Unreserved Wine Talk

How can the wine world help tackle climate change, and why is choosing sustainable and biodynamic wines not enough? What happens when vineyards embrace biodiversity with cover crops, insects, and wildlife? How are wine producers in South Africa rebuilding natural ecosystems around their vineyards? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Andrew Neather & Jane Masters. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Andrew Neather & Jane Masters' terrific new book, Rooted in Change: The Stories Behind Sustainable Wine. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights How have Jane and Andrew’s wine careers led to many interesting experiences around the world? What will you read about in Jane and Andrew’s new book, Rooted in Change? How did Andrew and Jane become interested in sustainability in the wine world? How did Jane and Andy come to collaborate on writing their book and how do their skills and style complement each other? Was it challenging not to sound alarmist while effectively presenting the urgency of climate change and sustainability? How can consumers help reduce their environmental impact when choosing wines? What changes are happening in the wine industry to change packaging standards to reduce carbon emissions? What can we learn from the innovations in biodiversity-focused viticulture taking place in South Africa? Can regenerative viticulture and its principles be adopted on a large scale by major producers as well as boutique wineries?   Key Takeaways There's no doubt that climate change is happening and there aren't easy solutions. We're very often led to believe that with consumer capitalism, you can buy a certain product or avoid a certain type of packaging, say, and that everything will be okay. And it's really just much more complicated than that, because you're talking about the complexity of global supply chains, all sorts of industrial processes associated with packaging and other things. It doesn't mean to say you can't make sensible choices as a consumer. The great thing about vines is that, like fruit trees, orchards, they live for a long time. The roots go very far down into the ground. By creating this biodiversity, it also builds the insects and all the life in the soil. It becomes a natural, organic circular economy. And that helps protect vines against disease. Some of these insects keep the predators from the vines at bay. So it just becomes a much more resilient system that also captures and retains more carbon within it. In South Africa, in the Western Cape, the natural vegetation before it was cultivated is called fynbos. Johan Reyneke, a biodynamic producer in Stellenbosch, is rewilding bits of his land to join together these islands into corridors. The animals came back quickly and it's restoring the natural balance of the land.   About Jane Masters and Andrew Neather Jane Masters became a Master of Wine in 1997 and was elected as Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine in September 2016. She is an independent wine consultant with over 30 years of experience and clients around the world as well as working with the Majestic Wine Grp in UK. She has also filmed several wine shows and written sections for Jancis Robinson’s Oxford Companion to Wine and Wine Opus. Andrew Neather is a freelance British journalist. A former academic historian, environmental campaigner, political speechwriter and newspaper journalist, he was the London Evening Standard’s wine critic, 2005-15. He now blogs weekly on wine and food at A View from my Table, writes a regular column for Tim Atkin MW’s website, and has contributed to publications including The Independent, Harpers and Club Oenologique.       To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/360.

How is the Spanish sparkling wine Cava different from the Italian bubbly Prosecco? What makes Xarel·lo stand out from Spain’s other traditional Cava grapes? How did Alicante’s Monastrell grape give rise to the rare Fondillón wine, and what makes it different from Port or Sherry? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Sarah Jane Evans, author of the terrific new book The Wines of Central and Southern Spain: From Catalunya to Cadiz. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Sarah Jane Evans' wonderful new book, The Wines of Central and Southern Spain: From Catalunya to Cadiz. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights What do you need to know about Xarel·lo and Spanish sparkling wine? How does Cava compare to Prosecco? What effect does the aging process used for premium Cavas have on their taste profile, and how does it compare to Champagne? What is the historical significance of the Terra Alta region? Which historical artifacts has Sarah Jane encountered while visiting Spanish vineyards? How does Richard Ford’s 1840s observation about Valencia still define Spanish wine culture in the Valencia region? What might surprise you about the ancient amphorae in Valencia and how they’re used in modern winemaking? How do the three main styles of Sherry differ? Which types of glassware and food pair best with Sherry? What are copitas, and how do they differ from other glasses used for Sherry? How does serving temperature affect our enjoyment of Sherry? What do you need to know about wine and the Canary Islands? What challenges and opportunities does Sarah Jane see for the future of the Spanish wine industry?   Key Takeaways How is the Spanish sparkling wine Cava different from the Italian bubbly Prosecco? Prosecco bubbles are created and captured in the tank to make it a pleasantly fizzy drink. Whereas Cava is made exactly like Champagne. It's aged in the bottle with its yeast. It begins to develop other aromas which are nothing to do with flowers or fruits. The youngest Cava, can be released at nine months, younger than the youngest Champagne. If you're going to have a very young fizzy wine, then Prosecco is very appealing. What makes Xarel·lo stand out from Spain’s other traditional Cava grapes? People have started to recognise that this white grape variety, once just a component in blending, can be grown on its own and produces lovely, fresh, excitingly lively wines that are not very high in alcohol. If you're making Cava, it's the one that will last. It has a capacity to age, which is better than the other two. How did Alicante’s Monastrell grape give rise to the rare Fondillón wine, and what makes it different from Port or Sherry? Alicante is one of the places for Monastrell. Historically, they used to make a wine out of this red grape that got so ripe they didn't need to fortify it because the grape on the vine got so sweet that it turned itself into alcohol. Then it was a wine that was stable enough you could have it in a barrel. Then you could send it to India or to Africa, all around the world.   About Sarah Jane Evans Sarah Jane is an award-winning writer. She travels widely as an educator and consultant, and is a Contributing Editor to Decanter. Her books include The Wines of Central and Southern Spain, The Wines of Northern Spain, Seville, Chocolate Unwrapped, and also the entries on Spain and Sherry for the annual Hugh Johnson Pocket Wine Guide. Sarah Jane received the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic awarded by the King of Spain for her work for Spain. Beyond Spain, her special interests in wine are Greece, South America and the great fortified and sweet wines of the world.     To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/359.

