We Risked $1,700 to Answer: Is Expensive Wine Worth It?

We Risked $1,700 to Answer: Is Expensive Wine Worth It?

Author: SESSION in PROGRESS March 4, 2026 Duration: 18:48

We risked $1,700 worth of wine to answer one question: is expensive wine worth it?


In this episode of Got Somme, Angus O’Loughlin and Master Somm Carlos Santos open two Grand Cru Burgundies (around $800 a bottle) and taste them side by side.

No posturing, no wine snobbery, just an honest test of what you’re paying for when the label gets serious.

We talk:

- What “Grand Cru” actually means in Burgundy

- Why producers matter as much as terroir

- The difference between a great $30 bottle and an $800 bottle

- Whether expensive wine is “worth it” or just status

- How to find underrated regions that deliver insane value


BIG thanks to The French Wine Centre for providing the bottles 🙏🏼

https://frenchwinecentre.com/

Check out their AMAZING mixed 6 of French Reds for $250

https://frenchwinecentre.com/collections/packs/products/issue-02-mixed-3-the-reds

If you’ve ever wondered whether luxury wine is genuinely better, this is the episode.

Comment your next episode idea:

Do we go cheaper and find the best $20 bottle?

Or do we keep climbing and chase the next Burgundy benchmark?


Subscribe for more blind tastings, wine stories, and the unfiltered truth about what’s in the glass.

Chapters

00:00 We’re risking $1,700 on wine

00:24 The most expensive bottles we’ve had

01:18 What we’re drinking: Echezeaux + Clos de la Roche

03:17 How we got the bottles (French Wine Center)

04:22 Why Burgundy prices get insane

06:55 First smell: “This is incredible”

09:20 First sip and the tannin moment

12:33 Why you rarely drink Grand Cru

13:00 Switching to Clos de la Roche

14:54 The big question: is expensive wine worth it?

17:06 The real answer: story, value, perspective

18:14 What should we taste next?


Ever felt a bit lost staring at a wine list or wondering what you're actually tasting in your glass? Got Somme is here to help, without any of the pretence. This isn't a stuffy lecture; it's a conversation between Master Sommelier Carlos Santos and his mate, radio announcer Angus O'Loughlin, who's keen to learn but starting from scratch. Each episode, Carlos guides Angus-and by extension, all of us-through the fundamentals, breaking down everything from grape varieties and regional styles to understanding why a wine tastes the way it does. The real magic happens when they're joined by some of the world's most respected winemakers, who share the stories and craft behind their bottles. You'll hear Carlos explain how to pick a good wine from a bad one, demystifying terms like tannin and terroir along the way. It's an accessible, often funny journey into wine, perfect for anyone who enjoys a glass but wants to understand the world behind it. Produced by SESSION in PROGRESS, this podcast turns curiosity into genuine knowledge, one bottle at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 139

Got Somme : Master Sommelier's Wine Podcast
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