Unreserved Wine Talk

How do wild yeasts help to bring out unique qualities in wine? What’s involved in farming and making wine sustainably? How does changing the temperature of your wine impact the tasting experience? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with winemaker Carolyn Hurst. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you in Canada will win a bottle of one of Carolyn's fabulous wines. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and tell me that you’d like to win a copy. I'll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights How do Canadian shipping regulations impact winemakers? What can wine lovers do to help with changing overly-restrictive policies? Which types of wine can you get from Westcott Vineyards? Why does Carolyn prefer using wild yeast to ferment Westcott wines? What is it about Lilias Ahearn Massey that inspired Carolyn to name a wine after her? Who is the inspiration behind Westcott’s Violette wine? What’s involved in farming and making wine sustainably? How did Westcott make their wines vegan and vegetarian-friendly? Which unpopular wine opinion does Carolyn hold? Why would Carolyn want to share a bottle of wine with a stoic? Which fun wine tip can you try this week?   Key Takeaways I was fascinated to hear how wild yeasts help to bring out unique qualities in wine and what’s involved in farming and making wine sustainably. I agree with Carolyn about how profoundly changing the temperature of wine impacts the tasting experience. I also agree that liquor monopolies and licensing based on prohibition-era legislation are preventing Canadian winemakers from being able to legally ship their wines across the country. That needs to change, especially for an industry where each producer is so small that they often don’t produce enough to fulfill large liquor store chain orders and so they depend on direct orders from customers.   Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer? Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621   About Carolyn Hurst Carolyn Hurst is president of Westcott Vineyards in Niagara, Ontario, which she founded with her husband Grant Westcott in 2006. Since 2017, she has been the Chair of the Board at Ontario Craft Wineries, representing more than 100 wineries in the province. Previously, she has been the president of three successful technology companies. She also has significant experience in the restaurant/hospitality industry earlier on in her career. She is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/239.

Why is it a good idea for winemakers to invest in old vines? What does it mean to be a good steward of the land? What unique challenges does the Ontario wine industry face in the next five years? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with winemaker Carolyn Hurst. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you in Canada will win a bottle of one of Carolyn's fabulous wines. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and tell me that you’d like to win a copy. I'll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights Which entrepreneurial game did Carolyn love to play as a child? How did summer school in France change Carolyn’s life? What made Carolyn want to get involved in the wine business? Which special moment was the most memorable for Carolyn in her wine career so far? Why is it a good idea to invest in old vines? How does Carolyn’s motivation to be a good steward of the land inform her business decisions? What is the Niagara Escarpment, and how does its unique features influence its wine? Why does limestone soil impart a specific taste to wines? What’s holding Ontario wines back from increasing local market share? Which basic facts should you be aware of when it comes to the Ontario wine industry? Which challenges are being faced by Ontario wineries, and what is needed to achieve economic sustainability?   Key Takeaways Carolyn’s explanation of why old vines are precious and important to the quality of the wine makes a solid case for winemakers to invest in them. I like how Carolyn describes being a good steward of the land for the next generation and making that a big part of her consciousness in terms of how she operates. I was intrigued by Carolyn’s description of the unique challenges the Ontario wine industry faces in the next five years and was surprised at both its economic impact and that the wines still aren’t well represented on many wine lists.   Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer? Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621   About Carolyn Hurst Carolyn Hurst is president of Westcott Vineyards in Niagara, Ontario, which she founded with her husband Grant Westcott in 2006. Since 2017, she has been the Chair of the Board at Ontario Craft Wineries, representing more than 100 wineries in the province. Previously, she has been the president of three successful technology companies. She also has significant experience in the restaurant/hospitality industry earlier on in her career. She is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/238.  

What does regenerative viticulture mean? How do healthy vineyards today look dramatically different from those five years ago? How did the Wine Olympics make the results of the Judgement of Paris undeniable? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Mark Gudgel. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks     Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Mark's new book, Rise of Napa Valley Wineries: How the Judgment of Paris Put California Wine on the Map. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and tell me that you’d like to win a copy. I'll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights How did the Wine Olympics make the results of the Judgement of Paris undeniable? What did the people of Napa do to preserve the beauty of the valley? What does regenerative viticulture mean? How is climate change impacting the California wine industry? What surprised Mark the most when researching the book? What needs to change to improve the terribly low levels of diversity in the wine industry? Which aspects of The Rise of Napa Valley Wineries would Mark change in a new edition? What's Mark’s greatest satisfaction having written this book? Where’s the ideal place to have a glass of wine with friends and why? Why does Mark describe the 2017 Smith-Madrone Riesling as the perfect Riesling? What did Mark love about Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run? Which controversial wine opinion does Mark feel strongly about? What does Mark want you to know about Oakville, Napa Valley?   Key Takeaways Mark’s definition of regenerative viticulture was helpful. I especially like his observation that the new vision for a beautiful vineyard is rows of well-maintained grapevines with a tremendous diversity of life living within it. I agree with him that if we resign ourselves to merely sustaining where we are, we have resigned ourselves to a long, slow death. I enjoyed his story about how the Wine Olympics made the results of the Judgement of Paris undeniable. It’s also undeniable that the wine industry has a long way to go, with only four African-American Master Sommeliers, and only 10% of Master Sommeliers being women.   Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer? Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621   About Mark Gudgel Dr. Mark Gudgel is an eighteen-year veteran of teaching high school English and presently serves as assistant professor of education at the College of Saint Mary in Omaha. His book, The Rise of Napa Valley Wineries: How the Judgment of Paris put California wine on the map, focuses on the wine industry and issues that surround it, and was released from History Press in May of 2023.       To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/237.

Are you curious about the most important historic tasting that put California wines on the map? What unique challenges did pioneer winemakers face in California? What would surprise you about how the California wine industry developed? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Mark Gudgel. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Mark's new book, Rise of Napa Valley Wineries: How the Judgment of Paris Put California Wine on the Map. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and tell me that you’d like to win a copy. I'll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights When did Mark realize he wanted to write about wine? How did Mark develop his professional interest and expertise in genocide education? What has been the worst moment of Mark’s writing career so far and what did he learn from it? Which moments have created the best memories in Mark’s writing career? What’s the significance of the “Judgement of Paris” and why was Mark drawn to the story? What will you learn in Mark’s new book, Rise of Napa Valley Wineries? Who were some of the early pioneers of Napa Valley wineries? How were the Judgement of Paris reenactments done? What are aged California wines like? What are some of the inaccuracies in the movie Bottle Shock? Why was Robert Mondavi instrumental in transforming the California wine industry?   Key Takeaways I didn't realize how pivotal the 1976 Paris tasting was not only for California wines but also for other New World wines around the globe. With Mark’s explanation, I can see how its ramifications spread. What was so amazing was that these wines were tasted blind. No one knew the identity of the wines, and they were judged by French experts. It was the French experts saying California at the top. It was fascinating to hear about the unique challenges pioneer winemakers faced in California. It’s a wonder that they persevered in the face of such huge obstacles. I also enjoyed hearing about the surprising way the California wine industry developed.   About Mark Gudgel Dr. Mark Gudgel is an eighteen-year veteran of teaching high school English and presently serves as assistant professor of education at the College of Saint Mary in Omaha. After honeymooning in Wine Country, Mark and his wife, Sonja, began a wine blog and soon after he was recruited as a regular correspondent for American Winery Guide. From there, Gudgel went on to write for Food & Spirits, Dine, Edible Omaha, and numerous other publications. His book, The Rise of Napa Valley Wineries: How the Judgment of Paris put California wine on the map, focuses on the wine industry and issues that surround it, and was released from History Press in May of 2023.       To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/236.

How can wineries use technology to better connect with customers online? What can you expect from the tasting rooms of the future? What matters most when you taste wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Jessica Kogan, a digital brand marketing executive who has successfully launched brands such as Gucci, Prada, Charles Schwab, Cameron Hughes, and now Vintage Wine Estates. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you will win a special bottle of wine from one of the wineries in Jessica Kogan's portfolio. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and tell me that you’d like to win a copy. I'll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights What's unique about the way Cameron Hughes wines are made? What was the most satisfying part of launching Cameron Hughes Wine online? Why does Jessica particularly love connecting directly with her customers? How is wine significant to social settings and special moments? How did Jessica’s experience with the president of Vintage Wine Estates empower her as a woman leader? Which technology can help to connect tasting room employees with customers online? How have virtual tastings become a big part of the winery experience since COVID-19? What can you expect from a virtual tasting experience? What’s Jessica’s vision of the tasting room of the future? What makes Cherry Pie Pinot Noir an excellent wine-tasting experience? Which dishes would pair well with Baillie-Grohman Gewürztraminer? What is it about Winemaker's Cut Muscat Canelli that brings renewal and hope to mind? What does Jessica love about Cameron Hughes Lot 894 | 2020 Columbia Valley Merlot? Which bottle of wine would Jessica love to be able to share with Ruth Bader Ginsberg?   Key Takeaways Jessica is so visionary in how she sees wineries using technology to better connect with customers online rather than making the experience less personal. I also enjoyed her insights into how tasting rooms of the future will change to better tailor the in-person experience for visitors. And she’s absolutely right that what matters most when you taste wine is whether or not it suits your taste.   Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621   About Jessica Kogan Jessica Kogan is a brand marketing and digital transformation executive with a seriously successful track record of launching CPG brands and DTC businesses that scale. As the Chief Growth & Experience Officer at Vintage Wine Estates (NASDAQ: VWE) her role is to drive the VWE digital transformation roadmap, unifying DTC, eGrocery and Supply Chain enabling customer satisfaction and employee empowerment. Most recently as the Chief Marketing & Digital Officer, Jessica led DTC division growth from $30 million to $100 million in less than 3 years.       To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/235.

How will new technology affect the way you buy and learn about wine in the future? What does it take to launch a winery into the digital space? Which aspects of the fashion industry could the wine industry benefit from emulating? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Jessica Kogan, a digital brand marketing executive who has successfully launched brands such as Gucci, Prada, Charles Schwab, Cameron Hughes, and now Vintage Wine Estates. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you will win a special bottle of wine from one of the wineries in Jessica Kogan's portfolio. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and tell me that you’d like to win a copy. I'll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights What drew Jess to a career in the fashion industry? What were the challenges of bringing a fashion brand online in the early days of the internet? Are there similarities between the fashion and wine industries? How does the wine industry tap into our aspirations and fantasies? What are the major differences between the fashion and wine industries? Why does the wine industry need to do a better job of delivering wine to customers? Why is it important to have transparent ingredient labeling for wine? How did Jess get into the world of wine?   Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer? Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621   About Jessica Kogan Jessica Kogan is a brand marketing and digital transformation executive with a seriously successful track record of launching CPG brands and DTC businesses that scale. As the Chief Growth & Experience Officer at Vintage Wine Estates (NASDAQ: VWE) her role is to drive the VWE digital transformation roadmap, unifying DTC, eGrocery and Supply Chain enabling customer satisfaction and employee empowerment. Most recently as the Chief Marketing & Digital Officer, Jessica led DTC division growth from $30 million to $100 million in less than 3 years.       To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/234.

Which California wine should be at the top of your must-try list? Which simple tips can you use to identify successful food and wine pairings? What should you know before starting a podcast? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Chuck Cramer, host of On The Road With Mr CA Wine. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights Why did I start the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast? What was the motivation behind Chuck creating On The Road With Mr CA Wine? Why was time the biggest challenge in producing my podcast? How do you keep content fresh over hundreds of episodes? What are my favourite wine tips? How can you use the butter/lemon test to help with food and wine pairing? What’s the weirdest successful food pairing I’ve had with Rosé How can food alter your perception of a wine’s taste? What makes asparagus and artichoke difficult to pair with wine? What do you need to know about the Canadian wine industry? Which Canadian wines should be on your must-try list? Are California wines popular in Canada? How has my perception of California wines changed over the past 10 years? Why is Paso Robles at the top of my list of California wine regions to visit? What's the best-value California wine I’ve tasted recently? What advice would I give to someone thinking of starting a podcast? As a child, what did I want to be when I grew up? If I could have any celebrity guest on my podcast, who would it be? If money’s no object, which bottle of California wine would I open with dinner tonight?   Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer? Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621   About Chuck Cramer Chuck Cramer is a 4th generation Los Angeleno, living in London for the past 22 years. In addition to hosting a wine podcast dedicated to CA wine, On The Road With Mr CA Wine, Chuck is the director of European sales & marketing for Terlato Wines, managing a gorgeous portfolio of CA wines across the UK, Europe and the Middle East. He’s also the proud dad of two beautiful women, plays tennis four times a week and bleeds Dodger Blue!         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/233.

How does slick wine marketing encourage us to drink too much? Has anything really changed in the wine industry in the last ten years since the incidents in the book took place? How is sexism still embedded in wine tasting notes today? What would I advise young women and men entering the wine business today? I’ll be sharing those stories and more in this special episode of my podcast. My new memoir Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much just launched yesterday, May 9th in Canada. It will launch in the US and around the world June 6th, and it’s also available for pre-order now. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights Why was it particularly difficult to face the challenges of divorce and defamation as the caregiver of a teenage son and an elderly mother? While this book deals with serious issues, there’s lots of humour. How do you strike a balance between the two? Do you approach things differently now than before? Has anything really changed in the wine industry since that time? What would you say to young women and men who want to enter the wine business? What does that world without misogyny or sexism look like? Can you share an example of how sexism is embedded in wine tasting notes? What’s the difference between sexist, sexy, and sensual writing? In the book, your partner calls you “princess,” and another writer calls you “sweetheart.” Are you bothered by these? Throughout your memoir, you describe the slick marketing that encourages women to drink too much. Can you elaborate on this? Why include stories of women behind wine labels? You're a supertaster. What does that mean? If you could be a wine, which one would it be? What was your most interesting wine experience? Which wines do you enjoy drinking on your own time these days? What does terroir mean to you? What is a guilty pleasure when it comes to pairing wine and food? What’s in your wine guide for book clubs, wine groups and individual readers, and where can we get it? How can we find out more about the $397 Bonus Bundle with pre-orders and where to buy the book? Are there any book launch events coming up? For those who may be going through difficult times themselves, what advice do you have? What’s next for you?   Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer? Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/232.

How did I first fall in love with wine? Do I feel more exposed now for having written this third book? What are my best tips for moderate drinking? I’ll be sharing those stories and more in this special episode of my podcast as we get closer to the May 9th launch of my new memoir Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Join me for my Toronto Launch Party Save your spot now for this invite-only book launch event and tasting. Treat yourself to a private book launch party and wine tasting in Toronto on Wednesday, May 10th at 6 p.m.! * Enjoy access to the (very) swanky private club, Clio, in downtown Toronto * Savour three outstanding Creekside wines as I guide you in a wine tasting * Enjoy my hilarious and heartfelt stories about working in the world of wine * Learn about the professional challenges when drinking is your day job * Discover how to become a savvier wine buyer with my insider tips * Ask me anything about wine, writing a book, or rediscovering joy in your personal and professional life Tickets are on sale here for ONE WEEK ONLY, so get yours today before they sell out! Save your seat here: https://trk.cp20.com/click/365b-2oeeqm-cirtts-6q8qco5/ Please share this event with friends, family, and colleagues who might also be interested in attending the Toronto launch or tasting events in these other cities.   Highlights What is the book about? How did you come up with the title? How did you approach this narrative? Who is the book dedicated to? At what age did you start writing? When did you fall in love with wine? What's the story behind your worst hangover? What was your inspiration to start writing about wine? Where do you write? Who is one of your favourite authors? What was the inciting incident for this story? What was the inspiration for this book? Why write this book now? Was it difficult to write this book? Do you feel more exposed for having written this memoir? Was it difficult to write with such openness and vulnerability? How have you moderated your alcohol consumption? What are some of the reader stories that have moved you deeply? What do you expect readers to take away from this book? How has writing this memoir changed you? What’s in your wine guide for book clubs, wine groups and individual readers, and where can we get it? How can we find out more about the $397 Bonus Bundle with pre-orders and where to buy the book? Are there any book launch events coming up?   Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer? Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/231.

What's it like to work as a sommelier in a five-diamond French restaurant? How do you make the jump from writing magazine columns to becoming a regular guest on radio and television shows? How does it feel to write a book about the most difficult moments in your life? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Chuck Cramer, host of On The Road With Mr CA Wine. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights Was there one wild moment that got Natalie hooked on the world of wine? How did I go from working in the tech industry to becoming a full-time wine writer? What was the path from writing magazine columns to the multi-faceted brand today? Why does my approach to writing help my books to stand out from other wine books? What was it like working for one night as a sommelier in a Five Diamond French restaurant? What surprised Natalie the most about California wines? How is my upcoming memoir different from my previous books? Why did I decide to write such a different book the third time around? What was my highest high and lowest low while writing Wine Witch on Fire?   Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer? Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621   About Chuck Cramer Chuck Cramer is a 4th generation Los Angeleno, living in London for the past 22 years. In addition to hosting a wine podcast dedicated to CA wine, On The Road With Mr CA Wine, Chuck is the director of European sales & marketing for Terlato Wines, managing a gorgeous portfolio of CA wines across the UK, Europe and the Middle East. He’s also the proud dad of two beautiful women, plays tennis four times a week and bleeds Dodger Blue!         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/230.