The Tim Atkin Cork Talk Podcast: Recent Episodes
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José Vouillamoz is a botanist, ampelographer and grape geneticist who has made a significant contribution to our understanding of the past, present and future of wine. Co-author of the monumental Wine Grapes, as well as books on France and his native Switzerland, he’s a scientist who can convey his knowledge to a wider audience, combining expertise and charm with a journalist’s eye for a good story. He’s a truly fascinating interviewee. Photo by Louis Dasselborne.
To read more about José have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @josevouillamoz.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Cricket-mad Beth Willard’s journey in wine started with a part-time job at Hardy’s Cellar Door operation in Canberra. Since then, she’s lived in France, the United Kingdom and Spain, where she’s made her home. In her time, Beth has been a top buyer as well as a show judge and journalist. A speaker of four languages, she loves travel, foreign cultures and, of course wine, bringing passion, knowledge and a sense of humour to everything she does.
To read more about Beth have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @bethcwillard.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Katia Nussbaum was born in London, but has lived most of her life in Italy, where she and her partner Gigi have owned the highly regarded San Polino estate in Brunello de Montalcino since 1990. Always vineyard focused, she was one of the pioneers of organic farming in the region and is now experimenting with vitiforestry, planting maples among her vines to understand the fungal networks that are an essential part of nature.
To read more about Katia have a look at the San Polino website. You can also follow the estate on Instagram at @brunello.san.polino.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Xavier Rousset fell in love with wine on a family holiday in Collioure. After writing to fellow Frenchman Gérard Basset, one of the world’s most famous sommeliers, he got a job for a month at the Hotel du Vin in Winchester and has never looked back. A Master Sommelier at the age of 23, he is now an entrepreneur and businessman, running five different restaurants in London, but serving customers is still what he enjoys most.
To read more about Xavier have a look at the Blandford Comptoir website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @rousset.x.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Luke O’Cuinneagain grew up close to the vineyards of nearby the Constantia Valley, but originally wanted to be a vet rather than a winemaker. A weekend job working at a cellar door changed all that. After a job at Rustenberg and a distinguished 14-year career at Glenelly, owned by Bordeaux grande dame May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, he is now in charge at Vergelegen, one of the Cape’s most historic estates, busy transforming the range and the vineyards for the better.
To read more about Luke have a look at the Vergelegen website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram at @vergelegen_wine–estate.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Born into a family of Methodists, half of whom were teetotal, Sarah Abbott ‘s wine journey began when got a job with specialist Burgundy merchant, Domaine Direct. Since 2008, she’s run her own company, Swirl, specialising in advising what she calls “emerging regions” like Georgia, Japan and Turkey. In 2021, she set up the Old Vine Conference with some friends during lockdown and has turned it into a tour de force.
To read more about Sarah have a look at Swirl website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @sarahabbottmw.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Mike Paul’s parents ran a hotel in Torquay, so maybe wine was part of his destiny. After a history degree, he got a job with Saccone & Speed, where he was in charge of Black Tower Liebfraumilch, among other things. A key figure in the success of Australian wines in the UK at Southcorp, as well as the South African brand, Kumala, he’s been a freelance consultant since 2006, working principally in the English wine industry, most notably at Gusbourne.
To read more about Mike have a look at his website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Kathy Burk grew up on a grape farm in California, but went into academia rather than viticulture, specialising in Anglo-American relations. Alongside her teaching and research, she continued to develop her love and knowledge of wine. Now a retired professor, she’s spent the last five years researching her remarkable new book, Wine: A Global History, which will be published in October. I caught up with her to hear all about it.
To read more about Kathy have a look at this website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Sarah Hwang studied psychology at university in the United States, but moved into the wine business after her parents created a new estate in Tokaj, Domaine Királyudvar, in the late 1990s and bought the historic Domaine Huet in the Loire Valley in 2003. In charge of the latter estate since 2012, she’s a lover of Chenin Blanc in all its forms, as well as an insightful guide to the terroirs and very different vintages of Vouvray.
To read more about Sarah have a look at the Domaine Huet website. You can also follow the estate on Instagram at @domainehuet.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
The son of an independent merchant, Harry Eyres was brought up visiting vineyards and cellars and has inherited his father’s love of wine and classical music. A published poet and author as well as a prolific journalist, he’s written about everything from painting to tennis, climate change to Brexit, as well, of course, about wine. An amusing raconteur, he’s a fund of good stories, accrued over the last 40 years.
To read more about Harry have a look at this website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @eyresharry.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
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Stellios Boutaris is a fourth-generation winemaker who’s one of the key figures in the modern Greek wine scene, running both Kir-Yanni in Macedonia and Domaine Sigalas on the volcanic island of Santorini. A lover of both Xinomavro and Assyrtiko, two of the country’s most distinctive grapes, he has extremely topical views about sustainable viticulture in a changing climate and how Greece can sustain its global momentum.
To read more about Stellios have a look at Kir-Yanni website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @stelliosboutaris.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
A university course in the historical geography of viticulture prompted Matt Gant to get on a plane from London to New Zealand to do harvest. Since then, he’s never looked back, working at St Hallett in Australia before setting up two projects of his own, First Drop and Gant & Co. Dividing his time between Western Australia and Quinta de Pedra Alta in the Douro, he loves living Down Under but still cheers for England when it comes to cricket.
To read more about Matt have a look at The Gant & Co. website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @gantandcowines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Núria Altés was born into a family of grape growers in Batea in southern Catalunya and worked at the local co-operative before she set up her own bodega, Herència Altés, with her husband, Rafa de Haan, in 2010. Now recognised as one of the leading voices in the dynamic Terra Alta region, she’s passionate and deeply knowledgeable about organic viticulture, old vines and local grapes such as Garnacha Blanca and Garnacha Peluda.
To read more about Núria have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @herencia_altes.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Jerry Lockspeiser dreamt of being a professional footballer, but ended up in wine by accident in his early thirties. A serial entrepreneur and risk taker, who built Vinceremos and Bottle Green into major wine suppliers, he’s now the chair of North South Wines, and director of Positive News. From organic wine pioneer to marathon runner, philanthropist to published author, Jerry's career spans four decades. And he’s still going strong.
To read more about Jerry have a look at the North South website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @jerrylockspeiser.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Tony Bish got a harvest job at a winery in Gisborne to fund a ski season in New Zealand’s South Island and has never looked back. After 27 years at Sacred Hill, he set up his own brand in 2013, entirely focused on Chardonnays of all shapes, sizes and styles. Sourcing grapes from some of the best vineyards in Hawke’s Bay, he’s on a mission to turn consumers into what he calls 'Chardonnistas', challenging the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) movement in the process.
To read more about Tony have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @tonybish.wines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Marta Casas originally trained as a pharmacist but switched to wine after she met her future husband and accompanied him and his family on a fact-finding tour to Australia. Now the long-term, award winning winemaker at Parés Baltà in the Penedés, she’s an expert on biodynamics as well as a passionate advocate for local Catalan grapes, with their lower alcohol, naturally high acidity and resistance to climate change.
To read more about Marta have a look at the Parés Baltà website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @martacasasjorba.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Philippe Melka grew up in Bordeaux studying geology — never planning to make wine — until a further university course in oenology and viticulture and an internship at Château Haut-Brion changed his life. Today he's one of the Napa Valley's most celebrated winemakers and consultants, with multiple 100-point wines to his name and a philosophy built on one simple idea: stand back and let the land speak.
To read more about Philippe have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @ateliermelka.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Cathy Marshall studied Physical Education and English Literature at university, but got interested in wine because of a few late nights in the bars of Stellenbosch. After a further degree at Elsenburg College, where she became one of her country’s first female winemakers, she travelled the world before returning to the Cape to set up Catherine Marshall Wines. A lover of elegant reds and whites, she’s a key figure in the South African New Wave.
To read more about Cathy have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @catherinemarshallwines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Michael Schmelzer is a citizen of the world, brought up in Italy, France, Germany and the United States. Today, his home is the beautiful Monte Bernardi estate in Chianti Classico, a property that his family has owned since 2003. Though Australia-trained, he’s a winemaker who believes in the traditional European ways of doing things, using biodynamic farming to get the best out of his vineyards and keeping intervention in the cellar to a minimum.
To read more about Michael have a look at the Monte Bernardi website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @michael_montebernardi.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Jade Gross was all set to become a human rights’ lawyer when she got a bursary to study cookery in Paris. After a very flourishing career as a chef, culminating in the top job at the world-famous Mugaritz in San Sebastián, she changed tack once more, moving to the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra in Rioja to make her own wines. A serial high achiever, and a self-confessed control freak, she’s bus making a success of her new life too.
To read more about Jade have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @jadegrosswines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Martin Foradori Hofstätter is a fourth-generation producer from the Alto Adige, who also makes wine in Trentino as well as Germany’s Mosel Valley. He’s a passionate believer in terroir and has the wines to prove it, specialising in Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer and Lagrein. Not afraid of change, he launched a range of no-alcohol wines, called Zero, six years ago, believing that the wine industry needs to rethink the way it talks to younger consumers.
To read more about Martin have a look at the J. Hofstätter website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram at @hofstatter.winery.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Anouck Dann was born among the vines of the Valais in Switzerland. After a spell in the hotel industry, where she was inspired by the example of César Ritz, she moved to England to study winemaking and viticulture at Plumpton Agricultural College. Today, she’s back in her native region, running Les Celliers de Vétroz alongside the Fontannaz family. Passionate and knowledgeable, she’s an ideal guide to the under-appreciated world of Swiss wines.
To read more about Anouck have a look at the Les Celliers de Vétroz website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @peak_cellar.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Chiara Boschis comes from a historic winemaking family in Piedmont but she had to struggle to follow the same career as her other siblings. Taking over the E. Pira winery in Barolo in 1990, she became one of the most important members of a new, modernising group of winemakers, the Barolo girl among the so-called Barolo boys. Committed to organic viticulture and a lover of Nebbiolo, she’s a fascinating guide to Italy’s greatest wine region.
To read more about Chiara have a look at the E Pira website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @chiaraboschis_pira.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
María José Granier fell in love with the old vines of the high-altitude Cinti Valley at first sight. A passionate advocate of arboreal viticulture as well as historic varieties such as Negra Criolla, Moscatel de Alejandría and Vischoquena, she and her winemaking sister, Mercedes, have helped to made Jardín Oculto one of the best bodegas in Bolivia. I caught up with the two of them to learn more about the country’s increasingly exciting wine scene. My apologies for the quality of the recording at the Bolivian end.
To read more about Mercedes, María José and Jardín Oculto have a look at the winery's website. You can also follow them on Instagram at @jardinocultowines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Michael Silacci grew up on a dairy farm in the San Francisco Bay Area but didn’t discover his calling in life – wine – until he did a harvest in the Loire Valley in his mid-twenties. After jobs at Beaulieu and Stag’s Leap in California and at King Estate in Oregon, he joined Opus One in 2001. He’s been at this celebrated Napa Valley project ever since, refining the style and cementing Opus’s status as one of the New World’s most sought-after wines.
To read more about Michael have a look at the Opus One website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @opus_one_winemaker.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Richard Kershaw MW started out as a chef, but then switched to wine instead. After a spell at La Réserve in Hampstead, where the comedian Peter Cook was one of his clients, he worked as a cellar hand in various countries before moving to South Africa, perfecting his skills at Mulderbosch and Kanu before establishing his own eponymous label in 2012. He’s deep thinker as well as a passionate advocate of cool climate wines.
To read more about Richard have a look at his website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram at @kershawwines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
A musician by training, Ben Witchell moved into winemaking after a career in IT, working first in Beaujolais before setting up in his own venture, Flint Vineyard, with a tenant farmer in Norfolk’s Waveney Valley. He’s a person who likes to take a few risks, as well as being what he calls “bloody minded”, which may explain his success with the underrated Bacchus grape, Prosecco-style English sparkling wines and his boundary-pushing Labs Project.
To read more about Ben have a look at the Flint Vineyard website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram at @flintvineyard.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
A talented singer and linguist, Anne McHale is a northern Irish Master of Wine who’s one of the best teachers in the business as well as gifted story teller. Our amusing, in-depth chat covered everything from tasting skills to religion, the joys of eating out in Lyon to what the Romans and Ancient Greeks liked to drink. No wonder so many students trust her to guide them through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s notoriously trick exams.
To read more about Anne have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @annemchalewine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Pierre-Henry Gagey is a passionate Burgundian who believes that his region is a “kind of miracle”, working at top négociant Maison Louis Jadot since 1985, including a 30-year stint as its president. Our extensive chat about what he calls “Big Burgundy” from Chablis to Beaujolais covered everything from wine prices to climate change, recent vintages to his love of Oregon. He’s a man with a sense of history and a vision of the future.
To read more about Pierre Henry have a look at the Résonance Wines website . You can follow Louis Jadot on Instagram at @louisjadot.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Matt Thomson and Sophie Parker-Thomson MW set up Blank Canvas Wines together in 2012, focusing on terroir-driven wines from single sites in the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Now numbered among the country’s top producers, they are something of a power couple, drawing on Matt’s extensive overseas experience and Sophie’s legal training and background as a journalist to produce world-class wines.
To read more about Matt and Sophie have a look at the Blank Canvas Wines website . You can also follow them on Instagram at @blankcanvaswines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
After spells in accountancy and advertising, Beverley Blanning decided that what she really wanted to do was write about wine, specialising in the Loire Valley, where she also has a house. She’s the ideal person to explain what makes this diverse, appealingly complex region so special, talking me through soil types, grape varieties, climate change, organic viticulture and the definition of what the locals call “vins ligériens”.
To read more about Beverley have a look at the the Institute of Masters of Wine's website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @bevblanningmw.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Eduardo Chadwick is one of the most significant figures in the Chilean wine industry. He’s the man behind such famous brands as Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve, Seña, Las Pizarras and Viñedo Chadwick. A serial entrepreneur who’s never been afraid to take a few risks, including planting a vineyard on a former polo field, Eduardo is passionate about his native country and is always keen to compare his wines against the best of the world.
To read more about Eduardo have a look at the Errázuriz website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @Eduardo.chadwick.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Robin Copestick got into the wine industry by accident when he saw an advert in the window of a wine merchant in Maida Vale. That led to a 19-year-career at Moreno Wines, before he set up his own business, Copestick Murray, in 2005. A strong believer in wine brands, Robin developed I Heart Wines, which sells more than 30 million bottles around the world. But as he told me in the course of our chat, he’s had some failures along the way, too.
To read more about Michael have a look at the Freixenet Copestick website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @robin.copestick.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Michael Zaccagnini is a second-generation producer in Ribera del Duero, who trained under the legendary Mariano García, formerly of Vega Sicilia, as well as his late father, Javier. A lover of music and elegant expressions of Tempranillo, he’s a person who questions everything in the vineyard and cellar, constantly striving to make better wines. His talent and dedication have made him one of the best young winemakers in Spain.
To read more about Michael have a look at the Sei Solo website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @seisolo_bodegas.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Pierre Mansour caught the wine bug after drinking a bottle of 1982 Château Léoville-Las-Cases with his Lebanese dad while he was at university. After jobs at the Antique Wine Company, Berry Brothers and Vinopolis, he moved to the Wine Society in 2000, where he's been ever since. Now Director of Wine, he’s in charge of a team of buyers who are responsible for one of best – and best value – ranges on the planet. A passionate Hispanophile and music lover, Pierre is a fascinating, insightful interviewee.
To read more about Pierre have a look at the Wine Society's website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @pierrethewinebuyer.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Dr Christina Makris is a philosopher, art lover and wine writer, three passions that she’s combined in her latest book, Art In Vineyards, pairing the palate and palette, as she puts it. Our wide-ranging chat covered everything from aesthetics to Damien Hirst, Pablo Picasso to fine dining, wine tasting to public galleries. “The thinking is in the drinking” is one of her mottos and Christina certainly made me reflect about the way we appreciate food, wine and art.
To read more about Christina have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @christinavmakris.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Dermot Sugrue could have made a living as a professional cyclist in Ireland, but a post-university harvest job in Bordeaux led to a career making wine in England instead. After successful spells at Nyetimber and Wiston, he’s been entirely focused on his own still and sparkling wine project, Sugrue South Downs, since 2022. He’s a great storyteller as well as a gifted, intuitive oenologist, a man who loves words as much as he does chalk and bubbles.
To read more about Dermot have a look at the Sugrue South Downs website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @ermosug.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Giles Cooke MW started his career at Majestic, before working for Scottish merchant Alliance Wine for 30 years. Since 2011, he’s also had his own distinctive brand in Australia, called Thistledown Wines, which is currently enjoying its most successful year ever. Giles has championed old-vine Grenache Down Under, especially from McLaren Vale, making elegant wines that are picked “on the way up” as he puts it, and he’s finally reaping the rewards.
To read more about Giles have a look at the Thistledown Wines website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @giles.cookemw.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Amanda Thomson was a successful TV journalist, interviewing the likes of Salman Rushdie and George Clooney, when she decided to give it all up and move to Paris to study wine. After making her name with the Skinny Champagne brand, she’s since developed a range of non-alcoholic wines under the Noughty label. I caught up with her to talk about spinning cones, bananas, Zebra striping, Steffi Graf and what makes a great entrepreneur.
To read more about Amanda have a look at the Noughty website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @noughtyamanda.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Andy Neather worked at Friends of the Earth in the late 1990s, and it turned him into an environmentalist. Now a freelance journalist, he’s just co-authored a very timely book about wine and sustainability with Jane Masters MW. His research took him all over the world, looking at the effects of climate change and the broader challenges facing the wine industry. There are no easy answers, he says, but Rooted In Change plots a way forward.
