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: 100

Got Somme : Master Sommelier's Wine Podcast
Podcast Episodes
ONE BOTTLE Phillip Jones would drink if it was HIS LAST! 🍷 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:47
Premier Winery Bass Phillip's founder and winemaker Phillip Jones brought in two of his own bottles, after generously decanting them prior to coming into studio, including: 2010 Bass Phillip Premium Pinot Noir 2015 Bass…
Bass Phillip owners BRUTAL truth of the sale of his winery 😢 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:30
Bass Phillip's success isn't by luck! Phillip Jones it's creator and winemaker for 50 years speaks about his relentless study of rain charts and patterns, Burgundy soils and the unlikely Frenchman who told him to pull up…
SECRET Aussie winery on the WORLD'S BEST RESTAURANT wine list [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:46
Almost IMPOSSIBLE to buy - Nikau Farm's Pinot Noir is making waves overseas after being spotted by 'Vue De Monde' Executive Chef Hugh Allen at Noma Restaurant in Denmark. After luckily scoring 2 bottles of their wine bef…
We try the MOST DELICIOUS Pinot Noir that you CAN'T buy! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:32
Master Sommelier Carlos Santos and Wine enthusiast Angus O'Loughlin were lucky to be presented with an incredible selection of Bindi Wines from owner and winemaker Michael Dhillon. Tasting something brand new and as the…
Heston Blumenthal's FAVOURITE Australian wine is SURPRISING [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:53
Kicking off our new format of interviewing the people responsible for a Master Sommeliers favourite wines. First up it's Michael Dhillon from 'Bindi' Wines. In this episode we discuss: The history of the agriculture and…
The BEST Australian wine REVEALED  (not Penfolds Grange 😲) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:18
"Holy S***" Surprising a Master Sommelier with his FAVOURITE wine! 4 different vintages 🤯🍷 Master Sommelier Carlos Santos has been talking about Wendouree Winery in Clare Valley, South Australia on nearly every episode o…
Got Somme Season 2 - Trailer! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:50
A small sip of what's to come in 2023 🍷 Follow our Instagram for more hints, tips and teachings: Got Somme Watch this episode with captions on our Youtube Page Become a member of our Patreon where exclusive content, uned…
We made a Master Sommelier BLIND taste GOON! Bonus Episode [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:15
We recorded this episode towards the end of last year but felt it didn't match the seriousness of the podcast trying to find the best value bottle of wine under $30. To celebrate upcoming Season 2 of the podcast we thoug…
What Champagne to pick for midnight NYE! 🍾 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:27
Master Sommelier Carlos Santos with a budget of $100 picked out: Charles Heidsieck NV Champagne "Using reserve wine that has been aged for years this Champagne has some similar notes of Krug" - Carlos We hope your New Ye…
What does a Master Sommelier pick for XMAS wine under $100??? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:23
Merry Xmas Got Somme Family! It seemed fitting with the big day so close that we would have a Xmas Special where Master Sommelier Carlos Santos walks around the bottle store with $100 and picks the wine he thinks will ma…