Avsnitt

  • MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

    I figured since it’s the holidays, might as well bring on a bold, full bodied wine. Today I open up a Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma county. Rodney Strong has been making waves in California’s wine scene for decades and today’s bottle is one of their umbrella brands known for their commitment to quality and sustainable practices.

    Bluewing vineyards focuses on sustainable farming and careful vineyard management. This label was created to honor the family’s passion for small-lot, premium wines that reflect the diversity of Sonoma county. Every bottle not only represents the unique geography of this region but is also made with care for the environment.

    Today’s vintage 2020 was a challenging year for the wine scene in California due to a wildfire that impacted a lot of vineyards. Fortunately they were able to harvest the grapes and produce the wine. Tune in now to hear all about this brand and wine and I hope you all have a beautiful Christmas surrounded by loved ones.

    Cheers to the holidays!

    2:25 - Introduction to the wine

    3:20 - Small lot, premium wines

    4:40 - Sonoma county weather

    5:40 - Open up the wine bottle

    6:00 - Sustainable farming practices

    6:40 - Visual analysis

    7:10 - Olfactory analysis

    7:30 - Tasting notes

    9:55 - Rating for this cabernet

    Today’s wine: BlueWing Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 $20

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • Wine made from 100% Organic grapes… sign me up. Avaline is a brand created by Cameron Diaz & Katherine Power who partner with winemakers around the world that prioritize sustainable farming (100% organic grapes with no synthetic pesticides or insecticides), have no residual sugar present and have no unwanted additives. I came across their wine initially grocery shopping at Sprouts and now have become an affiliate for them. The wines I have tried so far have been very good.

    Today I open up their Beaujolais. Beaujolais is made of 100% Gamay grape. What makes this wine so popular is that the grapes are harvested, bottled right after the fermentation process and sold in the stores the same year it is harvested. It is meant to be a young wine that you can drink right away. Traditionally, it is meant to celebrate a successful end of the harvest. This wine is always released around November (thanksgiving time in the US).

    Transformation comes up towards the end of the episode and I emphasize the importance of healing, growing and how our experiences have affected us to be the way we are. Understanding how your environment and experiences shaped you is how you can understand what you need to heal and grow from in order to move forward and live the life you want to live. It takes work to heal and grow but I promise you the benefits of that work you put in is so worth it.

    Tune in now as I get into this natural wine brand, talk about healing and transforming while trying out this Beaujolais!

    1:22 - Introduction to Avaline the brand

    2:20 - Additives

    2:50 - Simple & clean label

    3:55 - What is Beaujolais?

    6:30 - Clean, natural wine

    7:08 - Great introduction wine

    8:18 - Olfactory analysis

    9:10 - Tasting notes

    10:12 - Rating of the wine

    11:02 - Eastern Body, Western Mind

    12:22 - Opening yourself up to healing & growing

    13:33 - Healing on a deeper level

    14:55 - Understanding how your experiences affected you

    15:50 - Deep healing helps everything

    GET 15% OFF Avaline wine, use code: DECEMBER15

    (Check my socials for discount codes every month)

    Today’s wine: Avaline Beaujolais 2023

    GET AVALINE WINE

    Book Recommendation: Eastern Body, Western Mind by Anodea Judith

    Find book here

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

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  • What is amphora aged wine? It is the traditional way of winemaking, fermenting and aging that dates back to the 15th century in the Eastern Mediterranean. Today’s producer specializes in amphora-aged wine and specifically uses concrete eggs to ferment and age most of their wines. I go over the differences between a steel tank, oak tank and clay/concrete tank to see the pros and cons of each one.

    I also get into a Spanish public speaking workshop that I will be attending on December 22, 2024. It is an 8 hour workshop where Bernardo Jurado from Jurado Grupo Editorial will be teaching and helping us work on our oral communications skills in public speaking in Spanish. There are limited spots available and it is a great opportunity to learn and work on public speaking skills. It is a local event in Coconut Grove Miami, FL and I will be bringing wine to open at the end of the workshop. If you are interested in attending, please reach out to me via email [email protected] and I will give you all the details.

