“To work by animal traction, 40% grade vineyards, on slate, at 1,000m of altitude, that are 45 minutes from anything else—all the best producers are going more and more into geographically specific bottlings.” – Max Working

In December, we sent our Iberian wine specialists to take the pulse of what’s new and exciting in Portugal and Galicia. Matt Wolfe and Max Working tasted the wines of nine producers from Bierzo to Porto and returned with a wealth of stories, wineries to watch, and two souvenir tastevins from their surprise induction into a secret society. They reveal how some producers are returning to the past to move forward, what makes farming biodynamically so difficult here, why organic Alvarinho is so rare.

The itinerary included visits with Domino do Bibei, Anselmo Mendes, Aphros, Albamar, Bodegas Fulcro, Raúl Pérez, Filipa Pato & William Wouters, Revela, and Kopke.

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“What I’m looking for is very personal. It’s like a sound in the wine. And that sound is defined by something I love. Like a musician, I was always looking for my personal sound, and that sound comes easy with País.” – Pedro Parra

Pedro Parra is a world-renowned winemaker, saxophone player, and vineyard consultant from Chile—and one of the few individuals with a PhD from the Paris Center of Agriculture with a specialization in terroir. Under his eponymous brand, Pedro Parra y Familia Wines, Pedro is a leading member of the "New Chile" wine movement, crafting incredibly precise and artisanal wines that celebrate his country's underappreciated terroir.

In this episode, he and Cody Stephenson taste a flight of wines from Itata and discuss Pedro’s journey of pushing the limits, exploring the opposites, and discovering “the point of light” through revolutionary Chilean winemaking.

Wines tasted in this episode:

• País ‘Vinista
• Cinsault ‘Monk’
• Chardonnay ‘Resolution’ (only 694 bottles made)

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"Reducing the barriers to getting into Scotch, I think, is really important for bringing new consumers from all walks of life in and making them feel welcome. The whole point of Nc'nean is whisky for everybody." – Annabel Thomas

Annabel Thomas is the founder of the most sustainable distillery in the world, Nc’nean. Nestled in the Western Highlands of Scotland, Nc’nean is completely off the grid. The entire operation produces net-zero carbon emissions and is powered by 100% renewable energy. They use only organic barley, and the bottles are made from 100% recycled glass.

In a conversation with Skurnik’s Whisk(e)y Ambassador Gaby Eisenman, Annabel tells the story of her female-led, B-Corporation distillery innovating in a regional industry that deeply values and protects tradition. Nc’nean strides the future and the past by crafting whiskies that are as approachable for new drinkers as they are exciting for connoisseurs.

What Annabel and Gaby tasted in this episode:

• Nc'nean Organic Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Nc'nean Organic Single Malt Scotch Whisky 'Quiet Rebels – Amy'

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