Unreserved Wine Talk

How did winemakers first figure out how to remove alcohol from wine without destroying it? Why is it so difficult to perfect the flavours and aromas in wine once the alcohol is removed? Why do some non-alcoholic wines keep their fruity aromas while others seem to lose everything? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Dr Wes Pearson, a senior research scientist at the Australian Wine Research Institute in Adelaide. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks. Highlights How was the German winemaker, Carl Jung, a pioneer in the field of no and low alcohol wine? Why is the reverse osmosis process better suited to small alcohol adjustments rather than full dealcoholization? How has the spinning cone column become one of the most effective tools for removing alcohol from wine? Why is it so challenging to preserve flavour and aroma in non-alcoholic wines? Why are low alcohol wines often more successful than alcohol free wines? How can vineyard and fermentation choices reduce alcohol while preserving wine character? Why do lower alcohol wines preserve a sense of place more successfully than fully de-alcoholized wines? How do beer producers have more technical options for making low alcohol products than winemakers? What is the connection between alcohol and mouthfeel? Why is Sauvignon Blanc often the most successful base for alcohol free wine? How does Wes envision the future of non alcoholic wine? Key Takeaways How did winemakers first figure out how to remove alcohol from wine without destroying it? The story goes that Carl Jung was somewhere in India, in the Himalayas, and he noticed that water boiled at a lower temperature and started thinking about, oh, well you know, they had a family winery and I wonder if we can take ethanol out if we boiled it at a lower temperature. Understanding, of course, classic distillation ethanol boils at around 70-something degrees and water would boil at 100. So you could boil your ethanolic solution, remove the ethanol, trap it on this side, leave your water here or whatever solution you have your ethanol in, and then keep the ethanol. That's classic distillation. Normally we keep the distillate, we keep the alcohol, and get rid of what we've taken it out of. Now we want to keep what we've taken it out of and get rid of the ethanol. So that was the whole premise behind vacuum distillation. Why is it so difficult to perfect the flavours and aromas in wine once the alcohol is removed? When that wine comes off the spinning cone column, it's not a pleasant drink. It's extremely acidic. You've concentrated the acids by about a third, and as well, you've lost all the flavor. Also the flavor that balances out all that acid is gone as well. We need to do a lot of work in building that back up. We should use more tools that we have to try to build some of these up, to build flavor. Now, of course, from the economics behind this, these are not expensive products. So we can't just whack everything in there and hope for the best. We have to have some judiciousness when it comes to how much these things cost and how much you can add, and how we can do this to recover what we've taken out and put back so that it's more cost effective. This is all part of the research that we're working on. Why do some non-alcoholic wines keep their fruity aromas while others seem to lose everything? When the yeast eat the sugar in the grape juice, those sugars are all attached to all kinds of other chemical compounds. The yeast come along, they eat the sugar, and release the flavor compound. And so those fermentation products, most of them are esters and organic acids. Now the esters are the really pretty things that we smell, all the fruity flavors. And the organic acid portions of those, they're less appealing. Now, when you put those through the dealcoholization machine, the spinning cone column in particular, you get the stinky stuff staying, and you get the nice stuff going. Within Sauvignon Blanc, you lose the acetate, but actually three-mercaptohexanol smells lovely. It smells like passion fruit, and so that stays. Where if your wine doesn't have thiols, something like Chardonnay, which is much lower in thiols, you don't get that retention of that character. About Dr. Wes Pearson Dr Wes Pearson is a senior research scientist and sensory group manager at the Australian Wine Research Institute in Adelaide. He holds a BSc in Wine Biochemistry from the University of British Columbia, a diploma in Applied Sensory and Consumer Science from the University of California Davis and a PhD from Charles Sturt University. He has worked in the sensory group at the AWRI since 2010 and has completed hundreds of sensory studies and authored over 25 research papers in that time. He is an alumnus of the Len Evans Tutorial and of Wine Australia's Future Leaders program and sits on the board of directors for the McLaren Vale Grape Wine and Tourism Association. He has judged at multiple capital city and regional wine shows and has been an educator/judge for the AWRI's Advanced Wine Assessment Course for more than a decade. He is also an accomplished winemaker, having made wine in Canada and France, and currently makes wine under his Juxtaposed label in McLaren Vale, South Australia. To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/371.

