Wine for Normal People

Latest Episodes:

Ep 625: The Next Leap in Professional Wine Education with Keith Wallace of the Wine School of Philadelphia Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

Keith Wallace is the founder of The Wine School of Philadelphia, which is respected and known throughout the wine industry.

In 2001, Keith opened a small wine school in Philly and, from a grassroots effort, built The Wine School Philadelphia into the most influential independent wine school in the country. He is a passionate advocate for integrity in the industry and for wine education.

And in a revolutionary move for wine education, he has created a US-based sommelier certification agency that doesn't rely on foreign oversight (like the Court of Master Sommeliers or the Wine & Spirits Education Trust) and that offers REAL credentials to wine professionals looking to get into the industry or to improve their knowledge of wine. That effort comes from the National Wine School and from the Philly Wine School, which offer classes in person and online. Both grant a recognized trade-school credential for students.

Today, the Philly Wine School offers classes in wine, beer, spirits, and cocktails, all taught by top professionals. Alumni work across the industry: in wineries, restaurants, import firms, and media outlets.

Keith talks about the evolution of this program over the last 25 years. We discuss how a practical trade school education in wine is needed and the gaps in current programming that this credential and trade school fill.

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

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE OR on-demand WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Ep 624: The Greats – Shiraz of the Barossa Valley, Australia Oct 14, 2026

Show notes

Located about 37 miles (60 km) northeast of Adelaide, at 34.7˚south, the Barossa Valley is mainly a red wine region (I don't consider Eden Valley in this show – it has one great wine but the region is not a "Great" in my estimation) and Shiraz is half of the vineyard. As the first wine to put Australia on the international wine map, the Barossa is unapologetically bold and big in style – it makes still makes bold, rich Shiraz from a warm climate and soils suited for this style.

Photo: Barossa Valley Credit: Cirillo Wines

In this show, I go over the history, which starts in 1842, discuss the terroir of the region, the winegrowing and winemaking conditions, food pairings, producers, and I discuss the ups and downs of this famed region, which still has productive vines from the days of the colonists.

Barossa is a fascinating place, that is ever-evolving. It embodies the Australian winemaking ethos of relentless adjustment, merging tech and tradition, and making wine that is uniquely Australian and doesn't try to be anything but that.

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

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Ep 623: Mount Etna, Sicily Oct 07, 2026

Show notes

Mount Etna is one of the most interesting wine regions of Italy. On the northeast coast of Sicily, wine grapes grow on the slopes of Europe's highest active volcano, which has been erupting for at least 500,000 years and ranks among the most active volcanoes in the world. The UN counts it among just 16 volcanoes worldwide that pose a high risk to life and property, and that's not a joke: ash, steam, and lava flows can and do threaten the vineyards, and the mountain has shaped the culture of Sicily itself.

But regardless of this volcanic activity, vines have always been here. And viticulture has been around since the Greeks in 8th century BCE. In this show I discuss the mountain, which locals call "Mongibello," the beautiful mountain. I talk about the history, the terroir, the grapes, the wines, food and producers, and take a small detour into the world of volcanology!

All photos taken by Wine for Normal People

A dork out show (and if you want more, check out the recorded class "Volcanic Wines" on www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes -- it goes over more volcanology and more volcanic wines).

I love the wines of Etna – hopefully this show can convince you to try them if you haven't!

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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CHECK OUT MY NEW SPONSOR!!!

This show is brought to you by my NEW exclusive sponsor, Grapes the Wine Company – an actual brick and mortar store located in White Plains, New York that has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal as one of the most influential wine retailers in America. It is a store owned by my friend Daniel Posner, who has been on the show! When I was looking for a new sponsor, I wanted a small retailer who had the flexibility, contacts, and know-how to get us the wines that we really want. I'm so thrilled that Daniel is now a part of our Wine For Normal People community and I hope you will support him by going to https://www.grapesthewineco.com/

Ep 622: Food and Wine Pairing for Fall Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

With the equinox behind us, it is officially fall in northern hemisphere – a return to normal routines after the lazier days of summer. The leaves are changing, the days are getting shorter, and we're taking out the jeans and sweaters for the cooler weather and that means it's also time for fall flavors in food and in wine.

Photo Credit: Valiphotos from Pixabay.

Root vegetables like squash and pumpkin, foods with warm spice preparations, and earthy, richer flavors with butter and savory herbs are on our radars. Many of us shift our wine selections to warming wines that balance earthy and savory flavors – lower acidity, rounder, softer wines in red and white (and occasionally rosé and sparkling) In this show, I offer pairings for fall food with both!

I cover both vegetable and meat dishes in the show -- mushroom and squash dishes and soups, roast chicken, pork chops, and chili are all on the menu with the reds and whites to match! A fun show with useful info, for sure!

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon (Patrons get ALL the pairings for shows like this!). Join the community today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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CHECK OUT MY NEW SPONSOR!!!

Ep 621: The Rías Baixas D.O. of Spain - The Albariño Capital of the World Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

This week I cover the many facets of Rías Baixas, an historic yet very new wine region (Romans farmed this region, monks perfected the winemaking, but the modern form of the D.O. didn't take shape until the 1980s!).

