Unreserved Wine Talk - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

Unreserved Wine Talk — Arts
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.

Copyright: © Nat Decants Inc. 2018-2021

Latest Episodes:

43: Wine Gossip and Stories with Friends of the Vine and Ian Osborn Sep 25, 2019

Show notes

On today's episode, I'm chatting with Ian Osborn, on his excellent podcast called Friends of the Vine. This is a bit of a turnaround from my usual format because Ian is interviewing me. I highly recommend that you check out Ian's podcast Friends of the Vine where he does a great job interviewing master sommeliers, masters of wine, winemakers and wine writers.

I wanted to share this episode with you because we dug into lots of great wine tips, from how to talk with the sommelier to becoming the expert on your own taste. I also share some behind-the-scenes stories about how I got into wine and what is what like writing my first book. Enjoy the episode!

Highlights

When did I first become interested in wine?
What role did Napa and Sonoma play in my journey to becoming a wine writer?
Why is it important to taste wines side by side?
Which tasting tip do I share with my students for developing their wine confidence?
Why is it important to have the mindset of an enthusiastic amateur?
Why are online courses more beneficial than free information?
How can you become an expert in your own taste to have new and better wine experiences?
Why do I believe online courses are better than in-person courses for a lot of people?
Why have I switched my focus to TV and video?

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

42: Pairing Veggies & Wine, Chilling Wine Quickly, Resveratrol & Depression Sep 18, 2019

Show notes

What makes veggies so hard to pair with wine? Are some types of wine better suited to veggie-pairings? How do you pair wine and veggies, especially the wine stalkers - asparagus and artichoke? How can you chill room-temperature wine in under 15 minutes? What does a new study say about the resveratrol in wine combatting depression?

If you've ever been stumped about how to enjoy wine with your salad or forgot to chill your wine in time for a dinner date, you're going to find the tips on this very helpful. Enjoy!

Highlights

Why is it more challenging to pair wine with vegetables than with meat?
Which wines should you avoid pairing with vegetables?
Can pickled and brined foods be paired with wine?
Which bridging ingredients help to bring together a meal of wine and vegetables?
Why are artichokes and asparagus so tricky to pair with wine?
How can you chill a room temperature bottle of wine in 15 minutes?
What does a new study say about resveratrol and depression?

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

41: Travel the Wine World with Kevin Brauch Sep 11, 2019

Show notes

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we're chatting with Kevin Brauch, a Gemini Award Winner, TV producer and host of hit series The Thirsty Traveler, Iron Chef America, SuperStar Chef Challenge, FOOD F!T. Kevin is one of the liveliest guests I've had the pleasure of interviewing, and he has so many stories to share, from his time with the late, great Anthony Bourdain, author of Kitchen Confidential, to sabering Champagne in France and wine faux pas in South Africa. Enjoy!

Highlights

How does Kevin sabre a sparkling wine bottle?
What is Kevin's favourite thing about Spanish Cava?
How do the names of varietals impact wine choices?
How did Kevin meet Anthony Bourdain?
Why do the best chefs intertwine family and the kitchen?
What is Kevin's favourite wine gadget?
Why does Kevin think we're not making the right food shows?
What is Kevin's best tip for getting to know more about wine?

About Kevin Brauch

Kevin Brauch is a 6-time Canadian Gemini Award Nominee and Gemini Award Winner. Kevin's broadcasting career began in earnest, after graduation from Ryerson (B.A.A. Radio & Television), as on-air personality, 'Revvin' Kevin' at CFNY - FM102.1. Television was the next obvious step and took him to TVOntario as producer, writer and host of the kids, tweens and teens 4 hour, live, after school block of programming: TVOKids. The live block of programming allowed Brauch to create two award-winning shows for tweens: Off The Hook (OTH) and, the 'Get off the couch and do something!" Series, STUFF.

From there, a three-year stint on HGTV's Canadian Gardening Television, a failed one-year 'convergence' project at CBC Toronto and then onwards to the solidification of Brauch's career spent at Food Network, Food Network Canada, Discovery, SKY Travel (The Thirsty Traveler, Iron Chef America, SuperStar Chef Challenge, FOOD F!T). Discovery/HDTV also played a home in Brauch's career; hosting & v/o the light-science docu-series Mega World.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

40: Pairing Tomatoes & Wine, Heatwave Impact, Gary Vaynerchuk's New Wine Club Sep 04, 2019

Show notes

What's the best way to pair wine with tomatoes and tomato dishes? Will the current heatwave impact wine and the greater wine economy? How is Gary Vaynerchuk disrupting the way we buy wine? What effect does being in a romantic relationship have on your use or abuse of wine?

