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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.   

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.   

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.     

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.   

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.   

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.   

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.   

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.     

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.