This week the crew kicks off a new Table Wine mini-series with a surprise twist. Joel, Aaron, and Colin open not one but two bottles from Bollini: a 2024 Pinot Grigio and a 2023 Merlot. The goal is simple. Find affordable, crowd friendly wines you can set on the holiday table without overthinking a thing.

The trio talks through what makes a true table wine, why ABV matters more than you think, and how the 20-20 rule keeps both reds and whites tasting their best. They dig into Bollini’s story, the Dolomites, and why this producer leans on clean, stainless steel winemaking to let their fruit speak for itself.

From pear and green apple freshness in the Pinot Grigio to cherry, strawberry, and a touch of spice in the Merlot, the team breaks down both bottles with their usual blend of curiosity and chaos. Expect friendly debates, plenty of quaffable energy, and a few unexpected detours involving weddings, grocery store wines, and silent haircuts.

If you’re figuring out what to bring to Thanksgiving or just want a couple of budget friendly options that won’t derail dinner, this episode has you covered.

Learn more about Bollini Wine

Bollini Website

http://bollini.wine/

Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!

Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website

⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to the Episode

01:54 - Exploring Table Wines

04:13 Understanding the Concept of Table Wine

06:53 - Wine Reviews: Bollini Pinot Grigio and Merlot

08:45 - Tasting the Bollini Pinot Grigio

13:27 - Tasting the Bollini Merlot

19:08 - Introduction to the 2020 Rule

19:08 - Exploring Bellini Wines

19:10 - Wine Drops

20:39 - Understanding Terroir and Winemaking Styles

24:54 - Wine Reviews

27:34 - Exploring the Pinot Grigio

29:59 - Merlot Review and Comparisons

33:25 - Thanksgiving Wine Recommendations

36:32 - Wrap-Up and Future Episodes

41:00 - Outro

This week we sat down with Antonin Bonnet from Pierre and Antonin in the south of France for an eye opening episode. Antonin is a natural winemaker and he pulled back the curtain on how he and his partner Pierre think about and make wine without all the scary stuff people usually associate with natural bottles.

We got into his wild start in New York, how he and Pierre built their winery from scratch, and why resistant grape varieties might be the future. Colin finally owned his natural wine skepticism, Joel showed up mid-diaper-chaos, and Antonin kept dropping gems while pouring wines that shook up our expectations.

If you’ve ever been curious about natural wine or flat out opposed to it, this episode might flip your perspective. Grab a glass, hit play, and get ready to think about wine in a new way.

Check out Pierre and Antonin

Pierre and Antonin Website

https://pierre-antonin.com/en/

Pierre and Antonin on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/pierreetantonin/

Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!

Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website

⁠⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/⁠

00:00 Intro and Welcome
01:02 Meet Antonin Bonnet from Pierre and Antonin
02:42 First Natural Wine on the Show
04:10 How Antonin and Pierre Met in NYC
07:15 Discovering Natural Wine in Brooklyn
09:55 Colin Admits His Natural Wine Fears
11:40 Avoiding Funk and Flaws in Natural Wine
14:15 Fermentation, Acidity, and Staying Clean
17:40 Resistant Grapes Explained
21:30 Sustainable Viticulture and No Chemicals
24:10 Packaging and Carbon Footprint Choices
27:05 Why Take the Hard Road in Winemaking
30:20 Making Natural Wine That Still Tastes Great
34:05 Growing a Winery From Scratch
37:20 Selling Wine in the US Market
40:30 Tradition vs Innovation
44:00 Lessons from Early Vintages
46:55 Future of Resistant Varieties
49:20 Final Thoughts and Takeaways
52:35 Sips, Laughs, and Goodbyes

This week on Stop Wasting Your Wine, we bring an exciting close to our Nebbiolo journey. We are diving into Barolo, the king of wines, and pouring the Priore Barolo 2021 from Cantine Povero. We look back at the bottles that led us here, compare Barolo with Barbaresco, and talk through what makes Nebbiolo so special. Expect honest thoughts on tannin, age, and why patience is part of the Barolo experience.

On this episode, we share our tasting notes, explore how this wine evolves in the glass, and give appreciation to the producers behind it. Then the mood shifts as we roll out a new game called Merlot or Malarkey, where we try to separate real wine facts from pure fiction.

We wrap by talking about the value of wine community and the joy of learning together.

If you are curious about Nebbiolo or want a deeper feel for Barolo, this episode brings you right into the conversation.

Learn More About Cantine Povero

⁠https://cantinepovero.com/en/⁠

Connect with Cantine Povero on Instagram

⁠https://www.instagram.com/cantinepovero/⁠

⁠⁠

Connect with the show. We would love to hear from you!

Stop Wasting Your Wine on Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/stopwastingyourwine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stop Wasting Your Wine on YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@StopWastingYourWine⁠⁠⁠

The Stop Wasting Your Wine Website

⁠⁠https://stopwastingyourwine.com/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Barolo Week
02:12 Our Journey of Nebbiolo Wines
05:09 Exploring the Priore Barolo 2021
06:39 Tasting Notes and First Impressions
08:47 Comparative Analysis of Nebbiolo Wines
10:55 Deep Dive into Flavor Profiles
13:28 Final Thoughts and Wine Drops
16:27 Exploring Barolo and Barbaresco
21:36 The Impact of Terroir on Wine
26:09 Aging and Its Influence on Flavor
28:39 Tasting Notes and Flavor Profiles
33:41 Final Thoughts and Reflections
35:08 Introduction to the Game: Merlot or Malarkey
35:57 Exploring Barolo: Fun Facts and Trivia
39:23 The Race for Knowledge: Barolo Trivia Challenge
42:07 Conclusion: Reflections on Barolo and the Game