We spent over $1,000,000 on wine!

We spent over $1,000,000 on wine!

Author: SESSION in PROGRESS February 18, 2026 Duration: 24:03

Master Sommelier Carlos Santos goes behind the scenes of building a $1.5 million restaurant wine list for a new Byron Bay venue created by chef Shannon Bennett.From $35,000 magnums to $40 best-selling wines, we break down how sommeliers curate world-class wine lists, negotiate rare allocations, and balance prestige bottles with everyday drinkers.


You’ll learn:

• How a Master Sommelier builds a wine list from scratch

• Why some wines sell more than others

• The hardest wines to source in Australia

• How trade tastings and supplier relationships work

• Why Australian wine is dominating restaurant lists

• How price psychology shapes customer ordersIf you love wine, restaurants, or the behind-the-scenes world of hospitality, this episode is for you.


Recorded at our new Collins Street studio by SESSION in PROGRESS.


SPONSORS

Grays.comhttps://www.grays.com/search/wine

RIEDEL: https://www.riedel.com/en-au/shop#sort=bestSeller

(Australians use code: GOTSOMME New Zealand: GOTSOMMENZ at check out for 20% off)


FOLLOW GOT SOMME

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gotsomme/

Studio: https://www.instagram.com/session.in.progress/


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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 $1.5 million wine list reveal

01:30 Building a wine list from scratch

05:10 Choosing wines for Byron Bay diners

08:20 Hardest wines to source

12:00 Back vintages and vertical tastings

16:40 Why $40 wines outsell $1,000 wines

19:30 The $35,000 bottle

22:00 Trade tastings & negotiation secrets

25:00 Supporting Australian wineries


Welcome to Got Somme, the ultimate wine podcast where Master Sommeliers and wine experts share their tips, blind tasting challenges, and insider knowledge from vineyards around the world. Whether you’re a wine beginner or a seasoned enthusiast, we explore everything from wine education and wine tasting techniques to sparkling wines, red vs white, and the best wines under $30.


Subscribe for weekly episodes and join us as we taste, learn, and uncover the stories behind your favourite wines. Perfect for anyone looking to improve their wine knowledge, discover new wine regions, or just enjoy a fun, educational chat about wine.


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: en-au Episodes: 50

Got Somme : Master Sommelier's Wine Podcast
Podcast Episodes
We Travelled 17,000km for This Moment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:45
Got Somme has gone global!After being nominated in two categories at the 2026 67 Pall Mall Wine Communicator Awards, Angus flies from Melbourne to London to find out whether Got Somme can take home an international award…
I Bought 12 Bottles After One Sip of This $28 Wine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:19
What if your new favourite Australian wine came from a region you have never heard of and cost less than $30?Angus O’Loughlin and Master Sommelier Carlos Santos are joined by winemaker Andrew Dawson from Yeah Wine to exp…
Only 24 bottles off this wine exist in the WORLD! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:46
There were only 24 bottles of this rare Swiss wine left in the world. Then Angus and Carlos opened one.In this episode of Got Somme, Master Sommelier Carlos Santos and Angus O’Loughlin explore the fascinating world of ra…
He called the Grape, Vintage and Alcohol blind! | Master Sommelier [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:42
Can Master Sommelier Carlos Santos identify an Australian Sauvignon Blanc completely blind?In this episode of the Got Somme Blind Wine Tasting Series, Angus O’Loughlin pours Carlos a youthful and aromatic white wine fill…
Gary Vee Predicts the Future of Wine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:47
Before Gary Vaynerchuk became known around the world as GaryVee, he built his first audience talking about wine.In this special episode of Got Somme, Gary returns to his roots for a conversation with Angus O’Loughlin and…
The BEST Shiraz in the WORLD 🌍 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:37
Is The Standish Wine Company producing the best Shiraz in Australia, and potentially the world?In this episode of Got Somme, Angus O’Loughlin and Master Sommelier Carlos Santos taste two extraordinary Australian Shiraz w…
Why Your Wine Might Taste Worse At Home [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:43
In this episode of Got Somme, Angus and Carlos are joined by Mark Baulderstone from RIEDEL Australia and New Zealand for a full glassware masterclass.Same wine. Three different glasses. Completely different results.Mark…
Angus Tries a Portuguese Pinot Noir… and Becomes Public Enemy #1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:43
Carlos is back from Portugal with a tan, a cellar full of memories and a very rare bottle to share.In this episode of Got Somme, Angus and Carlos unpack Carlos’ recent trip home, from rediscovering beautifully evolved Po…
The Impossible Blind Wine Tasting! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:39
In this episode of the Got Somme Blind Wine Series, Angus throws Carlos Santos, Master Sommelier, one of the hardest blind tastings yet.The twist? The wine is served in a fully blacked-out RIEDEL blind tasting glass, mea…
Australia's Most Underrated Wine Region? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:47
Everyone knows Margaret River.But just north of one of Australia's most famous wine regions sits Geographe — home to passionate growers, boutique producers and some of the country's best-value wines.After discovering a G…