When You Just Want A Glass Of Wine

Zena and Renée and Jimi hanging out by the cold plunge pool recapping the magic...and maybe a song or two....We taped this recap in our bathing suits at Loisium Wine & Spa Hotel, which tells you pretty much everything about our priorities by Day 2. 🤣We were only a day and a half in and already had a lot to talk about. First stop, Paul D in the Wagram. Weissburgunder that had us doing a double take (because, surprise, Pinot Blanc not Chardonnay) + Gemischter Satz, Frizzante, white asparagus season, strawberry season and Jimi discovering what may have been his true reason for coming to Austria: the tractor.He was very happy. The chickens also appeared to be having an excellent day.Then we left the Wagram for Kamptal and checked into the hotel, where we took the bottle of Handwerk Grüner that Paul had given us to the pool. ‘Cuz obviously.We opened the Handwerk and a Kloster Eberbach, recorded two “What’s in Renée’s Glass” episodes (including a German Pinot Noir!) and continued the very important work of drinking wine in our 👙 🩱.At the Steiningers our tasting turned into one of those nights that starts with 🥂 and ends with strawberry ice cream and Zweigelt Sekt, talking about traditional method sparkling wine, why they skip that second dosage for a cleaner, clearer style and a deep dive into Grüner Veltliner, including what gives it that very Grüner character and how the big day to night temp swing shapes the wine.But the thing that kept coming up everywhere was family. 💜 Kids working with parents. Parents working with grandparents. Generations of stories, vineyards and knowledge all wrapped into the wines.Austria in Two Days: Paul D, Steininger, Grüner, Sekt, tractors, chickens, asparagus, strawberries and podcasting in bathing suits talking about wine. Consider this the warm up. ♥️ 🇦🇹

The 2023 Left Foot Charley, Old Mission Peninsula Vineyards, Bläufrankisch! Michigan for the win again!

What a day! Zena and Renée get a behind-the-scenes tour at The Oak Cooperage, one of the premier cooperages in the world, led by Master Cooper Danny Orton (1 of only 50 Master Coopers in the US!). Join us as we "raise the barrel" and learn about, seasoning, toasting, bending the staves, and the importance of consistency with your palate. We learn about the partnership with Silver Oak winery who partnered with the cooperage in 2000 and in 2015, purchased the cooperage outright.Cheers to Tara Kunze, The Oak's fantastic office clerk, for helping schedule everything and for hosting us as well.

2024 Bedell White Franc Blanc Wells Road Vineyard - North Fork. A white Cabernet Franc! Glorious wine!!!

Our first stop in Missouri! Zena and Renée launch their Missouri Wine Road Trip in historic Rocheport, Mo at the Les Bourgeois Vineyards with Marketing Director Christina Kelley - who introduces Renée to her new favorite grape, the Missouri-grown St. Vincent with a crisp, lovely dry méthode traditionnelle Brut Rosé, followed by an amazing tasting with Les Bourgeois' tasting room manager, Natalie, where we tried chambourcins, chardonels and, Zena's favorite on the day, a lovely bottle of Solay (a blend of Chardonel, Vidal Blanc, Vignoles). We ended the tour, joined by Renée's family at the A-Frame bluff top wine garden overlooking the stunning Missouri River (with special guest - the bald eagle that decided to hang out on the sandbar) with a fantastic bottle of Brut Sparkling Wine, a dry Vidal Blanc made in the méthode traditionnelle. Putting to rest, once and for all, the myth that all Missouri wines are sweet.

A beautiful old vines wine from Zena’s friends in Uruguay: Cerro Chapeu Cabernet Sauvignon! This week, we’re heading to Uruguay for a Cabernet Sauvignon that has a lot more going on than you might expect.Cerro Chapeu Cabernet Sauvignon comes from old vines planted in 1978, deep red Batoví soils, and a gravity-flow winery built right into the hillside. We talk about the Carrau family’s ten generations of winemaking, native yeast fermentation, and the work of our friend Francisco Carrau, whose research has helped shape the winery’s distinctive approach to fermentation and terroir.We also dig into why Cabernet works so well in northern Uruguay, how this wine lands somewhere between the elegance of Bordeaux and the generosity of the New World, and because it’s Cabernet Sauvignon we go back to France for a little grape history, including the very surprising parentage of one of the world’s most famous red grapes.Pour a glass and join us for another edition of What’s in Renée’s Glass?

