Unreserved Wine Talk

How can a wine story rooted in darkness leave you feeling hopeful about your life? Why is France such a symbol of freedom, possibility and reinvention for her? How can discovering France through art, cinema, and wine become an escape into a completely different world? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Namratha Stanley, author of Vineyard Melody: How One Woman Rebuilt Her Life, One Grape At A Time. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Namratha Stanely's terrific new book, Vineyard Melody: How One Woman Rebuilt Her Life, One Grape At A Time. 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 Which childhood moments shaped Namratha's sense of courage and adventure and understanding of injustice? What is Vineyard Melody about and how does it differ from other wine and reinvention stories? Why did Namratha feel compelled to write this book despite the risks of telling her truth? What early warning signs in her marriage did Namratha only recognize in hindsight? How did the system ultimately fail to protect Namratha and how did learning French become an act of survival? Why did the language prove so valuable when an unexpected job opportunity in Paris arose? How did ridicule and resistance at home strengthen her resolve to pursue independence through work? What was it like to arrive in Bordeaux for her wine MBA? What did seeing the Eiffel Tower and having her first meal in Paris symbolize about freedom and possibility? Why did Namratha ultimately decide that leaving India permanently was the only path toward rebuilding her life and identity?   About Namratha Stanley Namratha Stanley is the debut author of Vineyard Melody, a memoir chronicling her personal and professional transformation. Once confined to a patriarchal household in India, where she was barred from working, she broke free from marital violence and moved to France in 2017 to pursue a Wine MBA. She went on to found Wine Equation, a Bordeaux-based wine merchant company, and created Solicantus, her signature wine brand now distributed in five countries. Today, she serves as Program Director at INSEEC (Omnes), mentors women and students, and donates part of her wine sales to support children's education in India. Her journey—from traditional housewife to entrepreneur—has been featured in Forbes, Decanter and many other magazines. Namratha lives in France with her daughter and two cats, continuing to write and grow her wine business.       To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/372.

How did winemakers first figure out how to remove alcohol from wine without destroying it? Why is it so difficult to perfect the flavours and aromas in wine once the alcohol is removed? Why do some non-alcoholic wines keep their fruity aromas while others seem to lose everything? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Dr Wes Pearson, a senior research scientist at the Australian Wine Research Institute in Adelaide. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Highlights How was the German winemaker, Carl Jung, a pioneer in the field of no and low alcohol wine? Why is the reverse osmosis process better suited to small alcohol adjustments rather than full dealcoholization? How has the spinning cone column become one of the most effective tools for removing alcohol from wine? Why is it so challenging to preserve flavour and aroma in non-alcoholic wines? Why are low alcohol wines often more successful than alcohol free wines? How can vineyard and fermentation choices reduce alcohol while preserving wine character? Why do lower alcohol wines preserve a sense of place more successfully than fully de-alcoholized wines? How do beer producers have more technical options for making low alcohol products than winemakers? What is the connection between alcohol and mouthfeel? Why is Sauvignon Blanc often the most successful base for alcohol free wine? How does Wes envision the future of non alcoholic wine?   Key Takeaways How did winemakers first figure out how to remove alcohol from wine without destroying it? The story goes that Carl Jung was somewhere in India, in the Himalayas, and he noticed that water boiled at a lower temperature and started thinking about, oh, well you know, they had a family winery and I wonder if we can take ethanol out if we boiled it at a lower temperature. Understanding, of course, classic distillation ethanol boils at around 70-something degrees and water would boil at 100. So you could boil your ethanolic solution, remove the ethanol, trap it on this side, leave your water here or whatever solution you have your ethanol in, and then keep the ethanol. That's classic distillation. Normally we keep the distillate, we keep the alcohol, and get rid of what we've taken it out of. Now we want to keep what we've taken it out of and get rid of the ethanol. So that was the whole premise behind vacuum distillation. Why is it so difficult to perfect the flavours and aromas in wine once the alcohol is removed? When that wine comes off the spinning cone column, it's not a pleasant drink. It's extremely acidic. You've concentrated the acids by about a third, and as well, you've lost all the flavor. Also the flavor that balances out all that acid is gone as well. We need to do a lot of work in building that back up. We should use more tools that we have to try to build some of these up, to build flavor. Now, of course, from the economics behind this, these are not expensive products. So we can't just whack everything in there and hope for the best. We have to have some judiciousness when it comes to how much these things cost and how much you can add, and how we can do this to recover what we've taken out and put back so that it's more cost effective. This is all part of the research that we're working on. Why do some non-alcoholic wines keep their fruity aromas while others seem to lose everything? When the yeast eat the sugar in the grape juice, those sugars are all attached to all kinds of other chemical compounds. The yeast come along, they eat the sugar, and release the flavor compound. And so those fermentation products, most of them are esters and organic acids. Now the esters are the really pretty things that we smell, all the fruity flavors. And the organic acid portions of those, they're less appealing. Now, when you put those through the dealcoholization machine, the spinning cone column in particular, you get the stinky stuff staying, and you get the nice stuff going. Within Sauvignon Blanc, you lose the acetate, but actually three-mercaptohexanol smells lovely. It smells like passion fruit, and so that stays. Where if your wine doesn't have thiols, something like Chardonnay, which is much lower in thiols, you don't get that retention of that character.   