Back

Explore every episode of the podcast The Premier Cru - Wine Podcast

Dive into the complete episode list for The Premier Cru - Wine Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

Rows per page:

1–50 of 64

TitlePub. DateDuration
Ep 41: Carousel - One of the UK's most ambitious culinary projects02 Sep 202400:55:39

We welcome Ed Templeton to The Premier Cru, who is the Co-Founder of Carousel. What differentiates Carousel from other restaurants?


Well, they have a weekly chef in residency programme, inviting new chefs each week from across the world to showcase their cuisine to London customers. It is a culinary hub where you can explore different cuisines, cultures and real creativity. On top of that they also have a wine bar and a Mezcaleria acting as more casual spaces in which to enjoy Carousel if you don't feel like fine dining.


Given we invited Ed to join The Premier Cru - you guessed it - they also have a brilliant wine programme, run by Joshua Bratt, who also runs a series of wine raves called Close Ties. With a weekly changing menu, they need a strong wine list to pair with an eclectic range of dishes.


Join us as we discuss how:

  • Carousel was founded
  • To run a weekly chef in residency programme
  • The Carbonara King caused havoc this year


We also try three brilliant wines from the Carousel list:

  • Carousel "House white", by Valle Reale, Abruzzo, Italy, NV
  • Vi di Taula, by Els Jelipins, Penedes, Spain, 2022
  • VB1, by Selvadolce, Liguria, Italy, 2019

You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 40: Hedonism Wines - Wine meets luxury retail!05 Aug 202400:57:20

Hedonism Wines has to be one of the most luxurious retail experiences in the UK. Think of it as a wine Disneyland including chandeliers made of wine glasses, multiple large format bottles and some of the greatest wines you can get your hands on!


Hugo and Ben welcome Julien Le Doaré, General Manager of Hedonism Wines, onto the podcast. In the episode we discuss:

  • The vision behind Hedonism Wines
  • The range of wines available
  • Expansion into hospitality via a Michelin star restaurant


We also taste 3 wines from the Hedonism range that you can purchase online:

You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 31: Karakterre - Austria's leading wine festival and community03 Jun 202400:50:04

The Premier Cru are on tour, visiting Austria for a wine festival called Karakterre! The festival lasts 2 days and showcases over 200 central and eastern European producers, who practice either organic or biodynamic viticulture. Throughout the week, producers open their doors to visitors, whilst bars and restaurants across Vienna provide tastings and parties alongside the main event.


Community is at the heart of Karakterre and we welcome Marko Kovac, Co-Founder of of the event, to The Premier Cru to tell us all about it. This week we discuss:

  • What it's like to run a leading wine festival
  • The community that underpins Karakterre
  • Austria's most exciting wine producers and regions


Check out and subscribe to our Substack. We will be connecting you with our guests and developing our community. Expect wine recommendations, recipes from chefs and much more!


You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 30: Gusbourne - English wine on the global stage27 May 202400:50:16

This week is all about Gusbourne, one of England's leading wine producers!

Hugo and Ben welcome Laura Rhys MS, Head of Wine at Gusbourne, to discuss their success and acclaim since launching their first wines in 2006.

We discuss:

  • What it takes to become a Master Sommelier
  • Gusbourne's approach to viticulture and winemaking
  • The development of English wine since the 80's
  • And how English wine is perceived on the international market

And we tucked into these three wonderful wines from Gusbourne:


Check out and subscribe to our Substack. We will be connecting you with our guests and developing our community. Expect wine recommendations, recipes from chefs and much more!


You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 29: Honey Spencer - Natural Wine, No Drama20 May 202401:03:06

Hugo and Ben welcome Honey Spencer to The Premier Cru.


Honey is the lady of the hour in the UK wine scene. Alongside her husband, she recently launched a fantastic restaurant called Sune, which has already been nominated for the best opening of the year as part of The National Restaurant Awards.

As if that was not enough excitement, Honey has also just released a new book called ⁠"Natural Wine, No Drama: An Unpretentious Guide"⁠. The book expertly does what it says on the tin.

On this episode we introduce you to both Sune and Honey's new book, whilst tasting three wines available on the restaurant wine list:

  • Riesling, MIRA
  • Vino bianco "Arcese", Vittorio Bera & Figli
  • Les perles du Mont Blanc, Domaine du Gringet


Check out and subscribe to our Substack. We will be connecting you with our guests and developing our community. Expect wine recommendations, recipes from chefs and much more!