Join Zena and Jimi, and their friends Jon and Kelly, on location at Kloster Eberbach in Germany’s Rheingau, a nearly 900-year-old former Cistercian monastery with one of the region’s most important wine histories. After an intensive tasting and a tour through the monastery, they sit down to talk Riesling, Pinot Noir, terroir and the way climate can completely reshape a wine. They also decode some of the language that can make German wine feel intimidating and talk about how those words can help you understand what is actually in the bottle.One of the most revealing moments comes when they taste two consecutive vintages of Kloster Eberbach’s Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Spätburgunder GG from the same vineyard. Jimi is drawn to the cooler, more taut 2021, while Kelly prefers the warmer, riper 2022. Same parcel, same grape, same producer but two growing seasons and two distinctly different expressions of place. It’s wine, history, vintage variation and a little friendly disagreement, recorded onsite at Kloster Eberbach. Prost from the Rheingau!

Why it's a 2022 Papillon Lavoignat, Mâcon-Péronne, Chardonnay!

Zena and Renée play a little wine roulette pulling from deep in their "cellars". Join us while we discuss how to properly store wine, how (and when) to send wine back, and how to tell whether it's truly faulty or just not your palate. We're drinking a 2014 Greenhill Ontology (100% Chambourcin) from Middleburg, VA, a 2010 Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano Incanta (primarily Sangiovese), a 2010 Nerello Mascalese from Calabretta Azienda Vinicola from Sicily, a 2010 Dunn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Howell Mountain, and the "grandad" of the group, a 2004 Alder Brook Old Vine Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley. Did we find faults or favorites?

Zena & Renée (and Jimi!) coming to you live from the pool deck of the Loisium Hotel for this special episode of What's in Renée's Glass? Why it's a Kloster Eberbach Berg Schlossberg Spätburgunder GG from the Rheingau!!

Join Zena, Renée, Holly Feraci , Kathy Lang Wiedemann and Matt Fitzsimmons as they hit their favorite VA wineries.Cheers to Glen Manor Vineyards and Linden Vineyards for their hospitality!

Ah....it's a Chenin Blanc! The beautiful 2024 Domaine Mandard Jean-Christophe Chenin Blanc.

What a night! Join Zena, Renée, Klaus, Her Excellency Ambassador Schneebauer and their friends for a celebration of all things Austria! We reminisce about when Beauty Champagne and Sugar Boutique joined KWSelections for five magical days in Austria. Cheers to Klaus Wittauer, and Sebastian Lin (our fantastic driver throughout - who made sure we had AC and ice cream!), and all the families who welcomed us into their homes, their wineries their world.

Jimi and Renée talk about upcoming Guy Talk episodes! Cigars, snowboards, bourbon! Oh yeah, and wine, of course!

Zena and Renée talk about the upcoming highlights for Season 4!

Zena and Renée talk about some of their favorite moments from Season 3 of When You Just Want a Glass of Wine!

Glorious Cabernet Franc!!! Two very different expressions of Renée's favorite grape! A 2022 Tuffe Château du Hureau from Saumur-Champigny, Loire, France and a 2020 Aurora Vin du Montagne from the village of Aoura in Lebanon!Cheers to podcast friend, Andrew Stover for these treats!

A little age, a little leg, some jewel tones, a perfect blend of acid and whiskey, This woman is ready for a night out! The 2020 One Woman Cabernet Franc from the North Fork of Long Island!

Five wines. Four Vintages. Three Countries. Two Continents. One grape. Behold the "voluptuous beast" that is Cabernet Franc. Join us as we linger over a 2022 Catherine et Pierre Breton Les Beaux Monts Chinon, a 2012 Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg, a 2022 Two Wolves Estate Vineyard Cabernet Franc, a 2023 Glen Manor Vineyards Cabernet Franc, and a 2020 Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso. Whether you're pairing with an aged gouda, pepper salami or a good therapy session, you're gonna love this grape!Postscript: Wow, did those wines evolve in the glass! We kept tasting after the mics were turned off, and they were all amazing and different an hour later. Cheers to our friends Leslie and Jenn for tasting with us, and to Jimi for being our chef on the night! To Cassie Gonce at Glen Manor for the tasting notes, Ray Isle for the Breton recommendation, and vicariously for the Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso recommendation, to Alecia Moore and the Two Wolves Tribe for the Charly Foucault and Clos Rougeard story.

