383: The Debates, Controversies and Mysteries That Have Shaped the World of Wine Like Organics With Alan Ramey, Author of Pressing Matters
Release Date: 04/01/2026
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385: How Did Discovering Wine Lead Gérard Basset to Become the World's Best Sommelier?
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384: Is It the Wine or Is It You? Alan Ramey on What Really Makes Wine Taste Good
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Is a fully organic future in agriculture possible or even affordable, or are there limits to how far we can go? Why has biodynamics thrived in wine when many of its founder’s ideas were rejected in medicine and education? How much of what you enjoy in wine comes from what’s in the glass versus your mental perception of what you’re drinking? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Alan Ramey, author of Pressing Matters: The Debates, Controversies and Mysteries that have Shaped the World of Wine. You can find the wines we discussed at . ...
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383: The Debates, Controversies and Mysteries That Have Shaped the World of Wine Like Organics With Alan Ramey, Author of Pressing Matters
Unreserved Wine Talk
What might surprise you about the amount of research on organic versus conventional farming when it comes to winemaking? Why are many strong opinions in wine accepted without much challenge or push for validation? Why are traditional wine regions being forced to balance heritage with visibility and branding in today’s market? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Alan Ramey, author of the new book, Pressing Matters: The Debates, Controversies and Mysteries that have Shaped the World of Wine. You can find the wines we discussed at . Giveaway Two of...
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382: The Prison That Became a Distillery: Belfast's Most Unlikely Comeback Story with McConnell's Irish Whisky
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381: From Hard Time to Happy Hour: The Remarkable Resurrection of McConnell's Irish Whisky
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What’s the hidden meaning behind the opaque ribbed glass at the bottom of a McConnell’s Irish Whisky bottle? What made the opportunity to revive McConnell’s Irish Whisky important enough to leave a long and secure career behind? How does a master distiller notice that something is off long before anyone else can spot it? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with John Kelly, CEO of the Belfast Distillery Company, responsible for reviving one of Belfast’s most famous brands, McConnell’s Irish Whisky, which actually dates back 250 years this year...
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380: The Ghost in the Glass: 5 Ways AI Is Rewriting the Story of Wine
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If your wearable device knows your cortisol level, your heart rate, and the ambient light in your dining room, should it also choose the perfect wine for you? The Romans raved about Falernian. The Georgians were fermenting in clay vessels eight thousand years ago. Could AI finally let us taste what they were drinking? Conversely, can AI write an accurate tasting note for wine still in the bottle before a single human lifts the glass? When every appellation is covered, every vintage scored, and every back label written by an algorithm, what is a wine writer actually for? You’re...
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379: More Than a Drink: Why Wine Divides & Unites Cultures with Sarah Heller MW
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Why do some cultures embrace wine as a cultural expression while others see it simply as a beverage? Why do some cultures embrace wine as a cultural expression while others see it simply as a beverage? Can fine wine actually be defined, or is it something subjective to be debated? Why is it so important to identify both the aroma and structure of wines when tasting? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Sarah Heller, Master of Wine. You can find the wines we discussed at . Highlights What was it about tasting Barolo for the first time...
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378: Does Formal Wine Tasting Language Strip the Emotion Out of Wine Writing? with Sarah Heller
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377: What Does It Mean For A Wine To Gain Wisdom As It Ages? with Neal Hulkower
Unreserved Wine Talk
Should wine competitions give judges the option to say that none of the wines in a category deserve a medal? Why have some classic regions become inaccessible while others remain within reach for wine drinkers? What does it mean for a wine to gain wisdom as it ages? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Neal Hulkower, a PhD rocket scientist, who has just published his first book, Grape Explications. You can find the wines we discussed at . Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Neal Hulkower's terrific new book, Grape Explications. To...
info_outlineWhat might surprise you about the amount of research on organic versus conventional farming when it comes to winemaking? Why are many strong opinions in wine accepted without much challenge or push for validation? Why are traditional wine regions being forced to balance heritage with visibility and branding in today’s market?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Alan Ramey, author of the new book, Pressing Matters: The Debates, Controversies and Mysteries that have Shaped the World of Wine.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
Giveaway
Two of you are going to win a copy of Alan Ramey’s terrific new book, Pressing Matters: The Debates, Controversies and Mysteries that have Shaped the World of Wine. 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. Good luck!
Highlights
What makes Pressing Matters different from more traditional wine books?
What was it like interviewing experts who strongly disagreed with each other?
How did growing up in a scientifically rigorous winery shape Alan’s skepticism toward certain claims in the wine world?
Why is the wine industry full of strong opinions despite limited scientific validation?
What did Alan discover about the lack of definitive research behind the organic versus conventional farming debate?
Why did Alan move away from his original career path in diplomacy?
How did studying and tasting wine at Oxford and Cambridge reshape his view of wine as a multidisciplinary field?
How has debate training influenced the way Alan evaluates claims about wine?
Why do different wine cultures tolerate or reject elements like oxidation differently?
What did working harvests in Chile and Burgundy reveal to Alan about the diversity within regions?
Can winemaking decisions override terroir?
How much of terroir is shaped by natural factors versus historical, political, and economic decisions?
Why do classification systems and appellation rules often reflect power and economics as much as quality?
About Alan Ramey
Alan Ramey comes from a vintner family in the Sonoma/Napa area north of San Francisco, California. He is currently co-president of the family winery, Ramey Wine Cellars. He learned wine making as an apprentice to his father, one of the most famous winemakers in the US, and has also studied wine making and apprenticed in Chile and France, including harvests at Veramonte in Casablanca and Méo-Camuzet in Burgundy. While studying for his MBA at Cambridge University he was selected to join the blind wine tasting team, competing around Europe. He is a board member for the California Wine Institute and is active in the wine community. Alan was on his high school and college debate teams and during his study abroad year at Oxford he won the ‘best new debater of the year’ competition.
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/383.