What’s the important difference between dry wines and the dry feeling you get when tasting certain wines? Do all or even most wines taste better when they’re older? How can you make the most of a trip to Washington wine country?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Hailey Bohlman

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Highlights

What was Hailey’s experience with hosting her first virtual wine tasting during the pandemic?

How did Hailey get actor Kyle MacLachlan to do a virtual wine tasting with her tasting club?

Is there an overlap between Hailey’s wine career and her career in technical program management?

How does Hailey's background and passion for mathematics influence her approach to understanding and teaching about wine?

What's been the most challenging wine concept for Hailey to explain in her Wine 101 series?

What's the most mind-blowing scientific fact about winemaking that Hailey has learned?

Which wine myth does Hailey find herself debunking repeatedly?

Who were Hailey's most memorable podcast guests so far?

How can you make the most of a trip to the Washington wine regions?

Where is Hailey’s ideal place to have a glass of wine?

What does Hailey love about Domaine Philippe Vandelle Poulsard and Damsel Cellars Stillwater Creek Syrah?

Why does Hailey hate the idea of clean or fit wine?

Which wine would pair well with Hailey’s childhood favourite, microwave chicken pot pie?

Why does Hailey admire Brooke Delmas Robertson, winemaker at Delmas wines?

What are Hailey’s favourite wine gadgets?

If Hailey could share a bottle of wine with anyone outside the wine world, who would it be?

What message would Hailey want to share via a billboard in Seattle?

Key Takeaways

Hailey notes that one of the hardest wine concepts to understand is tannin, which gets confused with dry in the wine world. Tannins in red wines cause your mouth to feel dry like having a cotton ball in your mouth. When you say a dry wine, you're saying a wine with no sugar, nothing to do with the tannins.

The myth Hailey hears a lot is that all wines taste better when they're older. That's actually not true. You need to know which wines can age, but that's when you ask the experts. Shop at the small wine shops, ask the staff, ask winemakers and other experts.

Hailey advises to go for a variety of experiences and wineries when you visit any wine region. For eg. to make the most of a trip to Walla Walla, Washington, she suggests visiting wineries with vineyard tours, such as Delmas. They will teach you about how they're growing the vines. Then look for a blending class like at at North Star winery. Then try a food and wine pairing, such as the one at Pepper Bridge. Visit both small and large wineries.

About Hailey Bohlman

Hailey Bohlman, is a wine enthusiast turned wine educator and founder of Cork & Fizz with the goal of making wine more approachable for everyone. By offering guided wine tastings, along with tips, recommendations and podcast, she makes wine fun and exciting!

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/318.

Should you drink Champagne from a white wine glass or a flute? What is the ideal temperature range for serving Champagne? What might surprise you about the technical side of Champagne production?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Christopher S. Ruhland, author of Press for Champagne: A Guide to Enjoying the World’s Greatest Sparkling Wine.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

Three of you are going to win a copy of his terrific book, Press for Champagne. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

Why does Chris prefer using a white wine glass instead of the traditional elongated flute for Champagne?

What’s the problem with clear glass bottles for Champagne?

What is the ideal temperature range for serving Champagne?

Which point in history does Chris consider to be the most pivotal moment in the development of Champagne as we know it today?

What might surprise you about the technical side of Champagne production?

Which notable contributions have women made in Champagne history?

What was the significance of the Champagne riots in 1911?

How did the Champagne region recover after the World Wars, and what were the lasting effects on the industry?

How does chalky soil contribute to the hallmark qualities of Champagne?

What’s the difference between the oxidative and reductive styles of Champagne?

Why don’t we hear more about reserve wines?

What was it like to drink decades-old Champagne, and how are the bubbles affected by aging?

What is dosage, and what is its role in Champagne production?

How can you plan the best trip to make the most of the Champagne region?

Key Takeaways

I’m all for the white wine glass for Champagne, Chris says, but I don't like flutes because you can't smell the wine. They're too thin to sense the aromas from the wine. I use tulip-shaped glasses and if you go to the Champagne region, you'll see these in use all over the place.

Chris says that temperature affects the texture of the wine and the bubbles. You wouldn't want it colder than it gets in your refrigerator. The point is to start at a cold temperature.

Chris says most people are surprised at how much work it takes to make a bottle of Champagne. It is very much a human-made product in that it requires a lot of separate steps done by hand.

About Christopher S. Ruhland

Christopher S. Ruhland trained and worked as a lawyer for thirty years before becoming a mediator. He holds the Diploma in Wines & Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and he has passed the French Wine Scholar, Bordeaux Master-Level, and Rhône Master-Level examinations given by the Wine Scholar Guild, all with Highest Honors. He is the author of the award-winning Press for Champagne: A Guide to Enjoying the World’s Greatest Sparkling Wine and gives presentations about Champagne and teaches wine courses.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/318.

Did the Benedictine monk Dom Perignon invent Champagne? Why is Grand Cru Champagne not necessarily the best Champagne? What makes Champagne so versatile and food-friendly?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Christopher S. Ruhland, author of the award-winning Press for Champagne: A Guide to Enjoying the World’s Greatest Sparkling Wine.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

Three of you are going to win a copy of his terrific book, Press for Champagne. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

What makes Champagne so versatile and food-friendly?

What do you need to know about the main styles of Champagne?

Why is Rosé Champagne made differently from still Rosé?

What sparked Chris’ interest in Champagne in particular?

How did Chris' legal career and writing skills transfer over to writing about Champagne?

How does Press for Champagne differ from other wine books in its approach and focus?

Why does Champagne have a universal appeal, even for those who aren't wine enthusiasts?

How did Champagne become the wine of celebration?

What are some common myths about Champagne that Chris debunks in Press for Champagne?

How has the "Champagne only comes from Champagne, France" campaign impacted consumer awareness and the global sparkling wine market?

What are some of the ways popular culture has impacted certain brands of Champagne?

Did the monk Dom Perignon invent Champagne?

How has social media shaped our perception of Champagne?

What is Chris's perspective on the pricing of Champagnes and how it affects accessibility?

Key Takeaways

No, the Benedictine monk Dom Perignon did not invent champagne. Champagne wasn't even sparkling until after his death. But what is true, Chris explains, is he was a cellar master of the abbey and an important figure in Champagne wine production and in advancing its quality.

People talk about Grand Cru champagne with reverence as if it’s categorically better than champagne without that distinction. That's not true. You can find Grand Cru champagne, which is not very good. And then you have champagnes like Louis Roederer’s Cristal and Dom Perignon that are not Grand Cru champagnes.

With champagne, there is such variety and so many different styles that you really can drink it throughout an entire meal, and it can all work differently based on what you're eating.

About Christopher S. Ruhland

Christopher S. Ruhland trained and worked as a lawyer for thirty years before becoming a mediator. He holds the Diploma in Wines & Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and he has passed the French Wine Scholar, Bordeaux Master-Level, and Rhône Master-Level examinations given by the Wine Scholar Guild, all with Highest Honors. He is the author of the award-winning Press for Champagne: A Guide to Enjoying the World’s Greatest Sparkling Wine and gives presentations about Champagne and teaches wine courses.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/317.