Episodes
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How can a vineyard disaster become an unexpected opportunity to innovate? How does storytelling transform wine marketing? What innovative pairings go beyond red wine and red meat?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Sally Evans, author of the new memoir, Make The Midlife Move: A Practical Guide to Flourish after Fifty.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
Three of you are going to win a copy of her terrific new memoir, Make The Midlife Move: A Practical Guide to Flourish after Fifty. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
Are you ever too old to start over?
How do we build resilience as we get older?
How did Sallyâs harsh initiation with the 2017 frost in Bordeaux shape her approach to winemaking?
Why did Sally decide not to pursue organic certification?
How did it feel to present Sallyâs first wine in 2018 at Bordeaux's En Primeur?
Which aspects of the story does Sally hope critics understand beyond what's in the glass?
Beyond scores and medals, what forms of recognition have been most meaningful to Sally as a winemaker?
What was it like to be sworn into the Confrérie des Gentilshommes de Fronsac?
What was the steepest learning curve in selling a physical product like wine?
How has Sally found creative ways to market and sell ChĂąteau George 7?
Why should you incorporate storytelling in marketing wine?
How did Sally pivot to minimize the negative impact of COVID on the winery?
What are some unusual pairings between vegetarian dishes and red wines?
How do you know when it's time to move on from something you've built?
What goals would Sally like to accomplish before selling the winery?
Key Takeaways
As Sally shares, she was still living in the southeast of France when the previous owner of her vineyard rang to tell her that the frost had destroyed everything. While now we have barrel rooms and we have thermoregulation, we made a decent wine and that proved the process. That was a good example of how in midlife we can look at something that looks really bad, something that's happened, and actually turn around and make something good out of it.
Sally says that when she hosts wine tastings, she always talks about the occasions when they're going to drink the wine: I think there's one thing in marketing where you profile the customer but I think with wine, often it's around the occasion and what you're eating and who's over and so on. That's how we drink wine. We drink it for occasions.
Sally observes that when we look at the back of most red wine bottles, especially from Bordeaux, it says drink with red meat: I thought, well, that's not really helpful. I have a very close friend, Wendy Narby, she and I sat down and said, red wine goes fabulously with veggie dishes and so we've done it as a passion project where we talk about how to pair plant-based food with different Bordeaux wines.
About Sally Evans
After an international corporate career based in Paris and the South of France, Sally Evans completely changed her life in her fifties. She created an independent winery in Bordeaux, completely on her own with no prior experience or knowledge of wine. She threw herself into wine studies, bought a parcel of mature vines with some dilapidated buildings and created a brand-new wine chateau. She now has a boutique winery, ChĂąteau George 7, in Fronsac on the right bank of Bordeaux. Her wines win high critical acclaim from leading wine critics and publications and are listed in Michelin-starred restaurants and top venues across Europe and the US. Sally has also created a wine tourism destination for tastings and events, winning accolades for its exceptional wine experience. Alongside wine, her other passion is supporting women to follow their dreams.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/333.
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Whatâs one of the most challenging aspects of being a new winemaker in Bordeaux, especially if youâre a middle-aged foreigner who is making wine for the first time? How did the Bordeaux sub-region of Fronsac lose its fame after being a region favoured by French royalty? What if the only thing holding you back from a fresh start, a new project or a major life change is you?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Sally Evans, author of the new memoir, Make The Midlife Move: A Practical Guide to Flourish after Fifty.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
Three of you are going to win a copy of her terrific new memoir, Make The Midlife Move: A Practical Guide to Flourish after Fifty. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
Which pivotal moment sparked Sallyâs interest in learning more about wine?
What was Sallyâs career before wine?
Why did she decide to transition into a wine career at 52?
How is Make The Midlife Move different from other books of the genre?
What was the most surprising insight Sally discovered while writing her book?
What was the most challenging part of writing Make The Midlife Move?
Where is Bordeaux, and specifically Fronsac, geographically located?
Why has Fronsac often been overlooked in favour of more well-known regions?
What made Sally choose Fronsac when deciding to start winemaking?
Whatâs the story behind Sallyâs wineryâs name, ChĂąteau George 7?
How did Sally overcome the issue of magnum bottles with no capsules to fit?
What was Sallyâs most humbling moment in her winemaking career?
Which unexpected challenges does Sally wish someone had warned her about in the early days?
Why did Sally decide to expand into making white wine?
What can you do to manage feelings of impostor syndrome?
Key Takeaways
Whatâs one of the most challenging aspects of being a new winemaker in Bordeaux, especially if youâre a middle-aged foreigner who is making wine for the first time?
Sally notes that she didnât realize just how much bureaucracy there was in France with the customs system and appellation rules around winemaking. There's a lot of rules which are good, but, there were so many rules. She also didn't really think through how long it takes to make a wine. So it's quite a long time that you're financing everything before you can actually start earning money.
How did the Bordeaux sub-region of Fronsac lose its fame after being a region favoured by French royalty?
Fronsac had the first wines that were produced and went up to the Royal Court of Versailles, but as time went by, areas like Saint-Ămilion overtook Fronsac in terms of notoriety. When the climate was a little bit cooler as well, some of the wines tended to be a little bit more rustic, maybe not quite as ripe or as elegant as they could be.
About Sally Evans
After an international corporate career based in Paris and the South of France, Sally Evans completely changed her life in her fifties. She created an independent winery in Bordeaux, completely on her own with no prior experience or knowledge of wine. She threw herself into wine studies, bought a parcel of mature vines with some dilapidated buildings and created a brand-new wine chateau. She now has a boutique winery, ChĂąteau George 7, in Fronsac on the right bank of Bordeaux. Her wines win high critical acclaim from leading wine critics and publications and are listed in Michelin-starred restaurants and top venues across Europe and the US. Sally has also created a wine tourism destination for tastings and events, winning accolades for its exceptional wine experience. Alongside wine, her other passion is supporting women to follow their dreams.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/332.
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Episodes manquant?
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How does oak aging change wine and whisky flavour, colour and texture? What do glass, gears, and automatons have to do with the invention of distillation? Why is yeast such an essential tool in scientific research and wine production, especially in the face of climate change?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Adam Rogers, author of the New York Times bestseller Proof: The Science of Booze.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
One of you is going to win a copy of his terrific new book, Full Spectrum: How the Science of Color Made Us Modern. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose one person randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
What are some of the traits that new yeasts are being developed for?
Why does sugar deserve the title of most important molecule in the world?
How is human saliva used in the production of Chicha, one of the oldest types of alcoholic beverage?
What is microbial terroir and how does it affect the flavour profile of fermented drinks?
Why does Adam describe distillation as the apotheosis of human life on Earth?
How does the process of distillation work?
What is the most important thing we can learn from the alchemists?
Is the shape of a distillation still important to the process?
What's happening to spirits while theyâre aging in barrels?
Have there been successful innovations to age wine and spirits more quickly?
Why do some people lose their sense of smell after a concussion?