You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 28: Benedict Butterworth - learn all about 'New Wave Bordeaux'13 May 202400:53:41

In contrast to last week's ep with Corney & Barrow, this week we continue on the theme of Bordeaux but this time looking at New Wave Bordeaux - what the &*%$ is that I hear you say!

Hugo and Ben welcome Benedict Butterworth, founder of Benedict Butterworth Wines, onto the podcast to give us an overview of the modern state of play in Bordeaux. BBW is an independent wine importer and retailer with a focus on the innovative, wacky, and creative superstars you wouldn't usually associate with the most famous wine region in the world. 


We discuss:

  • China and climate change (sounds like a Trump special!)
  • Snarky Bordelaise politics including Cheval Blanc and Angelus
  • Grape varieties you've never heard of
  • And Ben attempts a Geordie accent, hawey the lads!


And we tucked into these three beauties for Benedict's portfolio:


Follow @The_Premier_Cru to keep up to date with future eps and behind the scenes snippets.

Subscribe to our ⁠Substack⁠ as well to access more exclusive content with our guests.

Ep 27: Corney & Barrow - Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur Campaign06 May 202400:58:28

It's May, which can only mean one thing. The Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur Campaign has officially kicked off.


Hugo and Ben welcome Ida Weatherall, Sales Executive at Corney & Barrow, onto the podcast to provide an introduction to Bordeaux as a wine region and buying wine En Primeur. Corney & Barrow are one of the UK's oldest wine merchants. There is no one better to provide an introduction to Bordeaux, one of the most historic and prestigious wine regions globally.


We try 3 fantastic wines all available as part of their En Primeur campaign:


Follow @The_Premier_Cru to keep up to date with future eps and behind the scenes snippets.


Subscribe to our Substack as well to access more exclusive content with our guests. This week we will be providing a vintage report and some en primeur recommendations shared directly from the Corney & Barrow team.

Ep 26: Naughty Piglets - Brixton's favourite neighbourhood restaurant?29 Apr 202400:54:24

Hugo and Ben welcome Margaux Aubry, Co-Founder of Naughty Piglets, onto the podcast.

Naughty Piglets is a fantastic restaurant based in Brixton, serving seasonal modern European food alongside 200+ organic and natural wines.

At the beginning of 2024 they started a chef residency programme which will keep the vibe of the restaurant changing throughout this year.


On the ep we discuss:

  • How they got started and what Jay Rayner had to do with it
  • The time Andrew Lloyd Webber asked them to set up a second restaurant
  • Margaux's pairing Comte and Vin Jaune straight from the bottle


And Margaux brought along 3 fabulous wines from the Naughty Piglets list:

  • Maupertuis Puy Long Chardonnay 2022
  • Marcel Lapierre Morgon 2022
  • Tony Bornard Vin Jaune


Check out and subscribe to our Substack. We will be connecting you with our guests and developing our community. Expect wine recommendations, recipes from chefs and much more!

You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 25: Cult Wines - wine investment masterclass22 Apr 202401:20:02

Hugo and Ben welcome Tom Gearing, Co-Founder and CEO of ⁠Cult Wines⁠, onto the podcast. Cult Wines specialise in fine wine investment and combine a deep passion for wine with financial and technology expertise. Their latest innovation is ⁠Cult X⁠, an app helping users to easily trade and invest in fine wine. They can now cater to both complete novices and to experienced wine investors. Look them up now!

Not only is Tom a wine investment guru, but he is also a media superstar having featured on The Apprentice. You can see highlights of his time on the show here - this is a "must" watch (after our podcast episode of course)!


In this episode we look at:

  • how Cult Wines was founded
  • what makes wine a great asset class
  • building the perfect wine investment portfolio


We also try 3 investment grade wines selected by Tom:

  • Bannockburn Chardonnay, Felton Road, 2022
  • Cuvée 910, Clos des Vignes du Maynes, 2019
  • Les Suchots, Vosne Romanée, Domaine Grivot, 2009


In big news, The Premier Cru is also launching a Substack account, where we will be connecting you with our guests and developing our community. Expect wine recommendations, recipes from chefs and much more! Our first articles will be dropping this week, showing you the best performing investment wines released since 2000! Subscribe to hear more...


