Wine Access Unfiltered

Latest Episodes:

The Wine Trip Research Playbook: A Sommelier's Guide to curating the perfect wine getaway Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

A year ago, packing tips for my mother-in-law's first wine trip to Europe turned into a full episode. So when Amanda found she was heading to Sicily herself for her first-ever visit, we decided a follow-up episode was in order. And this time, we're shifting gears to help give you a little insight into how the research actually gets done: hunting down the nicest hotel in a neighborhood to find the good, cheaper options nearby, mining wine lists at restaurants for producers worth chasing, and handing an entire photographed closet over to AI for itinerary-based outfit planning. There's also a wine-world catch-up on Champagne's earliest harvest on record, a rare one-time bump to its legal alcohol ceiling, and the case for a marathon that trades water stations for wine and food. Pour a glass of the Maison Chanzy Bourgogne Rouge and get ready to over-research a place not yet visited.

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The Wine Lover's Case for Portugal featuring Nicole Muscari Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

Portugal has been on the docket for a while, and it finally gets the right guest: Nicole Muscari, the wine educator and content creator behind Grape Chic, who has made the trip 22 times since 2019 and now owns a place in Porto. We're digging into the friendly Porto-vs-Lisbon rivalry — Porto's grit and cobblestones read like New York, Lisbon's sprawl and beaches read more L.A. — then heads into the Douro Valley to make the case for its dry reds and mineral whites, not just port. There's also a detour to Colares, a DOC so small its vines still grow ungrafted in sand. Pastel de nata debates, football pride, and a real argument for booking that direct flight all make an appearance.

This Week's Wine: 2022 Altitude by Duorum Douro

Mentions and Links

Wines & Producers

Altitude by Duorum — the episode's featured Douro red, a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Cão.
Alvarinho (Vinho Verde) — worth seeking out in its age-worthy, lees- or barrel-aged styles, not just the light spritzy version.
Arinto — coastal, salty white from the Lisbon region, sometimes given Chardonnay-style oak and lees aging.
Colares DOC (Malvasia whites, Ramisco reds) — a roughly 22-hectare appellation near Cascais growing pre-phylloxera vines in sand.

Restaurants & Bars — Porto

de Lima's Wine Bar — opened by Rafael de Lima in the historic center.
Blind Pony — speakeasy right next door.
Fauno — small tasting-menu spot with wine pairings.
Cozinha das Flores — strong wine list with rare back-vintage Portuguese bottles.
Prova — wine bar with deep, well-curated allocations.
Casa Guedes — go-to for the roast pork and Serra da Estrela cheese sandwich.
Arco das Verdades — cliffside wine bar with natural/biodynamic small-producer bottles and river views.
Pedro Lemos — Michelin-starred restaurant with a standout cellar.
Taylor's — Port house recommended for its educational tour.
Casa de Chá da Boa Nova — two-Michelin-star restaurant on the water.
Fábrica da Nata — favorite pastel de nata.
Taberninha do Manel (sister restaurant Adega do Manel) — riverside Gaia spot for amêijoas à Bulhão Pato and francesinha.
Gazela — the cachorrinhos (Porto-style hot dogs) spot Anthony Bourdain once featured.
Bomfim 1896 — Michelin-recommended.
Libatio — Nicole's pick for the city's best wine bar.

Douro Valley

The Vintage House — hotel in Pinhão, a good base for exploring the valley.

Vinho Verde

Town of Amarante — medieval town with an old bridge, worth the detour.
Monverde Wine Resort — modern wine hotel with floor-to-ceiling views over the vines.

Lisbon

Black Sheep — favorite wine bar
Pastéis de Belém — the original pastel de nata bakery.
Bar Alimentar
Imprensa Cocktail Bar
Prado Wine Bar
Bifanas do Afonso — for the classic Lisbon bifana sandwich.

