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April 24, 2025 68 mins

Why This Episode Is a Must-Listen

Are you dreaming of exploring the world one vineyard at a time in your retirement? Or seeking an inspired getaway that promises more than just a glass of wine? In this episode of Inspired Money, host Andy Wang and a panel of wine luminaries uncork the secrets behind the world’s most fascinating wine regions. Whether you’re a seasoned collector, a curious traveler, or a budding enthusiast, this conversation is your ticket to discovering how wine, history, culture, and adventure blend seamlessly—offering both memorable journeys and valuable insights. 

Meet the Expert Panelists

Madeline Puckette is a certified sommelier, award-winning author, and co-founder of Wine Folly, a leading platform for wine education known for its visually engaging and approachable style. She is the co-author of Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine, a James Beard Award-winning book that has helped demystify wine for enthusiasts and professionals alike by blending design, data visualization, and expert knowledge. https://winefolly.com

Yannick Benjamin is a New York-based sommelier, entrepreneur, and advocate, best known as the co-founder of Contento Restaurant and Beaupierre Wines & Spirits—both built on principles of accessibility, inclusivity, and community. A wheelchair user since 2003, Benjamin has become a celebrated figure in the wine world, earning accolades such as Sommelier of the Year by the Michelin Guide and co-founding Wine on Wheels, a nonprofit uniting wine professionals for charitable causes. https://wineonwheels.org

Amanda Barnes, MW, is an award-winning wine writer and the leading expert on South American wines, celebrated for her book The South America Wine Guide. A masterful storyteller and presenter, she brings the wines, people, and places of Latin America to life with insight, authenticity, and adventure. https://amandabarnes.co.uk

Alder Yarrow is the founder of Vinography.com, widely recognized as a pioneer of wine blogging and one of the wine world's most respected voices. He is the author of the award-winning book The Essence of Wine and the architect and day-to-day manager of the Old Vine Registry, the world's leading database of historic vineyards. https://vinography.com

Key Highlights:

  1. Redefining Old World vs. New World Wine Regions
    Amanda Barnes and Alder Yarrow challenge the traditional “Old World vs. New World” distinction, revealing that history and innovation are thriving on both sides—and there's never been a better time to explore. Amanda notes, “Old World, New World is a distinction that we shouldn't really be using anymore...there's so much history and diversity in every region.”

  2. Embracing Wine Travel for All - Adventure and Accessibility
    Madeline Puckette introduces the novel concept of cycling through wine regions, literally feeling the terroir: “You can feel the cold spots, the hot spots, the elevation, especially on a bike.” Meanwhile, Yannick Benjamin highlights the importance of accessible wine tourism, sharing how transparency, flexibility, and warm hospitality create unforgettable experiences even in rural, less-developed regions.

  3. The Magic of Culinary Pairings and Local Culture
    All panelists agree: pairing wine with local cuisine is more than a meal—it's a cultural immersion. Amanda shares, “Sometimes the diet, the gastronomy also really influences the style of wine that comes from that region. Those pairings can be magical.” Local festivals and traditions bring wine’s story to life. 

  4. Wine Collecting and Investme
Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:50):
Aloha Inspired Money Maker. Thanks for joining today. If
this is your first time here, welcome. And if you're a returning
viewer or listener, welcome back. Thank you for tuning in.
Last week we discussed wine pairings. This week we're talking
about wine in wine regions. So imagine
this. You're sipping on a glass of wine at a sun drenched

(01:12):
vineyard in Tuscany. The breeze carries a scent of
rosemary and lavender, and just beyond the terrace,
rows of Sangiovese vines stretch toward the
horizon. You're not just on vacation, you're on a
journey. You're on a journey through history, culture and
flavor. For many of us, wine starts as a casual

(01:32):
pleasure, a favorite bottle shared with friends or discovered over
dinner. But as our love for wine grows, so does
our curiosity. Where did this come from? Why does it
taste like this? And maybe the biggest question of all, where
can I go to experience this at the source? That's what today's
episode is all about. Whether you're dreaming of retirement travels

(01:55):
or just mapping out your next wine adventure, we're diving into
the most inspiring wine regions to explore. From
legendary Old World vineyards to exciting New world
discoveries, we're going to talk about what makes each destination
unique, how local culture and cuisine deepens your
appreciation, and even how to turn your passion into a

(02:17):
long term investment or sustainable lifestyle. So whether you're
a seasoned collector, a curious traveler, or someone who
simply loves a good glass of wine, you are in the right
place. Stay with us because we've got a panel of incredible
guests who are going to guide us through the world's most fascinating
wine journeys. Before we start, a quick thank you to our

(02:38):
sponsor. This episode is brought to you by my family owned
firm, runnymede Capital Management, where we help you to plan,
invest and worry less. Since 1993, our
fiduciary advisors have guided individuals, families and business
owners toward their financial goals. And personalized
planning and investment is the key to that. As a

(03:01):
fee only firm, your interests always come first. Here's something to
think about. Only 36% of Americans have a written
financial plan, but among those who do,
76% feel more in control. Why?
Because a plan gives you clarity and confidence. And I don't have to
tell you that clarity and confidence today goes a

(03:23):
really long way. So get started today with a free financial
plan at inspiredmoney.fm/getplan.
In just three minutes, you can see when you can retire and
explore ways to improve your future. If you have questions about the
output, I'm happy to schedule a call with you. Let's make
your money work harder together. Now let's bring in

(03:45):
our guest panelists. We have a couple of returning guests from
last week. I'm grateful for their willingness to continue last week's wine
conversation. We have Madeline Phuket, a certified
sommelier, award winning author and co author,
co founder of Wine Folly, a leading platform for
wine education known for its visually engaging and

(04:07):
approachable style. She's the co author of Wine Folly, the essential
guide to wine, a James Beard award winning book that's
helped demystify wine for enthusiasts and professionals alike
by blending design, data, visualization and expert
knowledge. Madeline, you're back for more?

(04:27):
Heck yes. Why not? Let's do this.
I'm so glad. And Yannick Benjamin is also back. He's a
New York based sommelier, entrepreneur and advocate, best known
as the co founder of Contento restaurant and Beaupierre Wines and
Spirits, both built on principles of accessibility,
inclusivity and community. A wheelchair user since

(04:50):
2003, Benjamin has become a celebrated figure in the wine
world, earning accolades such as sommelier of the Year by the
Michelin Guide and co founding Wine on Wheels, a
nonprofit uniting wine professionals for charitable causes.
Yannick, you are also back and you've been in hospitality since I
think age 13 or something. Yes, thanks for having me

(05:13):
back. It's great to be here. Thanks for coming back. Now
our newcomers to the panel, we have Amanda Barnes, Master of
Wine. She is an award winning wine
writer and the leading expert on South American
wines, celebrated for her book the South America
Wine Guide. A masterful storyteller and presenter,

(05:35):
she brings the wines, people and places of Latin America to life
with insight, authenticity and adventure.
Amanda, you are coming to us from Mendoza,
Argentina. Yeah, direct from the Andes. It's a
pleasure to be here. You gave us a little
peek at the view. Oh yeah, I can try, but it's a bit

(05:57):
hazy today. But there you can just see the foothills of the Andes in the
distance. Beautiful. And I suspect we're going to be talking
about how the mountains and the
environment shape the wines of where you
are. I certainly hope so.
Rounding out our panel today we have Alder Yarrow. He's founder

(06:18):
of Vinography.com, widely recognized as a pioneer
of wine blogging and one of the wine world's most respected
voices. He's the author of the award winning book the Essence
of Wine and the architect and day to day manager of the
Old Vine Registry, the world's leading database of
historic vineyards. Alder, welcome.

