The Tim Atkin Cork Talk Podcast (timatkincorktalk)

 Sonal Holland MW is on a one-person mission to get Indian consumers to drink more wine. Writer, wine judge, presenter, consultant and retailer, she’s one of those people who never seems to stop working. Listen to us chat about what she calls her “arranged marriage” with wine, the best bottles to look out for from the sub-continent, what she serves with spicy food and how she copes with being a high-profile woman in India.

To read more about Sonal, have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @sonalholland_masterofwine.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Santiago Achával wanted to be a classical guitarist until he realised he’d never be another Julian Bream. Instead, he studied accountancy before ending up in wine, founding one of Mendoza’s most successful bodegas, Achával Ferrer. Listen to us chat about Malbec, extreme sites, his friendship with the Italian winemaker Roberto Cipresso and what he’s achieved at Matervini after the sale of Achával Ferrer.

To read more about Santiago have a look at the Matervini website. You can also follow him on Instagram @matervini.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Nigel Greening had a number of careers – blues guitarist, designer and event organiser among other things – before he bought Felton Road in New Zealand in 2000, selling almost everything he had to do so. Listen to us chat about the climate and terroirs of Central Otago, one of the world’s most southerly wine regions, his views on biodynamics, his love of Pinot Noir and why he’s such a passionate cook.

To read more about Nigel, have a look at the Felton Road  website. You can also follow him on Instagram @longbrookluthier.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Jon Bonné started out as news journalist, writing about politics and the airline industry before falling in love with wine, where he made his name covering the California wine industry for the San Francisco Chronicle. I caught up with Jon to talk about his remarkable new book, The New French Wine, discussing terroir, appellations and what he calls the “simmering revolution” that’s changing the world’s greatest wine culture.

To read more about Jon have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @jbonne.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Born in the Barossa Valley, Dylan Grigg started out pruning vineyards and has gone on to become one of the leading viticultural consultants in the world, with a PhD and the “tractor hours” to prove it. Listen to us chat about different training systems, the character of old vines, epigenetic adaptation, organics, carbohydrate storage and what it’s like studying and working with truly historic vineyards. 

To read more about Dylan have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @gdylla.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Wojciech Bońkowski is Poland’s first Master of Wine and something of a polymath who speaks five languages and has a PhD in musicology, specialising in Chopin. I caught up with him to chat about his country’s dynamic wine industry, his weakness for strange and unknown regions, his predilection for white wines over reds, why smart practice is the way to improve as a taster and the similarities between tea and wine.

To read more about Wojciech have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @bonkowskimw. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Auctioneer, author and film producer, Andrew Caillard MW has just published The Australian Ark, his magisterial, three-volume history of Australian Wine. I caught up with him from Adelaide to talk about the peaks and troughs of the last 236 years, the iconic bottles that make up his Canon of Australian wine, old vines, the individuals who have had the greatest impact on wine Down Under and his cautious optimism about the future.

To read more about Andrew and The Australian Ark have a look at the book's website.  

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Andreas Larsson started his working life as a chef, but decided to move into wine after a trip to Burgundy and the Rhône Valley. And boy was that a good idea, because within eight years, he’d won the Best Sommelier in the World Award. Listen to us chat about his jazz guitar playing, great food and wine pairings, Sweden’s expanding vineyards and what makes a great taster.

To read more about Andreas have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @legrandsommelier.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Interviewing Christoph Hammel is a lot of fun. Sometimes described as a cellar cabaret artist, he brings a theatrical flourish to everything he does. Our fascinating chat covered the climate and soil types of his native Pfalz, his long term relationship with South Africa, his love of Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, his plans to revive the fortunes of Liebfraumilch and an insight into the wines they served in First Class on the Titanic.

To read more about Christoph have a look at his website. You can also follow his winery on Instagram @weinguthammelundcie.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Part of an extensive, wine-focused family known in Bordeaux as “les Lurtons du vin”, François Lurton runs a successful global business that has estates in southern France, Spain, Chile and Argentina, places where he finds it “easier to breathe”. Our fascinating chat covered everything from cherry trees to different Malbec clones, flying winemaking to the Dakar rally, natural wines to the differences between Chile and Argentina.

To read more about François have a look at the Domaines François Lurton website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram at @francoislurton.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

When Anthony Hamilton Russell gave up a job as a management consultant to return to the family wine farm in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, his London salary was more than the turnover of the business his pioneering father Tim had established in 1981. Our fascinating chat about the last 40 years of South Africa’s leading cool climate region covered everything from Nelson Mandela to leaf roll virus, Pinotage to sustainability in all its forms.

To read more about Anthony have a look at the Hamilton Russell Vineyards' website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram at @anthony_hamilton_russell.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Since he arrived in the country in 1991, Philip Cox has transformed the image of Romanian wine. Having first tried his hand at selling beer, he bought a run-down winery and 600 hectares of vineyards and hasn’t looked back. Today, his company – Cramele Recas – sells more than 30 million litres, using international as well as local grapes. He’s an outspoken innovator and entrepreneur, who has always believed in listening to consumers first.

To read more about Philip have a look at the Cramele Recas website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @cramelerecaseu.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

The locals laughed when Dominik Huber made his first wines at Terroir al Límit in Priorat, but he’s proved them all wrong. Born in Germany, it was his dream to live close to the Mediterranean and he’s done it, producing some of Spain’s finest reds. I caught up with him on a welcome day of rain in Catalunya to talk about Garnacha and Cariñena, slate and clay, what he learnt from South African Eben Sadie and the exciting future of Spanish fine wines.

To read more about Dominik have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @terroirallimit.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Over a 22 year academic career at the University of California Davis, Carole Meredith changed the word of wine for ever. Using genetic markers and DNA fingerprinting, she helped to identify the parents of grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, as well as solving the mystery of Zinfandel’s origins. Now retired, she spoke to me from the celebrated Mount Veeder vineyard that she owns with her husband, Steve Lagier.

To read more about Carole have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @lagiermeredith.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

By his own admission, Michel Chapoutier would fall over if he ever stood still. He’s one of the most creative and dynamic winemakers on the planet. I caught up with the enfant terrible of the Rhône Valley to talk about Syrah, his enduring love of food, his overseas investments, biodynamics, the potential of Chasselas in England and his conviction that “vintage is truth”. It’s quite an interview.

To read more about Michel have a look at the Chapoutier website. You can also follow him on Instagram @m_chapoutier.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Tony Laithwaite fell in love with wine in the Côtes de Castillon, where he’d gone to work as a holiday intern before university. Spotting a gap in the market, he founded a company called Bordeaux Direct, which has gone on to become one of the most successful mail order businesses in the world. Our intriguing chat covered his love of the under-dog, flying winemakers, fateful meetings and what keeps Laithwaite’s Wine ahead of the competition.

To read more about Tony have a look at the Laithwaite's Wine website. His autobiography, Direct, is also a fantastic read. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Poet, novelist, academic and tenth generation winery owner, Piero Mastroberardino is a modern-day Renaissance man. Passionate about the wines of his native Campania, he’s a fascinating source of information about the best local varieties, the terroir of one of the coolest grape growing regions in Italy, the ancient vineyards of Pompeii and the legacy of his father, Antonio, the so-called “grape archaeologist”.

To read more about Piero have a look at the Mastroberardino website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @pieromastroberardino.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon is one of the most brilliant sparkling winemakers in the world. Chef de Cave at Champagne Louis Roederer since 1999, he’s the man behind the de-luxe cuvée Cristal, as well as a host of other bubblies. Listen to our fascinating chat, covering everything from freshness to what he calls deep-rootedness, autolysis to climate change, Champagne’s chalky soils and the role of Pinot Meunier in blends.

To read more about Jean-Baptiste, have a look at the Louis Roederer website. You can also follow him on Instagram @jblfizz. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Miguel Merino didn’t always want to be a winemaker, despite the fact that his dad owned a bodega. He worked in sports journalism and as a TV screenwriter, before finally turning to his roots in his late 20s. I caught up with him to chat about Rioja’s new generation, single parcel wines, pruning just after a full moon, the impressive quality of his region’s whites and the advantages of clay soils in a warming world.

To read more about Miguel have a look at the Bodega Miguel Merino website. You can also follow him on Instagram @bodegamiguelmerino.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Maureen Downey has been described as the Sherlock Holmes of wine, an expert in exposing counterfeiting and fraud. I caught up with her from her home in California to talk about wine investment, auction houses, provenance, body guards, working under cover and what she calls the six Ds – death, disaster, debt, donation, divorce and despair. It’s a fascinating insight into the murkier side of the wine business.

To read more about Maureen have a look at the Wine Fraud website. You can also follow her on Instagram @moevino.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Mac Forbes is one of Australia’s most thoughtful winemakers, a man who lives and breathes his native Yarra Valley. I caught up with him during vintage to chat about his formative time in Europe, his love of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling, his respect for Aboriginal culture, his relationship with old vines and why winemaking is about more than ticking boxes.

To read more about Mac have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @mac_forbes_wines. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Alessio Planeta is the seventeenth generation of his family to make wine in Sicily. As you’d expect, he’s a man with a passionate interest in the history of the Mediterranean’s largest island. Listen to us talk about Sicily’s different sub-regions, the remarkable quality of its best indigenous grapes, its twenty different civilisations, Lord Horatio Nelson’s love of Marsala and what it’s like making wine on the side of an active volcano.

To read more about Alessio have a look at the Planeta website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @planetawinery.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Born in Dundee, close to what the calls “the Côte d’Or of raspberries”, Norrel Robertson got interested in wine through a part-time job at Oddbins. After passing the Master of Wine and studying viticulture and oenology in New Zealand, he visited Calatayud in Aragón in 2003 and has never left. A self-confessed Garnacha nut, the Escocés Volante, or Flying Scotsman, has gone on to become one of Spain’s most dynamic winemakers. (Sorry for the slightly scratchy recording!)

To read more about Norrel have a look at the Escocés Volante website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @escocesvolante.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Dirk Niepoort has had a profound and lasting impact on the Portuguese wine industry as well as the global wine scene. As outspoken as he is opinionated, he’s widely regarded as one of its most talented winemakers and profound thinkers. Listen to us chat about the Douro Valley’s table wine revolution, his search to combine tradition with innovation and why failure is “part of the process of getting better”.

To read more about Dirk, have a look at his  website. You can also follow him on Instagram @niepoortvinhos 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Yves Cuilleron took over his family’s estate in Condrieu and Saint Joseph in his early twenties. In the space in of just three decades, has turned it into one of the France’s star names. Our fascinating conversation covered his love of Viognier, the difference between the two banks of the Rhône river, clones of Syrah, including Serine, his Californian joint-venture and his ongoing experiments with historic grapes such as Durif and Dureza.

To read more about Yves have a look at his website. You can also follow the domaine on Instagram @caveyvescuilleron.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Larry Cherubino can’t seem to stop winning awards at the moment. He’s flying all over the world to collect them, so I was lucky to track him down for an in-depth conversation in Perth. Our fascinating chat covered his upbringing on a dairy farm, his Italian roots, an overview of Western Australia’s main wine regions, his fascination with clones, his fear of sharks and why someone pulled a knife on him in a southern French co-operative.

