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Send us Fan Mail We chase “quiet luxury” wines that give you the feel of Burgundy, Sancerre and cult Italian reds without the eye-watering price tags. We taste our way through smart substitutions, explain the label terms that trip people up, and call out where the value still holds. Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Riesling 2023 -  https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_118988?store=3252&gclsrc=aw.ds&e_cid=ps:ds:GOOGLE:PMAX+-+Wine+-+White+Wine::ds_keywords%3Dds_kw:&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23483242555&gbraid=0AAAAADidTxB5taZXXmyXEmO5_8vHauFAL&gclid=CjwKCAjw46HPBhAMEiwASZpLRKMv2kJmhrSiATAZYPPNelRbmVtM1qDi-3ukjbQEEmID8VberURdNxoC_c4QAvD_BwE Peppoli Chianti Classico 2024 - https://www.nicks.com.au/products/2024-antinori-peppoli-chianti-classico?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1301565303&gbraid=0AAAAAD2Q_NVUOhIIpzJfCqtvyIpKtG35h&gclid=CjwKCAjw46HPBhAMEiwASZpLRJk9_3H0aaZggTqQlV4WGH34zOqB9nNL927BBu2ceFRxxvN036GnSBoCgjcQAvD_BwE Serge Dagueneau & Filles Pouilly Fume Tradition 2024 - https://www.nicks.com.au/products/2024-serge-dagueneau-and-filles-pouilly-fume-tradition?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1301565303&gbraid=0AAAAAD2Q_NVUOhIIpzJfCqtvyIpKtG35h&gclid=CjwKCAjw46HPBhAMEiwASZpLRKHl1UMDLwOkUd6gOdCeSp6h8exfskWM2rhfQquv5074lu1p924qbRoCQLQQAvD_BwE Head to the SPIEGELAU website through our link! Use Code MEGMEL, and you will get a crazy 45%. It’s live until END OF DAY 24th April Head to the website at https://www.spiegelau.com/en-au/shop?mtm_campaign=wwmm&mtm_kwd=digital&mtm_source=podcast#sort=bestSeller  Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail Queensland wine sounds like it shouldn’t work, so we taste our way through the Granite Belt and talk through the climate science that makes it possible. Four bottles later, we’re genuinely shocked by how balanced, fresh, and buy-worthy these wines are.  Golden Grove Vermentino 2025 - https://www.goldengroveestate.com.au/product/2025-vermentino/Witches Falls Verdelho 2024 - https://witchesfalls.com.au/products/2024-provenance-verdelho?srsltid=AfmBOooNItw2Uwj-9Lgnv2x1FfBTV7-VHnuaNohQ0J8g1JlD857UnO5GGolden Grove Joven Tempranillo 2024 - https://www.goldengroveestate.com.au/product/2024-joven-tempranillo/La Petit Mort Qvevri Saperavi 2022 - https://marketwinestore.com.au/products/la-petite-mort-qvevri-saperavi?srsltid=AfmBOooFi2kpFtaywyFVXeM3qB3a_cfC2X4Cu1rfLxiqYlvkHvfdwVEBGet up there when you get a chance and get to these wineries or just go online and support them! Head to SPIEGELAU to take advanatge of the incredible 45% Off offer for our listeners! https://www.spiegelau.com/en-au/shop?mtm_campaign=wwmm&mtm_kwd=digital&mtm_source=podcast#sort=bestSeller  Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail We move through the week’s biggest wine headlines, from career-building opportunities in Adelaide to the very real stress of smoke over vineyards during harvest. We also unpack rising fuel costs, what redundancies signal about the market, and why Michel Rolland’s legacy still shapes how wine tastes today. • Scholarships for under-35s to attend the International Masters of Wine Symposium in Adelaide in April 2027 • Why the MW symposium matters for contemporary issues, tasting and industry networks • Controlled burns across Victoria during peak harvest and how fast timing changes raise risk • Smoke monitoring, uncertainty around smoke taint, and why information flow matters in vintage • A late and compressed vintage, tank space pressure, fatigue, and the added impact of heavy rain • How Trump Iran conflict headlines feed fuel price stress, freight surcharges and visitation worries • Why buying wine direct can matter more when costs jump across shipping and operations • Warren Randall redundancies as a restructuring signal, not a one-off drama • The end of the wine boom and the need for younger thinking in rebuilding the industry • Michel Rolland’s influence on Bordeaux style, approachability, controversy and homogenisation debates Thanks for listening to this episode and head to spiegelau.com for an absolute treat offer from SPIEGELAU to us and all our listeners. Remember to use the code MEGMEL and upgrade your wine collection. You deserve it! Head to the website, it's https://www.spiegelau.com/en-au/shop#sort=bestSeller Code: MEGMEL Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail We taste and test how different glasses change the way wine shows up, from aroma to texture, with SPIEGELAU CEO Richard Voit. We land on a simple, practical setup for real life: buy fewer glasses, buy better, and match the glass to what you actually drink.  