The Tim Atkin Cork Talk Podcast

Falling in love with the writing of Jorge Luis Bórges and Gabriel Gárcia Márquez inspired Amanda Barnes to move to Argentina in her early twenties, where she’s lived ever since. An inveterate traveller as well as a trained journalist, she’s spent the last 14 years studying and writing about the Latin America’s food and wines. Her first book, The South American Wine Guide, is a superbly written and illustrated overview of this fascinating continent.

To read more about Amanda have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @amanda_wine. 

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Charlie Foley got interested in wine when he was studying classics at university. After spells in South Africa and Argentina, he landed a job at Christie’s where he’s gone on to become a brilliant and flamboyant auctioneer with a worldwide reputation. Our fascinating chat covers everything from the evolving fine wine scene to how to work a room, Charlie’s love of fashion and creativity to his TV appearances on Channel 4’s The Great Auction.

To read more about Charlie have a look at the Christie's website. You can also follow him on Instagram @c.t.foley.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

Gavin Quinney started his working life as a porter at an auction house before moving into the computer industry in the mid 1980s. A visit to Bordeaux in 1999 persuaded him to buy a struggling château in the Entre-Deux-Mers. Listen to us discuss how he’s turned the place around since then, with a little help from celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay and Rick Stein, his views on the future of petits châteaux and why he’s so annoyed by UK excise duty rates.

To read more about Gavin have a look at the Château Bauduc website. You can also follow him on Instagram @gavinquinney.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

After a degree in economics, Gordon Newton Johnson decided he didn’t want to go to work in a suit and tie. Instead he joined a new wine business that his father, Dave, had set up in the cool climate Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. Over the last 25 years, he’s helped to turn Newton Johnson Family Vineyards into a South African first growth, making some of the country’s best Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, while remaining one of the wine industry’s true gentlemen.

To read more about Gordon have a look at the Newton Johnson Family Vineyards website. You can also follow him on Instagram @gordonnjohnson

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

 

By his own admission, Duncan Forsyth spent a lot of his twenties travelling, skiing and partying. A chance attendance at a wine tasting back in Queenstown inspired him to get a job at Chard Farm. It was the start of career that has seen him become one of the key figures in New Zealand’s Central Otago region, especially since he and a partner bought Mount Edward in 2004. He’s an opinionated, funny and unconventional interviewee.

To read more about Duncan have a look at the Mount Edward website. You can also follow him on Instagram @wineswinger.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

 

Jason Haas studied archaeology at university and worked in the tech industry for four years before joining the family winery, Tablas Creek, in Paso Robles in 2002. Since then, he’s helped to turn it into one of the leading Rhône style specialists in California. Listen to us chat about alpacas and sheep, organics, biodynamics and regenerative agriculture, the hidden wonders of Vaccarèse, his passion for blogging and why continuity matters.

To read more about Jason have a look at the Tablas Creek website. You can also follow the company on Instagram @tablascreek.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

 

 

Born in Toronto, David Gleave started out working in bars in London and Dublin and fell into wine by chance. He’s since gone on to become one of the world’s leading experts on Italian wine as well as the founder and now chairman of Liberty Wines. Listen to us chat about the Master of Wine qualification, what makes the perfect restaurant wine list, his passion for cycling and why travel is essential to his job as a wine merchant.

To read more about David have a look at the Liberty Wines website. You can also follow the company on Instagram @liberty_wines.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

 

Giovanni Manetti’s family has lived in Tuscany since the 1650s, but they were in the business of producing terracotta tiles, not wine, until his father bought the run down Fontodi estate in 1968. Since he took over in 1979, Giovanni has helped to transform this spot in the Conca d’Oro into one of the leading wineries in Chianti Classico, using organic, biodynamic and regenerative practices, and focusing on Sangiovese from a very special place.

To read more about Giovanni have a look at the Fontodi website. You can also follow the winery on Instagram @az.agr.fontodi.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

 

Álvaro Espinoza’s dad was a winemaker, but it wasn’t automatic that his son would follow the same career path. As it happens, he nearly became a marine biologist. But despite that, Álvaro has had a huge impact on his country’s wine scene, producing Chile’s first Carmenère and being the person who brought biodynamic viticulture to South America. Now running his own project, Antiyal, in the Maipo Andes, he’s a fascinating interviewee.

To read more about Álvaro have a look at the Antiyal website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram @antiyalwines.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. 

 

Pablo Álvarez was still in his twenties when he was given the responsibility of running Vega Sicilia, one of Spain’s greatest wineries. Over the last 40 years, he’s taken it to even greater heights. Listen to us chat about how you go about improving an icon, the secret of Vega’s extraordinary ageing potential, why Pablo decided to invest in other regions outside Ribera del Duero and the challenges of running a family business.

To read more about Pablo have a look at the Tempos Vega Sicilia website. You can also follow the bodega on Instagram @temposvegasicilia.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify. You can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.