You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 24: Levan - London restaurant with amazing Jura wine list15 Apr 202401:01:42

In 2019 Mark and Matt set up Levan, a restaurant in Peckham serving contemporary European dishes, inspired by the ‘bistronomy’ movement and their favourite eateries in Paris, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Stockholm and Berlin. They have a huge wine list with a real focus on Jura.

A year or so later Bar Levan opened right next door, which is a cosy wine bar, bistro and shop serving natural wine and food from Tuesday to Saturday. Think pickled mussels and crisps, comte, and Vin Jeaune by the glass!


In this episode we look at:

  • What it takes to set up and run Peckham's leading wine focused restaurant and bar
  • And Mark takes us on a deep dive of the Jura


He also brought also these for us to try:


Follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 23: Produttori del Barbaresco - the world's leading wine cooperative08 Apr 202400:26:12

Join Hugo and Ben as they discuss and taste their 3 wines of the week:


Each of the wines is available from the merchants below:


Keep up to date with all developments @The_Premier_Cru

Ep 22: Les Caves de Pyrene - the leading natural wine importers01 Apr 202400:57:32

There are few (if any) organisations that have had as much impact on the natural wine scene in the UK as Les Caves de Pyrene. Not only do they import an amazing range of natural wines, they are also the team behind the legendary wine bar, Terroirs (now shut), and The Real Wine Fair.


It was an absolute pleasure to welcome Doug Wregg to The Premier Cru. Tune in as we discuss:

  • The story behind Les Caves de Pyrene
  • The question of "What is natural wine?"
  • The Real Wine Fair


We also taste and discuss three wines from the Les Caves de Pyrene portfolio:


We are really looking forward to joining The Real Wine Fair this year on 28th and 29th April. You can find tickets to the event via this link if you want to attend the UK's largest natural wine fair and meet some of the leading producers.

Follow ⁠⁠@The_Premier_Cru⁠⁠ on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 39: The Drapers Arms - London's best value wine list29 Jul 202400:57:23

We welcome Nick Gibson to The Premier Cru!


Nick is the Founder of The Drapers Arms, a pub based in the heart of Islington. They have a ridiculously good (and good value!) wine list showcasing 300+ bottles many of which have some real bottle age.


Nick set up The Drapers Arms in 2009, following a career in finance, and believes that treating staff well is the cornerstone of a good business, with fantastic food and a great wines the rest should take care of itself. The Drapers Arms also have a strong social impact supporting charities such as The Trussell Trust, Refuge and Action Against Hunger.

On this episode we discuss:

  • Moral values of running a business
  • Restaurant culture
  • The pub, food and wine list
  • And how Nick's created one of London's best wine lists


Follow ⁠@The_Premier_Cru⁠ on socials and subscribe to our Substack⁠ to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 21: Sylvain Pataille - placing Marsannay on the fine wine map25 Mar 202400:25:46

Join Hugo and Ben as they discuss and taste their 3 wines of the week, including a delicious Bobal from the legendary producer Ponce, an entry level Pinot from New Zealand and a stunning 'village' Burgundy from Sylvain Pataille.


Each of the wines is available from the merchants below:


Keep up to date with all developments @The_Premier_Cru

Ep 20: Climat - Manchester's leading wine restaurant18 Mar 202400:56:22

One of Manchester's leading wine focused restaurants, Climat opened their cellar doors to The Premier Cru. Having opened only 15 months ago they have already been nominated for and won awards from Star Wine List for their 400+ bottle list.


We spoke with Wine Director, Oliver Fletcher, to learn:

  • What it takes to set up a restaurant
  • How you develop an award winning wine list
  • What the future looks like for Manchester's wine scene


Oliver also brought along 3 delicious wines from their list:

Follow ⁠@The_Premier_Cru⁠ on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 19: Guffens - stunning new chardonnay from the Luberon11 Mar 202400:30:51

Join Hugo and Ben as they discuss and taste their 3 wines of the week:


Each of the wines is available from the merchants below:


Keep up to date with all developments @The_Premier_Cru

Ep 18: Candour - delicious wine in a can04 Mar 202400:57:15

Hugo and Ben welcome Kat Mayhew, co-founder of Candour onto the episode.


Candour is changing the game when it comes to wine in a can, setting a new benchmark in the market. Kat and her co-founder, Guada, have spent their careers in the wine trade and spotted an opportunity to make genuinely delicious canned wine!


They have carefully selected the producers they work with, all of whom are small scale and adopt low intervention winemaking. The common thread between the wines is that they have acidity and energy, making them appealing to drink anytime, any place, anywhere. Game changed.


On this episode we discuss:

  • Kat's journey to co-founding Candour
  • The benefits of the can vs bottle
  • Common misconceptions with canned wine


We also try Candour's full portfolio on the episode:


Follow ⁠@The_Premier_Cru⁠ on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 17: Berthaut-Gerbet - the first Vosne-Romanée of the podcast26 Feb 202400:28:25

Join Hugo and Ben as they discuss and taste their 3 wines of the week, including a vibrant Grenache from the Languedoc, an entry level Nebbiolo from Piedmont and a village level Vosne Romanee.



Each of the wines is available from the merchants below:


Keep up to date with all developments @The_Premier_Cru

Ep 16: Geordie Wine Guide - Newcastle's wine influencer19 Feb 202400:48:01

Hugo and Ben welcome Sean Evans, founder of The Geordie Wine Guide and co-founder of Progression Wines, onto the episode.


Sean started The Geordie Wine Guide after a friend of his filmed him one weekend talking about wine. Over 2k YouTube subscribers later, Sean is continuing to produce great content and is now actually importing wines via Progression Wines. The wines imported are typically by small producers, using organic or biodynamic farming and low intervention winemaking.


On this episode we discuss:

  • Sean's journey into the wine trade
  • Several wines from the Progression Wines portfolio
  • Debunking some wine terms (e.g. natural wine)


Sean has kindly bundled the wines tasted on the episode for listeners so you can find them online!

Follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 15: Saint Aubin - quality and value in the Cote de Beaune12 Feb 202400:25:45

Join Hugo and Ben as they discuss and taste their 3 wines of the week:


Each wine is available from the merchants below:


Keep up to date with all developments @The_Premier_Cru on:

Ep 14: Bayte - farm to table in action!05 Feb 202400:57:58

Hugo and Ben welcome Josh Dickinson, co-founder and head chef at Bayte onto the episode.

Bayte is a wonderful new farm to table restaurant with a seasonal menu that changes daily, supplied with the freshest ingredients by their own organic and regenerative farm, Goat Grid. It was set up in collaboration between Josh Dickinson and Lara Boglione, part of the Petersham Nurseries family.

Josh's background is in British, French and Japanese cuisine, having trained at Le Cordon Bleu before working at Le Chateaubriand in Paris and l'Effervescence and Nihonryori RyuGin in Tokyo. He's spent the last decade travelling and cooking before setting up Goat Grid in 2020 and Bayte in 2023.

On this episode we discuss:

  • Josh's journey to becoming a chef
  • Goat Grid and seasonality
  • Bayte's menu and what it's like running a restaurant

We also try three wines from Petersham Cellars:

Follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 13: Marchesi di Gresy - brilliant merlot but in... Piedmont!?29 Jan 202400:24:55

Join Hugo and Ben as they discuss and taste their 3 wines of the week:


Each wine is available from the merchants below:


Keep up to date with all developments @The_Premier_Cru on:

Ep 12: London Cru - the first urban winery in London22 Jan 202400:56:39

Hugo and Ben welcome Aaron Jolly, winemaker at London Cru, onto the episode.


In 2013 London Cru opened its doors to the public and became the first urban winery in London. On top of making delicious sparkling and still wines, they host amazing tours and courses giving Londoners a taste of what its like to be a winemaker on their doorstep.


Join us as we discuss:

  • Aaron's journey to becoming a winemaker
  • The story behind London Cru
  • The state of play in English wine


We also taste 3 wines from the London Cru portfolio from the 2022 vintage:

Follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 38: The Lady of the Grapes - championing female winemakers22 Jul 202400:48:45

We welcome Carole Bryon to The Premier Cru!


Carole is the Founder of The Lady of the Grapes, a restaurant and wine bar based in the heart of Covent Garden. On top of serving fantastic food, their wine list exclusively showcases wines produced by female winemakers.


The 2023 Women in Wine survey revealed that 78% of respondents (women working in the trade) agreed that sexism, gender bias and harassment were serious issues in the industry. Initiatives, such as The Lady of the Grapes, represent important efforts to make the wine trade more inclusive.