Key Takeaways
When you're drinking whisky, and it's that beautiful amber color, that's all from the wood. It's completely clear when it goes into a barrel and it's brown when it comes out. So color is part of what changes, and all those flavours. In the process of aging, as the temperature goes up and down, the pores in the wood open and close. As they open, the liquid gets drawn into that layer inside of the wood, and then gets pushed back out. So there's this kind of back-and-forth process, which is why so many of the experimental attempts to accelerate the aging process use heat to try to cycle it faster.
Distillation was developed in the first two to 300 years of the Common Era. People were starting to transform naturally occurring phenomena into a technology that could exist in a temple or in the home. Distillation is one of those technologies, along with a lot of automatons and the simple machines, gears, screws and the steam engines.
Yeasts are a workhorse organism in laboratories because itâs very easy to change their traits and genetics. They share DNA with each other, and when they grow, they mutate very quickly. Generation to generation change. So you can use classic animal or microbial husbandry techniques to change them as well. This can become especially important as climate change changes the regions that are important to wine.
About Adam Rogers
Adam Rogers is a senior correspondent at Business Insider, where he writes about technology, culture, and the ways they overlap. Prior to joining BI, Adam was a longtime editor and writer at WIRED, where his article âThe Science of Why No One Agrees on the Color of This Dressâ was the second-most-read thing on the entire internet in 2015.
Adamâs WIRED feature story on a mysterious fungus that grows on whisky warehouses won a AAAS/Kavli science journalism award â and led to his 2014 New York Times bestseller Proof: The Science of Booze. Adam is also the author of the 2021 book Full Spectrum: How the Science of Color Made Us Modern. He has also written for Alta, the Atlantic, National Geographic, the New York Times, Slate, and Smithsonian, and may be the only journalist to attend both San Diego Comic-Con and the White House Correspondents Dinner.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/331.
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How does language about wine impact the way we experience and enjoy wine? How does reporting on alcohol science compare to other scientific topics? Why can yeast be described as a nano-technological machine?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Adam Rogers, author of the New York Times bestseller Proof: The Science of Booze.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
One of you is going to win a copy of his terrific new book, Full Spectrum: How the Science of Color Made Us Modern. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose one person randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
What was Adamâs experience at a fancy restaurant in Chicago where food critic Jeffrey Steingarten was a fellow patron?
How did a New York restaurant experience expose Adam to the wild science of winemaking?
Why did Adam nearly have an existential moment while writing about the science of grapes?
How does reporting on alcohol science compare to other scientific topics?
Which moments did Adam want to capture in the book?
What were the most surprising insights Adam uncovered while writing Proof and what was the most difficult part of writing it?
Why does Adam describe yeast as a nano-technological machine?
Which facts about yeast did Adam find fascinating?
What have archaeologists discovered about the role of alcohol in early human civilization?
Which cultural approach to alcohol consumption did Adam find most interesting?
How do modern brewers and distillers safeguard their yeast?
Key Takeaways
Adam recounts the story of the couple sitting next to him ordering a dessert wine. The diner asked, âIs that a Vin du Glacier or a noble rot?â The two different ways to make a sweet wine. Just the fact that the diner was informed enough to know that there were these two methods would have a bearing on what he would be tasting. Here was this person operationalizing that interest to make his meal better. He wanted to have more fun.
If you're reporting on science, you have the scientists trying to understand something new or reinterpret understanding and then there are people who that's going to affect. With winemaking, you have practitioners who are often not themselves, scientists. So they are craftspeople in a stakeholder role too.
Louis Pasteur said I think there is an impossibly small, invisible, living creature that eats sugar and poops alcohol, and so the best chemists in the world at that time looked at that as a hypothesis and said, You're nuts. Nobody knew how inert chemicals could be alive. Nobody knew what the connection was. Those things are enzymes and understanding what enzymes do in a living body, that's what gave rise to biochemistry, and ultimately gave rise to biotechnology. That one insight.
About Adam Rogers
Adam Rogers is a senior correspondent at Business Insider, where he writes about technology, culture, and the ways they overlap. Prior to joining BI, Adam was a longtime editor and writer at WIRED, where his article âThe Science of Why No One Agrees on the Color of This Dressâ was the second-most-read thing on the entire internet in 2015.
Adamâs WIRED feature story on a mysterious fungus that grows on whisky warehouses won a AAAS/Kavli science journalism award â and led to his 2014 New York Times bestseller Proof: The Science of Booze. Adam is also the author of the 2021 book Full Spectrum: How the Science of Color Made Us Modern. He has also written for Alta, the Atlantic, National Geographic, the New York Times, Slate, and Smithsonian, and may be the only journalist to attend both San Diego Comic-Con and the White House Correspondents Dinner.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/330.
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What makes Sangiovese a difficult wine to grow and make? Why should you pay attention to the white wines of Tuscany? What do you need to know about Tuscanyâs Vin Santo?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Susan Keevil
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, On Tuscany: From Brunello to Bolgheri, Tales from the Heart of Italy. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
What are some common mistakes people make when comparing Tuscan wines to those from other regions?
What are Super Tuscans and how did they come to be?
Why did these rebel wines capture the imagination of the world in the 70s and 80s?
Whatâs the new Super Tuscan counter culture about?
Why did Brunello di Montalcino achieve icon status?
What makes Sangiovese difficult to grow and why doesnât it tend to thrive in North America?
What motivated Susan to include sections on Tuscan white wines and Vin Santo in the book?
How is Vin Santo made and why is there so much variety?
What makes Tuscan olive oil so special?
How can you best pair Tuscan wines with food?
Why would Susan love to be able to share a bottle of wine with Queen Elizabeth II?
Key Takeaways
Susan notes that Sangiovese is like Pinot Noir in that it likes certain terroir, particular soils, the winds of Tuscany, and it is quite a sensitive grape. You can't overproduce it. It responds differently to different sites and it's not good in every vintage. It has so many parallels with Pinot Noir. They don't taste the same, but they behave the same.
Susan likes an underdog story like the white wines of Tuscany, because they're only like 10% of the wines produced, though she believes that the Trebbiano grape is like the evil twin. In the book, Emily O'Hare writes about grapes like Vernaccia, Vermentino and Ansonica that are producing some great wines so we should watch out for them. There's another lovely story about wines of the small island called Giglio. It was raided by the pirate Barbarossa, and he sent all the inhabitants away to be slaves in Constantinople. But he brought back people from a village in Greece, and they bought the grape called Ansonica with them and so those vines are still on the island today. Susan thinks white wines are going to be more important for Tuscany.
If you're going to find a comparison, Susan says that Tokaji is a really good one, because it has that bracing acidity that the Italians love as well. But also, you can't generalize with it. It's a 3,000 year-old-wine, and every farm makes a different version. In the past, they used to collect these grapes because they couldn't handle all the olives and all the grapes all at once. So they would leave some of the grapes in the drying lofts, up in the roofs. They would dry, and concentrate, and the sugars would get sweeter. When everything settled in November or March or February, they would make a wine from these beautiful sweet grapes. And they all have their own natural yeast from the air. And they would seed that yeast into the wine, ferment, and then they would lock it up in its barrel and leave it for seven to eight years. It would shrink, it would ferment. It would stop fermenting. And then at the end of that time, they would open the barrel very carefully, and it was something magnificent, but very, very different. Each producer would have their own.
