The Drinking Hour: With David Kermode - FoodFM

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David travels to The Uco Valley for a special episode focused on altitude winemaking in Argentina, featuring legendary names including Daniel Pi, Sebastian Zuccardi and Silvio Alberto, plus Alistair Cooper MW. IWSC Argentina ‘in situ’ gold medal winners: Domaine Bousquet Ameri Single Vineyard Organic Red Blend 2...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. On the Rhône’s Right Bank, Lirac might still be a well-kept secret for some, despite its long and illustrious history of winemaking, but its reputation is growing, so for this special edition David talks to Alistair Cooper MW, and winemakers, Pierre Fabre at Château Mont Redon and Gérald Lafont, at Domaine d’Arb...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Though the Côtes du Rhône is a shorthand for red, its white and rosé wines are growing in stature. David talks to renowned Rhône experts, the author Matt Walls, Master of Wine Liz Gabay and her son Ben Bernheim to find out more. Wines featured: Bonpas Réserve de Bonpas, Côtes du Rhône, 2022 (silver) Château la V...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. The astonishing rise of English wine is the theme as Henry Jeffreys, author of the ‘Vines in a Cold Climate’, released today, joins David to talk about his book telling the story of the pioneers who have pursued their dream, often against the odds. Featured wines: Raimes English Sparkling Classic Brut 2018 (Gold...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David presents his favourite moments from series 10 including renowned Argentine chef Francis Mallmann, Dr Laura Catena of Catena Zapata, Master Distiller Ian Chang of Karuizawa Distillers, Antonio Capaldo of Feudi di San Gregorio, Sarah Abbott MW talking about Georgian wine and IWSC emerging talent winner Alex...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. There’s an A to Z of what might make a spritz, from Aperol to Zinfandel, so David looks at how the simple spritz took the world by storm - and what might be next for this most refreshing of summer serves with Joel Harrison and James Stimson. Tesco Vermouth Bianco (gold and trophy winner) Antica Distilleria Quagl...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. With a proud history of making wine, a scandal that resulted in some of the most stringent standards in the world, a range of characterful indigenous grape varieties and some well-priced fine wine, Freddy Bulmer from The Wine Society joins David to share their passion for Austrian wine. (all gold medal winners f...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David is joined by one of the whisky world’s most accomplished names, Ian Chang, who made his name at Taiwan’s Kavalan Distillery, about his brand new project in Japan: Karuizawa’s Komoro Distillery. Featured:  Kavalan Distillery Select No.2 Single Malt Whisky (silver) Kavalan Distillery King Car Conductor Singl...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. To celebrate being guest editor of the latest edition of Club Oenologique, pioneering Patagonian chef Francis Mallmann joins David to talk about his love of fire, flames and fine wine and why he won’t be offering a pairing menu anytime soon. Featured: La Maison et Velier, Version Française Domaine d'Espérance 17...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David travels to Georgia to learn about its distinctive indigenous grape varieties and how to navigate them, the long history that underpins its wine culture and why the qvevri remains so important in the production of its wines. Features Sarah Abbott MW, Irakli Cholobargia and chef, Tekuna Cachechiladze. Featur...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David chats with Antonio Capaldo, the CEO and head winemaker for Feudi di San Gregorio, a pioneer in premium wines from the hills of his native Campania. They talk about his unusual background as a global financier, his passion for his region’s indigenous grapes and old vines and the connection between art and f...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David talks to one of the most important figures in Argentine wine, Dr Laura Catena, at the helm of family winery Catena Zapata. Until recently a practising paediatrician at a San Francisco hospital she talks about the influence of her pioneering father, Nicolas, the importance of science, sustainability and old...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David travels to New York’s Long Island to visit its wineries as the region prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Featured wines: Boundary Breaks Ice Wine 2020 (gold) Hosmer Winery Limited Release Cabernet Franc 2020 (silver) Wolffer Estate Caya Cabernet Franc 2019 (silver) Lieb Cellars Cabernet Franc 2021...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David talks to Cotswold farmers Tim and Tanya Spittle whose desire for diversification inspired them to create an innovative sheep’s milk vodka, Blacklion, that’s already picking up fans, including Gordon Ramsey, and winning awards. Featured vodka: Virtuous Spirits Rye Vodka (gold and trophy winner) Destillerie...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. ‘Democratising wine’ is the theme, as David chats to Alex Brogan, winner of the IWSC Emerging Talent in Wine trophy, sponsored by London Wine Fair, for his innovative Not Yet Named Wine Co, where members decide on the winemaking. Featured wines:  Casas del Bosque Pequeñas Syrah 2020 silver) Quinta da Raza Alvari...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Can fine cider really rival a wine? Nick Showering certainly thinks so. Born into a Somerset cider family, the former Apprentice contestant (he reached episode 8 of last year’s series) chats to David about his triple vintage edition that’s made its way onto some Michelin-starred menus. Medal winning ciders, to c...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David reflects on a few of the highlights from the latest series, including ‘Mr Bubbles’, Pieter Feirrera of Graham Beck Cap Classique; Natalie Christensen, Chief Winemaker at Yealands in Marlborough; Trevor Durling, Chief Winemaker at Napa’s Beaulieu Estate; Pierpaolo Petrassi MW, head of beer, wine and spirits...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David is joined by the founder of wine bars Diogenes the Dog and Aspen and Mersault, Sunny Hodge, to talk about the uniquely different way that he communicates wine and why natural wine is so often misunderstood. Banfi 2017 Brunello Di Montalcino (silver) Edouard Delaunay 2019 Volnay Santenots 1Er Cru (silver) L...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David is joined by Club Oenologique spirits columnist, Joel Harrison, and The Wine Society buyer and IWSC judge, Freddy Bulmer, to talk about the latest trends in spirits and wine as we approach a summer season and a trio of bank holidays. Drinks featured (all spirits, all gold outstanding): AQ - Sakagura Ohtemo...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Representing the seventh generation of his family at the helm of Billecart-Salmon, its President, Mathieu Roland-Billecart, talks about what it takes to be in charge of one of the most famous names in Champagne and invites David to the release of its latest premium cuvée, Nicolas François 2008, at multi-Michelin...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Celebrating the success of fashionable Grower Champagne, David is joined by Master of Wine, Essi Avellan, one of the world’s most influential sparkling wine critics, to discuss her special report on Grower Champagne for Club Oenologique. 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 Trevor Durling, Chief Winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyard, one of the Napa Valley’s most historic wineries, to hear how he went from a future Top Gun to a celebrated cellar master making sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon. Wines featured: Cellar 777 Beauzini Zinfandel 2019 (gold) Dark Horse Zinfandel 20...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. A pioneer of premium rum, Richard Seale, Master Distiller and Master Blender at Foursquare Distillery, representing the fourth generation to work in the family business, he tells David about the innovation that’s put rum at the pinnacle of fashion. Drinks featured: R L Seale & Co Doorly's 14 YO Rum (gold) R L Se...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. To celebrate the ‘double’ of winning IWSC Best Supermarket for Wine and also Spirits, Pierpaolo Petrassi MW joins David to talk about buying for Britain’s best-loved supermarket, sustainability and the latest trends in wines and spirits. Drinks featured: Bodagas Toro Albalá Don PX Gran Reserva 1999 (gold) Gabrie...

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. For the 100th episode of the Drinking Hour, David talks to Dr Rachel Barrie, Master Blender for Brown Forman's Single Malt Scotch distilleries, the first female to hold the title and the first woman to be inducted into Scotch whisky’s Hall of Fame.   Drinks featured: GlenDronach Distillery 16 YO Boynsmill Single...