How does the biggest misconception about Spanish wine make it a hidden gem for wine lovers? How did Spain’s civil war and period of dictatorship delay the growth of its wine culture? What makes the vineyards of Priorat challenging to walk and unforgettable to visit? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Sarah Jane Evans, author of the terrific new book The Wines of Central and Southern Spain: From Catalunya to Cadiz. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Sarah Jane Evans' wonderful new book, The Wines of Central and Southern Spain: From Catalunya to Cadiz. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights How did the memory of her parents bottling wine at home influence Sarah Jane’s perception of wine? What is the Oxford vs. Cambridge University Varsity Blind Wine-Tasting Match? What was Sarah Jane’s experience as a judge at wine competitions in Japan? What’s unique about Japan’s peaches and why does Sarah Jane recommend them as a “can’t miss” on a trip to Japan? Why was Sarah Jane initially drawn to Spanish wine? What is the Officer’s Cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic and why was Sarah Jane awarded this honour? Why did Sarah Jane choose to write her Master of Wine dissertation on the alchemists of Sherry? What is the significance of Sarah Jane’s choice to use first names when writing about winemakers? What are the hallmark characteristics of Spanish orange wines? Where are Spain and its territories located in Europe? What’s the biggest misconception about Spanish wine? Why does Sarah Jane consider Spain the most exciting country in Europe for wine? How are winemakers reviving old vineyards in Spain? What makes Casa Castillo’s Monastrell wines unique?   Key Takeaways Unfortunately, people think of Spanish wine as cheap and cheerful. That image is hard to to get rid of. So when you look at a fine wine list, if you're in a Michelin-starred restaurant, you will start off with maybe Champagne, and then you'll have France, and then you'll get into Italy, and then, if you're lucky, Spain will come next. The good thing about that is that it makes very top wine in Spain, still very good value. Since Spain had a civil war just before the Second World War, and after that, they had a fascist dictatorship that went on till the late 1970s, they didn't join Europe until the 1980s. So during that time of the dictatorship, they were told what to farm, where to farm, how to farm it. So there was no priority about fostering a wonderful wine culture. that's only really coming in the last 40 years. Spain has just been a little bit behind, but it has to escape, because you can't survive on paying growers next to nothing, making very cheap wines.   About Sarah Jane Evans Sarah Jane is an award-winning writer. She travels widely as an educator and consultant, and is a Contributing Editor to Decanter. Her books include The Wines of Central and Southern Spain, The Wines of Northern Spain, Seville, Chocolate Unwrapped, and also the entries on Spain and Sherry for the annual Hugh Johnson Pocket Wine Guide. Sarah Jane received the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic awarded by the King of Spain for her work for Spain. Beyond Spain, her special interests in wine are Greece, South America and the great fortified and sweet wines of the world.     To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/358.

How much of what we perceive about the taste of wine is actually shaped by psychology? Are vineyard soils important contributors to a wine’s tasting profile? Why do so many wine producers highlight their soils as a unique factor that makes their wines stand out? Where do the “minerals” we taste in wine originate from? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Dr. Alex Maltman, author of the new book Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate: A Geologist Wanders Through the World of Wine. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Alex Maltman's terrific book, Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate. A Geologist Wanders Through the World of Wine. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights What did a Dutch research study show about identifying soil type through blind tasting? Is there any geological evidence to support volcanic soils imparting certain characteristics to wine? Why can vines access nutrients from soil but not larger rock layers? Should we consider the root stocks of vines and the type of yeast used for fermentation when analyzing the taste profile of a wine? How does consumer psychology influence our perception of the taste of wine? Which aspects of geology and wine is Alex planning to write about in the future? If Alex could share a bottle of wine with anyone outside the wine world, who would that be?   Key Takeaways How much of what we perceive about the taste of wine is actually shaped by psychology?  It's the psychology that people think, “Oh, heavy bottle. This must be a classy wine.” For many wine drinkers, what the wine expert says will override the more academic factors, rather like a clinician saying, take these tablets, you'll be better, if the wine authority says you're going to taste vanilla. Yeah, I'm getting vanilla. Are vineyard soils important contributors to a wine’s tasting profile? In one experiment, several growers planted four different grape varieties, each in different soils, and then tried to grow the grapes, vinify the grapes uniformly, and then sent the finished wines off to a completely independent expert tasting panel. The panelists were only able to group the wines according to variety. Soils didn't come through at all.   For wine producers, soil is one of the only factors that are difficult to replicate, so they're going to say their soil is special. It's a great selling point. When some wine commentators are saying they're tasting minerals from the soil because it's been taken up by the vine root and transmitted through to the wine. Well, no, that doesn't happen like that. But in any case, any nutrients that were taken up by the vine root and did make it all the way through to the finished wine, almost certainly, in practice, will have originated in the humus.   About Dr. Alex Maltman Alex Maltman is Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth University, in Wales, U.K. Alongside a decorated career in university teaching and research, Alex has for fifty years grown vines and made wine at his home. And through this, perhaps inevitably, he became interested in vineyard geology and its fashionable but poorly understood relationship with wine. This led to numerous publications in both the popular press and academic journals. Alex is the author of the acclaimed Vineyards, Rocks, and Soils: A Wine Lover’s Guide to Geology and newly released Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate. A Geologist Wanders Through the World of Wine.     To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/357.

Why is geology essential for vineyard management but overrated when it comes to wine taste? Do soils get too much credit for wine flavour, when invisible factors might be the real drivers? What does “minerality” in wine really mean? Rock, nutrient, or just taste perception? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Alex Maltman, author of the terrific new book, Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate. A Geologist Wanders Through the World of Wine. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Alex Maltman's terrific book, Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate. A Geologist Wanders Through the World of Wine. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights How did a good teacher spark Alex’s lifelong fascination with geology? What initially attracted Alex to wine and how did his curiosity evolve over the past 50 years? How did Alex’s background in geology support his career as a wine writer? In what ways does Alex’s first book, Vineyards, Rocks and Soils, differ from his new book, Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate? Why does Alex believe that the influence of geology on wine is overstated in contrast to its influence on beer? What impact did geology have on how beer first developed? How do geological minerals, nutrient minerals, and the taste perception of minerality differ? What is the relevance of geological age to the growing vine in the bedrock? Does knowing the soil type of the vineyard tell us anything about the wine’s characteristics? Why do so many wine drinkers and writers love to talk about geology? How has the concept of terroir been misunderstood and oversimplified? Why is it important to distinguish between the importance of geology for vineyard management versus its influence on the taste of wine in the glass?   Key Takeaways Am I tasting the limestone, smelling the slate? No, you can't. The grower needs to know about his soil. The geology will influence so many things in the vineyard, so the grower may well want to dig soil pits and see what the roots are doing to inform his vineyard management. But this is not the same thing as the flavor that develops in fermentation through to our wine glass. People look at, say, a hill slope with vines on it, and year after year, the wines from here always taste different to the wines from there. What's different? Oh, it's the soil. But at the same time, there's a whole host of invisible factors operating on that hill slope that we know these factors influence how grapes ripen and how the flavor precursors in the grape develop, which are going to go on to in the fermentation make the wine taste like it does. I tend to use the word geological mineral for those compounds that are making half of the vineyard soil and that come together to make rocks. And nutrient mineral, which are single elements, which we need, as well as vines, in order to function. And this word minerality, that's a taste perception. I don't know what it means or what causes it, but that's a different third meaning of the word mineral.   About Dr. Alex Maltman Alex Maltman is Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth University, in Wales, U.K. Alongside a decorated career in university teaching and research, Alex has for fifty years grown vines and made wine at his home. And through this, perhaps inevitably, he became interested in vineyard geology and its fashionable but poorly understood relationship with wine. This led to numerous publications in both the popular press and academic journals. Alex is the author of the acclaimed Vineyards, Rocks, and Soils: A Wine Lover’s Guide to Geology and newly released Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate. A Geologist Wanders Through the World of Wine.     To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/356.

