328: On Tuscany: From Brunello to Bolgheri, Tales from the Heart of Italy with Susan Keevil
Release Date: 03/12/2025
343: What Is Vital About Argentina's Old Vine Malbec and Ontario Wine's Future with Ann Sperling and Peter Gamble?
Unreserved Wine Talk
What makes old Malbec vines planted in the 1920s so rare and valuable today? Why would a Canadian winemaker head to Mendoza, Argentina, to start a winery? What’s one of the biggest challenges holding back Canadian wine and how can consumers change that? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ann Sperling & Peter Gamble. You can find the wines we discussed at Highlights What makes Devotion different from other On Seven wines? What inspired Peter to look beyond Canada to Argentina for winemaking? How did he decide on the particular vineyard to...
info_outline
342: How is Niagara-on-the-Lake's On Seven Winery Making Montrachet-Style Chardonnay? with Ann Sperling and Peter Gamble
Unreserved Wine Talk
What were the key challenges and breakthroughs that shaped the BC and Ontario wine industries in the 1980s and 90s? What makes or breaks a new wine project, and why is finding the right vineyard often the most time-consuming step? What made Peter believe that Niagara-on-the-Lake could produce exceptional Chardonnay? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ann Sperling & Peter Gamble. You can find the wines we discussed at Highlights What was Ann’s best memory from growing up on the farm? When did Ann and Peter know that they wanted to work...
info_outline
341: Is A $400 Wine Really 10 Times Better Than a $40 One? Do Wine Labels and Glassware Matter More Than You Think?
Unreserved Wine Talk
Is a $400 wine really ten times better than a $40 one? Does the right glass really improve your wine and is it worth it when the size makes you look ridiculous? Why do wine labels matter and should the label’s look be part of every wine review? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Charles Jennings and Paul Keers, co-authors of the hilarious book I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of their terrific book,, I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. To qualify, all you...
info_outline
340: Why do wine descriptors like cat's pee alienate many wine lovers? Charles Jennings and Paul Keers answer that and more in "I Bought It So I'll Drink It"
Unreserved Wine Talk
How does using everyday metaphors make wine writing more relatable? How has the pressure to be an expert in everything turned simple pleasures into social competition? Does buying your own wine versus getting free samples make you a better wine writer? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Charles Jennings and Paul Keers, co-authors of the hilarious book I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of their terrific book,, I Bought It So I’ll Drink It. To qualify,...
info_outline
339: What Do Wild Orchids Reveal About the Health of a Vineyard and How Does Preschool Turn France Into a Nation of Gourmets?
Unreserved Wine Talk
How does biodynamic farming transform a vineyard into a thriving, interconnected ecosystem? What do wild orchids reveal about the health of a vineyard? How do France’s preschool lunches help to create a nation of gourmets? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Caro Feely, author of the terrific memoir Grape Expectations: A Family’s Vineyard Adventure in France. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of her terrific book, Grape Adventures. To qualify, all you have to do is email me...
info_outline
338: What Are 4 Ways That Winemakers Die in Wineries and Why Is It So Dangerous? Caro Feely, Author of Grape Expectations, Has Answers
Unreserved Wine Talk
What makes vine growing and winemaking so physically demanding? What are the hidden dangers of winemaking that most wine lovers never hear about? Why are some winemakers choosing to label their wines as Vin de France rather than follow strict appellation rules? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Caro Feely You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of her terrific book, Grape Adventures. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the...
info_outline
337: Why do Celebrities, like Brad Pitt, John Legend, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jon Bon Jovi, Cameron Diaz and Kylie Minogue Choose Rosé for Their Brands?
Unreserved Wine Talk
Why is Rosé the go-to wine for celebrity-owned brands rather than Chardonnay or Cabernet? Why are the younger generations of wine drinkers choosing Rosé over red? Is the Rosé boom just a trend, or is its popularity here to stay? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Rasmus Emborg & Jens Honoré, who co-published the Rose Revolution. You can find the wines we discussed at Highlights What are the main differences between wines from Domaine Tempier and Domaine Ott? What makes some Rosé wines better for aging than others? How did Gerard...
info_outline
336: How did Marcel Ott, of Domaines Ott, revolutionize Rosé wine? Rasmus Emborg & Jens Honoré Share the Story in Rosé Revolution
Unreserved Wine Talk
How did Rosé get a bad reputation as not being a “real” wine? How did Marcel Ott revolutionize the world of Rosé wine? Why is Grenache a popular grape for making trendy pale Rosés? How do Rosé’s beautiful bottles both help and hurt its reputation? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Rasmus Emborg and Jens Honoré, the author and photographer, respectively, who have published Rosé Revolution. You can find the wines we discussed at Highlights How did Jens and Rasmus develop a love for Rosé? What does Rasmus find most...
info_outline
335: Why are major Champagne houses, like Taittinger and Pommery, spending millions on English vineyards?
