Unreserved Wine Talk

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.

How does the Solera system give every glass of sherry centuries of history? How does Sherry's "second terroir" shape the wine just as much as the vineyard itself? Why should every great wine cellar have mature, dry Sherry?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Ben Howkins, who has just published 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
How did Ben win one of the wine world's most prestigious scholarships with a single word?
Why does Ben still remember his very first glass of Fino Sherry more than 60 years later?
What makes the Solera system one of the most remarkable ageing methods in the wine world?
How can every bottle of Sherry contain traces of wines made generations ago?
Can the position of a single barrel inside a bodega really change the taste of the wine?
What makes old Amontillado sherry such a thrilling wine to taste?
Why do the chalky white soils of Jerez have so much in common with Champagne and southern England?
What are the key differences between the fortified wines Port and Sherry?
How did the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War shape Ben's first impressions of Jerez?
What might you be surprised to discover about the world's greatest Sherries?
What does "en rama" mean, and why are Sherry lovers so excited whenever they see it on a bottle?
Why is Palo Cortado considered the most mysterious style of Sherry?
 
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/397.

Can Bordeaux adapt to changing wine tastes without losing its identity? Bordeaux is pulling up thousands of hectares of vines because of overproduction. How does Mouton Cadet's model offer a way out for some wine growers? How are modern Bordeaux producers, like Mouton Cadet, creating wines with more energy, smoothness, and drinkability for today's consumers?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Véronique Hombroekx, the Managing Director for the Mouton Cadet Brand and Jérôme Aguirre, Director, Mouton Cadet Wines, about their Fair for Life program.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Highlights
Why did Canada become one of the first markets chosen for Mouton Cadet's Fair for Life launch?
What does the success of Fair for Life wines in Canada reveal about today's wine consumers?
Why does Veronique see consumer support as a direct investment in the future of winegrowers?
How is Mouton Cadet helping consumers understand what the Fair for Life certification means?
Why does Veronique view consumer confusion between Fair for Life and Fair Trade as an opportunity rather than a problem?
Why does Veronique believe Bordeaux still faces difficult challenges despite signs of optimism?
How are changing consumer preferences forcing Bordeaux to rethink its traditional style of wine?
Why do Veronique and Jérôme believe curiosity and humility are essential to Bordeaux's future?
How is Mouton Cadet helping growers become more resilient instead of pulling out vineyards?
Why is maintaining 30% organic vineyards more realistic than pursuing organic conversion at any cost?
What does Jérôme mean when he says the 2022 vintage is "singing" while the 2023 vintage is "dancing"?
If Veronique could summarize Fair for Life in a single sentence, what would she want consumers to understand?
 
About Mouton Cadet's Fair for Life Certification
The Fair for Life fair-trade certification scheme officially recognises Mouton Cadet's commitment and makes them unique in Bordeaux. The aim of this certification is to pursue existing initiatives with their winegrowers in response to a range of challenges: economic (more resilient operating models), environmental (support for the agroecological transition) and social (training, transmission of skills). Each bottle of Mouton Cadet with the Fair for Life label bears witness to the combination of a shared passion and a long-term commitment.
 
 
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/396.

Why did the Bordeaux wine Mouton Cadet decide that sustainability needed to include people, not just the environment? Why is the Fair for Life certification that's focused on people, community, and respect the environment a perfect fit for Mouton Cadet? What does it mean to create trust with more than 100 grape growers that lasts for generations?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Véronique Hombroekx, the Managing Director for the Mouton Cadet Brand and Jérôme Aguirre, Director, Mouton Cadet Wines, about their Fair for Life program.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Highlights
What made Veronique believe fair trade principles could work for a Bordeaux wine brand on the scale of Mouton Cadet?
Why did a small Fair for Life label on another Bordeaux wine inspire a major change at Mouton Cadet?
What was missing from Mouton Cadet's sustainability strategy before Fair for Life was introduced?
Why did Mouton Cadet choose its flagship Rouge to carry the Fair for Life certification?
What does it actually mean for more than 100 independent winegrowers to be part of the "Mouton Cadet family"?
How do long-term contracts and above-market pricing help growers plan for the future?
What happens during a typical vineyard visit between Mouton Cadet's technical team and its growers?
How is technology helping growers make better decisions while reducing their reliance on pesticides?
Why do the growers themselves decide how the Fair for Life development fund is invested?
How are growers using shared data and cost-management tools to improve their businesses?
Why has climate adaptation become one of the most urgent challenges facing Bordeaux winegrowers?
How can supporting growers beyond the vineyard ultimately lead to better wine in the bottle?
 
About Mouton Cadet's Fair for Life Certification
The Fair for Life fair-trade certification scheme officially recognises Mouton Cadet's commitment and makes them unique in Bordeaux. The aim of this certification is to pursue existing initiatives with their winegrowers in response to a range of challenges: economic (more resilient operating models), environmental (support for the agroecological transition) and social (training, transmission of skills). Each bottle of Mouton Cadet with the Fair for Life label bears witness to the combination of a shared passion and a long-term commitment.
 
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/395.