    Tune in now to try a red blend from Uco Deus (producer) and taste a wine with me that is aged in a concrete egg.

    1:25 - Public speaking workshop

    2:25 - Spots are limited, sign up now

    2:50 - We will drink wine at the end of the workshop

    3:55 - Introduction to amphora aged wine

    4:45 - Traditional way of winemaking

    5:44 - Steel tank pros & cons

    6:10 - Oak tank pros & cons

    7:55 - Helps circulate the lees

    9:35 - Red blend

    10:55 - Graziano’s market

    13:22 - All the producer information is on IG

    13:50 - Visual analysis of the wine

    14:35 - Olfactory analysis

    15:35 - Tasting notes

    17:20 - Rating of the wine

    18:38 - Sign up for the workshop

    Today’s wine: Uco Deus Blend 2020 $34

    *bought bottle @ Graziano’s Market in Miami, FL

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • Target finds are my favorite finds and today I go over a bottle I bought during one of my target shopping sprees. This producer came about through a woman who had a love for nature and the wild since she was a kid and was curious about how she can get back into what she loved through a career. She became an attorney but always dreamed about the “farm life” and that’s why she started looking into the wine industry, in order to transition from attorney back into doing something involving nature and the wild.

    Through her research, she started understanding the wine industry and saw that many producers were more worried about mass producing wine (aka the numbers) versus embracing the vintage for what is (aka fermenting quality natural wine). She wanted to build a brand that embraced the differences and represented nature doing its thing in a bottle. That’s why she decided to create a natural wine brand and even trademarked “clean-crafted commitment” where it requires that grapes are farmed without toxic pesticides and the wine is produced without synthetic processing aides.

    Tune in now as I get into detail about mass production in the wine industry, low intervention winemaking and the importance of researching your wine, the background on the producers story and why it’s so important to go after your dreams.

    1:25 - Target + girl math

    2:18 - Intro to the producer

    3:30 - Mass production

    4:50 - Natural wine movement

    5:58 - Information is king

    7:10 - Research your producer

    8:10 - Don’t be afraid of some additives

    10:00 - As natural as it’s going to get

    12:20 - Everything happens for a reason

    13:33 - Perfect timing

    14:30 - Olfactory analysis

    15:15 - Tasting notes

    Today’s wine: Scout Wild Red Blend $17

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • I open up a Chenin Blanc from Mendoza, Argentina. This white grape varietal is versatile in style and sweetness and I love that it has the ability to adapt to a wide variety of tastes. We love a grape that is versatile and adaptable!

    Today’s producer is from the northern part of the Uco Valley in which they cultivate their grapes at a high altitude (1400 meters above sea level). High altitudes are great because they tend to bring increased levels of sunlight and UV exposure which ultimately gives the wines intense color and improved age worthiness due to the grapes skins producing more skin tannins.

    In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I just want to thank all of you for supporting me in doing what I love (having convos and talking about wine hehe). I get into how important gratitude is and how reflection is key to understanding your growth. Always be curious and jump into the unknown because that is where the magic happens!

    Tune in now for the full story on the producer as I open up this delicious Chenin Blanc and hopefully inspire you to go out there and do the things that truly bring you joy.

    1:45 - Intro to today’s wine

    2:35 - Chenin blanc

    3:25 - Versatile & adaptable grape

    4:35 - Five friends

    6:10 - High altitude wine

    6:20 - Combination of soils

    7:55 - Happy Thanksgiving

    9:20 - Fun facts

    11:10 - Olfactory analysis

    11:45 - Tasting notes

    13:50 - Rating of the wine

    15:10 - Progress is important

    15:45 - I am so grateful

    16:45 - Curiosity is the key to happiness

    17:45 - No regrets

    18:25 - Excitement is on the other side of fear

    19:00 - Always be grateful for where you are

    20:15 - Start a gratitude practice

    Today’s wine: Gen del Alma Chenin Blanc 2020 $20

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • What makes a wine vegan? Usually, if any animal products are used in the winemaking process that would definitely make it non-vegan. Animal products are commonly found in fining agents used to break down left over particles in wine that winemakers want to get rid of before bottling. I touch on this topic so that you can understand why a wine would not be considered “vegan”.