Four varietals you say? Acid you say? A little zing in the glass? A classic Austrian Gemischter Satz from Paul D! A field blend of Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Zweigelt and Müller-Thurgau.

Violet, lavender, dark fruit, herbs, a little white pepper? Usually in the shadow of the stars, but this backup singer is stepping to the front! Join podcast friend, Nick Materese as we explore six PVs from all over the world!Cheers to Nick Materese.

A spectacular and unexpected Petit Manning (a little Viognier!). A gorgeous Uruguayan Petit Manseng, Viognier blend from En Cerro Chapeu.

At Beauty, we sat down with Todd DeVincenzi and Alexandra Calla to talk about Inglenook, not just as a winery, but as a living legacy. From its roots as one of Napa’s earliest estates to its restoration over the past 50 years by Francis Ford Coppola and his late wife, Eleanor, this is a story shaped by vision, care and a deep connection to place.We explore what “old Napa” really means, why Rutherford Bench matters, and how Inglenook continues to champion balance, structure, and age-worthy wines in a region often defined by excess. It’s a conversation about history, stewardship, and what it takes to carry something forward, while staying true to what made it special in the first place.What’s in our glasses? These five beauties!

Why, it's a Dolcetto from Piemonte!

Today we’re pairing wine with Greek ice cream at Yala Greek Ice Cream. Because sometimes wine smells like cherries, and sometimes… you just want the cherries. Preferably swirled into Greek ice cream. 😊 We’re here today with our friend and the founder, Chrys Kefalas at this Georgetown icon pairing authentic Greek‑style scoops to Greek Wine! We're pairing Domaine Karanika Brut Rosé, Macedonia with Papou’s Promise, Domaine Glinavos “Paleokerisio,” Zitsa, Epirus with Kataifi, Monemvasia “Anthosmias” Rosé, Peloponnese with Yia Mas (Wild Cherry), and Monemvasia “Jackal” Limniona, Peloponnese with Black Cherry OPA!Cheers to Yala Greek Ice Cream, Chrys Kefalas, and Papou!

Reminds me of outside the Big Hunt in the 90s! Cloves and super ripe fruit! It’s a Barbera! 2019 Barbera Make sure you always swirl before you chat!

In this special podcast, we're supporting an amazing organization. Founded by the children of Mrs. Edith Purter Wright, who courageously battled breast cancer until her passing at the young age of 39, The Edith P. Wright Breast Cancer Foundation is a Maryland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness, supporting families, and funding initiatives that make a difference in the fight against breast cancer. We discovered this amazing organization when Bellezza Wine Club Member, Stanley Wright, brought his sisters Miriam Wright and Wendy Wright Johnson to Beauty as a stop on one of their Pink Stars outings! We're pouring the Hillinger Secco Rosé which supports breast cancer research in Austria and talking to people about who they're supporting. We were thrilled to sponsor this amazing organization!Cheers to The Edith P. Wright Breast Cancer Foundation!

Radicchio? Nah, it's a Verdicchio! AKA the 2022 MARIA ZENA VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI CLASSICO!

Join us for a special episode featuring Beauty Champagne and Sugar Boutique's Grape School! A deep dive on a single varietal. Austrian wine legend, and podcast friend, Klaus Wittauer, leads us through a discussion of 5 Grüner Veltliners by a single producer, Weingut Steininger that demonstrate an extraordinary range of winemaking. And a couple bonus wines! The PaulD Zweigelt Rosé, and the Steininger Kittsmansberg Grüner Veltliner Reserve.Cheers to Klaus Wittauer!

A little dusky on the nose...Old World. A 2021 Modero 8 Gocce Rosso from Piemonte. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Barbera, Dolcetto, Freisa, Bonarda, and Albarossa. Blends are always fun - and always a challenge. Particularly in Italy where they do marvelous blends of native and international varietals. It's all delicious! But they can be difficult to research so at the end of the day - trust your taste!

