This episode explores some of the world's first sparkling wines, their styles, and a little history from the "Soul of Southern France."

Resources from this episode:

Books:

The Oxford Companion to Wine [5th Edition, Kindle Edition], Harding, J., Robinson, J., Thomas, T. (2023)

Websites:

Limoux AOC: Les AOP de Limoux https://www.limoux-aoc.com/les-vins#les-vins-aop-de-limoux

Limoux AOC: Limoux Wines https://www.limoux-aoc.com/en

Medium: Exploring Echoes: The Birth of Champagne - How Monk Dom Pérignon Didn't Actually Invent It, De Wolfe, A. (6 April 2025), https://medium.com/exploring-echoes/the-birth-of-champagne-how-monk-dom-pérignon-didnt-actually-invent-it-af7cc99fd039

Provence and Beyond: Saint Hilaire Abbey Collins, R. (2019) https://www.beyond.fr/sites/st-hilaire-abbey.html

Glass in Session Episodes Relevant to this Episode:

S1E6: Doing the Diois - Clairette de Die Sparkling Wine https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/s1e6-doing-the-diois-clairette-de-die-sparkling-wine

S5E1: A Pét-Nat Chit Chat https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/s5e1-a-pt-nat-chit-chat

S13E2: American Rosé - The Story of our Red, White and Blush https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/website/american-ros-the-story-of-our-red-white-and-blush

S15E2: Champagne Part 2 - Grape to Glass https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/website/champagne-part-2-grape-to-glass

Glass in Session® swag mentioned in this show: https://www.teepublic.com/user/glass-in-session

Glass in Session® is a registered trademark of Vino With Val, LLC.

Music: "Write Your Story" by Joystock (Jamendo.com cc_Standard License, Jamendo S.A.)

"Get your dirks and bayonets... and pistols if you have them." A quote heard during the Eggnog Riot at West Point on Christmas Eve in 1826.

This is a quick re-visit of part of the Booze Riots and Rebellions series from Season 7.

Happy Holidays & Cheers ~

Resources from this episode:

Websites:

Big Think: The Boozy and Violent Story Behind America's Eggnog Riot, Davis, M. (2018) https://bigthink.com/culture-religion/what-was-the-eggnog-riot?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1

How Stuff Works: Ridiculous History - When West Point cadets rioted over eggnog in 1826, Dove, L. L. (2015) https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/ridiculous-history-heres-why-west-point-cadets-rioted-eggnog-1826.htm

US Army: The Eggnog Riot, Funck, C. S., (2010) https://www.army.mil/article/49823/the_eggnog_riot

Podcasts:

Stuff You Missed in History Class: The Eggnog Riot https://www.iheart.com/podcast/stuff-you-missed-in-history-cl-21124503/episode/symhc-classics-eggnog-riot-75374468/

Related Glass in Session® Episodes:

S7E3: Booze Riots and Rebellions, Part 1: Champagne and Whiskey https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/s7e3-booze-riots-and-rebellions-part-1-champagne-whiskey

S7E4: Booze Riots and Rebellions, Part 2: Rum https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/s7e4-booze-riots-and-rebellions-part-2-rum

S7E5: Booze Riots and Rebellions, Part 3: Lager Beer and Eggnog Riots [full episode] https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/s7e4-booze-riots-and-rebellions-part-3-lager-beer-and-eggnog-riots

Glass in Session® is a registered trademark of Vino With Val, LLC.

Website: GlassInSession.com

This week I spied Santa Claus ... hanging out in a dumpster. I reflected on how something as cynical as identifying with Santa in a Dumpster can be a source of unexpected joy.

Bugey-Cerdon, to me, is a holiday entertaining essential because of it fun fizz, sweetness, and its ability to rock everything from charcuterie to Christmas cookes. Oh, and the low alcohol is a bonus!

I hope you enjoy this timely re-relase of this episode on Bugey, a wine region between Jura and Savoie in France, and that you spot the joy in unexpected places.

In this season finale we explore the Verdicchio wines of Le Marche's Jesi and Matelica appellations.

Resources from this episode:

Books:

The Oxford Companion to Wine [5th Edition, Kindle Edition], Harding, J., Robinson, J., Thomas, T. (2023)

Wine Grapes: A Complete Guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, Including Their Origins and Flavours [Kindle Edition], Robinson, J., Harding, J., Vouillamoz, J. (2013)

Websites:

Britannica: Sharecropping https://www.britannica.com/topic/sharecropping

Do Bianchi: From sharecropper to landowner, an Italian Parable (26 June 2013) Parzen, J. https://dobianchi.com/2013/06/26/italy-sharecropping-mezzadria/

Istituto Marchigiano di Tutela Vini: Verdicchio https://www.imtdoc.it/verdicchio/

Italian Wine Central: https://italianwinecentral.com/

Quattrocalici: Il Vino Nelle Marche - Vitigni, Vino, Enogastronomia https://www.quattrocalici.it/regione/Marche/

Wine Two Five: Episode 163 - Grape Gab - Getting Geekio with Verdicchio (24 May 2018) https://www.winetwofive.com/episode-163-mays-grape-gab-getting-geekio-with-verdicchio/ (*note: this website will be taken down in January 2026, but this episode and most of the others will remain on the podcast's YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/@winetwofivepodcast1721)

