Wine Two Five Podcast

What does an Altoid mint, a glass of Scotch, and a Brazilian wax have in common? It’s 50 shades of wine science this week. Tim Hanni, MW, author of Why You Like The Wines You Like: Changing the way the world thinks about wine, breaks down the physiological and other reasons why some wines taste – and feel – good to some people and not others. He’s a champion for sweet wine lovers, and Tim calls B.S. on some common ideas that may just take your enjoyment of wine up a notch. This is a refreshing, feel good episode, for sure.

As Vice President of Wine Education for Banfi Vintners Sharron probably has one of the coolest wine careers ever, and she takes some time out of her busy schedule to chat with W25! Last year’s inductee into the Italian Trade Commission’s Hall of Fame, she gives us some insight into her place in the wonderful world of Italian wine. We talk about pairing a novel with Brunello, upcoming wine and spirit education events, and … yes, it’s true … grapes named after salami. Pour a glass, sip, learn, and laugh along. Salute!

This week we decide to weigh in on some of these predictions for 2016 that have been squirming around in wine media. Is it new, is it news, or is it just plain nuts? This is our “state of the wine” episode where we discuss the changing times in what can sometimes seem like a wacky world of wine. There are some requests, some goals, and there is some mention of fly dance moves that will hopefully not involve physical therapy or muscle relaxers, as neither of these pair well with wine. We hope you enjoy our commentary this week and pick up some fun sip tips! Cheers ~

We’re sipping, chatting and exploring Sangiovese this week. The versatility, the styles, the characteristics are all on the table (or in the glass) along with savvy input from last week’s guest, a true Tuscan. Massimo helps us elaborate on the many facets of Sangiovese and its wines. But wait, there’s more! The #W25Challenge is heating up, we have shoutouts to some awesome somms, and we talk about wine in a tube. Join us for some wine edu-tainment and some tips for expanding your palate!

Massimo Coppetti, Italian sommelier and faculty member of Florence University of the Arts (FUA), schools us on wine as a lifestyle and eloquently expresses how wine is considered sexy. By the way, what cheese pairs great with a good Lambrusco? Where can you find the Negrette grape? Why would we drink a wine that’s considered “rancio?” Booze-infused cupcakes? This and much more in this week’s packed – and dare we say, “sexy?” – episode! Pour a glass, listen, learn, and laugh along with us! Cheers ~

In our first episode of #Sipping2016 we’re talking “new year, new booze” with a call to action for our listeners to try something new this year and tell us about it. Steph creates a cocktail with lavender vodka, and Val finds a Pineau des Charentes rouge to kick things off. Want to be a guest host on the Wine Two Five show? Listen, taste, discover, and start a conversation. It's all part of the #W25Challenge and so get ready sip what you've never sipped before!

In our last episode of 2015 we celebrate your favorite moments and revisit a few of ours as well. There’s a mash-up of some ... er ... grittier moments that ended up on the cutting room floor, so this episode is a little more on the Rated R side. Steph and Val ask each other some interesting questions, and then? We announce our 2016 W25 Sipping Challenge and share how YOU can be a guest host on W25! We end the show - and the year - with a glittering five-star review, and wish you all a safe and Happy New Year!

We are tickled to have 7th Generation Champagne Proprietress Chantal Brégeon-Gonet of Champagne Philippe Gonet join us for a fun discussion about … Champagne: how to drink it, great pairings, and traditions. We also talk about the often controversial topic of decanting wine and when it will or will not actually benefit your enjoyment. It’s all about pleasure this week, and it’s truly our pleasure to share these lovely stories from Chantal about Champagne that will surely make you smile if you’re pouring bubbles this holiday!

Allan Wright from Taste Vacations and Zephyr Adventures joins us this week and talks with us about cool wine trips, wine regions, and how you can get the most from your wine tour experience. Chile? Argentina? New Zealand? There are some exciting wine tours out there, and lots to taste so hang on! He also is the organizer of the annual Wine Blogger Conference and Wine Tourism Conference. We wrap up this episode by getting a little geeky (what else is new?) with our factoid about Champagne bubbles.

This is an easy listening, easy drinking episode. Jeff Eckles from the We Like Drinking podcast joins us for some laid-back wine and beer chatter this week. Is there such thing as a free lunch? Sure there is – and we cover that in the factoid. There’s a small celebration of our nation’s attempt to (still) recover from those silly temperance & prohibition movements, and a hint about our upcoming holiday video. Let's pour a glass and listen to Jeff explain that whole “smoked whale” thing, shall we?

