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Gus Clemens on Wine explores and explains the world of wine in simple, humorous, fun posts

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by Gus Clemens

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Gus Clemens writes a syndicated wine column for Gannett/USA Today network and posts online reviews of wines and stories of interest to wine lovers. He publishes almost daily in his substack.com newsletter, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on his website. The Gus Clemens on Wine podcast delivers that material in a warm, user-friendly format. <a href="https://gusclemens.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">gusclemens.substack.com</a>

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Recent Episodes

February 26, 2026

Lifestyle choices and wine 2-25-2026

Right now, many in the wine world are freaked about the decline in wine drinking. Advice: relax, take a deep, cleansing breath. A nice, chilled rosé also might help. Wine is a lifestyle choice. By their very nature, lifestyle choices are always in chaotic, often irrational flux. Examples from the wine world:• Merlot was a big thing at the end of the last century. Women in particular enjoyed it because it usually was softer and smoother than cabernet sauvignon or syrah or some of those bombastic wines from northwestern Italy you could not drink until they were at least six years (and preferably 10-15 years) old. California winemakers made merlot you could drink when you got home from the store. The market lapped it up. Then the movie Sideways. Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti) proclaimed: “I am NOT drinking any f**king Merlot!” It did not matter Miles hated merlot only because his ex-wife liked merlot, not for any fault in the varietal. Suddenly, a plot point in a popular movie involved bashing merlot. Merlot sales plummeted. Drinkers made new lifestyle choices. Merlot did not change. It remains one of the world’s great varietals and blending wines. But, still, “I ain’t drinking *** merlot!” became a meme.AI generated illustration• Blousy, oaky, buttery, big fruit chardonnays were a big thing in late 1980s and 1990s. They didn’t go very well with food—okay, they worked with movie theatre popcorn—but ladies, in particular, were not pairing it with food. They were sipping it in the country club’s outdoor bar after a round of golf or a tennis match or by-the-glass at a big chain restaurant where wine-food pairing was irrelevant. Big chardonnay was the wine equivalent of comfort food. It was a transition from sweet wines, soft drinks, or cocktails. Lush, approachable, ripe fruit, vanilla, butterscotch, creamy mouthfeel. What was not to like? Then those drinker’s palates matured, or maybe it was just time for a lifestyle change. At the turn of the century, ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) became the next bandwagon to hop onto. White zin, pinot grigio, Veuve Clicquot, prosecco, sauv blanc, even dry riesling (for gosh sakes) was the next de rigueur pour for the dialed-in parvenu. “Anything But Chardonnay” was the incantation—unless it was an un-oaked, subdued malolactic conversion chardonnay, then… well, maybe.AI generated illustration• In the 1980s and especially the 1990s, monster, jammy, very high alcohol, zinfandel fruit bombs became a big thing, especially among manly men. Let the ladies sip insipid white zin, some gals even put ice cubes in their tumbler glass (shudder). Big zin was hedonistic macho indulgence. The 16-plus percent ABV and the overly-ripe fruit meant the wine tasted sweet even if laboratory tests proved it was “dry.” The high alcohol made it more a “cocktail wine” than anything a reasonable person would pair with food. Except, maybe, with a huge slab of fat-dripping beef you just removed from your expensive backyard grill fired by mesquite wood you harvested yourself with your high-powered chainsaw. Throw in a plate of fried onion rings and a loaded baked potato, and we’ve got a real meal here, buddy. A hearty slap on the back and backward ball cap is optional. Okay, some research indicates there is only marginal male preference between male and female in this wine category, but the zeitgeist then (and now) was big zin was male while lighter, “more feminine” (whatever that is supposed to mean) wine was female. In any event, the stereotypes and lifestyle choices did not hold in the 21st century. With blowback from wine professionals such as sommeliers, whose job is to pair with food, and wine writers, whose job is to constantly come up with something new in 500 words or less, zin today is stylistically fragmented. Lighter and more food-friendly red zin occupies a growing middle ground, flanked by white zin (which still outsells red zin) and monster zin. The wine world carousel continues to spin.AI generated illustration Lifestyle choices regarding wine and alcohol in general experience constant fluctuation. In the 2010s, for instance, some Gallup Polls suggested wine was approaching beer as the alcohol delivery vehicle of choice. What heady days those were for vintners and for