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The Four Top
Each week, wine media veteran Katherine Cole serves up and breaks down the four biggest stories in the vinous world with help from The Four Top team, including our contributing cohost, Martín Reyes, MW. Come for the headlines, stick around for the occasional bad pun, and savor the conversation. The Four Top is winner of both the James Beard and IACP awards for Best Culinary Podcast.
Total 181 episodes
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Ep. 180: (Thirty-Five Million) Buck Chuck

Ep. 180: (Thirty-Five Million) Buck Chuck

A major producer drops glass weight. Gen Z wants a no ABV party. Tis the season for best wines lists. We phone a friend in France to discuss levies out of London. All this and more on your favorite wine news podcast, The Four Top.
25:3620/11/2024
Ep. 179: Tariffs and Toxic Waste

Ep. 179: Tariffs and Toxic Waste

Trump tariffs have some terrified. It's not phylloxera, it's late frosts and freak storms. Workers allege toxic waste in winegrowers' waterways. The Aussies go aeronautical with aeration. These are the wine news stories we're following this week. 
34:3013/11/2024
Ep. 178: Napa Handles the Heat

Ep. 178: Napa Handles the Heat

The rain in Spain does not fall mainly on the plain. Fine wine is in decline, but some producers still shine. It turns out Nick is not the only thing that likes to get drunk in the woods. Napa can handle the heat. These are the wine news stories we're following this week. 
22:1806/11/2024
Ep. 177: Ghosts, Ghouls, and GPTs

Ep. 177: Ghosts, Ghouls, and GPTs

We have wine country horror stories for you this Halloween week. Plus, we have a famous comedian's contribution to wine home decor, and all the latest on AI in the wine industry. To wrap things up, we phone a friend, that friend being Jason Wise of SommTV. Jason is going to tell us all about the Ghosts of Napa Valley. These are the wine news stories we have this week on The Four Top. 
34:5930/10/2024
Ep. 176: Chardonngay and a New AVA

Ep. 176: Chardonngay and a New AVA

Criminals cashed in on counterfeit wine. Hip hip hooray! Napa's got a new AVA. What's going on at Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton? And in the name of Come Over October, we get to know the gal behind Chardonngay. These are the wine news stories we're following this week on your go-to wine news podcast, The Four Top.
28:4523/10/2024
Ep. 175: Blue Zones B.S. and Billion Dollar Buyouts

Ep. 175: Blue Zones B.S. and Billion Dollar Buyouts

It's Come Over October, and we've got Kimberly Charles on the mic! We're watching Weed and Wine. Katherine is boozing in Berlin. A winery was acquired for a truly ungodly sum. The Blue Zones may have been bullshit. These are the stories we're following this week in the wine world.
30:0016/10/2024
Ep. 174: Dock Strikes and Chip Farms

Ep. 174: Dock Strikes and Chip Farms

Karen MacNeil joins us on Ep. 174!Dock workers struck and some wine got stuck. Non-alcoholic champagne is here and it is a little pricey. Oregon's governor chooses chip farms over grape farms. Come on over because it's October. These are the wine news stories we're following this week. 
26:4309/10/2024
Ep. 173: The Joy of Wine

Ep. 173: The Joy of Wine

Somewhere in the recent flurry of negative wine news, we forgot the most important thing about our industry: the joy. Anna Maria Ponzi of Linfield University's Center for Wine Education and Jason Haas of Tablas Creek Vineyard join us on Ep. 173 to remind us of that joy, and give us tips on how to spread it far and wide. Listen to this episode with a glass in hand; we're finding that joy once again. 
36:3402/10/2024
Ep. 172: India is Bucking Wine Trends

Ep. 172: India is Bucking Wine Trends

Deluges along the Danube drench wineries. India may be the savior wine needs. A firefighter fans flames in California. Wineries could find a friend in the USPS if some senators get their way. These are the four wine news stories we're following this week on The Four Top, with a special guest: food and wine writer Henna Bakshi!
22:5125/09/2024
Ep. 171: The Four Top’s Excellent UK Adventure

