Ep 245 - Rooted in Change: Sustainability, Climate & the Human Side of Wine with Jane Masters MW & Andrew Neather

In the first episode of 2026, Janina is joined by Jane Masters MW and Andrew Neather, co-authors of Rooted in Change: The Stories Behind Sustainable Wine. Together, they explore what sustainability truly means in today’s wine world — looking beyond buzzwords to examine climate change, vineyard practices, winery operations, packaging, and the often-overlooked human side of wine production. An insightful, honest and thought-provoking conversation about the future of wine and the choices shaping it. You can buy the book at Académie du Vin Library for £20 - but use the code EATSLEEP15 for 15% off any of the books on the site. This episode is sponsored by Zeno: Alcohol Liberated Wines (Non Alcoholic Producer of the Year 2025 with the International London Wine Competition) The wine mentioned is the Zeno Alcohol-Liberated Sparkling £12.50 from Waitrose and Waitrose Cellar. Follow Zeno on Instagram @drinkzeno. Shownotes 02:15 Fun fact of the episode: why some grapes do better in heat that others 06:25 Andrew Neathers introduces himself discussing his background as a wine critic and an environmentalist 08:44 Jane Masters’ background and her long-standing focus on sustainability in the wine industry. 13:00 Synthetic fertilisers and agrochemicals - why they became widespread and their long-term impact on vineyards and ecosystems. 20:50 Organic farming and its limitations - the use of copper and sulphur in humid climates. 26:41 Predator insects in vineyards - replacing chemical treatments with natural solutions. 27:44 The use of drones in viticulture and precision farming. 28:26 Are new technologies accessible to small and medium-sized producers? 29:44 Inside the winery: water, electricity and energy use as major sustainability challenges. 34:46 Sustainability across the wider drinks industry - what meaningful progress really looks like. 36:59 The environmental cost of traditional glass wine bottles. 43:26 Bottle colour, recyclability and consumer perception. 45:30 The human side of sustainability - vineyard and winery workers. 50:59 What Jane Masters and Andrew Neather hope readers will take away from Rooted in Change. 52:51 Use code EATSLEEP15 for 15% of the book Rooted in Change: The Stories Behind Sustainable Wine. 📩 Questions or feedback? [email protected] 📸 Instagram: @eatsleep_winerepeat 🎥 YouTube: Eat Sleep Wine Repeat 🌐 Website: www.eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk Cheers to you! 🥂 THE EAT SLEEP WINE REPEAT PODCAST Featured in Decanter Magazine and Radio Times, and ranked among the Top UK Wine Podcasts by Feedspot. RECOGNITION: – Finalist, 67 Pall Mall Award for Best Global Wine Communicator in Audio (2025) – Shortlisted, IWSC Emerging Talent in Wine Communication (2025) – Ranked #18 in 2024 and #22 in 2025 on Drinks Retailing’s Most Influential People in Drinks list