Zena and Renée along with friends Andrew Stover and Chris Rivera, take on five wines, three continents, and two "worlds" (and states!), and one remarkable grape. Europe, Africa and North America. Two French, one South African, One Texan and a Virginian...Glorious all!Cheers to Andrew Stover, Chris Rivera, the 2023 Vouvray Vigneau Selection, the 2020 Domaine du Petit Métris Savennières Close de la Marche, the 2024 Kumusha Wines, Chenin Blanc Breedekloof, McPherson Cellars 2024 Chenin Blanc Dry Vasquez Vineyard, and the 2023 Greenhill Winery Chenin Blanc.

Got that deep ripe red fruit, baking spices, subtle oak, vibe...it's a Calistoga 2022 Fairy Ring Zinfandel!Cheers to Judy Morse for the fabulous bottle!NOTE: Turns out it's known for being an "old vine" offering!

Oak, smoke and jokes. What happens when you put serious whiskey drinkers at a table with some great red wine? Guy Talk with Jimi, of course! Along with Zena and Jimi's very dear friends Dianne and David Lane.Cheers to Dianne, David, the 2020 Hawkes Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2023 Rocks Edge Zinfandel from Bella Vineyards, Eagle Rare 10 Years, Pearse Irish Whiskey 7 Year Blended Irish Whiskey.

Chenin Blanc all day long baby! 5 Chenins. Two "worlds". Three continents and two states. Listen along and see if Renée nails it!

From bungee jumping with New Zealand winemakers, to a near helicopter crash in Virginia wine country with Chef José Andres, to an ear on the ground listening to the vineyard at a biodynamic winery in Austria, to the birthplace of wine in ancient Georgia: Food and Wine Executive Wine Editor, and author of the beautiful book, The World in a Wine Glass, Ray Isle has seen and done a lot in his 26 years as a wine writer. And he's just as curious today as he's ever been. He's also a really cool guy! Join us with this amazing storyteller as we traverse years and vineyards to learn the Stories in a Glass.Cheers to Robin Epperson-McCarthy of Saltbird Cellars for the Saltbird Migratus, Jeff White and Cassie Gonce of Glen Manor Vineyards for the 2023 Cabernet Franc, and to Jenn Rogers for being videographer extraordinaire!

Rose petals, blood orange, sour cherry, tannin for days and smooth acid? Sangiovese baby aka The Sandy Giovese Vino Rosso aka the best box wine you've had! 100% organically farmed! The perfect chillable red for your summer!

Here's to the wines we loved a little too long, the ones we swore we were done with, and the ones that surprise us in the best way. To toxic exes, better choices and women who know exactly what they're pouring and why! Joining us is the amazing best-selling author Renee Ventrice to discuss her book "Pour Relationship Choices-Every Sip Tells a Story Beyond the Glass".Cheers to Holly Rocco Feraci, Renee Ventrice, Barboursville

Kryptonite! Or rather Trousseau - that sneaky little Bastardo! The 2023 Rootdown Trousseau from St. Amant Vineyard.

"To every woman, every story, every shared glass."HER 2025 Rosé, HER Sauvignon BlancAslina Wines-nDuds White, nDuds RedPuriri Hills 2020 Estate ClevedonThanks to all the women winemakers out there! Cheers! Fun Fact, women have better senses of smell and taste than men, so as Gray said, "the world is suffering because there are more male winemakers than women."Cheers to Praisy Dlamini, General Manager and Winemaker at HER Wine (and her all black women team!), Ntsiki Biyela, the first black woman winemaker on the continent of Africa, of Aslina Wines (named after her beloved grandmother!), and Judy Fowler founder of Puriri Hills, yet another badass. Shout out to Andrew Stover and Gray Mosby for the pours!

A 2021 P.S. Santa Barbara County Piedrasassi Syrah! Bacon, smoke and pepper on the nose, Syrah in the glass!

Today we are truly honored to be joined by the amazing Austrian Ambassador to the US, Petra Schneebauer. Teacher, lawyer, linguist, diplomat. Promotor of all things Austria! Ambassador Schneebauer joined us along with the amazing Finja Draxler, Director/Counselor of the Press and Information Service of the Embassy to discuss Austria's extraordinary wine heritage - and pour some amazing Austrian Wines!