    I also get into a book I recently finished called “The Last Lecture” by Randy Pausch. Randy was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He had a couple of months to live and decided to make his last lecture about achieving your childhood dreams and gives us so many good life nuggets in his lecture.

    I get into this book and the takeaways that really impacted me while getting into how you can lead your life authentically. Tune in now to get all the details on this red blend I open up from Argentina as I get into the Last Lecture and give you important takeaways to help lead your life authentically and accomplish all your goals effortlessly.

    1:10 - Introduction to today’s wine

    2:20 - Red blend

    2:55 - Body4yoga best yoga studio

    3:22 - What makes a wine vegan?

    4:20 - Casein protein

    5:05 - Florida plug for Argentinian wines

    5:55 - The Last Lecture book information

    6:22 - The wind is winding

    8:50 - Childhood dreams

    10:00 - How to lead your life

    10:40 - Commit to yourself

    11:55 - It’s ok to adjust your goals

    13:45 - Visual & Olfactory analysis

    14:50 - Bug in my wine

    15:25 - Tasting notes

    17:20 - Rating of the wine

    Today’s wine: Domaine Bousquet Gaia Organic Red Blend 2020 $16

    GET WINE HERE (only found 2021 vintage online)

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • Come with me on the Portuguese Alvarinho ride. I came across this white wine in Total Wine and was instantly intrigued by the label. Turns out Portugal’s leading premium port producer (Symington Family) collaborated with winemaker Anselmo Mendes (Vinho Verde producer) to create the brand Contacto. They created this joint venture in order to develop premium wines from Moncao and Melgaco (northern Portugal).

    I get into this producer, the brand details and their winemaking process that created the delicious bottle I open up to try today. Daylight savings comes up since we just went back an hour and I explain how we can us it to our advantage. Each day it’s important to seek progress not perfection and the best way to make sure progress continues to happen for you is through consistency.

    Tune in now to try this Alvarinho from Portugal with me!

    1:40 - Introduction to today’s wine

    2:45 - Anselmo Mendes & the Symington Family

    3:15 - Top premium port producers in Portugal

    5:10 - Cultivate excellent grapes

    5:55 - Follow the plan, not your mood

    6:45 - Get up an hour earlier

    8:00 - Be consistent

    8:40 - Seek progress not perfection

    9:45 - Get it done on time

    10:25 - Take advantage of daylight savings

    10:50 - Visual and olfactory analysis

    11:15 - Taste the wine

    12:25 - Rating of the wine

    Today’s wine: Contacto Alvarinho Mendes & Symington 2023 $21

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • We open up a blend today from one of the top producers in Argentina, Susana Balbo. She has different lines of wines and the one I try on this episode is from the line called Ben Marco. It’s a blend of 85% Malbec and 15% Cabernet Franc.

    One of the things I love about this brand is that they honor the terroir by low intervention winemaking to reveal their true essence and character. Low intervention winemaking is when the use of additives and artificial flavors in the winemaking process are minimized and ultimately the winemakers let the wine develop it’s natural character to really showcase the unique qualities of the vineyard, grapes and climate.

    I get into all the details of low intervention winemaking and why it’s my all-time favorite style of winemaking while touching on the importance of certain things you may have to add or adjust during the winemaking process (ex. adding in SO2). Allowing the wine to do it’s thing naturally for the most part is the way to go but it doesn’t hurt to help it thrive by giving it an SO2 boost. Tune in now to get the 411 on this producer, low intervention winemaking and taste this delicious Argentinian blend with me.

    1:30 - Introduction to today’s producer

    2:30 - Red blend

    2:50 - What is a viticulturist?

