Explore every episode of the podcast Read Between the Wines Podcast

What does it take to fix a problem an entire industry had quietly decided was unfixable?

Greg Lambrecht, inventor, founder, and chairman of Coravin, joins Pierre Ferland for a conversation that starts in a wine shop at sixteen and ends up rewriting how the world drinks by the glass. An MIT-trained engineer who spent his career designing chemotherapy needles and spinal implants, Lambrecht looked at the oldest rule in wine — open it, and the clock starts — and treated it like a design flaw instead of a tradition.

We go deep into the early prototypes tested on friends, including a neurosurgeon who tried to pay him in wine, the decision to step back as CEO once he realized he was a medical device guy, not a consumer products guy, and the eight years it took to crack Coravin Sparkling after a Guardian critic's one blunt question wrecked his London launch. We talk about walking into hostile Bordeaux chateaux where producers threatened to break his needle, the retailer who changed everything in one Paris sidewalk demo, and Veronique Sanders, the Bordeaux producer who opened the door Coravin needed. We also get into the QVC lesson that reshaped how Coravin sells, his dream of great wine sold by the glass at retail, and the newly launched Coravin Guide, now live in Madrid, New York, and Miami.

Greg put it best: "Our biggest competitor is that sentence, I finished the bottle."

This one comes with a bonus. We asked Greg the question we couldn't let go of: ten years from now, is this still a Coravin device — or has it become a platform, a media brand, a whole new category? His answer, plus his real philosophy on leadership, ego, and why the Coravin Guide spends its spotlight on everyone but Coravin, is in an exclusive bonus episode, available only at readbetweenthewines.com. It doesn't stream anywhere else — this one's for the website only.

Featuring: Coravin, Greg Lambrecht, wine preservation technology, wine by the glass, Coravin Guide, Timeless, Pivot, Sparkling, Bordeaux, Veronique Sanders, QVC, wine industry innovation, medical device invention, wine storytelling.

Why does a 155-year-old empire keep reinventing itself — when coasting was always an option?

Mireia Torres Maczassek, Director of Knowledge and Innovation at Familia Torres, joins Pierre Ferland for a conversation recorded live in Montreal at a Primum Familiae Vini gathering — and it is exactly as good as that setting sounds. Fifth generation of one of the most recognised wine dynasties on the planet, chemical engineer turned oenologist, director of both Torres Priorat and Bodegas Jean Leon, and the scientist quietly running one of the most ambitious research programmes in the history of wine.

We go deep into the 40-year project to recover pre-phylloxera Catalan grape varieties — found in forests, climbing trees, surviving near creek beds — and what it means to give a lost vine a name. We talk about the Torres & Earth climate programme, regenerative viticulture at scale across more than 1,100 organic hectares, and the very honest question of whether doing enough and feeling like you are doing enough are actually the same thing. We discuss Mas La Plana, Grans Muralles, the Waltraud Riesling — a love letter planted at 500 metres in the Penèdes mountains — and the brandy that almost nobody talks about despite nearly a century of production. And we travel to Chile, where the family has been making wine since 1979 and where the ancestral varieties project takes on an entirely different cultural weight.

Mireia put it best: we are going backwards in the sense that we are recovering what was lost. But we are going forward, because we have to find what survives.

Featuring: Familia Torres, Mireia Torres Maczassek, Spanish wine, Penèdes, Priorat, Catalonia, ancestral grape varieties, regenerative viticulture, Mas La Plana, Grans Muralles, Waltraud Riesling, Jaime I brandy, Torres Chile, Primum Familiae Vini, fine wine, terroir.

In 2001, a bottle of Clos des Épeneaux 1996 landed on our podcast host's table and changed the course of his wine life forever. It didn't simply introduce him to Burgundy; it changed the way he understood wine, place, patience, and beauty. The man who made it had no idea. While that bottle was beginning its journey around the world, Pascal Marchand was in Burgundy, celebrating the birth of his second son. That bottle and the story behind it, is where Episode 100 of Read Between the Wines begins.

Pascal arrived in Burgundy in 1983 as a young merchant marine from Montreal with no vineyard, no family name, and no wine pedigree. Two years later, at just 22 years old, he became only the second non-Frenchman ever appointed to lead a Burgundian estate, taking the reins at Domaine Comte Armand and its legendary Clos des Épeneaux. Over the next fifteen vintages, he helped shape one of Burgundy's most iconic wines. One of them changed our host's life.

In this special centennial episode, Pascal and host Pierre Ferland travel through four decades of Burgundy: the generation of young vignerons who reshaped the region together, the lessons he learned from Henri Jayer, why he embraced biodynamics long before it became fashionable, and why terroir still matters more than technique. In their intimate conversation, they explore the personalities of Chambertin and Mazis-Chambertin, the quiet brilliance of Burgundy's centuries-old classification system, the realities of climate change, and the challenge of preserving identity in a world where harvests arrive a month earlier than they once did.

But this conversation reaches far beyond Burgundy. They talk about prestige and speculation, about whether great wine is becoming a luxury asset instead of something meant to be shared, and about what happens when younger generations drink differently than those before them. Pascal's answers are thoughtful, deeply human, and ultimately hopeful. His reflections on pleasure, generosity, and the role wine plays in our lives may be the most important part of the entire conversation.

Episode 100 was always going to be personal. For our podcast host, it was always going to be Burgundy.

Featuring: Pascal Marchand, Maison Marchand-Tawse, Clos des Épeneaux, Domaine Comte Armand, Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambertin Grand Cru, Mazis-Chambertin, Pinot Noir, Côte de Beaune, Côte de Nuits, Moray Tawse.

Sixty years before "drink less, but better" became an industry mantra, one man in Tuscany was already living it. His grandson has spent his whole career proving him right.

In this episode, Pierre sits down with Giovanni Folonari, of Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute, the family behind four distinct Tuscan estates built on a single conviction: that quality can't be rented, it has to be owned.

The conversation moves through Nozzole, the Chianti Classico estate where clay soil and history run deep; Tenute del Cabreo, the Supertuscan project that dared to plant Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay and even Pinot Noir on Sangiovese ground; Campo al Mare, the family's late but decisive bet on Bolgheri; and Tenuta La Fuga, the smallest estate in the portfolio and home to a Brunello Riserva named for two sisters. Along the way, Giovanni talks candidly about the family decision to walk away from an easier, more recognisable business, what it actually takes to grow Pinot Noir outside Burgundy, and why hospitality became part of the estate's identity long before the rest of the wine world caught on.

Want more? A bonus episode, going deeper into the family's history, the technical side of the cellar, and a side of Giovanni that has nothing to do with wine at all, is available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com.

Featuring: Chianti Classico, Supertuscan, Bolgheri, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Sangiovese, family winery, Italian fine wine, terroir, wine and hospitality.

In 1985, Ferruccio Ferragamo went looking for game in the hills between Florence and Arezzo. He came home having found a thousand-year-old medieval village instead.

