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
355: Why Should You Try Brazil's Serra Gaucha Wines and Visit This Stunning Region?
Unreserved Wine Talk
Why is Serra Gaúcha the best place to start exploring Brazilian wine and what does this stunning region look like if you want to visit? Which grape varieties thrive in Brazil and have any unique varieties been successful? What's happening with wine culture in Brazil? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Tufi Meyer, author of the terrific new book, Wines of Brazil. You don’t need to have listened to part one from last week first, but if you missed it, go back and have a listen after you finish this one. You can find the wines we discussed at ...
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354: Why are Brazil's sparkling wines spectacular? Tufi Meyer reveals the answers in Wines of Brazil
Unreserved Wine Talk
Why are the sparkling wines the most successful wines? What is it about the wines of Brazil, the terroir, that really makes them excel? How does double pruning and winter harvesting help Brazilian vineyards produce higher-quality wines? How did family farming traditions shape Brazil’s wine regions, and what is the crossover between coffee and grape cultivation? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Tufi Meyer, author of the new book Wines of Brazil. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Tufi Neder...
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353: How do vines thrive in Mount Etna’s rocky, volcanic soils on the island of Sicily?
Unreserved Wine Talk
How can vines for wine thrive in Mount Etna’s rocky, volcanic soils on the island of Sicily? Mount Etna is a perpetual baby in terms of its vineyard soils; constant rejuvenation of the soil through ash and lava impacts the vine's health and the resulting grape characteristics. The lava flows are centuries old and vary widely. So, how would a producer choose one flow over another for planting? How does Mount Etna still have pre-phylloxera vines that are over 200 years old? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ben Spencer, the award-winning author of The...
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352: The New Volcanic Wines of Sicily's Mount Etna with Ben Spencer
Unreserved Wine Talk
How do elevation and slope influence the style of volcanic wines of Mount Etna? What can volcanic wine made on Mount Etna in Sicily teach us about life? How is Mount Etna’s wine scene evolving? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ben Spencer, the award-winning author of The New Wines of Mount Etna. You can find the wines we discussed at Highlights Which aspects of Ben’s first trip to Sicily in 2007 left a lasting impression? What stood out about Ben’s first experience tasting Etna wine in Sicily? Which early experience exploring...
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351: Why can’t we taste sweetness in sparkling wine and mistake black and white pepper aromas?
Unreserved Wine Talk
Why can’t we smell sweetness in sparkling wine? How much of what we “taste” in wine is influenced by its appearance and our expectations? What makes copper both a savior and a threat to viticulture? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Sunny Hodge, author of the terrific new book, The Cynic's Guide to Wine. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Sunny Hodge’s terrific new book, The Cynic's Guide to Wine. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at and let me know that you’ve...
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350: Can you really taste “minerality” in wine? Sunny Hodge offers a Cynic's Guide to Wine
Unreserved Wine Talk
Can you really taste “minerality” in wine? What gives Champagne and traditional method wines their signature bready flavor and creamy texture? How has natural wine sparked deeper conversations about how we farm and produce food and drink? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Sunny Hodge You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Sunny Hodge’s terrific new book, The Cynic's Guide to Wine. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the...
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349: Why is Languedoc a Popular Choice for Organic, Biodynamic, and Natural Winemaking?
Unreserved Wine Talk
How does your perspective change when you start looking at life one vintage at a time, divided into seasons? What does it look like when wine is so deeply connected to a region that it shapes work, landscape, community, and what a culture values most? Why is Languedoc becoming a popular choice for organic, biodynamic, and natural winemaking? What makes a “bon moment” and why is it worth taking seriously? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Steve Hoffman, who has written an award-winning memoir called A Season for That: Lost and Found in the...
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348: What’s It Like Moving Your Family Thousands of Miles to Live in the Wine Region of Languedoc, France? Steve Hoffman Shares Stories
Unreserved Wine Talk
How can you create a life you don’t need a vacation from? What can we learn from the French about slowing down, savoring meals, and making conversation the heart of gatherings? What’s it like living in the “other southern France”? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Steve Hoffman, who has written an award-winning memoir called A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France. You can find the wines we discussed at Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Steve Hoffman's terrific new book, A Season for That: Lost...
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347: Does Mozart or Metallica make wine taste better?
Unreserved Wine Talk
How does music, even types you dislike, make wine more enjoyable? Can curated playlists in tasting rooms and wine bars influence how customers drink, eat, and experience wine? What happens when you stop overthinking wine and music and just enjoy? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Susan Lin, a Master of Wine and a Master of Fine Arts in Classical Piano and Musicology. You can find the wines we discussed at Highlights How does a low-pitched, slow-tempo musical piece impact the perceived fruitiness of wine? What does "timbre" mean in musical...
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346: How Can Music Change the Taste of Your Wine? Susan Lin, MW, Shares Stories and Tips
Unreserved Wine Talk
Why might a symphony night pair just as well with your wine as a heavy metal ballad? What is “sonic seasoning” and how can music impact the way we experience the taste of wine? How are sensory experiences like music, taste, and atmosphere all connected? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Susan Lin, a Master of Wine and a Master of Fine Arts in Classical Piano and Musicology. You can find the wines we discussed at Highlights What did Susan's grandfather teach her about fine beverages and hospitality? How did playing piano in hotels as a child...
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 [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.
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.