Saperavi is one of the oldest varietals and most important in Georgia's commercial winemaking industry. This grape tends to produce big, rich wines with a dense tannic structure. This specific producer uses an old Georgian winemaking technique called Qvevri.

Qvevri is a large, ceramic egg-shaped vessel used for wine fermentation. The crushed grapes, stems, skins and seeds are placed in the qvevri then buried underground to maintain a stable temperature during the fermentation and aging process. This traditional method dates back 8,000 years.

Tune in now to get the full details on this winemaking style and try out this bold Georgian wine with me.

1:10 - Introduction to today's wine

2:00 - Old Georgian winemaking process

3:30 - Egg like vessel

4:44 - Natural wine practice

7:30 - Olfactory analysis

8:08 - Tasting notes

10:08 - Rating of the wine

11:11 - It's different

Today's wine: 2021 Togonidze wine Saperavi Red $29

(Plum market Aventura)

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Malvasja Istrijana is a native grape to Istria, Croatia located in the northwestern part of the Istrian peninsula bordering Italy and Slovenia. As we all know, wine is a product of the soil they come from and this area is known for it's mediterranean style climate aiding the grapes to produce a fresh, crisp, aromatic and mineral wines.

This producer is all about preserving indigenous Istrian varieties honoring the region and heritage. Gianfranco Kozlovic is the largest private producer of Malvasia in Istria and is a stickler for quality. This winery has been in the family for generations and is currently being run by the fourth generation. They produce around 150,000 bottles of this wine each year.

Tune in now and watch me taste Croatian wine for the first time while I spill all the details on the production, producer and wine.

Cheers!

1:11 - Croatian wine

2:00 - Introduction to the producer

2:44 - Northwestern Istria

3:05 - Indigenous grape

4:20 - Blend 2% fermented in oak

5:30 - Visual analysis

5:45 - Olfactory analysis

6:20 - Tasting notes

8:15 - Rating of the wine

Today's wine: Kozlovic Malvasia 2023 $25

(Plum market Aventura)

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I bought a wine preservation system… aka a Coravin. The Coravin system basically pours the wine out of a bottle without removing the cork and ultimately keeps the wine fresh in the bottle. Today I showcase this new tool I bought on a fabulous red blend from southeastern Spain.

Juan Gil has become one of my favorite Spanish wine producers this year. I love that they value quality and tradition while operating on sustainability by respecting the land, being energy efficient throughout the winery and using natural resources. They are fully organic and create high quality wines.

Tune in now to get the full details on how a Coravin works (watch me use it), hear me talk about Juan Gil and taste this amazing red blend with me.

1:45 - What is a Coravin?

3:45 - Introduction to the producer

4:35 - Organic wine

5:15 - My favorite red blend of 2025

6:40 - How to use the Coravin

10:25 - Argon gas

13:10 - Visual & Olfactory analysis

13:55 - Tasting notes

15:08 - What I would pair with this wine

15:24 - Rating on this wine

Today's wine: Juan Gil Blue Label Red Blend 2021 $35

PLUM MARKET

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Fresh, dry white wine from the South of France has now become one of my favorites. In the Languedoc region there is a native grape called Picpoul that has been around since before the reign of Louis XIV. In this area, the terroir is made of Limestone, right by the mediterranean sea, which will ultimately give us lots of minerality and high acids coming through in the wine (literally love these kind of whites).

This particular wine is special to this area and they have been bottling it in what is called the "Neptune" bottle because it is a symbol of the wine recognized globally and exclusively used for Picpoul de Pinet. Tune in now to get the full details on this producer, the grape and taste this crispy, fresh white wine with me.

1:45 - Introduction to producer & wine

2:35 - "Neptune" bottle

3:20 - Popular in the south of France

4:22 - Limestone is amazing for the vines

5:50 - Visual analysis

6:20 - Olfactory analysis

6:50 - Tasting notes

8:25 - Rating of the wine

Today's wine: Gerard Bertrand Picpoul de Pinet 2023 $16.99

Plum Market

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Mosquita Muerta Wines have been around since 2009. I remember first trying them in Buenos Aires when visiting my family and honestly have loved every wine I have tried from them. After trying the wine in Argentina, I saw they started importing their wines to the US.

