Wine for Normal People

Elizabeth Schneider
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A podcast for people who like wine but not the snobbery that goes with it. I talk about wine in a fun, straightforward, normal way to get you excited about it and help you drink better, more interesting stuff. About half the shows feature guests and are informal but educational discussions between me and a passionate wine friend –they aren't interviews. All guests are personal friends or friends of friends in wine so like any conversation between friends, we'll talk back and forth, interrupt each other, laugh and have fun, debate tough questions, voice our opinions, and most of all, enjoy sharing our time together and with you! The Wine For Normal People book is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many local booksellers. Back catalog available on Patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    Rerelease and Edit of Ep 181: Laura Catena, The Leading Lady of Argentine Wine

    In honor of Women's History Month, I'm rereleasing a show with one of the most dynamic, intelligent, and all around fantastic women in wine: Laura Catena of Bodegas Catena Zapata in Mendoza, Argentina. Photo from Laura's website: https://indefenseofwine.com   We discuss her life as a doctor, a mom, and the head of a wine empire. We cover the history of Malbec and how her family aided the meteoric rise of Argentine wine and of the comeback of the Malbec grape around the world.  A fun, sharp-as-a-tack woman, you'll learn a ton about Malbec, Mendoza, and a few life lessons (it's all about the B+!) from this fascinating podcast!     I've edited it to take out some outdated information and for conciseness, but it is well worth the listen -- still a great, educational, and fun show after all these years! Please look at Laura's web site on wine and health for the most accurate, up to date, and factual information on wine and health: In Defense of Wine   Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople _______________________________________________________________ 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

    56 min

  2. 11 MAR

    Ep 599: The Grape Miniseries Refresh - Malbec

    This week I cover Malbec, or Côt as it's known in its native home of Southwest France. This old red grape variety has long history in France and was once one of its most planted grapes. But due to pickiness in the vineyard and harshness in the bottle, Malbec fell out of favor in its native country. Despite being a big component in the Bordeaux blend, the grape remained in relative obscurity until it hit South America, particularly Argentina. Although it wasn't an overnight success, Malbec hung around Argentina for about 150 years and then got its moment in the sun (literally). Today 75% of the world's Malbec grows in Argentina. Photo: Malbec grape. Source: Getty Images via Canva   From a combination of factors and circumstances that worked perfectly for Malbec, the grape took on premium status in the 1990s in Argentina and rocketed into fame through the 2000s. It was then that Cahors, the native home of the grape changed some of its techniques to make its native grape shine in a different style. Others followed, but these two titans of the grape remain the best.   In the show I discuss the history of the grape, it's not so cooperative nature in the vineyard, the key to making good Malbec in the winery, and then I talk about the regions where it is grown, in detail. As always, I end with food pairings and producers.     Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople _______________________________________________________________   Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access.  They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to!    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

    59 min

  3. 4 MAR

    Ep 598: The Médoc and the Haut-Médoc of Bordeaux

    This week I cover the regional AOCs of Medoc and Haut-Medoc, which wraps up our exploration of the Left Bank of Bordeaux. These two areas can cover a lot of ground, but they are usually used for discreet geographies in the north and south of the Médoc Peninsula. Because each AOC is so large and varied, I do a deep dive into the whole of the region and then into the particularities of the smaller Médoc AOC in the northwest of the Médoc and the Haut-Médoc in the south, around the city of Bordeaux and to the west of the communal appellations (Margaux, St. Julien, Pauillac, and Saint Éstephe).    I review the history, geology, terroir, grapes (including the new grapes for exploration and the new WHITE Médoc AOC as of 2025), wines, and recommended châteaux.    Photo: The 1855 Classification, 5th Growth. The Cantemerle write in!      Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople _______________________________________________________________   Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access.  They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you quarterly   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

