Episode 193 sees David Kermode look back through the 16th series of The Drinking Hour podcast. He shares some of his highlights from episodes covering Champagne, whisky, rum and more.
First up, Kermode reminisces over his conversation with Dominique Demarville, one of the most remarkable figures in Champagne. He shares why he decided to dedicate his career to bubbles, why the resilience of the region has inspired him and explains what made him want to join Champagne Lallier. Demarville also gives his take on the renaissance of the Meunier grape in Champagne.
Staying on the Champagne theme, the second interview Kermode revisits is with Michel Drapier, the latest patriarch in the pioneering family-owned organic winery. He talks on what the family factor brings to the brand, and the challenges and opportunities that come with organic winemaking.
Kermode’s next guest is Richie Allen, senior director of winemaking at Rombauer. Originally from Australia, Allen shares how he got his start in American winemaking and explains how the winery expanded under owner Kerner Rombauer.
In the second half of the episode, Kermode looks back on his conversations with figures from the world of spirits. Highlights include Alice Lascelles listing some of her favourite historical iterations of the Martini, Billy Abbott teaching Kermode about the importance of raw ingredients in whisky and rum creator Anthony Peart sharing how he has been inspired by Tom Kerridge in the making of his IWSC-gold-medal-winning Fr’um.
Discover more episodes of The Drinking Hour with David Kermode here.