This winery hand harvests their grapes and is located in one of the best regions in Argentina known for creating complex wines. Today's blend consist of 60% Malbec, 20% Syrah and 20% Cabernet Franc. Each grape is fermented on their own in concrete vats and then blended in together. I love that it is predominantly made of Malbec, giving the wine a great aromatic expression.

Tune in now to get all the details on this winery and grab a glass to try this delicious red blend with me!

1:15 - One of my favorite go to wineries in Argentina

2:50 - Sapo de Otro Pozo

3:08 - Malbec, Syrah & Cabernet Franc

5:10 - Grapes are fermented separately

8:40 - Visual analysis

9:20 - Olfactory analysis

10:35 - Tasting notes

12:35 - Rating of the wine

Today's wine: 2019 Sapo de Otro Pozo Red Blend $35

Graziano's Market

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Extra Brut sparkling wine from Northern Italy… yes please!

I tried this wine about a month ago and fell in love. Franciacorta is a sparkling wine from the Italian province of Brescia located in Lombardy which is a certified DOCG area. It is produced using the traditional method and is made up of 75% Chardonnay, 2.5% Pinot Blanc and 22.5% Pinot Noir.

This one specifically is a multi-vintage sparkling wine. I get into the details of the difference between vintage wine and reserve wine so that you can differentiate them when it comes to buying any kind of sparkling wine (including champagne).

The Franciacorta I open up today is 77% vintage wine 2022, 18% reserve wine 2021 and 5% reserve wine 2020. Tune in now to watch the full episode and enjoy a glass of bubbles with me!

2:10 - Sparkling wine from Lombardy

3:15 - Franciacorta

3:55 - Multi vintage sparkling wine

4:25 - What is champagne

5:18 - Multi-vintage

5:55 - Vintage wine vs. reserve wine

7:22 - Most is made of vintage wine

8:20 - Vintage Franciacorta

11:30 - Olfactory analysis

12:05 - Tasting notes

13:07 - Rating of the wine

Today's wine: Franciacorta Edizione 47 $45

Graziano's market or Plum Market

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Orange wine from Sardinia made with three different grapes… need I say more?

Not only did this cool label design on the bottle hook me in to buying it but also when I heard Cannonau (Grenache) was one of the three grapes involved, I had to get it. This blend consists of Vermentino, Cannonau & Nasco. Nasco is a native grape to Sardinia that has been used in many blends since the Roman times.

This family winery is fourth generation owned and located in the southeast part of Sardinia (near the coast). I love that they stick to no chemical farming and low intervention winemaking. Tune in now to get the full details on the winemaking process for this blend and taste this cool ass orange wine with me!

1:30 - We love Eataly

3:38 - Orange wine

4:22 - Pairs well with stinky cheese

5:10 - Blend of three grapes

5:40 - Bucce translates to skins

6:22 - My only complaint

7:45 - Native grape to Sardinia

10:55 - Unfined & unfiltered

12:40 - Fourth generation

13:13 - Low intervention winemaking

14:20 - Olfactory analysis

15:15 - Tasting notes

17:10 - Food pairings

18:15 - Rating on the wine

Today's wine: Cardedu Bucce Bianco $29

Eataly Aventura

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Maremma is located in the southern part of Tuscany. This area is where the famous Sassicaia is produced. It's safe to say this is a great alternative that won't cost you an arm and a leg and can be easily accessible for everyday drinking. Muralia, today's producer, practices organic farming and was built on passion, knowledge and respect for traditional and real values.

This tuscan blend is hand harvested, destemmed, gently pressed and then goes into stainless steel tanks followed by bottle aging. It consists of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot.

Tune in now to get all the details on this producer, the area and taste this delicious wine with me!

1:20 - Studied abroad

2:05 - Tuscany, near & dear to my heart

3:15 - Sassicaia

4:00 - Unknown brands, great quality wine

4:44 - From Milano to Tuscany

5:28 - Maremma

6:40 - Made up of three grapes

7:25 - Dominant grape varietal

8:08 - Four Italian certifications

10:55 - Visual analysis

11:40 - Tasting notes

12:35 - Chianti Classico fans check in

Today's wine: 2022 Mural Toscana Rosso $16

Plum Market Aventura

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