313: The legendary Hugh Johnson, author of The World Atlas of Wine, on how you can improve your wine-tasting skill and pleasure

Unreserved Wine Talk

Are you curious what it would be like to ask for wine advice from legendary Hugh Johnson, author of The World Atlas of Wine, among many other books? What would he advise you on how you can improve your wine-tasting skill and pleasure? Why was Hugh initially against wine scoring and how has his perspective changed over the years? What makes a wine great in Hugh’s opinion? Why does Hugh now prefer English sparkling wines over his long-time favourite Pol Roger Champagne?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Hugh Johnson.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

Two of you will win a copy of his marvellous memoir, The Life and Wines of Hugh Johnson. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [e-mail] and let me know that you’ve posted a review of the podcast. I’ll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

What is it about Chablis that makes it Hugh’s favourite white wine?

How have English sparkling wines changed over the years and why does Hugh now turn to them more than his long-time favourite Champagne Pol Roger?

Why is it important to taste high-quality wines at the beginning of your wine journey, if you can afford it?

How can you improve your wine-tasting skill and pleasure?

How did Hugh’s first writing job at Vogue magazine lead to his extensive wine writing career?

How did The World Atlas of Wine revolutionize the way wine and wineries were understood?

What have been the most surprising changes Hugh has seen in the wine world over the years?

What was it like for Hugh to buy his first case of First Growth Bordeaux?

How does Hugh remember his first encounter with Robert Parker's wine scoring system and his initial skepticism?

Key Takeaways

What advice does Hugh have on improving your wine-tasting skill and pleasure? The first thing you have to do is concentrate on the wine. Look at the color, sniff it, take a sip, but then when you take a sip, think about it. Keep it in your mouth for a moment or two, chew on it. Swirl it around until it registers, and you experience the wine more fully.

Hugh asks how can you score wine any more than you can score Mozart or your friends? He didn’t believe in an objective scale or giving the wrong impression that one wine is better than another. Over the years, he’s accepted scoring within a narrow range say for wine competition categories where all the wines are from the same region and grape.

Hugh says he’s had an account with the house of Pol Roger for about 60 years but more recently, he’s been switching to English sparkling wine. He observes they have a brilliant wine industry in England. Climate change is part of it, but they’re also now using champagne grapes to make the wine.

About Hugh Johnson

Hugh Johnson is the world’s best-known wine writer, having sold more than 20 million books worldwide over a 60-year career. He began acquiring his wine knowledge as a member of the Wine and Food Society at Cambridge University before becoming a feature writer for Vogue and House & Garden magazines.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/313.