Why is Serra Gaúcha the best place to start exploring Brazilian wine and what does this stunning region look like if you want to visit? Which grape varieties thrive in Brazil and have any unique varieties been successful? What's happening with wine culture in Brazil? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Tufi Meyer, author of the terrific new book, Wines of Brazil. You don’t need to have listened to part one from last week first, but if you missed it, go back and have a listen after you finish this one. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Tufi Neder Meyer's terrific book, Wines of Brazil. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights What’s the story behind Casa Verrone's "Purple Cow” and what was the tasting experience like? How does Brazilian wine law define noble wine? Which types of Brazilian wood are being used for barrel aging and how do they impact the wines? What are the most successful grape varieties that are native to Brazil? What’s happening with wine culture in Brazil? What does it mean for a wine to have a foxy aroma? Does Brazil produce dessert wines? What do you need to know about the Serra Gaúcha wine region? Which cities and wine regions should you visit on a trip to Brazil? How have heavy taxation and bureaucracy impacted the development of the Brazilian wine industry? What is the one message Tufi would like to share with international wine lovers about Brazilian wines? What does Tufi see for the future of the Brazilian wine industry? Who would Tufi like to be able to share a bottle of wine with?   Key Takeaways Serra Gaucha is a hilly, almost mountainous region, north of the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, a state in the south. It has a long tradition of winemaking and it's a very beautiful region with a very well-developed tourist structure. It's certainly the first region in Brazil where you should go when you start to get to know our wines. Almost every winery has a tasting room, and they are open to visitors. Good restaurants, good hotels, good towns to see. And it's not far from the state capital. In Brazil, like in Argentina, the United States, Canada or Chile, European grapes are the most successful - Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc - and these are the most successful grapes so far. But we also make our Vinifera wines, varieties developed here in Brazil. The most successful so far is Lorena, which you will not find anywhere else. We have developed a crossing. It's a white grape, very aromatic, Muscat-like or reminds us of Gewurztraminer. It's very successful, growing in popularity. Brazil has tried to develop some exclusive red grapes, but so far, not with very good results. So you won't find red grapes that are equivalent to Lorena, for instance. We must content ourselves with grapes from other countries, but we have a lot of them. The wine consumption in Brazil is growing, although we would like to be faster. I presume this is because wine is fashionable, wine is very good with food, and people are curious about wine. Wine education is progressing. All this may explain this situation, and our national wine industry is growing too.   About Tufi Neder Meyer Tufi Neder Meyer, a graduate of UFMG Medical School with a PhD in surgery, has studied wines since before college and has been a wine educator since the 1990s. He lives and works in Brazil’s south-east, teaching at The Wine School Brazil (WSET approved). Tufi authored ‘Wines of Brazil’, a part of the Classic Wine Library of L’Académie du Vin.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/355.

Why are the sparkling wines the most successful wines? What is it about the wines of Brazil, the terroir, that really makes them excel? How does double pruning and winter harvesting help Brazilian vineyards produce higher-quality wines? How did family farming traditions shape Brazil’s wine regions, and what is the crossover between coffee and grape cultivation? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Tufi Meyer, author of the new book Wines of Brazil. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Tufi Neder Meyer's terrific book, Wines of Brazil. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights Where did Tufi’s love for wine come from? Why do red sparkling wines from southern Brazil pair so well with the traditional dish feijoada? Which characteristics make Brazilian sparkling wines particularly successful compared to other wine styles? What’s the biggest misconception about Brazilian wine? How does Brazil’s annual wine production compare to other South American producers? Why hasn't Brazil’s wine industry developed as large as those of Argentina and Chile? How did Portuguese colonial policies impact the development of Brazil’s wine industry? How does Brazil’s size and climate diversity influence viticulture? How has the legacy of land ownership and agricultural practices from the coffee industry shaped modern Brazilian viticulture? Is there any crossover between the coffee and wine industries? How do the different types of viticulture practiced in Brazil differ? What is unique about tropical viticulture in Brazil? Why do some Syrah wines from Brazil resemble those from the northern Rhône in France more than Australian Shiraz? What challenges do Brazilian vineyards face due to the humid climate in certain regions?   Key Takeaways Brazil has all sorts of sparkling wines, from traditional method, made like champagne to sweet, made from Muscat in zesty fashion, passing through tank methods, sparklers. But all of them have a very important character. It's fruit ripeness. Fruit is forward in Brazilian wines. Maybe elegant sometimes, or very well declared at other times, but it's easy to perceive and it's easy to like it. There's a fresh character to our sparklers. If you plant vines in Brazil in places where it is too humid and too warm at that harvest time, you won't get good quality grapes. But if this place has a winter which is not too cold, which has sunny days and cool nights, if you've succeeded in having the harvest during such a time, you have good grapes. That's precisely what double pruning makes. You prune in January, you start a new growth cycle, and the vines will be ripened during our winter. So the winter harvesting. Dry time, sunny days, cool nights. When the Italian immigrants arrived, they were given pieces of land. That's what is today Serra Gaúcha, our main wine-producing region. The relations between coffee and wine have started very much more recently, when double pruning and winter harvest developed here in a coffee region. And today the vines are planted in the same places where coffee does well. In slopes with little risk of frosts, better drain the terrain and many times together, side by side, grapes and coffee groves.   About Tufi Neder Meyer Tufi Neder Meyer, a graduate of UFMG Medical School with a PhD in surgery, has studied wines since before college and has been a wine educator since the 1990s. He lives and works in Brazil’s south-east, teaching at The Wine School Brazil (WSET approved). Tufi authored ‘Wines of Brazil’, a part of the Classic Wine Library of L’Académie du Vin.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/354.

How can vines for wine thrive in Mount Etna’s rocky, volcanic soils on the island of Sicily? Mount Etna is a perpetual baby in terms of its vineyard soils; constant rejuvenation of the soil through ash and lava impacts the vine's health and the resulting grape characteristics. The lava flows are centuries old and vary widely. So, how would a producer choose one flow over another for planting? How does Mount Etna still have pre-phylloxera vines that are over 200 years old? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ben Spencer, the award-winning author of The New Wines of Mount Etna. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights Why did Ben find Fabio Costantino of Terra Costantino such a fascinating and emblematic person from Etna’s wine community? What is the landscape of Mount Etna like, and what makes it unique and beautiful? How do producers on Etna choose which lava flow to plant on? What does it look like to grow grapes in a place as fertile as on Etna? How do Etna wines compare with other volcanic wines? Are field blends of different grape varieties still common in Etna’s vineyards? How does Nerello Mascalese compare to Pinot Noir grapes? Why is Nerello Cappuccio mostly used in blends rather than as a single varietal wine? How does Carricante, Etna’s signature white grape, develop the kerosene or petrol aroma often found in aged Riesling? What were some of the oldest vines Ben has seen on Mount Etna? How can you get the most out of a trip to Etna? Who would Ben love to share a bottle of wine with?   Key Takeaways How can vines for wine thrive in Mount Etna’s rocky, volcanic soils on the island of Sicily? It's very, very fertile and you can plant just about anything. The vines are only part of that biodiversity. You can put a grafted vine selection, masala, cutting from your own vineyard into the earth. What it taps into will sort of define what that vine will be. We see 95% of the vines take because the soil is so fertile. Mount Etna's lava flows are centuries old and vary widely. How would a producer choose one flow over another for planting? Sometimes it's a simple budgetary decision or a farming decision, whether to take over an old vine vineyard or to buy something and replant new vines, whether you want to face the contours of the mountain, or if you want to ease into it with tractor or some sort of mechanized labor, not that many producers do much more than use a tractor in the vineyard, it's very difficult to use heavy machinery on it, and everybody harvests by hand. But certain contrada, certain lava flows, the age of the soil, the slope, east, north, south, they have different flavors. They have different spices, and it's all that lasagna layering of the mountain. It has its own style. How does Mount Etna still have pre-phylloxera vines that are over 200 years old? On Etna, we don't have a lot of clay. So we do have these very, very old vines. The soils need about 3% clay to incubate phylloxera over the winter. And so the soil isn't old enough to have that much clay in it. There's also the snow up at elevation, so it's just inhospitable to the louse. But the oldest vines that I've seen are either Nerello Mascalese or possibly Minnella. The trunks can get really, really big. They can get really long. They look like they're prehistoric.   About Benjamin Spencer Benjamin Spencer is the Director of Etna Wine School and the award-winning author of The New Wines of Mount Etna. In addition to holding a Diploma from the London-based Wine & Spirit Education Trust, Ben is a journalist, wine judge, and a professional winemaker with two decades of experience working with artisan and internationally traded wine brands in California and Italy.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/353.