bank vice presidents ready to loan money to create new vineyards and expand or create new wine operations. Then the 2020s slapped them both in the face with the reality of lifestyle changes. Not only has wine consumption declined, a new cohort of consumers has made a lifestyle choice to drink little or no alcohol. Medical sources assert any alcohol consumption can be bad for you. Neo-prohibitionists channel Carry Nation. While Neo-prohibitionists have not yet taken hatchets to saloons or wine barrels, they do clamor for increases in alcohol excise taxes, limit times and places alcohol can be sold, restrict advertising, and lowering the legal blood-alcohol-content. The wine world faces several headwinds. That noted, wine has been around for more than 8,000 years and is deeply imbedded in our culture, our religions, our culinary proclivities. Wine is not going away. In the U.S., the total wine industry—production, distribution, sales, consumption, tourism, and service industries—generates some $324 billion annually in economic impact and is increasing in spite of the headwinds. U.S. wine generates 1.75 million jobs and $102 billion in wages. Wine delivers more than $53 billion in tax revenue. These numbers have been resilient, even rising, amid the slight downturn in wine consumption in the U.S. in the 2020s. We are drinking less, but we are drinking better and more expensive. If you have read this far, I hope your fears of wine’s collapse are allayed and you are relieved. Lifestyle choices, by their very nature, constantly change. Sit back and chill out with a nice glass of wine of your current choice, good food, and—especially—sharing with family and friends. That lifestyle moment is immutable.Last roundRelationships are like Indian food.They start out hot and spicy, but end up with someone on the toilet crying and saying “why me? why me”?Wine time.Bonus last roundPolice officer pulls over a speeding car.Officer: “I clocked you at 80 miles per hour, sir.”Driver: “Gee, officer, I had it on cruise control at 60. Perhaps your radar gun needs calibrating.” Not looking up from her knitting, driver’s wife says: “Now don’t be silly, dear. You know this car does not have cruise control.”As the officer writes out the ticket, the driver looks over at his wife and growls: “Can’t you please keep your mouth shut for once?” Wife smiles demurely and says: “Well, dear, you should be thankful your radar detector went off when it did or your speed would have been higher.”As the officer makes out the second ticket for the illegal radar detector, the man glowers at his wife and says through clenched teeth: “Woman, can’t you keep your mouth shut?”The officer frowns and says: “And I notice that you are not wearing your seat belt, sir. That’s an automatic $75 fine.” Driver: “Well, you see, officer, I had it on, but I took it off when you pulled me over so that I could get my license out of my back pocket.” Wife: “Now, dear, you know very well you never wear your seat belt when you are driving.”As the police officer is writing out the third ticket, the driver turns to his wife and barks: “Will you just shut up!” Officer looks over at the woman and asks: “Does your husband always talk to you this way, ma’am?” Wife: “Only when he has been drinking.”Wine time.Thanks for reading Gus Clemens on Wine! This post is public so feel free to share it.Gus Clemens on Wine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Links worth exploring<a target="_blank" href="https://dmwineline.substack.com/">Dave McIntyre’s WineLine</a> Longtime Washington Post wine columnist now on Substack. Entertaining, informative.<a target="_blank" href="https://kathleenwillcox.substack.com">Good + Tasty</a> Excellent wine stories by Kathleen Willcox. Focuses on the business and culture of sustainable wine, food, and travel.<a target="_blank" href="https://victoriadelamaza.substack.com/">Diary of a Serial Hostess</a> Ins and outs of entertaining; witty anecdotes of life in the stylish lane.Email: wine@cwadv.comNewsletter: <a target="_blank" href="https://gusclemens.substack.com/">gusclemens.substack.com</a>Website: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gusclemensonwine.com">Gus Clemens on Wine website</a>Facebook: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/timeline/">facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/posts/</a>Twitter (X): @gusclemensBluesky <a target="_blank" href="https://bsky.app/profile/gusclemensonwine.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/gusclemensonwine.bsky.social</a> .Long form wine stories on Vocal: <a target="_blank" href="https://vocal.media/authors/gus-clemens">Gus Clemens on Vocal</a>Apple podcasts <a target="_blank" href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=apple+podcasts+gus+clemens+apple+p%E2%80%A6&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8">https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=apple+podcasts+gus+clemens+apple+p…&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8</a>.Linkedin: Gus Clemens on Wine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2">gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe</a>

