Unreserved Wine Talk

Unreserved Wine Talk

The Unreserved Wine Talk podcast features candid conversations with the most fascinating people in the wine world. Your host, award-winning journalist Natalie MacLean, dives into how it feels to compete in the nerve-wracking World's Best Sommelier Competition, the shadowy underground of wine forgery, the zany tactics of a winemaker who hosted a funeral for cork, and more. Nestled in these colourful stories are practical tips on how to choose wine from a restaurant list, pair it with food and spot great values in the liquor store. Every second episode, Natalie goes solo with an unfiltered, personal reflection on wine. She'll share with you how it feels to be a woman in what is still a largely male-dominated field, her gut reaction to the latest health study that says no amount of alcohol consumption is safe and her journey in writing her next book. She'll reveal these vulnerable, sometimes embarrassing, stories with tipsy wit and wisdom that she's soaked up from 20 years of writing about wine. This podcast is for wine lovers from novices to well-cellared aficionados.

Episodes

October 30, 2024 45 mins

Have the health risks of moderate wine consumption been grossly overstated? How does moderate wine consumption reduce heart disease? What is the ideal amount and pattern of wine consumption for maximum health benefits, and how does it differ between men and women?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Tony Edwards.

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

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Why do certain musty or animalistic aromas, like barnyard or manure, become more acceptable to wine lovers over time? What does minerality really mean when it comes to wine? Why is mouthfeel so important to appreciating wine? How does the colour of wine influence our perception of how it tastes?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Master of Wine, Gus Zhu.

You can find the wines we discussed at htt...

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Can you learn to appreciate aromas such as spice, petrol, and even gamey or foxy notes in wine? And would you want to, or should you? How can you better understand the taste of umami in what you eat and drink? How do culture and lifestyle influence your perception of the aromas and taste of wine?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Master of Wine, Gus Zhu.

You can find the wines we discussed at ht...

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How far would you go for that first evocative taste of an elusive wine? Why should you try wines and books outside your comfort zone? How is folklore as rooted in a sense of place as much as wine is?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jo Penn.

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

 

Highlights

What’s the...

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Why is biodynamic viticulture sometimes associated with dark magic or the occult? Why is using wine in religious rituals as a sacrament considered normal for many people, but taking it beyond that is not? Why are wines from England becoming increasingly popular?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Jo Penn, the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, about her latest novel, Blood Vintage, ...

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How has Rioja's famous architecture impacted tourism and the international perception of Rioja wines? How does Rioja wine style change in a vintage characterized as an Atlantic year versus a Mediterranean year? How did oak aging become so fundamental to the identity of Rioja wines? What’s driving the resurgence of traditional aging methods, such as concrete tanks?

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

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What makes the Rioja region of Spain a must-visit destination for wine lovers? What are the best food pairings for Rioja wines? What’s the sticky history behind the Battle of Wine festival in La Rioja?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Adam Lechmere, editor of The Smart Traveler's Wine Guide to Rioja, among other books in this series.

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

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Why is winemaking always a challenge, no matter how long you’ve been doing it? How are wind machines used to mitigate the negative impact of cold weather? How does Pelee Island’s biodiversity influence the brand and winery? Why is it important for winemakers to respect the natural environment?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Martin Janz, the chief winemaker at Pelee Island Winery in Southweste...

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What is the connection between alcohol and innovation? How does alcohol help enhance trust and cooperation? Why is it important not to think about alcohol consumption through a medical lens alone?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Edward Slingerland, a professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia and the author of Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilizatio...

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How does alcohol, especially wine, foster our creativity, trustingness, and sociability? What does the “beer before bread” hypothesis suggest about alcohol's role in the development of civilization? Should there be different minimum drinking ages for wine and beer versus spirits?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Edward Slingerland, a professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia...

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Why should you look beyond Eurocentric wine and food pairings? What’s so special about making vineyard-designated wines? How can you get the most out of your next trip to Sonoma County?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with superstar winemaker Theresa Heredia who has worked for some of California’s most prestigious wineries.

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

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Does harvesting wine based on the biodynamic calendar make sense? What about actually drinking the wine based on the lunar cycle? How does fog play a profound role in growing grapes and winemaking in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma, California? Why do some winemakers add Mega Purple to wine, and what the heck is Mega Purple?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with superstar winemaker Theresa Heredi...

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Why do Ontario winemakers need to be exceptionally unreasonable, stubborn, and pathological optimists? Which Ontario wines should you try next, other than Icewine? Why should Ontario be at the top of your list of wine regions to visit?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm being interviewed by Matthew Gaughan on Matthew's World of Wine and Drink.

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

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How do the soils of Germany change the expression of Riesling in your glass? What would surprise you about the size and of German wine production in relation to other leading wine-producing countries? How is climate change dramatically changing the way Germany cultivates vines?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Anne Krebiehl.

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

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Why has German beer been so much more successful marketing-wise than German wine in foreign markets, particularly in the U.K. and North America? How does German law make it complex to navigate the country’s wines for consumers? What is selective harvesting, and why is it fundamental to understanding German wine?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Anne Krebiehl.

You can find the wines we di...

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Why are pigs roaming up and down the rows of more and more vineyards? Do biodynamic preparations really help vineyards by treating them more holistically or is this junk science? How does fog help vineyards, especially in Napa and Sonoma?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Sophie Menin.

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

 

Giveaway

Three of you ...

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Why do many wineries plant roses at the end of each vine row? What does bee activity tell you about a vineyard? What does it mean for winemakers to have an "aesthetic vision"?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Sophie Menin.

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

 

Giveaway

Three of you will win a copy of Sophie Menin and Bob Chaplin's terrific new ...

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Should we, as consumers, be concerned about buying wines from regions which have experienced wildfires? Why does smoke taint intensify as a wine ages? How can wineries mitigate the risk of producing smoke-tainted wine?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with researcher Wes Zandberg.

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

 

Highlights

Why does smoke taint show u...

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What are the main causes of wildfires in wine country? Which two weather-based factors are the strongest predictors of the severity of wildfires each season? What impact do wildfires have on the taste of your wine, and why is it difficult to predict whether smoke-exposed grapes will, in fact, produce tainted wine?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with researcher Wes Zandberg.

You can find the wines ...

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What is agri-tourism and why did people begin to embrace the farming experience? Why don't Ontarians drink as much of our own wine as other provinces or countries? How did one woman lead the charge for biodynamic and organic wines in Canada?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Jennifer Wilhelm.

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

 

Giveaway

Three ...

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