How do elevation and slope influence the style of volcanic wines of Mount Etna? What can volcanic wine made on Mount Etna in Sicily teach us about life? How is Mount Etna’s wine scene evolving? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ben Spencer, the award-winning author of The New Wines of Mount Etna. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights Which aspects of Ben’s first trip to Sicily in 2007 left a lasting impression? What stood out about Ben’s first experience tasting Etna wine in Sicily? Which early experience exploring Etna’s vineyards fundamentally changed Ben’s understanding of the region and its wines? What do the wines of Etna show us about the relationship between winemaking and life? What are the biggest differences between winemaking in California and Etna, outside of terroir? What does the future look like for Etna wine? Are there limitations to the Etna DOC classification and what is the viable elevation range for vineyards? How do the wine characteristics vary between vines grown in different areas of the mountain? How do the periodic eruptions affect the soil in the vineyards on the slopes of Mount Etna? What was Ben’s vision for the Etna Wine School and which programs are now available? How did Ben’s poetry background influence his transition into wine writing? What can you expect from reading The New Wines of Mount Etna? What was the most surprising thing Ben discovered while writing The New Wines of Mount Etna? Why was researching the book particularly challenging for Ben?   Key Takeaways How do elevation and slope influence the style of volcanic wines of Mount Etna? At lower elevations, we're seeing more ripeness, earlier ripening, more boldness in the fruit. You see more opulent wines at lower elevations. Also, on the south slope, you're getting more development in the growing season because of the way the sun passes from the east along the south slope. The North Slope, we see a little bit more deflected light, especially in the shoulder seasons, so early spring and fall, and so you're getting more elegance. What can volcanic wine made on Mount Etna in Sicily teach us about life? To be patient, to watch, to listen, to learn from what's happening here, and to learn from everybody, because everybody has a different take on what's happening. Etna always moves outside of what we expect it to be. In the glass, we see a white wine, but all of a sudden there's white jasmine and orange flower together in the same field, and there's this juicy fruit and salinity and savory herbs and saltiness, and you get some repeated elements. How is Mount Etna’s wine scene evolving? With Etna being at the beginning of a new wave of production, we are seeing a lot of people trying to define what that is, what Etna can be and will be. It'll be a study of the different elevations, of the different soil types, of the different districts where the wines are being made. But also Etna is a 10,000 foot tall cone. So there's a lot of different aspects to mountain wind, to sunlight, to the sea breezes, to old soils, young soils, and so there's a lot of things happening. So I think Etna will become a benchmark for variety, for exciting wines made from Carricante, the white grape variety here, and also Nerello mascalese, the red grape, which is made into sparkling wines, Rosés and red wines quite successfully.   About Benjamin Spencer Benjamin Spencer is the Director of Etna Wine School and the award-winning author of The New Wines of Mount Etna. In addition to holding a Diploma from the London-based Wine & Spirit Education Trust, Ben is a journalist, wine judge, and a professional winemaker with two decades of experience working with artisan and internationally traded wine brands in California and Italy.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/352.

Why can’t we smell sweetness in sparkling wine? How much of what we “taste” in wine is influenced by its appearance and our expectations? What makes copper both a savior and a threat to viticulture? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Sunny Hodge, author of the terrific new book, The Cynic's Guide to Wine. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Sunny Hodge’s terrific new book, The Cynic's Guide to Wine. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights Why is it important to look beyond wine characteristics and consider? How does The Cynic's Guide to Wine aim to challenge the way we talk about wine? Can fossilized oysters in vineyard soil really impart marine characteristics on the wine? Why should food and wine lovers know the story of Fitz Haber? What makes copper both a savior and a threat to viticulture? Why should we move away from the focus on wine flavours and instead use descriptors of what it truly offers? Where does the buttery flavour in wine come from? How does cork taint affect wine as well as our sense of smell and perception? Why do vines grown in cooler temperatures have more black pepper notes? How much of what we “taste” in wine is influenced by its appearance and our expectations? Why can’t we smell sweetness in wine? Could sniffing slower change which aromas you detect in a wine? Why are humans more sensitive to bitter tastes versus sweet? How does adding ice to whiskey open up its aromas?   Key Takeaways The little CO₂ bubbles in sparkling wine dissolve in your saliva and form a physical barrier between certain molecules hitting your tongue and your ability to taste certain things. Sweetness, is the first thing that’ll get blocked out. So, if you have a sparkling wine that has some sweetness, as your saliva builds up with bubbles, you won’t perceive it. We in wine extrapolate a little bit and think, “It's a white wine,” so I may psychosomatically associate it with white peppery things, rather than a red wine, which might be black pepper. It’s actually the same sesquiterpene, called rotundone. We just trick ourselves into perceiving it one way rather than the other. This happens a lot in wine. Copper is naturally antimicrobial and antifungal, which is why we use it in plumbing, hospitals, and as touchpads on doors. Fungal pests like downy and powdery mildew, which affect vines. We spray vines with copper base concoctions to prevent that fungus building up, which will destroy our harvests. But it's not just the heavy metal, but it when it rains, it'll hit your soils and affect earthworms and all of the things that we know to be really good for the soils, naturally. We stop our soil's ability to just look after itself. We haven't found a unified way to overcome downy and powdery mildew without the use of copper.   About Sunny Hodge Sunny Hodge is the sole founder of Diogenes the Dog and aspen & meursault; two multi award-winning wine bars associated with challenging the status quo of wine. He is in the process of developing a wine qualification, The Science of Wine Course. His book “The Cynic’s Guide to Wine” delves into the science behind wine from soil upwards into our perception of taste and flavour to dispel wine myths using science. He is also a member of the Circle of Wine Writers. He is an International wine judge for IWSC awards, was recently shortlisted for the LWF Buyers Awards 2025 for both ‘On-Trade Multiple Venue Wine Buyer’ and ‘Sustainable Wine Buyer of the Year’. Hodge is also a commentator and wine writer for the likes of Waitrose Food Magazine, Evening Standard, The Times, The Guardian, Food FM and Monocle Radio and ITV’s Love Your Weekend.       To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/351.