What really happens when the world's most expensive wines are tasted blind, without their labels or reputations? Why is the Len Evans Tutorial considered such a valuable experience in the wine world? How did Grenache go from a filler grape to one that producers take seriously? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Dr Wes Pearson, a senior research scientist at the Australian Wine Research Institute in Adelaide. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks. Highlights How did a curiosity for astrophysics shape Wes's mindset as a wine researcher and sensory scientist? Why does Wes believe that the more you learn about wine, the more you realize how little you know? Why does Wes see scientific research and hands-on winemaking as complementary approaches? What role did the Len Evans Tutorial play in shaping his palate and wine judging standards? What is it like to taste hundreds of benchmark wines blind, including Domaine de la Romanée Conti? How did Wes's internship at Château Léoville Las Cases reveal the depth of precision and investment behind elite Bordeaux wines? What drew Wes to McLaren Vale and how did the region reshape his priorities as a winemaker? Why was Grenache long treated as a filler grape in McLaren Vale? How does sensory science work to eliminate bias? Why are trained professionals often excluded from traditional sensory panels? What kinds of unconscious bias can labels, color, and context introduce when tasting wine? How does pivot profiling allow winemakers and sommeliers to use their technical language productively? What's behind the rapid improvement in no and low alcohol wines? Key Takeaways The current vintage of the Romanée-Conti Grand Cru, or that vineyard, is about $15,000 on release. They're not wines that are generally bought and drunk. They're bought as investments. And they're kind of these holy grail wines that you would never get a chance to see otherwise. And not only is it great to taste them, but you taste them blind. The Len Evans Tutorial is a one-week immersive tasting session with the world's greatest wines. Not just Australian wines. You have a bracket of Pinot Noir, and within that, you've got DRC and you've also got all of the great Australian examples as well. It's meant to set your benchmarks for what is the world standard and what is the Australian standard. Historically, Grenache was the filler in blends. Grenache loves the heat so you can leave it out in the vineyard. The Shiraz has to come in first. "We'll get the Grenache later when we have some space in the winery." It was used to fill up the blends. It had lots of flavor. It always had lots of alcohol as well. Then around 2010, a few producers started saying, we've got some pretty good resource here. Maybe we should think about investing a bit more time and effort into what we've got with Grenache. About Dr. Wes Pearson Dr Wes Pearson is a senior research scientist and sensory group manager at the Australian Wine Research Institute in Adelaide. He holds a BSc in Wine Biochemistry from the University of British Columbia, a diploma in Applied Sensory and Consumer Science from the University of California Davis and a PhD from Charles Sturt University. He has worked in the sensory group at the AWRI since 2010 and has completed hundreds of sensory studies and authored over 25 research papers in that time. He is an alumnus of the Len Evans Tutorial and of Wine Australia's Future Leaders program and sits on the board of directors for the McLaren Vale Grape Wine and Tourism Association. He has judged at multiple capital city and regional wine shows and has been an educator/judge for the AWRI's Advanced Wine Assessment Course for more than a decade. He is also an accomplished winemaker, having made wine in Canada and France, and currently makes wine under his Juxtaposed label in McLaren Vale, South Australia. To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/370.

How did one Viognier go from the brink of extinction to being planted around the world? Why is the Mistral one of the most miserable experiences for people, yet a saviour for Rhône vineyards? Why is working with bush vines so much harder than trellised vineyards? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Matt Walls, author of the terrific new book The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks. Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Matt Walls' terrific new book, The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck! Highlights What are the famous galets roulés of Châteauneuf du Pape and what is it like to experience them in person? How do the galets affect vineyard work and vine training? What is the Mistral wind and why is it both miserable for people and essential for vineyard health? Why is Hermitage Hill considered one of the clearest visual explanations of terroir anywhere in France? What does tasting Hermitage at the top of the hill reveal about the emotional connection to place and wine? How does whole bunch fermentation change the aroma, texture, and alcohol level of Syrah in the northern Rhône? How close did Viognier come to extinction after World War II, and who was responsible for saving it in Condrieu? What makes Viognier from Condrieu feel different than versions grown in warmer regions? How did Château Rayas redefine Châteauneuf-du-Pape? Why did the extreme heat of the 2022 vintage affect Rhône wines? Why is Tavel better understood as a pale red rather than a modern Rosé? Key Takeaways How did one Viognier go from the brink of extinction to being planted around the world? Very close. So there was about 6 or 7 hectares left... about the size of three football pitches. That's it. That was the only place in the world. I mean, that's where it comes from. In the 1960s and after the Second World War, a lot of the vineyards died. People couldn't fetch high prices for wine, so quantity was more important than quality. So people were just planting on the flat, basically where it was easy to farm instead of on the slopes of Condrieu, which are very difficult to grow on. So it got pretty much abandoned. It was down to one man whose name was Georges Vernay from Domaine Georges Vernay, which still exists today, still makes excellent wines. And he rallied the local winemakers. He believed in the grape. He knew how good it could be, and he encouraged people to replant, to rework the vineyards and, and saved the grape. You find it all around the world. And so if it wasn't for Georges back in the 60s, deciding, no, I want to save this variety, maybe we wouldn't have it at all, which would be terrible. Why is the Mistral one of the most miserable experiences for people, yet a saviour for Rhône vineyards? The mistral is a very strong north wind. It whistles down the valley. It can be extremely boisterous. It's cold north wind. if it's quite a hot day, it's never nice. It's always horrible. Even on a hot day. When it blows hard, it can be quite difficult to stand up in a vineyard. It's an amazing phenomenon. It's cold and it's really dry. So often when it does rain in the southern Rhône and in the northern Rhône, you risk getting vineyard diseases. But the mistral often it blows after it rains. So it will dry out the vineyards. It's like a natural disinfectant. it means that you can keep your grapes hanging on the vine for longer. So it is a huge benefit. Why is working with bush vines so much harder than trellised vineyards? You hear about these galets roulés, these rounded stones, but when you see them, just in the vineyards for as far as the eye can see, they're very striking to see and difficult to walk on. you can quite easily turn your ankle if you're not careful with what you're doing. So if you're in a vineyard of galets, what you'll see is these bush vines. That's the most common way of training vines in the southern Rhône, particularly Châteauneuf-du-Pape. You do see a bit of trellising, but with Grenache, you don't have to… they're naturally self-supporting. With Syrah, for example, you do have to train it on wires because it just grows like mad, and otherwise it would just be flopping around all over the floor. And you need to lift up the foliage in order to get it exposed to the sun and get the grapes off the ground. Grenache doesn't grow in such an exuberant fashion. It grows a little bit more slowly, and the trunks get a little bit thicker. But they're much harder to work as well. So, the thing about those bush vines is that you have to tend them in a 360 degree fashion rather than trellis vines, which you kind of have to work on both sides, but without kind of working around it 360 degrees. But the galets… they are troublesome and they are difficult to move and they take a lot of strength. So, yeah, I wouldn't like to work on them personally. That takes a lot of work. About Matt Walls Matt Walls is an award-winning freelance wine writer, author and consultant who contributes to various UK and international publications such as Club Oenologique and Decanter, where he is a contributing editor. He also judges wine and food competitions, develops wine apps and presents trade and consumer tastings. Matt is interested in all areas of wine, but specialises in the Rhône Valley – he is Regional Chair for the Rhône at the Decanter World Wine Awards. To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/369.