Ep. 171: The Four Top’s Excellent UK Adventure

We caught up with Jancis Robinson, Richard Hemming, André Mack, Agnese Gintere, Henna Bakshi, Samantha Cole-Johnson, Elaine Chukan Brown, and Amanda Barnes at the inaugural 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicator Awards. We got to travel to London to attend the awards ceremony, and the best part was talking to so many talented wine communicators. Enjoy their hot takes, and... Cheers! 
20:4318/09/2024
Ep. 170: A Teaser

Ep. 170: A Teaser

We do not have a full episode for you this week! We were all traveling for the past 7-10 days and could not get an episode together for you. But that's mostly a good thing, because we were at the 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicator Awards in London! We were able to speak to some very talented wine communicators to get their thoughts and insights, and we'll be bringing you all that magic next week in a recap episode. Until then, enjoy this litte teaser. Cheers! 
02:2311/09/2024
Ep. 169: New Grapes, Same Bullshit

Ep. 169: New Grapes, Same Bullshit

South African wineries are fans of wasps and bullshit. Napa Valley’s tourist stats are good news. You may RSVP to your next wedding invite via Resy. France welcomes new grape varieties. These are the four wine news stories were following this week on The Four Top.
22:1804/09/2024
Ep. 168: Cabernet Cocoons and Aged Grapes

Ep. 168: Cabernet Cocoons and Aged Grapes

Prehistoric pips point to possible birthplace of grapes. You can now walk from St. Helena to Calistoga. An unrealized real estate empire implodes. Cocoons are for caterpillars and cabernet. These are the four wine news stories we're following this week on The Four Top.
18:3228/08/2024
Ep. 167: Rubles, Roundup, and Rapa Nui

Ep. 167: Rubles, Roundup, and Rapa Nui

Chile designates new D.O.s. Mysterious brain diseases in Canada are cause for concern. Vine saboteurs are horrible, terrible, no good, very bad people. Vladimir Putin forks out rubles for rosés and reds. These are the four stories we're following this week on The Four Top.
17:2121/08/2024
Ep. 166: Walking Off the Wine

Ep. 166: Walking Off the Wine

Wine is not allowed to be fun or festive. California wants to chuck out self-checkout. Champagne lightens up. Walkathons are all the rage in Prosecco country. These are the news stories we're following this week on The Four Top. 
21:3714/08/2024
Ep. 165: Chillable Reds and Friends

Ep. 165: Chillable Reds and Friends

Katherine, Ruby, and Nick met in person for the first time...this week. That's pretty wild. Instead of bringing you a regular episode, we celebrated by talking about the rising popularity of chillable red wines (or is it chilled red wines?) and drinking rosé (a bit ironic). Sure, the audio quality isn't quite up to snuff, but we learned that we can be real life friends! 
31:3307/08/2024
Ep. 164: Taxing the Air

Ep. 164: Taxing the Air

VWE declares bankruptcy. Politicians and producers want to blow up the bubble tax. Winemakers are fretful thanks to the French far right. The man behind the American winery aesthetic has passed away. These are the four wine news stories we're discussing this week on your favorite wine news podcast, The Four Top.
26:0031/07/2024
Ep. 163: Wine Bots and Unpaid Bills

Ep. 163: Wine Bots and Unpaid Bills

A former employee has spilled the tea about Visit Napa Valley. A deadbeat winery owner gets sued for shirking his bills. Treasury Wine Estates has gone full robot mode. Pete Wells quit his job before his job quit him. These are the wine news stories we're discussing on The Four Top.
24:4724/07/2024
Ep. 162: Swiftonomics and the Supreme Court

Ep. 162: Swiftonomics and the Supreme Court

Swiftonomics comes to the wine world. The Supreme Court creates chaos for alcohol producers. A big tech exec wants to expand access to wine. Fires force evacuations in Central Coast wine country. These are the wine stories we're following on episode 162 of The Four Top.
22:1417/07/2024
Ep. 161: Booze, Hold the Alcohol

