This week, we're kicking off our Australian wine challenge with a bottle recommended by you, our listeners.

After our infamous Yellow Tail review stirred up plenty of passionate responses from Australia, we knew we had to come back with an open mind. Enter the 2022 Penfolds Max's Cabernet Sauvignon from South Australia (14.5% ABV, $18-22).

Along the way, we explore why it's a mistake to judge an entire wine region by a single bottle, why Cabernet and Shiraz can taste dramatically different even when they're grown in the same country, and how understanding the grape can be just as important as understanding where it came from.

Most importantly, we ask a bigger question: are we finally discovering the sweet spot for value wines, or is finding great wine under $17 still just a game of chance?

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters

00:00 Australia Wants Redemption

03:18 Todays Wine

13:42 Wine Drops

14:40 Cabernet vs. Shiraz: Same Country, Different Wines

18:35 Buying Wine by Region vs. Grape

21:14 Review and Final Thoughts

27:37 Is Great Wine Under $17 Still a Gamble?

32:30 Australian Challenge Week One Wrap-Up

What happens when two Midwesterners fall in love, start making wine in a Los Angeles apartment bathroom, and eventually plant their own vineyard in Oregon? John and Megan Adams of Wildsound Wine share their journey from home winemakers to farming and producing wine in the Willamette Valley.

The conversation explores vineyard life, organic farming, whole-cluster fermentation, amphora aging, and why they believe great wine starts in the vineyard. The team also tastes and reviews the 2023 Gamay Noir from Wildsound Wine, discussing the winemaking choices that shape the wine and what makes Oregon such a unique wine region.

Wine: 2023 Gamay Noir
Producer: Wildsound Wine
Region: McMinnville, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Price: $35

Subscribe for weekly wine conversations.

Check out Wildsound Wine and buy a case...or two!

Wildsound Wine Website

https://www.wildsoundwine.com/

Wild Sound Wine on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/wildsoundwine

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Buy us a glass!

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Meet John & Megan Adams

02:25 - Falling in Love With Wine

04:00 - From Apartment Winemaking to Oregon Vineyard Owners

07:20 - The Reality of Farming and Growing Grapes

11:30 - Why Vintage Variation Matters

14:40 - Farming First, Make It Delicious

17:30 - Whole Cluster Fermentation and Traditional Winemaking

24:00 - Learning the Craft of Wine

28:30 - Why the Willamette Valley Is So Special

31:20 - What Wildsound Wants People to Remember

33:30 - Todays Wine

44:45 - Review and Final Thoughts

Can a Bordeaux-style Napa blend close out the Napa Wine Company series on a high note?

In this episode, we review the Oakville Winery Napa Valley Red Wine, an estate-grown blend from Oakville, Napa Valley. The conversation explores how the wine evolves with air, why decanting may make a difference, and what stood out to each host after spending more time with the bottle.

We also take a closer look at what "estate grown" actually means, why it matters, and why it isn't necessarily a guarantee of quality. Plus, the debut of a new game, Grape Guesses, leads to some surprising facts about Napa Valley vineyards and wineries.

Today's Wine

• Producer: Oakville Winery
• Region: Oakville, Napa Valley, California
• Blend: 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 12% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot
• ABV: 14.1%
• Price: Approximately $50

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Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!

Buy us a glass!

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters

00:00 Introduction & Final Napa Wine Company Stop

00:53 Wrapping Up the Napa Wine Company Series

02:51 Todays Wine

04:13 First Impressions

06:33 Tasting Discussion

11:23 Wine Drops

11:46 What Does Estate Grown Mean?

17:15 Why Estate Grown Doesn't Guarantee Quality

18:44 Review and Final Thoughts

23:43 Introducing Grape Guesses

25:22 Napa Valley Trivia Challenge

30:42 Series Wrap-Up & Thanks to Napa Wine Company

31:22 Where to Find and Follow the Show

Can a $25 Napa red really deliver a premium wine experience?

This week on Stop Wasting Your Wine, we're heading from Ghost Block to its sister label, Elizabeth Rose, to find out. In the glass is the 2023 Chockablock Red Blend, a Napa Valley blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec that surprised us from the very first sip.

What started as a savory, herbal, and unexpectedly salty wine transformed dramatically as it opened up, revealing layers of dark fruit, oak spice, vanilla, and structure. Along the way, we explore why winemakers blend grapes in the first place, how small percentages of Merlot and Malbec can completely change a wine's personality, and why some of the world's greatest wines are blends rather than single varietal bottlings.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why this wine tastes so different from a typical Napa Cabernet

• The role of blending in creating balance and complexity

• How decanting completely changed our experience with this bottle

• Whether a $20 to $25 Napa blend can compete with wines costing far more

• Why this might be a bottle worth buying by the case and aging for years

Plus, a Pick Your Poison scenario that puts your wine pronunciation skills and your relationship with your boss to the ultimate test.

Wine Featured:
2023 Elizabeth Rose Chockablock Red Blend
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Malbec
Napa Valley, California

Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!

Buy us a glass!

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Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!

Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

00:00 Cold Open and Intro
00:50 Meet the Chockablock Blend
03:00 First Sip Impressions
04:58 Aromas, Herbs, and Salinity
08:40 The Mystery Flavor Everyone Notices
15:53 Wine Drop: Why Winemakers Create Blends
22:58 Final Reviews After an Hour of Air
30:20 Pick Your Poison: Correct the Boss?
35:24 Next Week's Wine Preview

A Napa Valley Cabernet that challenged expectations. This week the team explores the 2022 Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville, Napa Valley, and finds a wine that delivers freshness, balance, and complexity without the overpowering oak and alcohol often associated with big California Cabernets.