About Dr. Wes Pearson Dr Wes Pearson is a senior research scientist and sensory group manager at the Australian Wine Research Institute in Adelaide. He holds a BSc in Wine Biochemistry from the University of British Columbia, a diploma in Applied Sensory and Consumer Science from the University of California Davis and a PhD from Charles Sturt University. He has worked in the sensory group at the AWRI since 2010 and has completed hundreds of sensory studies and authored over 25 research papers in that time. He is an alumnus of the Len Evans Tutorial and of Wine Australia's Future Leaders program and sits on the board of directors for the McLaren Vale Grape Wine and Tourism Association. He has judged at multiple capital city and regional wine shows and has been an educator/judge for the AWRI's Advanced Wine Assessment Course for more than a decade. He is also an accomplished winemaker, having made wine in Canada and France, and currently makes wine under his Juxtaposed label in McLaren Vale, South Australia.           To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/371.

What really happens when the world's most expensive wines are tasted blind, without their labels or reputations? Why is the Len Evans Tutorial considered such a valuable experience in the wine world? How did Grenache go from a filler grape to one that producers take seriously? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Dr Wes Pearson, a senior research scientist at the Australian Wine Research Institute in Adelaide. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Highlights How did a curiosity for astrophysics shape Wes's mindset as a wine researcher and sensory scientist? Why does Wes believe that the more you learn about wine, the more you realize how little you know? Why does Wes see scientific research and hands-on winemaking as complementary approaches? What role did the Len Evans Tutorial play in shaping his palate and wine judging standards? What is it like to taste hundreds of benchmark wines blind, including Domaine de la Romanée Conti? How did Wes's internship at Château Léoville Las Cases reveal the depth of precision and investment behind elite Bordeaux wines? What drew Wes to McLaren Vale and how did the region reshape his priorities as a winemaker? Why was Grenache long treated as a filler grape in McLaren Vale? How does sensory science work to eliminate bias? Why are trained professionals often excluded from traditional sensory panels? What kinds of unconscious bias can labels, color, and context introduce when tasting wine? How does pivot profiling allow winemakers and sommeliers to use their technical language productively? What's behind the rapid improvement in no and low alcohol wines?   Key Takeaways The current vintage of the Romanée-Conti Grand Cru, or that vineyard, is about $15,000 on release. They're not wines that are generally bought and drunk. They're bought as investments. And they're kind of these holy grail wines that you would never get a chance to see otherwise. And not only is it great to taste them, but you taste them blind. The Len Evans Tutorial is a one-week immersive tasting session with the world's greatest wines. Not just Australian wines. You have a bracket of Pinot Noir, and within that, you've got DRC and you've also got all of the great Australian examples as well. It's meant to set your benchmarks for what is the world standard and what is the Australian standard. Historically, Grenache was the filler in blends. Grenache loves the heat so you can leave it out in the vineyard. The Shiraz has to come in first. "We'll get the Grenache later when we have some space in the winery." It was used to fill up the blends. It had lots of flavor. It always had lots of alcohol as well. Then around 2010, a few producers started saying, we've got some pretty good resource here. Maybe we should think about investing a bit more time and effort into what we've got with Grenache.   About Dr. Wes Pearson Dr Wes Pearson is a senior research scientist and sensory group manager at the Australian Wine Research Institute in Adelaide. He holds a BSc in Wine Biochemistry from the University of British Columbia, a diploma in Applied Sensory and Consumer Science from the University of California Davis and a PhD from Charles Sturt University. He has worked in the sensory group at the AWRI since 2010 and has completed hundreds of sensory studies and authored over 25 research papers in that time. He is an alumnus of the Len Evans Tutorial and of Wine Australia's Future Leaders program and sits on the board of directors for the McLaren Vale Grape Wine and Tourism Association. He has judged at multiple capital city and regional wine shows and has been an educator/judge for the AWRI's Advanced Wine Assessment Course for more than a decade. He is also an accomplished winemaker, having made wine in Canada and France, and currently makes wine under his Juxtaposed label in McLaren Vale, South Australia.           To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/370.