Ep. 161: Booze, Hold the Alcohol

Anchor Brewing is raised once again. Wine pain is beer pain. Hops, water, and that's it. And the hottest thing in alcohol is no alcohol. These are the four topics we're covering this week on the beer takeover of The Four Top.  
28:3510/07/2024
Ep. 160: Garden Party

Ep. 160: Garden Party

This week we are taking a break from the news, and oh man was this ever the week to take a break from the news… We have the pleasure of bringing you this fun, insightful, and, honestly, relaxing conversation Katherine recently had with occasional co-host Martín Reyes, MW, and our friend Wendy Phillips, aka the Garden Somm. Hopefully it will inspire you to slow down a bit, take in your surroundings, and enjoy a good glass of wine. 
30:4403/07/2024
Ep. 159: (Chilled) Red Wine Supernova

Ep. 159: (Chilled) Red Wine Supernova

Bordeaux bets big on Virginia wine. Very old vino is found near Sevilla. Wineries dodge a wildfire bullet. Olfactory stimulation is the new health craze. These are the top wine news stories we’re following on Ep. 159 of The Four Top. 
16:1226/06/2024
Ep. 158: Pests, Pricing, and Pinot Noir

Ep. 158: Pests, Pricing, and Pinot Noir

Spotted species stopped short of soaring into Sonoma. A price pullback by Château Figeac. The Bay Area celebrates Pinot Noir from afar. Are the World’s 50 Best Restaurants too avant-garde for their own good? These are the top wine news stories we’re following on Ep. 158 of The Four Top.
20:3119/06/2024
Ep. 157: Dolly Parton Giveth

Ep. 157: Dolly Parton Giveth

Sweden loosens its hold on hooch. The FTC aims its phasers at Southern Glazer's. The future of wine growing may be from the 1990s. The fight over foil necks continues. These are the top wine news stories we're following this week.
22:0512/06/2024
Ep. 156: Smoke and Sulfur

Ep. 156: Smoke and Sulfur

Nightly wine and cheese parties may just stave off dementia. Canned wine stink is sunk. Smokey the Bear says power companies must pay for smoke tainted wines. And was 2023 the vintage of the century? These are the wine news stories we're following this week. 
21:5805/06/2024
Ep. 155: Weed > Wine?

Ep. 155: Weed > Wine?

The results are in from the re-judgment of Paris. Weed wins over wine on days that end in Y. Paper beats rock - sort of - in the spirits world. We bring you the buyout rundown for spring 2024. These are the wine news stories we're following this week on The Four Top.  
24:5529/05/2024
Ep. 154: Vegan Beef and Sake Futures

Ep. 154: Vegan Beef and Sake Futures

The Pom Wonderful Company is apparently the Not So Wonderful Company. Regenerative ag is coming for vegan cuisine. The future of futures is not wine, but sake. Climate change is fouling up fermentation (so we think). This is the wine news we're watching this week on the Four Top. 
21:3122/05/2024
Ep. 153: Tomato Wine and the Sideways Guy

Ep. 153: Tomato Wine and the Sideways Guy

Low spirits in wine and spirits as we lose another great wine publication. Pernod Ricard is getting out of Down Under. Tomato wine is...wait...tomato wine? And wine isn't a democracy, according to the Sideways guy. These are the news stories we're following this week.  
25:3715/05/2024
Ep. 152: No Future for Bordeaux Futures?

Ep. 152: No Future for Bordeaux Futures?

Freixenet cuts worker hours due to a force majeure. Champagne is wrapped up over neck wrappers. The future of Bordeaux futures hangs in the balance. Chablis and Cahors have had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week. These are the wine stories we're following this week. 
18:0308/05/2024
Ep. 151: Wine: The Superior Sports Drink

Ep. 151: Wine: The Superior Sports Drink

Our taste buds are no match for robot probes. Revino brings reuse to wine bottles. Restaurant reservation rage is at an all time high. The hottest spritz spirit has doubled production. These are the wine news stories we're covering this week.  
22:2501/05/2024
Ep. 150: Reruns: Sound Off on Roundup

