Syrah is one of the world’s greatest noble grape varieties. Its versatility is unmatched in the world of red wines and it provides beautifully unique styles the world over; from the Northern Rhone Valley to Paso Robles, Washington State to Chile, and Sonoma County to Australia.

Malbec comes from humble beginnings. In the Middle Ages, it was associated almost entirely with southwestern France and the ‘black wines’ of the Cahors region. The grape expanded its footprint in Bordeaux in the 1780s, but after Bordeaux’s destructive hard frost of 1956 Malbec was widely replaced with Merlot. After that, the grape went on to languish as something of an afterthought in France and greater Europe.

Carménère was one of the original red grapes of Bordeaux. After most of Europe’s vineyards were decimated in the late 1800s, Carménère was largely omitted during vineyard replanting and was eventually presumed extinct.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s great noble grape varieties. It is the most-planted black-skinner wine grape in the world. It is the driving force behind many of the world’s most important wine regions, the main component in countless numbers of prestigious blends, and the most recognized and favored red wine on the worldwide market. As the saying goes: Cab is King!

Have you ever wondered how wine is made? It’s not exactly something they cover in school! There are so many decisions to be made and each has an impact on the resulting wine. Nonetheless, the basic steps of the winemaking process are fairly consistent.

In today’s episode, Montana is joined by beverage industry veteran, Myles Fischer, for a discussion on how to approach putting together a case of wine to enjoy during the winter months.