Wine Blast with Susie and Peter
Wine Blast is a wine podcast hosted by Susie and Peter, married Masters of Wine and experienced broadcasters. They bring wine to life with interviews, food tips, listener questions, and gentle bickering. The award-winning podcast has been featured in international press and has over a million downloads. Wine Blast PLUS offers exclusive bonus content and early access for subscribers.
Episodes
Natural Wine RELOADED
Is natural wine dead? Or is it thriving? What even IS natural wine these days?! Most importantly, what's next for this multi-faceted yet misunderstood category? Helping us answer these searching questions are writer and winemaker Rachel Signer, journalist Simon J Woolf and wine producer Ben Walgate. We also indulge in a bit of impassioned debate between the two of us - this being a particular
Adelaide Hills: Lofty Ambitions
Buckle up, we're heading back out into wine country, this time to the intriguing Adelaide Hills wine region in South Australia. It gets talked about a lot - but what's it really all about?Is it all about piercing, textural Chardonnay? Or fine sparkling wine? What about the perfumed Pinot Noir, the scented Shiraz..? And let's not forget the likes of Gruner Veltliner, Nebbiolo, Gamay,
Yeastie Boys: Wine's Modern Microbial Solutions
Grab your magnifying glass and white coat, we're getting microscopic - but this goes well beyond fermentation. We're exploring the cutting-edge techniques whereby the power of yeasts is being harnessed in fields as diverse as viticulture, winemaking and shipping. Even without the microscope, this is an eye-opening episode...Wine is facing many challenges. Climate change. The cost of livi
Keep Calm and Sauvignon
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the wine world's most divisive grape varieties. On the one hand, it's hugely popular for its aromatic charm and upbeat appeal. And yet some people can't stand it, sommeliers actively steer their customers away from it and connoisseurs turn their noses up at, 'the gin and tonic of wine'. But is it possible that this is all just a bit, well, prematu
Missing the Point? Tasting 40 years of 100-point wines TASTER
SUBSCRIBER BONUS TASTER - A privileged tasting of 100-point wines gets us thinking about scores, so-called perfection in wine, the risks of premature evaluation and how points for wine...somehow miss the point.First up - the wines: Cristal 2008, Pichon Lalande 2016, Ornellaia 2013, Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill 2013 and Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Blanco 1986. We report on these and other st
Drop Stop: Wine's Big Water Issue
August 2025, a torrid Bordeaux summer: cue thunderbolt. Lafleur, one of Bordeaux's most acclaimed wines, sensationally quits the Pomerol and Bordeaux appellations. At the heart of the issue: water.Truth is, vines need water to survive and produce good wine. Not too much, nor too little. But climate change has thrown a giant spanner into the works - places that used to have just enough rain, n
The Story of Stalin's Wine Cellar PART TWO
Meet John Baker, Sydney wine merchant turned Indiana Jones turned author of Stalin's Wine Cellar, one of the most eye-opening wine stories you're likely to hear. In the first part of this real-life account, John recounted how he'd got a tip-off about a mysterious wine cellar in Tbilisi, Georgia, apparently chock full of the greatest wines in the world, some more than a hundred years
The Story of Stalin's Wine Cellar PART ONE
It's not every wine story that comes with lashings of guns and cash and enforcers and heart-rending breakages - plus the odd death threat. Not to mention unicorn wines aplenty. But this one does! Which is why it's a must-listen.John Baker was a Sydney wine merchant with a sideline in fine and rare wine when opportunity came knocking in the form of a mysterious wine cellar in Tbilisi, Geo
Greg Lambrecht UNCUT - Taster
SUBSCRIBER-ONLY BONUS CONTENT (short taster): What makes a successful medical inventor develop a parallel life aiming to fundamentally change the way we drink wine? How does frustration + a needle + some spare argon = a business that's sold more than 2 million units and is involved in pouring a glass of wine every second of every day?!Welcome to the world of Coravin - and its inventor, Greg L
Giveaway EXTRAVAGANZA + Game-changer Coravin
In which we get over-excited by not only announcing the winners (and sharing the best entries) from our epic Wine Blast One Million Giveaway - but also by exploring the world of Coravin: a potential game-changer for wine.To understand just how Coravin is changing the world of wine, we're joined by Coravin inventor Greg Lambrecht and Tiny Wine co-founder Harry Crowther. The implications are fa