To read more about Andy have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @andrew_neather.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Beaujolais suffers from a lot of myths that “don’t stack up”, according to Natasha Hughes MW, whose new book about the region is the most comprehensive yet. We sat down to talk about Beaujolais Nouveau, the characters of the ten Crus, the influence of the so-called Gang of Four, Gamay’s underrated diversity, the rise of Crémant de Bourgogne, the difference between semi and full-on carbonic maceration and so much more.
To read more about Natasha have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @latashmw.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Simon Farr’s career in the wine business spans 50 years, a half century that’s seen him work in vineyards, retail, wholesaling and the fine wine as well as investing in a pioneering venture in South Africa. A serial entrepreneur who says he’s a “very quick learner, eventually”, he has strong and well-founded views about Bordeaux en primeur, shifting demographics and why the younger generation is less scared of wine.
To read more about Simon have a look at the Cru website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Regarded as one of the best winemakers in the world, with a particular love for Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux grapes, Chris Carpenter oversees seven different projects for Jackson Family Wines in the Napa Valley, Washington State and Australia’s McLaren Vale. Our in-depth conversation covered everything from mountain vineyards to tannin extraction, fog lines to climate change, The Beatles to Rohinton Mistry.
To read more about Chris have a look at the Cardinale Winery website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @fatcarp73.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Author of The Forgotten Sense, a fascinating book about smell, Jonas Olofsson is an olfactory scientist and a professor of psychology at the University of Stockholm. Our in-depth chat covered everything from retronasal olfaction to amoebas, scent marketing to human pheromones, anosmia to sour herring. Listening to Professor Olofsson will change the way you think about the most primal but least understood of our five senses.
To read more about Jonas have a look at the Unversity of Stockholm's website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Donovan Rall is one of South Africa’s gentle giants, a former second-row rugby player with the touch of a pianist. After spells overseas in New Zealand and the Rhône Valley, he came back to the Cape and started his own eponymous brand in 2008, finding immediate success. Best known for his single-site Chenin Blancs and Syrahs, he’s also a brilliant blender and a fan of lesser-known grapes such as Cinsault Blanc, Grenache Blanc and Cinsault.
To read more about Donovan have a look at the Justerini & Brooks website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @ralldonovan.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Jason Lett is a second-generation Oregon winegrower, who took over from his father David, one of the region’s pioneers in the 1960s. After a degree in plant ecology, he completed his studies at what he calls UCD – the University Close to Dad. The relationship wasn’t always easy, but Jason has pushed Eyrie Vineyards to new heights of quality since 2005, producing some of America’s finest cool climate reds and whites.
To read more about Jason have a look at the Eyrie Vineyards website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @eyrievineyards.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Adriana Ochoa is the sixth generation of her family to make wine in Navarra, but the first to have studied in Bordeaux and worked in Australia. Since she took over from her father, Javier, in 2004, she’s been responsible for moving Bodegas Ochoa towards organic farming, harnessing technical progress in the vineyard and winery to understand and improve on the past. She’s the perfect person to talk about one of Spain’s most exciting regions.
To read more about Adriana have a look at the Ochoa website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @adrianaochoa8a
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Does listening to music affect our impression of wine? Some professional tasters argue that only silence will do. Susan Lin is the ideal person to give us some answers, as she’s both a professional pianist and someone who wrote her Master of Wine Research paper on classical music and the sensory perception of Non-Vintage Champagne. Our chat provided a deep dive into the world of cross-modal correspondences – and so much else besides.
To read more about Susan have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @susanrlin.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Antonio Amorim runs the biggest natural cork company in the world. He took over the reins in 2001 at a time of existential crisis for the industry because of TCA - cork taint - and the rise of alternative closures, but has overseen important changes, not least the creation of a cutting-edge Research & Development department. He knows the cork industry as well as anyone and is very happy to share his knowledge of what he calls a "noble material”.
To read more about Antonio have a look at the Amorim website. You can also follow the company on Instagram at @amorimcork.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Cliff Roberson has had an eventful and very successful career in the wine trade, spanning 60 years and taking him to New York, Bordeaux, Chile and back to his native London, where he runs the city’s original urban winery. Stylish, outspoken, funny and never afraid to try new things, he insists that most of the good things in his life have happened by him by accident. Still very active as he approaches his 85th birthday, he’s the perfect podcast guest.
To read more about Cliff have a look at the Roberson website. You can also follow is urban winery on Instagram at @londoncru.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
João Portugal Ramos went to a German school in Lisbon, an education that has helped him bring a bit of organisation to his subsequent career. Among the key figures in the modern Portuguese wine revolution, he’s a champion of the Alentejo, Portugal’s largest region, and the Douro Valley, as well as native grapes such as Arinto and Touriga Nacional. Our conversation covered his remarkable, ground-breaking 40-year career in fascinating depth.
To read more about João have a look at his website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram at @joao_portugal_ramos.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Charlie Melton was on a road trip across Australia when he got a part-time job as a cellar hand in the Barossa Valley. More than 50 years later, he’s still there, having created his own winery in 1984 and turned it into one of Australia’s most iconic producers. A lover of Grenache, dry-farmed, historic vineyards and wines that “take you to a place”, he’s benefitted from hard work, talent and what he calls “serendipitous ignorance”.
To read more about Charlie have a look at the Charles Melton Wine's website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram at @charlesmeltonwines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Willy Pérez originally wanted to be a musician, but after surviving cancer in his late teens, he decided to follow his father, Luis, into the wine business. A passionate defender of traditional Sherries and vinos de pasto based on vineyard origin rather than maturation and fortification, he’s one of the key figures in Spanish wine, a profound thinker about climate change, as well as singing the praises of Palomino, the region’s most widely planted grape.
To read more about Willy have a look at the Bodegas Luis Pérez website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @willyperezv.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Marquis Sauvage got into wine when he was at college in Colorado, beginning with White Zinfandel of all things. After opening Denver’s first wine bar, he moved into distribution before creating his own winery, Burn Cottage in Central Otago in New Zealand. A lover of hearty food, heavy metal and fine Burgundy, Marquis is passionate about biodynamics, basketball and attention-grabbing labels. In short, he’s a hoot.
To read more about Marquis have a look at the Burn Cottage website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @burncottagevineyard.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Spyros Zoumboulis is a Greek winemaker with an international perspective, having worked in France, Argentina and Bulgaria as well as his native country. Following his motto of “maximum nature, minimum intervention”, he’s a specialist in biodynamics and natural wines. A fan of great rosés, old vines and Greece’s fund of indigenous grapes, he’s a man with passion, good taste and a belief that sustainability is all about replenishing.
To read more about Spyros have a look at the Zoumboulis & Associates website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @spyroszoumboulis.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Cherie Spriggs was born in Canada, but has made her name in England at Nyetimber as one of the world’s leading sparkling winemakers. A classically trained pianist, she says she likes to think of blending her wines in musical terms. Our fascinating conversation covered her love of running, her drive for perfection, the differences between grapes from West Sussex, Kent and Hampshire and why she feels sorry for Pinot Meunier.
To read more about Cherie have a look at the Nyetimer website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram at @nyetimber.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Sam Harrop MW is an Auckland-based consultant winemaker with a cosmopolitan outlook, a man who has been influenced by the time he’s spent in Spain, Japan and the United Kingdom. An advocate of what he calls “beautiful simplicity” in wine, Sam is as happy discussing Frank Lloyd Wright, Sake and the Zen aesthetic as he is talking about Brettanomyces, palate training and the potential for premium no-alcohol wines.
To read more about Sam have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @samharropwine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Paul Clüver’s family has owned De Rust Estate in Elgin since the 1890s, but it wasn’t until 1987 that his neurosurgeon father, also called Paul, planted the first vines there. Now regarded as one of the leading cool climate producers in South Africa, Paul Clüver Family Wines has grown and prospered under his stewardship, specialising in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. As smart as he is articulate, Paul is a fascinating interviewee.
To read more about Paul have a look at the Paul Clüver Family Wines website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @paulcluver.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Musician, Oscar winner and wine lover, Jorge Drexler was a successful doctor in Montevideo before he became a celebrated singer songwriter, or cancionista as he puts it. Our in-depth, hour-long chat covered some profound themes – identity, immigration, inspiration, Artificial Intelligence and the effects of the pandemic – as well as more personal stuff, such as his favourite wine regions, fellow musicians and his love of performing live.
To read more about Jorge have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @drexlerjorge.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Adrianna Catena is a distinguished historian specialising in the expansion of the Spanish empire in the 15th and 16thcenturies, as well as a partner in two wine projects: El Enemigo in Mendoza and El Reventón in Gredos. Our fascinating discussion covered lots of topics: empowering women in the vineyard, the origins of the conquistadors, Das Kapital and how she and Ale Vigil came up with an award-winning wine brand over a late-night kebab.
To read more about Adrianna have a look at the El Enemigo website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @adriannacatena.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Felipe Müller’s dad has never drunk alcohol, but that didn’t stop his son studying viticulture and oenology. After a formative spell working alongside Marcelo Retamal at De Martino, he moved to Viña Tabalí in the limestone-rich Limarí Valley in 2006, where he’s built areputation for making some of Chile’s best reds, whites and fizzes. Among the leading winemakers in South America, Felipe knows his country’s terroirs as well as anyone.
To read more about Felipe have a look at the Tabalí website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @felipemullereast.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Sam Caporn got into wine by accident at university when a friend of her twin sister suggested she run what amounted to a drinking club. Her subsequent career has included jobs in retail, wine buying and journalism. She passed her Master of Wine at the first attempt in 2005, winning the Bollinger award for the best taster. Author of The Wine Flavour Guide, Sam has informed views on everything from food pairings to persistent wine myths.
To read more about Sam have a look at her Mistress of Wine website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @themistressofwine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Marco Ventrella ran restaurants and nightclubs as a young man, but switched to a very successful career in wine in his late twenties. Now established at the KWV as one of the best viticulturists in South Africa, he claims, with considerable modesty that “with each vintage, I feel I know less rather than more”. He’s a fascinating guide to the different climates and terroirs of the Western Cape, as well as the best way to farm them.
To read more about Marco have a look at the wine.co.za website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @marco.ventrella.35
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Fernando Mora MW originally trained as a mechanical engineer, but decided he wanted to become a winemaker after visiting Rioja as a tourist. A passionate defender of old vines and local varieties, especially Garnacha, he’s become one of the key figures in the renaissance of the wine scene in his native Aragón. Entirely self-taught, he says that the most important ingredient of his success has been to have no fear of change.
To read more about Fernando have a look at the Bodegas Frontonio website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @fernandomoramw.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Bryan MacRobert grew up on a farm near Cape Town and always wanted to be a winemaker. Working for Eben Sadie in Priorat gave him the chance to travel to Spain, where he’s lived with his oenologist wife Clara Canals since 2012. One of the new generation of vineyard-focused Rioja producers, he has strong view about good farming, the wisdom of old ways, the potential of the region’s white wines and the way out of the current crisis.
To read more about Bryan have a look at the MacRobert & Canals website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @macrobertandcanals.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Kate McIntyre MW’s parents were pioneers in the cool climate of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, but her initial intention was to be a theatre director rather than join the family business. Now she’s an essential part of Moorooduc Estate, working alongside her dad, Richard. A passionate Europhile, experienced show judge, wine writer and educator, she’s the ideal person to chat to about Australian Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris.
To read more about Kate have a look at the Moorooduc website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @kateandpx.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Christopher Cannan has worked in the international wine business for more than 50 years, representing some of the greatest producers through his company Europvin as well as making his own wine, Clos Figueras, in the Catalan region of Priorat. Fluent in at least four different European languages, he’s a Bordeaux-based citizen of the world, who can look back over the last century with a sharp eye and palate and a wry sense of humour.
To read more about Christopher have a look at the Europvin website. You can also follow the company on Instagram at @europvin.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Master of Wine Alex Hunt is a published journalist and a prodigiously talented musician – his first love, he says – who has a very busy day job as purchasing director of Berkmann Wine Cellars in London. Impressively articulate and knowledgeable, he has informed views on everything from the difference between blind and sighted tastings to fine Burgundy prices, Beethoven piano sonatas to how Garnacha should be made “as God intended”.
To read more about Alex have a look at the Institute of Masters of Wine website. You can also follow him on X at @AlexHuntMW
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Charles Metcalfe is both a singer and a wine writer, someone who has combined the two jobs for more than 40 years. An expert on the wines of Spain and Portugal – where he now lives with his wife and fellow scribe Kathryn McWhirter – he’s a great raconteur. Our chat covered everything from daytime TV to food and wine matching, airline wines to the benefits of self-published books. And he closed the interview with a bit of fado.
To read more about Charles have a look at the Association of Wine Educators' website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @thewinesinger.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Craig Wessels started his own media company after dropping out of university, but he’d always wanted to be a farmer. After a three-day winemaking course in Stellenbosch, he decided to give it a go when he and his wife, Anne, bought a property in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley in 2004. Entirely self-taught, he’s since turned Restless River into one of the finest estates in South Africa, famous for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.
To read more about Craig have a look at the Restless River website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @restlessrivervineyards.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Vicky Torres didn’t produce wine until she was 35, but she’s certainly made up for it since. Her expressive, artisanal, wines – be they white, red, or sweet - are among the finest in the Canary Islands and increasingly sought after around the world. She’s the perfect person to interview about the island’s terroirs, climate and grape varieties, as well as what it’s like to live in the shadow of La Cumbre Vieja, one of Europe’s most active volcanoes.
To read more about Vicky have a look at the Spanish Wine Lover website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @torrespecis.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Martin Krajewski left school wanting to be a golf pro but got a job in the City that ended up making him a fortune instead. Focused full-time on the wine business since 2008, he now owns two properties in Bordeaux - Château Séraphine in Pomerol and Clos Cantenac in Saint Emilion – where he works alongside his winemaker daughter Charlotte. One of the men behind the modern rosé revolution, he’s a fascinating interviewee with lots of tales to tell.
To read more about Martin have a look at the Château Séraphine website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @chateauseraphine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Matt Wilkin’s parents were teetotal, but that didn’t put him off going into hospitality or developing a passionate interest in wine. After a couple of harvests in Australia, he carved out a career as one of the best sommeliers in the world, becoming a Master Sommelier and winning the UK title in the same year. Over the space of 40 minutes, we discussed everything from wine lists to storytellers, Burgundy to the art of food and wine matching.
To read more about Matt have a look at the Alliance Wine website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @matt_wilkin_ms.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Gerd Stepp was brought up on a grape and apple farm in the village of Bad Dürkheim. After working in wineries in Italy, Zimbabwe and South Africa, and a spell as a buyer for Marks & Spencer, he returned to his roots to set up his own wine business in the Rheinpfalz. Our fascinating chat covered his love of the African bush, Cabernet Franc, his talents as a long-distance runner and why Riesling might just be too geeky for its own good.
To read more about Gerd have a look here. You can also follow him on Instagram at @steppgerd.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Mary Bridges grew up on a farm in Inverness and worked in a Michelin starred restaurant before deciding she wanted to be a winemaker. After a vintage in France, she got a job at top English producer Gusbourne and has been there ever since. Our conversation covered vintage differences, the contrasting merits of grapes from Kent and Sussex, the future of English Pinot Noir and the freedom that comes from making wine by intuition, not numbers.
To read more about Mary have a look at the Gusbourne website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @maero_b.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Felicity Carter is a journalist who specialises in the business of wine. More recently, she’s become an acknowledged expert on health and alcohol policy, interviewing several of the key figures in the sector on her Drinks Insider podcast. I chatted to her from her home in Germany about the French paradox, the j-shaped curve, the World Health Organization, Prohibition, safe drinking levels, Big Tobacco and good and bad science.
To read more about Felicity have a look at the Drinks Insider website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @carter.felicity.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
John Duval is one the legends of the Australian wine industry. He’s known for his work as chief winemaker at Penfolds, where he was in charge of making Grange (among others things), and as the head of his eponymous family winery since 2003. I caught up with him from his beloved Barossa Valley to chat about Shiraz, old vines, his love of Priorat, Chile and the northern Rhône, what he learnt from Max Schubert and why Cat’s Pyjamas is a bad name for a wine.
To read more about John have a look at the John Duval Wines website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @johnduvalwines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Toti Undurraga’s family have been well known in the Chilean wine industry since the late 19th century, but he was always determined to forge his own path. After six years overseas, he returned to set up Koyle in Los Lingues. Today he works on both sides of the Andes – at Casas de Bucalemu in the Leyda Valley and Doña Paula in Mendoza. A passionate advocate of biodynamics, he’s one of South America’s most thoughtful and talented winemakers.
To read more about Toti have a look at the Koyle website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @totiundurraga.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Jen Parr started out working in the software industry after studying English and Spanish literature at university, but moved into the wine business after she did a harvest in Gaillac. Thirty three vintages later, and still entirely self-taught, she’s one of best winemakers in New Zealand, a woman with a passion for Pinot Noir, a great palate and bags of energy and ideas. As she puts it, she always choses what’s interesting over what’s safe.
To read more about Jen have a look at the Valli website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @jenlparrjp.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Elizabeth Gabay MW was born in New York, grew up in London and has lived in the French Alps for the last 20 years. Following a mixed early career in journalism, publishing and the theatre, she set up her own wine company after doing a tasting course at Christie’s. Almost by accident, she was asked to write a book about rosé, a style of wine she claimed to dislike, and has now become an evangelist as well as the world’s leading expert on pink wines.
