Hosted by Sarah Jane Evans MW & Dirceu Junior Vianna MW In Rioja the 3rd millennium began with a bang. 2001 was an exceptional vintage. Almost 10 years later, 2010 made another outstanding start to a decade. How do these vintages stack up, after 20 and 10 years in the bottle respectively? Are Gran Reservas as long-lived as the experts claim? Sarah Jane Evans MW is joined by Dirceu Vianna Jr MW to taste and debate these two tip-top vintages. They have chosen the 2001 and 2010 of these three great wines: CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva, Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva, and La Rioja Alta 890 Gran Reserva. La Rioja Alta, S.A., Gran Reserva 904, Rioja DOCa 2010 C.V.N.E., Imperial, Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 Bodegas Muga, Prado Enea, Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 La Rioja Alta, S.A., Gran Reserva 904, Rioja DOCa 2001 C.V.N.E., Imperial, Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2001 Bodegas Muga, Prado Enea, Gran Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2001

Hosted by Jane Anson & Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler MW We begin our exhalant journey into Bordeaux with the first episode in our 'Deep Dive Bordeaux' series, hosted by respected authorities on the subject Jane Anson and Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler MW. We will look at how they are showing at 35 years of age with the 1985 vintage; Châteaux Latour, Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Margaux, Haut-Brion – finishing up with the Premier Cru Supérieur Château d’Yquem. Jane Anson will be sharing her insights into how these six estates came to be celebrated as the greatest estates of the region, and what was happening at each one in the 1980s. This is a rare opportunity to compare all six of the Left Bank First Growths at a moment when they should be open and perfectly ready to drink. Château Haut-Brion, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Pessac-Léognan 1985 Château Margaux, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Margaux ​1985 Château Mouton Rothschild, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Pauillac 1985 Château Lafite Rothschild, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Pauillac 1985 Château Latour, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Pauillac 1985 Château d’Yquem, Premier Grand Cru Classé Supérieur, Sauternes 1989

Hosted by Ronan Sayburn MS, Peter Gago, & Kym Schroeter Peek behind the Penfolds cellar door at one of Australia’s oldest and iconic wineries. Founded in 1844, Penfolds has played a pivotal role in the evolution of winemaking, with a history and heritage profoundly reflecting Australia’s journey from colonial settlement to the modern era. We voyage through vintages in the tasting pack for this edition of Live from the Vines, starting with 2008 and sipping our way through the decade to 2018. We are guided on this exploration in Southern Australian chardonnay by Ronan Sayburn MS, in conversation with Peter Gago, the pioneering Chief Winemaker for Penfolds, and Winemaker Kym Schroeter, who together amass over 60 years of experience at the winery. Yattarna, Bin 144, Chardonnay, South Australia 2018 Yattarna, Bin 144, Chardonnay, South Australia 2017 Yattarna, Bin 144, Chardonnay, South Australia 2012 Yattarna, Bin 144, Chardonnay, South Australia 2011 Yattarna, Bin 144, Chardonnay, South Australia 2009 Yattarna, Bin 144, Chardonnay, South Australia 2008

Hosted by Jasper Morris MW, Olivier Merlin, Theo Merlin & Paul Merlin Olivier wanted to feature the 2018 vintage including his new parcels in Clos de France, Côte Rôtie and En Crêches to introduce these wines and this was also the year that his two sons joined him at the Estate and interesting to now bring in the next generation. With the 2020 harvest behind him, Olivier is keen to talk of the challenges to come: “The virus has changed many things – the distribution of wine is just one problem,” he says. “But the real challenge is not that – we will continue to drink wine – the real challenge comes from global warming and the changes we make to slow its impact,” He talks of rootstock changes, growing systems, canopy management, evolving wood strategies. There is – clearly – much to do. Will he retire soon? He laughs. “Does a musician stop playing music? I plan to continue as long as I can; making wine is not my job,” he says. “It is my passion.” Three decades into his career, winemaker Olivier Merlin continues to be a leading light in the Mâconnais. Winemaker Olivier Merlin has 35 vintages under his belt. He’s far from a “new” winemaker; in fact, he’s the most established producer in the Mâconnais, Burgundy’s most southerly terroir. And, while for some producers longevity could translate to complacency, nothing could be further from the truth for Olivier. He is the region’s most dynamic winemaker, and his dazzling cuvées continue to challenge conventional views about the Mâconnais’ reputation for humble wines. “Unlike my colleagues in the Mâconnais, we do everything by hand,” Olivier explains. “We might apply modern technology, but we make our wines in the same way as they were made 200 years ago.” He makes it sound simple, but at the heart of this approach is a commitment to meticulous winemaking – stripping everything back until what is left is the terroir. And, in Burgundy, terroir is everything. Domaine Olivier Merlin, La Roche Vineuse Vieilles Vignes, Mâcon 2018 Domaine Olivier Merlin, En Crèche, Saint-Véran 2018 Domaine Olivier Merlin, La Côte-Rotie, Saint-Véran 2018 Domaine Olivier Merlin, Sur La Roche, Pouilly-Fuissé 2018 Domaine Olivier Merlin, Clos France, Pouilly-Fuissé 2018 Domaine Olivier Merlin, La Rochelle, Moulin-à-Vent 2018