Years later, his son Salvatore rode a bicycle into those same hills and saw something his father hadn't: a valley whose soil told an entirely different story in every direction, sandstone in one corner, clay rich with sea fossils in another, the memory of an ocean that vanished millions of years before anyone planted a vine.

This is the story of Il Borro — a family better known for shoes than soil, who spent three decades turning a ruin into one of Tuscany's most decorated organic estates, and who are now writing a second chapter in Montalcino.

Salvatore Ferragamo, Vice President of Il Borro, sits down with Pierre Ferland to talk about the Valdarno di Sopra, an appellation the estate helped bring back from obscurity, the single vineyard behind Alessandro dal Borro, named for a Medici military commander built on an unusually large scale, the horses that plough Nitrito instead of tractors, and Petruna, a return to ancient amphora winemaking that strips Sangiovese back to something almost nothing else in Tuscany attempts.

And at the very end, Salvatore says something about Pinino, the family's newer estate in Montalcino, that he didn't have to admit. But did anyway.

The bonus episode, where Salvatore goes into the years before certification, the business case behind the vineyard's solar fields, and what actually earns a second bottle of wine, is available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com.

Featuring: Il Borro, Valdarno di Sopra DOC, Tuscany, Italy, Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, Pinino, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino.

Sara Lecompte Cuvelier swore she would never work in wine. Then in 2018, she became Managing Director of one of the five Second Grand Cru Classé estates in Saint-Julien. Her sister Anne had already been there for thirteen years, building something from nothing. That is the story of Château Léoville Poyferré — and neither of them planned any of it.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Sara and Anne Cuvelier at Château Léoville Poyferré in Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France, for the first of a two-part conversation. The Cuvelier family has been in wine since 1804, beginning as négociants near Lille in the north of France, acquiring Léoville Poyferré in 1920, and extending the family story all the way to the foot of the Andes in Mendoza with Cuvelier Los Andes in 2003.

The conversation covers what it means to inherit something you did not build. The demi-wolf on the label that belonged to the Lawton family and was kept without question. The family motto borrowed from Le Petit Prince: the essential is invisible to the eye. Anne building wine tourism at a classified growth estate before Bordeaux believed that was possible. Sara arriving with a background in human resources and discovering it was exactly what the job required.

And the word Sara says you need to remember about this estate. Not prestige. Not history. Precision.

Part two, where Sara and Anne go deep into the vineyard, the wines, and what Bordeaux still needs to say out loud, is available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com.

Featuring: Château Léoville Poyferré, Saint-Julien, Médoc, Bordeaux, France, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Second Grand Cru Classé.

In 1935, a viceroy ordered a vineyard planted in the hills between Florence and Arezzo. Not to make wine. To mark a military conquest.

Ninety years later, that same vineyard is producing one of the most celebrated Sangiovese in all of Tuscany.

This is the story of Tenuta Sette Ponti — an estate that began as a hunting retreat, became a family obsession, and is now home to Oreno, a wine that has gone toe to toe with the great Bordeaux blends of France. Blind. And won.

Alberto Moretti Cuseri, third generation of the Moretti Cuseri family and Export Director of the estate, sits down with Pierre Ferland to talk about the Valdarno di Sopra, one of Italy's oldest wine zones, certified fully organic and still largely unknown outside serious wine circles. The conversation covers the Vigna dell'Impero and its 90-year-old vines, the portfolio from Crognolo to Oreno, a pure Merlot called Sette, and a Trebbiano that makes a quiet argument for one of Italy's most underrated white grapes.

And at the very end, Alberto says something about wine and identity that lands differently than anything else in this conversation.

Featuring: Tenuta Sette Ponti, Valdarno di Sopra, Oreno, Crognolo, Vigna dell'Impero, Tuscany wine, Super Tuscan, Sangiovese, Italian wine podcast, Alberto Moretti Cuseri

In 2015, a Champagne house gathered the UK wine press at a Westminster Abbey tomb — before a single vine had been planted. That is how Domaine Évremond announced itself to the world. And it tells you everything about what kind of project this is.

In this episode, Pierre sits down with India McGrath, daughter of co-founder Patrick McGrath MW and the person now carrying the Domaine Évremond story forward. Together they explore the founding friendship between Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger and Patrick McGrath, the 18-month search for the perfect site in Kent, and what it actually means to build a Champagne-calibre operation from scratch on English soil.

We talk about why chalk in Kent makes Pinot Noir behave differently than it does in Champagne. About defending wine as culture — not just product — in a world where that conversation has never been more urgent. About the patience required to launch a company in 2015 and sell your first bottle in 2025. And about why a 17th-century Frenchman buried in Poets' Corner is the soul of a very English sparkling wine.

A bonus episode — going deeper into the commercial story, the edition system, the cellar door, and what Paris and Berlin still think of English wine — is available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com.

Featuring: English sparkling wine. Kent. Domaine Évremond. Champagne Taittinger. Classic Cuvée. Chilham. Pinot Noir. Wine GB. Anglo-French friendship. Terroir-driven sparkling wine.

Château Latour-Martillac has been a Grand Cru Classé de Graves since 1953. The Kressmann family has been here since 1930. And somewhere in their vineyard, there is a parcel of vines planted in 1884 that should not still exist — but does, and has become one of the most compelling white wines in all of Bordeaux.

In this episode, Pierre sits down with Edouard Kressmann, Technical Director and fifth generation of the Kressmann family, and Wilfrid Groizard, Deputy General Manager — at one of only six estates in the Graves classification to hold that status for both red and white wine.

We talk about two completely different soils separated by just a few metres of earth that produce two completely different wines under one label. About the Grapecap 1884 parcel — a living conservatory of varieties that have no business being in Bordeaux — and the moment Edouard decided it was a cuvée, not a museum piece. About what it actually means to make white wine in a region the world still associates almost entirely with red. And about whether Bordeaux, in 2025, needs more restraint or more courage.

Want more? A bonus episode — covering the winemaking room, the full portfolio, the Graves classification, and one last question that stops Edouard cold — is available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com.

Featuring: Pessac-Léognan. Graves. Bordeaux white wine. Sémillon. Sauvignon Blanc. Grand Cru Classé. Château Latour-Martillac. Edouard Kressmann. Wilfrid Groizard. Terroir-driven wine. Family estate. French wine. Bordeaux wine.

She was a veterinarian. Then one phone call from her mother changed everything.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre sits down with Monica Raspi, owner of Fattoria Pomona — a small, family-run organic winery in Chianti Classico, Tuscany, on the border of Castellina in Chianti and Vagliagli. Six hectares. Organic since 2009. Minimal intervention in the cellar. And a point of view that is entirely her own.

We talk about the exact moment Monica sold her veterinary clinic and got on a tractor. About learning winemaking by instinct rather than textbook. About the difference between a small Tuscan producer and a large one — and why that difference matters more than ever right now. We get into indigenous yeasts, large Slavonian oak, cover crops, and why she has never once wanted to make a wine that tastes like everyone else's. And we ask what it actually takes to make a Chianti Classico that tastes like somewhere, not something.

Featuring: Fattoria Pomona, Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy.

Full transcript, and more information are available at readbetweenthewines.com

Austria has been making world-class wine for centuries. The world is just now catching up.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, host Pierre Ferland sits down with Wolfgang Hewarth, Winery Director at Esterházy Wein in Burgenland, Austria — one of Central Europe's most historic estates, with winemaking records going back to 1612 and a cellar master hired from Burgundy in 1758. The name alone carries three centuries of imperial history. What Wolfgang is building on top of it is something else entirely.

We talk about what it means to arrive as an outsider and take the long view. We dig into the Leithaberg DAC — one of Austria's most distinctive appellations — and why limestone, mica schist, and a cool Pannonian microclimate produce wines built on tension and precision rather than weight. We get into acidity as a philosophy, not a technical detail. We explore what it takes to use oak purely for ageing, never for flavour. And we ask the question that sits underneath everything Wolfgang does: how do you carry 300 years of history without letting it slow you down?

A bonus episode with Wolfgang is available exclusively on readbetweenthewines.com — deeper into the portfolio, the label story, climate challenges, and what it actually takes to protect freshness when the weather stops cooperating.

Featuring: Esterházy Wein, Burgenland, Austria, Leithaberg DAC, Blaufränkisch.

For more information about our Podcast, visit us on the web: https://readbetweenthewines.com

What does it take to keep a family name alive for nearly four centuries in the same valley, on the same hills, with the same grapes — and still have something new to say?

Welcome to Tedeschi Wines, one of the oldest family estates in Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy — with roots stretching back to the 17th century and a philosophy that has never confused age with complacency. In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre sits down with Riccardo Tedeschi — the winemaker who inherited not just a name, but a restlessness. His father used to say a bad vintage is when you have no new idea.

Together, we explore one of Italy's most quietly compelling wine stories. We talk terroir, elegance, and why Valpolicella is so much more than Amarone. We unpack the white wine nobody saw coming, the single vineyards competing with the best of Chianti, and the house philosophy that puts finesse and freshness at the centre of a region famous for power. We talk about a family that owns its land, builds its own walls, and refuses to stop asking questions.

Want more? A bonus episode with Riccardo — covering blending philosophy, climate change, and the uncomfortable truth about the distance between a wine people admire and a wine people actually pour — is available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com.

Featuring: Tedeschi Wines, Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy, Amarone, Corvina.

For more information about our Podcast, visit us on the web: https://readbetweenthewines.com

What if the most elegant wine in Bordeaux doesn't announce itself at all — it simply holds the entire room?

Welcome to Château Haut-Bailly, a Pessac-Léognan estate in Bordeaux, France, with vines over 120 years old, three perfect 100-point scores from three different critics, and a philosophy that has never chased power — only finesse. In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre sits down with Véronique Sanders, the woman who has led this iconic château for over two decades with the quiet confidence the wine itself is known for.

Together, we explore one of Bordeaux's most storied and beloved estates. We talk terroir, elegance, and why Pessac-Léognan is the true soul of Bordeaux. We unpack the legendary 2016 vintage, the language of silky tannins, and what it really means to make a wine with nothing too much and nothing missing. We discuss a region in full renaissance — and why the world is finally paying attention.

Want more? A bonus episode with Véronique — covering climate change, biodiversity, and a robot named Bacchus — is available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com.

Featuring: Château Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, Classified Growth.

What if the most exciting white grape in the world has been hiding in plain sight, just south of Barcelona?

Meet Xarel·lo — mineral, textural, age-worthy, and criminally underrated. And meet Joan Cusiné, co-owner of Parés Baltà, a biodynamic estate in the Penedès, Catalonia, Spain, with roots going back to 1790, where wine is never complicated and never a punishment.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre sits down with Joan to explore one of Catalonia's most compelling wineries. We talk terroir, altitude, and why the Mediterranean makes all the difference. We dig into biodynamic farming, minimal intervention winemaking, and the radical idea that great wine starts in the soil, not the cellar. We unpack the three pillars of the Parés Baltà range, from everyday drinking to rare single-vineyard Microcuvées. And we make the case, loudly, that premium Cava deserves a seat at the world's best tables.

Want more? A bonus episode with Joan is available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com. Deeper questions, more specific territory. The cellar door conversation.

Featuring: Parés Baltà, Penedès, Catalonia, Spain, Xarel·lo, Cava.

Some wineries take themselves too seriously. Poderi Cellario forgot to — and somehow makes some of the most honest wine in Piemonte because of it.

Playful labels. Litre bottles. Crown caps, not corks. If you judged this estate by its look, you'd walk right past it. That would be a mistake.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, we head to the western edge of the Langhe, Italy, to meet Simone Cellario of Poderi Cellario — third generation, biodynamic-leaning, and allergic to pretension. We talk Dolcetto, and why calling it "simple" is the laziest insult in wine. We dig into Grignolino and Nascetta — two grapes most people couldn't pronounce, let alone place — and what it actually takes to bring the forgotten back without turning it into a museum piece.

And then we get into the part nobody wants to talk about: money. Because making honest wine is the easy part. Making it pay the bills, season after season, without selling out the soul of it — that's the real work. This is a conversation about tradition versus change, identity versus survival, and wine that isn't trying to be perfect. Just real.

The conversation doesn't stop there. A bonus episode — deeper into sustainability, farming philosophy, and the decisions nobody sees before the wine reaches your glass — is waiting exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com.

Featuring: Poderi Cellario, Langhe, Piemonte, Italy, Dolcetto, Grignolino, Nascetta, Biodynamic farming.

Wine is being put on trial. And almost nobody is asking who's actually building the case.

For most of human history, wine wasn't a question. It was just there — at the table, in the ritual, in the gathering. Now it's a headline, a health warning, a culture war. Something shifted. Few people can tell you exactly what, or why, or who benefits from the shift.

Felicity Carter can.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, host Pierre Ferland sits down with Felicity Carter — award-winning journalist, founder of Drinks Insider, and one of the most respected investigative voices covering alcohol policy and the global drinks industry. Felicity has spent decades tracing how the conversation around alcohol actually gets built: not just science, but media incentives, advocacy networks, funding trails, and the political machinery behind a "consensus" that looks a lot more manufactured up close than it does from a distance.

This isn't a defense of wine. It's an investigation into how a 9,000-year-old part of human culture became a public health flashpoint — and what gets lost in translation along the way.

A thoughtful, provocative, occasionally uncomfortable conversation about science, spin, and what wine actually means to the people who still gather around it.

Featuring: Felicity Carter, Drinks Insider, alcohol policy, wine journalism, wine culture.

Sangiovese does not just reveal terroir. It reveals the winemaker.

In Episode 86 of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Federico Cerelli, head winemaker at Castello di Gabbiano, one of Chianti Classico's most historic estates in Tuscany, Italy, to unpack what freshness, drinkability, and "modern classicism" really mean in Tuscany today.