(06:40):
Pleasure to be here. Thanks for having me. Once Again,
I'm excited for this conversation. I'm not much of a wine
drinker myself. When I drink I get very red
faced. So I am a blank slate looking to
learn a lot today. Let's jump right in and get
into segment one. Old World wine regions

(07:02):
emphasize tradition and terroir, producing wines with
higher acidity and subtle complexity. Bordeaux blends
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with Left bank wines
showing firm tannins and and right bank wines offering
softer fruit driven profiles. Tuscany's
Sangiovese based wines balance bright acidity and

(07:24):
structure. New World regions focus on varietal expression
and modern techniques. Napa Valley's diverse
microclimates produce bold Cabernet Sauvignon while
Mendoza's high altitude vineyards create structured
Malbec. Emerging regions bring unique characteristics.
Georgia's covevry aged wines highlight ancient techniques.

(07:45):
South Africa's Cape Winelands showcase Chenin Blanc and
Pinotage and Uruguay's Tanna is gaining
recognition. Terroir, climate, soil and
topography shapes. Every wine visiting during optimal
seasons enhances the experience with Bordeaux and Tuscany
ideal in fall, Napa in summer and Mendoza from

(08:06):
October to April. Each region offers distinct wines and
a deeper understanding of viniculture.
Alder. You've tasted thousands of wines. What's a region
that consistently surprises you in terms of
terror terrar expression? Well,

(08:28):
I'm particularly excited these days about South Africa which you, you mentioned in the, in
the video there. I think South Africa is completely on
fire. The wines coming out of that country are fair,
fantastic, as good as they've ever been and
really they've got a bunch of natural assets like old vines
and varieties that are specific to that region

(08:50):
that make them a particularly exciting place from a purely
wine perspective. But when you add to that the amazing
landscape that's just stunningly beautiful and a really incredible
kind of farm to table food scene, it becomes a really attractive place
to to go visit and taste wine. What do we need to think about
when it comes to Old World vs New

(09:12):
World? Is there a distinction that we need to be thoughtful about?
Well, I think everybody here should, should, should, should weigh in on that. It's a,
it's a topic of conversation amongst wine communicators like us these days.
And I think the general consensus is that those distinctions don't really
matter so much anymore. And because there are a
lot of different styles of wines made in different places and, and you can

(09:35):
no longer truly generalize about what Old World tastes like and what
New World tastes like. Madeline what are your thoughts?
Oh, sorry, go ahead. Amanda. Yeah,
I was just going to say. I absolutely second what Alder says. I think Old
World, New World is a distinction that we don't, we shouldn't really be using anymore
because you have some incredible kind of history in the New

(09:59):
world wine regions. I mean, here in Chile and Argentina we have vines
that are 300 years old and still producing great wines. And then you have lots
of new wine regions in the, in the old world, like England
for example, which, you know, is a relatively kind of new history of
making significant quantities of wine. So I feel like that's the kind
of old fashioned distinction which, which doesn't really ring true

(10:21):
to the history you can have on by either, you know, either
continents and then also the styles which can be really diverse
and quite different within one region.
Amanda, since you've lived and traveled extensively through South
America's wine regions, is there a lesser known destination
that retirees should consider exploring?

(10:44):
Depends how adventurous the retiree is. Because a lot of
the wine regions of South America require a lot of traveling and
require a lot of time, normally by car, you know,
moving between the vineyards. So if you're an adventurous retiree, there
are lots, and I would say that, you know, Bolivia is one of the most
incredible travel destinations, destinations to visit some really

(11:06):
interesting vineyards. But it's, you know, it's pretty intense. You do need to kind
of get used to the high altitude. The comfort levels are quite
low compared to, you know, the standard of living people might be used to in
the US So there are some adventurous
destinations like Bolivia or southern Chile or, you
know, even Peru. And then there are much more kind of comfortable destinations like

(11:27):
Mendoza where we have, you know, a lot of wineries all close to each
other, very kind of high level of luxury accommodation,
really beautiful wineries. Also certain parts of the Central
Valley of Chile and Yoruba is also a really easy
and comfortable destination to work around. So
retiree, I mean, it really depends how adventurous you are and

(11:49):
what kind of travel you want to do. But there's definitely a wine
region for you, whatever your style is in South America. Good to
know, especially since retirees come in many
different ages and levels of activity. So it sounds like
there's something for everyone. 31 year old
Peruvian retiree, very recently in his early

(12:12):
30s who came to, to do the wine country in, in different parts of
South America. So absolutely, retiree could be anyone. That's the best.
Yeah. So I've been traveling also and
I guess a bit more adventurous, but rediscovering
sort of famous wine regions through a different interpretation, which is on a

(12:32):
bicycle. And we've been doing a series on YouTube
on the bike, going to different regions, trying to actually feel the
terroir. And I was in Alto Adige last year, and I'll
be going to Southern Portugal this year on that same kind of
experience. And the reason I like this way
of looking at wineries is getting on something where

(12:54):
you're exposed to the air, you actually feel the climate a bit more. You
feel actually how the grapes are growing in every region. And you can
feel the cold spots and you can feel the hot spots, and you can feel
the elevation, especially on a bike, if you're pedaling.
So one of the things that I've been doing as
I've been in California, is hosting several rides in

(13:16):
different wine country locations. I'm going to have one coming up in Paso
Robles and in Sonoma. And I'm
excited because these areas are actually, not only are they world
class wine destinations, but they're world class cycling destinations as
well. So there's really sort of an amazing
mood happening in this area that is exciting, where

(13:38):
we're seeing more people with a little bit more adventurous spirit, wanting
to see wine and wine agritourism a little
bit differently. Like, they might stay in a really nice hotel, but then they're popping
on the bike in the morning and on onto an
adventure to maybe buy some wines,
but maybe not have them while they're out

(14:00):
adventuring. Maybe have them later in the evening when they come back to
a place to stay. I love combining those two
passions. And I see the bike behind you.
What should we know about, you know, the air
temperature and the elements that you're experiencing on your bike?
How does that shape the taste of

(14:22):
grapes and the wines? It's an. It's actually an amazing question
that you really do feel on the bike. When you start in the morning, it's
cool. And often in wine country, it's sunny,
and so you feel the warmth of the sun and it's very real
nice. And I think the grapes and the vines feel that too. And that's one
of their highest amount of growth periods during the day is in the morning when

(14:44):
they're just getting started. And. And then in the
afternoon it gets hot. And when
you're over 90 degrees and cyclists don't like this either,
you stop growing and the grapes actually stop producing growth
at over 90 degrees. They're very sensitive, just like we are. They kind of grow
in the same climates. That we like to grow in,

