Wine Blast with Susie and Peter
Susie and Peter, Masters of Wine
Wine Blast is a wine podcast with a difference. Susie and Peter are married Masters of Wine and experienced broadcasters who bring wine to life with a smile via interviews with amazing people, provocative chat, food, tips, your questions, gentle bickering and a certain amount of over-sharing. (And yes, they're aware they really need to get out more...) This award-winning, chart-topping pod has been widely featured in international press including The Times, Telegraph, Daily Mail, Sun, Evening Standard, Radio Times, Decanter, Wine Folly and beyond. Reviews of Wine Blast say: 'Love these guys (almost as much as wine): educational, invigorating...
Wine in a Can - Sacré Bleu!
Wine. In a can. A hellish reality of tinny plonk? Or a convenient, eco-friendly, fun new format that's the future for wine? This is fun one, because our adventure starts with comedy legend (and proud French snob) Marcel Lucont. We're not only treated to an epic live rendition of his scabrous poem 'Wine in a Can' (compulsory listening for any wine lover) but also his delicious musings on wine and life more generally - including Beaujolais for breakfast.After picking ourselves up off the floor, we
Mar 21, • 49:47
Appellation Marlborough Wine
Appellations are wine regions with rules, normally associated with Europe. So how come an enviably free-wheeling, super successful region like New Zealand's Marlborough has felt the need to develop Appellation Marlborough Wine?We put this question and more to Ben Glover, renowned winemaker and proud Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW) member. He talks about, 'ripping the beige quilt off Marlborough' and his distaste for 'mediocrity'. We also have fun playing around with AMW's jazzy new interactiv
Mar 7, • 38:05
Why Wine Matters
Wine and other booze are under attack like seldom before, from many sides: moralists, the media, health authorities citing dubious studies... So it's high time we reminded ourselves why wine is important, the many values and benefits it has, and what we can all do to challenge these pernicious narratives.Don't worry. This isn't some dry treatise or frothy-mouthed rant. We are privileged to have acclaimed authority Karen MacNeil (author of The Wine Bible, no less) making the case for wine eloquen
Feb 21, • 46:35
Margaret River Finds its Voice
Western Australia's Margaret River is renowned as one of the world's foremost fine wine hotspots. But it only got started in 1967, so how has it built that reputation so fast? What makes this place unique? Why is it called, 'wine utopia' as well as, 'the best hangover cure known to man'?!Join us as we go behind the scenes with a star-studded list of Margaret River wine royalty, from Cape Mentelle to Cloudburst via Vasse Felix, Cullen, Moss Wood, Xanadu, Voyager, McHenry Hohnen and Larry Cherubin
Feb 7, • 48:46
Don't Know Western Australia's Great Southern? You Should
What the hell...where the hell...is the Great Southern?! That's what most people say. Which is why Peter got on a plane and braved fires, snakes and Vegemite to bring you this story of what is arguably Western Australia's best kept secret.Remote? Undoubtedly. Rural? Positively. Hugely exciting for the elegant, refined, often under-valued Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Shiraz...even Grenache and Mourvedre?! You betcha. So join us on this thrilling journey of discovery, where we paint a soundscap
Jan 24, • 52:33
Lessons in Wine Chemistry
Why does wine taste the way it does? Why does Cabernet smell like blackcurrant? Or Syrah like pepper? Or Beaujolais like...bananas?!In this intriguing show our genial, white-coated guide is wine chemist and sensory scientist Gus Zhu, the first Chinese Master of Wine. As he says, 'Behind every glass of wine, there is science.'In terms of chemistry, wine is one of the most complex solutions on the planet. Not only that, but human senses are notoriously complicated and variable. It all makes answer
Jan 9, • 47:54
Our WINES OF THE YEAR (2024)
Is it a white? Is it a red?! Is it a rosé??!!Or is our WINE OF THE YEAR none (or all) of the above...because it is, quite simply, pure gold?Welcome to our Wines of the Year show, an annual favourite where we look back over the past year, not always entirely seriously, and raise many a glass in the process.We recap on key news, play Guess the Missing Word in the Wine Headline, share listener input...and then recommend the wines which have made the biggest impression on us this year, from a great
Dec 19, 2024 • 43:07
The Vines of the Future...Are Here
There's a revolution going on in the vineyards. It's coming to a glass near you soon. And it could change the world of wine forever.We're talking super vines. Bionic vines. PIWIs. TEA vines - the new generation, 'assisted evolution' kit. Whatever you want to call them - there's a new breed of grape vines spreading fast all over the wine world, from Champagne to Piedmont, fuelled by the urgent need to reduce vineyard treatments and face up to climate change. In this show we talk to wine growers a
Dec 6, 2024 • 52:19
Portugal's Great Whites - Bucking Brancos
This show's got everything. It's got deliciously unexpected wine discoveries. It's got live music. It's even got a donkey. You can't ask for more than that.As for how that all comes together...well, you'll just have to listen, won't you?! This episode's all about Portugal's white wines, the best of which are astonishingly good and different and worthwhile (and, relatively speaking, inexpensive). Join us as we explore why this is, from Vinho Verde to the Douro, Dão, Alentejo and beyond, with the
Nov 22, 2024 • 40:18
Tainted Love - The Ultimate Guide to Wine Faults
Ladybug poo. Cheesy feet. Mould. Boiled eggs. Cabbage. Drains. Vomit. Nail varnish remover. Dead mouse...Yes, you can find all these noxious aromas in a glass of wine. They are very real - and in this episode we put our bodies on the line as we blind taste through all these horrors and more, to answer the big questions and ensure you know your stuff. (Because life is too short for faulty wine.)So what are the main wine faults? How can you spot them? Is it true some are becoming more common? Why
Nov 8, 2024 • 59:30
Chinese Wine: What's the Deal?
China has the world's third biggest vineyard and a long history with fermentation and booze. So what's Chinese wine like? Why do we not see more of it outside China? And why are some people predicting big things for Chinese wine in the future?Answers to all this and more flow thick and fast in this intriguing episode, the result of Susie's recent wine trip to China during which she sat down to record with expert insiders Li Demei and Natalie Wang. We also taste several Chinese win
Oct 25, 2024 • 53:56
Life or Death? On Wine and Health
Consider this our call to arms for wine. Where we grapple heroically with the thorny issue of wine and health, calling out misinformation and over-reach, and learn that the truth is always complex, potentially positive - but often mis-represented. This makes us angry and frustrated. And you should feel the same too.You may also feel confused or jaded by this topic. Understandably so. But join us and we will hopefully clear things up AND imbue you with renewed vigour to fight the good fight. Beca
Oct 11, 2024 • 51:42
Hunter Valley: History to High Jinks
A hop, skip and jump away from Sydney, the Hunter Valley is renowned as the birthplace of Australian wine. And yet this is far from ideal wine territory: hot, sticky, often stormy. So how did this tiny wine region come to play such an outsize role in Ozzie wine’s history and evolution?Join us to find out why as we chew the cud with Hunter legend Bruce Tyrrell (sample quote: ‘I’m the luckiest man in the wine industry’) and winemaker Xanthe Hatcher (‘The Hunter’s a region of extremes…’) We touch o
Sep 27, 2024 • 44:16
Chile Wines of the Year 2024
It's a biggie. Our Chile Wines of the Year 2024 - a celebration and exploration of this slender South American nation's wines. And what's coming up may surprise you. So if you think you know Chilean wine - be prepared to think again.We discuss vineyards planted before the French revolution, sensational value Pinot Noir (the holy grail!), flor-aged Semillon, a Pinot Gris inspired by the great orange wines of Friuli, wines you 'eat' rather than drink and old-vine País made
Sep 13, 2024 • 1:16:18
Action Stations - Wines to Combat Climate Change
Climate change is a worry. We get it. But how to do something positive about it, especially as a wine lover? After all, it's not easy knowing which wines to buy to support producers doing the right thing...Which is where the IWCA comes in handy - International Wineries for Climate Action. This is a bunch of conscientious wine producers who have signed up to stringent, science-based carbon emission audits and committed to reaching net zero by 2050. As well as sharing info and generally being
Aug 2, 2024 • 46:03
We Need To Talk About Rosé
It's popular, it's pleasurable - and it's much misunderstood. Rosé is having a moment and yet the myths remain pervasive.That's our cue to ride to the rescue, busting a host of rosé myths as we go, shooting down cardinal sins from the hip, and urging a radical re-think of rosé all round. We hear from rosé experts Elizabeth Gabay MW and Ben Berhneim as well as fifth-generation producer Caroline Deforges of the world-famous Clos Cibonne estate in the south of France. Rosé is of
Jul 11, 2024 • 45:20
Wine and War: Palestine, Israel and Lebanon
Wine can seem tremendously unimportant at a time of war. At what is a torrid time in the Middle East, we wanted to check in with three winemakers - from Palestine, Israel and Lebanon - and ask: can wine really be a source of positivity during troubled times?What we hear in this episode may surprise you. It's a departure from our regular format - a bonus extended edition - because we wanted to give proper airtime to these powerful, nuanced, important interviews. Wine has more history in the
Jun 28, 2024 • 1:26:40
Red Wine Headaches: A Eureka Moment?
