145: Embarrassing Wine Moments, Oak as Ketchup & Powerful Stories

Why are sugar and oak often the ketchup of the wine world, used to hide bad grapes or poor winemaking? How did researching my first book lead to my most embarrassing wine moment? What’s the problem with biodynamic and natural wines? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm being interviewed by Paul K on the Wine Talks with Paul K podcast. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Highlights How can you navigate the shelves at the wine store when every bottle has a 90+ score? Why do I believe the individual experience is so important when it comes to wine? Why do many celebrity-backed wines seem to perform poorly? What flavours are often used to disguise low-quality wine? How did researching my first book lead to my most embarrassing wine moment? Why is storytelling so powerful? What’s the problem with biodynamic and natural wines? Why is food and wine pairing an important part of what we do as wine professionals?   About Paul Kalemkiarian Paul Kalemkiarian is the host of the podcast Wine Talks with Paul K on which he interviews wine industry royalty as well as Michelin starred chefs. He’s also the owner of America’s oldest wine club, the Original Wine of the Month Club. His expertise in the wine industry spans over 30 years. His father invented the idea of wine in the mail in 1972 and they have been serving wine enthusiasts ever since.   To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/145.

Om Podcasten

The Unreserved Wine Talk podcast features candid conversations with the most fascinating people in the wine world. Your host, award-winning journalist Natalie MacLean, dives into how it feels to compete in the nerve-wracking World's Best Sommelier Competition, the shadowy underground of wine forgery, the zany tactics of a winemaker who hosted a funeral for cork, and more. Nestled in these colourful stories are practical tips on how to choose wine from a restaurant list, pair it with food and spot great values in the liquor store. Every second episode, Natalie goes solo with an unfiltered, personal reflection on wine. She'll share with you how it feels to be a woman in what is still a largely male-dominated field, her gut reaction to the latest health study that says no amount of alcohol consumption is safe and her journey in writing her next book. She'll reveal these vulnerable, sometimes embarrassing, stories with tipsy wit and wisdom that she's soaked up from 20 years of writing about wine. This podcast is for wine lovers from novices to well-cellared aficionados.