    3:33 - Low intervention winemaking

    4:20 - My favorite style of winemaking

    5:00 - Adding sulfur to support the process

    6:15 - White & Rose wines have more sulfur

    7:18 - Red wine usually has less sulfur

    9:15 - Open the bottle

    10:20 - Visual & Olfactory analysis

    11:05 - Tasting notes

    12:03 - Rating of the wine

    Today’s wine: Ben Marco Expressivo 2020 $30

    GET WINE HERE ($38 on this website)

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • I got my hands on a Brut Nature for today’s episode… this is the first time I try this type of sparkling wine (watch episode 60 for all information on sparkling wines). Rutini is one of Argentina’s top producers and became the first winery to plant vines in the Uco Valley which is one of the top wine-producing regions in Mendoza. They have different lines of wines and this one specifically is from their line called “Encuentro”.

    Brut Nature is the driest champagne or sparkling wine which ultimately means it has less than 3 grams of sugar per liter. Tune in now as I try this pinot noir based sparkling wine from Argentina, talk about this known producer and get into the importance of having a good support system. Remember, rejection is redirection and having the support you need, when you need it can ultimately prepare you to take on anything that comes your way with more ease and knowledge.

    1:25 - Brut Nature

    2:10 - Introduction to the producer: Rutini

    3:35 - “Encuentro”

    4:15 - 1st family to plant vines in Uco Valley

    6:45 - Rejection is redirection

    8:40 - Support systems are important

    10:00 - Relief & preparation

    11:05 - Visual analysis

    11:30 - Olfactory analysis

    12:00 - Taste the wine

    12:45 - Tasting notes

    14:15 - Rating of the wine

    Today’s wine: Rotini Encuentro Brut Nature 2017 $27

    GET WINE HERE (only found the 2020 vintage online)

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • Ribera del Duero is a wine region located in the northern part of Spain and is known as the home of Tempranillo. Tempranillo is the most widely planted red grape variety in Spain and is called “Tinto Fino” in Ribera del Duero because it taste different from other regions in Spain. Tempranillo berries tend to be smaller with thick skin, darker color and have lots of acidity resulting in complex wines. Although it is native to Spain, it is also a very popular grape varietal in Portugal.

    As I open up this Tempranillo I get into the importance of being in alignment with yourself. Self-alignment is the idea that your view of yourself matches your ideal self living in harmony with your values, beliefs & priorities which ultimately lead you to have peace of mind. Watch this full episode now as I taste a Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero and dive deep on how self-alignment is so important and ultimately achieved by living consistently aligning with your best self.

    1:30 - Ribera del Duero

    2:00 - The place to drink Tempranillo

    3:55 - Shout out to Tazz

    4:35 - Alignment with self

    5:25 - Pour the wine

    5:45 - Being authentic to who you are

    6:50 - Communicate what you need

    9:15 - Your cards are your cards

    9:30 - The key to overcoming the cards you were dealt

    10:20 - Having people who love and support you

    11:25 - Visual analysis of the wine

    12:05 - Taste the wine

    13:25 - Rating of the wine

    Today’s wine: Vuela Ribera Del Duero Tempranillo $18

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • Champagne is always a good idea and in this episode I get into the traditional way of making champagne. This method originated in the French region Champagne and is one of the most popular methods to make sparkling wine. It is considered the classic and highest quality method for producing sparkling wine.

    The key feature that makes this process so unique is that the wine undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle. Usually champagne producers blend different grape varietals to create a consistent style based off of what type of sparkling wine they want to create. Champagne is usually classified based on the amount of sugar added after second fermentation.

    Today’s sparkling wine is a Brut that consists of a blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. Brut is the most popular and most consumed style of champagne. Tune in now to learn the details involved in producing champagne the traditional way, hear me talk about all the different styles of champagne and what would classify each one under a certain category and try this amazing brut from Crémant de Loire with me.

    1:15 - Bubbles aka Champagne

    2:05 - Crémant de Loire

    2:35 - Same quality & process at economical price point

    3:35 - What is traditional method?