Wine brings pleasure. But for some it can also prove painful. Red wine is particularly problematic for a proportion of the population, with just a few mouthfuls bringing on swift and excruciating headaches.Now scientists think they may finally be on to why. In lab experiments, they've identified a compound in red wine that impedes the breakdown of alcohol by the liver and causes a build-up of toxic acetaldehyde in the bloodstream. Human trials are still needed for confirmation - but these a
Jun 14, 2024 • 44:21
Rías Baixas - Albariño with Attitude
If Rías Baixas is famous for one thing, it's characterful, invigorating white wine based on the superstar Albariño grape - described in this episode by one winemaker as a variety that can take you, 'from the swimming pool to the Michelin-starred restaurant.' Its blossoming popularity over recent decades has given rise to imitators all around the wine world - so what is it that makes Rías Baixas Albariño special, and why? Is there more to the story than just Albariño here? Who&apos
May 31, 2024 • 51:49
Rías Baixas - Mists, Myths and Mariscos
What do bagpipes, rain, witches, pilgrimage, lampreys and Albariño all have in common? Not much really - but they are all featured in this episode on Rías Baixas, the intriguing wine region in north-west Spain famous for its seafood, verdant landscapes and refreshing, brine-tinged white wines.Historically, this was always a remote region of hardy fishermen and misty hillsides. But since the 1980s a wine revolution has been taking place, majoring on a distinctive style of Albariño we wine drinker
May 21, 2024 • 47:07
News & Views - global wine wobbles, free wine for phones, Merlot in the bath & does cling film remove cork taint?
How and why is the global wine scene in a bit of a state? Why is wine threatened by weight-loss drugs and smartphones? Does drinking high quality wine make you happier - and does light drinking increase longevity? This is our periodic programme where we catch up on the more intriguing wine news, pondering everything from weighty matters (as above) but also touching on lighter-hearted fare. Such as an Italian restaurant offering diners free wine in exchange for locking away their phones, an air
May 3, 2024 • 43:48
UK Wine's Counterculture
There's a new wave of English and Welsh wine producers disrupting the neat and tidy order of the classic UK wine scene. Guerrilla producers - cool kids who aren't afraid to go off-piste and craft dangerous, divisive wines packed full of quirks and kinks. Their attitude? It's better to be naughty than nice. As one winemaker says - he wants to make, 'wines with a cheeky smile.'In this wide-ranging episode we dive headlong into this world of creativity, experimentation and
Apr 19, 2024 • 58:02
Sassicaia - The Insider's Guide
Not many wines ascend to the status of 'icon'. But Sassicaia is one of them. The beauty is that it's not a flashy wine - quite the opposite ('old school' might be a more appropriate description). What's more, its ascent to the wine stratosphere is largely accidental - this scented, elegant Bordeaux blend from Bolgheri in coastal Tuscany was only ever intended as a quaffing wine for friends and family on the Tenuta San Guido estate, a farm initially dedicated to bree
Apr 3, 2024 • 50:21
Going Gaga for Garnacha
It's called 'The Grenaissance'.This exhilarating revival of the grape variety known as Garnacha in Spain and Grenache in France, once the world's fourth most widely planted wine grape, which has gone from workhorse to show pony in the blink of an eye. How come? What's changed? Who's leading the charge and fuelling the new wave? And what's this we hear about inherent suitability vis a vis climate change?!We ask all these questions and more, focusing on the epice
Mar 21, 2024 • 53:27
Grower Champagne with Lea & Sandeman
From big brand to fine wine - it's no exaggeration to say that grower champagne has changed the notion of what champagne can and should be.Pioneers like Francis Egly of iconic grower champagne Egly-Ouriet have invested huge amounts of time and money prioritising their vineyards, relentlessly focusing on quality and terroir expression in their wines - and ultimately going up against the big Champagne houses. It's a brave move, but one that is reinvigorating the region and attracting man
Mar 6, 2024 • 44:19
Light Strike: Wine's Not-So-Secret Scandal
Light strike is probably the biggest wine fault you've never heard of. Bigger than cork, bigger than oxidation or anything else. That pretty-looking bottle of rosé perched on the bright supermarket shelf in a clear glass bottle? Probably knackered. If it's been exposed to light for a while, it may end up smelling of boiled cabbage, drains, or wet dog. At the very least, its character will almost certainly have been degraded from what its winemaker intended. And that's not what you
Feb 23, 2024 • 46:53
Ancient Vines to the Rescue in St Mont
Deep in the wilds of south-west France there's a vineyard that was planted over 200 years ago with unknown vines that may hold the secret to fighting climate change.Join us as we head (virtually) out to Gascony to peer into the mists of wine history and see what lessons it holds for the future. Olivier Bourdet-Pees of the dynamic Plaimont cooperative is our genial, beret-wearing guide, introducing us to grape varieties we've never heard of and explaining how this region has been reinvi
Feb 9, 2024 • 49:46
ORANGE WINE Part 2: Gimme Some Skin
So - orange wine. Is it any good? What qualifies a wine to be 'orange'? Does it sell? And who's going to win our argument about one particularly divisive orange wine?!Dive into the controversial, topical and intriguing subject of orange wine with us as we chat with Saša Radikon of iconic orange wine producer Radikon (who gives us an exclusive revelation about a new project) and nautral wine guru Doug Wregg of Les Caves de Pyrene. We taste (and largely disagree about) orange wines
Jan 26, 2024 • 53:44
ORANGE WINE Part 1: The Resurrection
'Please can you do an episode on orange wine?' pleaded listener David.'It's not just hipster wine! These are some of the finest wines in the world...'How could we resist?Orange wine is topical, misunderstood, controversial...It's also an intriguing story featuring a wine style lost in the mists of time being painstakingly resurrected by a handful of brave pioneers in the face of stiff opposition.So we leap headlong into this arena, asking the all-important questions
Jan 12, 2024 • 51:37
A Southern French Feast
Wine. Food. Merriment. And a touch of southern French sun.That just about sums up this episode.We're exploring Occitanie - the sun-kissed southern French region that stretches from the western Rhone through Languedoc and Roussillon into South West France.Taken as a whole, it's the world's largest vineyard and makes around 5% of global wine output.In the past, these regions have been criticised for focusing on quantity over quality and being out of touch with the modern wine world.
Dec 29, 2023 • 46:54
Our WINES OF THE YEAR (2023)
Our Wines of the Year format has grown into this riotous, rollicking rollercoaster of a show which we humbly offer up for your amusement and delectation.This is no shopping list. Nor is it a chest-beating exercise in showing off how #wineblessed we are.This episode is the story of a year in wine: a celebration of special bottles and special times, set against the backdrop of news, views and a lot of laughter.Featuring in this wine-soaked adventure are Dutch nuns, kiwis, Homer Simpson, talking co
Dec 15, 2023 • 53:09
Ukraine: Wine not War
Odessa Black.It's the name of a (Ukranian) grape variety. But it could almost be code for the desperate times the people of Ukraine are living through.In this episode, we explore the history and current context of Ukraine, hearing first-hand insights from Tania Olevska of the Ukrainian Wine Company and Svitlana Tsybak of the Beykush winery.Despite the chaos and devastation in Ukraine, wine represents a point of hope, an expression of Ukrainian culture, terroir, identity and resilience.Altho
Dec 1, 2023 • 49:02
The New Face of Languedoc
Languedoc is a wine region on the move.Sure, it's a huge region with plenty of history, some of it troubled.But there are things happening in Languedoc wine now that are innovative, surprising, intriguing and...well, delicious. In short, it's well worthy of our attention.In this episode, sponsored by AOP Languedoc, we chat to writers Rupert Millar and Rosemary George MW, and we also hear from wine growers Benoît Bertrand (Domaine de Malavieille) and Jenia Vermillard (Domaine Ampelhus).