Rías Baixas is a fascinating but small Denominacíon de Origen (DO) in the far northwest corner of Spain. This is the Galicia region, which is so very different from the image most of us conjure when thinking about rural Spain. There is no dry, vast plateau, nor sandy colored buildings popping out of the landscape, rather this region faces the Atlantic Ocean and is replete with rivers and lots of rain, so it is lush, craggy, and more like Ireland than Priorat in its appearance.

Rías Baixas means "low estuaries" in Galician; rías are the fjord-like inlets carved by winding rivers along Galicia's Atlantic coast. They are the defining feature of the region's geography.

In this cool and changeable climate, Albariño is the star grape. In this show, I talk about the quirks of this region -- it's oldness...and newness. It's amazing concentration of female winemakers, vignerons, and business owners, and the styles of wine that exist and are emerging from this small but very mighty region.

If you love Albariño, this will explain the factors that make it so unique and will help you discover new and elevated styles! There is way more to this region than meets the eye.

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

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

Rerelease of Ep 383: Domaine Wachau of Austria - One of Europe's Best Co-Ops with Roman Horvath, MW Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

After Episode 620: The Greats -- the Wachau of Austria, I thought about re-releasing this show but I wasn't 100% sure. I decided to do it because in listening to Ep 383 again, it brought the region to life for me in a different and very useful way. I figured it would be helpful for you as well!

In this show I speak with Roman Horvath, a Master of Wine, is the Winery Director of Domaine Wachau, which is among the leading wine producers in Austria. The Domaine is actually a cooperative, meaning it is run by and owned by individual growers, with Roman bringing them all together under his leadership. Domaine Wachau has been cited as one of the best co-ops in the world and is known for making wines of origin and pure flavor.

The Domaine has a full range of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling that reflect their unique terroir – from small vineyard plots on steep terraces along the Danube to regional wines. Roman coordinates the vintner families, who work to capture the terroir of the historic wine region of Wachau. These wines are terroir driven and show how the co-op system can work well and produce outstanding regional, village, and single vineyard wines when under the right management.

A great conversation and a perfect show to listen to after Ep 620! Enjoy!

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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CHECK OUT MY NEW SPONSOR!!!

Ep 620: The Greats - The Wachau Region of Austria Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Austria is a bit off the radar so you may not know its greatest region: the Wachau. This time I cover the region in detail, from its 2000 year history to its unique geological makeup. I explain the region and why it makes some of best Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. While Austria is most certainly on the rise, there is no other region that rises to "The Greats" status other than the Wachau. A truly unique gem, in the world of white wine, this is a region with perfect terroir, a set of producers who have collaborated to do their best, and a set of wines that rank among the best whites in the world.

In this show, as in all "Greats" I cover:

The history of the Wachau
The location, climate, and geography/geology
Viticulture that is unique to the area (the dry stone walls, and the inclusion of botrytized grapes by some is fascinating!).
The main grapes (Grüner, Riesling) and wine styles
Sub regions and their significance
Producers
Classifications from both the Vinea Wachau AND the DAC system

A great show and an even better region. Try these wines and get back to me! A good Smargd is hard to beat!!

Source for this show: Wachau Brochure from Wines of Austria

Great pictures of the Wachau: Vinea Wachau

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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CHECK OUT MY NEW SPONSOR!!!

Ep 619: The Wines of Provence - Liz Gabay & Ben Bernheim Return To Discuss Their Latest Book Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

Liz Gabay, MW and her partner and son, Ben Bernheim, come back on the show as dynamic as ever.

This time they discuss their latest, wonderful book, "The Wines of Provence," which was recently published.

We broaden our conversation from episode 434, to discuss not just rosé, but also Provence, which is far more complex than I ever knew. We discuss appellations, history, grapes, wine types, producers, and a whole lot more! A great show with some dear friends.

Enjoy!

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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CHECK OUT MY NEW SPONSOR!!!

Ep 618: Back to Basics: Structure in Wine Part 2 - Sugar & Alcohol Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

In last week's show (dorkfest part 1), we discussed two components of structure, acidity and tannin, and how they are like two sides of a picture frame, structure. In this episode (dorkfest part 2), I cover the other two sides of that frame, sugar and alcohol, to complete the picture. For me, these components are the fundamentals and although writers are always trying to add more to the frame, they all can be attributed to one of these four elements.

In this show I cover the following topics on sugar and alcohol:

What are they?
What are their roles in wine?
Where do sugar and alcohol come from?
How are each measured?
How do we perceive sugar and alcohol (there is an especially interesting section about what we perceive as sweet, versus the reality! You may be surprised!)
No and low alcohol 'wine' – how they are made, what is lost, and why I don't think they are actually wine!

This is really dorky stuff but something that you should dig into if you really want to understand what you're tasting in wine! Enjoy it in all its dorkiness!

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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CHECK OUT MY NEW SPONSOR!!!

Ep 617: Back to Basics: Structure in Wine Part 1 - Acidity & Tannin Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

This time it's Back to Basics -- describing two of the four main components that make up the structure of wine - Acidity & Tannin. It's both simple, and very dorky (I quote the NIH at one point, worth a listen!)

In this show I go back to basics and talk about structure. As I said in the book, I think of wine like a picture frame -- the sides have to be even for it to work. I liken the structure of wine to art and talk a little about the Mona Lisa and how it relates to the four main elements of structure: tannin, acidity, alcohol, sugar (or lack of sugar) plus the flavors of wine in my favorite wine analogy.

Then I discuss acidity and tannin: