Are trends like orange wine and natural wine here to stay? What are the benefits of joining a wine club? How do you get out of a wine rut? Have consumer wine choices changed during the pandemic?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Amanda McCrossin & Vanessa Conlin of the Wine Access Unfiltered Podcast for part 2 of our two-part conversation.

You can find the wines we discussed at www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.

Highlights

• Why did Vanessa decide to pursue her MW qualification?
• What are the main differences between the MW and Master Sommelier qualifications?
• Why doesn’t Amanda think the orange wine trend is here to stay in the US?
• Why is there so much confusion for consumers when it comes to natural wines?
• How does Vanessa identify natural wines?
• Have consumer wine choices changed during the pandemic?
• What was the most expensive wine Amanda has ever sold?
• Why does Amanda have a special interest in unusual varieties of wine from the 1950s and 1960s?
• Where can you start when you want to try something new?
• What’s the experience like as a member of the Wine Access Wine Club?
• Does it matter where you buy your wine?
• Why did Vanessa do a tasting of high-altitude wines?
• Which type of wine glass does Amanda recommend for California wines?
• How is Wine Access working to help improve diversity in the wine industry?

Key Takeaways

• I loved the way Vanessa described the master of wine studies as a way to combine all of those pieces of her curiosity and feed her constant desire to keep learning. I feel that way when it comes to writing and researching guests and topics for this podcast.
• I agree with her that the wine community needs to do a better job of explaining what natural wine actually means and what people should look for.
• I love her advice to drink promiscuously! The people on the floor - whether it's a restaurant or retail - know better than anybody what's on that list or on the shelves. Talk to them and ask what's interesting. Take a risk, drink promiscuously.

Watch Party

Join me for the debut Watch Party of the video of this conversation that I’ll be live-streaming for the very first time on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video on Wednesday, March 24th at 7 pm eastern.

Click on the "Interested" or "Going" buttons below so that you'll be notified when we go live:

https://www.facebook.com/events/483530695981204

I’ll be jumping into the comments on all three platforms as we watch it together so that I can answer your questions in real-time.

I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer?

Giveaway

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You can win one of two signed copies of my books, "Red, White, and Drunk All Over" and "Unquenchable"

How to Win

All you have to do is just pick your favourite social media channel -- Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn -- tag us and post a wine you love before March 24th. Make sure to use these handles and hashtags:

• Instagram - @vanessaconlin @sommvivant @nataliemacleanwine @wineaccess @wineaccessunfiltered
• Twitter - @wineaccess @nataliemaclean
• Facebook - @hello.wine.access @natdecants

Hashtags:

#wineaccess #natdecants

I’ll select the winner from those of you who participate before March 24th. I’ll also reshare your stories and posts with my followers whether you win or not so that you connect with more wine lovers.

Good luck, and I can't wait to see (and share) what you post!

About Amanda McCrossin & Vanessa Conlin MW

Amanda McCrossin is a sommelier, media personality, wine educator, host of the Wine Access Unfiltered Podcast, & creator/host of the Instagram and YouTube channel “SOMMVIVANT.” As the former Wine Director at PRESS Restaurant in Napa Valley, Amanda worked with the world’s largest, deepest restaurant collection of all Napa Valley wines in the world. Prior to being named Wine Director in 2018, Amanda worked as a sommelier with her mentors and predecessors Kelli White (author, Napa Valley Then & Now) and Scott Brenner to become one of the world’s leading experts in California wine. Today, Amanda focuses her efforts on producing wine “edutainment” and digital media content for her social media platforms geared toward both consumers and professionals alike. A frequent speaker, personality, and contributing writer, in 2018 she was named a Wine Enthusiast ‘Wine Star’ Nominee for Sommelier of the Year and has been featured by numerous publications and media outlets including SOMM TV, Food Network, Wine Enthusiast, Somm Journal, Food & Wine, World of Fine Wine, & Wine Spectator.

Vanessa Conlin MW is the Head of Wine for Wine Access, a national direct-to-consumer e-com wine retailer where she oversees all wine curation and wine content. Vanessa has served as the Director of Sales and Marketing for several of Napa’s most prestigious luxury estates including Arietta Wines and Dana Estates. Previously she was the wine buyer for two prominent Manhattan wine retailers and the Wine Director for a Manhattan-based wine bar. As an avid supporter of charitable causes, Vanessa is the President of the Board for Jameson Humane, a Napa Valley-based animal rescue and sanctuary, and has chaired the organization’s annual charity wine auction four times, raising over 7 million dollars. Prior to falling in love with wine, Vanessa worked as a professional musician, performing internationally and on Broadway, and holds a Master’s Degree in Music. She is an instructor for the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and was the recipient of the Niki Singer Memorial Scholarship from the International Wine Center. Vanessa became a Master of Wine in 2020.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/120.