The Tim Atkin Cork Talk Podcast

Cork Talk with Gerd Stepp

Gerd Stepp was brought up on a grape and apple farm in the village of Bad Dürkheim. After working in wineries in Italy, Zimbabwe and South Africa, and a spell as a buyer for Marks & Spencer, he returned to his roots to set up his own wine business in the Rheinpfalz. Our fascinating chat covered his love of the African bush, Cabernet Franc, his talents as a long-distance runner and why Riesling might just be too geeky for its own good.

To read more about Gerd have a look here. You can also follow him on Instagram at @steppgerd.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. 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 Mary Bridges

Mary Bridges grew up on a farm in Inverness and worked in a Michelin starred restaurant before deciding she wanted to be a winemaker. After a vintage in France, she got a job at top English producer Gusbourne and has been there ever since. Our conversation covered vintage differences, the contrasting merits of grapes from Kent and Sussex, the future of English Pinot Noir and the freedom that comes from making wine by intuition, not numbers.

To read more about Mary have a look at the Gusbourne website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @maero_b.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. 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 Felicity Carter

Felicity Carter is a journalist who specialises in the business of wine. More recently, she’s become an acknowledged expert on health and alcohol policy, interviewing several of the key figures in the sector on her Drinks Insider podcast. I chatted to her from her home in Germany about the French paradox, the j-shaped curve, the World Health Organization, Prohibition, safe drinking levels, Big Tobacco and good and bad science.

To read more about Felicity have a look at the Drinks Insider website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @carter.felicity.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. 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 John Duval

John Duval is one the legends of the Australian wine industry. He’s known for his work as chief winemaker at Penfolds, where he was in charge of making Grange (among others things), and as the head of his eponymous family winery since 2003. I caught up with him from his beloved Barossa Valley to chat about Shiraz, old vines, his love of Priorat, Chile and the northern Rhône, what he learnt from Max Schubert and why Cat’s Pyjamas is a bad name for a wine.

To read more about John have a look at the John Duval Wines website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @johnduvalwines.

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

CorkTalk with Toti Undurraga

Toti Undurraga’s family have been well known in the Chilean wine industry since the late 19^th century, but he was always determined to forge his own path. After six years overseas, he returned to set up Koyle in Los Lingues. Today he works on both sides of the Andes – at Casas de Bucalemu in the Leyda Valley and Doña Paula in Mendoza. A passionate advocate of biodynamics, he’s one of South America’s most thoughtful and talented winemakers.

To read more about Toti have a look at the Koyle website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @totiundurraga.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. 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 Jen Parr

Jen Parr started out working in the software industry after studying English and Spanish literature at university, but moved into the wine business after she did a harvest in Gaillac. Thirty three vintages later, and still entirely self-taught, she’s one of best winemakers in New Zealand, a woman with a passion for Pinot Noir, a great palate and bags of energy and ideas. As she puts it, she always choses what’s interesting over what’s safe.

To read more about Jen have a look at the Valli website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @jenlparrjp.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. 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 Elizabeth Gabay

Elizabeth Gabay MW was born in New York, grew up in London and has lived in the French Alps for the last 20 years. Following a mixed early career in journalism, publishing and the theatre, she set up her own wine company after doing a tasting course at Christie’s. Almost by accident, she was asked to write a book about rosé, a style of wine she claimed to dislike, and has now become an evangelist as well as the world’s leading expert on pink wines.

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

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. 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 Rod Smith

Rod Smith began his working life as an illustrator but moved into wine after landing a part-time job at Oddbins. After a brief spell in the fine wine world in London, he upped sticks to the Côte d’Azur to supply the superyacht industry. Now running his own business, the Riviera Wine Academy, he was recently appointed chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine and has fascinating views about how the organisation should develop and evolve.

To read more about Rod have a look at the Riviera Wine Academy website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @rodwsmith68.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. 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 Praisy Dlamini

Brought up on a sugar cane farm in Kwa-Zulu Natal, where her parents were teetotallers, Praisy Dlamini got a bursary from the Department of Agriculture when she was 16 and went to study winemaking in the Cape. Her meteoric career has taken her from a spell at Distell to a job as the general manager of Adama Wines, where she runs an all-female team of black women and has developed Amandla, a brilliant and deservedly popular South African brand.

To read more about Praisy have a look at the Amandla website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @praisyd.

Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts. 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 Roth

Roman Roth was brought up in the Black Forest, where his father was a cooper, but decided to become a winemaker in his teens. After vintages in California and Australia, he got a job at Wölffer Estate Vineyard on Long Island in 1992 and has been there ever since. Funny, creative and fond of singing to his wines, he’s a natural interviewee with a well-honed turn of phrase. Listen in to hear everything you want to know about New York wines.

To read more about Roman have a look at the Wölffer Estate Vineyard website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @roth.roman.

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