345: What Turns A Wine Country Visit Into An Incredibly Memorable Experience? with Amy Wislocki, editor-in-chief of Decanter
Release Date: 07/09/2025
373: How Do You Create A Successful International Wine Brand? Nam Stanley Tells The Story of Solicantus
Unreserved Wine Talk
What goes into creating a successful international wine brand that tells a story before the bottle is even opened? What does it look like to build a young wine brand vintage by vintage? What makes Bordeaux such a hard place to break into as an outsider? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Namratha Stanley, author of the new memoir Vineyard Melody. You can find the wines we discussed at . Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Namratha Stanely's terrific new book, Vineyard Melody: How One Woman Rebuilt Her Life, One Grape At A Time. To...
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372: How is Namratha's "Vineyard Melody" memoir the wine version of Eat, Pray, Love?
Unreserved Wine Talk
How can a wine story rooted in darkness leave you feeling hopeful about your life? Why is France such a symbol of freedom, possibility and reinvention for her? How can discovering France through art, cinema, and wine become an escape into a completely different world? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Namratha Stanley, author of Vineyard Melody: How One Woman Rebuilt Her Life, One Grape At A Time. You can find the wines we discussed at . Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Namratha Stanely's terrific new book, Vineyard Melody:...
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371: Why Do Some Non-Alcoholic Wines Keep Their Fruity Aromas While Others Lose Everything?
Unreserved Wine Talk
How did winemakers first figure out how to remove alcohol from wine without destroying it? Why is it so difficult to perfect the flavours and aromas in wine once the alcohol is removed? Why do some non-alcoholic wines keep their fruity aromas while others seem to lose everything? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Dr Wes Pearson, a senior research scientist at the Australian Wine Research Institute in Adelaide. You can find the wines we discussed at . Highlights How was the German winemaker, Carl Jung, a pioneer in the field of no and low...
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370: Wes Pearson: What Happens When the World’s Most Expensive Wines Are Tasted Blind
Unreserved Wine Talk
What really happens when the world’s most expensive wines are tasted blind, without their labels or reputations? Why is the Len Evans Tutorial considered such a valuable experience in the wine world? How did Grenache go from a filler grape to one that producers take seriously? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Dr Wes Pearson, a senior research scientist at the Australian Wine Research Institute in Adelaide. You can find the wines we discussed at . Highlights How did a curiosity for astrophysics shape Wes’s mindset as a wine researcher...
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369: How Did One Viognier Go From the Brink of Extinction to Being Planted Around the World?
Unreserved Wine Talk
How did one Viognier go from the brink of extinction to being planted around the world? Why is the Mistral one of the most miserable experiences for people, yet a saviour for Rhône vineyards? Why is working with bush vines so much harder than trellised vineyards? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Matt Walls, author of the terrific new book The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley. You can find the wines we discussed at . Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Matt Walls' terrific new book, The Smart Traveller's Wine...
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368: Why did the Rhone region ban flying saucers? Matt Walls reveals the story behind why that rule still exists
Unreserved Wine Talk
Which French wine region banned flying saucers from landing in its vineyards and why is the rule still there? How did the devastating February 1956 frost reshape the southern Rhône into the vineyard landscape we know today? What sets the northern Rhone apart from the south in terms of grapes and winemaking style? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Matt Walls, author of The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley. You can find the wines we discussed at . Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Matt Walls' terrific new book,...
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367: Why Are So Many Swiss Vineyards Planted on Dangerous Terrain? Simon Hardy Reveals Why in the Smart Traveller's Guide to Switzerland
Unreserved Wine Talk
Why are so many Swiss vineyards planted on dangerous terrain? How do the “three suns of Lavaux” shape the ripeness and character of Chasselas? Which unexpected historical figure owns the world’s smallest vineyard in Switzerland? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Simon Hardy, author of the terrific new book The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide to Switzerland. You can find the wines we discussed at . Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Simon Hardy's terrific new book, The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide to Switzerland. To...