How did one Viognier go from the brink of extinction to being planted around the world? Why is the Mistral one of the most miserable experiences for people, yet a saviour for Rhône vineyards? Why is working with bush vines so much harder than trellised vineyards? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Matt Walls, author of the terrific new book The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Matt Walls' terrific new book, The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley. 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 are the famous galets roulés of Châteauneuf du Pape and what is it like to experience them in person? How do the galets affect vineyard work and vine training? What is the Mistral wind and why is it both miserable for people and essential for vineyard health? Why is Hermitage Hill considered one of the clearest visual explanations of terroir anywhere in France? What does tasting Hermitage at the top of the hill reveal about the emotional connection to place and wine? How does whole bunch fermentation change the aroma, texture, and alcohol level of Syrah in the northern Rhône? How close did Viognier come to extinction after World War II, and who was responsible for saving it in Condrieu? What makes Viognier from Condrieu feel different than versions grown in warmer regions? How did Château Rayas redefine Châteauneuf-du-Pape? Why did the extreme heat of the 2022 vintage affect Rhône wines? Why is Tavel better understood as a pale red rather than a modern Rosé?   Key Takeaways How did one Viognier go from the brink of extinction to being planted around the world? Very close. So there was about 6 or 7 hectares left... about the size of three football pitches. That's it. That was the only place in the world. I mean, that's where it comes from. In the 1960s and after the Second World War, a lot of the vineyards died. People couldn't fetch high prices for wine, so quantity was more important than quality. So people were just planting on the flat, basically where it was easy to farm instead of on the slopes of Condrieu, which are very difficult to grow on. So it got pretty much abandoned. It was down to one man whose name was Georges Vernay from Domaine Georges Vernay, which still exists today, still makes excellent wines. And he rallied the local winemakers. He believed in the grape. He knew how good it could be, and he encouraged people to replant, to rework the vineyards and, and saved the grape. You find it all around the world. And so if it wasn't for Georges back in the 60s, deciding, no, I want to save this variety, maybe we wouldn't have it at all, which would be terrible. Why is the Mistral one of the most miserable experiences for people, yet a saviour for Rhône vineyards? The mistral is a very strong north wind. It whistles down the valley. It can be extremely boisterous. It's cold north wind. if it's quite a hot day, it's never nice. It's always horrible. Even on a hot day. When it blows hard, it can be quite difficult to stand up in a vineyard. It's an amazing phenomenon. It's cold and it's really dry. So often when it does rain in the southern Rhône and in the northern Rhône, you risk getting vineyard diseases. But the mistral often it blows after it rains. So it will dry out the vineyards. It's like a natural disinfectant. it means that you can keep your grapes hanging on the vine for longer. So it is a huge benefit. Why is working with bush vines so much harder than trellised vineyards? You hear about these galets roulés, these rounded stones, but when you see them, just in the vineyards for as far as the eye can see, they're very striking to see and difficult to walk on. you can quite easily turn your ankle if you're not careful with what you're doing. So if you're in a vineyard of galets, what you'll see is these bush vines. That's the most common way of training vines in the southern Rhône, particularly Châteauneuf-du-Pape. You do see a bit of trellising, but with Grenache, you don't have to… they're naturally self-supporting. With Syrah, for example, you do have to train it on wires because it just grows like mad, and otherwise it would just be flopping around all over the floor. And you need to lift up the foliage in order to get it exposed to the sun and get the grapes off the ground. Grenache doesn't grow in such an exuberant fashion. It grows a little bit more slowly, and the trunks get a little bit thicker. But they're much harder to work as well. So, the thing about those bush vines is that you have to tend them in a 360 degree fashion rather than trellis vines, which you kind of have to work on both sides, but without kind of working around it 360 degrees. But the galets… they are troublesome and they are difficult to move and they take a lot of strength. So, yeah, I wouldn't like to work on them personally. That takes a lot of work.   About Matt Walls Matt Walls is an award-winning freelance wine writer, author and consultant who contributes to various UK and international publications such as Club Oenologique and Decanter, where he is a contributing editor. He also judges wine and food competitions, develops wine apps and presents trade and consumer tastings. Matt is interested in all areas of wine, but specialises in the Rhône Valley – he is Regional Chair for the Rhône at the Decanter World Wine Awards.           To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/369.

