Sip & Grow The Podcast Nicole Di Pasquale

Today we talk about one of my favorite producers from Argentina who ultimately revolutionized the Argentine wine industry within the last 50 years. Catena is a popular wine making family in Argentina that put Malbec on the map for Argentina. Their vineyards are actually one of the most studied vineyards in the world.  They are sticklers for quality which is why they invest so much into studying and evolving their land and grapes. I get into a quick little story time behind this family, their vineyards and the back story to the blend we taste today.
 
Today’s blend consist of Malbec, Bonarda and Petit Verdot. Listen to the new episode now to get all the details on not only one of my favorite blends but also one of my favorite producers.  
 
Cheers!
 
2:05 - Intro to today’s Argentinian producer
3:10 - Nicolas took the family business to the next level
3:55 - The Grand Cru of Argentinian
4:20 - Facts about the land and location
4:55 - High quality grape maturation
5:15 - Tinto Historico to honor his father
5:50 - Master blender
6:25 - What is in the blend
7:45 - Open the wine for tasting
9:15 - Olfactory analysis
10:40 - Rating for today’s wine
11:20 - Organic line (one of my faves)
 
 
 
Today’s wine: D.V. Catena Tinto Historico 2021 $20
GET WINE HERE 
 
Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast
 
Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 
 
Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

Join me today as I review a random bottle I found at the grocery store that intrigued me. The backstory to this producer is that he dedicated his whole brand to his mom and dad…how freaking cute right?!!
 
Eric Jensen, owner of Harvey & Harriet (today’s wine), bought 100 acres of land in Paso Robles in 2001.  The land they bought has a lot of history because it was cultivated in the 1920’s by the booker brothers, two brothers who dedicated their entire life to farming and being humanitarians. The booker brothers actually left 100% of their estate (about 1200 acres) to charity when they passed away.
 
Listen to this episode now to get all the details on the booker brothers, the booker vineyard bought out by Eric Jensen and this brand Eric dedicated to his parents.  He wanted a simple, affordable, good quality approach to everyday wine that everyone can enjoy at the dinner table.
 
Sit back, take a sip and listen in to see if this bottle is worth drinking.
 
 
2:00 - Introduction to producer/brand
3:00 - Booker Vineyard
3:40 - Booker brothers were all about charity
4:15 - Purpose behind purchasing the land
5:15 - Accessible family wines
7:00 - The grapes in this blend
7:30 - Certified organic & biodynamic farm
9:10 - Olfactory analysis of the wine
10:15 - Taste analysis
11:18 - Rating of today’s wine
 
 
Today’s wine: Harvey & Harriet Red Blend 2021 $22 (Fun facts it’s cheaper at total wine!)
GET WINE HERE 
 
Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast
 
Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 
 
Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

Today I get into a bottle that was gifted to me which is found in Trader Joe’s at a $4.99 price point! It’s a vinho verde from a small region in northern Portugal. In Portugal, vinho verde is super popular and is known as a ‘portuguese wine specialty’. 
 
Who doesn’t love a cheap fizzy wine on a hot day?  Check this episode out as I get into the history behind vinho verde, how they make it, what makes it “fizzy” and find out my thoughts on this particular wine I open up today.
 
Today it’s short, sweet and fizzy.
 
 
1:55 - Trader Joe’s wine
2:45 - Regional blend
3:20 - Summertime wine
3:45 - Artificially carbonated
4:15 - Open the bottle up to taste
5:00 - Tasting notes
5:55 - Refreshing for a hot day
7:07 - Low alcoholic beverage
7:35 - My rating on the wine  
 
Today’s wine: Espiral Vinho Verde $4.99 
https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/espiral-vinho-verde-047536
 
Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast
 
Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 
 
Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

Today I had the honor of having my mischievous king Carlos on the Podcast.  As a content creator, blogger and life coach, Carlos is the biggest support system when it comes to feeling at home with yourself and, as he says, “living your personal mythology and activating your main quest of life”.  
 
Wisdom and jokes is our main cup of tea at all times. Carlos explains what “shadow work’ means and how it’s simply bringing the unconscious to the conscious and changing your relationship with it.  Every experience will help aid you in your growth if you let it.  Nothing is “bad” or “good” when it comes to emotions.  It’s simply asking your emotions questions to gracefully maneuver them and understand them to better understand who you are.
 
We dive deep into shadow work, emotions, boundaries, toxicity, self-discovery and much more while drinking a yummy cabernet-malbec blend from Argentina.
 