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The Santa Cruz Mountains Have Been Hiding in Plain Sight featuring Cole Thomas, Madson Wines Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

The Santa Cruz Mountains have been growing exceptional wine since the 1860s, and somehow the wine world still barely talks about it. This episode heads south of San Francisco to sit down with Cole Thomas, owner and winemaker of Madson Wines, who traded a marine biology track at UC Santa Cruz for grape stems after meeting Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard's Jeff Emery at a campus seed exchange. The conversation digs into why fog-slowed wind — not fog itself — keeps the west side cool enough for savory, high-acid Pinot Noir, how the same appellation ripens Cabernet on its sun-baked east side, and where to eat, surf, and taste on a weekend in town.

This Week's Wine: 2024 Madson Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

My free guide to Santa Cruz Substack 🗞️

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Wines & Producers

Ridge Vineyards — the region's most recognized name, known for its Monte Bello bottling
Mount Eden Vineyards — historic estate on the former Martin Ray property
Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard — Jeff Emery's winery, where Madson's earliest vintages were made
David Bruce Winery — replanted one of the original 1860s Jarvis Brothers vineyard sites

Restaurants & Bars

Duarte's Tavern, Pescadero — 1800s Highway 1 roadhouse; order the cioppino and a Bloody Mary
Manresa Bread, Santa Cruz — bakery near Madson's downtown tasting room
Home, Soquel — recommended by Cole
Hook & Line, Santa Cruz — downtown sustainable-seafood spot
Mentone, Aptos
Bantam, Santa Cruz — wood-fired pizza
Bad Animal, Santa Cruz — bookstore, wine bar, and restaurant in one
Tanuki Cider, Humble Sea Brewing, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery, Verve Coffee, Cat & Cloud Coffee — the westside "Wine Ghetto" cluster right around Madson's tasting room

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How to Be in Two Places at Once (Italy & California Edition) featuring Shelley Lindgren and Kitty Oestlien of A16 and Tansy Wines Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

What does it take to run one of the Bay Area's most beloved Italian restaurant groups while also building a wine label from scratch — in the middle of a pandemic, no less? A16 founder Shelley Lindgren and her Tansy Wines business partner Kitty Oestlien join to talk about bridging California and Italy, from A16's 20th-anniversary cookbook reprint and upcoming Chicago and Ferry Building openings to the six vintages of Tansy, a Northern California label built on organically farmed Italian varieties. The conversation digs into winemaker Megan Glaab's light-touch approach, the ancient Piedmontese grape Ruché that shows up in Tansy's Red Field Blend, and why an open mind is the best tool for navigating an Italian wine list. Pour a glass of Tansy and settle in for two friends talking flowers, farming, and why food always belongs next to the bottle.

This Week's Wine: 2022 Tansy Red Wine Field Blend California

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Mentions

Wines & Producers

Tansy Wines – Shelley Lindgren and Kitty Oestlien's Northern California label focused on organically farmed Italian grape varieties

Ryme Cellars – Sonoma winery from winemaker Megan Glaab, known for Vermentino and other Italian varieties
Sandlands Chenin Blanc – Tegan Passalacqua's label
Ciro Picariello Fiano di Avellino – the bottle poured at Tavernetta in Denver

Restaurants & Bars

A16 – Shelley Lindgren's Italian restaurant group, with locations in San Francisco's Marina, Oakland, Napa, Japan, and soon Chicago (fall 2026); certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana since 2004
Lucania – A16's upcoming Southern Italian restaurant opening at San Francisco's Ferry Building
Tavernetta (Denver)

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Champagne Is a Place, Not Just a Drink: A Sommelier's Guide to Navigating the Region Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

Champagne is more than something poured at a toast — it's a place you can actually visit, and this episode finally delivers on months of hints about a long-awaited spring trip there. Sommelier Lara Koffer joins Amanda to unpack the region's biggest split: house Champagne versus grower Champagne, and how roughly 16,000 growers keep the famous marques stocked with fruit. Grab your wine club wine, the Grumier Réserve Perpétuelle, a rare solera-style non-vintage blend dating back to 2005 and join us for stories from Reims and Épernay — Bollinger's hand-disgorged prestige cuvées, a Michelin-starred "Mysteries of Champagne" tasting menu, and hard-won advice on hiring a driver instead of renting a car. Pour a glass and settle in for a trip report worth the wait.

