Unreserved Wine Talk

How do our personal memories shape the aromas we recognize in wine? What incredible Argentine wines are people missing when they focus only on Malbec? Why do food and wines from the same region often pair beautifully even when they break the usual rules?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Marisol de la Fuente.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Highlights
How did a student's memory of his grandmother help Marisol explain aroma in wine tasting?
Why might an old wine remind someone of sushi?
Why does Torrontés pair unexpectedly well with Argentine empanadas?
How can molecular pairing create surprising matches like white chocolate with caviar?
Why does Marisol say wine changes with age rather than automatically improving?
What is the biggest misconception people have about aging wine?
Why does Marisol believe Argentina is known too narrowly for Malbec?
What does Argentina need to do better to show the world its full range of wines?
How did winning Wine Communicator of the Year change Marisol's place in the global wine conversation?
Why does Marisol believe wine communication should never feel too solemn?
What childhood comfort food would Marisol pair with white wine today?
Why does Marisol believe constant study and research matter most in wine communication?
 
About Marisol de la Fuente
Marisol de la Fuente is an international sommelier, graduated from the Argentine School of Sommeliers, a bartender trained at the International Center of Cocktail Arts, and a journalist. She communicates about the world of wine and beverages to bring it closer to consumers.
She is a columnist on Canal de la Ciudad, where she presents a different segment every week in a simple and entertaining manner. On Vinimos, her wine podcast, she answers the most common consumer questions alongside Ariel Torres, journalist at La Nación.
She teaches her course "El vino, sin vueltas" in a live online format and also works as an instructor in the sommelier programs.
Beyond her passion for wine, she has 25 years of experience in marketing, communication, and PR in multinational companies, and she is a Digital Marketing lecturer and consultant for companies in the wine and beverage industry.
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/402.

How did Argentina help save Europe's vineyards during the devastating phylloxera crisis? Why is wine still treated as an exclusive product despite being more accessible than ever? How can vineyards that endure extreme temperatures still produce elegant, vibrant wines?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Marisol de la Fuente.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Highlights
What made Marisol leave a successful corporate career to become a sommelier?
Why did Marisol build her wine content around beginners instead of wine experts?
How did identifying a single aroma in a wine tasting convince Marisol she belonged in the wine world?
What wine myths does Marisol most want consumers to stop believing?
Which modern wine trends are actually thousands of years old?
Why is wine still treated as an exclusive product, despite being more accessible than ever?
How did Argentina help save Europe's vineyards during the phylloxera crisis?
Why do Argentina's southernmost vineyards produce such elegant, fresh wines despite their extreme climate?
Why does Marisol believe making great white wine is even more difficult than making great red wine?
What do the terms Brut, Extra Brut, and Demi-Sec on sparkling wines really mean?
Which common sparkling wine misconception might surprise consumers the most?
 
About Marisol de la Fuente
Marisol de la Fuente is an international sommelier, graduated from the Argentine School of Sommeliers, a bartender trained at the International Center of Cocktail Arts, and a journalist. She communicates about the world of wine and beverages to bring it closer to consumers.
She is a columnist on Canal de la Ciudad, where she presents a different segment every week in a simple and entertaining manner. On Vinimos, her wine podcast, she answers the most common consumer questions alongside Ariel Torres, journalist at La Nación.
She teaches her course "El vino, sin vueltas" in a live online format and also works as an instructor in the sommelier programs.
Beyond her passion for wine, she has 25 years of experience in marketing, communication, and PR in multinational companies, and she is a Digital Marketing lecturer and consultant for companies in the wine and beverage industry.
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/401.

Why is the Daiquiri with just rum, lime and sugar used as a litmus test to see if a bartender is capable of making a decent drink? What is oleo saccharum and why is it a gorgeous way to sweeten sophisticated cocktails? What is tepeche and why do fermenting pineapples make a delicious cocktail?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Kaitlyn Stewart, author of Three Cheers: Cocktails Three Ways: Classics, Riffs, and Zero-Proof Sips.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Giveaway
Three of you are going to win a copy of Kaitlyn Stewart's terrific new book, Three Cheers: Cocktails Three Ways: Classics, Riffs, and Zero-Proof Sips. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
 
Highlights
Why did bartenders once spend 12 minutes shaking a single Ramos Gin Fizz?
What's the most unusual vessel Kaitlyn has ever served a cocktail in?
Why is the Hugo Spritz replacing the Aperol Spritz as one of today's hottest cocktails?
What makes Vancouver's historic Hotel Georgia cocktail so distinctive?
How did sailors accidentally create one of cocktail history's most useful ingredients?
How can you turn pineapple scraps into a naturally fermented drink instead of throwing them away?
What simple kitchen tool can replace the traditional dry shake for egg white cocktails?
Why does Kaitlyn believe the classic Daiquiri is the ultimate test of a bartender's skill?
How did Kaitlyn create a Negroni that even she enjoys drinking?
What's the strangest drink request Kaitlyn has ever received, and why won't she judge anyone's order?
Why is the Margarita still Kaitlyn's favourite cocktail after more than 20 years behind the bar?
What questions should you ask when you don't know what cocktail to order?
What are Kaitlyn's three biggest tips for making better cocktails at home?
 
