The Tim Atkin Cork Talk Podcast

Dr Peter Stanbury has spent most of his working life in international development, advising multinationals and intergovernmental organisations, sometimes in some distinctly scary places. He is now the research director of the considerably less dangerous but equally important Sustainable Wine Roundtable, driving change and best practice in the wine industry, with a particular focus on reducing bottle weights and carbon footprints. To read more about Peter have a look at the Sustainable Wine Roundtable's website . You can also follow the SWR on Instagram at @sustainable_wine_roundtable. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

A former professional volleyball player and fashion model, Sandra Tavares feL in love with the wine world at a young age, treading grapes at her grandfather’s wine estate near Lisbon. Since 2001, she’s run Wine & Soul, one of Portugal’s best wineries, with her oenologist husband, Jorge Serôdio Borges, helping to redefine the Douro Valley. Focused almost entirely on field blends of very old vines, Sandra is a brilliant, globally recognised superstar. To read more about Sandra have a look at the Wine & Soul website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @sandratavareswineandsoul. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Victoria Mason was working as a plant buyer at Waitrose when she heard about a vacancy in the wine department. She got the job and has never looked back. A long-distance runner and serial high-achiever, she has the energy and enthusiasm of three people. Victoria is a Master of Wine, an expert on regenerative viticulture and a buyer at the Wine Society, where’s she’s currently in charge of South Africa, Beaujolais, Chablis and the Mâconnais. To read more about Victoria and her South Africa offer have a look at the Wine Society's website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @victoriathewinebuyer. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

José Vouillamoz is a botanist, ampelographer and grape geneticist who has made a significant contribution to our understanding of the past, present and future of wine. Co-author of the monumental Wine Grapes, as well as books on France and his native Switzerland, he’s a scientist who can convey his knowledge to a wider audience, combining expertise and charm with a journalist’s eye for a good story. He’s a truly fascinating interviewee. Photo by Louis Dasselborne. To read more about José have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @josevouillamoz. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Cricket-mad Beth Willard’s journey in wine started with a part-time job at Hardy’s Cellar Door operation in Canberra. Since then, she’s lived in France, the United Kingdom and Spain, where she’s made her home. In her time, Beth has been a top buyer as well as a show judge and journalist. A speaker of four languages, she loves travel, foreign cultures and, of course wine, bringing passion, knowledge and a sense of humour to everything she does. To read more about Beth have a look at her website . You can also follow her on Instagram at @bethcwillard. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Katia Nussbaum was born in London, but has lived most of her life in Italy, where she and her partner Gigi have owned the highly regarded San Polino estate in Brunello de Montalcino since 1990. Always vineyard focused, she was one of the pioneers of organic farming in the region and is now experimenting with vitiforestry, planting maples among her vines to understand the fungal networks that are an essential part of nature. To read more about Katia have a look at the San Polino website . You can also follow the estate on Instagram at @brunello.san.polino. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Xavier Rousset fell in love with wine on a family holiday in Collioure. After writing to fellow Frenchman Gérard Basset, one of the world’s most famous sommeliers, he got a job for a month at the Hotel du Vin in Winchester and has never looked back. A Master Sommelier at the age of 23, he is now an entrepreneur and businessman, running five different restaurants in London, but serving customers is still what he enjoys most. To read more about Xavier have a look at the Blandford Comptoir website . You can also follow him on Instagram at @rousset.x. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Luke O’Cuinneagain grew up close to the vineyards of nearby the Constantia Valley, but originally wanted to be a vet rather than a winemaker. A weekend job working at a cellar door changed all that. After a job at Rustenberg and a distinguished 14-year career at Glenelly, owned by Bordeaux grande dame May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, he is now in charge at Vergelegen, one of the Cape’s most historic estates, busy transforming the range and the vineyards for the better. To read more about Luke have a look at the Vergelegen website . You can also follow the winery on Instagram at @vergelegen_wine–estate. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Born into a family of Methodists, half of whom were teetotal, Sarah Abbott ‘s wine journey began when got a job with specialist Burgundy merchant, Domaine Direct. Since 2008, she’s run her own company, Swirl, specialising in advising what she calls “emerging regions” like Georgia, Japan and Turkey. In 2021, she set up the Old Vine Conference with some friends during lockdown and has turned it into a tour de force. To read more about Sarah have a look at Swirl website . You can also follow her on Instagram at @sarahabbottmw. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Mike Paul’s parents ran a hotel in Torquay, so maybe wine was part of his destiny. After a history degree, he got a job with Saccone & Speed, where he was in charge of Black Tower Liebfraumilch, among other things. A key figure in the success of Australian wines in the UK at Southcorp, as well as the South African brand, Kumala, he’s been a freelance consultant since 2006, working principally in the English wine industry, most notably at Gusbourne. To read more about Mike have a look at his website. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Kathy Burk grew up on a grape farm in California, but went into academia rather than viticulture, specialising in Anglo-American relations. Alongside her teaching and research, she continued to develop her love and knowledge of wine. Now a retired professor, she’s spent the last five years researching her remarkable new book, Wine: A Global History, which will be published in October. I caught up with her to hear all about it. To read more about Kathy have a look at this website. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Sarah Hwang studied psychology at university in the United States, but moved into the wine business after her parents created a new estate in Tokaj, Domaine Királyudvar, in the late 1990s and bought the historic Domaine Huet in the Loire Valley in 2003. In charge of the latter estate since 2012, she’s a lover of Chenin Blanc in all its forms, as well as an insightful guide to the terroirs and very different vintages of Vouvray. To read more about Sarah have a look at the Domaine Huet website . You can also follow the estate on Instagram at @domainehuet. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

