Which aspects of the Beamsville Bench make it particularly suited for growing grapes for wine? Why is Pinot Noir called the heartbreak grape? What are some ways for wine professionals and wine lovers to moderate their consumption? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm being interviewed by Sandy Dawkins and Michelle Lester, hosts of the Wines To Find podcast. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights What makes podcasting such a powerful medium? Which aspects of the Beamsville Bench make it particularly suited ..read more

Can you imagine a world where there’s only synthetic wine? And what is synthetic wine anyway? How does removing alcohol impact the tasting experience? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Steven Laine, award-winning restaurateur, hotelier, and author. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights Can you imagine a world where there’s only synthetic wine? What can you expect from Steven’s upcoming books, Jupiter’s Blood and The Somm? How did Steven end up working at two fantastic wineries during the pande ..read more

Can you imagine a world without wine? How did an author create a new genre of wine thriller based on a winemaker’s worst nightmare? What if the root louse phylloxera that destroyed most of the European vineyards in the 1850s returned but was even more destructive? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Steven Laine, award-winning restaurateur, hotelier, and author. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights What about the experience of travelling that motivated Steven to live in nine different countries ..read more

How did one man make a complete career pivot from working with dying in hospice care to living among the vines and writing about them? Why is French oak so treasured and so expensive? Which historical events led to the development of what we now know as the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Adam McHugh, author of Blood from Stone: A Memoir of How Wine Brought Me Back from the Dead. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you will win a personally signed co ..read more

What’s behind the power of podcasts and how they evoke the theater of the mind? How can you use a hook to improve your communication skills? Why do stories help us remember what we learn about wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm being interviewed by Lawrence Francis, host of the Interpreting Wine podcast. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights Which bottle kickstarted my passion for wine? How did I find the confidence to write about wine? Why do stories make it easier to learn about wine? How has my ..read more

How does telling your dinner party guests a few details about the wine you're serving dramatically change their perception of its taste? Should you add wines from Uruguay to your must-taste list? What’s the difference between flavour and taste? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author and journalist Nell McShane Wulfhart. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Nell McShane Wulfhart's terrific book, Off Menu. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natali ..read more

What’s the tradeoff between flavour and alcohol? How does Chardonnay lend itself to unusual food pairings? Where do you find great value in California wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Chuck Cramer, host of On The Road With Mr CA Wine. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights Who were Chuck’s most memorable podcast guests and why? Who would be Chuck’s dream guests for his podcast? Why does Chuck consider Lodi to be the most underrated California wine region? How does the style of The F ..read more

Are you curious about California wine, especially the differences between the various regions? What big trends have changed the California wines you drink for the past 5 years? What would surprise you most about the Napa wine region? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Chuck Cramer, host of On The Road With Mr CA Wine.   You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights What was it like for Chuck to do stand-up comedy for the first time in London? How does California’s Terlato Wines gain access to ..read more

How does deepening your understanding of wine help you maintain a healthy relationship with it? Why do memoirs help us to connect with characters even more deeply than fiction? Which moderation tools and techniques can you use when drinking wine?   In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm being interviewed by journalist Jaime Lewis for her podcast, CONSUMED.   You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights What does “day in the life” writing look like? How does deepening your understanding of wine help you m ..read more

How can tasting rooms help you enjoyably expand your knowledge of wine? Which experiences led me to perfect the art of the outsider at a young age? Why does capturing our experiences in words have such a profound impact on us? What can you learn from side-by-side tastings?   In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm being interviewed by journalist Jaime Lewis for her podcast, CONSUMED.   You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights Which experiences led me to perfect the art of the outsider at a young ..read more