This week we ask a simple question. Is a fifty dollar white wine actually worth it?

We head back to Umbria with the Rigogoli 2022 from Tenuta di Salviano. A fifty fifty blend of Viognier and Grechetto di Todi. An IGT wine built on freedom and intention. Named for the winemaker’s grandfather, Rigogoli brings real story to the glass.

We also kick off a new yearly tradition. The wine fridges are officially cleared. New year. Clean slate. Only three spots are open for 2026. Things go off the rails fast when Colin puts a natural orange wine straight into his fridge. No hesitation. No apology.

Along the way we dig into why IGT does not mean lower quality, how Viognier and Grechetto work together, and why serious white wine should not be ice cold. We also revisit PiNope or ChardonnYay! and ask you the listener for your experience with the last white wine that truly surprised you?

Wine details

Producer: Tenuta di Salviano
Wine: Rigogoli 2022
Region: Umbria Italy
Grapes: Viognier and Grechetto di Todi
ABV: 13.5 percent
Price: Around $50

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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

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Wine Specs

https://www.kobrandwineandspirits.com/product/tenuta-di-salviano-rigogoli/

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction and Show Dynamics
02:02 – Wine Review: Tenuta di Salviano Rigogoli
04:41 – White Wine That Surprises You
06:07 – Price Point and Value Discussion
07:23 – Tasting Notes: Nose and Palate
15:14 – Balance, Acidity, and Finish
16:19 – What Is Bianco Umbria IGT
18:37 – Viognier vs Grechetto di Todi
20:18 – Winemaking Choices and Style
25:59 – Final Reviews and Ratings
32:21 – Pinot or Chardonnay: Aged Wine Debate
36:15 – Closing Thoughts and What’s Next

This week we open our gift wine series with Pighin Collio Pinot Grigio 2024. This is Italian Pinot Grigio with ambition. 14.5% ABV means it brings more power than you expect. We explore the Collio region in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, where ponca soil, mountain air, and coastal warmth shape wines with edge and depth. This bottle shifts the narrative. It asks you to rethink the Pinot Grigio category.

We also play PiNope or ChardonYay, because choosing sides is fun. And we solve a real problem: what do you do when someone keeps gifting you wine you don’t like? The answer might change how you gift wine forever.

This episode pours bold opinions, regional facts, and the kind of surprises that make you laugh, learn, and reach for another glass.

Support the Show!

Love finding great wines at a great value? Every dollar you give goes straight toward sourcing the next hidden gem for the show. Buy us a glass at the link below to keep the reviews flowing. Cheers!

Buy us a glass!

⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/cheers3⁠

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 - Introduction and Wine Pronunciation
00:10 - Choosing the Right Wine for Gifting
01:32 - Exploring the 2024 Pigan Colio Pinot Grigio
03:29 - Understanding Estate Bottled Wines
06:03 - Tasting Notes and First Impressions
15:19 - Origin, Terroir, and Why Colio Matters
19:59 - Winemaking Choices and Texture
24:20 - Final Thoughts and Must Gift Verdict
29:24 - PiNope or ChardonnYay!
33:41 - Wine, Gifting, and Changing Tastes

Kicking off 2026, the Stop Wasting Your Wine team dives into the vibrant world of orange wine with a review of the Pierre and Antonin Petite Sauvage Orange Wine. Far from being just a passing fad, this 100% Souvignier Gris natural wine proves to be a bottle that perfectly balances high quality winemaking with an approachable price of $17 to $20. Throughout the episode, the hosts explore what truly defines an orange wine, explaining how skin maceration creates a unique "skin contact white" that delivers the tannic grip of a red with the bright acidity of a white. You will hear the team break down surprising tasting notes ranging from a Grand Marnier style orange lift and honeysuckle to a complex, earthy finish of black tea.

The discussion also features a special guest clip from winemaker Antonin Bonnet, insights into why this style is the ultimate food pairing "chameleon" for everything from spicy Thai food to funky cheese boards, and a heated "Pick Your Poison" debate that pits high end clubbing against dive bar comfort.

Whether you are a natural wine devotee or a curious newcomer, this episode is a fun and educational deep dive into a bottle that truly "crushes it".

Support the Show!

Love finding great wines at a great value? Every dollar you give goes straight toward sourcing the next hidden gem for the show. Buy us a glass at the link below to keep the reviews flowing. Cheers!

