Brought up in a trilingual household in New York, Nicole Rolet worked in banking and international relations before she set up Chêne Bleu in the southern Rhône Valley with her husband, Xavier. Our wide-ranging chat covered everything from lay lines to the pursuit of legacy, Grenache’s underdog status to the future of fine wine. Listen to Nicole tell us why she doesn’t do woo woo and why she’s always marched to the beat of her own drum.

To read more about Nicole have a look at the Chêne Bleu website. You can also follow the domaine on Instagram at @chenebleuwine. 

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.