About Kaitlyn Stewart
Kaitlyn Stewart is an internationally recognized, global bartending champion with over 20 years of hospitality experience. In 2017, she became the first Canadian to win the prestigious title of Diageo's World Class Bartender of the Year. Beyond the bar, she is an author, recipe developer, consultant, and content creator with nearly a million followers across her Likeable Cocktails social platforms.
Kaitlyn travels extensively to conduct seminars, judge cocktail competitions, and host guest shifts at some of the world's top bars. She was recently ranked #65 on the Drinks International Bar World 100 most influential people list and recognized as one of the Imbibe 75 "Ones to Watch." Additionally, she has been a multi-time nominee and short-list finalist for the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards in the categories of International Bar Mentor and Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Social Media Channel.
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/400.

How does it feel competing against the world's best bartenders making six cocktails in six minutes in front of a large audience? How can bartending become a form of storytelling instead of simply making drinks? How did the Mojito begin as a 16th-century medical remedy?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Kaitlyn Stewart, the first Canadian to win the prestigious title of World Class Bartender of the Year and author of the book, Three Cheers: Cocktails Three Ways: Classics, Riffs, and Zero-Proof Sips.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Giveaway
Three of you are going to win a copy of Kaitlyn Stewart's terrific new book, Three Cheers: Cocktails Three Ways: Classics, Riffs, and Zero-Proof Sips. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
 
Highlights
How did growing up in her parents' restaurant shape Kaitlyn's career in hospitality?
How did a mentor show Kaitlyn that bartending could combine storytelling, creativity, and performance?
What was it like competing to make six cocktails in six minutes inside a Mexican wrestling ring?
How did Kaitlyn become the first Canadian to win World Class Bartender of the Year?
Why does Kaitlyn believe the world's greatest cocktails have stood the test of time?
Why did Kaitlyn design her cocktail book with classic, modern, and alcohol-free versions of every drink?
How does the Manhattan cocktail secretly contain New York City's 212 area code?
Which classic cocktail has the strangest origin story?
How did the Mojito begin as a medical remedy more than 400 years ago?
What inspired the invention of the now-famous Espresso Martini?
 
About Kaitlyn Stewart
Kaitlyn Stewart is an internationally recognized, global bartending champion with over 20 years of hospitality experience. In 2017, she became the first Canadian to win the prestigious title of Diageo's World Class Bartender of the Year. Beyond the bar, she is an author, recipe developer, consultant, and content creator with nearly a million followers across her Likeable Cocktails social platforms.
Kaitlyn travels extensively to conduct seminars, judge cocktail competitions, and host guest shifts at some of the world's top bars. She was recently ranked #65 on the Drinks International Bar World 100 most influential people list and recognized as one of the Imbibe 75 "Ones to Watch." Additionally, she has been a multi-time nominee and short-list finalist for the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards in the categories of International Bar Mentor and Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Social Media Channel.
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/399.

How did a single decision trigger Sherry's decline from Britain's favourite drink? What would it take for Sherry to make a comeback after decades of decline? How can you make the most out of your trip to the Sherry region of Spain?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ben Howkins, author of a new book on Sherry.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Giveaway
Two of you are going to win a copy of Ben Howkin's terrific book, Sherry: Maligned, Misunderstood, Magnificent! To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
 
Highlights
Why was Pedro Ximénez once considered too valuable to bottle on its own?
Why did Shakespeare mention Sherry so often in his plays?
How did Sherry become one of the world's most popular wines before its dramatic decline?
How did one businessman almost single-handedly bring down the modern Sherry industry?
Why did people in Jerez say José María Ruiz-Mateos had turned wine back into water?
How has the collapse in Sherry sales unexpectedly created a rare opportunity for wine lovers?
Why does Ben believe the world's finest old Sherries remain one of wine's greatest bargains?
What would it take for Sherry to become fashionable again?
Why are small independent bodegas giving Ben renewed hope for the future of Sherry?
What makes a visit to Jerez unlike any other wine region in the world?
How did Ben help revive one of Europe's oldest and most celebrated sweet wines after the fall of the Iron Curtain?
Why did Hungary insist on calling it the Royal Tokaji Wine Company instead of the Imperial Tokaji Wine Company?
What does "five puttonyos" actually mean on a bottle of Tokaji?
After a lifetime in wine, what advice does Ben have for anyone looking to enjoy wine more?
 
About Ben Howkins
Ben Howkins is widely regarded as the UK's leading writer and expert on port and sherry. In 1963, he became the youngest recipient of the Vintners Scholarship, an experience that took him across Europe's vineyards and helped shape his lifelong passion for wine education, particularly fortified and dessert wines. A prolific author, he has written extensively for both consumer and trade publications. His books include Rich, Rare & Red, Real Men Drink Port… and Ladies Do Too!, Sherry and Adventures in the Wine Trade.
He is a member of the Vintners' Company and has lectured for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, where he also served as a Trustee. An international wine judge and public speaker, he has led vineyard tours across Europe and South America and promoted wine globally, including in the USA and China. He is co-founder of the Royal Tokaji Wine Company and a key figure in reviving Tokaji Aszú's global reputation.
 
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/398.