Podcasts have become a huge part of American pop culture in the past few years. According to The Infinite Dial’s 2019 report, 51% of the U.S. population listened to a podcast last year, and more than 30% listened monthly. And while wine is best experienced in a glass, there’s much to learn through wine-related podcasts.
Whether you’re just starting your wine journey or have a cellar chockfull of vintage Champagne, here are eight podcasts devoted to the wide world of wine.
All About Wine
All About Wine is perfect for fans of old-school radio shows like Car Talk. This weekly call-in show is hosted by Ron Hunt, a winemaker, cellar master, vineyardist and tasting expert, who occasionally invites industry guests on the show. Topics can vary throughout the hour, but Hunt typically covers the gamut of current industry news.
Decanted
Hosted by “wannabe wine snobs” Dave Adams and Sandi Everingham, Decanted tends to focus on wines from Washington State, where its hosts are based. Topics for this monthly podcast revolve around Adams and Everingham’s interviewees. Wine Enthusiast Contributing Editor Sean P. Sullivan appeared in the February 2020 episode to discuss a subject he’s particularly passionate about: cork taint.
The Grape Nation
Hosted by wine expert Sam Benrubi, The Grape Nation comes from New York City’s Heritage Radio. Every week brings a new expert guest who recommends a “wine list” at the end of the session. Recent guests have included winemaker/sommelier André Hueston Mack, Robert Mondavi’s Chief Winemaker Genevieve Janssens, and Yannick Benjamin, cofounder and director of Development for Wheeling Forward.
GuildSomm
While most content created by the Guild of Sommeliers is only available to paying members, its podcast is a free way to delve into topics important to its community. The monthly podcast, hosted by Master Sommelier Geoff Kruth, is perfect for wine geeks looking to learn everything from how to manage a vineyard to the role of yeast in wine.
Real Wine People
Anyone who wants to keep up with Australia’s ever-growing wine industry should subscribe to the new podcast from Ben Gould, owner of Blind Corner Wines in Margaret River. Real Wine People’s beginning line-up of guests included winemaker Josephine Perry and wine scientist Ale Schulkin.
The Stories Behind Wine
The Stories Behind Wine is produced by the Napa Valley Wine Academy. Though the podcast was on hiatus in 2019, it’s come back for a new year. The show features shorter interviews covering more advanced topics, with the two most recent guests being Vanessa Conlin MW of Wine Access and Paul Mabray, the founder of Emetry.
Wine for Normal People
Hosted by “wine dork” Sommelier Elizabeth Schneider CSW and “wine-loving normal person” M.C. Ice, Wine for Normal People wants to make the advanced nuances of wine easier for laypeople to understand. Schneider always includes an educational aspect for beginners, from a deep dive into a single topic or an informative interview. The in-depth show notes for every episode allow listeners to keep learning afterwards.
Wine Enthusiast
We’d be remiss to not mention the Wine Enthusiast Podcast. Offering biweekly episodes, our podcast features editors exploring aspects of their specific regions. Last season, this included Managing Editor Lauren Buzzeo discussing Chenin Blanc, and Napa and Sonoma Editor Virginie Boone on Russian River Pinot Noir. Just like the magazine, topics span the world of beer and spirits as well. Look for the new season to start in May 2020.
Last Updated: May 8, 2023
