Interview with Rui Lucas of Prior Lucas in Bairrada, Portugal. It's a region heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, and therefore cooler and wetter than other areas further inland. Baga is the main variety, well-suited to the humid climate, producing tannic, high-acid, ageworthy wines. There's also sparkling wine made, which we talk about in this episode. Bairrada is an interesting, very individual region!

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Interview with Peter Andrews of Culture Wine Co, who's importing South African wine into California. Topics covered include Pinotage; Mediterranean varieties; Sauvignon Blanc; the regionality of South Africa; innovative winemakers; racial diversity; and future trends for South African wine.

The Michigan wine scene is relatively new, growing in the last few years. I speak to Drew Perry of Simpson Family Estates, who started in 1980—dicsussing the growing conditions, the grape varieties, and the wines of the emerging industry.

Gamay: a high-yielding variety associated with youthful, fruity wine but which, in the right growing conditions, makes wonderful, structured wines. This episode explores the areas where Gamay is grown: Beaujolais of course as well as Loire, Savoie, Lorraine, Switzerland, the US, and New Zealand.

Winemaking in Armenia goes back at least 6,000 years, one of the starting points of viticulture. But it's only in the last ten to fifteen years that there has been a renaissance in quality wine. Vahe Keushguerian has been at the forefront of this renaissance, both in his own projects and for other fledgling wineries. In this episode, he explains all about Armenian wine—history, geography, grape varieties, styles of wine, and where the industry is heading.

Brazil's wine industry has gone through many changes since the 1990s, and is still finding its feet. The focus on quality wine began with sparkling wine, with investment from French producers, and has continued with a focus on grape varieties such as Tannat. The climate changes drastically from region to region, and grape-growing can be difficult. My interview with winemaker Flavio Pizzato explores why Brazil is quite different from other South American wine countries.

Brad Hickey has been making wine in McLaren Vale for over fifteen years, in a range of styles that reflect the Mediterranean climate of the region. This episode focuses on his experiences in McLaren Vale, and the wines being made there. A great insight into one of Australia's most historic but experimental wine regions.

Georgia is one of the world's oldest winemaking countries. Traditions—such as amber wine and wine made for home consumption—continue, which make Georgian wine a wonderful trip to the past. But it's also an evolving wine country, with regions producing different expressions from the many local grape varieties. In this episode, I interview Tom Williams of Eat This! Food & Wine Tours, who specialises in explorations of Georgian wine and provides a fascinating insight into Georgian culture.

If you're visiting Georgia, then connect with Tom through his website: eatthistours.com/

Interview with Mari Jones of Emeritus Vineyards in Sonoma County, who began the conversion to dry farming in 2008. In tandem with the selection of suitable clones and rootstocks, the vineyards are now well-established without the need for irrigation. Mari tells how they oversaw the conversion and the consequent health of the property.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Long Island has unique growing conditions heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. I interview three producers: Jenny Smith from Pellegrini (Long Island’s first winery), Roman Roth of Wölffer Estate (also established in the early days), and Jonathan Romberg of RGNY (a much younger winery). Our conversation explores the growing conditions, the styles of wine, and the market for Long Island wines.

Wine has been made in Albania for thousands of years, and grape-growing used to be central to its culture before rule by the Ottoman Empire and then an isolated communist regime led to a centuries long decline in wine production. It's still a predominantly agricultural country and winemaking is coming back, with international varieties and interesting, largely unknown indigenous grapes.

Two neighbouring countries, formerly of Yugoslavia. Kosovo's winemaking history goes back 2,000 years, with a renewed focus on quality after the bulk wines under Yugoslavia. Montenegro has one of the largest vineyards in Europe, with research into indigenous varieties and how best to develop them to advance the country's wine culture. Lots of history, with exciting potential for the future.

The small, landlocked country of North Macedonia has a long winemaking history. The source of much of the former Yugoslavia's bulk wine, there is a renewed focus on quality in identifying the best sites. This episode prevents an overview of the growing conditions, the grape varieties, and the styles of the wines.

Episode number four on the wines of the former Yugoslavian countries. Serbia's climate is continental, influenced by the river Danube and by mountains. There are some international varieties planted, but also indigenous varieties and some local crossings. Only 5% of wine is exported and the industry is quite fragmented, but the wines are of increasing interest and well worth exploring.

Episode 3 of series on the wines of the Balkan States and former Yugoslavia: Bosnia-Herzegovina. A small wine industry, with just 3,500ha of plantings but 11,000 growers. The main regions are around Mostar between the Adriatic Sea and high central mountains. It's still not a fully regulated industry, but there are a number of indigenous grape varieties which make the wines of current and future interest.

