176: Australian Wine Pairings, Tips and Trends with James Atkinson of Drinks Adventures

Are you curious about the Australian wine scene and the latest trends and changes? How about tips on buying terrific Australian wines? What are some iconic Australian food and wine pairings you should try?   In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with James Atkinson, drinks journalist and host of the Drinks Adventures podcast.   You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights Are there any parallel trends in the beer and wine industries? Is natural wine gaining popularity in Australia? What is James’ controversial take on natural wine? What changes and trends have emerged recently in the Australian wine scene? How has Australian Chardonnay evolved and improved over the years? Which wine regions should you try for Australian cool-climate Chardonnay? What are some iconic Australian food and wine pairings? What are the biggest challenges facing the Australian wine industry? Which must-see site should you visit on a trip to Champagne? What did James love about his trip to Alsace? Which foods should you try on a visit to Alsace? Which wines does James like to pair with pizza? What barbecue and wine pairing surprised James? What’s James’ favourite wine book? Why is winesave James’ favourite wine gadget? Which vintage wine would James want to be served at his funeral? Which common red wine mistake can we easily avoid?   Key Takeaways His descriptions of Australian wines made me not only want to revisit the wine styles but also go back to Australia itself. It’s such a magical place. James makes some important points about cool-climate Australian wines and how elegant and balanced they are, to the point where they can easily be confused with Burgundian wines, especially when it comes to Chardonnay. I loved his iconic Australian food and wine pairing suggestions and can’t wait to try them.   Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Video Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wednesday at 7 pm eastern on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. 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? Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621   About James Atkinson James Atkinson is the creator of the Drinks Adventures podcast and winner of Best Podcast at the Australian Wine Communicator Awards 2021. A lover of all fine drinks, James was previously editor of Australian Brews News and drinks industry publication TheShout. A Certified Cicerone® (beer sommelier) and two-time winner of the Australian International Beer Awards prize for Best Media, James has judged at several prestigious beer competitions. As a journalist, he has contributed to publications including The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Halliday, Gourmet Traveller Wine, Good Food, Selector and more.     To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/176.