Got Somme : Master Sommelier's Wine Podcast

Master Sommelier Carlos Santos goes behind the scenes of building a $1.5 million restaurant wine list for a new Byron Bay venue created by chef Shannon Bennett.From $35,000 magnums to $40 best-selling wines, we break down how sommeliers curate world-class wine lists, negotiate rare allocations, and balance prestige bottles with everyday drinkers.You’ll learn:• How a Master Sommelier builds a wine list from scratch• Why some wines sell more than others• The hardest wines to source in Australia• How trade tastings and supplier relationships work• Why Australian wine is dominating restaurant lists• How price psychology shapes customer ordersIf you love wine, restaurants, or the behind-the-scenes world of hospitality, this episode is for you.Recorded at our new Collins Street studio by SESSION in PROGRESS.SPONSORSGrays.comhttps://www.grays.com/search/wine RIEDELhttps://www.riedel.com/en-au/shop#sort=bestSeller (Australians use code: GOTSOMME New Zealand: GOTSOMMENZ at check out for 20% off)FOLLOW GOT SOMMEInstagram: @gotsommehttps://www.instagram.com/gotsomme/Studio: @SESSION.in.PROGRESS https://www.instagram.com/session.in.progress/Subscribe for new wine episodes every week.TIMESTAMPS00:00 $1.5 million wine list reveal01:30 Building a wine list from scratch05:10 Choosing wines for Byron Bay diners08:20 Hardest wines to source12:00 Back vintages and vertical tastings16:40 Why $40 wines outsell $1,000 wines19:30 The $35,000 bottle22:00 Trade tastings & negotiation secrets25:00 Supporting Australian wineriesWelcome to Got Somme, the ultimate wine podcast where Master Sommeliers and wine experts share their tips, blind tasting challenges, and insider knowledge from vineyards around the world. Whether you’re a wine beginner or a seasoned enthusiast, we explore everything from wine education and wine tasting techniques to sparkling wines, red vs white, and the best wines under $30.Subscribe for weekly episodes and join us as we taste, learn, and uncover the stories behind your favourite wines. Perfect for anyone looking to improve their wine knowledge, discover new wine regions, or just enjoy a fun, educational chat about wine.

If the world’s best wines from France aren’t using oak… why do so many Chardonnays in Australia and the New World taste so oaky?
In this episode of Got Somme, Angus O’Loughlin and Master Sommelier Carlos Santos take a deep dive into Chablis, the purest expression of Chardonnay. We blind taste three bottles from the same producer and vintage at three price points — Petit Chablis ($40), Chablis AOC ($48), and Chablis Premier Cru ($78) — to find out whether price really does equal quality. 
Along the way, we break down:
Why Chablis tastes like oyster shells
The difference between Petit Chablis, Chablis, Premier Cru and Grand Cru
Left Bank vs Right Bank of the Serein River
When (and why) some producers start using oak
The real meaning of minerality in Chablis
Whether Premier Cru is actually worth the extra money
Angus kicks things off with a blind tasting challenge… and shockingly out-tastes a Master Sommelier to start 2026 in style.
If you think you don’t like Chardonnay, this episode might completely change your mind. 
SPONSORS
Grays.com https://www.grays.com/search/wine
RIEDEL https://www.riedel.com/en-au/shop#sort=bestSeller
(Australians use code: GOTSOMME New Zealand: GOTSOMMENZ at check out for 20% off) 
What We’re Drinking
Producer: Simonnet-Febvre
Vintage: 2023
Petit Chablis – $40
Chablis AOC – $48
Chablis Premier Cru – $78 
Chapters
00:00 – Why Chablis Isn’t Oaky
01:50 – Blind Tasting Begins
03:25 – Does Price Equal Quality?
04:30 – Chablis vs Chardonnay Explained
08:35 – Left Bank vs Right Bank of Chablis
10:20 – What Is Petit Chablis?
12:35 – What Makes Chablis AOC Better? 
14:40 – Premier Cru vs Grand Cru
18:10 – Is Premier Cru Worth the Money?
20:00 – Why Some Chablis Uses Oak
26:45 – Steak vs Jus (Best Wine Analogy Ever)
28:10 – Master Sommelier Blind Tasting Fail
 