Along the way, they discuss how oak aging really works, the difference between oak flavor and barrel aging, and why intentional winemaking matters. The conversation also touches on wine tasting etiquette, including the great sip-versus-spit debate from a recent tasting event.

Wine: Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon (2022)
Producer: Ghost Block Estate Wines
Region: Oakville, Napa Valley
Price: $80-$100
ABV: 14.5%

Subscribe for weekly wine conversations.

Ghost Block Website:

⁠https://ghostblockwine.com/⁠

Ghost Block on Instagram:

⁠https://www.instagram.com/ghostblockwine/⁠

Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!

Buy us a glass!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/cheers3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!

Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters00:00 - Is This Napa Cab Worth $100?
01:50 - Meet the Wine
04:15 - First Sip Reactions
05:20 - Tasting Notes
11:55 - Oak Flavor vs Barrel Aging
17:05 - Final Reviews
20:00 - A Stop Wasting Your Wine First
24:15 - Pinot or Chardonnay
29:00 - Closing Thoughts

Priyanka French of Ghost Block Estate Wines joins the show to talk about her path from India to Bordeaux, Burgundy, New Zealand, and Napa Valley, plus how those experiences shaped her approach to vineyard-driven winemaking. The conversation covers organic farming, women in wine, mentorship programs like Batonnage and Wine Unify, and the legendary ghost story behind the Ghost Block vineyard in Yountville. Then Aaron and Joel review the 2024 Ghost Block Sauvignon Blanc, a surprisingly layered and playful Napa Sauvignon Blanc that completely rewrites their expectations for the varietal.

This week:

- Why Priyanka believes great wine starts with farming, not trends

- The real ghost story behind Ghost Block Vineyard in Yountville

- How Burgundy, Bordeaux, and New Zealand shaped her winemaking philosophy

- A deep dive into Sauvignon Blanc picking decisions, fermentation, and texture

Wines reviewed:

Ghost Block Sauvignon Blanc (Yountville, Napa Valley, California, 2024) $35, 13.5% ABV

Ghost Block Website:

https://ghostblockwine.com/

Ghost Block on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/ghostblockwine/

Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!

Buy us a glass!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/cheers3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!

Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Stop Wasting Your Wine

00:52 How Priyanka Fell in Love with Wine

05:07 Learning Winemaking Around the World

09:40 Breaking Into the Wine Industry

14:43 Mentorship & Making Wine More Accessible

19:33 The Ghost Story Behind Ghost Block

23:45 Sustainability, Elegance & The Future of Napa Wine

30:35 Ghost Block Sauvignon Blanc Tasting

37:45 The Art and Science of Winemaking

46:56 Review and Final Thoughts

52:21 Pi Nope or ChardonnYay?!

54:50 Where to Find Ghost Block Wines

Sutter Home Chardonnay surprised the crew by being less offensive than expected, but the real shock was how little separation there was between a $9 1.5L bottle and the $15.99 Olema California Chardonnay. The episode dives into why Chardonnay gets such a bad reputation, how oak and climate shape the wine, and why people shouldn’t give up on the grape after one bad experience.

Featured wines:

• Sutter Home Chardonnay, California, 13.1% ABV, $7
• Olema California Chardonnay 2024, 13.8% ABV, $15.99

• 
  

The crew also crowns a winner of the “Drink This, Not That” challenge and debates whether popular budget wines deserve all the hate they get.

Subscribe for weekly wine conversations.

Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!

Buy us a glass!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/cheers3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!

Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters

00:00 - Intro and Challenge Recap
01:18 - Todays Wine
09:37 - First Impressions of Sutter Home Chardonnay
18:14 - First Impressions of Olema Chardonnay
23:24 - Why Chardonnay Is So Divisive
31:44 - Exploring Chardonnay Styles Around the World
34:14 - Revisiting the Olema After It Opens Up
35:22 - Review and Final Thoughts
40:13 - Deciding the Drink This, Not That Winner
47:26 - Upcoming Napa Wine Company Episodes
48:08 - Where to Follow the Show

Barefoot Moscato vs. Rivata Moscato d'Asti - Does a jump in price mean a jump in quality?

Week two of the Drink This, Not That challenge, and Colin steps up as the sacrificial lamb. The Barefoot Moscato gets a fast, ugly, unanimous verdict. Think thick Sprite with a side of nickels. But the substitute, a DOCG-certified Moscato d'Asti from Italy, opens up a real conversation about what this grape can actually be. The quality gap is massive. The final rating? Closer than you'd expect.

This week:

• Why Barefoot Moscato smells like nickels and tastes like thick Sprite
• What Moscato d'Asti actually is and why it's a completely different experience
• A close, heated debate over whether any Moscato can earn "casual sipper" status
• Joel tries ice. It doesn't help.

Wines reviewed:

• Barefoot Moscato (California) $6 to $9
• Ravada Moscato d'Asti (Piedmont, Italy, 2025) ~$14

• 
  

Support the show and help keep the wine flowing!

Buy us a glass!

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Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!

Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chapters

0:00 Introduction and Challenge Recap
3:38 Introducing Tonight's Wines
6:45 Barefoot Moscato Tasting
13:17 Barefoot Verdict and the Ice Test
16:10 Ravada Moscato d'Asti Tasting
24:00 Sweet Wine Misconceptions
25:36 Piedmont, the Region, and What Makes This Wine Different
33:00 Final Ratings and Verdict
40:48 Where to Find the Show