From bottle shops to global wine authority, Erin Larkin joins The Wine Animal for a deep dive into Australian Chardonnay, wine criticism, and what truly defines great wine.

Brenno and Erin Larkin unpack one of Australia’s most iconic wines, Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay.

From the exceptional 2023 vintage to the discipline behind its timeless style, this conversation explores why some wines transcend trends and only get better with time.

A blind wine tasting between friends quickly turns into a battle of instinct, ego, and experience. With no labels and no hints, every guess relies purely on what’s in the glass, and that’s where things start to unravel.

Watch as confident calls shift, assumptions get challenged, and subtle flavor cues lead both tasters down completely different paths. It’s a raw, honest look at how even seasoned wine lovers can be surprised, second-guess themselves, and still enjoy the process.

Brenno sits down with Dan Eggleton of Ben Murray Wines for a conversation that goes far deeper than wine.

After tragedy in the Barossa community, Dan started a simple monthly breakfast, bacon, eggs and coffee, creating a space where growers, winemakers and locals can talk openly and support each other.

This episode explores the pressures of rural life, the importance of mateship, and why sometimes a simple conversation can make all the difference.

Mount Edelstone, raw, uncut, and standing among 113-year-old vines.

In this episode, we step into one of Australia’s most historic single-vineyard Shiraz sites. From deep red-brown soils and mass selection blocks to rocket-scientist trellising and meticulous vine management, this is viticulture at its most detailed and deliberate.

We taste the 2021 Mount Edelstone in the vineyard itself and explore how it differs from Hill of Grace, more sage than five spice, more savoury depth, and a structure built for decades. This is old-vine precision in real time.

Meursault is one of Burgundy’s most revered names, yet it holds no Grand Cru vineyards. So the question is… does it even need them?

In this episode, we sit down with Alex Rougeot, whose family history in Meursault stretches back generations. We explore soils, elevation, microclimates, and the producers whose wines command extraordinary prices, unpacking what truly gives this appellation its power.

A deep dive into pedigree, place, and quiet confidence.

Standing among 150-year-old Shiraz vines in Eden Valley, Stephen Henschke shares the story of migration, faith, farming, and family that shaped one of Australia’s most iconic wines. We explore vineyard orientation, Easter harvests, screwcap philosophy, and what makes this site so singular.

A conversation about legacy, longevity, and the responsibility of custodianship.

From Sauternes inspiration to the science of botrytis, we unpack how humidity, timing and noble rot create remarkable concentration and freshness. With more than 182 trophies to its name, this isn’t just dessert wine, it’s heritage in a glass.

We also explore ageing potential, closure choices, and why the best sweet wines are always about balance, not sugar.

From a quiet Adelaide Hills winery to more than sixty years of lived experience, this episode explores the philosophy behind Riposte and a winemaker who has seen every side of the craft. It’s a story built on observation, patience, and the belief that the most important decisions happen long before the grapes reach the winery

Tim reflects on 64 consecutive vintages, unpacking the realities of cold-climate growing, vineyard selection, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and the risks that come with marginal sites, frost, flowering, and dramatically low yields. At the heart of the conversation is the rare 2024 season, a year that finally allowed him to create the Pinot Noir he’d envisioned for more than three decades.

This goes beyond tasting notes. It’s perspective, precision, and a lifetime of choices that quietly shape every bottle.

From Prussian roots to Eden Valley icon, this episode dives deep into the Henschke family story: a legacy shaped by six generations, relentless attention to detail, and an unwavering belief that great wine is built in the vineyard, not manufactured in the winery.

Stephen Henschke shares the journey from forced migration to farming some of Australia’s most important vineyards, exploring soil science, old vines, Riesling, Shiraz, Grenache, and the quiet decisions that never make it onto a label but define what’s in the glass.

This is more than wine.

It’s history, heritage, and a lifetime of work behind every bottle.