The Chronicle
Sarah Kemp
Source
- The Wine ConversationHost· podcast
Recent
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Bordeaux 2025: Part 2
Jane Anson and Sarah Kemp are halfway through the Bordeaux 2025 tastings, with Jane having tasted over 500 wines, and Sarah trying to catch up with 250. Listen in to hear their thoughts so far on the vintage, find out what’s new this year, and a sneak preview of some wines that have impressed. There is a special subscription discount offer to www.janeanson.com site, which will have full tasting notes and analysis of the vintage released on April 30th. Wine Conversations listeners can save 15% by entering the code GEP2515. Find out more at wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Bordeaux 2025: Part 1
First report on Bordeaux 2025 from Jane Anson and Sarah Kemp. In their first En Primeur podcast they describe the vintage, which despite on paper looking like 2022, is in fact quite different in character. 2025 has the lowest yields since 1991, and neither Sarah or Jane can remember a vintage quite like it. Concentrated fruit and low ph are two of its characteristics. They believe you can’t make generalisations about appellations; this really is château by château. Listen in to hear their first thoughts on Bordeaux 2025. Find out more at wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ How You Get The Next Generation Into Fine Wine
Wine consumption is at its lowest since the early 1960s, and one reason is that the younger generation isn’t drinking wine. One company that is addressing this is Goedhuis Waddesdon, the bluest of blue-chip British wine merchants, who have set up The Goed Wine Collective, a club for under-35-year-olds. Sarah Kemp talks to the company’s Harry Tennant and Tilly Loughton, both in their 20s, on how the club works (spoiler alert – it’s free), how they recruit young members, the events they put on, and the language needed to engage their generation. A fascinating look into the under-35-year-old fine wine mindset. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Drops of God
Listen in to hear Sebastien Pradal talk to Elin McCoy on how he came to be the wine consultant to the hit Apple TV series “Drops of God”. As the wine consultant, he worked with the script writers and actors to ensure that all the facts and wine details were correct, as well as choosing the wines and winery locations. A fascinating conversation on how this hit wine TV drama came together. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
✒ Isole e Olena 2026 New Releases
John Stimpfig reports on the latest releases from Isole e Olena, one of the great estates of Tuscany.
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ The 250-Year History Between USA and Bordeaux
Jane Anson discusses the extraordinary relationship between the USA and Bordeaux as the US begins to celebrate its 250th anniversary of independence. Listen in to hear about the Founding Fathers' love of Bordeaux, and why Jane believes that Benjamin Franklin rather than Thomas Jefferson was the true advocate for Bordeaux. Discover the châteaux which had US connections and meet the extraordinary people in Bordeaux who helped the War of Independence. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Barbaresco with David Gleave MW
Join David Gleave MW for a deep dive into the wines of Barbaresco in our latest 10-Minute Masterclass. Discover the vineyards to look out for on the label, the best producers and the upcoming names to watch. Expert advice from one of Italy’s foremost authorities. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Chassagne-Montrachet with Jasper Morris MW
Listen in for our latest 10-Minute Masterclass on Chassagne-Montrachet with Burgundian guru Jasper Morris MW author of Inside Burgundy and www.insideburgundy.com. Discover the vineyar ds to know, the producers to watch, the four bands of Premiers Crus, its terroir – and find out why it is frowned upon for producers to marry someone across the main road! Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Omnibus XXXXII
“We are having a reckoning of the US wine industry.” Elin McCoy reports. Vineyards being pulled up, wineries for sale, wineries closing, exports falling, grim news from the US in this month’s Omnibus. There is, however, a bright spot – Taylor Swift’s love of Sancerre has made the wine fly off the shelves. Elsewhere, John Stimpfig reveals that the EU and New Zealand have concluded trade agreements with India (the first took two decades, NZ’s agreement took 9 months), a big market opens up for and Indian wine lovers can look forward to more choice. In Argentina the government has torn up 973 out of 1207 wine regulations. Plus get your running shoes out for the first Napa marathon. Listen in to Omnibus to hear all the latest wine news and views. Find out more at wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ St Estèphe with Jane Anson
“I would say St Estèphe is one of Bordeaux’s most exciting appellations right now” Listen in to our latest 10-Minute Masterclass with Jane Anson to find out why she believes this is an appellation worth looking out for. Find out about its history, the producers and the names to look out for. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Ernst Loosen
He is known around the world as “Mr Riesling”. He fired the workforce during his first vintage, threw a book of how to make wine at the one person left, and started his mission to restore Riesling’s fine wine reputation. The man, of course, is Ernst Loosen and he talks to Sarah Kemp for our “ Great Wine Lives” series. Frank, funny and totally unmissable. More information at wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ The Connoisseur Week in Tuscany
Discover the amazing people visited and great wines drunk when Jane Anson and Sarah Kemp visited Tuscany on the inaugural Tuscany Connoisseur Week. Find out which wines (and producers) captured their hearts and why Tuscany is now top of the list for wine collectors. Glorious armchair travel to one of the wine world’s most exciting regions. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Omnibus XXXXI
Listen in to our first Omnibus in 2026 for all the latest wine news and views with John Stimpfig, Elin McCoy and Sarah Kemp. This month, we look at Michelin’s new wine guides where they are reviewing producers, not wines, and ask how are they actually going to work? Artificial intelligence has entered the wine world with ChatGPT recommending wineries to visit, with predictable results. Burgundy has had a bumper few months in the auction world, we review the main events of 2025, say goodbye to some great wine names, check out the fraud scene and welcome terroir-driven Chinese wine in the US. A bumper edition to start the New Year! Find out more at wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
✒ Why Now is Tuscany’s Golden Age
Sarah Kemp discusses the reasons why Tuscany is outperforming Bordeaux and the rest of the fine wine market.
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ 2025 Wines of the Year
Listen in to hear Jane Anson and Sarah Kemp discuss their 2025 Wines of the Year. After a year of travelling the vineyards, going to tastings and dinners, they have both chosen eight wines, and a few are on both of their lists. Jane’s top 50 are on her site www.janeanson.com and full tasting notes of Sarah’s choices are on www.wine-conversation.com From legendary wines to good value wines, find out what has thrilled them this year. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
✒ Château Lascombes
John Stimpfig talks to Axel Heinz, who caused shockwaves last year when he left Ornellaia and Masseto to head back to Bordeaux to run Château Lascombes.
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ The Best Wine Books 2025
Time to clear your shelves, or build some more, as Brian St Pierre recommends the best wine books to buy this Christmas. Whether you want to armchair travel, start learning or deepen your knowledge, he has found a great book for everyone. The perfect Christmas present for a wine lover, or even better, yourself. Listen in to hear The Wine Conversation’s best wine books to buy in 2025. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Omnibus XXXX
Another action-packed Omnibus with John Stimpfig and Elin McCoy reporting on the latest news from the wine world. This month we look at the 2025 harvest in Europe and North America, find out why Chablis is selling out in the US, and discover the latest research presented at The Old Vines Conference, plus the industry hits back at the anti-alcohol lobby and much more. Find out more at wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ The 1945 First Growth Bordeaux Tasting
A very special podcast. Listen in to hear Jane Anson describe the historic tasting of Bordeaux’s 1945 First Growths at Kensington Palace to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War 11. Jane was the only journalist present and she gives her impressions of the wines, the background to the vintage, and the extraordinary people who made it (including German prisoners of war). Plus, your chance to taste the 1945s by bidding for the 1945 tasting lot at the Golden Vines Auction taking place on Friday 7th November. Liquid history! Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Alexander Van Beek of Château Giscours
A 24-year-old Dutchman came to pick some grapes in Bordeaux on an estate belonging to a friend of his father Eric Albada Jelgersma. He ended up staying for 30 years. Listen in to hear the remarkable story of Alexander Van Beek, Estate Director of Château Giscours. In a frank interview, he talks about the highs, the lows and the practices he has introduced to take Giscours to new heights. He also discusses Caiarossa, the Tuscan property he runs and his approach to bio-dynamic farming. More information at wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ The Golden Vine Auction
Dreaming of visiting the world’s most illustrious wine estates, being treated as a VIP with tours and fine wine dinners and then owning large format rare bottles? Well, stop dreaming and start bidding. Romané Basset talks to Sarah Kemp about the Golden Vine Auction which is going live online on 20th October. 110 stellar lots from Château Latour, Mouton Rothschild, Le Pin lunch with Jancis Robinson, Colgin, Bonneau du Martray, Dom Perignon, Krug, Henschke to name a few. Listen in to hear about some of the fabulous lots and discover how the money will benefit hundreds of people through the Gerard Basset Foundation. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
✒ The Latest Wine Books
Brian St Pierre takes a look at the latest crop of wine books, and picks out the ones he believes should be on every wine lover’s shelf
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Where is vineyard sustainability today, with Rodrigo Soto
Sustainability is the buzzword in the wine industry but where is it today? John Stimpfig talks to Rodrigo Soto, one of the earliest and leading practitioners of organic and biodynamic farming who presents his views on best practice and going forward. Soto worked with some of the pioneers of viticulture in California and now runs his own boutique winery, Far Mountain, in the Moon Mountain appellation in Sonoma. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Making White Burgundy with Jasper Morris MW
Burgundy guru Jasper Morris MW, author of Inside Burgundy, looks at “Making White Burgundy” in our latest 10-Minute Masterclass. There are conferences on Pinot Noir but Chardonnay doesn’t get the same attention. Find out why he believes Chardonnay is more of a rugby grape than the ballerina Pinot Noir, and discover his views on when to pick, fermentation and a lot more. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Omnibus XXXIX
Listen in to hear the latest news and views from the wine world in this month’s Omnibus. Stories include harvest updates, wildfires in Europe and US, arrests in Champagne, controversy over To-Kalon name, World Health Organisation anti-alcohol lobby, Pinot Grigio on the rise in Australia, why you should visit the Finger Lakes, plus Coonawarra’s “Wine and Woof Walk” and the great new trend - matching wine to books. Suggestions please of your favourite wine and book matches. Cheers to that! Find out more at wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Château Lafleur Leaving the Pomerol Appellation
Emergency Bordeaux podcast! Jane Anson and Sarah Kemp discuss the news that has sent seismic waves around the wine world- stellar Château Lafleur will no longer bottle under the Pomerol AOC from the 2025 vintage. Why have they done this, what does it mean for their neighbours, and what does the future hold for the producers of Pomerol. Listen in to hear Jane and Sarah’s views. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
✒ Ardfern
If you are heading to Edinburgh do not miss Ardfern, an all-day café, bottle shop and restaurant with the most brilliant wine list at reasonable prices.
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Don St Pierre of ASC Fine Wines
Don St Pierre Jnr founded ASC Fine Wines in China with his father in 1996, and pioneered the introduction of wine to a nation of Baijiu drinkers. In our “Great Wine Lives” series he talks to Sarah Kemp about the challenges and how he overcame them. It started with teaching people how to use a cork screw, but with a team of passionate local Chinese employees he built a business selling 3 million bottles a year. It wasn’t easy, he even got thrown into jail for 29 days, and while there had to plan Robert Parker’s trip to China a few weeks later! Listen in to hear the story of this remarkable man and find out why after selling his shares in the company in 2014, and heading to California to buy the majority share in Vinfolio, he has returned to China and bought back ASC Fine Wines. More information at wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Barolo with David Gleave MW
Who are the best producers in Barolo? Who are the up-and-coming producers? What does it taste like young and old? Best vintages? What type of soil? Find out by taking a deep dive into all things Barolo in our latest 10-Minute Masterclass with Italian guru David Gleave MW. Find out more at: wine-conversation.com
- podcast· The Wine Conversation
▻ Christian Moueix
Christian Moueix is the winemaker’s winemaker, the man Hugh Johnson called “a reference point to the Right Bank of Bordeaux”. Usually when you say someone is a legend it is hyperbole, but not in Christian’s case, as he has influenced vintners around the world with the viticultural practices he pioneered. For our series “Great Wine Lives” he talks to Sarah Kemp about his extraordinary life, discussing the influence of his father, being in charge of 38 vintages of Petrus, his work at Bélair-Monange, Trotanoy, La Fleur-Pétrus and Dominus, his life outside the vineyard and his one wish. Listen in to hear the man who has completed 55 vintages on the world’s greatest terroirs. More information at wine-conversation.com