In this episode, we take a look behind the scenes of one of the wine and spirits industry’s most important trade fairs: Wine Paris and Vinexpo Paris. The Thieves speak with with Rodolphe Lameyse, CEO of Vinexposium, the company that runs the fair – and spoiler alert: Wine Paris and Vinexpo Paris are two names for the same show – Rodolphe explains w…

The Wine Thieves are back with part two of a series on the Unità Geografiche Aggiuntivi of Chianti Classico (or UGAs) the recently announced additional geographic units that will begin appearing on labels of the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione category as of this year. Joining us again are Caterina Mori, Director of Communications for the Chianti C…

In part one of this two-part episode, the Thieves go behind the scene in Chianti Classico with Caterina Mori, director of Communication for the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico and Alessandro Masnaghetti, aka Map Man Masnaghetti, to take a deep dive into the recently approved “added geographic units” of this important Tuscan region , which were offi…

The first of a three-part journey into Chianti Classico. in this episode we look at the past, present and future of the denominazione with our special guest, Giovanni Manetti, Chariman of the Chianti Classico Consorzio and proprietor of the venerated Fontodi estate in Panzano. This is Manetti’s second term as the Chairman , where he has been a driv…

The Thieves embark on a South African “wine safari” with Pieter Walser of Blank Bottle Wines based in Sommerset West near Stellenbosch, one of the most unusual and innovative wine businesses anywhere, and Peter-Allan Finlayson of Crystallum Wines and Gabrielskloof in the Bot River region. Finlayson is a third generation winemaker and the son of the…

This episode takes a wide-ranging look at biodynamic agriculture, which, perhaps not so coincidentally, seems to be the foundational philosophy underlying a disproportionately large percentage of the world’s best wines. The Thieves speak with two prominent Californian practitioners of biodynamics to discuss several aspects of this philosophy-cum-pr…

Originally aired November 2022: The Thieves are back in Europe to explore the wealth of indigenous grape varieties and stunning stunning old vineyards found in Portugal. Exactly how this sliver of the Iberian peninsula has been able to safeguard traditions, vineyards and distinctive regional character is what Sara and John are out to learn in this …

We’re kicking off 2023 and season three of the podcast with a look at one of the hottest wine trends down under: cool and fresh red wines from Australia. Once famous, and still well-known for robust, full-bodied, sunshine-filled jammy reds, today there’s serious momentum gathering, and already flowing, for lighter styles of red, fresher, less oaky,…

With a broad, international perspective, award-winning author, Decanter columnist and broadcaster, Andrew Jefford shares his thoughts on Ontario Chardonnay after his role as a keynote speaker at this year's i4C (International Cool Climate Celebration) in Niagara, Ontario. Join John & Sara as they listen in to Jefford's consequential speech which co…

The Thieves are back in Europe to explore the wealth of indigenous grape varieties and stunning stunning old vineyards found in Portugal. Exactly how this sliver of the Iberian peninsula has been able to safeguard traditions, vineyards and distinctive regional character is what Sara and John are out to learn. They have a hunch that large-volume pro…

The Wine Thieves are finally back with a new episode, perfect for the late summer, at least in the northern hemisphere, in which we share some cool news and information on the white wines of Australia. Many picture Australia as a warm country with beautiful beaches and great surfing, well suited to heat-loving red grapes like grenache, shiraz and m…

In today’s episode: how cataloguing old vines in South Africa has raised standards for fair employment, and sustainable farming and may just prove the key to solving the problem of the country’s most prevalent vine virus. We continue investigating the topic of old vines, this time from a different perspective, as we look to the Certified Heritage V…

Today's episode takes a critical look at the fashionable and fascinating subject of old vines, some extremely old, how they got so old, how they perform and the wines they produce. Do they make better wine than young vines? The Wine Thieves ask two world experts from South Australia to weigh in: Prue Henschke, viticulturist for the renowned Henschk…

Who doesn't love Beaujolais? This in-depth episode is all about this picturesque, hilly region and its geological and stylistic diversity. Recent cataloguing of the Beaujolais soils helped bring to light over 300 soil profiles that have been analyzed and described by geologists in tandem with growers, underscoring that diversity (be sure to check o…

The Wine Thieves venture out beyond wine (but not too far) to speak with Michelin starred chef-sommelier José González-Solla (Pepe to his friends) of the renowned Casa Solla, near Pontevedra in Galicia. Once-known for its excellent, traditional, home cooking, when Solla took over from his parents he transformed the business through his inventive st…

In Episode 4 in a five-part series on Rias Baixas, the Wine Thieves speak with winemaker Emilio Rodriguez of the Terras Gauda winery in O Rosal, the largest privately owned winery in Rias Baixas. Emilio has been at Terras Gauda for longer than he can remember, and he is a big fan of some of the other native grapes of the region beyond Albariño, esp…

