The Wine Conversation

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

Viva Argentina! – Elin McCoy talks with Laura Catena in “Great Wine Lives,” part of our Viva Argentina! series. Laura is Managing Director of Catena Zapata, an author of several books, an emergency and accident doctor, and mother. She is also Argentine wines’ greatest ambassador. Listen in to hear her talk about her amazing life. Find out more at wine-conversation.com

Viva Argentina! – What’s new in Argentina? Answer: lots. In this episode, we meet three of Argentina’s pioneers. Listen to Juan Marco of Finca Decero talk about the rise of single vineyards, Sergio Casé of Trapiche discuss their new ocean-oriented vineyard at Chapadmalal near Buenos Aires, and Silvio Alberto at Bodega Bianchi on why he believes Malbec benefits from using amphoras, plus Sarah Kemp’...

Viva Argentina! – Welcome to the first in our week’s series “Viva Argentina!” Sarah Kemp and Phil Crozier discuss how Argentina has transformed itself in the past 15 years and meet dynamic young winemaker Sebastian Zuccardi, who is so terroir-obsessed he divides up his rows of vines into smaller plots. He explains how the Andes is not one mountain but a complex range, with many different soils, an...

War, wine and peace. This month we report on wine in the Ukraine, the Russian wine professionals defying Putin, who’s buying and selling in the US, the Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie Chateau Miraval bust-up, the Schramsberg anniversary dinner for the “Toast to Peace”, say farewell to Anthony Barton and much more. Find out more at wine-conversation.com

Rosemary George MW talks to Sarah Kemp about the Languedoc, the region she believes has evolved the most over the past 20 years. She discusses its history, her three favourite appellations and names the producers to look out for in each appellation. She discusses its history and its future. A great conversation about where to find the hidden jewels which offer great value for money. Find out more...

Listen in to hear Jacques Lurton, from Bordeaux’s most prominent wine family, talk to Jane Anson about why he left Bordeaux, the people who influenced him, why he believes New World practices can help the Old World face up to climate change, the new cuvée he is launching, and why he is happy to be back running the family company. A full, great wine life! More information at wine-conversation.com

Oz Clarke talks to Sarah Kemp in our Great Wine Lives series. In a wide-ranging conversation, he discusses wine and class, how the wine establishment hated him, why Pinot Noir isn’t a complex and brilliant grape, as people say it is, touring with Glenda Jackson and discovering Australian wine, why points don’t help consumers, climate change and the future, where he’d plant a vineyard, plus much mo...

How good is Bordeaux 2019 now that it is in bottle? Sarah Kemp talks to Bordeaux expert Jane Anson, who has just reviewed 700 wines for her new website www.janeanson.com. She gives her candid view on the vintage’s quality, names her favourite wines, and puts the vintage in context with other notable vintages of the decade.

John Stimpfig discusses dry January, how beneficial is it? Why 2021 was a record year for wine investors. Elin McCoy on the news from Napa plus no/low alcohol wines, Elin bravely tastes on our behalf and Jane Anon is back to Saint Emilion for more news on the troubled 2022 classification.

Dan Petroski of Massican Winery talks to Elin McCoy about how he left the world of magazines in New York to become a celebrated Napa Valley winemaker, first at Larkmead Vineyards, and now at his own winery. Massican. where he produces white wines inspired by Northern Italy. They talk about Napa beyond Cabernet, engaging the new consumer, and much more.

Learnt so much about the wines of Israel listening to Tal Sunderland-Cohen talking to Jane Anson. Now determined to hunt down some of the wines made from indigenous grapes. Love the thought I could be tasting the same flavours as people 4000 years ago. Liquid history. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com

Since 1842 Tanners Wine Merchants have been promoting the wines of Bordeaux. Sarah Kemp talks to James Tanner, the fourth generation of his family to run this independent wine merchant about his views on Bordeaux past and present. He talks about his earliest Bordeaux memories, the wines he loves and advice for newcomers to this famous region.

As the Wine Conversation celebrates its first anniversary John, Elin and Sarah look back at the big wine stories of 2021 and name the year’s best wine books. Elin looks at how the hit TV series Succession uses wine to signal character’s intentions, and Jane Anson reveals her favourite wines of the year. All in Omnibus 11 released today. Happy Christmas to all TWC listeners!

75% of Bordeaux wines’ sales (and 95% Bordeaux Grands Crus’) are facilitated by a courtier. Jane Anson talks to Margaux Brengel of Bureau Levèque Grands Vin du Monde about the role of the courtier, past and present. A rare insight into how Bordeaux’s three-tiered system works.

Bill Harlan talks to Elin McCoy in our series “Great Wine Lives” about how he devised a 200-year plan to create a first growth in California. Bill talks about planting Harlan Estate in Napa on raw land in the foothills, the trip to Bordeaux and Burgundy which changed his perspective, and handing over to the next generation. Listen now to hear his remarkable story. More information at wine-conversa...

Sarah Kemp talks to Marchese Lamberto Frescobaldi the 30th generation of his family to make wine, in our series “Great Wine Lives.” Listen in to hear about his childhood in Tuscany, how he learnt about wine in the US, his partnership with Tim Mondavi and his amazing project making wine with the prisoners on Gorgona Island. More information at wine-conversation.com

There’s lots to talk about this month on Omnibus Ten – the wine heist of the century, more lawsuits in Saint Emilion, concerns about bottlenecks in the wine supply chain, matching wines with vegan menus, the new “La La” from the Guigals, and much more. Listen in for the latest wine news and unfiltered views. Find out more at wine-conversation.com

Jasper Morris MW talks about the second edition of his book, “Inside Burgundy,” and what has changed since the first edition 11 years ago. Listen to him discuss how producers are changing viticultural and cellar practices to combat climate change, plus which vintages to drink and which to keep, and where you can find value – unmissable for any Burgundy lover. More information at wine-conversation....