Which French wine region banned flying saucers from landing in its vineyards and why is the rule still there? How did the devastating February 1956 frost reshape the southern Rhône into the vineyard landscape we know today? What sets the northern Rhone apart from the south in terms of grapes and winemaking style? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Matt Walls, author of The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks. Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Matt Walls' terrific new book, The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck! Highlights How did a family picnic become a memorable introduction to the northern Rhone? How did a visit to a small producer in Crozes Hermitage turn into an unforgettable travel mishap? Why does Châteauneuf du Pape have a rule specifically forbidding the landing of flying saucers in vineyards? How is the Rhone Valley laid out geographically and what distinguishes the northern Rhone from the southern Rhone? How much wine does the Rhone produce each year compared to other regions in France? What was the moment that made Matt fall in love with Hermitage wines? What was it like for Matt to move his family from London to a village near Avignon? How does the culture of Rhone winemakers differ from regions like Bordeaux or Champagne? What practical advice does Matt have for getting the most out of visits to Rhone wineries? What makes The Smart Traveler's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley different from other wine books? What unexpected part of his research led Matt to fall in love with Lyon? Key Takeaways Within the Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the cahiers des charges, which is basically the rulebook on how you're allowed to make wine within the appellation, has a statement that says, "Winemakers may not use their vineyards to land flying saucers." This was put in in the 1960s, when there was a big panic about flying saucers and little green men. I think it's easier just to leave it there than to go through the whole rigmarole for getting it removed. The devastating February 1956 frost was a turning point in how people lived, worked, and farmed in the southern Rhone. Before that point, it was very much a kind of polycultural land. Individual estates would have olives, grapevines, fig trees, carrots, wheat, and so it was a mixed agriculture. But after 1956, this really wiped out the olive trees. People needed something that would give them a crop immediately in order for them to survive and chose grapevines. One of the big differences between the northern Rhone and the southern Rhone is that the northern Rhone, they only use one red grape variety, which is Syrah. In the south, they have a whole smorgasbord of different grape varieties and the culture there is to blend. Also they have quite a single-vineyard way of working. The estates tend to be very small in the northern Rhone compared to the southern Rhone. About Matt Walls Matt Walls is an award-winning freelance wine writer, author and consultant who contributes to various UK and international publications such as Club Oenologique and Decanter, where he is a contributing editor. He also judges wine and food competitions, develops wine apps and presents trade and consumer tastings. Matt is interested in all areas of wine, but specialises in the Rhône Valley – he is Regional Chair for the Rhône at the Decanter World Wine Awards. To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/368.

Why are so many Swiss vineyards planted on dangerous terrain? How do the "three suns of Lavaux" shape the ripeness and character of Chasselas? Which unexpected historical figure owns the world's smallest vineyard in Switzerland? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Simon Hardy, author of the terrific new book The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks. Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Simon Hardy's terrific new book, The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck! Highlights What makes Switzerland's vertiginous vineyards some of the most dangerous in the world to farm? How do growers move grapes from inaccessible cliffside plots during harvest? Why were vineyards historically planted on seemingly impossible terrain? What triggered Switzerland's quality revolution in the 1980s, and how did opening trade with the European Union transform the country's wine standards? How do the "three suns of Lavaux" shape the ripeness and character of Chasselas? Why does the Dalai Lama own the world's smallest vineyard and how did it become a wine tourism landmark? What makes Completer one of Switzerland's most unusual native grapes? How did the Three Lakes region popularize the term "eye of the partridge" for pale Rosé and why did it slip beyond their control? What does the Röstigraben reveal about Switzerland's linguistic and cultural divide? If you were visiting Switzerland's wine regions for the first time, which areas are must-visits? How do raclette and chocolate highlight Switzerland's expression of terroir? Why might export growth and wine tourism shape the future of Switzerland's alpine wine identity? About Simon Hardy Simon Hardy brings a rare blend of multinational brand marketing and entrepreneurial flair in the world of wine. Simon champions Swiss wine in the UK, organising Swiss Wine Week London for Swiss Wine Promotion. He is also the co-founder of Alpina Vina, a cross-border guide to Alpine wine regions, including documentary films he writes and presents. Simon also wrote The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland, which has just been published by the Académie du Vin Library with Club Oenologique. He is also a Regional Ambassador for Switzerland at The Old Vine Conference and a judge for the International Wine Challenge since 2018. To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/367.