Have no fear, we have some spirited banter this week packed full of ideas and resources that will make you a rock star with the wine lover in your life. We’re thinking outside the bottle this week with gift ideas that range from silly to practical and geeky to extravagant … and some are not what you’d expect … kind of like some of the comments in this episode. The factoid will be a surprise for many of you as well. What’s “simply fabulous?” You’ll have to listen to find out. Happy December and let’s raise a glass to stress-free holiday gifting!

Sharing gratitude, a toast for the ages, Champagne factoids, and our Thanksgiving Day go-to wines. Steph and Val move a little quickly through this episode so you can get back to celebratory activities if you’re in the states – or drinking great wine wherever you are in the world! We finish with a “drinking stars” shout out and a five star review on iTunes that had us over the moon. This week we cannot express enough our thanks for our friends and listeners and the opportunity to connect with some part of your wine journey each week. Happy Thanksgiving!

The Wine Two Five crew is stoked to welcome Jane Nickles, CWE, CSE to the show. She’s the Director of Education for the Society of Wine Educators and one of the most beloved and accomplished wine educators that you’ll meet. You won't want to miss how "The Bubbly Professor" came to be. Honestly, “My dress is on the floor” is something we never thought we’d hear on the show, but our faces literally hurt from laughing at the end of this cast. We hope you enjoy your time with her this week as much as we did. Be sure to stick around for upcoming wine education events, a factoid, and some words from you! It’s a long one, but the entertainment is nonstop this week!

Click, sip, and learn! This week we're talking about ways to learn about wine on the go, online, or just sitting around kicking it with friends. Most of these are free! While not necessarily drinking games these are games that could change the way you drink, shop for, or enjoy wine – while giving your brain a little bit of a workout too. Some are fun, some are dorky, some are free (did we mention free?), but all can be done with a wine glass in one hand. A bonus - a couple of them let you break bottles … without having to clean up the mess.

From mulling wine to whisk(e)y wisdom Steph & Val offer up some fun information on hot mug classics. We also touch on basic types of whiskies. Or is it whiskeys? Both are correct, as you’ll see. So get ready to snuggle up, wrap your hands around a big ol’ mug of happiness, and join us for another tasty episode as we give you the 411 on warm cocktails and favored fortifications. *Note: we talked about blended Scotch Whisky also being called “vatted” whisky; you won’t see that word on bottles after 2011. Also, the answer to "white whiskey" is that while American whiskey does have an oak requirement, there is no minimum time for aging, so the whiskey could have been put in overnight! The white dog whiskeys are normally corn whiskeys and they are not required to be stored in oak. So the answer is both yes & no as to whether white whiskeys are actually "whiskey."

Ghosts and ghouls of alcohol’s checkered past pay us a visit. Black cats, green fairies, missing hands, corpse reviver, murder mysteries, and madness pack this episode full of creepy, seasonal fun. Steph takes one for the team with a pumpkin beverage, and Halloween takes a spirited turn toward the seas to conjure up the real pirate of rum fame, Captain Morgan. Yo ho ho and a bottle of Happy Halloween!

Duckhorn’s Chief Marketing Officer Carol Reber and Western District Manager Jennifer Burke join us to talk about the October #MerlotMe month-long campaign. Shenanigans and partying with firefighters pair very well with Merlot, as we’ll see in this episode. We look closer at the “Sideways Effect” and uncover some interesting tidbits, as well as some cheeky lore about bootlegging during prohibition. We have a round of WWSD (What Would Steph Drink?) and Val divulges her holy grail of whisky. Who’s your daddy, Merlot? Join us this week to find out … and celebrate!

Master Sommelier Sally Mohr has the distinction of being the 2nd woman in North America to earn the MS title, and she joins the W25 crew this week! We chat everything from wine to sake, and Sally even offers sage advice on following your own wine path. We also talk about fake wine & what we learned may surprise you as much as it did us! The glasses are clinking, the gals are drinking and we’re pouring non-stop fun paired with a lot of education. What is “Happiness in a Cup?” The ladies find out this week …

We chat silly wine descriptions, introduce you to some unusual grapes, and offer a bite-sized factoid on wine colors. Also, Eric from Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurants graciously sits down and shares some time, wine and insight with Steph, and even offers up his own experience with puzzling wine descriptions. Yes, there’s a lot of laughing jammed into this episode, but learning as well. And class. We promise.

Recorded on #InternationalPodcastDay and #WineWednesday this episode celebrates #fall. We’re chatting entertaining with richer foods, wines, cocktails, seasonal pairings, and a very cool factoid on eau de vie (water of life). Somehow, between Steph’s sips of cider and Val’s strange relationship with a rosemary twig in her cocktail, we managed to fit in host gift ideas! We thank you for joining us in this fabulous fall fest of fermented fun!