PODCAST · arts
Unreserved Wine Talk
by Natalie MacLean
The Unreserved Wine Talk podcast features candid conversations with the most fascinating people in the wine world. Your host, award-winning journalist Natalie MacLean, dives into how it feels to compete in the nerve-wracking World's Best Sommelier Competition, the shadowy underground of wine forgery, the zany tactics of a winemaker who hosted a funeral for cork, and more. Nestled in these colourful stories are practical tips on how to choose wine from a restaurant list, pair it with food and spot great values in the liquor store.Every second episode, Natalie goes solo with an unfiltered, personal reflection on wine. She'll share with you how it feels to be a woman in what is still a largely male-dominated field, her gut reaction to the latest health study that says no amount of alcohol consumption is safe and her journey in writing her next book. She'll reveal these vulnerable, sometimes embarrassing, stories with tipsy wit and wisdom that she's soaked up from 20 years of writing abo
Episodes
-
409: How can two rums taste completely different even though they're both made from sugar cane? Kara Newman reveals the secret
How can two rums taste completely different even though they're both made from sugar cane? What makes Jamaican rum so famously funky, and what does a dunder pit have to do with it? How does the type of ice you use change the strength, temperature, and texture of a cocktail? In this episode of the...
-
408: How Are Modern Whisky Makers Using Blending To Capture Emotions and Experiences?
How does smoking whisky grains with elephant dung translate into flavours like raspberry and sandalwood? What does the saying "you can't turn a donkey into a racehorse" reveal about making great whisky? How are modern whisky makers using blending to capture emotions and experiences? In this…
more -
407: In "Savour," Kristiane Westray reveals: Is smelling whisky different from smelling a glass of wine?
Is smelling or nosing whisky different from smelling a glass of wine? How did a 1960s marketing campaign convince generations of whisky drinkers that single malt was better than blended whisky? What is it like to step inside a working whisky kiln and experience peat smoke firsthand? In this…
more -
406: How Did The Launch of the Super Premium Rosé Whispering Angel from Château D'esclans Change Provence?
How did Sacha Lichine's launch of Garrus and Whispering Angel from Château d'Esclans, which now exceeds 10 million bottles a year change Provence? What happens to a wine region when historic family estates are increasingly bought by wealthy outsiders and corporations? How can classifying wine by...
-
405: Why Has Rosé Wine Struggled To Be Taken Seriously By Professionals Despite Its Popularity With Consumers?
How is Provence far more diverse as a wine region than just Rosé? Why has Rosé struggled to be taken seriously by wine professionals despite its enormous popularity with consumers? Does Provence make the best Rosé in the world or simply the best Rosé in its style? In this episode of the…
more -
404: What's the difference between a lean wine and one that's thin? Maryse Chevriere on How to Sound Wine Smart
What's the difference between a wine that's lean and one that's thin? Why is asking for a "smooth" wine one of the least helpful ways to describe what you actually want? What's the fastest way to learn more about wine without feeling intimidated? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk…
more -
403: When Do Wine Tasting Notes Become So Over-The-Top That They Stop Meaning Anything? Maryse Chevriere Talks About Descriptors That Have Jumped The Shark
How can a hospitality disaster completely change your approach to wine and service? When do wine tasting notes become so over-the-top that they stop meaning anything? What makes natural wine like an unfiltered snapshot of a single moment? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm...
-
402: When Do Wine Tasting Notes Become So Over-The-Top That They Stop Meaning Anything? How To Sound Wine Smart with Marisol de la Fuente
How do our personal memories shape the aromas we recognize in wine? What incredible Argentine wines are people missing when they focus only on Malbec? Why do food and wines from the same region often pair beautifully even when they break the usual rules? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine…
more -
401: How Did Argentina Help Save Europe's Vineyards During The Devastating Phylloxera Crisis?
How did Argentina help save Europe's vineyards during the devastating phylloxera crisis? Why is wine still treated as an exclusive product despite being more accessible than ever? How can vineyards that endure extreme temperatures still produce elegant, vibrant wines? In this episode of the...
-
400: Why Is The Daiquiri Used As A Litmus Test To See If A Bartender Can Make A Decent Drink?
Why is the Daiquiri with just rum, lime and sugar used as a litmus test to see if a bartender is capable of making a decent drink? What is oleo saccharum and why is it a gorgeous way to sweeten sophisticated cocktails? What is tepeche and why do fermenting pineapples make a delicious cocktail? In...
-
399: How Does It Feel Competing Against The World's Best Bartenders Making Six Cocktails in Six Minutes in Front of a Large Audience?
How does it feel competing against the world's best bartenders making six cocktails in six minutes in front of a large audience? How can bartending become a form of storytelling instead of simply making drinks? How did the Mojito begin as a 16th-century medical remedy? In this episode of the...
-
398: How Did One Decision Trigger Sherry's Decline From Britain's Favourite Drink?
How did a single decision trigger Sherry's decline from Britain's favourite drink? What would it take for Sherry to make a comeback after decades of decline? How can you make the most out of your trip to the Sherry region of Spain? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting...
-
397: How Does The Solera System Give Every Glass Of Sherry Centuries Of History?
How does the Solera system give every glass of sherry centuries of history? How does Sherry's "second terroir" shape the wine just as much as the vineyard itself? Why should every great wine cellar have mature, dry Sherry? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ben...
-
396: Can Bordeaux Reinvent Itself? How One of Wine's Greatest Regions is Adapting to a Changing World
Can Bordeaux adapt to changing wine tastes without losing its identity? Bordeaux is pulling up thousands of hectares of vines because of overproduction. How does Mouton Cadet's model offer a way out for some wine growers? How are modern Bordeaux producers, like Mouton Cadet, creating wines with...
-
395: Why Mouton Cadet, Bordeaux, decide that sustainability needed to include people, not just the environment?
Why did the Bordeaux wine Mouton Cadet decide that sustainability needed to include people, not just the environment? Why is the Fair for Life certification that's focused on people, community, and respect the environment a perfect fit for Mouton Cadet? What does it mean to create trust with more...
-
394: Soil, Soul, and the Sacred Cup: Wine in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament
How did wine transform biblical meals into symbols of the covenant in the ancient world? Why did overflowing vineyards and giant clusters of grapes become such powerful symbols of the Promised Land? Why did religious leaders label Jesus a glutton, a drunkard, and a friend of sinners? In this...
-
393: Why does wine play a central role in the Bible and our culture, symbolizing abundance and joy, and not other food or drink? Dr. Mark Scarlata shares the story
How does biking through wine country help you better understand the wines? Why has wine held a unique place in the Bible and our culture when so many other foods like milk, olive oil, honey, dates, and pomegranates symbolize abundance and blessing? How do the aromas and complexity of wine create...
-
392: What makes a well-made Mint Julep Cocktail much more complex than you expect? James Chatto reveals the secret
What makes a properly made mint julep much more complex than people expect? How did an Indian revolutionary leader end up creating one of Japan's most famous curry recipes? How did a recipe collected during a 1930s concert tour in Indonesia become the legendary Queen Mother's Cake, different from...
-
391: Acquired Tastes: The Lives and Recipes of Eight Culinary Ambassadors with James Chatto
What did lasagna taste like in Renaissance Italy before tomatoes and ragù became standard? Why are some of Thailand's most iconic royal desserts rooted in Portuguese convent recipes? How did a chance conversation at dinner unexpectedly unlock hidden pieces of food history? In this episode of the...
-
390: What's The Difference Between Drinking For Pleasure And Drinking For Relief? Dr. Charles Knowles Reveals The Difference
What's the difference between drinking for pleasure and drinking for relief? How does your body's early reaction to alcohol predict your long-term risk of developing alcohol dependence? How do some people drink heavily for years without developing the same dependence that others struggle to…
more -
389: Why is moderation easy for some people, yet impossible for others? Dr. Charles Explains In Why We Drink Too Much: The New Science of Alcohol
What can your first experiences with alcohol tell you about the relationship you'll have with it later in life? Are we fighting with our own biology when it comes to alcohol? Why is moderation impossible for some people? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Dr....
-
388: What Are the Insider Tips to Discovering and Buying the Best Cheese of Your Life? with Michael Finnerty
Why does buying from a good cheese shop often beat picking up a wedge from the supermarket? How do people underestimate the physical labor and other demands of being a cheesemonger? How does using a cheese iron reveal where a wheel of cheese is in its life? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine...