The best way to support is to get yourselves a reservation and try their amazing array of wines.
On this episode we:

  • Introduce you to The Lady of the Grapes
  • Discuss inclusivity in the wine trade and Carole's experiences
  • Taste 3 wines made by female producers on The Lady of the Grapes wine list


You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 11: Marcel Deiss - championing field blends15 Jan 202400:35:20

Join Hugo and Ben as they discuss and taste their 3 wines of the week:


Each wine is available from the merchants below:


Keep up to date with all developments @The_Premier_Cru on:

Ep 10: Honest Grapes - Burgundy 2022 En Primeur Campaign08 Jan 202400:58:26

Hugo and Ben welcome Tom Harrow, co-founder of Honest Grapes, on to the podcast to discuss the Burgundy 2022 vintage and their En Primeur Campaign.


Honest Grapes are an award winning online wine retailer, featuring a huge range of top producers from across the world. They also host a number of tasting events for the general public and their members. One event is their 2022 Burgundy tasting on Thursday 18th January, so please book here if you'd like to go along.


On this episode we discuss:

  • Tom's journey in the wine trade
  • The Burgundy 2022 vintage
  • Buying wine En Primeur


And we try 3 fantastic wines all available as part of their EP campaign:


Follow @The_Premier_Cru to keep up to date with future eps and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 9: Aglianico - southern Italy's best kept secret01 Jan 202400:45:01

Join Hugo and Ben as they discuss and taste their 3 wines of the week:

Each wine is available from the merchants below:


Keep up to date with all developments @The_Premier_Cru on:

Ep 8: Sustainable Wine Solutions - innovative packaging for wine26 Dec 202301:04:11

Hugo and Ben welcome Muriel Chatel, founder of Sustainable Wine Solutions and Borough Wines onto the episode.  


Muriel and her team are pioneering solutions to help the wine trade to become more sustainable. Their solutions span from a bottle return scheme to wine on tap.


All the winemakers Muriel and her team work with practice either organic or biodynamic viticulture. Muriel believes passionately that this approach leads to better quality wine and is also better for the environment due to the biodiversity it encourages.


Join us as we discuss:

  • Muriel's journey to founding Borough Wines and Sustainable wine Solutions
  • The benefits of Sustainable Wine Solutions' products
  • The benefits of organic and biodynamic viticulture 

We also try 3 brilliant wines from the Borough Wines range:

  • Melon, Famille Gilet
  • Albana Orange 
  • MCO2 Merlot, Max Barreau


Follow @The_Premier_Cru on social to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets

Ep 7: Marcel Lapierre - a leader of the natural wine movement18 Dec 202300:30:52

Join Hugo and Ben as they discuss and taste their 3 wines of the week:


Each wine is available from the merchants below:

Follow The Premier Cru on all audio and social platforms:

Ep 6: Sip Champagnes - the grower Champagne specialists11 Dec 202301:15:47

Hugo and Ben welcome Peter Crawford, co-founder of Sip Champagnes onto the episode.

Peter is a Champagne fanatic having visited the region over 150 times in the last 25 years, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone who is more passionate and knowledgeable about Champagne.

He set up Sip Champagnes, alongside Daniel, in 2020 with the vision of making amazing and undiscovered grower Champagne available to customers and providing growers with the recognition they deserved for their dedication to the soil and vines. During this episode we discuss:

  • Peter's journey from running physiotherapy practices in London to starting Sip Champagnes
  • Understanding Champagne, it's geography, history and terroir
  • An introduction to Grower Champagnes and what they are

We also try 3 amazing Champagnes from Sip's portfolio

Follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Instagram

YouTube

Ep 5: Padelletti - a historic Brunello producer04 Dec 202300:33:13

Join Hugo and Ben as they discuss and taste their 3 wines of the week:


Each wine is available from the merchants below:


Follow The Premier Cru on all audio and social platforms:

Ep 4: The Winery - the best place to buy German wine27 Nov 202300:58:29

Hugo and Ben welcome David Motion, founder of The Winery onto the episode.


David is a Riesling Fellow and has developed one of the UK's finest range of German wines. The Winery Team are constantly on the move in The Winery van searching across Europe for exceptional wines from smaller producers. They welcome you into their shops in Maida Vale and Fulham with a great smile and an abundance of knowledge. During the episode we discuss:

  • David's journey from music producer to wine shop owner,
  • the perception of German Riesling in the UK,
  • the rise of Spätburgunder (German pinot noir)
  • and introduce listeners to biodynamic wines


We also taste and discuss 4 wines:


Each of these wines are available in-store at The Winery.


Follow @The_Premier_Cru on all audio and social platforms for future episodes and some behind the scenes snippets.


Instagram

YouTube

Facebook

Ep 3: Vin de Jardin - Bordeaux but not as you know it20 Nov 202300:33:43

Join Hugo and Ben as they discuss and taste their 3 wines of the week:

Each wine is available via the merchants below:

Follow The Premier Cru on all audio channels (e.g. Spotify, Apple etc) and social platforms:

Ep 2: Passione Vino - the Italian Wine Road Trip13 Nov 202301:10:34

Hugo and Ben welcome Luca Dusi, founder of Passione Vino wine bar and shop onto the episode.


Luca delights customers with a beautiful yet relatively undiscovered range of Italian wine. The wine bar is eccentric and quintessentially Italian, serving delicious food to pair with the wine.



Each of these wines are available online and in-store at Passione Vino.


Follow @The_Premier_Cru on all audio and social platforms for future episodes and some behind the scenes snippets.


Instagram

YouTube

Facebook

Ep 37: Cloth Restaurant - wine importers become restaurateurs15 Jul 202401:02:27

We welcome Joe Haynes to The Premier Cru!


Joe is the Founder of Penzer Wines, which he set up after studying wine at Geisenheim and completing a stint working for the legendary Klaus Peter Keller. All the wines as part of the Penzer portfolio are delicious as Joe seeks out wines from sustainable producers that represent great value.


More recently Joe Co-Founded Cloth Restaurant in Farringdon. Cloth has already been receiving brilliant reviews from critics due to it's wonderful wine list, food and charming interior. It is a great addition to London's diverse and rich restaurant landscape. On this episode we:

  • Introduce you to Penzer Wines and Cloth Restaurant
  • Discuss Germany's changing wine culture
  • Taste three wines from the Penzer portfolio

You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 1: Welcome to The Premier Cru!02 Nov 202300:48:43

Join Hugo and Ben as they discuss and taste their 3 wines of the week:

Each wine is available via the merchants below:

Follow The Premier Cru on all audio channels (e.g. Spotify, Apple etc) and social platforms:

Ep 36: Akub - a taste of Palestine in the heart of London08 Jul 202400:48:25

This week is all about Palestinian food, culture and wine, yes there is such a thing!

Hugo and Ben welcome Fadi Kattan, Founder of Akub restaurant, and Anna Patrowicz, Consultant and Sommelier, onto the podcast. Akub is a Palestinian restaurant celebrating the rich diversity of ingredients and culinary traditions from the region, while working with locally sourced British ingredients.

Fadi Kattan is a Franco-Palestinian chef living in Bethlehem and London. He has two restaurants: Fawda (in Bethlehem) and Akub (in London). He also has a boutique hotel in Bethlehem, as well as a Youtube series profiling Palestinian grandmothers and their food knowledge and traditions. Anna is supporting Fadi at Akub and doing exceptional work to bring awareness to Palestinian producers.


Fadi has become an authority and an ambassador for contemporary Palestinian cuisine and recently released a cook book titled Bethlehem: A Celebration of Palestinian Food

In the episode we discuss:

  • Akub as a restaurant and how it was started
  • The intrinsic link between Palestinian food, wine and culture
  • Fadi's new book

Check out and subscribe to our Substack. We will be connecting you with our guests and developing our community. Expect wine recommendations, recipes from chefs and much more!

You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 35: Kanpai - Sake masterclass with the UK's first sake brewery01 Jul 202400:52:25

It's all about sake this week. Somewhere between a beer, a spirit and a wine, there is a mystique when it comes to sake as people rarely understand what it is, the range of styles and therefore the possibilities it offers. This week we change that!


Hugo and Ben welcome Tom Wilson, Co-Founder of Kanpai, onto the podcast. Kanpai is the UK's first sake brewery based in Bermondsey beer mile. They produce a range of styles and are open to the public via tours and their amazing taproom.


In the episode we discuss:

  • How Kanpai was founded
  • What sake is made of
  • How sake is made


We also taste 3 sakes from Kanpai that you can purchase online:


You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 34: Fruktstereo - Swedish fruit wine, what the Frukt is that!24 Jun 202400:47:26

Hugo and Ben welcome Karl Sjöström onto the podcast, our final instalment from filming at Karakterre wine festival in Vienna, Austria.





In the episode we discuss:

  • Fruit wine as a category and what it actually is
  • Fruktstereo, who they are and what they're getting up to in Sweden


Check out and subscribe to our Substack. We will be connecting you with our guests and developing our community. Expect wine recommendations, recipes from chefs and much more!

