Unreserved Wine Talk

• 344: The Ultimate Travel Guide for Wine Lovers with Decanter Magazine’s Editor Amy Wislocki

  Why does wine taste different when you’ve stood in the vineyard it came from? What's one myth about wine travel that Amy dispels? With Gen Z drinking less wine, how does a 50-year-old wine magazine stay relevant without alienating longtime readers? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Amy Wislocki, editor-in-chief of Decanter, the world’s most prestigious wine magazine. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of her terrific book, The Ultimate Wine Lover's Travel Guide. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me.   Highlights What was it like to join Decanter magazine as a 27-year-old magazine editor? How did Amy establish her credibility as a young editor? What exciting incident marked one of her press trips to Chile? Which aspects of wine writing are often misunderstood or undervalued? How does Decanter balance engaging Gen Z readers without alienating their long-term readers? Why has Decanter started reviewing low-alcohol wines? What’s made Amy stay at Decanter for 25 years> What's one myth about wine travel that Amy hopes this book dispels? Why is the experience of tasting wine at the vineyard where it’s made so powerful? What are some of Amy’s favourite essays in Why did Amy include South Carolina, which has no vineyards, in her wine travel book?   Key Takeaways As Amy observes, anybody who's visited a vineyard will understand that there's no substitute. You will have a different relationship with that wine for the rest of your life. The lucky thing is that wine growing areas are often the most beautiful areas of the world. You can see what type of soil it is like. The climate might be very near to the ocean, with the cooling breezes. So that side of it will really give you a better understanding of why that wine tastes like it does. You see the age of the vines. Also meeting the people behind the wine. It could be a small, family-owned winery, hearing the stories associated with the wine. Drinking them with the food of the place and in that environment, it's an irreplaceable experience. Amy says the main thing is that it has to be an elitist thing, because I suppose wine in general has the elitist kind of associations. And I think it's just getting across that, you don't have to have tons of money and only drink the world's finest wines to enjoy wine travel. It's just becoming much more accessible to everyone, and in so many more regions and countries than it was. Amy explains that it's many things: recognizing moderation as a trend. It's a tricky one to get right, and you don't want to be preaching to people. You don't want people who think I'm buying a wine magazine because I love wine. I don't want to be made to feel guilty for drinking wine. This is my refuge. But it's not about that. It's about recognizing a trend that even among wine lovers, people are trying to kind of think about how and when and where, where they're drinking, how much they're drinking. Obviously, there are some things that Gen Z will want to read about that our more traditional conservative readers might not all be so bothered about, like natural wines. It's all a balance, isn't it? And trying to give something to everybody.   About Amy Wislocki Amy has more than 30 years' experience in publishing, and worked at a senior level for leading companies in the consumer, business-to-business and contract publishing arenas, before joining Decanter in October 2000 as Magazine Editor. As well as overseeing content planning and production for the print offering, she has also been involved in developing digital channels, Decanter.com and Decanter Premium.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/344.

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• 343: What Is Vital About Argentina's Old Vine Malbec and Ontario Wine's Future with Ann Sperling and Peter Gamble?