Featured Wine: NV Maurice Grumier Réserve Perpétuelle Extra-Brut Champagne

Find all of our mentions for restaurants, wineries, and hotels in Amanda's Guide to Visiting Paris and Champagne

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Wine Cities, Round Two: A German Importer's Passport featuring Jenna Fields and Zack Musick Jul 16, 2026

Show notes

One solo episode wasn't enough to settle the debate over the world's best wine cities — so this time, two frequent flyers weigh in. Jenna Fields and Zack Musick of the German Wine Collection, who log more travel miles promoting German wine than almost anyone in the industry, join to build their own list using the same four-part framework from the last episode: selection, people, variety, and identity. London tops it (officially "Germany-adjacent"), followed by a New York walking tour through Michelin-starred dining rooms, a surprise nod to Phoenix's under-the-radar sommelier scene, and a park-bench cheesesteak in Philly washed down with Frappato from a plastic cup. Pour a glass of the Meyer-Näkel Illusion Blanc de Noir — this month's wine club pick — and settle in for round two.

Featured Wine: 2023 Meyer-Nakel "Illusion" Blanc de Noirs

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Mentions & Links

Wines & Producers

Domaine Tempier Rosé, Bandol — grabbed at Cru in Nantucket
Frédéric Savart Champagne, Écueil — paired with ahi tuna and caviar at 53
G.D. Vàjra, Barolo — on the by-the-glass list at 53
Weingut Salwey Eichberg Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Kaiserstuhl — paired with truffled hazelnut soup at Oiji Mi
Muskattrollinger Rosé — the German rarity poured at the Nantucket seminar

Restaurants & Bars

Cru, Nantucket
Mezcaleria Alma, Denver — Michelin-starred, all-Mexican-wine list
COQODAQ, NYC — the champagne-and-caviar-chicken-nugget spot
Oiji Mi, NYC
53, NYC — dim sum spot
Aldo Sohm Wine Bar, NYC
Zarella Pizzeria & Taverna, Chicago
Restaurant Progress, Phoenix
Angelo's, Philadelphia — cheesesteak
Di Bruno Bros., Philadelphia — wine shop
Noble Rot, Mayfair (London)
Devonshire, London
Satan's Whiskers, London — cocktail bar

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Four Cities. No Vineyards. All Wine. Jun 20, 2026

Show notes

We're going solo this episode, and we're going global. After months of logging serious miles across cities and continents, we wanted to revisit a format we love — not the wine regions, not the châteaux, but the cities themselves. The places that aren't necessarily making wine, but are doing it better than almost anywhere else in the world. We're breaking down our top four wine cities right now — London, Copenhagen, Tokyo, and New York — what makes each one stand out, how we navigate them for wine when we get there, and the specific spots that completely won us over. Along the way, we're also tasting the Zuccardi Polígonos Cabernet Franc from Mendoza — our wine club pick and a perfect tie-in to our earlier episode on the most exciting wine regions to visit. Pour a glass and come along.

Featured Wine: Zuccardi Polígonos Cabernet Franc, Uco Valley

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Mentions & Links

Restaurants, Wine Bars, and Recs — London

Hedonism Wines, London — hedonismwines.com
Noble Rot, Soho — noblerot.co.uk
The Eagle Bar at Chancery Rosewood — rosewoodhotels.com
Mountain, Beak Street, Soho — mountainsoho.com
Mayfair Townhouse (hotel) — themayFairtownhouse.com

Restaurants & Wine Bars — Copenhagen

Rossforth & Rossworth (bridge wine) — wine importer + outdoor wine bar; rossforthandrossworth.com
Bar Vitrine
Fiskebar — former Noma head sommelier; seafood focused
Esse — Michelin starred; tasting menu + à la carte lounge; natural wine and French-leaning list
La Banchina — natural wine; waterside cove café; labanchina.dk
Poulette and Pompette — order on the app; skip the line
Kinyobi — sushi from former Geranium chefs; great sake selection
Bird — exceptional cocktail program; great non-alcoholic options
Sanchez — tacos from a former Noma chef
Hotel Sanders (hotel) — hotelsanders.com