From Federico's first move at Gabbiano in 2011 — taste the past, then rebuild the future — to a masterclass on three distinct vineyard zones, you'll hear how soil, wind, and microclimate shape Sangiovese into radically different personalities, from bold and structured to mineral and quietly elegant.

They dive into oak without the theatre: fewer barriques, more large casks, and a rare local oak experiment that rewinds history without becoming nostalgic. Add climate chaos, the Chianti vs. Chianti Classico misconception, and the "drink less, drink better" shift, and you have an episode built for wine lovers who want truth, not gloss.

Featuring: Castello di Gabbiano, Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy, Sangiovese.

In Episode 85 of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Cristián Vallejo, the winemaker who helped build Viña VIK in Chile under owner Alexander Vik — starting from absolute zero. No vineyards. No cellar. Just 4,500 hectares of wild land in the Millahue Valley and an ambition that practically screamed, "We are not here to make normal wine."

This is a deep dive into terroir precision and controlled madness: micro valleys, hundreds of parcels, high-density planting, and a pivotal moment Vallejo calls the vineyard's personality. We explore circular winemaking, wild yeast, amphora ageing, and why VIK keeps nearly 90 percent of the estate untouched.

Then, in our bonus coverage — available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com — the conversation goes even deeper into the Stone VIK project, where amphoras age in a forest aligned with solstice, full moons, geology, vibration, and time. Stonehenge meets Grand Cru wine. We also uncover the very human moment Cristián Vallejo learned VIK had scored 100 points — standing alone in the Atlanta airport.

If you like your wine talk equal parts craft, culture, and a touch of spirituality, this episode is for you.

Featuring: Viña VIK, Millahue Valley, Chile, biodynamic, amphora ageing.

Can a wine be both unmistakably Bordeaux and unmistakably not Bordeaux at the same time?

In Episode 84 of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga of San Leonardo Family Estate, one of Trentino's most iconic names, in the shadow of the Dolomites, Italy. It's a lively, story-driven conversation that moves from history to terroir, and from bottle ageing to the future of wine itself.

Critics call San Leonardo "Bordeaux with Alpine poise" — and once you understand why, the contradiction starts to make perfect sense. A narrow valley. Fewer hours of direct sunlight. The Ora wind rolling in off Lake Garda. Together, they shape a freshness, a restraint, an elegance that no amount of classic Bordeaux winemaking alone could produce. We unpack the estate's philosophy, the origins of their flagship San Leonardo wine, and the underrated star of the cellar: Carménère, often mistaken for Cabernet Franc and wildly different here than in Chile.

We also dive into the craft side: concrete vats, restrained oak, extraction choices, and what makes Terre such a joy to drink.

Then, in our bonus episode — available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com — we go deeper into sustainability, Equalitas, biodiversity, pergola versus Guyot, climate change planning, and yes, the famous San Leonardo garden.

Featuring: San Leonardo, Trentino, Italy, Carménère, sustainable viticulture.

A doctor walks into the wine debate — and brings the data with her.

In Episode 83 of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Dr. Laura Catena — physician, fourth-generation vintner, and the voice behind In Defense of Wine. She's spent years watching headlines flatten decades of research into a single, terrifying sentence. This episode is her rebuttal.

We go straight at it: the World Health Organization's messaging, the role Movendi International plays in pushing a zero-nuance narrative, and what the actual science says about moderate drinking — the J-curve, why age and drinking pattern matter more than headlines admit. We unpack The Lancet's Global Burden of Disease debate, NASEM versus ICCPUD, and the critical difference between absolute and relative risk, including the breast cancer data everyone cites and almost no one explains correctly.

And we make the case for something the studies can't measure: a glass of wine, a table, people you love, and the simple fact that a molecule was never the whole story.

If you care about wine culture, public health, and data that doesn't get oversimplified for a headline, this is essential listening.

Featuring: Laura Catena, In Defense of Wine, wine and health, moderate drinking research.

For more information about our Podcast, visit us on the web: https://readbetweenthewines.com

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre sits down with Andrea Kaiser, winemaker and daughter of the late Karl J. Kaiser, co-founder of Inniskillin and one of the two pioneers who built modern Canadian winemaking with vinifera grapes.

Andrea grew up among the vines in Niagara, Canada, watching her father measure sugars with a refractometer, tasting early batches, and debating acidity, sweetness, and oak at the family table. But it wasn't until Inniskillin's 50th anniversary and her father's celebration of life that she truly understood the scale of his impact — and decided to continue the legacy in her own way with Drea's Wine Co.

Pierre and Andrea explore her path from the family's restaurant to Reif Estate Winery, and finally to launching her own small-batch label focused on Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and Dornfelder. She explains why Niagara-on-the-Lake's microclimate — the lake, the Niagara River, the escarpment — allows her to grow varieties that surprise many cool-climate drinkers.

The conversation also touches on palate evolution, Canadian wine identity, single-vineyard philosophy, and what it felt like to pour her first Sauvignon Blanc for international critics including Jancis Robinson and Tony Aspler.

A warm, insightful episode honouring a Canadian wine legacy — and the next chapter written by Drea herself.

In our bonus episode, available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com, the conversation goes further still.

Featuring: Drea's Wine Co, Inniskillin, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc.

Four years ago, Stone Eagle was a cult label. Today it's a winery, an estate, a restaurant, and a statement.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland catches up with Adam Pearce — the winemaker behind Stone Eagle Winery and the celebrated wines of Two Sisters in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. Four years after their first conversation during the pandemic, Adam returns with a full update: estate vineyards on Highway 55, a focused portfolio built around age-worthy reds, and The Nest restaurant sitting right in the middle of it all.

Together, Pierre and Adam dig into what it actually takes to build wines that reward patience in a small market that often wants instant gratification. They go deep on Cabernet Franc, the Eagle Eye Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, the Blanc de Franc sparkling, and why balance, structure, and time remain the real luxuries in Canadian wine. Adam also speaks candidly about climate change, extreme vintages, replanting difficult vineyards, and the constant tension between consumer demand and winemaker curiosity.

And then the conversation goes somewhere bigger: the war on wine, the rise of low and no alcohol products, and why responsible enjoyment — food, place, and human connection — still sits at the heart of what wine actually is.

Featuring: Stone Eagle Winery, Two Sisters Vineyards, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay.

What if the longest-lived people on earth all drink wine — and that's not the interesting part?

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Dan Buettner — National Geographic explorer, Emmy Award-winning documentary maker, New York Times bestselling author, and the researcher behind one of the most counterintuitive findings in modern longevity science: that across five regions of the world where people routinely live past 100, moderate wine consumption isn't an indulgence. It's infrastructure.

The Blue Zones — from Okinawa to Sardinia, Ikaria to Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula — don't share a supplement, a fitness routine, or a diet app. They share something harder to bottle: daily movement, plant-forward meals eaten slowly, communities built around purpose, and wine consumed the way it was always meant to be. With food. With people. With time.

