The Wine Conversation

Elin McCoy talks to Jean-Charles Boisset, the audacious Burgundian vintner who shook up the US wine scene. Listen in to hear how he bought some of California’s most historic wineries, his pioneering work in organic an biodynamic viticulture. Discover his passion for innovation as he discusses satin and leather labels, jewellery on bottles, and why his wines are backed up by high-scores from critic...

In a few days’ time the doors of The Gavroche will close for the last time. Jane Anson talks to Michel Roux Jnr about his legendary restaurant and its amazing cellar of 100,000 bottles. Listen in to find out what is going to become of the cellar and find out which wine Michel has chosen to drink on the last day. A huge thank you to Michel for all the fabulous memories you have given us at The Gavr...

In our last Omnibus for 2023, John Stimpfig, Elin McCoy and Sarah Kemp discuss the big news stories: how war is affecting Israeli and Palestine vintners, that terroir has been scientifically proven and worldwide production falling by 7% with 2023, the hottest year on record. Plus, Italy becomes the star of the wine investment market, Elin’s top 10 wines and much more. Find out more at wine-convers...

Hope. The most important word this Christmas. Sarah Kemp talks to Mariia Didkovska in Kyiv about the champagne she has created with the House of Pierre Morlet called “Victoire de la Dignité” with six of Ukraine’s most prominent artists designing the labels. All profits from the sales will go to the urgent needs of the Military Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and its mobile...

Jane Anson and Sarah Kemp discuss their favourite books on Bordeaux. They recommend the best books on Bordeaux’s history and politics and economics. Bordeaux reference books come under review, old favourites and brilliant new editions. Find out which Bordeaux producers provided material for the most scintillating biographies and let’s not forget the novels every claret lover should read. Plus, Sar...

Listen in to hear the remarkable “Great Wine Life” of Francesco Ricasoli of Castello di Brolio. Possibly, the most heart-warming wine story we have covered this year. He gave us his life as a professional photographer where his clients included Salavatore Ferragmo and Valentino, to return to the family estate to buy it back from Hardy’s the Australian corporate giant (his father had previously sol...

Join us for a “10-minute masterclass” on Merlot. Find out about this grape which was much maligned by Miles in the film Sideways. We look at its parentage, where it is planted, its flavours, famous names and the Merlots which Jane Anson and Sarah Kemp believe are worth seeking out. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com

As Paolo de Marchi leaves Isole e Olena after 50 years, Sarah Kemp travelled to Tuscany to talk to him about his remarkable “Great Wine Life”. He first saw the estate his father bought in 1956 when he was seven years old. At the age of 25 he moved to Tuscany to run the estate despite his father’s misgivings, he called it a bottomless pit. Today, it is one of the world’s most admired estates, and i...

Listen in to Omnibus XXV for all the latest news and views from Sarah Kemp, John Stimpfig and Elin McCoy and this month there is good, bad and plain ugly. The first billion dollar sale of a luxury winery in Paso Robles to allegations of modern slavery practices during the harvest in Champagne, there is a lot to talk about. Plus Elin McCoy reports on all the major tastings and launches in New York,...

Listen in to the 10-minute masterclass on Courtiers with Jane Anson. Jane explains the mysterious role of the Bordeaux courtier, who works as a broker between the château and the negociant. “They are extremely discreet, but know everything” she says. Jane gives a fascinating insight into the system which has been working since the Middle Ages. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com

Listen in to hear the extraordinary story of how Greg Lambrecht invented Coravin. From creating delivery systems for chemotherapy to a device which preserves wine for years. Frustrated by the limitations of a 750ml bottle he wanted to enjoy wine in the quantities he wanted, when he wanted. The inventor spent years in his basement making prototypes. Today a quarter of a billion glasses have been po...

Jane Anson and Sarah Kemp discuss the historic tasting of Ornellaia, one of Italy’s most renowned wines, which has just taken place in Venice. Five decades of Ornellaia were poured from 2020 to 1988. Views a plenty on the most successful vintages (spoiler alert Sarah and Jane don’t necessarily agree) and buzz about the new changes at the estate. Total agreement though on this was a tasting of a li...

Jane Anson talks to Sarah Kemp about this famous appellation which is home to some of Bordeaux’s most loved names. Discover its producers, including two lesser-known ones Jane recommends looking out for. Find out why it is home to more gravel than Pauillac, its cost per hectare and much more. A 10-minute deep dive into one of Jane and Sarah’s favourite appellations. Find out more at: wine-conversa...

Listen in to Omnibus XXIV for all the latest wine news and views. John Stimpfig applauds the launch of the old vine registry, and looks back with Sarah Kemp on the life of Don St Pierre Snr who had such an impact on the fine wine scene in China. They discuss the recent purchase of William Fèvre Chablis by DBR Lafite, and agree it is a smart move. As always, there is a weather watch, with this mont...

There are few people who can have had a more fascinating life in wine than Jean-Guillaume Prats. In our “Great Wine Lives” series he talks to Elin McCoy about how he joined his father to run the family estate, 2nd Growth Château Cos d’Estournel. He stayed on to become its director at the young age of 28, but after 14 years was lured away to run Moet Hennessy’s wine division, which took him al...

Margaux is the largest of the Medoc’s appellations, with the most varied terroir. Join Jane Anson and Sarah Kemp to discover how many producers there are, who are the star names, and which château to watch. Discover its signature taste, the price per hectare, and why it was recognised 20 years after Pauillac and St Julien. 10 minutes of fascinating facts! Find out more at: wine-conversation.com

Listen in to hear the remarkable life story of Eduardo Chadwick, the man who put Chile on the fine wine map. John Stimpfig talks to him in our series “Great Wine Lives” about how he joined his father to run the family winery as a young man, the difficulties he faced in getting the critics to acknowledge Chile could make fine wine, and the one tasting which changed the world’s perception. Discover...

What do chocolate chip cookies, biodynamic viticulture, and winemaking in Bordeaux and the Napa Valley have in common? Elin McCoy talks to Denise Adams the owner of Château Fonplégade, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé and ADAMSVS on Howell Mountain on how she combines all three. Listen in to hear about her life’s work and how she left the world of art and interior design to become a vigneron on two...

It has been a particularly busy month in the world of wine, in Omnibus XXIII we discuss all the major events. We report on the FBI raiding Sherry Lehmann, take a look at Bordeaux 2022 prices, say fond farewells to wine world greats Jean-Michel Cazes, Alexander Lur Saluces, Paul Dolan, Jackie Blot and Sarah Morphew MW. We look at the first US purchase of a British vineyard, and Frescobaldi buying i...

How many wine glasses do you need? How do they affect the taste of the wine? Sarah Kemp talks to Maximilian Riedel, the eleventh generation of his family, who have been making glass since 1756. His grandfather was the first to make wine-specific glasses, his father created varietal glasses and Maximilian talks about the new range of lighter and thinner he is about to launch,  and answers the...

Sue Hodder talks to John Stimpfig about Wynns Coonawarra John Riddoch Estate, one of Australia’s First Growths. Listen in to hear the remarkable story of Scottish pioneer John Riddoch, who founded the estate, the story of the Wynn family who bought it in 1957 and invested heavily in the vineyards, as well as Sue’s own story as chief winemaker for 25 years. Find out more at wine-conversation.com

Jamie Kutch is known for his stylish Pinot Noirs. He tells Elin McCoy how he became interested in wine at college when a Jesuit priest gave him a glass of Riesling. When he was a trader in New York for Merrill Lynch he became an active member of the Robert Parker bulletin board and enjoyed wine tastings with other enthusiasts. After one such tasting he wrote to Michael Browne of Kosta Browne sayin...

One of the wine world’s most remarkable stories – discover how Marchese Lamberto Frescobaldi came to make wine with the prisoners on the island of Gorgona, off the Tuscany coast. Sarah Kemp travelled there with Marchese Lamberto to find out how the enterprise came about, speaks to their chief winemaker and discovers from the Governor of the prison the impact it has had on the inmates working there...

How well do you know Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux’s most famous appellation? Listen in to our 10-Minute Masterclass for all the key facts with Jane Anson and Sarah Kemp. Discover its varied terroir, land prices, its classification (controversial) with who is in and who is out, star names, upcoming names and our obscure fact. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com

Trevor Durling, Chief Winemaker of Beaulieu Vineyard in Napa Valley talks to John Stimpfig about the winery’s illustrious history and how Georges de Latour persuaded André Tchelistcheff to leave Paris to join him in California, where he became Father of the California wine industry. In 1936 André kept aside some exceptional barrels to make Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve, Calif...