Drinking Well: a Podcast

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by broadcaster and sports journalist Jill Douglas MBE. For seven years, Jill was CEO of My Name’5 Doddie Foundation (also Berry Bros. & Rudd’s chosen charity partner), created by late Scotland rugby player, Doddie Weir. With a bottle of Loire Sauvignon Blanc, Jill tells Barbara more about her work with MND, the buzz of covering the Olympics and her love for a dry martini. Featured bottle: 2023 Reuilly Blanc, Les Pierres Plates, Denis Jamain, Loire. Browse our selection of Loire whites here.

hef Michel Roux has made the pursuit of taste and culinary excellence his life’s work, particularly at his much-missed restaurant, Le Gavroche. As they enjoy a bottle of aromatic sake, Michel and Barbara cover the joys of food and wine pairing, the magic of Sauternes and what Christmas looks like in the Roux household. Featured bottle: IWA 5, Assemblage 3, Shiraiwa K.K. Brewery, Toyama Prefecture, Sake

Our podcast guest for this episode is tailor and “The Great British Sewing Bee” judge Patrick Grant. Together, he and Barbara enjoy a special single malt Scotch whisky as they discuss sustainable fashion, craftsmanship and the importance of seeking out quality. Featured distillery: Nc’nean Distillery

This week, Barbara speaks to interior designer Katharine Pooley With a bottle of South African Cabernet Sauvignon, they explore the theme of wine as art, the creative inspiration of travelling and Katharine’s collection of recipes. Featured bottle: 2021 Damascene, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch, South Africa

In this episode, Barbara is joined by concert violinist Charlie Siem. Together, they discuss the shared creativity of winemaking and music, the experience of tasting (and playing) history and why you shouldn’t wait to open a special bottle. Featured bottle: 2019 Caiarossa, Tuscany, Italy Click here to browse our selection of Super Tuscans.

Chandler Rachel Vosper is our guest for this episode. Over a bottle of Austrian Riesling, she and Barbara discuss the languages of scent and flowers, memories of special bottles shared and the magic of Riesling. Featured bottle: 2022 Riesling, Smaragd, Wachstum Bodenstein, Prager, Wachau, Austria

In our first series, you'll hear from our expert Buyers and Account Managers as they explore the most exciting developments in key fine wine regions. They also reveal our team's favourite wines and producers.

In our second series, we uncork and discuss wines which our experts have pulled from their own collections. These could be wine regions you might not have discovered, but which undoubtedly deserve to be on your radar.

Our third series explores the joy of collecting and enjoying wines and spirits with six of our in-house experts. Covering topics from provenance to sustainability, we open a bottle with each guest to further explore these themes.

Barbara joined the wine trade in 2011, knowing, in hindsight, very little about wine. She became a Master of Wine in 2018, one of 415 MWs worldwide. For 10 years she worked in Berry Bros. & Rudd’s events team, hosting many of our dinners, masterclasses and courses. She now leads our content team, working on new ways to educate, inspire and support our customers as they build and enjoy wine collections

Hannah worked for Berry Bros.& Rudd as a writer in 2021-22 and hosted series one and two of Drinking Well. Hannah discovered a love for a wide variety of wine regions from her time working in hospitality; to this day she retains a special fondness for Champagne and Burgundy.