About Susan Keevil
Susan Keevil is the Editorial Director of Académie du Vin Library, where she has played a pivotal role in establishing and nurturing this esteemed wine publishing house. A former editor of Decanter magazine, she has dedicated her career to the world of wine, from editorial leadership to in-depth exploration of the industry.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/329.
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How was Brunello discovered? How did the medieval sharecropping system help to shape Tuscany's wine landscape? What's the origin of the iconic black rooster symbol of Chianti Classico?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Susan Keevil, editor of the beautiful hardcover On Tuscany: From Brunello to Bolgheri, Tales from the Heart of Italy.
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, On Tuscany: From Brunello to Bolgheri, Tales from the Heart of Italy. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
What inspired Susan to take on the monumental task of compiling and editing On Tuscany?
How is On Tuscany different from other books about the region?
What was the most captivating wine story Susan uncovered while working on the book?
What was the most surprising insight about Tuscany that Susan discovered while putting together On Tuscany?
Why did the timeframe pose the biggest challenge in compiling the book?
How did Susan discover and select literary gems about Tuscany from historic writers?
Why was it important to Susan to write about the Etruscans?
What surprised Susan about the ancient Etruscansâ relationship with wine?
How did the medieval sharecropping system help to shape Tuscany's wine landscape?
What role did the Medici family play in shaping the wine culture in Tuscany?
What was the crisis of Chianti Classico in the 70s and 80s and how did it redefine the future of Tuscan wines?
What's the origin of the iconic black rooster symbol of Chianti Classico?
Why does Tuscany continue to dominate media and culture when it comes to wine?
Whatâs the history behind the Chianti fiasco?
Key Takeaways
How was Brunello discovered?
Susan says that from 1875 to 1930, the Biondi Santi family hid bottles of brunello bricked up behind a wall. So after the war, they had these wonderful vintages, and they could say, look how it's aged because they didn't know it aged so well at that stage. That was how the discovery of Brunello came about because they brought these cellared wines to feasts and grand occasions with politicians and monarchs.
How did the medieval sharecropping system help to shape Tuscany's wine landscape?
Susan observes that it made it beautiful to start with, because we're talking about small holdings. Small farmers gave 40% of what they produced to the owner, the feudal lord, but they had to eke out a living too. So they had their plot of vines, their plot of olive groves, and they put up their cypress trees to defend them from the winds. That gave the beauty to the countryside, because it makes it a jigsaw, it gives it texture when you look at the hills. That way of farming has set up the beauty of Tuscany that we know today. But of course, there was a lot of poverty that went alongside it.
What's the origin of the iconic black rooster symbol of Chianti Classico?
Susan explains that it came from the 14th century when Siena and Florence were warring as to who was going to be the most powerful of those two towns. They had an agreement that they would send out a horse rider - a knight - early one morning, and wherever those two knights met, would be the boundary between Florence and Siena. The Florentine horse rider set off really early, and they got to within 12 miles of Siena. So the black cockerel is all about strength and having the biggest area.
About Susan Keevil
Susan Keevil is the Editorial Director of Académie du Vin Library, where she has played a pivotal role in establishing and nurturing this esteemed wine publishing house. A former editor of Decanter magazine, she has dedicated her career to the world of wine, from editorial leadership to in-depth exploration of the industry.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/328.
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What is unique about Famille Perrin in France's approach to running their family wine business? How do traditional wine families differentiate their brands and market their wines in a crowded marketplace? How has the Gaja family of Italy made significant contributions to winemaking and the Piemonte community? What is unique about Famille Perrin in France's approach to running their family wine business?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Fiona Morrison.
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, 10 Great Wine Families: A Tour Through Europe. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
How did the Frescobaldi family make a massive impact on the arts in their transition from banking to wine?
What were the Frescobaldi family's connections to famous figures like Dante Alighieri and Galileo?
How has Angelo Gaja and the Gaja family made significant contributions to winemaking and the Piemonte community?
Why is the Liger-Belair familyâs vineyard often known as the greatest in the world?
What is unique about the Famille Perrin's approach to running their family wine business?
How has Ălvaro Palacios proven Garnachaâs place as the climate change grape?
How do traditional wine families differentiate their brands and market their wines in a crowded marketplace?
Do these families view their wines as luxury goods?
Key Takeaways
How do traditional wine families differentiate their brands and market their wines in a crowded marketplace?
Simplicity and being true to their roots are two key factors Fiona points out. The labels have become much cleaner and are much more sober these days than they were in the past. The Torres family of Spain have done huge amounts on climate change and carbon neutrality and regeneration. In fact, they are, once again, this year, the most admired wine brand. I think it's very important to show that you're paying your dues and you're doing research. It shows how much they are rooted in their heritage and their history.
How has the Gaja family of Italy made significant contributions to winemaking and the Piemonte community?
If you want to go and taste a Gaja, you need to make a contribution of 300 euros to their various charities they support. Piemonte is still quite a poor region, and so they want to give back to the community and to the area what they can. Of course, people who drink Gaya wines, which are very expensive, can afford to give a charity donation. It's quite unusual, but I think it's a good solution for them.
What is unique about Famille Perrin in France's approach to running their family wine business?
There are seven or eight children from the two brothers, Francois and Jean Pierre. Every single one of them has a job in the winery, with each handling a different aspect of the business. This solidarity between so many children, working together, laughing together, tasting together. This is a blueprint for how to run a family business.
About Fiona Morrison MW
Fiona Morrison is an international Master of Wine, author, writer and wine merchant who lives in Belgium and Bordeaux and holds both British and Belgian nationalities. She became a Master of Wine in 1994 after studying in America and France. Fiona is married to Jacques Thienpont of Le Pin and currently runs the Thienpont family wine merchant business in Belgium and France. The family owns three estates on Bordeaux's right bank: Le Pin (Pomerol), L'IF (St Emilion) and L'HĂȘtre (Castillon). Winner of several awards for her writing, including the James Beard Award, her latest book, "10 Great Wine Families", has been published internationally.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/327.
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How do you tame a grape like Merlot which actually has higher sugar and alcohol levels than Cabernet Sauvignon? Whatâs the little-known history behind the cult wines of Le Pin in Bordeaux that sell for as much as $10,000 a bottle when first released and then go up from there at auction? Why is it an advantage to have many stakeholders in family-owned estates?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Fiona Morrison, author of the terrific book 10 Great Wine Families: A Tour Through Europe.
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, 10 Great Wine Families: A Tour Through Europe. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
How did studying literature at the University of Exeter spark Fionaâs interest in the wine industry?
How did Fiona meet her husband, Jacques Thienpont of Le Pin?
