Unreserved Wine Talk

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415: Romania has one of Europe's largest vineyard areas and thousands of years of winemaking. Why is it still so little known abroad? Nov 11, 2026

Show notes

How can Romania have one of Europe's largest vineyard areas and a winemaking history stretching back thousands of years, yet remain relatively unknown internationally? How did communist rule transform Romania's once-celebrated wine industry? How does Romania's geography create such diverse wine-growing conditions?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Anne-Wies Van Oosten.

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

Highlights

Why should wine lovers add Romania to their must-visit list?

How do Romania's Carpathian Mountains, major rivers, and Black Sea coastline create such diverse wine-growing conditions?

What makes Transylvania's wines particularly fresh?

How are climate change and changing tastes influencing red, Rosé, and sparkling wines produced in Romania?

Why should wine lovers check Romanian wine labels carefully when choosing between dry and traditionally sweeter styles?

How can Romania have one of Europe's largest vineyard areas and a winemaking history stretching back thousands of years, yet remain relatively unknown internationally?

How did communist rule transform Romania's once-celebrated wine industry?

What role did Romania's entry into the European Union play in reviving its wine industry?

What connections remain between Romania's ancient winemaking traditions and the indigenous grape varieties grown today?

What is the mysterious Golden Medias wine mentioned in Bram Stoker's Dracula?

About Anne-Wies Van Oosten

Anne-Wies is a well-known wine, food, and travel journalist from the Netherlands, currently living in Romania. She obtained the degree Register Vinoloog of the Wine Academy® in the Netherlands, finished the WSET Level 4 Diploma and graduated as Weinakademiker at the Austrian Weinakademie with her thesis about 'The Development and Future of Wine Tourism in Transylvania'.

She spends part of the year at her home in Transylvania, where she visits Romanian wineries. The other part, she travels the world to visit other wineries and to participate as a member of the jury in international wine competitions.

Every day, she shares her insights and knowledge on wine and food on her platform Anne-Wies.nl and, on a freelance basis, on other websites.

She is very active on social media, on which, amongst others, she shares her articles. On a monthly basis, she reaches over 20.000 Wine & Food lovers from all over the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/415.

414: Why Is Sake A Better Match For Fish and Certain Cheeses Than Wine? Nov 04, 2026

Show notes

How have wineries helped rebuild communities devastated by natural disasters? Why do Japanese vineyards often grow grapes overhead on pergolas instead of traditional trellises? Why is sake a better match for fish and certain cheeses than wine?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Nick Rowan

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

Highlights

How are Japanese wineries helping communities rebuild after devastating earthquakes and tsunamis?

Why do Japan's strict farmland ownership laws make it so difficult for wineries to expand?

What makes Hokkaido particularly attractive to foreign winemakers looking to establish larger vineyards in Japan?

How do Japan's unusual pergola-trained vines and individual grape umbrellas protect vineyards from the country's challenging climate?

Why were Japanese wineries producing wine for submarine sonar equipment during World War II?

What makes Japan's artisan cheese industry an unexpected discovery for wine lovers?

Do Japanese Koshu wine and saké pair better with certain cheeses than traditional high-acid wines?

Why should wine lovers approach Japanese wine tastings more like a selection of sushi rather than expecting one bold, powerful wine?

When is the best time to visit Japan's wine regions, and which seasons should travellers avoid?

How does wine fit into Japanese food culture when saké already has such deep culinary and cultural roots?

Did the hugely popular Drops of God manga and television series help Japanese wines gain recognition, or mostly reinforce the appeal of famous European wines?

Why are some Japanese winemakers deliberately limiting sales of their rare wines rather than encouraging collectors to stockpile them?

What should wine lovers know about Japanese wines before tasting them for the first time?

About Nick Rowan

Nick Rowan spent his early 20s in rural Japan, blissfully unaware of Japanese Wine. Having spent over a decade deep-diving into the world of wine, developing an interest in lesser-known grapes and wine regions, he has combined the two in this, his first book. He lives in Berkshire, UK, with his partner who has put up with his wine obsession the whole time. They both wish they had a pet cat.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/414.

413: What would surprise you about Japanese wine? Nick Rowan Shares An Intriguing Piece of History Oct 28, 2026

Show notes

What would surprise you about Japanese wine? How has climate change transformed Japan's once-frigid Hokkaido into one of its most promising wine regions? How did a chance encounter in a Japanese wine bar lead to a winemaker rediscovering a wine he'd almost forgotten making? How did a 13-year-old samurai smuggled out of Japan become California's celebrated Wine King?