-
387: The Cheese Cure: How Comté and Camembert Fed My Soul With Michael Finnerty
Why do some wine and cheese pairings taste better together than either one alone? Why do some wines collapse when paired with certain cheeses? What will surprise you about cheese that's similar to wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Michael Finnerty…
more -
386: How Did a World Memory Champion, a Theatre Director, a Voice Coach, a TV Actor, and a Professional Magician Help Gerard Basset Win the World's Best Sommelier Competition?
How did a world memory champion, a theatre director, a voice coach, a TV actor, and a professional magician all help one person win the World's Best Sommelier Competition? How do top performers use nerves and adrenaline to their advantage? What do high achievers do when they accomplish the dreams...
-
385: How Did Discovering Wine Lead Gérard Basset to Become the World's Best Sommelier?
How did Gérard Basset discover wine and then go on to become the World's Best Sommelier? What does truly exceptional hospitality look like in practice? How did a man with no fine dining background develop such a deep understanding of what excellence looked and felt like? In this episode of the...
-
384: Is It the Wine or Is It You? Alan Ramey on What Really Makes Wine Taste Good
Is a fully organic future in agriculture possible or even affordable, or are there limits to how far we can go? Why has biodynamics thrived in wine when many of its founder's ideas were rejected in medicine and education? How much of what you enjoy in wine comes from what's in the glass versus…
more -
383: The Debates, Controversies and Mysteries That Have Shaped the World of Wine Like Organics With Alan Ramey, Author of Pressing Matters
What might surprise you about the amount of research on organic versus conventional farming when it comes to winemaking? Why are many strong opinions in wine accepted without much challenge or push for validation? Why are traditional wine regions being forced to balance heritage with visibility…
more -
382: The Prison That Became a Distillery: Belfast's Most Unlikely Comeback Story with McConnell's Irish Whisky
Why do Irish distillers believe triple distillation creates a smoother, more refined whiskey? What makes a whiskey feel warm and smooth on the palate instead of fiery or harsh? Why does the Belfast origin of ginger ale make it such a natural pairing with McConnell's Irish Whisky? In this episode…
more -
381: From Hard Time to Happy Hour: The Remarkable Resurrection of McConnell's Irish Whisky
What's the hidden meaning behind the opaque ribbed glass at the bottom of a McConnell's Irish Whisky bottle? What made the opportunity to revive McConnell's Irish Whisky important enough to leave a long and secure career behind? How does a master distiller notice that something is off long before...
-
380: The Ghost in the Glass: 5 Ways AI Is Rewriting the Story of Wine
If your wearable device knows your cortisol level, your heart rate, and the ambient light in your dining room, should it also choose the perfect wine for you? The Romans raved about Falernian. The Georgians were fermenting in clay vessels eight thousand years ago. Could AI finally let us taste…
more -
379: More Than a Drink: Why Wine Divides & Unites Cultures with Sarah Heller MW
Why do some cultures embrace wine as a cultural expression while others see it simply as a beverage? Why do some cultures embrace wine as a cultural expression while others see it simply as a beverage? Can fine wine actually be defined, or is it something subjective to be debated? Why is it so...
-
378: Does Formal Wine Tasting Language Strip the Emotion Out of Wine Writing? with Sarah Heller
Why is spitting essential if you want to taste wine seriously? What made Hong Kong's wine boom in 2010 feel both extravagant and generous? Does formal wine tasting language strip the emotion out of wine writing? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Sarah Heller....
-
377: What Does It Mean For A Wine To Gain Wisdom As It Ages? with Neal Hulkower
Should wine competitions give judges the option to say that none of the wines in a category deserve a medal? Why have some classic regions become inaccessible while others remain within reach for wine drinkers? What does it mean for a wine to gain wisdom as it ages? In this episode of the...
-
376: What Can 1970s Wine Notes Reveal About Luxury Wines Today?
How can a single bottle of wine completely change your understanding of what wine can be? What makes a wine so remarkable that you can almost taste it again in your memory decades later? Why are people drawn to tasting notes even when words can never fully capture the experience of tasting and...
-
375: Why is Your Taste in Wine as Individual as Your Fingerprint? Jordan Salcito Shares the Story
Why did this author start the book with tasting, rather than history, regions or grapes? Was that because you wanted to get right into the sensory experience, rather than maybe some of the drier knowledge? Why is your experience of what tastes good as personal as a fingerprint? When it comes to...
