Wine for Normal People  By  cover art

Wine for Normal People

By: Elizabeth Schneider
  • Summary

  • A podcast for people who like wine but not the snobbery that goes with it. We talk about wine in a fun, straightforward, normal way to get you excited about it and help you drink better, more interesting stuff. The Wine For Normal People book is available on Amazon! Back catalog available via Patreon membership: www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople Get the back catalog on Patreon!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Copyright © 2024 Wine for Normal People®. All rights reserved.
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Episodes
  • Ep 514: The Grape Miniseries -- Fiano
    Mar 27 2024

    This week I explore one of my favorite grapes of all time, Fiano! The grape makes some of the most exquisite wines you could imagine -- whites with layered complexity, age-ability, and unadulterated deliciousness. I discuss all aspects of the grape:


    • The historical overview of the grape and how Mastroberardino saved it from obscurity (Check out my podcast with Piero Mastroberardino here)
    • A discussion of Fiano in the vineyard and how adaptable it is
    • Some thoughts about winemaking and its effect on the grape
    • The aromas and flavors of the grape
    • Where it grows:
    • Italy: Campania (65%), specifically Irpinia, and within that area the Fiano di Avellino DOCG, with sizable quantities in Sicily and Puglia as well. Listen to my show on my trip to Campania here...
    • New World places: Australia, Argentina, the US


    I hope I convince you to try the grape if you haven't had it before. It is truly one of my "desert island wines" -- it's very hard not to love it!



    ______________________________________________________

    Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!


    Wine Access has an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Get 10% your first order with my special URL.

    To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

    Get the back catalog on Patreon!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show more Show less
    41 mins
  • Ep 513: The Divine Dolcetto of Diano d’Alba with Giulio Abrigo of Abrigo Giovanni
    Mar 19 2024

    I welcome to the show my friend Giulio Abrigo of Abrigo Giovanni Azienda Agricola, who focuses on the exquisite Dolcetto in Diano d'Alba in the Barolo zone of Piemonte. Abrigo Giovanni is a small family operation, operating on just 13 ha or 32 acres mainly in Diano d’Alba -- the site of the winery and the family home. Dolcetto Diano d’Alba is one of a handful of DOCG zones for the grape – stricter controls and the top Dolcetto wines are made in this area. Here, the elevation, the soils, and the exposition are ideal for this highly underrated grape.


    Abrigo Giovanni focuses on Dolcetto but for the past 11 years they also make a highly rated and awarded Barolo from the site of “Ravello” which has caught the attention of many wine critics, and, although not available in the US, they make the single best nocciole (hazelnut spread) I have ever had in my life.


    This is a fascinating look at the passion behind making a wine that is part of a long legacy and tradition, but frequently flies under the radar...for no apparent reason. After this show, you will want to run out and get Giulio's Abrigo Giovanni Dolcetto wines, and maybe even move to Diano d'Alba (his descriptions of it sound like paradise to me!).

    ______________________________________________________


    Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!


    Wine Access has an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Get 10% your first order with my special URL.

    To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes


    Get the back catalog on Patreon!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show more Show less
    57 mins
  • Ep 512: Volcanic Wines
    Mar 13 2024

    In recent years, there has been a lot of buzz around “volcanic wines.” The term makes it sound as if these are wines that are spawned from a volcano, but in reality these are wines that many people believe have special qualities because they grow on volcanic soils.


    In this show, I define the types of volcanoes before discussing the ecosystems they form. I then talk about the specific regions known to have volcanic wines, but I also point out that these areas have other factors that may create similarities in the wine – proximity to oceans, old vines (unaffected by phylloxera), and high elevations and cooling breezes. These must be considered, despite the fact that many of the volcanic wine groupies say flavor is purely from the soils. Here is the list of wines/places I discuss in the show:


    Italy


    Mount Etna, Sicily: Reds (Rosso of the Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio grapes), whites (Bianco, mainly of the Carricante grape)


    Soave, Veneto: Whites grown on specific hillsides (Garganega, Trebbiano di Soave grapes)


    Campania

    Vesuvius: Whites of Coda di Volpe, Caprettone, Falanghina, Greco. Rosés and reds of Piedirosso, Aglianico, Sciacinoso

    Irpinia:

    • Taurasi DOCG and Aglianico del Taburno DOCG: Reds of the Aglianico grape. I mention Feudi di San Gregorio
    • Fiano di Avellino: May or may not be affected by the volcanic soil
    • Greco di Tufo DOCG: White of the Greco grape, the sulfur and compressed volcanic ash (tufo),and volcanic sand and clay, give the wines an acidity, minerality & flintiness that has clear volcanic influence


    Basilicata: Aglianico del Vulture. Reds of Aglianico

    Piedmont: Alto Piemonte. Red blends in Gattinara, Boca, Bramaterra

    Umbria/Lazio: Orvieto. Whites of Grechetto, Trebbiano Toscano

    ______________


    Greece: Santorini - White of Assyrtiko. Lemnos -Red of Limnio


    Spain: The Canary Islands/Las Canarias - Whites of Malvasîa Volcánica, Malvasîa Aromática, Listán Blanco. Reds of Listán Negro


    Portugal: Açores islands (the Azores). Whites: Arinto, Verdelho, Fernão Pires, Terrantez


    Hungary:

    • North of Lake Balaton in Somló, whites of the Juhfark grape
    • Tokaji – sweet and dry whites of mainly the Furmint grape

    US:

    • Oregon's Willamette Valley
    • Some parts of Napa, Lake County in California

    __________________________________________________________


    Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
    Wine Access has an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Get 10% your first order with my special URL. To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes Get the back catalog on Patreon!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show more Show less
    52 mins

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