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Hey wine lovers! 🍷 Join us, Jason and Trent, on this episode of The Wined Up Podcast as we dive into the often intimidating world of French wines. We explore why French wines scare us with all their complex terminologies and pronunciations. Luckily, we've got Vintrepid to help us out! They're a unique wine club providing curated packs to help wine enthusiasts like us discover the beauty of French wines.

In this episode, we take a fun French wine quiz, taste three incredible wines from Vintrepid’s Discovery Pack, and discuss the cultural differences between European and Australian wine and food experiences. Let's make French wines easy together!

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Discover French Wine with Vintrepid at https://vintrepid.com.au. Not your average wine club.

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Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au/ or email us at info@thewinedup.com.au.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction: Overcoming the Fear of French Wines

00:54 Thoughts of the Week: French Wine Quiz

06:39 Cultural Differences: European vs. Australian Wine Culture

09:48 Making French Wines Accessible with Vintrepid

12:46 Exploring Global Wines

13:04 The Importance of a Wine's Story

14:03 Introducing Vintrepid

14:53 Vintrepid's Unique Approach

17:01 Tasting the Discovery Pack

24:05 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

#vintrepid #frenchwine #wineeducation #winetasting #winepodcast #wineforbeginners #burgundywine #loirewine #wineclub #winediscovery #smallproducers #artisanwine #learnwine #winecontent #winelovers #wineaustralia #vintrepid #drinkbetterwine #winejourney #honestwine #wineexplained

Follow Us on YouTube (@TheWinedUp), Instagram (The.Wined.Up), Tik Tok (@TheWinedUp), Spotify (The Wined Up), Amazon Music ( TheWinedUp), and Apple Podcasts (The Wined Up). Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au or email us at info@thewinedup.com.au.

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Welcome back to The Wined Up. In this episode, we’re diving unapologetically unfiltered into one of New Zealand’s most exciting wine regions, Otago, with a blind tasting of Valli Wine’s Pinot Noirs from three very different sub regions. We line up Bendigo, Gibbston, and Waitaki without knowing what’s in the glass, focusing purely on texture, acidity, fruit, and how terroir really shows up in Pinot Noir. The big reveal happens later in the episode, and trust me, the results surprised even us.

Before we get stuck into the reds, we start with a fresh and textured Pinot Gris and talk about how wine trends are shifting, especially in Australia. Heavy Shiraz is taking a back seat as more drinkers lean toward lighter, fresher styles like Pinot Noir, Prosecco, and spritz style wines. We also break down why Gen Z and Millennials are driving this change and what that means for the future of wine.

We also sit down for our Thoughts of the Week, where we unpack five different types of acid in wine and how each one affects balance, freshness, and drinkability. If you’re curious about Otago wines, blind tasting, or how to actually taste Pinot Noir with confidence, this episode is for you. Like, comment, and subscribe for more real wine conversations, and follow us on social media for behind the scenes content and updates. Cheers.

Subscribe to @‌thewinedup and comment on your favourite wine from Valli Wines👇

Check out the Valli Wine range at https://valliwine.com

Follow Us on Instagram (The.Wined.Up) or TikTok (@thewinedup ).

Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au/ or email us at info@thewinedup.com.au.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction and Blind Tasting Setup

00:55 Thoughts of the Week: Wine Trends

07:08 Understanding Wine Acidity

10:16 Exploring Ley Wines

13:53 Exploring Bali Wines

14:11 Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir Tasting

14:50 Meet the Winemakers

15:37 Wine Tasting Notes and Impressions

17:40 Blind Tasting Challenge

19:47 Understanding Otago Wine Regions

26:16 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

#ValliWine #ValliPinotNoir #OtagoPinotNoir #CentralOtagowine #blindwinetasting #PinotNoirtasting #NewZealandwine #Otagowineregions #BendigoPinotNoir #GibbstonPinotNoir #WaitakiPinotNoir #PinotGristasting #winetrendsAustralia #wineacidityexplained #TheWinedUp #winepodcast #winereviewchannel

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Hey Wine Lovers! 🍷

Welcome to our wrap-up of 2025! In this special episode, we're reflecting on our incredible wine journey throughout the year. From unforgettable moments in Queenstown, Central Otago, to insightful chats with wine legends, and of course, our first-ever virtual wine awards, we've got so much to share with you!