Dan and Pierre dig into what longevity actually looks like at ground level, what the science says about red wine specifically, and why the way you drink matters as much as what you drink. They also get into storytelling as a public health tool — and why data alone has never once changed anyone's behaviour.

A conversation that will make you feel considerably better about your next glass of Cannonau.

Featuring: Blue Zones, Dan Buettner, longevity, Sardinia, wine and health, Mediterranean diet.

In 1995, a Burgundy producer did something nobody in the wine world had ever done: he took Robert Parker to court.

His name was François Faiveley. And for a young Pierre Ferland, still finding his way through the world of wine, that act of defiance against the most powerful critic on earth changed everything. Today, Pierre sits down with François's son.

In Episode 79 of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland is joined by Erwan Faiveley — seventh generation, head of Domaine Faiveley since 2005, and steward of one of Burgundy's most singular legacies. Founded in 1825, Faiveley is one of only two estates in Burgundy — alongside Romanée-Conti — whose name is officially part of a Grand Cru appellation. The Clos des Cortons Faiveley monopole. A distinction earned through a legal battle in 1930 that nobody planned for and nobody has replicated since.

This is a deep, wide-ranging conversation: the two faces of Nuits-Saint-Georges and why its terroir is harder to understand than most people admit. The gravity-fed winery overhaul of 2007 and what it did to the tannin structure of Faiveley's reds. Oak used purely for tannin, never for flavour. Climate change, frost risk, and selecting vine material that ripens later. Tariffs, trade wars, and what 200 years of cycles teaches you about patience. Whether critics' scores still matter in Grand Cru Burgundy — and Erwan's answer is three words.

And then there's Rodin. In the middle of the cellar in Nuits-Saint-Georges sits one of 12 original casts of The Kiss. It's there because Faiveley's great-grandmother was the adopted daughter of Maurice Fenaille — Rodin's greatest patron, and the man who bankrolled the Domaine's most important vineyard acquisitions a century ago. Today, every centime of tasting fees at the Domaine goes to two places: the Château de Clos de Vougeot and the Musée Rodin in Paris.

"Winemaking is 90% work and 10% feeling," Erwan says. For a family in its 200th year, that ratio has never changed.

Featuring: Domaine Faiveley, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Burgundy, France, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Clos des Cortons, Grand Cru.

For Episode 78 of Read Between the Wines, we head to the Okanagan Valley to visit Quails' Gate, one of Canada's most iconic wineries. Host Pierre Ferland sits down with Rowan Stewart, who shares the story of his family's four generations of farming and their pioneering role in BC wine. From early Pinot Noir plantings to cutting-edge vineyard technology, Quails' Gate has always been a leader in shaping the region.

But the past two years brought disaster. Back-to-back frost events wiped out almost the entire vineyard, erasing decades of work in just a few freezing nights. Instead of waiting for help, the Stewart family acted fast. They created Field and Flight, a bold project sourcing grapes from across the Pacific Northwest to keep their spirit alive. More than survival, it became a story of resilience and creativity.

Rowan reflects on the land, the challenges of climate change, and the emotional side of winemaking. This episode is about more than vines and clones—it's about family, perseverance, and the future of Canadian wine.

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For most of the last century, English wine was the punchline. Now it's the plot twist.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Nicola Bates, CEO of Wine GB — the body representing English and Welsh wine producers — to explore one of the most unlikely transformations in the modern wine world. A country with a winemaking history stretching back to Roman occupation, then largely forgotten, then quietly, stubbornly rebuilt, is now producing sparkling wines that compete on the same stage as Champagne. And the industry is moving faster than almost anyone anticipated.

Nicola and Pierre dig into what's actually driving that momentum: the chalk and clay soils that English and Welsh vineyards share with northern France, the climate shifts that have opened growing windows previously considered impossible, and the three-year strategy Wine GB is executing to turn international curiosity into lasting credibility. They talk sustainability through the SWGB certification, the diversity and education initiatives reshaping who gets to work in British wine, and wine tourism as a genuine economic engine — not an afterthought.

This is a conversation about a wine region still writing its own rules. Which is exactly what makes it worth watching.

Featuring: Wine GB, English wine, Welsh wine, English sparkling wine, sustainable viticulture, Great Britain.

For Episode 76 of Read Between the Wines, we head to Spain with the dynamic Nathalie Bonhomme, the French-Canadian force behind Les Vins Bonhomme. From her early days in Valencia to becoming a global wine brand, Nathalie shares her remarkable journey, blending bold branding with serious winemaking. We explore her partnerships with top Spanish producers, her deep connection to the Canadian market, and her foray into olive oil. It's a story about passion, persistence, and creating wines that truly resonate—across Sweden, Japan, Canada, and beyond. An inspiring and flavour-packed conversation not to be missed.

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Bordeaux is evolving. Not everyone got the memo — but Château Tour des Termes did.

In Episode 75 of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland heads to Saint-Estèphe, in the northern Médoc, Bordeaux, France, for a refreshingly candid conversation with General Manager Julien Brustis about shaking the dust off Bordeaux tradition without losing its soul.

Under the O'Connor family's stewardship, Tour des Termes is writing a bold new chapter. Climate-savvy vineyard replanting. A white wine — yes, in Saint-Estèphe. A carbon-neutral winery by 2026 that isn't just a noble goal but part of the actual business plan. A Merlot-heavy blend that's aging beautifully — and doesn't require waiting until retirement to enjoy it.

Julien explains why the art of modern Bordeaux is making wines that charm your palate after five years, not fifty. And how a château once defined by quiet tradition is becoming more open, more welcoming, and frankly — more fun.

Accessible yet age-worthy. Fresh yet full of soul. Tour des Termes might just be the Saint-Estèphe you didn't know you needed.

Featuring: Château Tour des Termes, Saint-Estèphe, Médoc, Bordeaux, France, Merlot, sustainable viticulture.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland returns to the heart of Tuscany, Italy, to sit down with Leonardo Bellaccini — oenologist at San Felice for over four decades, and one of the quiet architects of modern Italian wine. Some winemakers chase trends. Bellaccini has spent his career doing the opposite.

The conversation opens with Vigorello — the first Super Tuscan ever produced in Chianti Classico, a wine that broke the rules before breaking the rules had a name. Then it turns to Pugnitello: a grape so obscure it had nearly vanished from the historical record, now central to San Felice's identity and a testament to what happens when a winery treats its own archive as a vineyard.

Bellaccini also speaks candidly about sustainability — regenerative viticulture, climate adaptation, and a firm refusal to use irrigation regardless of what the seasons bring. And then, somewhere between the terroir and the tannins, the conversation becomes something else: a meditation on why wine matters at all. As Bellaccini puts it — wine makes your soul richer.

Featuring: San Felice, Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy, Vigorello, Pugnitello, Super Tuscan.

Someone moved 140-year-old vines. Not metaphorically. Physically relocated them, root system and all, so they could keep growing.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland heads to the Barossa Valley in South Australia to sit down with James Lindner of Langmeil Winery — a fourth-generation producer whose relationship with old vines goes well beyond reverence. It goes all the way to logistics.