Restaurants & Wine Bars — Tokyo

New York Bar, Park Hyatt Tokyo (Lost in Translation bar) — park.hyatt.com; Dom Pérignon by the glass at $45
Studio Mule — hidden second-floor wine bar; hi-fi music system; rotating rare bottles by the glass including Gravner and Paolo Bea; no signage, look for the green door
Badu, Kyoto — natural wines; sister restaurant to Monk (featured on Chef's Table)
Isetan Department Store — basement food hall; great sake selection to take home

Restaurants & Wine Bars — New York

Coqodaq — fried chicken and champagne
Clemente Bar, above Eleven Madison Park
La Tete d'Or by Daniel
Aldo Sohm Wine Bar — aldosohmwinebar.com
La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels — downtown + new Flatiron location
Le Chene — great Burgundy and Champagne; splurge-worthy
Union Square Cafe
Gramercy Tavern
Claude, East Village — reportedly excellent wine list
Roscioli — wine list by Ariel Arcé, formerly of Ariel's Champagne Parlor

Wines Referenced

Gravner — famous orange wine producer; served by the glass at Studio Mule Tokyo
Paolo Bea, Arboreus — Italian white; served by the glass at Studio Mule Tokyo

Also Mentioned

Toyama — day trip from Tokyo for Sake (IWA)
Kalaya, Philadelphia — James Beard Award Outstanding Restaurant
Levi Dalton — I'll Drink To That podcast; Noble Rot recommendation

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We Need to Talk About Bordeaux featuring Jonathan Cristaldi Jun 05, 2026

Show notes

Bordeaux has a reputation problem — and we're here to fix it. In this episode, we sit down with Jonathan Cristaldi, North America Regional Editor at Decanter Magazine and fellow theater kid, to make the case for a region that the wine world has been too quick to dismiss. We just got back from our first trip there together and we're talking about all of it: the left bank vs. right bank divide, why the best Bordeaux you'll ever drink might cost you 25 euros, what it's actually like to navigate the city of Bordeaux as a visitor, and a surprisingly fascinating detour into the science of corks. Pour yourself something from the Haut-Médoc and open your mind — Bordeaux is better than you remember.

Featured Wine: Château de l'Église Vieille, Haut-Médoc

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Mentions & Links

Guest

Jonathan Cristaldi — Decanter Magazine, North America Regional Editor; @jcristaldi

Wineries

Château de Pressac — chateaudepressac.com
Château La Gafellière — gaffeliere.com
Château Carbonnieux — carbonnieux.com
Château Larose Trintaudon — chateau-larose-trintaudon.fr
Château Kirwan — chateau-kirwan.com
Château de Malleret — chateau-malleret.fr
Château Pontet-Canet — pontetcanet.com (prior visit, referenced in episode)

Restaurants & Dining

Chez Dupont, Bordeaux
Gina Rooftop, Bordeaux
Brasserie Vinatier, Bordeaux
La Côte à l'Os, Saint-Émilion
Le Jardin de Collioure
Casa Léon, Collioure

Also Mentioned

Cité du Vin, Bordeaux — laciteduvin.com
Diam Bouchage (our trip host and technical cork producer! Thank you Diam! — diam-cork.com

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How to Drink Wine the Italian Way featuring Jessica Dupuy (Italianity) May 22, 2026

Show notes

Italy is one of those places that feels instantly familiar the moment you arrive — and yet the more you learn about it, the more you realize how much you've been missing. In this episode, we sit down with Jessica Dupuy, James Beard Award-winning author and self-described outsider-turned-insider, to talk about her new book Italianity — a collection of essays and stories that captures what it actually means to drink Italian wine the Italian way. We get into the concept of Italianità, why the best way to plan your Italy trip is to start with the grape you love, and what Antica Bottega del Vino in Verona looks like at 9:30 in the morning when the locals still have the place to themselves. Pour yourself a glass of Franciacorta and let this one transport you.