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366: The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide to Switzerland with Simon Hardy
Unreserved Wine Talk
Why You Can't Buy Switzerland's Exceptional Wines Abroad? Why does Switzerland grow so many grape varieties, and which ones are the key players that define the country’s wine regions? What makes high-altitude wine regions uniquely capable of producing wines that balance great concentration without being too heavy? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Simon Hardy, author of The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide to Switzerland. You can find the wines we discussed at . Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Simon Hardy's terrific new book,...
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365: Why did Cha McCoy create her own flavour wheel rather than rely on traditional wine-tasting vocabulary?
Unreserved Wine Talk
Why do certain spices and dishes show up far from their origins, and how can tracing these cultural “foodways” change the way we think about wine and food pairing? Why did Cha create her own flavour wheel rather than rely on traditional wine-tasting vocabulary? How can expanding your flavour vocabulary through travel, food, and culture help us describe wine in ways that feel relatable? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Cha McCoy, author of the new book Wine Pairing for the People. You can find the wines we discussed at . Giveaway Three of you are...
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364: Why Are Most Wine Pairing Rules Wrong for Global Cuisine? Cha McCoy Reveals What Really Works
Unreserved Wine Talk
How can you pair wine with spicy dishes in a way that enhances their flavour profile? Why do most wine-pairing guides ignore the traditions of global cuisines? How can you use wine pairings to explore under-the-radar wine regions instead of reaching for the same rosé or sparkling wine every time? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Cha McCoy, author of the terrific new book Wine Pairing for the People. You can find the wines we discussed at . Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Cha McCoy's terrific new book, Wine Pairing for the...
info_outlineWhat turns a wine country visit into an incredibly memorable experience? What are the hidden perks of off-peak wine travel? How has digital media transformed the way people plan wine travel?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Amy Wislocki, editor-in-chief of Decanter, the world’s most prestigious wine magazine.
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, The Ultimate Wine Lover's Travel Guide. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me.
Highlights
What don’t many wine lovers realize about the wine-making history of the country of Georgia?
How important is authentic cultural immersion to wine travel?
Can wine tourism help preserve cultural heritage in regions recovering from political strife?
What’s the association between wineries and wildlife?
How and why are many wineries now catering to families?
What was Amy’s approach to balancing practical with sharing the romance of the locations in The Ultimate Wine Lover's Travel Guide?
What would Amy include in her perfect wine day itinerary?
How has COVID-19 impacted wine travel?
What are the advantages of travelling to wine regions outside of the peak seasons?
Is environmental consciousness changing wine tourism?
How has digital media transformed wine travel writing?
Has the rise of influencers changed the wine industry?
What would Amy add to a new edition of the book?
What should you be asking about wine travel?
How does Amy want readers to feel after reading The Ultimate Wine Lover's Travel Guide?
Which famous figures would Amy want to be able to share a bottle of wine with?
Key Takeaways
What turns a wine country visit into an incredibly memorable experience?
Amy advises to mix it up a bit and not cram too much into the day, because then that becomes too stressful. Probably a bit of planning will help to make it a perfect day. Often you need to book in advance. So maybe just two winery visits, one in the morning, one in the afternoon. Go somewhere for lunch where you can sit outside and just enjoy the beautiful views, get some fresh air. You might be able to hire a bicycle or go for a hike around the vineyards. See a beautiful village that has some nice culture, or architectural churches.
What are the hidden perks of off-peak wine travel?
Amy says the main thing is that the winemaker might have more time to spend with you. There must be certain times of the year that are really busy, not only in terms of tourists, but in terms of the winemaking. Also you have a higher chance of just being able to get into some of the most sought-after wineries. There might be some wineries that are just fully booked for ages.
How has digital media transformed the way people plan wine travel?
Amy observes that on social media, you can watch videos and reels of place which inspires people to do more research. So they might be sparked off by something they see on TikTok or Facebook or Instagram, and then they might go to Decanter.com, and read the whole article. So it’s all complementary.
About Amy Wislocki
Amy has more than 30 years' experience in publishing, and worked at a senior level for leading companies in the consumer, business-to-business and contract publishing arenas, before joining Decanter in October 2000 as Magazine Editor. As well as overseeing content planning and production for the print offering, she has also been involved in developing digital channels, Decanter.com and Decanter Premium.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/345.