We’re all going a little stir-crazy with the limitations on where we can go. Many of us are staying home for the most part, and with quite some time to go, we’re all jonesing to drink wine someplace other than our homes.

However, just because we’re staying home doesn’t mean we can’t up our wine experiences. In this article, I’m going to discuss some of the best ways to stay connected to the wine world without having to leave the house.

Podcasts

Podcasts are quickly becoming one of the most popular content formats available today. These are digital audio files people create and publish on the Internet. You can download these to your computer or smartphone, and most of the time, they’re available as a series you can follow.

Fortunately for us, there are some entertaining and educational wine podcasts out there. It’s essential to check them out if you want to stay connected to the wonderful world of wine or if you’ve been wanting to learn more about wine and find you have more time on your hands.

Here are a few of my favorite wine podcasts:

Wine Crush Podcast – OR

Heidi Moore started Wine Crush Podcast – OR, creating content centered around Oregon’s wine country. From wineries to vineyards, cellars, and more, Heidi provides information any wino will appreciate, especially if they’re an Oregon local or planning a trip to the region. If you’re looking to stay in the wine loop, this podcast is a great place to start.

Unreserved Wine Talk

Natalie MacLean’s podcast, Unreserved Wine Talk, has 71 episodes available. She’s continually publishing new, up to date talks about the current state of things. From pairings to how the quarantine is impacting wineries, you’ll stay informed about wine and the world surrounding your favorite varietals.

Interpreting Wine

Lawrence Francis’s podcast, Interpreting Wine, has nearly 400 episodes containing content about wine country. The podcast goes into detail about wineries and the wines they’re producing, giving his audience a place to find in-depth information regarding their favorite wines.

Videos & Movies

Need your fix of wine entertainment? Videos and movies centered around this ferment can go a long way while in isolation.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Sideways

Sideways is an Alexander Payne movie starring Paul Giamatti, Sandra Oh, and Thomas Haden  Chruch. It combines comedy, drama, and romance with wine tasting to develop an entertaining film about a struggling writer and has-been actor best friend. The main characters go off on a wine tasting tour before his best friend’s wedding as the drama unfolds. If you’re looking for a hilarious watch, I can’t recommend it enough.

Wine Country on Netflix

Directed by Amy Poehler, she stars in this movie with Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, Ana Gasteyer, Paula Pell, Emily Spivey, Jason Schwartzman, and Tina Fey. This movie centers around a group of middle-aged women who take a wine tasting tour in California’s wine country. If you have Netflix, this is undoubtedly a must-see.

Netflix Wine Documentaries

Netflix also offers several documentaries winos will love. Somm and Somm – Into the Bottle were both directed by Jason Wise. Somm showcases the difficulty in obtaining the title of Master Sommelier. The sequel, Somm- Into the Bottle, goes more into politics, history, and tradition regarding wine.Then, there’s A Year in Champagne, directed by David Kennard. This documentary follows winemakers in the Champagne region of France to show the entire production cycle. But if you’re looking for a wine documentary that explores the newest wine regions in the world, Decanted, directed by Nick Kovacic, is the go-to.

Oregon Wine: Grapes of Place an Oregon Experience

Oregon Wine: Grapes of Place an Oregon Experience covers Oregon’s Willamette Valley during the 1960s. Since Western Oregon is cold and wet, many of the pioneers who arrived to this region were told vinifera wouldn’t flourish. Despite the naysayers, the Willamette Valley became a region known for producing fine premium wines. This series touches upon the history of the Willamette Valley’s wine industry.

Wine Guides

Since we are all drinking the wine we’ve already purchase, why not learn more about what you are drinking.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Wine Folly: Magnum Edition: The Master Guide by Madeline Puckette

Madeline Puckette also wrote Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine.

If you’re looking for a simple guide to wine, you can always try Wine Simple by Aldo Sohm.

Virtual Tastings

Seufert Winery is hosting a Weekly Virtual Tasting. These virtual tastings happen every week on Thursday at 4pm online, keeping winos connected in a virtual world.

Varnum Vinters also offers a virtual tasting called “Flight Club.” These are videos encouraging the tasting of Varnum Vinters’ varietals with a video discussing the flavors you’ll find in their ferments.

Dobbes Family Estate Winery is hosting a Trivia Night via the app Houseparty. This is an event in which six teams will join the chat group, first come, first served. Participants get a 25% discount on wine to be enjoyed during the game.

Posters

Wine posters are great for hanging up at home. They’re the perfect reference for whenever you want to access wine information, and any serious wino would love to have this wine-themed educational decor.

This print includes over 100 wine terms to explore with a hand-drawn wine bottle. Besides the educational value, the aesthetic of this poster is perfect for any kitchen or office.

Here’s another educational wine poster to stay in touch with wine from home. With this poster, you’ll have all of the wine and cheese pairings you need to know to ensure you’re complementing every bottle you buy.

For those interested in the color positions of wine, this poster lists the popular wine colors ranging from white to tawny and rosé wine.

For more wine posters, make sure to check the offerings at Wine Folly.