Dive into the microscopic world of yeasts and bacteria that transform grape juice into wine. This science-rich story unveils how unique local microbes influence a wine’s flavor – a concept called “microbial terroir” – with researchers finding that native fungi and bacteria add distinctive taste nuances to each vineyard’s wines.

As you listen, savor a naturally fermented wine (made with wild yeasts) to experience the funky, complex flavors that these invisible characters create.

Uncover the dramatic 19th-century saga of the tiny insect that nearly annihilated Europe’s wine industry. This episode narrates how the phylloxera epidemic destroyed roughly two-thirds of European vineyards, throwing growers into crisis, and how an international rescue – grafting European vines onto resilient American rootstocks – saved wine from extinction.

Taste an old-vine wine from an ungrafted vineyard (perhaps from phylloxera-free islands or Chile) as you imagine the flavors of a world before this plague – and appreciate the innovation that preserved wine for the future.

A journey into the world of nearly extinct grape varieties that are being brought back from the brink. Hear how scientists and winemakers use archaeology and DNA sleuthing to revive ancient vines – from Pompeii’s buried vineyards to remote Italian hills – restoring flavors nearly lost to history.

Sip a rare wine made from a revived heritage grape (like a long-forgotten Italian or Georgian variety) as you discover the biodiversity hiding in your glass.

Explore vineyards on the slopes of volcanoes, from Sicily’s smoldering Mt. Etna to Santorini’s ashen cliffs. This episode blends geology and history to show how volcanic earth imparts smoky aromas, fierce acidity, and a “prickly” texture to wines.

Best enjoyed with a glass of a true volcanic wine (perhaps a fiery Etna Rosso or Santorini Assyrtiko) to taste the literal terroir of lava in your glass.