The Wine Guides open their first Hungarian bottle with the Chateau Megyer Late Harvest Tokaji. Along the way they dig into what makes Tokaji one of the world’s great sweet wines, how late harvest differs from the famous Aszú style, and why noble rot is better than it sounds.

This week's conversation mixes in stories from a night out in New York, thoughts on when dessert wine works at the table, and plenty of laughs as Joel tests his Hungarian, Aaron chases down floral notes, and Colin connects the dots on Tokaji’s long history. The episode wraps with their final verdict and a lively round of “Hungarian Spellmolier.”

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

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The Wine Guys return to Germany for their first German red on the show, the 2023 Gerd Anselmann Pfalz Dornfelder. What starts with jammy blackberries, blueberries, and plum on the nose quickly turns into one of the most unusual tasting experiences they have had all season. Freshness, juiciness, bitterness, and earth all fight for attention in a wine that feels like two different bottles in one sip.

The crew dives into Dornfelder’s backstory too. Bred in 1955, this crossing has already climbed to become Germany’s second most planted red grape. They talk through the two styles you’re most likely to run into and where this Pfalz bottle falls. The chat drifts into serving temp, what foods it begs for like lamb or a charcuterie board, and how the wine’s unexpected weight and flavor keep throwing them curveballs

To close things out, the Wine Vibes game makes another appearance, distilling Dornfelder into pure vibes instead of tasting notes. Weird, surprising, but enjoyable, this wine sparks one of the most curious conversations yet.

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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 - Intro02:40 - What we are drinking. 05:33 - Wine Discussion: Smells and Flavors14:26 - Wine Drops: Learning Segment23:28 - Wine Review30:29 - Game: Wine Vibes34:39 - Outro

This week we sit down with Daley Brennan of Vik Wines, whose path into the wine world is anything but ordinary. Born in the UK, educated in Paris, and once on track for a career in neuroscience, Daley’s journey shifted after a side job at a Paris bottle shop had him opening first-growth Bordeaux's.

In our conversation, Daley talks about moving from academia into wine, navigating French and American business culture, and how Vik has built its reputation in Chile by embracing bold ideas and experimentation. He also shares what makes Vik’s valley so distinctive, from its soils and microclimates to amphora crafted with estate clay and barrels toasted with local oak.

And of course, we open a bottle of the VIK Red Blend Millahue 2021. From its shift toward Cabernet Franc dominance to the rare 100-point score, we explore why this flagship wine stands out and how it captures Vik’s vision for Chilean wine.

Learn More About VIK!

The VIK Consumer Website

https://www.vikwine.com/

The VIK Wine Industry Website

https://www.vikvines.com/

Connect with Daley

LinkedIn

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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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week, the guys pop open the 2021 Tenuta di Renieri Chianti Classico Riserva. A $25 bottle that James Suckling stamped with 95 points. The question, does that score really hold up?

Along the way we dig into what separates Chianti Classico from the rest of Chianti, the rules behind Riserva and Gran Riserva, and why the black rooster on the label actually matters.

We also roll out our brand-new game Viterations, where this Riserva gets reimagined as a car, a cheese, and even an Italian speedo.

Looking for a solid Sangiovese that won’t empty your wallet? This one might be your next dinner table pick.

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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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters00:00 - Welcome and Wine Introduction02:30 - Why This Bottle? $25 and 95 Points05:20 - First Impressions and Tasting Notes10:30 - Structure, Balance, and Finish16:30 - Old World vs. New World Discussion
18:00 - Learning Segment – Chianti Classico, Riserva, and Gran Riserva
25:30 - How Air and Decanting Change the Wine
28:00 - The Review
30:30 - Food Pairings and Dinner Table Potential
33:00 - New Game: Viterations
36:30 - Closing Thoughts

This week we crack open the 2021 Joel Gott 815 Cabernet Sauvignon, a bottle you can find just about anywhere. In this episode, we dive into what it means to take on “big brand week,” share our first impressions of a California Cab at this price point, and talk through where it lands in our wine ranking system.

Along the way, we swap out the name of our learning segment, "wine nuggets”, for the much better sounding “wine drops,” dig into California’s climate and oak choices, and discuss the food pairings that actually make sense with this style of wine. And for the first time, we try out a brand-new game: Wine Vibes.