Ep. 150: Reruns: Sound Off on Roundup

Katherine is speaking at a wine celebration in Croatia this week, so we've dug a classic episode out of the vault for you. This engrossing, and at times shocking, episode deals with everyone's least-favorite, most-used herbicide: Roundup. It is the perfect pairing for Earth Week, so please enjoy! Here it is, folks; our episode about Roundup…but it’s so much more than that. We dive into regenerative agriculture, climate action, and the fight over how to grow grapes on a rapidly changing planet.Rounding out our expertise this week are Dr. Jamie Goode, an award-winning wine journalist, plant biologist, and the author of I Taste Red: The Science of Tasting Wine; and Anna Brittain, the founder and executive director of Napa Green and Napa RISE.
45:4824/04/2024
Ep. 149: Enzymes, Endorphins, and Ethanol

Ep. 149: Enzymes, Endorphins, and Ethanol

Martín Reyes, MW continues his residency in part two of our exploration of alcohol metabolization. We get into enzymes, dopamine, and orgasms in this occasionally off-kilter discussion of how our bodies deal with alcohol. All aboard our very adult Magic School Bus! 
24:0617/04/2024
Ep. 148: The One with Science In It

Ep. 148: The One with Science In It

Martín Reyes, MW is back for a two-episode arc! We've got science, dad jokes, and questionable man-made sound effects on this one. Join us as Katherine and Martín dig in to how alcohol is metabolized in our bodies in part one of this two-parter. 
21:0310/04/2024
Ep. 147: Teetotalers vs. Nebuchadnezzars

Ep. 147: Teetotalers vs. Nebuchadnezzars

Neo prohibitionists have the ears of health officials. It turns out old vines can travel. We've got a climate change game show for you. Yet another wine brand has been bought by its founder. These are the wine news stories we're following this week. 
17:1103/04/2024
Ep. 146: Import Outrage and Export Heroics

Ep. 146: Import Outrage and Export Heroics

A winemaker takes back his brand from a big ol' private equity firm. A surprising amount of American wine is not actually American. Organic wine importers are completely freaking out, and we don't blame them. Washington State is throwing British Columbia a lifeline. These are the four wine news stories we're following this week. 
21:4927/03/2024
Ep. 145: The Curse of the Blue Nun

Ep. 145: The Curse of the Blue Nun

A winery uses AI to sexy up its team, do backflips, and oh yeah, sell wine. Californians are scrambling for last resort fire insurance. We've definitely identified the economic sweet spots for the wine industry. The curse of the blue nun has been lifted. These are the wine news stories we're following this week. 
15:2720/03/2024
Ep. 144: Sheep and Cheese and Registries

Ep. 144: Sheep and Cheese and Registries

Sheep counting has gotten out of hand. Cheese is on the chopping block. Wine retailers love registries. Ukrainian wine abides. These are the four wine news stories we're following this week. 
15:2813/03/2024
Ep. 143: Snow in the Sierras and Saboteurs in Spain

Ep. 143: Snow in the Sierras and Saboteurs in Spain

Snow in the Sierra Nevadas. Saboteurs in Spain. The French court says, "mais non," to predatory negociants, and we have all been speaking Latin all wrong. These are the four wine news stories at our table right now.
16:4706/03/2024
Ep. 142: Dr. WHO?

Ep. 142: Dr. WHO?

Martín Reyes, MW is back, and he’s brought some friends. With their help, we get into misleading claims from the W.H.O, the health effects of wine, and how moderation may just be good for you. Joining us this week are Dr. Laura Catena, a Harvard and Stanford trained biologist and physician, fourth generation vintner, and the managing director of Bodega Catena Zapata in Argentina; and Dr. Miles Hassell, a specialist in Internal Medicine, the author of Good Food, Great Medicine, and a professor at Pacific University.
44:2228/02/2024
Ep. 141: Zillennial Zeitgeist, Secretive Subpoenas & Sub-Zero Temps

