Angus Tries a Portuguese Pinot Noir… and Becomes Public Enemy #1

Angus Tries a Portuguese Pinot Noir… and Becomes Public Enemy #1

June 24, 2026 · 15 min · Season 4 · Episode 23

About this episode

Angus and Carlos discuss Carlos' recent trip to Portugal and a rare Pinot Noir from the Douro Valley, exploring wine culture and cork controversies.

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 Portuguese wines from 2008 and 2014 to seeing how dramatically Portugal’s restaurant scene and wine culture have developed. They also settle a surprisingly heated Instagram debate about cork length, ageing wine in large-format bottles and why a shorter cork is not always a bad sign. Then comes the main event: a 600-bottle (total) Pinot Noir from Portugal’s Douro Valley. Carlos sees elegance, freshness and a fascinating expression of an international variety in one of Portugal’s most iconic wine regions. Angus? He is less convinced. Is it a brilliant, unexpected Pinot Noir, or simply a wine speaking a language your palate does not yet understand? Sponsor: RIEDEL Use code GOTSOMME or GOTSOMMENZ at checkout for 25% off RIEDEL Performance Pinot Noir glasses. Chapters: 00:00 – Carlos returns from Portugal01:06 – A look inside Carlos’ Portuguese cellar02:20 – Portugal’s evolving restaurant and wine scene04:25 – The Instagram controversy: why was the cork so short?05:20…

People in this episode

Host: Angus

Guest: Carlos

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RIEDEL

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Portugal, Douro Valley

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