Rias Baixas episode 3 of a five-part series: redefining Albariño, emerging styles, ageworthy wines, and the Condado do Tea subregion with special guest Isabel Salgado, winemaker at Fillaboa. In this episode we shift our focus over to the Condado do Tea sub-region. Condado de Tea is the second largest sub-region of the five, behind the Salnès Valley…

This is part two of a five-part series on the Wine of Rias Baixas. In the first episode, we took you through the region, including a brief history and the technical details of climate and soils, sub-regions and the denominación of origin rules and regulations. If you missed it, you may want to go back and have a listen to our interview Katia Alvare…

Welcome back and thank you for joining us for another season of Wine Thieves! We're off to a fresh start with our latest series in which we explore albariño, seaside vineyards and fresh Atlantic wines as we travel through the diverse wine-growing region of Rias Baixas. This small corner of northwestern “Green Spain” in the region of Galicia has eme…

A replay of last year's terrific episode celebrating Riesling day, March 19th, featuring Johannes Selbach (Selbach-Oster) of the Mosel Valley, Johannes Leitz from the Rheingau, Philip Wittman of the Rheinhessen, and twins Hans and Valentin Rebholz of Ökonomierat Rebholz. The earliest-known written record of Riesling dates back precisely to March 13…

This is the last in our 5-part series featuring Armenia’s modern wine renaissance and our final episode of 2021. This time we focus on what’s most important, that is . . . eating and drinking in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia! Following the evolution of wine culture in the country that moved from a brandy-producing and brandy drinking culture to e…

In this episode, the Thieves visit one of the world’s great wine capitals: Vienna. Up until the late Middle Ages, grapevines were still growing within city walls in what is now the first district in the heart of Vienna. Vineyards were slowly pushed to the outskirts, but Vienna remains the only European capital to have acreage of commercial conseque…

You probably already know about Austrian grüner veltliner. It’s the country’s most planted variety, and the wine you’re most likely to find on store shelves and restaurant wine lists. You may even know that Austria makes exceptional riesling and fine reds from local specialties like blaufränkisch and sankt laurent. But what may be news is that this…

The Wine Thieves make their way to the south of France to the country’s most productive IGP, the Pays d’Oc. This long coastal strip spanning 240 kilometres across the Mediterranean Sea from just east of Nîmes to the Spanish border is a multi-faceted region with endless sunshine, benevolent winds and variations in elevation that make it possible to …

This week we're back in Armenia focusing more deeply on the origins and proliferation of Armenia’s autochthonous grape varieties. Indigenous and autochthonous seem to be used interchangeably, but as we've learned, in the scientific community, autochthonous is the preferred term for grape varieties that were born, so to speak, in a certain place. So…

(Previously aired 07/21) In this important episode, we connect with two of the many women who make up the fabric of Napa Valley's wine trade. We speak with Megan Baccitich, a Healdsburg native and winemaker at the forward-thinking Geodesy Winery, and Ana Diogo-Draper, born raised and educated in Portugal but in Napa for the last 15 years, and now D…

In this episode, the Thieves explore one of the most important and timely topics in the wine world today: Regenerative Agriculture. “Regen Ag”, or simply RA as it’s often called, has become THE buzzword of the year not just in the wine industry, but in the agri-food sector at large. What is regen ag? It’s a simple question but the answer is anythin…

(Previously aired July 2021) This is not an episode about Napa's “icon wines” or “icon wineries” whose labels, rarity, and high cost cause a frenzy among consumers resulting in exclusive waitlists for the privilege of purchasing a bottle. No, today we’re talking about the “star” vineyards that, in some cases, have become brands in their own right. …

In this third episode focused on the re-nascent wine industry in Armenia, the Wine Thieves get into a deep and detailed conversation about ancient and recent techniques applied to the wealth of autochthonous grapes in the country. Joined by guests Artak Gabrielyan, chief winemaker at the Armenian National Agrarian University and lecturer at the EVN…

(Previously aired 07/15) Join the Wine Thieves in Napa Valley this week for the first of a special two-part series on the "grand crus" of Napa Valley, that is, the very best vineyards, the historic and more recently famous sites that produce Napa's finest wines. Today we're going straight to the source to talk to the Napa Valley’s, and probably all…

In this episode we take a deeper look at VQA Ontario wines, and more specifically the Niagara Peninsula and its 10 sub-appellations. We begin to unravel the mystery of the cru, those single parcels of vineyard that have, or yet may rise, to the top of the heap of Ontario VQA wines. What features do they share? What makes them unique? With grapegrow…

Today we're exploring viticulture on top of the world, the wines of Mendoza which is the most prolific wine-growing region of Argentina. In fact, Mendoza holds 75% of the total vineyards in Argentina and the largest number of wineries in the country. In this episode, we’ll be talking about the diversity within Mendoza in all its corners from Lavall…

