A lot of people think that price is indicative of the quality and enjoy-ability of a wine. While we have tried to challenge this notion in the past, today we're trying the lowest priced red, white, and rose we could find at Food Lion to see what we find. The results might not surprise you, but they are still entertaining nonetheless. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 17, 2023•47 min•Season 2Ep. 75
Bootleggers are one of the most discussed groups from the Prohibition era in the United States. These alcohol smugglers rightfully deserve a spotlight, but what about those who supplied the booze? Today we'll be looking into these suppliers, the Rum Runners, and how they fit into the criminal underworld of illegal alcohol distribution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 10, 2023•44 min•Season 2Ep. 74
As alcohol consumers, we normally only see the customer facing side of the industry. The simplicity of a purchase makes it easy to think that alcohol goes from production to market to sell, but the reality here in the United States is a little more complicated than that. Here we have what is called the "3-Tier System". Today we are examining how this system functions, and as usual, providing some of our own insights and opinions as to whether this system works as intended. Hosted on Acast. See a...
May 13, 2023•36 min•Season 2Ep. 73
AI has become a hot topic across the internet. One of the biggest questions being asked is will AI programs like ChatGPT be able to replace humans? While we can't speak for every job, after asking ChatGPT some questions we aren't too worried about AI taking over the wine industry. Why is that? Well, you'll have to tune in to find out... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 22, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 72
Happy National Beer Day! Ok, we are a day late, but it's the thought that counts, right? Regardless, today we wanted to talk about one of the oldest and most famous beer brands around today. Guinness has an extensive history as not only a beer company, but also as a symbol of philanthropy and national identity. All these traits go back the founder of the company, Arthur Guinness, and his entrepreneurial spirit. We'll be going through his life and how he built Guinness as well as how the company ...
Apr 08, 2023•47 min•Season 2Ep. 71
There is a common misconception among wine drinkers that all wines that are noticeably sweet can be used interchangeably with dessert wines. Although this is an understandable assumption, dessert wines are a distinct classification under sweet wines used for very specific purposes. In this episode, we're exploring the differences between the two from production methods to how they are used in food pairings. Tune in to satisfy that sweet tooth! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...
Mar 25, 2023•50 min•Season 2Ep. 70
A wine and food pairing can make or break your dinner party, and we're here to help make sure it's a hit. The art of wine pairing does take time to perfect, but the basic principles are simpler than many people think. Today we will be examining how certain flavors profiles interact with each other in order to make sure you and your guests are satisfied! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 18, 2023•43 min•Season 2Ep. 69
Terroir, or a unique signature imparted to wines within a region, is a much debated term in the world of wine. What constitutes the terroir of a wine seems to vary widely, even among professionals. Is it the soil, the weather, the people making it, or something else entirely? In this episode, we're throwing our hats into the ring to clarify what forms terroir so that you can better understand the complexity and artistry that forms at the intersection of nature and human ingenuity. Hosted on Acas...
Mar 11, 2023•51 min•Season 2Ep. 68
Often in the wine world, newcomers will encounter a lot of terms being thrown around regarding wine with no clear definition given. While often unintentional, this experience can be confusing for novice drinkers seeking to learn more. In this episode we'll be going over the terms we've seen go unexplained as well as clarifying some misconceptions regarding them. We hope this helps you to have more confidence in your discovery process! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 25, 2023•48 min•Season 2Ep. 67
Priorat is a highly regarding wine producing region located in Catalonia, Spain. The practice of wine making dates back to the 12th century with Carthusian monks discovering the unique terroir in this area. As the region has developed it's production techniques, it has started to produce world-class red blends. The long history of wine making combined with the dedication to high-quality wines in Priorat makes for a fascinating study, and we're excited to share our findings! Hosted on Acast. See ...
Feb 11, 2023•59 min•Season 2Ep. 66
Ouzo hails from the nation of Greece and is easily its most prominent liquor. This anise-heavy drink is still a prominent part of the local culture, particularly where food is concerned, but how did it come about? Tune in to find out Ouzo's history, production methods, and more in this episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 04, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 65
What is wine expertise? Well, it seems to depend on who you ask. To some it's the height of sophistication, for others it's complete nonsense. In this episode, we'll be discussing the philosophical implications of what influences wine expertise, how it manifests itself in the industry, and why the perception of this expertise matters. Perhaps both sides of the argument could learn a thing or two from each other.... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 28, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 64
Are wine experts full of it? Adam Ruins Everything seems to think so, but we have some doubts about that claim. In this episode, we're diving into the science of wine tasting to see if the world of wine is really built on as shaky a foundation as many claim it is. While we do understand that yes, there are many people in and out of the industry that make claims beyond their ability, the science of wine tasting presents a much more nuanced reality to the ability of the brain to discern a wine's c...
Jan 21, 2023•49 min•Season 2Ep. 63
Remember when we did an episode on wine tasting at the start of this podcast? We hope not because it was bad. Listen to this one instead, it's much better, we promise. This go around we'll be walking you through how we taste and analyze wine. It's not all smells and flavors, there's also structural elements in wine that greatly affect the enjoyment you'll get from it. We hope this episode gives you the tools to analyze them all and further your journey into wine discovery! Hosted on Acast. See a...