December 31, 2025

Wine’s tough year 12-30-2025

Ah, it was a heady wine time while it lasted. Wine enjoyed more than 50 years of vineyard and winery growth, more than 50 years of improving quality, more than 50 years of consistent year-over-year market expansion. Those were the days, my friend. We thought they’d never end. We’d sing and dance forever and a day. Reality: nothing lasts forever. Pendulums swing both ways, as the wine world is painfully coming to grips with now. In 2024, California wine production fell to its lowest level since 1999. United States production fell to its lowest since 2004. Both total wine consumption and per-capita demand in the U.S. fell together for the first time in modern wine history. Worldwide wine production is down to 1961 levels even though there are more than five billion more people on Earth today. On a granular level, winegrowers leave grapes on the vine, knowing they cannot recoup their harvest expenses. Wine stores close. Wineries close or dial back, drop labels, trim staff. Newspapers drop wine columns as wine advertising dollars dry up. Restaurants pare their wine list. Supermarkets reduce shelf space devoted to wine. Let’s examine what is happening and put it into some perspective. Spoiler alert: the sky is not falling, Chicken Little. Wine drinkers fall loosely into two categories. Members of the largest cohort are not that interested in where the wine came from, how it was made, who made it. They want a relatively inexpensive alcohol delivery vehicle that tastes good, maybe pairs with food. They enjoy wine, but they also can hang with beer, hard seltzer, premixed cocktails. They also may have cut back or eliminated alcohol consumption. The second cohort is into wine. Members of that cohort care about all the details, food pairing, vintage conditions, particulars about how it was made. They can be labeled as “wine geeks.” Wine is their go-to alcoholic drink, and they are willing to search for quality and pay for it. The first cohort is the principal source of the wine decline. They are the reason the hardest hit wine segment is commodity value bottlings, aka “supermarket wines.” The wine lover cohort has much less impact on the decline. In fact, while sales of lower-end wine has significantly tumbled for the past seven years, sales of higher end wines have weathered the storm. Wineries are selling fewer bottles of wine but maintaining their cash flow because people are buying higher-priced efforts. Those drinkers are drinking better, a trend that is more than a decade old. The commodity, supermarket wine segment has a hard row to hoe. There are too many “next big things” in that alcohol silo. The market will remain, but will not be as robust as it was the past half century. And, of course, the cohorts are not black and white, but have shades of gray between them. The better wine cohort has an emotional connection to wine. For them, wine is joy, pleasure, deliciousness, and rewarding, with fascinating back stories. And—yes—some snob appeal that quality wine is not pop-the-top and slurp-it-down to get-a-buzz stuff. For them, wine’s cementing attraction is pleasure. On the palate, in the mind, and—yes—pleasant satisfaction that you are smart enough, educated enough, and successful enough to enjoy and appreciate a liquid that has been treasured by fellow human beings for more than 8,000 years. There is conclusive evidence of a winery in Armenia dating back 6,200-plus years, including botanical evidence the wine was made using the areni grape. You can buy Armenian wine made with areni grapes today from a winery near the archeologic find in Armenia. Not many enterprises can match that claim. Bottom line: while this is a somewhat turbulent time in the wine business, especially in the cheaper, factory-produced wine segment, wine is not going away. Worldwide wine production may be down to 1961 levels, but it remains a half-trillion dollar business. Production is almost six billion gallons—30 billion bottles. In the United States, wine generates more than $325 billion in economic impact. Various research groups forecast wine’s worldwide economic impact will be between eight hundred billion and more than one trillion US dollars by 2033. The wine world is changing, but it is not going away. Sure, the wine trade faces headwinds. Every product, especially a discretionary product like wine, faces headwinds on a cyclical basis. Sometimes you are the hammer and you strike. Sometimes you are the anvil and you bear. The likelihood is after testing times the strong will survive and flourish, while the weak will suffer their Darwinian fate. Wine has been here before—my goodness for 13 years in the United States you could go to prison for making and selling wine. Let’s all take a deep breath, relax, and figure out what wine we are going to joyfully enjoy together tonight.Tasting notes:• Karas Areni, Armenia 2023 checks an amazing number of boxes in the wine world. First, it is a delicious wine that sips in a space between pinot noir and sangiovese. Second, archeological finds discovered evidence of this very grape dating back 6,100 years and the first clearly identified winery in the world. The winery is in the shadow of Mount Ararat, believed by Christians and Jews as the possible location of Noah’s Ark. You get to drink history, the very beginnings of wine, and drink superb wine. And do so for $16-20. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/karas-areni-armenia-2023/#more-21208">Link to my review</a>• Val delle Rose Litorale Vermentino Maremma Toscana DOC 2024 is delightful iteration of vermentino’s lighter, fresher style. While it has good acidity, there is a smooth creamy texture and slight oiliness that creates excellent mouthfeel and tension. Clean, crisp winner from a highly regarded, long-time player in Tuscany. $15-20 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/val-delle-rose-litorale-vermentino-maremma-toscana-doc-2024/#more-21177">Link to my review</a>• Herzog Wine Cellars Lineage Pinot Noir, Clarksburg 2022 is affordable, fruit-forward, kosher wine from America’s largest fully kosher winery. It is a value play in pinot noir rather than sophisticated, but is very serviceable in what it is intended to be. Wallet pleaser; smooth and easy crowd pleaser. $18-22 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/herzog-wine-cellars-lineage-pinot-noir-clarksburg-2022/#more-21200">Link to my review</a>• Stoller Family Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2022 is rich, elegant charmer with lingering finish, polished, refined fruit. Excellent balance of fruit, oak, restrained alcohol. Civilized pour that demonstrates why Willamette Valley pinot noir deserves to be in conversation as some of the world’s premier pinots, especially at this price point. $50-60 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/stoller-family-estate-reserve-pinot-noir-dundee-hills-2022/#more-21107">Link to my review</a>• Early Mountain Vineyards RISE, Virginia 2021 is a very smooth, well-behaved, merlot-led Bordeaux blend only produced in exceptional years. Just now entering its best drinking window, this easily can be held another decade-plus. Early Mountain is Virginia’s flagship winery. All winery profits are directed to Virginia communities and innovation in the Virginia wine industry. $135-150 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/early-mountain-vineyards-rise-virginia-2021/#more-21174">Link to my review</a>Last roundHow do I determine how much wine to drink? I take it on a case-by-case basis.Thank you for reading. This is a reader-supported publication. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. No matter how you subscribe, I appreciate you.Links worth exploring<a target="_blank" href="https://dmwineline.substack.com/">Dave McIntyre’s WineLine</a> Longtime Washington Post wine columnist now on Substack. Entertaining, informative.<a target="_blank" href="https://kathleenwillcox.substack.com">Good + Tasty</a> Excellent wine stories by Kathleen Willcox. Focuses on the business and culture of sustainable wine, food, and travel.<a target="_blank" href="https://victoriadelamaza.substack.com/">Diary of a Serial Hostess</a> Ins and outs of entertaining; witty anecdotes of life in the stylish lane.Email: wine@cwadv.comNewsletter: <a target="_blank" href="https://gusclemens.substack.com/">gusclemens.substack.com</a>Website: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gusclemensonwine.com">Gus Clemens on Wine website</a>Facebook: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/timeline/">facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/posts/</a>Twitter (X): @gusclemensBluesky <a target="_blank" href="https://bsky.app/profile/gusclemensonwine.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/gusclemensonwine.bsky.social</a> .Long form wine stories on Vocal: <a target="_blank" href="https://vocal.media/authors/gus-clemens">Gus Clemens on Vocal</a>Apple podcasts <a target="_blank" href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=apple+podcasts+gus+clemens+apple+p%E2%80%A6&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8">https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=apple+podcasts+gus+clemens+apple+p…&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8</a>.Linkedin: Gus Clemens on Wine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2">gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe</a>