  What makes old Malbec vines planted in the 1920s so rare and valuable today? Why would a Canadian winemaker head to Mendoza, Argentina, to start a winery? What’s one of the biggest challenges holding back Canadian wine and how can consumers change that? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ann Sperling & Peter Gamble. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights What makes Devotion different from other On Seven wines? What inspired Peter to look beyond Canada to Argentina for winemaking? How did he decide on the particular vineyard to purchase? What is massal selection in viticulture? How did Versado end up with such old vines, and how does this show up in the wine? Are there aspects of Malbec that are similar to Pinot? How have Ann and Peter revitalized the Leily Winery? What are the differences and similarities between Leily and On Seven Chardonnays? What would Ann and Peter like their legacies to be in the Canadian wine industry? What are the greatest threats to the Canadian wine industry? Which three figures in the wine industry would Peter invite to a dream dinner party?   Key Takeaways In the 1905 to 1925 period in Argentina, winemakers at the time planted the greatest genetic diversity amongst the Malbec vines, because they were still learning about it. Their Versado vineyard reflects that time when genetic diversity was appreciated. We visited a lot of wine regions in the world for the meetings, both fun and a necessity, and one of them was Mendoza and loved the climate - a really interesting climate from the point of view of creating flavors and grapes, and really liked the lifestyle as well. We essentially decided it'd be interesting to do something small there that also gives us a second harvest during New Year's. So we can practice twice as often. That was the driver, the potential quality there. They’ve been talking about this for probably the 40 years that they've been making wine and and they want to figure out how to have lasting consumer engagement. They have a lot of devoted buyers, but they also know kind of the monopoly culture is that, well, if the wine you were looking for today isn't on the shelf, you can buy something else. Promoting the message of buying directly from the wineries, and if you want to try that wine that's made in Nova Scotia or BC, that you actually can order it and have it shipped to your home province. Those interprovincial trade barriers aren't real. There's lots of wine shipping that's taking place already. Just get on your computer like you do with so many other products that you buy and buy online.   About Ann Sperling & Peter Gamble Often referred to as the “power couple” of the Canadian wine industry, Peter Gamble and Ann Sperling have long pursued the pinnacles of wine quality in Canadian vineyards and wineries. Following her upbringing on her family’s Okanagan Valley vineyard, Ann turned to the soil for the character and complexity of her wines. Acknowledged as a Canadian pioneer of organic and biodynamic viticulture, ‘terroir’ was at the centre of her philosophy and she is renowned for her head winemaking roles at Malivoire, Southbrook, and Sperling Vineyards. Peter, a lifetime wine industry professional, has worked alongside Canada’s most passionate winemakers to achieve greater heights with our finest appellation wines. Since 2000, Peter has provided expertise in ultra-premium winemaking operations, including: Stratus, Ravine, Benjamin Bridge and Lightfoot & Wolfville. With the purchase of a top-flight ancient Malbec planting in Mendoza, Argentina, in 2008, Ann and Peter broadened their winemaking activities, but Niagara remains their cherished home base. Current focus is on these Niagara projects: On Seven, Lailey and Stonebridge Vineyards and Dobbin Estate.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/343.

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• 342: How is Niagara-on-the-Lake's On Seven Winery Making Montrachet-Style Chardonnay? with Ann Sperling and Peter Gamble

