152: Field Blends, Pet-Nats and Memoir with Rachel Signer

What is it like to make wine totally by hand, without electricity? What is a field blend and why should you try one? What’s the most difficult part of writing a memoir? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Rachel Signer, who has just published a gripping, addictive memoir, You Had Me at Pet-Nat. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.   Highlights Why did Rachel start Pipette Magazine? How has the wine community responded to Pipette? How did Rachel stay eco-friendly while producing a print magazine? What is a Pet-Nat? What is the tasting experience like for Rachel’s 2020 Pet-Nat? What’s it like to make wine totally by hand? Which types of food pair well with Pet-Nats? What goes into a field blend? Are natural wines and raw wines one and the same? What can you expect to read about in Rachel’s memoir, You Had Me At Pet-Nat? Why is it hard to write a memoir compared to fiction? What lessons did Rachel learn through writing her book? How did Rachel find the process of finding a publisher for her book? What’s it like to promote a new book during a pandemic? Why is Rachel excited about Canlibero Pink Freud?   Key Takeaways I admire how Rachel and her husband have tried to be as low-intervention as possible when making wine, even to the point of working the press by hand and not with electricity. I’ve always loved the complexity and taste of field blends. I hope you’ll seek them out for your sipping pleasure. I so relate with Rachel that writing about those you love is the most difficult part of writing a memoir, as I continue to edit my own manuscript.   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 Zoom on Wednesday, November 24th at 7 pm eastern. You can save your spot for free right here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tewg8-WtS12gq6YygSQ1lg. I’ll be jumping into the comments 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 one-year subscription to Pipette Magazine, a gorgeously illustrated magazine about natural wines.   How to Win All you need to do is comment on one of the posts on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn before 7 pm EDT on November 17th. I’ll select the winner randomly from those who participate. You get a bonus entry for every wine-loving friend you tag and if you re-share this post in your stories. Good luck!   About Rachel Signer Rachel Signer is a wine writer originally from Virginia, now living in South Australia. She’s written for numerous publications, including The Guardian, Vogue and Eater. She’s also the publisher and founder of Pipette Magazine, an independent magazine about natural wines sold in over twenty countries. She makes natural wines with her husband in the Adelaide Hills under the labels Lucy M and Persephone Wines. Her fabulous memoir, You Had Me at Pet-Nat, has just been published by Hachette Books.     To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/152.