This week we open our gift wine series with Pighin Collio Pinot Grigio 2024. This is Italian Pinot Grigio with ambition. 14.5% ABV means it brings more power than you expect. We explore the Collio region in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, where ponca soil, mountain air, and coastal warmth shape wines with edge and depth. This bottle shifts the narrative. It asks you to rethink the Pinot Grigio category.

We also play PiNope or ChardonYay, because choosing sides is fun. And we solve a real problem: what do you do when someone keeps gifting you wine you don’t like? The answer might change how you gift wine forever.

This episode pours bold opinions, regional facts, and the kind of surprises that make you laugh, learn, and reach for another glass.

Support the Show!

Love finding great wines at a great value? Every dollar you give goes straight toward sourcing the next hidden gem for the show. Buy us a glass at the link below to keep the reviews flowing. Cheers!

Buy us a glass!

⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/cheers3⁠

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

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

The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Wine Pronunciation
00:10 - Choosing the Right Wine for Gifting
01:32 - Exploring the 2024 Pigan Colio Pinot Grigio
03:29 - Understanding Estate Bottled Wines
06:03 - Tasting Notes and First Impressions
15:19 - Origin, Terroir, and Why Colio Matters
19:59 - Winemaking Choices and Texture
24:20 - Final Thoughts and Must Gift Verdict
29:24 - PiNope or ChardonnYay!
33:41 - Wine, Gifting, and Changing Tastes

Kicking off 2026, the Stop Wasting Your Wine team dives into the vibrant world of orange wine with a review of the Pierre and Antonin Petite Sauvage Orange Wine. Far from being just a passing fad, this 100% Souvignier Gris natural wine proves to be a bottle that perfectly balances high quality winemaking with an approachable price of $17 to $20. Throughout the episode, the hosts explore what truly defines an orange wine, explaining how skin maceration creates a unique "skin contact white" that delivers the tannic grip of a red with the bright acidity of a white. You will hear the team break down surprising tasting notes ranging from a Grand Marnier style orange lift and honeysuckle to a complex, earthy finish of black tea.

The discussion also features a special guest clip from winemaker Antonin Bonnet, insights into why this style is the ultimate food pairing "chameleon" for everything from spicy Thai food to funky cheese boards, and a heated "Pick Your Poison" debate that pits high end clubbing against dive bar comfort.

Whether you are a natural wine devotee or a curious newcomer, this episode is a fun and educational deep dive into a bottle that truly "crushes it".

Support the Show!

Love finding great wines at a great value? Every dollar you give goes straight toward sourcing the next hidden gem for the show. Buy us a glass at the link below to keep the reviews flowing. Cheers!

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 - Introduction to Orange Wine

01:59 - The Rise and Fall of Orange Wine

04:54 - Exploring Natural Wine

07:06 - Interview with Antonin

11:40 - Tasting the Petite Sauvage Orange Wine

16:34 - Understanding Orange Wine

23:54 - Food Pairing with Orange Wine

29:04 - Final Thoughts and Reviews

32:13 - Fun Game: Pick Your Poison

Cheers to a spectacular wrap on 2025! In our final episode of the year, the "Stop Wasting Your Wine" crew is popping a bottle of Poema Brut Cava to ring in the new year without breaking the bank. At just $15, this traditional method sparkler from Spain brings the "tiny bubbles" and crisp acidity you crave for a celebration, but is it the best value we’ve found in our sparkling wine mini-series?

Beyond the bubbles, we’re taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane. From discovering a love for Cab Franc and sweet dessert wines to checking off more of those "10,000 grapes," we reflect on the bottles that defined our year. We also give a heartfelt shout-out to the incredible guests and experts who joined us on this journey. Whether you’re looking for a last-minute party recommendation or want to relive the highlights of 2025, grab a glass and join us for one last toast.

Happy New Year!

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

Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

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Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

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

The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/

Chapters00:00 - Intro and The 2025 Wrap-Up02:22 - Our Top Picks of the Year05:22 - Discoveries & 10,000 Grapes08:23 - Popping the Poema Brut Cava11:36 - Tasting Notes & Comparisons16:58 - Cava 101: Methods & Terroir21:30 - The Value King25:23 - Final Review & Scoring30:21 - Community & Guest Highlights44:37 - Looking Ahead to 2026