Wine Access Unfiltered

Wine lovers don't just travel—they travel differently. And in this episode, Amanda sits down with Candice Mathis, founder of Vintage Departures and wine travel expert, to explore exactly how. From what makes a wine trip worth booking to why a great hotel bar matters more than you think, Candice shares her hard-earned wisdom from planning itineraries across Napa, Burgundy, Champagne, and beyond. They dig into the logistics of traveling with kids, why sleep is always worth the splurge, the unspoken rules of wine region etiquette, and how to unlock hotel perks you didn't know existed. Whether you're planning your first wine trip or your fiftieth, this conversation will change the way you think about where to stay, what to book, and how to make every moment count.

Wine Featured on This Episode:⁠⁠⁠

2022 Louis Millet Sancerre Rouge

📣 Links and Mentions

Candice Mathis - Vintage Departures

🤳 @vintagedepartures

📧  [email protected]

Hotels

Napa Valley

Four Seasons

Meadowood

Alila

Auberge du Soleil

Carneros Resort

Le Petit Pali

Champagne

The Royal Champagne

Piedmont (Alba)

Casa di Langa

📦 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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
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We’re kicking off season four with our new theme “Unfiltered In Flight” and exploring wine the lens of travel. Whether it’s a wine producing region or a major city abroad, we’re focusing on how wine people experience the places they visit. To start, we’re returning to a region that’s both iconic and endlessly misunderstood: Napa Valley. Together with local sommelier Laura Koffer of Wine Access, who has called the valley home for more than a decade, we’re unpacking what Napa actually feels like beyond the tasting room. From Champagne-fueled nights and backyard picnics to tacos, beer, and the casual luxury that defines daily life in the valley, we break down Napa’s geography, appointment culture, and how to plan smarter tasting days, with one core takeaway in mind: the best Napa trips aren’t about doing more, they’re about doing it better.

Wine Featured on This Episode:⁠

2024 Bordo Mare Vermentino Las Brisas Vineyard

📣 Links and Mentions

Wine Bars & Drinking Spots

Cadet Wine Bar (Napa)

Compline Wine Bar (Napa)

Chispa (Yountville)

Pancha’s (Yountville)

Ana’s Cantina (St. Helena)

Restaurants & Food

St. Helena

Charlie’s

Gott’s Roadside

The Charter Oak

Brasswood

Cook St. Helena

PRESS

Ray Ray’s Tacos

Station (coffee/pastries)

Model Bakery

Yountville

Bouchon Bistro

Bottega

Tacos Garcia (Taco Truck next to Pancha’s - cash only)

Model Bakery (St. Helena)

Napa

Scala Osteria

Don Giovanni 

A16

ZuZu

Wineries & Wine Producers

Opus One

Promontory

Inglenook

Frog’s Leap

Continuum

Chappellet

Brand Vineyard

Hudson Ranch / Hudson Vineyards (Carneros)

Beer

Mad Fritz (Napa Valley)

Hanabi Lager (Screaming Eagle winemaker)

Russian River Brewing Company (Sonoma)

Ernie’s Tin Bar (Sonoma; beer stop en route)

Other, Logistics & Tips

Oakville Grocery

Adams Street Shipping (wine shipping service)

Westwood Hills Park (hiking)

Both State Park (hiking)

Cameo Cinema

Wild Vine Tours

📦 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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
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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
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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
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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