Wine Education - Matthew's World of Wine and Drink

Southern Italy is an historically poor part of Italy, making inferior wines. The last 20 years have seen more investment and quality has risen - not least because there are some superb local grape varieties such as Aglianico, Fiano, Greco, and Falanghina.

Jan 18

Jan 18 Central Italy

Central Italy is home to some of Italy's most historic wine regions, but quality varies - not least in Chianti. This episode explores the reasons for the inconsistency in quality, ranging from inexpensive to the super-premium Brunello di Montalcino.

Jan 11

Jan 11 North-East Italy

North-East Italy encompasses a diverse range of regions, including Alto Adige, Trentino, Veneto, and Fruili-Venezia-Giulia. Some of these have a strongly Germanic and Slavic influence, producing unique wines different from elsewhere in Italy.

Jan 4

Jan 4 North-West Italy

Some of the world's greatest wines are made in Piemonte in north-west Italy, particularly from Nebbiolo in the famous Barolo and Barbaresco regions. Find out what makes these wines so special, and about the other areas in Piemonte.

Dec 28

Dec 28 Sparkling Wine Introduction

An introduction to sparkling wine: its history, different production methods, styles, and regions. In this episode, I credit the English for accidentally creating champagne and completely forget to mention the current trend in amazing English sparkling wine...

Dec 23

Dec 23 Hungary

Hungary has a long history of winemaking, particularly with the great sweet wines of Tokaj. It had a difficult twentieth century, however, from which it is re-emerging as one of the most exciting countries in Europe. Learn about the dry and sweet whites, and the under-the-radar reds.

Dec 14

Dec 14 Austria

Learn all about Austria, its wine regions, and its unique grapes: Grüner Veltliner, Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, and St-Laurent. For a relatively small country, there's a great diversity of wines being produced - and at consistently high quality.

Dec 7

Dec 7 German Wine Regions

Germany's cool climate means that the best wines come from steep slopes on the banks of its great rivers, espeically the Rhine and the Mosel. Learn about the different styles produced in Germany's regions.

Nov 30

Nov 30 German Grape Varieties

Germany is one of the great wine-producing countries, but its labels can be daunting. This episode helps you decipher them by understanding the German classification system, the styles of wine, and the grape varieties.

Nov 20

Nov 20 Sweet Wines

Some of the greatest wines of the world are sweet, made in historic regions such as Sauternes, Tokaj, or Germany. There are lots of different ways of making a wine sweet, some of them simple, some of them complex and expensive. This episode explores the many different styles of sweet wine and the regions in which they are made.

Oct 30

Oct 30 South-West France

South-West France is one of the most historic wine-producing regions of France, but it's been overshadowed internationally by Bordeaux. There are plenty of high-quality, good-value, and distinctive wines to be found - definitely a region worth seeking out. Learn more about the different, individual appellations in this episode.

Oct 19

Oct 19 Languedoc

France's largest wine region, Languedoc is re-inventing itself, with a greater emphasis on quality than ever before. Learn about the different appellations and styles of wine in this good-value, underrated region.

Oct 11

Oct 11 Alsace

Alsace is one of the more unusual wine regions in France, because of its historic German connections. It produces aromatic, ageworthy white wine from a variety of grapes, the best of which is Riesling. This episode focuses on what makes Alsace so distinctive and special.

Sep 26

Sep 26 Bordeaux - A Brief Overview

An overview of one of France's classic and historic wine regions, Bordeaux, exploring its history, climate, sub-regions, and grape varieties.

Sep 10

Sep 10 Southern Rhône

The southern Rhône has a much wider variety of grapes than the northern Rhône. The main grape is Grenache, but the wines are usually blends with Syrah and Mourvèdre playing an important part. Add whites and rosés to the mix and the southern Rhône produces an exciting diversity of wines.

Aug 28

Aug 28 Northern Rhône

The northern Rhône produces some of the world's finest wines from Syrah, as well as Viognier and Marsanne, from spectacularly located slopes on the banks of the river Rhône.

Aug 10

Aug 10 Pinot Noir

Matthew's World of Wine and Drink is an educational podcast dedicated to teaching you all about the world of wine - different styles, regions, grape varieties, and its history and culture. It's designed for students taking wine courses such as the WSET, as well as the wine enthusiast. This episode focuses on one of the great grape varieties, Pinot Noir, and the different regions around the world it's grown in.

Aug 7

Aug 7 Beaujolais