Jan 07, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 62
We're back with even more analysis of the effect of social media on the perceptions and opinions of wine on the internet. In this episode, we're looking towards the trend-driven marketing that gets fueled by algorithms and how this can trick some into forming opinions on wine that don't necessarily reflect reality. From the flashy images of Instagram to the game of telephone we discovered is being played on Vivino, we discovered that social media tends to become a feedback loop between algorithm...
Dec 11, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 61
The world wide web is home to the largest collection of information man has ever known. How did man decide to utilize this? By giving controvercial opinions and clout chasing on social media, of course. In this episode, we delve into some of the hot takes on wine we're come across and try to disprove some of the myths about wine that seem to be popular on these apps. Hopefully we can make sense of this brave new frontier... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 03, 2022•53 min•Season 2Ep. 60
Welcome back! In today's episode we're exploring the diverse world of craft brewing here in the commonwealth of Virginia. Virginia has an extensive history of beer brewing that predates even the founding of the United States, and we're excited to share this unique story. It's a tale of trial and error, something still found in the industry today, but thankfully innovation always seems to triumph. We hope you enjoy (hopefully with a unique brew in hand) our exploration! Hosted on Acast. See acast...
Nov 12, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 59
This episode has certainly been a long time coming! We have been itching to talk about the state of the rapidly growing wine industry here in our home state, Virginia, for quite a while now, and we're excited to finally broach the subject. From our challenging climate to the producers we like the most, we hope to give a comprehensive introduction of Virginia wines to any curious drinkers out there looking for something new to try. We hope this episode piques your curiosity! Hosted on Acast. See ...
Nov 06, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 58
In our infinite wisdom, we have decided to return to our bad alcohols series. This time, we sought out the worst recommendations from our local ABC store clerks. The result was 99, a brand of 99 proof liqueurs that are sold at a frighteningly low price point. As always, this was a really bad idea. Tune in to find out just how bad it gets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 16, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 57
Join us as we continue our exploration of Phylloxera, the great wine blight. In this episode, we will be delving into the history of how Phylloxera was discovered and nearly led to the eradication of the global wine industry. With the solutions hard to find and even harder to implement, this epidemic is a tragic and fascinating look at how science, collaboration, and ingenuity can overcome dire circumstances. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 08, 2022•38 min•Season 2Ep. 56
Originally known as the Great Destroyer, Phylloxera has quite literally plagued the world of wine sine the 1860's. This aphid is perfectly designed to feed off of, and eventually kill, the grape vines we use for wine production in many parts of the world. But what actually is Phylloxera, and why is it such a concern for wine? In this episode, we will be diving into these questions to help explain why exactly this pest is so feared. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 01, 2022•22 min•Season 2Ep. 55
Join us today as we discuss the wines of Argentina! Argentina is famous for it's Malbec, but there's a lot more to the wine industry here than a single grape. There is an extensive wine making history in Argentina, and in this episode we'll be diving into everything from history to production regions. If you want to go beyond Mendoza, be sure to tune in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 17, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 54
Continuing on from our last episode, we'll be diving more into the regions that make up the wonderfully diverse wine industry of Chile. In this episode, we discuss what makes these regions distinct from the grapes to the laws that govern winemaking. We hope you discover a new place with new wines to explore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 13, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 53
Join us today as we delve into the country of Chile. There are so many wonderful being produced here in the wide variety of climates that Chile offers, and we're very excited to discuss them from a macro-scale viewpoint. We'll be going over everything from history to grapes, and we hope you enjoy learning about this underrated country as much as we enjoy drinking their wines! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 06, 2022•41 min•Season 2Ep. 52
In this episode, Michael and Gabe decided to have some lighthearted debate over which is the better style of beer: the IPA or the Lager. Which one will win? Honestly, probably neither. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 23, 2022•59 min•Season 2Ep. 51
As a follow-up to our last episode, we will now be diving into the history of the wine industry in Burgundy. From being a small country conquered by Rome to one of the most prominent wine producing regions globally, how did Burgundy become so renowned? Tune in to find out how religion, nobility, trade, and a disloyal grape crafted this fascinating history! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 09, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 50
Burgundy is one of the most famous and expensive wine regions in the world, but why is this the case? In this episode, we're doing an overview of what makes Burgundy so special in the wine world. As the birthplace of the modern conception of terroir, this region has played an important role in the development of our understanding of viticulture and wine making. We'll be discussing a bird's-eye view of the soils, climate, grapes, and subregions of Burgundy so that you can know what's on a label s...
Jun 18, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 49
Hailing from the nation or Portugal, Port encompasses a rich and complex variety of dessert wines. Port is one of the oldest designated wine regions in the world, so there is a lot of history, production techniques, and labeling terms to cover. Our goal in this episode is to break down the complexity and give you a straight-forward guide to finding a bottle for yourself! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 04, 2022•30 min•Season 2Ep. 48
A nearly forgotten style of wine, Madeira is a truly special drink and one of Gabe's personal favorites (possibly one of Michael's as well after recording). There's a long history of sea voyages, trade, and even revolution behind Madeira. Over the course of this episode, we dive into the rich history and flavors of these wines in an effort to promote one of the lesser known yet most prestigious wines we know of. We hope you enjoy listening and are inspired to seek out a Madeira of your own! Host...
May 28, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 47
Spirits is a big heading, and the two primary distinctions within this category are liquors and liqueurs. Does this distinction matter? Actually, yes! Tune in to find out what the distinction is as well as a list of our staple liqueurs should you desire to have some on hand for an at-home cocktail bar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 22, 2022•35 min•Season 2Ep. 46