October 9, 2025

Tannins explained 10-8-2025

Tannins are natural and essential to wine. They also are wine’s most misunderstood element. Even wine scientists admit they do not fully understand tannins. One expert called tannins a “chemical train wreck.” Let’s explore.What do we know? Tannins are natural organic and phenolic compounds found in almost all plants. They provide protection as a chemical deterrent against plant-eating animals and insects. Their bitter, astringent taste is unpalatable to herbivores. When consumed by insects and some herbivores, tannins interfere with digestion, negatively affecting growth and development.Wine toasting I created in AI to give you something to look atTannins are powerful antimicrobial agents, protecting plants against bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. Tannins disrupt microbial cell walls and interfere with cellular processes. This is particularly important in bark and roots, where tannins are the first line of defense against soil-borne pathogens.Tannins are potent antioxidants. They are important when plants produce elevated levels of potentially harmful free radicals as a result of drought and other environmental challenges.Tannins efficiently absorb UV light, protecting against harmful solar radiation. Particularly important in sensitive plant tissues.While tannins deter harmful organisms, they have a role in attracting beneficial insects, particularly pollinators. They also are involved in the activation of nodulation genes that favor nitrogen fixation in plants that have symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.Tannins aid reproduction by helping seeds maintain dormancy by creating barriers to water uptake and germination. Located in the seed coat, tannins allow seeds to survive unfavorable conditions, then to germinate when conditions are favorable.Tannins are among the most abundant secondary metabolites produced by plants. The multi-faceted success of the tannin-production strategy is proof of its efficacy.But, enough of the general science, you are reading this to learn something about tannin in wine.More AI art I created to keep you interestedWine tannins primarily come from grape skins, seeds, and stems. Oak barrels also contribute, although oak tannins are different from grape tannins.Tannins provide the body and a framework—structure—that supports other elements in wine, such as acidity, alcohol, and fruit flavors. Tannins also provide color (anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid, are responsible for red and purple hues in wine), astringency (puckering sensation inside your cheeks), and texture.Texture or “mouthfeel” is the physical sensation in your mouth most often associated with wine tannins. Common texture descriptors include:• Silky, velvety, fine. Smooth, refined tannins feel soft on the palate.• Chalky, dusty. Tannins feel gritty or powdery.• Grippy, astringent. Pronounced tannins create a drying sensation, think over-brewed tea.• Granular. Tannins have coarse, rough texture.Tannins can be a key component in food pairing. They particularly interact with proteins and fats on a molecular level. Lipids in fatty foods bind to tannin molecules, reducing tannic astringency, activate salivary glands to help break down meat protein, and enhance both the wine fruit flavors and the savory meat flavors. That is why rich, tannic red wines are classic pairings with a juicy steak.On the other hand, winemakers can deliberately reduce tannins by limiting by the amount of skin contact—often none or very little in white wines, minimal in rosé—which allows the acidity and fruit to play center stage. Avoiding oak reduces tannins, but some whites are aged in oak to gain oak tannins, which mainly influences mouthfeel and texture rather than astringency. Oak-aged whites usually fall into the silky, velvety, rounder, creamier category. With enough oak, there can be subtle drying and fine-grain elements, which adds complexity, enhances food compatibility, and boosts aging potential. But winemakers walk a tight rope here. Too much oak flavors and oak tannins in white wines creates a lurid, blowsy cartoon wine.Tannins are a natural preservative. Tannins from tree bark are used to “tan” leather to preserve it. Tannins particularly serve the preservative role in red wine. Their critical function is as an