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This wine breaks every assumption.It looks like a rosé.It drinks like something from Italy.But it’s neither.In this episode of Got Somme, we put a mystery wine in front of a Master Sommelier for a full blind tasting. No labels. No hints. Just colour, aroma, texture and instinct.Decanter and Glassware: RIEDELhttps://www.riedel.com/en-auUse Code GOTSOMME for 20% off (Australia Only)We break down:Why this wine looks like rosé but isn’tThe flavour markers that suggest Italy (and why they’re misleading)How structure, acid and mouthfeel reveal the truthWhat most people get wrong when tasting blindAnd the final reveal of what this wine actually isIf you love blind wine tastings, sommeliers at work, or learning how to taste wine properly without the snobbery, this one’s for you.Subscribe for more blind tastings, wine myths busted, and deep dives into how great wine really works.#BlindWineTasting #WineTasting #Sommelier #NotRosé #WineEducation #GotSomme #WineBlindTasting #WinePodcastWelcome to Got Somme, the ultimate wine podcast where Master Sommeliers and wine experts share their tips, blind tasting challenges, and insider knowledge from vineyards around the world. Whether you’re a wine beginner or a seasoned enthusiast, we explore everything from wine education and wine tasting techniques to sparkling wines, red vs white, and the best wines under $30.Subscribe for weekly episodes and join us as we taste, learn, and uncover the stories behind your favourite wines. Perfect for anyone looking to improve their wine knowledge, discover new wine regions, or just enjoy a fun, educational chat about wine.

New Episode Out Now!

Fortified wines might be some of the most misunderstood wines in the world — often dismissed as “old-fashioned,” too sweet, or too strong. In this episode of Got Somme, Angus O’Loughlin and Master Sommelier Carlos Santos dive deep into the world of Sherry, Port, and Pedro Ximénez, unpacking why these wines deserve far more attention than they get.
From the Sherry Triangle in southern Spain to the steep vineyards of the Douro Valley in Portugal, Carlos breaks down how fortified wines are made, why they’re aged the way they are, and how styles like Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso, Tawny Port, Ruby Port, LBV, and Vintage Port all differ.
Along the way, Angus shares a deeply personal memory of secretly drinking his grandmother’s sherry after school, while Carlos explains how some fortified wines can literally be hundreds of years old, growing thicker, darker, and more concentrated over generations.
They also tackle the big question: Why did fortified wines fall out of favour, and what would it take to make them cool again?
If you think fortified wines are uncool, overly sweet, or irrelevant — this episode might completely change your mind.
SPONSORS
Grays.com https://www.grays.com/search/wine
RIEDEL https://www.riedel.com/en-au/shop#sort=bestSeller
(Australians use code: GOTSOMME New Zealand: GOTSOMMENZ at check out for 20% off)

Chapters & Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome back to Got Somme (and a fortified wine confession) Angus kicks off 2026 with a story involving his grandmother, WWF, and sherry.
02:00 – Why fortified wines are misunderstood Alcohol, sugar, warmth — and why modern drinkers avoid them.
02:40 – What is Sherry? The Sherry Triangle explained Jerez, Puerto de Santa María, and Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
04:05 – Sherry styles explained (Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso) Biological vs oxidative ageing, flor yeast, and flavour profiles.
06:30 – Pedro Ximénez: how a white grape turns black and sticky Sun-dried grapes, raisining, and extreme concentration.
08:20 – A wine memory that unlocks childhood nostalgia Angus realises he’s been drinking sherry since high school.
10:30 – Australian fortified wines & Rutherglen legends Chambers, ancient barrels, and wines that predate living memory.
12:40 – Port explained: Douro Valley to Porto Why port is made in one place and aged in another.
15:00 – Why fortified wines feel “uncool” today Generational drinking shifts, stigma, and missed opportunities.
17:30 – How Spain made sherry relevant again through food Chefs, Michelin stars, and smart cultural positioning.
20:00 – Port styles explained: Tawny vs Ruby vs Vintage How ageing works and why vintage port can outlive you.
22:30 – Big Got Somme goals for 2026 Touring, international wineries, and what’s next for the show.
24:10 – Final thoughts and a fortified farewell Saúde.

Welcome to Got Somme, the ultimate wine podcast where Master Sommeliers and wine experts share their tips, blind tasting challenges, and insider knowledge from vineyards around the world. Whether you’re a wine beginner or a seasoned enthusiast, we explore everything from wine education and wine tasting techniques to sparkling wines, red vs white, and the best wines under $30. Subscribe for weekly episodes and join us as we taste, learn, and uncover the stories behind your favourite wines. Perfect for anyone looking to improve their wine knowledge, discover new wine regions, or just enjoy a fun, educational chat about wine.
This podcast proudly presented by Grays.com: https://www.grays.com/search/wine-and-more?tab=items
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.