Italian Wine Travel with Stevie Kim, in collaboration with YouTube Channel Mamma Jumbo Shrimp and Italian Wine Podcast, proudly presents its first ever French wine series – a deep dive into the mysteries of Bordeaux.
Italian Wine Podcast is excited to showcase this vibrant new YouTube series. Stevie Kim spent an immersive week in Bordeaux, on a mission to delve deep into the complexities of this famous wine region. Stunning visuals and in-depth conversations, as well as incredible tastings and a good lashing of wine education make this series perfect for wine lovers, WSET students, and wine professionals who want to know more about this legendary wine region. Guided by Bernard Burtschy, internationally respected wine writer and expert on Bordeaux, the series provides insight for curious wine lovers and an educational leg up for wine students, unlocking the mysteries of the notoriously challenging 1855 Classification. The first episode of this 4-part series premiered on YouTube 4 February 2025, with Burtschy revealing his top selections for the 2022 vintage.
We needed some background history to get to grips with the importance and complexity of Bordeaux. Burtschy explained that the 1855 Classification came on the heels of the 1855 Paris Expo, when it became clear that some sort of system was needed, as he commented, “to explain the hierarchy of the wines to consumers.” Wines were ranked from 1st to 5th Growths,with five wineries receiving the prestigious 1st Growth status. All five wineries are located on the Left Bank of Bordeaux, an area that is globally recognized as difficult for wine students and wine lovers alike to comprehend. With over 40 years of experience tasting and writing about the Left Bank, Burtschy is the perfect guide for this unique wine travel and educationseries, and his delightfully genial personality gets us out of the weeds of academics and into the joy of historic Bordeaux wines.
Episode One is an overview discussion of the five 1st Growth chateaux. Stevie’s “Bordeaux expert and dear friend” Burtschy outlines the locations of each iconic producer and the key features of their wines. Stevie receives a quick wine education about the percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in each wine, how they compare and contrast, and the styles of wine that end up in the glass. The episode gives a sneak-peek into the rest of the series, with mentions of a rare tasting of a 1924 Haut-Brion and in-depth visits to each of the fivechateaux. Listen in to discover which wines from the 2022 vintage are Burtschy’s favorites, what has changed in the wines between his first sip of barrel samples in April 2022 and this tasting of the recently bottled wines in January 2025, and how climate change is affecting the region.
Visit All Five 1st Growth Chateaux with Us
The Discovering Bordeaux: A 4-Part Video Series will continue to roll out over the month of February, adding wine educational value to wine travel and tourism. Be sure to catch the entire series on https://www.youtube.com/channel.
For even more news, conversation and content, check out Italian Wine Podcast at https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/ or wherever you get your pods.
Interested in wine education? Take a look at Italian Wine Academy for WSET courses in Verona https://italianwineacademy.org.