    4:15 - Second fermentation in the bottle

    4:55 - CO2 creates the bubbles

    5:55 - Dead yeasts & particles in the bottle

    6:10 - Riddling

    7:10 - Gyropalette was invented

    8:40 - Disgorgement

    9:08 - Dosage

    10:45 - Different types of champagne

    12:10 - The most consumed style of champagne

    12:25 - How to open a champagne bottle

    13:25 - Open the bottle for tasting

    14:05 - Milton was a b*tch

    14:20 - Visual & Olfactory analysis

    16:15 - Rating of the wine

    Today’s wine: De Valloie Crémant Brut Sparkling Wine $16

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • This week I am staying on course with French wines to see what they are all about. In today’s episode I dive into a red blend from Rhone called Signargues Cotes du Rhone Villages. The brand/producer is Pierre-Henri Morel which was created in 2008 by Michel Chapoutier. Chapoutier is actually one of Rhone’s most dynamic producers and this brand is run by Chapoutier’s commercial producer which is Pierre-Henri Morel. This blend is located in an appellation in the far south of the Rhone wine region in which the key grape varietals are Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.

    I get into story time on how I found a wine key I misplaced and couldn’t find and ended up getting into the beauty of letting go of control and allowing yourself to be in the moment and let things unravel organically for themselves. When we stop looking for something is when it ultimately finds us.

    Tune in now to get the full story on this producer, how this blend tastes and why releasing control can ultimately lead you to exactly where you need to be.

    1:25 - Red blend from Rhone

    1:50 - Most dynamic producer in Rhone

    2:55 - Commercial producer

    3:15 - Most popular grape varietal in Rhone

    4:00 - Signargues (appellation of this wine)

    4:55 - Red blend dream or disaster?

    6:30 - Death of the papelito

    7:45 - Pour the wine for tasting

    8:05 - Visual analysis

    8:40 - Olfactory analysis

    9:25 - Taste the wine

    10:40 - Soft & velvety

    12:05 - Rating of the wine

    13:00 - Wine key story

    16:40 - Release control & accept the moment for what it is

    18:30 - The last lecture by Randy Pausch

    19:55 - Peace & freedom when you release control

    Today’s wine: Pierre-Henri Morel Signargue Cotes du Rhone Villages 2020 $16

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • Viognier from France located in southern Rhone. This is the first time I try this varietal which happens to be a common white grape varietal in that area. The brand was created by two French men who want to show the exceptional wines that came out of Southern Rhone (aka they were like lets just make our own label from our favorite place).

    Their overall goal/objective in starting this project was to select, age and blend Grenache-centric wines. Tune in now as I get into the story behind the label and try this grape varietal for the first time.

    1:28 - Intro to today’s wine

    2:25 - Halos de Jupiter

    3:15 - Chateauneuf du Pape

    4:05 - Purpose behind the brand

    5:00 - Should I review spirits?

    6:20 - Exciting news

    7:05 - Visual analysis

    7:35 - Olfactory analysis

    8:20 - Taste the wine

    9:20 - Very fresh with some body

    10:10 - Tasting is subjective

    11:35 - Rating of the wine

    Today’s wine: Halos de Jupiter 2023 Viognier $17

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • I found a bottle that stood out to me at Total Wine and it just so happened to be a South American Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina. The brand is named after the greek god Oneirois, which is known as the “god of sleep”. As I read more info on this greek god, it got me thinking about our subconscious mind and how we may not even consciously recognize these thoughts on a day to day basis but they definitely play out in our actions.

    Tune into this new episode as I share information about this brand, the greek god behind the label and dive deep into your subconscious mind and how important it is to work on rewiring your subconscious thoughts in order to set yourself free from certain beliefs to be able to continuously go after your goals and ultimately level up your life with every opportunity that comes your way.

    1:50 - Grupo Peñaflor

    2:40 - Oneirois: greek god

    5:30 - Morpheus

    5:50 - Crazy dreams tells us everything

    6:35 - Gateway to the subconscious mind

    7:15 - Subconscious mind, what is that?