You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 33: Henry Jeffreys - How England became a wine producing country17 Jun 202400:58:26

Hugo and Ben welcome Henry Jeffreys onto the podcast. It's English wine week and we are delighted to be telling the story of how England became a wine producing country.

Henry is the author of "Vines in a Cold Climate: The People Behind the English Wine Revolution", which was awarded Drink Book of the Year at the Fortnum & Mason food and drink awards 2024. Nobody knows the people and stories underpinning England's growing wine industry better than Henry.


In the episode we discuss:

  • How England became a wine producing country
  • Politics between different producers
  • The Sussex PDO
  • The impact of climate change
  • Adoption of regenerative viticulture










Check out and subscribe to our Substack. We will be connecting you with our guests and developing our community. Expect wine recommendations, recipes from chefs and much more!


You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 32: Simon Woolf - Everything you need to know about orange wine10 Jun 202400:57:35

The Premier Cru are on tour, visiting Austria for a wine festival called Karakterre. This time Hugo welcomes award winning wine writer, Simon Woolf, onto the podcast.

Simon has been writing about wine since 2011, focusing on natural wine, and related themes such as organics, biodynamics, minimal intervention and orange wine. In this ep we discuss:

  • Simon's book, Amber Revolution
  • What orange wine actually is
  • How to get stuck into more of them


About Amber Revolution:

New York Times best wine book of 2018

Louis Roederer wine book of the year 2019

https://amber-revolution.com/


Check out and subscribe to our Substack. We will be connecting you with our guests and developing our community. Expect wine recommendations, recipes from chefs and much more!


You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 42: Melania Battiston - 2023 young sommelier of the year16 Sep 202400:42:19

We welcome Melania Battiston to The Premier Cru. Melania is one of the UK's top young sommeliers, having worked at The Medlar and Aman Hotel Group whilst running her own coaching business and judging at the Decanter World Wine Awards.


Melania's latest adventure is joining David Liverpool and the team at Cornus, a new roof-top restaurant based in Belgravia. They serve delicious food grounded in the principles of French cuisine - think lobster pasta topped with caviar and Amalfi lemon. C'mon!


The wine programme is equally exciting as the food, bringing together all of Melania's experience with exceptional prices. Get yourself a reservation now!


On the episode we discuss what it takes to become a top sommelier and introduce you to Cornus.

You can also follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 43: KOL - Mexican soul meets British produce - First Michelin star restaurant on the podcast!30 Sep 202400:53:38

We welcome Anthony Gopal to The Premier Cru, who is the Head Sommelier at KOL.


KOL is the brainchild of Santiago Lastra (Head Chef). The principle aim of the cuisine is to transport the flavours and soul of Mexican food using local British produce. Since opening in 2020, KOL has received a Michelin star and also been listed in The World's 50 Best Restaurants.


Anthony has done an incredible job developing the wine offering, creating an unrivalled list of wines from top producers based in central and eastern Europe. On the episode we taste wines by:

Andreas Tscheppe

Marko Fon

Schäfer-Fröhlich


We also introduce you to KOL and discuss what it takes to become a Michelin star restaurant.


Follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 44: Kudu Collective - South African inspired restaurants in South London14 Oct 202400:53:37

We welcome our first couple, Patrick Williams and Amy Corbin, to The Premier Cru! Patrick and Amy are the dynamic duo behind the Kudu Collective - a set of South African inspired restaurants in South London.


Since opening in 2018, Patrick and Amy have been serving exceptional modern European food with a South African twist, influenced by Patrick's upbringing in South Africa. From establishing a loyal customer base as a neighbourhood restaurant to battling through COVID, they have since expanded to multiple sites. The Kudu Collective has something for everyone including a cocktail bar and a traditional braai grill!


On the episode we introduce you to the Kudu Collective and discuss South African food and wine. We also taste three wines on their lists by:

Pieter Ferreira

Raats Family Wines

Kaapzicht


Follow @The_Premier_Cru on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 45: Hide - Michelin Star restaurant that's hosted a Petrus verticle tasting!28 Oct 202400:52:49

We welcome Matthew Mawtus to The Premier Cru. Matthew is the Head of Food & Beverage at ⁠Hide⁠ restaurant, following an amazing career including stints at Claridge's and Pollen Street Social.

