Category: Wine Education

Wine Podcasts

Perfect for wine students, WSET candidates, and serious learners

Wine 101

Hosted by: Keith Beavers
Synopsis: Wine 101 is an educational podcast for the everyday wine lover, inspired by one of VinePair’s most popular site sections. Keith Beavers breaks down wine regions, grape varieties, and wine history in an approachable fashion that’s never patronizing.
Episodes: 274 | Started: 2019 | Country: United States
🔗 Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wine-101/id1513213967

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I’ll Drink to That!

Hosted by: Levi Dalton
Synopsis: A former sommelier interviews incredibly famous and knowledgeable wine personalities in his tiny apartment. He gets them to talk candidly about their lives and work, and then shares the conversations with you. Not afraid of going down the rabbit hole – episodes can be over 90 minutes long!
Episodes: 503 | Started: 2012 | Country: United States
Status: Active

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Matthew’s World of Wine and Drink

Hosted by: Matthew Gaughan (DipWSET, Certified WSET Educator)
Synopsis: An educational podcast designed to help students learn about regions, grape varieties, and the overall culture of wine. In Matthew’s eyes, wine is an introduction to culture, history, science, geography, language, and people.
Episodes: 236 | Started: 2017 | Country: United States
🔗 Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/matthews-world-of-wine-and-drink/id1249488187

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Wine for Normal People

Hosted by: Elizabeth Schneider
Synopsis: The Wine For Normal People Podcast is for people who like wine, but not the snobbery that goes with it. Sommelier Elizabeth Schneider and wine-loving husband M.C. Ice translate wine into terms anyone can relate to.
Episodes: 572 | Started: 2011 | Country: United States
Status: Active
🔗 Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wine-for-normal-people/id413879919

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GuildSomm Podcast

Hosted by: Various Hosts
Synopsis: Wine podcasts from GuildSomm featuring various wine and beverage industry guests. Provides insightful information supporting wine certification programs worldwide. While GuildSomm membership is paid, the podcast is completely free.
Episodes: 50 | Started: 2011 | Country: United States
Status: Active

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Inside Winemaking

Hosted by: Jim Duane (Winemaker, grape-grower, wine educator)
Synopsis: Dive deep into the techniques, challenges, and insights of professional winemaking with candid interviews and expert guidance from Napa Valley winemaker Jim Duane. Non-traditional, informative, and entertaining.
Episodes: 200 | Started: 2014 | Country: United States
⭐ Apple Rating: 4.8/5
🔗 Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-winemaking-the-art-and-science-of/id906249753

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The Best 5 Minute Wine Podcast

Hosted by: Forrest Kelly
Synopsis: The Best 5 Minute Wine Podcast delivers captivating wine stories, insider secrets, and winemaker wisdom—all in a quick, flavorful pour in 5 minutes. Perfect for busy wine lovers.
Episodes: 230 | Started: 2020 | Country: United States
⭐ Apple Rating: 4.8/5
🔗 Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-5-minute-wine-podcast/id1499244260

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Glass in Session

Hosted by: Val Caruso
Synopsis: Glass in Session’s mission is to educate, entertain, and empower the wine learner, wine lover, or wine curious by seeking out the fun – and sometimes funny – side of education.
Country: United States
Status: Active

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Everyday Sommelier

Hosted by: Kristi Mayfield
Synopsis: Everyday Sommelier is a modern wine podcast that blends expert insights with approachable education and cutting-edge AI tools helping wine lovers, pros, and the wine-curious learn wine their way.
Episodes: 38 | Country: USA
Status: Active

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Grape Masters

Hosted by: Niels Aarts
Synopsis: Grape Masters, by Dutch Wine Apprentice, brings you exclusive interviews with leading wineries and iconic winemakers through 1:1 interviews.
Episodes: 12 | Started: 2024 | Country: Netherlands
Status: Active

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Wine Vault

Hosted by: Robert Dern
Synopsis: The Wine Vault is a podcast where the focus is on wine and irreverence, but not necessarily in that order. So join us and learn a little about wine, a little about culture, and have a laugh.
Episodes: 480 | Started: 2017 | Country: United States
Status: Active

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Stop Wasting Your Wine

Hosted by: Aaron, Colin & Joel
Synopsis: A wine review podcast where we review wine to help you find great bottles that deliver serious value, meeting some folks and learning a little along the way.
Episodes: 104 | Started: 2023 | Country: United States
Status: Active

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Exploring the Wine Glass

Hosted by: Lori Budd
Synopsis: I promise I’ll never tell you what to drink, but I’ll always share what’s in my glass. Telling the stories behind the glass.
Episodes: 390 | Country: United States
Status: Active

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Oregon Wine History Archive Podcast

Hosted by: Rich Schmidt
Synopsis: The Oregon Wine History Archive Podcast aims to link the past, present, and future of the industry in hopes of sharing the story of Oregon wine.
Episodes: 793 | Started: 2019 | Country: United States
Status: Active

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Looking Into Wine

Hosted by: Mattia Scarpazza
Synopsis: Global Wine specialists, answers to key topic on the industry.
Episodes: 51 | Started: 2020 | Country: United Kingdom
Status: Active

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Everybody Needs A Bit Of Scienza