    8:05 - Example of a subconscious belief being formed

    10:00 - Write down your dreams to understand your subconscious thoughts

    10:45 - Mental performance coach… Dakota

    11:40 - Subconsciously we are stuck

    13:00 - Pour the wine for tasting

    14:15 - Tasting notes

    15:38 - Rating on the wine

    Today’s wine: Oniros Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 $20

    GET WINE HERE

    Mental Performance Coaching with Dakota IG @dakotalwallace

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • South African wine for the win today… I open up a Pinotage grown in the Neethlingshof Estate located in the heart of Cape’s Winelands which are located in the region western Cape in South Africa. This estate literally is breathtaking and their wines embody a taste of traditional Cape culture blended with influences from both Africa & Europe.

    This estate is one of South Africa’s most historic wine estates; it goes back more than 300 years. What I love about this estate is that everything is done onsite (harvest, winemaking, bottling, etc) and they are all about sustainability (ex. using minimum pest control interventions, global sustainability trends, etc.) To add to all the incredible work and care they put into their wines, they went ahead and decided to make all their wine vegan as well.

    Tune in to this new episode where I dive into all the background on the estate, their history, their production and this delicious Pinotage. You don’t want to miss out!

    1:22 - Intro to Pinotage

    2:35 - History on the producer

    4:18 - Renovation & restoration of the estate

    5:09 - Cape Winelands

    6:25 - Tukulu soils

    7:40 - Open the bottle of wine

    8:20 - Sustainability certification

    8:55 - Vegan wine

    10:25 - When the grapes are harvested

    11:45 - Two grapes that make up a pinotage

    13:00 - Olfactory analysis

    13:30 - Taste analysis

    14:44 - Pinot Noir + Syrah

    15:34 - Rating of the wine

    Today’s wine: Neethlingshof Estate Pinotage 2022 $17

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • Did you know the Malbec grape varietal is originally from Cahor, France? Today I finally get to open a Malbec from Cahors to try it for the first time!

    As I have expressed multiple times throughout the podcast, Malbec is one of my favorite go-to grapes. I am biased and love my Argentinian Malbecs but of course we need to try it from it’s original birthplace and see what the hype is all about.

    Malbec has been grown in Cahors for more than 2,000 years. It was super popular in the 13th century where important people would come in to town from all over Europe and Malbec would be served everywhere (restaurants, parties, palace dinners, etc.). The Romans loved their Malbec from Cahors so much they nicknamed it the black wine of Cahors.

    Tune in to this episode where I get into the details behind this producer, the history behind the grape varietal and compare both Mendoza and Cahors vineyards to share why they both are great places to produce Malbec.

    Hope you enjoy this one!

    1:15 - Introduction to today’s wine

    1:35 - Original birthplace of Malbec

    2:40 - Chateau de Mercues

    3:30 - “Black Wine”

    3:50 - Cahors + 13th century

    5:15 - Plantation density

    5:50 - Increasing quality

    6:25 - A.O.C Designation

    7:25 - Mendoza & Cahors similarities

    8:15 - Open the bottle for tasting

    10:00 - Typically French Malbecs are blends

    11:40 - Tasting notes

    12:40 - Tannin textures

    14:55 - Rating of the wine

    Today’s wine: Chateau de Mercues Malbec De Cahors Grand Vin 2019 $30

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • Today I open up a white wine from Mendoza, Argentina made from the Torrontes grape varietal. This white grape is mostly produced in Argentina and the most similar grape to this varietal is said to be a Reisling. I would definitely say it is like the “Albariño” of Argentina.

    Phebus is a well known producer from Argentina and for the most part has a good variety of very cost efficient wines. Tune in now as I taste this wine for the first time. This one is short and sweet but definitely worth the tasting.

    Let me know what you think!

    1:15 - Intro to today’s wine

    2:22 - Torrontes grape varietal

    3:22 - Open the bottle for tasting

    5:00 - Visual & olfactory analysis

    5:55 - Taste the wine

    8:00 - Rating on the wine

    Today’s wine: Phebus Torrontes 2023 $11.49

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • Italian white wine from Sicily… wine from the south of Italy is literally my fave. Paolo Marzotto established this vineyard in 1997 and he loved Sicily so he did what anyone would do… buy a vineyard there. This winery is located in the village called Santa Cristina Gela in the city Palermo, Sicily. His main goal was to not only produce the best wines in Sicily but also have an eco sustainable vineyard, which is ultimately what he did.

