Yellow Tail is a brand needing no introduction. We had the chance to speak to Simon Lawson, managing director of Casella Europe about how one of the world's largest wine brands is managed. We discussed managing customer relationships for a brand that is a household name. We wanted to learn about lessons from emerging markets and where opportunities lie for wine outside of the mature markets. Simon also took up the mantle to answer our question about existential threats to wine and his answers are both motivating as well as shrewd. 

Joshua Grainer MW is MD and winemaker for RdV Vineyards in Virginia. He makes wines of critical acclaim, overcoming numerous challenges to do so. Josh provided a very useful overview of the history and current state of the Virginia wine production. He explained the environmental challenges, including combatting downy mildew. The Virginia climate and soils tends to give grapes with high pHs and Josh unpacks his expertise with high pH winemaking. The 2021 RdV "Rendezvous" is a superb Bordeaux blend that expresses what Virginia wine can do.

Paul Chevalier has overseen and driven the rise of Whispering Angel to its position as the first name in the Rosé wine scene. We discussed the strategy of how the brand built its position and their strategy for today. The role of marketing is perhaps poorly understood in wine but in this podcast we cover the key points that are important for Whispering Angel. Finally we discussed the role of the different wines in the portfolio and how the Rosé category is evolving for the future.

La Chablisienne is one of the most important wine cooperatives that exists today. They are responsible for a significant proportion of the overall production of Chablis but also for maintaining quality standards that set a benchmark for the region. Olivier Masmondet is the export director of La Chablisienne and as such, is one of the most important cogs in the business of wine. The role of the Co-Op in the modern world has faced increasing pressure to adapt and we explored how La Chablisienne works to meet today's demands. Aligned to this is their role in managing the supply and demand of a limited region with a global presence, Olivier gave us an insight into the pricing dynamics that is rarely a part of the public-facing story. We also discuss how they manage several different cuvees labelled as Chablis AOC and their purpose within the range, focusing on this episode's wine Chablis 'Le Finage'.  

Sebastián Zuccardi is a winemaker whose influence extends beyond his own wines and his family's projects. He has adapted and revolutionised both ideas around Malbec and the Uco Valley.We discussed different areas and soils of the Uco Valley, how it is possible to make a 100 point wine without oak and explored how Finca Piedra Infinita Supercal represents both the changing face of and the future of Malbec.

Dermot Sugrue is the winemaker and owner of Sugrue South Downs based in West Sussex in the South of England. With over twenty years of experience making wine in England, Dermot has seen the growth and change in the industry, which gives him a deep perspective on this fascinating part of the wine world. We asked him about the details behind his preference to avoid malolactic conversion, the principles behind blending base wines for sparkling and the practical side of battling with nature in England. 'The Trouble with Dreams' is a flagship wine for his winery and an energetic style of Chardonnay-dominant English Sparkling wine.

David Roper, Senior Winemaker at Villa Maria, unpacks the winemaking behind this famous New Zealand brand's flagship wine. He explains how they maintain consistency across varying vintages and Marlborough's three key sub-regions. He also discusses common cellar problems and their solutions, as well as market fluctuations and the challenges and opportunities in grape supply.

Andrea Polidoro, head winemaker at Cupano and owner of Contrada Contro, discusses restoring old vines attached to trees, his approach to planting new ones, and his vision for restoring an agroforestry system in his vineyards. 

Diego Ríos, head winemaker at Granbazán, discusses managing high rainfall and mildew challenges, the use of oak with Albariño, and the insights he gained from working at Heymann-Löwenstein.

The winery Peter Jacob Kuhn is famed for being one of the top producers in Rheingau and a pioneer of biodynamics. In this episode Peter Bernhard Kuhn gives a rare interview where he discusses the 'new' great sites like the Hendelberg, how compost became a serious business and the importance of texture in Riesling through skin contact.