Ep. 141: Zillennial Zeitgeist, Secretive Subpoenas & Sub-Zero Temps

Mystery subpoenas hit some of the Napa Valley's biggest names. Someone claims to have tapped into the zillennial zeitgeist. British Columbia has been frozen out, and Rioja is sounding a bit more charming. These are the wine stories we're following this week.
15:1121/02/2024
Ep. 140: Psilocybin and Smoke Taint

Ep. 140: Psilocybin and Smoke Taint

Well, move over wine; magic mushrooms are taking over. Israel's pruning season is in distress. Hay un escándalo en La Rioja. Smoke taint, rose taint, there's taint, and we're going to talk about it. These are the four wine stories we're following this week.
19:5214/02/2024
Ep. 139: The Pope Has Spoken

Ep. 139: The Pope Has Spoken

The Pope promotes the heavenly origins of wine. Wine growers worldwide take to their tractors in protest. Oregon keeps booze tax facts under wraps. Southern Glazer's may have met its match. These are the stories were following this week.
15:5207/02/2024
Ep. 138: Good Vibrations from AI Robots

Ep. 138: Good Vibrations from AI Robots

Brutal news from Abruzzo. Winemakers call for cuts thanks to a glut of grapes. AI robots are bringing sexy back. A vintage wine estate seems to be falling apart at the seams. This is the Four Top, and these are the stories we're following this week.
16:5131/01/2024
Ep. 137: Explosions and Cocaine (and Wine)

Ep. 137: Explosions and Cocaine (and Wine)

Drizly is shown the exit. Are large wine pours out the door? The state of the U.S. wine industry is, uh, pretty shitty, actually. Wine is all about explosions and cocaine. These are the wine stories we're following this week. This week's episode is brought to you by Josh, Josh, and Josh.
19:5524/01/2024
Ep. 136: Righted Wrongs and French Families

Ep. 136: Righted Wrongs and French Families

A cultural wrong just got righted in California bars and restaurants. Argentine wine faces the choppy waters of hyperinflation and devaluation. You can get paid for that strip of vineyard land you're not using. One very rich French family sells an old faithful standby of a wine to another very rich French family. These are the stories we’re following this week.
19:2517/01/2024
Ep. 135: $30,000 Bottles and Beer Goggles

Ep. 135: $30,000 Bottles and Beer Goggles

Restaurants see high demand for low-ABV cocktails. Washington and Colorado wage wine war against California. Scientists declare that beer goggles are not a thing. Just what is the world's most expensive wine? These are the stories we're following this week.
19:2810/01/2024
Ep. 134: Wine: It Does a Body Good

Ep. 134: Wine: It Does a Body Good

"No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health." Those words were published by the World Health Organization almost exactly a year ago, and the wine world was not happy. But was that declaration accurate? In Ep. 134, we look at conflicting research, scientific bias, and the centenarians who swear by their daily glass of wine.
26:1803/01/2024
Ep. 133: Financial Failures and Lost Generations

Ep. 133: Financial Failures and Lost Generations

We should note that we were going to call this a year-end news roundup, but we've decided to phase that out...Get it? It's a glyphosate joke. Millennials and Gen Z are lost generations. Wine's most important banks just...stopped. Napa Green showed glyphosate the door. There's a movie called A Vineyard Christmas and it's really good *wink*. These are the stories from 2023 that stuck out the most to us.
17:2027/12/2023
Ep. 132: Wine Scams and TikTok Takeovers

Ep. 132: Wine Scams and TikTok Takeovers

TikTokers take over a Parisian wine bar. British scam artists face charges in the U.S. Rare wine collections are found under a Times Square TGI Fridays. And should you be perturbed by pesticides in your wine? These are the stories we're following this week.
18:0220/12/2023
Ep. 131: An AI Version of Taylor Swift Drinking Natural Wine

Ep. 131: An AI Version of Taylor Swift Drinking Natural Wine

Admittedly, that title is misleading, but we do talk AI, T. Swift, AND natural wine in Ep. 131. The Queen Bee of Burgundy has stinging words for natural wine. AI tech authenticates terroir. Are California wineries ready for the CRV fee? And the W.H.O. thinks it can fight death with taxes. These are the four wine news stories we're following this week.
19:5713/12/2023