Sam Neill UNCUT - Taster
SUBSCRIBER-ONLY BONUS CONTENT (short taster) - Sam Neill leads a double life. He's not Batman, or Bananaman. He's ConvivialWineChap (trademark pending). On the one hand, he's world-famous actor Sam Neill, acclaimed for his starring roles in Jurassic Park, Peaky Blinders, The Piano and all that jazz. On the other, he's proud proprietor of Two Paddocks Wine in Central Otago, New
New Zealand Wines of the Year 2026
New Zealand wine stands at a fork in the road. One path leads towards corporate behemoths churning out industrial quantities of mass-market Sauvignon Blanc; the other features increasingly refined, site-specific wines across a range of styles that compete with the world's very best. Which will it be?In this New Zealand Wines of the Year feature, we take you behind the scenes after tasting hun
A Tribute to Peter Fraser
Peter Fraser, head winemaker and general manager at Yangarra Estate Vineyard in McLaren Vale, Australia, died in a house fire on 27th November 2025, aged 51.Peter was not only tremendously well respected, he was also tremendously well liked. As a person, he was affable, gentle, modest, genuine, ready with a laugh. As a professional, he was dedicated, conscientious and hugely talented.A champion of
McLaren Vale - The Grenaissance
Australia's McLaren Vale is a wine region undergoing a thrilling reinvention based largely around new-wave old-vine Grenache and a motley crew of eclectic grape varieties like Fiano, Falanghina, Mencia and even Saperavi.If you want to find out why these wines, 'play with your mind', 'suit the way we live' and should be considered, 'great wines of the world,' tune
McLaren Vale - Boxer to Ballerina (via Burlesque)
So what do a boxer, a ballerina and a burlesque dancer have in common? You're gonna have to listen to find out...We're very excited to be bringing you this mini-series on McLaren Vale, the historic South Australian wine region that's gone from identity crisis to full-on wine renaissance in just a few decades. It's a fascinating story, involving ancient vines, determined winemak
Our BOOKS OF THE YEAR (2025) - Jesus, Cheese & Forbidden Soup
Books that caught our eye this year include Schott's Significa (yes, 'forbidden soup' is as grisly as it sounds), The Cheese Connoisseur's Handbook (yum) and Wine, Soil and Salvation in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament (biblical).This is a show of generous proportions. Partly to give you a chance for some extra listening indulgence. But also to allow us proper time to hear fr
Our WINES OF THE YEAR (2025)
Treats galore in this show! Because not only are we announcing our stellar Wines of the Year, we're also launching a HUGE giveaway to celebrate Wine Blast topping ONE MILLION DOWNLOADS.It's a major milestone for the pod so we wanted to say thanks to you for making it possible. Up for grabs are prizes worth more than £1,000 - from a set of Jancis Robinson Original wine glasses and decante
Rock and Rhône: from Côte-Rôtie to Cairanne via The Clash
What do Hermitage, The Sex Pistols, Tavel and Pink Floyd have in common? They all, ahem, featured at a particularly funky recent London tasting of top Rhône wine appellations, or Crus, aimed at reminding us how delicious and diverse these wines can be. And how fun, too.So join us as we explore the best wines of the Rhône Valley, from Côte-Rôtie to Condrieu via Vacqueyras and Vinsobres, discovering
Top of the Pops: Classic Fizz Beyond Champagne
We all know champagne - but what if you fancy a wine like champagne but maybe less pricey, more fruity or just different? The good news is: there's never been more choice, as production blossoms in regions as diverse as Serbia, China and India.Our stellar guide to the intriguing world of traditional-method sparkling wine beyond Champagne is Essi Avellan MW, one of the world's foremost fi
The Story of The Billionaire's Vinegar - Part 2
We're in the middle of, 'the mystery of the world's most expensive bottle of wine.' We've seen the auction, met the protagonists, got a vivid taste for the heady wine-boom time of the 1980s and 90s...hell, the cork has even dramatically dropped out already (an appropriate metaphor if ever there was one). That's all in Part 1.Now we get stuck into the heart of our stor
The Story of The Billionaire's Vinegar - Part 1
Picture the scene. Christie's auction house, London, December 1985. A dapper auctioneer is expertly tantalising the stellar audience with a bottle of 1787 Chateau Lafite engraved with the initials of US founding father Thomas Jefferson. It duly becomes the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold, going for £105,000 ($156,000). But it's what happens next that is the really intriguing bit.