(15:05):
and they. They stop growing. So if
it's too hot in an area, it's really not a good place to grow wine
grapes. And also, some of the areas that have
hot climates become windy in the afternoon, and you can
feel that wind and the wind. When you're on a bike, you can definitely feel
the wind. It gets very hard to cycle in the direction that the

(15:27):
wind going against the wind. But that wind can actually
help moderate the temperatures of the vines, keep things cool. Cool. It can
also help develop very thick skins on the grapes. And
the grapes with very thick skins tend to have more flavor in
the wine. So windy in a region isn't necessarily a bad
thing for growing grapes. And so when you're riding a

(15:49):
bike, you really do feel those things when
physically on your body.
Yannick, you want to chime in? I mean, you
were mentioning for retirees. I mean, one of my favorite journeys is,
if you can do it, is flying in into, like, the south of France
and kind of go island hopping. I mean, it does require a little work

(16:11):
and some good organization. But I think, you know, you go from
Corsica down to Sardinia, and then you end up in
Sicily and then fly into maybe Rome and spend a couple of days
there. I think not only are you visiting
special places, but you're kind of visiting the ancient world and also getting this kind
of cultural aspect of what wine brings to the table. I

(16:32):
mean, that's just one aspect of it. But, you know, generally speaking,
when we talk about wine regions, I mean, very rarely
I don't think I've ever been to a wine region where it didn't offer some
kind of beauty to it. They're just
magnificent, they're peaceful, they're serene. And
I think that, you know, just. I think what you have to really think about,

(16:53):
most importantly, is when you go visit a wine region,
incorporate the cultural aspects to it. I mean, I've never been to Argentina
myself, but I'm very much looking forward to the day that I do go to
kind of go into. Spend time in Buenos Aires and major cities and
really understand the socioeconomic and cultural kind of
traditions of that country as well. And I think that that all kind of comes

(17:15):
together. Janik, as someone who
curates wine lists with a global lens, how do you approach
discovering new regions and what do you look for?
You know, for me, I'm certainly very much influenced and very
grateful for, you know, Instagram, for
example, a lot of great sommeliers, people like, you know, Alder

(17:38):
and, and Amanda and Madeline who, who shared their travels. I
mean, certainly I remember when Madeline did that bike trip with
Alder Sahm and the Outsour dj, and certainly I learned
a lot from that. You know, the articles that Alder definitely puts
out are very beneficial. You know, Amanda has an
incredible book. I mean, they're. I mean, most of the stuff, and

(18:00):
I, I thought I knew a little bit about South America. When you read that
book, I mean, I know nothing about it. It's just unbelievable.
And so that's where I get my source of information, and then
I just kind of go into the rabbit hole from there. Yeah. So
you enjoy. You. You enjoy the research and learning. Yeah,
exactly. Anybody else want to add? Well,

(18:21):
just researching wine is always more fun because you're tasting while
you do it. Right. It's not just reading. You got to
taste. Yes. It's got to be
reading, watching, tasting, feeling,
smelling. It's all the senses.
All right, let's move to segment two. Winemaking dates

(18:44):
back over 8,000 years to Mesopotamia, spreading through
Egypt, Greece, and Rome, where it played a role in religion and
daily life. Monasteries preserved techniques during the Middle
Ages, while the Renaissance and Enlightenment refined
viticulture. Today, climate change and technology continue to
shape production. Wine festivals celebrate tradition.

(19:06):
Argentina's grape harvest festival marks the start of harvest,
while France's Beaujolais Nouveaude honors the release of young
wine. Spain's Batalla del Vino is a playful wine
battle. And Germany's Rheingau festival highlights Riesling.
Traditional methods like Georgia's amphora aged wines and gravity fed
cellars maintain regional identity. Pairings like Chianti with

(19:28):
Tuscan cuisine or Malbec with Argentine asado
reflect history and local flavors. Visiting wine routes,
museums and cultural tours offers deeper insight into the
heritage that. That shapes the wines of today.
Amanda, are there wine festivals in Argentina or Chile

(19:50):
that especially are impactful in
showcasing the traditions? Yeah, there's loads
of festivals. Every kind of weekend is an
excuse for a festival or a public holiday. Mendoza is one of the
biggest wine festivals in the world, which is the big Vendemia, the
harvest festival, which is normally the first weekend of March. And

(20:12):
there you get, you know, parades, you get music, you get lots of the
traditional kind of folkloric music as well. But I
would say that any time of the year, you know, if you're coming to Chile
as well, they have harvest festivals in Argentina from January
through to about April or May. And those are really nice
opportunities to kind of see how the pueblo, how the kind of town

(20:33):
celebrates, and how local people celebrate but to kind of echo
what Yannick was saying, I think that when you are in a wine region, you
are so naturally immersed in the culture here and in the
traditions. And, you know, it's really important to open your eyes and
experience that and enjoy it and, you know, feel the importance
of, you know, the asado in Argentina and in Chile, people

(20:54):
getting together, breaking bread, sharing food. When I was in Georgia, which is
also an incredible wine region, you know, wine regions, to visit the Supra
there, the big kind of feasting together, I think those kind of cultural
gastronomy moments are just as important as the, as the
festivals because you get a real feel for how, you know, families and
friends really share on a regular basis.

(21:17):
Yeah, Yannick was really tickling my desire to go
travel. And I'm curious, Yannick,
do you have a personal story where that cultural
backdrop of a wine region really
elevated your experience there? I mean,
certainly, I would say most of the wine regions, if not every

(21:39):
single wine region that I've been to, totally
connected with me and really profoundly had a great effect on me.
I think one of the most special experiences that I ever had
was when I was in Armenia and I went to what
they think is one of the oldest wine making
facilities, historically speaking. And it's

(22:01):
the arena. One caveat. And so, you know, to get up
there, because I'm a full time wheelchair user, required a lot of work.
And so I, you know, along with a good friend of mine, we, we made
it up to the top and then I had to bump myself back down. But
going into this cave that was well over 6,000 years,
really kind of in the middle of nowhere was just so fascinating.

(22:23):
And it just kind of really enforced within
me how important it is that we have to try to preserve
this legacy in this part of the world where really
I think the civilization of wine began here in this whole kind
of Armenia, Georgia, you know, the Phoenicians in Lebanon,
and you just mentioned Mesopotamia. And so

(22:46):
when I, when I got back, I just kind of really had this moment of
enlightenment and I just kind of talking about going into the deep,
diving into research and all that, that's, that's what I've done and that's what
I continue to do. And I just. That definitely was an awakening for me.
Yeah, that's, it's, it's hard to wrap one's head around. Like, is
armenia. That's like 4,000 BC or

(23:08):
something? I mean.
Before, before man invented the wheel. Yes. People were
making wine in Armenia. Exactly.
Wow. Okay. Alder because you work on
the old vine registry and that ties
closely to history. What's the most

(23:30):
historically rich wine region you've visited?
Boy, oh boy. You know,
as both Jannek has said and
Amanda referenced as well, you know, many of the wine
regions around the world have hundreds, if not thousands of years

