Wine Access Unfiltered

Season three of Wine Access Unfiltered was never about turning you into a sommelier — it was about helping you become a more confident, curious, and intentional wine buyer. In this solo finale, Amanda revisits the biggest ideas and “aha” moments from the season, from why asking better questions is the most powerful wine skill you can develop, to how importers can be your greatest shortcut to finding wines you’ll actually love. Pouring a classic Chianti, Amanda reflects on where value really lives in the wine world, why popularity often drives price more than quality, and how buying wine that fits your life — not someone else’s rules — leads to better bottles and more enjoyment. Whether you’re catching up, revisiting favorite lessons, or setting intentions for the year ahead, this episode is your reminder that wine doesn’t belong to gatekeepers. It belongs to you. Wine Featured on This Episode:2023 Poggio Bonelli Villa Chigi Saracini Chianti 📦 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Unfiltered Podcast Wine Club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 4 bottles per shipment hand selected by Amanda Delivered every 2 months (1 wine/episode) / 6x per year $120 + tax Shipping Included Cancel anytime 10% off all Wine Access purchases Follow us on social! IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wineaccessunfiltered⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @wineaccesspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda McCrossin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shop all the wines at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wine Access⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The holidays are the perfect excuse to enjoy fancy snacks, and this episode—the last in our holiday food mini-series—is your official permission slip to indulge in the most luxurious of them: caviar. Shaoching Bishop, co-founder and CEO of Regiis Ova Caviar, the ultra-premium caviar company she built alongside three-Michelin-star chef Thomas Keller, joins to help us better understand and enjoy caviar this holiday season. From what caviar actually is to why quality, curing, and handling matter far more than prestige or price, she fills us in what it takes to produce one of the finest caviars in the world. Plus, Shaoching shares tips on how to store caviar properly at home and why you might want to consider cucumbers and ice cream (really) when serving. Whether you’re caviar-curious, already obsessed, or just looking to elevate your holiday or weeknight table, this episode will change the way you think about this iconic food. Wine Featured on This Episode 2023 Matthiasson Chardonnay Linda Vista Vineyard Napa Valley 📦 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Unfiltered Podcast Wine Club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 4 bottles per shipment hand selected by Amanda Delivered every 2 months (1 wine/episode) / 6x per year $120 + tax Shipping Included Cancel anytime 10% off all Wine Access purchases Follow us on social! IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wineaccessunfiltered⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @wineaccesspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda McCrossin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shop all the wines at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wine Access⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The secret to great beef isn’t luck - it’s science, aging, and choosing the right cut. And nobody explains it better than Katie Flannery, third-generation butcher and co-owner of Flannery Beef. From a humble bay-area butcher shop to a beloved brand of chefs, sommeliers, and even Robert Parker, Flannery Beef has shaped the way many of us think about steak. And with so many of us enjoying a holiday roast this time of year, we’re demystifying everything from dry-aging to grading and why the beef you choose is just as important as the wine you pour alongside it. Plus, Katie shares how one major wine importer changed their business forever. Whether you're prepping for a holiday feast or finally ready to understand what makes great beef great, this episode is the perfect blend of wine, food, and unfiltered education. Wine Featured on This Episode 2023 Arnot-Roberts Syrah Sonoma Coast Flannery Beef Cuts and Mentions Dry Aged Prime Rib Roast Dry Aged Club Roast (Bryan's Favorite) The Jorge Gift Boxes 📦 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Unfiltered Podcast Wine Club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 4 bottles per shipment hand selected by Amanda Delivered every 2 months (1 wine/episode) / 6x per year $120 + tax Shipping Included Cancel anytime 10% off all Wine Access purchases Follow us on social! IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wineaccessunfiltered⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @wineaccesspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda McCrossin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shop all the wines at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wine Access⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re kicking off a special holiday mini-series focused on the foods we love and the wines that make them shine. In this episode, we sit down with Chris Battle of Mighty Cap Mushrooms, whose Paso Robles mushroom farm has become a destination for chefs and curious cooks alike. Chris pulls back the curtain on how specialty mushrooms are grown, why sourcing matters, and how one simple technique can completely transform their flavor. We also pour a Carignan from Chile and break down why the grape’s spicy, vibrant profile is a natural match for mushroom-driven dishes. From cooking tips to holiday meal inspiration, this episode blends the best of wine and food in classic Unfiltered style — equal parts fun, educational, and delicious. Wine Featured on This Episode 2021 Morandé VIGNO Carignan, Maule Valley, Chile 📦 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Unfiltered Podcast Wine Club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 4 bottles per shipment hand selected by Amanda Delivered every 2 months (1 wine/episode) / 6x per year $120 + tax Shipping Included Cancel anytime 10% off all Wine Access purchases Follow us on social! IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wineaccessunfiltered⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @wineaccesspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda McCrossin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shop all the wines at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wine Access⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Mighty Cap Mushrooms Tours, Farm Store & ProductsBook a tour, shop their specialty mushrooms, or learn more about the farm Grow Kits (Ships Nationwide!)Grow your own mushrooms at home — they make amazing holiday gifts Follow Mighty Cap Mushrooms on InstagramStay up to date with Chris and the Mighty Cap team 👉 Mawn (Philadelphia — BYOB Cambodian)The James Beard Award–winning restaurant Amanda visited before recording 👉 Plan a Trip to Paso Robles & Tin CityAn incredible food-and-wine destination worth putting on your calendar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zinfandel has been called California’s grape: it’s a little rebellious, often misunderstood, and always the life of the party. In this episode of Unfiltered, we’re diving deep into Zin’s roots with Chris Morisoli, fifth-generation Napa Valley grapegrower, helicopter pilot, and host of the Nine One Wine podcast. From the old vines of Rutherford to the spicy, fruit-driven bottles from Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley, Amanda and Chris unpack what makes Zinfandel so uniquely American—and why it’s poised for a major comeback. Along the way, Chris shares family stories dating back to the 1800s, what it’s really like during harvest season (spoiler: it starts at 3AM), and why the “Old Vine” label isn’t always what it seems. Wine Featured on This Episode:⁠ 2023 Dancing Zinfandel Fresh Take Dry Creek Valley 📦 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Unfiltered Podcast Wine Club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 4 bottles per shipment hand selected by Amanda Delivered every 2 months (1 wine/episode) / 6x per year $120 + tax Shipping Included Cancel anytime 10% off all Wine Access purchases Follow us on social! IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wineaccessunfiltered⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @wineaccesspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amanda McCrossin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shop all the wines at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wine Access⁠⁠⁠ 🍇 Where to find Chris: Morisoli Vineyard – ⁠https://www.morisolivineyard.com⁠ Nine One Wine Podcast – ⁠https://www.nineonewine.com⁠ 🌎 Other Producers & References Ravenswood Winery Bedrock Wine Co. – Heritage vineyards & old-vine Zinfandel champions from Morgan Twain-Peterson MW Turley Wine Cellars –  Referenced for “Old Vines” benchmark; Larry Turley’s 50-year rule Robert Biale Vineyards – Morisoli single-vineyard bottling, including the famous Black Chicken Zinfandel. Sandlands Wines (Tegan Passalacqua) – Celebrated for authentic, small-lot old-vine Zinfandel and lesser-known varietals Elyse Winery – Producers of Morisoli Vineyard Zinfandel from 1987–2018 🥂 Restaurants, Food & Fun Mentions Buster’s Southern BBQ (Calistoga)  Taco Azteca (Napa Valley)  Cook St. Helena COTE Korean Steakhouse  Coqodaq - Featured for “fried chicken & Champagne” pairing, as seen on Apple TV’s Chasing Stars Dry Creek General Store – Amanda’s rec for best sandwiches while exploring Dry Creek Valley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices