The Drinking Hour: With David Kermode - FoodFM

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Fresh from her success in the fiercely-contested competition for UK Sommelier of the Year 2026, Emma Denney, director of wine at Claridge’s, is David’s guest to talk about what it means to her and how she prepared for the demanding event.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David explores the flourishing world of Indian whisky with Michael D’Souza, the globally acclaimed Master Distiller and Master Blender for Paul John, to talk about the use of local Indian six-row barley and how Goa’s climate influences whisky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. To mark English wine week, the owner of Hampshire winery Black Chalk, Jacob Leadley, is David’s guest to talk about the pleasures and pitfalls of making wine in our climate, the future for English wine, and his latest pair of prestige cuvées.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Most famous as the wine expert and host of the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, Olly Smith is David’s guest to talk about his first work of fiction, the vinous murder mystery Death by Noir, and where he found inspiration for central character, Barclay Flint.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Just an hour from Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is a striking contrast to the buzzing city, with its rolling hills and many vineyards. David explores the region, talking to winemakers to find out what makes it so versatile for a multitude of grape varieties.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. As the Napa Valley’s iconic Robert Mondavi winery emerges from a three-year $200 million refurbishment, David chats to director of winemaking Kurtis Ogasawara about the new facility, the To Kalon vineyard and the future for California wine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David’s guest is a mystery… Or rather, it’s Peter Stafford Bow, a ‘nom de plume’ for the author behind the exploits of wine buyer and globetrotter, Felix Hart. The fifth book in the series, Black Odesa, sees our hero become a social media sensation.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David takes the temperature at VieVinum, a biennial celebration of Austrian wines, held in Vienna. Focusing on the country’s high number of family wineries, he talks to new generation winemakers and finds out more about organics and biodynamics.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. A former supermarket wine buyer, turned TV and Instagram star, bestselling author, judge and professional ‘knackered mother’, Helen McGinn is David’s guest to talk about her eagerly anticipated supermarket wine guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David travels to North America’s Pacific northwest to discover Washington State, the USA’s second biggest wine producer after California, to find out more about the terroir, meet winemakers and answer the question ‘what are its signature grapes?’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David has highlights from the most recent series, with Master Distiller John Hall talking about reinventing gin; Mel Chester of Giant Steps in the Yarra Valley; Bob Biale talks old vine Zinfandel; there’s a look at the wines of Cyprus; while Billy Abbott talks about China’s spirits scene.   Learn more about your...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. One of Australia’s oldest wine regions, McLaren Vale is carving a reputation for a new wave of fresher wines, courtesy of its Mediterranean climate, ocean influence and diverse soils. David meets celebrated winemakers Steve Pannell and Renae Hirsch.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Once a bastion of the ancient wine trade, Cyprus offers a small treasure trove of indigenous varieties which are being brought back to life by a new generation. David finds out more with Demetri Walters MW and winemaker Marcos Zambartas.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Though its origins lie in Europe, Zinfandel is one of California’s most famous grapes, renowned for the quality of the wines produced from heritage vineyards, yet it finds itself under threat. David finds out why, and how it can be saved.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David travels to one of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious wine regions, the Barossa, to explore the complex tapestry of soils and climate that make it special, meeting Louisa Rose, Matthew McCulloch, Ian Hongell and Henry Slattery.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David’s talks to Abbie Bennington, BBC political journalist turned wine educator, about her new podcast series Vintage Politics, to reflect on the role wine plays in politics, including stories about Jon Sopel’s expenses, Gordon Brown’s fridge door and which American President spent the least on wine for officia...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Vines have a long history in China, but wine is a more recent story, with a new wave of diverse and different wines garnering attention. David’s guest is Master of Wine John Hoskins, head of the IWSC Global Judging in 2025, to discuss the terroir, grape varieties and stylistic differences that define the wines o...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David meets Jaime Araujo, who studied medieval history, took to the London stage and worked in marketing in Paris, before returning to her native Napa to establish a winery, Trois Noix. Defined by being different, they talk about the region’s future, diversity and equality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. China is the world’s biggest market for spirits, dominated by Baijiu, which accounts for around 90% of sales, while domestic whisky is gaining ground. David’s guest is IWSC Spirits Communicator of the Year, Billy Abbott, of The Whisky Exchange.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David visits the Yarra Valley to meet Giant Steps winemaker, Mel Chester, who crafts plot-specific wines from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They talk about ancient soils, indigenous lands, and how the nuances of terroir are reflected in her wines.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David chats to chemist-turned-Master-Distiller, John Hall, at Cornwall’s Trevethan Distillery, an IWSC trophy winner, about his new creation, ‘Aureus Vita’, a premium London Dry Gin based on a sequence of numbers leading to ‘the golden ratio’.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG is the theme as Sarah Abbott MW joins David to talk through the terminology and diversity of styles that define Italy’s medal-winning, historically significant, sparkling wines.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David reflects on series 21, with guests Sacha Lichine of Chateau d’Esclans, Languedoc legend Jean-Claude Mas, David Moulton of Margaret River pioneer Cape Mentelle, Jeremy McKenzie of Isabel Estate talking Chardonnay, and three of the female family members at the helm of Brown Brothers.  Learn more about your a...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David’ talks to entrepreneur Calixte Payan, who has rewritten the rules of the zero alcohol category with his Sober Spirits brand, using original spirit content to create innovative drinks without compromise, while staying focused on sustainability.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits.  To celebrate the Drinking Hour’s 250th episode, David’s special guest is the legendary Sacha Lichine, of Chateau d’Esclans, the father of modern rosé and creator of brands including Whispering Angel and Garrus, as he prepares to hand over the reins.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...