One Bottle Three Questions - A Wine Podcast

Dr Dylan Grigg is one of today’s most high profile viticulturists.

He offers accessible and digestible information on viticulture and has become a rare person in the wine world, able to offer engaging stories that help open the often opaque world of vineyard management.
We discussed key concepts in understanding old vines and attempted to answer if old vines do indeed make better wine. We asked him to explain layering in the vineyard and what is important to do to get it right. Finally we asked him how he makes his social media presence bring wh...

Josko Gravner was once known as one of Italy’s greatest producers of white wine. Then, at the end of the 1990s, he embarked on a radical new journey, experimenting with skin-contact techniques inspired by Georgia and becoming a leading figure in the orange wine movement.

In this episode we speak with Mateja Gravner about the specifics of Qvevri fermentation, the challenges of bringing Josko’s first orange wines to market, and how top grafting is implemented in the vineyard.

Château Palmer requires no introduction in the world of wine. This Grand Cru Classé from Margaux has produced many great vintages but much less well known is its historical "XIXth Century" blend. We discuss this anachronistic wine and the use of Syrah with Thomas Duroux who has been the estate's managing director since 2004. We also discussed the important topic of trunk diseases and vineyard management. The third question in this episode covered bottle authentication and their approach to combatting fraud.

Aldo Vacca is a name of tremendous importance in Piedmont. We are fortunate enough to interview some legendary names on this podcast and this is definitely the case here. Aldo Vacca has been the director of Produttori del Barbaresco since 1998. He retires this year and we are grateful to capture some lessons learnt over almost thirty years leading arguably the best Co-Op in the world. We explored how he installed and maintained quality standards in a Cooperative environment. We discussed his approach to blending and the subtlety of this, given the wines are "solo Nebbiolo". Finally we were able...

Santorini holds a special place in the wine world as a Volcanic island where the wines are both distinctive and dramatic. Our discussion unpacks the ‘Kouloura’ - the remarkable vine training method of the island. Then Giannis provided some fantastic details on the challenges and benefits of night harvest. Finally we discuss his approach between ambient and commercial yeast and how this influences the style of his wines. The Gramina Cuvee des Vignerons is a remarkable wine that is both distinctive and energetic.

Yellow Tail is a brand needing no introduction. We had the chance to speak to Simon Lawson, managing director of Casella Europe about how one of the world's largest wine brands is managed. We discussed managing customer relationships for a brand that is a household name. We wanted to learn about lessons from emerging markets and where opportunities lie for wine outside of the mature markets. Simon also took up the mantle to answer our question about existential threats to wine and his answers are both motivating as well as shrewd. 

Joshua Grainer MW is MD and winemaker for RdV Vineyards in Virginia. He makes wines of critical acclaim, overcoming numerous challenges to do so. Josh provided a very useful overview of the history and current state of the Virginia wine production. He explained the environmental challenges, including combatting downy mildew. The Virginia climate and soils tends to give grapes with high pHs and Josh unpacks his expertise with high pH winemaking. The 2021 RdV "Rendezvous" is a superb Bordeaux blend that expresses what Virginia wine can do.

Paul Chevalier has overseen and driven the rise of Whispering Angel to its position as the first name in the Rosé wine scene. We discussed the strategy of how the brand built its position and their strategy for today. The role of marketing is perhaps poorly understood in wine but in this podcast we cover the key points that are important for Whispering Angel. Finally we discussed the role of the different wines in the portfolio and how the Rosé category is evolving for the future.

La Chablisienne is one of the most important wine cooperatives that exists today. They are responsible for a significant proportion of the overall production of Chablis but also for maintaining quality standards that set a benchmark for the region. Olivier Masmondet is the export director of La Chablisienne and as such, is one of the most important cogs in the business of wine. The role of the Co-Op in the modern world has faced increasing pressure to adapt and we explored how La Chablisienne works to meet today's demands. Aligned to this is their role in managing the supply...

Sebastián Zuccardi is a winemaker whose influence extends beyond his own wines and his family's projects. He has adapted and revolutionised both ideas around Malbec and the Uco Valley.We discussed different areas and soils of the Uco Valley, how it is possible to make a 100 point wine without oak and explored how Finca Piedra Infinita Supercal represents both the changing face of and the future of Malbec.

Dermot Sugrue is the winemaker and owner of Sugrue South Downs based in West Sussex in the South of England. With over twenty years of experience making wine in England, Dermot has seen the growth and change in the industry, which gives him a deep perspective on this fascinating part of the wine world. We asked him about the details behind his preference to avoid malolactic conversion, the principles behind blending base wines for sparkling and the practical side of battling with nature in England. 'The Trouble with Dreams' is a flagship wine for his winery and an energetic...

David Roper, Senior Winemaker at Villa Maria, unpacks the winemaking behind this famous New Zealand brand's flagship wine. He explains how they maintain consistency across varying vintages and Marlborough's three key sub-regions. He also discusses common cellar problems and their solutions, as well as market fluctuations and the challenges and opportunities in grape supply.

Andrea Polidoro, head winemaker at Cupano and owner of Contrada Contro, discusses restoring old vines attached to trees, his approach to planting new ones, and his vision for restoring an agroforestry system in his vineyards. 

Diego Ríos, head winemaker at Granbazán, discusses managing high rainfall and mildew challenges, the use of oak with Albariño, and the insights he gained from working at Heymann-Löwenstein.

The winery Peter Jacob Kuhn is famed for being one of the top producers in Rheingau and a pioneer of biodynamics. In this episode Peter Bernhard Kuhn gives a rare interview where he discusses the 'new' great sites like the Hendelberg, how compost became a serious business and the importance of texture in Riesling through skin contact. 

Sue Hodder, chief winemaker at Wynns Coonawarra Estate, explains the real deal with Terra Rossa soil, gives her views on wine's eucalyptus character and reveals her insightful approach to tannin management.

Duncan Savage talks about how to source grapes, what he learned from Didier Dagueneau, and how understanding oxidation and reduction helps him make the Sauvignon he wants to drink.