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

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

Highlights

What makes Japan's wine world surprisingly small, even with regions hundreds of kilometres apart?

Why did Japanese wines once have a reputation for tasting artificially sweet and how have they since evolved?

What makes Japan's wine industry so much more diverse than most wine lovers realize?

Why are some of the world's lesser-known wine regions attracting adventurous wine lovers?

How are Japanese wineries using animals to manage their vineyards and support local communities?

What archaeological evidence suggests people in Japan made wine thousands of years ago?

Why do Japan's geography and climate have more in common with New Zealand than with many traditional European wine regions?

Why is Japanese wine production relatively small and what challenges does that create?

How is climate change transforming Japan's wine regions?

How did a 13-year-old samurai smuggled out of Japan become California's celebrated Wine King?

What makes Japan's climate challenging for growing traditional European wine grapes?

What gives the delicate, understated Koshu grape its distinctive character?

About Nick Rowan

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/413.

412: Why does a Manhattan cocktail and a hamburger make an insanely great pairing? Oct 21, 2026

Show notes

Why does a Manhattan cocktail and a hamburger make an insanely great pairing? Can strongly brewed black tea really scratch the itch for whiskey in a non-alcoholic Old Fashioned? How did the arrival of drinking straws make new types of cocktails possible?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Kara Newman, the author of eight cocktail books.

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

Giveaway

One of you is going to win a copy of one of Kara Newman's The Cocktail Cabinet. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

Why has Audrey Saunders' Old Cuban endured as a modern classic while so many other cocktails have disappeared?

What happens when you replace the gin in a Negroni with a funky Jamaican rum?

What does setting a cocktail on fire actually add beyond the theatrics?

Is a Manhattan and a burger the ultimate food and cocktail pairing?

Have low and no-alcohol drinks have become too important for the drinks world to ignore?

How can aquafaba recreate the frothy texture of egg whites in a cocktail?

Why does the order of a dry shake and wet shake matter when making a frothy cocktail?

How can acid phosphate create the tartness of citrus without adding lemon or lime?

Why is balancing sweetness one of the hardest challenges when creating a great non-alcoholic cocktail?

Can strongly brewed tea really scratch the itch for whiskey in a non-alcoholic Old Fashioned?

How did early drinking straws make ice-filled cocktails like the Sherry Cobbler easier to enjoy?

What does Kara think the zero-proof spirits industry still needs to get right?

About Kara Newman

Kara Newman reviews spirits for Wine Enthusiast magazine, where she's also a writer-at-large covering cocktails, spirits and bar culture, from Cuban rum to the world's tiniest two-seat bar. Her work also appears in publications including Afar, Bloomberg Pursuits, Food & Wine, PUNCH, and the Wall Street Journal and BBC Travel. She's the author of seven cocktail books -- soon to be eight!

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/412.

411: How is the new Canadian sparkling wine, Fracette, poised to take on Champagne, Prosecco and Cava? John Boynton, CEO of Arterra Wines, reveals the strategy Oct 14, 2026

Show notes

France has Champagne. Italy has Prosecco. Spain has Cava. So what's the new Canadian sparkling wine style that's just launched? Will Canadians remain loyal to domestic wines once American wines return to store shelves? Is the wine industry making a costly mistake by assuming young drinkers will turn to wine as their incomes grow? How could boxed wine change the way you think about buying and enjoying wine at home?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with John Boynton, CEO of Arterra Wines Canada.

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

Highlights

How can boxed wine overcome its reputation for being cheap and become a practical choice for everyday drinking?

Why does John believe large-format wine offers one of the best values in the alcohol category? If Friday nights are increasingly spent at home, how can wine become more relevant to the people sharing that occasion?

Is the idea of one bottle for everyone becoming a poor strategy for the wine industry?

What does Arterra's consumer data reveal about whether younger drinkers will naturally start drinking more wine as their incomes rise?

How many Canadian wine drinkers are likely to stick with Canadian wine once American wines fully return to shelves?

What can the wine industry learn from the decline of newspapers?

Could greater scale help Canadian wineries compete on price and export more wine internationally?

Does Canada have the potential to become a major sparkling wine producer?

What makes Fracette distinctly Canadian compared with other styles of sparkling wine?

Why does John want Canadians to stop saving sparkling wine for special occasions?

About John Boynton

John Boynton is the President of Arterra Wines Canada. He oversees the domestic and international sales, marketing and operations of Canada's leading wine company.

John joined the company in 2022 from NordStar (parent company of Torstar) where he held the role of Vice Chair and President of Digital. He was previously the President and CEO of Torstar and Publisher of The Toronto Star.

