373: How Do You Create A Successful International Wine Brand? Nam Stanley Tells The Story of Solicantus
Release Date: 01/21/2026
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...
info_outline
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:...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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,...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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,...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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 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 https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
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 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 three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
What was it like arriving alone in rural Margaux for an internship?
What made Namratha push through fear, exhaustion, and the pressure of a visa dependent on work?
Why is the French concept of terroir so powerful in understanding the connection between place, identity, and wine?
Why did Namratha make the decision to build her own wine brand instead of becoming an agent for existing wineries?
How did the name and branding for Solicantus come together, and what influenced these choices?
How did a single LinkedIn message lead to Solicantus wines being listed with the LCBO in Canada?
What did the first international sale feel like after years of uncertainty and effort?
Why is Namratha passionate about building philanthropy into her wine and book business?
How did reuniting with her daughter in France mark a turning point for Namratha?
About Namratha Stanley
Namratha Stanley is the debut author of Vineyard Melody, a memoir chronicling her personal and professional transformation. Once confined to a patriarchal household in India, where she was barred from working, she broke free from marital violence and moved to France in 2017 to pursue a Wine MBA. She went on to found Wine Equation, a Bordeaux-based wine merchant company, and created Solicantus, her signature wine brand now distributed in five countries. Today, she serves as Program Director at INSEEC (Omnes), mentors women and students, and donates part of her wine sales to support children’s education in India. Her journey—from traditional housewife to entrepreneur—has been featured in Forbes, Decanter and many other magazines. Namratha lives in France with her daughter and two cats, continuing to write and grow her wine business.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/373.