Recipe Club
Recipe Club

Wine Country Bachelor Party With Jon Gabrus

August 12, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

“I’m also divorced. You remember it’s like funny two dudes are on a bachelor party. Ha ha two old losers. And I’m like, no, I’m watching it as an old loser, and I’m like, wait, this is it, this hits different when you’ve become an old loser.” That’s comedian Jon Gabrus, sitting with host Chris, drinking warm champagne in a sweltering room, midway through a rewatch of Alexander Payne’s 2004 film Sideways. The episode of Recipe Club uses the movie as a launchpad for a sprawling, boozy conversation about wine, bachelor parties, leftovers, snobbery, and what it means to be a middle-aged man still figuring out whether you’ve made it. Along the way, they bring in sommelier Ryan Bailey to fact-check the film’s wine lore, test the movie’s infamous “no Merlot” stance, and pair a fast-food burger with a serious Syrah.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (02:40) **Introducing Jon Gabrus and His Relationship with Food** - The hosts discuss how they met and Gabrus’s identity as a lover of food, marked by a food-related tattoo.
  • 2 (05:05) **Revisiting "Sideways" as a Midlife Mirror** - The hosts begin their deep dive into the 2004 film, reflecting on how their perspectives on the characters have changed with age.
  • 3 (09:07) **The Warm Champagne Scene and Guest Introduction** - The hosts set up the film’s opening car scene and introduce sommelier Ryan Bailey to settle a debate.
  • 4 (11:57) **The Science and Snobbery of Warm Champagne** - Ryan Bailey explains the rarity of the film’s wine and the hosts conduct a live taste test of a warm champagne.
  • 5 (21:14) **Bachelor Party Philosophy and Personal Anecdotes** - Gabrus shares his extensive experience with bachelor parties, including his own trip to Munich for Oktoberfest.
  • 6 (34:10) **Food Moments: Wasabi Mashed Potatoes and Leftovers** - The hosts analyze two specific food scenes from the film, starting with the double date restaurant menu.
  • 7 (45:50) **Is Miles a Foodie or a Fraud? The Ostrich Challenge** - The hosts question Miles’ food credentials, using his recommendation of ostrich steak as evidence of his phoniness.

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Show Notes

Warm Champagne. Ostrich steak Diane. Tales from Oktoberfest. This episode has it all. Chris welcomes comedian Jon Gabrus to the clubhouse to discuss bachelor parties, wine, and the movie 'Sideways.' And thanks to Ryan Bailey, one of the country's best sommeliers, the boys get to do it while drinking some fine wine.


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Host: David Chang, Chris Ying

Producers: Noelle Cornelio, Jesse Aron, Magdalena Munao

Producer/Editor: Michael Rovzar

Production Support: Donald LoBianco, Neal Lett, Michael Delgado, Marcus Yasui

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