The Diploma Podcast

Anna Belani-Ellis, The Sommpour

Short, focused episodes that break down the toughest concepts in WSET Diploma–level learning, with conversations and reflections for those navigating the deeper layers of the wine world. thesommpour.substack.com

  1. The Sommpour — D3 Audible Cheat Sheets (29D)

    JAN 27

    The Sommpour — D3 Audible Cheat Sheets (29D)

    This episode moves Australia forward by examining New South Wales and Tasmania — two states where climate volatility, altitude, and water availability shape wine style more directly than scale or branding. Rather than treating regions as lists to memorize, the episode stays anchored in WSET exam logic: how latitude, humidity, rainfall timing, and diurnal range influence ripening patterns, picking decisions, winemaking choices, and ultimately quality and price. Hunter Valley’s paradoxical conditions and age-worthy Semillon, the moderating role of altitude across inland New South Wales, and Tasmania’s cool-climate precision and premium positioning are all unpacked through explicit cause-and-effect reasoning. Listen for the contrasts: coastal versus inland New South Wales, altitude as a corrective force, and Tasmania as a small but strategically important producer where site selection matters more than scale. This is not about covering ground — it’s about understanding why these wines taste the way they do, and how to explain that clearly in an exam setting. Looking for all episodes in one place? I’ve created an evergreen “Start Here” hub for this unit so you can access the full series without inbox overload. You’ll find the complete list of episodes, organized in syllabus order, here: https://thesommpour.substack.com/p/wset-diploma-d3-wines-of-the-world This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesommpour.substack.com/subscribe

    16 min

  2. JAN 2

    The Sommpour — D3 Audible Cheat Sheets (14)

    This episode sets the foundation for understanding Italy as a wine country that cannot be reduced to a single climate, style, or narrative. Italy’s strength lies in accumulation rather than replacement: ancient wine culture layered with Roman trade, medieval land systems, post-war volume production, and modern quality ambition. Listen for the cause-and-effect logic that runs through the episode. Geography explains diversity. History explains fragmentation. Technology explains the modern quality shift. Wine law explains both constraint and innovation. This framing matters, because D3 questions on Italy often reward candidates who show why Italy behaves differently from more centralised wine countries such as France. This episode is not about memorizing facts. It is about building a mental map that will support every Italian region that follows. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesommpour.substack.com/subscribe

    9 min

  3. 12/25/2025

    The Sommpour — D3 Audible Cheat Sheets (4B)

    If Episode 4A explains how Alsace works in the vineyard and cellar, Episode 4B explains how Alsace organizes itself on the label and in the market. In this episode, we focus on structure, regulation, and price, again using only D3-approved material and keeping the logic exam-ready. We cover: Alsace AOC yields and why high maximums can dilute concentration Communes, lieux-dits, and how yield limits tighten as quality signals increase The evolution of the Alsace Grand Cru system and why it remains debated Single-variety rules, exceptions, and recent changes (including Pinot Noir) Vendange Tardive vs Sélection de Grains Nobles — legally, stylistically, and analytically Why sugar at harvest does not automatically mean sweetness in the glass The small scale of holdings and the importance of co-operatives Domestic versus export markets and routes to sale The mandatory flute bottle and its impact on brand identity Why Alsace producers often release 20–30+ bottlings — and how that shapes pricing This episode shows how law and market structure support Alsace’s stylistic diversity, rather than restricting it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesommpour.substack.com/subscribe

    9 min

  4. 12/25/2025

    The Sommpour — D3 Audible Cheat Sheets (4A)

    Alsace rewards clarity. This episode focuses on why Alsace looks and tastes the way it does, using only the WSET D3 Alsace chapter and translating it into clear cause-and-effect logic. In Episode 4A, we cover: Where Alsace sits geographically — and why a northerly region can still be dry and sunny The rain-shadow effect of the Vosges and its impact on disease pressure and ripening Why Alsace specializes in single-variety, unoaked white wines The long growing season, diurnal range, and retention of acidity Hillside versus plain sites and why quality concentrates on slopes The “mosaic of terroirs” and what that really means in practice The full range of grape varieties, with a focus on the four noble varieties How grape physiology (budding, ripening, disease susceptibility) explains wine style Vineyard management choices shaped by climate, frost risk, and exposure Why Alsace can produce everything from dry Riesling to botrytised sweet wines This episode is about foundations — understanding how geography, climate, and grapes interact before moving on to law, classification, and business. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesommpour.substack.com/subscribe