Can you really taste “minerality” in wine? What gives Champagne and traditional method wines their signature bready flavor and creamy texture? How has natural wine sparked deeper conversations about how we farm and produce food and drink? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Sunny Hodge You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Sunny Hodge’s terrific new book, The Cynic's Guide to Wine. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights What is the deeper meaning behind the name of Sunny’s London wine bar, aspen & meursault? How did Sunny’s early love of rollerskating shape his experiences growing up? What lessons did Sunny’s mother impart that still impact his worldview today? How did Sunny’s engineering background influence his approach to learning about wine? Can we really smell metals and minerals? Why was Sunny skeptical about the influence of soil on wine? What surprised Sunny about our technical insights into wine? How did Sunny find the balance between sharing the complex science behind wine and making it interesting to the average wine lover? Why does Sunny believe we should be applying cynicism to the world of wine? How do natural wines cause us to challenge the food and drink we bring to the table? What does "funky" mean in the context of natural wines? How does Sunny source unusual wines for his wine bars? What is humus, and how does it influence wine character? How do plants absorb nutrients from soil?   Key Takeaways We can smell some geological materials like salt and some minerals, but most minerals and metals we're unable to smell and taste. And those metals that we feel that we can smell and taste, that's actually a tertiary influence of our oils reacting with those metals.Technically, metal and most other minerals except for salt, don't have smell or taste. Yeast autolysis is the process that gives champagnes and traditional method wines their bready, yeasty, autolytic flavor. Autolysis is when a yeast thinks it's gonna die and it's pretty stressed. So as alcohol levels pick up, and your yeast knows it's going to pass away soon, its enzymes will switch on to a different mode, and this is autolysis mode. They'll start eating away at the cell membrane of the yeast, and eventually they'll make little puncture holes, and all of the insides of the yeast will end up in the liquid. So that self-detonation of yeast in stressful environments is what gives the physical texture to your wine. That's why autolytic wines have that texture and it gives you those yeasty, bready flavors. Natural wine makes us question how we farm and how we produce all food and drink, not just wine. Wine is one that we can talk about and have a real discourse without it getting too boring. And with natural wine, those bigger topics are, how do we farm? What are the pros and cons of how we farm now, and how are we making our food and drink?   About Sunny Hodge Sunny Hodge is the sole founder of Diogenes the Dog and aspen & meursault; two multi award-winning wine bars associated with challenging the status quo of wine. He is in the process of developing a wine qualification, The Science of Wine Course. His book “The Cynic’s Guide to Wine” delves into the science behind wine from soil upwards into our perception of taste and flavour to dispel wine myths using science. He is also a member of the Circle of Wine Writers. He is an International wine judge for IWSC awards, was recently shortlisted for the LWF Buyers Awards 2025 for both ‘On-Trade Multiple Venue Wine Buyer’ and ‘Sustainable Wine Buyer of the Year’. Hodge is also a commentator and wine writer for the likes of Waitrose Food Magazine, Evening Standard, The Times, The Guardian, Food FM and Monocle Radio and ITV’s Love Your Weekend.       To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/350.

How does your perspective change when you start looking at life one vintage at a time, divided into seasons? What does it look like when wine is so deeply connected to a region that it shapes work, landscape, community, and what a culture values most? Why is Languedoc becoming a popular choice for organic, biodynamic, and natural winemaking? What makes a “bon moment” and why is it worth taking seriously? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Steve Hoffman, who has written an award-winning memoir called A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Steve Hoffman's terrific new book, A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights What was Steve’s favourite aperitif discovery in France? How did a funny mispronunciation lead to an embarrassing introduction? How did stuffed cuttlefish challenge Steve’s ideas about strong flavours and aromas in food? How does the historical connection between wine and work show up in French culture today? Why has the Languedoc remained in the shadow of Bordeaux and Burgundy, despite having the largest vineyard area in the world? What surprised Steve the most about the process of blending wine? Why does the latitude of a vineyard matter when learning about tasting wine? How can you have the best experience while visiting the Languedoc?   Key Takeaways How does your perspective change when you start looking at life one vintage at a time, divided into seasons? You start thinking about the unfolding year as not months and days, but as seasons, and you look forward to the next season. And you participate fully, and then you let that season be done, and don't mourn it, because you know it's going to come around again. It forces you to be present in the moment, because it's not like, if I just wait long enough, things are going to get better. What does it look like when wine is so deeply connected to a region that it shapes work, landscape, community, and what a culture values most? In wine country, wine is not just a pleasant accompaniment to life; it literally forms everything. The vines themselves actually form the landscape and just becomes a part of everything. It's work, it's what creates revenue that the village can survive, but then it's also something that you have with almost every meal. Why is Languedoc becoming a popular choice for organic, biodynamic, and natural winemaking? It's still an affordable place to buy a hectare of vines, and so young winemakers can come in and they can afford to experiment with organic, natural or biodynamic winemaking. A lot of the chemicals to avoid spoilage - the Languedoc naturally doesn't have much of that. What makes a “bon moment” and why is it worth taking seriously? It's translated as a good moment, but in France, it has all kinds of other connotations. I think everybody who's listening will recognize one of those moments where you're sitting with people that you care about, where there's good wine and there's good food. That’s the centerpiece, that's the excuse to be together. But then the moment unfolds into something greater than itself.   About Steve Hoffman Steve Hoffman is a Minnesota tax preparer and food writer. His writing has won multiple national awards, including the 2019 James Beard M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award. He has been published in Food & Wine, The Washington Post, and The Minneapolis Star Tribune, among other publications. He shares one acre on Turtle Lake, in Shoreview, Minnesota, with his wife, Mary Jo, their elderly and entitled puggle, and roughly 80,000 honeybees.       To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/349.