Episode 2 of my series on Balkan wine: Croatia. A beautiful country which attracts two and a half times as many tourists as residents, the wine regions can be divided into coastal and continental inland. There are some similarities with nearby Slovenia, Italy, Austria, and Hungary, as well as international varieties and those unique to Croatia. A fascinating wine country which is rightly gaining some more attention.

First episode on the wines of the Balkan States, starting with Slovenia, a country with lots of connections with neighbouring regions of Friuli in north-east Italy and Steirmark in southern Austria. The climate changes from Mediterranean on the coast to continental further inland, leading to a variety of styles. There's also the tradition of skin-contact white wines, which has been influential around the world. A country whose wines are well worth exploring.

250 indigenous varieties plus a handful of international; different names for the same variety, named after animals, people, and often hard to pronounce; field blends in a small, fractured vineyard ownership; maritime and continental climates: for such a small country, Portuguese wine is hard to pin down, but an understanding of the varieties helps. Here's an overview of some of the major white and black varieties and the regions they're grown in to gain a sense of Portuguese wine.

This episode explores some of the 40 grape varieties approved in Austria, including the classics such as Grüner Veltliner, Blaufränkisch, St. Laurent, and Zweigelt, lesser-known but historic varieties such as Welschriesling and Rotgipfler, and international varieties Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir.

Conversation with Sheila Donohue of Vero Vino, who specialise in importing "scarce and wild" Italian grape varieties. We discuss four lesser known—or completely unknown—varieties local to their regions : Schioppetino, Boschera, Famoso, and Durella. Expect lots of acid talk!

Interview with three Cava producers on its identity and what makes the sparkling wine different from others: place, grape varieties, ageing, and its history. Cava has introduced labelling terms and regional designations which allow producers to talk about exactly where the wines come from than before. Interviewees: José Maria of Vins Familia Ferrer, Mereia Pujol-Busquets of Alta Alella, and Marta Casas of Parés Baltà.

There are many historic grape varieties from southern Italy, which are deservedly regaining attention. This episode looks at some of the black grape varieties across southern Italy, as well as Sicily and Sardinia: Agliancio, Negroamaro, Primitivo, Gaglioppo, Nero d'Avola, Nerello Mascalese, and others.

Malvasia isn't a grape variety, nor is it a family of grape varieties: it's a group of grape varieties which happen to have the same name. Some of them are related, some of them are not. Every style of wine is made, from white to rosé to red to sweet to fortified to sparkling. Welcome to the strange world of Malvasia!

Muscat isn't a grape variety, but a family of related varieties all with different features. There are also many styles of wine made from the Muscat family: dry, sweet, fortified, and sparkling, made all over the world. This episode explores all the different aspects of the styles of wine made from the Muscat family.

Interview with Amanda Barnes, author of The South America Wine Guide. We discuss grape varieties which are largely only found in the diverse continent: País/Criolla Chica, Torrontés, Vischoqueña, Quebranca, and others. A great insight into the wines of South America, not just Argentina and Chile, but Bolivia and Peru too.

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has been one of the extraordinary success stories of the last forty years, creating an entirely new category of wine. In this episode, I interview Bruce Taylor, winemaker at Kono which is entirely Māori owned. We talk about the region, Sauvignon Blanc, current trends and styles of wine, and what makes Marlborough so distinctive.

25% of plantings in New York are hybrids. Many producers and commentators don’t think it’s possible to make quality wine from hybrids, but New Yorkers disagree. I tasted 21 white wines from hybrids to find out…

Nolo wines—with no or low alcohol—have been a talking point for a while as consumers are increasingly health- and socially-conscious. However, quality has been low, as alcohol is a key component in the structure and taste of wine. But there is some good Nolo wines being made, if you know where to look. Here’s a brief overview.

Santa Barbara is best known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but perhaps the best wines are from Rhône/Mediterranean varieties such as Grenache and Syrah. There’s an eclectic mix of plantings which broadens our understanding of the young, evolving region.

Cava can be confusing and controversial. There are several breakaways making very similar wines due to concerns over quality—but there is still lots of great Cava being made within the designation. So why are there these rival regional entities and how do we know what to buy? Here’s an overview of the situation.

A recent tasting of a hybrid blend from New York opened up a discussion on the history, use, and potential quality of the many hybrids grown across North America. Often dismissed as only producing low-quality wines, hybrids nevertheless have their place in viticulture which is beginning to be more appreciated. The great question remains though: can hybrids produce quality wine…?

Armenia’s winemaking history goes back at least 6,000 years and probably more, but it’s only over the last ten years that there has been a renaissance in quality and international exposure. In this episode, Vahe Kueshguerian—the doyen of Armenian winemaking—talks about the history of Armenia’s wine, the geography, the grape varieties, and the trends which are shaping the country’s wine culture.

An intense week tasting lots of Cava in New York while running from restaurant which demonstrated just how many good producers there are making wine which reflects their families’ long histories and the land the grapes are grown in.

