How are podcasts a great way to learn about wine? Which wine books can jumpstart your education about wine and further it as you get more knowledgeable? What’s behind the backlash against wine influencers on social media?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Robert Vernick and Peter Yeung, co-hosts of the XChateau podcast.

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

Highlights

• What are Peter and Robert’s first memories of wine?
• Which scent brings Peter back to his first memorable bottle of wine?
• What made Robert’s first experience with an old Bordeaux wine memorable?
• How did Peter and Robert get the inspiration to start the XChateau podcast?
• Why were Peter and Robert drawn to podcasting in particular?
• How did a sabbatical from management consulting help to start Peter’s wine career?
• Which books made a big impact on Robert’s wine career?
• What did Peter learn about inclusivity in the wine space from his favourite podcast guest, Ikimi Dubose?
• How did Robert’s favourite guest, Maureen Downey, change his views on counterfeit wines?
• How is Chai Consulting using cutting-edge technology to combat wine fraud?
• What surprising facts did Peter and Robert learn about the Brazilian wine world?
• What does it mean to be a wine influencer?
• Why is there so much backlash from the traditional wine world against influencers/

Key Takeaways

• I enjoyed their insights about how podcasts are a great way to learn about wine. Of course, I’m biased, but I think the depth of information you can get from a podcast is unparalleled compared to social media. Each episode can be like one of those condensed summary books for when you don’t have the time or interest to read the whole thing.
• And finally, I thought they offered great insights as to what’s behind the backlash against wine influencers on social media. It really points to a changing of the guard in the wine industry, which in turn, affects how we learn about wine and new wines to drink.
• That said, I think wine books can jumpstart your education about wine and further it as you get more knowledgeable. Again, I admit my own bias having published two of them. However, I liked their recommendations for your wine library.

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 Zoom on Wednesday, August 25th at 7 pm eastern.

You can save your spot for free right here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lSLxIw_ESMKpn7AQFXBrhQ. I’ll be jumping into the comments 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 could win a personally signed copy of Peter’s book, Luxury Wine Marketing published by Infinite Ideas in Oxford, U.K.

How to Win

All you need to do is comment on my post on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn before 7 pm EDT on August 18th.

I’ll select the winner randomly from those who participate. You get a bonus entry for every wine-loving friend you tag and if you re-share this post in your stories.

Good luck!

About Robert Vernick and Peter Yeung

Robert Vernick and Peter Yeung co-host the XChateau podcast that features insights, analysis, and perspectives on news and trends in the wine industry beyond winemaking, such as marketing, finance, and consumer trends.

Robert is a noted wine blogger who holds the WSET Diploma. Peter is wine business consultant and the award-winning author of Luxury Wine Marketing published by Infinite Ideas in Oxford, U.K. He was named one of Wine Business Monthly's 2020 Wine Industry Leaders.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/142.