How can you create a life you don’t need a vacation from? What can we learn from the French about slowing down, savoring meals, and making conversation the heart of gatherings? What’s it like living in the “other southern France”? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Steve Hoffman, who has written an award-winning memoir called A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Steve Hoffman's terrific new book, A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights What do tax preparation and writing have in common? What inspired Steve to write about the Languedoc, which he refers to as the other Southern France? What were the major hurdles to getting A Season for That published? How did Steve shift from an article to a book mindset? What helped Steve find the balance between writing beautifully and the need to move the story forward? What important lessons did Steve learn from his editor, respected cookbook author Francis Lam? What was it like to move across the world with two young children? Are there insights about French parenting and family life that Steve continues to apply? How did Steve choose the specific village he wanted to live in? How do vulnerability and curiosity help with cultural immersion?   Key Takeaways Steve says that we’re often sold the idea that our lives are boring and that we need relief from our lives. He believes in leading a life that doesn't require evacuation. That your life itself, if you are careful about it and a little bit intentional about it, can be the thing that you want to dive into every day. Steve mentions Thanksgiving as one of the very few occasions where he and his family commit to slowing down and making conversation around the table, and a great meal. There was something about the French willingness to let conversation be the point and a way of passing time that was really refreshing. Steve settled in 2012 as a family for an extended fall semester in the Languedoc region, which he refers to as the other southern France, because it is, to some extent, the poor cousin of what most people think of as southern France, primarily Provence and the Côte d'Azur, the Riviera, which was extensively touristed and a lot of money got brought into that region. Peter Mayle, Princess Grace, and F. Scott Fitzgerald made it a wealthy playground. Languedoc is the portion of Mediterranean France to the west of the Rhone. So the Rhone divides the country in two, east of the Rhone is Provence, and the Riviera west of the Rhone is Languedoc and eventually Roussillon. He had the kinds of experiences he had because they weren't in the grips of a tourist haven.   About Steve Hoffman Steve Hoffman is a Minnesota tax preparer and food writer. His writing has won multiple national awards, including the 2019 James Beard M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award. He has been published in Food & Wine, The Washington Post, and The Minneapolis Star Tribune, among other publications. He shares one acre on Turtle Lake, in Shoreview, Minnesota, with his wife, Mary Jo, their elderly and entitled puggle, and roughly 80,000 honeybees.       To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/348.

How does music, even types you dislike, make wine more enjoyable? Can curated playlists in tasting rooms and wine bars influence how customers drink, eat, and experience wine? What happens when you stop overthinking wine and music and just enjoy? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Susan Lin, a Master of Wine and a Master of Fine Arts in Classical Piano and Musicology. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights How does a low-pitched, slow-tempo musical piece impact the perceived fruitiness of wine? What does "timbre" mean in musical terms? How do different musical characteristics influence the perception of wine's effervescence? Did the participants’ music preferences correlate with their enjoyment of the wine? What might surprise you about how the wines tasted in silence compared? Why does the influence of sound on our perception tend to go unnoticed? How are some winemakers using music in their wineries? Are there retail applications for Susan’s research into the influence of music on the perception of wine? What would be Susan's ideal live concert and wine pairing scenario? What are some of the possibilities in the future for AI-generated music for wine experiences? Is there an interest in similar research on the intersection between dance and wine perception? What future research areas is Susan considering in terms of music and wine perception? What three objects would Susan display in a museum representing her life and passions? If Susan could share a wine with anyone outside the wine industry, who would it be and why? How can you start being more intentional about exploring sensory experiences with wine and music?   Key Takeaways How does music, even types you dislike, make wine more enjoyable? Susan says that in her experiments, the wine that was consistently the worst, least balanced, was the wine tasted without music. Even if somebody said I really didn't like this music, it was a way better wine to them than without music. Even for the wine experts, the wines were much more palatable without music. I think that's why sound can be a very, very powerful thing. Can curated playlists in tasting rooms and wine bars influence how customers drink, eat, and experience wine? Susan has worked with tasting rooms and wine bars to curate their playlists in terms of the experiences that they want their customers to have. You want to have people be a little more relaxed in the morning, but then, you start amping it up for the evening. I put together a complete journey, that sort of sonic seasoning for different expressions of their wines, for big bold red versus for their light, youthful white wines. What happens when you stop overthinking wine and music and just enjoy? Susan says that with the melding of music and wine, there's still so much to learn. Keep trying things. Don't worry about whether it's right or wrong. Just enjoy the experience. Let everything come in sensorially and enjoy that and embrace again the mystery of things. We can't explain everything through data, and that's a good thing.   About Susan R. Lin Susan R. Lin is a Master of Wine and a Master of Fine Arts in Classical Piano and Musicology. Susan’s MW research paper ‘Influences of Classical Music on the Sensory Perception of a Brut Non-Vintage Champagne’ and subsequent work on the interaction of music and wine have been featured in Decanter, Food & Wine, GuildSomm, and others. Each of Susan’s creations is rooted in academic research and inspired by a deep respect for the essence of wine and music.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/347.

Why might a symphony night pair just as well with your wine as a heavy metal ballad? What is “sonic seasoning” and how can music impact the way we experience the taste of wine? How are sensory experiences like music, taste, and atmosphere all connected? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Susan Lin, a Master of Wine and a Master of Fine Arts in Classical Piano and Musicology. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights What did Susan's grandfather teach her about fine beverages and hospitality? How did playing piano in hotels as a child shape Susan's perspective on the holistic nature of our sensory experiences? Is there a connection between Susan's backgrounds in tech, music, and wine? When did Susan decide she wanted to dive deeper into the intersection between music and wine? What makes a wine "musical"? How do cross-modal correspondences impact wine tasting? Why was Brut Non-Vintage Champagne Susan’s choice for her research paper? What is "sonic seasoning" in the context of wine and music? What was Susan's most memorable wine and music pairing event? What might surprise you about the intersection between classical music and heavy metal? How did Susan set up her experiment to observe how music affected participants' perceptions of the wine they were tasting?   Key Takeaways Susan says she was always encouraging a Bach goth night at the symphony to bring people together. I like to say, whether my Brahms is your Metallica or vice versa, music can make such a difference in what you're feeling. Hence, if you got a glass of wine, what you're tasting in that glass, right? I've actually done a few experiments with heavy metal. People feel a lot of things, and there are ballads in metal. It's not just your typical really assertive sound all the time. It can be really soulful too and I noticed a lot of use of medieval melodies and folk songs in the ballads that are really nice. So not too far of a distance between Brahms and Metallica in that sense. Susan explains that if you're listening to something that might add a little bit of pizzazz here or there to your wine, like seasoning can do. It's more of a fun term, not a scientific term. All classical composers experienced all the emotions and all the feelings that we all do and it comes through in their music. Maybe they can be feeling joyful or melancholy or longing or frustrated or upset, and everything in between. So the nature of the seasoning is that it can run in many, many different ways. Susan observed during her performances how moods of the guests changed depending on what she played. Everything in the sensory world, all of our experiences, are really taken in holistically, right? It's not like, oh, we're just listening to this one thing and that's isolated. Oh, and we're tasting this one thing, we're smelling this one thing, and we're seeing something. It's all together. I knew that it was something special, and knew that it was something that I wanted to learn more about, or just somehow be a part of. And playing the piano in those situations actually was a great way for me to be a part of it.   About Susan R. Lin Susan R. Lin is a Master of Wine and a Master of Fine Arts in Classical Piano and Musicology. Susan’s MW research paper ‘Influences of Classical Music on the Sensory Perception of a Brut Non-Vintage Champagne’ and subsequent work on the interaction of music and wine have been featured in Decanter, Food & Wine, GuildSomm, and others. Each of Susan’s creations is rooted in academic research and inspired by a deep respect for the essence of wine and music.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/346.

