6 podcast episodes you can't miss

For me, watching TV has actually fallen off the relaxation list. Occasionally, I watch a movie or a Netflix series, but lately I've hardly ever been in front of the TV. Instead, I listen to podcasts. I can do that while walking, cooking, traveling, or packing orders from the Fan Shop. Wonderful.

That being said, most of the episodes I'm sharing below are podcasts you really need to pay attention to. I even listened to some of them multiple times, because every sentence told me something new, and I had to rewind a few times before it clicked.

IDTT Wine 418: Steven Spurrier on the Day that Changed Everything

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Let's start easy. This is one you can listen to while taking a walk. You don't have to take notes, but you can simply drift away to the wonderful stories of the late Steven Spurrier. He talks about the day that changed everything: The Judgment of Paris. The lead-up to it is also covered in detail. Spurrier had tried to import overseas wines into France before, and it wasn't easy. Customs didn't know how to register it: it couldn't be wine, because it didn't come from France (true story). It's a truly delightful podcast.

What shall we drink with it?

Chateau Montelena - Chardonnay
Ridge Alexander Valley Geyserville

IDTT Wine 371: Abrie Beeslaar

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I attended Cape Wine 2022, a biennial event in Cape Town featuring numerous Cape producers. I decided to spend an afternoon delving into Pinotage, South Africa's signature blue grape, which can be both awful and truly delicious. Abrie Beeslaar knows the characteristics of this grape like no other, and after my tour at Cape Wine, almost every winemaker told me so. Pinotage ferments incredibly quickly, and Abrie clearly explains how winemakers should handle this.

What shall we drink with it?

Beeslaar Pinotage
Olifantsberg Pinotage

IDTT Wine 275: Yiannis Paraskevopoulos

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Yiannis Paraskevopoulos is the founder of Gaia Wines, located on both Santorini and Nemea. In this episode, he talks at length about Assyrtiko. "We don't believe the world needs another Chardonnay." Good point, of course. Especially if you have Assyrtiko at your disposal. Also interesting: Yiannis's perspective on minerality. Is it Santorini's volcanic soil that is low in potassium but rich in other minerals? A lack of potassium in the soil, we learn, contributes to the wine's acidity.

What shall we drink with it?

Gaia Wines Assyrtiko Wild Ferment
Argyros - Assyrtiko

IDTT Wine 458: Luis Seabra Opposes the Winemaking Orthodoxy

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Luis Seabra is one of Portugal's finest winemakers. He first worked at Niepoort, one of the country's most renowned wineries, and in 2013 launched his own wine label: Luis Seabra Vinhos. He operates not only in the Douro region, but also in the Dão and Vinho Verde regions, producing beautiful wines with a Burgundian elegance you wouldn't expect from warm Portugal.

Luis Seabra knows his stuff and talks about his winemaking. From using whole bunches (don't do that with tinto cão, for example) to aging the wine. "Making wine is like raising a child." Essentially, Luis Seabra believes you shouldn't overprotect them (children, grapes) too much. The juice is allowed to oxidize a little. This process strengthens the wine and ensures it lasts longer. The role of sulfites is also discussed. Informative if you're a natural wine enthusiast.

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IDTT Wine 438: Sylvain Pataille and the New Old Style

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This podcast gives you a deep dive into Marsannay. Always good, because it's one of the few villages I can still afford. Marsannay's history is strongly influenced by its geographical location, just a few kilometers from Dijon. As Dijon grew over the years, so did the demand for wine, and Marsannay capitalized on that perfectly.

IDTT Wine 438: Five Decades of Burgundy with Dominique Lafon

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We'll stay in Burgundy a little longer for the story of Dominique Lafon, owner of Domaine des Comtes Lafon in Meursault. This is a podcast you'll want to keep your notebook handy. Incredibly interesting, but also quite complex. It offers insight into what Burgundy looked like some 50 years ago.

Dominique's father worked with sharecroppers – they worked the land in exchange for a share of the harvest. They worked with seven sharecroppers in total, Dominique explains in the podcast, with Pierre Morey, of course, standing out for his superior Chardonnay plots. Ending that partnership wasn't easy, but Dominique Lafon had to persevere and wanted to start his own business (his father considered winemaking more of a hobby). In the end, everything worked out well, including with Pierre Morey.

Top tip: also listen to the podcast with Pierre Morey for even more insight into the sharecropping system. Pierre Morey eventually went on to work as a winemaker at Domaine Leflaive – a prestigious winery. He began biodynamics there and launched his own label, Domaine Pierre Morey, with his daughter Anne.

What shall we drink with it?

Don't forget our own podcast

I also produce a podcast with sommelier Jan Jaap Altenburg of Wijnbar Vindict: Le Club & Sommeljj the Podcast. One episode, we talk for an hour about a wine region with all sorts of great tips, and the next, we chat about our own lives, our ideal wine list, or even ask a winemaker all sorts of questions.

🎧 listen on spotify