Unreserved Wine Talk
What makes Vin Jaune from France's Jura region so special? What can you discover about the diversity of wine coming out of Jura and the French Alps? What are some insider tips for planning a journey to the French Alps? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Wink Lorch. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway One of you will win a copy of Wink Lorch's terrific book about the wines of Jura and the French Alps. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose...
info_outline 280: Wines of Jura and the French Alps with Wink Lorch: From Ski Resorts to Worldwide SensationUnreserved Wine Talk
What is it about wines from the French Alps and Jura that makes them so different from any other wine region in the world? How has climate change impacted wines in the region? How did their perception as “ski resort wines” negatively impact Jura and Savoie wineries? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Wink Lorch. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway One of you will win a copy of Wink Lorch's terrific book about the wines of Jura and the French Alps. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at and let me know that you've...
info_outline 279: Dazzling Beaujolais Food Pairings and Wild Indigenous Yeast Flavours with Natasha HughesUnreserved Wine Talk
Why are Beaujolais wines so versatile when it comes to food pairing? How are younger producers bringing renewed optimism to Beaujolais? What is indigenous fermentation, and how does it contribute to the complexity of Beaujolais wines? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Master of Wine and author, Natasha Hughes. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway One of you will win a copy of a terrific, new book to which Natasha Hughes is a contributor- On Burgundy: From Maddening to Marvellous in 59 Tales. To qualify, all you have to do is...
info_outline 278: The Surprising Complexity of Beaujolais with Natasha Hughes, Contributor to On Burgundy: From Maddening to Marvellous in 59 TalesUnreserved Wine Talk
What’s behind the surprising complexity and variety of Beaujolais wines? How has Beaujolais Nouveau distorted the public perception of Beaujolais? What makes Beaujolais such a good value wine? In this Unreserved Wine Talk podcast episode, I'm chatting with Master of Wine and author, Natasha Hughes. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway One of you will win a copy of a terrific, new book to which Natasha Hughes is a contributor- On Burgundy: From Maddening to Marvellous in 59 Tales. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at and let me know that you've posted a...
info_outline 277: Will AI Replace Writers and Winemakers? Conversation with Ellen Clifford of The Wine Situation PodcastUnreserved Wine Talk
Why don’t I think that artificial intelligence (AI) will replace human writers any time soon? What are some tips you can use for maintaining a healthy relationship with wine? What are some of the challenges women in the wine industry still face? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm being interviewed by Ellen Clifford on The Wine Situation podcast. You can find the wines we discussed at Highlights Was wine part of my family’s culture growing up? When did I start learning about wine, and why did I decide to make the career transition? When did I...
info_outline 276: Delicious Vegan Wine Pairings with Jennifer Huether and Priya Rao, Authors of The Social HerbivoreUnreserved Wine Talk
Which wineries are leading the way with vegan wines? How are some restaurants expanding into innovative vegan or vegetarian menus? What makes Riesling so versatile, especially with vegan dishes? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Jennifer Huether and Priya Rao, authors of The Social Herbivore: Perfect Pairings For Plant-Based Cuisine. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway One of you is going to win a copy of Priya Rao & Jennifer Huether's terrific book, The Social Herbivore: Perfect Pairings For Plant-Based Cuisine - the...
info_outline 275: What Are Vegan Wines & Are They Better for You with Jennifer Huether and Priya RaoUnreserved Wine Talk
Are vegan wines better for our health? What three aspects of a wine determine whether it’s vegan or not? How can you identify whether or not a wine is vegan by looking at the label? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Jennifer Huether and Priya Rao, authors of The Social Herbivore: Perfect Pairings For Plant-Based Cuisine. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway One of you is going to win a copy of Priya Rao & Jennifer Huether's terrific book, The Social Herbivore: Perfect Pairings For Plant-Based Cuisine - the first book...
info_outline 274: The Golden Rule to Buy Burgundy & Avoid High Prices with Raymond Blake, Author of Côte d’OrUnreserved Wine Talk
How did the French region of Burgundy come to the world’s attention as a wine region in the first place? What’s the golden rule for buying Burgundy, especially Pinot Noir? What’s behind the sometimes eye-watering stratospheric prices of Burgundian wines? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with one of Ireland’s leading wine writers, Raymond Blake. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway One of you is going to win a copy of On Burgundy: From Maddening to Marvellous in 59 Wine Tales and two of you will win a copy of Wine...
info_outline 273: Changes in Burgundy and Untangling a Complicated Region with Raymond Blake, Author Breakfast in BurgundyUnreserved Wine Talk
Why is Pinot Noir considered the holy grail of wine? What makes the French region Burgundy so complicated, and how can we untangle it? What would surprise and delight you about how both the wine and the region have changed in the past five years? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with one of Ireland’s leading wine writers, Raymond Blake. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway One of you is going to win a copy of On Burgundy: From Maddening to Marvellous in 59 Wine Tales and two of you will win a copy of Wine Talk – An...
info_outline 272: Candid Wine Conversations with Scott Sexsmith of Up Close & Personal and Matt Cundill of You May Also LikeUnreserved Wine Talk
How do you choose the best wine pairings for dessert? When should you summon the sommelier? How can you improve your smell vocabulary and learn to distinguish between different aromas? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm being interviewed by Scott Sexsmith of Up Close & Personal and Matt Cundill on You May Also Like. You can find the wines we discussed at Highlights Is it normal to find it difficult to detect the tastes and aromas from wine tasting notes? How can you improve your smell vocabulary and learn to distinguish between different aromas? Does my...
info_outlineDid you know that wine auctions are on the rise, both as fundraisers and as commercial ways to buy and sell your cellar stash?
On this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with you about why auctions are increasing in popularity, their fascinating back story, and how you can participate in them without having a multimillion-dollar trust fund.
If you’re listening to this podcast on the day it’s published, please also join me on CTV News as we’ll be chatting about two of the world’s most popular wines, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, including which ones to buy now. If you can’t tune in, then join my wine-happy community at nataliemaclean.com/joinus and I’ll send you the link to the videos of these two segments.
Enjoy the episode!
Highlights
- Are the sky-high bids we often hear about a standard occurrence at wine auctions?
- Why do wine auctions make such good fundraisers?
- How do the results of wine auctions impact the wider wine world?
- Is there more to wine auctions than investing and collecting?
- What are the risks of buying wine at auctions?
- What should you look for when inspecting wine before the auction?
To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.