Which French wine region banned flying saucers from landing in its vineyards and why is the rule still there? How did the devastating February 1956 frost reshape the southern Rhône into the vineyard landscape we know today? What sets the northern Rhone apart from the south in terms of grapes and winemaking style? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Matt Walls, author of The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Matt Walls' terrific new book, The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley. 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 family picnic become a memorable introduction to the northern Rhone? How did a visit to a small producer in Crozes Hermitage turn into an unforgettable travel mishap? Why does Châteauneuf du Pape have a rule specifically forbidding the landing of flying saucers in vineyards? How is the Rhone Valley laid out geographically and what distinguishes the northern Rhone from the southern Rhone? How much wine does the Rhone produce each year compared to other regions in France? What was the moment that made Matt fall in love with Hermitage wines? What was it like for Matt to move his family from London to a village near Avignon? How does the culture of Rhone winemakers differ from regions like Bordeaux or Champagne? What practical advice does Matt have for getting the most out of visits to Rhone wineries? What makes The Smart Traveler's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley different from other wine books? What unexpected part of his research led Matt to fall in love with Lyon?   Key Takeaways Within the Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the cahiers des charges, which is basically the rulebook on how you're allowed to make wine within the appellation, has a statement that says, "Winemakers may not use their vineyards to land flying saucers." This was put in in the 1960s, when there was a big panic about flying saucers and little green men. I think it's easier just to leave it there than to go through the whole rigmarole for getting it removed. The devastating February 1956 frost was a turning point in how people lived, worked, and farmed in the southern Rhone. Before that point, it was very much a kind of polycultural land. Individual estates would have olives, grapevines, fig trees, carrots, wheat, and so it was a mixed agriculture. But after 1956, this really wiped out the olive trees. People needed something that would give them a crop immediately in order for them to survive and chose grapevines. One of the big differences between the northern Rhone and the southern Rhone is that the northern Rhone, they only use one red grape variety, which is Syrah. In the south, they have a whole smorgasbord of different grape varieties and the culture there is to blend. Also they have quite a single-vineyard way of working. The estates tend to be very small in the northern Rhone compared to the southern Rhone.   About Matt Walls Matt Walls is an award-winning freelance wine writer, author and consultant who contributes to various UK and international publications such as Club Oenologique and Decanter, where he is a contributing editor. He also judges wine and food competitions, develops wine apps and presents trade and consumer tastings. Matt is interested in all areas of wine, but specialises in the Rhône Valley – he is Regional Chair for the Rhône at the Decanter World Wine Awards.           To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/368.

Why are so many Swiss vineyards planted on dangerous terrain? How do the "three suns of Lavaux" shape the ripeness and character of Chasselas? Which unexpected historical figure owns the world's smallest vineyard in Switzerland? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Simon Hardy, author of the terrific new book The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Simon Hardy's terrific new book, The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland. 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 makes Switzerland's vertiginous vineyards some of the most dangerous in the world to farm? How do growers move grapes from inaccessible cliffside plots during harvest? Why were vineyards historically planted on seemingly impossible terrain? What triggered Switzerland's quality revolution in the 1980s, and how did opening trade with the European Union transform the country's wine standards? How do the "three suns of Lavaux" shape the ripeness and character of Chasselas? Why does the Dalai Lama own the world's smallest vineyard and how did it become a wine tourism landmark? What makes Completer one of Switzerland's most unusual native grapes? How did the Three Lakes region popularize the term "eye of the partridge" for pale Rosé and why did it slip beyond their control? What does the Röstigraben reveal about Switzerland's linguistic and cultural divide? If you were visiting Switzerland's wine regions for the first time, which areas are must-visits? How do raclette and chocolate highlight Switzerland's expression of terroir? Why might export growth and wine tourism shape the future of Switzerland's alpine wine identity?     About Simon Hardy Simon Hardy brings a rare blend of multinational brand marketing and entrepreneurial flair in the world of wine. Simon champions Swiss wine in the UK, organising Swiss Wine Week London for Swiss Wine Promotion. He is also the co-founder of Alpina Vina, a cross-border guide to Alpine wine regions, including documentary films he writes and presents. Simon also wrote The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland, which has just been published by the Académie du Vin Library with Club Oenologique. He is also a Regional Ambassador for Switzerland at The Old Vine Conference and a judge for the International Wine Challenge since 2018.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/367.

