Episode 7: Macbeth (with Zach Libresco)

This week Emma is joined by special guest Zach Libresco to discuss William Shakespeare's spookiest play, Macbeth. Zach and Emma reminisce about their time together performing Shakespeare in college and discuss Zach's most recent experience with the Scottish Play with the Humanist Project. There is much laughter, critical thought, and possibly a visit from the Weird Sisters during a discussion of moral ambiguity and deception, both in Shakespeare and in wine. Find out what oak-aging does to wine, the difference between reading a play and hearing a play, and the Corsican name for Sangiovese. Plus: Hamilton, travel plans, Patrick Stewart, and the land of a thousand grapes. Stay tuned after the episode for a *Easter Egg*. 

Episode 6: Women in Wine

Happy (Belated) International Women's Day! In honor of Women's History Month, Emma & Winston talk about some amazing, badass women in the world of wine, art, history, and pop culture. Learn about some of the rockstar women in the wine world including winemakers, winery owners/directors, and scholars, through a discussion of the representation of women in fine art, the Bible, Sci-Fi, and modern entertainment. Plus, the reasoning behind swishy, sniffy, sippy, Nestor & Bambi, how Emma & Winston met, intersectionality, and Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul. Content warning: discussion of sexual assault. If you are looking for help or support please visit rainn.org or call 1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673).

Episode 5: The Fellowship of the Ring Part II (Middle-earth and Old World Wines, Part Three)

The journey continues through Middle-earth and European Wine Regions for Emma & Winston! This is the third episode in the Middle-earth and Old World Wines series, wherein Emma pairs each place in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien with a different wine region in Europe. In this episode, we talk about the second half The Fellowship of the Ring. Find out why Riesling and Chenin Blanc are Emma's two favorite white grapes (probably), why Port is really confusing, and what Emma's "cosplay" was to Dragon Con last year. Plus: a patented Winston tangent, romances & bromances, Errol Flynn, and the world's best die-er. 

Episode 4: The Fellowship of the Ring Part I (Middle-earth and Old World Wines, Part Two)

This is the second episode in the Middle-earth and Old World Wines series, wherein Emma pairs each place in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien with a different wine region in Europe. In this episode, we talk about the first half The Fellowship of the Ring. Find out why this is Emma's favorite book of the bunch, what "noble rot" and "carbonic maceration" are, and what Winston Churchill's favorite Champagne was. Plus: Emma's Patronus, the Santa Claus Deus Ex Machina, Champagne versus Sparkling Wine, and the Nexus of Nerd-dom.

Episode 3: Truth, Balance, & Dragons- A Tribute to Ursula K. Le Guin

In this episode, Emma and Winston pay homage to the recently deceased Ursula K. Le Guin, one of the greatest Sci-fi and Fantasy authors of the past century. We also talk about the wines of Angela Osborne, a winemaker working with primarily the Grenache grape in Santa Barbara, California. This episode is a break from the "hardcore wine education," as we mostly discuss Le Guin's writing, legacy, and philosophy. We touch upon her relationship with "truth" as an artist, her interest in the balance of opposing forces, and also dragons. 

Episode 2: Kill Bill & Sangiovese

In this episode, Emma & Winston pair 5 different wines made from the Sangiovese grape with 5 characters from the Kill Bill films, directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring Uma Thurman. Rather than talking as much about wine theory, in this episode we talk more about the process of tasting wine by tasting 5 different wines ourselves. Find out which assassin belongs to which wine from Tuscany, the difference between acid and tannin,  what Witches and Beer have to do with one another, and who married the Ciacci.