Langmeil is home to some of the oldest Shiraz vines on earth. James talks about what it actually takes to preserve them — the Barossa Old Vine Charter, the philosophy behind vine age classifications, and why the decision to relocate century-old vines rather than lose them to development was not romantic but necessary. This is living history, and someone has to fight for it.

The conversation moves through soil, sustainability, the balance between tradition and modern winemaking, and what it means to be the custodian of something irreplaceable. James Lindner makes wine the way Barossa vines grow — slowly, deliberately, and with a long view of what matters.

Featuring: Langmeil Winery, Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia, Shiraz, old vines.

Wine is being compared to asbestos. By scientists. In peer-reviewed journals. That is the conversation we need to have.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Dr. Ignacio Sánchez Recarte, Secretary General of the Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV) and one of the leading voices behind VitæVino — the industry campaign pushing back against what has become a coordinated global effort to reclassify wine as a public health threat on par with tobacco and carcinogens.

Dr. Sánchez Recarte breaks down the science — and the gaps in it. The 2018 Lancet report that reshaped public policy across Europe. The difference between absolute and relative risk, and why that distinction matters enormously when headlines are being written. The J-curve, gut health, the Mediterranean diet, and what decades of epidemiological research actually show when read carefully rather than selectively. And the deeper question underneath all of it: how did a product rooted in six thousand years of human culture, community, and moderation end up in the same regulatory conversation as industrial chemicals?

This episode is the beginning of a conversation that runs through the entire show. For more on this subject, go deeper with Felicity Carter in Episode 87 and Dr. Laura Catena in Episode 83.

Featuring: CEEV, VitæVino, wine and health policy, European wine, moderate drinking research.

There are fewer than 280 Master Sommeliers in the world. New Zealand has exactly one.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Cameron Douglas MS — the only Master Sommelier in New Zealand, and one of the most respected voices in hospitality education across the Asia-Pacific region. This is not a conversation about wine lists. It's a conversation about how we perceive flavour, why most people misunderstand what a sommelier actually does, and what it takes to train a palate to the level required to pass one of the most demanding examinations in the food and drink world.

Cameron breaks down the art and science of food and wine pairing — including what he calls the cashew test, a deceptively simple method for understanding how texture and fat interact with tannin. He talks about decoding restaurant wine lists, sensory training, palate disruption, and why the changing face of wine consumption globally is both a challenge and an opportunity for the next generation of wine professionals.

Featuring: Cameron Douglas MS, Master Sommelier, New Zealand, food and wine pairing, sommelier training.

They were driving into San Francisco when they heard it on the radio: Nelson Mandela was about to be released. They turned the car around and went back to South Africa.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland returns to South Africa for the first time in nearly four years to sit down with Kathy and Gary Jordan of Jordan Wine Estate in Stellenbosch — an economist and a geologist who built one of the Cape's most celebrated estates not by following the industry but by reading the land beneath it.

Gary talks geology the way most winemakers talk grapes — test pits, 600-million-year-old granite, the precise boundary between two soil types where they put their roads. Kathy talks about economics the way most winemakers talk about harvest — supply chains, stock flow, and why running out of wine for even a week means a restaurant will never put you back on the list. Together they make wines that span four cardinal directions and 250 metres of altitude on a single estate — and somehow make it all look inevitable.

The conversation covers the Timepiece Range and its old-vine philosophy. The Chameleon conservation bursary funding PhD research into endangered Cape Dwarf chameleons. The bold climate adaptation plantings — Assyrtiko, Mencía, Cinsault — and what a 20-year quarantine period looks like when you're trying to bring an ancient Greek grape variety to South Africa. Their UK project, Mousehall Country Estate in England, where they're quietly building something on the same geology as Champagne. And the art-versus-science debate, settled definitively by two people who happen to have degrees in both.

A bonus conversation with Kathy and Gary — an additional 30 minutes of discussion available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com.

Featuring: Jordan Wine Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa, Assyrtiko, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Mousehall Country Estate, English wine.

She was recovering from severe COVID. She needed something to keep her mind working. She made a puzzle.

That puzzle is now sold in over 40 countries.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Sanna Yamit Viitaoja-Malmberg, sommelier and co-founder of Water & Wines — the wine-themed puzzle company that went from a kitchen table idea to a global brand in a matter of weeks. What makes Water & Wines different isn't just the subject matter. It's the obsessive attention to detail that only a sommelier could bring to a 1,000-piece product — the kind of accuracy that makes wine professionals stop and look twice.

Yamit talks about the journey from concept to company, how sustainability became a non-negotiable part of the business model, why play is one of the most underrated tools in wine education, and what the data says about which wine region sells the most puzzles worldwide. The answer is not what you'd expect.

Featuring: Water & Wines, wine puzzles, wine education, sustainability.

Some sparkling wine producers release their wine after eighteen months. Ambriel waits six years.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Wendy Outhwaite, co-founder of Ambriel — an English sparkling wine producer in West Sussex built around a single, unfashionable idea: patience. Their wines don't leave the estate until they're ready. Not market-ready. Actually ready.

Wendy walks through the five-year search for the right vineyard, and why greensand — a rare, ancient soil type found beneath the South Downs — became the foundation of everything Ambriel does. She talks about hand-picking, blind blending, and a "palate, not wallet" philosophy that shapes every decision from vineyard to disgorgement. And she explains the name: a nod to angels, ambrosia, and a quip attributed to Pope Gregory the Great that has quietly informed the estate's identity ever since.

Oh, and the corks say "Huzzah!" — because why wouldn't they.

Featuring: Ambriel, West Sussex, English sparkling wine, greensand terroir, Great Britain.

Tuscany's largest organic winery isn't run by a corporation. It's run by a family in its tenth generation — and their most important business principle has no KPI attached to it.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Santiago Marone Cinzano of Col d'Orcia in Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy — a winery that has been farming the Val d'Orcia since the fifteenth century and has spent the last several decades turning 540 hectares into what Santiago calls a "biological oasis." No pesticides. No herbicides. Tuscany's largest certified organic estate.

Santiago talks about the specific decisions behind that transformation — not as a marketing exercise, but as a conviction that began long before organic wine was fashionable. He goes deep into the Val d'Orcia terroir, what distinguishes Brunello di Montalcino from every other expression of Sangiovese on earth, and the winemaking philosophy that underpins everything Col d'Orcia produces.

And then there is La Filosofia della Pazienza — the philosophy of patience. At Col d'Orcia, patience is not a virtue. It is a discipline. A framework for every decision from pruning to release, built on the understanding that Brunello does not respond to urgency. It never has. It never will.

A bonus conversation with Santiago — over 30 minutes of additional discussion — is available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com.

Featuring: Col d'Orcia, Brunello di Montalcino, Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, Sangiovese, organic viticulture.