(23:51):
of history, but certainly, you know, top of mind
because both Yannick was just speaking about it and I was just there
in October. Armenia and
Georgia, those two countries which have recently sort of
surfaced again in the wine world, honestly
have the longest history of cultural

(24:13):
winemaking. You know, Georgia speaks about an unbroken history of
8,000 years of winemaking. Armenia 6000.
And as Yannick mentioned, the oldest archaeological site
of full production winemaking known to exist on the planet,
in this cave. You go there and
the entire culture is suffused with

(24:36):
an understanding and appreciation and a love for
wine. You know, Armenian poetry dating back thousands of
years references wine. You go and visit the archaeological sites and there
are bunches of grapes and figures harvesting grapes,
you know, on these, you know, 4,000 year old pieces of
archeology. And you really get the sense that

(24:58):
wine is and has always been a part of this culture.
And so there's a richness there for sure that
I think transcends, you know, some of the more traditionally appreciated wine
regions in the world, like France or Italy. You know, when
you can, you can look back through history 6,000 years, 8,000 years,
and think about people making wine and being known globally

(25:20):
for wine at that time. It's pretty astonishing.
It's astonishing when it predates the wheel.
That is crazy. Madeline,
how do food and wine pairing traditions deepen cultural
immersion for travelers?
I mean, I can't tell you how many times I've

(25:43):
served people when I was working in restaurants who'd be
like, the wines were so good when I was there. I don't
remember any of them, but they were amazing. And they're better than what I have
over here. And I think it's an interesting point, but when
you are outside of your comfort zone and you're in a place
where you're tasting new foods and you're tasting new wine,

(26:05):
something magical kind of happens. And that's very true.
When you travel to a place to immerse yourself
in the local foods and try to understand what the local
specialties are. And my example is this.
I'm typically a plant based eater, but I'll taste
anything. And I was in.

(26:27):
Sorry. I was in Portugal many years ago and it sticks in my
head today. I remember seeing someone Making a
grandmother, pulling out some like these big leaves that look like
gigantic, like collard greens almost. But it was. It's their version
of cabbage. And it was a simple cabbage suit with salt
in it, basically water cabbage and salt.

(26:49):
And it was probably one of the most simple and incredible soups that I've
ever had. Just made from a, like, classic
grandmother cooking style. And this was in an area called
Caleras, where they have. It's right by the coast, and
they have these vines that grow 4ft up into
the sand, through the sand, and then they're just going across the

(27:11):
ground. So you pick. The grapes are literally grapes growing on the sandy ground.
And they make a very intensely, intensely flavored
white wine. It's almost salty with really beautiful
yellowy, almost like amber yellow color. And then we ate
these really strange. They're almost like barnacles. Again,
I'm plant based, but I'll try anything. But they're like these little barnacle animals

(27:34):
that grow off the coast because it's basically a coastal wine region.
And so we were trying these little weird red
barnacle creatures, sea creatures, with this really
intensely yellowed flavored wine. And it was one of those moments where you're like,
it doesn't make sense, but it makes perfect sense when you're having something in the
place where it's from, including the wine. It kind of

(27:55):
like it's tasting the terroir.
Magical. Anyone else want to chime in with like some magical
pairing that was unexpected that happened?
Not necessarily a magical. Not necessarily a magical pairing, but I really do think that
the local food influences the wine as well. Like, I think sometimes

(28:17):
we. We often kind of mysticize wine a lot to talk about just the
soils and the climate, and we forget to talk about the people, the
human element, which. Which is just as important. And I
think, you know, a lot of people ask me, for example, why ternat is the.
Is the champion of Uruguay. And yes, it works really well in the. In the
climate and with the soil and the. And the different kind of areas that

(28:39):
you have. But it works really well with the diet, which is like eating a
lot of steak. You know, they eat more beef per capita than any other place
in the world. So, of course, a rich, you know, lovely, feisty
tannat with tannins and acid and, you know, plenty of flavor is going to work
really nicely with, you know, a slow roasted beef.
So I think sometimes the diet, the gastronomy also really

(29:00):
influences the style of wine that comes from that region.
And those pairings can be magical. And every time you taste those wines, it
takes you back to that moment that you were eating that dish.
Makes sense. Yeah. We should ask the sommelier about pairings.
Yeah, I mean, one of my, I mean, I was in
Istanbul two years ago. I mean, obviously

(29:24):
that whole, you know, that part of the world when we were talking about Persian
cuisine and the Middle East, I think it's a cuisine that we
often, I mean, I think a lot of people do know about it, but we
don't talk enough about how incredible and how enhanced
they become, especially if you get what you get, the right glass of wine.
And kind of going to Amanda's point, while I was there,

(29:45):
all I drank was Turkish wine, but
indigenous grapes. And that was really a very special
experience. Of course, here I was in one of the most magical cities in the
world. You know, sort of where east meets West.
But there's a ton of potential in this country of Turkey.
I mean, obviously there's, there's some restrictions

(30:08):
there due to their government, but you know, there's over 125
wineries. It is one of the oldest historical places when
it comes to winemaking and wine growing. And I think they're
still the fifth largest grower when it comes to wine grapes. So I think
that some place to definitely explore. But the food and the
wine definitely are magical. And Turkish cuisine is

(30:30):
just on another level. Oh, you're making
me so hungry again. Let's go
to segment three. We're going to talk about wine tourism.
Wine travel offers diverse experiences from luxury
estates to small family wineries. Large estates provide
high end taste tastings, fine dining and vineyard accommodations,

(30:52):
while smaller wineries offer intimate tours with winemakers and
handcrafted wines. Wine routes like France's Alsace
wine Route, South Africa's Stellenbosch Trail and Portugal's
Douro Valley highlight regional specialties. Activities
range from grape stomping during harvest to barrel tastings,
blending workshops and vineyard picnics. Timing

(31:14):
matters. Spring and fall offer ideal weather with fewer crowds,
while harvest season brings hands on experiences.
Accommodations vary from vineyard guesthouses to boutique
hotels. Planning ahead is key. Booking tastings,
arranging transportation and researching local etiquette
enhance the trip for a seamless experience. Guided wine

(31:35):
tours provide curated itineraries allowing visitors to enjoy
wines responsibly while while learning about the region's terroir
and traditions. Thoughtful preparation ensures a memorable
and enjoyable wine focused journey.
Yannick, what elements make for an inclusive and meaningful wine

(31:57):
tourism experience? And you referenced this earlier, especially
for those with mobility challenges.
Well, first off, I think communication right
I think me as the person who's reaching out to the
winemaker and, and, and, and organizing the trip, trying to be
as transparent and letting them know what my expectations

(32:19):
are and being realistic. I think sometimes there are
people who go to these wine regions and they, their expectations are a bit too
high. I mean, you have to remember a lot of these places that you will
be visiting are pretty rural. And I think there's also this
kind of misguided interpretation that a lot of
these owners of these wineries have a lot of money. Right.

