Which almost-forgotten grape Italian varieties deserve more recognition? What might surprise you about the stories and wines from Campania? What makes wine such a great narrative vehicle throughout history?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Marc Millon.

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

Giveaway

Three of you will win a copy of Marc Millon's terrific new book Italy in a Wineglass: The Story of Italy Through Its Wines.

To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose one person randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

What was it like spending summers running up and down Mexican pyramids as a child?

How has Marc been influenced by his Korean heritage?

What does Marc remember most vividly about moving to England at 19?

What was it like being a writer and travelling the wine regions of multiple countries pre-internet?

Why was Marc motivated to write his latest book, Italy in a Wineglass?

What makes Italy in a Wineglass so different from other books about Italian wine?

How did the Italian pride in history and story stand out to Marc while researching the book?

What has been the most interesting feedback on the book so far?

Why did the stories from Campania surprise Marc the most?

What makes wine such a great narrative vehicle throughout history?

Which almost-forgotten grape varieties deserve more recognition?

How does the Ancient Greek symposium compare to modern Italian social wine-drinking customs?

Which wine story in the book is most reflective of Italian culture?

About Marc Millon

Marc Millon is a food, wine and travel writer and communicator and the author of numerous books as well as magazine articles published on both sides of the Atlantic. Marc has been travelling, eating, drinking, learning and writing about food, wine and travel for more than 40 years.

Bonus Interview - Bianca Marais

Why did I write “Wine Witch on Fire,” and how did I know when it was the right time?

What was the inciting incident that kicked off my no good, very terrible year?

How did my story and experiences with misogyny resonate with other women in various industries?

How do you balance telling your truth in a memoir and concerns about potential legal repercussions down the line?

Who was responsible for paying for the expensive legal reviews and edits of my manuscript?

Why did I choose the theme of witches as the connecting thread throughout my memoir?

How did I weave in references to deepen the witch metaphor throughout Wine Witch on Fire?

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/287.

How are innovators making art and wine more engaging and accessible? What is it about the art and wine worlds that makes business and pleasure often one and the same? Is authenticity in art important?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Bianca Bosker.

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

Giveaway

Three of you will win a copy of Bianca Bosker's terrific new book Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose one person randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

Are the art and wine worlds still ruled by gatekeepers?

How are innovators bringing in new voices and making art and wine more engaging and accessible?

What’s the role of the social grapevine in the art and wine industries?

Why is mentorship a critical aspect of moving up the ladder in these industries?

What is it about the art and wine worlds that makes business and pleasure often one and the same?

What are some creative ways to develop your taste and understanding of art and wine?

Is authenticity in art important?

How do forgeries and fakes impact the art world?

What can the art and wine worlds learn from each other?

Why was it important to Bianca to be in the action in the art world when writing Get in the Picture?

Which wines would Bianca pair with iconic artists and artwork?

Why would Joan Didion be Bianca’s ideal companion for sharing a bottle of wine?

Key Takeaways

Bianca says, “With art and wine, some people say there are no rules, you can engage with it any way you want." She found that advice really frustrating. She thinks that it is important to give people the tools to think for themselves to engage with art or with wine on their own terms.

Bianca observes that mixing business and pleasure is part of getting ahead in these different worlds, but it can be unfair for up-and-coming artists. It's hard to spend all of your time bopping around openings and networking.

With art, the idea of a forgery is actually a relatively recent invention, Bianca notes. We haven't always cared what was original and what was a forgery or what was a fake.

About Bianca Bosker

Bianca Bosker is the author of the New York Times bestselling books Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See and Cork Dork. A contributing writer at The Atlantic, she has also written for publications such as The New Yorker, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Her work has been recognized with awards from the New York Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists, and more, and has been included in The Best American Travel Writing.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/286.

Why are people with obsessive natures often drawn to both wine and art? How does strategic snobbery create deliberate barriers to entry into the art and wine worlds? What does it mean to stay in the work or to stay with the wine?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Bianca Bosker.

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

Giveaway

Three of you will win a copy of Bianca Bosker's terrific new book Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose one person randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

Which cities has Bianca visited so far on her book tour?

What has Bianca found to be the top marketing strategies for her book?

Are art-world people more or less obsessive than wine-world people?

Why are people with obsessive natures drawn to art and wine?

How did getting into artists’ studios transform the way Bianca looks at art?

What does it mean to “stay in the work”?

How does strategic snobbery create deliberate barriers to entry into the art and wine industries?

Is there really a need for complex terminology and flowery language in describing wine?

How has art speak evolved to become less descriptive and more exclusionary?

Why does Bianca differentiate between the logic behind wine descriptions and art speak?

What’s behind the art world’s suspicion of beautiful things and are there parallels in the wine world?

How do art and wine help us to discover and appreciate beauty in the everyday?

Key Takeaways

Bianca observed an all-consuming passion and intensity in both worlds. As she says: "I'd never met a group of people willing to sacrifice so much for something of so little obvious practical value." They are both in their own way, hedonistic. They really sort of involve all of us - our minds, and our bodies.

Strategic snobbery creates deliberate barriers to entry into the art and wine worlds. Bianca explains that it exists to keep out the "Joe Schmoes." The language is one of these constructions that exists to distinguish you as someone that does or does not get it.

Bianca advises to slow down and absorb your experiences. It's also what I teach my online wine and food pairing students. Think about what you're experiencing and what you're tasting.

About Bianca Bosker

Bianca Bosker is the author of the New York Times bestselling books Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See and Cork Dork. A contributing writer at The Atlantic, she has also written for publications such as The New Yorker, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Her work has been recognized with awards from the New York Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists, and more, and has been included in The Best American Travel Writing.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/285.