SAN LEONARDO - The Insider's Guide
Fancy a story about warriors, monks, family strife, an undercover grape variety, risking financial ruin for stubbornly sticking to stylistic guns, and deliciously drinkable fine wine?Thought you might. So join us as we get a privileged glimpse into the San Leonardo wine estate in Italy's northern Trentino Valley, not far from Verona and Lake Garda. Our guides are estate co-owner and manager A
Chile Wines of the Year 2025
We have awards! We have good eggs, hot rocks and jailbird vignerons! We even have acts of civilisation and love. Welcome to our Chile Wines of the Year 2025...Join us as we chat with stars of the Chilean wine firmament, talking wine treasures with Sebastián Labbé (Santa Rita), the tragedy of Syrah with Mariluz Marin (Casa Marin) and fortifying life goals with François Massoc (Atelier Massoc). We a
The Jancis Robinson EXCLUSIVE - Part 2
Jancis Robinson is a wine superstar. But in this concluding episode of our two-part exclusive interview, we want to get behind the sparkling achievements and get to know Jancis in a personal as well as professional sense. The result is thought-provoking, funny and occasionally eye-opening.We kick off, somewhat unsportingly, by springing a quick-fire question round at Jancis before moving on to dis
The Jancis Robinson EXCLUSIVE - Part 1
Jancis Robinson is without doubt the leading wine writer in the world today. But what's she really like behind the (highly) professional façade? Join us in this fascinating two-parter to meet the real Jancis: unfiltered, frank and sometimes really quite eye-opening...In this interview, we wanted to do something different from the many other profiles of this wine superstar. For instance, Janci
Season 7 Trailer - Subscriptions!
Ahead of Season Seven, we have an announcement! We're finally launching subscriptions - a very exciting moment as we aim to take Wine Blast to the next level and spread EVEN MORE wine love around.Subscribers to Wine Blast PLUS will receive Early Access to all episodes as well as Archive Access as our back catalogue becomes subscriber-only. We'll also be throwing in the occasional bonus e
There's Prosecco - and there's Conegliano Valdobbiadene
What's the difference between Prosecco - and Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG? Why is Prosecco a 'democratic' wine?! And do you want to hear Peter change his mind??!!Tune in for all this and more, where we go on an intriguing journey of discovery into the UNESCO-endorsed, vine-clad hills of Conegliano Valdobbiadene territory north of Venice. We ask why the wines made
Essex: Class in a Glass
English county Essex is better known for its brash behaviour (and certain reality TV shows) than its beautiful wines. But is all that about to change?!For long, Essex was England's best kept wine secret. The grapes were sold off to producers from Kent to Cornwall, which meant their Essex origin sailed under the radar. But then came the investment - both from ambitious local families and then,
AO YUN - The Insider's Guide
In fiction, Shangri-La was a mythical place of boundless human wisdom and agelessness. These days, after China re-named a city in north-west Yunnan Province, it's the backdrop of a potential game-changer for Chinese wine.This particular backdrop is forbidding. Think: precipitous mountain gorges above the raging Mekong River at nearly 3,000 metres altitude. A patchwork of small-holding vineyar
‘Adrenaline rush’: Wine Auctions & Trends with iDealwine
It's not every day the world of wine is described in terms like: 'adrenaline rush,' and going 'crazy'. Welcome to the world of online wine auctions, particularly that of iDealwine (sponsors of this show). iDealwine is a treasure trove not only of wine goodies but also high-tech functionality - so in this episode we explore how these online wine auctions work and why they m
Battle of the Bubbles
BREAKING: A titanic showdown between top champagnes and the best of the rest has been settled. The victors? Headline writers...This is an impromptu pod reflecting the momentous nature of this Battle of the Bubbles tasting, which took place at the London Wine Fair 2025. Sixteen top judges (including both of us); 26 top wines, including some of Champagne's most reputable (and highly priced) bot
News & Views 2025: Alcohol in deep space; Pope Francis - wine legend; Global wine stutters - but Essex, Bhutan, Pompeii on the up
Where we selectively recap on the wine headlines in recent months (informative - but also fun) and respond to various questions, comments...and grumbles.We gaze into deep space in search of booze. We consider how global wine can be in the doldrums...but Essex is on the up. We hear a sad tale of vandals destroying scientific research, and a heartening story of how ancient Pompeii wine is set to be
Fake Wine: A Laughing Matter?
Brilliant rogues counterfeit unicorn wine, fool the establishment and laugh their way to the bank. It's good story - so good that even The Simpsons have released an episode dedicated to wine fraud. But is this just a laughing matter?This is without doubt one of our FAVOURITE EVER Wine Blast episodes. It stars no less than Homer and Marge Simpson, Mr Burns, Waylon Smithers and Professor Frink.
Do You Need More than One Wine Glass in Your Life?
Some people say you need loads of different wine glasses. Others say you need just one kind (known as 'universals'). There's money, reputation, even relationships on the line here. So what's the answer?!In this episode we share significant new research by Jackie Ang MW, hot off the press, that answers two key questions. Firstly, do different wine glasses make you taste and rate
RIDGE - The Insider's Guide
Ridge is an iconic wine producer - not just in its homeland California, but in global terms too.But how and why did it attain this status in just 70 years? Is it really true their policy has been never to hire a trained winemaker? What is this 'pre-industrial winemaking' they champion? How have they managed to successfully buck the trend for opulence in California Cabernet? Which of thei
Wine in a Can - Sacré Bleu!
Wine. In a can. A hellish reality of tinny plonk? Or a convenient, eco-friendly, fun new format that's the future for wine? This is fun one, because our adventure starts with comedy legend (and proud French snob) Marcel Lucont. We're not only treated to an epic live rendition of his scabrous poem 'Wine in a Can' (compulsory listening for any wine lover) but also his delicious m
Appellation Marlborough Wine
Appellations are wine regions with rules, normally associated with Europe. So how come an enviably free-wheeling, super successful region like New Zealand's Marlborough has felt the need to develop Appellation Marlborough Wine?We put this question and more to Ben Glover, renowned winemaker and proud Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW) member. He talks about, 'ripping the beige quilt off M
Why Wine Matters
Wine and other booze are under attack like seldom before, from many sides: moralists, the media, health authorities citing dubious studies... So it's high time we reminded ourselves why wine is important, the many values and benefits it has, and what we can all do to challenge these pernicious narratives.Don't worry. This isn't some dry treatise or frothy-mouthed rant. We are privil
Margaret River Finds its Voice
Western Australia's Margaret River is renowned as one of the world's foremost fine wine hotspots. But it only got started in 1967, so how has it built that reputation so fast? What makes this place unique? Why is it called, 'wine utopia' as well as, 'the best hangover cure known to man'?!Join us as we go behind the scenes with a star-studded list of Margaret River win
Don't Know Western Australia's Great Southern? You Should
What the hell...where the hell...is the Great Southern?! That's what most people say. Which is why Peter got on a plane and braved fires, snakes and Vegemite to bring you this story of what is arguably Western Australia's best kept secret.Remote? Undoubtedly. Rural? Positively. Hugely exciting for the elegant, refined, often under-valued Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Shiraz...even Gren
Lessons in Wine Chemistry
Why does wine taste the way it does? Why does Cabernet smell like blackcurrant? Or Syrah like pepper? Or Beaujolais like...bananas?!In this intriguing show our genial, white-coated guide is wine chemist and sensory scientist Gus Zhu, the first Chinese Master of Wine. As he says, 'Behind every glass of wine, there is science.'In terms of chemistry, wine is one of the most complex solution
Our WINES OF THE YEAR (2024)
Is it a white? Is it a red?! Is it a rosé??!!Or is our WINE OF THE YEAR none (or all) of the above...because it is, quite simply, pure gold?Welcome to our Wines of the Year show, an annual favourite where we look back over the past year, not always entirely seriously, and raise many a glass in the process.We recap on key news, play Guess the Missing Word in the Wine Headline, share listener input.
The Vines of the Future...Are Here
There's a revolution going on in the vineyards. It's coming to a glass near you soon. And it could change the world of wine forever.We're talking super vines. Bionic vines. PIWIs. Resistant vines. Hybrids. TEA vines - the new generation, 'assisted evolution' kit. Whatever you want to call them - there's a new breed of grape vines spreading fast all over the wine world
Portugal's Great Whites - Bucking Brancos
This show's got everything. It's got deliciously unexpected wine discoveries. It's got live music. It's even got a donkey. You can't ask for more than that.As for how that all comes together...well, you'll just have to listen, won't you?! This episode's all about Portugal's white wines, the best of which are astonishingly good and different and worthwhi
Tainted Love - The Ultimate Guide to Wine Faults
Ladybug poo. Cheesy feet. Mould. Boiled eggs. Cabbage. Drains. Vomit. Nail varnish remover. Dead mouse...Yes, you can find all these noxious aromas in a glass of wine. They are very real - and in this episode we put our bodies on the line as we blind taste through all these horrors and more, to answer the big questions and ensure you know your stuff. (Because life is too short for faulty wine.)So
Chinese Wine: What's the Deal?
China has the world's third biggest vineyard and a long history with fermentation and booze. So what's Chinese wine like? Why do we not see more of it outside China? And why are some people predicting big things for Chinese wine in the future?Answers to all this and more flow thick and fast in this intriguing episode, the result of Susie's recent wine trip to China during which she
Life or Death? On Wine and Health
Consider this our call to arms for wine. Where we grapple heroically with the thorny issue of wine and health, calling out misinformation and over-reach, and learn that the truth is always complex, potentially positive - but often mis-represented. This makes us angry and frustrated. And you should feel the same too.You may also feel confused or jaded by this topic. Understandably so. But join us a
Hunter Valley: History to High Jinks
A hop, skip and jump away from Sydney, the Hunter Valley is renowned as the birthplace of Australian wine. And yet this is far from ideal wine territory: hot, sticky, often stormy. So how did this tiny wine region come to play such an outsize role in Ozzie wine’s history and evolution?Join us to find out why as we chew the cud with Hunter legend Bruce Tyrrell (sample quote: ‘I’m the luckiest man i
Chile Wines of the Year 2024
It's a biggie. Our Chile Wines of the Year 2024 - a celebration and exploration of this slender South American nation's wines. And what's coming up may surprise you. So if you think you know Chilean wine - be prepared to think again.We discuss vineyards planted before the French revolution, sensational value Pinot Noir (the holy grail!), flor-aged Semillon, a Pinot Gris inspired by
Action Stations - Wines to Combat Climate Change
Climate change is a worry. We get it. But how to do something positive about it, especially as a wine lover? After all, it's not easy knowing which wines to buy to support producers doing the right thing...Which is where the IWCA comes in handy - International Wineries for Climate Action. This is a bunch of conscientious wine producers who have signed up to stringent, science-based carbon emi
We Need To Talk About Rosé
It's popular, it's pleasurable - and it's much misunderstood. Rosé is having a moment and yet the myths remain pervasive.That's our cue to ride to the rescue, busting a host of rosé myths as we go, shooting down cardinal sins from the hip, and urging a radical re-think of rosé all round. We hear from rosé experts Elizabeth Gabay MW and Ben Berhneim as well as fifth-generation p
Wine and War: Palestine, Israel and Lebanon
Wine can seem tremendously unimportant at a time of war. At what is a torrid time in the Middle East, we wanted to check in with three winemakers - from Palestine, Israel and Lebanon - and ask: can wine really be a source of positivity during troubled times?What we hear in this episode may surprise you. It's a departure from our regular format - a bonus extended edition - because we wanted to
Red Wine Headaches: A Eureka Moment?
Wine brings pleasure. But for some it can also prove painful. Red wine is particularly problematic for a proportion of the population, with just a few mouthfuls bringing on swift and excruciating headaches.Now scientists think they may finally be on to why. In lab experiments, they've identified a compound in red wine that impedes the breakdown of alcohol by the liver and causes a build-up of
Rías Baixas - Albariño with Attitude
If Rías Baixas is famous for one thing, it's characterful, invigorating white wine based on the superstar Albariño grape - described in this episode by one winemaker as a variety that can take you, 'from the swimming pool to the Michelin-starred restaurant.' Its blossoming popularity over recent decades has given rise to imitators all around the wine world - so what is it that makes
Rías Baixas - Mists, Myths and Mariscos
What do bagpipes, rain, witches, pilgrimage, lampreys and Albariño all have in common? Not much really - but they are all featured in this episode on Rías Baixas, the intriguing wine region in north-west Spain famous for its seafood, verdant landscapes and refreshing, brine-tinged white wines.Historically, this was always a remote region of hardy fishermen and misty hillsides. But since the 1980s
News & Views - global wine wobbles, free wine for phones, Merlot in the bath & does cling film remove cork taint?
How and why is the global wine scene in a bit of a state? Why is wine threatened by weight-loss drugs and smartphones? Does drinking high quality wine make you happier - and does light drinking increase longevity? This is our periodic programme where we catch up on the more intriguing wine news, pondering everything from weighty matters (as above) but also touching on lighter-hearted fare. Such a
UK Wine's Counterculture
There's a new wave of English and Welsh wine producers disrupting the neat and tidy order of the classic UK wine scene. Guerrilla producers - cool kids who aren't afraid to go off-piste and craft dangerous, divisive wines packed full of quirks and kinks. Their attitude? It's better to be naughty than nice. As one winemaker says - he wants to make, 'wines with a cheeky smile.&ap
SASSICAIA - The Insider's Guide
Not many wines ascend to the status of 'icon'. But Sassicaia is one of them. The beauty is that it's not a flashy wine - quite the opposite ('old school' might be a more appropriate description). What's more, its ascent to the wine stratosphere is largely accidental - this scented, elegant Bordeaux blend from Bolgheri in coastal Tuscany was only ever intended as a qua
Going Gaga for Garnacha
It's called 'The Grenaissance'.This exhilarating revival of the grape variety known as Garnacha in Spain and Grenache in France, once the world's fourth most widely planted wine grape, which has gone from workhorse to show pony in the blink of an eye. How come? What's changed? Who's leading the charge and fuelling the new wave? And what's this we hear about inher
Grower Champagne with Lea & Sandeman
From big brand to fine wine - it's no exaggeration to say that grower champagne has changed the notion of what champagne can and should be.Pioneers like Francis Egly of iconic grower champagne Egly-Ouriet have invested huge amounts of time and money prioritising their vineyards, relentlessly focusing on quality and terroir expression in their wines - and ultimately going up against the big Ch
Light Strike: Wine's Not-So-Secret Scandal
