The Wine Conversation

Andrew Jefford is one of the world’s most thoughtful and eloquent wine writers. He talks to Sarah Kemp about his new book “Drinking with the Valkyries” which contains essays on wine from his columns in Decanter and World of Fine Wine. In this wide-ranging interview, they discuss everything from the people who influenced him as a writer (spoiler alert Robert Louis Stevenson and Ralph Steadman), why...

John Stimpfig picks his 12 great buys (all under £25) from the Wine Society to evaluate and discuss with Sarah Kemp. After tasting together for many years they agree they have broadly the same palates, but not exclusively. Does Sarah like all of John’s choices? Find out which wines were their star buys and which wines offer outstanding value for money. A good conversation about what to look for in...

Omnibus 17 is out with all the latest wine news and views about wine. This month Elin McCoy reports on three significant anniversary tastings, 60 years of Ridge Vineyards, 20 years of Ca’ Marcanda, Gaja’s Bolgheri property and 100 years of cult classic Chateau Le Puy. John Stimpfig examines wine and royalty and asks which wine companies will retain their royal warrants; plus who is the British Roy...

Elephants in the vineyard? Buddhist pickers who won’t kill insects eating the grapes? Just some of the challenges Michael Juergens faced establishing the first winery in Bhutan. Elin McCoy talks to him about how he, as a business consultant who loved to run marathons, play drums in a punk band, fell in love with wine and ended up on the wine world’s wildest adventure.

Jane Anson talks to Maureen Downey, a global expert on wine fraud, about the extent of wine fraud in the industry today. She discusses how organised crime has become involved and turned it into a big business, why it has become easier to counterfeit wine and how she ended up becoming an expert in this field and being called “the Sherlock Holmes of wine”.

Karen MacNeil talks to Elin McCoy about the newly released third edition of “The Wine Bible”, which has sold over a million copies. Listen in to hear how a girl from an Irish Catholic family who didn’t drink wine, had no books, nor music left home at 15 to become the US’s most famous wine educator. Find out what advice she offers women in the wine industry today, discover how she compiled the new...

Olivier Bernstein is one of Burgundy’s new bright stars. He talks to Elin McCoy on how he left his family’s classical music business and decided to make top Burgundy. Find out how he came to establish himself as a micro-negociant with a sensational range of Grands and Premiers Crus of the Côte de Nuits, and set a record price for his jeroboam of Romanée St-Vivant when auctioned by Cult Wines. List...

Baron Éric de Rothschild talks to Sarah Kemp in a wide-ranging and candid interview about his life in wine. He reveals his earliest memories of Château Lafite, talks about the decisions to buy other estates, including in Chile and China, his views on wines as brands and a memorable lunch with Greta Garbo and the Worker’s Cooperative. Plus much, much more. More information at wine-conversation.com

Leading Bordeaux expert Jane Anson of www.janeanson.com talks about the new Saint-Emilion classification which has just been released. Discover the criteria used, who are the winners and losers, and why she thinks certain châteaux missed out on being promoted. She discusses how the classification has been mired in controversy in the past and explains how important the classification is to the esta...

Amanda Barnes, author of the award-winning “The South America Wine Guide” talks to Sarah Kemp about the discoveries she made during the ten years she researched her book. Find out which varieties she champions and the regions she believes are South America’s Grands Crus of today.

Listen in to Omnibus 16 for the latest news and views. This month: A 29-year-old Mexican beauty queen is accused of being behind the “wine heist of the century;” arrests in a major Spanish wine fraud; breakthrough research in dry farming; California celebrates the class of ’72, the wineries which made California wine’s reputation; how Bordeaux’s wildfires may affect the vintage; and lots more. Fin...

In our series “The Next Generation” Elin McCoy talks to Hélène Seillan of Vérité, the acclaimed winery in Sonoma, which produces the highly collectable La Muse, La Joie and Le Désir, which are made from more than 50 “micro crus” across four appellations. Hélène talks about her childhood in South West France where her father made wine for seven châteaux, her move to California as a child speaking n...

Alice Feiring, a  leader of the Natural Wine movement. talks to Elin McCoy about her new book, “To Fall in Love Drink This: A Wine Writer’s Memoir ”. Listen in as she talks about learning how to smell, how she evaded a serial killer at 14,  why she believes the Natural Wine movement is dead, and the movement she believes will replace it.

How soon will we hear the title “Climate Change Director” as often as “Winemaker? Miguel Torres Snr has been at the forefront of climate change solutions and he has appointed Josep Maria Ribas Portella, an industrial engineer with a Masters in Sustainable Energy Systems as Torres’s Climate Change and Sustainability Director. Listen in to find out what Josep and the team at Torres are doing to comb...

All the latest wine news and independent views. John Stimpfig reveals why he thinks the Champagne region is shooting itself in the foot over herbicides, Elin McCoy reports on the sale of Joseph Phelps and the trend for other iconic Napa and Sonoma estates to sell out to big corporations, as well as why some wineries won’t be insurable in the future and much, much more.

Elin McCoy talks to Tor Kenward of Tor in our "Great Wine Lives" series – a fascinating conversation from the man who has been at the heart of the Napa Valley since 1977, who brought the great chefs to California, including Julia Child and now makes award-winning Cabernet from Napa’s greatest vineyards. More information at wine-conversation.com

Jane Anson talks to Namratha Prashanth, who left Bangalore after an abusive marriage to create a new life, a new business and a new brand in Bordeaux.

In our “Great Wine Lives” series, Elin McCoy talk to visionary winemaker Paul Hobbs, who is today making wine in four continents. From been chosen by Robert Mondavi as a young winemaker to work on Opus One, helping Nicolas Catena in Argentina, setting up his own wineries, in California, Cahors, Galicia, the Finger Lakes and Armenia, meet the man who really does have a global wine vision. More info...

As we celebrate our Great Queen of England’s Platinum Jubilee, we look back on another remarkable Queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Jane Anson talks to leading French historian Stéphane Bern about this remarkable woman who taught the English how to drink wine.

Leading Bordeaux expert Jane Anson of www.janeanson.com talks about the 2021 Bordeaux vintage. Jane tasted over 800 wines during En Primeur – she relates her overall impression of the vintage, reveals her star wines, discusses which terroirs did well and which did not, and tells where you can find value for money. Find out more at wine-conversation.com

In our “Great Wine Lives” series, Sarah Kemp talks to Hervé Berland about his 30-plus years at Château Mouton Rothschild and then leading the green revolution at Château Montrose. Memories of working with Baron Philippe de Rothschild, his daughter Philippine, the move to Montrose and why, though he is retiring from Château Montrose, he is looking forward to his next wine adventure. More informatio...

Listen in to Omnibus 14 for news and unfiltered independent views – how the Ukraine war is affecting the wine world, the first US$1,000 wine-tasting tour in Napa Valley, Jane Anson’s first thoughts on Bordeaux 2021, the wine sale of the year, Prince Robert of Luxembourg’s private cellar to be auctioned for charity plus much more. Find out more at wine-conversation.com

Viva Argentina! – Thinking about visiting Argentina? Bernard Fontannaz of Finca La Anita talks to us about how visitors can enjoy an entire meal cooked over fire and which wines match each dish, while relaxing at the foot of the Andes mountains. Ready to fly?! Find out more at wine-conversation.com

Viva Argentina! – We discuss the age-ability of Malbec with Juan Marco of Finca Decero, definitely collector’s items for the future. Find out more at wine-conversation.com

Viva Argentina! – Meet the Eco-Warriors of Argentina – Pierre Lurton of Cheval des Andes on agroecology, Juan Marco of Finca Decero on irrigation, Guillermina Van Houten of Catena Zapata on organics and Manuel Lanus and Facundo Bonamaizon of Bodega Chakana on biodynamics in Argentina. Discover their challenges and why the leafcutter ant is their biggest pest. Find out more at wine-conversation.com