Whatâs the history behind the renowned Le Pin wines?
How would Fiona characterize the 2023 and 2024 vintages of Le Pin?
What is it like managing the limited production and high prices of Le Pin?
How Le Pin tames Merlot grapes into its highly sought-after wines?
What were the challenges Fiona faced in writing about the Thienpont family of which she is a part?
How does Fiona's book, 10 Great Wine Families, differ from other books on similar topics?
Which aspects of Maurice Healyâs book, Stay With Me Flagons, inspired Fionaâs writing?
What are some of the elements that characterize successful multi-generational wine businesses?
How did Fiona choose which ten families to profile in her book?
Key Takeaways
How do you tame a grape like Merlot which actually has higher sugar and alcohol levels than Cabernet Sauvignon?
Merlot is a grape that can be very fleshy, Fiona observes. It doesn't like hot weather. It likes to keep its feet wet. If you shade the fruit a bit and let the grapes ripen, this dappled light effect, then you get a lovely balance, and elegant wine. But if you crop strongly and take off the leaves, the wine can get quite vulgar quickly, very sugary, much more jammy. There's much more sugar and alcohol in Merlot than there is in Cabernet, which may surprise some people. So when we tame Merlot, what we do in the cellar is very little pumping over. We use infusions rather than pumping over and soaking the grapes to get the maceration, like when youâve got your tea bag in your tea. You have to wet the cap so that it doesn't get dry and tannic. But you're just doing that. You're not punching down or anything like that.
Whatâs the little-known history behind the cult wines of Le Pin in Bordeaux that sell for as much as $10,000 a bottle when first released, then go up from there at auction?
As Fiona explains, Le Pin means pine tree. The estate was called Chateau du Pin before Jacques bought it in 1979. It's a fairy tale story. He had heard from his uncle, who had their sister estate, Vieux Chateau Certan, that a magical one hectare of land was coming up for sale. And the family thought it was too expensive to buy, so Jacques, who wasn't married at the time, said, well, one hectare, it's a vegetable garden, I think I can manage that myself. He started off very modestly with a barrel borrowed here, a tank borrowed there, and very artisanal winemaking. Then all hell broke loose in a good way with the release of the 1982 vintage which was tasted by top US expert Robert Parker and it became one of Parker's first 100 point wines. And the rest is history.
Why is it an advantage to have many stakeholders in family-owned estates?
Fiona notes that much of the book is about how you resolve family conflicts in a business and how you prepare the next generation to take over. She says that having lots of shareholders is actually easier than having just one or two heirs, who face a lot of pressure to take over in the business when in fact they may not want to. Whereas, if you've got 120 shareholders, chances are there's at least a few that are actually interested in wine, and will go into it. Lamberto Frescobaldi, who is 30th generation of his family, has instituted a very strict qualifying process for anyone who wants to come into the business. They have to be wine lovers, university-educated and have some business and wine experience. So you can't just be to the manor born. You really do need to have paid your dues before you get into this business. It's not a privileged business. It's probably one of the most complicated businesses, and it's very easy to lose money and it's quite difficult to make money.
About Fiona Morrison MW
Fiona Morrison is an international Master of Wine, author, writer and wine merchant who lives in Belgium and Bordeaux and holds both British and Belgian nationalities. She became a Master of Wine in 1994 after studying in America and France. Fiona is married to Jacques Thienpont of Le Pin and currently runs the Thienpont family wine merchant business in Belgium and France. The family owns three estates on Bordeaux's right bank: Le Pin (Pomerol), L'IF (St Emilion) and L'HĂȘtre (Castillon). Winner of several awards for her writing, including the James Beard Award, her latest book, "10 Great Wine Families", has been published internationally.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/326.
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Introduction
Why is the Languedoc a hotbed of experimentation, and what does that mean for the wines you drink? What role have white and rosé wines played in the transformation of the Languedoc wine scene? What prompted the shift from mass-produced table wines to higher-quality appellation wines in Languedoc?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Rosemary George.
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, Wines of the Languedoc. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
How did the Languedocâs appellations come to be and why were they relatively late to the game?
Why is âthe Languedoc a hotbed of experimentation, and what does that mean for the wines you drink?
How did the monastic houses contribute to winemaking in the Languedoc region?
What is the historical significance of the Canal du Midi?
Which Languedoc food and wine pairings should you try?
What role have white and Rosé wines played in the transformation of the Languedoc wine scene?
What prompted the shift from mass-produced table wines to higher-quality appellation wines in Languedoc?
How has the introduction of clay amphorae and concrete eggs influenced Languedoc winemaking?
What changes does Rosemary expect to see in the region over the next 5-10 years?
How can you make the most out of a visit to the Languedoc region?
Which Languedoc wine would Rosemary pair with her favourite childhood food, baked beans?
Why would Rosemary love to be able to share a bottle of wine with author Jane Austen?
Key Takeaways
As Rosemary explains, the Languedoc has far fewer rules and higher yields than other appellations or regions in France. People who don't want to conform to the rules can try different grape varieties. They also have the broad designation of Vin de France that allows for just about anything you want to do. It's the reputation of your name that sells your wine. She believes that Vin de France in the Languedoc from a grove with a certain reputation is going to be interesting. You may not like it, but there will be a reason why it's not conforming, for whatever reason. So that's interesting.
Rosemary observes that the Languedoc produces twice as much RosĂ© as Provence. It's a large area, whereas Provence is quite small in comparison. Provence tends to produce very pale roses, and those specializing in rosĂ© are quite special. White wines originally weren't important in the Languedoc, and the early appellations were red. But regions like Saint-Chinian and FaugĂšres now produce white white wines in designated areas that werenât recognized until 2004.
Rosemary believes that it was probably the falling consumption of wine in France that prompted higher quality wines. When France used to drink a phenomenal amount of wine per capita, wine was produced by cooperatives aiming at bulk production. However, growers leaving the cooperatives want to do something more individual. They recognized they had some really good vineyard land. Some of the pioneers of quality included Gerard Bertrand, who started aging wine in barrels. That sort of snowballed. Newcomers are attracted to the area because land prices are not that expensive so you can buy vineyards. You can't do that in Chablis.
About Rosemary George MW
Rosemary George has been in the wine industry for 52 years. She passed the prestigious Master of Wine exam in 1979, making her one of the first female MWs in the world. In 1981, she started writing about wine as a freelancer and has subsequently authored fourteen books, including those on New Zealand, Tuscany, Chablis, Faugeres, the Languedoc and Roussillon.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/325.
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What makes the Languedoc particularly well-suited for organic viticulture? How have the wines of the Languedoc evolved since the 70s? How do the wines of the Languedoc region of southern France differ from neighbouring Roussillon?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Rosemary George
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, Wines of the Languedoc. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
What was it like becoming one of the first women to earn the Master of Wine designation?
How did Rosemaryâs journey into wine writing begin?
What inspired Rosemary's initial fascination with the Languedoc region?
What do you need to know about the Languedoc region in terms of geography and how it fits into the bigger picture of French wine?