John is an experienced CEO with a proven track record of helping companies transform and grow – successfully turning strategy into action. He leads his teams in a way that aligns to our purpose and values, focusing on teamwork and collaboration.

Throughout his 35-year career, John has worked in Sales, Marketing and Operations – for many different industries. He has experience in building both customer and direct-to-consumer relationships as well as in mobile, digital, data and ecommerce.

A Canadian, John has lived and worked in Canada, the US and Europe.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/411.

410: How can a bottle of wine become the invitation for Come Over October? John Boynton, CEO of Arterra Wines Canada, shares his insights Oct 07, 2026

Show notes

How can a bottle of wine become the invitation, slow down the moment, and create space for real conversation? Why does the wine industry need to look beyond wine itself to win back consumers? How can wine become more relevant to younger consumers?

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

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

Highlights

Why does John believe wine can help combat the growing problem of loneliness?

What makes wine uniquely suited to slowing us down and creating deeper face-to-face connections?

How can a bottle of wine serve as both the invitation and the excuse to spend time together?

What did the first year of Come Over October reveal about people's desire for more meaningful connection?

Why does John believe wine forces us to be more present in an increasingly digital world?

How did Come Over October change the way John prioritizes time with his own friends and family?

Why are younger drinkers consuming less wine?

What does the wine industry need to understand about the pre-party occasion?

Why did Arterra create a bold, 16% alcohol flavoured wine?

How much of wine's decline is being driven by affordability versus moderation and changing lifestyles?

Why does John think the wine industry needs to stop looking at other wine brands for inspiration?

What can trends like zero sugar teach the wine industry about reinventing itself for today's consumer?

About John Boynton

John Boynton is the President of Arterra Wines Canada. He oversees the domestic and international sales, marketing and operations of Canada's leading wine company.

A Canadian, John has lived and worked in Canada, the US and Europe.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/410.

409: How can two rums taste completely different even though they're both made from sugar cane? Kara Newman reveals the secret Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

How can two rums taste completely different even though they're both made from sugar cane? What makes Jamaican rum so famously funky, and what does a dunder pit have to do with it? How does the type of ice you use change the strength, temperature, and texture of a cocktail?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Kara Newman, the author of eight cocktail books.

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

Giveaway

Highlights

How did writing about stocks, bonds, and commodities eventually lead Kara to a career covering cocktails and spirits?

Why does Kara see cocktail recipes as a starting point rather than a strict set of instructions?

How does writing cocktail recipes on individual cards change the way Kara approaches storytelling?

How can two rums taste so dramatically different when they're both made from sugar cane?

Why did early Tiki pioneers blend multiple styles of rum into a single cocktail?

How did the fierce rivalry between Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic help shape Tiki cocktail culture?

What gives rhum agricole its distinctive grassy, funky character?

What exactly makes Jamaican rum so funky, and what does a dunder pit have to do with it?

Why does the Three Dots and a Dash cocktail literally wear its name in its garnish?

Why did Don the Beachcomber impose a two-drink limit on his famously potent Zombie cocktail?

How does the type of ice you use change a cocktail?

Why should you stop thinking of rum as one category from one part of the world?

About Kara Newman

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/409.

408: How Are Modern Whisky Makers Using Blending To Capture Emotions and Experiences? Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

How does smoking whisky grains with elephant dung translate into flavours like raspberry and sandalwood? What does the saying "you can't turn a donkey into a racehorse" reveal about making great whisky? How are modern whisky makers using blending to capture emotions and experiences?

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

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

Giveaway

Two of you are going to win a copy of Kristiane Westray's terrific book, Savour: A Guide To Tasting and Exploring Whiskies of the World. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

How are modern whisky makers using blending to capture emotions and experiences rather than simply create consistency?

Why are smaller distilleries more likely to experiment with different grains, yeasts, and production methods?

How can something as simple as changing yeast dramatically influence the flavour of a whisky?

What does the saying "you can't turn a donkey into a racehorse" reveal about making great whisky?

How can a whisky maker's background and philosophy become almost like another ingredient in the final spirit?

What does ageing whisky in former Japanese shochu casks add that more familiar bourbon or Sherry casks cannot?

How do unconventional materials create entirely new flavours in whisky?

Why does Kristiane think whisky drinkers should focus on enjoying what's in the glass?

How do altitude and atmospheric pressure affect the way whisky is distilled and matured?

What makes Canada's craft whisky scene so exciting?

