Unreserved Wine Talk

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.

How did wine transform biblical meals into symbols of the covenant in the ancient world? Why did overflowing vineyards and giant clusters of grapes become such powerful symbols of the Promised Land? Why did religious leaders label Jesus a glutton, a drunkard, and a friend of sinners?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Professor Mark Scarlata, author of Wine, Soil, and Salvation in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Highlights
What makes the Bible's first meal with bread and wine so significant?
Why does the "cup of salvation" become one of the Bible's most enduring images?
How did wine become the ultimate symbol of communion in the Christian faith?
Why did the spies return from the Promised Land carrying an enormous cluster of grapes?
Why do biblical visions of salvation so often involve overflowing wine and lavish feasts?
Why was abundant wine associated with the coming of the Messiah?
What was Jesus communicating by turning water into wine at Cana?
How did the prophets transform the "cup of salvation" into a symbol of judgment?
Does Proverbs contain what may be the world's first hangover story?
Why was Jesus accused of being a drunkard and a friend of sinners?
What does Jesus really mean by new wine and old wineskins?
What does the terrifying winepress imagery in Revelation actually symbolize?
If Mark could share a bottle of wine with anyone in history, why would he choose Moses?
What can wine teach us about humanity, community, and our connection to the world around us?
 
About Mark Scarlata
Mark Scarlata is Senior Lecturer in Old Testament at St. Mellitus College, London. He is also the Vicar-Chaplain at St. Edward, King and Martyr, Cambridge, and the Director of the St. Edward's Institute for Christian Thought. He has spoken on wine and faith internationally and continues to write on the subject.
 
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/394.

How does biking through wine country help you better understand the wines? Why has wine held a unique place in the Bible and our culture when so many other foods like milk, olive oil, honey, dates, and pomegranates symbolize abundance and blessing? How do the aromas and complexity of wine create such deep connections to memory in the brain? Why do so many people feel disconnected in modern life despite being more connected than ever?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Professor Mark Scarlata, author of the new book Wine, Soil, and Salvation in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Highlights
What did cycling through French wine country teach Mark about the connection between wine, land, and place?
Why did a biblical scholar decide to write a book about wine?
What surprised Mark most when he began researching wine in the Bible?
Why are wine, soil, and salvation so closely connected in Mark's understanding of scripture?
What does Noah's transformation into a "man of the soil" reveal?
Why do some commentators criticize Noah's drunkenness when the biblical text itself seems far less concerned with it?
What happens when wine is treated as a symbol of community and celebration rather than a source of status and exclusivity?
How do wine's aromas connect with the brain and our memories?
Why does Mark think modern life leaves people feeling increasingly disconnected from the places where they live?
How did wine become such an ordinary yet essential part of daily life in the ancient world?
 
About Mark Scarlata
Mark Scarlata is Senior Lecturer in Old Testament at St. Mellitus College, London. He is also the Vicar-Chaplain at St. Edward, King and Martyr, Cambridge, and the Director of the St. Edward's Institute for Christian Thought. He has spoken on wine and faith internationally and continues to write on the subject.
 
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/393.