Wine travel is a BIG THING right now. Everyone's at it. Wine tourism typically accounts for around a quarter of your average winery's revenue these days. It's predicted to generate US$138 billion by 2033. One producer says it's going to 'save' wine. People are excited - and intrigued. So what's the story? This episode is your inside steer on how to do wine travel right. First things first: where best to go, from headliners like Napa, Douro, Stellenbosch and Rioja to lesser-known gems like Slo...
Aug 17
48 min
Stalin's Wine Cellar has been found...Wine seems to be better for you than other booze (even when it comes to keeping men looking young)...Gen Z aren't shunning alcohol, as feared...Why GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are bad news for wine...And how Joan of Arc may have enjoyed a cheeky taste of Pinot Noir. We discuss all this and more in our regular news recap - as well as engaging in our usual Guess the Missing Word in the Wine Headline tomfoolery. We also give a short tribute to Sam Neill: outstan...
Jul 27
46 min
Pays d'Oc wine was created in response to a French wine crisis in the mid-20th century - fast forward half a century and another crisis is facing the world of wine. So can the innovative, forward-thinking, 'iconoclastic' spirit that's at the heart of the Pays d'Oc category help not only French wine but also the wider wine world?! That's what we're exploring in this second and concluding part of our Pays d'Oc mini-series, hearing from leading local producers like Maison Le Breton, Domain...
Jul 13
56 min
We're on the road again. This time, diving into Pays d'Oc IGP - we're talking scenic southern France, and a little-known but intriguing origin story involving California, Algeria, violence, desperation, stubborn visionaries...and victory rescued from the jaws of defeat. Oh, and 'Liberté!' Helping us paint the picture are Jacques Gravegeal (an exclusive interview, rare for an English language show), Olivier Simonou and Gerard Bertrand. Fascinating people, all with a unique story to tell. ...
Jun 29
50 min
SUBSCRIBER BONUS TASTER: 27 wines - 18 top tasters - an epic blind tasting featuring just one grape: Chardonnay. From all around the world - Grand Cru Burgundy to vintage champagne via Western Australia, Sonoma County and even Japan. Who would be the big winners? And, more importantly, why?! That's what we're getting into in this intriguing subscriber-only bonus episode on The Greatest Chardonnay Showdown blind tasting at the London Wine Fair 2026. We were both privileged to be part of the st...
Jun 19
10 min
Fifty years on from the historic Paris tasting that revolutionised wine - what's changed? And what will that mean for the next 50 years?! Those are the searching questions we're asking (and attempting to answer) in this special episode to mark the 50th anniversary of the legendary Judgement of Paris tasting in 1976 where unknown Californian wines triumphed against the French greats in the centre of the wine universe at the time, the capital of France. We're re-telling the story behind that mo...
Jun 15
45 min
Is natural wine dead? Or is it thriving? What even IS natural wine these days?! Most importantly, what's next for this multi-faceted yet misunderstood category? Helping us answer these searching questions are writer and winemaker Rachel Signer, journalist Simon J Woolf and wine producer Ben Walgate. We also indulge in a bit of impassioned debate between the two of us - this being a particularly provocative topic. (It's not every episode that moves Peter to use the phrase, 'complete boll...
Jun 1
57 min
Buckle up, we're heading back out into wine country, this time to the intriguing Adelaide Hills wine region in South Australia. It gets talked about a lot - but what's it really all about? Is it all about piercing, textural Chardonnay? Or fine sparkling wine? What about the perfumed Pinot Noir, the scented Shiraz..? And let's not forget the likes of Gruner Veltliner, Nebbiolo, Gamay, Barbera, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and all those natural wines. There's a real buzz around the Adelaide Hills ...
May 18
57 min
Grab your magnifying glass and white coat, we're getting microscopic - but this goes well beyond fermentation. We're exploring the cutting-edge techniques whereby the power of yeasts is being harnessed in fields as diverse as viticulture, winemaking and shipping. Even without the microscope, this is an eye-opening episode... Wine is facing many challenges. Climate change. The cost of living crisis. Sustainability targets. Shifting consumer tastes and trends. But what if microbes can provide s...
May 4
46 min
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the wine world's most divisive grape varieties. On the one hand, it's hugely popular for its aromatic charm and upbeat appeal. And yet some people can't stand it, sommeliers actively steer their customers away from it and connoisseurs turn their noses up at, 'the gin and tonic of wine'. But is it possible that this is all just a bit, well, premature? That we're judging a grape variety that is only just starting to show us what its true potential really is? And ...
Apr 20
51 min
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