This week, a behind-the-scenes look at how great Sonoma wine actually gets made. Katie Madigan of St. Francis Winery shares how she went from chemistry student to winemaker, why sustainability is more than farming, and how to keep soul and quality in wines priced around $15–$18.

Katie breaks down St. Francis Winery’s approach to balance, aromatics, and vintage expression, plus what it takes to produce accessible wines at scale without losing identity.

We taste and discuss:
• 2023 Sonoma County Chardonnay – St. Francis Winery – Sonoma County – $15–$18 – 14% ABV
• 2023 Old Vine Zinfandel – St. Francis Winery – Sonoma County – $15–$18

If you care about sustainability, value-driven California wine, or how winemakers think during harvest, this one’s for you.

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 – Welcome and Introducing Katie Madigan

02:02 – From Chemistry to Winemaking
03:14 – UC Davis Enology Program

04:34 – Early Days at St. Francis
08:28 – Sustainability at St. Francis Winery
12:19 – How Katie Knows a Wine Is Ready
14:16 – Aromatics, Texture, and Wine Accessibility
18:32 – Making Quality Wine at Scale
20:11 – Todays Wine
20:13 – 2023 Sonoma County Chardonnay
26:52 –2023 Old Vine Zinfandel
36:01 – Review and Final Thoughts

A $15 sparkling Gamay from Beaujolais with a sexy label and big wine family backing… and it became the first unanimous drain of 2026. This week, the guys crack open Forbidden Kiss Sparkling Red Wine from the Boisset Collection in Beaujolais.

It’s 100% Gamay, made in the ancestral method, 7.5% ABV, and widely available at Total Wine. On paper, it checks the boxes for a fun, low-alcohol sparkling red. In the glass, things go sideways.

They break down:

• What sparkling Gamay should taste like

• How the ancestral method works

• Why sugar and alcohol matter

• And how this bottle missed the mark

  
  

Plus: sexy bottle challenge results and the first unanimous drain of the year.

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 – Sexy Bottle Challenge Finale

02:09 – Todays Wine

04:52 – First Impressions

11:02 – Understanding Sparkling Gamay

13:34 – How the Ancestral Method Works

15:00 – What This Wine Should Have Been

18:49 – Who Is Jean-Charles Boisset?

21:28 – Review and Final Thoughts

26:01 – Challenge Results and Winner

29:01 – PiNope or ChardonnYay

31:27 – Where to Find Us

The Sexy Bottle Challenge rolls on with Colin's Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, the latest contender in the search for the best intersection of great wine and great presentation.

Colin's pick faces off against last week's bottle as the competition tightens and early favorites begin to emerge. The conversation then shifts to Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc as a style: why the region has earned its reputation, and how climate and winemaking choices create a wine that feels instantly recognizable.

With ratings locked in and stakes rising heading into the final week, each pick carries more weight as the leaderboard takes shape.

The episode closes with a fast-paced Spellmelier game built around New Zealand wine terms, adding a competitive jolt before the challenge moves one step closer to crowning a winner.

Pour a glass, listen along, and see where this bottle lands.

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

0:00 Welcome and Sexy Bottle Challenge Recap
1:47 Colin’s Wine Pick Revealed
2:10 The Little Black Dress Bottle Theory
3:50 Is the Bottle Actually Sexy?
5:03 Let’s Talk About the Wine
6:35 First Smells and Expectations
7:50 Tasting Notes and Flavor Breakdown
9:42 Acidity and Finish Discussion
11:50 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Explained
14:44 How This Wine Is Made
17:55 Food Pairings That Make Sense
21:25 Final Ratings and Verdicts
25:31 Sexy Bottle Debate Continues
27:19 Rapid Spellmelier Game
34:25 Final Thoughts and Outro