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/


Subscribe for new wine episodes every week.


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: 100

Got Somme : Master Sommelier's Wine Podcast
Podcast Episodes
“Victoria’s BEST wine region!” Revealed in 3...2...1... 🍷 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:39
Chardonnay can be a divisive wine when really it shouldn't! If you don't like Chardonnay chances are you probably just don't like over oaked Chardonnay. The grape variety itself is actually neutral and if you were to tas…
Master Sommelier pairs XMAS LUNCH with Wine 🍷🎅🏼 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:16
Want to be the HERO of Xmas Lunch? Take these wine pairing tips from a Master Sommelier as he REVEALS what he is bringing to his own festive family table. Carlos Santos defies convention and breaks with tradition by pair…
“NEVER drink champagne out of a flute” | Krug Champagne [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:48
The text message from Carlos read: "Oh mate... if we can get Olivier it will be HUGE!" The schedule was tight, 20 minutes only, to quiz the sixth generation of the founding family of Krug and it's current Director Olivie…
THREE wines a Master Sommelier picks on a wine list! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:33
Carlos Santos MS has selected the wines he orders on a wine list and explains why YOU should too! He takes us on a wine journey through Portugal and France, from complex reds to delicious sweet wines explaining the reaso…
HIDDEN in his Cellar was this $$$ Bottle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:38
Imagine being gifted a wine and not realising it's value - they make less than 300 bottles each year! Hiding in Angus' cellar at home was this bottle of wine and YOU could win it. After discovering the gem in his collect…
Meet the WORLDS newest Master Sommelier [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:01
Yuki Hirose joined an exclusive group of less than 300 in the world as Master Sommelier one month ago! Joined by fellow Master Sommelier Carlos Santos they speak about their different experiences in passing the exam, the…
Rated in the TOP 1000 WINES in the WORLD! $3,000 a bottle! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:39
'Astralis' The first EVER bottle of wine to be valued at $100 in Australia and a wine that was rated in the TOP 1000 wines in the WORLD! This masterpiece created by Roman Bratasiuk is a labour of love, passion and valued…
WE PAID $.... FOR THIS $1000 BURGUNDY PINOT 💰😳 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:48
Want to buy Burgundy Pinot at a fraction of the price? LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE 🍷 In this podcast Master Sommelier Carlos Santos gives a great lesson in the history of Burgundy wines, the power of Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy,…