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    The Mystery of Minerality

    en-gbJune 30, 2023
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    About this Episode

    It's a wine word almost everyone uses - but no one really knows what it means, what causes it, or where it's come from.

    It makes some people angry, it leaves others mystified - but some adore the term and can't get enough of it. 

    Is this yet another example in wine of (as one listener calls it), 'superstition, witchcraft and myth' that is nothing more than, 'absolute b*llocks'?!

    Welcome to the big 'minerality' mystery.

    In this episode, we dare to dive headlong into the snakepit of confusion, ambiguity and downright mystery that is the notion of 'minerality' in wine.

    But we're not alone. We've recruited the likes of sensory scientist Dr Heber Rodrigues and writer Meg Maker to enlighten us with the latest research and thinking on this intriguing topic.

    We ask questions like: what makes a wine mineral? What do people mean by the term? Which wines in particular tend to show mineral characteristics? Is it a good or a bad thing? Is it a vineyard or winemaking phenomenon? 

    Ultimately - should we get rid of it, or cherish it?

    We taste two wines in order to put our own language under the microscope. There's an element of mud-slinging and mutual recrimination before we manage (more or less) to define what we mean by minerality.

    We also give a final judgement on whether, in our view, minerality should be part of the wine lexicon or not. The result...may surprise you.

    Wines tasted in this episode

    • UVC Chablis Premier Cru 2010, Esprit de Chablis, 12.5%
    • Anhydrous Afoura Santorini Assyrtiko 2021, 14%

    We love to hear from you so please do get in touch! Send us a voice message via Speakpipe or you can find more details to get in touch on our website (link below).

    All details from this episode are on our website: Show notes for Wine Blast S4 E22: The Mystery of Minerality.

    This episode is dedicated to Dr Wendy Parr, a leading light in the world of sensory perception and wine.

    Thanks for tuning in. Here's to the joy of wine - cheers to you!

    Recent Episodes from Wine Blast with Susie and Peter

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    We love to hear from you so please do get in touch! Send us a voice message via Speakpipe or you can find more details to get in touch on our website (link below). All details from this episode, including full listings of all the wines featured in the show, are on our website: Show notes for Wine Blast S5 E12 - ORANGE WINE Part 2: Gimme Some Skin. Thanks for tuning in. Here's to the joy of wine - and cheers to you!

    Instagram:

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    We love to hear from you so please do get in touch! Send us a voice message via Speakpipe or you can find more details to get in touch on our website (link below).

    All details from this episode, including full listings of all the wines featured in the show, are on our website: Show notes for Wine Blast S5 E11 - ORANGE WINE Part 1: The Resurrection

    Thanks for tuning in. Here's to the joy of wine - and cheers to you!

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    That just about sums up this episode.

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    Thanks to the Occitanie Region for sponsoring this podcast. 

    Just a few of the wines we feature in this episode are:

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    • Les Vignerons de Florensac Picpoul de Pinet Selection 2020
    • Château Estanilles Vallongue rosé 2022, Faugères
    • Calmel & Joseph Les Terroirs La Fabrique 2021, Côtes du Brian
    • Clos d'Elpis Elpis Route 2021, Côtes Catalanes
    • Domaine de Rancy Rivesaltes Ambré Vin Doux Naturel 1998


    We love to hear from you so please do get in touch! Send us a voice message via Speakpipe or you can find more details to get in touch on our website (link below).

    All details from this episode, including full listings of all the wines featured in the show, are on our website: Show notes for Wine Blast S5 E10 - A Southern French Feast

    Thanks for tuning in. Here's to the joy of wine - and cheers to you!

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    Our WINES OF THE YEAR (2023)

    Our Wines of the Year format has grown into this riotous, rollicking rollercoaster of a show which we humbly offer up for your amusement and delectation.

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    Nor is it a chest-beating exercise in showing off how #wineblessed we are.

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    Featuring in this wine-soaked adventure are Dutch nuns, kiwis, Homer Simpson, talking corks, Susie in a balloon suit, gravy, Nigel the dog, a broom-brandishing Greek grandmother, Jesus and Peter's pants.

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    Your listener feedback and questions get an airing, touching on English fizz, Portuguese wine, the dream of owning a vineyard in Italy, breathless Colorado winemaking - and what we do with our leftovers.

    Wines featured range from an Essex Sauvignon Blanc to a Japanese Pinot Noir via an 'aromatised wine-based drink' that's considerably tastier than its official designation.

    To cap it all we announce our BIG GONGS, which this year we've expanded to include Producer of the Year, Value Wine of the Year and, in the constant quest for ever more fun, Leftfield Wine of the Year.

    Atop this particular tree, though, is just one wine: our Wine of the Year. What in the world could it be?!

    This episode is dedicated to the memory of Phil Tuck MW, who loved nothing more than sharing great wines with friends. An inspiration to us all.

    We love to hear from you so please do get in touch! Send us a voice message via Speakpipe or you can find more details to get in touch on our website (link below).

    All details from this episode, including full listings of all the wines featured in the show and more (particularly the good value bottles) are on our website: Show notes for Wine Blast S5 E9 - Our Wines of the Year (2023)

    Thanks for tuning in. Here's to the joy of wine - and cheers to you!

    Ukraine: Wine not War

    Ukraine: Wine not War

    Odessa Black.

    It's the name of a (Ukranian) grape variety. But it could almost be code for the desperate times the people of Ukraine are living through.

    In this episode, we explore the history and current context of Ukraine, hearing first-hand insights from Tania Olevska of the Ukrainian Wine Company and Svitlana Tsybak of the Beykush winery.

    Despite the chaos and devastation in Ukraine, wine represents a point of hope, an expression of Ukrainian culture, terroir, identity and resilience.

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    'We didn't pay money for our PR; we paid [with] the lives of Ukrainians for our PR,' says Tania, grimly.

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    • Biologist Sukholimanskiy 2022, Kyiv
    • Beykush Lerici Timorasso 2021, Mikolaiv
    • Kolonist Odessa Blanc 2021, Bessarabia

    We love to hear from you so please do get in touch! Send us a voice message via Speakpipe or you can find more details to get in touch on our website (link below).

    All details from this episode are on our website: Show notes for Wine Blast S5 E8 - Ukraine: Wine not War

    Thanks for tuning in. Here's to the joy of wine - and cheers to you!

    The New Face of Languedoc

    The New Face of Languedoc

    Languedoc is a wine region on the move.

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    But there are things happening in Languedoc wine now that are innovative, surprising, intriguing and...well, delicious. 

    In short, it's well worthy of our attention.

    In this episode, sponsored by AOP Languedoc, we chat to writers Rupert Millar and Rosemary George MW, and we also hear from wine growers Benoît Bertrand (Domaine de Malavieille) and Jenia Vermillard (Domaine Ampelhus).

    We hear of ambitious attempts to revive long lost grape varieties from the verge of extinction, and ingenious solutions to the challenges posed by climate change.

    We explore the region's renown for good value in its wines, consider its historic ups and downs, and look to what the future might hold.

    Along the way we somehow feature feather boas, Lithuania, a stray dog, the Romans, shrinking pains, finishing school, architecture, Assyrtiko, violins, agroforestry and ratatouille. 

    Oh, and a love story.

    And of course it wouldn't be a normal episode of Wine Blast if we didn't taste and recommend some brilliant wines. These beauties are all AOP Languedoc wines:

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    • Paul Mas Jardin de Roses Traviata 2022 
    • Bergerie du Capucin Les 100 Pas du Berger Rouge 2020 
    • Domaine de Roquemale Les Grés 2020 
    • Domaine Ampelhus Languedoc Grés de Montpellier 2022 
    • Clos des Nines L’Orée 2020 
    • Domaine Les Aurelles Solen 2000 

    We love to hear from you so please do get in touch! Send us a voice message via Speakpipe or you can find more details to get in touch on our website (link below).

    All details from this episode are on our website: Show notes for Wine Blast S5 E7: The New Face of Languedoc

    Thanks for tuning in. Here's to the joy of wine - and cheers to you!

    The Ten Wines Never to be Without

    The Ten Wines Never to be Without

    We're going full-on Moses mode in this episode, nailing down the ten wines you should always have at home.

    Of course, personal taste plays a part. You want to have wines to hand you're going to reach for - which means your favourite styles.

    But beyond that, it helps to have some expert insight into the bigger picture in order to always have delicious, affordable and useful wines when you need them.

    Our primary objective is joyous everyday drinking.

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    Helping us out in this challenging task are the fine people at Waitrose, who are sponsoring this episode.

    Waitrose do a fine line in wine and, as we focus on these indispensable wine categories, we've chosen individual wines from their range to illustrate our decisions.

    When we originally ran this episode, Waitrose had a special offer on: 25% off when you buy 6 or more bottles from £6-100. For the sake of clarity, that offer has now expired (though they do tend to repeat these offers periodically).

    But even at the non-discount prices, these wines still represent great quality and value.

    So what are the ten wines never to be without? Tune in to find out... 

    The wines featured in this episode are:

    • Hattingley Classic Reserve Brut NV, England
    • Saint Clair Wairau Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022, New Zealand
    • Bouchard Finlayson Crocodile’s Lair Chardonnay 2021, South Africa
    • Leitz Rüdesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Kabinett 2022, Germany
    • Muga Rioja Rosé 2022, Spain
    • Joseph Drouhin Chorey-Les-Beaune 2020, France
    • Baron de Ley Club Privado Rioja Reserva 2018, Spain
    • Terre di Faiano Puglia Primitivo 2021, Italy
    • Chateau Oumsiyat Mijana 2019, Lebanon
    • Crociani Vin Santo di Montepulciano 2017, Italy
    • Florent Rouve Arbois Chardonnay 2020, France
    • Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino 2016, Italy

     We love to hear from you so please do get in touch! Send us a voice message via Speakpipe or you can find more details to get in touch on our website (link below).

    All details from this episode are on our website: Show notes for Wine Blast S5 E6: The Ten Wines Never to be Without

    Thanks for tuning in. Here's to the joy of wine - and cheers to you!