The son of an independent merchant, Harry Eyres was brought up visiting vineyards and cellars and has inherited his father’s love of wine and classical music. A published poet and author as well as a prolific journalist, he’s written about everything from painting to tennis, climate change to Brexit, as well, of course, about wine. An amusing raconteur, he’s a fund of good stories, accrued over the last 40 years. To read more about Harry have a look at this website . You can also follow him on Instagram at @eyresharry. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures. .

Stellios Boutaris is a fourth-generation winemaker who’s one of the key figures in the modern Greek wine scene, running both Kir-Yanni in Macedonia and Domaine Sigalas on the volcanic island of Santorini. A lover of both Xinomavro and Assyrtiko, two of the country’s most distinctive grapes, he has extremely topical views about sustainable viticulture in a changing climate and how Greece can sustain its global momentum. To read more about Stellios have a look at Kir-Yanni website . You can also follow him on Instagram at @stelliosboutaris. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

A university course in the historical geography of viticulture prompted Matt Gant to get on a plane from London to New Zealand to do harvest. Since then, he’s never looked back, working at St Hallett in Australia before setting up two projects of his own, First Drop and Gant & Co. Dividing his time between Western Australia and Quinta de Pedra Alta in the Douro, he loves living Down Under but still cheers for England when it comes to cricket. To read more about Matt have a look at The Gant & Co. website . You can also follow him on Instagram at @gantandcowines. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Núria Altés was born into a family of grape growers in Batea in southern Catalunya and worked at the local co-operative before she set up her own bodega, Herència Altés, with her husband, Rafa de Haan, in 2010. Now recognised as one of the leading voices in the dynamic Terra Alta region, she’s passionate and deeply knowledgeable about organic viticulture, old vines and local grapes such as Garnacha Blanca and Garnacha Peluda. To read more about Núria have a look at her website . You can also follow her on Instagram at @herencia_altes. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Jerry Lockspeiser dreamt of being a professional footballer, but ended up in wine by accident in his early thirties. A serial entrepreneur and risk taker, who built Vinceremos and Bottle Green into major wine suppliers, he’s now the chair of North South Wines, and director of Positive News. From organic wine pioneer to marathon runner, philanthropist to published author, Jerry's career spans four decades. And he’s still going strong. To read more about Jerry have a look at the North South website . You can also follow him on Instagram at @jerrylockspeiser. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Tony Bish got a harvest job at a winery in Gisborne to fund a ski season in New Zealand’s South Island and has never looked back. After 27 years at Sacred Hill, he set up his own brand in 2013, entirely focused on Chardonnays of all shapes, sizes and styles. Sourcing grapes from some of the best vineyards in Hawke’s Bay, he’s on a mission to turn consumers into what he calls 'Chardonnistas', challenging the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) movement in the process. To read more about Tony have a look at his website . You can also follow him on Instagram at @tonybish.wines. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Marta Casas originally trained as a pharmacist but switched to wine after she met her future husband and accompanied him and his family on a fact-finding tour to Australia. Now the long-term, award winning winemaker at Parés Baltà in the Penedés, she’s an expert on biodynamics as well as a passionate advocate for local Catalan grapes, with their lower alcohol, naturally high acidity and resistance to climate change. To read more about Marta have a look at the Parés Baltà website . You can also follow her on Instagram at @martacasasjorba. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.

Philippe Melka grew up in Bordeaux studying geology — never planning to make wine — until a further university course in oenology and viticulture and an internship at Château Haut-Brion changed his life. Today he's one of the Napa Valley's most celebrated winemakers and consultants, with multiple 100-point wines to his name and a philosophy built on one simple idea: stand back and let the land speak. To read more about Philippe have a look at his website . You can also follow him on Instagram at @ateliermelka. Don’t forget, Cork Talk is now available on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts , where you can listen to this week’s episode, plus my back catalogue of interviews with some of the world’s most extraordinary wine figures.