In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David talks to Elaine Chukan Brown, author of The Wines of California, telling the story of the state’s wine industry, from its establishment by indigenous peoples, through Prohibition, to the pioneers who created today’s wine map, while looking to the challenges Californian wine faces in the future.   

Plus, David has news of the IWSC wine judging results for 2025, announced this week, featuring the three highest scoring wines: 

The Trouble With Dreams Magnum Brut 2009 by Sugrue South Downs

Verdelho 2001 by D’Oliveiras

Old Premium Rare Muscat NV by Morris Wines

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David’s guest is Ian Hongell, chief winemaker at Torbreck, one of Australia’s most celebrated names, celebrated for its Barossa Shiraz from dry-farmed, old vines descended from those planted in the mid 19th century.

IWSC medal winners featured:

Campbells Merchant Prince Rare Muscat NV (gold and trophy winner)

Morris Old Premium Rare Muscat NV (gold)

Peter Lehmann 8 Songs Shiraz 2021 (silver) 

Soumah Chardonnay 2023 (silver)

Fourth Wave Wine Little Giant Single Vineyard Cabernet 2021 (silver)

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David chats to Master of Wine, Andrew Caillard, winner of the IWSC Wine Communicator of the Year award, about his epic three volume work ‘The Australian Ark’, the story of the country’s wine industry, from its origins to the present day.

IWSC medal winning wines featured, all gold medal winners:

Dandelion Vineyards Firehawk Shiraz 2022

Golden Amrita Sunshine Hill Shiraz 2021

Ponting Wines The Pinnacle Shiraz 2022

Levantine Hill Katherine's Paddock Chardonnay 2021

Orlando Wines Lyndale Chardonnay 2021

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David chats to Alex Watson about Renais Gin, the brand he has founded with his actor sister, Emma Watson, a premium gin produced from the skins of grapes, from the vineyards of Chablis where their father is a winemaker.

IWSC gold medal winning gins featured: 

Three Engineers Oy 3E Gin 

North of Eden Admiral Navy Strength Gin

Karu Distillery Affinity Gin

Enceladus Distilling Company Limited

Astra Premium New Zealand Gin

Vinha Alta Balancal Barrel Rested Gin

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. England’s nascent still wine scene gets ever more exciting, with premium cuvées now taking the limelight. David chats to the co-owners of Whitewolfe, Clare Whitehead and Luke Wolfe, to hear about their self-funded project to create a trio of wines from Chardonnay, grown at Kit’s Coty in Kent.

IWSC winning wines featured, all silver medals :  

Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Coeur De Cuvée Extra Brut 2016

Louis Pommery England Brut NV 

Hattingley Valley Wines Blanc de Blancs Brut 2015

Denbies Wine EstateCubitt Blanc De Noirs Brut 2015

Vagabond Wines Pinot Noir 2022

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Lisbon, Portugal’s beguiling capital, is also an enticing wine region stretching north for 130 kilometres along the country’s Atlantic coast. Libby Brodie chats to David about the terrain, climate, grapes and gastronomy of the Lisboa region.  In this episode, the wines tasted are: Adegamae Vinhas Velhas 2020 (Grape variety: vital): Adegamae Vinhas Velhas 2020 – Banquist, Morgado de Santa Catherina Arinto Reserva (Grape variety: arinto): Buy Morgado de Santa Catherina Arinto Reserva Online at Hic! and Cas'Amaro’s Vinho Tinto Falatório Bastardo 2021 (Grape variety: bastardo): 2021 Falatório Bastardo tinto.

Wines featured, all IWSC silver medal winners from Lisboa:

Quinta Do Conde Galodoro 10 Barricas Reserva 2022

Aveleda, Mandriola De Lisboa 2022 

Aluado Reserva Alicante Bouschet 2020 

Casa Santos Lima Quinta Do Espírito Santo 2021 

M&S Lisboa Bonita 2021

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Sunny Hodge is David’s guest to talk about his new book, The Cynic’s Guide to Wine, demystifying the subject, using science to take a deep dive into the glass, pulling apart conventional tasting notes and challenging established assumptions.

Wines featured, all gold medal winners from Turkey, with Sunny among the judges: 

Sevilen Sarap Sanayi Sevilen Centum Syrah 2020

Likya Wines Likya Arkeo Acikara 2022

Kuzubag Hür Amfora Merlot 2022

Kayra Imperial Merlot Blend 2015

V'asbosExpression Cabernet Franc Edition 1 NV

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. In the second special episodes, David’s focus is Côtes du Rhône Villages, the next tier up from Côtes du Rhône in the region’s hierarchy of quality, chatting with Raphaël Knapp, of Château la Borie, and Anthony Taylor, of Gabriel Meffre.  

To find out more - web:Homepage | Côtes du Rhône site officiel Instagram: AOC Côtes du Rhône (@cotesdurhone) • Instagram photos and videos)

Medal winners featured:  

Château De Ruth 2023 Côtes Du Rhône Villages Sainte-Cécile (silver)

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Chartreuse De Bonpas 2020 Côtes Du Rhône Villages (silver)

Domaines Vincent Moreau 2023 Côtes Du Rhône Villages Sainte-Cécile (silver)

Julie Rouffignac Tesco Finest 2023 Côtes Du Rhône Villages Blanc (silver)

J. Jacques Beaumet 2022 Cairanne (silver)

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. In the first of two special episodes, David explores the wines of Côtes du Rhône, chatting with Frédéric Lavau, a négociant, and Louis Barruol, of Château Saint Cosme, to find out what makes the region such a favourite with wine lovers.

To find out more - web:Homepage | Côtes du Rhône site officiel Instagram: AOC Côtes du Rhône (@cotesdurhone) • Instagram photos and videos)

Medal winners featured:

M&S Pont de Fleur 2022 Côtes Du Rhône Blanc

The Wine Society's Exhibition Vinsobres 2020 (silver)

M&S Les Closiers 2022 Lirac (silver)

Asda Cuvée Traditionnelle Grignan-Les Adhemar 2022 (silver)

Château la Verrerie Grand Deffand Syrah 2021 Luberon (silver)

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David meets the new face of GH Mumm, Yann Munier, who joined last April as cellar master. A native of the Champagne region, he talks about his passion for Pinot Noir, the grape that defines Mumm, and reflects on the latest 2024 vintage.  

Medal winners featured, all silver winners:  

Nicolas Feuillatte Blanc De Blancs Grand Cru Brut 2015 

Laurent-Perrier Blanc De Blancs Brut Nature NV 

Lanson Brut 2013 

Mandois Vieilles Vignes Victor Blanc De Blancs Brut 2013 

Champagne de Saint Gall Premier Cru Rosé Brut NV

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