Why You Can't Buy Switzerland's Exceptional Wines Abroad? Why does Switzerland grow so many grape varieties, and which ones are the key players that define the country's wine regions? What makes high-altitude wine regions uniquely capable of producing wines that balance great concentration without being too heavy? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Simon Hardy, author of The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks. Giveaway Two of you are going to win a copy of Simon Hardy's terrific new book, The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck! Highlights How did a teenage exchange trip to a small Burgundy wine family spark Simon's lifelong fascination with wine? What did he discover about everyday French wine culture while living with a Burgundian family? How did a simple holiday job in London unexpectedly expand Simon's exposure to the world of wine? What impact did nearly two decades in Switzerland have on Simon's understanding of vineyards, terroir, and regional identity? How did a 30-page free e-book on Swiss wine evolve into a major publishing project? What makes The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland different? Why is Switzerland's wine industry so small and so little Swiss wine found abroad? How do Switzerland's six wine regions differ in grapes, climate, language, and vineyard culture? Why does the country grow more Pinot Noir than Chile, yet remain almost invisible in global wine conversations? What makes Chasselas the quiet backbone of Swiss white wine? How do classic Swiss foods showcase the subtlety of Chasselas? What does extreme altitude viticulture reveal about the character of Switzerland's mountain wines? Key Takeaways Why is Swiss wine such a rarity worldwide even though it's highly regarded? As Simon explains, Switzerland… is a small country, but when it comes to the wine sector, virtually everything is relatively small-scale. So in terms of producers of in excess of a million bottles, there are very few of them. The majority are small family-run businesses producing somewhere between 50 to 70,000 bottles a year. It's very rare that a single producer will have a single grape planted and be a specialist and expert in that grape. they would have at least 6 to 10 grape varieties planted, if not even more, and be very proud of the fact that they have this diversity in their vineyards. Each wine is a relatively small quantity and most of it stays in the country. It's less than 2% that gets exported. Why does Switzerland grow so many grape varieties, and which ones are the key players that define the country's wine regions? So other than Chasselas, there's Pinot Noir, which is actually the most planted grape in Switzerland. There's more Pinot Noir produced in Switzerland than in Chile. Gamay, and Merlot. Those are the big four in about two-thirds of the vineyards. you've got an incredibly long list of those 253. lots of very small plantings of… largely insignificant varieties, often experimental. The others I went for were those where they play a significant role within a given region. What makes high-altitude wine regions uniquely capable of producing wines that balance great concentration without being too heavy? I didn't do a word count in the book, but I think the terminology 'alpine freshness' probably gets repeated a few times. This diurnal variation is absolutely critical. You get more than adequate sunlight and sun hours during the day in summer for full ripening, not an issue. But you get these plunging temperatures at night, which helps to maintain the acidity levels. So you get the perfect combination of fresh acidity and phenomenal ripeness. Put the two together, that is probably if there's any calling card. And it's not just Swiss wine. It's the same story in Valtellina, in Aosta Valley in Italy, in Alto Adige, in Savoie. The effect of being in these mountainous areas, where you can plant at altitude but where you have this big drop off in temperature at nighttime. About Simon Hardy Simon Hardy brings a rare blend of multinational brand marketing and entrepreneurial flair in the world of wine. Simon champions Swiss wine in the UK, organising Swiss Wine Week London for Swiss Wine Promotion. He is also the co-founder of Alpina Vina, a cross-border guide to Alpine wine regions, including documentary films he writes and presents. Simon also wrote The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to Switzerland, which has just been published by the Académie du Vin Library with Club Oenologique. He is also a Regional Ambassador for Switzerland at The Old Vine Conference and a judge for the International Wine Challenge since 2018. To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/366.

Why do certain spices and dishes show up far from their origins, and how can tracing these cultural "foodways" change the way we think about wine and food pairing? Why did Cha create her own flavour wheel rather than rely on traditional wine-tasting vocabulary? How can expanding your flavour vocabulary through travel, food, and culture help us describe wine in ways that feel relatable? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Cha McCoy, author of the new book Wine Pairing for the People. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks. Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Cha McCoy's terrific new book, Wine Pairing for the People: The Communion of Wine, Food, and Culture from Africa and Beyond. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck! Highlights Which one of Cha's wine and food pairings might receive the most pushback from traditionalists? What does cultural terroir mean? How do cultural factors influence a country's wine preferences and the wine styles it produces? Why does Brazil's vibrant culture make sparkling wine such a natural fit? What are foodways, and how does the journey of ingredients and dishes inform the cultural connections between food and wine pairings across continents? How did Cha navigate pairing wines for Senegalese dishes when her formal training had not prepared her for those flavours? Why does Cha recommend rich, aromatic white wines for onion and garlic-heavy dishes? How did tasting local drinks expand Cha's wine vocabulary and approach to wine education for diverse audiences? Why did Cha create her own flavour wheel that included references and descriptors that differ from traditional industry flavour wheels? How can building a personal flavour wheel help drinkers trust their own palates and avoid feeling intimidated by industry jargon? What change would Cha make to wine education to make it more globally inclusive? Key Takeaways Why do certain spices and dishes show up far from their origins, and how can tracing these cultural "foodways" change the way we think about wine and food pairing? You'll see Peri Peri often, and you're nowhere near South Africa, which says a lot about foodways. That act of tracing it back is the foodways. Why did Cha create her own flavour wheel rather than rely on traditional wine-tasting vocabulary? The flavour wheel is commonly used in beginner wine classes to help folks navigate deductive tasting. Why would I start throwing in references that I don't use and smell often? Let's say saffron, turmeric, these are spices that are in my spice cabinet because I cook with them. I find them in wine, even though the WSET vocabulary doesn't use them. You can build your own flavour wheel. How can expanding your flavour vocabulary through travel, food, and culture help us describe wine in ways that feel relatable? Visiting Turkey and Morocc, made Cha understand their drinking culture. Knowing what that background is helps her explain wines that were… I can translate this wine, knowing that fact about them, or in a restaurant that I know, or a chef making a dish that's related to this. I wanted to stay away from using vocabularies that is not, you know, if I'm talking to my demographic, I know where they're from, and I know what they're drinking, or I know what they're eating. And so when you are traveling, immersed in fruits and juices, different ways that you can have that. And now it adds to your own lexicon. About Cha McCoy Cha McCoy, MBA, is an entrepreneur, educator, event producer, and author. As a certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, she developed The Communion, a wine dinner series that offers an inviting, accessible approach to gathering and enjoying wine. This experience inspired her to open her first retail space, The Communion Wine & Spirits. The dinner series was profiled in Food & Wine, and Cha was named one of Wine Enthusiast's 40 Under 40. Her work continues through her highly anticipated book, Wine Pairing for the People: The Communion of Wine, Food, and Culture from Africa and Beyond, available now for pre-order and scheduled for release in November. Cha has held coveted positions such as Cherry Bombe Magazine's first beverage director, the head of beverage for the Charleston Wine + Food Festival, and a sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Portugal and John Fraser Restaurant in New York. To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/365.

How can you pair wine with spicy dishes in a way that enhances their flavour profile? Why do most wine-pairing guides ignore the traditions of global cuisines? How can you use wine pairings to explore under-the-radar wine regions instead of reaching for the same rosé or sparkling wine every time? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Cha McCoy, author of the terrific new book Wine Pairing for the People. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks. Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Cha McCoy's terrific new book, Wine Pairing for the People: The Communion of Wine, Food, and Culture from Africa and Beyond. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck! Highlights Which moment in Italy transformed Cha's wine hobby into a professional calling? What inspired Cha to launch The Communion, a wine dinner series in Harlem? How did those shared wine experiences help guests learn, connect, and form a community? What challenges did Cha face when opening The Communion Wine and Spirits in Syracuse? How does Cha's new book, Wine Pairing for the People, step away from traditional pairing rules to explore often-ignored global cuisines? How should you think about the key flavour components when pairing wine and food? How can underrepresented wine regions and lesser-known styles expand pairing possibilities? What is the most unusual or surprising wine-and-food pairing in Wine Pairing for the People? How can spice-lovers think about choosing wines to enhance dishes like jerk chicken? Key Takeaways How can you pair wine with spicy dishes in a way that enhances their flavour profile? By playing up to the flavours of the spicy dish. For folks who can take a little bit of spice, by finding the elements within the seasoning, you can do more of a comparison than contrasting, which is what we're normally taught. Why do most wine-pairing guides ignore the traditions of global cuisines? When it comes to wine pairings for food from different cultures, most guides focus heavily on the Western world or European food culture. These would be really thick books that talked in depth about the pairings, but also lacked context. That was something Cha wanted to really challenge. How can you use wine pairings to explore under-the-radar wine regions instead of reaching for the same rosé or sparkling wine every time? There is something to say about exploring not just the cultures that we're pairing with, but different wines from different regions and underrepresented regions. Let's explore, maybe, an underrepresented region that does sparkling wine and sparkling rosé really well to give you an alternative. There are many ways you can have Rosé, Chardonnay, or sparkling wine that will give you a different effect. About Cha McCoy Cha McCoy, MBA, is an entrepreneur, educator, event producer, and author. As a certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, she developed The Communion, a wine dinner series that offers an inviting, accessible approach to gathering and enjoying wine. This experience inspired her to open her first retail space, The Communion Wine & Spirits. The dinner series was profiled in Food & Wine, and Cha was named one of Wine Enthusiast's 40 Under 40. Her work continues through her highly anticipated book, Wine Pairing for the People: The Communion of Wine, Food, and Culture from Africa and Beyond, available now for pre-order and scheduled for release in November. Cha has held coveted positions such as Cherry Bombe Magazine's first beverage director, the head of beverage for the Charleston Wine + Food Festival, and a sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Portugal and John Fraser Restaurant in New York. To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/364.

Are high-end non-alcoholic drinks worth the price? What is the bartender's secret to great citrus-based cocktails like Margaritas or Mimosas? How do bartenders redefine a crafted cocktail without alcohol? Why does the term "Mocktail" for zero-proof non-alcoholic drinks offend many bartenders? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Elva Ramirez, author of the award-winning books Sparkling and Zero Proof. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks. Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Elva Ramirez's terrific book, Sparkling: Champagne and Sparkling Cocktails for Any Occasion. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck! Highlights How did bartenders at Dante in New York discover that burrata water could replace egg whites in a Champagne Ramos cocktail? Why should citrus juice be used within hours, and how can leftover juice be transformed instead of being wasted? What are the biggest mistakes home bartenders make with bottled juices? Why do large ice blocks make a better punch than cubes? What inspired Elva to write Zero Proof? How did she recognize that the non-alcoholic movement was becoming a lasting cultural shift? How does America's long-standing tension between loving alcohol and fearing its effects still shape drinking culture today? What was the infamous "Raines Sandwich," and how did it expose the loopholes in New York's early drinking laws? How do public declarations like temperance pledges connect to today's Dry January social media posts? Why did the US Army go completely dry in 1917 and how did that decision pave the way for Prohibition? Why do professional bartenders dislike the word mocktail and prefer the term "zero proof"? How did Seedlip, the first distilled non-alcoholic spirit, transform modern bar culture? Why are alcohol-free cocktails sometimes as expensive as traditional ones? How is the culture around not drinking changing? Why does Elva believe opting out of drinking should feel as natural as any other choice? Key Takeaways Are high-end non-alcoholic drinks worth the price? There's a real conversation happening among consumers: "Why am I paying $16 for a non-alcoholic drink?" But what you're not seeing is all the work that happened three days before to get you that drink. So what you're seeing when you get an expensive non-alcoholic drink is really the result of a lot of effort in the kitchen before it ever gets to the bar. How do bartenders redefine a crafted cocktail without alcohol? Bartenders are challenging themselves in this space. They were saying, "Okay, what if I take the alcohol out but still make something that's crafted, that still has balance?" They were doing all these really interesting experiments. They were using teas, ferments, and all these different things. That was really the seed of Zero Proof - the idea of how to continue evolving this craft and keep it inclusive. Why does the term "Mocktail" for zero-proof non-alcoholic drinks offend many bartenders? Bartenders prefer the term zero-proof, because "mock" means to make fun of or fake. They don't want the consumer to feel like they're making a lesser choice or not being seen in their choice when they order a non-alcoholic drink. They're also putting as much effort, if not more, into making these really beautiful non-alcoholic drinks. About Elva Ramirez Elva Ramirez is an author, journalist and brand strategist. She is the author of "Sparkling" and "Zero Proof," which were both finalists for Best Cocktail Book at Tales of the Cocktail in their respective years. "Sparkling" is a finalist for IACP's 2025 Best Cookbook Awards. Elva holds an MBA from CUNY Baruch College and a Master's in journalism from Columbia University. To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/363.

