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.
Show episodes
What Surprises Did a Magical Dom Pérignon Champagne Tasting of 60 Rare Vintages Reveal? Elva Ramirez Shares Her Story in "Sparkling"
How did a magical Dom Pérignon Champagne tasting of 60 rare vintages reveal the surprising depth and aging potential of sparkling Rosé? What surprising role did the British play in the discovery of sparkling wine? What makes the Porn Star Martini one of the most crowd-pleasing cocktails? In this episode of the Unreserv
How can carbon offsetting claims in the wine industry be a form of greenwashing? How does the natural fermentation process in winemaking create one of the most concentrated sources of CO₂ emissions in any industry? Can yeast selection and fermentation techniques make winemaking more sustainable? In this episode of the
Rooted in Change: The Stories Behind Sustainable Wine with Andy Neather and Jane Masters
How can the wine world help tackle climate change, and why is choosing sustainable and biodynamic wines not enough? What happens when vineyards embrace biodiversity with cover crops, insects, and wildlife? How are wine producers in South Africa rebuilding natural ecosystems around their vineyards? In this episode of th
How Is The Spanish Sparkling Wine Cava Different From The Italian Bubbly Prosecco Iin Production, Taste and Reputation?
How is the Spanish sparkling wine Cava different from the Italian bubbly Prosecco? What makes Xarel·lo stand out from Spain's other traditional Cava grapes? How did Alicante's Monastrell grape give rise to the rare Fondillón wine, and what makes it different from Port or Sherry? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine T
How Does the Biggest Misconception About Spanish Wine Make It a Hidden Gem for Wine Lovers? Sarah Jane Evans Reveals This and More in Her New Book
How does the biggest misconception about Spanish wine make it a hidden gem for wine lovers? How did Spain's civil war and period of dictatorship delay the growth of its wine culture? What makes the vineyards of Priorat challenging to walk and unforgettable to visit? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast,
How Much of Wine's Taste Is Shaped By Psychology? Dr. Alex Maltman Reveals The Surprising Evidence
How much of what we perceive about the taste of wine is actually shaped by psychology? Are vineyard soils important contributors to a wine's tasting profile? Why do so many wine producers highlight their soils as a unique factor that makes their wines stand out? Where do the "minerals" we taste in wine originate from?