(32:40):
A lot of them live very simple lives. And
so that's something to really understand. I think that when you're visiting
these places, I think it's really kind of understanding that you're,
you're putting your feet on the ground, you're getting away from wherever you're from,
and you're kind of just living according to nature. And if you can take that
approach, you're going to have a superb time. But like I said, in

(33:03):
my case, it's, it's really up to me. It's my responsibility
to just kind of be as transparent and,
and give all the details to whoever I'm going to visit or to wherever I'm
going to go. And generally speaking, I mean,
these winemakers and people that work on these farms,
there's some of the kindness and most generous people. I mean, you know,

(33:25):
I've got, I go to places like in the middle of nowhere. I mean, I
can tell you, they are so appreciative. You know, they're like, my gosh, you're coming
all the way from New York on a wheelchair to come visit me in the
middle of, of nowhere. I'm gonna, I will figure this out. Don't worry
about it. And so, yeah, they're, I'm not, I can't really say I've never
had a bad experience, to be honest with you. Oh, that's good to hear.

(33:45):
Madeline, what's your checklist for the ultimate wine getaway?
I'm kind of with Yannick. You know, it's, it's one of those
situations where you, your expectations versus
reality are often very different. And my example is this,
having extensive experience in American wine
destinations on the west coast, like in Napa and Sonoma and

(34:07):
Paso Robles, they have extensive information
wine routes, all this very easy to set up of tasting
appointments and all that kind of a thing. But when you go to Bordeaux, which
you think should be, well, that should be a level up, right, because it's
porto, right? Well, not exactly like you're going to
be trying to figure out getting, getting appointments. You're going to

(34:29):
have to really do some research. It's, it's hard to figure out where the right
roads to take and that kind of a thing. There's not as much information.
And the expectation that you're going to
get treated hospitality style like you might in, in Napa Valley
isn't always the same in another country. And
language bears aside. And at the end of the day when you're tasting wine, everyone's

(34:51):
happy, so you won't have any problems. But it will be a little
bit of a shocker at how well we're taken care of here in the United
States versus going to another region where you really do need to
reach out. I can remember texting a
winemaker on the cell phone in Australia and he's being
like, yeah, you just go down the red dirt road and that's a, that

(35:13):
was like a river. A real road. It was a real road, but it didn't
really feel like a real road. And you were going and going. It's like the
old stone house. And we just drive and drive forever down this road, pass
some kangaroos, you know, that kind of thing. We're about to turn back and then
there was an old stone house. And that's where I met this
amazing winemaker in, in South Australia who served me

(35:33):
some really awesome shiraz, which I didn't know was about
to win some, some point scores or whatever, but I
was, it was definitely felt like I was taking a
risk driving down that dirt road until
I arrived. So, yeah, don't be afraid if it gets a little weird. It
does get better once you have that glass of wine in front of you. Make

(35:54):
a left at the wallabies. Yeah, exactly.
Alder, do you have a preference for small family owned vineyards
or large estates? You know, both offer
really interesting and distinct different experiences. You know, if people want
to have kind of a luxury experience, you know, that,

(36:15):
that's, that's the equivalent of hanging out in the lobby of, you know,
$800 a night hotel. You can have that in the wine world
by, you know, visiting some of the top chateaus in some of
these places like France or, or Italy.
But you know, for me, when I travel to
enjoy wine, I really enjoy

(36:38):
getting to know the people who are really have their hands in it, right?
The winemakers with, with dirty boots and their
fingernails. And typically you don't get that so
much at one of those big fancy chateaus, you know, that are owned
by the Rothschilds. For instance, or something like that.
And so I have a bias towards, yeah, finding these, these smaller

(36:59):
producers who make incredibly high quality wine, who might have been doing
it for, for many generations in their family, but are
still pretty humble in terms of what, what they offer from a tourist infrastructure
standpoint. But what you get then is time to spend with another person
who thinks very deeply and constantly about the
sort of artisan product that they're producing and who

(37:22):
really will want you to engage with it at their level. When you go
and visit one of these big chateaus, you sit in fancy, expensive furniture
and admire the view and have great hospitality with somebody
waiting on you hand and foot. But when you go to one of these smaller
producers, they're like, oh, do you want to see the vineyard? Come on out, let
me show you. And they'd take you up the top of the hill and show
you this one particular plot where the vines are really old, that their grandfather,

(37:45):
you know, brought them up there when they were a kid and they tell stories.
And you can appreciate what's in the glass so much
more by knowing where it comes from. And where it comes from is not only
that, that place, you know, standing there in the vineyard with, with the winemaker,
but also that person and what makes them tick, what do they think about, how
do they enjoy and, and, and, and, and what are they trying to achieve.

(38:07):
And so that's, that's a particular kind of experience that I value.
It's so interesting how that passion and history
actually makes it taste better. I say
that what's in the glass is, of course, important. It's got to be delicious, it's
got to be great. But what makes wine meaningful and memorable
are the stories that surround it. And those stories are about where it is

(38:30):
in the world and who the winemaker is and why they've been there, what is
the culture of that place and all that stuff around that, that you
don't get in an antiseptic, you know, luxury tasting room.
So don't, don't taste wine in a vacuum.
I also think that we're really lucky in the, in the wine industry because

(38:50):
everyone in the wine industry is passionate about making wine.
And so even if the wine is awful, some of the better
conversations I've had have been with passionate winemakers. I mean,
India is a struggle to make, you know, the quality of Indian
wine is not the highest in the world. But some of the most memorable
conversations I've had have been with winemakers there who have

(39:12):
struggled so much to be able to make these Wines on a cultural
level as well as a climatic one. And those conversations just, you
know, stand in my, in my head for, you know, for a lifetime. They'll be
there. And to kind of Yannick's point as well, I think when you're
planning, there's two ways to do wine tourism. One is something that's very
organized. You have your hit list of wineries, perhaps you go with a

(39:34):
group. And the other is just to kind of wing it. And if you're going
to do it independently, I think it can be one of the most rewarding
experiences. But you also just have to give yourself time and you have
to lower that expectation and just let it happen and
let people kind of spend time with you as they wish. Some of my, you
know, best times in wine regions have been when things have gone

(39:55):
completely wrong. Like in, in northern Croatia we had this
hideous kind of electric storm. I actually love an electric storm, but it just meant
I couldn't leave my Airbnb for three days because the roads were all washed out.
And so having the neighbors kind of looking after you and serving you their wine
and not speaking the same language at all, but having a wonderful
time with them because, you know, when the unexpected happens, it can be the

(40:17):
most memorable. But you have to be willing and open to
those experiences. Amanda, how frequently were you winging
it in your around the world in 80 harvest?
All the time. Every single. Every single.
I was always winging it because I went independently. And so I'd reach out
to winemakers and people within

(40:39):
wine to have conversations with them, to learn from them.
But I was always, you know, driving myself. Nothing was organized by
anyone else. And, and I love driving in the wine regions. You know, there are
some areas, the wine regions, as you know, several of us have
said, typically are in a very beautiful place. So just
having that kind of experience of driving around and

(41:01):
absorbing nature, whether you're doing it by bike or by car or by
horse, you know, just really kind of being part of that landscape.
And yeah, I love winging it, but it takes, it requires a lot of patience.
You need to be quite chilled out to wing it.
It's a good go to strategy for discovering hidden gem
wineries in unfamiliar regions.