To read more about Elizabeth have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @elizabethgabaymw.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Rod Smith began his working life as an illustrator but moved into wine after landing a part-time job at Oddbins. After a brief spell in the fine wine world in London, he upped sticks to the Côte d’Azur to supply the superyacht industry. Now running his own business, the Riviera Wine Academy, he was recently appointed chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine and has fascinating views about how the organisation should develop and evolve.
To read more about Rod have a look at the Riviera Wine Academy website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @rodwsmith68.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Brought up on a sugar cane farm in Kwa-Zulu Natal, where her parents were teetotallers, Praisy Dlamini got a bursary from the Department of Agriculture when she was 16 and went to study winemaking in the Cape. Her meteoric career has taken her from a spell at Distell to a job as the general manager of Adama Wines, where she runs an all-female team of black women and has developed Amandla, a brilliant and deservedly popular South African brand.
To read more about Praisy have a look at the Amandla website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @praisyd.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Roman Roth was brought up in the Black Forest, where his father was a cooper, but decided to become a winemaker in his teens. After vintages in California and Australia, he got a job at Wölffer Estate Vineyard on Long Island in 1992 and has been there ever since. Funny, creative and fond of singing to his wines, he’s a natural interviewee with a well-honed turn of phrase. Listen in to hear everything you want to know about New York wines.
To read more about Roman have a look at the Wölffer Estate Vineyard website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @roth.roman.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Tom Gilbey’s family have worked in the wine and spirits trade since the mid-19th century – they had a famous gin as well as owning a Bordeaux château – so it was natural that he would follow in their footsteps. In his time, he’s been a winemaker, a merchant and, more recently an educator, wine writer and Internet sensation thanks to a dip in an ice bath and the decision to run the London marathon, blind tasting 25 wines along the way.
To read more about Tom have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @tomgilbeywine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Dawn Davies is a Master of Wine who also specialises in spirits. Originally a top sommelier at restaurants like Zuma and The Ledbury, she moved into retailing at Selfridges and is now buying director at Speciality Drinks and the Whisky Exchange. An extrovert and confirmed “people person”, she has well-informed views about things as varied as wine service, restaurant lists, Mezcal, blind tasting technique and Champagne. She’s one of a kind.
To read more about Dawn have a look at the Masters of Wine website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @dawndaviesmw.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Growing up in Las Palmas, Carmelo Peña Santana’s dream was to have his own restaurant. But after working as a sommelier for a year, he became a winemaker instead, travelling to Portugal and Chile before returning to the Canary Islands to set up three of his own projects on Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. Our in-depth discussion provides a fascinating insight into one of the most talked about corners of the Spanish wine world.
To read more about Carmelo have a look at the inspiring Jable de Tao website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @carmelopenasantana.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Leo Erazo has made wines on five different continents, but these days he’s exclusively associated with the Itata Valley, Chile’s most historic wine region. I caught up with him from his bodega beside the Pacific to talk about his love of Cinsault, what it’s like working in what he calls the last pocket of the Old World in the southern hemisphere, wild fires, Pipeño style reds, the difference between granite and schist and why old vines can be overrated.
Leo is way too cool to have a website. But you can also follow him on Instagram at @leoerazo_vinedos.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Gus Zhu started out studying horticulture at university but caught the wine bug when he attended a tasting class given by one of his professors. Since then, his rise has been meteoric. He was the first Chinese national to pass the Master of Wine exam at the age of 31. Today he combines his day job as a research scientist in California with a second career as an educator and author, most notably of his brilliant new book, Behind the Glass.
To read more about Gus have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @guszhu.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Noel Young’s dad ran a pub, so you could say he was born into the booze trade. He brewed his first beer at the age of 15 and set up his own very successful wine business, Noel Young Wines, in his early twenties. A man who has always believed in doing things his own way, championing countries whose wines he loves, like Australia, Austria, Greece and Spain, irrespective of fashion or status, he’s as entertaining as he is outspoken.
To read more about Noel have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @nywines_on_tour.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Kelli White’s love of wine was sparked by a trip to Paris as an undergraduate and a student job in a Boston retail store. After working as a sommelier in New York and the Napa Valley, she became a full-time writer and educator in 2015. Her brilliant latest book, Wine Confident, draws on 25 years of experience to talk in a refreshing new way about the fundamentals of wine. Kelli is as warm and entertaining in person as she is on the page.
To read more about Kelli have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @kelliwhitewine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Chris Blandy of the Madeira Wine Company is the seventh generation of his family to live and work in the wine trade on this volcanic island. A native with a passion for history and science, he understands the complexities of Madeira – the place and the drink - as well as anyone. Our in-depth chat covered grape varieties, soil types, fortified and unfortified styles, Madeira’s legendary ageing ability and why it should always be stored standing up.
To read more about Chris have a look at the Madeira Wine Company's website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @chrisblandy.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Callie Louw wanted to be a doctor when he was young, but the wine world should be grateful he ended up studying oenology instead. More of a farmer than a winemaker – what the French would call a vigneron – he’s been involved with Porseleinberg in the Swartland since 2009, planting and overseeing the running of one of the Cape’s unofficial Grand Cru sites as well as making a remarkable, low-intervention Syrah with its grapes.
To read more about Callie have a look at the Porseleinberg website. He doesn't use Instagram or X. Try sending a pigeon.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Konstantin Baum is a German Master of Wine with a well-honed sense of humour, increasingly famous for his You Tube videos that bring a bit of fun as well as knowledge to the subject. An entrepreneur, journalist, educator and taster, he’s a fascinating interviewee with interesting views on everything from influencers to the 100-point system, the value of social media to why Riesling remains such an undervalued grape.
To read more about Konstantin have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @konstantinbaum_mw.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Rafael Palacios was more interested in motorbikes than wine until his early twenties, despite growing up above a bodega in Rioja. He’s certainly made up for the late start, going on to become one of Spain’s most celebrated winemakers. Our in-depth chat covered his love of Godello, his time in France and Australia, the different terroirs of Valdeorras and his role in developing the growing prestige of the country’s top whites.
To read more about Rafa have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @rafaelplacios_viticultor.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Elizabeth Berger is a Tuscany-based wine and olive oil expert, who is able to draw fascinating parallels between the two worlds. Where wine has grape varieties, olive oil has cultivars, more than 700 of them planted around the world. Our in-depth chat covered the Mediterranean diet, the different quality levels of oil – what makes something extra virgin? – seasonality, strippaggio, fraud and the health benefits of polyphenols.
To read more about Elizabeth have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @freshfromfrantoi.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
David Baverstock grew up in South Australia, but emigrated to Portugal for love and wine. He started out in the Douro Valley, before moving to the more southerly Alentejo, where he now works for the Winestone Group. Our insightful chat covered his time in Beaujolais with Marcel Lapierre, Portugal’s 250 indigenous grape varieties, how the country’s wine scene has changed since he arrived in 1982 and what it’s like playing tennis with Sir Cliff Richard.
To read more about David have a look at the Winestone Group website. You can also follow the Group on Instagram at @winestone.group.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Martín Kaiser excels as both a viticulturist and a winemaker. Born and brought up in Mendoza, where he still works and lives, he has transformed the reds and whites of Doña Paula since he arrived in 2006, taking them back to their roots. Our fascinating chat covered everything from vegetarianism to climbing mountains, calcium carbonate to the joys of working with Malbec and the differences between the Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo.
To read more about Martín have a look at the Doña Paula website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @mkaiser75.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Queena Wong got interested in wine when she moved from Australia to London to work in finance in her mid-twenties. A passionate collector, she also has a well-honed talent for connecting people, acting as a Fairy Wine Godmother. Through her company Curious Vines, she has campaigned for greater diversity, inclusion and equality within the wine industry, publishing the first ever, highly influential Women in Wine Survey last year.
To read more about Quenna have a look at the Curious Vines website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @queenadwong.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Giorgi Dakisivhili is one of Georgia’s most accomplished winemakers, a man who’s equally comfortable employing historic and modern techniques. One of a family of oenologists, he studied in the Ukraine and California before returning to his native Kakheti region, where he set up Dakishvili Family Vineyards. Our wide-ranging conversation covered everything from Saperavi to amber wines, Georgia’s 525 grapes to the country’s 8,000 year old wine culture.
To read more about Giorgi have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @giorgidakishvili.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Pieter Walser is one of the wine industry’s great mavericks. Surfer, artist and creator, he’s the man behind some of the Cape’s most distinctive labels, famous for brands such as Family Murder, Little William and Moment of Silence. I caught up with him from his home near the ocean to chat about surfing, epilepsy, old vines, white gloves, adventurous hearts and living on the edge. It’s a fascinating conversation with the so-called Hunter S Thompson of winemaking.
To read more about Pieter have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @blankbottlewinery.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Author of Inside Bordeaux, Jane Anson started out as a journalist in Hong Kong but fell in love with wine on a trip to South Africa. She moved to France full time in 2003 and has since become one of the world’s most admired and influential wine critics. Our in-depth chat covered everything from tasting technique to wine websites, the future of En Primeur to tasting a bottle of Château Pétrus that had been aged in space.
To read more about Jane have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @jane.anson.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
David Way specialises in the wines of Piemonte, although he writes about the whole world for his day job at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. A theologian and historian by training, he brings academic rigour to the study of this fascinating and still comparatively little-known corner of north-west Italy. Our fascinating chat covered soils, climate, the region’s 60 DOs and DOCGs and 80 grape varieties and his enduring love of Nebbiolo.
To read more about David have a look at his website. You can also follow him on X at @davidonpiemonte.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Debra Meiburg grew up in California, but moved to Hong Kong to work as an accountant in 1988. She quickly discovered that wine, not spreadsheets, was her real passion in life and switched careers. Writer, taster, educator, consultant and TV performer, she’s one of Asia’s most talented and engaging communicators. Playfully disruptive, as someone once described her, Debra is as fun to interview for a podcast as she is in person.
To read more about Debra have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @debrameiburgmw.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Vicente Cebrián was born in Madrid, but says his blood is almost all Galician. Put in charge of two family bodegas – Pazo de Barrantes in Rías Baixas and Marqués de Murrieta – in 1996, at the age of just twenty-six – he’s even surpassed the legacy of his larger than life father. Our revealing chat covered his aristocratic titles, Atletico Madrid, Albariño, oak barrels, stone masonry, working for the long-term and the best way to update a classic winery.
To read more about Vicente have a look at the Marqués de Murrieta website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram at @marquesdemurrieta.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Brought up in a trilingual household in New York, Nicole Rolet worked in banking and international relations before she set up Chêne Bleu in the southern Rhône Valley with her husband, Xavier. Our wide-ranging chat covered everything from lay lines to the pursuit of legacy, Grenache’s underdog status to the future of fine wine. Listen to Nicole tell us why she doesn’t do woo woo and why she’s always marched to the beat of her own drum.
To read more about Nicole have a look at the Chêne Bleu website. You can also follow the domaine on Instagram at @chenebleuwine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Born in Dundee, close to what the calls “the Côte d’Or of raspberries”, Norrel Robertson got interested in wine through a part-time job at Oddbins. After passing the Master of Wine and studying viticulture and oenology in New Zealand, he visited Calatayud in Aragón in 2003 and has never left. A self-confessed Garnacha nut, the Escocés Volante, or Flying Scotsman, has gone on to become one of Spain’s most dynamic winemakers. (Sorry for the slightly scratchy recording!)
To read more about Norrel have a look at the Escocés Volante website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @escocesvolante.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
After stints working at Sainsbury’s and in a Guildford nightclub, Daniel Lambert set up his own wine business in 1992 and has turned it into an award-winning success story, specialising in French wines. I caught up with him from his new home in Montpellier to discuss his outspoken criticism of the UK’s proposed new alcohol duty scheme, the role that Sauternes played in his early career, what he’s learnt from being dyslexic, going viral on Twitter and which regions offer the best value for money.
To read more about Daniel have a look at the Daniel Lambert Wines website. You can also follow him on X at @DanielLambert29.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Anne Kriebehl MW arrived in London to study English literature at university with two suitcases and a rucksack. After publishing her first piece about the 50th anniversary of the end of rationing in the Financial Times, she slowly moved into wine writing and has never looked back. Hers is an inspiring tale of perseverance and talent, leading to the Master of Wine qualification and recognition as an expert on Pinot Noir and German wines.
To read more about Anne have a look at the Institute of Masters of Wine website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @anneinvino.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Giuseppe Vaira is a second generation winemaker who thought of becoming a doctor but chose to join the business created by his pioneering father Aldo instead. Our fascinating chat covered what he calls the "tiramisu" of Barolo's soils, the best way to handle Nebbiolo in the vineyard and winery, his love of "ugly duckling" grapes like Dolcetto and why organic farming enables the Vairas to get the best out of their terroirs.
To read more about Giuseppe have a look at the GD Vajra website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @giuseppe_gdvajra.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Auctioneer, author and film producer, Andrew Caillard MW has just published The Australian Ark, his magisterial, three-volume history of Australian Wine. I caught up with him from Adelaide to talk about the peaks and troughs of the last 236 years, the iconic bottles that make up his Canon of Australian wine, old vines, the individuals who have had the greatest impact on wine Down Under and his cautious optimism about the future.
To read more about Andrew and The Australian Ark have a look at the book's website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Born and brought up in New York, where she made wine with her father in the basement of their house as a kid, Natalie Oliveros had a very successful career in the Adult Entertainment Industry as Savanna Samson before buying a majority stake in La Fiorita in Brunello di Montalcino in 2014. Our fascinating chat covered society’s attitude to sex, her love of Sangiovese, celebrity wines, organic viticulture and how climate change is affecting Tuscany.
To read more about Natalie have a look at the La Fiorita website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @natalie_lafiorita.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Jancis Robinson is the world’s leading wine writer, acknowledged as such by consumers, the wine industry and her peers. She has a weekly column in the Financial Times, her own website, jancisrobinson.com, and has authored a series of landmark books about her chosen subject. I caught up with her from her home in London to talk about food, tasting, writing, communicating, her favourite wines and what it was like meeting the Queen.
To read more about Jancis have a look at the her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @jancisrobinson.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
The Prüms are one of the oldest wine families in Germany’s picturesque Middle Mosel region. The family business, J.J. Prüm, is now run by Katharina Prüm, who is as charming and amusing as she is intelligent. Listen to us chat about tradition, Fortnum & Mason and Oklahoma, the differences between the estate’s two great vineyards, Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Graacher Himmelreich, and the eternal beauty of Riesling.
To read more about Katharina have a look at the J. J. Prüm website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram at @jjpruem.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Part of an extensive, wine-focused family known in Bordeaux as “les Lurtons du vin”, François Lurton runs a successful global business that has estates in southern France, Spain, Chile and Argentina, places where he finds it “easier to breathe”. Our fascinating chat covered everything from cherry trees to different Malbec clones, flying winemaking to the Dakar rally, natural wines to the differences between Chile and Argentina.
To read more about François have a look at the Domaines François Lurton website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram at @francoislurton.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Born into a famous winemaking family in Tuscany, Piero Incisa della Rocchetta had a brief spell as a banker in Geneva, before he dedicated himself to his first love, Pinot Noir. At Bodega Chacra in Patagonia, he’s made some of the finest examples of the variety in South America, as well as a pair of brilliant Chardonnays with the Burgundian guru Jean-Marc Roulot, using biodynamic, low-intervention methods to get the best out of a great terroir.
To read more about Piero have a look at the Bodega Chacra website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram at @bodegachacra.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Poet, novelist, academic and tenth generation winery owner, Piero Mastroberardino is a modern-day Renaissance man. Passionate about the wines of his native Campania, he’s a fascinating source of information about the best local varieties, the terroir of one of the coolest grape growing regions in Italy, the ancient vineyards of Pompeii and the legacy of his father, Antonio, the so-called “grape archaeologist”.
To read more about Piero have a look at the Mastroberardino website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @pieromastroberardino.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Tony Laithwaite fell in love with wine in the Côtes de Castillon, where he’d gone to work as a holiday intern before university. Spotting a gap in the market, he founded a company called Bordeaux Direct, which has gone on to become one of the most successful mail order businesses in the world. Our intriguing chat covered his love of the under-dog, flying winemakers, fateful meetings and what keeps Laithwaite’s Wine ahead of the competition.
To read more about Tony have a look at the Laithwaite's Wine website. His autobiography, Direct, is also a fantastic read.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
The locals laughed when Dominik Huber made his first wines at Terroir al Límit in Priorat, but he’s proved them all wrong. Born in Germany, it was his dream to live close to the Mediterranean and he’s done it, producing some of Spain’s finest reds. I caught up with him on a welcome day of rain in Catalunya to talk about Garnacha and Cariñena, slate and clay, what he learnt from South African Eben Sadie and the exciting future of Spanish fine wines.
To read more about Dominik have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @terroirallimit.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Sara Danese is a financial consultant and investment analysis, who uses her experience and expertise to write about the fine wine world in her spare time. Her newsletter, In The Mood for Wine, is a brilliant overview of the sector. Our fascinating chat covered Bordeaux En Primeur, the extravagant, unregulated claims made by some wine investment platforms, passion assets, the Liv-Ex 100 Index and why the first rule of investment is diversification.
To read more about Sara have a look at her newsletter. You can also follow her on Instagram at @inthemoodforwinemagazine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Robert Joseph was one of the key figures in what he likes to call the “summer of love” for wine in the late 1980s, setting up Wine Magazine and the International Wine Challenge. He now divides his time between writing, consultancy and making his own wines in the Languedoc and Georgia. Our amusing and insightful chat covered everything from influencers to wine brands, AI to his upbringing in a family hotel.
To read more about Robert have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Twitter (X) at @robertjoseph.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Niki Segnit is an expert on flavour, having written two best-selling books about the subject. I caught up with her before she jumped on a plane to Andalusia to talk about her eureka moment tasting a bottle of claret from Waitrose, unexpectedly delicious food pairings, Mike Leigh and liver in lager, how we inspire kids to eat better, her mistrust of recipe books and why she’s on a mission to give home cooks the courage to strike out on their own.
To read more about Niki have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @nikisegnit.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
When Anthony Hamilton Russell gave up a job as a management consultant to return to the family wine farm in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, his London salary was more than the turnover of the business his pioneering father Tim had established in 1981. Our fascinating chat about the last 40 years of South Africa’s leading cool climate region covered everything from Nelson Mandela to leaf roll virus, Pinotage to sustainability in all its forms.
To read more about Anthony have a look at the Hamilton Russell Vineyards' website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram at @anthony_hamilton_russell.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
A passionate Andalusian and Professor of Law at Granada University, Jesús Barquín is also one of the key figures in the modern Sherry revolution. Equipo Navazos, the company he co-founded with his friend the winemaker Eduardo Ojeda, has pioneered single cask as well as unfortified wines from the region. Our fascinating chat covered the nomenclature of Sherry, famous vineyard sites, Edgar Allan Poe and why Amontillado is his favourite wine.
To read more about Jesús have a look at the Equipo Navazos website. You can also follow the business on Instagram at @equiponavazos.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Adrian Bridge had two careers – in the military and banking – before he joined the wine business in 1994. Now CEO of the Fladgate Partnership, he’s one of the most articulate, dynamic and articulate people in the Port trade. Our fascinating chat covered climate change, the importance of good spirit for fortification, his love of mountaineering and different drinking vessels and why foot-treading in lagars gives his Ports a vital extra 1% in quality.
To read more about Adrian have a look at the Taylor's website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram at @taylorsportwine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Author of Vineyards, Rocks & Soils, Professor Alex Maltman is an acknowledged expert on wine geology. I caught up with him from his home in Aberystwyth to talk about his life’s work. Our in-depth chat covered earthquakes, Welsh Seyval Blanc, different types of rocks, his definition of the French word terroir, the unseen factors that affect vinous aromas and flavours and why geology is so often misunderstood by people in the wine business.
To read more about Alex, have a look at the University of Aberystwyth's website. You can also read some of his articles in the World of Fine Wine.
Brian Moore, known as pit bull during his time playing rugby for England and the British and Irish Lions, was always a sportsman with a hinterland. Our fascinating chat covers his other careers as a solicitor, wine columnist, TV commentator, manicurist and now trainee psychotherapist, as well as plenty of other things besides, including food, politics, scaffolding, his secret respect for the French and why he can’t stand “Swing low, sweet chariot”.
To read more about Brian, do buy a copy of his autobiography, Beware of the Dog. You can also follow him on X (ex Twitter) @brianmoore666.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Fernando Maíllo works in fine pata negra ham as well as wine – lucky man – and has been one of the key figures behind the emergence of the Sierra de Salamanca region in Castilla y León. Listen to us chat about the unique qualities of Rufete, both red and white, how he rescued 131 abandoned vineyards, his love of kite surfing and red Burgundy and his desire to express the terroir of the natural park that surrounds his winery in every single bottle.
To read more about Fernando have a look at the Cámbrico website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram at cambricowine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
After a 30 year career in banking, Grant Ashton turned his passion for wine into a business, setting up the wine-focused members’ club, 67 Pall Mall, in London. He’s now CEO of a chain of three sites that’s set to expand to six or more over the next few years. Our fascinating chat covered his musical family, how he finds and trains sommeliers, the debt he owes to Coravin, his approach to surviving the pandemic and why his motto is “go big or go home”.
To read more about Grant have a look at the 67 Pall Mall website. You can also follow the club on Instagram at 67pall_mall.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Sean Willard engineers menus and wine lists for a living. It’s a fascinating job that involves economics, science, art, psychology – and plenty of number crunching. Our enjoyable chat covered everything from font sizes to daily specials, how the pandemic changed the on-trade for ever, techniques for steering customers away from default choices, the concept of truth on menus and what annoys him most about eating out in restaurants.
To read more about Sean have a look at the Menu Engineers website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Alessio Planeta is the seventeenth generation of his family to make wine in Sicily. As you’d expect, he’s a man with a passionate interest in the history of the Mediterranean’s largest island. Listen to us talk about Sicily’s different sub-regions, the remarkable quality of its best indigenous grapes, its twenty different civilisations, Lord Horatio Nelson’s love of Marsala and what it’s like making wine on the side of an active volcano.
To read more about Alessio have a look at the Planeta website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @planetawinery.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Pascal Chatonnet has not one, but two wine-related PhDs. After a 17-year stint as an academic at Bordeaux University, he switched careers to become a consultant and take over the running of his family’s Right Bank estates. Our fascinating chat covered his views on Brettanomyces, cork taint, ripeness and picking dates, his favourite grape varieties – Merlot, Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional – and his enduring love of antiques.
To read more about Pascal have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @pascalchatonnet.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Hendrik Thoma trained as a chef, but fell in love with wine when he was working at a restaurant in the Napa Valley. It was a decision which led to a very successful career as one of the world’s top sommeliers. Now a journalist, wine importer and videoblogger, he’s a fascinating interviewee. Our chat covered great wine lists, pumpernickel, the craft of good service, meeting Robert Mondavi and what it’s like to write for Playboy magazine.
To read more about Hendrik have a look at the Wein am Limit website. You can also follow him on Instagram @wein.am.limit.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Ginny Poval had a successful career as an insurance industry executive before she bought a flower farm called Protea Heights in South Africa that changed her life. Now the owner of a five-hectare vineyard and an award-winning wine brand called Botanica, she’s done things the hard way. Listen to us chat about kite surfing, old-vine Chenin Blanc, vegan compost, the terroir of the Devon Valley and why painting and drawing help her to relax.
To read more about Ginny have a look at the Botanica website. You can also follow her on Instagram @botanicawines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
A chance meeting with the great Steven Spurrier in Paris convinced Rosamund Barton that she wanted to work in wine. After spells as a buyer and a newspaper columnist in South Africa, she decided that PR was her future. And what a success she’s made of it, working alongside Rupert Ponsonby at R&R Teamwork. Our fascinating chat covered everything from paddle tennis to disastrous press trips, snail racing to badly behaved journalists.
To read more about Rosamund have a look at the R&R Teamwork website. You can also follow the company on Instagram @randrdrinkers.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Larry Cherubino can’t seem to stop winning awards at the moment. He’s flying all over the world to collect them, so I was lucky to track him down for an in-depth conversation in Perth. Our fascinating chat covered his upbringing on a dairy farm, his Italian roots, an overview of Western Australia’s main wine regions, his fascination with clones, his fear of sharks and why someone pulled a knife on him in a southern French co-operative.
To read more about Larry have a look at his website. You can also follow his winery on Instagram @cherubinowines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Interviewing Christoph Hammel is a lot of fun. Sometimes described as a cellar cabaret artist, he brings a theatrical flourish to everything he does. Our fascinating chat covered the climate and soil types of his native Pfalz, his long term relationship with South Africa, his love of Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, his plans to revive the fortunes of Liebfraumilch and an insight into the wines they served in First Class on the Titanic.
To read more about Christoph have a look at his website. You can also follow his winery on Instagram @weinguthammelundcie.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Essi Avellan is a journalist and Master of Wine who probably knows more about sparkling wines than anyone else on the planet. I caught up with her from her base in Helsinki to talk about single vineyard Champagnes, autolysis, cork age, tasting bubbles, the best fizz regions outside France, her preference for fresher over oxidative styles, the impact of climate change and the future of grape growing in Finland.
To read more about Essi have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @essiavellan.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Originally trained as an engineer, Greg Lambrecht is an innovator, inventor and entrepreneur who works in the medical as well as wine sectors. Listen to us chat about needles, noble gases, super glue, karmic debt, how he came up with the idea for the Coravin wine preservation system, the dos and don’ts of using one, his love of running and how at least one First Growth Bordeaux château showed him the door.
To read more about Greg have a look at the Coravin website. You can also follow the company on Instagram @coravin.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Yves Cuilleron took over his family’s estate in Condrieu and Saint Joseph in his early twenties. In the space in of just three decades, has turned it into one of the France’s star names. Our fascinating conversation covered his love of Viognier, the difference between the two banks of the Rhône river, clones of Syrah, including Serine, his Californian joint-venture and his ongoing experiments with historic grapes such as Durif and Dureza.
To read more about Yves have a look at his website. You can also follow the domaine on Instagram @caveyvescuilleron.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Since he arrived in the country in 1991, Philip Cox has transformed the image of Romanian wine. Having first tried his hand at selling beer, he bought a run-down winery and 600 hectares of vineyards and hasn’t looked back. Today, his company – Cramele Recas – sells more than 30 million litres, using international as well as local grapes. He’s an outspoken innovator and entrepreneur, who has always believed in listening to consumers first.
To read more about Philip have a look at the Cramele Recas website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @cramelerecaseu.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Barbara Banke of Jackson Family Estates has been described as the most significant woman in the world of wine. Originally a Supreme Court lawyer, she switched her attention full-time to the wine business in 2011, when her husband, Jess Jackson, passed away. Our fascinating discussion covered land prices, climate change, horse breeding, what she terms “creative anarchy”, and the genesis of Kendall Jackson’s Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay.
To read more about Barbara have a look at the Jackson Family Wines website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @jacksonfamilywines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, László Mészáros took an Interrail holiday around western Europe and fell in love with wine. After further studies in France, he returned to the Tokaj region in his native Hungary in 1995 and has been at Disznókö ever since. Our chat covered the fascinating history of this famous area, as well as its soil types, grape varieties, vineyard classification and the secrets of its amazing botrytis-affected wines, known locally as aszú.
To read more about László have a look at the Disznókö website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @disznokotokaj.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Bruwer Raats decided on a policy of “excellence through specialisation” when he set up his own project, Raats Family Wines, in 2000, focusing on what were two unfashionable grapes at the time: Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Our discussion covers the unique, granite-based terroir of the Polkadraai Hills, what he learnt from long lunches in Tuscany, how he created the iconic MR de Compostella and his honorary status as a “semi-petrol head”.
To read more about Bruwer have a look at the Raats Family Wines' website. You can also follow him and on Instagram @bruwer_raats.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
One dubbed "Miss Oblivious" because of her single-minded focus, Zelma Long has had a remarkable 50-year career as a winemaker on three continents. Our chat covered her early years as a dietician, the pioneering work that she did alongside the legendary Robert Mondavi in the 1970s, her successful decision to invest in South Africa with her husband viticulturist Phil Freese, her interest in Native American art and why wine is an opportunity to do other things.
To read more about Zelma have a look at the Vilafonté website.
Natalie Christensen of Yealands originally wanted to compose film scores or be a music therapist, but after what she calls a “quarter life crisis” in HR, she got a harvest job in a winery and it changed her life. Listen to us chat about her time in Galicia making Albariño, her love of Sauvignon Blanc, the lay of the land in Marlborough, the appeal of colourful clothing and why machine harvesting gets an unfairly bad press.
To read more about Natalie have a look at the Yealands website. You can also follow her and her colourful wardrobe on Instagram @natchristensenwine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Wojciech Bońkowski is Poland’s first Master of Wine and something of a polymath who speaks five languages and has a PhD in musicology. I caught up with him to about his country’s dynamic wine industry, his weakness for strange and unknow regions, his predilection for white wines over reds, why smart practice is the way to improve as a taster and the similarities between tea and wine.
To read more about Wojciech have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @bonkowskimw.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Jon Bonné started out as news journalist, writing about politics and the airline industry before falling in love with wine, where he made his name covering the California wine industry for the San Francisco Chronicle. I caught up with Jon to talk about his remarkable new book, The New French Wine, discussing terroir, appellations and what he calls the “simmering revolution” that’s changing the world’s greatest wine culture.
To read more about Jon have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @jbonne.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Steve Webber may have earned his winemaking stripes at Leo Buring and Lindemans, but he’s best known for what he’s achieved with De Bortoli in the Yarra Valley over the last 34 years. A passionate Francophile as well as a proud Australian, he’s long championed elegance and finesse in wine – something especially evident in his Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Wine, he says, should be a source of joy as well as a job.
To read more about Steve have a look at the De Bortoli website. You can also follow the estate on Instagram @debortoliyarravalley.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Born and brought up in Bordeaux’s Entre Deux Mers regions, Maxence Dulou got the travel bug after university, working in Chile and South Africa. But neither compared with the challenges of his current job at Ao Yun in the remote, high altitude Chinese province of Yunan. Listen to us chat about how luxury goods’ firm ended up in such a special place, who planted the first vines and why and the country’s potential to produce fine wines.
To read more about Maxence have a look at the Ao Yun website. You can also follow the estate on Instagram @aoyun_official.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Antonio Capaldo worked in finance and management consultancy – what he calls “the dark side” – before returning to take over the family wine estate, Feudi di San Gregorio, in Campania. Listen to us chat about the three local DOCGs, based on the historic Fiano, Greco and Aglianico grapes, the region’s volcanic soils, the influence of the Greeks, Romans and Catholic church and why time is his hidden shareholder.
To read more about Antonio have a look at the Feudi di San Gregorio website. You can also follow the estate on Instagram @feudi_di_san_gregorio.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Falling in love with the writing of Jorge Luis Bórges and Gabriel Gárcia Márquez inspired Amanda Barnes to move to Argentina in her early twenties, where she’s lived ever since. An inveterate traveller as well as a trained journalist, she’s spent the last 14 years studying and writing about the Latin America’s food and wines. Her first book, The South American Wine Guide, is a superbly written and illustrated overview of this fascinating continent.
To read more about Amanda have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @amanda_wine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Charlie Foley got interested in wine when he was studying classics at university. After spells in South Africa and Argentina, he landed a job at Christie’s where he’s gone on to become a brilliant and flamboyant auctioneer with a worldwide reputation. Our fascinating chat covers everything from the evolving fine wine scene to how to work a room, Charlie’s love of fashion and creativity to his TV appearances on Channel 4’s The Great Auction.
To read more about Charlie have a look at the Christie's website. You can also follow him on Instagram @c.t.foley.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Gavin Quinney started his working life as a porter at an auction house before moving into the computer industry in the mid 1980s. A visit to Bordeaux in 1999 persuaded him to buy a struggling château in the Entre-Deux-Mers. Listen to us discuss how he’s turned the place around since then, with a little help from celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay and Rick Stein, his views on the future of petits châteaux and why he’s so annoyed by UK excise duty rates.
To read more about Gavin have a look at the Château Bauduc website. You can also follow him on Instagram @gavinquinney.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
After a degree in economics, Gordon Newton Johnson decided he didn’t want to go to work in a suit and tie. Instead he joined a new wine business that his father, Dave, had set up in the cool climate Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. Over the last 25 years, he’s helped to turn Newton Johnson Family Vineyards into a South African first growth, making some of the country’s best Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, while remaining one of the wine industry’s true gentlemen.
To read more about Gordon have a look at the Newton Johnson Family Vineyards website. You can also follow him on Instagram @gordonnjohnson
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
By his own admission, Duncan Forsyth spent a lot of his twenties travelling, skiing and partying. A chance attendance at a wine tasting back in Queenstown inspired him to get a job at Chard Farm. It was the start of career that has seen him become one of the key figures in New Zealand’s Central Otago region, especially since he and a partner bought Mount Edward in 2004. He’s an opinionated, funny and unconventional interviewee.
To read more about Duncan have a look at the Mount Edward website. You can also follow him on Instagram @wineswinger.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Jason Haas studied archaeology at university and worked in the tech industry for four years before joining the family winery, Tablas Creek, in Paso Robles in 2002. Since then, he’s helped to turn it into one of the leading Rhône style specialists in California. Listen to us chat about alpacas and sheep, organics, biodynamics and regenerative agriculture, the hidden wonders of Vaccarèse, his passion for blogging and why continuity matters.
To read more about Jason have a look at the Tablas Creek website. You can also follow the company on Instagram @tablascreek.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Born in Toronto, David Gleave started out working in bars in London and Dublin and fell into wine by chance. He’s since gone on to become one of the world’s leading experts on Italian wine as well as the founder and now chairman of Liberty Wines. Listen to us chat about the Master of Wine qualification, what makes the perfect restaurant wine list, his passion for cycling and why travel is essential to his job as a wine merchant.
To read more about David have a look at the Liberty Wines website. You can also follow the company on Instagram @liberty_wines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Giovanni Manetti’s family has lived in Tuscany since the 1650s, but they were in the business of producing terracotta tiles, not wine, until his father bought the run down Fontodi estate in 1968. Since he took over in 1979, Giovanni has helped to transform this spot in the Conca d’Oro into one of the leading wineries in Chianti Classico, using organic, biodynamic and regenerative practices, and focusing on Sangiovese from a very special place.
To read more about Giovanni have a look at the Fontodi website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @az.agr.fontodi.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Álvaro Espinoza’s dad was a winemaker, but it wasn’t automatic that his son would follow the same career path. As it happens, he nearly became a marine biologist. But despite that, Álvaro has had a huge impact on his country’s wine scene, producing Chile’s first Carmenère and being the person who brought biodynamic viticulture to South America. Now running his own project, Antiyal, in the Maipo Andes, he’s a fascinating interviewee.
To read more about Álvaro have a look at the Antiyal website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram @antiyalwines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Pablo Álvarez was still in his twenties when he was given the responsibility of running Vega Sicilia, one of Spain’s greatest wineries. Over the last 40 years, he’s taken it to even greater heights. Listen to us chat about how you go about improving an icon, the secret of Vega’s extraordinary ageing potential, why Pablo decided to invest in other regions outside Ribera del Duero and the challenges of running a family business.
To read more about Pablo have a look at the Tempos Vega Sicilia website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram @temposvegasicilia.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Prue Henschke might have ended up working with baboons. But luckily, she met her future husband Stephen Henschke and chose vines, following him to Germany to attend the Geisenheim Institute. Listen to us chat about regenerative agriculture and massal selections, what it’s like being the custodian of the 160-year-old Hill of Grace vineyard and her dream of owning a vineyard in Bandol.
To read more about Prue have a look at the Henschke website. You can also follow her on Instagram @pruehenschke.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Born in Calcutta, Raj Paar didn’t drink wine until he was 20. He made up for it in no time, rapidly become one of the best sommeliers in the United States and developing a legendary palate. In 2009, he began to make wine in a serious way and now farms 4.5 hectares in Cambria near San Luis Obispo. Listen to us chat about balance in wine, his love of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and why he never stops asking questions.
To read more about Raj have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @rajatparr.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Born in Brittany and brought up in the Loire, Franck Massard made his name as an award-winning sommelier in the UK before moving to Spain in 2004. Acquiring a small vineyard in Priorat changed his life, inspiring him to become a winemaker. Our chat covered his love of Carignan, the affinity he feels with medieval monks, his views on sustainability and why controlled risks pay off in the vineyard and winery.
To read more about Franck have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @franckmassard.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Mel Knox became a barrel broker by accident when he was working in a wine shop in California. Over the space of a 43 year career representing such famous cooperages as Taransaud and François Frères he’s worked with many of California’s greatest producers and even made a few wines of his own. He’s a witty, well-informed and opinionated interviewee, as you’ll find out from our entertaining chat.
To read more about Mel have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @mel_knox_barrels.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Pedro Parra wanted to be a jazz saxophonist until he realised he'd never be the next John Coltrane. Instead, he became a terroir expert. As a consultant, he's had a huge influence on wine, not just in his native Chile but around the world. Our fascinating chat covered everything from minerality to the energy of the best vineyards, the democracy of geology to the potential of Cinsault, "the brother of Pinot Noir, in Itata.
To read more about Pedro have a look at this website. You can also follow him on Instagram @pedroparraterroir.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Mac Forbes is one of Australia’s most thoughtful winemakers, a man who lives and breathes his native Yarra Valley. I caught up with him duringvintage to chat about his formative time in Europe, his love of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling, his respect for Aboriginal culture, his relationship with old vines and why winemaking is about more than ticking boxes.
To read more about Mac have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @mac_forbes_wines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Miles Beale started his working life as a Eurocrat in Brussels before becoming private secretary to two very contrasting Labour Party politicians in Mo Mowlam and John Prescott. For the last decade, he’s been the chief executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association, dealing with alcohol taxation, minimum unit pricing, the fallout from Brexit and the demands of one of the drinks trade’s highest profile jobs.
To read more about Miles have a look at the WSTA's website. You can also follow him on Twitter @WSTA_Miles.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Over a 22 year academic career at the University of California Davis, Carole Meredith changed the word of wine for ever. Using genetic markers and DNA fingerprinting, she helped to identify the parents of grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, as well as solving the mystery of Zinfandel’s origins. Now retired, she spoke to me from the celebrated Mount Veeder vineyard that she owns with her husband, Steve Lagier.
To read more about Carole have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @lagiermeredith.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Olly Smith is one of the UK’s most engaging wine experts, known for his appearances on Saturday Kitchen, his newspaper columns, his podcasts and his books, as well as his sense of humour and love of words. I caught up with him from his house in Lewes to talk about his favourite films, his collection of English sparkling wines, his love of all things Greek and his friendship with the late Sir Roger Moore.
To read more about Olly have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @ollysmith.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Born in New Zealand, Stephanie Toole has zigzagged across the globe as she nurtured her love of wine. She became interested in wine in London, ran a wine wholesaler in Perth and then moved to the Clare Valley when she fell in love with her husband Jeffrey Grosset. We chatted about her Mount Horrocks range, her conversion to biodynamics, how she and Jeffrey run two different brands from the same cellar, her love of Nero d’Avola and why she never needs a break from wine.
To read more about Stephanie have a look at the Mount Horrocks website. You can also follow her on Instagram @mounthorrocks.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Miguel Merino didn’t always want to be a winemaker, despite the fact that his dad owned a bodega. He worked in sports journalism and as a TV screenwriter, before finally turning to his roots in his late 20s. I caught up with him to chat about Rioja’s new generation, single parcel wines, pruning just after a full moon, the impressive quality of his region’s whites and the advantages of clay soils in a warming world.
To read more about Miguel have a look at the Bodega Miguel Merino website. You can also follow him on Instagram @bodegamiguelmerino.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Maureen Downey has been described as the Sherlock Holmes of wine, an expert in exposing counterfeiting and fraud. I caught up with her from her home in California to talk about wine investment, auction houses, provenance, body guards, working under cover and what she calls the six Ds – death, disaster, debt, donation, divorce and despair. It’s a fascinating insight into the murkier side of the wine business.
To read more about Maureen have a look at the Wine Fraud website. You can also follow her on Instagram @moevino.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Charles Back has had an enormous influence on the South African wine industry as an innovator, maverick and campaigner for transformation and social change. Listen to us chat about the story behind Goats do Roam, his most famous brand, his rediscovery of the Swartland thanks to a tank of Sauvignon Blanc, his love of Rhône and Mediterranean grapes and how he always tries to turn a negative into a positive.
To read more about Charles have a look at the Fairview website. You can also follow him on Instagram @fairviewwineandcheese.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
As president of Bordeaux négociant CVBG, Mathieu Chadronnier is among the world’s most important fine wine figures. As well as making a brilliant varietal Merlot with his wife, Anne Laurence, at Château Marsau in the Côte de Francs, he also trades with 66 different countries. Listen to us chat about why great wine is defined by quality not geography, New World icons, the changing Bordeaux wine trade and why he’s happiest walking in the Alps with his camera.
To read more about Mathieu have a look at the CVBG website. You can also follow him on Instagram @mathieu_chadronnier.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Santiago Achával wanted to be a classical guitarist until he realised he’d never be another Julian Bream. Instead, he studied accountancy before ending up in wine, founding one of Mendoza’s most successful bodegas, Achával Ferrer. Listen to us chat about Malbec, extreme sites, his friendship with the Italian winemaker Roberto Cipresso and what he’s achieved at Matervini after the sale of Achával Ferrer.
To read more about Santiago have a look at the Matervini website. You can also follow him on Instagram @matervini.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Steve Daniel has had a profound impact on what we drink in the UK. First as Oddbins, where he was buying director in its pomp, and since 2010 at Hallgarten Wines, he’s always championed new styles and regions as well as what he calls “the underdog”. Listen to us chat about what makes a great retailer, his enduring love of Greece, his brewing skills and why fine wine can come from anywhere these days.
To read more about Steve have a look at the Hallgarten website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Penny Streeter OBE has been described as “one of the most influential entrepreneurs of our time”. Having left school with no qualifications, she ended up living on benefits with three children in emergency accommodation before founding the healthcare recruitment business that made her fortune. She’s also the owner of three wine estates – one in South Africa called Benguela Cove and two in the UK.
To read more about Penny have a look at her website. You can also follow him on Instagram @pennystreeterobe.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Born in the Barossa Valley, Dylan Grigg started out pruning vineyards and has gone on to become one of the leading viticultural consultants in the world, with a PhD and the “tractor hours” to prove it. Listen to us chat about different training systems, the character of old vines, epigenetic adaptation, organics, carbohydrate storage and what it’s like studying and working with truly historic vineyards.
To read more about Dylan have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @gdylla.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Andreas Larsson started his working life as a chef, but decided to move into wine after a trip to Burgundy and the Rhône Valley. And boy was that a good idea, because within eight years, he’d won the Best Sommelier in the World Award. Listen to us chat about his jazz guitar playing, great food and wine pairings, Sweden’s expanding vineyards and what makes a great taster.
To read more about Andreas have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @legrandsommelier.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
By his own admission, Michel Chapoutier would fall over if he ever stood still. He’s one of the most creative and dynamic winemakers on the planet. I caught up with the enfant terrible of the Rhône Valley to talk about Syrah, his enduring love of food, his overseas investments, biodynamics, the potential of Chasselas in England and his conviction that “vintage is truth”. It’s quite an interview.
To read more about Michel have a look at the Chapoutier website. You can also follow him on Instagram @m_chapoutier.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
As technical director of Concha y Toro, Marcelo Papa oversees the production of millions of bottles of commercial wine, as well as some of South America’s most prestigious reds and whites. Listen to us chat about his Italian roots, what he learnt from working in California, the terroirs of Limarí and the Maipo Valley, his grandmother’s gnocchi and why a psychiatrist advised him to give up golf.
To read more about Marcelo have a look at the Concha y Toro website. You can also follow him on Instagram @mpapacortesi.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Michael Hill Smith MW is a sixth generation winemaker who always wanted to do his own thing, rather than go into the family firm, Yalumba. Show judge, entrepreneur, consultant and lapsed restaurateur, he’s one of Australian wine’s finest palates and advocates. Listen to us chat about his various projects in the Adelaide Hills, Tasmania and Blewitt Springs, the debt he owes to the legendary Len Evans and what makes a good airline wine.
To read more about Michael, have a look at the Shaw + Smith website. You can also follow him on Instagram @shawandsmith.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Duncan Savage gave up a business degree to study wine. First at Cape Point Vineyards and now at Savage Wines, he’s since become one of South Africa’s finest producers. Listen to us chat about what he learnt from Loire Valley legend Didier Dagueneau, the secret behind the success of the Cape’s New Wave, how he comes up with the unusual names for his wines and the terroir of surfing.
To read more about Duncan, have a look at the Savage Wines website. You can also follow him on Instagram @savagewines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Nigel Greening had a number of careers – blues guitarist, designer and event organiser among other things – before he bought Felton Road in New Zealand in 2000, selling almost everything he had to do so. Listen to us chat about the climate and terroirs of Central Otago, one of the world’s most southerly wine regions, his views on biodynamics, his love of Pinot Noir and why he’s such a passionate cook.
To read more about Nigel, have a look at the Felton Road website. You can also follow him on Instagram @longbrookluthier.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Dirk Niepoort has had a profound and lasting impact on the Portuguese wine industry as well as the global wine scene. As outspoken as he is opinionated, he’s widely regarded as one of its most talented winemakers and profound thinkers. Listen to us chat about the Douro Valley’s table wine revolution, his search to combine tradition with innovation and why failure is “part of the process of getting better”.
To read more about Dirk, have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @niepoortvinhos
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
The first print run of Karen MacNeil’s The Wine Bible ran to just 700 books. A wild underestimation, given it’s sold more than a million copies to date. To celebrate the publication of the magisterial third edition this week, I caught up with Karen to talk about her remarkable back story as a runaway street kid, the importance of humour in wine writing, the difference between a good and great wine and how, as a generalist, she keeps up the ever-expanding wine world.
To read more about Karen, have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @karenmacneilco.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
John Worontschak was born to Ukrainian parents in Adelaide and has gone on to become one of the most travelled and successful winemaking consultants in the world. Listen to us chat about what he really thought of English wines when he first arrived here in 1988, his views on how the industry has developed, the invention of his GinKing brand and how personally he feels the current war in the land of his parents.
To read more about John, have a look at the Litmus Wines website. You can also follow him on Instagram @litmuswines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon is one of the most brilliant sparkling winemakers in the world. Chef de Cave at Champagne Louis Roederer since 1999, he’s the man behind the de-luxe cuvée Cristal, as well as a host of other bubblies. Listen to our fascinating chat, covering everything from freshness to what he calls deep-rootedness, autolysis to climate change, Champagne’s chalky soils and the role of Pinot Meunier in blends.
To read more about Jean-Baptiste, have a look at the Louis Roederer website. You can also follow him on Instagram @jblfizz.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Sonal Holland MW is on a one-person mission to get Indian consumers to drink more wine. Writer, wine judge, presenter, consultant and retailer, she’s one of those people who never seems to stop working. Listen to us chat about what she calls her “arranged marriage” with wine, the best bottles to look out for from the sub-continent, what she serves with spicy food and how she copes with being a high-profile woman in India.
To read more about Sonal, have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @sonalholland_masterofwine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Olivier Humbrecht MW is a twelfth generation Alsatian winemaker with a global reputation. He was still in his twenties when he took over Domaine Zind-Humbrecht and has taken it to new heights, using biodynamic practices across his 42 hectares of vineyards. Listen to us chat about soil types, climate change, the differences between Protestant and Catholic wines and why he loves holidays in Scotland.
To read more about Olivier have a look at the Domaine Zind-Humbrecht website. You can also follow him on Instagram @zindhumbrecht.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Andrea Mullineux grew up in California, where she originally wanted to become an astronaut. These days, her home is in South Africa, where she’s created two world-class wineries with her husband, Chris: Mullineux Family Wines and Leeu Passant. She’s a fascinating interviewee, happy to discuss topics as wide ranging as her love of Chenin Blanc and Syrah, the properties of different soil types, the genesis of the Swartland Revolution and the perfect recipe for chocolate chip cookies.
To read more about Andrea have a look at the Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines website. You can also follow her on Instagram @mullineuxwines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Kym Milne MW’s services are always in demand as a consultant. Over the course of a 40 year career, he has worked in more than a dozen countries, establishing a global reputation as a winemaker and blender. Listen to us chat about his upbringing on a farm in South Australia, his love of Chardonnay, the role of flying winemakers, what it takes to be a good show judge, and why he never got to make wine in Albania.
To read more about Kym have a look at the Masters of Wine website. You can also follow him on Instagram @milnekym.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Hans Vinding-Diers was born on a wine farm in South Africa, grew up in Bordeaux, has a Danish passport, and now makes reds in Patagonia. He’s a classic citizen of the world. Listen to us chat about his winemaking father, Peter, his love of theatre, why Malbec is such an adaptable grape, the story behind Noemía, one of Argentina’s most iconic reds, and how finding a stash of old bottles changed his life.
To read more about Hans have a look at the Noemía website. You can also follow him on Instagram @vindingdiershans.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Paz Levinson is one of the best known sommeliers in the world, but she initially struggled to even get a job waiting tables when she was a student in Buenos Aires. Now the Head Executive Sommelier for the Pic Group in Valence, she was fascinating to talk to about her time in China, her obsession with food and drink pairings, her love of TS Eliot and why she’s done with sommelier competitions.
To read more about Paz have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @pazlevinson.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Isabel Salgado grew up in Madrid, but has always had a special relationship with Galicia, a region where’s she made wine for the last 28 years, specialising in Albariño. Listen to us chat about the grape’s origins, personality and remarkable ageing potential, the soils and sub-regions of the Rías Baixas denominación de origen and why having their own vineyards makes a big difference at Bodegas Fillaboa.
To read more about Isabel have a look at the Bodegas Fillaboa website. You can also follow her on Instagram @isabelsawine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Ernst Loosen, universally known as Erni, is one of the key figures in the modern renaissance of German wine. He’s a genuine global wine rockstar. Listen to us chat about his love of vintage cars, why he thinks Riesling is like a good actor – adept at playing many roles, what he’s learnt from making wine with Chateau Sainte Michelle in Washington State, and how great wines begin in your head.
To read more about Erni have a look at the Dr Loosen website. You can also follow him on Instagram @dr.loosen.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Alessandro de Stefani is the fourth generation of his family to make wine in the Veneto – but the first to have benefited from the extraordinary popularity of Prosecco. Listen to use chat about the different terroirs of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, his love of the red Marzemino grape, the role of social media in wine marketing and why Ernest Hemingway was such a big fan of his family’s wines.
To read more about Alessandro have a look at the De Stefani website. You can also follow him on Instagram @destefaniwinery.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Sophia Bergqvist’s grandmother, Claire, was given Quinta de la Rosa as a christening present in 1906, but by the time her granddaughter took over eighty-two years later it was in a sorry, rundown state. Listen to us chat about how Sophia turned this historic Douro Valley estate around, why table wines, not Port, are her main focus, and what being the Swan Warden for the Vintners Company in London really entails.
To read more about Sophia have a look at the Quinta de la Rosa website. You can also follow her on Instagram @quintadelrosa.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Max Allen moved from the UK to Australia in 1993 and has since become one of that country’s most outstanding drinks’ writers. His most recent book, Intoxicating, is a personal history of booze in Australia, told through the prism of ten very different drinks. We discussed the myth of the “dry continent”, how the arrival of rum changed the country for ever, why Aussies really love Champagne and what Aboriginal people were really drinking before the First Fleet arrived.
To read more about Max, have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @maxallendrinks.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
After studying French Lit at university, Ted Lemon ended up in Burgundy working in vineyards. He subsequently trained as a winemaker in Dijon, then worked at some of the most prestigious domaines in the Côte d’Or before returning to the US to set up his own project, Littorai, in California. Articulate, passionate and opinionated, Le Comte de Citron, as he’s known to his Burgundian friends, likes to trust his own intuition and is an advocate of what he calls “wines of place, not process”.
To read more about Ted, have a look at the Littorai website. You can also follow him on Instagram @littorai.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Kevin Judd may have been born in England, but he made his name on the other side of the globe at Cloudy Bay in New Zealand’s South Island. During his tenure, he produced a series of Sauvignon Blancs that changed vinous history – and forged a nice side line as a skilled landscape photographer. Now running his own Greywacke winery, he’s a wonderfully dry, laconic interviewee. Listen to us chat about hyperfocal distances, Marlbourgh’s maritime climate, how to get the best out Chardonnay and why he hates being called a twitcher.
To read more about Kevin and see some of his magnificent photos, have a look at the Greywacke website. You can also follow him on Instagram @greywacker.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Since his first vintage in 2000, Eben Sadie of Sadie Family Wines has personified the spirit and success of the South African new wave. Listen to us chat about growing up in Kwazulu-Natal, how he got the job at Spice Route and two tickets for the rugby after a five-minute interview with Charles Back, the new Greek and Italian varieties he’s planting to deal with climate change in the Western Cape, why he likes to sell his wines to the local electrician and what he does to get away from all the noise.
To read more about Eben, have a look at the The Sadie Family Wines website. You can also follow him on Instagram @sadiefamilywines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Brought up and educated in Italy, Zorik Gharibian is part of the Armenian diaspora. When he went back to the land of his parents in 1998, he decided he wanted to make wine there. Listen to us chat about the country’s ancient winemaking traditions, including the use of partially buried amphoras, his mission to preserve and promote native grapes and why he chose to launch his top red wine, Yeraz, on top of Mount Ararat. (I know because I was there!).
To read more about Zorik, have a look at the Zorah website. You can also follow him on Instagram @zorahwines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Viviana Navarrete is one of the most awarded winemakers in Chile, famous for the quality of here cool climate wines from the coastal Leyda Valley. Listen to us chat about why Sauvignon Blanc, not Pinot Noir, is her favourite grape, what it’s like being a female oenologist in a conservative country, her inspirational project in Malleco with the native Mapuche community and why she’s so tough on herself.
To read more about Viviana, have a look at the Viña Leyda website. You can also follow her on Instagram @viviananavarrete.enologa.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Steve Browett leads a double life. As chairman of Farr Vintners, one of the world's leading fine wine dealers, he’s in charge an annual turnover of £100 million. And he’s also part owner of Crystal Palace, a football club he’s supported since he was a boy. Listen to us chat about the price of top Bordeaux, where to find good value fine wines, the influence of critics, how to guard against fakes and the BYO policy in the directors’ box at Selhurst Park.
To read more about Steve, have a look at the Farr Vintners website. You can also follow him on Instagram @stephenbrowett.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Lenz Moser is a fifth-generation Austrian winemaker who is every bit as dynamic as his famous grandfather, also called Lenz, the inventor of the vineyard trellising system that bears his name. Listen to us chat about his love of Grüner Veltliner and his new joint venture with Markus Huber, his Chinese project in Ningxia, his decision not to own a car or a television set and how getting older is teaching him patience.
To read more about Lenz, have a look at the New Chapter Grüner website. You can also follow him on Instagram @new_chapter_gruener.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
In little over a decade, Stephen Cronk has built Maison Mirabeau from nothing into a global Provence rosé brand, using what he calls the “OVP method”, or “Other People’s Vineyards”. Listen to us chat about his lowly beginnings as a van driver in the wine trade, his useful spell in telecommunications, his comparatively recent decision to acquire an estate of his own, what makes the colour pink cool and why rosé should never be a pretentious drink.
To read more about Stephen, have a look at the Maison Mirabeau website. You can also follow him on Instagram @maisonmirabeau.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Matteo Ascheri is a person who spreads happiness and good humour. Based in the town of Bra, where his family winery has been located since the 1880s, he’s responsible for a series of outstanding and great value Piedmontese whites and reds. Listen to us chat about Nebbiolo clones, his short career as a chartered accountant, his political career and why he prefers to make his own mistakes.
To read more about Matteo, have a look at the Ascheri website. You can also follow him on Instagram @ascheri.vineyardsandcellars.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Known as El Colorado because of his red hair, Alejandro Sejanovich is one of the key figures in the modern Argentinian wine industry: a man who combines expertise in the vineyard with a magician’s touch in the winery. On World Malbec Day, we spoke about high-altitude vineyards, wine styles, minerality, his time at the prestigious École Nationale Supérieure in Montpellier and why a visit to a morgue put him off medicine for good.
To read more about Alejandro, have a look at the Manos Negras website. You can also follow him on Instagram @colosejanovich.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Nina Caplan is an Anglo-Australian journalist and author, whose first book, The Wandering Vine, won just about every award going. It’s a fascinating and very personal deep-dive into how the Romans created and influenced the world of wine, combining history, politics and philosophy with some truly wonderful travel writing. Listen to us chat about wine styles, religion, immigration, displacement, tradition, nostalgia and the tastes and perfumes of the past.
To read more about Nina, have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Twitter @ninacaplan.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Master Sommelier Isa Bal was born and brought up in Turkey and – if you can believe it – didn’t taste his first glass of wine until he was 20. A job as a junior sommelier working at the Vineyard at Stockcross was just the beginning of an award-winning career that has seen him progress from The Fat Duck to co-owning his own restaurant, Trivet. Listen to us chat what makes a good and bad wine list, his passion for the historic wines of the Caucasus, how sommeliers have to be good psychologists and why he’s never bought a book about food and wine matching.
To read more about Isa, have a look at the Trivet website. You can also follow him on Instagram @isabal_ms.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Master of Wine Nova Cadamatre originally wanted to be a ballet dancer or a florist until she got the wine bug. Since she graduated from Cornell University, she’s spent the majority of her career working for very large wineries in California, but she’s now entirely focused on her own family’s project in the Fingers Lakes: Trestle 31. I caught up with her from a noisy truck stop in Akron, Ohio, of all places, to talk about California, China, Riesling, New York State and why wine is really a performance art.
To read more about Nova, have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @nova_cadamatre_mw.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Emma Rice got into the wine business the hard way. She started out working in a pub, then did a spell at Oddbins before completing a self-funded BSc in Viticulture and Oenology at Plumpton College. Since 2008, she’s been the award-winning winemaker at Hattingley Valley in Hampshire, overseeing a string of brilliant bubblies. Listen to us talk about England’s different terroirs, what advice she’d give someone setting up a winery and what the future holds for the British wine industry.
To read more about Emma, have a look at the Hattingley Valley website. You can also follow her on Instagram @riceywine
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Veronica Ortega must be the only winemaker in the world who is the daughter of a famous bullfighter. But that’s not her only claim to fame. She’s also one of the most exciting producers in the increasingly fashionable Bierzo area, making some of the best reds and a celebrated white called Cal. Listen to chat about what she calls the “transparency” of the Mencía grape, the advantages of working in a village with only 40 inhabitants and why she decided to call one of her wines Kinky.
To read more about Veronica, have a look at this website. You can also follow her on Instagram @veronica_ortega_vo
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Born in England, but based in Chile, Matt Wilson has been described as the “bad boy of wine photography”. He’s famous for his surreal images of winemakers wielding chainsaws among other things. Listen to us discuss his use of light, both natural and artificial, his favourite places to visit with a camera, some tips for amateur photographers and why he hates what he calls “holding-a-bottle shots”.
To read more about Matt, have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @matt.wilson.gc
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Paul Symington’s family has been associated with the Douro Valley and the Port trade for 13 generations. You could say that Portugal’s great fortified wine courses through his veins. Now in his sixties, he’s not planning to retire any time soon. Listen to us chat about the region’s extensive line up of grapes, why Port has fared better than Sherry and Madeira over the last 30 years and how Symington Family Estates are coping with the challenges of climate change.
To read more about Paul, have a look at the Symington Family Estates' website. You can also follow him on Instagram @paul.symington
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Professor Barry Smith was brought up in a hotel and, as a child, was fascinated by the aromas that surrounded him. Now a distinguished academic philosopher, he’s also the founder of the University of London’s Centre for the Study of the Senses. Listen to us chat about his views on the objectivity of taste, how COVID has changed our understanding of anosmia, his favourite wine and why smell is the least appreciated of our senses.
To read more about Barry, have a look at the University of London website. You can also follow him on Twitter @smithbarryc and watch his TED talk here.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
In a career spanning 104 harvests in two hemispheres, Bruno Prats has established himself as one the world’s great wine figures. He took Château Cos d’Estournel in Bordeaux to Super Second Growth status and now divides his time between projects in Chile, Portugal and South Africa. Listen to us chat about the changes he’s seen over the last 50 years, what makes a great terroir, and why he’s happiest on a boat.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Johan Reyneke is South Africa’s leading biodynamic grower, cultivating the grapes that make his wonderful wines so distinctive. Listen to us chat about the weathered granite soils of the Polkadraai Hills, what he’s learned from his herd of cows, his love of surfing and philosophy, his belief in team work, and why, as he puts it, there can be no “greatness without goodness”.
To read more about Johan, have a look at the Reyneke Wines website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @reynekewines and Johan himself on Twitter @ZAVineHugger.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Rafa Urrejola of Viña Undurraga briefly thought of becoming a sports journalist, but then switched back to winemaking as a career. A narrow escape for both him and us! Listen to us chat about the Terroir Hunter project that takes him to every corner of Chile, how he ended up as a cool climate specialist by accident, his love of Maule Valley Carignan and why he dislikes the term “icon wine”.
To read more about Rafa, have a look at Viña Undurraga's website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @undurragawines.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Santiago Decias may only be 35 years old, but he’s already established himself as one of South America’s leading winemakers and a person who’s unafraid to push boundaries – both literal and metaphorical. Listen to us talk about the changing styles of Tannat, (Uruguay’s signature grape), the country’s 99 soil types and the all-important influence of the Atlantic Ocean.
To read more about Santiago, have a look at his company's website. You can also follow him on Instagram @santiagodeicas
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Philippe Guigal’s father, Marcel, planted a vineyard in his honour on the day he was born, so it’s no wonder that wine has been an integral part of his life from the start. Now at the helm of this celebrated Rhône winery, he’s a globally famous winemaker and a great communicator. Listen to us chat about the so-called ‘La Las’ – La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque – his grandfather Etienne, his love of Port and why the Syrah grape rewards patience.
To read more about Philippe, have a look at his company's website. You can also follow him on Instagram @domaineguigal
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Gérard Bertrand combined a career as a top-level rugby player and winemaker in his twenties, but is now entirely focused on his eponymous business in the Languedoc-Roussillon. In the course of a wide-ranging conversation, we discuss his pioneering grandmother, Paule, his commitment to biodynamics, his passion for blending grape varieties, and why the south of France is in his DNA.
To read more about Gérard, have a look at his company's website. You can also follow him on Instagram @gerardbertrandofficial
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Author of Inside Bordeaux and publisher of janeanson.com, Jane Anson is one of the leading commentators on the wine’s of the Gironde region. I caught up with her to chat about the many links, both historic and current, between Bordeaux and Rioja. It’s a fascinating tale of priets, pioneers, wars, trade, railways, vineyard plagues, envy, collaboration and missed opportunities. What more can you ask for to start the new year?
To read more about Jane's work, have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @jane.anson
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Oz Clarke started his working life as a West End actor, but slowly got drawn into the world of wine, where he has helped to change the nation’s drinking habits thanks to a host of great books and his appearances on Food and Drink and Oz and James. Witty, opinionated and still passionate about what he insists isn’t a real job, he’s the perfect guest for a Podcast. Listen to me trying to get a word in edgeways.
To read more about Oz's new book, have a look at the Académie du Vin Library website. You can also follow him on Instagram @oz.clarke
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Edward Slingerland is a Professor of Philosophy with a fascinating take on the role that alcohol consumption has played in the history of civilisation. Over the course of a fascinating, in-depth discussion about our favourite drug, we chatted about hunter-gatherers, neo-Prohibition, Dionysus, Apollo, creativity, the pre-frontal cortex and how chemical intoxication helps solve a number of distinctively human challenges.
To read more about Edward, have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Twitter @slingerland20
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Jean-Marc Lafage is something of a one off in France, not least because he learnt his craft as a so-called flying winemaker, a career usually reserved for Antipodeans. Listen to us chat about what makes the Roussillon unique, how he and his equally talented wife Eliane divide responsibilities at Domaine Lafage and why Grenache and Carignan are ideally suited to a warmer world.
To read more about Jean-Marc, have a look at the Domaine Lafage website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @domainelafage
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Master of Wine Michael Brajkovich is one of New Zealand’s most celebrated winemakers, a man whose Chardonnays are often talked about in the same breath as the great white wines of Burgundy. Listen to us chat about his family’s Croatian origins, how his time in Australia and France changed his outlook on wine, the challenges and rewards of growing grapes in West Auckland and why screwcaps are his closure of choice.
To read more about Michael, have a look at the Kumeu River website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @kumeu_river
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Roberto de la Mota grew up among the barrels at Cavas de Weinert in Mendoza, where his father, Don Raúl, was the legendary figure behind the 1977 Estrella de Weinert. Listen to us chat about what he learned from his studies in France, why Argentinian white wines are underrated, the secrets of making great Malbec and the differences between Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley.
To read more about Roberto, have a look at the Mendel website. You can also follow him on Instagram @roberto.de.la.mota
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Peter-Allan Finlayson is the scion of one of the most famous and important families in the Cape wine industry – and he’s extremely talented in his own right, equally at home making Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Chenin Blanc at Crystallum and Gabriëlskloof. Listen to us chat about why he studied philosophy and economics at university, why his first vintage was a disaster and the camaraderie of South Africa’s New Wave producers.
To read more about Peter-Allan, have a look at the Crystallum website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @crystallumwines
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Franco Massolino is the fourth generation of his family to make wine in the Piedmontese village of Serralunga, but the first to train formally as an oenologist. He’s as thoughtful as he is talented and a fascinating person to talk wine with. Listen to us discuss modern and traditional styles of Barolo, why Nebbiolo is a servant of its environment, his new project in Barbaresco and the special magic of his Grand Cru site, Vigna Rionda.
To read more about Franco, have a look at the Massolino website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @massolinowinery
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Andrea Pieropan started studying winemaking and agriculture at the tender age of 14 – they do thing differently in Italy – and now works alongside his brother Dario as the fourth generation to run the family winery in Soave. Listen to us talk about the historic Garganega grape, about Pieropan’s two very different single vineyard wines, Calvarino and La Rocca, and the fascinating history of the region’s sweet wine, Recioto di Soave.
To read more about Andrea, have a look at the Pieropan website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @pieropanwines
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
In a career spanning 50 years – and showing no signs of letting up – Brian Croser has distinguished himself as one of the driving forces of the Australian wine industry. He combines talents as a winemaker, teacher, terroir pioneer, consultant – even a politician. No surprise, he’s a fascinating person to interview. Opinionated, ferociously intelligent and passionately committed to the cause of Australian fine wine, we look back on his remarkable career and speculate about what’s next for this New World giant.
To read more about Brian, have a look at the Tapanappa website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Author, master of wine and owner of three châteaux with her husband Jacques Thienpont, Fiona Morrison is a wonderfully dynamic presence on the Bordeaux wine scene. Listen to us talk about her book, Ten Great Wine Families, what it’s like running Le Pin, one of the most famous wine estates in the world, the intricacies of the Napoleonic Code and how her sense of humour helps her stay honest to herself.
To read more about Fiona, have a look at the Thienpont Wine website. You can also follow her on Instagram @fionamcleodmorrison
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Felipe Tosso wanted to be a professional tennis player or a civil engineer in his teens, but we wine lovers should be grateful he chose a different career. First with Concha y Toro and now, for over 20 years, at Viña Ventisquero, he has established himself as one of Chile’s leading winemakers. Listen to us chat about his love of the colour blue, what it’s like working with a vineyard in the middle of the Atacama Desert and why winemaking has so much in common with cooking and painting.
To read more about Felipe, have a look at the Viña Ventisquero website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @ventisquero_wines
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Peter Gago is one of the few winemakers who could be described as a celebrity. He’s been the chief winemaker at Penfolds since 2002 and is only the fourth person to oversee the production of its most famous wine, Grange, as well as a distinguished stable of other reds and whites. Listen to us chat about his English roots, his time as a high school teacher, the secrets of blending and what it’s like drinking wine with Bono from U2.
To read more about Peter, have a look at the Penfolds website. You can also follow Penfolds on Instagram @penfolds
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Trevor Durling was planning to go into the US Air Force until, quite by chance, he took an introductory winemaking course at the University of California Davis that changed the course of his life. Still in his 30s, he’s now the winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyard in the Napa Valley, where among other things he oversees the production of California’s first cult Cabernet: Georges de Latour. We talked about his legendary predecessor, André Tchelistcheff, his love of music, how he’s handling the challenges of climate change and the secret of Rutherford dust.