Hosted by: Prof. Attilio Scienza
Synopsis: In concise 10–20 minute episodes, Prof. Attilio Scienza breaks down the science behind grape growing, winemaking techniques, and vineyard terroir delivering digestible, research-based insights to trade professionals and wine students.
Episodes: 261 | Started: 2019 | Country: Italy
Languages: Italian, English

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Masterclass US Wine Market

Hosted by: Barbara Fitzgerald & Juliana Colangelo
Synopsis: Masterclass US Wine Market is a podcast that demystifies the complexities of the U.S. wine industry, offering strategic insights for global producers, especially Italian wineries, seeking success in the American market.
Episodes: 118 | Started: 2023 | Country: Italy
Status: Active

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Wine Spectator’s Straight Talk

Hosted by: James Molesworth
Synopsis: Wine Spectator’s monthly podcast features in-depth interviews with winemaking stars, industry news analysis, and expert wine education hosted by Senior Editor James Molesworth.
Episodes: 29 | Started: 2016 | Country: United States
Status: Active

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The Wine Enthusiast Podcast

Hosted by: Various Hosts
Synopsis: Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s biweekly podcast explores emerging trends, educational insights, and behind-the-scenes stories from the world of wine, beer, and spirits through interviews with industry professionals and expert commentary.
Episodes: 199 | Started: 2016 | Country: United States

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Vint Wine Podcast

Hosted by: Billy Galanko
Synopsis: The Vint Wine Podcast explores the world of fine wine through in-depth conversations with top winemakers, critics, and industry experts, offering insight into the people, places, and stories shaping global wine culture.
Episodes: 203 | Started: 2021 | Country: United States
Status: Active

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Interpreting Wine

Hosted by: Lawrence Francis
Synopsis: The Interpreting Wine podcast delivers engaging conversations with winemakers across 590+ episodes using a proprietary Six Wine Stories framework that helps wineries move beyond boring technical descriptions to stories that actually connect.
Episodes: 590 | Started: 2017 | Country: United Kingdom
Status: Active

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Wine & Hip Hop

Hosted by: Jermaine Stone
Synopsis: Jermaine Stone merges wine education with hip-hop culture in a weekly 30-minute show featuring artist interviews, cultural history, and expert wine–music pairings.
Episodes: 108 | Started: 2022 | Country: United States
Status: Active

THE ARCHITECT – Graciano

The grape winemakers love and growers avoid

Graciano accounts for around 2% of La Rioja’s red grape plantings. Before phylloxera devastated European vineyards in the late 1800s, there was significantly more Graciano planted in Rioja.

The problem was economics. Graciano is low-yielding, ripens late, and is prone to rot and downy mildew. Growers replaced it with easier options.

But winemakers never stopped wanting it. Graciano produces wines with intense red color with violet hints and high aromatic intensity. It’s ideal for aging wines, thanks to its polyphenol content and notably high acidity compared to other Rioja varieties.

In blends, Graciano provides deep color, structure, and marked acidity. It needs clay-limestone soils and consistent warmth to ripen properly, which is why it’s found more commonly in the warmer Rioja Oriental region.

The grape is fairly resistant to mildew and powdery mildew. Because it ripens late, Graciano needs heat through the growing season to avoid strong vegetal notes.

Single-variety Graciano wines are rare but increasingly available as winemakers recognize what this grape can do. When you find one, you’re tasting something that almost disappeared completely.

THE COLOR GUARD – Garnacha (Grenache)

The grape that almost disappeared

Garnacha makes up around 7-8% of La Rioja’s red grape plantings today. Thirty years ago, there was much more of it planted across the region.

In the 1980s and 1990s, many growers replaced their Garnacha vines with Tempranillo, which was easier to sell and more fashionable. But Garnacha has qualities that are becoming more valuable with climate change – it’s drought-resistant and handles heat well.

You’ll find Garnacha vineyards scattered across all three Rioja sub-regions, from around 400 meters elevation up to around 700 meters. The grape tends to produce lower yields than Tempranillo and is prone to poor fruit set after flowering, which historically made it less popular with growers focused on quantity.

In blends, Garnacha adds body, fruitiness, and sweet red fruit flavors. It brings delicate floral aromas and what winemakers call “mid-palate succulence” – that juicy, mouth-filling quality.

The best Garnacha comes from old vines grown with low yields. In Rioja Oriental, where conditions are warmer and drier, the grape shows particularly well. Some producers are now making single-variety Garnacha wines that showcase the grape’s ability to reflect specific terroirs.

THE FOUNDATION – Tempranillo

The grape that built La Rioja

Tempranillo accounts for around 75-80% of red grape plantings in La Rioja. Its name comes from “temprano” (early in Spanish), because it ripens about two weeks earlier than most varieties in the region.

In Rioja, Tempranillo thrives across vineyard elevations ranging from around 300 to 800 meters above sea level. The grape produces wines with moderate tannins and acidity, making it versatile for everything from fresh young wines to bottles that can age for decades.

The variety performs well in cooler climates with good temperature variations between day and night. In these conditions, it produces structured wines with red fruit flavors, along with notes of tobacco and leather as they age.

Tempranillo has been the backbone of Rioja’s winemaking for centuries. The grape responds exceptionally well to oak aging – traditionally American oak, which gives vanilla and coconut notes, though many producers now also use French oak for more subtle spice characteristics.

You’ll find Tempranillo as a single-variety wine or blended with Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo. Each combination brings out different aspects of the grape’s personality, from bright and fruity to complex and age-worthy.