Nov 17, 2023 • 46:21
The Ten Wines Never to be Without
We're going full-on Moses mode in this episode, nailing down the ten wines you should always have at home.Of course, personal taste plays a part. You want to have wines to hand you're going to reach for - which means your favourite styles.But beyond that, it helps to have some expert insight into the bigger picture in order to always have delicious, affordable and useful wines when you need them.Our primary objective is joyous everyday drinking. But also: what works best with food, ver
Nov 3, 2023 • 41:47
Ageing English Fizz - How, Why and What
English sparkling wine. We all know it's good. But how well does it age? And could this be the secret to unlocking even greater quality from what are already exciting wines?We do our best to answer these questions and more with the help of several large glasses of very fine mature English fizz - and top winemakers Cherie Spriggs and Brad Greatrix (Nyetimber) and Corinne Seely (Exton Park).We also hear the views of Clément Pierlot, cellar master at Champagne Pommery and its English offshoot,
Oct 26, 2023 • 45:46
Ventoux: Next Century Wines
It's a wine region variously described as, 'dynamic', whose wines are undergoing a quality 'revolution', and memorably compared to South Africa's uber-cool Swartland.It's also got a big old mountain on its picture postcard. Not to mention truffles galore.This is Ventoux. And we want to take you on a journey of discovery, to meet the people, explore the places, get a feel for the wines...and generally understand why Ventoux is worth your time and attention.The m
Oct 13, 2023 • 45:31
The Six BEST Wine Books
What are the wine books every wine lover should own?We thought about it. We argued. We drank some wine. Argued some more...And then we decided: let's go for it. No messing around: choose just the six BEST books every wine lover needs, whether enthusiastic newbie or jaded expert.It wasn't easy. But this is the DEFINITIVE listing. A lot of thought and research went into this. Even some reading. Along the way we came across some bits that stopped us in our tracks. Like Hitler's secre
Sep 28, 2023 • 49:57
Marlborough at 50: A wine story worthy of Hollywood
This is a tale of deception, daring, disaster...and deliverance.It also features skinny sheep and wine robots.It's the story of Marlborough, the iconic New Zealand wine region which is celebrating its 50th wine birthday, after vines were planted by Frank Yukich in August 1973.Yukich had risked personal financial ruin getting to this point. 'Wines from here will become world famous!' he declared. Shortly after which most of the vines died from drought.But no adventure story is with
Sep 15, 2023 • 49:52
The John Malkovich EXCLUSIVE
'My wife suggested we make wine. I think in the hope of cutting down our wine bill...'It's classic John Malkovich. The wit as dry as his aged Provençal Pinot Noir rosé (yes, you read that right). In this epic episode, we get to know John Malkovich the famous actor of stage and screen - but also John Malkovich the fashion designer, the theatre director, and most importantly John Malkovich the wine producer.This truly is a man for all seasons. But Malkovich seldom abides by conventi
Sep 8, 2023 • 53:48
LIVE Q&A - sulfites, party wines, climate change, top wine tourism tips and being pretentious
This bonus episode may be the last in the current season (4) but it's also a first - the first time we've ever recorded the pod in front of a live audience!A lovely bunch of people came together in our home town of Winchester to drink a glass or two of fine Hampshire fizz and bombard us with searching questions, from which wines we'd recommend for a large and varied dinner party crowd to the implications of climate change for wine.They even asked us what were the most pretentious
Aug 17, 2023 • 38:22
The Microbial Face of Terroir
This episode opens by linking Oppenheimer, Covid-19 and wine - and proceeds to go big by focusing on the small stuff.Microbes. The invisible world of yeasts, bacteria and beyond.We're just starting to understand how important microbes are in terms of defining wine style and quality. Sure, yeasts ferment grape sugars into alcohol. But they also do a whole lot more, as fascinating new research is revealing. Previously, many definitions of 'terroir' (what might be defined as a wine&a
Aug 7, 2023 • 42:48
Germany's Pulling Power
Did you know that Germany is the third largest producer of Pinot Noir in the world?Or that one in three Riesling vines in the world grow in German vineyards - and much of these are making dry, increasingly terroir-driven wines these days?There's much that's surprising, or perhaps unexpected about German wine right now.For long the sector under-performed - but a series of changes since the late 1980s (a process that's still ongoing, accelerated by climate change) has re-invigorated
Jul 14, 2023 • 44:32
The Mystery of Minerality
It's a wine word almost everyone uses - but no one really knows what it means, what causes it, or where it's come from.It makes some people angry, it leaves others mystified - but some adore the term and can't get enough of it. Is this yet another example in wine of (as one listener calls it), 'superstition, witchcraft and myth' that is nothing more than, 'absolute b*llocks'?!Welcome to the big 'minerality' mystery.In this episode, we dare to dive hea
Jun 30, 2023 • 55:14
Portugal's Fine Wines: Here Be Treasures
We all know port. But there’s a whole universe of fine Portuguese table wine out just waiting to be explored. It’s far less known but certainly no less exciting…so we dive in.Peter’s fired up after a recent trip to host a masterclass in Porto, where he tasted wines back to 1978 and recorded with a selection of Portugal’s top wine talent, from Dirk and Daniel Niepoort to Sandra Tavares, Luis Pato, Susana Esteban and Tomas Roquette.Once back, he made sure to call in some special wines to taste and
Jun 16, 2023 • 50:37
No Schist Sherlock: How Wine Gets Rocks Wrong
‘From virtually any soil a high-quality wine can be made. The use of geology to promote the quality of a wine is thus merely a marketing tool.’ This is an episode that may ruffle a few feathers. We speak to two wine-loving geologists, Professor Alex Maltman and Dr Geert-Jan Vis (the latter responsible for the quote above). Both of them raise serious questions about the line the wine world often endorses about how geology (think: limestone, schist, granite) influences wine.Vis calls the notion th
Jun 2, 2023 • 46:59
Santorini - Wines to Save an Island
Santorini's future is in jeopardy. This ancient, famous island vineyard risks being lost beneath the tourism industry's bulldozers. So how can its wine community fight back?By making exceptional, characterful, inimitable wines and selling them to the world, that's how. In this episode (our 100th Wine Blast programme, appropriately enough!) we dive into what makes Santorini's wines as distinctive and unique as they undoubtedly are. From the steely, majestic dry Santorini Assyr
May 19, 2023 • 46:58
Santorini - Wine's Jurassic Park
Let's go on an adventure to a place variously described as, 'Like being shot to the moon with a glass of fine wine in your hand' and where, 'you basically have the personality of an active volcano in your glass.'Santorini is arguably the ultimate wine destination - a windswept, arid, infertile outcrop of an island in the glittering Aegean Sea. Stunning - but bleak, and where the memory of one of the most violet volcanic eruptions in human history can not only be seen but
May 5, 2023 • 38:29
News & Views – Re-Writing Wine’s Ancient History, Silly Money Wine, Drops of God & More
What wine news is worthy of your attention? How should you warm up your (fine) wines in an emergency? What wines are really worth paying silly money for? And which wines should we have loved...but didn't? These are just some of the questions we dive into in this Listener Q&A episode, where we respond to your brilliant comments, feedback and questions.And we field one other question too: are we even married to each other?!No spoilers here... Suffice it to say that along this particularly
Apr 21, 2023 • 38:53
Ahead of the Curve with New Zealand Chardonnay
Chardonnay polarises people. But times change and this is a grape that's moved on - arguably nowhere more so than in New Zealand, which in recent years has started to deliver quality, diversity and great value in spades.It's timely, too, given the supply shortages and booming prices of the wines from Chardonnay's motherland in Burgundy.We're Chardonnay superfans and we've been licking our lips at how far and fast New Zealand Chardonnay has evolved lately. So it's ex
Apr 7, 2023 • 47:18
The End of the Hangover?
Could it be true?! No more hangovers is a tantalising notion, a Holy Grail for many drinkers. But how could this happen, and what would it mean for the world of booze and wine?Join us as we dive headlong into the enthralling world of hangover hacks (including at least one credible ‘remedy’) and explore the new breed of so-called functional drinks, which promise to deliver the buzz of booze without the bad effects.But do these functional drinks and hangover hacks actually work? We put our bodies
Mar 24, 2023 • 44:57
Australian Pinot Noir Comes of Age
Every wine lover craves great Pinot Noir. Burgundy is ever pricier and scarcer. So where to look?Australia might not seem the obvious destination for Pinot Noir. It’s better known for hefty reds (think: Shiraz, Cabernet), historic styles like Hunter Semillon or its heroic ‘stickies’ (sweet and fortified like Rutherglen). And if there’s a Burgundian variety closely associated with Oz, it’s Chardonnay.And yet…over the last few years, Ozzie Pinot Noir has come on leaps and bounds to capture the zei
Mar 10, 2023 • 48:35
Wine and Your Microbiome - A Recipe for Health?
This podcast is GOOD FOR YOU! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise...In this mind-blowing episode we have an exclusive interview with the world-famous Professor Tim Spector, expert in the human microbiome - this population of friendly microbes that lives inside all of us and which acts almost like an extra organ, boosting our immune system, fighting disease and even influencing our mental health.According to Spector, these microbes are so numerous and influential that we're all effectively,
Feb 24, 2023 • 49:13
The New Beaujolais
Stuff is going down in Beaujolais.Natural wine is a hot trend. Beaujolais Nouveau is re-inventing itself. The top sites have never made better wine. A new generation is revitalising the scene. Geological research has revealed eye-opening results. And growers aren't afraid to throw caution to the wind (Côte Rôtie barrels and Sciacarello anyone?!)Phew.It's also newsworthy: the region is submitting its first ever application for the top sites to be designated Premier Cru, the highly-prize
Feb 10, 2023 • 48:50
Burgundy - The Tipping Point?
Has Burgundy gone bonkers?!Off the back of a nightmare 2021 season, wines are in shorter supply than ever - so prices have gone through the roof.Again.The wines are unquestionably good. That's what Burgundy does. But as the region's wines gradually become ever-more scarce and atypical - and ever-less affordable - how long will wine lovers stick with Burgundy? Will we look back in 20 years and say: that was the tipping point when Burgundy finally lost touch with reality?!These are just
Jan 27, 2023 • 47:18
How To Be a Better Wine Lover
Self-improvement - via a wine glass. With a side helping of 'vinous Kama Sutra'. But we're getting ahead of ourselves...In our last episode we explored what we wine lovers want from the year ahead. In this programme we flip the camera round and take a look how we can be better wine lovers.Suggestions like 'drink better' inevitably crop up. But so do more thought-provoking tips such as, 'Pair food with wine, not the reverse,' 'Give a bottle of wine that we
Jan 20, 2023 • 33:53
The Year Ahead: A Wine Lover's Wish List
So what do we all want from wine in the year ahead? What's top of our wish list for wine in 2023?For some it's drinking better (or simply more) wine. If possible, for less money. Others are hoping Pinot Noir proves to be a miracle cure and will be prescribed by doctors...More realistically, combating climate change, responsible political engagement with wine and an end to the war in Ukraine inevitably feature. And what of no-alcohol wine? The rise of organic and biodynamic viticulture?
Jan 13, 2023 • 37:09
Selling Net Zero Wine - Pipe Dream or In The Pipeline?
Wine is good. We want a good future for wine - and the planet. But wine has been described on this pod as, 'the villain in the climate story.' So what gives - and how to turn this around?One UK wine retailer has sent out a rallying cry - aiming to be carbon neutral by 2024 and net zero across its entire business by 2040. This retailer wants, ‘to be the most sustainable, ethical and responsible wine retailer in the world.’ These are big aims - and they belong to The Wine Society. So Pe
Dec 22, 2022 • 1:10:45
Matching Food and Wine: The ULTIMATE BURGER
We're not kidding. This is the ULTIMATE burger. Especially if you're a wine lover...Yes we've got the patty and the brioche bun. So far so straightforward. But the killer ingredients? A tawny port reduction ('wino's ketchup'). Blue cheese. Umami paste. And to top it all off? Truffle mustard mayo.So yes, in this fun episode we attempt to answer that HUGE question: what wine to drink with your burger?!After much research, thought and drinking of wine, Susie was inspir
Dec 9, 2022 • 14:23
Our WINE(S) OF THE YEAR!
WOTY?! Don't mind if we do... Welcome to our TASTIEST show of the year (and that's saying something!)In 2022 we're focusing on value to give you some ideas of delicious but affordable wines to suit the season's revelry.No spoilers but we've got wines from France, Spain, Italy, Argentina, South Africa, USA, New Zealand - even Austria and England. (We did start off with just one Wine of the Year but couldn't help ourselves throwing a few more outstanding wines into th
Dec 2, 2022 • 38:11
Matching Food and Wine: Fish Pie!
This is not just any old fish pie. This is LUXURY fish pie. And we've got some properly luxuriant wines to match...There's nothing worse than a dry, eggy, potato-drenched fish pie. Our version uses smoked fish, chunky prawns, mustard, cream and cheddar - so we need some seriously high octane wines.No sense fooling around: this is rich white wine territory. One of our favourite styles of all. We choose two classic grape varieties that work really well across a range of styles - Chardonn
Nov 25, 2022 • 9:32
Red Dawn: English Wine and Climate Change
A new report predicts climate change will see English red wine becoming the norm rather than the exception as part of a global shift that will upend the world's wine map as we know it.It's a tough one to get your head around. On the one hand, these are exciting times for English winemakers. On the other, climate change represents an existential threat to humanity. Plus, although rising temperatures making wine more viable and diverse in the UK, climate change is also bringing unpredict
Nov 11, 2022 • 54:50
Matching Food and Wine: Spaghetti Bolognese!
It's a mid-week classic. But the BIG question is: what wines work best to make your spag bol taste like MAGIC?!We tackle this weighty issue like the true gannets we are, featuring some delicious Italian reds (Montepulciano + Valpolicella Ripasso) as well as more quirky pairings, from a South African Syrah to a Chilean Pais. All the while talking through WHY things work as much as the specific wines themselves. (Oh, and there's mention of Pinky and Perky too - listen to find out more...
Oct 28, 2022 • 9:06
Inside the Fort Knox of Wine
Fancy joining us as we break into the Fort Knox of wine?!It's an old mine and former munitions dump in the middle of the English countryside that now holds over 9 million bottles and £1bn+ of stock. It's one of the biggest such storage facilities in the world and one (whisky) bottle stored there recently sold for £1.2m.Only downside? Security is tight. And you have to climb up 157 steps to get back out. Good thing Peter was actually invited in - and had a 'sustaining' lunch b
Oct 14, 2022 • 54:24
Matching Food and Wine: 'Green Pizza'!
First up: what on earth is a GREEN PIZZA??!!Well, it's a summer vegetable tart. But we couldn't quite bring ourselves to have that as our title. So we ran with 'green pizza'. Which it...almost is. What it definitely is, is utterly delicious comfort food. As well as going superbly well with a whole range of wines. So our kind of dish. It cries out for a fresh, crisp white. Particularly those made from Sauvignon Blanc...but not exclusively. Here's what we went with:Villa
Sep 30, 2022 • 8:48
Wine Blast is back! Season 4 Trailer - with BEST BITS
Susie and Peter are back! Still Masters of Wine, still married (the wine helps) and still serving up thrills and spills for your general delectation.Season 4 dives right back in where they left off, and promises tons of great wine content, thought-provoking angles, top guests, listener questions answered, opinion, food, recommendations - and of course a lot of fun too… So welcome back - or welcome. This podcast is for everyone with an open mind and a healthy thirst. No need to catch up, just ho
Sep 23, 2022 • 7:32
Matching Food and Wine: Lamb!
So: what wine to pair with your roast lamb? Our answers might surprise you.Lamb is a classic in the wine matching pantheon. But it's not as easy as it may first seem. In fact, we'd argue a lot of supposed matches are way off the mark.Lamb is a very delicate red meat so needs a specific kind of wine to get the best out of the combination. Sometimes (in fact, really quite often) the best style of wine to pair with lamb is.....white.Failing that, an elegant red - but beware even the so-ca
Aug 12, 2022 • 10:54
Matching Food and Wine: Curry!
Curry. We all love it. So what's the best wine to drink with it?!Here be answers. As well as a bit of chomping (sorry), mention of whipping (no idea how that came up) and of course delicious wines all in the mix.This is a short-form Live episode, the first in our food-and-wine matching mini-series brought to you in association with Wine Club by Majestic. It's also available in video format so if you'd like to see us in action, check out our YouTube channel: Susie & Peter On Wi
Jul 22, 2022 • 10:15
Why Bother Matching Food and Wine? (Here's Why - and How)
Some people say choosing the right wine for your food (or vice versa) is too complicated. Or that it's all nonsense, so not worth bothering with - just go with whatever you fancy.We beg to differ - in the most strident of ways.We've both spent more than 20 years matching wines to food on TV, radio, events, podcasts and print. We know food is one of the best ways to make sense of wine, to learn more and to get beyond the pretentiousness - by focusing on basic flavours and personal pleas
Jul 14, 2022 • 48:11
Wine from the Arab World
Aghi Ourad is a Brit of Algerian descent who wants to change the way we think about wine from the 'Arab world' (his phrase).Places like Algeria and Lebanon, where wine production has a surprisingly long history but currently operates in a challenging environment for religious, social or economic reasons.Such wines from Muslim-majority countries, in Aghi's view, are under-appreciated and yet offer great interest and value for wine lovers. So he's set up a business, The Other G
Jun 24, 2022 • 54:22
The World's BIGGEST Wine Competition
Fancy tasting 18,000+ bottles of wine in a week? Humping and dumping 73,000+ bottles? Herding 250+ international wine judges? Dodging bottle crushers and giant wormeries? And, after all that, the real question is: what's it all for?! We go behind the scenes at the world's biggest wine competition, the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), to tackle these very questions and issues. What even is a wine competition? What's the point? What does it mean when you see a medal or award on a
Jun 10, 2022 • 59:21
Armenia's Ambition: ancient, conflicted, hopeful
Armenia is not the first country to spring to mind in terms of wine. But this is one of the most ancient winemaking cultures in the world. The broader Caucusus region - including Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, is where the winemaking vine is believed to have first been domesticated. By way of proof, a 6,000-year-old winery was unearthed in the Areni-1 cave complex in the Vayots-Dzor region of Armenia. And the country may have anything up to 1,000 different species of vitis vinifera win
May 27, 2022 • 55:26
Tasting 1982 Bordeaux
Some wines or vintages achieve legendary status. The 1982s in Bordeaux are a case in point. So what's it really like to taste a bunch of 1982 clarets, 40 years on - featuring some of the best wines of the vintage? 1982 was a year that famously split opinion - the Brits copping the flak for labelling it too high-yielding, too ripe and 'Californian' in style, saying it would never age. On the opposing side was American wine critic Robert Parker, who championed the vintage and later
May 13, 2022 • 19:52
Adventures in Dosage: the cherry on the sparkling cake
Did you know that sugar and brandy can be added to sparkling wine? Were you aware that champagne was originally a sweet fizz? And that it regularly had things like port, cognac, elderberry, kirsch and raspberry brandy added to it?Now there’s a plucky English wine producer adding all sorts of fun things to his fizz – from Sauternes to Sherry, Madeira and Tokaji – to see what’s possible. His aim? To potentially help create, ‘a new category in wine’.Welcome to the world of dosage. That small additi
Apr 29, 2022 • 56:25
Fake Booze - Pet Nad to Yoda
What's this about the world's first 'pet nad' wine? Why has a wine-list-free restaurant been told to, 'stop being so bloody stupid'? Who is releasing the latest cynical glassware range?And, STOP PRESS: hot-cross-bun gin??!! Yes, this is your latest audio instalment of the riotous, ridiculous world of Fake Booze, the entirely made-up news site focused on the world of alcohol. Consider this your critical update on world affairs from a parallel universe, which involves
Apr 15, 2022 • 16:35
On Natural Wine
So what exactly IS natural wine? How to define it - or is that even possible? What does it taste like? Why are we seeing so many natural wine bars, shops and events springing up? Natural wine remains niche yet it seems to be influencing mainstream wine - but how exactly? And why does natural wine get everyone so darn hot under the collar..?! Join us as we tackle all these burning questions and more with natural wine luminary and RAW WINE founder Isabelle Legeron MW, plus Mel Xenaki from natural
Apr 1, 2022 • 53:10
Georgia 4 Ukraine - For Peace
This episode is dedicated to the people of Ukraine. We talk to two leading figures in the Georgian wine scene - John Wurdeman (Pheasant's Tears) and Irakli Cholobargia (National Wine Agency) - to get a sense of what the feeling is in the region, and what wine people are doing and can do to help. Georgia, like Ukraine, is a former Soviet nation on the Black Sea that has had part of its territory occupied by the Russian military. These people are uniquely qualified to comment on the horrific
Mar 18, 2022 • 34:32
Boxing Clever?
