswinery.com/

Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!

Buy us a glass!

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

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The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠⁠

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome & Guest Introduction

00:55 – From Veterinary Medicine to Winemaking

05:14 – Luxury Cabernet & Early Career

07:42 – Joining St. Francis & Carrying the Legacy

10:08 – Making Wine for a Wide Audience

15:07 – What St. Francis Wines Aim to Deliver

18:15 – Protecting Quality at Scale

22:06 – 2023 Merlot Breakdown

34:36 – 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Breakdown

42:45 – Review & Ratings

47:25 – Pinot or Chardonnay Game

50:13 – Final Thoughts + Where to Find St. Francis

This week, a behind-the-scenes look at how great Sonoma wine actually gets made. Katie Madigan of St. Francis Winery shares how she went from chemistry student to winemaker, why sustainability is more than farming, and how to keep soul and quality in wines priced around $15–$18.

Katie breaks down St. Francis Winery’s approach to balance, aromatics, and vintage expression, plus what it takes to produce accessible wines at scale without losing identity.

We taste and discuss:
• 2023 Sonoma County Chardonnay – St. Francis Winery – Sonoma County – $15–$18 – 14% ABV
• 2023 Old Vine Zinfandel – St. Francis Winery – Sonoma County – $15–$18

If you care about sustainability, value-driven California wine, or how winemakers think during harvest, this one’s for you.

Subscribe for weekly wine conversations.

Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!

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 – Welcome and Introducing Katie Madigan

02:02 – From Chemistry to Winemaking
03:14 – UC Davis Enology Program

04:34 – Early Days at St. Francis
08:28 – Sustainability at St. Francis Winery
12:19 – How Katie Knows a Wine Is Ready
14:16 – Aromatics, Texture, and Wine Accessibility
18:32 – Making Quality Wine at Scale
20:11 – Todays Wine
20:13 – 2023 Sonoma County Chardonnay
26:52 –2023 Old Vine Zinfandel
36:01 – Review and Final Thoughts

A $15 sparkling Gamay from Beaujolais with a sexy label and big wine family backing… and it became the first unanimous drain of 2026. This week, the guys crack open Forbidden Kiss Sparkling Red Wine from the Boisset Collection in Beaujolais.

It’s 100% Gamay, made in the ancestral method, 7.5% ABV, and widely available at Total Wine. On paper, it checks the boxes for a fun, low-alcohol sparkling red. In the glass, things go sideways.

They break down:

• What sparkling Gamay should taste like

• How the ancestral method works

• Why sugar and alcohol matter

• And how this bottle missed the mark

  
  

Plus: sexy bottle challenge results and the first unanimous drain of the year.

Subscribe for weekly wine conversations.

Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!

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

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠⁠

Chapters

00:00 – Sexy Bottle Challenge Finale

02:09 – Todays Wine

04:52 – First Impressions

11:02 – Understanding Sparkling Gamay

13:34 – How the Ancestral Method Works

15:00 – What This Wine Should Have Been

18:49 – Who Is Jean-Charles Boisset?

21:28 – Review and Final Thoughts

26:01 – Challenge Results and Winner

29:01 – PiNope or ChardonnYay

31:27 – Where to Find Us

The Sexy Bottle Challenge rolls on with Colin's Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, the latest contender in the search for the best intersection of great wine and great presentation.

Colin's pick faces off against last week's bottle as the competition tightens and early favorites begin to emerge. The conversation then shifts to Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc as a style: why the region has earned its reputation, and how climate and winemaking choices create a wine that feels instantly recognizable.

With ratings locked in and stakes rising heading into the final week, each pick carries more weight as the leaderboard takes shape.

The episode closes with a fast-paced Spellmelier game built around New Zealand wine terms, adding a competitive jolt before the challenge moves one step closer to crowning a winner.

Pour a glass, listen along, and see where this bottle lands.

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Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠

Chapters

0:00 Welcome and Sexy Bottle Challenge Recap
1:47 Colin’s Wine Pick Revealed
2:10 The Little Black Dress Bottle Theory
3:50 Is the Bottle Actually Sexy?
5:03 Let’s Talk About the Wine
6:35 First Smells and Expectations
7:50 Tasting Notes and Flavor Breakdown
9:42 Acidity and Finish Discussion
11:50 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Explained
14:44 How This Wine Is Made
17:55 Food Pairings That Make Sense
21:25 Final Ratings and Verdicts
25:31 Sexy Bottle Debate Continues
27:19 Rapid Spellmelier Game
34:25 Final Thoughts and Outro

Big changes are coming to Stop Wasting Your Wine! In this episode, Colin, Joel, and Aaron unveil an exciting new format: monthly wine challenges. Each month, the hosts will pick wines based on a specific theme, with three weeks of competitive tastings followed by a wildcard week featuring interviews with wine industry pros or special features.

For February's inaugural challenge, the crew tackles finding the sexiest bottle of wine under $30. A task that proves more difficult than expected. Aaron shares his hour-long odyssey through Total Wine, searching Italian and French sections before settling on a romantic Rioja with "sexy trees." Joel takes a more literal interpretation of "sexy," while the hosts debate what makes a bottle truly appealing beyond the liquid inside.

The episode also features a lively discussion about wine cocktails, specifically whether it's acceptable to use good Rioja for sangria. The hosts explore the difference between honoring a wine's craftsmanship and enjoying it in creative ways, leading to the question: is a better base wine the key to a better cocktail?

Wine Details

Producer: Viña Alberdi

Region: Rioja

Varietal or Blend: 100 percent Tempranillo

Vintage: 2020

Price Range: About $22

ABV: 14 percent

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠

Chapters

0:00 – Welcome to Stop Wasting Your Wine
0:17 – New Monthly Challenge Format Explained
1:24 – February Challenge: Sexiest Bottle Under $30
3:46 – The Reality of Shopping for a “Sexy” Wine
4:57 – Aaron’s Pick: Viña Alberdi Rioja Reserva
7:55 – First Impressions and Bottle Expectations
8:24 – Nosing the Wine
9:59 – Tasting Notes and Palate Breakdown
12:53 – Learning Segment: Tempranillo and Rioja
15:29 – What Reserva Aging Really Means
18:04 – Introducing the New Rating Tier: Solid Pour
22:46 – Final Ratings and Verdict
26:53 – Did Aaron Nail the Challenge
29:16 – I’m Wine With That: Should You Make Sangria With Rioja
34:06 – Feedback and Where to Find Us
34:49 – Outro