Why You Can't Buy Switzerland's Exceptional Wines Abroad? Why does Switzerland grow so many grape varieties, and which ones are the key players that define the country's wine regions? What makes high-altitude wine regions uniquely capable of producing wines that balance great concentration without being too heavy? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Simon Hardy, author of The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Simon Hardy's terrific new book, The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland. 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 teenage exchange trip to a small Burgundy wine family spark Simon's lifelong fascination with wine? What did he discover about everyday French wine culture while living with a Burgundian family? How did a simple holiday job in London unexpectedly expand Simon's exposure to the world of wine? What impact did nearly two decades in Switzerland have on Simon's understanding of vineyards, terroir, and regional identity? How did a 30-page free e-book on Swiss wine evolve into a major publishing project? What makes The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland different? Why is Switzerland's wine industry so small and so little Swiss wine found abroad? How do Switzerland's six wine regions differ in grapes, climate, language, and vineyard culture? Why does the country grow more Pinot Noir than Chile, yet remain almost invisible in global wine conversations? What makes Chasselas the quiet backbone of Swiss white wine? How do classic Swiss foods showcase the subtlety of Chasselas? What does extreme altitude viticulture reveal about the character of Switzerland's mountain wines?   Key Takeaways Why is Swiss wine such a rarity worldwide even though it's highly regarded? As Simon explains, Switzerland… is a small country, but when it comes to the wine sector, virtually everything is relatively small-scale. So in terms of producers of in excess of a million bottles, there are very few of them. The majority are small family-run businesses producing somewhere between 50 to 70,000 bottles a year. It's very rare that a single producer will have a single grape planted and be a specialist and expert in that grape. they would have at least 6 to 10 grape varieties planted, if not even more, and be very proud of the fact that they have this diversity in their vineyards. Each wine is a relatively small quantity and most of it stays in the country. It's less than 2% that gets exported. Why does Switzerland grow so many grape varieties, and which ones are the key players that define the country's wine regions? So other than Chasselas, there's Pinot Noir, which is actually the most planted grape in Switzerland. There's more Pinot Noir produced in Switzerland than in Chile. Gamay, and Merlot. Those are the big four in about two-thirds of the vineyards. you've got an incredibly long list of those 253. lots of very small plantings of… largely insignificant varieties, often experimental. The others I went for were those where they play a significant role within a given region. What makes high-altitude wine regions uniquely capable of producing wines that balance great concentration without being too heavy? I didn't do a word count in the book, but I think the terminology 'alpine freshness' probably gets repeated a few times. This diurnal variation is absolutely critical. You get more than adequate sunlight and sun hours during the day in summer for full ripening, not an issue. But you get these plunging temperatures at night, which helps to maintain the acidity levels. So you get the perfect combination of fresh acidity and phenomenal ripeness. Put the two together, that is probably if there's any calling card. And it's not just Swiss wine. It's the same story in Valtellina, in Aosta Valley in Italy, in Alto Adige, in Savoie. The effect of being in these mountainous areas, where you can plant at altitude but where you have this big drop off in temperature at nighttime.   About Simon Hardy Simon Hardy brings a rare blend of multinational brand marketing and entrepreneurial flair in the world of wine. Simon champions Swiss wine in the UK, organising Swiss Wine Week London for Swiss Wine Promotion. He is also the co-founder of Alpina Vina, a cross-border guide to Alpine wine regions, including documentary films he writes and presents. Simon also wrote The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland, which has just been published by the Académie du Vin Library with Club Oenologique. He is also a Regional Ambassador for Switzerland at The Old Vine Conference and a judge for the International Wine Challenge since 2018.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/366.