Unreserved Wine Talk
Why are major Champagne houses, like Taittinger and Pommery, spending millions of dollars to buy and plant vineyards in England? How did Brexit reshape the English wine industry, from barrels to picking grapes? Why does visiting the English wine country feel like uncovering a hidden secret? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Henry Jeffreys, author of Vines in a Cold Climate. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of his terrific book, Vines in a Cold Climate. To qualify, all you have to do is...
info_outline
334: Is chalky soil really the secret to great English wine or just clever marketing? Henry Jeffreys, Author of Vines in a Cold Climate Shares His Stories
Unreserved Wine Talk
Is chalky soil really the secret to great English wine—or just clever marketing? What makes it so difficult for English wine to break into the North American market? Is it time for a classified system of English wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Henry Jeffreys, author of the award-winning book Vines in a Cold Climate. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of his terrific book, Vines in a Cold Climate. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at and let me know that you’ve...
info_outlineHow was Brunello discovered? How did the medieval sharecropping system help to shape Tuscany's wine landscape? What's the origin of the iconic black rooster symbol of Chianti Classico?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Susan Keevil, editor of the beautiful hardcover On Tuscany: From Brunello to Bolgheri, Tales from the Heart of Italy.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks
Giveaway
Two of you are going to win a copy of her terrific book, On Tuscany: From Brunello to Bolgheri, Tales from the Heart of Italy. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
What inspired Susan to take on the monumental task of compiling and editing On Tuscany?
How is On Tuscany different from other books about the region?
What was the most captivating wine story Susan uncovered while working on the book?
What was the most surprising insight about Tuscany that Susan discovered while putting together On Tuscany?
Why did the timeframe pose the biggest challenge in compiling the book?
How did Susan discover and select literary gems about Tuscany from historic writers?
Why was it important to Susan to write about the Etruscans?
What surprised Susan about the ancient Etruscans’ relationship with wine?
How did the medieval sharecropping system help to shape Tuscany's wine landscape?
What role did the Medici family play in shaping the wine culture in Tuscany?
What was the crisis of Chianti Classico in the 70s and 80s and how did it redefine the future of Tuscan wines?
What's the origin of the iconic black rooster symbol of Chianti Classico?
Why does Tuscany continue to dominate media and culture when it comes to wine?
What’s the history behind the Chianti fiasco?
Key Takeaways
How was Brunello discovered?
Susan says that from 1875 to 1930, the Biondi Santi family hid bottles of brunello bricked up behind a wall. So after the war, they had these wonderful vintages, and they could say, look how it's aged because they didn't know it aged so well at that stage. That was how the discovery of Brunello came about because they brought these cellared wines to feasts and grand occasions with politicians and monarchs.
How did the medieval sharecropping system help to shape Tuscany's wine landscape?
Susan observes that it made it beautiful to start with, because we're talking about small holdings. Small farmers gave 40% of what they produced to the owner, the feudal lord, but they had to eke out a living too. So they had their plot of vines, their plot of olive groves, and they put up their cypress trees to defend them from the winds. That gave the beauty to the countryside, because it makes it a jigsaw, it gives it texture when you look at the hills. That way of farming has set up the beauty of Tuscany that we know today. But of course, there was a lot of poverty that went alongside it.
What's the origin of the iconic black rooster symbol of Chianti Classico?
Susan explains that it came from the 14th century when Siena and Florence were warring as to who was going to be the most powerful of those two towns. They had an agreement that they would send out a horse rider - a knight - early one morning, and wherever those two knights met, would be the boundary between Florence and Siena. The Florentine horse rider set off really early, and they got to within 12 miles of Siena. So the black cockerel is all about strength and having the biggest area.
About Susan Keevil
Susan Keevil is the Editorial Director of Académie du Vin Library, where she has played a pivotal role in establishing and nurturing this esteemed wine publishing house. A former editor of Decanter magazine, she has dedicated her career to the world of wine, from editorial leadership to in-depth exploration of the industry.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/328.