    Insolia, the grape varietal, is commonly grown in Sicily and Tuscany and it tends to be a light to medium bodied white wine with unique characteristics due to the high altitude vineyard. High altitude wines offer direct & concentrated sunlight, dramatic temperature shifts, scarcity of oxygen and exceptional drainage.

    Tune in to this episode as I go over this producer, the details behind their vineyard and wine cellar and dive into what high altitude wines are. You don’t want to miss this one!

    1:40 - Introduce today’s wine

    2:35 - Palermo, Sicily

    3:40 - Eco-sustainable vineyard

    4:40 - High altitude wines

    5:35 - 700 meters above sea level

    6:25 - Don’t fear small berries

    7:45 - Wine cellar design

    8:45 - Open the wine bottle

    10:05 - Visual & olfactory analysis

    10:40 - Try the wine

    12:45 - Food pairings for the wine

    13:50 - Get out of my comfort zone

    Today’s wine: Baglio di Pianeta Insolia Sicilia 2021 $19

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • Miles from Nowhere was founded in 2007 by veteran wine producers Franklin and Heather Tate located in Margaret River, a small town in western Australia. Shiraz (aka Syrah) is actually the first grape variety to be grown in Australia, making it a very important and primal grape to the country.

    On today’s episode, I get into this producer, the story behind the name and try a Shiraz from Australia for the first time ever. Before trying the wine, I touch on my experience on being a guest on another podcast for the first time and how it really made me reflect on the importance of having gratitude. It is so important to be in each moment and also realize how far you have actually come from where you once were. High Tea Mystique thank you so much for having me on your show and for reminding me that I am exactly where I need to be.

    I hope you all enjoy this episode and check out the episode I’m featured on High Tea Mystique!

    1:11 - Intro to the wine

    1:25 - What is Shiraz?

    2:00 - Miles from Nowhere

    3:00 - The brand is dedicated to the family patriarch

    3:33 - Guest on a podcast

    4:07 - High Tea Mystique podcast

    5:55 - Everything has it’s moment & time

    8:05 - Sit in the moment

    9:45 - Visual & olfactory analysis

    10:35 - First taste of the wine

    12:15 - Rating of the wine

    Today’s wine: Miles from Nowhere 2020 Shiraz $15 (they only have the 2019 vintage online)

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Connect with Kat, Tess & Pam on IG @highteamystique

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

  • Spain is Grenache’s original birthplace but today it is more recognized as a key player in French red blends of southern Rhone (ex. Chatuneuf du Pape). This grape is also popular in Sardegna, southern Italy, in which it is called Cannonau. Today’s producer is located in one of Italy’s most renowned wine estates in Nurra, a flat region that dominates the north-western side of Sardegna.

    Tune in now as I give you the backstory on how two friends from Piedmonte saw an uncultivated land with lots of potential and decided to buy one of the biggest estates in Europe to make delicious wine in Sardegna. This grape is one of my favorite go-to wines when it comes down to picking a wine from Sardegna. See if this producer is worth trying!

    1:15 - Introduction to today’s wine

    2:30 - Story behind the wine producer

    3:45 - One of the largest estates in Europe

    5:00 - Grenache thrives in mediteranean climates

    6:00 - Calcareous soils at the estate

    6:35 - Terrible problem to have

    8:00 - Open the bottle for tasting

    9:05 - Visual & olfactory analysis

    11:05 - Taste the wine

    12:50 - Rating on the wine

    Today’s wine: Cannonau di Sardegna 2020 Riserva $19

    GET WINE HERE

    Connect with me on IG @sipandgrowpodcast

    Get your FREE Wine Aroma Wheel at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale

    Check out my Italian Wine Guide at https://stan.store/nicoledipasquale