Why do certain spices and dishes show up far from their origins, and how can tracing these cultural "foodways" change the way we think about wine and food pairing? Why did Cha create her own flavour wheel rather than rely on traditional wine-tasting vocabulary? How can expanding your flavour vocabulary through travel, food, and culture help us describe wine in ways that feel relatable? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Cha McCoy, author of the new book Wine Pairing for the People. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Cha McCoy's terrific new book, Wine Pairing for the People: The Communion of Wine, Food, and Culture from Africa and Beyond. 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 Which one of Cha's wine and food pairings might receive the most pushback from traditionalists? What does cultural terroir mean? How do cultural factors influence a country's wine preferences and the wine styles it produces? Why does Brazil's vibrant culture make sparkling wine such a natural fit? What are foodways, and how does the journey of ingredients and dishes inform the cultural connections between food and wine pairings across continents? How did Cha navigate pairing wines for Senegalese dishes when her formal training had not prepared her for those flavours? Why does Cha recommend rich, aromatic white wines for onion and garlic-heavy dishes? How did tasting local drinks expand Cha's wine vocabulary and approach to wine education for diverse audiences? Why did Cha create her own flavour wheel that included references and descriptors that differ from traditional industry flavour wheels? How can building a personal flavour wheel help drinkers trust their own palates and avoid feeling intimidated by industry jargon? What change would Cha make to wine education to make it more globally inclusive?   Key Takeaways Why do certain spices and dishes show up far from their origins, and how can tracing these cultural "foodways" change the way we think about wine and food pairing? You'll see Peri Peri often, and you're nowhere near South Africa, which says a lot about foodways. That act of tracing it back is the foodways. Why did Cha create her own flavour wheel rather than rely on traditional wine-tasting vocabulary? The flavour wheel is commonly used in beginner wine classes to help folks navigate deductive tasting. Why would I start throwing in references that I don't use and smell often? Let's say saffron, turmeric, these are spices that are in my spice cabinet because I cook with them. I find them in wine, even though the WSET vocabulary doesn't use them. You can build your own flavour wheel. How can expanding your flavour vocabulary through travel, food, and culture help us describe wine in ways that feel relatable? Visiting Turkey and Morocc, made Cha understand their drinking culture. Knowing what that background is helps her explain wines that were… I can translate this wine, knowing that fact about them, or in a restaurant that I know, or a chef making a dish that's related to this. I wanted to stay away from using vocabularies that is not, you know, if I'm talking to my demographic, I know where they're from, and I know what they're drinking, or I know what they're eating. And so when you are traveling, immersed in fruits and juices, different ways that you can have that. And now it adds to your own lexicon.     About Cha McCoy Cha McCoy, MBA, is an entrepreneur, educator, event producer, and author. As a certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, she developed The Communion, a wine dinner series that offers an inviting, accessible approach to gathering and enjoying wine. This experience inspired her to open her first retail space, The Communion Wine & Spirits. The dinner series was profiled in Food & Wine, and Cha was named one of Wine Enthusiast's 40 Under 40. Her work continues through her highly anticipated book, Wine Pairing for the People: The Communion of Wine, Food, and Culture from Africa and Beyond, available now for pre-order and scheduled for release in November. Cha has held coveted positions such as Cherry Bombe Magazine's first beverage director, the head of beverage for the Charleston Wine + Food Festival, and a sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Portugal and John Fraser Restaurant in New York.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/365.

How can you pair wine with spicy dishes in a way that enhances their flavour profile? Why do most wine-pairing guides ignore the traditions of global cuisines? How can you use wine pairings to explore under-the-radar wine regions instead of reaching for the same rosé or sparkling wine every time? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Cha McCoy, author of the terrific new book Wine Pairing for the People. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Cha McCoy's terrific new book, Wine Pairing for the People: The Communion of Wine, Food, and Culture from Africa and Beyond. 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 Which moment in Italy transformed Cha's wine hobby into a professional calling? What inspired Cha to launch The Communion, a wine dinner series in Harlem? How did those shared wine experiences help guests learn, connect, and form a community? What challenges did Cha face when opening The Communion Wine and Spirits in Syracuse? How does Cha's new book, Wine Pairing for the People, step away from traditional pairing rules to explore often-ignored global cuisines? How should you think about the key flavour components when pairing wine and food? How can underrepresented wine regions and lesser-known styles expand pairing possibilities? What is the most unusual or surprising wine-and-food pairing in Wine Pairing for the People? How can spice-lovers think about choosing wines to enhance dishes like jerk chicken?   Key Takeaways How can you pair wine with spicy dishes in a way that enhances their flavour profile? By playing up to the flavours of the spicy dish. For folks who can take a little bit of spice, by finding the elements within the seasoning, you can do more of a comparison than contrasting, which is what we're normally taught. Why do most wine-pairing guides ignore the traditions of global cuisines? When it comes to wine pairings for food from different cultures, most guides focus heavily on the Western world or European food culture. These would be really thick books that talked in depth about the pairings, but also lacked context. That was something Cha wanted to really challenge. How can you use wine pairings to explore under-the-radar wine regions instead of reaching for the same rosé or sparkling wine every time? There is something to say about exploring not just the cultures that we're pairing with, but different wines from different regions and underrepresented regions. Let's explore, maybe, an underrepresented region that does sparkling wine and sparkling rosé really well to give you an alternative. There are many ways you can have Rosé, Chardonnay, or sparkling wine that will give you a different effect.   About Cha McCoy Cha McCoy, MBA, is an entrepreneur, educator, event producer, and author. As a certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, she developed The Communion, a wine dinner series that offers an inviting, accessible approach to gathering and enjoying wine. This experience inspired her to open her first retail space, The Communion Wine & Spirits. The dinner series was profiled in Food & Wine, and Cha was named one of Wine Enthusiast's 40 Under 40. Her work continues through her highly anticipated book, Wine Pairing for the People: The Communion of Wine, Food, and Culture from Africa and Beyond, available now for pre-order and scheduled for release in November. Cha has held coveted positions such as Cherry Bombe Magazine's first beverage director, the head of beverage for the Charleston Wine + Food Festival, and a sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Portugal and John Fraser Restaurant in New York.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/364.

