Unreserved Wine Talk

How do our personal memories shape the aromas we recognize in wine? What incredible Argentine wines are people missing when they focus only on Malbec? Why do food and wines from the same region often pair beautifully even when they break the usual rules?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Marisol de la Fuente.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.

...

How did Argentina help save Europe's vineyards during the devastating phylloxera crisis? Why is wine still treated as an exclusive product despite being more accessible than ever? How can vineyards that endure extreme temperatures still produce elegant, vibrant wines?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Marisol de la Fuente.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/win...

Why is the Daiquiri with just rum, lime and sugar used as a litmus test to see if a bartender is capable of making a decent drink? What is oleo saccharum and why is it a gorgeous way to sweeten sophisticated cocktails? What is tepeche and why do fermenting pineapples make a delicious cocktail?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Kaitlyn Stewart, author of Three Cheers: Cocktails Three Ways: Classi...

How does it feel competing against the world's best bartenders making six cocktails in six minutes in front of a large audience? How can bartending become a form of storytelling instead of simply making drinks? How did the Mojito begin as a 16th-century medical remedy?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Kaitlyn Stewart, the first Canadian to win the prestigious title of World Class Bartender of t...

How did a single decision trigger Sherry's decline from Britain's favourite drink? What would it take for Sherry to make a comeback after decades of decline? How can you make the most out of your trip to the Sherry region of Spain?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ben Howkins, author of a new book on Sherry.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepic...

How does the Solera system give every glass of sherry centuries of history? How does Sherry's "second terroir" shape the wine just as much as the vineyard itself? Why should every great wine cellar have mature, dry Sherry?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ben Howkins, who has just published a new book on Sherry.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepick...

Can Bordeaux adapt to changing wine tastes without losing its identity? Bordeaux is pulling up thousands of hectares of vines because of overproduction. How does Mouton Cadet's model offer a way out for some wine growers? How are modern Bordeaux producers, like Mouton Cadet, creating wines with more energy, smoothness, and drinkability for today's consumers?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting wit...

Why did the Bordeaux wine Mouton Cadet decide that sustainability needed to include people, not just the environment? Why is the Fair for Life certification that's focused on people, community, and respect the environment a perfect fit for Mouton Cadet? What does it mean to create trust with more than 100 grape growers that lasts for generations?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Véronique Hombr...

How did wine transform biblical meals into symbols of the covenant in the ancient world? Why did overflowing vineyards and giant clusters of grapes become such powerful symbols of the Promised Land? Why did religious leaders label Jesus a glutton, a drunkard, and a friend of sinners?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Professor Mark Scarlata, author of Wine, Soil, and Salvation in the Hebrew...

How does biking through wine country help you better understand the wines? Why has wine held a unique place in the Bible and our culture when so many other foods like milk, olive oil, honey, dates, and pomegranates symbolize abundance and blessing? How do the aromas and complexity of wine create such deep connections to memory in the brain? Why do so many people feel disconnected in modern life despite being more connected than eve...

What makes a properly made mint julep much more complex than people expect? How did an Indian revolutionary leader end up creating one of Japan's most famous curry recipes? How did a recipe collected during a 1930s concert tour in Indonesia become the legendary Queen Mother's Cake, different from every other chocolate cake you've ever had?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with James Chatto, co-...

What did lasagna taste like in Renaissance Italy before tomatoes and ragù became standard? Why are some of Thailand's most iconic royal desserts rooted in Portuguese convent recipes? How did a chance conversation at dinner unexpectedly unlock hidden pieces of food history?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with James Chatto, co-author of the terrific new book Acquired Tastes: The Lives and Recip...

What's the difference between drinking for pleasure and drinking for relief? How does your body's early reaction to alcohol predict your long-term risk of developing alcohol dependence? How do some people drink heavily for years without developing the same dependence that others struggle to escape?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Dr. Charles Knowles, author of Why We Drink Too Much: The New Sc...

What can your first experiences with alcohol tell you about the relationship you'll have with it later in life? Are we fighting with our own biology when it comes to alcohol? Why is moderation impossible for some people?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Dr. Charles Knowles, author of Why We Drink Too Much: The New Science of Alcohol.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.natal...

Why does buying from a good cheese shop often beat picking up a wedge from the supermarket? How do people underestimate the physical labor and other demands of being a cheesemonger? How does using a cheese iron reveal where a wheel of cheese is in its life?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Michael Finnerty, author of the terrific new book The Cheese Cure: How Comté and Camembert Fed My Sou...

Why do some wine and cheese pairings taste better together than either one alone? Why do some wines collapse when paired with certain cheeses? What will surprise you about cheese that's similar to wine?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Michael Finnerty, author of the terrific new book The Cheese Cure: How Comté and Camembert Fed My Soul.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.n...

How did a world memory champion, a theatre director, a voice coach, a TV actor, and a professional magician all help one person win the World's Best Sommelier Competition? How do top performers use nerves and adrenaline to their advantage? What do high achievers do when they accomplish the dreams they've been chasing for years?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Nina and Romané Basset, who h...

How did Gérard Basset discover wine and then go on to become the World's Best Sommelier? What does truly exceptional hospitality look like in practice? How did a man with no fine dining background develop such a deep understanding of what excellence looked and felt like?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Nina and Romané Basset, who have just published a commemorative edition of the book Tasting ...

Is a fully organic future in agriculture possible or even affordable, or are there limits to how far we can go? Why has biodynamics thrived in wine when many of its founder's ideas were rejected in medicine and education? How much of what you enjoy in wine comes from what's in the glass versus your mental perception of what you're drinking?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Alan Ramey,...