Here's what we'll be covering in this episode:

00:00 Memorable Wine Moments

00:45 Reflecting on 2025 and Introducing Virtual Awards

01:12 Celebrating with Champagne

04:33 Wine Reflections and Surprises

07:17 Proudest Moments of the Year

12:26 Changes in Wine Consumption Trends

14:38 Best and Worst of the Year

19:37 Top Wine Picks of the Year

21:06 Best Wine Regions of 2025

22:57 Favorite Guests and Episodes

26:01 The Magic Cellar Scenario

29:37 Looking Ahead: Future Wine Trends

31:37 Wine Destinations and Dream Guests

34:20 Reflecting on 2025 and Thank Yous

Join us as we sip on some fantastic wines, share our proudest and most surprising moments, and discuss the ever-evolving trends in the wine industry. We also touch on the impact 2025 had on our personal wine palates and what we're looking forward to in 2026.

Cheers to a fantastic year and an even better one ahead! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from us at The Wined Up! 🎄🥂

- Jason and Trent

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Follow Us on Instagram (The.Wined.Up) or TikTok (@thewinedup ).

Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au/ or email us at info@thewinedup.com.au.

#wine #winelovers #wineyoutube #winereview #winetrends #bestwine #worstwine #wineawards #christmaswine #newyearwine #winetasting #wineindustry #nzwine #centralotagowine #champagnelovers #winepodcast #winecontent #winecommunity #drinkbetterwine #wine2025

Follow Us on YouTube (@TheWinedUp), Instagram (The.Wined.Up), Tik Tok (@TheWinedUp), Spotify (The Wined Up), Amazon Music ( TheWinedUp), and Apple Podcasts (The Wined Up). Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au or email us at info@thewinedup.com.au.

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In this festive episode of The Wined Up Podcast, we take on one of the hardest food and wine challenges of all time: what actually pairs with Christmas pudding. Rich, brandy-soaked, packed with dried fruit, suet, spice, and finished with custard, Christmas pudding is notorious for overpowering wine — so we put it to the test properly.

We taste what claims to be Australia’s No.1 Christmas pudding from The Pudding Lady in Newcastle, then compare two classic dessert wines: an aged 2005 Château Coutet Sauternes and a Seppeltsfield DP63 Grand Muscat from Rutherglen. We taste each wine on its own and with the pudding to see what works, what doesn’t, and whether sweet wine is even the right answer.

Along the way, we share Fast Five Fun Facts about Christmas pudding, talk Christmas wine gift ideas, and debate everything from cork boxes and wine books to blending workshops and advent calendars.

If you’re searching for the best wine to pair with Christmas pudding, or looking for thoughtful wine gift ideas for the holidays, this episode goes beyond textbook rules with honest, practical insights.

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What do you pair with Christmas pudding — wine, brandy, or something else?

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Visit our website Home - The Wined Up Podcast or email us at info@thewinedup.com.au.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction to Suet and Christmas Pudding

01:04 Wine Pairing Challenge Announcement

01:37 Thoughts of the Week: Christmas Gifts

04:21 Advent Calendar and Wine Thoughts

06:16 Wine Pouring Techniques

09:34 Christmas Pudding and Wine Pairing

10:49 Introduction to the Pudding

11:09 Serving the Pudding

11:31 Tasting the Pudding

11:46 Explaining the Ingredients

13:43 Wine Pairing Challenge

15:14 Fast Five Fun Facts about Christmas Pudding

16:58 Wine and Pudding Pairing Results

19:18 Gift Giving Time

22:56 Final Thoughts and Farewell

#christmaspudding #winepairing #dessertwine #christmaswine #winechallenge #winegifts #sauternes #rutherglenmuscat #wineeducation #thewineduppodcast

Follow Us on YouTube (@TheWinedUp), Instagram (The.Wined.Up), Tik Tok (@TheWinedUp), Spotify (The Wined Up), Amazon Music ( TheWinedUp), and Apple Podcasts (The Wined Up). Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au or email us at info@thewinedup.com.au.