Light strike is probably the biggest wine fault you've never heard of. Bigger than cork, bigger than oxidation or anything else. That pretty-looking bottle of rosé perched on the bright supermarket shelf in a clear glass bottle? Probably knackered. If it's been exposed to light for a while, it may end up smelling of boiled cabbage, drains, or wet dog. At the very least, its character wil
Ancient Vines to the Rescue in St Mont
Deep in the wilds of south-west France there's a vineyard that was planted over 200 years ago with unknown vines that may hold the secret to fighting climate change.Join us as we head (virtually) out to Gascony to peer into the mists of wine history and see what lessons it holds for the future. Olivier Bourdet-Pees of the dynamic Plaimont cooperative is our genial, beret-wearing guide, introd
ORANGE WINE Part 2: Gimme Some Skin
So - orange wine. Is it any good? What qualifies a wine to be 'orange'? Does it sell? And who's going to win our argument about one particularly divisive orange wine?!Dive into the controversial, topical and intriguing subject of orange wine with us as we chat with Saša Radikon of iconic orange wine producer Radikon (who gives us an exclusive revelation about a new project) and naut
ORANGE WINE Part 1: The Resurrection
'Please can you do an episode on orange wine?' pleaded listener David.'It's not just hipster wine! These are some of the finest wines in the world...'How could we resist?Orange wine is topical, misunderstood, controversial...It's also an intriguing story featuring a wine style lost in the mists of time being painstakingly resurrected by a handful of brave pioneers in
A Southern French Feast
Wine. Food. Merriment. And a touch of southern French sun.That just about sums up this episode.We're exploring Occitanie - the sun-kissed southern French region that stretches from the western Rhone through Languedoc and Roussillon into South West France.Taken as a whole, it's the world's largest vineyard and makes around 5% of global wine output.In the past, these regions have been
Our WINES OF THE YEAR (2023)
Our Wines of the Year format has grown into this riotous, rollicking rollercoaster of a show which we humbly offer up for your amusement and delectation.This is no shopping list. Nor is it a chest-beating exercise in showing off how #wineblessed we are.This episode is the story of a year in wine: a celebration of special bottles and special times, set against the backdrop of news, views and a lot
Ukraine: Wine not War
Odessa Black.It's the name of a (Ukranian) grape variety. But it could almost be code for the desperate times the people of Ukraine are living through.In this episode, we explore the history and current context of Ukraine, hearing first-hand insights from Tania Olevska of the Ukrainian Wine Company and Svitlana Tsybak of the Beykush winery.Despite the chaos and devastation in Ukraine, wine re
The New Face of Languedoc
Languedoc is a wine region on the move.Sure, it's a huge region with plenty of history, some of it troubled.But there are things happening in Languedoc wine now that are innovative, surprising, intriguing and...well, delicious. In short, it's well worthy of our attention.In this episode, sponsored by AOP Languedoc, we chat to writers Rupert Millar and Rosemary George MW, and we also hear
The Ten Wines Never to be Without
We're going full-on Moses mode in this episode, nailing down the ten wines you should always have at home.Of course, personal taste plays a part. You want to have wines to hand you're going to reach for - which means your favourite styles.But beyond that, it helps to have some expert insight into the bigger picture in order to always have delicious, affordable and useful wines when you n
Ageing English Fizz - How, Why and What
English sparkling wine. We all know it's good. But how well does it age? And could this be the secret to unlocking even greater quality from what are already exciting wines?We do our best to answer these questions and more with the help of several large glasses of very fine mature English fizz - and top winemakers Cherie Spriggs and Brad Greatrix (Nyetimber) and Corinne Seely (Exton Park).We
Ventoux: Next Century Wines