Are high-end non-alcoholic drinks worth the price? What is the bartender's secret to great citrus-based cocktails like Margaritas or Mimosas? How do bartenders redefine a crafted cocktail without alcohol? Why does the term "Mocktail" for zero-proof non-alcoholic drinks offend many bartenders? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Elva Ramirez, author of the award-winning books Sparkling and Zero Proof. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Elva Ramirez's terrific book, Sparkling: Champagne and Sparkling Cocktails for Any Occasion. 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 bartenders at Dante in New York discover that burrata water could replace egg whites in a Champagne Ramos cocktail? Why should citrus juice be used within hours, and how can leftover juice be transformed instead of being wasted? What are the biggest mistakes home bartenders make with bottled juices? Why do large ice blocks make a better punch than cubes? What inspired Elva to write Zero Proof? How did she recognize that the non-alcoholic movement was becoming a lasting cultural shift? How does America's long-standing tension between loving alcohol and fearing its effects still shape drinking culture today? What was the infamous "Raines Sandwich," and how did it expose the loopholes in New York's early drinking laws? How do public declarations like temperance pledges connect to today's Dry January social media posts? Why did the US Army go completely dry in 1917 and how did that decision pave the way for Prohibition? Why do professional bartenders dislike the word mocktail and prefer the term "zero proof"? How did Seedlip, the first distilled non-alcoholic spirit, transform modern bar culture? Why are alcohol-free cocktails sometimes as expensive as traditional ones? How is the culture around not drinking changing? Why does Elva believe opting out of drinking should feel as natural as any other choice?   Key Takeaways Are high-end non-alcoholic drinks worth the price? There's a real conversation happening among consumers: "Why am I paying $16 for a non-alcoholic drink?" But what you're not seeing is all the work that happened three days before to get you that drink. So what you're seeing when you get an expensive non-alcoholic drink is really the result of a lot of effort in the kitchen before it ever gets to the bar. How do bartenders redefine a crafted cocktail without alcohol? Bartenders are challenging themselves in this space. They were saying, "Okay, what if I take the alcohol out but still make something that's crafted, that still has balance?" They were doing all these really interesting experiments. They were using teas, ferments, and all these different things. That was really the seed of Zero Proof -  the idea of how to continue evolving this craft and keep it inclusive. Why does the term "Mocktail" for zero-proof non-alcoholic drinks offend many bartenders? Bartenders prefer the term zero-proof, because "mock" means to make fun of or fake. They don't want the consumer to feel like they're making a lesser choice or not being seen in their choice when they order a non-alcoholic drink. They're also putting as much effort, if not more, into making these really beautiful non-alcoholic drinks.   About Elva Ramirez Elva Ramirez is an author, journalist and brand strategist. She is the author of "Sparkling" and "Zero Proof," which were both finalists for Best Cocktail Book at Tales of the Cocktail in their respective years. "Sparkling" is a finalist for IACP's 2025 Best Cookbook Awards. Elva holds an MBA from CUNY Baruch College and a Master's in journalism from Columbia University.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/363.