Buy us a glass!

https://buymeacoffee.com/cheers3

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 - Introduction to Orange Wine

01:59 - The Rise and Fall of Orange Wine

04:54 - Exploring Natural Wine

07:06 - Interview with Antonin

11:40 - Tasting the Petite Sauvage Orange Wine

16:34 - Understanding Orange Wine

23:54 - Food Pairing with Orange Wine

29:04 - Final Thoughts and Reviews

32:13 - Fun Game: Pick Your Poison

Cheers to a spectacular wrap on 2025! In our final episode of the year, the "Stop Wasting Your Wine" crew is popping a bottle of Poema Brut Cava to ring in the new year without breaking the bank. At just $15, this traditional method sparkler from Spain brings the "tiny bubbles" and crisp acidity you crave for a celebration, but is it the best value we’ve found in our sparkling wine mini-series?

Beyond the bubbles, we’re taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane. From discovering a love for Cab Franc and sweet dessert wines to checking off more of those "10,000 grapes," we reflect on the bottles that defined our year. We also give a heartfelt shout-out to the incredible guests and experts who joined us on this journey. Whether you’re looking for a last-minute party recommendation or want to relive the highlights of 2025, grab a glass and join us for one last toast.

Happy New Year!

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/

Chapters00:00 - Intro and The 2025 Wrap-Up02:22 - Our Top Picks of the Year05:22 - Discoveries & 10,000 Grapes08:23 - Popping the Poema Brut Cava11:36 - Tasting Notes & Comparisons16:58 - Cava 101: Methods & Terroir21:30 - The Value King25:23 - Final Review & Scoring30:21 - Community & Guest Highlights44:37 - Looking Ahead to 2026

Sparkling wine season rolls on and this week we pop open the Alta Vista Brut Rosé from Mendoza, Argentina. It is a tank method sparkling wine made from an unexpected blend of Malbec and Pinot Noir, and it lands right in the middle of holiday drinking season.

On this episode, we talk about why bubbles take over this time of year and how easy it is to lose track of what you are pouring between family dinners, guests dropping by, and that strange week between Christmas and New Year’s. This is the kind of bottle you keep cold and open without overthinking it.

From there we break down what tank method really means and why this wine tastes fruit forward, bright, and more rosé driven than bready or yeasty. Cherry, raspberry, citrus, and a little funk on the finish lead to a bigger conversation about sparkling wine styles and how production methods shape texture and flavor.

We also walk through traditional method, ancestral method, and carbonation to help you understand what you are actually buying when you reach for bubbles. Especially when holiday pricing starts to climb.

We wrap with our verdict on value, where this wine lands on our scale, and whether it earns the not a waste stamp. Plus we bring back Wine With That for a holiday table scenario that gets a little too real.

If you like casual sippers.
If you like sparkling without the fuss.
If you want to drink smarter during bubble season.

This episode is for you.

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 - Introduction

01:28 - Sparkling Wine Season

04:18 - Exploring the Alta Vista Brute Rosé

06:07 - Question of the Week

06:59 - Tasting the Wine

09:48 - Flavor Profiles and Production Methods

13:09 - Exploring the Funk in Wine

15:44 - Understanding Sparkling Wine Production

19:40 - The Traditional Method of Sparkling Wine

19:51 - Exploring the Tank Method of Sparkling Wine

24:23 - Understanding the Ancestral Method of Sparkling Wine

26:01 - The Carbonation Method: A Different Approach to Sparkling Wine

27:55 - Wine Reviews: Casual Sippers vs. Premium Choices

37:08 - Final Thoughts on Wine Quality and Pricing

42:53 - Game: Wine with That

Sparkling wine season is here, and we are kicking it off with one of our favorite styles for everyday bubbles. This episode dives into Crémant and puts the focus on Bouvet Ladubay Crémant de Loire, a Loire Valley sparkling wine that delivers serious quality without the Champagne level price tag.

This week, we talk about why Crémant is such a smart value play, how it compares to Champagne, and what makes traditional method sparkling wines stand out. The conversation explores what to look for when buying sparkling wine, why acidity matters, and how lees aging shapes texture and character. Along the way, we dig into Bouvet Ladubay’s history in the Loire Valley and why they are considered one of the region’s top producers.

This episode is all about understanding sparkling wine beyond the label and rethinking when and how you open a bottle of bubbles. If you love value driven wines and want better options for everyday drinking, this one is worth the listen.

