This time I give you six wine regions that make very expensive wines with some ideas of less expensive bottles that you could sub in when you don't want to splurge. From Champagne to Barolo, I give you some ideas that hopefully you hadn't considered!

The wines I find alternatives for (you'll have to listen to hear the wines I recommend as "dupes"):

• Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
• Champagne
• Pomerol (Bordeaux)
• Barolo/Barbaresco (Piedmont, Italy)
• Red Bourgogne/Burgundy (Pinot Noir)
• Chablis

I promise -- I came up with some unusual and cool wines for this! Enjoy it! And go to Grapes the Wine Company to shop for all of these!

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to!

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

I haven't given an update to the Veneto region in more than a decade. With an upcoming Patron trip to the region, I think it's high time!

Veneto is in northeastern Italy and is famed for wines like Prosecco, Valpolicella (including Amarone), Soave, and Bardolino. With 14 DOCGs, 29 DOCs, and 10 IGPs, covering about 104,400 ha (258,000 acres) of vineyards, the province makes every style of wine imaginable. Approximately 75% of plantings are white varieties—dominated by Glera at around 39% (this is the main Prosecco grape)—while 25% of plantings are red, led by Corvina with Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara.

In this show, I discuss the history of Veneto, and then break the province down into three distinct regions, with some star DOCs and DOCGs:

• Eastern part: Prosecco/ Treviso Province Wine Zones: Valdobiaddene, Conegliano, Asolo, Cartizze
• Central part of Veneto: Around Vicenza/Padova - Breganze, Gambellara, Colli Berici, Colli Euganei
• Western Part: In the Hills of Verona: Valpolicella, Bardolino, Custoza, Lugana, Soave, Garda

I address some of the unfair criticisms levied against Veneto by certain wine writers, talk about how to find the best of the best wines from this region, and suggest some top producers.

A great show and a fun update after all these years! So much has changed and improved!

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

This is the start of a new series, suggested by Patron Keith S.! Thank you, Keith! I'll cover people who have made a huge difference in the wine world —figures whose contributions have shaped how wine is made, understood, and appreciated.

I felt the best place to kick this off was with a man who ratcheted up the quality of wine in Bordeaux and then around the world. Through his great scientific brain and his quiet and kind yet convincing style of plain-spoken communication Bordeaux-based oenologist, Dr. Peynaud had an enormous global influence on winemaking and wine appreciation in the second half of the 20th century, earning him the title "father of modern enology." Through both his research writing, and consulting work, he helped set new technology and quality standards across the industry, and through his teaching and generosity in sharing knowledge, he educated generations of winemakers to focus on quality.

In this show I discuss the early life of the man who would bring winemaking into the modern era and then I talk about the three Peynaud principles:

1. Grapes must arrive at the winery in a healthy and mature condition

2. Tannins must be extracted gently but sufficiently through maceration

3. Fermentation temperatures must be controlled throughout and malolactic fermentation should be understood and welcomed in red wines.

Photo: Émile Peynaud, the Father of Modern Enology

Without Dr. Peynaud, we could not enjoy the clean, consistent wines that come from care in the vineyard, sanitation in the winery, and increased understanding of basic principles of fermentation.

We should all raise a glass to Dr. Émile Peynaud and his life's work, which has made wine so much more enjoyable! Santé!

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to!

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes