The Crush

Episode 64: On our final show, we;ve got some BIG announcements and are taking a walk down memory lane. We're waxing nostalgic by reminiscing about our most memorable wine adventures. From riding horses bareback to drinking Japanese wine in a Spanish cemetery, we reveal our favorite wine moments of all time.

Episode 63: It's that time of year! The ladies are talking holiday parties, cocktails, wine wishlists, and resolutions. Plus, their pal Carmen is splashing out for the holidays in one of the priciest and most well loved wine regions around. Finally, they chat with one of New York's most bad ass saber-crazy somms.

Episode 62: 

We're back and ready to go with a jam-packed show. We're answering listener questions, like what happens when a somm gets pregnant. We're following or always-traveling old pal Carmen Grape-iago along the wine trail. Where is she this time? That and a TON more!

Episode 61: Find out about what Whitney drank in New Orleans and why fried green tomatoes always taste better in the South. The Crush's old pal Carmen Grape-iago has hit the wine road once again. This time she's in a place where comething called "renoster bos" covers the mountain slopes. Take a guess where she could be. Finally, the ladies chat with an importer cutting out the middle men, and in turn cutting your cost for a bottle of wine. 

Episode 60: The ladies tell you the best way to "get your swirl on" and reveal whether or not the water flushes the opposite way in Australia. Speaking of water, the underwater wine aging trend has re-emerged, and we ask why. Finally, Whitney blind tastes some cocktail inspired candy. See how many she gets right...and how many she spits out. 

Episode 59: Coming up on today's show...Plastic bladders and the unromantic side of wine transport. Christina gives the scoop on her favorite wines from Roostock, Australia's first natural wine fair. Plus, she has a few wine whines to get off her chest. Finally, does red Riesling exist and what wine pairs with Oreos??

Episode 58: Egg whites and fish bladders. Whitney and Christina are talking animals and wine and why vegetarians should drink at their own risk. In pursuit of balance, that elusive word and what it really means when it comes to wine. Finally, the ladies tell you about the cool new wine tool you need if you're lucky enough to have a cellar full of old bottles.

Episode 57: Carmen Grape-iago makes her valiant return and she's in white wine country this time. Can you figure out where she is? Plus, it was Australia Day down under and those Aussies like a good drinking game. Find out their creative use for a clothesline. Finally, the Johnny Cash song about wine you never knew existed. All that and more, coming up!

Episode 56: It's a wine industry special! Listen along as the ladies take a peek at the inner workings of the wine biz. Whitney and Christina have a series of interviews with top industry players around the globe and break down all the cork dork terminology you need to know to sound like an expert.

Episode 55: It's a new year and the ladies have some wine resolutions to try and stick to. Plus, their favorite holiday wines and how Christina got drunk with her mom. Finally, the winner of the first ever Crush Giveaway is announced!

Episode 54: It's that time of year. The time to give the gift of wine. Whitney and Christina will give you their top tips for choosing the best bottles for the ones you love. Plus, they'll answer a listener question by comparing wine to handbags. They have more in common than you think. Finally, the ladies are feeling generous. Stay tuned for all the info on the first Crush Holiday Giveaway!

Episode 53: It's Christina's farewell love letter to London. She'll be debunking the misconceptions of London's most outdated food stereotypes by sharing the restaurants and wine bars she's come to love. Finally, the ladies will break down the mystery of AOC's, DOC'S, and IGT's. Do those three letters on a label equal better wine?

Episode 52: Thanksgiving is upon us, and with it, an onslaught of wine recommendations. Whitney and Christina cut through all the noise and get down to the basics by telling you what will be gracing their tables this Thursday. What interesting feminine item has a UK chef been experimenting with? You'll never guess. Finally, does bad wine taste better at 20,000 feet? The ladies expore what happens to your taste buds up in the air. 

Episode 51: The ladies are talking old stuff. What happens when a wine ages? And what wine should you be putting in your cellar to forget about? They'll tell you.

Episode 50: It's the 50th episode of The Crush and it is getting presidential up in here! Is the way you lean politically also the way you lean when it comes to your drink choices? Finally, the ladies explore the awesome question, "Are presidents that drink better presidents?"

Episode 49: The ladies are talking taste- what does it mean to you, how do we describe it and what's up with minerality in wine? Christina chats with wine writer Talia Baiocchi about why flowery tasting notes fall flat. Finally, what happens when two drunk men run loose in an Australian Sea World? All that and more, coming up!

Episode 48: Christina and Whitney have just returned from their amazing German wine adventure and have a lot of über interesting info to share! They are talking things like red slate spiciness, the "Margarita Effect", crazy steep vineyards and doppelstücks. Finally, find out why they dubbed their travel group the Ausfahrt Gang.

Episode 47: Carmen Grape-iago is back out in the wine world! Find out what unusual and unlikely region she's exploring. And rosé lovers beware! Whitney and Christina will tell you why you may not be drinking your favorite pink next summer. Finally, Spain's most famous restaurant has sadly closed it's doors but are opening the doors of their wine cellar for one big, amazing sale.

Episode 46: The Olympics have come to an end!  Find out what extravagant drinks the medalists were indulging in post-games. And the ladies give you the skinny on low-calorie wines by putting them to the test. They reveal how they're made and if they're worth the taste sacrifice. Finally, in the name of research, Christina and Whitney indulge in a chocolate and wine pairing experiment. Find out which ones are a hit and which are a big fat miss.

Episode 45:The ladies are taking a detour from the wine trail and talking all things BEER. Find out what words like cicerone and wort really mean. Finally, they've got a special guest on the show that's been drinking beer so long, he was once able to spend only 25 cents for a pint! All that and a whole lot more.

Episode 44: It's a super special episode today, dedicated to the dollars and cents of wine. The ladies are discussing why wine costs what it does and how much you should spend to get the best bang for your buck. Plus- Whitney chats with a California producer who gives us the scoop on winemaking costs from an insider's perspective.  Finally, how much would you spend on a round of drinks for your friends? Find out how much cash one 23-year-old dropped on a night in Liverpool.

Episode 43: Someone decided that a wine bottle looked a little too naked. Find out his rather interesting solution for this problem! And Christina talks with a Spanish wine expert who reveals which hidden gems of Spain you should be drinking and what he'd pair with...churros. Finally, wine snobs unite! Why the ladies are card carrying members of the snob club and hope you will be too.

Episode 42: The ladies are thinking and drinking PINK. Rose 101! They break it down for you and tell you what you should fill your glass with this summer. Also, the quirky habit of watering down wine- is it a do or a big fat don't?  Finally, wine fashion: is there ever a time you should wear it instead of drink it? An investigation is underway.

Episode 41: Everyone's favorite wine-loving duo- Miles and Jack- are back at it again, this time performing live. The ladies give you the lowdown. Also, will wine writers ever make enough moolah to buy the wines they love? Probably not. Finally, America's most famous sex therapist unveils what she believes to be your best friend in the bedroom. And it's only 6% alcohol.

Episode 40: Summer has officially begun! Find out what Whitney and Christina will be cracking open poolside. Italian wine expert Jeremy Parzen reveals his summertime house wine this year...and it's not Italian! Finally, Whitney chats moon cycles and cow horns with Oregon author Katherine Cole.

Episode 39: Whitney and Christina are celebrating their moms and their wine quirks! They'll tell you how they guided their mothers into more adventurous wine territory. Hollywood is getting hip to the wine game. Find out which celebs are steaming up the silver screen's latest wine adventure. Also on the show- you too could taste wine like an expert! The ladies will tell you how.

Episode 38: The self-serve beer bar makes its way to the States- frat boys everywhere rejoice! California bans foie gras, but if you can still get your hands on it they'll tell you what to drink with it. The ladies explore what's on a winemaker's playlist and finally, why peanut butter and jelly vodka is probably a bad idea.

Get to know the ladies of The Crush! if this is your first time tuning in, here's an idea of how Christina and Whitney talk about the great big world of wine. And if you've been a loyal listener, now's the chance to revisit some favorite moments...and maybe laugh a little.

Episode 37: Find out why Christina died and went to gin heaven. And The Wine Battle of Haro- a new Russell Crowe movie or a crazy Spanish wine festival? Finally, and most importantly, top tips for drinking alone.

Episode 36: Which country boasts the biggest boozers? The answer may surprise you. Want to be part owner of a French winery? The ladies will tell you how. But, if you don't want to leave the comfort of your own home, they've got a few adventurous folks giving tips on growing vines in your backyard!

Episode 35: The ladies have just returned from abroad. Hear what they have to say about the good, the bad and the ugly of wine press trips. WTF? OMG? Not just text speak, now the names of a series of wines (ugh.) And there's a guest host joining Whitney and Christina on this week's show! Find out which hot london sommleier it is.

Episode 34: It's a show full of Fresh Press news! The Real Housewives are at it again, back in the wine biz. And Christina and Whitney are left to wonder, again, WHY? Also, the ladies get the latest scoop on the most famous coffee shop's latest venture into the world of wine and beer. And finally, what really goes into all those smooth, super fruity reds lining supermarket shelves? They reveal the depressing truth.

Episode 33: Wine labels- the great debate. Do we list ingredients or keep it a mystery? The ladies virtually travel to the "cradle of wine civilization" and butcher every wine word from the region as they go. And finally, they'll tell you what pheasant's tears taste like...all that and more on this week's episode of The Crush!

Episode 32: The ladies get the lowdown on the recent FBI bust of a multi-million dollar counterfeit operation, they've got a bearded winemaker with a horse named Ophelie in the Crush Quickfire hot seat and top tips for how to navigate a restaurant wine list (in a restaurant that has a crappy wine list).

Episode 31: On today's show, Christina tells us what wine Woody Allen would drink. The Crush Quickfire interview is with one of Decanter's veteran writers and find out where in the world Chasselas comes from.

Episode 30: This week Whitney and Christina celebrate the 30th birthday of The Crush. The ladies are chatting about Christina's trip to Lebanon, the atrocious wine people bring to Whitney's pop-up restaurant and seeing color when tasting wine.  They also turn the Quickfire questions onto themselves.  It's a fun one!

Episode 29: The ladies are talking wood...of the barrel variety. And what Mexican drug lords like to drink! They also reveal one of the world's most uniquely shaped vines. Find out where!

Episode 28: Love is in the air. It's The Crush Valentines Day special! In honour of this lovey dovey holiday, Whitney and Christina are talking all things sweet wine and drinking one together on air! Port, Madeira, Sherry, Vermouth and Marsala? Find out what all these wines have in common. All that and a whole bunch of grapes more.

Episode 27: This week the ladies tell you about the sommelier documentary that has the wine world buzzing, the Never Drink Alone segment is back and a sweet sipper for Valentine's Day is announced and Whitney and Christina list their favorite winos to follow on Twitter.

Episode 26: Whitney and Christina check out the mad libs of wine tasting notes, talk decanters and listen to an aerator in action live on the show and then clink glasses with a wine world celeb in this week's Crush Quickfire. Find out who...and much more!

Episode 25: Whit and Christina discover soup cocktails and the art of getting crunked on your lunchbreak. Also, they tell you what not to do with leftover wine and what to do with leftover corks. Finally, Carmen Grape-iago is galloping around Horse Heaven Hills on the show's weekly imaginery wine adventure. Find out where she is!

Episode 24: The ladies explore cheeky wine names; is it really all about what's on the outside that sells? What wine term is derived from the word for fir tree in German? They'll tell you. And Carmen Grape-iago will be drinking with Whitney's ancestors this week. Where could she be?

Episode 23: does listening to music influence the way a wine tastes and what should you drink while listening to...Barbra Streisand? We'll tell you. Our favorite value wines under $10, but why you should normally spend more. Finally, Carmen Grape-iago travels to the Far East. Find out where!

Episode 22: Whitney and Christina talk about the good, the bad and the ugly of what they were drinking on Christmas. Hint: Manhattans in a bottle and wine by the Dave Matthews Band. They'll also chat about their favorite food/drinks/remedies for (potential) New Year's Day hangovers. Finally, the ladies reveal their 2012 wine world predictions.

Episode 21: Carmen Grape-iage will be playing in the snow in this week's wintry wine region. Find out where! Laxative agents approved as a wine additive in Australia and the EU? Whitney and Christina investigate. And finally, the ladies talk Holiday meal traditions. Hear why Whitney will be bringing a flask of vino to her family's Christmas dinner.

Episode 20: Whitney and Christina unveil a brand spanking new segment on the show- The Crush Quickfire. See who's in the hot seat this week! Plus, England debuts the "pull your own pint" machine...and the ladies think it's genius! They also reveal their favorite wines to drink with Chinese take out. And a whole ton of grapes more!