The Wine Pair Podcast

Latest Episodes:

WTF is Assyrtiko? Jun 08, 2025

Show notes

This is a “wow your friends” wine if there ever was one! Serve this wine, have them guess what it is, and then amaze them with your wine knowledge. Assyrtiko is sometimes called THE Greek wine - the most famous and iconic of Greek wines - and yet not enough people know about it or talk about it. Made for thousands of years, Assyrtiko is the rare white wine that keeps its wonderful acidity even though it is most often grown in warm climates. Keep that in mind, because you might start seeing it grown more and more as climate change impacts the wine industry. You can see this in the episode artwork, but on Santorini they use this cool technique where they train the vines to grow in circles, almost like a wreath, to protect it from the wind. What is also wonderful about this wine is that we found two great wines in this episode, and each was different from the other. One was more of a Chardonnay lover's wine, and the other more of a Sauvignon Blanc lover's wine. But both were worth seeking out. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Alexakis Assyrtiko, 2023 Kir-Yanni The North Assyrtiko

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Minisode #17: Why Are Wines Sometimes Named After a Place Rather than the Grape? Jun 01, 2025

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Many people find it confusing that wines from places like France, Italy, and Spain are often named for where they are from rather than the grapes they are made from. For example, did you know that white Sancerre is Sauvignon Blanc? Or that red Burgundy is Pinot Noir? Wait, what?!? And do you get livid when someone asks if you really meant Champagne or you were actually talking about sparkling wine? Trust us, we’ve been there, and we understand your pain! But, there are valid reasons why this happens, and we are here to help you make sense of it all. It has something to do with tradition, history, legislation, and, frankly, money. In this minisode, we spill the tea to help understand a little bit better.

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Boxed Wine Unboxed: Bota Box and La Vieille Ferme! May 25, 2025

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Boxed wine sucks - or does it?!? When a listener suggested we do an episode on boxed wine given all of the nuttiness with tariffs and rising wine prices, we said “Why the eff not?!?” Look, we may be wine reviewers and have our own fancy-pants wine podcast, but that doesn’t mean we are too good for boxed wine. And, we think you will be very surprised to learn about how popular boxed wine has become, not only in the US but across the world. And, we think you will be surprised by our reviews of the wines we tasted. So there’s a there there if you are willing to open your mind. We also think you will be very surprised to learn about the history of boxed wine - which should probably be called bagged wine, or bladder wine, BTW - and how good of a bargain it can really be. Wines reviewed in this episode: Bota Box Pinot Grigio, La Vieille Ferme Red Wine Vin Rouge

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Portuguese Wine Primer #3: Douro Tinto! May 18, 2025

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Douro Tinto is often called a “Steakhouse Wine” but that really doesn’t do it justice. This fabulous wine from the Douro region of Portugal - an area most famous for the fortified wine Port - is a rich, smooth, and lovely drinking wine that needs to be on your table. Grown on very steep hillsides, the variety of the grapes in the blend can include up to 50 varieties, but the majority of the blend is usually Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz - which is the Portuguese name for Tempranillo, most famously in Rioja wines from Spain. Because of the wide-variety of grapes used, the blends can vary, but overall you can expect a lush, juicy wine with enough acidity that it pairs amazingly well with food. If you are looking for an alternative to your rich Syrah or Bordeaux or Napa Cab, and you want a wine with more balance and less punch-you-in-the-face oak, Douro Tinto is a wine you have to seek out. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2019 Quinta das Carvalhas Douro Tinto, 2021 Wine & Soul Manoella Douro Tinto

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Costco Kirkland Signature 2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Challenge! May 11, 2025

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It ain’t easy to find an Oregon Pinot Noir under $25, but in this episode, we taste and review 3 Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs to see if any of them are worth seeking out, and in particular, if the 2022 Costco Kirkland Signature Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is worth snagging. Willamette Valley in Oregon is said to create maybe the best Pinot Noir outside of Burgundy, and many of the Oregon Pinot Noirs command a premium price - maybe not as high as the great Burgundies, but still a pretty penny. So the real question we are looking to answer is - can you get a great or even good Pinot Noir at a price point under $20. And if so, where does the Kirkland version, rank in comparison? We are not going to give it away - we want you to listen in to learn more - and we do spend some time talking about the amazing woman behind the Kirkland Willamette Pinot Noir named Sarah Cabot. She has a great story, and there are some overlaps with our backgrounds, so we are thrilled to learn more about here. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2022 Kirkland Signature Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, 2022 Cloudline Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, 2022 Maison L’Envoye Straight Shooter Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