    55 min

  4. 25 FEB

    Lodi, California -- The Past, Present, and Future of this Historic Region

    This week I cover Lodi, California, an historic wine region in the Central Valley of California that has been growing grapes since the 1850s.   Located 40 miles /64 km south of Sacramento and 90 miles/ 145 km east of San Francisco, Lodi is an often overlooked wine region, despite the fact that it has been recognized as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) since 1986. Lodi AVAs. Source: Lodi Winegrape Commission   Lodi doesn't lack for vineyard land --today the region has 100,000 acres/ 40,500 ha planted to wine grapes, with 750 growers, 80 wineries, and about 65 tasting rooms. 20% of California's total wine is made from Lodi grapes. The AVA also has the highest concentration of old vines in California. Photo: Bechthold Vineyard planted 1886. Credit:  Randy Caparoso, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons   Although Lodi is known for big, juicy, high alcohol Zinfandel Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and red blends, the real secret is that with a library of 125+ different grapes, Lodi is doing a lot of experimentation with alternative varietals and some of it is pretty cool: it has a few tricks up its sleeve.   In this show, I cover all of the details of Lodi - from the history, to the climate and land, to the AVAs, and the wine styles. I mention some key producers, and then I wrap with some of the challenges that Lodi faces and the opportunities it has in front of it.     Source for this show was primarily the excellent site of the Lodi Winegrape Commission:   Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople _______________________________________________________________   Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access.  They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!    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

    38 min

  5. 08/03/2017

    Laura Catena, The Leading Lady of Argentine Wine

    The first in a series for Women's History Month, I speak to Laura Catena of Bodegas Catena Zapata in Mendoza, Argentina. We discuss her life as a doctor, a mom, and the head of a wine empire, the history of Malbec and how her family aided the meteoric rise of Argentine wine and of the comeback of the Malbec grape around the world.  A fun, sharp-as-a-tack woman, you'll learn a ton about Malbec, Mendoza, and a few life lessons from this fascinating podcast!    Laura's History and Background on the Catena Family Her life as a doctor and the bridge between medicine and wine Her career pivot to the wine and becoming "the wine doctor" for her country and family Historical perspective The Catena family history in wine The history with Malbec and history of Catena and Malbec Her dad and her homage to him: his pride of country and why he has been so successful   Malbec and it's Rich History Malbec Studies Pre-phylloxera clippings Flavors based on altitude/studies on altitude The sides of Malbec: the agebility factor, and the evolution of the grape Old v New vines: the real differences Luca: Laura's own project of all old vine wine, managed separately and small and how it fosters Argentinean pride   Laura's Advice on Doing it All How she handles being a mom, a doctor, and running a major wine company The power of the B+ The balance of kids and work and life advice on spouses, marriage, and kids   Making Wine in Mendoza High altitude growing and Catena's role: Argentina has distinctive regions – b/c of the altitude huge variations in climates, move faster from warmer to colder Nicolas's (her dad's) altitude bet and its payoff – combination, altitude, latitude, plant material Sub-regions: Lujan de Cuyo= old vines, clay soils, makes some good stuff Uco Valley = Key region for quality Sub-regions: Tupungato, Alta Mira, La Consulta, Gualtallary   The Wine Culture of Argentina and the Wines of Catena Alamos: Gallo family's distribution and the benefits of the relationship for the Catenas. The importance of keeping the small producers alive. The paradox of being big and supporting small producers Lafite-Rothschild and Catena: Bodegas CARO wines Luca: Laura's project Bodega Catena Zapata Catena – classic Malbec, $20 Catena Alta – historic rows of vines Catena Zapata/Adrianna Vineyards – small parcels, harvest plant by plant, hand harvested

    1h 3m
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About

A podcast for people who like wine but not the snobbery that goes with it. I talk about wine in a fun, straightforward, normal way to get you excited about it and help you drink better, more interesting stuff. About half the shows feature guests and are informal but educational discussions between me and a passionate wine friend –they aren't interviews. All guests are personal friends or friends of friends in wine so like any conversation between friends, we'll talk back and forth, interrupt each other, laugh and have fun, debate tough questions, voice our opinions, and most of all, enjoy sharing our time together and with you! The Wine For Normal People book is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many local booksellers. Back catalog available on Patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

Information

  • Creator
    Elizabeth Schneider
  • Years Active
    2011 - 2026
  • Episodes
    92
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Copyright © 2024 Wine for Normal People®. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Wine for Normal People

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