I passed WSET Level 3 in Spirits, but it was not easy! So many fermentation techniques to learn about, so many styles of spirits. The course is an involved, intense insight into the world of spirits. Here’s what taking the course looks like,

Long Island has a unique growing environment: the same latitude as Madrid, but heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and more like Bordeaux. The region is celebrating its 50th anniversary, moving from a developing wine scene to one confident in its current direction with much more certainty about grape varieties and how to work with the sometimes difficult growing conditions. As a result, quality is far more consistent making Long Island a region to follow.

Loire’s dry wines from Chenin Blanc are currently quite fashionable for their high acid, linear, food-friendly style—but that wasn’t always the case. The last 30 years have seen a lot of changes to increase quality: better picking times, less sulphur, longer ageing to make more precise, expressive wines. Understanding Loire Chenin Blanc helps us truly appreciate the style and the quality.

St-Joseph is a—too—large northern Rhône appellation, which makes understanding it difficult. Historically, the best wines came from the southern part, and that’s arguably still the case now. There’s also a determination to make the boundaries more focused. Increasingly, there is excellent white wine being made too. Overall, St-Joseph is overgoing a welcome upswing in quality and consistency.

The Southern Rhône is most famous for Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but there are many other wines with localised influences. Gigondas and Ventoux are affected by the cooling Dentelles de Montmarail mountains; Tavel produces fuller-bodied rosé with perhaps more experimentation than is supposed; and there are the smaller, lesser-known villages which provide particularly good value alternatives.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the most famous names in French wine, producing a full-bodied style of wine most consumers are familiar with. However, the wines are much more diverse than its reputation suggests, with varied soil types, many grape varieties, aspect influences, weather patterns, and producer choices all influencing the final style of wine. A quick visit to the appellation showed that Châteauneuf-du-Pape has a lot of surprises to offer.

St-Emilion and Pomerol neighbour each other and are always Merlot dominant, but there are lots of differences within the regions: soils, viticultural practices, aspect, quality, and the prices of the wines. Two prestigious regions which are hard to pin down.

A brief trip to Haut-Médoc to learn about the growing conditions, the effects of climate change, the styles of wine, and the effect of the Garonne river and Gironde estuary on the four famous villages of St-Estèphe, Paulliac, St-Julien, and Margaux.

Sauternes is a famous region for sweet wine in the south of Bordeaux. On a brief visit there, I learnt all about the importance of climate, inconsistent weather, and rivers, how noble rot develops, and how the wines of Sauternes are made. And I got to visit Château d’Yquem!

An initially intriguing but disappointing book about the world of natural wine that focuses almost exclusively on France: why do supporters of natural wine make it so difficult to understand and appreciate the producers and their wines?

An encounter with Johannes Selbach Oster of legendary German producer from Mosel. While tasting the wines, he talked about climate change, picking times, slopes, vessels used for ageing, and the wonder of Riesling.

A trip to Catalunya to learn all about Cava, confirming that the wines are a reflection of place and realising the importance of blending for sparkling wine.

Two regions on either side of the Spain-Portugal border, both making exciting yet extremely different wines from Albariño/Alvarinho which are expressions of culture and identity as well as winemaking.

Think all prosecco tastes the same? Think again. An overview of the different styles of prosecco, which are much more varied and historic than the commercial, inexpensive versions which dominate the market: one style, Col Fondo or Sui Lieviti, is even unique to the region.

Columbia Gorge: an AVA which is in both Washington and Oregon with a little bit of the character of both: wet in the winter, hot in the summer. It’s beautiful, with some kooky winemakers who have been experimenting with different grape varieties and winemaking practices since the 1990s with outstanding Grüner Veltliner and Gamay among the results. One of the most distinctive, unusual, and exciting regions on the US West Coast.

Adelaide Hills has emerged in the last thirty years as a cool-climate region producing outstanding Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Riesling. It’s just outside Adelaide, but is completely different from nearby warmer regions such as Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. It’s also, despite its proximity to Adelaide, quite a remote, rural region: a trip to Australia’s agricultural heartland.

Tasmania is a now fashionable island off the south coast of Australia, becoming increasingly known for its high-quality sparkling wine—but there’s also Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and some amazing whisky. The perfect place to visit!

Review of Doctors and Distillers by Camper English, an entertaining look at the historical connections between medicine and alcohol, and the amazing and diverse drinks that have arisen as a result.

South America: a bewildering, vast continent where wine has been made for hundreds of years. The size of the continent makes it a difficult concept to fully understand, but Amanda Barnes has published the best, most comprehensive book on South America’s wines. It’s a must-have book: here’s why.

I went to a tasting of Abruzzo wines to see if Montepulciano d’Abruzzo can convince: I came away much more excited by the whites from Pecorino, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, and a variety I’d never heard of before, Cococciola.