antioxidant. Tannins serve as sacrificial molecules that bind with oxygen molecules before the oxygen can downgrade fruit flavor, mute colors, or create offensive odors and flavors. Tannins capture free radicals and oxidation, allowing other components to develop complexity and depth. The antioxidant capacity of tannins reduces the need for sulfur dioxide in wine and permits a more natural preservation strategy.Tannin evolution is a sophisticated process of molecular transformation. In the beginning, tannin molecules are small and can create bitter, harsh sensations—qualities of their defense properties. That’s why young tannic wines can be almost undrinkable. Over time, tannic molecules undergo polymerization where individual molecules link together to form complex chains that interact differently on your palate. Complex chain tannins taste softer and less astringent. Bottle aging is a real thing.Tannins also stabilize color, or subtly modify it. Young red wines get their color primarily through unstable free anthocyanins which would fade without tannins. During fermentation and early aging, anthocyanins bind with tannin molecules to form polymeric pigments, which tend to stabilize the color. As wine ages, however, there is a slow change to brick-red hues. Brick red hues often are a marker for quality, aged red wines.Tannins are a core element of the world’s great wines built for aging. But that comes at a cost. Such wines can be undrinkable in their youth, requiring years in oak and then in bottle to evolve into the pinnacle pours treasured by wine connoisseurs. That process adds costs. The winery most hold the wine for years before they can get return on their investment. The customer must do the same, which means a dedicated place like a temperature-controlled cellar before they can enjoy.Such patience is hard to find in today’s world of social media, cell phones, and on-demand streaming content. The large majority of wines are made to be enjoyed when you get home from the store. Even winemakers capable of making age-worthy wines now reduce tannins with techniques like holding back on lengthy maceration (time on skins, a major source of tannins), or employing strategies such as cold soaking, gentle cap management, micro-oxygenation, sur lie élevage, fermentation in concrete eggs and other methods. There is a possible trade-off: reducing the ageability of the wine.Red wines are wines with the most tannins and wines most-associated with aging—although there are white and sparkling wines that are aged—in those cases, acidity is the main preservative, not tannins.Here are some of the most tannic wines and the length of aging time for them to achieve their peaks:• Nebbiolo. Used to make Barolo and Barbaresco in northern Italy, nebbiolo wines—by DOCG regulations—must be aged a minimum of 38 months from November 1 of the harvest year. Top-tier Barolo Riserva must age a minimum of 18 months in barrel and cannot be released until January 1 of the sixth year after harvest. Barolo and Barbaresco easily can age 25 years before reaching their peak.• Cabernet Sauvignon. While winemakers make plenty of drink-now cabs, classic, age-worthy cabs from Bordeaux, Napa, and Coonawarra need 10-20 years to approach their best drinking stage.• Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre). When made in southern France’s Bandol, the wine needs 8-15 years to achieve its potential.• Sangiovese. Brunello di Montalcino and top-level Chianti need to age 10-20 years to taste their best.• Other wines that need 10-20 years include Gran Reserva Rioja, Ribera del Duero (made with Tempranillo), Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, some Australian Shiraz (made with Syrah/Shiraz).Many of us will never taste such wines. We don’t have the money, time, and patience. But if you do get the opportunity, you will experience extraordinary flavor complexity, sophisticated textures, and the emotional-intellectual pleasure of tasting what soil and human toil gave birth to decades in the past, thanks in large part to tannins.Tasting notes• Portlandia Pinot Noir Oregon 2022: Admirable nuance, refinement for value pinot noir; example of how well Oregon—and Portlandia—does PN. It is lighter and more delicate than the standard CA PN at this price point. $16-19 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/portlandia-pinot-noir-oregon-2022/#more-20997">Link