Scooter basket. Pet coffin. Vinyl shelves. Zoom stand. Veg storage. Bird box. Fire starters. And, if you're the Prime Minister - for making models in which passengers are, 'enjoying themselves on this wonderful bus...'Yes, all of these are the creative (sometimes baffling) uses to which wooden wine boxes have been put by creative wine types. But why do some wines come in wooden cases in the first place? What are their purpose - and, perhaps more importantly, their implications and
Mar 11, 2022 • 8:15
The Magical Science of Taste
Did you know that just changing the light and music can alter how you perceive a wine by up to 20%? Ever wondered why that bottle of holiday rosé was such a crushing disappointment when you got it home? High-tempo music can make a dish taste more spicy - lower-pitch sounds bring out bitterness in wine. (Though, 'we can't turn water into wine musically...yet.') Rubbing velvet versus sandpaper can change how you perceive a wine's body. Even the microbiome in our gut and mouth
Feb 25, 2022 • 44:21
The New Champagne
At one point, it looked like Covid was going to be the death-knell for Champagne. And then...the bubbles bounced back. Big time. But things aren't quite the same as they were - in intriguing ways... In this fascinating episode we catch up on all the latest hot topics from this famous and historic fine wine region in northern France with none other than legendary winemaker Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon of Louis Roederer (and Cristal). And he tells us: 'The 21st century is changing everything.
Feb 11, 2022 • 57:06
Getting to know the Côtes de Bordeaux
They're hotbeds of innovation, experimentation, affordability and sustainability. For as much as they fly under the radar, the Côtes de Bordeaux are instigating and leading a dynamic kind of change in the world's largest fine wine region. So what are the Côtes de Bordeaux? Where are they? And who are all these mostly family-run, smaller-scale producers who together produce 1 in 10 bottles of Bordeaux? In this, the concluding instalment of our 3-part sponsored mini-series on Bordeaux,
Jan 28, 2022 • 32:36
Burgundy 2020 Vintage Brief
Everything you need to know about the Burgundy 2020 vintage - in just 5 minutes! It's a pretty special vintage (at least something good came out of that otherwise catastrophic year...) But is it better for white or red wines? Was it warm or cool, big or small, what styles of wine can we expect? And, most importantly, what of the prices?! In this quick-fire Q&A, Peter puts Susie on the spot, challenging her not only to sum up the wines in just 5 words but also to drink (Burgundy, of cou
Jan 21, 2022 • 5:43
When Coffee Dorks Meet Wine Nerds
Wanna hear us get humbled and schooled? Interested in exploring whether expensive really means better when it comes to coffee and wine? Or how we're getting it wrong when it comes to storing coffee and wine?! This is a collaborative episode in which we get together with Scott and Jools from the brilliant Adventures in Coffee podcast. We give them a blind wine tasting, they serve us a blind coffee tasting. Hilarity and humiliation ensue - as well as lessons about how to get the biggest bang
Jan 17, 2022 • 44:16
A Drink to Dry
So: the big question. What to drink when you're not drinking?! In this short Wine Blast Live, we share our favourite non-alcoholic concoction, one which goes some way to replicating the joy of wine. It's based on Aecorn Bitter, which is made using (unfermented) English sparkling wine grapes mixed with botanicals, mixed with Fever Tree Aromatic tonic plus ice and orange. We also share a few other options. Including ways to be 'damp' rather than dry - eg by choosing naturally l
Jan 13, 2022 • 5:36
Investing in Wine
Wine investment is booming - particularly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Regular headlines champion it as giving greater returns than not only the major equity indices but also other so-called 'alternative' investments like gold, cars and handbags. But what exactly is wine investment? Why do it? What are the potential gains and pitfalls? What kind of returns and time-scales are we actually talking? How to get the most out of it? And what does the future hold? In this sponsor
Dec 17, 2021 • 42:40
Our Wines Of The Year (LIVE)
At this time of year, we get asked two things. What wines we'd recommend. And will we wear silly Christmas stuff. So here you go - the double whammy, all wrapped up in a brand new format: Wine Blast Live, a 5-minute video-podcast, for your delectation. Listen (or watch) as we try to gloss over our absurd festive attire while recommending our three top wines of the year, including a bargain option, the best wine we've ever tried out of a can (a white, as it happens), and a gorgeous red
Dec 9, 2021 • 5:33
The Oz Clarke EXCLUSIVE!
Oz Clarke has done most wine things you've ever thought of, and some you maybe haven't even imagined. But we're not here to dwell on sex in a Margaux vineyard (though we do, of course, ask the question). This is about Oz Clarke OBE the wine titan, the great storyteller, the acclaimed author and broadcaster, surely the most successful person who ever claimed to have spent his, 'whole life avoiding getting a proper job.' We try not to slur as we work our way through a bott
Dec 3, 2021 • 46:14
WTAF - Wine's Alt Format Warriors Battle Climate Change
'Nobody thinks of wine as the villain in the climate story. But in fact we are.' So says When In Rome's Rob Malin, who spoke at COP26 about how shipping wine around the world in glass bottles leads to significant carbon emissions. 'We have to take this seriously because if we don’t do something about climate change, you can forget a lot of your nice wine producing regions,' says Oli Purnell of canned wine startup The Copper Crew. WTAF stands, in this case, for Wine Trade
Nov 19, 2021 • 47:49
We're Making Wine for Hope and Glory
Please join in the fun! For our Big English Wine Adventure, we've gone and made 3 one-off English wines, with all profits going to charity. Now the project is reaching its climax: the wines are going on sale on 25th November 2021. But we're no experts in making or selling wine. Our necks are on the line and we need your help... We have some BIG announcements in this episode, which features plenty of drama, intrigue and jeopardy. We reveal our brilliant charity partner as well as the na
Nov 5, 2021 • 42:57
Bordeaux's White Bank
Did you know Bordeaux used to be mainly white, not red wine? And that there's a universe of delicious diversity (and great value) to be discovered among the dry and sweet whites of Bordeaux (not forgetting the fizz)? This is the second part in our mini-series in association with the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB) and we dive headlong into the fascinating world of white Bordeaux. We talk to the brilliant Laure de Lambert Compeyrot of Chateau Sigalas Rabaud as well as 'renegade' winem
Oct 22, 2021 • 49:07
How To Buy Wine
Are you a bargain hunter, a new-experience seeker, a drinker-in as well as taker-out, someone with thirsty friends or friends to impress? Whoever you are - we can help you buy wine better.Buying wine isn't easy. So much choice, so little time - but getting the right bottle, and the right experience, makes a big difference. To help inform, guide and hopefully inspire you, we draw not only on our personal experience (confession: we buy too much wine) but also Peter's experience of chairi
Oct 6, 2021 • 52:47
English Wine: Now What?