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi: https://www.verdicchiodeicastellidijesi.it/

Vinous: New Releases from the Marche: Life Beyond Verdicchio? D'Agata, I. (14 February 2018) https://vinous.com/articles/new-releases-from-the-marche-life-beyond-verdicchio-feb-2018

Glass in Session Episodes Referenced in this Episode:

S3E4: Wine from Dried Grapes https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/s3e4-wine-from-dried-grapes

S10E5: Montefalco Sagrantino: Wine, Birds, and the King of Everything https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/s10e5-montefalco-sagrantino-wine-birds-the-king-of-everything

Glass in Session® swag mentioned in this show: https://www.teepublic.com/user/glass-in-session

Glass in Session® is a registered trademark of Vino With Val, LLC.

Music: "Write Your Story" by Joystock (Jamendo.com cc_Standard License, Jamendo S.A.)

Orvieto is a clifftop city, a wine region, and a wine culture all its own with a rich history loaded with silly anecdotes. When your host says there's more in a glass of wine than fermented grape juice, she's not kidding, and Orvieto is an excellent example of that.

Resources from this episode:

Books:

The Oxford Companion to Wine [5th Edition, Kindle Edition], Harding, J., Robinson, J., Thomas, T. (2023)

Wine Grapes: A Complete Guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, Including Their Origins and Flavours [Kindle Edition], Robinson, J., Harding, J., Vouillamoz, J. (2013)

Websites:

Antinori: Cervaro della Sala https://www.antinori.it/en/vino/cervaro-della-sala-en/

Britannica: Orvieto https://www.britannica.com/place/Orvieto

Consorzio Vino Orvieto: http://www.consorziovinidiorvieto.it

Italian Wine Central: Orvieto https://italianwinecentral.com/denomination/orvieto-doc/

Madonna del Latte: https://www.madonnadellatte.it/en/products/item/orvieto-doc

Orvieto Viva: The History of Orvieto https://www.orvietoviva.com/en/orvieto-history/

Glass in Session Episodes Referenced in this Episode:

S2E2: Behind Botrytis - Beautiful Wines from Ugly Grapes https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/s2e2-behind-botrytis-beautiful-wines-from-ugly-grapes

S10E5: Montefalco Sagrantino - Wine, Birds, and the King of Everything https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/s10e5-montefalco-sagrantino-wine-birds-the-king-of-everything

Glass in Session® swag mentioned in this show: https://www.teepublic.com/user/glass-in-session

Glass in Session® is a registered trademark of Vino With Val, LLC.

Music:

"Write Your Story" by Joystock (Jamendo.com cc_Standard License, Jamendo S.A.)

Just in time for spooky season we explore a treat of a fine spirit with a tricky past.

Absinthe: what it is, how it behaves in the glass, the deal on wormwood, a brief history, and some thujone theory.

Please absinthe responsibly, and apologies for the historical nugget on dog flatulence.

Resources from this episode:

Books:

Absinthe: History in a Bottle, Conrad, B. (1988)

The Drunken Botanist: The plants that create the world's great drinks. Stewart, A. (2013)

The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, McCullough, D. (2012)

Society of Wine Educators: Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS) Study Guide, Nickles, J. (2020)

Academic Journals/Papers:

Chemistry Central Journal (5:44): Determination of the biologically active flavour substances thujone and camphor in foods and medicines containing sage (Salvia officinalis L.), Walch, S. Kuballa T., Stühlinger, W., Lachenmeier, D., (21 July 2011)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3155476/

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (97(8)): α-Thujone (the active component of absinthe): γ-Aminobutyric acid type A receptor modulation and metabolic detoxification, Höld, K., Sirisoma, N., Ikeda, T., Narahashi, T., Casida, J., (11 April 2000), pp. 3826 - 3831, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC18101/

Websites:

Cocktail Safe: Wormwood and thujone safety information for cocktails https://www.cocktailsafe.org/wormwood-and-thujone.html

The Spirits Business: The 10 most famous absinthe drinkers, Hopkins, A. (2014) https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2014/08/the-10-most-famous-absinthe-drinkers/

The Nachtkabarett: Mansinthe, Kushner, N. http://www.nachtkabarett.com/mansinthe

Wormwood Society: Absinthe Original D- Don't believe the hype, Robinson, B., (24 November 2009) https://wormwoodsociety.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=665&catid=16&Itemid=233

Podcasts:

Glass in Session® Winecast: S1E2: Aperitif Wines (2019) https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/s1e2-aperitif-wines

Wine Two Five: Anise Spirits and a Nice (Wine!) Surprise (2018) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/anise-spirits-and-a-nice-wine-surprise/id986650051?i=1000415280141

Wine Two Five: Boos & Booze: Spooky Wine & Spirits Stories (2015) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/boos-booze-spooky-wine-spirits-stories/id986650051?i=1000355843969

Glass in Session® (including Absinthe!) swag: https://www.teepublic.com/user/glass-in-session

Glass in Session® is a registered trademark of Vino With Val, LLC.

Music: "Write Your Story" by Joystock (Jamendo.com cc_Standard License, Jamendo S.A.)