Why is whisky and ginger ale Kristiane's go-to pub drink, even when she's using single malt?

What are Kristiane's three essential tips for anyone who wants to enjoy whisky more?

About Kristiane Westray

Kristiane Westray is a whisky communicator and author. Her first book Savour was published by Bloomsbury in October 2025. She has written about spirits since 2012, and her work has appeared in Whisky Magazine, The Malt Whisky Yearbook, The Times, Club Oenologique and many more. She is the former editor at The Spirits Business and led the content team at Master of Malt, where she trained as a WSET Spirits Educator. As a judge in the UK and US, she has tasted and assessed thousands of whiskies from around the world. An accomplished presenter, Kristiane has hosted numerous tastings, co-hosted live broadcasts, and appeared as a whisky expert on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch. A passionate advocate for equity in whisky, her work on social media drives education and inclusivity with the vision that whisky is for everyone. Kristiane is based in Brighton, UK, where she lives with her girlfriend and a tiny ginger cat.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/408.

407: In "Savour," Kristiane Westray reveals: Is smelling whisky different from smelling a glass of wine? Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

Is smelling or nosing whisky different from smelling a glass of wine? How did a 1960s marketing campaign convince generations of whisky drinkers that single malt was better than blended whisky? What is it like to step inside a working whisky kiln and experience peat smoke firsthand?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Kristiane Westray, author of Savour: A Guide To Tasting and Exploring Whiskies of the World.

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

Giveaway

Highlights

What was it like stepping inside the smoky kiln at Bowmore and experiencing peated whisky production firsthand?

Why did Kristiane write Savour for flavour lovers rather than whisky geeks?

How did writing the book reinforce Kristiane's belief that whisky needs to welcome new drinkers?

How did Kristiane go from an aspiring fashion and beauty writer into a whisky obsessive?

Why should you approach nosing whisky differently from nosing a glass of wine?

How can the type of peat used in different regions create dramatically different aromas in whisky?

Does the glass you drink whisky from really matter?

How can exploring the landscape around a distillery deepen your understanding of its whisky?

How does Kristiane challenge the lingering idea that whisky is primarily a drink for men?

How did a 1960s marketing campaign help convince generations of drinkers that single malt was better than blended whisky?

Do whisky drinkers worry too much about caramel colouring, small batch claims, and chill filtration?

About Kristiane Westray

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/407.

406: How Did The Launch of the Super Premium Rosé Whispering Angel from Château D'esclans Change Provence? Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

How did Sacha Lichine's launch of Garrus and Whispering Angel from Château d'Esclans, which now exceeds 10 million bottles a year change Provence? What happens to a wine region when historic family estates are increasingly bought by wealthy outsiders and corporations? How can classifying wine by colour get in the way of understanding what's actually in the glass?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Liz Gabay and Ben Bernheim.

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

Giveaway

Two of you are going to win a copy of Liz Gabay and Ben Bernheim's terrific book, The Wines of Provence. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

How did Liz and Ben end up working on Kylie Minogue's Rosé?

How involved are celebrities in the wines that carry their names?

What happens to a wine region when historic family estates are increasingly bought by celebrities, corporations, and wealthy outsiders?

How did Garrus and Whispering Angel prove that consumers would pay serious money for Provence Rosé?

Why do Liz and Ben push back against the idea that expensive, oak-aged Rosé is not real Rosé?

How can classifying wines by colour get in the way of understanding what is in the glass?

Where is the line between dark Rosé, a chilled red, and the emerging category sometimes called blouge?

Could Provence's future lie in fresh, chilled reds that blur the traditional boundaries between red and Rosé?

Why should winemakers worry less about categories and focus more on making the best wine they can?

Can fine Rosé really age for decades and what happens to its flavours as it gets older?

About Elizabeth Gabay MW & Ben Bernheim

Elizabeth Gabay MW entered the wine trade in 1986, founding Elizabeth Gabay & Partners. She became a Master of Wine in 1998. She has lived in south-eastern France since 2002, and is currently based in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Since 2020 she has been working with her son Ben Bernheim. They write for numerous magazines with a global readership, largely, but not only, about rosé and are regular speakers at wine fairs and competitions. Elizabeth is the author of Rosé: Understanding The Pink Wine Revolution in the Classic Wine Library series, and Rosés of Southern France, which she co-authored with Ben Bernheim. Gabay and Bernheim make their own wine in Slovakia, in partnership with Vladimir Magula and have consulted with other producers on rosé, including Kylie Minogue. Together they organise a rosé writing competition and trade events, including their Fine Rosé Day.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/406.

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