Why is the Languedoc particularly well suited to organic viticulture?
How does Rosemaryâs book, Wines of the Languedoc, compare to other books about the region?
What are the classic grape varieties and wines of the Languedoc?
How does the Garrigue influence Languedoc wines?
How does the Languedoc's maritime climate compare to other wine regions in France?
What are the key distinctions between the Languedoc and Roussillon regions?
Who are some of the more interesting winemakers that Rosemary has met in the Languedoc?
How are Languedoc winemakers responding to new challenges due to climate change?
Key Takeaways
As Rosemary notes, the Languedoc has a lot of advantages for organic viticulture, especially the winds. So if it rains, the winds dry everything up pretty quickly. Rot is not usually a problem in the Languedoc. She adds that vintages are becoming more irregular than they were, but certainly it's a lot easier to be organic in the Languedoc than it is in say Chablis.
In the Languedoc, for red wine, Rosemary says, you have Grenache, MourvĂšdre, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault. Syrah and MourvĂšdre were grape varieties that were planted in the 70s, 80s. Itâs what they called the cĂ©pages amĂ©liorateurs, the improving grape varieties. It was thought the Carignan needed to have something else added to it. Now, I think there's a trend. People realize how good Carignan is, especially with climate change coming into effect. It will make some really good wine. There's a bit of spice, bit of red fruit, there's a bit of freshness, there's some acidity and as well as tannin.
The Languedoc region of southern France and neighbouring Roussillon are completely different, Rosemary observes, because Roussillon was part of Spain until the Treaty of the Pyrenees. They see themselves as Northern Catalonia. The Pyrenees for Roussillon is a unifying thing, and it does not divide them from Spain, it unites them. Whereas Languedoc speaks Occitan, and it has a different history. And the wine makes them different because the key grape variety of Roussillon is Grenache, and that was also used for Vin Doux Naturel, fortified wines that like Banyuls and Maury and Rivesaltes. They're matured in barrel and last for for years. One of the great wines in the world and totally underappreciated. The Languedoc doesn't have that tradition to the same extent.
About Rosemary George MW
Rosemary George has been in the wine industry for 52 years. She passed the prestigious Master of Wine exam in 1979, making her one of the first female MWs in the world. In 1981, she started writing about wine as a freelancer and has subsequently authored fourteen books, including those on New Zealand, Tuscany, Chablis, Faugeres, the Languedoc and Roussillon.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/324.
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What are some of the significant contributions that Greece has made to the world of wine? How does the Greek volcanic island of Santorini produce wines of stunning depth and freshness at the same time? How are Greek wines shifting the perspective on whatâs possible for warm climate wines?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Master of Wine Konstantinos Lazarakis.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
Two of you are going to win a copy of his terrific book, The Wines of Greece. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
What are some of the significant contributions to wine made in Greece?
What are some of the unique and complex terroirs found in Greece for wine production?
How do Santorini's wines achieve both incredible depth and freshness?
What are the hallmark characteristics of Assyrtiko grapes, and how does the wine pair with food?
How does the tasting experience of Moschofilero compare with that of Assyrtiko?
What should you know about Greeceâs flagship red grapes, Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro?
Which regions are a must-try in your exploration of Greek wines?
How was Retsina developed, and why does Konstantinos think itâs one of the greatest hopes for the Greek wine industry?
How did the Greek financial crisis impact and improve the Greek wine industry?
What are some of the opportunities and challenges in the future of Greek wines?
Key Takeaways
As Konstantinos observes, Greece was not the first to make wine or even the first to have a God that is dedicated to wine, but we did a lot of things for the first time: the first appellations or regions, sommeliers, wine writers and tastings. For the Greek symposia, the whole format of consuming wine was essential in making sure that symposia were an amazing celebration of the human intellect, and the bringing together of ideas.
Konstantinos explains that because Santorini is a volcanic island it has a young soil thatâs coarse. The vines grow on their own roots, but above ground, it's very windy, extremely hot, so the vines have to kept low on ground to capture a little humidity and be protected from the wind. They trained these vines as baskets by weaving the vine canes over years. Everything that is on the periphery is torn apart by the wind, but then you have only the middle that survives. Every about 30-40 years, the basket gets too bulky, so it's chopped apart and a new cane from the old root system starts a new basket. The root system is four hundred years old. For context, he adds, four centuries ago, Bordeaux was a swamp.
Konstantinos says that many people believe that a cool climate wine is superior to a warm climate one. But warm climates can produce amazing wines. Greece has a lot of places that are cold, even more so than the Loire Valley in France. Over the years, the Greeks selected grapes with full flavors at lower levels of alcohol.
About Konstantinos Lazarakis MW
Konstantinos Lazarakis MW is the first person in Greece to have passed the notoriously difficult Master of Wine exams. He is the author of Wines of Greece, published by Academie du Vin. As well, he serves as the President of Wines & Spirits Professional Center, General Manager of Aiolos Wines and CEO of Wine Wonders.
Bonus Interview Highlights â Matt Cauz
How do I distinguish between sexist, sexy, and sexual writing?
What are some strategies you can try to avoid using wine as a coping mechanism?
What trends are emerging around generational differences in wine consumption?
Why is it important for us to vote with our dollars when it comes to producers accused of misconduct?
What are the best wine pairings for different types of chocolate and holiday dinners and celebrations
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/323.
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What makes wine worth waiting for? How much wine is produced in Greece? What would surprise you about the wines of Greece.
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Konstantinos Lazarakis, author of the new book The Wines of Greece.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
Two of you are going to win a copy of his terrific book, The Wines of Greece. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
How did Konstantinos find his first passion for heavy metal music?
Do fine wine and heavy metal have anything in common?
What memorable moment happened to Konstantinos while delivering a presentation to wine buyers in Russia?
How did Dominus wine end up making an in-flight splash for Konstantinos?
What sparked Konstantinosâ initial passion for Greek wine?
Why did Konstantinos want to become a Master of Wine when no others were in Greece?
Where can you find Greece on the map and what are the key geographic features?
How much wine does Greece produce annually?
What unexpected insight did Konstantinos discover while writing his book on Greek wines?
What might surprise you about the dynamic nature of Greek wines and winemaking?
What does it mean for Greece to have a large number of endemic grape varieties?
Key Takeaways
As Konstantinos observes, when you're a fan of Barolo, or since we're talking about wines of Greece in here, Xinomavro, then these wines are not immediately appealing but hugely rewarding once you pay attention to them and calibrate your idea about what wine can be. Looking beyond the instant is rewarding.
Konstantinos says that many people, even wine professionals, have widely different expectations of what Greek wine is. Some are surprised that Greece is producing any wine at all and others believe that Greek wine is a commodity produced in bulk. But the Bordeaux region of France produces twice the wine that the entire country of Greece produces.