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Dog Point's Sauvignon Blanc ages for fifteen years. Their Section 94 sits in bottle for five before release. Their cellar door is a tea room where the vineyard crew occasionally can't get their cup of tea. And they have never entered a wine competition.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland heads to Marlborough, New Zealand to sit down with Matt Sutherland — General Manager of Dog Point Vineyard and son of its founders, Margaret and Ivan Sutherland, who began planting vines in 1979 when almost nobody was paying attention to Marlborough. Matt is the kid who grew up on the farm, went to boarding school, decided he wanted nothing to do with grapes, studied viticulture anyway, spent years in sales and distribution across New Zealand, Australia, and London, fell in love with family wine estates in Burgundy and Barolo, and came home.

The conversation covers what makes Dog Point's Sauvignon Blanc genuinely different — estate-grown on clay soils in the Southern Valleys, whole bunch pressed, four months on lees, built for fifteen years of cellaring in a category famous for drinking young. Matt explains the Section 94: one vineyard, eighteen months in eight-year-old barrels, released five years after harvest, made in the style of Chardonnay but emphatically not tasting like it. He talks about the philosophy of restraint, the decision to spend travel budget instead of competition entry fees, and why New Zealand wine's greatest strength and greatest weakness is exactly the same thing — distance.

A bonus conversation with Matt — covering sustainability, screwcaps, Pinot Noir, and Dog Point's eight planted varieties — is available exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com.

Featuring: Dog Point Vineyard, Marlborough, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc, Section 94, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, organic viticulture.

The winery is named after the limestone rocks they pulled out of the ground. The same limestone found under Burgundy and Bordeaux. The architect who designed the building now works on Canada's Parliament. And the president will debate the physics of cork versus screwcap until the cows come home.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Ed Madronich, owner and president of Flat Rock Cellars on the Twenty Mile Bench in Niagara, Ontario, Canada. Ed is a self described wine geek who goes down to the lab to ask the winemaker what she is doing not because he does not trust her, but because he genuinely cannot help himself.

The conversation covers the limestone terroir of the Niagara Escarpment, Flat Rock's four pillar sustainability philosophy, the Project Nature Nurture experiment on wild versus cultured yeast fermentation, the Twisted blend that beats hundred dollar wines at Decanter, and the case against cork built entirely on physics.

Quality is not a hope. It is a cost of entry.

Featuring: Flat Rock Cellars, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara, Ontario, Canada, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay.

Someone ruined a treasured Barolo. The culprit was not the winemaker, the vintage, or bad luck. It was a storage unit set to the wrong temperature.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland sits down with Marshall Tilden III, head of wine storage at Wine Enthusiast, for a practical and surprisingly personal conversation about what happens to wine between the cellar and the glass.

Marshall breaks down the four enemies of wine: temperature, humidity, light, and vibration. He explains what each one actually does to a bottle over time and what the right conditions look like whether you are storing six bottles on a countertop or six hundred in a dedicated cellar. He also clears up the most persistent misconceptions about wine storage, including a few that cost people wines they can never get back.

A useful episode for anyone who has ever bought a bottle worth keeping.

Featuring: Wine Enthusiast, wine storage, wine aging, wine cellar.

Before Mark Beaman made wine, he lived in East Africa without electricity or running water, hauled 55 gallons of water by oxcart, built a rainwater catchment system that occasionally got stolen, and vagabonded from Tanzania down to South Africa after his Peace Corps commitment ended. Then he got a haircut, put on a tie, and interviewed at a winery in Washington State.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland travels to Sonoma, California to sit down with Mark Beaman, head winemaker at Kenwood Vineyards — a winery founded in 1970 on a pre-Prohibition site that still uses a 1906 barn as its tasting room, and the only producer with exclusive rights to fruit from the Jack London Ranch.

The Jack London Ranch is worth understanding before you press play. Jack London — the writer, the sailor, the oyster pirate — bought 1,000 acres on Sonoma Mountain at the turn of the century, planted eucalyptus trees for shipbuilding timber, built a house, wrote some of the most adventurous American fiction of his era, and died at 40. The eucalyptus trees are still there. So are the vineyards. And so is the unique geology — two colliding soil types from the Sonoma Volcanics sitting on a fault line of the San Andreas — that produces Cabernet, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Merlot that Mark has had exclusive access to for every vintage.

The conversation covers the Pacific Ocean's influence on Sonoma's diverse terroir, the difference between Pinot Noir from Burgundy and Russian River, the philosophy behind Kenwood's five wine ranges, and a glyphosate disinformation campaign targeting California wine that Mark traces back to its actual source — a laboratory in Colorado making money from the panic it created.

A bonus conversation with Mark covers barrel regime, cellaring potential across the full Kenwood portfolio, and the sustainability practices behind their California Certified Sustainable Winery certification — exclusively at readbetweenthewines.com.

Featuring: Kenwood Vineyards, Sonoma Valley, California, USA, Jack London Ranch, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel.

In 1972, Pip Goring arrived in England from South Africa, newly married, and convinced she'd found a country with wall-to-wall sunshine. She had not. But she had found a piece of land on chalk that runs in an unbroken geological band all the way from Sussex through Kent and directly into Champagne. She spent the next 34 years waiting to plant vines on it.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland heads to West Sussex to sit down with Kirsty Goring, co-owner and Brand Director of Wiston Estate, and Marcus Rayner-Ward, their winemaker — to explore one of the most compelling stories in the English wine renaissance.

Wiston is a fully functioning farm, a restaurant called Chalk, a cellar, and a winery built around a 52-year-old wooden Champagne basket press that requires pitchforks, a full team, and sounds — Marcus says — like an African drum when it runs. When Pip heard it for the first time in 2008, she says she felt truly connected to her new homeland for the first time. The juice that came out of that press reminded their French consultant of the wines his father made in Champagne forty years ago.

The conversation covers the geology of the South Downs and why it mirrors the Côte des Blancs, the philosophy of championing acidity rather than hiding it, the 2011 Blanc de Blanc that won Best in Show at Decanter World Wine Awards out of 16,500 wines and put English sparkling wine on the international map, and a 2010 library Blanc de Blanc that Kirsty describes as walking a tightrope while an orchestra starts playing underneath — currently £130 a bottle, bought by the case, with very little left.

And Marcus's answer to what makes a great wine: it's the little things. All of them. Done by everyone. Every time.

Featuring: Wiston Estate, West Sussex, England, Great Britain, English sparkling wine, Blanc de Blanc, Chardonnay.

For Episode 61, we bring you a special conversation with Estelle Burgan from La Cave Garibaldi. Estelle and her husband Eric run a unique boutique in France that specializes in promoting and selling Italian wines, but their passion doesn't stop there. They also curate bespoke wine tours in Italy, guiding travellers through the country's hidden gems and lesser-known regions. This isn't your typical tourist experience—Estelle and Eric focus on authentic, intimate journeys that connect visitors with local winemakers, artisans, and breathtaking off-the-beaten-path destinations.

