Organizers
Speakers
Robert Joseph
Robert Joseph is an associate editor of Meininger’s Wine Business International, which he helped to launch in 2006. In 1983, after living in Burgundy for five years, he launched the Wine International magazine; set up the International Wine Challenge; became a wine writer for the Sunday Telegraph, and wrote The Wine Lists, the first of his 25 books. He has chaired and launched over 50 wine competitions in Asia, Europe and the UK. Robert has been in Who’s Who since 2013, and the awards he has received include the Jacob’s Creek ‘Golden Vine’; ‘the Best Wine Guide in the World’; the Glenfiddich (twice); The Wine Guild of the United Kingdom Premier; the Marques de Caceres. He regularly appears on television and radio and has lectured at the Wine & Spirits Educational Trust, Burgundy and Sonoma Wine Business Schools. Joseph is one of the trio behind Hugh Kevin & Robert Wines whose le Grand Noir range now sell over 3.8m bottles per year in over 60 countries. His website is winethinker.com. He recently-launched his own Georgian wine venture: K’AVSHIRI.
official event
A blind tasting journey exploring the nature of natural wine with Isabelle Legeron MW | Glera Room
Description
PLEASE NOTE: to attend this session, registration is required and is only available to users who already hold an access pass for the wine2wine Business Forum 2024. After purchasing your ticket, click the "Register to attend" button on this page and follow the simple step-by-step instructions. Please note that seats are limited: registration guarantees your spot until all seats are filled.
This 45-minute blind tasting, led by Isabelle Legeron MW, a globally recognized expert in natural wine, will guide participants through an immersive experience designed to demystify natural wines and help tasters get to grips not only with the subtle differences between conventional organic/biodynamic wines and those that are made naturally, but also help them gain an insight into the distinct flavor profiles that make wines that are made naturally so unique.
Moderated by the permanent wine2wine Business Forum speaker Robert Joseph, the session will feature three (blind) wines, specifically designed to guide and educate participants using their palates allowing them to focus on sensory evaluation and understanding without preconceived biases. Through structured tasting steps, attendees will learn to differentiate between natural versus conventional wine styles, whether produced organically or biodynamically, and to understand more about what aficionados of wine made naturally are looking for in their drink.
Beyond tasting, the session will address common misconceptions about natural wines (particularly among traditional wine producers and audiences), and provide insight into the different meanings of terminology commonly used in the natural wine space, including “living”, “organic”, “biodynamic”, “permaculture”, “low-intervention”, “sustainable” and “regenerative”. The discussion will cover how natural wines often challenge conventional expectations, showcasing a more expressive and dynamic approach to winemaking. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of this contentious wine category, enhanced tasting skills, and an appreciation for the environmental and philosophical aspects of modern-day viticulture and winemaking.