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In this episode we sit down with Alex Clerch from LeCavist to unpack the real rules of wine storage and why so many collectors get it wrong. Alex helps us break down the basics like steady temperature, low vibration, controlled humidity and proper light management. These may sound simple, but they decide how your bottles age and how your collection holds up over time. We talk through the main types of wine cabinets, what makes each one work, and how LeCavist builds its units so they protect wine the way it should be protected. Alex also shares his own path in wine, from early family moments to turning his passion into a business focused on smart storage solutions.

If you are just starting your collection or you already have a few shelves filled, Alex gives practical steps you can follow to avoid the usual mistakes we all see. We also clear up myths around wine fridges, noise levels, shelf materials, warranty, brand trust and the features that matter when you are ready to buy. The talk moves from design to durability, from collecting styles to stacking tricks, and even a look at what storage might look like in the future.

Subscribe to @‌thewinedup and comment on your questions or experience regarding a wine fridge👇

Check out LeCavist’s range of Wine Cabinets at LeCavist - Australian Home of Premium Wine Fridge Cabinets

Chapters:

00:00 Preview

00:55 Introduction

01:04 The Wined Up Ice Breaker Questions

01:27 Alex's Wine Journey and Family Traditions

05:57 The Importance of Wine Storage

08:07 Alex's Business Journey: From Buyer to Wine Storage Innovator

10:58 Design and Features of Wine Cabinets

15:32 Common Wine Storage Mistakes and Solutions

22:58 Myth Busting: Wine Storage

27:31 Discussing Wine Storage Options

27:40 Noise Levels of Wine Storage Devices

28:20 Wooden vs. Metal Shelves

29:10 Common Wine Storage Mistakes

30:38 Key Factors in Choosing a Wine Fridge

31:13 Warranty and Customer Service

32:39 Brand Reputation and Manufacturing

34:36 Pricing and Accessibility

36:07 Direct-to-Consumer Business Model

37:11 Wine Fridge Features and Customization

43:06 Reliability and Longevity of Wine Fridges

43:49 Different Types of Wine Collectors

46:01 Proper Wine Stacking Techniques

50:53 Building a Wine Community

55:23 Future Innovations in Wine Storage

57:07 Final Thoughts and Reflections

#winestorage #winefridge #winecabinet #LeCavist #AlexClerch #winecollectiontips #howtostorewine #properwinestorage #winehumiditycontrol #winetemperaturecontrol #winefridgebuyersguide #winecabinetdesign #winestoragemistakes #winecollectingbasics #winecellaralternative #bestwinefridgefeatures #winecoolingsystems #winevibrationcontrol #longtermwinestorage #winepodcast

Follow Us on YouTube (@TheWinedUp), Instagram (The.Wined.Up), Tik Tok (@TheWinedUp), Spotify (The Wined Up), Amazon Music ( TheWinedUp), and Apple Podcasts (The Wined Up). Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au or email us at info@thewinedup.com.au.

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In this episode of The Wined Up Podcast, we sit down with Greg Lambrecht, the founder and inventor of Coravin, to explore something many wine drinkers never talk about enough, which is the emotional bond we form with wine. Greg explains how memories, people and places shape the way a single glass can stay with us for years.

We also cover how Coravin changed the way we taste wine by letting us explore more variety without ever opening a bottle. We walk through Greg’s full story, from early prototypes to the first time he realised he could taste ten wines in one night without wasting any of them. We also dig into how the Timeless and Sparkling systems work, why cork resealing matters, how pressure is restored in sparkling bottles and why this design took years to perfect.