On this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm diving into all these topics plus I'm sharing some tips you can use to get the most out of my wine app for your next shopping trip.

Enjoy the episode!

Highlights

What should you consider when pairing wine with tomatoes?
What types of wine are well-suited to pairing with tomatoes?
How are the current heatwaves and record high temperatures affecting wine production around the world?
Which types of grapes are more susceptible to the heat?
How is Gary Vaynerchuk disrupting the way we buy wine?
What does a new study say about the effect of romantic relationships on alcohol consumption?
How can you use my wine app to make your next wine shopping trip easy?

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

39: Do Wine Scores Matter? Bloomberg Columnist Elin McCoy on Robert Parker Aug 28, 2019

Show notes

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we're chatting with author Elin McCoy, who is the wine columnist for both Bloomberg News and Decanter magazine. Elin shares her controversial perspective on one of the juiciest topics in the wine world: the power of wine scores. Do wine scores still have sway over the way we buy wine? How is this changing with millennials and social media? Are scores actually a valid way of appraising a wine? How is the use of scores in liquor stores sometimes misleading? Elin explores all this and more, including why Robert Parker made such an interesting subject for her book, The Emperor of Wine: The Rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr., and the Reign of American Taste. Enjoy!

Highlights

How did a trip to a Mendocino vineyard turn the fancy wine writer stereotype on its head?
What is Elin's approach to wine scoring?
What is Elin's take on wines produced by brands like Walmart and Trader Joe's?
Is the traditional wine critic still relevant, or is social media drowning them out?
How does Elin decide which wines to recommend?
What was it about Robert Parker that made him rise to prominence?
Why write a book about Robert Parker?

About Elin McCoy

Elin McCoy is an award-winning journalist and author, focusing on the world of wine. She is a wine and spirits columnist for Bloomberg News and a columnist for Decanter magazine. McCoy's most recent book, The Emperor of Wine: The Rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr. and the Reign of American Taste, garnered international praise and has appeared in five foreign editions. She is also the co-author of Thinking About Wine. Elin serves regularly as a wine judge in American and international competitions and is a frequent speaker at wine festivals, symposia and industry events.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

38: Getting Hammered: Wine Auction Guide to Survival Aug 21, 2019

Show notes

Did you know that wine auctions are on the rise, both as fundraisers and as commercial ways to buy and sell your cellar stash?

On this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with you about why auctions are increasing in popularity, their fascinating back story, and how you can participate in them without having a multimillion-dollar trust fund.

If you're listening to this podcast on the day it's published, please also join me on CTV News as we'll be chatting about two of the world's most popular wines, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, including which ones to buy now. If you can't tune in, then join my wine-happy community at nataliemaclean.com/joinus and I'll send you the link to the videos of these two segments.

Enjoy the episode!

Highlights

Are the sky-high bids we often hear about a standard occurrence at wine auctions?
Why do wine auctions make such good fundraisers?
How do the results of wine auctions impact the wider wine world?
Is there more to wine auctions than investing and collecting?
What are the risks of buying wine at auctions?
What should you look for when inspecting wine before the auction?

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

37: From Champagne to Napa Valley: Wine Stories with Tilar Mazzeo Aug 14, 2019

Show notes

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we're chatting with Tilar Mazzeo, author and proprietor and winemaker at Parsell Vineyard. Her book The Widow Clicquot, a biography of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, the founder of the champagne house Veuve Clicquot became a bestseller on the New York Times, and a film adaptation of the book is in the works. Tilar gives us the story behind the Champagne and the woman who built not only this prestigious luxury brand but was instrumental in the development of the industry as we know it. She also shares her inspiration and insights from developing the Back-Lane Wineries series. Enjoy!

Highlights

Why did Veuve Clicquot become such a sought after brand?
What were some of the Widow Clicquot's most remarkable innovations?
What is the connecting thread through many of Tilar's writings?
What is raw wine?
Where can you find Parsell Vineyard?
What is Tilar's favourite wine gadget?
What's the best piece of wine advice Tilar has received?

About Tilar Mazzeo

Tilar J. Mazzeo is the Clara C. Piper Associate Professor of English at Colby College, in Waterville, Maine. She is the author of numerous works of narrative nonfiction, and several of her books, including the "oenobiography" The Widow Clicquot, have been New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Los Angeles Times bestsellers. She was a nationally prominent wine writer in the United States before emigrating to Canada, and her writing on wine has appeared in venues such as Food & Wine magazine and in her guide book series The Back-Lane Wineries of Sonoma, The Back-Lane Wineries of Napa, and The Back-Lane Wineries of New York. She holds a certificate from the winemaking program at the University of California at Davis and is currently the proprietor and winemaker at her family's estate project, Parsell Vineyard in Saanichton, British Columbia.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

36: Airline Wine: Flights of Wine You Can Drink Without Reservations Aug 07, 2019

Show notes

If you want great wine these days you don't have to fly thousands of miles to get it, you can sip it en route. But getting wine to taste delicious at 30,000 feet isn't easy.

If you're flying somewhere anytime soon, you'll find our chat about airline wines today uplifting. In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm going to cover which wines are best to drink when you're in the air, how your sense of smell and taste change, and why airlines are paying more attention to their wine selections on board these days. Enjoy!

Highlights

What would my wine-centric dream flight look like?
How can food and wine offer airlines a competitive advantage?
Have in-flight wine lists evolved in recent years?
How does altitude affect your palate?
What types of considerations have to be made when airlines select in-flight wines?
What unique solutions have airlines developed to improve the in-flight wine experience?
How do the major airlines choose their wine selections?
Why would wineries want to be on airline wine lists?

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

35: Smart Tests for Wine Acidity, Tannin & Balance with Sommelier Chris Scott Jul 31, 2019

Show notes

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we're chatting with Chris Scott, a U.K.-based sommelier who published the world's first-ever wine podcast, the UK Wine Show. Chris and his wife, Jane also founded ThirtyFifty, a company which offers fun and no-nonsense wine tastings for private and corporate events. From his adventures as a triathlete to wine tastings in a hot tub, Chris shares his often-hilarious adventures as well as his brilliant tasting tips, including nifty ways to physically see how acidic or tannic wine is and insights into the U.K. wine industry. Enjoy!

Highlights

How did ThirtyFifty get started?
How can you identify and describe tannins during a tasting?
How does Chris define balance in wine?
Why does Chris believe it's so important for wine tastings and teaching to be experiential?
How has the UK wine scene changed over the years?
Are there any connections between the growing conditions in the UK and in Champagne?
What is the best wine advice Chris has ever received?

About Chris Scott

Chris Scott is an award-winning wine podcaster and presenter who runs wine tasting company called ThirtyFifty and produces a weekly wine podcast, The UK Wine Show, which is consistently ranked in the top 10 Apple Podcasts' Food & Drink charts.

Born and bred in New Zealand, Chris spent time as a student working hands-on in the vineyards of Canterbury before graduating with first class honours in engineering.

In 2001, he moved to London U.K. and now holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines & Spirits, the top qualification. He now heads up a team of 20 wine experts across the UK, between them running more than 500 corporate events, wine courses and private tastings per year.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

34: Seafood Pairings, Flying Corks, Sober Curious Jul 24, 2019

Show notes

This past Friday, in a scene not unfamiliar to Champagne lovers everywhere, one Wimbledon spectator lost control of his cork, which then made it's way onto the court and stopped the men's match. But not to worry, I've got you covered. On today's episode, I'm sharing the exact method you can use to avoid disaster when opening your bubbly.

We're also going to talk about another challenge for many wine lovers - pairing wine with seafood. From cod to oysters, salmon and more, I'm giving you my best insider tips to help you find a pairing you'll love. Finally, we're going to explore the new trend of sober curious wine drinkers as reported in the New York Times recently. This last bit is controversial, and I get real honest about my own drinking.

Highlights

How did Champagne corks end up on the court during a Wimbledon match?
What's the right way to open a bottle of bubbly?
What wine pairings do I recommend for white fish, salmon, meaty fish and oysters?
Are there any insider tips for pairing wine and seafood?
Why am I so intrigued by the concept of sober curious?
How do I think about alcoholism?
Why do I think an interesting life is lived in the grey zone?
What role does wine and moderation play in gender-related issues?

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

Related Podcasts