In this episode, Estelle shares the story behind La Cave Garibaldi and her unexpected journey from French wine expert to an ambassador for Italian wines. She discusses the importance of building genuine relationships with winemakers and the joy of uncovering Italy's diverse viticultural landscapes, from the hills of Umbria to the coastlines of Liguria. We also explore the challenges and rewards of running a wine business as a couple and why they prioritize stories over statistics when choosing wines.

If you're dreaming of a wine-fueled Italian adventure or simply curious about what makes Italian wines so captivating, this episode is tailor-made for you. Tune in and get inspired!

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Grape seeds from 600 BC. A winery overlooking the largest bird sanctuary in Europe. A daughter who came back from California and said: Dad, I am coming back, but this is the way I want to farm. And a blind tasting experiment where Michel's team has never once misidentified the origin of a wine, even when they get the varietal completely wrong.

In this episode of Read Between the Wines, Pierre Ferland heads to the Costières de Nîmes, the western edge of the southern Rhône Valley where the river meets the Mediterranean, to sit down with Michel Gassier of Domaine Gassier and Château de Nages. The Gassier family has been farming this land for four generations. The fifth generation, Isabelle, is now shaping where it goes next.

The conversation covers the geology of rolled pebbles that never compact and why that matters for minerality. The sea breezes that cool and hydrate the vines. The difference between Château de Nages on the northern lip of the plateau and Domaine Gassier on the southern edge overlooking Camargue, which Michel describes as the difference between Puligny-Montrachet and Chablis. The varietals being planted to adapt to a warming climate: Bourboulenc, Piquepoul, Carignan Blanc, and Mourvèdre. And the three pillars of regenerative agriculture, soil, ecosystem, and community, making Domaine Gassier the first French winery to carry regenerative certification.

He returned from America in 1993 having learned that if you don't like something, you change it. He still believes that. The red tape is the problem.

Featuring: Domaine Gassier, Château de Nages, Costières de Nîmes, Southern Rhône, France, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, regenerative agriculture.

For Episode 59, we have the distinct honor of featuring one of the biggest names in the winemaking industry. We are privileged to interview Sandro Bottega, a name synonymous with excellence and innovation in viticulture. As the visionary leader of the Bottega SPA empire, Sandro has not only elevated the art of winemaking but has also set a global standard with his Prosecco. His products, celebrated for their unparalleled quality, grace the shelves of virtually every airport worldwide, making his brand one of the most known brand worldwide. The iconic gold bottle of Bottega Prosecco is a testament to his craftsmanship and is instantly recognizable, embodying elegance and prestige. Join us as we delve into the journey of this extraordinary entrepreneur and explore the secrets behind the success of Bottega SPA.


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For Episode 58, we explore one of Niagara's most iconic wineries, The Foreign Affair Winery, with their accomplished winemaker, René Van Ede. Since joining in 2020, René has been steering the winery's evolution beyond its renowned Italian-inspired appassimento wines, expanding the portfolio to include exciting new offerings like sparkling wines and Pinot Grigio.

Owned by Corby Spirit & Wine, part of the Pernod Ricard family since 2017, Foreign Affair is deeply rooted in tradition yet constantly innovating. René, originally from Australia, brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to the winery. His expertise is evident as he discusses the intricacies of winemaking in Canada and the winery's commitment to sustainability and hospitality. With the unveiling of their stunning new tasting room, Foreign Affair is a must-visit destination for wine lovers.

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For Episode 57, we offer an interview with Nadia and Ilya Senchuk, the visionary founders of Leaning Post Winery in Canada's Niagara region. Established in 2009 as a virtual label, Leaning Post quickly evolved into a celebrated winery uniquely positioned between Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment. Known for their infectious enthusiasm and deep commitment to their terroir, Nadia and Ilya share their journey of transforming their dream into reality. With Ilya as the winemaker and Nadia driving the business, they have become a dynamic force in the Canadian wine industry.


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For Episode 56, we explore the wine industry from a unique perspective, focusing on entrepreneurship rather than winemaking. We are honored to welcome Moshé Weizman, the co-founder and CEO of WineIng, a groundbreaking start-up based in Tel-Aviv. WineIng is a digital platform that uses smart flash group buying, acting as a Direct-to-Consumer (DtC) enabler, empowering merchants and buyers to sell and purchase wine more effectively, together.

In this episode, we will not delve into topics like second fermentation, malolactic fermentation, or vineyard pest control. Instead, you will be introduced to a simple yet ingenious concept that has the potential to disrupt the wine market significantly.


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For Episode 55, we deviate from our usual path, and for the first time on Read Between the Wines podcast, wine won't be the main topic.

Our guest is a highly acclaimed media personality, particularly in the United States. He is the Chief Climate Correspondent for the news channel CNN: Bill Weir has covered numerous major events including the war in Afghanistan, was the first American to broadcast live from Tibet, and he reported from various disaster zones such as Hurricane Katrina and the Japan tsunami.

Al Gore – the "former next President" of the United States once said – Denial ain't just a river in Egypt…  and despair ain't just a tire in the trunk… Whether you are a denial or not, it doesn't matter – it's happening right before our eyes. Bill has recently published a book entitled "Life as We Know It," and we discuss his book, but more importantly, we delve into the climate crisis that affects us all, including vintners and winemakers.


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For Episode 54, we take you on an immersive journey to Sicily, Italy, to explore the excellence of the 2024 Wine Family of the Year, Planeta. Recently honored with this prestigious title at the Meininger Awards in Düsseldorf, Planeta stands as a beacon of Sicilian viticulture. 

We are privileged to have Alessio Planeta, CEO of Planeta Winery, share the rich legacy and innovative spirit that has propelled his family to the forefront of the global wine industry. With a presence spanning over 400 hectares across six of Sicily's finest vineyards, the Planeta family has masterfully blended tradition with modernity, not only in winemaking but also in olive cultivation and hospitality. This episode offers listeners a rare insight into the heart of Sicilian agriculture and the relentless dedication that has made Planeta a symbol of world-class excellence. 


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For Episode 53, we explore the picturesque Beamsville Bench in Canada's Niagara region with Harald Thiel, founder and owner of Hidden Bench Estate Winery. Known for its premium wines crafted from organic estate-grown fruit, Hidden Bench focuses on cool climate varietals, especially Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Harald Thiel's journey from a successful business career to becoming a vintner is deeply rooted in his European heritage, where wine was a family staple. Established in 2003, Hidden Bench embodies Thiel's vision of producing world-class wines Canadians can proudly present.

During our conversation, Thiel emphasizes sustainability and organic farming, key pillars of Hidden Bench's winemaking philosophy. The winery utilizes geothermal technology and solar panels, demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental stewardship. Thiel also discusses the challenges of climate change and the innovative practices they employ to ensure quality and sustainability. 


For more information about our Podcast, visit us on the web: 
https://readbetweenthewines.com 

Follow us on Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/betweenthewinesmedia 

Connect with us on LinkedIn: 
https://www.linkedin.com/company/read-between-the-wines