Ep 223 Declassified Cult Wines: The Rebels of the Wine World

2025-06-16

Welcome back, wine friends! This episode is all about the rebels — the wild ones — the winemakers who’ve ripped up the rulebook and gone their own way. We’re diving deep into the world of declassified cult wines: the bottles that said "no thanks" to tradition-bound wine laws, and yet, somehow became some of the most expensive, most desired, and most obsessively followed wines on the planet. But before we get to the juicy stuff, let’s set the scene. You know those cryptic acronyms on European ...

Welcome back, wine friends!

This episode is all about the rebels — the wild ones — the winemakers who’ve ripped up the rulebook and gone their own way. We’re diving deep into the world of declassified cult wines: the bottles that said "no thanks" to tradition-bound wine laws, and yet, somehow became some of the most expensive, most desired, and most obsessively followed wines on the planet.

But before we get to the juicy stuff, let’s set the scene.

You know those cryptic acronyms on European wine labels — AOC, DOCG, and even Qualitätswein? They’re steeped in history, tradition, and legal frameworks that protect the where, the what, and the how of a wine. They're there to ensure quality, consistency, and authenticity.

And yet, to some, those same laws can feel more like shackles than structure. Want to plant Syrah in Bordeaux? Or fancy making an orange wine in Chianti? You can't under AOC or DOCG rules. Even if your wine is mind-blowingly good, if it doesn’t fit the mould, it gets dumped in the “Vin de France” or “Vino da Tavola” pile.

So in this episode, we raise a glass to the misfits, the rule-breakers, and the game-changers — winemakers who said, “Forget the label, let the wine speak for itself.”

We’ll travel from the storied vineyards of Bordeaux to the wild Loire, up through Tuscany, and back again — featuring the most expensive wine in the world, a Brunello scandal, and some unicorn bottles you’ve probably seen worshipped on Instagram.

Throughout this episode, whilst telling the tales of some of the most iconic and rebellious wines, you’ll also learn more about: vine density plantings in Bordeaux, the impact of phylloxera, the historic grape varieties of Bordeaux, what Bordeaux might have tasted like before the 1855 classification, the scandal of Brunellogate, the difference between Sangiovese in Montalcino vs Chianti, Chianti’s rigid and outdated regulations, and a few legends of the natural wine movement.

Get ready for trailblazing tales, creative freedom in a bottle, and a reminder that some of the best wines in the world never needed permission to be great.

Episode Chapters:

3.30: Introducing Liber Pater – the most expensive wine in the world

10.00: Introducing Louis-Benjamin - Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fume Asteroide – the holy grail of Sauvignon Blanc

15.30: Introducing Case Basse di Gianfranco Soldera Toscana Sangiovese – The wine making the most dramatic exit from Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

23.00: Introducing Le Pergole Torte from Montevertine – a 100% Sangiovese from the Chianti Classico region

26.10: Introducing the wines from Domaine des Miroirs in the Jura region – a Japanese winemaker producing ‘unicorn wines’.

32.30: Introducing a declassified super affordable wine for contrast: Gran Cerdo from Gonzalo Grijalba

📩 Questions or feedback? Email me: janina@eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk

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Until next time – cheers to you!