117: Having a Wine Blast with Susie Barrie & Peter Richards

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a career in wine, whether as a TV or radio personality, writer, author, podcaster, event organizer, speaker or consultant? Well, our guests tonight have done it all and you’re in for a treat with colourful stories from their brilliant careers! In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Susie Barrie and Peter Richards, Masters of Wine for part one of our two-part conversation. You can find the wines we discussed at www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Highlights When did Susie decide she wanted to change her career from acting to wine? When was Peter’s unorthodox introduction to wine writing? Why should you always keep a bottle of wine in your bag? What was the hardest moment in Susie’s journey as a wine expert? What did Peter learn about himself and his writing style from the low points in his career? Why is food such a great place for you to start learning about wine? What have been the highlights of Susie and Peter’s careers so far? How do Susie and Peter simplify wine by breaking it down into categories? How did Peter come to recognize the impact of their work? When did Susie develop her Michelin star-worthy cooking style? How has wine impacted Susie and Peter’s relationship? What effect does a career in wine have on your children? What has been Susie and Peter’s experience with wine-fueled marathons? Why should you wear fancy dress when running a marathon?   Key Takeaways I loved listening to the journeys that brought both Susie and Peter from such different backgrounds to the world of wine. I feel we all sort of stumble into this world, and then never want to leave it. I couldn’t agree more with their take that a great place to start learning about wine is through food pairing and to heck with those who scoff at the notion. That’s why my online Wine Smart Course focuses on pairings. I enjoyed hearing how wine has affected their relationship beyond the shared passion and the stories about running the Medoc marathon that were so amusing. Wine bridges so many cultures, regions and moments.   Watch Party Join me for the debut Watch Party of the video of this conversation that I’ll be live-streaming for the very first time on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video on Wednesday, February 24th at 7 pm eastern. Click on the "Interested" or "Going" buttons below so that you'll be notified when we go live: https://www.facebook.com/events/715197649361153/ I’ll be jumping into the comments on all three platforms as we watch it together so that I can answer your questions in real-time. I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer?   Giveaway You could win a prize pack that includes a personally signed copy of their book on English wine, a lovely linen polishing cloth for your wine stemware and a cheeky chef’s apron that says on the front “Like it Fresh and Racy?”   How to Win All you have to do is just pick your favourite social media channel -- Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn -- tag us and post a wine you love before March 10th... bonus points if you tag three wine-loving friends and you tell me why you picked that wine, how it tastes and suggested food pairings. Instagram @susieandpeter @nataliemacleanwine Facebook @natdecants Twitter @wineschools @susiebarrie @nataliemaclean LinkedIn @nataliemaclean Hashtags for all platforms: #wineblast #natdecants   I’ll also reshare your stories and posts with my followers whether you win or not so that you connect with more wine lovers. Good luck, and I can't wait to see (and share) what you post!   About Susie Barrie and Peter Richards Susie and Peter are Masters of Wine who happen to be married to each other. It’s a strange old household, with a constant soundtrack of clinking bottles and glasses. As TV and radio presenters, event hosts, writers, podcasters, authors and consultants, the pair are renowned for their enthusiastic, thoughtful and articulate style, having been described as, ‘Legends: best in the business’ and ‘What a double act: two stars making a killer constellation.’   To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/117.