The very first Corked & Confused episode.

In this new series, Charles and Nick each bring two mystery bottles to the table for a blind tasting. The challenge? Figure out what the other brought using nothing but sight, aroma, taste, and a healthy dose of confidence—mostly undeserved.

Bulgarian Empires. Basil the First. The County of Toulouse.

• Clos Lapeyre Jurançon Sec 2023 (Jurançon) — 100% Gros Manseng — $26.55 CAD
• Forge Cellars Riesling Estate Bottled Dry Classique 2019 (Finger Lakes) — 100% Riesling — $32.25 CAD
• Perrini Negroamaro Puglia 2024 (Puglia) — 100% Negroamaro — $20.70 CAD
• Pelican Negru Soft Red Blend 2022 (Ștefan Vodă, Moldova) — 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec — $16.90 CAD

Charles takes us on a faithful journey through Northern California, where an unexpected meeting profoundly changes the course of this story.

A chance encounter with Madeleine Puckette of Wine Folly sets the adventure in motion, leading us through San Benito County, the story of Théophile Vaché, the pioneering spirit of the Rhône Rangers, the lasting impact of the Judgment of Paris (1976), and Oz Clarke's Big Wine Adventures.

• Why Popelouchum is committed to pushing terroir instead of following convention.
• How the San Andreas Fault, the land's energy, Popelouchum's serene vines, and the traditional gobelet method all become part of the journey.
• Somehow Nick finds a way to weave Cajun history and Louisiana's French heritage into the conversation.

• Popelouchum Blanc – 2021 & 2022
• Popelouchum Pinot Noir – 2023 & 2024

Charles is taking us to Bulgaria for an overview of one of the world's oldest wine-producing countries. From Homer's Iliad to the USSR and Churchill's love for Broad Leaf Melnik, passing through Roman rule, innovations, and the vineyard expansion under Emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus and, of course, the Byzantines.

We'll also take a tour through Bulgaria's five major wine regions:

• Danubian Plain – Home to Gamza, known as Kadarka in Hungary.
• Black Sea Coast – Home to Dimyat.
• Rose Valley – Home to Red Misket.
• Thracian Lowlands – Home to Mavrud, Rubin, and Pamid.
• Struma Valley – Home to Spartacus, Sandanski Misket, and Broad Leaf Melnik.

Welcome to the Wine Soul universe.

Greatness starts with a pop.