wine grapes

Jancis Robinson wrote the book on wine. Literally. The author of the first four editions of the definitive Oxford Companion to Wine, she has also published some 20 books on the subject and more than 1,500 articles for the Financial Times, for which she has been the wine correspondent since 1989. A member of the royal family’s wine committee, she also helps select wines for Queen Elizabeth II. A trailblazer and a nimble scholar, Robinson—who, in addition to her work at the FT, pours her expertise into her jancisrobinson.com website—was the first wine writer ever to become an M.W., or Master of Wine, a rare distinction.

With nearly five decades in the trade, Robinson has an acute awareness of the forces behind the field’s constant evolution, and gives her readers context so that they can understand what it all means. Her primary interests lie not just in the flavors of wine, but rather in the stories that wines tell about where they came from, how they’re made, and what they reveal about the world. A supporter of the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation, a nonprofit working to improve soil health, she also helps amplify the many ways in which the climate crisis is impacting the wine industry, such as harvest dates and “smoke taint.” By her account, the wine world is in more flux today than ever before. 

On this episode, Robinson speaks with Spencer about the power of old vines, the trials of translating taste and smell into language, and why some of today’s most thoughtful producers are packaging great wines in cardboard boxes and cans.

Special thanks to our Season 5 sponsor, L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts.

Show notes:

• Full transcript
• jancisrobinson.com
• [15:10] Regenerative Viticulture Foundation
• [17:16] The World Atlas of Wine
• [22:43] Vintage Time Charts
• [26:47] “Ancient Vines and Stunning Wines, But Portugal’s Douro Valley Has a Problem”
• [28:37] Historic Vineyard Society
• [28:48] Sideways
• [31:14] Jancis Robinson’s Wine Course
• [43:09] Master of Wine exam
• [46:04] The Oxford Companion to Wine
• [49:45] The 24-Hour Wine Expert
• [57:53] Wine Grapes
• [59:53] Design Classics
• [01:00:51] The Royal Opera House

Is climate change already impacting viticulture (the cultivation of grapevines)? How might a changing climate affect wine production? Is today a better time to drink red wine in Germany? Does weather affect alcohol content? You might be surprised by the answers to some of these! In this second half of our two-episode feature on viticulture, we delve into the effects of climate, weather, and our changing future on viticulture. If you haven’t already, be sure to listen to Part 1 where our guests, Dr. Kerri Steenwerth with USDA-ARS in California,  Dr. Andy Walker, from UC Davis, California, and Dr. Jeremy Weiss, from University of Arizona, introduce themselves and their role in supporting the industry. Image credit: USDA.

If you’re enjoying this podcast please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser https://www.podchaser.com/ComeRainOrShine Thanks!

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Affiliate links:
DOI Southwest CASC: https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/
USDA Southwest Climate Hub: https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/southwest
Sustainable Southwest Beef Project (NIFA Grant #2019-69012-29853): https://southwestbeef.org/ 

Do you drink wine? Do you know how many varieties of wine there are in the world? What’s enology? What makes a vintage unique? Join us as we sit down with three scientists who specialize in viticulture and the cultivation of wine-grapes to hear about all of this and more. Dr. Kerri Steenwerth, with USDA-ARS in California, Dr. Andy Walker, from UC Davis, California, and Dr. Jeremy Weiss, from University of Arizona, tell us why the study of viticulture is important to them, how they got into the field, and what they do in their professional calling. Be sure to listen to Part 2 as well, where we delve into how our changing climate might affect wine production in the future. Image by Photo Mix from Pixabay.

If you’re enjoying this podcast please consider rating us and/or leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, or Podchaser https://www.podchaser.com/ComeRainOrShine Thanks!

Have comments or episode suggestions for us? We welcome your feedback! Please share your thoughts and suggestions here: https://forms.gle/3oVDfWbjNZs6CJVT7
Follow us on Twitter @RainShinePod
Never miss an episode! Sign up to get an email alert whenever a new episode publishes

Affiliate links:
DOI Southwest CASC: https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/
USDA Southwest Climate Hub: https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/southwest
Sustainable Southwest Beef Project (NIFA Grant #2019-69012-29853): https://southwestbeef.org/ 

Greg Giguiere, Matchbook Wines in Yolo County California, discusses farming 2,000 acres of grapes and olives on this multi-generational farm while at the same time preserving wetlands and other natural habitat for wildlife. Greg describes working with IPM methods including using owl boxes and his participation in research on owls as control for rodents. He gives specific examples of sustainable practices the vineyard uses such as cover crops, double drip systems, and compost. You’ll hear about his ideas for more holistic approaches and saving energy and water as the vineyard moves into the future, how he learns from previous generations, and how he tests his ideas – all while striving for the best quality wines. 

According to Greg, “A big part of farming is being connected to the land. So a lot of what we do goes to that. I’ve very interested in reducing chemical inputs into our system and moving away from a monoculture and having more biodiversity.” 

Talking about the barn owl project in partnership with UC Davis and Sacramento State University students, and partly funded by Western SARE, Greg has stated, “My family’s been growing wine grapes here since the 1970s, and controlling rodents is a big part of our integrated pest management program. We have 40 owl boxes on the farm.” 

Matchbook Wines is moving toward a holistic approach, looking at different products that build up the soils. They look at soil samples and tissue samples, while also looking at wine quality block by block.  

“It’s a process of leaning and realizing that there have to be some challenges and some failures.” He stresses the importance of having clear, long term goals to move toward.

(photo by Steve Elliott, Western IPM Center/Western SARE)

Learn more at westernsare.org/.

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