Matthew's World of Wine and Drink

This episode focuses on a lesser-known producer and region: Alto de la Ballena from Maldonado in Uruguay. Although small, Alto de la Ballena are a fantastic example of the quality of wine being made in Uruguay and the direction the country's wines is going in. Perhaps best known for the unusual, distinctive Tannat-Viognier blend, they also make superb Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and magnificent Merlot. Wines to check out if you can find them.

The second episode of the California series focuses on Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. Sonoma is the historic heart of California's commercial wine industry, the first grapes planted in 1819 and the first winery was in 1857. It's very diverse, according to exposure to the ocean, altitude, and soil types, with a wide variety of grape varieties planted. And then there's Mendocino to the north, more remote with some extremely interesting wines being made. A lot to talk about, so dive in!

My latest favourite producer is an obvious choice for a wine geek like me: Rioja's López de Heredia, an historic, traditional producer whose winery and style of wine are like going back to the nineteenth century. They produce some of the most extraordinary reds, whites, and rosés in the world - once tried, never forgotten.

Beginning a new mini-series on California with Napa Valley, the state's most famous wine region. The episode traces the history of wine production back to the 1830s, and what makes Napa so unique through the climate, soils, geography, grape varieties, and the styles of wine made there.

This series on my favourite producers doesn't just focus on famous, iconic estates but new, up-and-coming wineries that point towards the future of their region. Savage Grace is a winery in Washington State making refined, elegant, and vibrant wines that just keep getting better and better - wines that show how Washington is developing and maturing.

The production of sweet wine in Bordeaux goes back 300 years, and up until the Second World War it accounted for a third of all wine made in Bordeaux. Now it's only 2%, but the small regions of Sauternes and Barsac make some of the greatest and most iconic sweet wines of the world - definitely wines any student should know about.

White Bordeaux is severely underappreciated, it was historically very important. Plantings of white varieties are slowly beginning to rise, so there is a welcome movement back to white wine. This episode focuses on the different varieties - mainly Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon - the different appellations, and the different price points in the context of modern Bordeaux and the global market.

Continuing the focus on Bordeaux, this episode is all about Cabernet Sauvignon and the prestigious appellations associated with this world famous variety, explaining what makes Bordeaux Cabernet so individual and distinctive.

The fifth episode on my series featuring my favourite producers goes to Australia, and the great fortified wines of Rutherglen. The producer is Pfeiffer; Chris Pfeiffer started his first solera system in 1984 and now his daughter Jen is taking over the reins. As well as red and white wine, they make all the historic styles of Australian fortified wine: Muscat, Topaque, Tawny, and even Apero. No surprises given my love of fortified wine that I fell in love with this producer when I visited back in 2017...

Merlot is the most planted grape variety in Bordeaux, and is the base for wines at all price points and levels of quality. This episode focuses on the variety, its characteristics and the key Merlot-based appellations such as St-Emilion and Pomerol as well as nearby good-value alternatives.