Konstantinos explains that the great thing about Greek wine is that we have no idea what Greek wine is all about. New grape varieties and regions emerge regularly. For example, Malagousia is a grape variety produced by about 200 vineyards. It is extremely forthcoming yet very complex and intense. On the nose, it can range from Muscatine to minty to tropically. On the palate, itâs quite round, even creamy, without the need of extended lees contact or oak, but still, it has amazing freshness. One of the most important Greek grape varieties has been around for only 30, 40, years. Thatâs bound to happen again and again. In Italy, almost every area that can make wine does or is verified. They have all their grape varieties identified.
About Konstantinos Lazarakis MW
Konstantinos Lazarakis MW is the first person in Greece to have passed the notoriously difficult Master of Wine exams. He is the author of Wines of Greece, published by Academie du Vin. As well, he serves as the President of Wines & Spirits Professional Center, General Manager of Aiolos Wines and CEO of Wine Wonders.
Bonus Interview â Matt Cauz Highlights
Which wine should you pair with artichokes?
What inspired me to write Wine Witch on Fire?
How did the events of 2012 kick off my no good, terrible, very bad, vintage, personally and professionally?
Have there been any lasting effects from these traumatic events?
How has the Canadian wine industry evolved over the past 20 years?
What are my thoughts on the current state of the wine review industry?
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/322.
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Why is Chardonnay the one grape that is equally made in the vineyards and the winery? Whatâs the difference between biodynamic and regenerative farming? What does it mean to be part of a family brand of wine?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Chris Benziger, winemaker with the Benziger family wines in Sonoma, California.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
Three of you will win one of three bottles of the superb Benziger wines. This is open to Canadian residents because shipping alcohol across borders is still bound-up with prehistoric laws. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
How does the Benziger familyâs "flaming hoops" program help to ensure family members are a value add if they work at the winery?
How did the 2017 Sonoma County wildfires impact the Benziger Family Winery?
Which features can you expect from Benziger California Chardonnay, and how does it best pair with food?
What makes the Benziger Running Wild Chardonnay unique and more personal for Chris?
What is the concept of regenerative farming, and how does it relate to biodynamics?
Why is the Benziger Tribute so versatile, and whatâs the story behind the name?
What does it mean to Chris to be part of a family brand of wine?
In the Museum of Chris Benziger, what three objects would be in the central display?
If Chris could share a bottle of wine with anyone outside the wine industry, who would that be?
Key Takeaways
Chris observes that most grapes or varietals are made in the vineyard. With Chardonnay, you can choose whether itâll be a beautiful, unoaked, austere, minerally Chablis-style, or a big butter kiss, butter bomb, or anything in between. The Renziger Chardonnay is right in the middle of the teeter-totter.
Biodynamic has some baggage to it, whereas regenerative farming takes the farming part of biodynamics, which is incredible. Organic farming is simply the elimination of chemical inputs. All it does is replace all that biological capital back into the soil. So the land never goes fallow. It's constantly being fed back. Farming is resource intensive. Regenerative farming means giving back so the land is not just restored, itâs better than before the farming started.
What does it mean to be part of a family brand of wine?
Chris calls critter brands and concept brands that are developed by market research whiteboard wines. A family brand is inherently tied to a family and its name. Chris notes that his father burned the boats in the Roman tradition so to speak when he sold his business and uprooted his family and traveled 3,000 miles to start the winery. In developing the winery, all they had was each other and had to lean on each other through all the challenges from tough finances to wildfire. But they stayed together and as Chris notes, he was hosting Christmas dinner with 50 family members this year.
About Chris Benziger
Chris Benziger was still in high school when he and his family moved from White Plains, New York, to California wine country. He went on to earn a degree in marketing from the University of San Francisco, while spending summers, weekends and every spare moment working at the winery as a child laborer. He officially, he officially joined the Benziger family winery in 1993 Chris oversees the home ranch and is dedicated to the thriving biodynamic ecosystem of the estate, shepherding the Benziger flock of sheep, tending to the estate vegetables and fruit trees, and producing biodynamic preparations for his vineyards.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/321.
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What was it like to move to biodynamic wine farming at a time when hardly anyone was doing it? What crucial role do 100 adorable sheep play at the Benziger winery? How do biodynamic preparations that might seem a bit âwooâ actually benefit the vineyard? What are the benefits of biodynamic farming practices for vine health and wine quality?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Chris Benziger, winemaker with the Benziger family wines in Sonoma, California.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
Three of you will win one of three bottles of the superb Benziger wines. This is open to Canadian residents because shipping alcohol across borders is still bound-up with prehistoric laws. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
How did Chrisâ grandfather transform his alcohol-importing business during Prohibition?
How did the Benziger Family Winery get started?
What does Chris love about the Benziger family property, and what fascinating history does it have?
How does the geology of the area influence Benziger wines?
What challenges did the Benziger family face during their first harvest at the new winery?
Why did the Benziger family transition to biodynamic farming practices years ahead of mainstream sustainability trends?
What crucial role do Dorper sheep and Highland cattle play at the Benziger winery?
How do biodynamic preparations that seem âwooâ benefit the vineyard?
What are the benefits of biodynamic farming practices for vine health and wine quality?
Key Takeaways
The Benzigers were biodynamic pioneers in California. He quotes Gandhi: âFirst they ignored him, then they laughed at him, then they fought him, but then he won.â Today, in every single winery, particularly in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Monterrey, and the counties that have very high prestige, every one of these wineries has some form of a sustainability program today.
The Benziger family eventually realized that sheep were the answer to their challenges. They got a big flock of a special type of sheep called a Dorper. Their little cloven hoofs push debris down, like leaves, eliminating mildew pressure, so no mildecides. They eat the grasses underneath the vine, eliminating the need for herbicides like RoundUp. And they fertilize as they go which helps with microbial growth.
Chris says that even though it sounds odd to be putting cow dung in a horn and burying it in the ground, they're making a plant probiotic. That manure attracts microorganisms in the soil, and they're just small enough that they can fit through a cow horn. This is unbelievably healthy for the plants.
In conventional farming, you water and feed the plant from the top. You're delivering everything at the surface so the roots stay at the surface. Biodynamics tells the vine, Hey, youâve got to earn a living. We don't water or fertilize it. Now the roots do what they want to do, and go down into those different layers, find their own sources of moisture and nutrition, and that's how we get a better, more terroir-driven wine.
About Chris Benziger
Chris Benziger was still in high school when he and his family moved from White Plains, New York, to California wine country. He went on to earn a degree in marketing from the University of San Francisco, while spending summers, weekends and every spare moment working at the winery as a child laborer. He officially, he officially joined the Benziger family winery in 1993 Chris oversees the home ranch and is dedicated to the thriving biodynamic ecosystem of the estate, shepherding the Benziger flock of sheep, tending to the estate vegetables and fruit trees, and producing biodynamic preparations for his vineyards.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/320.
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Whatâs the important difference between dry wines and the dry feeling you get when tasting certain wines? Do all or even most wines taste better when theyâre older? How can you make the most of a trip to Washington wine country?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Hailey Bohlman
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Highlights
What was Haileyâs experience with hosting her first virtual wine tasting during the pandemic?