Then we put Coravin to the test in a triangle blind tasting. We compare preserved wines against freshly opened bottles, both still and sparkling, to see whether there is any real difference. We also talk through common myths like the three second screw cap rule, vacuum pumps, decanter lids and gas sprays, and what actually holds up in the real world.

If you want to understand wine preservation better, or you are curious about whether Coravin genuinely works, this episode goes deeper than most reviews. Stick around for the full tasting and the results, because they surprised both of us.

Subscribe to @‌thewinedup and comment on your experience with the Coravin products👇

Check out the Coravin range of Wine Preservation Products at https://www.coravin.com.au

Chapters:

00:00 The Emotional Connection to Wine

00:56 Introducing Greg Lambert and Coravin

02:37 Memorable Wine Moments

07:41 The Journey to Creating Coravin

17:24 The Coravin Sparkling System

28:48 Introduction to Screw Cap Adapter

29:36 Debunking the Three-Second Rule

30:33 Addressing Bubbles and Cork Resealing

31:34 Blind Tasting Setup

35:03 Blind Tasting Results and Discussion

45:37 Comparing Wine Preservation Systems

49:56 The Coravin Logo and Future Innovations

55:32 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

#coravin #coravintimeless #coravinsparkling #greglambrecht #winepreservation #winegadgets #winetastingpodcast #sparklingwinetest #blindtastingwine #triangletestwine #winetechnology #winetoolsreview #wineeducation #thewineduppodcast #emotionalconnectiontowine #winestories #champagnepreservation #stillwinepreservation #winecollectortools #tastemultiplewines #thewinedup #podcast #winepodcast #interview #wine

Follow Us on YouTube (@TheWinedUp), Instagram (The.Wined.Up), Tik Tok (@TheWinedUp), Spotify (The Wined Up), Amazon Music ( TheWinedUp), and Apple Podcasts (The Wined Up). Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au or email us at info@thewinedup.com.au.

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In this episode of The Wined Up, we sit down with Douglas Neal, a winemaker with decades of experience across Australia, Burgundy, Bordeaux and California. From the first pour, it was clear Doug is on a real mission making great wines accessible again. We talk about rising costs in the wine world, why younger drinkers are being priced out, and why the industry is struggling to balance quality with affordability. Doug breaks down the actual cost pressures on growers, barrels, labour and fruit sourcing, and explains why so many premium bottles have become unreachable for everyday drinkers.

We dive into Shiraz in a big way. Doug talks about why Shiraz is Australia’s most climate suited grape, how it handles heat better than Pinot, and how multi regional blends can still make compelling and consistent wines at fair prices. He explains why he avoids underripe styles, how he builds texture and savoury notes without green stem tannin, and why rocky soils in regions like Pyrenees, Blewitt Springs and Murrumbateman matter so much.

We also explore his Chardonnay work with Gaffy and Neal, the differences between clones, the balance of creaminess and acidity, and why oak should support, not dominate. Doug shares insights from years designing barrels, working with cooperages, and testing forests and grain sizes to create finesse and structure.

Beyond the technical side, we talk about keeping wines under one hundred dollars, the sweet spot for younger drinkers, the pressure on wineries, the future of Australian wine, and the importance of over delivering with every bottle.