to my review</a>• Ernesto Catena Vineyards Ánimal Natural Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza 2023: Rich, delicious dark fruits, good value from a scion of Argentine wine’s over-achievers. $22-25 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/ernesto-catena-vineyards-animal-natural-vineyards-cabernet-sauvignon-mendoza-2023/#more-20961">Link to my review</a>• Rex Hill Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022: Usual pinot noir flavors, raspberry and cherry, then pitches in cranberry and tartness that bodes well for food pairing and adds unexpected drama. $38 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/rex-hill-vineyards-willamette-valley-pinot-noir-2022/#more-20970">Link to my review</a>• Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2022: Nicely structured, complex celebration of Napa cab with a smoothing dash of famed Duckhorn merlot. Elegant, genteel lane of Napa cab. $80 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/duckhorn-vineyards-cabernet-sauvignon-napa-valley-2022/#more-20902">Link to my review</a>• Stags’ Leap Winery The Leap Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown Stags Leap District 2020: Rich, dense, very smooth. Not as age-worthy as previous offerings, but smoothly delicious now and for next several years. $95-120 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/stags-leap-the-leap-cabernet-sauvignon-estate-grown-stags-leap-district-napa-valley-2020/#more-20898">Link to my review</a>Last roundI am sure my wife has been putting glue on items in my weapons collection. She denies it, but I am sticking to my guns. Wine time.This is a reader-supported publication. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber ($5). No matter how you subscribe, I appreciate you reading.Links worth exploring<a target="_blank" href="https://victoriadelamaza.substack.com/">Diary of a Serial Hostess</a> Ins and outs of entertaining; witty anecdotes of life in the stylish lane.<a target="_blank" href="https://asweeat.substack.com/">As We Eat</a> Multi-platform storytelling explores how food connects, defines, inspires.<a target="_blank" href="https://dmwineline.substack.com/">Dave McIntyre’s WineLine</a> Longtime Washington Post wine columnist now on Substack. Entertaining, informative.Email: wine@cwadv.comNewsletter: <a target="_blank" href="https://gusclemens.substack.com/">gusclemens.substack.com</a>Website: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gusclemensonwine.com">Gus Clemens on Wine website</a>Facebook: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/timeline/">facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/posts/</a>Twitter (X): @gusclemensBluesky <a target="_blank" href="https://bsky.app/profile/gusclemensonwine.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/gusclemensonwine.bsky.social</a> .Long form wine stories on Vocal: <a target="_blank" href="https://vocal.media/authors/gus-clemens">Gus Clemens on Vocal</a>Apple podcasts <a target="_blank" href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=apple+podcasts+gus+clemens+apple+p%E2%80%A6&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8">https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=apple+podcasts+gus+clemens+apple+p…&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8</a>.Linkedin: Gus Clemens on Wine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2">gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe</a>

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What is Gus Clemens on Wine explores and explains the world of wine in simple, humorous, fun posts?: Gus Clemens writes a syndicated wine column for Gannett/USA Today network and posts online reviews of wines and stories of interest to wine lovers. He publishes almost daily in his substack.com newsletter, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on his website. The Gus Clemens on Wine podcast delivers that material in a warm, user-friendly format. <a href="https://gusclemens.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">gusclemens.substack.com</a>
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates daily.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 7 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.

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