Chapters
00:00 - Sparkling Wine Season Begins
01:59 - Why Crémant Is a Value Alternative to Champagne
04:23 - What to Look for in Quality Sparkling Wine
05:33 - Introducing Bouvet Ladubay Crémant de Loire
07:31 - First Impressions and Early Tasting Reactions
12:16 - Traditional Method and Why It Matters
14:43 - Wine Drops: Understanding Crémant
15:07 - Crémant de Loire and the Role of Chenin Blanc
17:16 - Bouvet Ladubay and Loire Valley Heritage
19:18 - The 2023 Vintage in the Loire Valley
21:23 - Why Crémant Shines at the Table
24:17 - Final Tasting Reflections and Mouthfeel
26:57 - Value, Quality, and Everyday Bubbles
28:52 - Final Verdict: Is This a Must Share
29:26 - PiNope or ChardonnYAY!
36:06 - What’s Next in the Sparkling Series

This week the Wine Guides step into the world of Port and discover how deep this style really goes. Colin, Aaron, and Joel taste Fonseca Bin 27 and Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Tawny side by side. The shift from bold fruit to warm caramel sparks real reactions and a few childhood flashbacks. They break down what makes Port a fortified wine from the Douro Valley, why the British shaped its history, and how aging transforms everything in the glass.

You hear the crew pick apart structure, sweetness, and that signature warmth that sets Port apart from other dessert wines. They call out what to expect from a Ruby and a Tawny, when decanting actually matters, and why Port works for more than just dessert. They also dig into pairing ideas and talk about which bottle fits which moment.

If you have ever been Port curious or wondered what the fuss is about, this tasting gives you a clear entry point. The conversation is fun, thoughtful, and full of small surprises that make Port feel a lot more approachable.

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

04:30 - What are we drinking today?

08:00 - Wine question of the week

10:00 - Wine Discussion Intro: Flavors & Smells

10:40 - Fonseca Bin 27 Ruby Reserve Port

16:57 - Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Tawny Port

27:03 - Wine Drops: Learning Segment

38:00 - Review of the Wines

47:00 - Game: Spot the Lie

54:56 - Outro

Adam Wolf is back, and he brings a whole new story with him. Since his last visit, he packed up his life in LA and moved to Oregon’s Willamette Valley to work at Saffron Fields. We talk about that jump, what pulled him into the region, and how different the wine world feels when you live inside it instead of tasting from a distance.

Adam walks us through his new role, the tasting room culture, and why Oregon’s wine community feels so supportive. We get into the local food scene, the shift from LA’s global wine focus to Oregon’s drink-local mentality, and what it’s like to taste in a place with more than 800 wineries.

He also sends us a bottle of the 2021 Spectrum Pinot Noir, an entry point into Saffron Fields’ lineup. We dig into what makes it approachable, how the winemaking works, and why clones matter so much in the Willamette Valley. The conversation takes us into tasting structure, flavor differences, and the challenge of keeping your palate alive after 15 Pinots in two days.

It’s an easy, honest episode with a lot of energy. A friend of the pod comes back, brings great wine, and reminds us why the Willamette Valley is one of the most exciting wine regions in the country.

Learn More About Saffron Fields

Saffron Fields Website

https://saffronfields.com/

Follow Saffron Fields on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/saffronfieldsvineyard/

Connect With Adam on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/wineaboutmusic/

Check Out Adam's New Column, 100 Point Wines, on Substack!

100 Point Wines

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 - Introduction to the Podcast and Guests
02:39 - Adam's Transition to Oregon Wine Country
05:25 - Roles and Responsibilities at Saffron Fields
08:04 - Comparing Wine Scenes: LA vs. Oregon
10:51 - Exploring Saffron Fields and Its Unique Offerings
15:23 - The Vibe of Wine Tasting
18:39 - Creating Memorable Experiences
19:09 - The Culinary Scene in Willamette
22:39 - Community and Connection in Wine Country
27:47 - Living the Wine Life
28:20 - Exciting Wine Adventures
28:50 - Exploring Pinot Noir: A Journey Through Flavor
30:47 - Understanding Clones in Winemaking
34:26 - The Spectrum Pinot Noir: A Closer Look
35:59 - Navigating Wine Pricing and Accessibility
37:56 - Tasting Notes: Unpacking the Spectrum Pinot Noir
42:14 - The Structure of Pinot Noir: Tannins and Acidity
45:45 - Willamette Valley: Community and Wine Culture
46:38 - Wine Tasting Tips: Maximizing Your Experience
48:44 - Review
54:49 - Expert Insights: The Future of Willamette Valley Wines
56:13 - Game: Viterations
59:44 - Final Thoughts and Wine Recommendations