Is this Cab a wine fridge pick, a backup bottle, or just a casual sipper? Tune in and see where we landed.

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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

0:00 - Intro and Big Brand Week

2:00 - Preconceptions About California Cab

6:00 - The Story Behind Joel Gott 815

9:00 - First Impressions and Tasting Notes

14:00 - Structure, Balance, and Oak Talk

17:00 - Wine Drops26:00 - Food Pairings Beyond Steak

29:30 - Revisiting the Wine

32:00 - Final Verdict

36:00 - New Game: Wine Vibes

40:00 - Closing Thoughts

This week we sit down with writer and storyteller Noah Chichester, the voice behind Wines of Galicia. Noah shares how a college job in a small wine shop set him on a path that led to teaching in Spain, falling in love with Albariño, and dedicating himself to telling the story of one of Spain’s most overlooked wine regions.

We dive into what makes Galicia so distinct from the rest of Spain, from its Celtic coastline to its remarkable diversity of native grapes. Noah explains why Albariño is the perfect gateway to the region, why Mencía deserves more attention, and how Galicia’s wines deliver both freshness and value.

Along the way, we taste a bottle of Martín Códax Albariño and share our thoughts on its sea-spray minerality, citrus brightness, and surprising complexity. All for around thirteen dollars.

Whether you’re a longtime Spanish wine fan or just starting your journey, this episode offers a fresh look at why Galicia should be on your radar.

Connect with Noah and The Wines of Galicia

The Wines of Galicia Website

https://winesofgalicia.com/

The Wines of Galicia on Youtube

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

Noah on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/nchichester

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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can a bottle of Cannonau really hold the secret to living longer? We’re not sure, but we can tell you what we thought of this one!

This week the guys open the 2022 Dolia Cannonau di Sardegna. A red wine from the island that’s famous not only for its beauty but also for being one of the world’s Blue Zones, where people live longer than almost anywhere else. At just $17 and packing 14% alcohol, it had all the makings of a hidden gem. But did it live up to the hype?

Episode Highlights

• The big surprise: Cannonau is none other than Grenache, but with its own Sardinian personality

• Tasting notes ranged from bright cherry and plum to earth, oak, and herbs

• The alcohol hit harder than expected, muting the fruit and leaving a thin structure

• Food pairing ideas from pasta with red sauce to grilled lamb

  
  

Have you tried Cannonau or any wines from Sardinia? Did it feel closer to Grenache from France or Spain for you? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe for more honest wine reviews every week.

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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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters00:00 – Opening and Birthday Banter

01:58 – Introducing Cannonau (First Impressions)

05:15 – Wine Reveal: 2022 Dolia Cannonau di Sardegna

07:05 – The Blue Zones Connection and Longevity Angle

09:10 – Why Colin Chose This Wine

10:10 – First Nose Impressions (Alcohol, Cherry, Earthiness)

13:20 – First Tasting Notes and Structure Discussion

19:00 – Learning Segment: Cannonau vs Grenache/Garnacha

27:02 – Review

34:00 – Is This a Waste of Your Wine?

35:05 – Pick Your Poison: Blue Zone Life vs Exploration

40:45 - Outro

This week we’re joined by our friend Ashwin Muthiah from the unPINNED Wine Course and the newly launched unPINNED Wine Club. We talk about why wine education can feel too rigid, how rating systems miss the mark, and why genuine joy is key to building trust and community in today’s wine world.

Ashwin also shares what inspired him to start the wine club and his passion for exploring the other 10,000 wine grapes beyond the usual suspects. We also review one of the club’s selections , Gavals Posta, which is super coo white blend from Santorini in Greece.

So grab a glass of your favorite Greek white wine and join us as we catch up with an old friend and talk about new grapes!

Want to learn more about the unPINNED Wine Club? Check them out at the following places!

unPINNED Wine Club website

https://unpinnedwineclub.com/

unPINNED on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/unpinnedwine/

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

00:39 - Welcome Back Ashwin

05:29 - Question 1: What's new with unPINNED?

15:06 - Question 2: How doe you do such a good job connecting with people about wine?

18:14 - Question 3: Tell us about the community surrounding the unPINNED Wine Club.

20:41 - Wine Discussion: Smells and Tastes

45:00 - The Review

52:00 - Game: Pick Your Poison

56:19 - Outro