It's gone from a joke to world-class in just a couple of decades - but what does the future now hold for English and Welsh wine? Will it be a case of boom and bust, as some are predicting? Or will this be the success story that just keeps on rolling? We dive into this debate with plenty of facts and figures to hand, plus we hear from Dermot Sugrue (Wiston), Ruth Simpson (Simpsons), Sergio Verillo (Blackbook) and Josh Donaghay-Spire (Chapel Down). We talk about climatic challenges, the &apos
Sep 30, 2021 • 32:31
Fake Booze - A Barrel of Laughs
Something a bit different to kick off Season 3...our first ever EXPLICIT episode! It's not what you're thinking. Just a few gentle sweary words. Because this one is all about Fake Booze: a bitter, twisted, dark and damp website stuffed full of satire lampooning the world of wine and drinks, whose strapline is, 'Like truth, but better'. It's the brainchild of hitherto respectable drinks journalist Chris Losh and it's painfully funny, so we wanted to get Chris on the
Sep 23, 2021 • 29:30
Season 3 Trailer (2021)
We're BACK! We've unearthed the microphones from under all the empty wine bottles, fish and chip wrappers, and slightly damp Speedos, ready to hit the ground running with a fantastic Season 3 line-up. We can't wait to get going, partly because our first episode (coming very soon) is different from anything we've ever done before...So if you like wine chat, a bit of a laugh, giveaways, fascinating guests, top wine tips, competitions, the odd recipe (did we say FREE WINE?) and
Sep 16, 2021 • 3:52
Becoming a Master of Wine, Part 2
The chief examiner for the Master of Wine (MW) tasting exam is a terrifying figure guaranteed to strike fear and despair into the hearts of all aspiring MW students. So we ask him how to pass the exam. And it turns out he’s actually pretty nice, and meditates in his spare time. A lesson to us all… Beyond that, we hear short sharp blasts of top-quality advice and insight from two of the most recently crowned Masters of Wine: Jacky Blisson from Montreal and the first Italian MW, Gabriele Gorelli.
Jul 16, 2021 • 1:04:39
Bordeaux in 2021
Goats, amphorae, Whatsapp, wine aged in space, terroir, bats, non-fungible tokens and sexual confusion all crop up as we look beyond the Bordeaux stereotypes in a sponsored episode with the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB). Sharing their expert views with us on the latest goings-on in the region are Bordeaux-based writer and critic Jane Anson (author of Inside Bordeaux) and Yann Todeschini of Château Mangot in St Emilion. We discuss everything from sales to sustainability via soils, biodynamics, bio
Jul 2, 2021 • 1:06:44
Becoming a Master of Wine, Part 1
What even IS a Master of Wine?! How do you become one? Which Jedi powers come with the title? Is it true the pass rate is under 10%? What’s the real cost, not just in financial but also time and emotional fallout? How diverse and inclusive is the MW body? Aren’t the days of ‘the expert’ numbered anyway?! It’s a biggie. So we’re doing this in two parts – this first one is about our own experiences of becoming Masters of Wine (MWs), and we don’t shy away from detailing the brutal lows as well as t
Jun 23, 2021 • 59:20
Our Story, Part 2
What's the difference between English sparkling wine and champagne? Why bother doing the Master of Wine qualification? What's the story behind Wine Blast, and why is podcasting so suited to wine? If we could be any wine, what would it be? What to do with a wine festival in lockdown? If we could share a glass of wine with anyone, who would that be? We answer all these questions and more in an interview conducted expertly by Natalie MacLean and originally featured on her Unreserved Wine
Jun 4, 2021 • 46:13
Our Story, Part 1
Our story - as told (in slightly roundabout fashion) to Natalie MacLean on her Unreserved Wine Talk podcast. Beans are spilled...apologies issued...we reveal our career low points as well as what wine has done for our relationship (Susie skates on thin ice). Also why Peter makes a bad Santa and what we think of the fancy dress tendencies of your average French marathon runner. Among other things. So yes, this is a re-run of 'Having a Wine Blast with Susie Barrie and Peter Richards', Ep
May 28, 2021 • 56:18
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is one of the wine world's most dramatic success stories. It went from zero to hero in the 1980s and 1990s, stunning the world with its uniquely extrovert character, and paving the way for an entire nation's wine fortunes to be revolutionised. Some people are a bit snobby about Kiwi Sauvignon - too easy, too obvious, too samey, they say. But the truth is that Sauvignon can be every bit as diverse, complex, age-worthy and fine as other great white grape varie
May 7, 2021 • 1:06:45
Wine can be a career?! (RE-RUN with bonus bits)
We wanted to revisit this (our second ever episode) partly to laugh at our presenting style back then, and also because it's so full of enthusiasm, helpful tips and, most importantly, tales of young people (especially young women) seizing opportunities and forging brilliant careers in wine. And the odd second career too. We're also slightly amazed at how much we managed to shoe-horn into an episode in the early days of the podcast, because we also rustled up some student classics - spi
Apr 30, 2021 • 44:15
The Big English Wine Adventure
How do you fancy getting a name of your choosing on a wine label, benefitting a charity that’s close to your heart…and winning some delicious, unique English wine in the process?! That's exactly what's up for grabs in this episode, in which we discuss our Big English Wine Adventure, chat with superstar UK winemakers Liam Idzikowski (Danbury Ridge) and Emma Rice (Hattingley Valley), get excited about Essex Pinot and Hampshire Meunier...and throw around some wine puns on the theme of The
Apr 23, 2021 • 39:38
Build a Wine Collection at Home
You like wine. But you don't have lots of space at home. So what's the best way to go about starting (or improving) your wine collection? Listener Steven from Belfast asked the question, which was our cue to spring into action, doling out handy tips and advice, even doing a mini stock-take of our own at-home collection (with eye-opening results...) We talk to Nathan Hill, chairman of wine club/merchant Honest Grapes and himself an avid amateur collector when starting out, and Alexander
Apr 9, 2021 • 43:05
Sommeliers - What Next?!
Sommeliers. SO MANY QUESTIONS! What even IS a sommelier - or a Master Sommelier? What makes a great sommelier? How have sommeliers been affected by the pandemic, when hospitality has been devastated? What's all this about the lack of diversity among sommeliers? What of the very serious scandals that have played out in very public and traumatic fashion at the Court of Master Sommeliers-Americas lately?! Ultimately: what does the future hold for sommeliers, this proud and historic profession
Mar 26, 2021 • 58:22
The Undeserved Hangover - Tackling Wine Intolerance
For some people, wine is a pain. Up to 10% of the population suffers adverse reactions from drinking wine - and often sulfites are blamed. But what if, in most cases, the exact opposite were true? That sulfites are actually the unfairly maligned hero of the piece, and there's another culprit to blame? More tantalisingly, what if proper action on this front could help many drinkers enjoy wine without having to worry about the side-effects?! We're taking a dive into the fascinating world
Mar 12, 2021 • 45:57
Canada, crisps and beyond with Natalie MacLean
What wine goes best with ketchup (or sweet chilli) crisps? What's 'ice cuvée fizz'? How to pair Netflix with wine? How good is Canadian wine, and which are the best ones to buy? Most importantly, how can you win prizes up to the value of CA$400 (or £260)?! It's all here, a small wine universe in a podcast. We're talking to globally renowned wine communicator and proud Canadian Natalie MacLean, who hosts the excellent Unreserved Wine Talk podcast (among MANY other things)
Feb 26, 2021 • 50:33
Spread the Love - with Majestic Wine
Time to spread the wine love! First up, we asked you lovely lot for stories about how and when you first fell in love with wine - so we not only have some brilliant stories to share but also have a WINNER taking away £125-worth of Balfour Winemakers' Collection wines. This is a sponsored episode in partnership with Majestic Wine, so we have some delicious recommendations from their range for you to get stuck into (and which also spread the love, eg to South Africa and California: wine regio
Feb 12, 2021 • 34:34
Dry Drinking
A wine lover's guide to (relative) sobriety... What DO wine lovers do when we want time off the booze? What's the best lifestyle approach to minimise intake but maximise enjoyment? What are the best wine alternatives out there? Inspired by a question sent in by listener John, in this episode we look beyond wine and explore how to make the most of not drinking. We talk to Stuart Elkington, founder of Dry Drinker, who shares some great stories and insights, as well as to the makers of Ch
Jan 29, 2021 • 56:33
Burgundy in 2021 Part 2
It's hard not to hang on every word of Mounir Saouma's. He's a Burgundy grower with a difference - someone who's not afraid to go against the grain and challenge the easy stereotypes. He doesn't mince his words, which makes for a provocative listen as we talk climate change, pricing (sample quote: 'It's a disaster!') and the 2019 vintage. He even manages to bring Churchill into the debate... Meanwhile, we do a swift tasting featuring everything from a chea
Jan 22, 2021 • 57:17
Burgundy in 2021 Part 1