(41:24):
Absolutely. Anyone else?
Let's go to segment four. Fine wine appreciates in
value due to scarcity, provenance, brand prestige and critical
acclaim. Bordeaux first growths. Burgundy, Grand Cross, Cruz and
Apicult wines are among the most sought after investment grade
wines. Market demand, vintage quality and aging

(41:47):
potential influence. Long term value. Proper storage is
crucial Investment wines should be kept at 50 to 59
degrees Fahrenheit with 60 to 70% humidity,
away from light and vibration. Provenance must be documented
for resale value. Investment options range from direct vineyard
ownership, which requires expertise and capital, to wine

(42:09):
funds, which offer diversification with lower entry costs on
premier or wine futures. Purchasing allows buyers to secure
wines before bottling, potentially at a lower price.
Understanding legal and tax implications is essential.
Tracking market trends through reputable sources ensures informed
decisions. Whether collecting bottles or acquiring land,

(42:31):
strategic investment in wine can yield significant
returns.
Alder, you've written about investment grade wines and
storage. What foundational advice would you give someone
looking to start collecting seriously? Well, I
think we have to distinguish between collecting wine and

(42:54):
investing in wine. And I have very strong opinions about the difference
between those two things. But collecting wine
is really about, you know, buying wine and
saving it because you intend to drink it someday
and that you're interested in what happens to that wine as it ages
over time because some wines, in fact, don't hit their peak

(43:16):
of quality and what they're capable of expressing for some
time after they've been bottled. And so, you know, as, as
you mentioned in your video, you know, storage of those wines is quite
important. There's nothing worse than buying a bottle of wine, storing it
improperly, and then having it, you know, not taste what, like, what you want it
to taste like, or to have it be ruined by it through improper

(43:38):
storage. The storage is really important from a collecting perspective. And then
understanding how much you're going to drink and when you're going to drink
it is quite important from a collecting perspective because
like so many things, you know, when, when people get into the collecting
habit, it's very easy to buy too much wine and very easy to get
to a point where you realize and it's happening. You know, I see it happen

(44:00):
over and over again where people, you know, get older in their lives and they
realize, there's just no way I'm going to be able to drink all this wine.
So you've spent all this money and invested all this time and energy and then
you have to do something, you know, to get rid of that collection or pass
it on to your heirs. And so, you know, moderation is,
is quite important and being realistic with your
collecting so that you're, you're buying things that you're eventually going to drink and

(44:23):
enjoy with friends and family, but not necessarily amassing,
you know, too much wine too quickly. And a collector's and wine
drinkers tastes change over time and What I see also is in
collectors is buying a whole bunch of wine when they get first get started,
and they realize 10 years later that they don't actually like that wine that they
bought early in their collection career, and their tastes have changed over

(44:44):
time. So. So that's tricky. So that's about collecting, about investing.
Very simple advice. Don't invest in wine.
What do you really think, Alder? I think it's one of the dumbest
places you can go in terms of an alternative asset category.
One, because it can be easily ruined through, you know, no fault of

(45:05):
your own. And two, you know, especially if we're talking
to retirees here, you know, the way that wine
appreciates, you know, if you're headed towards retirement, you're not going to have enough
time for that wine to appreciate in value, to make it a good investment.
Never mind the fact that these wine funds are often actively managed and
charged very high fees on an annual basis. So you're

(45:26):
losing a great degree of your potential growth by paying
these fees to these fund managers. It's just a bad idea. Buy wine
that you intend to drink, save it if you want to, to let it get
older and get better, but don't think that you're going to use it to somehow
increase your net asset portfolio or your nest
egg. Makes sense. Amanda, your thoughts?

(45:49):
I kind of have something slightly morally against investing in
wine as an asset because I think wine was created to be
enjoyed, to be drunk, to be shared. So even though I can
see that some people do make a turn a nice little profit on
that, I'm much more of the philosophy that wine should be something
that we drink and that we enjoy together. And, and I love, you know,

(46:11):
I love collectors when they've got, you know, when they've been collecting lots of wines
and they realize that they're not going to be able to drink it all. And
so they start getting very generous and opening with friends and, you know, giving people
these opportunities to taste wines that they, they wouldn't be able to
otherwise. And so, you know, for me, wine is all about that social
aspect rather than the financial aspect. So a good

(46:31):
tip on picking your friends.
If there are any collectors out there that want to kind of plow through some
wines, I am more than willing to come and help. There is
no better friend than a major wine collector, let me tell you.
That's invaluable advice, Amanda. Are there? I

(46:53):
guess if we're not talking about investment for appreciation,
let's just talk taste. Are there South American
wines flying under the radar, definitely.
And actually, I think you have so many South American wines that
are massively undervalued and appreciated and can age beautifully
with time. And so if you, you know, if you don't have too much

(47:15):
money to invest in wine, if you invest in some of these beautiful, especially from
Chile and Argentina and some from Uruguay as well, if you invest
in those, you can kind of hold them, buy a case of 12,
and then just kind of keep opening a bottle every other year or so.
And I, you know, with the prices that Burgundy are out nowadays, I really think
you can get some gorgeous Chardonnay here especially that you could really

(47:38):
hold for a long time and enjoy for a fifth of the price.
Madeline, what are your thoughts? Do you guide people who
want to turn a wine hobby into an investment? Well,
when you're talking investment, generally people are looking at different types,
sizes of sums of money. And so it's a

(47:58):
physical asset that's large and it's, it's,
it has a time base on it. It's a, it's a high risk
investment. So you really do need to know a lot. I'm kind of with Yannick
in the sense that, like, unless you're already
very knowledgeable and have a way to disseminate,
sell your wines. I think I, I've seen a couple of

(48:20):
models where collectors latch on to a
restaurant or a restaurant builds a collection. And that to
me makes a lot of sense. When you have a restaurant that's sort of managing
a library of wines, they have, they have a huge, deep collection of old
vintages that they can share and continue to sell and actually make money and
profit on over a long period of time. And I think maybe for a restaurant

(48:42):
group or something like that, it might make sense. But you've, you're,
if you're at that level, you're already pretty hardcore into it. And there are a
few examples of collectors, again, that essentially their collection
is available through a restaurant. I've seen that kind of relationship work out
well as well. But again, these are people who
are invested very heavily in the

(49:03):
hospitality industry and they're essentially building culture through
this large library of collection in that restaurant or in that city.
You know, it's a, you know, great cities around the world have amazing
collections and libraries of wine which they share, you know,
through their wine lists. And I think that's a good example of
an, if you were to call it an investment, an investment of wine

(49:26):
over a long term. So I, on the one hand, I, I,
I really like the idea of Collecting, because as Elder said,
wines, some wines get better over
time. Like if you're drinking a Brunello de Montalcino young, you're really
missing out on the height of that moment of when that wine is the
best. And, and so that is as something

(49:49):
that you can do over maybe a decade period of time,
and you can do that on your own and you can have a fun time
with it. But like these, these, these, like big wine
groups and these storage facilities in, in outside of London that have
these massive bottles and they, the bottles, wine goes from the winery to the
storage facility, bonded storage facility, and nobody ever drinks

(50:10):
it. It's not, it's now become a commodity product. And it
takes that wine out of the marketplace of enjoyment foundationally. And
I think that is actually hurting the ability for us to taste
and enjoy bottles like Burgundy and Bordeaux, which
are now out of reach of enjoyment because now they have been
commodified as this asset class.

