Welcome to Series Two of our podcast!
After a brief break, we've been working on how to enhance your listening experience and provide even more value.
Introducing "For The Love of Wine" - a journey where we guide you through our approach to wine, from purchase to the recycling bin.
Our goal is to offer insight that helps you see wine through our eyes, enriching your knowledge and enjoyment.
The first episode is all about how to find the right wine because according to a recent study by Marks & Spencer, a quarter of wine shoppers spend more than ten minutes deliberating over which bottle to buy.
One-third feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices, while more than half admit they don't know which wines they like! Bonkers.
The time we take deliberating over what to purchase collectively adds up to more than 50 million squandered hours in a supermarket wine section.
Time is Merlot ladies and gentlemen!
Alongside the pod, we thought it would be helpful to share our top tips on finding the perfect bottle here.
The groundwork:
Identify your budget - be kind to yourself.
Identify which style you’re after - think about the occasion.
Identify your retailer:
I’d suggest for budgets below £10, opt for supermarkets.
Between £10 and £15, seek out specialist wine retailers or independents.
From £15 to £50, explore independent merchants.
For budgets exceeding £50, indulge in a specialist fine wine merchant or an auctioneer.
For a comprehensive list of merchants, refer to the invaluable resource on Jancis Robinson’s website.
Before you hit the shops:
Pull up your wine atlas, use online wine maps and take a look around the world for inspiration.
Access ‘The List’ of my top five recommendations from each supermarket and beyond - update landing soon.
Check out the Decanter’s wine review section.
Like you do when you’re trying to find a recipe, type into Google: “If I like [insert something you like] what wine should I go for?”.
Give your independent a call with your requirements - they will be glad to hear from you.
Prepare early - the more you research the more likely you are to enjoy the experience.
When you’re at the shop:
Generally try to avoid mass-produced big-label wines.
Have a look for medals from the more respected awards. Here is a good article on what to look out for.
Use apps such as Vivino and Cellar Tracker.
Read the descriptors or label info (if there are any).
Ask a member of staff!
EXPERIMENT - don’t stick to the tried and tested.
Here is all the info about the episode:
Will’s wine of the week:
LFE 900 Single Vineyard, Chile
Luke’s thought of the week:
When you're at mile 20 of 26 you are only halfway there.
Paula Radcliffe
References:
Zinfandel - grape variety.
Carménère - grape variety.
Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary - wine flavours and aromas.
Sweet wines - definition.
Vin de Constance - South African sweet wine.
Trinity Restaurant - Clapham, London.
Tokaji - sweet wine from Hungary.
Botrytis - the fungus removes water from the grapes helping to create sweet wines.
Furmint - grape variety.
Pernand-Vergelesses - wine region in Burgundy.
Santenay - wine region in Burgundy.
Catena/Catena Alta Malbec - from Waitrose.
Ribero del Duero - wine region in Spain.
Grand Rutherglen Muscat - sweet wine from Australia.
Maury - wine region in France.
Pedro Ximenez - sweet style of Sherry.
Sauternes - wine region in France.
As always please like, share and comment.
Stay Corked - Luke & Will
The Wine Pod - Helping You Find Your Perfect Bottle