To kick off 2021, we dive right into the fascinating, frustrating, compelling wine world that is Burgundy. Iconic - certainly. Over-priced? Plausibly. At great risk from climate change? Undoubtedly. We explore these issues and more across two special episodes - and in this first part we quiz our fellow Master of Wine and renowned Burgundy expert, Jasper Morris, as well as buyer Rebecca Palmer from Corney & Barrow, agents for Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (among other things). We give our summa
Jan 15, 2021 • 47:09
Dreaming of a Wine Christmas
Is champagne a good match for fried chicken? (Or marmite?!) How do you make the perfect Christmas wreath...OUT OF CORKS? What are the best wines to enjoy during the festivities beyond the classics but including Pinot Noir? What seasonal clothing item of Peter's does Susie describe as, 'tasteless'? How to rustle up the most DELICIOUS sausage rolls at home, ideal for those pandemic-era outdoors meet-ups? These are surely the most pressing existential questions facing the human race
Dec 23, 2020 • 44:06
Glass Works
So where does the humble glass bottle fit into the bigger picture of wine? Some are decrying its impact on the environment, citing the carbon footprint of smelting glass and shipping heavy, space-inefficient bottles around the planet. But glass has one of the highest recycling rates of any packaging and has served wine well for centuries, an inert container that has no interaction with its contents and allows wine to age and develop over time (or retain its fizz). As energy inputs include ever-m
Dec 18, 2020 • 43:41
Napa + wine on screen
A trip to *hic* Hollywood via Napa Valley as we chat to Matt Crafton, winemaker at the renowned Chateau Montelena, about serious stuff like making elegant wine in Napa, the wildfires, climate change, sustainability, his lockdown wines and...the film Bottle Shock. This enables us to segue neatly onto a rollicking ride through our (and your) favourite wine movies and wine moments on screen, from Sour Grapes to Sideways, Silence of the Lambs, Somm, The Secret of Santa Vittoria, The Sopranos and The
Dec 11, 2020 • 39:57
The Sam Neill EXCLUSIVE
'My day job is acting but my life is really wine and farming.' So says Sam Neill, world famous for his roles in screen hits like Jurassic Park, Peaky Blinders, Dead Calm and The Piano, but whose real passion is his Two Paddocks wine estate in Central Otago, New Zealand. We caught up with Sam while he was quarantining after arriving back in New Zealand from 5 months filming Jurassic Park 6 in the UK. We chat wine, dinosaurs, ukeleles, lockdown, animals named after celebrities (like Mer
Dec 4, 2020 • 30:16
Season 2 Trailer
The wild, fun wine ride continues after a first season full of intrigue, deliciousness and, erm, magnum Jenga. For those who don't know Wine Blast, welcome! We don't bite (unless very thirsty). The show is for everyone - we bring wine to life with a smile, chatting to intriguing people all around the world , sharing our recipes and recommendations, and chewing the wine cud in general. You are warmly invited to share a glass with us, have a laugh and hopefully go away just a bit more in
Nov 27, 2020 • 2:57
You asked, we answer - Series 1 Finale!
Where's best for wine travel? (Well - we can dream, can't we?!) The best value bold New World Chardonnays out there? Greek wine? Why no love for Merlot? How to deal with being considered pretentious when it comes to wine?? We answer your burning wine questions and pick our favourite highlights from the 30 episodes to date in this fun, momentous culmination to Season 1 of Wine Blast. And it has been a blast, THANK YOU everyone for listening, supporting, recommending, rating, reviewing a
Nov 18, 2020 • 31:49
Making a wine festival happen
We use our wine festival (formerly Wine Festival Winchester, this year Wine Festival Online) as a springboard to talk English wine, wine education, making a wine festival happen in lockdown, events in general and how normal people engage with wine. We chat to acclaimed English winemaker Emma Rice of Hattingley Valley, Erica Dent of Enjoy Discovering Wine and Tony, who has a great story to tell about his own personal Damascene conversion to wine. As Tony puts it so brilliantly, 'Things have
Nov 5, 2020 • 33:35
The BEST red wine grape EVER IS...
So what's the BEST red wine grape variety? Ever? We asked you - and you replied in your droves, more than a thousand of you sending in weird and wonderful suggestions from all over the world. Thank you! We've compiled the results, and the funny comments and goings-on, and you can hear the results in this fun episode. We name names so see if you get a mention! (Sorry if not...) We also find time to talk to legendary Yarra Valley producer Timo Mayer (who's clearly obsessed with Trol
Oct 30, 2020 • 47:45
SHORT: Extinction, regeneration...wine?
We've reached a tipping point in environmental terms. Not just in terms of biodiversity, climate change, pandemics and the like - but also in the media. Recent releases showcase this trend - from Kiss the Ground (Netflix) to Extinction: The Facts (BBC/David Attenborough) and The Food Programme's English Pastoral episode. All are powerful, terrifying, inspiring calls to action - and made us think about wine's place in all of this. Given we all share personal responsibility for this
Oct 16, 2020 • 16:41
LOCK. MY. WINE. DOWN. From big brands to counter-culture wine...
So what's been happening to wine during lockdown? It's the BIG question on everyone's lips - and the answer is not what you might expect. We dive right into the debate, throwing about facts, figures and opinions as we go. It does seem as if people revert to the familiar in times of crisis - and we're not afraid to treat ourselves a bit either. With this in mind, we launch a Twitter hullabaloo then taste test the biggest of all wine brands (car crash? Maybe...) After all that
Oct 8, 2020 • 51:32
Chile Gets Cool
Chile is a wine scene stuck on fast forward. Many of the most exciting projects lately have been developed in the country's deep south, where the cooler conditions mean more elegant, refreshing wines (and respite from a decade-long drought). And these aren't projects for the faint-hearted: we visit a new vineyard on a remote island 1,200km south of Santiago - and another on the side of a smoking volcano. It's not just about terroir, either - southern Chile is home to indigenous Ma
Sep 22, 2020 • 52:59
Judging Britain's Best Wines Part II
There is FREE medal-winning wine to be won for UK-based wine lovers in this episode, which ties in with the virtual ceremony for the Wine GB Awards 2020. Tune in for more details! Also to hear Susie’s views, in the wake of the trophy announcements for these awards, on what, where and who are providing the real excitement in English and Welsh wine right now. There are also some up-to-date stats on English and Welsh wines to share. The concluding part to Judging Britain’s Best Wines Part I.
Sep 9, 2020 • 25:40
The Hugh Johnson EXCLUSIVE!
As one of the best-selling wine writers of all time, with millions of sales to his name and global renown, Hugh Johnson OBE needs little introduction. For this exclusive interview, we head into the privacy of his London home for a rare no-holds-barred, funny, wide-ranging, moving, eye-opening chat. It’s intimate, controversial and thought-provoking. There are few things we don’t cover, and Hugh doesn’t pull his punches. Scoring wines out of 100 points is ‘dangerous’. Some fine wine has entered t
Sep 1, 2020 • 48:03
Wine 4 Lebanon
How can wine lovers help Lebanon in its hour of need? Lebanese wine expert Michael Karam and Chateau Musar’s Marc Hochar talk us through the finer points, all the while educating us about Lebanon’s fascinating (and very, very long) history with wine and its current day challenges including the massive recent explosion in the port area of Beirut. We give a plug to some of the fundraising initiatives taking place around the world and recommend a line-up of delicious Lebanese wines.
Aug 20, 2020 • 44:37
Judging Britain's Best Wines Part I
So how do you go about judging nigh-on 300 of the finest English and Welsh wines amid the Covid chaos? Susie reports back from chairing the WineGB Awards 2020 – a bit different from the norm, featuring an aircraft hangar, personalised portaloos, being brought to tears…and English sparkling Merlot (yes, really – and no, the last two things aren’t connected). There’s a quick word on Wine Festival Winchester 2020 going online (save the date: 28th November!) Susie gives her top tips on what to look
Aug 7, 2020 • 26:50
Are You Serving Wine All Wrong?
It’s like trying to eat your favourite food with tweezers. Or listening to your best tunes with a goldfish bowl over your head. If you buy a nice bottle of wine then serve it wrong, you’re wasting your time as well as money. In this episode, we tackle the thorny issue of how to serve your wine right, with a couple of helpful tips to remember. And it can make your wine taste so much better! Roped in to give their expert views are Master Sommelier Laura Rhys and hotelier Robin Hutson. The discussi
Jul 21, 2020 • 43:59
The BEST rosé EVER?!
Go on. What's the best rosé wine you've ever had? For Lee Isaacs, rosé is 'a crime' and, if you like it, 'you're a bad person' (or, at best, indecisive). Global rosé expert Elizabeth Gabay MW thinks we're too snobbish about the sweet stuff and has had delicious rosés as old as 1959. Majestic's Jack Merrylees thinks the best way to get a party started is with rosé...in magnum. In this episode, we get tickled pink by all this and more, discussing some o
Jul 9, 2020 • 45:48
The change in Spain (Wine Survival Guide)
In our LAST Wine Survival Guide we talk climate change, ancient grapes and guitar-offs with Miguel Torres – and reveal our Top 5 Rioja Tips. Coming next time: we return to our normal Wine Blast schedule that was so rudely interrupted by Covid-19 - with a big splash on the pink stuff: rosé!