To read more about Trevor, have a look at Beaulieu Vineyard's website. You can also follow him on Instagram @trevor.durling
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Harold McGee is one of America’s leading food writers, with a particular expertise in the science of cooking. His brilliant latest tome, Nose Dive, is about what he calls the “osmosocm”, the world of smells, which is very relevant to us wine drinkers too. I caught up with him from San Francisco recently to chat about the grouse that inspired him to write the book, how to train your nose, his favourite and least favourite aromas, smell’s link with memory and the role of the brain in processing information from our odour receptors.
To read more about Harold, have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @mcgee.onfood.onsmells
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Universally known as "Bubbles", Pieter Ferreira is a sparkling wine legend. Chairman of the Cap Classique Producers’ Association and cellarmaster at Graham Beck, he probably knows more about fizz than anyone in South Africa. Listen to us talk about what he learnt from the French in Champagne, how Springbok rugby legend Jan Boland Coetzee influenced his life, the mysteries of autolysis and Graham Beck’s exiting new project in the UK.
To read more about Pieter, have a look at the Graham Beck website. You can also follow him on Instagram @bubblesferreira
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
If it hadn't been for a part-time job in a pub, Ronan Sayburn might have become a geologist rather than one of the most famous sommeliers in the world. Having worked at a string of Michelin-starred restaurants, he's now Head of Wines at members' club 67 Pall Mall. Listen to us talk about difficult customers, deep sea diving, how you become a Master Sommelier and what's it really like working for Gordon Ramsay.
To read more about Ronan, have a look at his website. You can also follow her on Instagram @ronansayburn.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Helen McGinn, Knackered Mother to many of her fans, is a wine writer, taster and TV presenter, best known for her appearances on the BBC's Saturday Kitchen. She also a very talented novelist, who's just published her second piece of fiction, In Just One Day. Listen to us talk about where to find the best value wines, the most embarrassing things that have happened to her on screen and how a family tragedy helped to inspire the plot of her new novel.
To read more about Helen, have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @knackeredmother.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the wine world’s most extraordinary figures.
Winemaking’s become such a scientific process that New Zealander Gordon Russell feels like one of a rare breed. He’s a top winemaker, but he started at the very bottom – pulling hoses and emptying presses, and has no formal scientific training. He hasn’t let that hold him back. Listen to us talk about his 31 years at Esk Valley in Hawkes Bay, his relationship with The Terrraces, one of the country’s most iconic vineyards, and why his passions for music, fly fishing and cooking make him better at his day job.
To read more about Gordon's wines, have a look at the Esk website. You can also follow him on Instagram @gordonatesk.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Filipa Pato is the modern face of Bairrada, Dão’s milder, coastal cousin and a real region to watch. Filipa was recently crowned Portugal’s winemaker of the year – only the second woman to win the award. Listen to us talk about her two favourite local grapes, Baga and Bical, her love of biodynamics, her equally famous but very different father, Luis, her sommelier husband, William Wouters, and what it means to make wine “without make up”.
To read more about Filipa's wines, have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @filipa_pato.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Gerhard Kracher is widely regarded as one of the greatest sweet winemakers in the world. He has more than lived up to the legacy of his late father, Luis, the man who pioneered new styles of Austrian botrytis-affected wine and promoted them tirelessly around the globe. We talked about noble rot, volatile acidity, unusual food matches and what makes the Seewinkel such a unique place to grow grapes.
To read more about Gerhard's wines, have a look at the Kracher website. You can also follow him on Instagram @gerhard_kracher.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Almudena Alberca is Spain’s only female Master of Wine as well as the technical director of Entrecanales Domecq e Hijos, a group that makes wines in six different Spanish regions including Rueda, Rioja and Ribera del Duero. She’s something of a phenomenon. Listen to us chat about why she chose wine rather than cheese as a career, her time in New Zealand, the finer points of the Tempranillo grape and how rediscovered minority varieties could be a partial answer to climate change.
To read more about Almudena's wines, have a look at the Entrecanales Domecq website. You can also follow her on Instagram @almudenaalberca
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Still in his early thirties, Aris Tselepos is one of the rising talents of the Greek wine scene, with a CV that includes a harvest at Cloudy Bay in New Zealand and a Masters Degree at the University of California Davis. Listen to us chat about the different charactertistics of Moschofilero, Agiorgitiko and Assyrtiko, the famous basket vines of Santorini and what playing chess has taught him about life.
To read more about Aris' wines, have a look at the Tselepos Wines website. You can also follow him on Instagram @aristselepos.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Roman Horvath MW runs Domäne Wachau in Austria, widely regarded as one of the best co-operatives in the world. Roman may have been uninterested in wine until his mid-20s, but he’s certainly made up for lost time. Today, he’s a key figure in the picturesque Wachau Valley. We talked about the magic of Grüner Veltliner, fermenting wines in marble tanks for a bit of fun, and what it takes to keep the co-op’s 250 families happy.
To read more about Roman's wines, have a look at the Domäne Wachau website. You can also follow him on Instagram @domaenewachau.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Ricardo Baettig of Viña Morandé is one of South America’s most innovative and creative winemakers. A champion of Italian grapes – and Italy in general – as well as traditional varieties from the Secano Interior, he’s fascinating to listen to on the past, present and future of the Chilean wine industry, as well as on the subjects of painting, hiking and water polo.
To read more about Ricardo's wines, have a look at the Morandé website. You can also follow him on Instagram @rbaettig.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Germán di Cesare is Mr Malbec at Trivento, making one of the most successful and widely exported bottlings of Argentina's signature grape. Listen to us chat about the difference between the Primera Zona and the Uco Valley in Mendoza, the secret of producing a big blend, how Argentinian wine has changed over the last 20 years and what it’s like to cross the Andes on horseback.
To read more about Germán's wines, have a look at the Trivento website. You can also follow him on Instagram @geriswine
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Sue Hodder was brought up in Alice Springs but has spent most of her working life in Coonawarra, where she’s completed 29 vintages as senior winemaker at the historic Wynns winery. Listen to us chat about terra rossa soils, the magic of unblended Cabernet Sauvignon, her ability to see other angles and alternatives and why she doesn’t mind being called a veteran winemaker.
To read more about Sue's wines, have a look at the Wynns Coonawarra website. You can also follow her on Instagram @hodder.sue
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Best known for his humorous Arrogant Frog brand, Jean-Claude Mas is a key figure in the Languedoc region, producing 22 million bottles of wine a year, and tirelessly promoting the area around the globe. Listen to us chat about his new book on rural luxury, taekwondo, vintage cars and the influence that Italy and the United States have had on his winemaking philosophy.
To read more about Jean-Claude's wines, have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @paulmaswines
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Freshness. Balance. Elegance. They’re all the hallmarks of the remarkable wines Sandra Bravo has made her calling card at Sierra de Toloño in Rioja. Her talent has rapidly established her as one of the most exciting winemakers in the region. We talked about her time in Priorat, her love of Garnacha, her sixth sense for vineyards and why Rioja’s whites are so under-rated.
To read more about Sandra's wines, have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @sierradetolono
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Edy del Opolo is an Argentinian viticulturist and winemaker who’s descended from French, German, Italian and Spanish immigrants. You might say a love of European wine is in his blood. We talked about the Uco Valley, the genesis of his Per Se project, the benefits of colder vintages in Mendoza and what it takes to produce a 100-point wine – the first I’ve ever awarded to an Argentinian Malbec.
To read more about Edy's wines, have a look at the Per Se website. You can also follow him on Instagram @inseparablebyperse
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Scotland may not have inspired many people to become winemakers, but Corlea Fourie is a special case. While working in a restaurant, far from her native South Africa, she caught the wine bug. It was a smart move, as she’s now regarded as one of the most innovative and exciting talents in the Cape. We talk about economic empowerment, Wellington, old-vine Chenin Blanc, Fairtrade certification and the community that makes Bosman Family Vineyards such a special place to work.
To read more about Corlea's wines, have a look at the Bosman Family Vineyards website. You can also follow her on Instagram @corleafourie
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Jane Eyre was working as a hairdresser in Melbourne when she decided to change her life. After doing a harvest in France, she studied winemaking back in Australia while working in a wine shop before returning to Burgundy, going on to set up her own award-winning négociant business in 2011. Listen to us chat about Charlotte Brontë , how to handle Pinot Noir, where to find good value in the Côte d’Or and why she’s missed ballet over the last year during lockdown.
To read more about Jane's wines, have a look at the Liberty Wines website. You can also follow her on Instagram @janeeyrewines
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Paul Hobbs was brought up on a fruit farm in Upstate New York and had plans to become a doctor before he caught the wine bug. Today he’s established as one of the world’s leading winemakers, with his own projects in Armenia, Argentina, France, Spain and the United States as well as consulting to 35 wineries around the globe. We talked about working for the legendary Robert Mondavi, Paul’s first (unplanned) trip to Argentina in 1988, his life-long love of Riesling and why Cabernet Sauvignon grapes need an armed guard in the Napa Valley.
To read more about Paul's wines, have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @paulhobbswines
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Born among the vineyards of Champagne, Caroline Frey nearly became a professional equestrian before she dedicated herself to wine. Listen to us talk about her various projects in Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône Valley and Switzerland, her passion for nature and biodynamics, the role of emotion in wine and why she’s such a huge fan of Instagram.
To read more about Caroline's wines, have a look at the Château La Lagune, Paul Jaboulet Aîné and Château Corton C websites. You can also follow her on Instagram @caroline_frey
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Jesús Madrazo started tasting and blending wine with his dad, José Angel, when he was just ten years’ old and subsequently learnt from Ezequiel García the so-called “sorcerer” of Spanish wine. No wonder he’s such a legend. We talked about the differences between Ribera del Duero and Rioja, the contrasting personalities of French, American and Hungarian oak, the magic of Contino and why Tempranillo is like glue, binding other red grapes together.
To read more about Jesús' wines, have a look at the Fredericks' website. You can also follow him on Instagram @demadrazomateo
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
If he hadn’t been such a mediocre student, Rodrigo Soto wouldn’t have been assigned the unpopular subject of organic viticulture for his university thesis. But that decision changed his life. Since then, he’s become a pioneer of organic wine in Chile and now at Quintessa in California. We talked about what he learned from biodynamic guru, Alan York, why vintage variation is a good thing, the complexity of the Napa Valley’s terroirs, and how he plans to take Quintessa to the next level.
To read more about Rodrigo's wines, have a look at the Quintessa website. You can also follow him on Instagram @quintessawinery
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Chester Osborn of d’Arenberg is one of the wine trade’s rock stars. He’s known almost as much for his loud shirts, zany labels and Aussie sense of humour as he is for his great wines. Listen to us talk about organics and biodynamics, Grenache and Shiraz, Malaysian swingers and the Alternate Realities Museum inside the d’Arenberg cube.
To read more about Chester's wines, have a look at the d'Arenberg website. You can also follow him on Instagram @darenbergwine.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Elías López Montero is the most celebrated winemaker in Castilla-La Mancha. He’s seemingly single-handedly bringing the world’s largest wine region to new consumers, and changing its downbeat, bulk-wine image in the process. We talked about old vines, the widely planted but underrated Airén grape, tinajas, (as clay pots are known locally), and, with climate change in mind, what Elías is planting for the future.
To read more about Elías' wines, look at the Verum website. You can also follow him on Instagram @eliaslopezmontero.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Michel Friou is not afraid of challenges. Today he runs Almaviva in Chile, where he’s helped to enhance the reputation of one of the New World’s greatest reds. But before that, he worked at a sparkling wine factory in Southern India. And before that, as a forestry engineer in Borneo. Not the normal career trajectory for a notable winemaker, but a fascinating one nonetheless. We talked about oysters, joint-ventures, Carmenère and how Chile has changed over the last 25 years.
To read more about Michel's wines, look at the Almaviva website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram @almavivawinery.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Dorli Muhr has two wine careers. As well as running a PR and marketing company in Vienna that represents many leading producers worldwide, she’s also been making her own range of wines on the Spitzerberg in Carnuntum since 2002. Listen to us chat about the wonders of the Blaufränkisch grape, the growing quality of Austrian red wines, and the vineyard her grandmother was given as a wedding present back in 1918.
To read more about Dorli's wines, look at the her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @weingutdorlimuhr.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Sergio Verrillo moved to the United Kingdom from the United States for love. Once he was here, he got a job as a junior sommelier in a Gordon Ramsay restaurant and developed an equally passionate and enduring relationship with wine. Working out of the urban Blackbook winery in London, he’s now making some of the best still reds and whites in England. We talked about his Italian relatives, Essex terroir, why he hates Bacchus and the story behind his “I’d Rather Be A Rebel” label.
To read more about Sergio's wines, look at the Blackbook Winery website. You can also follow him on Instagram @blackbookwinery.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
One of the founders of Rioja ’n’ Roll, Tom Puyaubert is part of an exciting new generation that’s helping to redefine Spain’s most famous region. Born in the southwest of France, he decided to become a winemaker after a spell working at a winery in Virginia, USA, of all places, going on to set up his own winery, Bodegas Exopto, in 2003. We talked about minority red grapes like Graciano and Maturana Tinta, the toasty world of oak barrels and what Tom would change in Rioja if he were in charge for a day.
To read more about Tom's wines, look at the Bodegas Exopto website. You can also follow him on Instagram @tomexopto
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Kanonkop has only had three winemakers since its first vintage in 1973 and Abrie Beeslaar is arguably the most successful of the lot, surpassing the achievements of his illustrious predecessors. Listen to us chat about the legacy of Paul Sauer, the underrated delights of Pinotage, accolades and 100-point scores and why the wheel of progress turns very slowly at Kanonkop.
To read more about Abrie's wines, look at the Kanonkop and Beeslaar websites. You can also follow him on Instagram @beeslaar_wines
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
A Catalan to his fingertips, Ricard Rofes is the winemaker at Scala Dei in Priorat, in charge of one of Spain’s greatest historic properties. A lover of Garnacha, Ricard talked to me about monks, heretics, co-operatives, slate soils and why his native region is returning to its roots after taking a wrong turn towards Bordeaux in the 1990s.
To read more about Ricard's wines, look at the Scala Dei website. You can also follow him on Instagram @rrofes
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Daniel Daou was born in Lebanon, brought up in France and now lives in the United States. After selling the software business he created with is brother in the late 1990s, he decided to follow his dream and become a winemaker in Paso Robles, California after scouring the world in search of the perfect spot. We chat about Cabernet Sauvignon, affordable luxuries, why grapes should be treated like food and about the missile attack that changed his life for after.
To read more about Daniel's wines, look at the Daou Vineyards website. You can also follow him on Instagram @daniel.j.daou
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Sebastián Zuccardi started out making sparkling wines at school for fun (as you do), before working in vineyards overseas for seven years. Since he returned full time to his family’s winery in Santa Rosa, he’s transformed its fortunes, switching the focus to the cooler Uco Valley and producing some of Argentina’s finest wines in the process. We talked about limestone, Malbec, olive oil and why he prefers concrete tanks to oak barrels.
To read more about Sebastián's wines, look at the Zuccardi website. You can also follow him on Instagram @szuccardi.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Laurent Miquel is the eighth generation of his family to farm at Cazal Viel in the Langudeoc, but there’s nothing remotely traditional about him. A proponent of night harvesting as well as a fan of minority grapes such as Viognier and Albariño, he’s a risk taker and a force for change. I caught up with him to chat about the St Chinian appellation, Japanese philosophy, his time living in England and his love of a good curry.
To read more about Laurent's wines, look at the Laurent Miquel website. You can also follow him on Instagram @laurent_miquel.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Randall Graham set out to make great Pinot Noir in California, but with typical self-effacement, he soon realised that his talents were better suited to other grapes, especially those from the Rhône Valley. Best known for his Le Cigare Volant blend, Graham is one of the wine world’s most interesting thinkers. We talked about oddball grapes, UFOs, his new, ground-breaking project at Popelouchúm, and why climate change is leveling the playing field between the New and Old Worlds.
To read more about Randall's' wines, look at the Bonny Doon website. You can also follow him on Instagram @randallgrahm240.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Julio Bouchon’s family came to Chile form Bordeaux back in the 1880s, but this fourth generation winemaker has done more for the reputation of a forgotten Spanish grape – País – than for any French variety. Listen to us talk about his training as a journalist, his love of granite soils, the ongoing impact of social change in Chile and his joint venture in South Africa.
To read more about Julio's' wines, look at the Bouchon Family Wines website. You can also follow him on Instagram @bouchonfamilywines
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Jean-Charles Boiset is a hoot – an entrepreneur, a tireless innovator and a brand in his own right. Brought up in Burgundy, where his family owns Boisset, the region’s largest producer, but now living in California, he’s in charge of the Boisset Collection of West Coast wineries. Listen to him talk about Pinot Noir, kickboxing, biodynamic farming, perfume and how to learn from your failures.
To read more about Jean-Charles' wines, look at the Boisset Collection website. You can also follow him on Instagram @jc_boisset.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Steve Pannell was born into one of Margaret River’s pioneering wineries, Moss Wood, but has chosen to follow his own path in McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills. Rightly regarded as a key figure in the modern Australian wine industry, he’s a brilliant, considered and stimulating conversationalist. Listen to us talk about the wonders of Grenache, why tannin is a good thing in red grapes and how he’s working to change perceptions of Australian wine.
To read more about Steve's wines, look at the SC Pannell website. You can also follow him on Instagram @scpannell.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Given his first pairs of secateurs by his dad on his seventh birthday, Hubert de Boüard was destined to be a winemaker. Best known for his transformation of Château Angélus in St. Emilion, which is now one of only four Premiers Grands Crus Classé A, Hubert is also an international consultant who works on three continents. Listen to us chat about his love of Caberent Franc, where to find value for money in Bordeaux and the secrets of a great blender.