Thank you Doug for the great chat! Check out wines by Doug Neal at https://www.winesbydougneal.com/

Subscribe to @‌thewinedup and comment below on your favourite wine from Douglas Neal?👇

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction to High-Quality, Accessible Wines

00:47 Meet Doug Neal from Altera Terra

02:15 Icebreaker Questions with Doug Neal

05:47 Doug Neal's Wine Journey

14:46 Exploring the Gaffy and Neal Partnership

27:06 The Art of Blending and Shiraz

44:16 The Four Building Blocks of Wine

45:04 The Importance of Tasting and Note-Taking

46:00 The Value of Wine Courses and Self-Study

47:07 Learning Through Experience and Travel

49:21 The Evolution of Wine Labels

52:51 Exploring Murrumbateman and Its Wines

01:00:08 The Role of Soil in Wine Quality

01:01:56 Exciting Wine Regions in Australia and New Zealand

01:06:26 The Debate on Single Vineyard Wines

01:17:39 Proudest Moments and Future Aspirations

01:19:54 Final Reflections and Gratitude

#affordablewine #Australianwine #DouglasNeal #Shirazblend #MorningtonPeninsula #Chardonnay #wineaccessibility #winevalue #youngwinedrinkers #GaffyandNeal #AlteraTerra #AustralianShiraz #winemakingprocess #wineindustryAustralia #climatechangeandwine #wineeducation #bestvaluewinesAustralia #multiregionalblends #AustralianChard

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Welcome to Fix Wine Bar + Restaurant in Sydney! We’re sitting down with the man behind one of Australia’s most iconic wine destinations — Stuart Knox, owner, sommelier, and The Real Review wine critic. In this episode, we dive deep into the world of Australian wine, the evolution of Sydney’s wine bar culture, and Stuart’s incredible 20-year journey building Fix into a place “where everyone knows your name.”

We talk about what makes Australian Chardonnay world-class, how the wine scene has shifted over the years, and Stuart’s approach to creating a wine list that celebrates both local producers and unique international bottles. You’ll hear his best tips for food and wine pairing, how to read a wine list without fear, and his philosophy on keeping wine approachable — without the pretentiousness.

If you love wine, hospitality, and good stories, this chat will give you a whole new appreciation for the craft and community behind the glass.

Subscribe to @‌thewinedup and comment on your favourite memory or wine from Fix Wine Bar + Restaurant👇

Check out Fix Wine Bar and Restaurant at https://fixwine.com.au/

Follow Us on Instagram (The.Wined.Up) or TikTok (@thewinedup ).

Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au/ or email us at info@thewinedup.com.au.

Chapters:

00:00 Preview

00:41 Introduction

02:31 The Wined Up Icebreaker questions

10:13 The Story Behind the Red Shoes

11:28 Inside Fix Wine Bar

12:25 Tasting: Rivulet Chardonnay 2024

12:41 Why Australian Chardonnay Is Elite

14:31 Expansion of Tasmanian Wine

15:21 Current Aussie Consumer Trends

15:22 How Stuart Got Into Wine

24:49 From London to Level 41 to Fix

27:12 The Dine & Drink Licence Shift

33:17 The "Cheers" Philosophy

33:58 State of the Sydney Wine Bar Scene

41:44 Tasting: Vino Volta Grenache

43:00 Food Pairing Challenge

46:30 Do Sydney Bars Support NSW Wine Enough?

51:30 Why Fix Doesn’t Focus on “Big Names”

53:16 Wine List Anxiety Explained

55:58 Why You Should Always Reveal Your Budget

57:00 The Reality of Money & Wine

58:56 Inside The Real Review

01:04:35 How to Learn About Wine

01:07:22 Final Reflections & Thank You

#StuartKnox #FixWineBar #Sydneywine #AustralianChardonnay #Australianwinescene #sommelierinterview #wineindustryAustralia #Sydneyrestaurants #winetasting #wineeducation #foodandwinepairing #winebarculture #TheRealReview #Australianwinemakers #ChardonnayAustralia #PinotNoirAustralia #wineinSydney #winecriticsAustralia #Australianwinestories #Sydneyhospitality

Follow Us on YouTube (@TheWinedUp), Instagram (The.Wined.Up), Tik Tok (@TheWinedUp), Spotify (The Wined Up), Amazon Music ( TheWinedUp), and Apple Podcasts (The Wined Up). Visit our website https://www.thewinedup.com.au or email us at info@thewinedup.com.au.

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