How did a magical Dom Pérignon Champagne tasting of 60 rare vintages reveal the surprising depth and aging potential of sparkling Rosé? What surprising role did the British play in the discovery of sparkling wine? What makes the Porn Star Martini one of the most crowd-pleasing cocktails? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Elva Ramirez, author of the award-winning books "Sparkling" and "Zero Proof." You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Elva Ramirez's terrific book, Sparkling: Champagne and Sparkling Cocktails for Any Occasion. 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 happened when Elva accidentally triggered an alarm at Veuve Clicquot's private estate in France? How did her career as a Wall Street Journal reporter lead her into the world of cocktails and Champagne? How did years working in restaurants teach Elva to "speak bartender" and shape her storytelling style? What was it like attending an exclusive Dom Pérignon Rosé dinner featuring decades of rare vintages? What did that tasting reveal about how aged Rosé Champagne evolves and expresses itself over time? How does Elva's book, Sparkling, showcase the creativity of world-class bartenders and Champagne houses? What surprising history did she uncover about who truly discovered sparkling wine? Why did Champagne dominate New York's Gilded Age, when most of America's supply was consumed in just a few city blocks? How did bartenders in the 1800s turn Champagne into a cultural symbol of luxury and celebration? What are the stories behind Prince Albert Edward's "Prince of Wales" cocktail and Ernest Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon"? How can you choose the right sparkling wine for cocktails? Why should Lambrusco be reconsidered as a serious, fruit-forward sparkling wine?   Key Takeaways March 2016, Dom Pérignon was releasing a new Rosé vintage and threw a portfolio dinner serving every Dom Pérignon Rosé ever released. The aha moment for Elva was, up until about the mid-80s, it's still a fresh, sparkling rose that we know, but from the 80s, all of a sudden, the colour completely deepens, and all these Pinot characters just come out of it. The fact that it had aged so well surprised her. The Champagne region has been famous for wine for a very, very long time, and it's believed that people have been making wine there since before the Roman era but the English are actually credited with "discovering" sparkling wine. They figured out how to make the bubbles happen and that they liked it. The Porn Star Martini features vanilla vodka, passion-fruit purée and then separately, you're served a very cold shot of Champagne or sparkling wine. Instantly, it was a hit because the combination of vanilla and passionfruit, people get it right away. So this is like a cocktail and a shot. You can drink one and then drink the other, or you can take the shot and pour it in the glass.   About Elva Ramirez Elva Ramirez is an author, journalist and brand strategist. She is the author of "Sparkling" and "Zero Proof," which were both finalists for Best Cocktail Book at Tales of the Cocktail in their respective years. "Sparkling" is a finalist for IACP's 2025 Best Cookbook Awards. Elva holds an MBA from CUNY Baruch College and a Master's in journalism from Columbia University.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/362.

How can carbon offsetting claims in the wine industry be a form of greenwashing? How does the natural fermentation process in winemaking create one of the most concentrated sources of CO₂ emissions in any industry? Can yeast selection and fermentation techniques make winemaking more sustainable? 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 is the Familia Torres winery treating CO₂ as a resource instead of waste? How are yeast choices and co-inoculation helping winemakers reduce energy use? Why are some wineries implementing modern updates of old, low-tech winemaking techniques? How are importers and producers utilizing rail and sea transport to reduce their carbon footprint? What can the Nordic wine monopoly, Systembolaget, teach the rest of the world about sustainable practices? How does greenwashing appear in wine marketing, and why should consumers be wary of carbon offsetting claims? Which certifications and labels can wine lovers actually trust when choosing bottles? How does social sustainability, from fair wages to housing, shape the future of responsible winemaking? How do these issues of climate change and sustainability affect people's lives beyond the vineyards?   Key Takeaways How can carbon offsetting claims in the wine industry be a form of greenwashing? For a consumer, I would be suspicious of anyone who is using carbon offsetting to claim they're carbon neutral. The company will pay for trees to be planted, low-energy lightbulbs or stoves in the developing world. it's fine if it actually adds to capacity. The tree planting, it's highly questionable how much good it does. it's really better for a company to ask themselves, how can we reduce our carbon emissions? How does the natural fermentation process in winemaking create one of the most concentrated sources of CO₂ emissions in any industry? The yeast carries out the alcoholic fermentation. So as they do that, they're metabolizing the sugar, creating ethanol, which is alcohol, creating a load of heat and carbon dioxide. The thing about wine is that the emissions that come out of the top of a wine tank are the most concentrated CO2 emissions of any industry at all. Can yeast selection and fermentation techniques make winemaking more sustainable? Yeasts have been selected over years for certain traits, such as particular flavors, producing less compounds such as acetic acid, which we call volatile acidity. At the end of the day, sustainability also includes economic sustainability, so we need to maximize everything that we've grown in the field to get the best possible quality wine.   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/361.

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.