Tell us about your new podcast series you have for the Loire?
'Those Who Know the Loire' is a new podcast series hosted by wine journalist and author Natalie Earl. Each episode brings her together with a different UK wine voice to explore the Loire through personal stories, opinions and three wines.
We’re really excited to finally share these conversations and bring the series to life.
What do you hope to achieve with the series?
We want to make people curious about the Loire in a very human way. Rather than creating a masterclass or educational audio content, we wanted genuine conversations with strong points of view, bringing together wine professionals from different backgrounds, each with their own stories and perspectives.
The idea is to explore what excites our guests, what has surprised them, what deserves more attention and how perceptions of certain wines compare with what is happening in the region today.
How will each programme be put together?
Each episode is built around one guest, one conversation and three wines.
The wines give the discussion a natural rhythm, but they are not treated as a formal tasting. Each bottle opens up a wider conversation around style, place, people, food or the future of the region. Natalie leads the podcast while also bringing her own opinions and experiences, so the whole episode flows as a genuine conversation.
Which wine professionals and Loire experts have you chosen to take party?
Paul Caputo is the first guest on the new Those Who Know the Loire podcast series hosted by Natalie Earl
Natalie Earl hosts all the episodes. The first episode, just released, focuses on Muscadet with Paul Caputo who has just returned from a trip to Nantais.
The next two will turn to Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, with the voices behind those conversations to be revealed very soon.
We chose people with strong personalities and genuine points of view, not just technical expertise. They come from different corners of the UK wine industry and each brings a very different relationship with wine.
What sort of topics and issues will they be covering?
It varies by episode, which is part of the appeal. In Muscadet, for example, Paul and Natalie discuss terroir of course, but also the rise of the Village Appellations, food pairing, ageing potential and how perceptions of Muscadet compare with what is actually happening in the region today.
More broadly, the series gives our guests the space to share their own stories, experiences and perspectives on Loire wines, and to explore what excites and surprises them.
Will you also be tasting and recommending wines in the series?
Each episode will feature three wines being tasted
Yes absolutely. Three wines are featured in each episode. They are there as conversation starters rather than for formal tasting notes, helping to show different expressions of the theme being discussed.
Who is the podcast aimed at - consumers or professionals?
The UK wine trade is at the heart of the project, but we wanted it to be accessible to curious wine lovers too. There is enough substance for sommeliers, buyers and retailers, without assuming specialist knowledge.
Have you taken any inspiration from other podcasts to help plan the series?
We were very much inspired by editorial podcasts where the guest’s personality really matters and the conversation is allowed to breathe. We wanted listeners to feel like they were sitting in on a really good conversation rather than listening to a presentation.
* You can follow the new Those Who Know The Loire podcast series here.
