The Tim Atkin Cork Talk Podcast

Laurent Miquel is the eighth generation of his family to farm at Cazal Viel in the Langudeoc, but there’s nothing remotely traditional about him. A proponent of night harvesting as well as a fan of minority grapes such as Viognier and Albariño, he’s a risk taker and a force for change. I caught up with him to chat about the St Chinian appellation, Japanese philosophy, his time living in England and his love of a good curry.

To read more about Laurent's wines, look at the Laurent Miquel website. You can also follow him on Instagram @laurent_miquel.

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.

Randall Graham set out to make great Pinot Noir in California, but with typical self-effacement, he soon realised that his talents were better suited to other grapes, especially those from the Rhône Valley. Best known for his Le Cigare Volant blend, Graham is one of the wine world’s most interesting thinkers. We talked about oddball grapes, UFOs, his new, ground-breaking project at Popelouchúm, and why climate change is leveling the playing field between the New and Old Worlds.

To read more about Randall's' wines, look at the Bonny Doon website. You can also follow him on Instagram @randallgrahm240.

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.

Julio Bouchon’s family came to Chile form Bordeaux back in the 1880s, but this fourth generation winemaker has done more for the reputation of a forgotten Spanish grape – País – than for any French variety. Listen to us talk about his training as a journalist, his love of granite soils, the ongoing impact of social change in Chile and his joint venture in South Africa.

To read more about Julio's' wines, look at the Bouchon Family Wines website. You can also follow him on Instagram @bouchonfamilywines

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.

Jean-Charles Boiset is a hoot – an entrepreneur, a tireless innovator and a brand in his own right. Brought up in Burgundy, where his family owns Boisset, the region’s largest producer, but now living in California, he’s in charge of the Boisset Collection of West Coast wineries. Listen to him talk about Pinot Noir, kickboxing, biodynamic farming, perfume and how to learn from your failures.

To read more about Jean-Charles' wines, look at the Boisset Collection website. You can also follow him on Instagram @jc_boisset.

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.

Steve Pannell was born into one of Margaret River’s pioneering wineries, Moss Wood, but has chosen to follow his own path in McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills. Rightly regarded as a key figure in the modern Australian wine industry, he’s a brilliant, considered and stimulating conversationalist. Listen to us talk about the wonders of Grenache, why tannin is a good thing in red grapes and how he’s working to change perceptions of Australian wine.

To read more about Steve's wines, look at the SC Pannell website. You can also follow him on Instagram @scpannell.

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.

Given his first pairs of secateurs by his dad on his seventh birthday, Hubert de Boüard was destined to be a winemaker. Best known for his transformation of Château Angélus in St. Emilion, which is now one of only four Premiers Grands Crus Classé A, Hubert is also an international consultant who works on three continents. Listen to us chat about his love of Caberent Franc, where to find value for money in Bordeaux and the secrets of a great blender.

To read more about Hubert's wines, look at the Château Angelus and Hubert de Boüard Consulting websites. You can also follow him on Instagram @hubertdebouardconsulting.

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.

Think Chianti, think Paolo de Marchi. He was born in Piedmont, but he’s been a resident of Tuscany since 1976 – and he’s a key figure in the renaissance of Chianti Classico at Isole e Olena. Not to mention he’s also the creator of the Supertuscan brand, Cepparello. We talked about his formative time in the United States, his love of Sangiovese, the challenge of climate change and why he’s happy that there are loads of things he will never understand.

To read more about Paolo's wines, look at the Liberty Wines website . You can also follow him on Instagram @isoleeolena.

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.

Laura Catena is no one-trick pony. She’s a global wine personality, managing director of Catena Wines in Argentina – and a trained emergency room doctor. Dividing her time between San Francisco and Mendoza, Laura is also an author, businesswoman and energetic ambassador for the wines of her country. Listen to us chat about the Italian origins of the Catena winery, her ambitions to create a Grand Cru vineyard in the Uco Valley and why Malbec is so well suited to Argentina. 

To read more about Laura's wines, look at the Catena website. You can also follow her on Instagram @lauracatenamd.

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.

Master of Wine Steve Smith is a scarily brainy person, who seems to know a lot about almost everything, but is also a lot of fun to hang out with. One of the world’s leading viticulturists and the man who created the Craggy Range brand from scratch, he talks to me about the unrealised potential of Syrah in New Zealand, why he thinks Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is “pigeon-holing” the country’s image, his new project running Pyramid Valley and his plans for the next 15 years, which he hopes will be the “most prolific” of his brilliant career.

To read more about Steve's wines, look at the Pyramid Valley website. You can also follow him on Instagram @stevesmithmw

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 winemakers. 

Known as the King of Chenin Blanc, Ken Forrester is one of the South African wine industry’s best-loved and highest profile figures. He was originally a restaurateur in Johannesburg, but he bought a run-down farm in Stellenbosch in 1993 and has, as they say, never looked back. We talked about his Dirty Little Secret, Rhône grapes in the Cape, Ken’s upbringing in Zambia and what the acronym FMC – his most famous Chenin Blanc – really stands for.

To read more about Ken's wines, look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram @kenforrestervineyards.

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 winemakers.