How did Hailey get actor Kyle MacLachlan to do a virtual wine tasting with her tasting club?
Is there an overlap between Haileyâs wine career and her career in technical program management?
How does Hailey's background and passion for mathematics influence her approach to understanding and teaching about wine?
What's been the most challenging wine concept for Hailey to explain in her Wine 101 series?
What's the most mind-blowing scientific fact about winemaking that Hailey has learned?
Which wine myth does Hailey find herself debunking repeatedly?
Who were Hailey's most memorable podcast guests so far?
How can you make the most of a trip to the Washington wine regions?
Where is Haileyâs ideal place to have a glass of wine?
What does Hailey love about Domaine Philippe Vandelle Poulsard and Damsel Cellars Stillwater Creek Syrah?
Why does Hailey hate the idea of clean or fit wine?
Which wine would pair well with Haileyâs childhood favourite, microwave chicken pot pie?
Why does Hailey admire Brooke Delmas Robertson, winemaker at Delmas wines?
What are Haileyâs favourite wine gadgets?
If Hailey could share a bottle of wine with anyone outside the wine world, who would it be?
What message would Hailey want to share via a billboard in Seattle?
Key Takeaways
Hailey notes that one of the hardest wine concepts to understand is tannin, which gets confused with dry in the wine world. Tannins in red wines cause your mouth to feel dry like having a cotton ball in your mouth. When you say a dry wine, you're saying a wine with no sugar, nothing to do with the tannins.
The myth Hailey hears a lot is that all wines taste better when they're older. That's actually not true. You need to know which wines can age, but that's when you ask the experts. Shop at the small wine shops, ask the staff, ask winemakers and other experts.
Hailey advises to go for a variety of experiences and wineries when you visit any wine region. For eg. to make the most of a trip to Walla Walla, Washington, she suggests visiting wineries with vineyard tours, such as Delmas. They will teach you about how they're growing the vines. Then look for a blending class like at at North Star winery. Then try a food and wine pairing, such as the one at Pepper Bridge. Visit both small and large wineries.
About Hailey Bohlman
Hailey Bohlman, is a wine enthusiast turned wine educator and founder of Cork & Fizz with the goal of making wine more approachable for everyone. By offering guided wine tastings, along with tips, recommendations and podcast, she makes wine fun and exciting!
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/318.
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Should you drink Champagne from a white wine glass or a flute? What is the ideal temperature range for serving Champagne? What might surprise you about the technical side of Champagne production?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Christopher S. Ruhland, author of Press for Champagne: A Guide to Enjoying the Worldâs Greatest Sparkling Wine.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
Three of you are going to win a copy of his terrific book, Press for Champagne. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
Why does Chris prefer using a white wine glass instead of the traditional elongated flute for Champagne?
Whatâs the problem with clear glass bottles for Champagne?
What is the ideal temperature range for serving Champagne?
Which point in history does Chris consider to be the most pivotal moment in the development of Champagne as we know it today?
What might surprise you about the technical side of Champagne production?
Which notable contributions have women made in Champagne history?
What was the significance of the Champagne riots in 1911?
How did the Champagne region recover after the World Wars, and what were the lasting effects on the industry?
How does chalky soil contribute to the hallmark qualities of Champagne?
Whatâs the difference between the oxidative and reductive styles of Champagne?
Why donât we hear more about reserve wines?
What was it like to drink decades-old Champagne, and how are the bubbles affected by aging?
What is dosage, and what is its role in Champagne production?
How can you plan the best trip to make the most of the Champagne region?
Key Takeaways
Iâm all for the white wine glass for Champagne, Chris says, but I don't like flutes because you can't smell the wine. They're too thin to sense the aromas from the wine. I use tulip-shaped glasses and if you go to the Champagne region, you'll see these in use all over the place.
Chris says that temperature affects the texture of the wine and the bubbles. You wouldn't want it colder than it gets in your refrigerator. The point is to start at a cold temperature.
Chris says most people are surprised at how much work it takes to make a bottle of Champagne. It is very much a human-made product in that it requires a lot of separate steps done by hand.
About Christopher S. Ruhland
Christopher S. Ruhland trained and worked as a lawyer for thirty years before becoming a mediator. He holds the Diploma in Wines & Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and he has passed the French Wine Scholar, Bordeaux Master-Level, and RhĂŽne Master-Level examinations given by the Wine Scholar Guild, all with Highest Honors. He is the author of the award-winning Press for Champagne: A Guide to Enjoying the Worldâs Greatest Sparkling Wine and gives presentations about Champagne and teaches wine courses.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/318.
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Did the Benedictine monk Dom Perignon invent Champagne? Why is Grand Cru Champagne not necessarily the best Champagne? What makes Champagne so versatile and food-friendly?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Christopher S. Ruhland, author of the award-winning Press for Champagne: A Guide to Enjoying the Worldâs Greatest Sparkling Wine.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
Three of you are going to win a copy of his terrific book, Press for Champagne. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
What makes Champagne so versatile and food-friendly?
What do you need to know about the main styles of Champagne?
Why is Rosé Champagne made differently from still Rosé?
What sparked Chrisâ interest in Champagne in particular?
How did Chris' legal career and writing skills transfer over to writing about Champagne?
How does Press for Champagne differ from other wine books in its approach and focus?
Why does Champagne have a universal appeal, even for those who aren't wine enthusiasts?
How did Champagne become the wine of celebration?
What are some common myths about Champagne that Chris debunks in Press for Champagne?
How has the "Champagne only comes from Champagne, France" campaign impacted consumer awareness and the global sparkling wine market?
What are some of the ways popular culture has impacted certain brands of Champagne?
Did the monk Dom Perignon invent Champagne?
How has social media shaped our perception of Champagne?
What is Chris's perspective on the pricing of Champagnes and how it affects accessibility?
Key Takeaways
No, the Benedictine monk Dom Perignon did not invent champagne. Champagne wasn't even sparkling until after his death. But what is true, Chris explains, is he was a cellar master of the abbey and an important figure in Champagne wine production and in advancing its quality.
People talk about Grand Cru champagne with reverence as if itâs categorically better than champagne without that distinction. That's not true. You can find Grand Cru champagne, which is not very good. And then you have champagnes like Louis Roedererâs Cristal and Dom Perignon that are not Grand Cru champagnes.
With champagne, there is such variety and so many different styles that you really can drink it throughout an entire meal, and it can all work differently based on what you're eating.
About Christopher S. Ruhland
Christopher S. Ruhland trained and worked as a lawyer for thirty years before becoming a mediator. He holds the Diploma in Wines & Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and he has passed the French Wine Scholar, Bordeaux Master-Level, and RhĂŽne Master-Level examinations given by the Wine Scholar Guild, all with Highest Honors. He is the author of the award-winning Press for Champagne: A Guide to Enjoying the Worldâs Greatest Sparkling Wine and gives presentations about Champagne and teaches wine courses.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/317.