-
374: What Makes a Wine Feel Soulful? Jordan Salcito Shares the Secret in Smart Mouth: Wine Essentials for You, Me, & Everyone We Know
What makes a wine feel soulful, transporting you beyond taste into a deeper emotional connection? What does experiencing harvest firsthand reveal about winemaking that never show up in books? What makes Northern Rhône Syrah come across as black peppery, smoky, and reminiscent of pastrami? In this...
-
373: How Do You Create A Successful International Wine Brand? Nam Stanley Tells The Story of Solicantus
What goes into creating a successful international wine brand that tells a story before the bottle is even opened? What does it look like to build a young wine brand vintage by vintage? What makes Bordeaux such a hard place to break into as an outsider? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk...
-
372: How is Namratha's "Vineyard Melody" memoir the wine version of Eat, Pray, Love?
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...
-
371: Why Do Some Non-Alcoholic Wines Keep Their Fruity Aromas While Others Lose Everything?
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…
more -
370: Wes Pearson: What Happens When the World's Most Expensive Wines Are Tasted Blind
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...
-
369: How Did One Viognier Go From the Brink of Extinction to Being Planted Around the World?
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...
-
368: Why did the Rhone region ban flying saucers? Matt Walls reveals the story behind why that rule still exists
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...
-
367: Why Are So Many Swiss Vineyards Planted on Dangerous Terrain? Simon Hardy Reveals Why in the Smart Traveller's Guide to Switzerland
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…
more -
366: The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland with Simon Hardy
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…
more -
Dr. Wes Pearson on the Science of Blind Tasting and the Chemistry of Non-Alcoholic Wine
What is it really like inside the legendary Len Evans Tutorial, where elite tasters spend a week benchmarking themselves against the world's greatest wines? What are the surprising lessons that come from tasting ultra-rare wines blind? What happens when famous labels disappoint, or a legendary...
-
365: Why did Cha McCoy create her own flavour wheel rather than rely on traditional wine-tasting vocabulary?
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...
-
364: Why Are Most Wine Pairing Rules Wrong for Global Cuisine? Cha McCoy Reveals What Really Works
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?...
-
363: Why Does the Term "Mocktail" for Zero Proof Non-Alcoholic Drinks Offend Many Bartenders?
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...
-
362: What Surprises Did a Magical Dom Pérignon Champagne Tasting of 60 Rare Vintages Reveal? Elva Ramirez Shares Her Story in "Sparkling"
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...
-
361: How Can Carbon Offsetting Claims in the Wine Industry Be a Form of Greenwashing?
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?…
more
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Unreserved Wine Talk podcast features candid conversations with the most fascinating people in the wine world. Your host, award-winning journalist Natalie MacLean, dives into how it feels to compete in the nerve-wracking World's Best Sommelier Competition, the shadowy underground of wine forgery, the zany tactics of a winemaker who hosted a funeral for cork, and more. Nestled in these colourful stories are practical tips on how to choose wine from a restaurant list, pair it with food and spot great values in the liquor store.Every second episode, Natalie goes solo with an unfiltered, personal reflection on wine. She'll share with you how it feels to be a woman in what is still a largely male-dominated field, her gut reaction to the latest health study that says no amount of alcohol consumption is safe and her journey in writing her next book. She'll reveal these vulnerable, sometimes embarrassing, stories with tipsy wit and wisdom that she's soaked up from 20 years of writing abo
HOSTED BY
Natalie MacLean
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Unreserved Wine Talk have?
Unreserved Wine Talk currently has 415 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Unreserved Wine Talk about?
The Unreserved Wine Talk podcast features candid conversations with the most fascinating people in the wine world. Your host, award-winning journalist Natalie MacLean, dives into how it feels to compete in the nerve-wracking World's Best Sommelier Competition, the shadowy underground of wine...
How often does Unreserved Wine Talk release new episodes?
Unreserved Wine Talk publishes regularly with 415 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Unreserved Wine Talk?
You can listen to Unreserved Wine Talk on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Unreserved Wine Talk?
Unreserved Wine Talk is created and hosted by Natalie MacLean.
URL copied to clipboard!