The JancisRobinson.com Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The extraordinary story of "Blind Ambition," with special guest Tinashe Nyamudoka Dec 19, 2022

Show notes

This is the remarkable story of four Zimbabwean economic refugees who arrived in South Africa with nothing but the clothes on their back (and having never tasted wine) who ultimately became the first ever team from Zimbabwe to compete in the World Wine Championships. Towards the end of the first decade of this century, there was an exodus of economic migrants from Zimbabwe where in August 2008, inflation reached a staggering 11.2 million per cent. Under President Robert Mugabe, many Zimbabweans were well educated yet often unable to feed themselves and their families. Many young people smuggled themselves over the border to reach South Africa seeking work. Four of these men, independent of one another, worked their way up to become respected sommeliers at Cape Town’s top four restaurants, despite never having known wine or fine dining in Zimbabwe – or indeed each other. Journalist Erica Platter wrote an article on JancisRobinson.com about them which led to a crowdfunding initiative on the site to get them, as Team Zimbabwe, to Burgundy to compete in the World Wine Tasting Championships. An Australian film crew documented the entire journey and produced an award winning film Blind Ambition (100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes) about this bold initiative. In this episode, Tinashe Nyamudoka, one of the four Zim somms and now the producer of Kumusha Wines, shares his extraordinary story with Jancis.

Story of Blind Ambition: https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/story-blind-ambition

Blind Ambition official film website: http://www.samuelgoldwynfilms.com/blind-ambition/

Kumusha Wines: https://www.kumushabrands.com/

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Pairing Wine and Food, with special guest Tamlyn Currin Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

Is matching wine to a dish, or vice versa, a vital, unnecessary or automatic activity? Jancis Robinson is a libertarian who argues that no thunderbolt from on high will come to strike you down if you get it wrong. However, JancisRobinson.com's own Tamlyn Currin is passionate about finding the perfect pairing. Needless to say, she has researched the subject in far more detail than our editor in chief and in this particularly lively podcast explains some of the most intriguing recent discoveries, highlights some basic rules and tips, and debunks some common myths. Tam manages to convince Jancis that food and wine matching can be fun, and Jancis explains when she thinks you’re justified in expecting a perfect pairing in a restaurant. But she’s still worried that preciousness on this topic may be making wine more off-putting than it need be.

Hosted By: Jancis Robinson

Guest: Tamlyn Currin

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Introducing The JancisRobinson.com Podcast Nov 22, 2022

Show notes

Join host Jancis Robinson and the editors of JancisRobinson.com as we explore the people, places, and pours that are redefining the landscape of wine. We share untold stories about wine through insider perspectives on the trends and personalities behind what you drink.

Starting December 5, you can catch each new bi-weekly episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

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