Way back in episode 41 entitled Armenia: Stepping Back Through Time, the Wine Thieves introduced listeners to this fascinating country with 6100 years (at least) of winemaking history. Armenia is the site of the oldest known winemaking facility, the Areni-1 cave discovered in 2007 in the Armenian highlands in the region called Vayots Dzor. Be sure …

What do a British diplomat, a Paris wine shop owner, and a Mosel winegrower have to do with Ontario wine? Listen in to find out - they all defined or shaped Ontario's wine industry in some way. In this rich episode on the history of the Ontario wine industry, you'll also hear many more legends, tales and genuine anecdotes archived from the mists of…

This week the Wine Thieves embark upon the all-important discussion of riesling grown in Ontario, Canada. Ontario’s cool-climate wine growing regions enjoy special status as one of the few areas outside of northern Europe where Riesling is a signature grape variety. It is home to vineyards that are now over 40 years old and as of this year, rieslin…

The world’s most ancient wine-producing region, with 6,000 years of history, is just beginning a modern winemaking renaissance. Why haven't you heard about Armenian wine? Unlike neighbouring Georgia, whose wine production has continued unbroken for millennia, Armenia’s ill-fated wine culture was drowned by successive waves of troubled historical ev…

In our ongoing series featuring Femmes du Vin, we speak with Madeline Puckette, author, co-founder and wine education content creator of the wildly popular Wine Folly. Stemming from her own experience with formal wine education, Madeline decided to take a rather radical departure from formalized pedagogy, working instead within a visual framework t…

We’re back in the Napa Valley with stories about the early days of the re-birth of the Napa Valley from the 1970s and 1980s. We’ll hear about the hard work, the physical labour of establishing a vineyard, the uncertainty that hung over wineries at the time, and certainly the financial drain. John and Sara speak with two second-generation winemakers…

In this important episode we connect with two of the many women who make up the fabric of Napa Valley's wine trade. We speak with Megan Baccitich, a Healdsburg native and winemaker at the forward-thinking Geodesy Winery, and Ana Diogo-Draper, born raised, and educated in Portugal but in Napa for the last 15 years, and now Director of winemaking at …

The Man, The Myth, The Legend. On occasion, the Thieves feature conversations with sommeliers and wine industry leaders with unique perspectives, who are great storytellers, and whose work they admire. In this episode, John and Sara speak with the one and only Paul Grieco, 'General and Manager' of Tribeca's Terroir wine bar in New York City, one of…

Drink Chenin! In honour of Drink Chenin Day, June 18th 2021, the Wine Thieves make a special trip to South Africa, a global leader in Chenin Blanc production with 55% of the world's plantings. It’s the #1 most planted grape of any colour in the Cape Winelands, accounting for 17.5% of national acreage. The grape has a complicated history but is like…

The Wine Thieves are thrilled to be back on home soil in beautiful southern Ontario investigating what might just be Ontario's finest and most reliable grape variety, Chardonnay. Of the 51 varieties authorized for VQA production, chardonnay is number one by volume accounting for 13% of total VQA production. This episode gives you an overview of Ont…

An episode devoted to a few lesser known topics relations to New York Wines including growing in the Hudson River Region, Lake Erie and the burgeoning urban winery scene. An historic growing region, the Hudson River Region is one of the oldest established AVAs in the US having received the designation in 1982. It's also home to the oldest commercia…

The Wine Thieves are back in Europe this spring, the ideal time of year to rediscover Portugal's Vinho Verde. Crisp, delicately perfumed, dry to off-dry, low in alcohol and sometimes with the merest prickle of effervescence, these are classic descriptors of this northern Portuguese specialty (and mostly white, but there are rosé and red versions, t…

Continuing their journey through New York, John and Sara take a deeper dive into the red wines grown across the state in search of an elusive flagship variety. The Thieves make the call that New York's signature red grape must surely be cabernet franc, even if their wine producing friends are reluctant to say it themselves. Merlot may be more widel…

May 7th is Sauvignon Blanc day but we'll be celebrating all week! Join the Wine Thieves at ground zero for new world sauvignon blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand. John and Sara explore its rise to prominence from the first plantings in the 1970s, through to its explosion on the international scene in the 1990s, and now to the current ‘third wave’ (a g…

The Wine Thieves' weakness for riesling compels them to tarry a little longer in the Finger Lakes region of New York (FLX). Riesling has become a signature grape of FLX, home to 85% of all the riesling planted in New York State. Here it delivers electric, laser-sharp wines the way we like them, bone-dry to sweet, from steep, lakeside slopes on grav…

Last fall we interviewed some of the exceptional speakers of the Femmes du Vin Harvest Series and we are delighted to be able to present them to you now. Femmes du Vin is a grassroots women’s organization dedicated to promoting and amplifying the voices of all women in wine. Visit femmesduvin.org to find out more about their upcoming seminar series…