What turns a wine country visit into an incredibly memorable experience? What are the hidden perks of off-peak wine travel? How has digital media transformed the way people plan wine travel? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Amy Wislocki, editor-in-chief of Decanter, the world’s most prestigious wine magazine. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of her terrific book, The Ultimate Wine Lover's Travel Guide. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast.  I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me.   Highlights What don’t many wine lovers realize about the wine-making history of the country of Georgia? How important is authentic cultural immersion to wine travel? Can wine tourism help preserve cultural heritage in regions recovering from political strife? What’s the association between wineries and wildlife? How and why are many wineries now catering to families? What was Amy’s approach to balancing practical with sharing the romance of the locations in The Ultimate Wine Lover's Travel Guide? What would Amy include in her perfect wine day itinerary? How has COVID-19 impacted wine travel? What are the advantages of travelling to wine regions outside of the peak seasons? Is environmental consciousness changing wine tourism? How has digital media transformed wine travel writing? Has the rise of influencers changed the wine industry? What would Amy add to a new edition of the book? What should you be asking about wine travel? How does Amy want readers to feel after reading The Ultimate Wine Lover's Travel Guide? Which famous figures would Amy want to be able to share a bottle of wine with?   Key Takeaways What turns a wine country visit into an incredibly memorable experience? Amy advises to mix it up a bit and not cram too much into the day, because then that becomes too stressful. Probably a bit of planning will help to make it a perfect day. Often you need to book in advance. So maybe just two winery visits, one in the morning, one in the afternoon. Go somewhere for lunch where you can sit outside and just enjoy the beautiful views, get some fresh air. You might be able to hire a bicycle or go for a hike around the vineyards. See a beautiful village that has some nice culture, or architectural churches. What are the hidden perks of off-peak wine travel? Amy says the main thing is that the winemaker might have more time to spend with you. There must be certain times of the year that are really busy, not only in terms of tourists, but in terms of the winemaking. Also you have a higher chance of just being able to get into some of the most sought-after wineries. There might be some wineries that are just fully booked for ages. How has digital media transformed the way people plan wine travel? Amy observes that on social media, you can watch videos and reels of place which inspires people to do more research. So they might be sparked off by something they see on TikTok or Facebook or Instagram, and then they might go to Decanter.com, and read the whole article. So it’s all complementary.   About Amy Wislocki Amy has more than 30 years' experience in publishing, and worked at a senior level for leading companies in the consumer, business-to-business and contract publishing arenas, before joining Decanter in October 2000 as Magazine Editor. As well as overseeing content planning and production for the print offering, she has also been involved in developing digital channels, Decanter.com and Decanter Premium.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/345.

Why does wine taste different when you’ve stood in the vineyard it came from? What's one myth about wine travel that Amy dispels? With Gen Z drinking less wine, how does a 50-year-old wine magazine stay relevant without alienating longtime readers? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Amy Wislocki, editor-in-chief of Decanter, the world’s most prestigious wine magazine. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of her terrific book, The Ultimate Wine Lover's Travel Guide. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me.   Highlights What was it like to join Decanter magazine as a 27-year-old magazine editor? How did Amy establish her credibility as a young editor? What exciting incident marked one of her press trips to Chile? Which aspects of wine writing are often misunderstood or undervalued? How does Decanter balance engaging Gen Z readers without alienating their long-term readers? Why has Decanter started reviewing low-alcohol wines? What’s made Amy stay at Decanter for 25 years> What's one myth about wine travel that Amy hopes this book dispels? Why is the experience of tasting wine at the vineyard where it’s made so powerful? What are some of Amy’s favourite essays in Why did Amy include South Carolina, which has no vineyards, in her wine travel book?   Key Takeaways As Amy observes, anybody who's visited a vineyard will understand that there's no substitute. You will have a different relationship with that wine for the rest of your life. The lucky thing is that wine growing areas are often the most beautiful areas of the world. You can see what type of soil it is like. The climate might be very near to the ocean, with the cooling breezes. So that side of it will really give you a better understanding of why that wine tastes like it does. You see the age of the vines. Also meeting the people behind the wine. It could be a small, family-owned winery, hearing the stories associated with the wine. Drinking them with the food of the place and in that environment, it's an irreplaceable experience. Amy says the main thing is that it has to be an elitist thing, because I suppose wine in general has the elitist kind of associations. And I think it's just getting across that, you don't have to have tons of money and only drink the world's finest wines to enjoy wine travel. It's just becoming much more accessible to everyone, and in so many more regions and countries than it was. Amy explains that it's many things: recognizing moderation as a trend. It's a tricky one to get right, and you don't want to be preaching to people. You don't want people who think I'm buying a wine magazine because I love wine. I don't want to be made to feel guilty for drinking wine. This is my refuge. But it's not about that. It's about recognizing a trend that even among wine lovers, people are trying to kind of think about how and when and where, where they're drinking, how much they're drinking. Obviously, there are some things that Gen Z will want to read about that our more traditional conservative readers might not all be so bothered about, like natural wines. It's all a balance, isn't it? And trying to give something to everybody.   About Amy Wislocki Amy has more than 30 years' experience in publishing, and worked at a senior level for leading companies in the consumer, business-to-business and contract publishing arenas, before joining Decanter in October 2000 as Magazine Editor. As well as overseeing content planning and production for the print offering, she has also been involved in developing digital channels, Decanter.com and Decanter Premium.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/344.

What makes old Malbec vines planted in the 1920s so rare and valuable today? Why would a Canadian winemaker head to Mendoza, Argentina, to start a winery? What’s one of the biggest challenges holding back Canadian wine and how can consumers change that? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ann Sperling & Peter Gamble. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights What makes Devotion different from other On Seven wines? What inspired Peter to look beyond Canada to Argentina for winemaking? How did he decide on the particular vineyard to purchase? What is massal selection in viticulture? How did Versado end up with such old vines, and how does this show up in the wine? Are there aspects of Malbec that are similar to Pinot? How have Ann and Peter revitalized the Leily Winery? What are the differences and similarities between Leily and On Seven Chardonnays? What would Ann and Peter like their legacies to be in the Canadian wine industry? What are the greatest threats to the Canadian wine industry? Which three figures in the wine industry would Peter invite to a dream dinner party?   Key Takeaways In the 1905 to 1925 period in Argentina, winemakers at the time planted the greatest genetic diversity amongst the Malbec vines, because they were still learning about it. Their Versado vineyard reflects that time when genetic diversity was appreciated. We visited a lot of wine regions in the world for the meetings, both fun and a necessity, and one of them was Mendoza and loved the climate - a really interesting climate from the point of view of creating flavors and grapes, and really liked the lifestyle as well. We essentially decided it'd be interesting to do something small there that also gives us a second harvest during New Year's. So we can practice twice as often. That was the driver, the potential quality there. They’ve been talking about this for probably the 40 years that they've been making wine and and they want to figure out how to have lasting consumer engagement. They have a lot of devoted buyers, but they also know kind of the monopoly culture is that, well, if the wine you were looking for today isn't on the shelf, you can buy something else. Promoting the message of buying directly from the wineries, and if you want to try that wine that's made in Nova Scotia or BC, that you actually can order it and have it shipped to your home province. Those interprovincial trade barriers aren't real. There's lots of wine shipping that's taking place already. Just get on your computer like you do with so many other products that you buy and buy online.   About Ann Sperling & Peter Gamble Often referred to as the “power couple” of the Canadian wine industry, Peter Gamble and Ann Sperling have long pursued the pinnacles of wine quality in Canadian vineyards and wineries. Following her upbringing on her family’s Okanagan Valley vineyard, Ann turned to the soil for the character and complexity of her wines. Acknowledged as a Canadian pioneer of organic and biodynamic viticulture, ‘terroir’ was at the centre of her philosophy and she is renowned for her head winemaking roles at Malivoire, Southbrook, and Sperling Vineyards. Peter, a lifetime wine industry professional, has worked alongside Canada’s most passionate winemakers to achieve greater heights with our finest appellation wines. Since 2000, Peter has provided expertise in ultra-premium winemaking operations, including: Stratus, Ravine, Benjamin Bridge and Lightfoot & Wolfville. With the purchase of a top-flight ancient Malbec planting in Mendoza, Argentina, in 2008, Ann and Peter broadened their winemaking activities, but Niagara remains their cherished home base. Current focus is on these Niagara projects: On Seven, Lailey and Stonebridge Vineyards and Dobbin Estate.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/343.

