The Tim Atkin Cork Talk Podcast

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

Jane Eyre was working as a hairdresser in Melbourne when she decided to change her life. After doing a harvest in France, she studied winemaking back in Australia while working in a wine shop before returning to Burgundy, going on to set up her own award-winning négociant business in 2011. Listen to us chat about Charlotte Brontë , how to handle Pinot Noir, where to find good value in the Côte d’Or and why she’s missed ballet over the last year during lockdown. 

To read more about Jane's wines, have a look at the Liberty Wines website. You can also follow her on Instagram @janeeyrewines

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.

 

Paul Hobbs was brought up on a fruit farm in Upstate New York and had plans to become a doctor before he caught the wine bug. Today he’s established as one of the world’s leading winemakers, with his own projects in Armenia, Argentina, France, Spain and the United States as well as consulting to 35 wineries around the globe. We talked about working for the legendary Robert Mondavi, Paul’s first (unplanned) trip to Argentina in 1988, his life-long love of Riesling and why Cabernet Sauvignon grapes need an armed guard in the Napa Valley.

To read more about Paul's wines, have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @paulhobbswines

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.

 

Born among the vineyards of Champagne, Caroline Frey nearly became a professional equestrian before she dedicated herself to wine. Listen to us talk about her various projects in Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône Valley and Switzerland, her passion for nature and biodynamics, the role of emotion in wine and why she’s such a huge fan of Instagram.

To read more about Caroline's wines, have a look at the Château La Lagune, Paul Jaboulet Aîné and Château Corton C websites. You can also follow her on Instagram @caroline_frey

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.

 

Jesús Madrazo started tasting and blending wine with his dad, José Angel, when he was just ten years’ old and subsequently learnt from Ezequiel García the so-called “sorcerer” of Spanish wine. No wonder he’s such a legend. We talked about the differences between Ribera del Duero and Rioja, the contrasting personalities of French, American and Hungarian oak, the magic of Contino and why Tempranillo is like glue, binding other red grapes together.

To read more about Jesús' wines, have a look at the Fredericks' website. You can also follow him on Instagram @demadrazomateo

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.

If he hadn’t been such a mediocre student, Rodrigo Soto wouldn’t have been assigned the unpopular subject of organic viticulture for his university thesis. But that decision changed his life. Since then, he’s become a pioneer of organic wine in Chile and now at Quintessa in California. We talked about what he learned from biodynamic guru, Alan York, why vintage variation is a good thing, the complexity of the Napa Valley’s terroirs, and how he plans to take Quintessa to the next level.

To read more about Rodrigo's wines, have a look at the Quintessa website. You can also follow him on Instagram @quintessawinery 

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.