Washington wine may be known for its big, bold reds, but Yakima Valley has a much more unexpected side.

Winemaker Dusty Jenkins is embracing that side through Sage Rat Wine, where he creates fresh, approachable wines that offer a different perspective on what Washington wine can be. After leaving a career in film and moving to Walla Walla to study winemaking, Dusty eventually found his way back to the Yakima Valley, where the freedom to do things a little differently became the perfect fit for the wines he wanted to make.

In this episode, Dusty shares how winning half a ton of grapes unexpectedly led to the creation of Sage Rat, where the unusual name came from, and why he sees Yakima Valley as an underdog in Washington wine. We also get into the diversity of grapes grown throughout the region, his "ready for anything" approach to wine, what sustainability means at Sage Rat, and the three wines he recommends trying for a taste of what he's creating.

If your idea of Washington wine starts and ends with big reds, this episode will introduce you to a different side of what the state can produce.
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Episode Highlights:

• Dusty's unexpected path from film to wine
  
• The harvest that changed his approach to winemaking
  
• How winning half a ton of grapes started Sage Rat
  
• The story behind the Sage Rat name
  
• Dusty's "ready for anything" wine philosophy
  
• Why Yakima Valley is a wine underdog
  
• The diversity of grapes grown in Yakima Valley
  
• Making lighter, fresher Washington wines
  
• What sustainable winemaking means at Sage Rat
  
• Three Sage Rat wines to try
  

Some of the best wines on the shelf are the ones most people overlook.

It's easy to fall into the habit of reaching for the same familiar bottles, but there are so many incredible wines that don't get nearly the attention they deserve. In this episode, I’m sharing underrated wines that offer great flavor, plenty of personality, and often a great value simply because they aren't the names everyone already knows. 

From crisp, salty Muscadet and sparkling red Lambrusco to Chenin Blanc, dry Riesling, Austrian reds, Greek varieties, and Portuguese wines, you'll discover what each one tastes like, what to look for on the label, and where to find some of the best examples. You'll also get food pairing ideas along the way, whether you're ordering wine for a table full of different dishes, planning pizza night, grilling burgers, or looking for the perfect bottle to drink on a hot summer day.

If you're ready to branch out from your usual wine order, this episode will give you plenty of new bottles to look for the next time you're at a wine shop or scanning a restaurant wine list.

​Wines & Regions Mentioned:

• Muscadet
  
  • Sur lie
    
  • Sevre et Maine
    
• Lambrusco
  
  • Riunite Lambrusco
    
  • Lini 910 Lambrusco 
    
• Chenin Blanc
  
  • Vouvray 
    
  • Saumur
    
  • Coteaux du Layon
    
  • Crémant de Limoux
    
• Dry Riesling
  
  • Germany “Trocken”
    
  • Mosel
    
  • Rheingau
    
  • Pfalz
    
• Frappato
  
• Austria Reds
  
  • Zweigelt
    
  • Blaufrankisch
    
    • Goes by many names in other countries:
      
    • Germany: Lemberger
      
    • Hungary: Kekfrankos
      
    • Slovenia: Modra Frankinja
      
    • Romania: Gamé
      
    • Croatia: Frankovka
      
    • Italy: Franconia Nera
      
• Greek Wines
  
  • Assyrtiko
    
  • Moschofilero
    
  • Agiorgitiko
    
  • Xinomavro
    
• Portugal 
  
  • Vinho Verde
    
  • Baga
    
  • Alentejo
    

​At 32 years old, Amy Yancey was told it might be time to retire because she was losing her sight. She wasn't ready to walk away from wine.

After more than a decade in the wine industry, Amy's retinitis pigmentosa had progressed to the point where working safely on a restaurant floor was no longer possible. But instead of leaving the industry she loved, the Certified Sommelier began figuring out how to build a wine career that could evolve alongside her vision loss.

In this episode, Amy shares how her vision loss changed the way she experiences and evaluates wine, what tasting without relying on sight can reveal about our own biases, and why black wine glasses can completely change the tasting experience. She also shares how she created Pocket Somm, built unconventional partnerships that allowed her to stay in the industry, and turned her expertise into private tastings, wine retail, and a subscription wine club.

You'll also hear about some of Amy's favorite lesser-known wines, her love of grower Champagne, and why she gravitates toward thoughtfully farmed wines that allow you to taste the grape and the place it came from.

Episode Highlights:

• Building a wine career after vision loss
• How sight influences the way we taste wine
• Removing bias with black wine glass tastings
• Creating Pocket Somm and a new career path
• How wine education helped Amy adapt her tasting 
• Discovering lesser-known wines and grape varieties
• Why thoughtfully farmed wines stand out
• Amy’s love of grower Champagne

Connect with Amy:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pocketsommgvl/
Website: https://www.pocketsommgvl.com/

You don’t need to know everything about wine to figure out what you actually like drinking.

Maybe you know you love certain wines but have no idea how to explain why. Or you walk into a wine shop and fall back on buying the same bottle because you don’t know what to ask for. In this episode, we’re taking wine tasting back to the basics and learning how to identify the characteristics you actually enjoy in a wine.

I break down some of the most common wine terms including tannin, acidity, body, dry, sweet, and fruity and what they actually mean when you’re tasting wine. You’ll also learn how simple side-by-side tastings and a few quick notes can help you recognize patterns in what you like and don’t like.

By the end of the episode, you’ll know how to describe your wine preferences and the three things to tell a sommelier or wine shop so they can help you find a bottle you’ll love. Because there’s no wine you should like, a good wine is simply a wine you like drinking.

Episode Highlights:

• What tannin actually feels like in wine
• Dry vs. sweet vs. fruity wine
• How to recognize acidity and body
• Understanding aromas and tasting notes
• How to identify your wine preferences
• Easy side-by-side wine tasting experiments
• Why keeping tasting notes helps
• The 3 things to share when asking for a wine recommendation 
• Why your wine preferences can change​