(50:32):
And so, you know, maybe I'm being a little bit selfish in saying this. I
want my Burgundy cheaper now, but it seems
like, it seems like it's gonna hurt more than it's gonna
help. Yannick, how do you think about this? Do you
think about the quality of the wine? Do you consider long term
value? I mean, listen, you know,

(50:54):
from my personal experience, you know, just this past
weekend, I, I was very lucky. I had two bottles of
wine, both from Barolo. One was 1975 and 1978.
Now, this is not what I normally drink. And why I'm saying all of this
is that I do think that the way my palate has been
cultivated, I don't drink old bottles on

(51:15):
a regular basis. You know what I mean? And so I think sometimes we get
caught up on the hype of drinking old bottles and that they have to taste
great. Now, granted, both of the bottles were great. They were good,
but. And there was nothing wrong with them. But from the way my
brain was trained and the way that I
cultivated my palate, I kind of thought to myself, gosh, I wish

(51:37):
they were a little bit younger. I kind of, you know, like that little tanginess
of the tannins and all that kind of stuff. And so
I think some of these wines that I, I've been opening up for private collectors
that come by and all that, some of them are just,
you know, I don't tell them, I just kind of just kind of put on
the face like, okay, well, if you enjoy it, that's the most important thing.

(52:00):
You know, these wines, there's only a A very small percentage
of wines that actually have this good fortune to kind of like go
beyond certain amount of decades. Right. And especially with
white wines. I am totally opposed
to drinking white wines, generally speaking. I mean, there's always these, the exception to the
rule, like maybe some Chenin Blancs and obviously Rieslings. But I love white wines

(52:22):
that are young and vibrant and refreshing and where you can really feel the kind
of vibrancy of it all. So I think a lot of
these, like, you know, putting these bottles of wines and Saving them
for 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, can
be slightly overrated, but overrated in the sense how
cultivated is your palate. Just like myself, if you were to give me a

(52:44):
Scotch, a single malt scotch whiskey from Isla, I would not enjoy
it. It's not to say that I would not appreciate it, I just would not
enjoy it because I just don't drink single malt scotch, let alone drink something
that, that's intense, you know, So I, I really would not understand it. And I
think that the same thing applies with older bottles of wine. I, I think that
people are falling in love not with the wine itself, but with the actual

(53:06):
label, the name, all the vintage and sort of like the kind of
name dropping. I love it. We're going to bring it home
and go to the final segment. Eco friendly
winemaking is reshaping the industry. Organic wines
eliminate synthetic chemicals. Biodynamic wines treat
vineyards as self sustaining ecosystems. And natural

(53:28):
wines use minimal intervention. These methods improve soil
health, reduce water use and promote
biodiversity. Sustainable winery adopt renewable
energy composting and water conservation
practices. Regenerative farming, including cover
cropping and reduce soil disturbance helps maintain vineyard

(53:48):
ecosystems. Energy efficient facilities lower carbon
footprints. Wine tourism impacts sustainability.
Domestic travel reduces emissions while supporting small scale
local winemakers encourages eco conscious production. Choosing
wines with organic or biodynamic certifications ensures
responsible sourcing. Retailers increasingly stock

(54:10):
sustainable wines, making it easier for consumers to
prioritize environmentally friendly options as demand
grows. These practices influence the future of viniculture,
ensuring long term viability for both vineyards and wine
lovers.
Madeline, I'm hoping that we can get a quick answer out of you before

(54:33):
you have to go. Do you have a favorite example of a winery
turning sustainability into brand storytelling
or. Yeah. Tablet Creek and
Paso Robles went rock certified. So
regenerative organic certification. They're the first winery, I think in the world
maybe to do that. And that's the Patagonia guys.

(54:55):
Regenerative organic certification. And it sort of started a whole
movement of that. We're seeing a lot more wineries doing that, and they've
fully leaned into it. And I think it's
changing slowly but surely changing what is fine
wine. And thanks for having me. It was wonderful to see you all
again. We all know each other in the wine industry, so I wish

(55:17):
you all well. Thank you. Madeline,
Amanda, how do you see sustainability influencing wine tourism
and local economies in the year ahead?
That's an interesting question. I'm not sure in
terms of the kind of tourism, how much people really
consider it, but I think in terms of the wine industry, in terms

(55:40):
of the market, it's incredibly important. One thing that I do
think we perhaps don't talk about enough is the importance of
sustainability based on the place, because organic doesn't work.
For example, in a wine region like Uruguay where you have very high
rainfall, the amount of copper and sulfur that you'd be
using, it's just not sustainable. To be organic would be a

(56:02):
negative in Uruguay. And so I do think we need to open
the conversation to try and understand what
sustainability means to each place and how that can be different
without having this kind of idea that one, you know, one
certification fits all, because it really doesn't. And we, we definitely see that
in the very diverse climates that we have here in, in South

(56:25):
America. And social sustainability, I think, is incredibly important.
But I think it's more something that people think about in terms of
purchasing wine rather than thinking in terms of visiting wineries.
And it will be interesting in the future to see if that. If it does
kind of shape wine tourism. But I think that's. We're a bit ahead of our
time in that sense. Interesting point.

(56:47):
Yannick, what's your perspective like
as a business person? Do you support,
do you support sustainable practices in your business?
Of course. And I think, most importantly, and I think
we've all kind of encountered that there are certainly a lot of
wineries and businesses that were leaders as far as

(57:10):
farming practices, winemaking,
so on, but then only to find out that
that didn't incorporate or it wasn't practiced as how
they were treating their workers,
paying below minimum wages, not providing the right
benefits so they can have a good quality of life. And I think that's really

(57:32):
important. I think that for people like ourselves, all that are here on the
panel, of course we want the wine to taste great.
You know, of course it's great that if they're biodynamic, if they're certified or
organic, that's wonderful. But if we're to find out that
the, the winery owner is just really
not an ethical person. And the people that are working there are not being

(57:55):
treated humanely. There's no way that I.
That. That I know person and I can. I know I can speak on both
Alder and Amanda that we would support such a thing. And
I think that that's what it really comes down to. Yeah. And. And I just
need to give a shout out to Yannick, who's essentially
probably the world's leading

(58:17):
sommelier putting together wine lists
as advocacy. So the wine list that Yannick has put together in
particular for the one that he put together for his restaurant, Contento,
was remarkable in its selection
as a means of pointing people towards ethical
production. Sustainable wineries, wineries made by people of

(58:39):
color, really just an incredible job.
So you're talking to kind of one of the world experts in this
question. Thank you. Alder
Yannick, now that Contento is. Is not open, how
do we. How do we access that? Do we go to your store?
Yeah, you go to the store. But I mean, listen, the. The truth of the

(59:00):
matter is that there are a lot of other sommeliers and
other wine buyers that. That are doing the same thing,
you know, in their own kind of way. And so it's just a matter of
the individual who's looking to find these type of wineries, the
consumer. There. There are people that are out there. I mean, it's definitely.
It's grown and it's out there. I mean, I can

(59:22):
send you a list of great sommeliers and buyers that are. That are very much
doing the same thing, and I'm very proud of them. I mean, it's amazing. It's
great to see. I have to say that being near New
York, I'm so sad reading all about,
like, reading the reviews about your restaurant,
Janik, because I don't get to experience that, your

(59:43):
food and your drink, when it was, like, so close to me.
It's like there's this, like, small window that I
missed and, you know, to. To missed
opportunities. Alder, how
can sustainability intersect with preservation of
old vines? Well,

(01:00:05):
so in order for vines
to get old and grow old and continue
to produce wine, you have to farm them in a way
that is, by definition, sustainable. Right. I mean, you can't sustain the
life of a vine without farming it somewhat sustainably.
That means different things in different places, as Amanda has said.