Throughout this episode we try Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir (Of Course!) and even Champagne and the results left us shocked. We've highlighted our favourite glasses from this experience for you! SPIEGELAU Definition Burgundy Glass SPIEGELAU Definition Universal Glass SPIEGELAU Lifestyle Burgundy Glass And a couple others we loved! SPIEGELAU Perfect Serve D.O.F SPIEGELAU Perfect Serve Nick & Nora Until the 24th of April Wine with Meg & Mel  listeners have access to 45% off full priced items if you use our code "megmel" at checkout! Head to - https://www.spiegelau.com/en-au/shop?mtm_campaign=wwmm&mtm_kwd=digital&mtm_source=podcast#sort=bestSeller  Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail You know that moment on a weekend away when you’re standing in a local supermarket with bananas in one hand and a basket in the other, staring at a random wall of wine and thinking, “How am I meant to pick something good from this?” That’s the problem we set out to solve with a simple challenge: we’re heading to an Airbnb with mates, we each get $50, and we have to buy wine that delivers on both value and drinkability. No swapping bottles back onto the shelf, no overthinking, and yes, we absolutely forget to check whether the place has a corkscrew.  We taste our way through supermarket sparkling wine (including a proper method traditional bottle), then get practical about what to look for when the shelves are slow-moving. Meg breaks down the hidden “lot number” clue that can tell you when sparkling was disgorged or bottled, and we talk honestly about how serving temperature can make a good pick feel even better. From there it’s a tour of budget whites with real holiday utility: Clare Valley Riesling as a sharp, zesty safe bet, Pinot Grigio marketing that doesn’t quite match the glass, and a $15 Soave that surprises us by being genuinely crowd-friendly.  Then we push the budget to its limits with a litre bottle of Chardonnay and unpack why cheap Chardonnay can end up tasting sweet, overly tropical, or simply built to please the broadest possible palate. On reds, we land on a French Vin de France “mystery blend” that’s far more drinkable than it has any right to be, before debating whether cheap Sangiovese is a smart gamble in Australia. If you want straightforward wine shopping tips, supermarket wine picks, and a few laughs for your next holiday, hit play. Subscribe, share it with a mate who always panics at the bottle shop, and leave us a review with your own best budget wine find. Winning Wines right here! https://bluepyrenees.com.au/collections/sparkling/products/2022-blue-pyrenees-vintage-brut https://winesellersdirect.com.au/products/pasqua-delle-venezie-soave-doc-2024-italy https://www.thewinecollective.com.au/products/2023-la-ptite-pierre-rouge?currency=AUD&variant=41800285782125&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=848595b13a55&/?utm_source=google_ads&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=TWC_PMax_Shopping_TWC_Warehouse_AU&utm_term=51045064&utm_content=warehouse&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21044783965&gbraid=0AAAAADv9ltxqmYF5cfpBqLRRnkpQV8YCL&gclid=Cj0KCQjwj47OBhCmARIsAF5wUEGYNHdfoOHP4yLI1yix-UONZZH9KqcE7HsPaKANW9Xa2oh1jyPBQIAaArjoEALw_wcB Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail We put goon on trial by tasting Bagnum versus a classic tap cask, blind, and learned just how easily packaging can mess with perception. Along the way we unpack why a Goon Bag can inflate (unintentionally, unlike Austin's high school pillows), what freshness really means in larger formats, and why the cheaper option can still be the best drink in the glass.  • What counts as goon and why the tap matters  • Bagnum versus cask pricing and how it plays out per bottle  • The “inflated Bag” problem explained by CO2 and heat  • Blind Sauvignon Blanc tasting WOW Banrock Station Sauvignon Blanc https://banrockstation.com.au/collections/our-wines/products/sauvignon-blanc-2l?variant=50397991698736 • Blind Shiraz tasting WineSmith Shiraz 2025 https://www.winesmiths.com.au/premium-selection-shiraz-nv/RESSHI6.html • Cost of goods in alternative packaging and why bigger is not always cheaper  • Extraction, free run and pressings explained in plain language  • Freshness tips for boxed wine and why retailer turnover matters  Please make sure that you are following us on all the social platforms! Listen next week as we tell you "what to buy when you're staring at a wall of WTF?!" Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail We break down why hedge funds are shorting Treasury Wine Estates in plain language, explore how Victoria Wine posted a record year, and unpack Penfolds’ culture pivot with Troye Sivan and the switch from the Australian Open to F1. We close by mapping the new logic of event sponsorships and what authenticity now means for wine brands. • How short selling works and why TWE is targeted • Luxury strategy under China headwinds • Why Victoria’s wine contribution hit records • The role of exports, trade fairs, and funding • Authenticity versus prestige for younger drinkers • Penfolds x Troye Sivan collaboration strategy • Shifting from AO/Melbourne Cup to F1 to reach new audiences • De Bortoli at Melbourne Cup and brand stretch • Sponsorship ROI, ethics, and audience fit • Teaser for goon versus bagnums next week Tune in next week for Goon Versus Bagnums! Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail We test Thai favourites (roti with satay, pad Thai and green curry) against a tight wine list to find pairings that truly work. A skinsy white surprises with satay, Riesling shines with pad Thai, Moscato calms green curry, and a light red secretly turns up the heat. We would love your feedback on this episode!  Did you enjoy it, or do you want us to just shut up and keep giving you actual education about wine? Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail What passes the Pub test? Beyond catchy slogans and sleek aesthetics, where does alcohol marketing cross the line? We examine Australia’s ABAC standards through the lens of recent, real-world complaints. By breaking down which campaigns were cleared and which were banned, Mel takes us inside the alcohol marketing world and boy did we get an education! Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail Forget everything you thought you knew about the Limestone Coast being "just for Cabernet." We’re following Meg’s week-long trek along South Australia’s wind-whipped shoreline to discover a region that’s cooling down and sharpening up. From the electric Blue Lake of Mount Gambier to the chalky soils of Robe and Cape Jaffa, we’re trading heavy reds for whites that speak with a bright, textural accent. It’s a coastal vibe where the air is crisp, the acids are zesty, and the Sauvignon Blanc actually tastes like an explosion of passionfruit and sea spray. We’re stripping the ego out of the glass and getting into why "skin contact" is more than just a buzzword, it’s the secret to making a Riesling the ultimate partner for fatty sausages or miso veg. Along the way, we settle the ultimate dinner-party debate (yes, you do pronounce the ‘T’ in Moët) and celebrate the cellar door moments that actually stick—think dog treats, impromptu picnics, and which labels pair best with a bag of chips. Whether you’re a die-hard Cabernet fan or ready to join "Team Coastal White," this is your permission slip to explore the grippy, unpretentious, and slightly salty side of the southeast. Wines Tasted Wangolina Sauvignon Blanc 2025, $23.00 https://www.wangolina.com.au/wine/limestone-coast-sauvignon-blanc/57593/ Wangolina Original Semillon 2023, $35.00 https://www.wangolina.com.au/wine/the-originals-semillon/52892/ Patrick of Coonawarra Methode Skinny Riesling 2023, $32.00 https://patrickofcoonawarra.com/collections/all-wines/products/2023-methode-skinny-riesling-20-off Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail A fresh studio, a new season, and the most pressing question in Australian wine: how do we move a region built on volume toward a future built on value? We open with Riverland’s reality—cheap grapes, heavy irrigation, and a glut of ageing red—and ask whether protecting old vines and dialing back yields can spark a quality reset. Brendan Carter’s deep dive provides a hopeful blueprint, but we weigh the hard limits: rainfall differences, trellis vs bush vines, and the sheer scale that makes a Swartland‑style pivot harder here. From there, we break down a $139m industry plan that puts dignity at the centre. Think concessional loans for growers to exit or replant, water leasing to manage transitions, safe removal of unsaleable stock, and a mandatory code of conduct to ensure minimum sustainable prices and fairer payment terms. It’s not just policy talk; it’s a roadmap to share risk more evenly so growers aren’t left carrying the cash flow burden while the market resets at home and abroad. We also tackle the Gen Z question without the hand‑wringing. Wellness trends, tight budgets, and an explosion of formats—from no‑alc beer to smart RTDs—reshape habits, while most drinkers still want simple cues over flowery notes: when to open, how cold to serve, what to eat with it. Sustainability could bridge the gap. Two new grants push low‑emission packaging, including aluminium and flat recyclable PET that slash freight emissions and warehouse space without sacrificing weeknight quality. And for a dash of fun, we toast blœge—a bright red‑white blend that’s chillable, perfumed, and category‑breaking—plus a viral luxury bottle cameo reminding us that wine is story as much as substance. If you care about Australian wine’s next chapter—from fair grower payments to climate‑smart bottles and fresher styles that meet how we actually drink—this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a wine‑curious friend, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. What change would you prioritise first? Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail Bushfire season has arrived with brutal force, impacting Victorian wineries - this extra episode is to answer your questions around what this means. From Strathbogie Ranges and Yea through to watch zones near the Yarra Valley, we map the fire lines, the shifting winds, and the hard choices facing growers who are only weeks from harvest. It’s not just scorched rows and lost stock; the bigger, quieter threat is in the smoke you can’t taste on the grape but can’t ignore in the glass. We break down smoke taint in plain language: how guaiacol and m‑cresol bind to sugars in the vine, why reds are at higher risk, and how distance, density, and duration of smoke shape outcomes. You’ll hear how bench ferments and AWRI testing guide go or no‑go calls, why thresholds are so unforgiving, and when it makes sense not to pick at all. Along the way, we talk logistics on the ground—melted dripper lines, charred posts, closed roads, and the heartbreak of not being able to turn on irrigation during a heat spike. Spring frosts have already clipped yields in parts of Yarra and Beechworth, so the supply cushion is thin, and cellar doors are closing to keep roads clear, hitting tourism and cash flow at the worst moment. Through it all, the wine community is rallying—offering fruit, sharing testing know‑how, and keeping information moving. If you want to help, start with your glass: buy Victorian wine, and where possible buy direct so every dollar lands with the producer. Share this conversation with friends who love Pinot, Shiraz, and the regions behind them. Subscribe for more grounded, no‑nonsense insights, leave a review to boost the signal, and tell us which wineries you’re backing so we can amplify and connect support. Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail A glass of champagne in hand and a year’s worth of tasting notes on the table, we set out to crown ten wines that genuinely moved us. Not the priciest. Not the rarest. The bottles that delivered texture, balance and joy—whether poured at a barbecue, opened for a milestone, or discovered on a whim at the local. We start with the unexpected: an Australian Arinto that lives in the mineral, nutty space between categories, and a Pouilly Fumé that rehabilitates Sauvignon Blanc with flint, smoke and structure. Then comes the conversation starter—a supermarket Chardonnay so composed and complete it became our benchmark for modern Margaret River style. From there, we travel to Beechworth for a savoury, high-country Nebbiolo that whispers Langhe without mimicry, and we revisit Tasmanian Pinot Noir for a masterclass in elegance over power. Barossa Syrah gets a fresh reading too: lifted perfume, red fruit purity and mineral lines that sidestep heaviness. Discovery is half the fun. A Greek Agiorgitiko proves that twenty dollars can buy perfume, supple tannin and weeknight versatility. In the Yarra Valley, Giant Steps Applejack Pinot shows how precision and site expression can make a wine feel inevitable. We also make the case for patience with Scarborough’s The Obsessive Semillon—buy the current vintage, tuck it away, and watch citrus and lanolin unfurl into something profound. And then our number one: Tim Adams Clare Valley Pinot Gris. Textural, floral, crisp and priced so you can pour it freely at Christmas lunch. When both a Master of Wine and a new wine lover choose the same bottle on merit, that’s the sweet spot we live for. Join us for the stories, the friendly arguments, and the practical buying tips to help you drink better without spending more. If you enjoyed this year’s ride, follow our socials, share the episode with a friend who loves a good value find, and leave a quick review—your support helps us keep the glasses clinking next year. Cheers. Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail We taste through Australian icons and ask what truly makes a wine “great”: site, story, structure, or time. From Great Western’s mineral Shiraz to Margaret River’s silky Cabernet, Grange’s legend and Noble One’s golden botrytis, we weigh value, ageability and joy. • Best’s Bin 0 Shiraz 2021 as elegant, dark-fruited Great Western benchmark • Continental climate, phenolic ripeness and stony granitic tannins • Thompson Family Shiraz 2020 from 1868 pre-phylloxera vines • Why cellaring matters and protecting historic vineyards • Margaret River Cabernet structure versus Yarra Valley tannin • Barrel selection and blending for balance and perfume • Penfolds Grange history, pricing, ageing and corking clinics • Botrytis mechanics behind Noble One and food matches • Pride in Australian diversity and value at multiple price points • Aldi picks: Chianti for weeknight food pairing and value Make sure you come back for that until next time. Enjoy your next glass of wine and drink well Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel

Send us Fan Mail We taste a line-up of Australian icons. From Tasmanian bubbles to Hunter Semillon, Canberra Shiraz Viognier, and Yarra Cabernet blends, we map style, site, and ageability with unashamed love for homegrown greatness. • Arras Late Disgorged 2009  • Tyrrell’s Vat 1 2019 • Tolpuddle Chardonnay 2004 • Clonakilla’s Shiraz Viognier 2024 • Yarra Yering Dry Red No. 1 2021 Please follow us on Instagram, rate the show on your podcast app, and share it with a friend Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel and TikTok! @winewithmegmel