To read more about Larry have a look at his website. You can also follow his winery on Instagram @cherubinowines.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Natalie Christensen of Yealands originally wanted to compose film scores or be a music therapist, but after what she calls a “quarter life crisis” in HR, she got a harvest job in a winery and it changed her life. Listen to us chat about her time in Galicia making Albariño, her love of Sauvignon Blanc, the lay of the land in Marlborough, the appeal of colourful clothing and why machine harvesting gets an unfairly bad press.

To read more about Natalie have a look at the Yealands website. You can also follow her and her colourful wardrobe on Instagram @natchristensenwine. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Steve Webber may have earned his winemaking stripes at Leo Buring and Lindemans, but he’s best known for what he’s achieved with De Bortoli in the Yarra Valley over the last 34 years. A passionate Francophile as well as a proud Australian, he’s long championed elegance and finesse in wine – something especially evident in his Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Wine, he says, should be a source of joy as well as a job.

To read more about Steve have a look at the De Bortoli website. You can also follow the estate on Instagram @debortoliyarravalley.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Paz Levinson is one of the best known sommeliers in the world, but she initially struggled to even get a job waiting tables when she was a student in Buenos Aires. Now the Head Executive Sommelier for the Pic Group in Valence, she was fascinating to talk to about her time in China, her obsession with food and drink pairings, her love of TS Eliot and why she’s done with sommelier competitions.

To read more about Paz have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @pazlevinson.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

The Prüms are one of the oldest wine families in Germany’s picturesque Middle Mosel region. The family business, J.J. Prüm, is now run by Katharina Prüm, who is as charming and amusing as she is intelligent. Listen to us chat about tradition, Fortnum & Mason and Oklahoma, the differences between the estate’s two great vineyards, Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Graacher Himmelreich, and the eternal beauty of Riesling.

To read more about Katharina have a look at the J. J. Prüm website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram at @jjpruem.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

One dubbed "Miss Oblivious" because of her single-minded focus, Zelma Long has had a remarkable 50-year career as a winemaker on three continents. Our chat covered her early years as a dietician, the pioneering work that she did alongside the legendary Robert Mondavi in the 1970s, her successful decision to invest in South Africa with her husband viticulturist Phil Freese, her interest in Native American art and why wine is an opportunity to do other things. 

To read more about Zelma have a look at the Vilafonté website. 

As president of Bordeaux négociant CVBG, Mathieu Chadronnier is among the world’s most important fine wine figures. As well as making a brilliant varietal Merlot with his wife, Anne Laurence, at Château Marsau in the Côte de Francs, he also trades with 66 different countries. Listen to us chat about why great wine is defined by quality not geography, New World icons, the changing Bordeaux wine trade and why he’s happiest walking in the Alps with his camera.

To read more about Mathieu have a look at the CVBG website. You can also follow him on Instagram @mathieu_chadronnier.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Born in Calcutta, Raj Paar didn’t drink wine until he was 20. He made up for it in no time, rapidly become one of the best sommeliers in the United States and developing a legendary palate. In 2009, he began to make wine in a serious way and now farms 4.5 hectares in Cambria near San Luis Obispo. Listen to us chat about balance in wine, his love of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and why he never stops asking questions.

To read more about Raj have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @rajatparr.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Kym Milne MW’s services are always in demand as a consultant. Over the course of a 40 year career, he has worked in more than a dozen countries, establishing a global reputation as a winemaker and blender. Listen to us chat about his upbringing on a farm in South Australia, his love of Chardonnay, the role of flying winemakers, what it takes to be a good show judge, and why he never got to make wine in Albania.

To read more about Kym have a look at the Masters of Wine website. You can also follow him on Instagram @milnekym.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Giuseppe Vaira is a second generation winemaker who thought of becoming a doctor but chose to join the business created by his pioneering father Aldo instead. Our fascinating chat covered what he calls the "tiramisu" of Barolo's soils, the best way to handle Nebbiolo in the vineyard and winery, his love of "ugly duckling" grapes like Dolcetto and why organic farming enables the Vairas to get the best out of their terroirs. 

To read more about Giuseppe have a look at the GD Vajra website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @giuseppe_gdvajra.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Giorgi Dakisivhili is one of Georgia’s most accomplished winemakers, a man who’s equally comfortable employing historic and modern techniques. One of a family of oenologists, he studied in the Ukraine and California before returning to his native Kakheti region, where he set up Dakishvili Family Vineyards.  Our wide-ranging conversation covered everything from Saperavi to amber wines, Georgia’s 525 grapes to the country’s 8,000 year old wine culture.

To read more about Giorgi have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @giorgidakishvili.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

The first print run of Karen MacNeil’s The Wine Bible ran to just 700 books. A wild underestimation, given it’s sold more than a million copies to date. To celebrate the publication of the magisterial third edition this week, I caught up with Karen to talk about her remarkable back story as a runaway street kid, the importance of humour in wine writing, the difference between a good and great wine and how, as a generalist, she keeps up the ever-expanding wine world.

To read more about Karen, have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @karenmacneilco. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Pieter Walser is one of the wine industry’s great mavericks. Surfer, artist and creator, he’s the man behind some of the Cape’s most distinctive labels, famous for brands such as Family Murder, Little William and Moment of Silence. I caught up with him from his home near the ocean to chat about surfing, epilepsy, old vines, white gloves, adventurous hearts and living on the edge. It’s a fascinating conversation with the so-called Hunter S Thompson of winemaking.

To read more about Pieter have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @blankbottlewinery.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Duncan Savage gave up a business degree to study wine. First at Cape Point Vineyards and now at Savage Wines, he’s since become one of South Africa’s finest producers. Listen to us chat about what he learnt from Loire Valley legend Didier Dagueneau, the secret behind the success of the Cape’s New Wave, how he comes up with the unusual names for his wines and the terroir of surfing.

To read more about Duncan, have a look at the Savage Wines website. You can also follow him on Instagram @savagewines.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Martín Kaiser excels as both a viticulturist and a winemaker. Born and brought up in Mendoza, where he still works and lives, he has transformed the reds and whites of Doña Paula since he arrived in 2006, taking them back to their roots. Our fascinating chat covered everything from vegetarianism to climbing mountains, calcium carbonate to the joys of working with Malbec and the differences between the Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo.

To read more about Martín have a look at the Doña Paula website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @mkaiser75. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Ginny Poval had a successful career as an insurance industry executive before she bought a flower farm called Protea Heights in South Africa that changed her life. Now the owner of a five-hectare vineyard and an award-winning wine brand called Botanica, she’s done things the hard way. Listen to us chat about kite surfing, old-vine Chenin Blanc, vegan compost, the terroir of the Devon Valley and why painting and drawing help her to relax.

To read more about Ginny have a look at the Botanica website. You can also follow her on Instagram @botanicawines.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Born in Toronto, David Gleave started out working in bars in London and Dublin and fell into wine by chance. He’s since gone on to become one of the world’s leading experts on Italian wine as well as the founder and now chairman of Liberty Wines. Listen to us chat about the Master of Wine qualification, what makes the perfect restaurant wine list, his passion for cycling and why travel is essential to his job as a wine merchant.

To read more about David have a look at the Liberty Wines website. You can also follow the company on Instagram @liberty_wines.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Born and brought up in New York, where she made wine with her father in the basement of their house as a kid, Natalie Oliveros had a very successful career in the Adult Entertainment Industry as Savanna Samson before buying a majority stake in La Fiorita in Brunello di Montalcino in 2014. Our fascinating chat covered society’s attitude to sex, her love of Sangiovese, celebrity wines, organic viticulture and how climate change is affecting Tuscany.

To read more about Natalie have a look at the La Fiorita website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @natalie_lafiorita. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Bruwer Raats decided on a policy of “excellence through specialisation” when he set up his own project, Raats Family Wines, in 2000, focusing on what were two unfashionable grapes at the time: Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Our discussion covers the unique, granite-based terroir of the Polkadraai Hills, what he learnt from long lunches in Tuscany, how he created the iconic MR de Compostella and his honorary status as a “semi-petrol head”.

To read more about Bruwer have a look at the Raats Family Wines' website. You can also follow him and on Instagram @bruwer_raats.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

As technical director of Concha y Toro, Marcelo Papa oversees the production of millions of bottles of commercial wine, as well as some of South America’s most prestigious reds and whites. Listen to us chat about his Italian roots, what he learnt from working in California, the terroirs of Limarí and the Maipo Valley, his grandmother’s gnocchi and why a psychiatrist advised him to give up golf.

To read more about Marcelo have a look at the Concha y Toro website. You can also follow him on Instagram @mpapacortesi.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Falling in love with the writing of Jorge Luis Bórges and Gabriel Gárcia Márquez inspired Amanda Barnes to move to Argentina in her early twenties, where she’s lived ever since. An inveterate traveller as well as a trained journalist, she’s spent the last 14 years studying and writing about the Latin America’s food and wines. Her first book, The South American Wine Guide, is a superbly written and illustrated overview of this fascinating continent.

To read more about Amanda have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @amanda_wine. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Author of Inside Bordeaux, Jane Anson started out as a journalist in Hong Kong but fell in love with wine on a trip to South Africa. She moved to France full time in 2003 and has since become one of the world’s most admired and influential wine critics. Our in-depth chat covered everything from tasting technique to wine websites, the future of En Primeur to tasting a bottle of Château Pétrus that had been aged in space.

To read more about Jane have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @jane.anson.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

A passionate Andalusian and Professor of Law at Granada University, Jesús Barquín is also one of the key figures in the modern Sherry revolution. Equipo Navazos, the company he co-founded with his friend the winemaker Eduardo Ojeda, has pioneered single cask as well as unfortified wines from the region. Our fascinating chat covered the nomenclature of Sherry, famous vineyard sites, Edgar Allan Poe and why Amontillado is his favourite wine.

To read more about Jesús have a look at the Equipo Navazos website. You can also follow the business on Instagram at @equiponavazos. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

After a degree in economics, Gordon Newton Johnson decided he didn’t want to go to work in a suit and tie. Instead he joined a new wine business that his father, Dave, had set up in the cool climate Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. Over the last 25 years, he’s helped to turn Newton Johnson Family Vineyards into a South African first growth, making some of the country’s best Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, while remaining one of the wine industry’s true gentlemen.

To read more about Gordon have a look at the Newton Johnson Family Vineyards website. You can also follow him on Instagram @gordonnjohnson

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Giovanni Manetti’s family has lived in Tuscany since the 1650s, but they were in the business of producing terracotta tiles, not wine, until his father bought the run down Fontodi estate in 1968. Since he took over in 1979, Giovanni has helped to transform this spot in the Conca d’Oro into one of the leading wineries in Chianti Classico, using organic, biodynamic and regenerative practices, and focusing on Sangiovese from a very special place.

To read more about Giovanni have a look at the Fontodi website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @az.agr.fontodi.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Adrian Bridge had two careers – in the military and banking – before he joined the wine business in 1994. Now CEO of the Fladgate Partnership, he’s one of the most articulate, dynamic and articulate people in the Port trade. Our fascinating chat covered climate change, the importance of good spirit for fortification, his love of mountaineering and different drinking vessels and why foot-treading in lagars gives his Ports a vital extra 1% in quality.

To read more about Adrian have a look at the Taylor's website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram at @taylorsportwine.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

A chance meeting with the great Steven Spurrier in Paris convinced Rosamund Barton that she wanted to work in wine. After spells as a buyer and a newspaper columnist in South Africa, she decided that PR was her future. And what a success she’s made of it, working alongside Rupert Ponsonby at R&R Teamwork. Our fascinating chat covered everything from paddle tennis to disastrous press trips, snail racing to badly behaved journalists.

To read more about Rosamund have a look at the R&R Teamwork website. You can also follow the company on Instagram @randrdrinkers.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

After stints working at Sainsbury’s and in a Guildford nightclub, Daniel Lambert set up his own wine business in 1992 and has turned it into an award-winning success story, specialising in French wines. I caught up with him from his new home in Montpellier to discuss his outspoken criticism of the UK’s proposed new alcohol duty scheme, the role that Sauternes played in his early career, what he’s learnt from being dyslexic, going viral on Twitter and which regions offer the best value for money.

To read more about Daniel have a look at the Daniel Lambert Wines website. You can also follow him on X at @DanielLambert29.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Mel Knox became a barrel broker by accident when he was working in a wine shop in California. Over the space of a 43 year career representing such famous cooperages as Taransaud and François Frères he’s worked with many of California’s greatest producers and even made a few wines of his own. He’s a witty, well-informed and opinionated interviewee, as you’ll find out from our entertaining chat.  

To read more about Mel have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @mel_knox_barrels.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Penny Streeter OBE has been described as “one of the most influential entrepreneurs of our time”. Having left school with no qualifications, she ended up living on benefits with three children in emergency accommodation before founding the healthcare recruitment business that made her fortune. She’s also the owner of three wine estates – one in South Africa called Benguela Cove and two in the UK.

To read more about Penny have a look at her website. You can also follow him on Instagram @pennystreeterobe.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Michael Hill Smith MW is a sixth generation winemaker who always wanted to do his own thing, rather than go into the family firm, Yalumba. Show judge, entrepreneur, consultant and lapsed restaurateur, he’s one of Australian wine’s finest palates and advocates. Listen to us chat about his various projects in the Adelaide Hills, Tasmania and Blewitt Springs, the debt he owes to the legendary Len Evans and what makes a good airline wine.

To read more about Michael, have a look at the Shaw + Smith website. You can also follow him on Instagram @shawandsmith.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Sara Danese is a financial consultant and investment analysis, who uses her experience and expertise to write about the fine wine world in her spare time. Her newsletter, In The Mood for Wine, is a brilliant overview of the sector. Our fascinating chat covered Bordeaux En Primeur, the extravagant, unregulated claims made by some wine investment platforms, passion assets, the Liv-Ex 100 Index and why the first rule of investment is diversification.

To read more about Sara have a look at her newsletter. You can also follow her on Instagram at @inthemoodforwinemagazine.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

After a 30 year career in banking, Grant Ashton turned his passion for wine into a business, setting up the wine-focused members’ club, 67 Pall Mall, in London. He’s now CEO of a chain of three sites that’s set to expand to six or more over the next few years. Our fascinating chat covered his musical family, how he finds and trains sommeliers, the debt he owes to Coravin, his approach to surviving the pandemic and why his motto is “go big or go home”.

To read more about Grant have a look at the 67 Pall Mall website. You can also follow the club on Instagram at 67pall_mall. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Olly Smith is one of the UK’s most engaging wine experts, known for his appearances on Saturday Kitchen, his newspaper columns, his podcasts and his books, as well as his sense of humour and love of words. I caught up with him from his house in Lewes to talk about his favourite films, his collection of English sparkling wines, his love of all things Greek and his friendship with the late Sir Roger Moore.

To read more about Olly have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @ollysmith.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Niki Segnit is an expert on flavour, having written two best-selling books about the subject. I caught up with her before she jumped on a plane to Andalusia to talk about her eureka moment tasting a bottle of claret from Waitrose, unexpectedly delicious food pairings, Mike Leigh and liver in lager, how we inspire kids to eat better, her mistrust of recipe books and why she’s on a mission to give home cooks the courage to strike out on their own.

To read more about Niki have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @nikisegnit.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Born in New Zealand, Stephanie Toole has zigzagged across the globe as she nurtured her love of wine. She became interested in wine in London, ran a wine wholesaler in Perth and then moved to the Clare Valley when she fell in love with her husband Jeffrey Grosset. We chatted about her Mount Horrocks range, her conversion to biodynamics, how she and Jeffrey run two different brands from the same cellar, her love of Nero d’Avola and why she never needs a break from wine.

To read more about Stephanie have a look at the Mount Horrocks website. You can also follow her on Instagram @mounthorrocks.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Steve Daniel has had a profound impact on what we drink in the UK. First as Oddbins, where he was buying director in its pomp, and since 2010 at Hallgarten Wines, he’s always championed new styles and regions as well as what he calls “the underdog”. Listen to us chat about what makes a great retailer, his enduring love of Greece, his brewing skills and why fine wine can come from anywhere these days.

To read more about Steve have a look at the Hallgarten website. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Debra Meiburg grew up in California, but moved to Hong Kong to work as an accountant in 1988. She quickly discovered that wine, not spreadsheets, was her real passion in life and switched careers. Writer, taster, educator, consultant and TV performer, she’s one of Asia’s most talented and engaging communicators. Playfully disruptive, as someone once described her, Debra is as fun to interview for a podcast as she is in person.

To read more about Debra have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @debrameiburgmw. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

John Worontschak was born to Ukrainian parents in Adelaide and has gone on to become one of the most travelled and successful winemaking consultants in the world. Listen to us chat about what he really thought of English wines when he first arrived here in 1988, his views on how the industry has developed, the invention of his GinKing brand and how personally he feels the current war in the land of his parents.

To read more about John, have a look at the Litmus Wines website. You can also follow him on Instagram @litmuswines. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

David Baverstock grew up in South Australia, but emigrated to Portugal for love and wine. He started out in the Douro Valley, before moving to the more southerly Alentejo, where he now works for the Winestone Group. Our insightful chat covered his time in Beaujolais with Marcel Lapierre, Portugal’s 250 indigenous grape varieties, how the country’s wine scene has changed since he arrived in 1982 and what it’s like playing tennis with Sir Cliff Richard.

To read more about David have a look at the Winestone Group website. You can also follow the Group on Instagram at @winestone.group. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Essi Avellan is a journalist and Master of Wine who probably knows more about sparkling wines than anyone else on the planet. I caught up with her from her base in Helsinki to talk about single vineyard Champagnes, autolysis, cork age, tasting bubbles, the best fizz regions outside France, her preference for fresher over oxidative styles, the impact of climate change and the future of grape growing in Finland.

To read more about Essi have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @essiavellan.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Jason Haas studied archaeology at university and worked in the tech industry for four years before joining the family winery, Tablas Creek, in Paso Robles in 2002. Since then, he’s helped to turn it into one of the leading Rhône style specialists in California. Listen to us chat about alpacas and sheep, organics, biodynamics and regenerative agriculture, the hidden wonders of Vaccarèse, his passion for blogging and why continuity matters.

To read more about Jason have a look at the Tablas Creek website. You can also follow the company on Instagram @tablascreek.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Hendrik Thoma trained as a chef, but fell in love with wine when he was working at a restaurant in the Napa Valley. It was a decision which led to a very successful career as one of the world’s top sommeliers. Now a journalist, wine importer and videoblogger, he’s a fascinating interviewee. Our chat covered great wine lists, pumpernickel, the craft of good service, meeting Robert Mondavi and what it’s like to write for Playboy magazine.

To read more about Hendrik have a look at the Wein am Limit website. You can also follow him on Instagram @wein.am.limit. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Hans Vinding-Diers was born on a wine farm in South Africa, grew up in Bordeaux, has a Danish passport, and now makes reds in Patagonia. He’s a classic citizen of the world. Listen to us chat about his winemaking father, Peter, his love of theatre, why Malbec is such an adaptable grape, the story behind Noemía, one of Argentina’s most iconic reds, and how finding a stash of old bottles changed his life.

To read more about Hans have a look at the Noemía website. You can also follow him on Instagram @vindingdiershans.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Anne Kriebehl MW arrived in London to study English literature at university with two suitcases and a rucksack. After publishing her first piece about the 50th anniversary of the end of rationing in the Financial Times, she slowly moved into wine writing and has never looked back. Hers is an inspiring tale of perseverance and talent, leading to the Master of Wine qualification and recognition as an expert on Pinot Noir and German wines.

To read more about Anne have a look at the Institute of Masters of Wine website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @anneinvino.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Barbara Banke of Jackson Family Estates has been described as the most significant woman in the world of wine. Originally a Supreme Court lawyer, she switched her attention full-time to the wine business in 2011, when her husband, Jess Jackson, passed away. Our fascinating discussion covered land prices, climate change, horse breeding, what she terms “creative anarchy”, and the genesis of Kendall Jackson’s Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay.

To read more about Barbara have a look at the Jackson Family Wines website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @jacksonfamilywines.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Miles Beale started his working life as a Eurocrat in Brussels before becoming private secretary to two very contrasting Labour Party politicians in Mo Mowlam and John Prescott. For the last decade, he’s been the chief executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association, dealing with alcohol taxation, minimum unit pricing, the fallout from Brexit and the demands of one of the drinks trade’s highest profile jobs.

To read more about Miles have a look at the WSTA's website. You can also follow him on Twitter @WSTA_Miles.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Brian Moore, known as pit bull during his time playing rugby for England and the British and Irish Lions, was always a sportsman with a hinterland. Our fascinating chat covers his other careers as a solicitor, wine columnist, TV commentator, manicurist and now trainee psychotherapist, as well as plenty of other things besides, including food, politics, scaffolding, his secret respect for the French and why he can’t stand “Swing low, sweet chariot”.

To read more about Brian, do buy a copy of his autobiography, Beware of the Dog. You can also follow him on X (ex Twitter) @brianmoore666. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

David Way specialises in the wines of Piemonte, although he writes about the whole world for his day job at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. A theologian and historian by training, he brings academic rigour to the study of this fascinating and still comparatively little-known corner of north-west Italy. Our fascinating chat covered soils, climate, the region’s 60 DOs and DOCGs and 80 grape varieties and his enduring love of Nebbiolo.

To read more about David have a look at his website. You can also follow him on X at @davidonpiemonte.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

By his own admission, Duncan Forsyth spent a lot of his twenties travelling, skiing and partying. A chance attendance at a wine tasting back in Queenstown inspired him to get a job at Chard Farm. It was the start of career that has seen him become one of the key figures in New Zealand’s Central Otago region, especially since he and a partner bought Mount Edward in 2004. He’s an opinionated, funny and unconventional interviewee.

To read more about Duncan have a look at the Mount Edward website. You can also follow him on Instagram @wineswinger.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Born and brought up in Bordeaux’s Entre Deux Mers regions, Maxence Dulou got the travel bug after university, working in Chile and South Africa. But neither compared with the challenges of his current job at Ao Yun in the remote, high altitude Chinese province of Yunan. Listen to us chat about how luxury goods’ firm ended up in such a special place, who planted the first vines and why and the country’s potential to produce fine wines.

To read more about Maxence have a look at the Ao Yun website. You can also follow the estate on Instagram @aoyun_official.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Gavin Quinney started his working life as a porter at an auction house before moving into the computer industry in the mid 1980s. A visit to Bordeaux in 1999 persuaded him to buy a struggling château in the Entre-Deux-Mers. Listen to us discuss how he’s turned the place around since then, with a little help from celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay and Rick Stein, his views on the future of petits châteaux and why he’s so annoyed by UK excise duty rates.

To read more about Gavin have a look at the Château Bauduc website. You can also follow him on Instagram @gavinquinney.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Prue Henschke might have ended up working with baboons. But luckily, she met her future husband Stephen Henschke and chose vines, following him to Germany to attend the Geisenheim Institute. Listen to us chat about regenerative agriculture and massal selections, what it’s like being the custodian of the 160-year-old Hill of Grace vineyard and her dream of owning a vineyard in Bandol.

To read more about Prue have a look at the Henschke website. You can also follow her on Instagram @pruehenschke.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Andrea Mullineux grew up in California, where she originally wanted to become an astronaut. These days, her home is in South Africa, where she’s created two world-class wineries with her husband, Chris: Mullineux Family Wines and Leeu Passant. She’s a fascinating interviewee, happy to discuss topics as wide ranging as her love of Chenin Blanc and Syrah, the properties of different soil types, the genesis of the Swartland Revolution and the perfect recipe for chocolate chip cookies.

To read more about Andrea have a look at the Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines website. You can also follow her on Instagram @mullineuxwines.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Fernando Maíllo works in fine pata negra ham as well as wine – lucky man – and has been one of the key figures behind the emergence of the Sierra de Salamanca region in Castilla y León. Listen to us chat about the unique qualities of Rufete, both red and white, how he rescued 131 abandoned vineyards, his love of kite surfing and red Burgundy and his desire to express the terroir of the natural park that surrounds his winery in every single bottle.

To read more about Fernando have a look at the Cámbrico website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram at cambricowine. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Born into a famous winemaking family in Tuscany, Piero Incisa della Rocchetta had a brief spell as a banker in Geneva, before he dedicated himself to his first love, Pinot Noir. At Bodega Chacra in Patagonia, he’s made some of the finest examples of the variety in South America, as well as a pair of brilliant Chardonnays with the Burgundian guru Jean-Marc Roulot, using biodynamic, low-intervention methods to get the best out of a great terroir.

To read more about Piero have a look at the Bodega Chacra website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram at @bodegachacra.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Born in Brittany and brought up in the Loire, Franck Massard made his name as an award-winning sommelier in the UK before moving to Spain in 2004. Acquiring a small vineyard in Priorat changed his life, inspiring him to become a winemaker. Our chat covered his love of Carignan, the affinity he feels with medieval monks, his views on sustainability and why controlled risks pay off in the vineyard and winery.

To read more about Franck have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @franckmassard.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Pablo Álvarez was still in his twenties when he was given the responsibility of running Vega Sicilia, one of Spain’s greatest wineries. Over the last 40 years, he’s taken it to even greater heights. Listen to us chat about how you go about improving an icon, the secret of Vega’s extraordinary ageing potential, why Pablo decided to invest in other regions outside Ribera del Duero and the challenges of running a family business.

To read more about Pablo have a look at the Tempos Vega Sicilia website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram @temposvegasicilia.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Originally trained as an engineer, Greg Lambrecht is an innovator, inventor and entrepreneur who works in the medical as well as wine sectors. Listen to us chat about needles, noble gases, super glue, karmic debt, how he came up with the idea for the Coravin wine preservation system, the dos and don’ts of using one, his love of running and how at least one First Growth Bordeaux château showed him the door.

To read more about Greg have a look at the Coravin website. You can also follow the company on Instagram @coravin.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Olivier Humbrecht MW is a twelfth generation Alsatian winemaker with a global reputation. He was still in his twenties when he took over Domaine Zind-Humbrecht and has taken it to new heights, using biodynamic practices across his 42 hectares of vineyards. Listen to us chat about soil types, climate change, the differences between Protestant and Catholic wines and why he loves holidays in Scotland.

To read more about Olivier have a look at the Domaine Zind-Humbrecht website. You can also follow him on Instagram @zindhumbrecht.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Charlie Foley got interested in wine when he was studying classics at university. After spells in South Africa and Argentina, he landed a job at Christie’s where he’s gone on to become a brilliant and flamboyant auctioneer with a worldwide reputation. Our fascinating chat covers everything from the evolving fine wine scene to how to work a room, Charlie’s love of fashion and creativity to his TV appearances on Channel 4’s The Great Auction.

To read more about Charlie have a look at the Christie's website. You can also follow him on Instagram @c.t.foley.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Jancis Robinson is the world’s leading wine writer, acknowledged as such by consumers, the wine industry and her peers. She has a weekly column in the Financial Times, her own website, jancisrobinson.com, and has authored a series of landmark books about her chosen subject. I caught up with her from her home in London to talk about food, tasting, writing, communicating, her favourite wines and what it was like meeting the Queen.

To read more about Jancis have a look at the her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @jancisrobinson. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Author of Vineyards, Rocks & Soils, Professor Alex Maltman is an acknowledged expert on wine geology. I caught up with him from his home in Aberystwyth to talk about his life’s work. Our in-depth chat covered earthquakes, Welsh Seyval Blanc, different types of rocks, his definition of the French word terroir, the unseen factors that affect vinous aromas and flavours and why geology is so often misunderstood by people in the wine business.

To read more about Alex, have a look at the University of Aberystwyth's website.  You can also read some of his articles in the World of Fine Wine. 

Vicente Cebrián was born in Madrid, but says his blood is almost all Galician. Put in charge of two family bodegas – Pazo de Barrantes in Rías Baixas and Marqués de Murrieta – in 1996, at the age of just twenty-six – he’s even surpassed the legacy of his larger than life father. Our revealing chat covered his aristocratic titles, Atletico Madrid, Albariño, oak barrels, stone masonry, working for the long-term and the best way to update a classic winery.

To read more about Vicente have a look at the Marqués de Murrieta website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram at @marquesdemurrieta. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Isabel Salgado grew up in Madrid, but has always had a special relationship with Galicia, a region where’s she made wine for the last 28 years, specialising in Albariño. Listen to us chat about the grape’s origins, personality and remarkable ageing potential, the soils and sub-regions of the Rías Baixas denominación de origen and why having their own vineyards makes a big difference at Bodegas Fillaboa.

To read more about Isabel have a look at the Bodegas Fillaboa website. You can also follow her on Instagram @isabelsawine.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Pascal Chatonnet has not one, but two wine-related PhDs. After a 17-year stint as an academic at Bordeaux University, he switched careers to become a consultant and take over the running of his family’s Right Bank estates. Our fascinating chat covered his views on Brettanomyces, cork taint, ripeness and picking dates, his favourite grape varieties – Merlot, Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional – and his enduring love of antiques.

To read more about Pascal have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @pascalchatonnet.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Charles Back has had an enormous influence on the South African wine industry as an innovator, maverick and campaigner for transformation and social change. Listen to us chat about the story behind Goats do Roam, his most famous brand, his rediscovery of the Swartland thanks to a tank of Sauvignon Blanc, his love of Rhône and Mediterranean grapes and how he always tries to turn a negative into a positive.

To read more about Charles have a look at the Fairview website. You can also follow him on Instagram @fairviewwineandcheese.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Álvaro Espinoza’s dad was a winemaker, but it wasn’t automatic that his son would follow the same career path. As it happens, he nearly became a marine biologist. But despite that, Álvaro has had a huge impact on his country’s wine scene, producing Chile’s first Carmenère and being the person who brought biodynamic viticulture to South America. Now running his own project, Antiyal, in the Maipo Andes, he’s a fascinating interviewee.

To read more about Álvaro have a look at the Antiyal website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram @antiyalwines.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Sean Willard engineers menus and wine lists for a living. It’s a fascinating job that involves economics, science, art, psychology – and plenty of number crunching. Our enjoyable chat covered everything from font sizes to daily specials, how the pandemic changed the on-trade for ever, techniques for steering customers away from default choices, the concept of truth on menus and what annoys him most about eating out in restaurants.

To read more about Sean have a look at the Menu Engineers website.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, László Mészáros took an Interrail holiday around western Europe and fell in love with wine. After further studies in France, he returned to the Tokaj region in his native Hungary in 1995 and has been at Disznókö ever since. Our chat covered the fascinating history of this famous area, as well as its soil types, grape varieties, vineyard classification and the secrets of its amazing botrytis-affected wines, known locally as aszú.

To read more about László have a look at the Disznókö website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @disznokotokaj.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Robert Joseph was one of the key figures in what he likes to call the “summer of love” for wine in the late 1980s, setting up Wine Magazine and the International Wine Challenge. He now divides his time between writing, consultancy and making his own wines in the Languedoc and Georgia. Our amusing and insightful chat covered everything from influencers to wine brands, AI to his upbringing in a family hotel.

To read more about Robert have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Twitter (X) at @robertjoseph.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Queena Wong got interested in wine when she moved from Australia to London to work in finance in her mid-twenties. A passionate collector, she also has a well-honed talent for connecting people, acting as a Fairy Wine Godmother. Through her company Curious Vines, she has campaigned for greater diversity, inclusion and equality within the wine industry, publishing the first ever, highly influential Women in Wine Survey last year.

To read more about Quenna have a look at the Curious Vines website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @queenadwong.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Pedro Parra wanted to be a jazz saxophonist until he realised he'd never be the next John Coltrane. Instead, he became a terroir expert. As a consultant, he's had a huge influence on wine, not just in his native Chile but around the world. Our fascinating chat covered everything from minerality to the energy of the best vineyards, the democracy of geology to the potential of Cinsault, "the brother of Pinot Noir, in Itata. 

To read more about Pedro have a look at this website. You can also follow him on Instagram @pedroparraterroir.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Antonio Capaldo worked in finance and management consultancy – what he calls “the dark side” – before returning to take over the family wine estate, Feudi di San Gregorio, in Campania. Listen to us chat about the three local DOCGs, based on the historic Fiano, Greco and Aglianico grapes, the region’s volcanic soils, the influence of the Greeks, Romans and Catholic church and why time is his hidden shareholder.

To read more about Antonio have a look at the Feudi di San Gregorio website. You can also follow the estate on Instagram @feudi_di_san_gregorio.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Brought up in a trilingual household in New York, Nicole Rolet worked in banking and international relations before she set up Chêne Bleu in the southern Rhône Valley with her husband, Xavier. Our wide-ranging chat covered everything from lay lines to the pursuit of legacy, Grenache’s underdog status to the future of fine wine. Listen to Nicole tell us why she doesn’t do woo woo and why she’s always marched to the beat of her own drum.

To read more about Nicole have a look at the Chêne Bleu website. You can also follow the domaine on Instagram at @chenebleuwine. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.