(01:00:28):
But I think one of the more interesting sort of frontiers of
sustainability studies when it comes to the world of wine is
really using the old vine vineyards of the world
as examples and as Laboratories for
understanding what allows a vine to
last that long. And so these old vineyards in many cases

(01:00:50):
are storehouses of old genetic material
that in some cases are not available today. You can go and
find old varieties of grapes, old particular
biotypes of grapes that are not cultivated anymore, but have
managed to last hundreds of years in a single place
and adapt to climate, the climate that

(01:01:14):
has changed in that time period. And so there's a
resurgence and interest in looking at these old vineyards
as sources for, and perhaps maps towards how
we can plant vineyards for the future that can deal with
a changing climate. And so that's one of the things, the
thoughts behind this old vine registry that you mentioned that I'm involved in,

(01:01:36):
which is this sort of public database, a Wikipedia, if you will, of
old vine vineyards around the world with the idea that you can't preserve
what you don't know about. So our first job and the focus of this database
is to try and collect information on as many old vine vineyards as we can
in the world, what's grown there, where they are, who's
responsible for them, so that researchers and viticulturalists

(01:01:58):
around the world can learn from them and exploit the resources that they
might be to help us build a more sustainable wine industry.
Are vineyards embracing change fast enough in the face
of climate impact? Certainly there
are vineyards around the world that are becoming
unviable because of climate change change. You

(01:02:21):
know, they work on a geologic scale or
a plant based scale, if you will, over time.
So in some cases they need human help to adapt.
But in other cases, you know, the, some of these old vine vineyards
seem to be weathering the vagaries of climate change much

(01:02:41):
better than some of the newer ones that we've planted. And so the question
is why? And what can we learn from that?
Amanda, any final thought?
I think just one, one point about the old vines that I think is one
of the kind of key movements in sustainability today is this return to

(01:03:01):
polyculture and having different kind of cultivations within the
same, within the same area. And I think that's the conversation we're going to start
to have a lot more in the future. And something I'm quite excited, excited to
see people returning to, thanks to the kind of beautiful plantations
of old vines, but really kind of bringing more biodiversity,
which I think is one of the kind of key movements in

(01:03:23):
sustainability in the environment. Thank you,
Yannick. Yannick, final thought.
Oh, I think you were muted. Sorry about
that. No, I think to, to kind of tag along
to what Amanda and what Alder was saying I, I agree with

(01:03:45):
Amanda. The sort of, it's great to see a lot of
these wineries or wine regions where there's, there's other crops
growing that it's just not one mono crop. And when you go to places like
Bordeaux and you're driving up the left bank and I love Bordeaux, don't get me
wrong. And all you see is just vineyards, vineyards and vineyards. You don't see one
tree for kilometers away. I think that's a problem in

(01:04:06):
itself. And so trying to see. And now you're seeing more of a
synergy and you're seeing winemakers and farmers seeing the
benefits of having other crops than just vines. And I think that's, that's sort
of the future in
farming. Thank you. We're gonna leave it
there to our inspired money makers.

(01:04:27):
Watching, listening. What a ride. I hope that you
enjoyed this as much as I did. One of my favorite takeaways from
today's panel is the idea that wine isn't
just something that you drink. It's a lens through which you can
explore the world. Every bottle has a story. Visiting the
places where those stories begin enrich

(01:04:49):
and transform how you experience wine. So if you're feeling
inspired, here's your one assignment for the week. Pick
a wine region that you've never explored before. Maybe
that's Georgia, Uruguay, South Africa.
Find a bottle from there, open it, do a little research on the
region, maybe even pair it with a local dish,

(01:05:12):
and let it be the start of your own voyage into
viniculture. Thank you for staying to the end. If you
enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend who's always up
for a good glass in a great adventure. A shout out to the inspired
Money production team, producer Bradley John, Eagle Feather, and
Chad Lawrence for doing the work behind the scenes. Finally,

(01:05:34):
let's thank our amazing panelists once again. Be sure to follow
them and learn more about them. Amanda Barnes, her book,
the South America Wine Guide. You can find her at
amandabarns.co.uk you can also find
her at southamericawineguide.com
Amanda, anything anywhere else you want to send people or

(01:05:56):
anything you want to share about what you. Oh, just thank you. It was a
real pleasure. It was lovely to join you all today. It's very nice to see
some friendly faces and be able to talk about these topics
together. So thank you. Alder Yarrow
is founder of vinography.com so check that out. Check out his
book the Essence of Wine and the also

(01:06:18):
the Old Vine Registry. Alder, any
place you want to anything you want to share with everybody? No, I'm just at
Vinography on every major social media platform so you can easily find
me. Just remember, like pornography but vino and you'll never
forget it.
So so much valuable information there. Definitely. Everybody

(01:06:40):
should, you know, use that resource to your
benefit. And Yannick Benjamin, you can find
him at wineonwheels.org beaupier
wine.com Yannick, anything else you want to
share? Yeah, I just want to say that I think that,
I mean, I sometimes I hear people being a bit pessimistic about the

(01:07:02):
world of wine, but I, I just want to say that I feel
better than ever about it. Things go
up and down and so I think
sometimes to go forward, you have to, you know, sometimes go backwards a little bit.
And that's all it is. And right now we're living in an incredible
time where wine making is better than ever. And you'll just see

(01:07:24):
constant improvements in some regions that are just constantly
improved. So just enjoy the ride for now and, and be patient.
Yes, the world is full of ups, downs and back
and forths. So I like your
positive glass half full. We will enjoy the
ride. And finally, Madeline Puckette, who had to leave at the top of

(01:07:46):
the hour. Check out her book Wine Folly the Essential Guide to Wine.
You can also find her winefolly.com.
I really enjoyed having all the panelists here. I hope that
your lunch or dinner or breakfast whenever you're listening or
watching this tastes better because of the company that
we shared today. The next inspired Money episode will be next week.

(01:08:09):
We're talking about Watch Collecting as Legacy Treasures
Timepieces for Retirement Generations. That's on Wednesday,
April 30th at 1:00pm Eastern. So I'm
enjoying that this lifestyle topic continues. We
did two weeks of wine. We're talking about watches. I think we talk about
retirement investing the week after that. So thank you

(01:08:32):
everybody for joining. Until next time, do something that
scares you because that's where the magic happens.
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