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WTF is Châteauneuf-du-Pape? (A wine with a direct line to the Pope) May 04, 2025

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As the Cardinals head into Conclave to elect the new Pope, we head into our studio (ok, it's our basement, but whatever) to dig into a big, bold, red wine that links directly to the Papacy when it was in France. The Pape in Châteauneuf-du-Pape refers to, you guessed it, the Pope, and the name means “The Pope’s New Castle.” But did you know that Pope John the XXII actually had this papal castle built on the land that makes this wine? Châteauneuf-du-Pape would not normally be a wine that would make it onto our podcast - not because it isn’t good, but because it is a pricey wine, generally well above our $25 price cap. But for an occasion as rare and important as the election of a new Pope, we decided it was the perfect time to break the bank and taste and review this classic Grenache-focused wine with deep, historical roots. The real question is - are any of the wines we reviewed worthy of a papal blessing?!? Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Marc Bonadieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2020 Domaine Baptiste Hillaire La Part Des Anges Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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Getting Serious About Rosé #3: Tavel! (The Pope’s wine, The 4th wine) Apr 27, 2025

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Visually stunning, Tavel is not your typical rosé, and may be the rosé wine that makes your snobby “I don’t drink rosé” friends change their minds! Sometimes called the 4th wine, and sometimes called the Pope’s wine, Tavel is a different kind of juice. It is a very deep pink to red hue, sometimes described as watermelon or evening sunset, and the reason for that is because it spends more time on the skins than a typical rosé - afterall, rosé gets its color from red wine grapes. Wait, is all of this confusing you?!? Don’t worry, just join us, and we will unravel all of these mysteries and tell you why Tavel is the rosé wine you need to be drinking this year. It could be the “it” wine of summer 2025! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2022 Chateau Trinquevedel Tavel Rosé, 2023 Gabriel Meffre Saint Ferréol Tavel

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Italian Wine Adventure #16: Grechetto! Apr 20, 2025

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Wines from Umbria are often considered “delightfully undervalued.” Right now, that sounds especially appealing! Grechetto is one of those wines from Umbria that is flying under the radar, but it shouldn’t be. This week, we dig into this wonderful white wine from Italy’s “Little Green Heart” - and the exciting part is that we found two very different styles of it, one more like an oaky Chardonnay, and one more like a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, so there’s a version out there for any white wine lover on your list. They have been making wine in Umbria for thousands of years, and many believe that the name Grechetto harkens back to the Magna Graecia period in Italy when the Greeks spread their empire. And, like many Italian wines, Grechetto fell out of favor in the middle of the 20th century before it made its comeback in the 1970’s thanks to the efforts and hardwork of local winemakers. Trust us, it’s worth checking out. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2022 Sant' Angelus Sophia Grechetto di Todi, 2022 Cantina Roccafiore Grechetto di Todi Fiordaliso

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Special Episode! Meet the (Wine) Makers #15: Lenny Recanati and Kobi Arviv of Recanati Winery Apr 13, 2025

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In the year 2000, Lenny Recanati decided to start a winery, which is not a small decision. Born out of a love of wine, Lenny rightly says that when you’re not making money, it’s a hobby, and when you’re making money, it’s a business. Today, his winery is recognized as one of the best in Israel. In this episode we interview Lenny and his head winemaker Kobi Arviv and learn how they make elegant, gastronomic wines in a warm climate - not an easy thing to do. Kobi’s philosophy? Keep it simple, keep the sense of place. They focus on both classic wine varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and also focus on indigenous varietals that help keep that sense of place. Please join us in this fascinating interview with Lenny and Kobi.

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Trader Joe's Diamond Reserve Vs. Costco Kirkland Signature Series: 2022 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon Apr 06, 2025

Show notes

This is our first ever head-to-head battle between Trader Joe’s and Costco wines, and what a doozy it was. A true battle of equals - the same year, same price, same varietal, same region, same specific area, and same top tier of each retailers’ private label wines. Plus, these wines are from Oakville in Napa - one of the most revered wine growing areas in America. And our verdict? Well, we’re not going to give it away here, but let’s just say the final winner came down to the final bell. A TKO rather than a true knockout. Both Costco and Trader Joe’s have an exclusive tier of their private label wines - Diamond Reserve for Trader Joe’s, Signature Series for Costco - and they both charge a premium for them, but the real question comes down to this - is the higher price worth it? We also dig into how these wines are made, and by whom, so you can get a sense of whether or not you want to seek them out. Let’s get ready to rumble! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2022 Trader Joe's Diamond Reserve Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Lot #03, 2022 Costco Kirkland Signature Series Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

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