The Tim Atkin Cork Talk Podcast

Cork Talk with Almudena Alberca

Almudena Alberca is Spain’s only female Master of Wine as well as the technical director of Entrecanales Domecq e Hijos, a group that makes wines in six different Spanish regions including Rueda, Rioja and Ribera del Duero. She’s something of a phenomenon. Listen to us chat about why she chose wine rather than cheese as a career, her time in New Zealand, the finer points of the Tempranillo grape and how rediscovered minority varieties could be a partial answer to climate change.

To read more about Almudena's wines, have a look at the Entrecanales Domecq website. You can also follow her on Instagram @almudenaalberca

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

Cork Talk with Aris Tselepos

Still in his early thirties, Aris Tselepos is one of the rising talents of the Greek wine scene, with a CV that includes a harvest at Cloudy Bay in New Zealand and a Masters Degree at the University of California Davis. Listen to us chat about the different charactertistics of Moschofilero, Agiorgitiko and Assyrtiko, the famous basket vines of Santorini and what playing chess has taught him about life.

To read more about Aris' wines, have a look at the Tselepos Wines website. You can also follow him on Instagram @aristselepos.

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

Cork Talk with Roman Horvath MW

Roman Horvath MW runs Domäne Wachau in Austria, widely regarded as one of the best co-operatives in the world. Roman may have been uninterested in wine until his mid-20s, but he’s certainly made up for lost time. Today, he’s a key figure in the picturesque Wachau Valley. We talked about the magic of Grüner Veltliner, fermenting wines in marble tanks for a bit of fun, and what it takes to keep the co-op’s 250 families happy.

To read more about Roman's wines, have a look at the Domäne Wachau website. You can also follow him on Instagram @domaenewachau.

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

Cork Talk with Ricardo Baettig

Ricardo Baettig of Viña Morandé is one of South America’s most innovative and creative winemakers. A champion of Italian grapes – and Italy in general – as well as traditional varieties from the Secano Interior, he’s fascinating to listen to on the past, present and future of the Chilean wine industry, as well as on the subjects of painting, hiking and water polo.

To read more about Ricardo's wines, have a look at the Morandé website. You can also follow him on Instagram @rbaettig.

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

Cork Talk with Germán di Cesare

Germán di Cesare is Mr Malbec at Trivento, making one of the most successful and widely exported bottlings of Argentina's signature grape. Listen to us chat about the difference between the Primera Zona and the Uco Valley in Mendoza, the secret of producing a big blend, how Argentinian wine has changed over the last 20 years and what it’s like to cross the Andes on horseback.

To read more about Germán's wines, have a look at the Trivento website. You can also follow him on Instagram @geriswine

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

Cork Talk with Sue Hodder

Sue Hodder was brought up in Alice Springs but has spent most of her working life in Coonawarra, where she’s completed 29 vintages as senior winemaker at the historic Wynns winery. Listen to us chat about terra rossa soils, the magic of unblended Cabernet Sauvignon, her ability to see other angles and alternatives and why she doesn’t mind being called a veteran winemaker.

To read more about Sue's wines, have a look at the Wynns Coonawarra website. You can also follow her on Instagram @hodder.sue

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

 

Cork Talk with Jean-Claude Mas

Best known for his humorous Arrogant Frog brand, Jean-Claude Mas is a key figure in the Languedoc region, producing 22 million bottles of wine a year, and tirelessly promoting the area around the globe. Listen to us chat about his new book on rural luxury, taekwondo, vintage cars and the influence that Italy and the United States have had on his winemaking philosophy.

To read more about Jean-Claude's wines, have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @paulmaswines

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

 

Cork Talk with Sandra Bravo

Freshness. Balance. Elegance. They’re all the hallmarks of the remarkable wines Sandra Bravo has made her calling card at Sierra de Toloño in Rioja. Her talent has rapidly established her as one of the most exciting winemakers in the region. We talked about her time in Priorat, her love of Garnacha, her sixth sense for vineyards and why Rioja’s whites are so under-rated.

 

To read more about Sandra's wines, have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @sierradetolono

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

 

Cork Talk with Edy Del Popolo

Edy del Opolo is an Argentinian viticulturist and winemaker who’s descended from French, German, Italian and Spanish immigrants. You might say a love of European wine is in his blood. We talked about the Uco Valley, the genesis of his Per Se project, the benefits of colder vintages in Mendoza and what it takes to produce a 100-point wine – the first I’ve ever awarded to an Argentinian Malbec.

To read more about Edy's wines, have a look at the Per Se website. You can also follow him on Instagram @inseparablebyperse

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

 

 

Cork Talk with Corlea Fourie

Scotland may not have inspired many people to become winemakers, but Corlea Fourie is a special case. While working in a restaurant, far from her native South Africa, she caught the wine bug. It was a smart move, as she’s now regarded as one of the most innovative and exciting talents in the Cape. We talk about economic empowerment, Wellington, old-vine Chenin Blanc, Fairtrade certification and the community that makes Bosman Family Vineyards such a special place to work.

To read more about Corlea's wines, have a look at the Bosman Family Vineyards website. You can also follow her on Instagram @corleafourie

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