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Franz & Lukacs Talk Wine

Holiday Wine Wisdom?
Dec 14, 2009

Whether you're hosting dinner or bringing a bottle to a party somewhere else, the holidays are a time for difficult wine choices.  Should you serve white or red with turkey? Is it wise to bring a special bottle to a party, or will it get lost amid all the other choices?  Michael Franz and Paul Lukacs offer tips for holiday wine anxiety.

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Seasonal Wine and Food Advice
Oct 7, 2009

How should one go about selecting wines for the table depending on the ambient temperature?  Which wines work best in which circumstances, and how should you treat the wines themselves in terms of temperature?

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Hot--or Not?
Sep 2, 2009

Who decides what's hot -- and what's not -- in the world of wine?  Sometimes, a movie like "Sideways" will send certain wines into the stratosphere.  But other times, the reasons for a wine's rise or fall aren't always clear.  We consider the fickle fashions of the wine world, and discuss varietals that are on the rise today.

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Regulation: Boon or Bane for Wine?
Jul 15, 2009

Do legal regulations regarding grape growing and winemaking  preserve quality in wine or stifle innovation?  We consider this question as well as others, and take calls from listeners.

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Debunking Common Wine Misconceptions
Jun 9, 2009

April Fool's Day may have come and gone -- but if you're looking to learn more about wine, you're not out of the woods just yet. Even the most seasoned drinkers can be fooled by misinformation and urban myths.  Michael Franz and Paul Lukacs are back to talk about common misconceptions -- including the idea that wine usually gets better with age.

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Recession and the Wine Trade
May 13, 2009

We consider how the economic recession is affecting the wine trade, and whether there is any silver lining (think bargains) to be found in the current cloud....

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Wine Bargain Strategy
Apr 12, 2009

In the midst of a rocky economy, many wine aficionados say "the $10 bottle is the new $20 wine". But how do you cut cost without sacrificing quality?  We say that great, affordable finds are everywhere if you're willing to stray slightly off the beaten path.  We discuss unjustly obscure wines and other topics as well.

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Sparkling Wine Tips
Dec 19, 2008

For a lot of people, the holiday season is all about breaking out the bubbly.  Shopping for Champagne and other sparkling wines can be an expensive process--but it need not be.  Michael Franz and Paul Lukacs help navigate the sparkling wine family, and answer lots of listener questions about enjoying wine during the holidays.

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Wine Wisdom: Thanksgiving Wine Tips
Nov 25, 2008

It's a fiendishly complex challenge for wine enthusiasts: picking that perfect pairing for the "traditional" Thanksgiving meal of turkey, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes.  There may not be one ideal pairing for all of our favorite savory and sweet dishes.  But there are some useful tips to guide you through the aisle at your local store.  Michael Franz and Paul Lukacs offer seasonal wine tips.

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Wine Wisdom: Pairing Wines with Foods
Oct 24, 2008

They say that rules are meant to be broken, but does that axiom apply to wine?  Are the old rules of thumb for pairing wines and foods soundly based, or would we do better to consider some new approaches?  Plus, we consider how Amazon.com's decision to get into wine sales will impact both consumers and local mom-and-pop shops.

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Wine Wisdom: Ageing and Storage
Sep 10, 2008

Why do some wines improve with age whereas others don't?  How is it possible to tell the difference between them?  And with wines that can improve with age, what should be done by those who live in apartments or who don't have wine cellars?  These topics as well as others are taken up, along with a number of questions from listeners....

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American Wine: Beyond the Golden State
Aug 20, 2008

Napa and Sonoma are two famous-named wine regions -- but there are many wine regions across the US that may surprise you.  States like Michigan and Arizona, not traditionally associated with wine, are now home to budding vineyards.  We'll take a virtual road trip and hear about the wineries worth a late-summer trek.

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A Riesling Roundtable
Jul 30, 2008

It's a white wine that sends critics swooning -- yet it's relatively underappreciated by most American consumers.  It's Riesling, one of the most versatile, refreshing wines out there. Michael Franz and Paul Lukacs explore why Riesling has yet to take off in the USA, and why the wine industry seems to have such a hard time predicting which bottles will fly off the shelves and which will gather dust.

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Ins and Outs of Wine Pricing
Jul 16, 2008

What factors are involved in wine pricing?  Why do some wines cost so much more than others?  Are wines priced competitively, like other comodities, or are they priced at the whim of producers, like some luxury goods?

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Grilling for Warm Weather Wines
Jul 2, 2008

Kojo grills Michael and Paul on what wines they recommend for the 4th, or any warm summer weekend, and the sparks fly! Paul says Beaujolais with a slight chill, above all else. And Michael can't resist the comeback that most commercial Beaujolais is "insipid." To Paul he has two words: Pinot Noir! Ah, but our guys agree on the lighter reds of northern Italy -- Dolcetto and Barbera -- and Chianti with a slight chill. Light body, light oak and modest tannin. Michael and Paul also offer tips on how to care for a bottle of wine in warmer weather, and Michael notes that serving at room temperature -- when the room is 85 degrees warm -- probably isn't a very good idea. It's fun, it's informative and it's a click away!

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Best Values for Summer Sipping
Jun 25, 2008

On the surface, it doesn't look like a great time to indulge in European or Australian wines -- the dollar's weak and shipping costs are through the roof. But  those regions may still be your best bet for high-quality, moderately-priced bottles. WRO Editor Michael Franz and Saveur Wine Editor Paul Lukacs, a WRO columnist, join Kojo Nnamdi of Washington, D.C.'s PBS station, WAMU, to discuss your best options for sipping wine this summer.

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