To read more about Hubert's wines, look at the Château Angelus and Hubert de Boüard Consulting websites. You can also follow him on Instagram @hubertdebouardconsulting.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Think Chianti, think Paolo de Marchi. He was born in Piedmont, but he’s been a resident of Tuscany since 1976 – and he’s a key figure in the renaissance of Chianti Classico at Isole e Olena. Not to mention he’s also the creator of the Supertuscan brand, Cepparello. We talked about his formative time in the United States, his love of Sangiovese, the challenge of climate change and why he’s happy that there are loads of things he will never understand.
To read more about Paolo's wines, look at the Liberty Wines website . You can also follow him on Instagram @isoleeolena.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Laura Catena is no one-trick pony. She’s a global wine personality, managing director of Catena Wines in Argentina – and a trained emergency room doctor. Dividing her time between San Francisco and Mendoza, Laura is also an author, businesswoman and energetic ambassador for the wines of her country. Listen to us chat about the Italian origins of the Catena winery, her ambitions to create a Grand Cru vineyard in the Uco Valley and why Malbec is so well suited to Argentina.
To read more about Laura's wines, look at the Catena website. You can also follow her on Instagram @lauracatenamd.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.
Master of Wine Steve Smith is a scarily brainy person, who seems to know a lot about almost everything, but is also a lot of fun to hang out with. One of the world’s leading viticulturists and the man who created the Craggy Range brand from scratch, he talks to me about the unrealised potential of Syrah in New Zealand, why he thinks Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is “pigeon-holing” the country’s image, his new project running Pyramid Valley and his plans for the next 15 years, which he hopes will be the “most prolific” of his brilliant career.
To read more about Steve's wines, look at the Pyramid Valley website. You can also follow him on Instagram @stevesmithmw
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as on my website. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers.
Known as the King of Chenin Blanc, Ken Forrester is one of the South African wine industry’s best-loved and highest profile figures. He was originally a restaurateur in Johannesburg, but he bought a run-down farm in Stellenbosch in 1993 and has, as they say, never looked back. We talked about his Dirty Little Secret, Rhône grapes in the Cape, Ken’s upbringing in Zambia and what the acronym FMC – his most famous Chenin Blanc – really stands for.
To read more about Ken's wines, look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @kenforrestervineyards.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers.
Marcelo Retamal is sometimes described as the spiritual leader of Chile’s wine revolution. He’s the man who encouraged a generation of winemakers to focus on terroir, elegance and fruit purity – rather than just power. Listen to him talk about his 2011 Damascene conversion, his new project in Spain, the excitement around traditional grapes like País, Cinsault and Carignan and how he came to be involved with Viñedos de Alcohuaz, the highest vineyards in the country.
To read more about Marcelo's wines, look at their De Martino and Viñedos de Alcohuaz websites.. You can also follow Reta on Instagram @retadechile.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers.
Virginia Willcock of Vasse Felix is one of the most awarded winemakers in Australia. She’s famous for the quality of her Chardonnays and Cabernets, as well as her sense of humour and forthright views. We chatted about what makes Margaret River such a special place to grow grapes, about her dad’s ‘hobby’ vineyard north of Perth that inspired her to make wine and about how, after 29 vintages in Western Australia, she’s learnt how to ‘let my wines be, rather than intervene’.
To read more about Vasse Felix's wines, look at their website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @vassefelixwines
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers.
Miguel Torres Maczassek is a fifth-generation winemaker running one of the most important bodegas in Spain. He oversees projects in Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Rías Baixas, Rueda and Priorat – as well as his native Catalonia. We chatted about recovering ancestral grapes, Torres’ ground-breaking initiatives to combat global warming, what Miguel learnt from three years hard graft in Chile and why he doesn’t want to go to Hell by selling the family winery.
To read more about Torres' wines, look at their website. You can follow Miguel Torres on Instagram @miqueltorresm
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers.
Jacques Lurton is the scion of an extended family that dominates the Bordeaux wine trade and is informally known as Les Lurtons du Vin. But Jacques has always been the most internationally-minded of Frenchmen. Jacques was one of the very first flying winemakers in the early 1990s and still has his own project in Australia as well as running Les Vignobles André Lurton back home in the Gironde. We talked about Kangaroo Island, why he loves Semillon and Cabernet Franc and how climate change is affecting Bordeaux.
You can follow Jacques on Instagram @jacqueslurton. For more details about the Vignobles André Lurton wines, look at the company's website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers.
Brazilian Iduna Weinert is the youthful face of Bodega y Cavas Weinert, one of the most traditional wineries in Argentina, and an acute observer of the ups and downs of her adopted country. Listen to her talk about the “European” Weinert style, about its legendary winemaker, Don Raúl de la Mota, about the virtues of patience and the advantages of maturing wines in large wooden casks.
For more information about Weinert's wines have a look at his winery's website. You can follow Iduna on Instagram at @iweinert
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers
Sir John Hegarty is an advertising legend famous for his work on Levis and Audi among many other brands. He’s also a winery owner, having created Domaine Hegarty Chamans with his wife Philippa in the Minervois. Listen to us talk about biodynamics, terroir, creativity and how COVID-19 will change the way wine is sold and consumed.
For more information about Sir John's wines have a look at his domaine's website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers
It’s impossible to think of a winemaker who’s more quintessentially Spanish than Álvaro Palacios, a man who has established his global fame with wines from three different regions – Priorat, Bierzo and his native Rioja. A lover of flamenco, bullfighting and his classical guitar, he talks to me about monks, Garnacha, the magic of old vines, his eight brothers and sisters, and why he thinks he’s really a “nobody”.
For more information about Alvaro Palacios' wines have a look at his winery's website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers
Daniel Pisano is a fifth-generation Uruguayan winemaker – wine personality, really. He’s famous for his big moustaches, love of vintage motorbikes, barbecues and, of course, Tannat. Tune in to listen to him talking about the influence of the Atlantic on this as yet relatively unknown winemaking country, the potential of Uruguayan Albariño, selling wine in Antarctica, and the secret of a happy life.
You can follow Pisano Wines on Instagram @pisanowines. For more information about the family's wines have a look at the winery's website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers
Adi Badenhorst was brought up on a wine farm in Constantia and made his first wine when he was 13. An absurdly young age, even with his background. After a spell working at Rustenberg in Stellenbosch, he bought a semi-abandoned property on the Paardeberg and has since become a key figure in the Swartland wine Revolution. We talk about Cinsault and Chenin Blanc; about music, coffee and mezcal – and the thrill of working with old vines.
You can follow AA Badenhorst on Instagram @aabadenhorst. For more information about Adi's wines have a look at the winery's website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers
Michael Seresin is a celebrated cinematographer, famous for his work on Bugsy Malone, Gravity and Midnight Express among many other movies. He also owns an award winning, biodynamic winery in Marlborough called Seresin Estate. Listen to him chat about what makes a great film director, about light and darkness, his enduring love of all things Italian, about the late Alan Parker and why Pinot Noir is his favourite grape variety.
You can follow Seresin Estate on Instagram @seresinestate. For more information about the estate's wines have a look at the Seresin website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers
Faouzi Issa is one of the superstars of the Lebanese wine industry, often talked of as the natural successor to the late Serge Hochar of Château Musar. Trained in France, where he worked at Château Margaux, no less, he took over his family winery Domaine des Tourelles at the age of 25. I caught up with him to talk about Cinsault, his favourite variety, about why the Bekaaa Valley is the “sexiest place in the world” to make wine and about the aftermath of the terrible explosion in Beirut on August 4th.
You can follow Faouzi on Instagram @domainedestourelles. For more information about his wines, have a look at the domaine's website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers
Emily Faulconer of Viña Carmen is one of the most talented and well-travelled young winemakers in Chile. Listen to her talk about why she speaks English with a cut-glass accent, the women that have inspired her, her exciting DO project focused on old vines and how she coped with the solitude of living in the Andes at Viñedos Alcohuaz for a year and half.
You can follow Emily on Instagram @efaulconer. For more information about Viña Carmen's wines, go to the company's website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers
As winemaking director of Grupo Peñaflor, Daniel Pi is at the helm of one of the biggest wine producers in the world. He’s also widely recognised as being among of the most talented winemakers in Argentina. Architecture’s loss is very much wine’s gain. We talk about his first job in the wine industry – making a pineapple-based RTD, believe it or not – the potential he sees in Argentina’s white wines, his personal family project, Tres14, and the many and diverse styles of Malbec.
You can follow Daniel on Instagram @danielpi314. For more information about Grupo Peñaflor's wines, go to the company's website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers
Rosa Kruger is one the key figures of the new South African wine scene. Best known for her work with the preservation of old vines and her role as an unofficial mentor to many of the best young winemakers in the Cape, she talks to me about her famous ancestor, Paul Kruger, about what makes a great vineyard, about the sites of the future and about why the South African wine industry needs our help in these difficult times.
You can follow Rosa on Instagram @kruger155. For more information about the Old Vine Project, go to the OVP website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers
Véronique Drouhin is a Burgundy institution. She’s not only one of the most important figures in Burgundy, she’s also one of the best liked. Véronique is part of the dynamic fourth generation running the négociant house of Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune. Tune in to hear her talk all about biodynamics, the place of women in the wine industry, her second life at Domaine Drouhin Oregon, climate change, where to find value for money in Burgundy and her twin passions for gardening and classical music.
You can follow Véronique on Instagram @veronique_drouhin. For more information about Maison Joseph Drouhin's wines, go to their website.
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers
Katie Jones had been living in the Languedoc for 15 years, working for the Mont Tauch co-operative in Tuchan, when she decided to set up her very own domaine after buying a vineyard in Maury. Acquiring more and more parcels that “no one else wants”, she’s created a brilliant business from scratch. Hear her talk about local jealousy, French bureaucracy, tea towels, vineyard rambles, unusual grape varieties and her husband, Jean-Marc, affectionately known as Mr Jones.
To learn more about Katie and Domaine Jones, see her website. To follow Katie on Instagram and join her vineyard rambles, go to @domainejones
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers.
For wine reviews, special reports and other articles go to timatkin.com. Find me on Instagram @timatkinmw and twitter @timatkin All of my podcasts are now available on Spotify
Francisco “Pancho” Baettig is the winemaker responsible for three of Chile’s most iconic wines: Don Max, Seña and Viñedo Chadwick. Yet, despite being the man who has helped shaped the world’s perception of Chilean wine, modest Pancho says he can’t stand the label “icon”. Our talk ranges from Pancho’s experiences working for one of the most driven bosses in the wine world, to perfect 100-point scores, the benefits of growing Chardonnay on schist soils and his new project in Malleco, a stone’s throw from where his Swiss ancestors arrived in South America.
To learn more about Errázuriz, see the company's website. To follow Francisco Baettig on Instagram, go to @franciscobaettig
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers.
For wine reviews, special reports and other articles go to timatkin.com. Find me on Instagram @timatkinmw and twitter @timatkin All of my podcasts are now available on Spotify
Victor Urrutia was 29, happily living and working in Brazil, when he got the call from his father to come back and run CVNE, the family wine company that was founded back in 1879 in Haro. A reluctant appointee, he intended to stay for 12 months, but is still there 17 years later. Listen to him talk (in perfect English) about single vineyards, climate change, modern and traditional styles, Basque nationalism and what he would change in Rioja if he were king for a day.
To learn more about CVNE, see the company's website. To follow CVNE on Instagram, go to @cvnevino
Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary winemakers.
For wine reviews, special reports and other articles go to timatkin.com. Find me on Instagram @timatkinmw and twitter @timatkin All of my podcasts are now available on Spotify
Jean-Marie Fourrier is a Burgundian superstar, but his winemaking life hasn’t been easy. At the age of just 23, he took over a failing domaine in Gevrey-Chambertin with five unsold vintages piled up in the cellar, a state of affairs that forced him to take day trips to Belgium to sell bottles to supermarket customers. This week on Cork Talk, Jean-Marie reveals how he turned Domaine Fourrier into one of the most respected names in the Côte d’Or. Not to mention his views on flying, the price of vineyards, climate change, being married to an Englishwoman and his new partnership with Bass Phillip in Australia.
To follow Domaine Fourrier on Instagram, go to @domaine_fourrier.
For wine reviews, special reports and other articles go to timatkin.com. Find me on Instagram @timatkinmw and twitter @timatkin All of my podcasts are now available on Spotify
This week’s episode is a juicy one featuring – no hyperbole here – the amazing Gaia Gaja. Gaja is Barbaresco’s most famous winery and Gaia is the fifth generation of her family to run it. Her father, Angelo Gaia, is the man credited with changing the Italian wine scene forever, but make no mistake, Gaia is very much her own person. Funny, passionate and intelligent, she talks to me about gelato, climate change, Etna, the differences between Nebbiolo and Sangiovese and why she communicates with her father by letter rather than in person.
To follow Gaja on Instagram, go to @giovannigaja. Or take a look at the winery's website
For wine reviews, special reports and other articles go to timatkin.com. Find me on Instagram @timatkinmw and twitter @timatkin All of my podcasts are now available on Spotify
Susana Balbo is extraordinary in many ways. Not only did she become Argentina’s first female oenologist in 1981, she’s also won countless awards for her entrepreneurism as well as her winemaking. She’s three times been president of Wines of Argentina, was a Congresswoman for the province of Mendoza, and is one of the country’s most internationally celebrated winemakers. Suffice to say, Susana is one formidable interviewee and this week’s guest on Cork Talk. She talks to me about what makes a successful businesswoman, why she loves Cabernet Sauvignon more than Malbec, and how she’s learnt about politics the hard way. An unmissable interview.
To follow Susana Balbo Wines on Instagram, go to @susanabalbowines. Or take a look at the winery's website
For wine reviews, special reports and other articles go to timatkin.com. Find me on Instagram @timatkinmw and twitter @timatkin
My guest this week is one of South Africa's leading young guns. Chris Alheit of Alheit Vineyards is perhaps best known as the producer of cult wine Cartology, first produced as recently as 2011. Chris makes only white wines, focusing particularly on single vineyard Chenins from distinguished parcels of old vines. Together with his wife, Suzaan,he has created one of the most successful wineries in South Africa in less than a decade. These things don’t happen by accident – as you’ll discover when you listen to Chris talk about the hard work which has got them to where they are today
To follow Chris on Instagram, go to @chrisalheit. Or take a look at the Alheit Vineyards website
For wine reviews, special reports and other articles go to timatkin.com. Find me on Instagram @timatkinmw and twitter @timatkin
Christian Seely is as well known for his bow ties as he is for his generosity and sense of humour. I don’t often get job envy, but I wouldn’t mind swapping with Christian. My latest guest on Cork Talk, he’s the managing director of AXA Millésimes and the man in charge of Château Pichon-Baron, Quinta do Noval and Domaine de l’Arlot, among others. Tune in to hear what inspires AXA to invest in new wineries; about his English wine venture (Coates & Seely); his love of poetry and what he thinks makes Bordeaux and Burgundy so different.
To follow Christian on Instagram, go to @cjrseely. Or take a look at AXA Millésimes' website
For wine reviews, special reports and other articles go to timatkin.com. Find me on Instagram @timatkinmw and twitter @timatkin
My guest this week on Cork Talk is Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac in Morey-St-Denis. Raised in Burgundy, he went to university in England before returning to help run the domaine that his father, Jacques, had established in 1967. Supremely articulate – in English as well as French – Jeremy tells me what it’s like to make wine from seven different Grands Crus – including the one where he’d like his ashes to be spread – and shares his thoughts about climate change, counterfeiting, organic viticulture and the pricing of top Burgundy.
To follow Jeremy on Instagram, go to @drinkdujac. Or take a look at the domaine's website
For wine reviews, special reports and other articles go to timatkin.com. Find me on Instagram @timatkinmw and twitter @timatkin
My guest this week is a Dane who started his career in Bordeaux, almost made a career in California, but ended up in Spain, where he created one of the country's most famous cult wines, Pingus. Peter Sisseck also has projects in Bordeaux and now Jerez. Listen to him talking about biodynamics, climate change, Ribera del Duero and how to make the perfect Tempranillo.
For wine reviews, special reports and other articles go to timatkin.com. Find me on Instagram @timatkinmw www.instagram.com/timatkin and twitter @timatkin www.twitter.com/timatkin For more information about Peter and his wines look at https://www.corneyandbarrow.com/our-producers/dominio-de-pingus.html
My guest on Cork Talk this week is one of the best winemakers in South Africa. Born, brought up and educated in the United States, Samantha O’Keefe first came to the Cape in 1992 as a student of political science. But she moved back there for good in 2003 when she bought an old dairy farm in Greyton, in a place where there were no vines. People thought she was crazy, but she decided to make wine anyway, calling her estate Lismore Vineyards. Her story, as you can hear if you tune in, involves a life-changing meeting with Desmond Tutu and many dramatic ups and downs along the way.
For wine reviews, special reports and other articles go to timatkin.com. Find me on Instagram @timatkinmw or twitter @timatkin. For more information about Sam and her wines look at http://www.lismore.co.za
Welcome to the first episode of Tim Atkin's Cork Talk. My guest this week is Alberto Antonini, one of the world's most famous winemakers, who works in 12 different countries and is helping to define the direction of the industry. A passionate lover of jazz (but only on vinyl), he has strong views on the similarities between music and wine as well as oak, his favourite grape varieties and the challenges of climate change.