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In northern Italy, âAlba, Barolo and Barbaresco have become wine tourist destinations. How can you make the most of your visit to these regions in Piemonte? Why should you try a Nebbiolo wine from Roero? Why is there so much excitement about the sparkling wines of Piemonte now?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with David Way, author of the terrific book The Wines of Piemonte.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
Two of you will win a copy of his terrific new book, The Wines of Piemonte. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
What should you know about Gaja and the Barbaresco cooperative?
Why did David have to wait outside a Barbaresco winery for an hour past his appointment without any explanation?
How does Moscato dâAsti compare to Champagne, and why is it often undervalued?
What are the differences between how Moscato d'Asti and Prosecco are produced?
What is the history of sparkling wine production in Piemonte, including the pioneering work of Carlo Gancia?
What can you expect from the red sparkling wines of Piemonte?
Why should you try a Nebbiolo from Roero and what characteristics can you anticipate?
How can you plan a fascinating wine trip to Piemonte?
Key Takeaways
âDavid notes that Alba, Barolo and Barbaresco have beautiful landscapes, amazing wines, and incredible cuisine with lots of lovely small Michelin-starred restaurants. There are also boutique hotels that are relatively inexpensive.
There is a region called Roero, which is 20 minutes north of Alba. What people don't know about Roero, is that it's also an excellent source of Nebbiolo wines, at much lower prices.
Piemonte has both tank method and traditional method sparkling wines. Traditional method sparkling wine made in the bottle is typical of two areas outside Piemonte, Franciacorta and Trentodoc. But Piemonte is actually the pioneer of that style.
About David Way
David Way initially specialized in the wines of the Tuscan Maremma before broadening his interests to the rest of Italy and beyond. He works as Senior Researcher on the five textbooks for the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines. In his own name, David wrote The Wines of Piemonte . The book gives unparalleled coverage of one of Italyâs most important regions and includes 200 producer profiles. The book was honoured by the OIV at its award ceremony in Lisbon in 2024.
Bonus Interview â Jo Penn: Highlights
How can you legally protect yourself as a writer?
What can writers do to engage readers and especially book clubs?
What are some of my multiple streams of income as a writer?
About Jo Penn
Jo Penn is an award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of horror, thrillers, dark fantasy, crime, and travel memoirs, as well as short stories. Sheâs also an award-winning podcaster. Her latest novel is Blood Vintage, a folk horror story set in an English vineyard.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/316.
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Are you curious about the wines of Piemonte in northern Italy? Why are Barolo and Barbaresco often compared with Burgundy? What makes Nebbiolo unique as a grape?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with David Way, author of the new book The Wines of Piemonte.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
Two of you will win a copy of his terrific new book, The Wines of Piemonte. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
What makes David's book, The Wines of Piemonte, different from other Italian wine books?
How does Piemonte compare geographically to other well-known Italian wine regions?
Why does the Piemonte region have so many wine denominations and what are the challenges this presents?
What approach does David recommend for understanding Piemonte denominations?
Why is Piemonte often compared to Burgundy?
What are the unique qualities of Piemonteâs signature grape, Nebbiolo?
How has Nebbiolo evolved from the âtannic monsterâ of the past?
How do Nebbiolo and Barbera grapes compare?
Should you decant your wines?
Key Takeaways
Much has been written about the Barolo and Barbaresco appellations of Piemonte but very little about the rest of the region.
Barolo and Barbaresco have many small plots owned by many small growers so in that sense, it's very much like Burgundy. Itâs also similar in that tiny differences of altitude, soil type, vineyard orientation, and wind direction make big differences in the final wine.
David believes that the magic of Nebbiolo is its extraordinary aromatic complexity and amazing structure. It has structure, but not too overt in that it still has a silky and textured and it can age for decades.
About David Way
David Way initially specialized in the wines of the Tuscan Maremma before broadening his interests to the rest of Italy and beyond. He works as Senior Researcher on the five textbooks for the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines. In his own name, David wrote The Wines of Piemonte (Classic Wine Library, 2023). The book gives unparalleled coverage of one of Italyâs most important regions and includes 200 producer profiles. The book was honoured by the OIV at its award ceremony in Lisbon in 2024.
Bonus Interview â Jo Penn: Highlights
What are the challenges of writing memoir compared to more journalistic writing?
How does it feel to be a supertaster?
How does the concept of "terroir" in wine compare to the development of a writer's unique voice?
About Jo Penn
Jo Penn is an award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of horror, thrillers, dark fantasy, crime, and travel memoirs, as well as short stories. Sheâs also an award-winning podcaster. She has a Masterâs in Theology from the University of Oxford. Her latest novel is Blood Vintage, a folk horror story set in an English vineyard.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/315.
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Why is it so difficult to describe wine? How did England pave the way for Champagne as we know it today? What do winemaking and gardening share beyond being plant-based?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Hugh Johnson.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
Two of you will win a copy of his marvellous memoir, The Life and Wines of Hugh Johnson. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that youâve posted a review of the podcast. Iâll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
Whatâs behind Hughâs decades-long love for Bordeaux?
How did Hughâs first book about trees come about?
How has writing about wine and about horticulture influenced each other?
Are there commonalities between gardening and winemaking?
Where was Hughâs favourite place to enjoy wine?
What was it like tasting wine with former Dom PĂ©rignon chef de cave Richard Geoffroy?
How did England pave the way for Champagne as we know it today?
What did Hughâs friendships with Elizabeth David and AndrĂ© Simon teach him about food and wine?
What was it like tasting a wine that was made hundreds of years ago?
Whatâs the difference between wines of "curiosity" versus "conviction"?
Where does Hugh think the future of wine communication will go?
What does Hugh hope his legacy to the wine world will be?
Key Takeaways
As Hugh observes, the essence of writing is comparing one experience to another. He tries to exploit the wonderful vocabulary of the English language which unites the brilliance of the Latin languages and the German school. However, there are no words that actually match the taste of wine.
As Hugh explains that to keep the cork in a champagne bottle they used to tie it with string. The wine fermented in the bottle and the bottle exploded because the French didn't have bottles that would take the pressure. But England did and it's an interesting story. Under King James the First, at the beginning of the 17th century, they had to build a big fleet for the Navy to protect the country. The King decreed that all the good oak trees were for the ships only. So if you're going to make glass, you need a furnace at a very high temperature. So they had to use coal instead of wood. Coal mainly comes from the north of England, in Newcastle. These glass furnaces got really hot, and the glass got darker, but it also got stronger. And they found that it could take the pressure of bubbly wine.
Winemaking and gardening both apply human skills, intelligence, and taste to natural objects. He observes who needs 450 varieties of roses. They're not needed, but they interest people, and people enjoy them.
About Hugh Johnson
Hugh Johnson is the worldâs best-known wine writer, having sold more than 20 million books worldwide over a 60-year career. He began acquiring his wine knowledge as a member of the Wine and Food Society at Cambridge University before becoming a feature writer for Vogue and House & Garden magazines.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/314.
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