Wine for Normal People

Although the best-known wines of Piemonte are in the south — in Alba, Roero, Cuneo, and Asti – there is a treasure trove of excellent Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo blends northeast of the famed Barolo and Barbaresco in the Langhe. These are small DOCGs and DOCs in the foothills of the Italian Alps that are collectively called Alto Piemonte  – "higher (or upper) Piemonte."
 
Greatly reduced in status and size, Alto Piemonte today is a collection of small appellations across the foothills of the Alps, in and around the Sesia River and a swath of forests. The region sits in the shadow of Monte Rosa, which at 4,634 meters/15200 ft is the second-highest peak in the Alps.
 

Map: Alto Piemonte. Credit: Skurnik Wines
 
Because of the cooling breezes and lower nighttime temperatures, Alto Piemonte is cooler than the Langhe and Roero. That means that some Nebbiolo producers are starting to look northeast for new frontiers for growing grapes. Changes are afoot, which make this region worth knowing about now, whereas before it was more of a novelty! In this show I cover it all.
 
 
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!

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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/

Nebbiolo is one of the oldest and finest red grapes of Italy. Native to Piemonte (Piedmont) in the northwest of the country, it was first mentioned and described by (my boyfriend) Pliny the Elder in the first century AD. After a time of being known exclusively on its home turf, starting in the 1700s, Nebbiolo began to gain status as a wine of Piemontese royalty. When a dry version was made in the mid-1800s, the wine's place as a great of the wine world was cemented.
Nebbiolo sparkles in the epic wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, along with other neighboring areas. But it's not a good traveler. Others have tried to grow it and make wine from it, but the magic of Nebbiolo is often elusive. So it remains small. With less than 15,000 acres/ 6,070 ha of Nebbiolo planted globally, this is a rare grape and we are lucky to have access to it!

Photo: Nebbiolo grape in the Langhe. Source: https://www.langhevini.it/en/i-vitigni-del-territorio/nebbiolo/
 
In this show, as in all grape miniseries, I talk about the history of the grape, how it behaves in the vineyard and winery, there terroir that best suits it, and the places it is grown. I also talk about climate change and what that will mean for Nebbiolo in the future (I'm hopeful. There are lots of options in Barolo and Barbaresco, so don't get all gloom and doom!).
 
If you've never had a Nebbiolo from Piedmont, please do yourself a favor and get one. It's unlike anything else in this world – pure magic in a glass when it's from a good producer.
 
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
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/

André Tchelistcheff is a wine legend, especially in American wine. A winemaker, viticulturist and teacher, Tchelistcheff raised the standards for California wine, making it possible for it to become a force in the modern wine world.

André Tchelistcheff. Photo: UC Davis Library
A lifetime learner, Tchelistcheff said his highest and best title would be "permanent student of the university of California" because he never thought he knew everything about wine and always wanted to discover new ways of doing things. Tchelistcheff's philosophy on wine aligns with that of most of the listeners in this community...
"Wine is an intellectual beverage. It does not have the toxicity of liquor. Taken in moderation, it opens the mind. I have seen an introvert, after two glasses of wine, open like a flower." 
Source: https://byrdvineyard.com/andre-the-voice-of-wine/
 
In the show, I go over André Tchelistcheff's life and all the contributions he made to first Napa, then wider California, and then to Washington State wine and beyond. A gentle, funny, kind, and giving mentor and teacher, the Maestro is definitely someone you should know about in the wine world.
 
Enjoy the wonderful story of this great man's life!
 
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
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/

I said in episode 604 that if you wanted my other 6 suggestions, I would do a follow up show! You told me this is what you wanted, so this time I give you six MORE wine regions that make very expensive wines and then provide ideas of less expensive bottles that you could sub in when you don't want to splurge. From Châteauneuf to Brunello I give you some ideas that hopefully you hadn't considered! 
The wines I find alternatives for (you'll have to listen to hear the wines I recommend as "dupes"):
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Grosses Gewachs Riesling (I tell you what it is 🤣)
Hermitage (Northern Rhône Syrah AOC)
Condrieu (Northern Rhône Viognier AOC)
Brunello di Montalcino
Margaux (Bordeaux)
 
Enjoy it! And go to Grapes the Wine Company to shop for all of these! 
 
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
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/

This is part two (Ep 609 is Part 1)of a two-part series on the history of Champagne, which tells the story of how Champagne became Champagne!

Photo: Champagne Vineyards Credit: WFNP
 
I fell down a bit of a rabbit hole when I discovered an entire encyclopedia of the history of Champagne on the Union des Maisons de Champagne site. It was the equivalent of 200 pages of information on Champagne from its origins up until the 1980s and was detailed and fascinating.
 
In this show I cover:
The innovations of the 1800s that made Champagne sparkle on purpose with consistency and the contributions of the Veuve (widow) Clicquot
The effects of phylloxera on Champagne
The Champagne Riots

World War I and German occupation part 1
The Roaring 20s, the Great Depression, and the effect of Prohibition
World War II and German occupation part 2
Post war, rebuilding, UNESCO status, and a commitment to the environment
 
Enjoy!
 
Source of all this fascinating info is...
 
 
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can't go wrong with Wine Access! Go to wineaccess.com