How did a magical Dom Pérignon Champagne tasting of 60 rare vintages reveal the surprising depth and aging potential of sparkling Rosé? What surprising role did the British play in the discovery of sparkling wine? What makes the Porn Star Martini one of the most crowd-pleasing cocktails? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Elva Ramirez, author of the award-winning books "Sparkling" and "Zero Proof." You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks. Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of Elva Ramirez's terrific book, Sparkling: Champagne and Sparkling Cocktails for Any Occasion. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck! Highlights What happened when Elva accidentally triggered an alarm at Veuve Clicquot's private estate in France? How did her career as a Wall Street Journal reporter lead her into the world of cocktails and Champagne? How did years working in restaurants teach Elva to "speak bartender" and shape her storytelling style? What was it like attending an exclusive Dom Pérignon Rosé dinner featuring decades of rare vintages? What did that tasting reveal about how aged Rosé Champagne evolves and expresses itself over time? How does Elva's book, Sparkling, showcase the creativity of world-class bartenders and Champagne houses? What surprising history did she uncover about who truly discovered sparkling wine? Why did Champagne dominate New York's Gilded Age, when most of America's supply was consumed in just a few city blocks? How did bartenders in the 1800s turn Champagne into a cultural symbol of luxury and celebration? What are the stories behind Prince Albert Edward's "Prince of Wales" cocktail and Ernest Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon"? How can you choose the right sparkling wine for cocktails? Why should Lambrusco be reconsidered as a serious, fruit-forward sparkling wine? Key Takeaways March 2016, Dom Pérignon was releasing a new Rosé vintage and threw a portfolio dinner serving every Dom Pérignon Rosé ever released. The aha moment for Elva was, up until about the mid-80s, it's still a fresh, sparkling rose that we know, but from the 80s, all of a sudden, the colour completely deepens, and all these Pinot characters just come out of it. The fact that it had aged so well surprised her. The Champagne region has been famous for wine for a very, very long time, and it's believed that people have been making wine there since before the Roman era but the English are actually credited with "discovering" sparkling wine. They figured out how to make the bubbles happen and that they liked it. The Porn Star Martini features vanilla vodka, passion-fruit purée and then separately, you're served a very cold shot of Champagne or sparkling wine. Instantly, it was a hit because the combination of vanilla and passionfruit, people get it right away. So this is like a cocktail and a shot. You can drink one and then drink the other, or you can take the shot and pour it in the glass. About Elva Ramirez Elva Ramirez is an author, journalist and brand strategist. She is the author of "Sparkling" and "Zero Proof," which were both finalists for Best Cocktail Book at Tales of the Cocktail in their respective years. "Sparkling" is a finalist for IACP's 2025 Best Cookbook Awards. Elva holds an MBA from CUNY Baruch College and a Master's in journalism from Columbia University. To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/362.