It's a wine region variously described as, 'dynamic', whose wines are undergoing a quality 'revolution', and memorably compared to South Africa's uber-cool Swartland.It's also got a big old mountain on its picture postcard. Not to mention truffles galore.This is Ventoux. And we want to take you on a journey of discovery, to meet the people, explore the places, ge
The Six BEST Wine Books
What are the wine books every wine lover should own?We thought about it. We argued. We drank some wine. Argued some more...And then we decided: let's go for it. No messing around: choose just the six BEST books every wine lover needs, whether enthusiastic newbie or jaded expert.It wasn't easy. But this is the DEFINITIVE listing. A lot of thought and research went into this. Even some rea
Marlborough at 50: A wine story worthy of Hollywood
This is a tale of deception, daring, disaster...and deliverance.It also features skinny sheep and wine robots.It's the story of Marlborough, the iconic New Zealand wine region which is celebrating its 50th wine birthday, after vines were planted by Frank Yukich in August 1973.Yukich had risked personal financial ruin getting to this point. 'Wines from here will become world famous!'
The John Malkovich EXCLUSIVE
'My wife suggested we make wine. I think in the hope of cutting down our wine bill...'It's classic John Malkovich. The wit as dry as his aged Provençal Pinot Noir rosé (yes, you read that right). In this epic episode, we get to know John Malkovich the famous actor of stage and screen - but also John Malkovich the fashion designer, the theatre director, and most importantly John Malk
LIVE Q&A - sulfites, party wines, climate change, top wine tourism tips and being pretentious
This bonus episode may be the last in the current season (4) but it's also a first - the first time we've ever recorded the pod in front of a live audience!A lovely bunch of people came together in our home town of Winchester to drink a glass or two of fine Hampshire fizz and bombard us with searching questions, from which wines we'd recommend for a large and varied dinner party cro
The Microbial Face of Terroir
This episode opens by linking Oppenheimer, Covid-19 and wine - and proceeds to go big by focusing on the small stuff.Microbes. The invisible world of yeasts, bacteria and beyond.We're just starting to understand how important microbes are in terms of defining wine style and quality. Sure, yeasts ferment grape sugars into alcohol. But they also do a whole lot more, as fascinating new research
Germany's Pulling Power
Did you know that Germany is the third largest producer of Pinot Noir in the world?Or that one in three Riesling vines in the world grow in German vineyards - and much of these are making dry, increasingly terroir-driven wines these days?There's much that's surprising, or perhaps unexpected about German wine right now.For long the sector under-performed - but a series of changes since th
The Mystery of Minerality
It's a wine word almost everyone uses - but no one really knows what it means, what causes it, or where it's come from.It makes some people angry, it leaves others mystified - but some adore the term and can't get enough of it. Is this yet another example in wine of (as one listener calls it), 'superstition, witchcraft and myth' that is nothing more than, 'absolute b*
Portugal's Fine Wines: Here Be Treasures
We all know port. But there’s a whole universe of fine Portuguese table wine out just waiting to be explored. It’s far less known but certainly no less exciting…so we dive in.Peter’s fired up after a recent trip to host a masterclass in Porto, where he tasted wines back to 1978 and recorded with a selection of Portugal’s top wine talent, from Dirk and Daniel Niepoort to Sandra Tavares, Luis Pato,
No Schist Sherlock: How Wine Gets Rocks Wrong
‘From virtually any soil a high-quality wine can be made. The use of geology to promote the quality of a wine is thus merely a marketing tool.’ This is an episode that may ruffle a few feathers. We speak to two wine-loving geologists, Professor Alex Maltman and Dr Geert-Jan Vis (the latter responsible for the quote above). Both of them raise serious questions about the line the wine world often en