Tune in with a glass of wine… you don’t want to miss this one!
 
1:15 - Intro to Carlos De La Playa
2:25 - How me and Carlos met
4:55 - Taste like luxury
5:55 - Mid range price point for today’s wine
6:45 - Shadow work… what is it
7:20 - Foundation to healing the mind, body & spirit
8:50 - Invite the monster to the table
11:20 - Date yourself
12:10 - Boundaries
14:30 - Taking things personally
15:15 - F*ck around & find out
17:00 - Mistakes bring you closer to what you want
17:30 - Besties with “shame”
18:25 - Survival based action
19:17 - Failing is part of succeeding
21:00 - Listen to your intuition
23:30 - Dating exposes you
25:20 - Hug the monster
27:20 - It’s ok to “suck”
28:45 - Meet insecurity with devotion
 
 
Today’s wine: 2021 Cabernet-Malbec Rutini $22
GET THIS WINE 
 
 
Connect with Carlos on IG @carlosdelaplaya 
 
Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast
 
Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 
 
Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale
 

Bubbles are always a good idea…today we get into one of my favorites… Prosecco.  What is Prosecco?  It is an Italian sparkling wine from the Northeast of Italy.  This is like the “Champagne” of Italy (France please don’t come for me for that comment… I love me some Champagne too).  
 
Italians take their Prosecco very seriously and it was officially recognized in 2009 by the Italian government that regulates the DOC and DOCG systems. These systems are placed to guarantee the best quality out of these wines.  For Prosecco to fall under the DOCG category, it must be grown in Valdobbiadene, Conegliano or Asolo and has to have at least 85% of the Glera varietal.  While the DOC still requires 85% Glera, it includes a wider strip of Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino… ultimately there are more areas to grow and produce Prosecco within this category.
 
I get into all the details regarding producing Prosecco, the main difference between Prosecco and Champagne and give some history on today’s producer.  Tune in now as I open up a Prosecco Rose from Veneto from an OG producer in the area.
 
Hope you enjoy this one!
 
 
1:40 - Prosecco or Champagne
2:25 - Traditional method
3:15 - Yeast consumes sugar in the bottle
4:35 - DOC & DOCG
5:10 - DOCG Prosecco
6:55 - DOC Prosecco
8:10 - 85% Glera varietal
8:45 - History on Gancia (today’s producer)
9:50 - Gancia philosophy
10:45 - How to open any sparkling wine bottle
12:10 - Pour the wine to taste
12:40 - Congrats Lando Norris & McLaren
13:18 - Fun facts about the Glera grape
14:30 - Wine analysis
16:20 - Rating on the wine
17:55 - How Prosecco is made
19:15 - Champagne vs. Prosecco
 
 
 
Today’s wine: Gancia Prosecco Rose 2020 $14
https://www.gancia.com/en/vini-and-aperitivi/vini/metodo-charmat/prosecco-doc-rose/ 
 
Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast
 
Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 
 
Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

Finding a cool ceramic bottle at the liquor store led to reviewing it on this episode… also it was super intriguing, Nicole had to try it.  Today’s wine is a Rhone red blend from Languedoc…the south of France.  The producer, Gerard Bertrand, created this “Art de Vivre” bottle which pays homage to the mediterranean region, it’s preserved nature and it’s artists. Also, it celebrates a vineyard that is thousands of years old that is witness to a civilization and living heritage of rare beauty.  The bottle is made of natural clay (like the first amphoras = tall ancient greek or roman jars with the two handles) and the wine is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. 
 
As we open this wine for a tasting, Nicole gets into intentionality and how it’s important to be intentional in everything you do.  With intentionality comes self-awareness and boundaries. “Intention is nothing without action but action is nothing without intention”. 
 
Tune in now to get a full review on this wine.  Hope you enjoy!
 
 
1:30 - Liquor store wine
2:00 - Ceramic bottle
3:15 - Fun facts about today’s wine
4:30 - Three grapes in this red blend
5:45 - Hand harvest + late harvest
7:35 - Intention
8:40 - Self-awareness & boundaries
10:15 - Boundaries are important 
12:15 - Do what you need to do
13:05 - Pour wine for tasting
13:40 - Olfactory Analysis
14:18 -“I like it a lot”
15:55 - Rating on the wine
 
Today’s wine: Gerard Bertrand Art de Vivre Rouge 2016 $22
GET THIS WINE 
 
Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast
 
Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale 
 
Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale