Introduction Are men from Bordeaux and women from Burgundy? In my 20 years of studying and writing about wine, I’ve encountered a lot of differences in how men and women approach the subject. There are also several studies that show the same thing. In honour of International Women’s Day this week, I’m diving deep into “women’s wines”, whether they’re actually any good and how wines marketed to women are affecting the industry. Highlights Are the “chick wines” on the market any good or are they simply marketing gimmicks? What are my thoughts and tasting notes for three of the […]
Wine Articles
Blending Humour and Wine in South Africa with Charles Back, Fairview Wine
Introduction Charles Louis Back is the third generation owner of South African wine and cheese producer Fairview, in Paarl in the Western Cape Province. Charles Back studied winemaking at Elsenburg Agricultural College in Stellenbosch. He officially joined his family’s company in 1978 and took over full control in 1995 after the death of his father, Cyril. Today, Charles Back is known as one of the great entrepreneurs and innovators of the wine world – an individual who likes nothing more to swim against the stream. From the start, he has done things differently, introducing Mediterranean grapes such as Viognier, Tempranillo, […]
What’s the Allure of Wines from Provence? Video with Jill Barth
Our guest this evening is a wine columnist for Forbes and a wine country travel expert for USA TODAY. She’s the founder and author of L’Occasion, an award-winning digital magazine that celebrates the ways we drink, make, and contemplate wine. She’s also a Provence Wine Master through the Wine Scholar Guild and received a fellowship to the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers. And she joins me now, live from her home in Chicago: Welcome Jill Barth! Watch previous episodes of the Wednesday Wining Show (WWS) and find out who’s coming up next. Jill Barth I’m a […]
From Sommelier Scandals to Food Pairing Myths with San Francisco Chronicle Wine Columnist Esther Mobley (Video)
What’s it like to interview one of the biggest rock stars on the planet about her new winery where she’s actually the winemaker? Which food and wine pairing rules are complete bunk? And which actually have merit? Who are the most interesting people and places in the world of wine? That’s exactly what our guest on the Sunday Sipper Club will reveal to us this evening. Our guest this evening has been The San Francisco Chronicle’s wine critic since 2015, covering California wine, beer and spirits. Previously she was an assistant editor at Wine Spectator magazine in New York. She […]
Wine Scores: Misleading or Helpful to Consumers?
Introduction It’s unbelievable to consider that there’s a huge industry of specialists dedicating their lives to wine in the form of writers, sommeliers and critics. Why has wine inspired us in a way no other food or drink does? In this episode, I explore the questions around why we score wine in the first place, whether they really matter and if you should trust them. Highlights Can you really trust a score from someone who has just been drinking? Why do we rate wine in the first place? How does the Australian show system compare to wine scoring systems […]
The World’s Best Wines with Forbes Columnist Katie Kelly Bell
Introduction Katie Kelly Bell has been writing about food, wine and travel for over a dozen years, with her writing appearing in publications such as Forbes, USA Today, Modern Luxury, Decanter and Southern Living. Her experiences have taken her from the vineyards of Argentina to the press houses of Champagne. In between, she has co-authored a travel guide to Ireland, The Everything Guide to Ireland, written a city guide for Atlanta and worked as a Senior Editor at The Wine Report. Katie also appears on the CNN Airport Channel as a travel expert and on WSB Atlanta radio, talking about wine. […]
Wines for Seduction: A Vine Romance for Valentine’s Day
Introduction Do you want to seduce someone this Valentine’s Day? Forget the lingerie, lipstick and silk-tie handcuffs – just share a glass or two of wine with your amour. Just in time for V Day, I’m going to share with you my favourite wines for seduction, including some melt-in-your-mouth pairings with chocolate. Highlights Why do almost 60% of women prefer wine over candy for V Day? Why has Champagne, in particular, has long been the drink of romance Why is Pinot Noir called the “heartbreak grape”? How can you avoid ruining your wine with chocolate? Is chocolate an aphrodisiac […]
Scandalous Wine Women on TV
Introduction I have to confess: I am obsessed with Alicia Florrick, the successful attorney on The Good Wife, and Olivia Pope, the high-powered Washington D.C. “fixer” on Scandal. In this episode, I’m going to share with you my secret obsession with the wine drinking habits of these women on television and what I believe that says about our cultural relationship with wine. Highlights How have alcoholic beverages featured with women on TV changed over time? What do Alicia Florrick and Olivia Pope have in common with Philip Marlowe? How does wine act as a key plot device on Scandal? […]
Wine Confidential: An Insider Look at the Wine World with Bianca Bosker
Introduction Bianca Bosker is an award-winning journalist and the author of the New York Times Best Seller, Cork Dork: A Wine-Fueled Adventure Among the Obsessive Sommeliers, Big Bottle Hunters, and Rogue Scientists Who Taught Me to Live for Taste, which has been hailed as the “Kitchen Confidential of wine.” Bianca has written about food, wine, architecture, and technology for The New Yorker online, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Food & Wine, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and The New Republic, among other publications. Highlights How did Bianca stumble into wine while writing about tech at the Huffington […]
What Does It Take to Become a Master Sommelier with Geoff Kruth
Master Sommelier Geoff Kruth is President of GuildSomm.com, a non-profit membership organization of over 10000 wine professionals. He is one of less than 200 people worldwide to have ever earned the designation of Master Sommelier. He was featured in the 2012 documentary film SOMM, co-produced the film SOMM: Into the Bottle and was a producer of Esquire TV’s Uncorked; he also hosts the GuildSomm audio podcast. Connect with Geoff: Facebook: @geoff.kruth