    12 min

  5. 12/25/2025

    The Sommpour — D3 Audible Cheat Sheets (3)

    Beaujolais is often misunderstood — and in the D3 exam, that misunderstanding costs marks. This episode brings Beaujolais into focus as a serious, Gamay-driven region, where site, grape physiology, and winemaking method interact very directly to determine style, quality, and price. Using only the WSET D3 Beaujolais chapter, this episode covers all distinction-level detail, translated into clear cause-and-effect logic you can actually explain under exam conditions. We explore: Where Beaujolais sits within greater Burgundy — and why it behaves differently Why Gamay dominates and how its early budding, thin skins, and early ripening shape wine style Climate moderation from the Saône, risks from Mistral winds, and implications for yields and ripeness The critical north–south divide: granite slopes versus richer southern soils How slope, drainage, sunlight interception, and harvest timing affect concentration and tannin Semi-carbonic maceration and why it produces fruit-forward, early-drinking wines Extended maceration and Burgundian-style vinification in the crus The full appellation hierarchy: Nouveau, Beaujolais AOC, Beaujolais-Villages, and the 10 Crus Why certain crus age — and others don’t The rise of low-intervention winemaking and Beaujolais’ role in the natural wine movement The collapse and recovery of Beaujolais Nouveau Modern market dynamics and Beaujolais as a lower-priced alternative to Burgundy Pinot Noir This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesommpour.substack.com/subscribe

    12 min

  6. 12/25/2025

    The Sommpour — D3 Audible Cheat Sheets (2E)

    Burgundy prices are not irrational. They are the logical outcome of scarcity, fragmentation, and demand. In Episode 2E, we move from vineyard to market: Growers, domaines, négociants, micro-négociants, and co-operatives The shift from négociant dominance to domaine bottling Hybrid business models and naming complexity The role of young, technically trained winemakers in quality gains Routes to market and the rise of direct-to-consumer sales Domestic vs export markets and where Burgundy is sold The power of domaine name versus appellation level En primeur, secondary markets, and price escalation Land prices, foreign buyers, and structural scarcity Burgundy vs Bordeaux production volumes Secondary market dynamics and the Liv-ex Burgundy 150 Index This episode ties Burgundy together — showing how vineyard reality becomes market behavior This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesommpour.substack.com/subscribe

    6 min

  7. 12/25/2025

    The Sommpour — D3 Audible Cheat Sheets (2D)

    Burgundy classifies land, not brands — and that changes everything. In Episode 2D, we unpack Burgundy’s famously intricate classification system: The four-tier hierarchy of the Côte d’Or Regional, village, premier cru, and grand cru logic Why grand crus are appellations but premier crus are not Production volumes and what they mean for scarcity Lieux-dits, climats, and additional geographical denominations Why classification does not guarantee quality The impact of Napoleonic inheritance laws Slope position and classification: top, mid-slope, bottom, and flat land Principal appellations across Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, and Mâconnais Subtle stylistic differences between villages — and why winemaking still matters This episode explains how Burgundy’s hierarchy maps directly onto terroir and style. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesommpour.substack.com/subscribe

    11 min

  8. 12/24/2025

    The Sommpour — D3 Audible Cheat Sheets (2C)

    Burgundy winemaking is often described as “minimal”, but that is misleading.The choices are precise, deliberate, and style-defining. In Episode 2C, we focus entirely on winemaking — without dilution or consolidation: White winemaking: pressing, clarification, fermentation choices Stainless steel vs barrel fermentation and ageing Lees ageing, bâtonnage, malolactic conversion Oak regimes by classification level and barrel size Premature oxidation: causes, responses, and current thinking Red winemaking for Pinot Noir: sorting, whole bunch vs destemming Cold soaking, fermentation vessels, cap management Pressing, barrel ageing, oak levels, and malolactic conversion How winemaking choices interact with terroir rather than override it This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesommpour.substack.com/subscribe

    11 min
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About

Short, focused episodes that break down the toughest concepts in WSET Diploma–level learning, with conversations and reflections for those navigating the deeper layers of the wine world. thesommpour.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Anna Belani-Ellis, The Sommpour
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    118
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Sommpour LLC
  • Show Website
    The Diploma Podcast