254: New Australian Wines & Regions + Grenache's Resurgence with Jane Lopes, Author of How to Drink Australian
Release Date: 10/11/2023
283: Challenging Wine Matches with Barbara Scott-Goodman, Author of Wine Time: 70+ Recipes for Simple Bites That Pair Perfectly with Wine
Unreserved Wine Talk
Can you pair pickled foods with wine, or will their vinegarized flavours ruin the wine? Which wines pair best with soft-shell crab? What goes into great food photography, whether in a magazine or cookbook? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Barbara Scott-Goodman. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Barbara Scott-Goodman's terrific book Wine Time: 70+ Recipes for Simple Bites That Pair Perfectly with Wine. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at and let me know that you've posted a review...
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282: Wine Sulphites, Mindful Drinking and Marketing Alcohol on The Erica Diamond Podcast
Unreserved Wine Talk
Should you avoid wine with sulphites? What are some of the important differences in the way wine is marketed to men versus women? How can you practice mindful drinking without giving up the wine you love? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm being interviewed by Erica Diamond on The Erica Diamond Podcast. You can find the wines we discussed at Highlights Why did I choose to write a completely different genre for my third book, Wine Witch On Fire? How did I first realize my drinking was sliding away from healthy? Why do I say wine today is like Virginia...
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281: Splendid Vin Jaune, Jura Wine 's Wild Variety and Mysterious Grapes of the French Alps with Wink Lorch
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...
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280: Wines of Jura and the French Alps with Wink Lorch: From Ski Resorts to Worldwide Sensation
Unreserved 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...
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279: Dazzling Beaujolais Food Pairings and Wild Indigenous Yeast Flavours with Natasha Hughes
Unreserved 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...
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278: The Surprising Complexity of Beaujolais with Natasha Hughes, Contributor to On Burgundy: From Maddening to Marvellous in 59 Tales
Unreserved 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...
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277: Will AI Replace Writers and Winemakers? Conversation with Ellen Clifford of The Wine Situation Podcast
Unreserved 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...
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276: Delicious Vegan Wine Pairings with Jennifer Huether and Priya Rao, Authors of The Social Herbivore
Unreserved 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...
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275: What Are Vegan Wines & Are They Better for You with Jennifer Huether and Priya Rao
Unreserved 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...
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274: The Golden Rule to Buy Burgundy & Avoid High Prices with Raymond Blake, Author of Côte d’Or
Unreserved 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_outlineAre you curious about new Australian wine styles and regions? Why is Grenache experiencing a resurgence in Australia right now? What was the most devastating part of several Court of Master Sommelier scandals?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with sommelier and author Jane Lopes.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
Two of you are going to be the lucky recipients of a copy of Jane Lopes' books. One of you will win Vignette: Stories Of Life And Wine In 100 Bottles, and another will win How To Drink Australian. To enter, email me at [email protected] and tell me that you’d like to win a copy. I'll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
What’s it like to experience the journey of becoming a Master Sommelier?
Do we need more outlets for education in the wine industry?
What was it like being a woman experiencing the unfair and sexist consequences of several Master Sommelier scandals?
How would the industry benefit from more transparency and an overhaul of the Court of Master Sommeliers certification process?
How is How To Drink Australian different from other books about Australian wine?
What was the motivation behind writing How To Drink Australian?
What are some of the unique characteristics of Australian wine and wine regions?
Why is Grenache experiencing a resurgence in Australia right now?
What’s the tasting experience like for Ngeringa 2018 Summit Vineyard Chardonnay and Bird on a Wire 2015 Syrah?
Why should you try a wider range of Australian wine?
Key Takeaways
I loved Jane’s fresh take on new Australian wine styles and regions. I knew that Australia has plenty of warm regions and a number of cool areas, but I didn’t realize it also has some of the coldest wine regions in the world.
Jane has put Australian grenache on my radar. I love this grape and wine from the Rhone and am keen to do more side-by-side comparison tastings with those from Australia.
The Court of Master Sommelier exam scandal had a pretty devastating impact on candidates like Jane, who had studied for years and invested thousands of dollars to prepare for it only to have that hard-earned recognition taken away. Coupled with Master Sommelier sexual harassment scandal, I hope that serious reforms are underway with the organization.
Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live
Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video.
I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer?
Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621
About Jane Lopes
Jane Lopes is a Nashville-based sommelier, author, and importer. In 2020, Jane and her husband Jonathan Ross co-founded their own Australian wine imports company: Legend. Jane’s second book, How to Drink Australian (co-authored with her husband), was published in 2023.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/254.