Red fruit and baking spice, bacon and peppercorn, whole cluster, cool climate, acid and tannin, New World....If you ever get the chance to be ambushed into a blind tasting, make sure it's a 2023 Cristom Eola-Amity Hills Syrah from the Louise Vineyard in the Willamette Valley! Only 400 vines on 1/3 of an acre...and they only make this baby when everything is just right. Big shout out to our friend Holly Feraci for sharing this beautiful wine from her personal wine cellar. And who's that special guest that popped in????

We're excited to welcome Latoya S. Jordan and Brianna Shelko of Atlanta-based Marble Wines-a Female founded label that is intentional about partnering with artists and winemakers who are aligned with their desire to bring beauty and belonging to the world of wine. A philosophy that's right up our alley!Join us as we discuss their philosophy, the amazing creatives they work with and how they are creating sonic branding with mnemonic wine tasting experiences. We're obsessed! Wine is emotion and the women at Marble Wines are capturing that!Cheers to: Marble Wines, Latoya S. Jordan, Brianna Shelko, Level Up Music Productions, Chris Christensen, Perryn Ryan Ford, and as always, Two Wolves Wines.

Our good friend Holly Rocco Feraci, CSW, DipWSET, Sommelier, National Sales Director & Chief Sommelier at Barboursville Vineyards joins us for a sneak peek at this year's Governor's Cup! We’re pouring Barboursville 2024 Vermentino and the iconic Octagon 2019, both Governor’s Cup Gold winners, and talking about the wines we’re excited to taste at the Governor’s Cup Gala on March 16.

Muscadet!! One of my favorite regions in France, Loire! Melon de Borgogne...An unusual but delicious example of this fantastic food friendly wine. Shout out to one of favorites, Andrew Stover, who dropped in to blind Renée (personally, Renée thinks he takes a little too much pleasure in trying to stump her...), with this lovely La Briaudière, Vielles Vignes Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Sur lie.

What's the community/economic development leadership equivalent of terroir? This week's guest! Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, President & CEO of National Landing BID joins us for a joyful conversation about creating community and a sense of place...kinda like terroir. She's an innovative urbanist and planner focused on helping communities shape and implement plans for neighborhood and downtown vibrancy, inclusive economic development, capital investment, and programming. And she's in our neighborhood! And she likes a good orange/amber wine. We're sipping the 2023 RocketFish from Slater Run, 100% Viognier, a Governor's Cup submission, and one of VinePair's best 25 orange wines of 2025.Cheers to Slater Run Vineyard. VinePair, National Landing BID. Photo: Washington Business Journal

Her favorite varietal that's what! Cabernet Franc for the win! Slater Run's lovely 2022 Cab Franc was throwing lovely dark fruit and violets...or as Renée said, "hello darkness, my old friend...." See, she doesn't just quote P!nk lyrics!

Guy Talk at with Jimi brings wine into the snowboard world - no rules, no pressure. Joined by fellow snowboard instructors, Henry Gallo & Fisher Boeckmann who are at different stages of their wine journeys, Jimi and Zena talk earned drinks, confidence, dating menus, favorite bottles and how wine connects to memory. From Barboursville Merlot to Willamette Valley Chardonnay to Elijah Craig Bourbon to après-snowboard truths, this episode is about drinking what you like and riding your own line. Do you remember your first snowboard?

There's nothing like sitting in a beautiful tasting room, with a brilliant creative vigneron and vintner, doing a side-by-side tasting of his French and Virginia chardonnays. The delightful Michael Shaps of Michael Shaps Winery and Maison Shaps joins us for an old world/new world discussion that's a lively as his wines! 2022 Michael Shaps Wild Meadow Vineyard Chardonnay and the 2023 Maison Shaps Les Chazots, Bourgone Côte-D'Or Chardonnay. Cheers to: Lycée Viticole de Beaune, Maison Chartron et Trebuchet, #puncheon #newfrenchoak #garagiste

Gamay! In this episode of What’s in Renée’s Glass, we’re pouring 2024 Château Cambon 100% Gamay from Beaujolais, France—a bright, joyful red that reminds us why Gamay deserves a permanent spot in your rotation. Fresh red berries, a hint of violet, soft tannins, and mouthwatering acidity make this wine effortlessly drinkable.We also explore the story behind Château Cambon and the thoughtful philosophy that keeps this wine true to place. It’s Beaujolais at its most honest. It’s approachable and exactly the kind of bottle you open when you just want a glass of wine.