When you imagine a Michelin Star restaurant, Hide is exactly what you see:

Tasteful decor - the UK's most photographed staircase

World class chef - Ollie Dabbous

Unrivalled wine list - full access to range at ⁠Hedonism Wines

⁠Exceptional service - led by Matthew

On the episode we introduce you to Hide and also their plans to go from 1 Michelin Star to 2/3 Stars. We also taste three wines on their list by:⁠

Bruno Paillard⁠Plan B!⁠ ⁠Viader⁠

Follow ⁠@The_Premier_Cru⁠ on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 46: Sager + Wilde - the inside view of UK hospitality11 Nov 202400:52:10

We welcome Michael Sager to The Premier Cru. Michael is the Founder of:

Michael burst onto the UK wine and food scene via a wine pop-up, which inspired him to found his first venture, Sager + Wilde wine bar. It was an instant success and encouraged him to turn the concept into a brilliant restaurant in Bethnal Green (also called Sager + Wilde).

Although he recently closed the restaurant, Michael has been busy establishing his latest wine bar, Bruno, and building his wine import business, Sager + Wines.

Tune in as we discuss:

  • Michael's story to founding Sager + Wilde
  • The difficult decision to shut his flagship restaurant
  • The challenges facing the hospitality industry
  • His new venture in wine importing

We also taste three wines imported by Michael:⁠

Follow ⁠@The_Premier_Cru⁠ on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 47: Aulis - Simon Rogan's exclusive Michelin Star experience25 Nov 202400:41:26

We welcome Charles Carron Brown to The Premier Cru. Charles is the Restaurant Manager at Aulis, an exclusive Michelin Star restaurant as part of the Simon Rogan Group.


Aulis is not your everyday dining experience, incorporating:

Tasting menus - both food and wine

Exceptional food - Michelin Star restaurant

Sustainability - food sourced from Simon Rogan's farm

Exclusivity - just 12 covers per evening



On the episode we introduce you to Aulis and their wine program, tasting three wines on their list by:⁠





Follow ⁠@The_Premier_Cru⁠ on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 48: Domaine Evremond - Taittinger family make their first wine in Britain!09 Dec 202400:37:42

We welcome Patrick McGrath to The Premier Cru. Patrick has had an amazing career in the wine trade, becoming a Master of Wine in 1993 and the CEO of Hatch Mansfield.


More recently he has also founded Domaine Evremond in collaboration with the Taittinger family. It represents the first attempt by a famous champagne house to produce wine in Britain. The project began in 2015 and their first non-vintage sparkling wine will be released to market in Spring 2025. Given the anticipation ahead of the release, we got the opportunity to try the wine and provide a preview!


On the episode we discuss:

  • How Domaine Evremond was founded
  • Why the Taittinger family wanted to produce wine in Britain
  • How they approached making their first wine
  • How Domaine Evremond fits into the British wine landscape
  • How Patrick became an MW


Follow ⁠@The_Premier_Cru⁠ on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 49: Walter Speller - Review of the newly released 2020 Brunello di Montalcino13 Jan 202500:46:18

We welcome Walter Speller to The Premier Cru. Walter has built a brilliant career as a wine writer, specialising in Italian wine and contributing to Jancis Robinson's purple pages.


Walter recently invited us to the Benvenuto Brunello tasting, to try the 2020 vintage that is being released to market in January 2025. We thought it was the perfect opportunity to:

  • Introduce you to Brunello as a wine region
  • Discuss the 2020 vintage and resulting wines
  • Assess the trends shaping Brunello, including single-vineyard wines


Follow ⁠@The_Premier_Cru⁠ on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

Ep 50: Jasper Morris (Part 1) - Burgundy 2023 vintage report and en primeur campaign27 Jan 202500:51:32

It is January, which means one thing for the wine calendar: Burgundy en primeur.

As a result, we decided to welcome Jasper Morris to The Premier Cru. Jasper has established himself as the leading Burgundy wine critic, having previously imported many of the top domaines to the UK. More recently he wrote “Inside Burgundy” an in-depth guide to the wine region, which has developed into an online subscription platform.

There was so much we wanted to ask Jasper that we decided to split our conversation into two parts. During part 1 this week, we discuss:

  • How Jasper became Burgundy’s leading wine critic
  • Weather conditions that shaped the 2023 vintage
  • Which villages and producers performed particularly well
  • Whether buying en primeur is worth it

Follow ⁠@The_Premier_Cru⁠ on socials to keep up to date with future episodes and behind the scenes snippets.

© My Podcast Data