Featured Wine:

NV Le Marchesine Franciacorta Nitens Brut

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Featured Guest

Jessica Dupuy, co-author — Italianity

Regions Discussed

Tuscany / Montalcino — Brunello, Sangiovese; the entry point for many Italy-first-timers
Valpolicella / Verona — Amarone, Valpolicella Superiore; Andrea's home region
Piedmont (Piemonte) — Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Alta Langa sparkling; French-border swagger
Alto Adige / Trentino (Tre Venezie) — Alpine Nebbiolo, German-speaking, former Austro-Hungarian influence; Jessica's current favorite region
Sicily — Nerello Mascalese, Etna; deeply historical, layered cultural influences
Franciacorta — Champagne-method sparkling wine; 85% Chardonnay + Pinot Nero + Pinot Bianco
Alta Langa — Piedmont-based traditional-method sparkling; historical rival to Champagne
Roero — Sandy-soil Nebbiolo; lighter expression outside of Barolo/Barbaresco
Valtellina — Alpine Nebbiolo north of Lake Como

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Paso Robles: Inside the Wine Region That's Quietly Doing Everything Right featuring Maggie Tillman, Alta Colina May 07, 2026

Show notes

If Paso Robles isn't already on your must-visit list, this episode will change that. Maggie Tillman, co-owner of Alta Colina and self-described "co-first-generation" winery founder, joins us to dig into what makes Paso one of the most exciting — and most underrated — wine regions in the country right now. From why the east side vs. west side divide isn't quite as "divided" as you might think, to the magic of Tin City, we're giving you an all-access pass as to why Paso rewards the traveler who puts in the effort to get there. Plus, Maggie shares her personal list of wineries, restaurants, and not-to-miss experiences — including the outdoor art installation that simply cannot be captured on your phone (don't even try). Pour yourself a glass of the Peachy Canyon Zinfandel and let this episode and wine talk you into booking your trip.

Featured Wine:

Peachy Canyon Zinfandel

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Featured Guest

Maggie Tillman, co-owner — Alta Colina Winery, Paso Robles

Amanda's Paso Robles Guides

Wineries

Tablas Creek Vineyard — deep west side Rhône producer, partnership with the Perrin family of Châteauneuf-du-Pape
L'Aventure Winery — Bordeaux-meets-Rhône style, founded by Stephan Asseo
Hubba Wines — lighter-touch, vineyard-driven wines by a female winemaker in Tin City
Royal Nonesuch Farm + Lopai — joint tasting room, York Mountain AVA area; newer, worth seeking out
Niner Wine Estates — great tasting experience with a stunning culinary garden and winery lunch

Giornata Winery — Italian variety focused wines owned by the Turrizzi family who also run Etto Pasta

Restaurants & Food

Finca — elevated Mexican in a Victorian house; Maggie's go-to for lunch
Grace and Rose — seasonal comfort food, great pasta; owned by Justin and Julie Fisher
In Bloom — cocktail program + fried chicken and caviar
LPC / Les Petite Canailles — French fine dining, son of L'Aventure's Stephan Asseo; ask about the secret menu (bougie tots with caviar)
Il Cortile — Italian; one of Paso's originals
Parchetto — Il Cortile newer sibling restaurant
Fish Gaucho — high-energy, great pozole and margaritas; good for groups
Etto Pasta — official restaurant for the makers of fresh and dried pastas + Italian boutique grocery in Tin City; Turrizzi family

Coffee & Bakeries

Spearhead Coffee
Black Sheep Bakery — sourdough cinnamon buns

Cocktails & Nightlife

Alchemist Garden + The Remedy (speakeasy) — reservation required for The Remedy; best cocktail program in Paso
Eleven Twenty Two — speakeasy behind the Irish pub; no phones, great drinks, open until ~11pm/midnight

Hotels

Ava Hotel — newer boutique, great downtown location
Hotel Cheval — downtown Paso, across from Ava

Other Experiences

⁠⁠Tin City⁠⁠, Paso Robles — urban winery/food/drink hub south of downtown
Mighty Cap Mushrooms — mushroom tour experience in Tin City
Sensorio — large-scale outdoor light installation by artist Bruce Munro; arrive before dark;
Pasolivo — olive oil tasting

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