The Tim Atkin Cork Talk Podcast

Matt Walls studied French at university, so it was a natural move to go into the wine business. After working in retail, he became a wine writer, specialising in the Rhône Valley, where he lived for two years. A regular visitor to the south of France – lucky boy – and the author of the definitive book about the Rhône’s array of appellations and styles, he’s an informed and entertaining guide to one of the world’s greatest wine regions.

To read more about Matt have a look at the Rhône Roots website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @mrmattwalls.

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 lover of Dickens, Nelson and large motorbikes – how’s that for a combination – Adam Brett-Smith runs Corney & Barrow, one of the world’s most profitable wine companies. Amusing, urbane, articulate and appealingly self-deprecating, he’s way less conservative than he seems, a man who enjoys leading teams, discovering new wines, representing world-famous estates and backing his hunches, wherever they may take him.

To read more about Adam have a look at the Corney & Barrow website. You can also follow the company on Instagram at @corneyandbarrow.

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.

Irakli Peradze developed a successful career in telecommunications after university, but always wanted to be a wine producer at heart. After a Saperavi he’d made as a hobby won a competition in France, he decided to set up his own winery. Today he buys grapes from small growers in all of Georgia’s main wine regions, turning them into 46 different bottlings. He’s the ideal guide to the country’s history, wine styles and indigenous grapes.

To read more about Irakli have a look at the Peradze Winery website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @peradze_winery.

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 daughter of a vet and an author, Margaret Rand started her life in publishing, but moved into wine after meeting Serena Sutcliffe MW. After spells editing various magazines, including one about opera, she has established herself as one of the wittiest and most intelligent wine journalists of her generation as well as the General Editor of Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book, which is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary edition.

To read more about Margaret have a look at the Hachette website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @margaret_randpocketwine.

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.

Noelia Orts was born and brought up in Benidorm, but after studying viticulture and oenology and Spain, and an overseas harvest in New Zealand, moved to Chile in 2009, where she is in charge of the premium wine portfolio at Viñedos Orgánicos Emiliana. Our chat covered her love of travel, cover crops, the art of blending, climate change and what it’s like being involved with the largest organic and biodynamic estate on the planet.

To read more about Noelia have a look at the Viñedos Orgánicos Emiliana website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @noeliaorganicwine.

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.

Guy Woodward has spent his working life as a journalist, writing about food, travel, sport and even casinos before turning his attention to wine when he moved to Decanter magazine. As an editor, columnist and content provider, he can look back over more than two decades of achievement. Our chat covered music, fine wine, competitions, the changing media landscape and what it’s like to exchange legal letters with Robert Parker.

To read more about Guy have a look at his website. You can also follow him on Instagram at @guyawoodward.

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.

Cristina Mercuri had a successful career as an international lawyer in Milan but gave it all up to study and create a second career in wine, becoming Italy’s first female Master of Wine within a decade. A consultant, educator and journalist, Cristina likes to describe herself as a “cultural bridge” between Italy and the rest of the world. She’s also on a mission to bring more women into the wine industry and make wine less “self-referential”.

To read more about Cristina have a look at her website. You can also follow her on Instagram at @cristinamercuri_wine.

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.

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.

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