What were the key challenges and breakthroughs that shaped the BC and Ontario wine industries in the 1980s and 90s? What makes or breaks a new wine project, and why is finding the right vineyard often the most time-consuming step? What made Peter believe that Niagara-on-the-Lake could produce exceptional Chardonnay? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ann Sperling & Peter Gamble. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights What was Ann’s best memory from growing up on the farm? When did Ann and Peter know that they wanted to work in the wine industry? How did Ann and Peter meet? What was the first bottle of wine Ann and Peter shared? How do Ann and Peter navigate their interwoven personal and professional lives? How do they negotiate professional disagreements, and who chooses the wine for dinner? What were the major challenges and opportunities in the BC and Ontario wine industry in the 1980s and 90s? In the early days, how did Peter envision the future of Ontario wines? What are some of the reasons certain vintages almost didn't make it into the bottle? What do you look for when considering a new project? What makes Ann and Peter different from the stereotypical flying winemakers? What were the signs that Niagara-on-the-Lake could produce exceptional Chardonnay? How has working on a small, focused vineyard impacted Ann and Peter’s winemaking choices? Why must you suffer to make top-notch wines?   Key Takeaways It was in the early 80s in BC and maybe slightly before that in Ontario, that estate wineries became a thing. Prior to that, that meant there were a few really large wineries, not really making estate or single vineyards. Vineyards were a source of bulk wine for the most part. The hunt for the vineyard became a very important one. We looked at over 230 vineyards before we found one. I think everyone there was on the verge of giving up on this, thinking “Well, they're not really going to buy anything.” Because we'd get it to a certain stage, then we do soil analysis, and we weren't quite happy, or we talked to people who had made wine from the vineyard or something would come up, and we just wouldn't quite be where we wanted to be with the quality of the vineyard. I often work on the basis of paradigms, where I'll take a look at a wine sold throughout the world and say, you know, I think this could be done really well in this area. You know what it is you might be able to accomplish within the parameters that you have - the obvious things, the terroir, the exposures to soils, the temperatures in general.   About Ann Sperling & Peter Gamble Often referred to as the “power couple” of the Canadian wine industry, Peter Gamble and Ann Sperling have long pursued the pinnacles of wine quality in Canadian vineyards and wineries. Following her upbringing on her family’s Okanagan Valley vineyard, Ann turned to the soil for the character and complexity of her wines. Acknowledged as a Canadian pioneer of organic and biodynamic viticulture, ‘terroir’ was at the centre of her philosophy and she is renowned for her head winemaking roles at Malivoire, Southbrook, and Sperling Vineyards. Peter, a lifetime wine industry professional, has worked alongside Canada’s most passionate winemakers to achieve greater heights with our finest appellation wines. Since 2000, Peter has provided expertise in ultra-premium winemaking operations, including: Stratus, Ravine, Benjamin Bridge and Lightfoot & Wolfville. With the purchase of a top-flight ancient Malbec planting in Mendoza, Argentina, in 2008, Ann and Peter broadened their winemaking activities, but Niagara remains their cherished home base. Current focus is on these Niagara projects: On Seven, Lailey and Stonebridge Vineyards and Dobbin Estate.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/342.

Is a $400 wine really ten times better than a $40 one? Does the right glass really improve your wine and is it worth it when the size makes you look ridiculous? Why do wine labels matter and should the label’s look be part of every wine review? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Charles Jennings and Paul Keers, co-authors of the hilarious book I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of their terrific book,, I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck! You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights Why do we feel guilty about window shopping when it comes to wine? What's the worst wine gadget or gimmick Paul and Charles have encountered? How did a 1947 Sauterne create a bond between Paul and a French wine seller? What was their most triumphant wine deal discovery? Are there elements that expensive wine delivers, that bargain wines can't? Why are Charles and Paul suspicious of mixed cases of wine? Has the quality and perception of box wines changed? What's the strangest vessel Paul and Charles have drunk wine from? What was it like drinking wine at 10 Downing Street and Lambeth Palace? What was Queen Victoria's tipple like? Why does Charles love drinking on his own? Which current wine trends will we look back on as ridiculous? Which wines would Charles and Paul now pair with their favourite childhood foods? Who would Paul and Charles love to share a bottle of wine with? Why should wine critics write about wine labels in their reviews?   Key Takeaways Charles and Paul believe there is a greater experience to be gained from drinking better wine, but that the return for your money plateaus quickly. If you go up from a £10 wine to a £30 wine, you will really notice the difference and have a tremendously greater experience. But then if you multiply that by 10 and go from £40 to £400, the difference in quality isn't that great. If I've got people around for dinner and I sit at the end of the table and everybody else has got normal wine glasses, I look like a complete plonker. And I'd love to sit there, “Oh, it's magnificent.” And they're going to think, what an idiot. So unfortunately, it doesn't get much use. It does enhance the taste of the Bordeaux, there's no doubt about it, but I'm so embarrassed sitting there drinking out of this thing the size of a melon that it really doesn't get much use. Charles and Paul mention wine labels because they think that they are ignored by most wine writers, and they're terribly important for two reasons. Firstly, because they're about the only marketing that most bottles of wine have, because we go into shops and that's all we can see, the labels. And second, if you're setting a table for dinner, you've invested in the table, in the dishware, the cutlery, the glasses to set up this beautiful thing. Why would you put a bottle of wine on the table - however it tastes - if it looks terrible? Wine critics should always say what the label looks like and whether it would look good on the table.   About Charles Jennings & Paul Keers Charles Jennings and Paul Keers are award-winning writers based in London, England. Charles and Paul co-authored the wine blog Sediment, described by New Statesman writer and Guardian literary critic Nick Lezard as “the finest wine blog available to humanity.” The blog became the basis for their book, I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. Book-Prize-winning novelist Julian Barnes called it “The funniest wine-book I’ve read in a long time. Not just laugh-aloud funny but snortingly, choke-on-your-cornflakes funny – up there with Kingsley Amis and Jay McInerney.” Their book won the prestigious André Simon Award.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/341.