  What were the key challenges and breakthroughs that shaped the BC and Ontario wine industries in the 1980s and 90s? What makes or breaks a new wine project, and why is finding the right vineyard often the most time-consuming step? What made Peter believe that Niagara-on-the-Lake could produce exceptional Chardonnay? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ann Sperling & Peter Gamble. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights What was Ann’s best memory from growing up on the farm? When did Ann and Peter know that they wanted to work in the wine industry? How did Ann and Peter meet? What was the first bottle of wine Ann and Peter shared? How do Ann and Peter navigate their interwoven personal and professional lives? How do they negotiate professional disagreements, and who chooses the wine for dinner? What were the major challenges and opportunities in the BC and Ontario wine industry in the 1980s and 90s? In the early days, how did Peter envision the future of Ontario wines? What are some of the reasons certain vintages almost didn't make it into the bottle? What do you look for when considering a new project? What makes Ann and Peter different from the stereotypical flying winemakers? What were the signs that Niagara-on-the-Lake could produce exceptional Chardonnay? How has working on a small, focused vineyard impacted Ann and Peter’s winemaking choices? Why must you suffer to make top-notch wines?   Key Takeaways It was in the early 80s in BC and maybe slightly before that in Ontario, that estate wineries became a thing. Prior to that, that meant there were a few really large wineries, not really making estate or single vineyards. Vineyards were a source of bulk wine for the most part. The hunt for the vineyard became a very important one. We looked at over 230 vineyards before we found one. I think everyone there was on the verge of giving up on this, thinking “Well, they're not really going to buy anything.” Because we'd get it to a certain stage, then we do soil analysis, and we weren't quite happy, or we talked to people who had made wine from the vineyard or something would come up, and we just wouldn't quite be where we wanted to be with the quality of the vineyard. I often work on the basis of paradigms, where I'll take a look at a wine sold throughout the world and say, you know, I think this could be done really well in this area. You know what it is you might be able to accomplish within the parameters that you have - the obvious things, the terroir, the exposures to soils, the temperatures in general.   About Ann Sperling & Peter Gamble Often referred to as the “power couple” of the Canadian wine industry, Peter Gamble and Ann Sperling have long pursued the pinnacles of wine quality in Canadian vineyards and wineries. Following her upbringing on her family’s Okanagan Valley vineyard, Ann turned to the soil for the character and complexity of her wines. Acknowledged as a Canadian pioneer of organic and biodynamic viticulture, ‘terroir’ was at the centre of her philosophy and she is renowned for her head winemaking roles at Malivoire, Southbrook, and Sperling Vineyards. Peter, a lifetime wine industry professional, has worked alongside Canada’s most passionate winemakers to achieve greater heights with our finest appellation wines. Since 2000, Peter has provided expertise in ultra-premium winemaking operations, including: Stratus, Ravine, Benjamin Bridge and Lightfoot & Wolfville. With the purchase of a top-flight ancient Malbec planting in Mendoza, Argentina, in 2008, Ann and Peter broadened their winemaking activities, but Niagara remains their cherished home base. Current focus is on these Niagara projects: On Seven, Lailey and Stonebridge Vineyards and Dobbin Estate.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/342.

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• 341: Is A $400 Wine Really 10 Times Better Than a $40 One? Do Wine Labels and Glassware Matter More Than You Think?

  Is a $400 wine really ten times better than a $40 one? Does the right glass really improve your wine and is it worth it when the size makes you look ridiculous? Why do wine labels matter and should the label’s look be part of every wine review? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Charles Jennings and Paul Keers, co-authors of the hilarious book I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of their terrific book,, I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck! You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights Why do we feel guilty about window shopping when it comes to wine? What's the worst wine gadget or gimmick Paul and Charles have encountered? How did a 1947 Sauterne create a bond between Paul and a French wine seller? What was their most triumphant wine deal discovery? Are there elements that expensive wine delivers, that bargain wines can't? Why are Charles and Paul suspicious of mixed cases of wine? Has the quality and perception of box wines changed? What's the strangest vessel Paul and Charles have drunk wine from? What was it like drinking wine at 10 Downing Street and Lambeth Palace? What was Queen Victoria's tipple like? Why does Charles love drinking on his own? Which current wine trends will we look back on as ridiculous? Which wines would Charles and Paul now pair with their favourite childhood foods? Who would Paul and Charles love to share a bottle of wine with? Why should wine critics write about wine labels in their reviews?   Key Takeaways Charles and Paul believe there is a greater experience to be gained from drinking better wine, but that the return for your money plateaus quickly. If you go up from a £10 wine to a £30 wine, you will really notice the difference and have a tremendously greater experience. But then if you multiply that by 10 and go from £40 to £400, the difference in quality isn't that great. If I've got people around for dinner and I sit at the end of the table and everybody else has got normal wine glasses, I look like a complete plonker. And I'd love to sit there, “Oh, it's magnificent.” And they're going to think, what an idiot. So unfortunately, it doesn't get much use. It does enhance the taste of the Bordeaux, there's no doubt about it, but I'm so embarrassed sitting there drinking out of this thing the size of a melon that it really doesn't get much use. Charles and Paul mention wine labels because they think that they are ignored by most wine writers, and they're terribly important for two reasons. Firstly, because they're about the only marketing that most bottles of wine have, because we go into shops and that's all we can see, the labels. And second, if you're setting a table for dinner, you've invested in the table, in the dishware, the cutlery, the glasses to set up this beautiful thing. Why would you put a bottle of wine on the table - however it tastes - if it looks terrible? Wine critics should always say what the label looks like and whether it would look good on the table.   About Charles Jennings & Paul Keers Charles Jennings and Paul Keers are award-winning writers based in London, England. Charles and Paul co-authored the wine blog Sediment, described by New Statesman writer and Guardian literary critic Nick Lezard as “the finest wine blog available to humanity.” The blog became the basis for their book, I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. Book-Prize-winning novelist Julian Barnes called it “The funniest wine-book I’ve read in a long time. Not just laugh-aloud funny but snortingly, choke-on-your-cornflakes funny – up there with Kingsley Amis and Jay McInerney.” Their book won the prestigious André Simon Award.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/341.

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• 340: Why do wine descriptors like cat's pee alienate many wine lovers? Charles Jennings and Paul Keers answer that and more in "I Bought It So I'll Drink It"

  How does using everyday metaphors make wine writing more relatable? How has the pressure to be an expert in everything turned simple pleasures into social competition? Does buying your own wine versus getting free samples make you a better wine writer? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Charles Jennings and Paul Keers, co-authors of the hilarious book I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of their terrific book,, I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck! You can find the wines we discussed here.   Highlights How did Charles and Paul meet? What was the first bottle of wine they shared, and how did they realize they had the same approach to bad wine? What was it like to meet legendary wine critic Oz Clarke? When did Paul and Charles discover their love for writing? What were Charles and Paul's best and worst moments in their writing careers? How did their Sediment blog create a stir with the PR people in the wine industry? Where did the title “I Bought It So I’ll Drink It” come from? Did buying their own wines give them a different perspective than other wine writers who are given promotional bottles? How did the collaborative approach to writing I Bought It So I’ll Drink It work? Which writers have influenced Charles and Paul’s writing? Is the tension between wine snobbery and enjoyment unique to wine? What was the most pretentious wine moment Paul and Charles witnessed? How did Charles and Paul develop their distinctive vocabularies for describing wines? Which overused wine descriptors do they find cringy? What's changed about wine criticism or writing since they published their book?   Key Takeaways Charles and Paul explain that they drew their descriptions from real life. There's a tendency in wine writing to use metaphors that you wouldn't necessarily experience. I mean, I've got a cat, but I really wouldn't use the term cat's pee in describing any wine. I don't know what cat's pee actually tastes like. Whereas if I talk about wine smelling of ink, well, people know what ink smells like, and it seemed more appropriate to use ink as an analogy. The authors say that everybody has to be a bit of an expert about everything these days. It’s not just a question of, “Oh, we've been to France, we've gone to Italy, we've made it to the United States,” or something like that. It's how you did it, and where you stayed, and what you did, and what tours you went on, and it's so full of itself. Then it becomes a transaction when talking with friends. As Charles and Paul think the fact that they did buy thei wine is quite fundamental to a difference between Sediment and other wine writing. They had to do the same thing, go out and buy it. Maybe that gave us a slightly different slant on wine buying and drinking as well.   About Charles Jennings & Paul Keers Charles Jennings and Paul Keers are award-winning writers based in London, England. Charles and Paul co-authored the wine blog Sediment, described by New Statesman writer and Guardian literary critic Nick Lezard as “the finest wine blog available to humanity.” The blog became the basis for their book, I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. Book-Prize-winning novelist Julian Barnes called it “The funniest wine-book I’ve read in a long time. Not just laugh-aloud funny but snortingly, choke-on-your-cornflakes funny – up there with Kingsley Amis and Jay McInerney.” Their book won the prestigious André Simon Award.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/340.

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