IGP and Vin de France

IGP and Vin de France

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

Vin de France is a dynamic but overlooked designation, enabling exciting, experimental wine—a view reinforced by a recent trip to the Loire Valley. Here's an overview of the designation, as well as the importance of IGP wines, and why these different non-appellation regulations exist—and why they're so important.

Following the Variety - Podcast Overview

Following the Variety - Podcast Overview

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

A free overview of the six series of Following the Variety which is available on patreon.com/mattswineworld. These are extensive explorations of grape varieties, where they're grown, the different styles of wine made from them, covering all the major—and many minor—regions around the world. So far, Following the Variety consists of multi-part series on Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux varieties, and Spanish varieties. Ideal for refreshing knowledge of these major varieties, as well as learning about new regions.

Interview with Lukas Therre

Interview with Lukas Therre

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

Ever wondered how a glass alters your appreciation of a wine? Lukas Therre works at Josephinenhütte, a series of very distinctive glassware designed by Kurt Zalto. This is a fascinating interview, which covers how wine glasses are made (an intensive process), the sensory effect of a wine glass, what glass we should use for sparkling wine, and even water glasses. Pick up a glass and listen!

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grape Varieties

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grape Varieties

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

There are eighteen grape varieties permitted for Châtauneuf-du-Pape, some of them very famous, others much more obscure. This episode details the characteristics of each of the varieties and what they bring to a blend—and why blending is so important in the warm climate of the southern Rhône—as well as looking at some of the other regions the varieties are grown in.

Interview with Terah Bajjalieh

Interview with Terah Bajjalieh

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

Terah Bajjalieh is an up-and-coming winemaker in California, making wine from Grenache, Syrah, Vermentino, and Falanghina. The wines are modern expressions of California, but also representations of California's Mediterranean climate and its history from the early days of the nineteenth century. In this episode, we talk about all things California in relation to these Mediterranean varieties.

Gouais Blanc

Gouais Blanc

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

Gouais Blanc is a little-planted white grape variety that in the past has been banned in France. It produces indeterminate, high-acid wines, but is indirectly responsible for some of the greatest wine in the world. Through natural crossings, it's the parent of Chardonnay, Aligoté, and Gamay in Burgundy/Beaujolais, as well as Riesling, Furmint, and Blaufränkisch. Without Gouais Blanc, wine as we know it wouldn't exist, nor would our understanding of DNA and grape genetics.

Interview with Julian Hanna: "Island"

Interview with Julian Hanna: "Island"

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

Julian Hanna has just published "Island," a book all about island life. In this episode, I interview him all about island culture and how it differs from the culture of the "mainland." We take in islands associated with wine in many different ways: Madeira, Sardinia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and plenty of others.

Interview with Henry Jeffreys: England

Interview with Henry Jeffreys: England

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

Henry Jeffreys's book, Vines in a Cold Climate, is an essential and extremely engaging history of the development of English wine since the 1970s. He interviews many characters and charts the change from amateur DIY winemakers to the professionalism of the industry in the 1990s to the investment from wealthy entrepreneurs in the 2000s onwards. I talk to him about how English wine, sparkling in particular, has become such a talking point, referencing the climate, the place, and the people behind the rise of the industry.

Interview with Luke Whittall: British Columbia

Interview with Luke Whittall: British Columbia

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

Luke Whittall is the author of The Sipster's Pocket Guide which is an annual overview of the best wines made in British Columbia. This interview with Luke is a great insight into and overview of British Columbia wines, which are getting more and more interesting. Learn about the regions—especially Okanagan Valley—the climate, the grape varieties, and the styles of wines. Even if they're hard to find, you need to know about them.

Bairrada: Interview with Rui Lucas of Prior Lucas

Bairrada: Interview with Rui Lucas of Prior Lucas

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

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!

priorlucas.pt/

Michigan

Michigan

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

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

Gamay

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

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.

Armenia: Interview with Vahe Keushguerian

Armenia: Interview with Vahe Keushguerian

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

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: Interview with Flavio Pizzato

Brazil: Interview with Flavio Pizzato

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

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.

Brash Higgins: McLaren Vale

Brash Higgins: McLaren Vale

Matthew Gaughan
podcast

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.

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