Jun 23, 2020 • 33:50
Viva Italia! (Wine Survival Guide)
Superstar Italian winemaker Alberto Antonini tells us about wine as meditation, how to be a ‘virtual’ wine consultant, his vinyl collection and his nonna’s wise advice on how to stop a mole-hill becoming a mountain. In his honour, we crack open two wines from Sicily, delving into this most exciting of Italian wine regions – and discuss the hot topic of vegan wine.
Jun 17, 2020 • 36:38
The Pig, the pink and the popstar (Wine Survival Guide)
Robin Hutson is one of Britain’s foremost hoteliers as chairman and CEO of The Pig hotels and Limewood group. He’s been a prominent campaigner for rural hospitality during lockdown, citing the millions of jobs supported by the wider sector and the difficulty of re-opening with two-metre social distancing rules. He’s also had to fend off criticisms levelled at his biggest private investor, Jim Ratcliffe, for accepting furlough despite being one of Britain’s richest men.In a wide-ranging interview
Jun 8, 2020 • 35:52
Riesling and the Doctor (Wine Survival Guide)
How to make sense of Riesling? Food is one of the best ways we know to make sense of even the most tricky of wine subjects. So we try out a delicious monkfish and prawn curry as well as some pork terrine to try to get a handle on the grape variety that came top in our survey of the Best White Wine Grapes. (We also talk sourdough – but that’s something else entirely.)Another way to make sense of wine is to talk to the people who make it. One man who embodies the spirit of Riesling more than perha
Jun 2, 2020 • 31:12
Cheering up with champagne and Syrah (Wine Survival Guide)
In our SHORTEST EPISODE EVER, funny messages sent with champagne deliveries during lockdown come courtesy of The Finest Bubble’s Nick Baker. (Our favourite? A close call between ‘Cheer up!’ and ‘STOP MOANING’.) As the weddings, birthdays and anniversaries continue to see sparkling glasses raised via the internet, we turn to the pressing subject of where to find the best Syrah wines – made in the aromatic, elegant style of the Northern Rhône – from the New World. We touch on Chile, California, Ne
May 19, 2020 • 19:28
Breaking Burgundy (Wine Survival Guide)
Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur Michael Baum is rebooting Burgundy, even under lockdown (which he rails against while being stuck in France, separated from his wife and boys in San Francisco). He explains why he prefers French wine to Californian, and talks about how coronavirus and his tech-based approach may help prompt radical change in wine – which is about getting closer to customers, at a time when close contact is challenging at best. Following on from Michael’s choice of ‘isolation wine
May 13, 2020 • 30:21
The BEST white wine grape is...
We asked a simple question on social media: what are your top 3 grape varieties for white wine? The reaction...blew us away, with a torrent of fascinating responses from all around the world featuring more than 100 different grape varieties - not to mention fighting talk, bonding, football analogies and cheating. We got a bit carried away with this podcast - it's our favourite one so far - but there is something for EVERYONE here: laughter, tears, David Beckham, sherry, scholarship (in the
May 6, 2020 • 49:00
Cape Fears - On South Africa's Prohibition (Wine Survival Guide)
South African wine is in turmoil. The government has banned the sale and export of wine as part of its strict coronavirus lockdown and, while restrictions will eventually be eased, Cape producers are in shock: reeling from the long-term effects and implications of this dramatic intervention. We hear the views of three producers – Kathy Jordan (Jordan), Charles Back (Fairview) and Andrea Mullineux (Mullineux and Leeu Family) at this critical and challenging time. There’s also time for a quick BBQ
Apr 29, 2020 • 32:41
Torn in the USA - Wine Blast: Wine Survival Guide
Bartholomew Broadbent is a wine importer on the eastern US seaboard and he has seen ‘atrocious declines in business’ since coronavirus restrictions began. He lightens the tone by singing Monty Python songs (always look on the bright side of life…) and has a few choice words to say about Trump. Meanwhile, in California, Eric Baugher of Ridge Vineyards muses on challenges and opportunities before choosing an ideal quarantine wine that, ‘just kind of lifts your spirits’. Sounds like something we co
Apr 24, 2020 • 29:39
Michelin meals on wheels + wines for wild garlic risotto - Wine Blast Wine Survival Guide
What to do with a Michelin-starred restaurant that was due to close down shortly after coronavirus struck? If you’re Roger Jones, you re-purpose it to deliver monkfish and lobster dhal or wild mushroom and truffle risotto free of charge to local residents in need. That, and deliver some proper wines to an elderly mum who lives in rural Wales. To honour our guest, we throw ourselves into the kitchen, rustling up a very seasonal wild garlic and asparagus risotto. Which is really an excuse to find
Apr 22, 2020 • 25:48
China's hangover + Amarone - Wine Survival Guide
It’s a sobering post-coronavirus outlook for wine in China, according to Shanghai-based Sophie Liu. She tells of a stable situation as people re-emerge from lockdown but a bleak panorama for the wine business. Sticking with the heavy-hitting theme, Susie and Peter explore the delicious topic of Amarone, exploring the reasons behind its highly distinctive style and heady price tag. They also ponder the pressing issue of which wines are best to bathe in, and revel in their status as unlikely insti
Apr 17, 2020 • 23:02
Paul Hobbs in California + wine glasses - Wine Survival Guide
Flying winemaker Paul Hobbs can’t fly. As one of the foremost globe-trotting wine consultants, he reflects from his base in California on the challenges of making wine remotely and offers a tip on Zoom etiquette (‘wear a shirt and work pants’). He confesses to being nervous and reveals his ideal quarantine wine. Meanwhile listener David asks us whether he could be happy with just one glass for all wine styles rather than the many he currently owns. Our response is fulsome and even involves an ex
Apr 15, 2020 • 27:59
Help4Hospitality with Alex Hunt MW - Wine Survival Guide
How wine supplier Berkmann is tearing up the rule book to help stricken restaurants – and buying director Alex Hunt reveals his other passion by sharing tracks from his latest (brilliant) album Closing Ceremony. We unwrap some snazzy new glasses from Jancis Robinson to taste Prosecco, Gruner Veltliner, Gredos Grenache, Ozzie Syrah and Barolo from the Help4Hospitality line-up. Plus, Susie has a confession…
Apr 10, 2020 • 28:58
Singapore locks down + wines for porcini pasta - Wine Survival Guide
As Singapore goes into lockdown, renowned writer and publisher Poh Tiong Ch'ng reflects (from a beach) on the local and global implications of coronavirus. Including some eye-opening thoughts about the prospects for the global restaurant and hotel trade.He also has a somewhat surprising choice as his ‘quarantine wine’. We then cheat when it comes to finding a wine for delicious porcini pasta, committing heresy by looking beyond Italian wines to things that are both leftfield and pretty indu
Apr 8, 2020 • 26:23
Emotions run high in Chile + lockdown wines - Wine Survival Guide
In our second Wine Survival Guide, we chat with Chilean winemaker Viviana Navarrete of Viña Leyda before recommending Majestic wines that are not only delicious and different but also ideal for the coronavirus lockdown. Viviana is understandably emotional and tired – she describes 2020 as the toughest vintage of her 20-year career. The reason? It’s all about the people, and her family. But she highlights the quality of Pinot Noir as a major positive and says the fact this was a hot, early vintag
Apr 3, 2020 • 29:00
Domaine of the Bee + wines for creamy dhal - Wine Survival Guide
The first of our Wine Survival Guides – small antidotes to the current coronavirus chaos, where wine people tell their stories, detailing challenges but also sounding notes of joy. Via the magic of Zoom, Justin Howard-Sneyd MW of Domaine of the Bee explains how the lockdown in France has motivated him to appeal for help, and the ‘extraordinary, humbling’ response that followed. He also talks us through online tastings, magnum Jenga, Wine Gogglebox and re-purposing a Bryan Adams’ classic for the
Apr 1, 2020 • 27:01
Wait, wine can be a career?!
Wine is many things to many people. But credible career path (or second career) isn’t often one of them. We set the record straight by talking to young people who’ve made a brilliant job of making wine their career. And someone who made it their second career after defecting from finance. We discuss how wine can make a fantastic career, including how we both made the leap. Having worked up a thirst, we rustle up some student classics – spicy sausage pasta plus the easiest home-made pizza EVER –
Mar 29, 2020 • 43:07
Australia on Fire
The catastrophic bushfires of early 2020 were a traumatic reminder of the ongoing challenge of climate change in the world’s driest continent. And yet Australia has never made finer wines across a dizzying range of styles than today. So what’s the future for Australian wine – boom or bust? After all that, we cook up some delicious curried meatballs, inspired by Ozzie chef Bill Granger, and argue over whether a Clonakilla Shiraz or Jim Barry Clare Riesling go best. ‘Alcohol’ is the starting point
Mar 28, 2020 • 43:38